Review by Pete Vack
Books by and about mechanics don’t sound like they’d be at the top of the winter reading list. But often they are very, very good, and we cite as an example Alf Francis, Racing Mechanic. But whereas Alf was wrenching for Moss in the early 1950s and the 2.5 liter formula, Tony Merrick played a leading role as a mechanic, restorer and driver during the heyday of the vintage car racing movement in the U.K. from 1960 to 2000, and his book is a unique insider’s look at the upper echelon of vintage racing and restoration.
Tony at work on the ERA. Photo by Graham Gauld
It took him a while to get around to writing about his life (he retired 20 years ago) but the effort was worth it. Knowingly or not, he gets us involved in his life. From the lead photo of a bunch of cars under tarps, to bits and pieces of his life growing up running the family garage, we get pulled into the amazing vortex that was his life. His first restoration was a Vauxhall, and he soon got involved with ERA R1A, courtesy of Sandy Murray. He then began to work for Tom Wheatcroft, then Neil Corner, before setting up his own shop at Wokingham in 1974. By 1986 Daimler Benz had his shop restoring the two Mercedes 300 SLR coupes, a most remarkable ascent.
Just your typical restoration shop, with the client’s cars suitably covered.
Tony Merrick Racing and Restoration clients included Robin Lodge, Peter Sachs, Hubertus von Dönhoff, Carlos Monteverde, Mercedes Benz, Yoshiyuki Hayashi, Bernie Ecclestone, Terry Cohn and many more. And the cars…again the top of the ladder; Alfa P3s, 8C2900s, the two Mercedes Benz 300 SLR Coupes, Ferrari Grand Prix cars and every form of Grand Prix Maserati, the diabolical V16 BRMs, and perhaps his favorite, a number of ERAs. Merrick was not only a top restorer with a complete shop in the English countryside, but he maintained and supported his customers cars, hauling them to major events in the restored Vanwall transporter, and then, in many cases, racing the cars owned by his clients and restored by his own firm. Total service indeed!
But with the covers off, it becomes an Aladdin’s cave, full of treasures. A Maserati 8CL, Alfa 158 Alfetta, a Ferrari Dino.
We cautiously defined late 20th vintage racing as a heyday, a pinnacle; thankfully, today vintage racing is just as event-full and grid-filled as ever, but we venture to say that what made the last century’s vintage racing special was a general feeling that this was supposed to be fun; it was very clubby. As Alain de Cadenet writes in the book’s Foreword, “Reading Tony’s book has brought back some splendid memories of a bygone era of vintage motorsport when so much that took place was quite haphazard and done more for the love it than any other reason.” Money, as ever, was important, but the prices of eligible cars were not stratospheric. And to his credit, (or at least we think so!) nowhere in the book does Merrick discuss prices. Money does not enter the equation until he himself retired and had his SWB 250GT Ferrari maintained by GTO Engineering, and got his first taste of restoration invoices!
One of the Hayashi Alfa P3s with Tony behind the wheel, in front of the house on Scarlett’s Farm that dates from 1530. The shop buildings are out of sight.
That said, it might seem an idyllic life, to live and work in the gorgeous English countryside, restoring the world’s greatest race cars during the week and competing successfully in vintage races, usually with your customer’s cars! One of the highlight’s of Tony’s life was driving the ex-Fangio Maserati 250F on the old Ring circuit. As Merrick writes, “In 1991, while at the Eifel Classic with Robin Lodge, Hartmut Ibing kindly offered me his ex-Fangio 250F. This was the car that Fangio had won the German Grand Prix with in 1957, one of, if not his best drives ever, so it was a greatest honour for me to drive this car on the old circuit. Those five laps, in this most famous car, will never be forgotten.”
In 2001, restoration of this 4CS Maserati was completed with a copy of its original Brianza body as reconstructed by Merrick. Here he is seen behind the wheel.
Merrick has laid out a somewhat unusual format for his book. Chapter 1 is the story of his life and his many adventures as a restorer and driver, a series of vignettes that include interesting asides about his clients and the cars they found, bought, and asked Merrick to restore and drive. As you can imagine, the anecdotes are plentiful, ranging from helping Tom Wheatcroft find the edges of the old Donington racetrack to many visits to the delightful hill top town of Langenburg, which is dominated by a huge castle owned by Kraft Hohenloe, where Hubertus von Dönhoff kept many of his cars in the museum. He describes the moves as his business grew, and finally deciding to retire from both competition and the restoration shop in 2000, at age 61, after a couple Transient Ischemic Attacks. One might wonder if what we might consider was an idyllic life was getting pretty stressful. After all, catering to rich clients with demanding deadlines, transporting cars across Europe and then racing them, might even get to the calm, stiff upper-lipped Merrick.
Merrick lists fifteen Alfa 2.9 having had his attention. One of the most interesting was this Touring convertible, SN 412041, which had lost its body and the frame shortened. Somewhat cautiously, Merrick retrieved the chassis and also found a Touring body in Italy. When the chassis was lengthened to its original specs, it was found that the body they thought was from another car lined up perfectly with the chassis; the hand drilled screw holes all lined up. It was completed for Sam Mann.
Chapter 2 is devoted to the discussion of each and every car Merrick had his hands on during his career. The date, the owner, the serial numbers, and the work completed by his shop are part of this fascinating look at what it takes to keep a temperamental Italian race car in running order. It makes a very interesting read and a fair warning to those who might contemplate buying a vintage Grand Prix car.
Chapter 3 lists all the races Merrick competed in, the car, the owner, and the result. How he managed to run a 24 x 7 business and have participated in a full schedule of vintage race events, winning many, boggles the mind.
Finally, Merrick very intelligently has provided an index of cars by make and model, then by owner, an index of personalities, a complete worksheet of every car that passed through his shop. One would expect no less from a master mechanic who knows the value of making notes of everything!
Merrick had a lot of success driving this Ferrari Dino, Sn 0004 (R) which was one of the two cars resurrected by JCB in 1970 using many original parts. He began racing it in 1989 and continued to use it until his last appearance with the car at a demonstration at Shelsley Walsh in 2001.
Merrick’s book is an incredible account of a life well lived. As we look back, and from this current season foreshortened by the Covid pandemic, vintage racing and restoration during the years Tony worked was a special time. Wrote de Cadenet, “Virtually all of the cars that Tony performed his magic upon were readily available to all and sundry not so many years ago. If you were broke, you had to make do with a tasty Riley or an MG. Little did any of us realize that these days would be numbered.”
Merrick’s excellent book provides a wonderful view of those numbered days.
A Life Restoring & Racing Historic Cars
by Tony Merrick
416 pages, 240mm x 300mm, in full colour, with over 500 photographs hardbound in 130gsm silk.
Prices, inclusive of post and packing to your destination, are:
UK £90 | EU £100 | USA £120
Published by Merrick Publications.
ISBN 978-1-5272-6069-6
Enquiries to info@merrickbook.co.uk
Tony Merrick’s book contains a trove of personal memories and never seen before photographs. One of them shows the 1938 almost-Le Mans winning 8C 2900 alongside the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut coupé, speak of a rare occurrence! The book is a valuable addition to our memory and will contribute to the preservation of our heritage.
Thanks for bringing this book to our attention. I just ordered a copy as this is very much a time period in auto racing and behind the scenes, nuts and bolts topic I should enjoy a lot. (I clarified with the publisher it’s hardback as the photo makes it look like a perfect bound book.)
MM
My copy arrived yesterday, only a week after I ordered it, and it is, indeed, a hard bound book. Tony autographed it (as well as the 3 copies of customs documents) and the book is beautifully done. There are numerous color pictures of what must be every car he worked on. I cannot recommend it highly enough. My only negative comment would be that some more technical detail would have made it even better. He casually mentions making a new crankcase or complete engine block but does not explain how that is done.
Thank you for the book “A Life Restoring Historic Cars” Which arrived to me today 9/11.
I meet you at the E.R.A. club in November 2014 Chateau Imprey
If I am on Goodwood in 2021. I like to ask you to sign it. I came every year except this year.
Your sincerely Hein de Groot.
Very good book .