I came in front of a real racing car 1968 a Diva Valkyr DV7. At that time a wellknown Danish racing driver Erling Kongsfelt sold it to me straight over the border so to say. I had money from the selling of the Ferrari so it was no problem. This car should not be registered for street use. I fetched it in Hälsningborg, I think, with the help of my brother. He always helped me with such things and without his help I had not been a race driver. I paid the custom fee in Stockholm. It was a good looking racing car.

But as all older racing cars that was no longer of interest for professional racing drivers, the only buyers was young enthusiasts at club level, it was in bad condition. Fuel tank was missing. In Denmark they had driven with a hand tank in the passenger's seat. Lucky enough I knew a guy at my work who could weld aluminium, so after my drawing he made one. It fit just fine when I pressed it into the left empty area in front of the rear tire. There were not yet any regulations about safe petrol tanks.

The engine was a Cortina Lotus 1600 cc with power output of 160 ps. Doubble overhead camshafts and in the rear a 5 gear Hewland gearbox. No bad stuff. The frame was welded by 15 x 15 mm square pipes and could be compared to the Maserati Birdcage. The tires were fat for it's time. They were old and the rubber hard of course. No question about buying new ones. The rubber was enough for my time.

It was raceworthy and I could match other club cars. Although there were not so many of this type of cars in the sport racing class. I drove it at Skarpnäck, Karlskoga and Anderstorp. Furthermore I announced in a competition at Anderstorp once. At this competition I had no chance against other modern race cars. When driving I was more afraid of keeping away from the others. They drove at least doubble my speed. I had difficulties with my gearbox and once in the hairpin I got rear gear. The officials laughed at me.

Well my showing up with those proffs, I learned that it was not my place. At that time there were no trailers to buy for driving cars. The electrical brake was highest fashion and a firm in Kil produced a four wheel one. This type was excluded because it demanded a more powerfull passenger car. I welded one trailer of my own from square tubes and a pusher brake.

Trailer was a must. The trailer I built after my brother Jan's construction princip was very lucky and Jan built several that were sold. Still 2008 I can sometimes see these trailers in use. But later they were too expensive to build, compared to the trailers on the marked. The gearbox problems ended up with that Sport Cars fixed it. This was the only work shop who could fix such things.

It was close limits in front of the engine. It happened that the screw in the water pump went against a frame tube and came loose. The pump fell off and was destroyed. For this I had to lift the engine.

My time as a racing driver was now closing to an end. I didn't realized it then, but my interest slowed down and it was not with the same happiness I went to the tracks. I married 1968 and my first kid came exactly one year later. My money was not enough for buying a good racing car. My leading capital was consumed by all my changings. Furthermore now the car had to be transported to the competitions. The Diva was sold to Bo Eliasson in Torsby for 8330:- But a last effort was done with a Diva GT 10F.

Picture from one of the first times I was out with my Diva. It is in the pit at Skarpnäck. Behind you can se a Diva GT 10F.

Picture from Anderstorp when I raced in an international competition. It was a disaster. I am just driving out of the hairpin. Here I once "succeeded" to gear to the revers. Bad luck

Race program at PR for men Race at Anderstorp raceway 1969

Start list from PR for men Race.

Map over Anderstorp Raceway.

Olle Odsell didn't race so much. Therefore he could take lots of photoes. This is one when I am racing, probably at Karlskoga. Photo Olle Odsell.

It is a nice thing with websites. One gets in contact with other people who have the same car and/or interest as I have. Bob Mitchell read my site and found that he also had a Diva Valkyr. Here is the proof. See my guestbook. Photo Bob Mitchell