WitheRS of WinsFORD

[COZZFATHER]

There seems to be some old boys on here so does anyone remember a company that Specialised in ex Works Escorts mk1 and 2 breaking them and preparing and rallying them and the supply of New Genuine Ford stuff.

I don't know if Cal is still around but theres a website that looks like its him

http://www.withersofwinsford.co.uk/

proper blast down memory lane,looking at some of the drivers and pics on the site Gary Sobers and Ian Harwood lol good old Ian that bloke cost me fortunes and so did Cal

Cal knew so much about escort mk1's (Like Ian too!) and was a nice bloke to boot

[Stringpants]

That is Cal...he is still very much on the scene...he has had lots of models made recently...

Good Old Boy,

Russ.

[morcheen]

please take a card

[COZZFATHER]

yeah just looking around the site at some of his ads,anyone want a brand new trimmed mk2 escort rs2000 shell or a new rs1800 shell.

i love looking at old ads for proper escort stuff and crying at the prices.

anyone know if Cal posts on any websites as i'd love to hear some tales about the old days from someone who was there.

also anyone from Winsford see a car driving around with the reg plate CAL1 thats worth proper money that is, years ago he had that plate on a left hooker 2 dr cortina mk4.

[Stringpants]

He invited me up to his place in Cumbria a couple of years ago....the stuff he has is unreal...

I was very jealous when I left...

Russ.

[COZZFATHER]

please take a card

thats a late one as it doesn't have the Telex number on,i dunno what a telex was really other than somehow of communicating,i used to see loads of big companys and on the sides and backs of lorrys as a kid and wondered whats a Telex

i think the Pj was his son Paul and you sometimes got Amanda too who i think had a lefthooker mk2 rs2000 back in the day like me lol.

anyway i used to go to the place he broke the cars from and lastly when he was in the closed down school on the left hand side as you went through winsford.

Also just remembered a mechanic of of called Mike who owned a garage in Winsford called Sidorn St Garage,i used to buy escort stuff off him and he built and prepared cars for Cal and was a top bloke fixing RS's.

[COZZFATHER]

He invited me up to his place in Cumbria a couple of years ago....the stuff he has is unreal...

I was very jealous when I left...

Russ.

Cumbria eh? whats wrong with Winsford

i knew he had a very impressive collection of ford rs related info,i think your the sort of age where you would of gone there back when mk1's were all the go. I first saw his ads in Motoring News and thought wow i'm going there

[Stringpants]

He travels around the world now in a huge motor home...I last saw him at AVO National Day..he may well be at Rally Day Saturday...

Russ.

[COZZFATHER]

just thought on,i think his lad was peter if it was not paul.
Anyway its great he has a website with loads of pics,i remembered the name of the bloke who worked for him it was Mike Rowlands,he had a x pack escort rs2000 with grp1 baby atlas and a rocket box i think the reg was wre355s.Got shut of that and he bought a 1 owner mk2 rs mex off a farmer in winsford and restored it.I saw it being built up and i saw it at rsoc national day it was a real nice car.
Looking on google maps Siddorn St Garage is converted into a house and 199 wharton house is no more........ its a development of houses.Still looks the same as i remember back in the 80's the drive through Winsford on Google Maps past Fords of Winsfords old site now Transplants into Wharton Road.

[Boogie1]

This brings back memories - I used to work weekends for Cal when he first started breaking cars

[Boogie1]

....and Flint that damned guard dog!!!

please take a card

[Forest_rallying]

I remember going to their premises on Smokehall Lane, Winsford circa 1976. Their stores was like an Aladins Cave with both new and ex works Ford Rally parts.

[Frenchenstein]

I used to live in Winsford and couldn’t believe we had such a place opposite the bacon factory. He cost me small fortune. He was a bit like a rhinoceros: thick skinned and knew how to charge. Good times

[Frenchenstein]

I remember buying a Zodiac V6 sump for an engine conversion from Cal; V6 into Mk1 Escort, he charged me thirty quid: almost a weeks wages, I nearly died. Warped the sump cutting and welding it. I remember launching it down the yard afterwards. God I was angry. The lads in the workshop thought I was mad even attempting it.

Still modifying shit now.

[Forest_rallying]

I used to live in Winsford and couldn’t believe we had such a place opposite the bacon factory. He cost me small fortune. He was a bit like a rhinoceros: thick skinned and knew how to charge. Good times

You have hit the nail on the head there describing Cal.

It was either pay his price or leave it where it is was his attitude because he knew there was very few if any other places where you could buy what he had in his stores. Good memories of nearly 45 years ago.

[Frenchenstein]

Yeah.

Good thread.

[MonkeyMike]

I bought a lot of stuff from Cal, Pete and Amanda Withers in the 80’s. I always found them more than accommodating. Last time I bumped into Cal was at the AVO owners club National Day a few years ago when it was still held at Stanford Hall. He was full of beans as usual. Plenty to say. A very interesting character indeed.
I’ve seen his website too with lots of old photos of cars that he either owned, built, or sponsored.

[Boogie1]

There seems to be some old boys on here so does anyone remember a company that Specialised in ex Works Escorts mk1 and 2 breaking them and preparing and rallying them and the supply of New Genuine Ford stuff.

I don't know if Cal is still around but theres a website that looks like its him

http://www.withersofwinsford.co.uk/

proper blast down memory lane,looking at some of the drivers and pics on the site Gary Sobers and Ian Harwood lol good old Ian that bloke cost me fortunes and so did Cal

Cal knew so much about escort mk1's (Like Ian too!) and was a nice bloke to boot

I worked briefly for Cal when he very first started breaking cars in Winsford

I contacted him via email a couple of weeks ago - and sadly he has cancer

[Frenchenstein]

I know he is a tough old stick; I hope he beats it.

[MonkeyMike]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cals_choice/. This is a link to Cals Flickr account.

[Frenchenstein]

thats a late one as it doesn't have the Telex number on,i dunno what a telex was really other than somehow of communicating,i used to see loads of big companys and on the sides and backs of lorrys as a kid and wondered whats a Telex

i think the Pj was his son Paul and you sometimes got Amanda too who i think had a lefthooker mk2 rs2000 back in the day like me lol.

anyway i used to go to the place he broke the cars from and lastly when he was in the closed down school on the left hand side as you went through winsford.

Also just remembered a mechanic of of called Mike who owned a garage in Winsford called Sidorn St Garage,i used to buy escort stuff off him and he built and prepared cars for Cal and was a top bloke fixing RS's.

(Mike Rowlands at Siddorn Street Garage. I bought a mint RS [3.54:1] Timken differential unit from him for £25.00, as well as other bits and bobs. He owned an absolutely mint Mk2 Mexico, that he had restored, in red, kept it as 1600cc. He was a top bloke. Don’t know what happened to him. I know he shut the garage.)