History
John left school to pursue a professional football career after signing for Coventry City however after two seasons it was cut short due to a knee injury. Johns passion for fast cars led him to getting a job with Alexis who specialised in building single seater race cars, Formula Junior, Formula Ford, Formula F3 and Formula 2. During his time with Alexis John assembled cars, drove the the company transporter to the race circuits and was also a track side mechanic. A young John and Rita pictured below with a single seater at Brandshatch.  It was here that John first got his taste for engines and after two years of working for Alexis he moved on to work for Roger Clark.
 At Rogers John worked on Renaults, Lotus, Alfa Romero's, Fords, Porsches and Jensen's. When John first arrived Roger was rallying Cortinas followed by an Escort using the Lotus Twin Cam engine before the BD revolution had begun! Roger was a Ford Works driver winning four British Rally Championships including winning the RAC Rally twice and breaking the Scandinavian drivers monopoly on the RAC. John built race and rally cars some of which were commissioned by Ford Boreham including one of the London-Mexico Wold Cup Rally cars. John also worked on three of Rogers most famous Escorts the 'Old Gold' Esso car LVX941J, Esso Blue LVX942J and the Cossack cars. When Roger took an interest in Power boat racing John was involved in the building of Rogers first power boat. John thoroughly enjoyed working for Roger and being part of his most successful years.
Pictured below at the back of the Clarks garage is a body shell waiting to be built for the London-Mexico World Cup Rally. A photo taken showing a busy workshop at Fords Competition department at Boreham where John has many happy memories.
John was also a mechanic for Rogers brother Stan who was an exceptionally quick race and rally cross driver in his own right using Escorts, Alfa Romero's and a four wheel drive Capri. John built and prepared two Alfa 2000GTVs for the Group 1 Race Championship for Stan Clark and John Hanley where they proved successful and won many races. They also competed in The Avon Motor Tour of Britain in 1973 recording 3rd, 6th and 11th overall driven by John Hanley, Stan Clark and Peter Hilliard winning the manufacturers team prize and eventually was won by the late James Hunt. Pictured below Stan Clarks Alfa Romero, Roger Clark in the first four wheel drive injected V6 Capri and John making checks on the engine of Stan Clarks four wheel drive Capri before transportation to Lydden Hill Rally Cross circuit  in Kent. 
John was the last mechanic to Pat Moss- Carlsson sister of Sir Stirling Moss in her final season before her retirement. Pat Moss-Carlsson, (27 December 1934 – 14 October 2008) was one of the most successful female rally drivers of all time, achieving three outright wins and seven podium finishes in international rallies. She was crowned European Ladies' Rally Champion five times (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964–65). Pictured below Johns rally prepared Renault Alpine recorded some good finishes including an impressive 6th overall on the Manx International Rally. In 1963 until her death she was wife and driving partner of Swedish rally driver Erik Carlsson three times winner of the RAC Rally 1960, 1961, 1962 in a Works Saab 96.
 At this time john began co driving with Charles Eveson and were competitive in their own right with many outright Rally wins. John and Charles pictured below in their ex Works Haanu Mikkola Safari Escort LVX 945J. Having successfully co- driven over a number of years this experience has been invaluable in understanding from an engineering point of view of what is required of the engine in a rally car. John gave up co - driving and left Rogers to set up his own business. Many of the familiar faces that were rallying during this era have resurfaced as the historic rally scene has become more popular over the last ten years.   
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