With their father’s ex-British Army cavalry a love for the equestrian sport of Gymkhana led to the 16 year olds meeting at Kenilworth Racecourse and John and Miranda Coutts married 13 August 1966. Blessed with two daughters (Melanie Grobler 1972 and Natalie Roets 1976). Sadly John passing 1 month and 1 day short of their 60th wedding anniversary.
As a talented mechanic John started a workshop and fuel station and Stikland Motors soon became a well known establishment on the main road. Debutant rallyist Wynand Loubser needed a navigator and John availed himself for the “suicide seat” in the ex-Danie van der Merwe (Auto Alfa Strand) Alfa Romeo Guilia 2.0. Something he enjoyed so much that he remained seated in the ex-Serge Damseaux Alfa Romeo Alfetta 2.0 and Toyota Corolla Liftback TRD that followed.
John would however succeed in making regional motorsport history. Driving his own Stikland Motors Toyota Corolla SR5 1600 with Jörg Mauderer as navigator realized the potential of the car, electing to swop seats with rally veterans Dirkie Boonstra and Peter Hoblyn as drivers. Success followed in 1984 when John finished the season as the overall Western Province Rally Navigators Champion, earning his WP Motorsport colours. The mid season driver swop saw Nic de Waal top the drivers table.
John winning the title in the 21st season of the oldest regional championship of any sport in South Africa and becoming only the 10th individual to win the Navigators title.
John switched his interest to Killarney and entered the very same Stikland Motors Toyota Corolla SR5 1600 in the regional Clubman Saloon Championship. An interesting engine swap at a critical part of the season resulting in John winning the Tonnesens Clubman Saloon Championship.
To date the only person to have won the WP Rally Navigators and WP Clubman Saloon Championship – and in the same car!
John and Miranda then became professional wedding photographers and John also became a founding member of the Friends of the SAAF Museum at AFB Ysterplaat. John contributing video recordings of many a function and displays over the years.
Condolences to Miranda, Melanie, Natalie and family
Wynand Loubser adds the following tribute from Brisbane, Australia
John Frederick Coutts
I met John when the company I was working for had their vehicles serviced at Stikland Motors. We immediately clicked. John was a very intelligent person that could be a real comedian sometimes. I remember when a member of the rally community offered him a Gauloises cigarette he looked at the offering and in his own smiley way said “no thank you. You bought the sh.t you smoke it.” I ended up working for John and that’s how our motorsport career started.
I bought an ex Danie van der Merwe Alfa Guilia and entered a rally but had no navigator so John offered to navigate for me. Our first event was the CCMCC Total Autumn Trial Sonesta rally of that year. We lost our Odometer and wrongslotted (got horribly lost) on an open section and although we managed to finish the event, we were time barred.
I have so many great memories of our time together not only rallying but also as house friends. I remember when we put the “Think Pink” stuff in his house’s roof how we itched for days afterwards never thinking of covering our arms and legs.
I also want to share two memorable motorsport incidents. The one was the Nissan rally one year which was the only time I drove the Stikland Motors Toyota Corolla SR5. Just before the event John suggested that we remove the heater unit to save weight and for reliability but as always, we got busy and never did. Well just as well as it turned out to be one of the wettest and coldest rallies ever. On our way back from Citrusdal we drove through the stage on top of the mountain in the cold and with snow higher up when our diff broke and there we were stuck on the stage, in the cold. Luckly, we had the heater in the car, and we nearly idled all our fuel out to keep the heat going waiting for the service crew to reach us.
The second incident also involved SR5. This was at a clubman’s event at Killarney. John was out practicing when the motor packed up. He was in a good position in the championship and needed the points and was very disappointed not to score that day. I said to him we have time between now and the race why do we not go back to the workshop and swap my rally engine into his car. We quickly pushed the car onto the trailer and left. John still said he could see his opponents laughing.
We got to the workshop and while he and a friend worked on getting the engine out of the race car myself and another friend worked on getting the engine out of my rally car. By the time we had my engine in his car we were running out of time to get to the racetrack, so John slapped his trade plates on the Toyota and drove it to the racetrack and arrived to everyones surprise in time for the race. To crown it all he improved his lap time with the rally engine by over a second and I had a hard time convincing him to hand my engine back (Jokingly).
In those days there were no alcohol ban in the pits and John liked to have at least one beer and used to joke how he was always faster after a beer. He always used to say if he drinks enough beer, he will be so quick he will end the race even before starting it and that was John at his best.
In later years our ways parted and the last time I saw John was at my son Bertie’s wedding and it was nice catching up with him. I have many fond memories of John, and he will be missed by all who knew him.
To Miranda and the girls our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Wynand Loubser
5F Peter Hoblyn – John Coutts – SWMC – Stikland Motors Toyota Corolla SR5 1600. 15th Overall 4215sec. 011015 (1) 
6 John Coutts – Jörg Mauderer – Stikland Motors Toyota Corolla SR5 1600 
7E Wynand Loubser – John Coutts – Mobil Toyota Corolla Liftback 1600 TRD. 8th Overall 8040sec. 21400.- in Montagu. (2) 
7E Wynand Loubser – John Coutts – Mobil Toyota Corolla Liftback 1600 TRD. 8th Overall 8040sec. 21400.- in Montagu. copy 
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11F Dirkie Boonstra – John Coutts – WPMC – Stikland Motors Toyota Corolla SR5 1600. 3rd Overall (2) 
13F Wynand Loubser – John Coutts – SWMC – Atlantis Toyota Toyota Conquest RSi 1600. DNF Retired SS12 Broken Sideshaft. (2) 
23 John Coutts – Jörg Mauderer – Stikland Motors Toyota Corolla SR5 1600. 
27C Willem Louw – John Coutts – WPMC – Nuclear Office Products Volkswagen Golf MkI RWD. DNF- at Killarney International Raceway. 
31B Wynand Loubser – John Coutts – SWMC – Stikland Motors Alfa Romeo Alfetta 2000. 18th Overall 013650 (2) 
36C Wynand Loubser – John Coutts – Stikland Motors Alfa Romeo Guilia 2000. DNF Retired SS11 copy 
19440621 John Frederick Coutts 20260711 (82)
Published by: Patrick Vermaak
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