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<\/a><\/a>Between 1972-1978, CTG was a sub-contractor and chassis builder for Derek Bennett\u2019s Chevron operation, while other work came from the likes of Ralt and David Hepworth\u2019s BRM Can-Am team. In 1974, CTG (with Peter Farmer now onboard as co-director) built the monocoque for Copersucar Fittipaldi\u2019s FD04 F1 racer.<\/p>\n
Cyril was described as helpful and nice to work with and he usually got the job if the customer was too busy or just needed a reliable, safe pair of skilled hands. He was an ace sub-contractor.<\/p>\n
When his best mate Len Terry, got the gig to design a silhouette Mini and later on about eight Viking F3 cars, for Norwegian businessman, Tore John Helle, CTG got the fabrication work as well building the cars. Incidentally, the Mini was said to be bonkers with Porsche 911 air-cooled power.<\/p>\n
Len Terry later described the sophisticated Viking TH1 as being one of his favourite designs but admitted that it may have been over complicated.<\/p>\n
CTG was a race team in their own right, too. In 1977 they began building their own FF2000 cars and when Viking failed they joined forces with Terry to run the car under the Technic banner in 1977 before revising it again for 1978 when it was entered under the CTG banner.<\/p>\n Later F1 entrant and the UK\u2019s leading car transporter baron, Ted Toleman initially ran his team in junior formulae and CTG did his work.<\/p>\n Their first workshop was in Wimborne and was an old stable block before they later moved to a dedicated industrial unit in Ferndown. Other interesting cars included the Mariner for Phil Lowther (Mariner because Lowther said his team was \u2018all at sea\u2019).<\/p>\n Cyril probably had some input on the Special Saloon Hart Escort (complete with Brian Hart-built 271bhp Ford BDA) as well as Len Terry\u2019s Leda chassis and other metal parts.<\/p>\n Of interest to kitcar enthusiasts is that when erstwhile customer, Neville Trickett was looking to move on from his Dorset-based Siva operation, in 1977, Cyril took over the Llama, Mule, Mehari, Minibuggy Parisienne, Raceabout, Roadster and San Remo projects.<\/p>\n Cyril built the Siva Edwardian used by actor Jon Pertwee in the Doctor Who series.<\/p>\n Malem had a lifelong fascination with motorcycles (he\u2019d raced at the IOM TT over a fifteen-year period in the sixties) and bicycles.<\/p>\n In later years he\u2019d built a replica of the Dursley-Pedersen bicycle, he was also the UK importer for the MV Agusta brand and was a builder and fan of designer Fritz Egli\u2019s advanced motorcycles coming up with his own take on the theme in the shape of the Egli-Triumph and Egli-Vincent and it\u2019s estimated that he may have built over 100 of them until his death in 2021.<\/p>\n When Cyril began to suffer ill health in the late seventies he closed the doors at CTG but retained a workshop where he kept himself occupied building Eglis for customers to order or he\u2019d go off to do sporting trials in his Dellow.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve heard it said that he never really got over the death of his friend Len Terry in 2014 and always spoke very fondly of him. He was a huge admirer of Terry\u2019s work but like many, he felt that Len didn\u2019t get the full recognition or monetary reward that his talents deserved. He\u2019d regularly moan at Terry that he sold his skills too cheaply.<\/p>\n Sadly, Cyril died in mid-December 2021 finally succumbing to a brave fight against cancer, but he was building his Egli-style motorbikes for friends and helping others with technical advice right up until his death. I think he was 84 when he died.<\/p>\n A gifted man with metal often referred to as a guru, there was a reason why the affable Cyril was so much in demand and that\u2019s because of his talent, great work and ability to turn stuff around fast. Customers could rely on him for the right solution.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/a><\/a>