Tag: Derek Fleming

Derek’s Greyhound

A relaxed chat at a Dinner table set me scrabbling amongst my books and many sessions trawling the Internet to find out more about Derek Fleming’s “Greyhound”

Derek Fleming driving his Ford “Greyhound” on an MCC event in the mid-50’s Derek bought the car for trialling while he was building “Primrose”, after damaging the under-side of hiis brand new Hillman Minx.

Sitting at the dinner table with Derek Fleming at the MCC Centenary Dinner we got to talk about his cars. Derek got into trials through fellow garage owner Tucker, and he started out competing in his brand new Hillman Minx. This went well, but inevitably, it suffered quite a bit underneath and when the petrol tank got damaged Derek decided to get another car for trialling while he was building Primrose.

An open pre-war Ford Tourer came Derek’s way, which he refers to as a “Ford Greyhound”. This interested me and when I got home, I looked it up on the Internet, without success! What I did find was a large amount of information on radiator mascots.

Back in the 20’s and early 30’s it was very popular to have a mascot on your radiator cap. Some manufacturers provided them as standard, but with Ford it was an accessory, a greyhound! So, “greyhound” was not really a clue to the origins of the car.

Comparing Derek’s car with the 1932 “Y” with body by Abbey Coachworks shows many similarities
The greyhound radiator cap was a popular accessory for Fords. It was available as an option from Ford, but a number of aftermarket companies also sold greyhound radiator caps for Ford cars. Each company rendered its own version of the greyhound so differences can be found.
Derek in his “Greyhound” tackles Darracott in 1956. Compare the shape of the doors and the windscreen mounting with the two pictures at the bottom of the page.
A standard “CX” Tourer is very different.

A phone call to Derek didn’t shed a lot more light on the cars history. He couldn’t remember who he bought it from, although he did remember it said “Greyhound” in the logbook. Derek reckoned it could have been a special body built on a standard chassis. But was it? Research on the Internet revealed that Ford started to produce the Y type in the summer of 1932. This was known as the short radiator model and it had a straight bumper. After this in October 1933 the ‘long rad’ model, with its longer radiator grille and front bumper with the characteristic dip was produced. 

Ford never produced an open Y type but when the “C” came along they did produce a tourer version of the CX. However, you can see that Derek’s car is not one of these when you look at the shape of the bottom front of the door, and the way the windscreen mounts to the body. Anyway, Derek had pointed out that his car had a straight ribbed bumper. This was a clue to the cars age as it must have been an early short rad model. Derek also mentioned that he used the car with 16 inch wheels but this was a red herring. Ford produced their pre-war cars with 17 inch, Firestone shod, wheels. Mitchelin were promoting their 16 inch tyres and gave away a set of 16-inch wheels if you bought a full set of their rubber. This of course lowered the gearing!

So Derek’s car was not a CX, it was based on a an early Y type. Further trawling on the Net confirmed that Ford did not produce an open top car because it was thought that the chassis was too flexible, however several specialist coachbuilders produced a range of attractive model ‘Y’ tourers. After yet more surfing I found a picture of a 1932 Y with a Tourer body by Abbey Coachworks and I set about comparing this with Derek’s car. They are both short rad models with straight ribbed bumpers. The doors look the same, so does the windscreen mount. 

In conclusion it looks as if Derek’s “Greyhound” was a 1932 or 1933 Y type produced in chassis form by Ford with a body built by Abbey Coachbuilders. What is certain is that the car gave Derek a lot of fun and not a little success. Derek attributes its climbing ability to its flexible chassis that ensured the wheels were always in contact with the ground, however rough and rocky terrain. There were disadvantages of course. The doors tended to fly open over the bumps unless they were tied shut!

The reason the chassis flexed so much was that the rivets had all come loose. When Derek sold the car to Ian Wilson he welded it up. It was nice and stiff afterwards, improving the handling on the road no end, but it never climbed very well again!

We have been publishing stuff about Classic Trials on the Web since 1995 and always appreciate feedback. Comments, Corrections, Criticism & Concerns are all welcome. You can leave a comment to have your say here on this web site or our Social Media

Derek Fleming’s Primrose

Our birthday run re-united original “Falconer” team member Derek Fleming with his old trials car Primrose. Derek and his fellow team members, Tucker and Ron Warren were a very successful combination, winning the MCC team award on several occasions.

“Trials Specials” were very much all round machines. Like most drivers Derek used to go autocrossing in the summer.

THE STORY OF PRIMROSE IS QUITE FASCINATING. Back in the 60’s Derek was in the motor trade when Tucker talked him into competing in the Lands End with a brand new Minx. A look underneath afterwards showed Derek how unsuitable this particular car was for trialling! The poor old petrol tank and underside were looking decidedly second-hand after their battering on the Cornish rocks.

Derek on Simms in 1954. He was awarded a second.

While looking at the damage to the Minx Derek found out a pal had smashed up his XK 120. He acquired the wreck, but the only usable bit was the bonnet. Derek had often talked about building a trials special but had never actually got round to starting it. Then one day he came back from lunch to find his mechanics had propped up the XK bonnet and laid out four wheels and an axle round it, and that’s how Primrose started. It isn’t just the bonnet that makes the old car so distinctive. Derek also built her with independent front suspension which was very unusual at the time.

The parts came from a Standard 10. Primrose is very well made. The wings are beautifully finished with rolled wired edges. The rear lights are another nice feature. When Derek finished the car the chassis stuck out from the body a bit so he wanted to set the rear lights back. The delectable looking housings are in fact cut down oil filter canister cylinders! Another nice touch is the rear number plate. It looks frightfully low and vulnerable. Until you realise it is hinged, rising out of harms way when the ruts come along.

In between the Hillman and Primrose Derek campaigned a two seater Ford. Seen here on Darracott in 1956

How did the car get its name? Originally Derek entered it as a Ford special. Having built the car in his spare time his wife had been left on her own a lot. They were looking forward to spending time together on the events, but when the first one came along his wife wasn’t at all thrilled. It was a cold Lands End, and the car didn’t have a heater yet. But when the day dawned and they were going down all those narrow Cornish lanes all the Primroses were out in the hedges. The Secretary of the event, Jack Davis must have heard them talking about it because although Derek entered the next event as a “Ford Special” the Secretary put “Primrose” on the entry list and the name stuck.

When Derek was building the car people often asked him what colour he was going to paint it. Something exciting like British Racing Green? No “nothing gaudy” said Derek “just plain old yellow and black” So when he finished it he had to paint it yellow and black. Derek is delighted that Primrose is still active, so many other specials were left to languish under a tree and rust away. Although Derek still owns her Primrose has been on loan to Neil Bray for many years. Neil fitted a modern cross flow engine and a roll bar, using the old car on the classics for many years before going class four with a Skoda on some events to avoid the re-starts!

Primrose under construction
In action on Stretes in 1960

The barbecue after the run gave Derek and Ron Warren the opportunity to reminisce about their competition career. Derek won the Guy Fawkes in Primrose one year and also the Badderely on the Lands End a number of times.

The Falconers after Tucker had started to campaign an Anglia Estate while the “Tucker-MG” was re-built. In fact he never drove his special again. In the centre is Ron Warren with his Dellow

Ron remembers when you had to register as a triple contender. Ron got three first class awards one year but no triple because he hadn’t registered. Reggie Marrions was Club Captain and stood no nonsense, rules are rules. Then Ron recalled one Exeter when the engine of his Dellow cried enough and he took it to a local garage. The mechanics fell on the car and quickly removed the engine. They had to fit a new piston and four exchange con-rods. Ron missed a section by about ten minutes but went on to do the rest of the trial.

Tucker looking on while Derek is presented with the Vice-Presidents trophy.

Ron and Derek talked about another Falcon members special “The Lawford”. This was a real fly-weight that challenged Derek in Primrose on one Guy Fawkes. It was built by Mike Lawrence and “Lawford” came from “The Lawrence-Ford Special”. They were both clean on the sections but Derek was quicker on the special tests. He reckoned it was all down to his gear ratios Mike had a box from and “eight” while Derek’s was from a “ten”. It was super to see car and builder reunited again. Derek certainly enjoyed himself. Who knows we may yet see him on another Lands End.

These days Primrose is looked after by Neil Bray. Here pictured taking good care of the old car!
Derek checking Primrose out at tea on the run.

We have been publishing stuff about Classic Trials on the Web since 1995 and always appreciate feedback. Comments, Corrections, Criticism & Concerns are all welcome. You can leave a comment to have your say here on this web site or our Social Media