Discussion
Hi all, I`m trying to find information on Kieft racer ,Alan Rippon and his competion career/ cars he owned and raced. I know he lived in Chelmsford Essex and was one of the guys who set up Boreham race track back in 1949. He competed with a XK120 too and won the British GP 500cc in the Kieft back in 1954. Can anyone help further?
You might do better on the Atlas F1 Nostalgia Forum http://forums.autosport.com/index.php? 9do a search first, although I don't think there's much there.
What I can find is:
Alan Charles Rippon, born Chelmsford 26th September 1912
As of 1951, listed at The White House, Chelmsford, managing director of a wholesale newsagents.
I can only really comment on his 500 history, and he may have raced in other classes. First racing appears to be 1949, with the AR Special, basically the 1948 ASA of J ForbesClark with a revised body. Like the Coopers, based on Fiat Topolino parts and using a Rudge or Triumph engine. The car was co-owned with one CJM Abbott of Ford End. The car was not very good and soon disappeared.
For 1950, Rippon had a 1949 Cooper Mk III JAP, his first decent result being second place in the Commander Yorke 100-mile race, Silverstone 8th July (though perhaps more due to endurance than speed). He raced about 10 times. For 1951 he bought a brand new Cooper Mk V, still using the JAP engine. He managed 2nd place in the final of the Luxembourg Grand Prix to Alan Brown, which was no mean feat given the opposition. 1952 saw him in a Cooper Mk VI, finally upgrading to a Norton engine and running as Ecurie Britannique with John Coombs. He left Formula III at the end of the season. Most of his racing was at Brands Hatch (and Boreham, 1951-2), with occasional trips to prize events in the Low Countries.
Rippon never raced a Kieft 500. However a look at the 1954 British Grand Prix programme has him in the sports car race 1 in a Kieft 1100 (although notes indicate the race was won by one Colin Chapman, and Rippon finished 6th)
Rippon drove the prototype Kieft-Climax (registration NDA 172) at Le Mans 1954 - retired 11th hour with gearbox problems, and possibly the same car at Dundrod later in the year. The Kieft sports cars are not my area of expertise, though I believe they are quite well documented.
What I can find is:
Alan Charles Rippon, born Chelmsford 26th September 1912
As of 1951, listed at The White House, Chelmsford, managing director of a wholesale newsagents.
I can only really comment on his 500 history, and he may have raced in other classes. First racing appears to be 1949, with the AR Special, basically the 1948 ASA of J ForbesClark with a revised body. Like the Coopers, based on Fiat Topolino parts and using a Rudge or Triumph engine. The car was co-owned with one CJM Abbott of Ford End. The car was not very good and soon disappeared.
For 1950, Rippon had a 1949 Cooper Mk III JAP, his first decent result being second place in the Commander Yorke 100-mile race, Silverstone 8th July (though perhaps more due to endurance than speed). He raced about 10 times. For 1951 he bought a brand new Cooper Mk V, still using the JAP engine. He managed 2nd place in the final of the Luxembourg Grand Prix to Alan Brown, which was no mean feat given the opposition. 1952 saw him in a Cooper Mk VI, finally upgrading to a Norton engine and running as Ecurie Britannique with John Coombs. He left Formula III at the end of the season. Most of his racing was at Brands Hatch (and Boreham, 1951-2), with occasional trips to prize events in the Low Countries.
Rippon never raced a Kieft 500. However a look at the 1954 British Grand Prix programme has him in the sports car race 1 in a Kieft 1100 (although notes indicate the race was won by one Colin Chapman, and Rippon finished 6th)
Rippon drove the prototype Kieft-Climax (registration NDA 172) at Le Mans 1954 - retired 11th hour with gearbox problems, and possibly the same car at Dundrod later in the year. The Kieft sports cars are not my area of expertise, though I believe they are quite well documented.
Might there be some info in the history of Kieft book? A. Rippon is mentioned in the blurb ,'As raced by' on the publishers website.
http://www.assonpublishing.com/KieftFormulaOneRaci...
http://www.assonpublishing.com/KieftFormulaOneRaci...
Thanks for the information Boys,I will investigate the other aspects listed.I`m interested to know when he gave up racing, I believe it to be around 1956 but am not sure.I would be interested to know what competions he used the XK120 and possibly the XK150 but have limited information on that aspect.
eccles said:
Might there be some info in the history of Kieft book? A. Rippon is mentioned in the blurb ,'As raced by' on the publishers website.
http://www.assonpublishing.com/KieftFormulaOneRaci...
I pulled the Kieft-Climax stuff from there, so there's not that much more to find. Decent book, though.http://www.assonpublishing.com/KieftFormulaOneRaci...
Have you tried Autosport's nostalgia forum.
There is an unbelievable amount of knowledge and history already in there and if not just ask.
It scares me the levels the threads go to
There is an unbelievable amount of knowledge and history already in there and if not just ask.
It scares me the levels the threads go to
Google references put him in the Kieft(s) through 1954-5, an XK120 only appearing at Snetterton, 14/08/54.
Given that the Ecurie Britannique moniker was still in use, and its connections to John Coombs and (possibly) Duncan Hamilton - both linked to Jaguar, is it possible the car was somehow linked more to them?
Given that the Ecurie Britannique moniker was still in use, and its connections to John Coombs and (possibly) Duncan Hamilton - both linked to Jaguar, is it possible the car was somehow linked more to them?
In 1952, Coombs and Rippon ran as Ecurie Britannique in Formula III. There were few professional teams in the modern sense at the time, and it is more likely that they were just mates and perhaps shared a garage. There are several similar cases - Ecurie Puckey (Pugh & Nuckey), Ecurie Blounts (Derek Annable) - where they just seem to prefer something other than "driver" as entrant.
On a handful of occasions there was a third entry for AP Hamilton and one for Duncan Hamilton, although I've no race report evidence yet to confirm this actually took place. But if Ivor Bueb could fit in a Cooper, so could Duncan...
On a handful of occasions there was a third entry for AP Hamilton and one for Duncan Hamilton, although I've no race report evidence yet to confirm this actually took place. But if Ivor Bueb could fit in a Cooper, so could Duncan...
Blimey....I wonder if the 120 and 150 came from Noddy Coombes.Interesting if AR had links with the factory. Not sure how he became involved with Coombes in the firsst place. In real terms bloody miles apart. Still,gbetter all the time. I have explored the contacts above and found some excellent pics of the Kieft climax at Dindrod and Snetterton, nothing past 55 through.
HiRich said:
eccles said:
Might there be some info in the history of Kieft book? A. Rippon is mentioned in the blurb ,'As raced by' on the publishers website.
http://www.assonpublishing.com/KieftFormulaOneRaci...
I pulled the Kieft-Climax stuff from there, so there's not that much more to find. Decent book, though.http://www.assonpublishing.com/KieftFormulaOneRaci...
I think the things Brian has got up to over the years deserve a book as well!
Alan Rippon was born in 1910 not 1912, he did indeed live in Chelmsford all his life, although he retired from racing after a crash in Ireland. Alan Rippon was my father, and I do have quite a bit of information on his racing career although it was before I was born so some of my information is a little hazy.
If you wanted to know anything specific I will see what I can find out for you.
Veronica
If you wanted to know anything specific I will see what I can find out for you.
Veronica
I have now made contact with the former team mechanic for Ecurie Brittanque who lives in Chelmsford and hope to speak with Veronica soon. The Jaguar cars Alan owned all stem from a Jaguar dealer ` Pollards` I believe, near the army and Navy roundabout in Chelmsford.
Any information on this dealer, or his involvement with the Boreham XK challenge races/ car preparation would be appreciated, Thanks for all your help so far.
Any information on this dealer, or his involvement with the Boreham XK challenge races/ car preparation would be appreciated, Thanks for all your help so far.
Just came across your post. Cannot help you much other than to say he was a cousin of mine. I remember being in his (mother's) house in Chelmsford looking at his array of cars in the garage. I seem to recall an XK120 and an XK140, but also a Lotus. But I am no petrolhead! The only other thing I recall is his telling my brother and me, (then aged about 13), that he got concussion at Le Mans one year through bumping his head on the car roof.
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