Beschreibung
It was in 1953 that Cyril Kieft's racing car manufacturing company began design work upon an all-British contender for the FIA's forthcoming new 2½-litre Formula 1 category qualifying for the Drivers' World Championship competition. The proprietary engine manufacturer, Coventry Climax, had declared an interest in designing and producing suitable racing engines for purchase by interested chassis constructors. They offered their brand-new 4-cam 'Godiva' Climax V8 power unit in which several established teams, including HWM and Connaught expressed interest. In such company Kieft Cars were a newcomer, but they had established a very good reputation for their products in Formula 3 and had been driven with great success – most notably – by Stirling Moss.
The new Formula 1 Kieft-Climax was to use the Armstrong-Siddeley built 'Wilson' pre-selector gearbox that was extremely popular amongst specialist British sports and racing car manufacturers of that era. Coventry Climax produced their prospective Formula 1 contender, the 'Godiva' FPE V8 power unit, but company chairman Leonard Lee was not happy about unleashing it upon such a public platform if it should prove uncompetitive against the contemporary standard-setters. In particular he had an eye upon double-World Championship team Ferrari and their compatriot rivals, Maserati. It was known that Mercedes-Benz would also be returning to Grand Prix racing, doubtless in overwhelming strength, during 1954. Therefore, when early tests of the Godiva V8 engine yielded some 240bhp against Italian-sourced press reports announcing as much as 260-270bhp from the rival Ferrari, Maserati (and later Lancia V8) power units, the Midlands manufacturer began to develop intense reservations about continuing with the programme. Primary potential customers John Heath of HWM and Rodney Clarke of Connaught developed doubts of their own about the wisdom of investing in the new V8 engine should it prove to be utterly outclassed by "the crack Continental teams". Against this background little surprise was expressed, therefore, when Coventry Climax abruptly abandoned its immediate Formula 1 racing ambitions, and the V8 project was closed, un-raced, which left Cyril Kieft's ambitious project high and dry. Ironically it would turn out during the 1954 season that the published power outputs for both Ferrari and Maserati Grand Prix engines were very optimistic and the power output of the ‘Godiva’ engine would in fact have been greater than these and not far behind Mercedes-Benz and Lancia.
The Kieft company was unique in having a tailor-designed chassis so far advanced, poised to accept the 'Godiva' engine, penned by there in house designer aeronautical engineer Gordon Bedson, with extensive use of cast magnesium for Wishbones, Diff housing, Front suspension uprights and wheels. They had, in fact, produced not just one chassis but two, with a spare sitting ready alongside the prototype. Both these frames are now offered here, the prototype assembled into the fully finished car as raced in Historic events over the past twenty years.
Vintage racing car enthusiast Bill Morris first saw the Kieft project at 'Podge' Dealey's premises in the mid-1960s, when he called there to buy an ERA oil pump. However, Mr Dealey subsequently sold the Kieft components as a project to another Vintage and Historic racing car specialist, Gordon Chapman. Bill Morris called upon Mr Chapman and mentioned that the correct Coventry Climax 'Godiva' V8 power unit had long-since been in the ownership of Climax engine specialist Bill Lacey, whose preparation business was based at Silverstone circuit. Gordon Chapman bought the 'Godiva' material from Mr Lacey, but the Kieft remained a long-term project as other work upon such cars as the 'Monzanapolis' Lister-Jaguar single-seater and E-Type ERAs took precedence.
Sadly, Gordon Chapman's health then failed and after his death, Bill Morris bought the complete Kieft-Climax project from Mr Chapman's widow.
The Coventry Climax Type FPE 'Godiva' V8 was the first purebred motor racing engine produced by the eventual four-time World Championship-winning company. Although its design had begun as early as 1952 its spasmodic development would run on into 1955 – the second season of the new Grand Prix Formula to which it had been built. The unit was described in great detail in 'The Autocar' magazine edition of August 7, 1953. In its final form the FPE V8 was intended to use an SU fuel injection system and run on alcohol fuel. In period it was tested on the bench with Weber carburettors as well as with the SU fuel system: with stub exhausts it developed some 264bhp at a lusty 8, 600rpm.
Once the project had been shelved, Coventry Climax's entire FPE stock had survived in storage until the mid-1960s when it was sold to enthusiast Andrew Getley.
In 1968-69 Mr Getley had sold his remaining 'Godiva' stock to saloon car owner/ driver 'Doc' Merfield who entrusted it all to leading Coventry Climax engine specialist Bill Lacey at Silverstone. The idea was to build a series of 3-litre V8 FPEs for special saloon car racing use. The first unit went into 'Doc' Merfield's Cortina but unfortunately threw a con rod. Dr Merfield subsequently experienced cardiac problems that ended his racing career. Bill Lacey stored the remainder of the project at his Silverstone works, from where they were acquired by Gordon Chapman, and then subsequently to Bill Morris with the Kieft chassis as mentioned above.
The majority of the car itself was rebuilt and completed by Australian engineer and driver Greg Snape, overseen by Bill Morris who was experiencing the early stages of what proved to be his tragically fatal illness.
Most significantly, the complete original bodywork had survived with the prototype and spare chassis frames, although the panels still required final finishing. This work was carried out by panel specialist (and prominent ERA owner/ driver) Duncan Ricketts who cut the car's distinctive cooling louvres into the tail, side and bonnet panels. He also provided an air collector box to feed induction air to the in-vee Weber twin-choke carburettors.
Considerable input to the project was provided by Cyril Kieft himself, and the finishing touch was for him to specify the shade of metallic green who, by Bill Morris's own account: "... told us this was the colour intended for the car". The panels were then sprayed by specialist Ken Horne.
On September 21, 2002 – as Bill Morris said at the time, "only some 48 years late..." - the revived car was driven by Greg Snape in its first-ever motor race, at the VSCC Silverstone Meeting attended by a delighted 89-year-old Cyril Kieft. This Formula 1 Kieft-Climax V8 was rapturously received by Historic racing enthusiasts worldwide and during Bill Morris’s ownership featured very strongly against its peers in several editions of the Goodwood Revival Meeting and Monaco Historique.
Acquired by the current owner in 2012 an experienced gentleman racing driver and great enthusiast for British sports and competition cars. He entrusted the Kieft to respected specialists Classic Performance Engineering Ltd, with a brief to make it a safe, reliable and competitive car whilst sticking closely to its original specification. As such a great deal of time, energy and money has been lavished on the car during his ownership, including a full engine rebuild with new steel crankshaft and con-rods, rebuilt preselector gearbox and much else besides-
Fabricated Removable Roll bar
Rebuilt limited slip diff
New steel fabricated wishbones all round
Four new magnesium wheels, so now 8 in total.
New Magneto and a spare
New radiator
New fuel safety tank
Starter motor installation
Full set of shock absorbers
Gearbox internals redesigned by Tom Dark with full needle bearings, hardened gears and an ERA style oil pump and cooler
New steel crank rod and pistons, valves oil pump gears etc
New Camshafts timing gears valves etc
For ease of use the car was converted back to using Petrol rather than Methanol.
The car is also offered together with a great deal of newly manufactured and original spares for both engine and car (including the original unused sister chassis), full list available upon request. The car is described by the owner as being in “A1” mechanical condition.
Whilst in the hands of the current owner the Kieft has always been invited to both the Goodwood Revival and Members Meeting and has competed throughout Europe with the HGPCA, causing a great deal of interest wherever it appears. During these appearances in the hands of the owner who makes no claims to be a ‘hot-shoe’ driver, it has always proved competitive with contemporary Grand Prix cars. Offering a fascinating insight into what would have happened in Grand Prix racing in 1954 had Coventry Climax not believed the hype over power-outputs and released the ‘Godiva’ to Kieft et al. It has FIA HTP valid until December 2025.
In period, the Formula 1 Kieft-Climax V8 and its sister frame were destined for an extremely long slumber, through decades of storage. Through the extreme enthusiasm, dedication and technical talents of the late Bill Morris this all-British Grand Prix contender was finally completed not just in running – but in full-blooded racing – order. It is a tremendous story, and here we offer this magnificent front-engined Formula 1 contender – accompanied by a most comprehensive range of associated parts (and that second chassis).
This is far from being "your ordinary Historic racing car". It is a highly publicised and within the Historic racing world an extremely high-profile and popular multi-cylinder to match the supremely charismatic Lancia D50. It is provenly of great interest to Historic race meeting organisers and promoters. It has been absolutely welcomed wherever it has been run.
One of Grand Prix racings great “what ifs”, with a sophisticated quad-cam multi-cylinder engine which makes its 4-cylinder contemporaries from Vanwall and BRM seem decidedly prosaic, front engined British Grand Prix cars do not get more fascinating than the Kieft-ClimaxV8.
