Barry Stimson b. 1940

Barry Stimson once described himself as having ‘design diarrhoea’, and a life littered with all manner of low-volume transport is testament to that. Best-known for the Stimson Scorcher, he launched his Design Developments company in 1970 with a Mini-based beach buggy, which he would revisit several times in his career As well as managing to fit in stints living in the Med and another as art editor for Cars & Car Conversions, he remained a prolific designer from then on Projects included countless vehicular oddities such as the Stimson Safari Six and Trek, plus everything from boats to bikes and, later in life, work as an artist

John Dodd b.1932

For years a very public thorn in RollsRoyce’s side, John Dodd didn’t actually devisethecarthatbroughthimintoconflict with the motoring giant and made him famous in the process As a transmission specialist, Dodd took over the rolling chassis of The Beast, a 27-litre Meteorengined road car, from engineer Paul Jameson When finished – initially as a Capri caricature then, after a fire, rebuilt as a shooting brake – The Beast was registered as a Rolls-Royce, had the distinctive grille, and wore the interlinked R-R symbol and Spirit of Ecstasy Dodd provoked the company whenever possible and RollsRoyce took action, winning in the High Court Hefloutedtherulingand,threatened with jail, fled to Spain with the car and set up a new transmission business

Graham Searle b.1951

known for his Gymkhana and other videos that had started in 2008 – long before he visited these shores. Block’s Pikes Peak ascent in a Ford Mustang RTR is second only to Climbdance for bringing the drama of the Colorado mountain to life. He died, aged 55, in a snowmobile accident near his Utah ranch.

One of the founders of the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club has passed away Graham Searle was a lifelong Jaguar devotee and, with nine others, set up a club for the more hands-on Jaguar owner in 1984. He worked tirelessly for it, becoming a full-time employee of the JEC from the early 1990s, and was instrumental in its growth and in establishing its offices in Bristol.

MAN & MACHINE