Rallyist Publications - PME Engineering

Rallyist Publications - Welcome to The Highly 'Tooned' World of Paul M. Ellender

PME Engineering Workshop. Home to the racing team and Project Broadsword

Team & Business HQ 1977 - 1984

The PME Engineering Th'alfa Racing Alfasud and Paul M. Ellender in his 1978 FF1600.

Alfasud Donnington Park 1982 FF1600 Mallory Park 1978

The Racing Years

FF1600 Van Diemen Driven by Paul M. Ellender
©Rallyist Publications 2010

PME Engineering was launched in Summer 1976 as a base for operations connected to Motor Sport Activity. Firstly in '76' with the odd races in BRSCC and BARC FF1600, just to get the feel, More races followed in '77' before running in the Dunlop Stars of Tomorrow '78', This year saw the first win for the young team. Unfortunately a bad crash followed later that same year and the decision was made to change to 'Tin Top's' and work started building the Vauxhall Chevette preparing it for Production Saloon Car Racing in '79' in the Demon Tweeks and Shell Sport Championships. The handling characteristis of the car were simply fantastic but the little 1256 engine was only producing 57bhp compared to the mighty 87 of the Alfa Suds and Escorts. Vauxhall did have a clubman range of parts which could up the power to 114bhp but that would not be legal in Prod-saloon.

Having said that a Group1 Chevette built for the British Saloon car Championship would have been a real option for '81'.

Th'alfa Oulton Park
By Stanley Lambert

©Rallyist Publications 2010

The '80' season saw the team go Italian with its own Alfasud ("If you can't beat them...") running two championships again 25 races in 22 weeks. The Sud was a totally diferent car and was Paul first time out with front wheel drive. More Power! Faster Car! but not handeling as good as the Chevette resulted in Paul heading into the scenary early in the season which explains why the car changed colour from Yellow to the PME Engineering Colours. The Team also gained a name Th'Alfa Racing. Being Northerners its what we called the car. Th'Alfa raced through to '82' collection two wins its last race being a round of the Donnington Production GT, at Donnington Park. The Team did not race at all in '81'.

The Chevette retired to a life as Pauls family car later sold (Never raced or Rallied). The Sud was rebuilt in '87' in Rally trim and rented to a friend for a Tarmac event in Scotland sadley it never came back.

FF1600 grid 76
by Holly Banks
©Rallyist Publications 2010

Yellow Peril Brands Hatch 1980
©Rallyist Publications 2010

Chevette Cadwell Park 79
by Sandra Cornwell
©Rallyist Publications 2010

Alfasud Donnington 82
By Terry Lancing
©Rallyist Publications 2010

Paul Ellender FF1600 77
By Sandra Cornwell

Images:

(Top) Mallory Park 1976

(Next) Oulton Park 1980

(Next) Snetterton 1976

(Row 4 L) Cadwell Park 1979

(Row 4 R) Brands Hatch 1980

(Middle) Donnington Park 1980

(Bottom) Oulton Park 1977

The Recession

"Not my favourite years"

No races where entered in '81' following a very personal and tragic loss for Paul and the Team. Adding to their wow's the team and the business went on to take a series of very hard knocks during '82' with a massive reduction in financial support forcing the team finally to disband and closed down of the Motorsport wing of PME Engineering that year. A major shift in direction followed and the expansion of the Machine shops capabilities to 'Jobbing Shop' supply Milling, Turning, Grinding, and Welding services to local businesses. Unfortunately the economic environment of the time made this modification difficult to continue. A curious light however still waited at the end of the tunnel as PME Engineering found it self in the market of buying and selling Machine Tools, Lathes, Milling Machines, Grinders, and other supportive equipment. This activity continued until '84' when PME Engineering finally closed its doors to end this chapter.

PME Engineering in Space

It was while driving to those Motorsport events all those years ago, the founder of PME Engineering toyed with an Idea. An Idea for a 'production based space craft', based on the simple configuration of the Teams own Beford CF Van and trailer. And even that of The support vehilcle and caravan. At the time just a dream but as is the case with all dreams, they sit in the mind untill such time when they are ready to re emerge. From this idea Project Broadsword was ultimately to be born, evolving from version 1 to 5 leading to the concept of a Production Based Independant Manned Multi Purpose Space vehicle.

Broadsword5

The Idea subsequently grew and was tested out with Space related publications of the time, and with the Space Shuttle Prime contractor Rockwell International.

A fuller description of the Broadsword 5 Concept it to be tranfered to a book version with a supporting website.

To Be Continued.........................

Rallyist Publications & PME Engineering

Note:

Project Broadsword and its new Sister Project: Broadsword MIS are to be covered soon on these pages. Project Broadsword is currently being edited for Publications by Rallyist Publications will be due for release, summer 2012 supporting the launch of Broadsword MIS also 2012 as an official X-Prize Lunar entrant.

PME Engineering Mouse
©PME Engineering & Rallyist Publications 2010

Note: the PME Engineering Broadsword MIS Logo also carries the symbol of the Two Headed Eagle

The proud enblem and Flag of the Duchy of Grand Fenwick

and is in memory of Writer Leonard Wibberley creator of

'The Mouse on the Moon"

Published by William Morrow and Company, Inc.

The Film version published by Dell Publishing and directed by Richard Lester (1963)

Watch This Space........

PME Engineering activity will be transfered to its own Site very soon.