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- Sick_Cylinder
2.5 Litre V8 Formula 1 Race Car
Keift is a name that shone brightly in the world of motorsport in the early 1950's, winning the British F3 championship 1952 and 1953 and entering Le Mans in 1953 and 1954 with MG and Coventry Climax powered sports cars. The company was founded by Cyril Keift and in 1953 he started preparations for a move to Formula 1 to contest the new 2.5 litre formula. Two chassis were built to house the newly designed Coventry Climax "Godiva" V8 which eventually produced 264bhp at 8,600 rpm running on alcohol with SU fuel injection and stub exhausts. Sadly for Motorsport Coventry Climax became nervous about their engine being used and withdrew their support leaving the project high and dry. Cyril Keift sold his motorsports business and resumed his other business interests. The car was therefore not completed and raced until 2002. There is little doubt that the car would not have been competitive against Mercedes or Lancia / Ferrari, but at the time most F1 races were highly lucrative non-championship events and minor manufacturers like Connaught and HWM could earn good start money for their privateer entrants. It's a car that might have been a good stepping stone for aspiring drivers before being taken on by the major teams.
The car was recently sold by Bonhams and is used in Historic events / parades so it should be possible to arrange for it to be modelled by PD.
Below the car testing at Donnington Park:
Below Keift advert:
Keift is a name that shone brightly in the world of motorsport in the early 1950's, winning the British F3 championship 1952 and 1953 and entering Le Mans in 1953 and 1954 with MG and Coventry Climax powered sports cars. The company was founded by Cyril Keift and in 1953 he started preparations for a move to Formula 1 to contest the new 2.5 litre formula. Two chassis were built to house the newly designed Coventry Climax "Godiva" V8 which eventually produced 264bhp at 8,600 rpm running on alcohol with SU fuel injection and stub exhausts. Sadly for Motorsport Coventry Climax became nervous about their engine being used and withdrew their support leaving the project high and dry. Cyril Keift sold his motorsports business and resumed his other business interests. The car was therefore not completed and raced until 2002. There is little doubt that the car would not have been competitive against Mercedes or Lancia / Ferrari, but at the time most F1 races were highly lucrative non-championship events and minor manufacturers like Connaught and HWM could earn good start money for their privateer entrants. It's a car that might have been a good stepping stone for aspiring drivers before being taken on by the major teams.
The car was recently sold by Bonhams and is used in Historic events / parades so it should be possible to arrange for it to be modelled by PD.
Below the car testing at Donnington Park:
Below Keift advert:
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