The Mechanic's Gallon

The Mechanic's Gallon

By Gary Critcher
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The Mechanic's Gallon episodes

  • Beaky Sims Part 1
    In this exclusive interview you’ll learn how Beaky started, his entry into racing with a friends’ Formula Junior car, his interview at Team Lotus and subsequent work with the Lotus Cortinas, Formula 2 and then Formula 1 cars at the time of the teams’ greatest success, including working with legends like Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Mario Andretti.

    Download the recording here



    At our recording session, Beaky on the left and me on the right.


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  • Pete Kerr Part 3
    Part 3 :
    1972 through to 1978 and his work with March then on to Shadow and finally into R&D with Arrows.

    Download the recording here



    Monaco 1970 and Pete Kerr (right) tends the STP March 701 of Chris Amon. Chris retired the car after 60 laps with broken suspension.
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  • Pete Kerr Part 2
    Part 2 :
    Is 1969 to 1971 and takes us through his time with Jochen Rindt and the F2 Brabhams at Winklelmann, the 1970 and into Formula 1 with the fledgling March team.

    Download the recording here.



    Monaco 1970 and Pete Kerr (right) tends the STP March 701 of Chris Amon. Chris retired the car after 60 laps with broken suspension.


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  • Pete Kerr Part 1
    Part 1 ;
    1950 to 1968 takes us through Pete’s early interests growing up in his native New Zealand, getting involved with saloon car racing, Lotus Cortinas, his move to the UK and working for the Winkelmann Racing team in Formula 2.

    Download the recording here.


    Monaco 1970 and Pete Kerr (right) tends the STP March 701 of Chris Amon. Chris retired the car after 60 laps with broken suspension.

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  • Cedric Selzer
    Here you’ll hear Cedric tell us how his interest in all things automotive started growing up in South Africa, his move to the UK in 1961 and his start as a race mechanic (although he knew nothing of race cars) with Ian Raby, his move to Team Lotus (first race with them in Formula 1 was Spa 1961 and the Lotus 21’s), in 1962 he was mechanic on Trevor Taylor’s car, in '63 he moved over to be main mechanic for Jim Clark, his short F1 career finished in 1964!

    Download the recording here.
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  • Bob Dance
    In this interview you’ll hear how Bob started at Rootes Group in 1950, how he got his first start with Lotus ten years later, how he moved on to constructing gearboxes at Cheshunt, on to the Lotus Cortinas, the Indy team and finally being elevated to Chief Mechanic in the traumatic, World Championship-winning year in Formula 1 of 1968.

    Download the recording here.


    Bob Dance (left) in the Brands Hatch pitlane with driver Elio de Angelis.
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About The Mechanic's Gallon

From the publisher's feed

I came upon the phrase ‘the mechanic’s gallon’ a while ago. Lotus in the 60’s were trying to save weight and make the car as light as possible, inc. putting as much fuel in the car at the start of the…