Run Baby Run

In 2014 David re-discovered Run Baby Run, minus the engine which had been sold back in the 1970’s. He decided to bring it back to life, restoring the body and re-engineering it, making it fit to race again. This documentary sets out to tell the story of the career of David Brodie and the restoration and re-engineering of Run Baby Run.

David Brodie’s motor racing career started when he entered his modified Austin A35 into a club race at Silverstone in 1963. Brodie won that race and the die was cast; a career of racing and modifying cars followed. David quickly realised that a big, powerful, reliable engine was the best way to win against the big boys and their powerful, mostly American V8’s. After a brief spell racing a Ford Anglia with a 2.0 litre twin cam Lotus engine that he called “Big Nellie”, Brodie set about creating the ultimate modified sports saloon using the recently introduced Mk1 Ford Escort as a basis. That car was “Run Baby Run”. 

Powered by a specially modified 2.1 litre BDA engine, Run Baby Run is reputed to have won over 200 races between 1969 and 1972. Brodie and his Mk1 Escort were frequent stars on the race tracks of Britain and ITV’s popular weekend sports programme World of Sport. After the 1972 season, Run Baby Run was laid up in a barn, where it stayed for around 40 years. David Brodie continued racing, both as an independent, and as a works-supported driver for the likes of Ford, Mazda and Mitsubishi.