1960 Kieft Formula Junior Monoposto
Chassis no. 1/3

Cyril Kieft's first racing car ? a mid-engined Formula 3 design ? appeared in 1950, making a significant impact on the class the following year thanks to a certain Stirling Moss. Don Parker won the 1952/53 Autosport championship driving a Kieft while Ken Wharton and Bernie Ecclestone were other noteworthy exponents. Swansea-born Cyril Kieft spent his early career working in the South Wales steel industry and after WW2 founded his own company in Bridgend, Cyril Kieft & Co Ltd, making components for the motor industry. One of the first firms to offer a complete car for the new Formula 3 was Marwyn, and then the latter failed Kieft took up the design. Stirling Moss was one of the drivers used for Kieft's successful record attempt at Montlhery in 1950 and his suggestions for improvements would prove invaluable when it came to making the cars more competitive. Keift moved to Wolverhampton and recruited designer Gordon Bedson from the aircraft industry. Bedson's new design could not have got off to a better start, Moss piloting it to victory at the Goodwood Whitsun meeting in 1951. Works driver Don Parker went on to win the Autosport British Formula 3 Championship in 1952 and '53, while other noteworthy Kieft exponents included Ken Wharton and André Loens.

This car's first owner was Lionel Mayman. Kieft's proprietor at the time, Lionel has confirmed that this was his car, identifying it from some body damage inflicted at a race meeting in Ireland. It was one of a team of three works cars at the time. Its subsequent owners are as follows: Peter Gaskell, Brian Brown, Peter and Maggie Blackstone, Terry and Tony Dunn (1966-1970), Wally Cuff (1970-1971), Jim Bennett (1971-2001), and the current vendor, who purchased the car in 2001.

It had the wrong engine and gearbox when purchased and so has since been completely restored to Formula Junior specification, complete with 997cc Ford 109E engine. There have been various versions of the nose cone over the years, but Lionel Mayman considered the current one to be very close to his original. The car has an aluminium body and comes with a spare glassfibre nose cone, complete with mould. A Renault gearbox was fitted originally but this was very soon changed to a VW case with Hewland gears, a change that the vendor also made.

The Kieft has been used extensively since completion in 2002, appearing at the Goodwood Revival that year and on four subsequent occasions. It also took part in Historic Grand Prix at Monaco in 2002 and 2006, and was invited to the Bahamas Speed Week at Nassau in 2011. The car is offered in ready-to-race condition, with a refreshed engine that has been run up but requires running in, and is eligible for various historic race series and events including Monaco and Goodwood.