Cars that famous people owned - that surprised you!

[ERC]

I've just acquired a newly released auto biography of my musical idol - jazz trombonist and band leader Chris Barber. (Celebrates 60 years of leading his band this year, aged 84!)

He is always happy to talk cars when we catch up so I knew he'd raced a Lotus IX, Elite, Elan and also entered the Lotus 47. I knew he was friends with Bernie Ecclestone, Colin Chapman, Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart, Bruce McLaren etc . I knew he'd owned Aston Martins, Jaguars, Mercedes and a couple of La Salles.

What I didn't know was that he'd owned and enjoyed a Dodge Charger!!!

[Oldfart]

How about Peter Sellers and the string of Lotus 7s he owned and lent to "up and comings"?

[Bryan]

Harry Secombe Daimler SP250 'Dart'
Paul McCartney Hispano-Suiza and Aston DB6, Ringo Starr Facel Vega , John Lennon Iso Fidia, read here.

[ERC]

Although no surprise as I knew he loved his cars, George Harrison's McLaren did have a Chris Barber CD permanently in the player and that was a surprise, even though they were close friends!

[Bryan]

Jools Holland has a replica Rover Jet 1

[Bryan]

James May had a Datsun 120Y

[GD66]

B-but that's not really a surprise !

[stirlingmac]

I was always surprised Denny Hulme drove a Chevette...

[Jeff]

When we used to visit Mike Hailwood at his house in Mairangi Bay in Auckland in the '70s he used to get around in a Citroen / Maserati SM

[SPman]

When we used to visit Mike Hailwood at his house in Mairangi Bay in Auckland in the '70s he used to get around in a Citroen / Maserati SM

Yeah - we used to see it around the Bays occasionally - only one I've seen

[Bryan]

Yeah - we used to see it around the Bays occasionally - only one I've seen

http://www.citroensmaustralia.com/re...s/00SB8221.htm

[ERC]

Although most will know, James Hunt ran an Austin A35 van!

From memory at a talk given by Frank Williams at Frank Sytner's dealership, apparently when both were based in Nottinghamshire in their early days, they ran Austin A40s - and one of them managed to roll one, I believe in the City!

[Jeff]

Of course there was the legendary A35 that Graham Hill used as a road car to get to races in the U.K and Europe in the 60's....
From reading various books the general word was that the A35 was "indecently" fast in the hands of it's talented owner and often attracted the attention of the law in various countries

[ERC]

From reading various books the general word was that the A35 was "indecently" fast in the hands of it's talented owner and often attracted the attention of the law in various countries

It was also modified at one Brands Hatch meeting to run on a real fuel cocktail. They wheeled it onto the grid and when the flag fell, he scorched away leaving clouds of tell tale smoke behind that made the eyes water! I think he was only a director of Speedwell.

[Oldfart]

Sir Stirling had a Standard 8 which was well modified by Alf Francis, Borrani wheels and all

[928]

Denny Hulme had a Range Rover. and a Granada at one stage.
Graham Hill owned Speedwell who made go faster bits for BMC cars

[bry3500]

Oldfarts Standard 10

[Oldfart]

Oldfarts Standard 10

Don't think that counts!

[Kevin Hirst]

Don't think that counts!

Years ago in kawakawa, a bloke whose name I have forgotten owned a v12 Etype that used to belong to somebody from the rolling stones it had a worked engine with 6 ida webbers down the middle & was the biggest heap of junk I have ever seen until he made it the smallest heap of junk by going through a T junction at over a 100mph &totally demolishing it, it sat at the entrance to kawa for a couple of weeks then dissapeared, from memory the guy got out with hardly a scratch.

[Malcolm McLeod]

And, perhaps surprising considering his height, Mick Fleetwood has an Austin 7! Probably more room in it then most modern cars... :-)