Len Bailey
Encyclopedia
Leonard Bailey was a British automobile designer.
at Longbridge in 1942 which at that time were building Short Stirling
s for the Royal Air Force
of World War II
.
Building up his experience at Daimler
and Rover
in Coventry before moving back to Austin which became part of British Motor Corporation
(BMC) in 1952 to work in the engine department.
He moved to the USA and by mid 1956 was working at American Motors
working on that companies first in house V8 after a deal to buy Packard
V8 became too expensive.
In 1958 he move to Ford head office at Dearborn
, Michigan working in their engine department but was moved to the Experimental Department by Roy Lunn
. He worked on prototypes under him including the development of Ford turbine cars and he was part of the design team that built a two-seat Ford Mustang I
in 1962
Lola had completed a Ford-powered, mid-engined sports car in 1963 this would form the basis for the Ford assault on winning Le-Mans, the new project was to be based at FAV . They would have responsible for the engineering of the chassis, body and construction of the cars. Eric Broadley
was initially responsible for the overall design, but Len Bailey later took care of the chassis reengineering it from Aluminum to Steel for more durability in the 24 hour Race. Ford felt it was also necessary to cope with the added weight of the more powerful all aluminum, dry-sump Ford Fairlane .
By 1966 he was based at Alan Mann Racing
base in Byfleet Surry although still employed by Ford of Europe.
Early in 1966 several chassis were shipped to United States to be fitted with the larger, more powerful engine in preparation for Fords third attempt at taking that elusive Le Mans win. These seven litre cars are we now referred to as Mark IIs
No fewer than eight GT40 Mark IIs were race prepared for the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. Although entered by three different privateer teams All Factory Ferraris had retired by 17 hours of the race, as had nine of the Fords, but three held together long enough to score an historic photo staged 1–2-3 finish
For 1967 Ford USA decided to concentrate its resources on a second Le-Mans win they fielded the GT40 Mk IV, a newer car redesigned in the USA with a different chassis and a different body Bailey redesigned the two GT40s entered by John Wyer
of JW Automotive for the manufacturer's championship
These were lightweight variations of the GT40 slimmer windscreen and roof line, cut off tail, and lighter aluminum body panels. Entered as the Mirage M1 with Gulf Oil
sponsorship. Ford left the Mirages and Privateer GT-40's to represent them in the intervening championship events at Monza
, Spa
, Targa Florio
and Nurburgring.
In late 1966 he completed the design of The Honker II a 1967 Can Am car, built by Alan Mann Racing, and run by Holman Moody
. (It was named after John Holman, who liked to use the air horns on the big-rig trucks he drove). Powered came from an injected 351 cubic inch engine for its First Race at Bridgehampton New York where it qualified 17th and finished 8th and a 377 cubic inch for Mosport Ontario where it qualifued 17th but didn't start painted metallic it never raced again.
For The 1968 the FIA redrew the rules for championship sports car racing
. Engine capacity was limited to 3 litres for prototype Group 6 sports class, Bailey was charged by Ford Europe to create a car for this championship resulting in the Ford P68 of 1968 redesigned the P69 for 1969 built and run by Alan Mann Racing
While at Alan Mann Racing Bailey designed the bodies of a pair of gullwing cars, used in the Gerry Anderson
in 1969 science fiction film Doppelgänger
constructed of aluminum, the cars were assembled over a six month period on modified Ford ZodiacMk4 platforms fitted with Ford Escort engines and gearboxes. Two cars were also used in the Gerry Anderson UFO (TV series)
During 1967-68 he did the suspension and brake work (developing rear disc brakes) on the new Ford Escort for rallying and racing, Alan Mann having a contact to run in the British Saloon Car Championship for Frank Gardner
who won the championship in 1968 and 1969
At the end of 1969 Bailey penned the Alan Mann Open Sports Ford just before Mann wound up his operation in late 1969, this was raced unsuccessfully in two Can-Am races during 1969. Bailey then began a freelance career although Ford work was a large part of it.
powered Mildren Mono for Frank Gardener. Gardner ran the car in the 1969 Tasman Series
and finished sixth in points. Gardner then commissioned a monocoque F5000 car intended for the 1970 UK season, but Gardner signed with Lola instead. He also worked with Gardner to develop the ex-Bud Moore
1969 Trans-Am
Boss 302 Mustang
for an assault on Group 2
in the 1970
British saloon car championship.
In 1970 Bailey had set up his own design office at Gomm Metal Developments in Woking
. During the summer and autumn of 1970 he worked on a secret Ford rally project that would result in the iconic but unused Ford GT70
rally car. He followed this with more design work for JW Automotive
, including the Cosworth DFV
powered Gulf
Mirage M6
sports car for the 1972 and 1973 World Sportscar Championship
seasons. Frank Williams came calling in 1971 and Bailey drew the underperforming Politoys Ford FX3 of 1972 and the Iso Rivolta Ford FX3B of 1973
He continued to do consultancy work throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Some of his work included the:
Career
Leonard Bailey became an apprentice at AustinAustin
Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas.Austin may also refer to:-In the United States:*Austin, Arkansas*Austin, Colorado*Austin, Chicago, Illinois*Austin, Indiana*Austin, Minnesota*Austin, Nevada*Austin, Oregon...
at Longbridge in 1942 which at that time were building Short Stirling
Short Stirling
The Short Stirling was the first four-engined British heavy bomber of the Second World War. The Stirling was designed and built by Short Brothers to an Air Ministry specification from 1936, and entered service in 1941...
s for the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Building up his experience at Daimler
Daimler Motor Company
The Daimler Motor Company Limited was an independent British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in London by H J Lawson in 1896, which set up its manufacturing base in Coventry. The right to the use of the name Daimler had been purchased simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler Motoren...
and Rover
Rover
-Leyland companies:* Rover Company , a British motorcycle and car manufacturing company, absorbed into Leyland Motor Corporation in 1967* Austin Rover Group , a mass-market car manufacturing subsidiary of Leyland...
in Coventry before moving back to Austin which became part of British Motor Corporation
British Motor Corporation
The British Motor Corporation, or commonly known as BMC was a vehicle manufacturer from United Kingdom, formed by the merger of the Austin Motor Company and the Nuffield Organisation in 1952...
(BMC) in 1952 to work in the engine department.
He moved to the USA and by mid 1956 was working at American Motors
American Motors
American Motors Corporation was an American automobile company formed by the 1954 merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company. At the time, it was the largest corporate merger in U.S. history.George W...
working on that companies first in house V8 after a deal to buy Packard
Packard
Packard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...
V8 became too expensive.
In 1958 he move to Ford head office at Dearborn
Dearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
, Michigan working in their engine department but was moved to the Experimental Department by Roy Lunn
Roy Lunn
Roy Lunn is an engineer in the automotive industry. He has forty-one years in the design development and production of vehicles and most notably served as the head of engineering at American Motors Corporation from 1971 to 1987....
. He worked on prototypes under him including the development of Ford turbine cars and he was part of the design team that built a two-seat Ford Mustang I
Ford Mustang I
The Ford Mustang I was a small, mid-engined , open two-seater with aluminium body work, that began life as a design exercise and eventually became the progenitor of the famed Ford Mustang...
in 1962
Ford Racing
With Ford taking a more pro active motor spot stance in 1963 he was moved back to England to a position of chief draftsman as part of the design team for Fords new GT40 sport car with Ford Advanced Vehicles Ltd FAV department in Slough.Lola had completed a Ford-powered, mid-engined sports car in 1963 this would form the basis for the Ford assault on winning Le-Mans, the new project was to be based at FAV . They would have responsible for the engineering of the chassis, body and construction of the cars. Eric Broadley
Eric Broadley
Eric Broadley MBE is a British entrepreneur, engineer, and founder and former chief designer of Lola Cars, the motor racing manufacturer and engineering company. He is arguably one of the most influential automobile designers of the post-war period, and over the years Lola has had a hand in many...
was initially responsible for the overall design, but Len Bailey later took care of the chassis reengineering it from Aluminum to Steel for more durability in the 24 hour Race. Ford felt it was also necessary to cope with the added weight of the more powerful all aluminum, dry-sump Ford Fairlane .
By 1966 he was based at Alan Mann Racing
Alan Mann Racing
Alan Mann Racing was a British motor racing team. It was organized by Alan Mann, born in 1936, who was a part-time racing driver and team manager. The team ran a substantial part of the Ford works racing effort in Europe from 1964 to 1969, when it closed its doors...
base in Byfleet Surry although still employed by Ford of Europe.
Early in 1966 several chassis were shipped to United States to be fitted with the larger, more powerful engine in preparation for Fords third attempt at taking that elusive Le Mans win. These seven litre cars are we now referred to as Mark IIs
No fewer than eight GT40 Mark IIs were race prepared for the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. Although entered by three different privateer teams All Factory Ferraris had retired by 17 hours of the race, as had nine of the Fords, but three held together long enough to score an historic photo staged 1–2-3 finish
For 1967 Ford USA decided to concentrate its resources on a second Le-Mans win they fielded the GT40 Mk IV, a newer car redesigned in the USA with a different chassis and a different body Bailey redesigned the two GT40s entered by John Wyer
John Wyer
John Wyer was an English automobile racing engineer and team manager. He is mainly associated with cars running in the lightblue and orange livery of his longtime sponsorship partner Gulf Oil.As team manager and team owner, Wyer won the 24 Hours of Le Mans several times...
of JW Automotive for the manufacturer's championship
These were lightweight variations of the GT40 slimmer windscreen and roof line, cut off tail, and lighter aluminum body panels. Entered as the Mirage M1 with Gulf Oil
Gulf Oil
Gulf Oil was a major global oil company from the 1900s to the 1980s. The eighth-largest American manufacturing company in 1941 and the ninth-largest in 1979, Gulf Oil was one of the so-called Seven Sisters oil companies...
sponsorship. Ford left the Mirages and Privateer GT-40's to represent them in the intervening championship events at Monza
Monza
Monza is a city and comune on the river Lambro, a tributary of the Po, in the Lombardy region of Italy some 15 km north-northeast of Milan. It is the capital of the Province of Monza and Brianza. It is best known for its Grand Prix motor racing circuit, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.On June...
, Spa
Spa
The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...
, Targa Florio
Targa Florio
The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973...
and Nurburgring.
In late 1966 he completed the design of The Honker II a 1967 Can Am car, built by Alan Mann Racing, and run by Holman Moody
Holman Moody
Holman Moody was an auto racing team, racecar manufacturer, and marine engine manufacturer. The team built virtually all of the factory Ford racecars of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. It owned racecars that competed in NASCAR, drag racing, ocean boat racing, rallys, and sports car racing. The team...
. (It was named after John Holman, who liked to use the air horns on the big-rig trucks he drove). Powered came from an injected 351 cubic inch engine for its First Race at Bridgehampton New York where it qualified 17th and finished 8th and a 377 cubic inch for Mosport Ontario where it qualifued 17th but didn't start painted metallic it never raced again.
For The 1968 the FIA redrew the rules for championship sports car racing
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
. Engine capacity was limited to 3 litres for prototype Group 6 sports class, Bailey was charged by Ford Europe to create a car for this championship resulting in the Ford P68 of 1968 redesigned the P69 for 1969 built and run by Alan Mann Racing
While at Alan Mann Racing Bailey designed the bodies of a pair of gullwing cars, used in the Gerry Anderson
Gerry Anderson
Gerry Anderson MBE is a British publisher, producer, director and writer, famous for his futuristic television programmes, particularly those involving specially modified marionettes, a process called "Supermarionation"....
in 1969 science fiction film Doppelgänger
Doppelgänger (1969 film)
Doppelgänger is a 1969 British science-fiction film directed by Robert Parrish and starring Roy Thinnes, Ian Hendry, Lynn Loring and Patrick Wymark. Outside Europe, it is known as Journey to the Far Side of the Sun, which is now the more popular title...
constructed of aluminum, the cars were assembled over a six month period on modified Ford ZodiacMk4 platforms fitted with Ford Escort engines and gearboxes. Two cars were also used in the Gerry Anderson UFO (TV series)
UFO (TV series)
UFO is a 1970-1971 British television science fiction series about an alien invasion of Earth, created by Gerry Anderson and Sylvia Anderson with Reg Hill, and produced by the Andersons and Lew Grade's Century 21 Productions for Grade's ITC Entertainment company.UFO first aired in the UK and Canada...
During 1967-68 he did the suspension and brake work (developing rear disc brakes) on the new Ford Escort for rallying and racing, Alan Mann having a contact to run in the British Saloon Car Championship for Frank Gardner
Frank Gardner (driver)
Frank Gardner OAM was a racing driver from Australia. He was best known as a Touring car racing and Sports car racing driver. He also participated in nine World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 11 July 1964. He scored no championship points...
who won the championship in 1968 and 1969
At the end of 1969 Bailey penned the Alan Mann Open Sports Ford just before Mann wound up his operation in late 1969, this was raced unsuccessfully in two Can-Am races during 1969. Bailey then began a freelance career although Ford work was a large part of it.
Freelance
As a freelance designer his first single seat racing car was the 2.5 liter Alfa RomeoAlfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
powered Mildren Mono for Frank Gardener. Gardner ran the car in the 1969 Tasman Series
1969 Tasman Series
The 1969 Tasman Series was the sixth Tasman Series season. It commenced on 4 January 1969 and ended on 16 February 1969 after seven rounds. It was won by Chris Amon, driving a Ferrari 246T.-Results:-Races:- Standings :...
and finished sixth in points. Gardner then commissioned a monocoque F5000 car intended for the 1970 UK season, but Gardner signed with Lola instead. He also worked with Gardner to develop the ex-Bud Moore
Bud Moore Engineering
Bud Moore Engineering was a championship-winning NASCAR team. It was owned and operated by mechanic Bud Moore and ran out of Spartanburg, South Carolina. While the team was a dominant force in the 60s and 80s, the final years were tumultuous due to lack of sponorship and uncompetitive race cars.-...
1969 Trans-Am
Trans-Am Series
The Trans-Am Series is an automobile racing series which was created in 1966 by Sports Car Club of America President John Bishop. Originally known as the Trans-American Sedan Championship it has evolved over time from its original format as a manufacturers championship for modified racing sedans...
Boss 302 Mustang
Boss 302 Mustang
The Boss 302 Mustang is a high performance variant of the Ford Mustang originally produced in 1969 and 1970, but revived in the 2012 model year. It was produced for the Trans Am racing series, while the Mustang Boss 429 which was produced the same years was built around a larger engine.-First...
for an assault on Group 2
Group 2 (racing)
The Group 2 racing class referred to regulations for cars in touring car racing and rallying, as regulated by the FIA. Group 2 was replaced by Group A in 1982....
in the 1970
1970 British Saloon Car Championship season
The 1970 British Saloon Car Championship, was the 13th season of the series. This year saw the introduction of the new Group 2 regulations. Bill McGovern won his first title, driving a Sunbeam Imp.-Calendar & Winners:Overall winners in bold....
British saloon car championship.
British Touring Car Championship
The British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. The Championship was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and has run to various rules over the years – "production cars", then FIA Group 1 or 2 in the late 1960s...
In 1970 Bailey had set up his own design office at Gomm Metal Developments in Woking
Woking
Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding local government district, located in the west of Surrey, UK. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and the London commuter belt, with frequent trains and a journey time of 24 minutes to Waterloo station....
. During the summer and autumn of 1970 he worked on a secret Ford rally project that would result in the iconic but unused Ford GT70
Ford GT70
The Ford GT70 was a limited production sports car made by Ford of Britain in 1970 and intended for rallying. It was powered by a Capri based V6 engine with a 5-speed ZF transmission, and was mid-engined like the Lancia Stratos....
rally car. He followed this with more design work for JW Automotive
John Wyer
John Wyer was an English automobile racing engineer and team manager. He is mainly associated with cars running in the lightblue and orange livery of his longtime sponsorship partner Gulf Oil.As team manager and team owner, Wyer won the 24 Hours of Le Mans several times...
, including the Cosworth DFV
Cosworth DFV
The DFV is an internal combustion engine that was originally produced by Cosworth for Formula One motor racing. Named Four Valve because of the four valves per cylinder, and Double as it was a V8 development of the earlier, four-cylinder FVA , making it a Double Four Valve engine...
powered Gulf
Gulf Oil
Gulf Oil was a major global oil company from the 1900s to the 1980s. The eighth-largest American manufacturing company in 1941 and the ninth-largest in 1979, Gulf Oil was one of the so-called Seven Sisters oil companies...
Mirage M6
Mirage (race car)
The Mirage race cars were built by J.W. Automotive at Slough in England to compete in international sports car races in the colours of the Gulf Oil Corporation....
sports car for the 1972 and 1973 World Sportscar Championship
World Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
seasons. Frank Williams came calling in 1971 and Bailey drew the underperforming Politoys Ford FX3 of 1972 and the Iso Rivolta Ford FX3B of 1973
He continued to do consultancy work throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Some of his work included the:
- Ford FiestaFord FiestaThe Ford Fiesta is a front wheel drive supermini/subcompact manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company and built in Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India, Thailand and South Africa...
Group 5Group 5 (racing)Group 5 was an FIA motor racing classification which was applied to four distinct categories during the years 1966 to 1982. Initially Group 5 regulations defined a Special Touring Car category and from 1970 to 1971 the classification was applied to limited production Sports Cars restricted to 5...
Rally Car (1978) - Magnum 813 F3Formula ThreeFormula Three, also called Formula 3 or F3, is a class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers...
car (1981) - Ford C100 Group CGroup CGroup C was a category of motorsport, introduced by the FIA in 1982 for sports car racing, along with Group A for touring cars and Group B for GTs....
car (1982) - EMKA RacingEMKA RacingEMKA Racing was a British racing team founded in 1980 by Steve O'Rourke, manager of the band Pink Floyd. The team occasionally ran under the name of EMKA Productions, the name of O'Rourke's management company. The team's name comes from O'Rourke's two daughters, Emma and Katheryne...
C83-Aston Martin Group C car (1983) - EMKA 84-Aston Martin Group C car (1984)
- AC Ace Chassis (1994)