I can still recall more than thirty years ago, making an epic solo bus journey as an
enthusiastic 15 year old ‘car nut’ to attend a ‘racing car show’ at the Crossgates
shopping centre in Leeds, and then spending several happy hours drooling over
a small display of racing and sports cars.
I still vividly remember tucked away on display in a shop, an unpainted, aluminium
bodied two seater sports car of very minimalist and simple design.
The car, a Lotus Six, epitomised to me the very words ‘sports car’.
The owner of the Lotus, presumably having noticed my envious glazed look said,
"Would you like to sit in it, son ?".... WOULD I LIKE TO SIT IN IT ?....
I struggled even then to get my gangly legs past the large wood rim steering wheel,
and lowered myself into what would now become the object of my dreams,
and I promised myself that, one day.... one day.... I would own one.
Reaching the legal driving age at about the same time as I reached 6ft 8in in height,
I commenced ownership of a succession of sports cars, of varying desirability, and
although I never quite forgot my dream, it became increasingly apparent
(after trying every Sevenesque kit available) that it would be virtually impossible
for me to ever drive one, because I am most definitely not ‘vertically challenged’.
In 1982 I heard that Caterham had introduced a ‘long cockpit’ Seven, and I realised
that at last my dream might be fulfilled. I attended their stand at a local car show,
but was unable to squeeze my large (but perfectly formed) body into even a bare
‘long cockpit’ chassis (to which not even pedals or a steering wheel were fitted)
Long cockpit ? I don’t think so....
Tears welled in my eyes, as I realised that it was obviously now time to stop
pestering the various Seven style kit car manufacturers and accept the obvious,
I was never going to own a Seven that I could fit in....
In June 1994 I called at the garage of Alan Beaumont (ALBO Eng at Batley)
an old friend who I hadn’t seen for some time. (sadly, Alan died early in 2003)
I there found a familiar looking Sevenesque space frame sitting on a chassis jig.
"I have always fancied one" said Alan, "so I thought I’d build one."
No kit for Alan though, he meant self designed and hand fabricated. Clever old sod....
After looking at Alan’s chassis, a plan formed in my mind,
and I returned home and spent an interesting hour with my wife in our bedroom,
with a dinner plate, a tape measure, some string and some cardboard
(Stop sniggering!) having measurements taken of myself holding the plate
(steering wheel) in a semi reclined position. I then drew up a detailed ‘Gary sized’
cockpit template plan, from the measurements.
I returned to ALBO and Alan and I considered the dimensions and came to the
conclusion that a long wheelbase car was a distinct possibility,
and the GJM 7 was born! all 98 inch wheelbase of it!
I had quite definite ideas on the specification of the car I wanted,
It was not to be ‘high tech,’ but a basic road going hill climb type special,
and I began the search for parts and ideas, and started saving rapidly.
My experience shows that a good plan for costing a car project is to work out the
total of all the expenses accurately, and then double it, that will be near enough!
The engine was easy, I wanted a tuned 1700 Ford crossflow on twin Weber 40s
with an external 4 into 1 exhaust.