The John Pope Special

[Steve Holmes]

I was amazed to discover recently that this car still exists, and has been restored. I'd read about it years ago, and had assumed it long since lost, but amazingly its survived. The John Pope Special is a '70s British Super Saloon, built around a Vauxhall Magnum body, and powered by a twin-turbocharged Aston Martin V8. It was one of several wild and incredibly creative British Super Saloons to have raced during the period. It raced from 1974 - 1977. In its current restored state, with freshly rebuilt twin-turbo Aston, it has 820hp!



More info here from Aston Martin specialists Classicmobilia

Registration Number: WNX 127N
Chassis Number: FJP0001
Engine Number: V/540/169

The John Pope Special Vauxhall Magnum bodied, powered by an Aston Martin DBSV8, twin turbo charged super sports saloon.

The John Pope Special and Tricentrol Super Saloon Championships, which took place during the 1970’s, were for large engined saloons which has a vague resemblance to a normal family saloon. With their larger wheel arches, spoilers and mostly capacity V8 engines they were driven by larger then life characters such as the legendary Gerry Marshall (Johns next door neighbour), Dave Brodieand Tony Stawson, John a retired farmer, built the John Pope special over the winter of 1974from the remains of a crashed Aston Martin DBSV8and a new Vauxhall Magnum body shell.



Entered for the 1974 Tricentrol Super Sports Car Championships, its first race took place on 14 April where if finished a creditable 6^th place. Throughout 1974it raced regularly with complete reliability finishing all races entered. John felt that the standard Aston Martin V8 engine wasn’t powerful enough, so for the 1975 season, with the help of David Morgan, Arthur Wilson and Barry Rowledge engineers from Aston Martin experimental department, they converted the engine to a dry sump lubrication and fitted two American Impellor Research turbo chargers to each exhaust bank, spinning at over 5,000 rpm they pressured the intake charge at up to 18psi (with full boost power output is in the region of 900 bhp, but the V8 is currently running with approx 600 bhp with lower boost pressure). This set up went on to be used in the Aston Martin Bulldog.



It’s reliability record was maintained throughout the 1975 season, the car finished all the super saloon races entered, John Homewood drove the special to its first victory in August at the Lydden Circuit. In the same year John Pope took the car to the Brighton Speed Trials and won the Forrest Lycett trophy for the fastest sports car and the Carter Shaw trophy for the fastest saloon with terminal speed of 149 mph. the super saloon was continually developed and raced throughout the 1976 and 1977 seasons. John’s Super Sports Special is not only a very potent race car but also a fully road legal and was driven to most race meetings he took part in.



The car comes with a vast history file. collection of press clippings, photographs of most race meetings, scrap books, race results, a set of slick tyres and wheels, spare turbo charger, spare fuel tank and cover, also V5.
Engine recently re-commissioned and running, the car will need fully re-commissioning.