OBITUARIES John Griffiths

OBITUARIES

John Griffiths

John A Griffiths will be remembered as the enthusiastic producer of the JAG sports cars, at first at JAG Cars at Thames Ditton for two years and then from the works of RGS Automotive Components Ltd, at Winkfield near Windsor, from 1954 to 1956. During this time some racing successes were achieved and about 50 cars built, using originally Ford V8 engines, later Ford 10, MG and Coventry-Climax engines, in simple ladder-frames, of tubular construction. He built many specials apart 1rom his production ventures, and drove the first JAG in the 1949 Brighton Speed Trials; there was a sic Riley Special, and Dickie Steed raced the MG-powered JAG HRX 734 from 1953-1955. John’s friends included Dick Shattock, for whom he made several RGS Atalanta frames, and Spen King and Peter Wilkes of Rover, which led to him building the body for the well-known single-seater Rover and later a short-wheelbase Rover 2000 tourer. The production JAGs were notable for their all-enveloping bodies, of hand-beaten aluminium or fibreglass. In 1970 JAG No 21,

with transverse mid-engine, interested British Leyland when they were contemplating such a car. The idea was stillborn. But John used the car up to 1990 and it is being restored. Car No 20 was ordered by Hamish Orr-Ewing in 1956, never collected, but still exists.

In 1960 Griffiths moved to Cornwall, becoming a wood-carver. He made his own boats, was a keen water-skier into his 70s, and built a three-wheeler last year, as personal transport, a reminder that he did the chassis for the Vincent trike in 1955. Recently remarried, aged 79, he died peacefully in his sleep during May. He will not be forgotten. JS/WB • Brigadier WEH Grylls OBE has died, aged 91. He had a brilliant military career and will be remembered in our world for seeing the great possibilities of the VW Beetle when, as Commander of Britain’s secret T-Force, he was in temporary control of the wardamaged Wolfsburg plant. He sent blueprints to Lord Rootes, but the car was turned down as quite impractical! Born at Funtington Hall near Chichester. Brig Grylls was educated at Harrow and Sandhurst.WB