Monday 3rd December 1923

Born on this day, John Tojeiro, engineer and racing car designer, whose innovations helped to revolutionise car design in the 1950s and ’60s. He produced a long line of successful racing cars, most famously in conjunction with the Ecurie Ecosse team, using engines supplies by Jaguar, Buick, Bristol and Climax, among many. The Ecurie Ecosse Tojeiro EE was one of the first racing cars to use a mid-engine layout to enhance handling and traction. Perhaps his most lasting legacy was in producing a design which AC Cars developed into the AC Ace. From the Ace, Carroll Shelby in turn developed the iconic AC Cobra; marrying a thunderous American V8 engine with the lightweight British.