Simplicity
'Simplicity'
Shortly after the War Holland Birkett, of the 750 Motor Club, proposed a
low cost racing format based on road equipped Austin Sevens. Jack
French took up the challenge and over a period of five weeks of evenings and weekends Simplicity was built.
The car was built from readily available parts: short chassis, 3 piece rear axle and mildly tuned engine. To obtain greater overall performance the chassis was considerably lightened by drilling in excess of 250 holes ranging in size from 1/4" to 3/4". Boxing of the chassis was achieved by
lattice bracing. Also drilled were the front axle, rear axle tubes, brake
and clutch pedals and handbrake. With the addition of a very light body
the chassis and body weight was 89 lbs. Flattened springs were employed both to the front and rear. The original front axle was an IFS
Unit, but this not being approved by the VSCC it was replaced at a later
date.
The first race meeting was at Ibsley on April 18th 1953 when Steady
Barker won in Simplicity. Over the rest of the season it was driven by
nine different drivers and gained two firsts and two seconds - 7 of the
drivers having no previous experience of racing. Not just built as a track
car, Simplicity would arrive at every event under its own steam, carrying
all the tools and spares that it might need.
6 years later, Simplicity was still able to prove its competitiveness when
in 1959, Jack French set a Vintage Class record at the VSCC Prescott Hill
Climb of 51.95 seconds, a record which stood until 1966.
Very few changes have been made to the original concept of the car and
it is still predominantly as it was built by Jack.
Owners of Simplicity following Jack French being Martin Eyre, Barry
Clark and current owner, Graham Beckett since 2014.
Simplicity is being used in sprints and hill climbs with the VSCC and in
the Bert Hadley Championship with the Pre War Austin Seven Club and
has performed in the Centenary Hillclimb at Prescott prior to being put on display here.
Simplicity
'Simplicity'
Shortly after the War Holland Birkett, of the 750 Motor Club, proposed a
low cost racing format based on road equipped Austin Sevens. Jack
French took up the challenge and over a period of five weeks of evenings and weekends Simplicity was built.
The car was built from readily available parts: short chassis, 3 piece rear axle and mildly tuned engine. To obtain greater overall performance the chassis was considerably lightened by drilling in excess of 250 holes ranging in size from 1/4" to 3/4". Boxing of the chassis was achieved by
lattice bracing. Also drilled were the front axle, rear axle tubes, brake
and clutch pedals and handbrake. With the addition of a very light body
the chassis and body weight was 89 lbs. Flattened springs were employed both to the front and rear. The original front axle was an IFS
Unit, but this not being approved by the VSCC it was replaced at a later
date.
The first race meeting was at Ibsley on April 18th 1953 when Steady
Barker won in Simplicity. Over the rest of the season it was driven by
nine different drivers and gained two firsts and two seconds - 7 of the
drivers having no previous experience of racing. Not just built as a track
car, Simplicity would arrive at every event under its own steam, carrying
all the tools and spares that it might need.
6 years later, Simplicity was still able to prove its competitiveness when
in 1959, Jack French set a Vintage Class record at the VSCC Prescott Hill
Climb of 51.95 seconds, a record which stood until 1966.
Very few changes have been made to the original concept of the car and
it is still predominantly as it was built by Jack.
Owners of Simplicity following Jack French being Martin Eyre, Barry
Clark and current owner, Graham Beckett since 2014.
Simplicity is being used in sprints and hill climbs with the VSCC and in
the Bert Hadley Championship with the Pre War Austin Seven Club and
has performed in the Centenary Hillclimb at Prescott prior to being put on display here.