Forum Topic

Performance Cars..

Just looking through the news letter I came across a blast from my past.Not having lived in Brentford for many years I was surprised to see that Performance Cars still existed..or up untill now.As a youngster I loved looking at all those sporty cars on the Great West Road and also at that car show room in Chiswick High Road,justdown from Gunnersbury Station.Never did get manage anything more sporty than a Polo!!!!

Alfred Winkworth ● 4851d31 Comments

Sorry Jim I gave some duff gen.This car seems more in keeping with the Chequered Flag http://chiswickherald.co.uk/chiswicks-great-train-robbery-connection-p1894-175.htmhttp://www.britishcarforum.com/bcf/showthread.php?94202-Great-Train-Robber-Healeys

Tony Wood ● 4010d

Hi Jim  Somewhere on the web there is a photograph of Henry John Goldsmitts s.p? Degree certificate and another showing that he was an "RAF reserve Pilot Officer",can't find it now but both certificates had the Germanic spelling so presumably as WW2 aproached it was changed by deed poll?His first name was Henry but he used his second name "John",my dads names were Henry James Ewart but he only answered to John??http://www.companydirectorcheck.com/henry-john-goldsmithhttp://www.companydirectorcheck.com/henry-john-goldsmith

Tony Wood ● 4010d

One of Sir James Goldsmith's (Zac's Dad) associations with the Brentford area back in the 1960s was when he was the boss of Cavenham Foods.  He purchased a marvelous Daimler Double-Six Vanden Plas from University Motors in Boston Road, Hanwell.  It's in one of my garage lock-up these days!Regarding "John Goldsmith", he once lived in Jersey Road, Osterley ...in the biggest house... and you'll find previous messages on this subject by entering his name in the Forum Search Box.It's enlightening to hear from readers who worked (or drank)with him.

Jim Lawes ● 4010d

His first name was "Henry" surname was "Goldschmidt"(???spelling???), but definately not Goldsmith. I had a saturday job there cleaning cars in about 1961.

Tony Wood ● 4010d

My late Father used to work for Performance Cars many years ago and I can definitely say the owner was nothing to do with James Goldsmith although I cannot remember his first name!!

Barbara Dudley ● 4011d

Yes Jim the very one,pretty isn't it? The closest I got to owning one of those was the Cortina 1500GT,not in the same league sadly.

Tony Wood ● 4012d

My main memory of The Chequered Flag. By the time I moved to Chiswick those days were over and it was a workaday Rover/BLMC/BL/BMC/Austin Rover/whatever dealer. The showroom covered only the fat part of the site: the sharp end was outside storage IIRChttp://archive.motorsportmagazine.com/article/september-1975/62/dream-bertone-mid-engineem

Guy Lambert ● 4012d

This the famous car Tony? Found on Google search with GTR text too.http://thegaragista.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/lfbh-9.jpg?w=640&h=534

Jim Lawes ● 4012d

"I may have this wrong but did not one of the great train robbers buy a car from there?"This'n.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/6078204/Car-used-in-Great-Train-Robbery-sells-for-six-figure-sum.html

Tony Wood ● 4012d

This is where I recall the old Chequered Flag showroom was located before the demolitions.  The shape of the showroom was the same as the new development.Those were the days.

Jim Lawes ● 4013d

All very interesting Mike and Sarah. I saw that safe the other day and thought about the informative Forum here!Mike mentions the Great Train Robbers and their links with the Chequered Flag Car Showroom next to the railway and adjacent to the old Chiswick London Transport Repair Depot and Skidpad. It seems that the ChiswickW4 website has published an article on the subject in the past.David Archer started a thread on the Chiswick Forum about that parade of shops and mentions the Curry House. I recall the transport Booksellers ..Chater and Scott...and have heard about Dooleys Car Hire.Somehow I didn't get to the parties!--------------------------------------Some links:Chiswick: Chequered Flag Garage.1)  http://forums.autosport.com/topic/192206-graham-warner-has-passed-away/2)  http://www.chiswickw4.com/default.asp?section=info&page=congreatrainrobbery.htm3) Re: that stretch of Chiswick High Road.https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=Chiswick+Business+Park+%09+Posted+by:%09%09David+Archer%09

Jim Lawes ● 4013d

Chiswick one was Chequered Flag. I rented a room in a large flat above there 1983-87. We had some of the best parties of the late 20th Century in there. Chiswick Tandoori, a chippie, newsagent/sub-post office and laundrette next door. All good. Now all swept away for rather drab block of flats. I may have this wrong but did not one of the great train robbers buy a car from there?

Mike Paterson ● 4014d

Driving past the safe I noticed it has been treated to the same brush up the rest of the street furniture has undergone .... Yes it has now been beautifully painted to match the lamp posts and other metal work!If it were purchased as a work of art it would probably rival Tracys bed. I love it, save that safe!

Sarah Felstead ● 4017d

Driving past the safe I noticed it has been treated to the same brush up the rest of the street furniture has undergone .... Yes it has now been beautifully painted to match the lamp posts and other metal work!If it were purchased as a work of art it would probably rival Tracys bed. I love it, save that safe!

Sarah Felstead ● 4017d

Thant's the fella Tony.Straight Eight.

Keith Iddon ● 4845d

Thanks Natasha..at least a little bit of the Brentford I grew up in still has a familiar name!!

Alfred Winkworth ● 4845d

The Co-op/Texaco garage on the corner or Ealing Road/A4 is still called the Dome Garage, as I found out when checking payments on my bank statements and had to figure out where that was.

Natasha Manganaro ● 4845d

"It was owned by a client of my old firm (can't remember his first name) Goldsmith"I worked there on saturdays as a lad (probably 1960) cleaning cars. Had to dig deep in what has to do me for a memory and I think his name was Henry Goldsmith. I seem to remember that a dark cloud descended towards his latter life,but could be wrong.Alfred.....The place in Chiswick was The Chequered Flag which  then became MLG BMW concessionaires.Keith....Straight Eight in Chiswick??

Tony Wood ● 4845d

I know an ex-'peterman'.I might tell him about it....

Keith Iddon ● 4850d

I never knew that was a safe!

Peter McGovern ● 4850d

Thank you Sarah, that's the very one.

Bernadette Paul ● 4850d

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Sarah Felstead ● 4850d

Richard you have the wrong Goldsmith, it weas nothing to do with the late Sir James Goldsmith or his son Zak.  It was owned by a client of my old firm (can't remember his first name) Goldsmith and we were forever being approached by developers etc., trying to buy that piece of land. I can't remember what the problem was but it was tied up in probate somewhere along the line perhaps argurments within the family about whose it was or what to do with it.  In any event if his son has applied for some sort of planning permission perhaps it has now been sorted out.By the way, there is a safe on the corner oppostite the Globe which was plonked there by the same Goldsmith when he sold a property and the buyers wouldn't complete until the safe was removed.  He removed it from the propety and dumped it on the corner and it has been there ever since.  I think it was painted blue last time I looked.  Most people think it's a junction box.

Bernadette Paul ● 4850d

Good transport links and own two storey race track adjoining.

Keith Iddon ● 4850d

FYIPlanning permission approved last Sept for the land: Demolition of existing buildings and erection of a part three, part four storey building comprising a ground floor office/showroom with 5 flats above (2 X 1 bed, 2 X 2 bed and 1 X 3 bed) with 7 parking spaces.Applicant: Mr Alastair GoldsmithFull details on Hounslow Planning website:http://planning.hounslow.gov.uk/Planning_CaseNo.aspx?strCASENO=P/2011/1096

Victoria Greenwell ● 4851d

Thanks Sarah..I guess the Dome garage is long gone as well??

Alfred Winkworth ● 4851d

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Sarah Felstead ● 4851d

Puhleese - the site is perfect for a mini shard and as the developments along the A4 get higher and higher the site becomes more and more valuable!:-)

Sarah Felstead ● 4851d

It's not the best or safest place for any coomercial or retail enterprise imo.With the entrance being so close to the lights by a junction of a major rd. it would be awkward to turn into the entrance by car, particularly turning right into it,without holding up traffic leaving the A4.

Keith Iddon ● 4851d

That Performance Cars derelict unit on the A4 / Great West Road has been an eyesore for well over 10 years now.I understand the late Jimmy Goldsmith owned the site.Why don't the council approach young Zak to do his bit for the environment and convert it into a cycle shop or something - maybe a toddlers swimming pool or a mini wind farm.At the moment it really spoils my trips from Gillette corner to the Texaco garage

Richard Smith ● 4851d

Is this the same company which used to have inhabit that small house and yard near the Globe pub?There is also a sports/American car sales company on the Goldhawk Rd opposite jct. with Askew Rd.

Keith Iddon ● 4851d