I’ve occasionally wondered exactly when Repco Ltd commenced operating in the UK, in a Repco-Brabham connection. Repco’s in-house magazine, the ‘Repco Record’ Christmas 1964 issue tells me the former Australian automotive industry colossus hung-the-shingle out at 59 St James Street, London on August 1, 1957.
The meetings Frank Hallam had in London that are of the most interest to us go unrecorded of course: Messrs Irving, Brabham and Tauranac, Laystall and Lucas spring to mind.
I suspect the primary purpose of the trip was to put-a-rocket up Phil Irving, who in Hallam’s mind, was running late with the design of RBE620, the SOHC, two valve, fuel-injected 2.5-litre Tasman Cup V8 based on the Oldsmobile F85 aluminium block. Worse to Frank, Phil and Jack were occasionally leaving-the-reservation on ‘agreed design direction.’ Said engine fired its first shot in Repco’s Richmond engine laboratory dyno on March 26, 1965.
Credits…
Repco Ltd, the Repco Record is from Rodway Wolfe’s archive
Finito…
primotipo... 