Archive for the ‘Fotos’ Category

Whad’ll She Do Mister?…

Posted: June 7, 2020 in Fotos, Who,What,Where & When...?
Tags: , , , , ,
15

(M Tumby)

Talbot-Lago T26C with a swag of teenage fans surrounding it in Queensland we think …

There was a bit of  unresolved mystery about this shot when it was first posted by Mark Tumby on Bob Williamson’s Facebook page a month ago.

The discussion centred around whether it was Ralph Snodgrass in Whiteford’s second arriving in Australia but early chassis- ‘110002’ at Lowood but only if it was before 6 June 1957 when Snodgrass rolled it at Mount Druitt and then popped it under his house for twenty years, as Rob Bailey pointed out. Rob then mused as to whether it was his father, Owen Bailey in Whiteford’s first Lago, chassis ‘110007’ at Lowood, ‘that would make sense as he was running a family business in Noosa at the time’.

Interesting but still foggy at this point.

(M Tumby)

I circulated the first photograph to ‘wise owls’ Stephen Dalton, Bob King and Tony Johns yesterday- the boys quickly identified the car as the 1952 and 1953 AGP winner ‘110007’ by comparative analysis of windscreen and body slots around the grille.

As to the who and when questions, Stephen observed ‘Finding Queensland programs and entry lists is very hard for this era and it tends to be one ex-Bomber runway looking the same as the other. Here though, the trees tend to tell me not Lowood. I’m tending to think Strathpine which had a thin row of trees on each side.’

‘I’m not committing to stone, but i think its the Ken Richardson era, after Rex Taylor, so mid-55’ish. Then you get the problem of some Leyburn meetings in this timeframe too. Ken won a race at the 4 June 1955 Strathpine meeting, the August 1955 issue of ‘Modern Motor’ has a photo but no clear number…’

Stephen suggested a peek on Trove- which i have just done in brief, there are lots of entries for Taylor, tougher pickings for Richardson in the Talbot-Lago at least- plenty of mentions in his Cooper.

At this stage Rob Bailey did a bit more research- see his responses today, including a careful forage through the two volume Talbot-Lago books which reveals that it is Ken Richardson during a Leyburn sprint meeting in 1955.

Dalton, ‘Now that i’ve looked a little harder in my Leyburn file there was an event in July 1955 too, it was very briefly reported in ‘Wheels’ October 1955.’

’Richardson must have been a decent steerer. He was third behind Davison and Pitt’s nimble Coopers with the Lago at the September 1955 Australian Hillclimb Championship on narrow and tight Prince Henry Drive…’

As to all the young blokes in the shots- maybe a local boarding school outing on a Friday or weekend?

I don’t have ‘an article’ on the ‘Talbot-Lago T26C’ but key that into the primotipo search engine and four or five pieces with plenty of photos will pop up.

Credits…

Mark Tumby, Rob Bailey, Stephen Dalton, Bob King, Tony Johns

Tailpiece…

(S Dalton Collection)

Finito…

Australian Racing Random 2…

Posted: June 6, 2020 in Features, Fotos
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
7

(unattributed)

Stunning shot of a group of cars charging down Conrod Straight at Mount Panorama during Bathurst’s race in October 1939…

John Snow leads in his Delahaye 135CS from the John Crouch, Alfa Romeo 8C2300 and Bob Appleton in the MacKellar Ford V8 Spl- Snow won the race from Frank Kleinig, Kleinig Hudson Spl and Bob Lea Wright.

There would be one more pre-war Bathurst meeting during the Easter of 1940 until the lights went out until 1946, that pre-war race was won by Alf Barrett’s Alfa Romeo Monza from the Snow Delahaye and Charlie Whatmore’s Ford V8 Spl.

(L Hemer)

Let’s just jump four decades from the erotic pre-war Delahaye’s curves to the hard but seventies edgy-wedgy Lola T300 Chev F5000 of Bob Muir

Lynton Hemer has captured one of my favourite cars on the run down Hume Straight towards Creek Corner at Warwick Farm. As he notes, ‘he raced T300 ‘HU4′ in four L&M Series races in the US in 1972, here he is during wet practice for the 1972 Tasman race at Warwick Farm.’

My ode to the seminal defining ‘smaller F5000’ and ‘underpinner’ of Lola profits for the better part of a decade is here; https://primotipo.com/2014/11/18/my-first-race-meeting-sandown-tasman-f5000-1972-bartlett-lola-and-raquel/ oh, yes, and ode to Bob here; https://primotipo.com/2019/12/09/bob-muir/

 

(T Johns)

Derek Jolly, Austin 7 Special, Templetowe 1953

Tony Johns’ notes record that the photo above was taken at the Fifth Templestowe Hillclimb on 9 March 1953. The results and report in the March Australian Motor Sports record Derek with a time of 70.6 seconds in second place to Otto Stone driving Stan Jones MG Q type to 67.41 seconds, a new class record.

The shot below shows it in later form with the bodywork removed and it was then a sprint chassis, to save weight the radiator was mounted up above the gearbox- also a two piece alloy head and hydraulic brakes are fitted.

‘I ended up owning the very close ratio gearbox from the Jolly Austin and it is still in my first racing car which is now owned by peter Mathews. When Peter Holinger built our special four speeds in a three speed gearbox for the 1981 (UK) Raid cars we used the very same ratios. Max Foster was the last owner of the Jolly Austin before it was sold to the UK.’

Click here for a feature on Derek Jolly and the various cars he built and raced; https://primotipo.com/2017/11/09/dereks-deccas-and-lotus-15s/

(T Johns)

 

Jack Brabham and Stirling Moss swap notes during their abortive 1976 Bathurst assault 

‘In 1976 the Formula One world champion again made his way to Bathurst (having won there most recently in 1960- and during Easter 1969) with English legend Stirling Moss, whipping the sleeping country town and international press into a frenzy’ wrote the Western Advocate’ of the great duo’s assault on The Great Race.

‘Most of you will recall their Holden Torana SLR5000/L34 Torana V8 being hit up the clacker on the start line (from Q10) when Jack had a jammed gearbox- Brabham was so busy trying to find a gear his arm was not out the window, not that that would necessarily have saved the day…They eventually got underway to keep faith the fans and commercial supporters but the engine cried enough with Moss at the wheel after they had completed only 37 laps. The deserving Bob Morris partnered by John Fitzpatrick won in another L34- wasn’t Ron Hodgson a wonderful long time supporter of motor racing in general and Morris in particular.

Team matching tops (up above) but different ‘sponsors’ for Jack and Stirling above, the big tall lanky blonde at right rear is longtime much respected ‘The Australian’ motoring writer Mike Kable.

(Brabham Family)

 

The shot above is of Jack doing some pre-race practice and press footage at Oran Park, any idea of the date folks?

 

(TR0003)

Lovely colour photograph of a group of cars at Mount Druitt, perhaps Jack Carter in the lead coming out Tyresoles Corner

This one dates back to a ‘The Nostalgia Forum’ post in May 2017- so can we crack the nut- who is it, what car and what date are the questions folks. See this piece on Mount Druitt here; https://primotipo.com/2017/01/01/mount-druitt-1955-brabham-gardner-and-others/

 

(unattributed)

Little known circuits department

A Jaguar XK150 (?) and Allard (?) at Wangaratta Airfield in the mid-fifties- drivers and a date anyone?

More often than not I’ve stayed in Wangaratta when I have raced at Winton, I’ve been there many times over the years but didn’t realise Wang Airfield was a shortlived race venue until tripping over the photograph above by accident.

 

(T Stevens)

A rather famous Australian racing car- the ex-JAS Jones/Ted Gray Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Zagato

Or 8C really, fitted as it was with a flathead Ford V8 engine by previous owner Ted Gray.

The shot is of Ian Virgo ahead of Tom Stevens MG during the period when Rob Jervies owned the Alfa, which makes it circa , oh Port Wakefield, South Australia by the way.

Click here for a detailed feature on this car; https://primotipo.com/2018/02/15/mrs-jas-jones-alfa-6c-1750-ss-zagato/

and here for stories about a car with an amazing continuous racing history since its birth; https://primotipo.com/2020/05/04/ted-gray-alfa-romeo-ford-v8-wangaratta-to-melbourne-record/

 

(Denis Lupton)

Into the Templestowe shadows…

‘My beautiful picture’ as Denis Lupton wrote, as indeed it is- Walton-Cooper JAP.

The mighty shirt-sleeved Bruce Walton at Melbourne’s Templestowe Hillclimb in the late fifties- there is a bit about the multiple Australian Hillclimb Championship here; https://primotipo.com/2018/06/28/hamiltons-porsche-550-spyder/

And a club ‘Gunter-Wagen’ at the same venue below- these wonderful ‘PBR Brake-Drum components’ which formed the startline were eventually moved from Templestowe just up the road 15km or so to the Christmas Hills matching the sad occasion of the final demise of Templestowe with the happy occasion of the reopening of Rob Roy.

(unattributed)

 

(Peter Weaver Motorports Photography)

Aussies Abroad

Bruce Allison’s mighty Chevron B37 Chev F5000 ahead of Brian McGuire’s McGuire BM1 Ford aka Williams FW04 Ford F1 car at Brands Hatch during the 26 June 1977 Shellsport International season.

Bruce had a fantastic season, his performances resulted in him being awarded the top Grovewood Award at the seasons end although he didn’t have a great weekend at Brands- his pole position was followed by a loose wheel-nut induced DNF come raceday.

Poor Brian, close friend of Alan Jones- they made money together buying and selling camper-vans and running F3 cars together, died at the wheel of this car at Brands during the 29 August weekend having fallen short in qualifying for the British GP at Silverstone in July.

 

(Peter Weaver Motorsports Photography)

Ooopsie bigtime

Wayne Negus/Bob Forbes Holden Torana SLR5000 L34 resting neatly in one of Sandown Parks dams on the evening after the September 1975 Sandown 250 Manchamps enduro.

Ron Simmonds recalls ‘I was first on the scene, Wayne was in the dam soaking wet. When the Torana went through the railing it opened up like a piece of tin, he hit it so hard, arriving at the corner with no brakes, the Toranas were having trouble with their brakes at this meeting. It made page 2 in The Age the next day, with photos and the story’. Negus jumped into the water to wash off battery acid he thought had spilled on him.

The mishap occurred on lap 69 of the 130 lap race won by Peter Brock in a Holden Dealer L34- the first seven cars were L34s!

 

(P D’Abbs)

Formula Ford grid butt-shot at Sandown in 1977

The shot is interesting and different in its own right but is chosen to show the drivers eye view Wayne Negus had as he charged towards Torana Corner in third (of four) gear in his high powered but brakeless and rather weighty L34 Holden.

Peters or Torana corner has never changed, but of course the approach now is slower and therefore safer.

I well recall Formula Ford racer Stephen Finn, who I knew a bit, ploughing his just rebuilt and updated by Garrie Cooper Elfin 620B Formula Ford into the fence there and badly breaking both his legs in a career ending prang- the cause was a big hole in the bottom of his right foot racing boot- which became stuck on the slender throttle at a most critical moment.

Worse was much loved and respected Melbourne Alfista Bob Gardiner’s fatal accident when the brakes of his Alfa Romeo 1600GTV failed in, I think the early eighties. For some years the MSCA promoted Victorian State Round was named the Bob Gardiner Memorial meeting in his honour.

Simple corner in some ways but it required respect given the lack of runoff.

 

(unattributed)

Brabham’s Phillip Island win, 1960, Cooper T51 Climax.

Look at the narrow track and modest ‘Control Tower’, reading Phil Irving’s autobiography at the moment reinforced just how much a hands-on club-member maintained circuit the Island was- Phillip Island Auto Racing Club the club of course.

Jack’s weekend is covered in this short piece; https://primotipo.com/2018/08/12/jacks-donut/

(B Simpson)

Brian Simpson’s shot captures Jack on the same day, the Cooper has just exited MG and is on the short rise, and short shift into third before the succeeding left hander.

(Peter Weaver Motorsports Photography)

Lovely shot taken in 1976 showing the circuit as it then was and still is albeit Repco/Honda is a tad shorter than now.

 

(unattributed)

‘No worries, a turret and a ‘couple of spot’ around the body and she’ll be jake matey’…

Was probably the response Gold Star winner Len Lukey got from his panel beater after this high speed Ford Customline rollover at Phillip Island in late 1957- a lucky escape, I wonder if he goofed or something broke? It is a one photograph justification for the need for roll bars, mind you it was still some wee-while until they were mandated.

I’ve written about Len at length before, here; https://primotipo.com/2019/12/26/len-lukey-australian-gold-star-champion/

Many of you know he was the Knight In Shining Armour who bought the track in its hour of need. He simultaneously farmed there and allowed PIARC to continue racing saving one of Australia’s best ever race tracks in the process.

 

(R&S Abrahall)

 

(R&S Abrahall)

 

(R&S Abrahall)

Love this sequence of shots of Leo Geoghegan’s Lotus 39 Climax sans wheel on Hume Straight towards the Creek Corner braking area

Its the first official practice session for the February 1967 Warwick Farm 100 Tasman round, it was the first time the great Sydneysider had this errant wheel problem with this Lotus but it wasn’t the last, he lost a wheel in practice at Longford a couple of years later.

Leo had a great weekend though, no harm was done to the car, he qualified fourth and finished fifth- first resident Australian home in the race won by Jackie Stewart in a BRM P261 from Clark’s Lotus 33 Climax V8 and Gardner’s Brabham BT16 Climax FPF.

 

Catalina Park, at Katoomba in New South Wales’ Blue Mountains June 1961

How close was Catalina to downtown Katoomba!?

#111 is John Martin’s Lotus 11 BMC, Austin Healey of Messrs Holland or Miller, Buchanan MG, G Dummer, MG TC of Lance Hill and to the far right the Swallow Doretti of Lorraine Hill- competitor IDs thanks to Bob Williamson and Chris Cole.

 

Two other Catalina pit scenes, happy to take advice on whom is whom and what is what in the one immediately above whilst the one above shows a very youthful Norm Beechey sits atop the bonnet of his Humpy Holden- date folks?

 

(autopics.com.au)

Geoff Brabham, Elfin 620 Formula Ford at Warwick Farm in 1973

I recall him testing the Jack Brabham Ford Bowin P4X FF before very successfully racing John Leffler’s 1973 Driver To Europe winning Bowin P6F in the 1974 TAA Australian FF ‘Driver to Europe Series’ but I don’t recall his stint in the Elfin at all.

Which chassis and how’d he do folks? This series of cars-620 and 620B were successful little jiggers winning lots of races and two Australian Formula Ford Championships (Driver to Europe Series) for Terry Perkins in 1973 and Geoff Summers in 1982, way after the 620Bs build date mind you, it was a mighty fine effort for a driver who got quicker as he got older and he was no youth when he started in FF!

This piece is not a bad summary of Geoff’s career; https://primotipo.com/2015/03/31/geoff-and-jack-brabham-monza-1966/

 

(T McGrath)

Parramatta Park action, I wonder it it all ended in tears, what year folks!?

It’s Bill MacLachlan in the MacKellar Bugatti Ford V8 from the ex-Saywell Alfa Romeo P3 Alvis driven by Bill Murray rounding Rotunda Hairpin-see here for Parramatta Park; https://primotipo.com/2018/02/27/parramatta-park-circuit/

Me mate Bob King’s book tells me the MacKellar started life as an ex-Bill Thompson Bugatti T37A, the equally aristocratic ex- Jack Saywell Alfa Romeo Tipo B/P3 was restored and sadly left our shores forever ago- when i get home i will cycle back and pop in some chassis numbers, no access to books right now.

 

(D Williams)

Sir Gawaine Baillie, Ford Galaxie, Warwick Farm pitlane in early 1965

Dennis Williams related that ‘He used to stay in a hotel opposite the Warwick Farm circuit. After the meeting he drove onto the Hume Highway with the car in race trim. He got busted by the cops for being unregistered and uninsured.’

Naughty British nobleman. Racing these things really would have been like trying to race yer lounge-room, they are such large lumps of real estate in relative and absolute terms.

There is a connection between this big lump and the L34 Torana which ended up in one of Sandown’s dams ten or so shots ago.

The Galaxie first came to Australia in 1964 to contest the first Sandown enduro, the 1964 Six Hour at the behest of Lex Davison who organised the entry and financial aspects and co-drovethe car with Baillie.

During the race Lex, having run at the front and smitten the armco one almighty but non-fatal blow with the Galaxie’s more than ample hind-quarters already, had brake failure and he punched a big hole in Sandown’s Peters orner armco although he didn’t ‘dive as deep’ as Wayne Negus- no scuba gear was required although Lex, very much a gentleman of the old school, uttered the lines which have become immortal ‘The big bitch tried to kill me’.

(G Edney)

The big Ford was repaired and then raced by Baillie (and John Raeburn later) in the 1965 Australian Tasman rounds touring car support races, doubtless he was sorry he made that trip given the Ecurie Australie deaths of Davo and Rocky Tresise in successive weekends at Sandown and Longford.

I’ve a feature on the Australian Galaxies, i must do the final 5% and pop it up.

 

Didn’t David Mckay create the dream and live it!

Look at all them SV cars- Cooper T51, Lola Mk1 and 2, Ferrari 250GT, Fiat 1800 not to forget he Morgan, Ford Zephyr or Consul and the Rice Trailer which these days is probably worth more than one or two of the cars- gotta be 1961 or 1962 on Warwick Farm’s Pit Straight.

See here; https://primotipo.com/2018/01/12/bert-and-davids-lola-mk1-climax/ and maybe here too; https://primotipo.com/2017/09/28/david-mckays-aston-martin-db3ss/

 

(B Thomas)

Lionel Ayers in his MRC Lotus 23 Ford from Frank Demuth (or John Harvey in Frank’s car) Lotus 23 Ford at Lakeside in July 1966

Lionel was another ‘racer to the core’ who competed all of his life and then did us all a favour before he died by restoring, beautifully the ex-Mildren Racing/Gardner/Bartlett Mildren ‘Yellow Submarine’ Waggott.

I only ever saw him race his big, lovely Rennmax Repco sportscar, which after thirty years in hibernation has just been acquired by Bruce Ayers- in time it will be a marvellous addition to the historic ranks, click here; https://primotipo.com/2017/12/21/sportscar-stalwarts/

 

(G Bull)

Ash Marshall launches Chrysler powered ‘The Vandal’ off the line at Castlereagh in April 1966

He did a 166 mph pass during the day- 12,000 people attended the meeting during which American racer Bobby Mayer achieved 187.88 mph.

I did a piece on Bib Stillwell’s Jaguar D Type a short time back which had a bit in it about Ash, who at one time owned the D Type amongst the many cars he owned or traded- see here; https://primotipo.com/2020/04/17/stillwells-d-type/

 

Whilst Jim Clark’s Lotus 39 Climax initially caught my eye in this ‘Sydney Morning Herald’ cover- he won the February 1966 Warwick Farm 100 Tasman round the day before

My personal flashback was being a school kid, 9 years of age at the time and remembering the advertising jingle for the change of Australian currency from pounds, shillings and pence to dollars and cents- those of a certain age will remember this, it was such a big deal at the time, here is the jingle i remember! https://youtu.be/5ZTeWLA1LAs

More interestingly, here is the Clark/Geoghegan Lotus 39; https://primotipo.com/2016/02/12/jim-clark-and-leo-geoghegans-lotus-39/

 

(Nissan)

Sticking with the mid-sixties for a bit, the local motor industry change in process was the rise and rise of Japanese cars in our local market.

Machines like the Mazda 1500, Datsun 1600 and Toyota Corolla were revelations compared with their equivalents made here or in The Old Dart.

These two photographs show the class winning Datsun 1300 at Bathurst in 1966- the car was driven by Moto Kitano and Kunimitsu Takahashi, a la further back was the Australian duo of John Roxburgh and Doug Whiteford. The cars were 22nd and 23rd outright but first and second in Class A, up front nine! Morris Cooper S’ led the field, Rauno Aaltonen and Bob Holden the victors.

The rise and rise of the Japanese Motor Industry was well underway, that is tangentially covered in this piece on the Nissan R380 sports-racer; https://primotipo.com/2017/12/08/prince-datsun-make-that-nissan-r380/

(Nissan)

 

(Peter Weaver Motorsports Photography)

Despite the modern cars the photograph has a delightful period feel given the lack of signage and bucolic backdrop given by the trees- Phillip Island, September 2015

Peter Weaver’s artistry.

He commented that ‘Tim Macrow rejoined the Formula 3 field with another guest appearance and showed his class with three apparently easy wins despite driving an older car (Dallara F307 Mercedes Benz). Here he leads championship contenders Jon Collins, Dallara F311 Mercedes Benz and Ricky Capo, Dallara F311 Mugen-Honda early in Sunday morning’s race’ on the rise out of MG into the succeeding left-hander.

The championship was won that year by Collins, only a point clear of Capo after seven rounds and then Trent Shirvington  well back in third aboard a Mygale M11 Mercedes Benz.

 

(B Errington)

Nui Dat Go-Kart Grand Prix, Vietnam, 21 August 1968

Not a race any of you are likely to have heard of unless your ‘number came up’ and you were an Australian Army Vietnam War conscript!

I got a chuckle out of seeing these photographs of young fellas a decade older than me then who were (mainly) forced into an involvement in a war we never should have been a part of- as usual if our American buddies think its a good idea we blindly follow. There is nothing an Australian Prime Minister loves more than to be a ‘Wartime PM’, so many photo ops with battle fatigues on and nice fast planes etc…

Anyway.

No doubt this was one of many activities to take the minds of the troops off the perils in the jungle, that’s Sapper Brian McMahon from Newcastle sitting aboard the 21st Engineer Support Troop’s kart- no technical specifications  of the karts ‘made from spare parts and salvaged military equipment’ to hand sadly!

Credits…

Tony Johns Collection, Peter Weaver Motorsports Photography, Peter D’Abbs, Denis Lupton, Tom Stevens Collection via Tony Parkinson, Robyn & Steve Abrahall, Viv Ireland, Brian Simpson, autopics.com.au, Terry McGrath, Dennis Williams, Brier Thomas, Geoff Bull, Nissan, Bill Errington, Sydney Morning Herald

Tailpiece…

Don Fraser’s Vincent Special about to be addressed by its crew in time honoured practical fashion…

Mallala, date folks?

Finito…

Ligier JS F3-S5000 with Matich A50 F5000 Twist…

Posted: June 3, 2020 in Fotos, News/Events, Obscurities
Tags: , , , , , ,
4

Whaddya do starved of media buzz when the lights go off simultaneously around the globe? Think of a great cost effective promotional idea like this.

The Australian S5000 guys, SS Media have come up with the notion of applying retro liveries to the silhouette of their new 5 litre Ligier JS F3-S5000 Ford V8 rockets- and doesn’t this late 1971 early 1972 Matich A50 Repco scheme look sensational- remove the halo and its perfect! My S5000 piece is here; https://primotipo.com/2019/10/26/progress/

The photograph is Frank Matich on the way to winning the November 1971 Australian Grand Prix at Warwick Farm in his just finished, very first race Matich A50 Repco F5000- but for the VHT and Hoosier branding the livery is period kosher. Matich’s F5000 career in terms of cars and competition results is here at length; https://primotipo.com/2015/09/11/frank-matich-matich-f5000-cars-etcetera/

Not to forget Ansett Team Elfin circa 1977, Alec Mildren Racing circa 1970 or Equipe Graham McRae circa 1972.

Luvvit.

Credits…

SS Media, autopics.com.au

Tailpiece…

Finito…

 

1966 Southern Cross Rally…

Posted: May 19, 2020 in Fotos, Who,What,Where & When...?
Tags: , , , , , ,
10

(unattributed)

The inaugural Southern Cross Rally held from October 6th to 9th 1966 brought international rallying to Australia and attracted European stars Paddy Hopkirk and Rauno Aaltonen both of whom ran Morris Cooper S…

The event covered 4,000 km and ran from Sydney to Melbourne and return- Roselands Shopping Centre was the end point 17 km from Sydney’s CBD.

The Barry Ferguson/Tony Denham VW Beetle 1600 took the lead on the second night and set a fast pace until an exchange with a tree ended their great run 360 km from Sydney, this allowed the works Harry Firth/Graham Hoinville Cortina GT to win from the Greg Garard/Frank Goulburn Holden HR and Ian and Roger Vaughan Cortina GT in third place.

The opening photograph was taken at Huthwaite’s Shell Service Station in Edward Street Wagga Wagga- isn’t it a beauty?, but its also a mystery as to the crew. #2 is not on the entry list below nor does it appear to be a ‘missing number’ GT but rather a poverty pack Cortina of some sort- ideas folks?! https://southerncrossrally.blogspot.com/2019/07/1966-entries.html

(SCB)

The Firth/Hoinville Cortina takes centre stage alongside the #15 Garard/Goulburn Holden HR X2 and #17 Vaughan Brothers Cortina GT at Roselands.

The HR to the left behind is the Reg Lunn/Geoff Thomas ‘Dustings of Burwood’ (Melbourne) entry and the #14 Max Winkless/A Smith Volvo 122S to the right- rear centre is the distinctive Alec Mildren entered Alfa Romeo Giulia Super run by the versatile Doug Chivas and Lindsay Adcock.

(SCB)

Rauno Aaltonen and Roy Denny during the night on day 3 north at Cooma in the New South Wales sub-Alpine country. Click here for the full story of this event on the marvellous Southern Cross Rally website; https://southerncrossrally.blogspot.com/2016/03/1966-story.html

On balance Rauno had a pretty good month in Australia, whilst ‘in town’ he took in the 2 October Bathurst 500 enduro sharing a car with Bob Holden to an historic win in front of eight other Cooper S’!- they were a lap clear of the Fred Gibson/Bill Stanley and Bruce McPhee/Barry Mulholland machines.

(S Charlton)

The upper photograph is Rauno on his own at Mount Panorama, the lower one is Aaltonen chasing the BMC works Cooper S #28 of Paddy Hopkirk and Brian Foley, DNF after 28 laps.

Etcetera: Firth/Hoinville works Ford Cortina Mk1 GT…

Firth’s car was one of the 110 GT500s Harry and his crew in Queens Avenue, Auburn built prior to the 1965 Bathurst 500- this run of cars was a very successful ‘homologation special’ with Bo Seton and Midge Boswell winning the classic that year.

Whilst the Melbourne pairing of good friends and great engineers were lucky to benefit from Ferguson’s misfortune in the Southern Cross, so that is almost always the case- the ‘to finish first, first you have to finish’ adage holds good.

Meritorious was that Harry had competed in the Bathurst 500 together with quite a few other ‘Cross runners the week before and immediately prior to that had returned from the US where he contested two Trans-Am rounds- on 10 September, the Green Valley 6 Hour for ninth place and 18 September Riverside 4 hours- seventh in a Lotus Cortina with Allan Moffat- Moff ran selected rounds of the series that year amongst his primary program the ‘1966 Central Division (Cendiv) Touring Car Series starting in May in the American Midwest.

Moffat said of Firth in his autobiography written with John Smailes ‘Harry Firth was fantastic. The race was half day, half night and, when darkness fell, he drove like the rally star he was. He pulled back four of the six laps i’d lost and brought us up to second in class behind Kwech’s Alfa. Then a throttle cable fell off and he dropped another six laps and had to start again. This time he got into ‘man possessed’ mode. On a track with questionable grip, in the pitch dark, he set a new under 2 litre lap record. We finished fourth in class and ninth outright. Ray Parsons with Jon Leighton was third in class and seventh outright.’

A week later the team were 2,200 km away in Riverside, again Moffat sang Harry’s praises- ‘…Harry surprised us again. He removed the cylinder heads from both our cars and took them to a local machine shop where he performed some magic. Its not that I didn’t want the details but Harry wasn’t called The Fox for nothing. All I needed to know was that the work was legal and quicker. He assured me it was. Harry came down with the flu that weekend so I dove solo. My job, if I could, was to spoil Horst Kwech. For four hours we raced like crazy for second in class, while Frank Gardner sprinted ahead to score Alan Mann’s only victory of the series’ John Smailes recorded.

The Bo Seton/Midge Bosworth Ford Cortina GT500 en-route to Bathurst victory in 1965

‘The Canberra Times’ 11 October 1966

The piece above is interesting- Harry was multi-talented as all you Australian enthusiasts well know.
He was a great preparer/builder of race and rally cars, an elite level rally and production-sedan driver not to forget his abilities to develop competitive performance car packages with manufacturers (Ford and Holden). After his own driving career he was a great talent spotter (mind you he nurtured talent whilst still driving too) and team manager of people, budgets, builds and race-day strategy- he schmoozed sponsors and manufacturers as well.

He really was rather an amazing hombre, consistent with Ken Blair’s thesis in the article above Harry also won the first Australian Rally Championship in 1968 in either/and/or a Lotus Cortina Mk2/Cortina Mk2 supercharged- perhaps one of you rally nutters can set me straight- he was fifty then by the way.

Credits…

‘SCB’- southerncrossrally.blogspot.com, Getty Images, Stuart Charlton, ‘Allan Moffat: Climbing The Mountain’ Allan Moffat with John Smailes

Tailpiece…

(FoMoCo)

GT500 out front of Ford’s Australian headquarters on the Hume Highway, Broadmeadows in 1965, I wonder if JFF-368 was the factory press car, and whether it still exists.

Finito…

David and Goliath…

Posted: May 15, 2020 in Fotos, Who,What,Where & When...?
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
10

Jack Brabham’s tiny Cooper T41 Climax takes on the big Ferrari 555 Super Squalo’s of Peter Whitehead #5 and Reg Parnell #4- to the right is Syd Jensen in another T41, Ardmore, New Zealand Grand Prix 1957…

Jack’s ‘slingshot’ didn’t topple the big guys that weekend but Stirling Moss ‘put the writing on the wall’ with his Argentinian GP Cooper win twelve months hence and by 1959 it was all over-red rover for the big front-engined glorious Grand Prix cars.

Brabham built this car at Coopers late in 1956 racing racing it twice in the UK before shipment to Australia- in the 22 September Oulton Park Gold Cup, DNF, the race won by teammate, Roy Salvadori’s T41, and then the BRSCC F2 race at Brands Hatch on October 14 where he again failed to finish with piston failure, again a T41 headed the field, Tony Brooks was at the wheel of Rob Walker’s car.

Off to the Antipodes he contested the NZ Internationals, the AGP at Caversham in March, and then the Victorian Trophy at Albert Park the following weekend- he then returned to Europe at the end of the summer having sold the car to Alec Mildren.

T41 chassis number ‘F2/P/56′ was fitted with a 1476cc Coventry Climax FWB sohc, two valve engine which gave circa 100 bhp @ 6500 rpm- it was a trend-setter in that it was the first of many, very many Climax engined Coopers to come to Australia. The design and construction progression of these Coopers (T41-T53) is covered in detail here; https://primotipo.com/2019/10/04/cooper-t41-43-45-51-53/

Despite giving away 2 litres in engine capacity to the Ferraris, Brabham was third at Ardmore until lap 100 of the 120 lap race when his engine temperature soared and he retired with a burst radiator hose which had fried the Climax engines cylinder head gasket- Parnell won from Whitehead and Stan Jones’ Maserati 250F.

Brabham was Q3 and second at Wigram behind Whitehead, started from pole in the Dunedin Road Race this time finishing second to Parnell and then retired after completing 9 laps of the wild Southland Road Race at Ryal Bush where Peter Whitehead again prevailed.

Brabham at Oulton Park during the Gold Cup weekend, Cooper T41 Climax FWB (MotorSport)

 

Brabham during the 1957 AGP at Caversham in March 1957- behind him is the Fred Coxon driven Amilcar Holden Spl DNF (K Devine)

 

Caversham AGP start 1957- Brabham, Cooper T41 Climax, Davison, Ferrari 500/625, Lukey, Cooper T23 Bristol and Jones Maserati 250F. Car #12 Syd Anderson, Alta GP2, #14 Syd Taylor, TS GMC Special, #8 Tom Hawkes, Cooper T23 Holden- behind him is Tom Sulman’s Aston Martin DB3S, #6 Alec Mildren, Cooper T20 Bristol and #5 Jack Myers, Cooper T20 Holden (K Devine)

Off to Perth for the 4 March AGP Jack was third in the scorching hot event behind the 3 litre Ferrari 500/625 of Lex Davison and Bill Patterson and Stan Jones’ Maserati 250F which did that event with its 300S motor.

Then it was back across the continent for the Moomba meeting at Albert Park where the little car contested the 32 lap 100 mile Victorian Trophy Gold Star round finishing second behind Davison’s Ferrari 500/625 and in front of Doug Whiteford’s Maserati 300S.

Jack then returned to Europe but not before, Graham Howard wrote, driving Ron Tauranac’s new Ralt Vincent at Mount Druitt- i wonder who has a shot of that test day?

Alec Mildren raced the T41 only briefly ‘finding that the chassis kept breaking due to it being too light’ John Blanden wrote- in short order the car was owned and raced by Arthur Griffiths and John Roxburgh before passing to Lyn Archer in Tasmania who raced it very successfully, ultimately with a highly modified Hillman Imp engine, he sold it to buy an Elfin Catalina Ford, a machine he raced for years and is still owned by his family.

The T41 passed through many hands in the decades which followed before Tom Roberts acquired it with David Rapley heading up the restoration of the car, which made its debut at the 2003 Albert Park AGP.

Etcetera…

Australian colours aren’t they?- green with the gold nose, lovely profile shot by racer/photographer David Van Dal at Caversham, ditto below in the paddock.

 

(K Devine)

 

Jack aboard a Cooper T43 Climax FPF 1.5 at Brands Hatch, 8 August weekend 1957, he won both heats of the Rochester Trophy F2 event (unattributed)

Credits…

‘History of The Australian Grand Prix’ Graham Howard and others, ‘Glory Days: Albert Park 1953-58’ Barry Green, ‘Racing Cars in Australia’ John Blanden, sergent.com, Ken Devine Collection, David Van Dal, MotorSport, F2 Index

Tailpiece…

(unattributed)

Lets go back to where we started, Ardmore 1957, and another cracker of a shot, this time just after the start.

Up front it’s all Ferraris- Ron Roycroft’s 375 V12 from the two four cylinder Super Squalos of Whitehead and Parnell. Then out wide on the left is Jack’s Cooper, the Peter Whitehead owned, fourth placed #18 Ferrari 750 Monza driven by Ross Jensen and far right the HWM Alta I wrote about not so long ago being driven by Tom Clark.

The Cooper T39 Climax Bobtail is Ronnie Moores- to the right of him is the Talbot Lago T26C of Allan Freeman, and then, perhaps, Horace Gould’s #2 250F, whilst in the middle of the pack the unmistakable, regal lines of the Alfa Romeo Tipo B/P3 raced by John McMillan, the almost as ancient Maserati 4CLT-48 of Pat Hoare is out to the right- alongside him is the Jones 250F. I’ll take advice on the rest…

Click here for an article on the Super Squalo; https://primotipo.com/2015/08/25/arnold-glass-ferrari-555-super-squalo-bathurst-1958/ and here for the HWM Alta; https://primotipo.com/2019/12/13/tony-gaze-hwm-alta-new-zealand-1954/

Finito…

Lakeland Hillclimb…

Posted: May 2, 2020 in Features, Fotos
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
17

(W Giles)

Barrie Garner settles himself before unleashing 3 litres of triple-carbed Holden power to the Lakeland tarmac, Bowin P3 Holden 1972…

Lakeland Hillclimb was operated by the Light Car Club of Australia, it was one of several ‘climbs in Melbourne’s outer suburbs or inner countryside depending upon your perspective- the others were Templestowe and Rob Roy, the latter is still operational after some decades of non-use.

Whilst the LCCA ran the meetings the land was owned by Jim Abbott, a motor racing entrepreneur whose interests included AutoSportsman magazine, the Melbourne Racing Car Show held at the Exhibition Buildings, Lakeland and other businesses.

Upon his death the Marque Sports Car Association ran some meetings for a couple of years before the required levels of upkeep became beyond them- ultimately Abbot’s widow sold the land which went to a developer who carved it into smaller rural allotments.

(silhouet.com)

 

Many of us recall the place well as spectators and/or competitors, it was a fun, challenging climb and great for club motorsport given its proximity to Melbourne. Ron Simmonds remembers competing there in his Cooper S in 1963’ish, I ran there in my road Alfa Sprint in either an Alfa Club or MSCA event in 1982/3 albeit by then open-meetings were long finished- i wonder when the last ever meeting was?

There was a time when hill-climbing was huge, attracting big crowds to see the circuit racing stars of the day testing their skills against the hillclimb specialists, perhaps the sport’s zenith was reached around the dawn of the sixties.

Despite that I can recall as a younger kid watching Lakeland on the teev in the early seventies – no doubt the touring car aces such as Peter Brock pulled good ratings.

Most of these photographs were taken by Wayne Giles who posted them on Bob Williamson’s Old Motor Racing Photographs Australia Facebook page well over a year ago. Whilst many of the shots are static, the cars are interesting and Wayne captures the mood, vibe and flavour of the times well.

Jim Abbot’s ex-Alec Mildren Racing Brabham BT23D’ then Oldsmobile powered (W Giles)

It seems apt to start with a photograph of ‘Squire’ Abbott’s Brabham BT23D Oldsmobile.

He positioned it as ‘Australia First F5000 Car’ when he acquired the 1968 Gold Star winning machine from Alec Mildren. It was first raced by Frank Gardner in the 1968 Tasman Series before Kevin Bartlett took it over to win the Gold Star, I’ve written about it before;

‘Motori Porno’: Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Tasman 2.5 litre V8…

Later iteration of the Abbott BT23D again at Lakeland in 1972- Paul King’s Malmark Elfin Vee alongside (P Robinson)

Chris Murphy bought it and modified it further for hillclimb use and died in it, sadly, at One Tree Hill, Ararat.

Restored by Paul Moxham in the nineties the car is now owned by Chas Kelly in Tasmania along with the ex-Clark/Geoghegan Lotus 39 Climax and one or two other nice things.

Frank Gardner in the Alec Mildren Racing Brabham BT23D Alfa Romeo 2.5 V8 at Longford in 1968- the last Longford (R MacKenzie)

 

Murray Bingham’s Bingham Cobra aka Porsche Cobra aka Porsche 904-8 ( W Giles)

Another car which passed through Abbott’s hillclimbing hands was the ex-works/Alan Hamilton Porsche 904-8.

In Abbott’s time it was Ford V8 powered and named ‘Porsche Cobra’- below its seen in wilder configuration, still Ford powered in Murray Bingham’s hands. Its ultimate spec was in ex-Bob Muir injected Chev F5000 form, a transplant which took place about a year after this 1972 photograph, Bingham was a talented driver who won the three round Australian Hillclimb Championship in 1972.

Click here for a feature on this car; https://primotipo.com/2015/08/20/alan-hamilton-his-porsche-9048-and-two-906s/;

Murray at Huntley Hillclimb in May 1973- Bingham the reigning AHC champion at the time, the car by then powered by an injected 5 litre Chev (G Logg)

 

(W Giles)

Another talented driver/engineer was Paul England.

The ex-Repco Research apprentice built the fabulous Ausca Holden sportscar with assistance from his buddies in Sydney Road, Brunswick and after a Cooper racing adventure in Europe he settled back into Melbourne establishing Paul England Engineering in Moonee Ponds. Click here for a bit about Paul;

Aussie Miller: Cooper T41 Climax…

Kerry Power keeping an eye on Paul’s takeoff at King Edward Park, Newcastle (D Wilson)

Amongst engine building, and providing support to many young thrusters- Tony Stewart, Larry Perkins and Peter Larner amongst others, England pursued his racing and engineering passions by building his Ausca VW series of supercharged and twin-engine cars- how many did he build?

He was quick too- taking the AHCC in 1970 at Mount Cotton Queensland and again over a four-round series in 1973 and 1974.

Rallycross was big at Catalina Park, in Sydney’s Blue Mountains and Calder to Melbourne’s north-west for a couple of years with the LCCA very kindly creating a hillclimb category to give the pensioned off beasts somewhere to run.

(P Shea)

The Holden Dealer Team Holden Torana LC GTR XU1 supercharged sports sedan/rallycross car is above with Peter Brock at the wheel.

Bob Watson’s 1970 rallycross Renault 8 Gordini below giving the sponsor a run for their money.

Didn’t they make some magic cars at the time? i couldn’t believe how good a 16TS was until I drove a mates ‘students car’ which was hardly in the full flush of youth at the time.

(W Giles)

In similar rally vein the 1972 Dulux Rally, which commenced in Queensland and finished in Melbourne, passed through Lakeland, inclusive of a timed run.

The car featured is David McKay’s Ford Capri RS2600, I wrote a feature about it a while back; https://primotipo.com/2015/04/09/australias-cologne-capris/

(W Giles)

 

(W Giles)

The former Australian Sportscar Champion, single-seater front runner, journalist and Scuderia Veloce owner had not lost his touch and drove his works Ford very well.

It was a winning car in his hands with more luck, the ‘small car big engine’ approach has been such an effective touring car formula down the decades hasn’t it?

David Wilson took this shot of the RS2600 in the Silverdale Hillclimb paddock during the Dulux. Soft plugs out, used driving between events, hot ones in? (D Wilson)

Also from Germany was Paul Older’s BMW 2002Ti- he was quite prominent especially on the circuits helping build the BMW brand in Australia- what became of him I wonder?

It is amazing how quickly BMW took a big slice of the market as they got the dealer network and product right from about circa 1970 and a bit.

(W Giles)

The sedans were ‘quirky’ things until the first 3 Series- the 6 cylinder variants were great cars- to me BMW ‘exploded’ here from about then- say 1979’ish.

And the very happy BMW customer I have been on three occasions. (325is, a sensational little car and now as rare as hens teeth, 325i Coupe manual and X5 tow-car and kiddy-shifter. The X5 was the most car like of trucks and did serious Melbourne to Wye River times being good fun on the Great Ocean Road, a stretch i got to know well in my Wye days)

(W Giles)

Heavy metal racing at Lakeland included two five litre Elfins- the 400 Ford sportscar of Terry Southall and MR5 Ford F5000 of Adelaide’s Stan Keen.

The Elfin 400 has had serious attention by me in two articles, one on Frank Matich’s first delivered car here; https://primotipo.com/2015/05/28/elfin-400traco-olds-frank-matich-niel-allen-and-garrie-cooper/

the other on the Southall chassis which was first owned and raced by Bob Jane and a lengthy roll call of drivers before being sold to Ken Hastings and then Southall- here; https://primotipo.com/2018/04/06/belle-of-the-ball/

(W Giles)

Stan’s MR5 was first raced, not for terribly long though, by John Walker- chassis ‘5724’ was sold before the 1972 Surfers Paradise Gold Star round to Stan when JW acquired a Matich A50 to which he fitted the Repco Holden engine and DG300 Hewland out of the MR5.

The A50 complied with the US L&M F5000 regs (in relation to bag fuel tanks i think) whereas the MR5 did not, Walker raced A50 ‘004’ in the US in 1973.

John Walker Elfin MR5 Repco fourth from Warwick Brown McLaren M10B Chev DNF and Max Stewart’s MR5 Repco DNF during the 1972 Adelaide International Tasman round won by David Hobb’s McLaren M22 Chev (I Smith)

Keen fitted a 5 litre Ford ‘Boss’ engine fed by four 48IDA Webers and raced the car extensively on both the circuits and hillclimbs all over Australia- he made his Gold Star debut in it during the October 1972 Adelaide International Gold Star round finishing sixth.

Did his later ‘Boral Ford’ sporty use many of the running bits of the Elfin or is that my memory playing tricks again?

Nice Lilydale and Dandenong Ranges vista, the Noel Devine LC XU1 exiting The Carousel (W Giles)

I’ve said before surely one of the greatest all-rounder touring cars in the world at the time was Holden’s six cylinder 3 and 3.3 litre Torana GTR XU1?

They won on the circuits, in sprint and endurance events, inclusive of the Bathurst 500, on the dirt- in both rallies and rallycross- Colin Bond won the Australian Rally Championship three times and Peter Lang once, and in the hills where they were the weapon of choice for many club racers.

The LC XU1 below, sponsored by Booran Motors, then a Caulfield Holden dealer in Melbourne was I think driven by Brique Reed- he of Elfin, Farrell and Asp Clubman racing and Elfin Owners Club fame.

(W Giles)

Sundries…

I’ve no idea who the drivers and in some cases what the cars are shown below, but am intrigued to find out if any of you can assist.

(W Giles)

Of ‘first generation’ Formula Vees in Australia the Elfin 500 and Rennmax Mk1 were probably, note the use of that word probably, the best chassis- both cars here are Elfin 500s, the blue one was raced by Jim Hutton and chassis ‘V669’ still owned by his family, whilst the other is in the colours of Ray Kelly- thanks to Sean O’Hagan for the FV identification work.

(W Giles)

Tried to buy a Honda S800 as a fifth or sixth form student, probably lucky I didn’t I suspect!

Way beyond my non-existent practical mechanical, as against theoretical mechanical skills at the time. Owner/driver folks?

(W Giles)

The Ford Escort Twin-Cam has to one of the ultimate road/club cars of the era too, always loved them but never quite got to buy one- 105 Series Alfa’s got in the way. Article here; https://primotipo.com/2017/06/30/twinc/

(W Giles)

No idea what these Clubman beasties are.

‘Blanchards’ (on the rear of the chubbie at left) were a Holden Dealer not far from Sandown, on the corner of Springvale and Dandenong Roads, Springvale. Graeme Blanchard was a punter of touring cars of some repute in the sixties and seventies- don’t know that he raced a Clubman, more likely he sponsored this fellow.

Etcetera…

(Beasy)

Some photographs of Brian Beasy’s self constructed Formula Ford which evolved into a very fast little car as the Kent engines specifications grew wilder and wheels and tyres wider.

Brian, both a racer and engineer of great talent was Lilydale local so no doubt knew Lakeland very well, see some of the LCCA hierarchy in the start shot below- names please- Doug Hicks at left?

(Beasy)

 

(Beasy)

Credits…

Wayne Giles, Richard Rodgers, Peter Shea, David Wilson, Grahame Logg, Rod MacKenzie, Ian Smith, Paul Robinson, Beasy Family Collection, Sean O’Hagan

(R Rodgers)

Tailpieces: Barrie Garner, Bowin P3 Holden…

Having started with Barrie’s immaculate, quick, unique ‘Holden Red’ six-cylinder powered Bowin, lets finish the same way.

The New South Welshman was not a regular visitor to the Victorian Hills so one can assume he was here for a championship event, perhaps a Victorian Hillclimb Championship round in 1972 or 1973.

Garner, Huntley May 1973 (G Logg)

Look out! Coming through kids!

(G Logg)

Again Huntley in May 1973, magic shot from Grahame Logg to finish the article?! The truth of the matter is that Barrie’s goggles are down so his run is over, but let’s not let that get in the way of a good line.

The sheer beauty and preparation of the Barrie Garner owned and prepared, John Joyce designed and built aluminium monocoque P3 is shown to good effect as well as the casual club feel of hill climbing.

Finito…

Australian Racing Random 1…

Posted: April 27, 2020 in Fotos
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
5

(S Jones)

Lots of shots are great, I’m accumulating way too many for an article apiece so this is the first in an ongoing series of ‘dumping ground’ of photographs most of which first saw the communal light of day on Bob Williamson’s Australian Motor Racing Photographs Facebook page. I will keep adding these ‘Oz Racing Random’ over time- about thirty in each article seems a nice number of shots…

The first one is of Stan Jones whistling along Phillip Island’s front straight in his Maserati 250F- its a tad outta focus but still wonderful with the magic blue sky and sea vista across Bass Straight and the crowd enjoying the early summer sun.

As to the date, probably the Phillip Island Trophy 26 December 1958 Gold Star round won by the local boy, their is plenty about Stan in this piece; https://primotipo.com/2014/12/26/stan-jones-australian-and-new-zealand-grand-prix-and-gold-star-winner/

(Sparks Family)

The film ‘Grand Prix’ created a huge hit wherever it was released, in Adelaide the film promoters organised an evening parade of racing cars throughout the city streets.

The #6 Lotus is Mel McEwin’s ex-Jim Clark 32B Climax, alongside is Stan Keen, Elfin Mono Ford with future Australian Grand Prix winner and Gold Star champion John Walker in his Elfin Mono Ford behind, the sportscar at rear on the right is Malcolm Ramsay, he of Birrana and much more fame, Elfin 300 Ford, whilst car #90 is Helene Bittner, Rebelle Ford 1500.

The cars are turning from King William Road into Hindley Street for you locals.

 

(J Strickland)

Wentworth Park in Sydney’s Glebe 1920s, these days it’s a trotting track.

Wentworth Speedway was used as a test and race venue from 21 April 1928 to 28 November 1936, a planned December meeting that summer was cancelled because of damage to the track surface and noise.

The venue was first used by bikes, then cars as well, all of the stars of the day competed there, close as it was- very, to Sydney’s CBD.

Anybody ever give the Kleinig Products Mist-Master a whirl?

All you want to know about one of Australia’s greatest drivers pre and post-war is here; https://primotipo.com/2019/12/06/frank-kleinig-kleinig-hudson-special/

 

(S Jones)

 

(S Jones)

Tornado 2 Chev at Collingrove, Angaston, South Australia circa 1961 when it was owned by Mel McEwin but it’s still in its first owner/co-constructor Lou Abrahams’ colours.

The car was an incredibly competitive tool in the hands of Ted Gray- with a bit more luck he could have been the winner of the 1958 AGP at Bathurst. He was a consistent front runner from the time Tornado 1 Ford begat Tornado 2 Ford and in its final Chev 283cid iteration set an Australian Land Speed record of 157.57mph average at Coonabarabran on 29 September 1957- apart from his many race wins.

Mel McEwin attempted to better Gray’s land speed record mark at Lake Eyre, South Australia in July 1960, his best in difficult conditions and with an engine not running properly was 151.101 mph- soon thereafter the car reverted to normal race mode and contested the 1961 Australian Grand Prix at Mallala where Mel was classified ninth amongst the mid-engine hordes led home by Lex Davison in one of Bib Stillwell’s Cooper T51s- it was the last time Tornado started an AGP.

The big beast didn’t have a great AGP finishing record, sadly, with DNFs for Ted Gray at Albert Park in 1956, Bathurst in 1958, Longford in 1959, the car’s two best results were ninth at Lowood in 1960 and Mallala in 1961 with Mel at the wheel but in both cases she was classified ninth and not running at the finish…

Click here for a piece on one of my favourite Australian Specials; https://primotipo.com/2015/11/27/the-longford-trophy-1958-the-tornados-ted-gray/

Postscript.

The ‘Victor Harbour Times’ 7 July 1961 records that whilst the then Casterton, Victoria domiciled 23 year old farmer McEwin ‘…failed by 9 mph when he averaged 148 mph (for the Australian Land Speed Record) he smashed a 23 year old record for the flying mile when he averaged 151.101 mph.’

Da Boys.

Riverside Drags at Fishermans Bend circa 1960.

Once the road circuit ceased to be used the growing hot rod and drag racing scene found a good use for the perfectly flat vacant ex-runways- cool photograph of some cool dudes; https://primotipo.com/2016/04/15/fishermans-bend-melbourne/

 

(B Jackson)

 

(B Jackson)

I wonder if Brian Jackson went stalking competitors in the 1966 12 Hour at Surfers Paradise or just happened upon the Mildren Racing Team Alfa Romeo TZ2 whilst looking for a decent bar?

Kevin Bartlett and Doug Chivas raced the car to third place behind the winning Jackie Stewart/Andy Buchanan Scuderia Veloce Ferrari 250LM and Frank Matich/Andy Sutcliffe Ford GT40.

I betcha the Coral Court Motel isn’t still there, click here for a piece on Surfers Paradise opening Speedweek carnival in 1966; https://primotipo.com/2015/02/13/jackie-stewart-at-surfers-paradise-speed-week-1966-brabham-bt11a-climax-and-ferrari-250lm/

 

(A Howard)

Spencer Martin in the Scuderia Veloce Ferrari 250LM at Mount Panorama in its first year of competition- 1965.

Now that would have been a sight- and especially sound on that particular racetrack, click here for an article on this car and 250LMs generally; https://primotipo.com/2014/07/03/pete-geoghegan-ferrari-250lm-6321-bathurst-easter-68/

 

Bevan Kaine’s Morris Minor first up (A Morris)

 

(M Jenner)

Competitors line up at Penguin Hillclimb, Tasmania 1964.

The tiny north-west coastal Tasmanian town, 130km from Launceston, hosted the Tasmanian Hillclimb Championship from 1955 to 1971- the 1100 metre climb ran along Deviation Road starting just above Walton Street.

The organising club was the North West Car Club, the annual event was held just after Longford to ‘capture’ some of the interstaters whilst on the Island- FTD in 1955 went to Tom Hawkes’ Allard.

Local bloke, Stephen Mott is publishing a book about the place later in 2020, keep an eye out for it.

 

(R Moppett)

Longford control tower and Launceston Tram ‘nerve centre’- the pit complex and bridge are still a year or so away.

I’ve a million articles on Longford as regulars are well aware, lets link this one as instructive for those new to the place; https://primotipo.com/2018/07/05/longford-lap/

 

(R Simmonds)

 

(R Simmonds)

 

(R Simmonds)

Everybody has to start somewhere, these shots by Ron Simmonds are of 1980 World Champ Alan Jones at Melbourne’s Templestowe Hillclimb not too far from the Jones abode in Ivanhoe, probably during 1964, meeting date folks?

The first shot is rounding ‘The Hole’, the second is the first corner and in the last he is running wide at ‘Barons’.

The Mini 850 was built up by Brian Sampson’s guys- was he trading as Motor Improvements then?

It begs the question as to when was the very first time the Jones boy competed? I’ve got Keith Botsford’s book somewhere, there is no shortage of conflicting material online about his early career, this machine was from a repossession yard recalls AJ. It is a far cry from a Williams FW07 Ford of course.

 

Terry Kelly, Ryleford at Hume Weir circa 1962-1963.

Who can tell us a bit about this special? Hume Weir, down the decades is here; https://primotipo.com/2016/05/06/hume-weir/

 

(D Wilson)

Amazing Panorama to Katoomba from Catalina Park.

This is one track I would love to have competed at ‘in the day’. Peter Finlay commented that he didn’t realise you could see the village as the place was so often shrouded in fog- that’s the Carrington Hotel smoking- where ‘everybody’ stayed.

Appendix J grid competitor names courtesy Rob Bartholomaeus- Bert Needham #6 Studebaker, with Spencer Martin in a Humpy Holden and Bruce McPhee, Holden FE on row one- then #40 Norm Beechey and Des West on row two with #53 Midge Bosworth all in Humpys and rounding out an all-star cast.

(R Martin)

 

(R Martin)

 

(R Martin)

On a clear summers day at Phillip Island you can see forever…

Here Bob Jane Racing are running in the January 1969 meeting- Bob in his second Mustang, the ‘GT390’ and Bevan Gibson who was driving the Elfin 400 Repco that weekend.

Click here for the Elfin 400; https://primotipo.com/2018/04/06/belle-of-the-ball/

and here for some other of Bob’s cars including the Mustang(s); https://primotipo.com/2020/01/03/jano/

 

1972 Dulux Rally Phillip Island stage- David McKay is about to disappear into the distance.

The Holden Dealer Team Torana GTR-XU1 of either Peter Brock or Colin Bond is alongside and the other is on row two- on the far side obscured by the Torana is Paul Older’s BMW 2002ti with the works Datsun 240Z of Edgar Hermann on the third row.

McKay won the 20 lapper aided by a very top fifth gear he had not used in a competitive stage to that point- click here for a piece on Australia’s Cologne Capris and the 1972 Dulux; https://primotipo.com/2015/04/09/australias-cologne-capris/

 

(I Smith)

Ian Smith was quick on the scene, and on the shutter when a group of Mazda executives got more excitement on the trip to the 1973’ish Phillip Island 500km than in the race itself.

The track had an airstrip then, ‘the pilot tried landing from the ocean side with a tail wind overshot, Grant Steers from the Holden Dealer Team jumped in to assist…no injuries.’

 

(D Willis)

Dick Willis, forever young racer, with the JWF Milano Holden 179 in Grafton Street, Coffs Harbour he has just built in 1965.

Bruce Polain is writing a book about these wonderful cars, which will be one to add to the shelves.

Brian Caldersmith, who took the shot wrote ‘This image is a very rough assembly from smaller segments of the drawing of the GT2 done by Tony Caldersmith in April 1969 (B Caldersmith)

 

 

(Via Neil Stratton)

Its a riot.

Well almost, crowd scene after the one race Australian Touring Car Championship at Warwick Farm in September 1968.

Norm Beechey’s Chev Camaro SS awaits a tow after the finish- Pete Geoghegan’s Ford Mustang won from Darrell King, Morris Cooper S and Alan Hamilton’s Porsche 911S/T- d’yer reckon Aussies like Taxis or what?!

 

(unattributed)

Jaguar in Jaguar Corner.

Bib Stillwell’s D Type chasing Jack Brabham’s Cooper Bobtail Climax during the Australian Tourist Trophy, Albert Park, November 1956, I wrote an article about this car not so long ago; https://primotipo.com/2020/04/17/stillwells-d-type/

 

(K Devine)

It could only be Longford’s Viaduct.

Mini ace Peter Manton’s Morris Cooper S on the turn in, guessing 1965- how’d he go folks?

See here for Manton; https://primotipo.com/2017/11/29/mini-king-peter-manton/

Credits…

Steve Jones, Reg & Craig Sparks Collection, James Strickland, Brian Jackson, Alan Howard, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Rohan Moppett, Ron Simmonds, Paul Kelly, David Wilson, Russell Martin, Dick Willis, Ian Smith, Neil Stratton Collection, Ken Devine Collection, Brian Caldersmith, Victor Harbour Times 7 July 1961, Rob Bartholomaeus

Tailpiece: Eclipse Zephyr Spl s/c…

(S Jones)

Whilst not the prettiest of things, agricultural is a word which may be applied to its physical appearance, all of Eldred Norman’s masterpieces bristled with innovation and speed.

Famously constructed in only ten weeks in the lead up to the 1955 Australian Grand Prix at Port Wakefield, the proud South Aussie needed a car to contest the event- its speedy construction belied the insights of its engineering.

The engine and gearbox were stressed components and, together with the Holden front crossmember formed a very stiff structure. Suspension was independent front and rear, the driver was offset, he snuggled the fuel tank as you can see and the Ford Zephyr six-cylinder engine was supercharged.

Here, circa 1960, Keith Rilstone, very quick in the car, prepares for a run up Collingrove Hillclimb- gotta do an article on this thing…

(S Jones)

Finito…

McLaren, Cooper T70, Sandown…

Posted: April 20, 2020 in F1, Fotos
Tags: , , , , , , ,
6

(autopics.com.au)

Bruce McLaren, Cooper T70 Climax, Australian Grand Prix, Sandown Park 1964…

Its an unusual angle, Bruce is thinking about brakes as he passes the end of the pit counter and heads towards the tight ‘Peters’ left-hander before the blast up the back straight- unusual in that the shot is taken from outside the circuit, between the Armco fence and access road, a prohibited area for spectators and ‘snappers for most of the tracks life.

Click here for the ‘first McLaren’ Cooper T70 story; https://primotipo.com/2016/11/18/tim-mayer-what-might-have-been/

(J Lay)

This one is also at Sandown but a year later, 1965, as the drivers listen intently to the Clerk of The Course before the off.

Roy Billington is on the rear wheel of Jack’s Brabham BT11A Climax- the winning car, then the tall Tyler Alexander, Bruce is in the ‘Persil’ white Firestone overalls, Bib Stillwell behind him, Jim Clark, Jack Brabham and David McKay playing with his iPhone. Jack won from Jim and Phil Hill’s Cooper T70.

Jack posing patiently for Paul Stephenson in his victorious BT11A- Sandown pitlane.

(P Stephenson)

(unattributed)

Back to the 1964 Sandown Australian Grand Prix.

Bruce takes a glimpse in his Cooper T70 mirror before lining up for the Shell Corner left hander, Jack Brabham in close attendance- Brabham BT7A Climax. Over to the right alongside the fence Jim Palmer is giving them plenty of room in his Cooper T53 Climax, he was sixth. Jack won whilst Bruce was out with engine problems.

Credits…

autopics.com.au, Jeffrey Lay, Paul Stephenson, Graham Rhodes in Australian Autosportsman

Tailpiece…

(Graham Rhodes photographer)

I chuckled when randomly coming across this photo because it is taken within 20 metres or so of the first one but is taken from under the Armco on the outside of Peters rather than the opening shot from outside Pit Straight towards the braking area into Peters.

Just to add to the date confusion, this one is the year before mind you- Bruce is in the Cooper T62 he raced that 1963 summer inclusive of the 1962 AGP at Caversham in November, Lex Davison acquired it at the end of that summer- lengthy piece on that car here; https://primotipo.com/2016/05/20/bruce-lex-and-rockys-cooper-t62-climax/

Finito…

Bartlett and Gardner, Warwick Farm 1972

Posted: March 17, 2020 in Fotos, Who,What,Where & When...?
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2

(R Thorncraft)

Kevin Bartlett and Frank Gardner, McLaren M10B Chev and Lola T300 Chev, ‘Warwick Farm 100’ F5000 Tasman round, 13 February 1972…

 

Great mates both and former members of Alec Mildren Racing where FG was a mentor to KB in his formative days in the team from 1965. Both the Brabham 1.5 Ford and Mildren Maserati sporty Kevin first raced were cars FG also drove so he had much to pass on to the youngster who had raw talent, speed and car control to burn. Here the guys are deep into the Creek Corner braking area at the end of Hume Straight- the noses of their steeds close to the bitumen as the pitch angle increases.

 

By 1972 Gardner was about to step back from single-seaters, in fact he ‘retired’ from them after the following weekend at Sandown selling the works machine to Gary Campbell and sitting out the final Adelaide round. Mind you he did a race in the prototype T330 in late 1972 (third at the October Brands European F5000 championship round behind Redman’s Chevron B24 and McRae McRae GM1) just to make sure this masterpiece of an F5000- the greatest ever, was behaving as its designers intended. That chassis T330 ‘HU1’ is well known to Aussies as Max Stewart’s car, a very successful machine which is still in Oz.

 

(R Thorncraft)

 

Whilst the benchmark F5000’s from 1969 through 1971 (M10A and the refined M10B) the ex-Niel Allen chassis ‘400-02’ was getting a bit long in the tooth by the time KB acquired it after the 1971 Tasman Series from Allen. But the 1971 NZ GP winner was an astute purchase by KB as a trick/schmick M10B with all of the works and some home-grown developments and which had been beautifully prepared by Peter Molloy.

 

Bartlett pedalled it hard too, he was the only M10B driver to take a ’72 Tasman round win amongst all the newer kit- the Teretonga round at Invercargill. Thirds at Wigram and Warwick Farm were his other best results with four DNF’s out of the eight rounds. F5000’s always were brittle things, it was only unreliability which cost him the ’71 Gold Star Series, a championship won by his other Mildren Racing mate, Max Stewart in a reliable 2 litre Mildren Waggott TC-4V. By the start of the 1972 Gold Star in mid year a new T300 was in Kevin’s workshop back in Oz but not before he took in the first US ‘L&M’ round at Laguna Seca in the M10B (fifth) before switching to the Jones Eisert Racing T300 for subsequent US races.

 

Gardner didn’t have a great Australasian summer in T300 ‘HU1’- he boofed it during the AGP weekend at Warwick Farm in November 1971, after repair he won the NZ GP in it at Pukekohe in January 1972 and then his engine cut-out at high speed causing a big accident at Levin. He missed the balance of the Kiwi rounds whilst the car was re-tubbed around a fresh monocoque flown out from Huntingdon. The car was plenty fast though- he was second at Surfers Paradise, Warwick Farm and Sandown.

 

KB from FG on the exit of Creek (R Thorncraft)

 

The ‘Farm round was won by Frank Matich in his Matich A50 Repco from FG and KB but ‘the star’ of that series was Graham ‘Cassius’ McRae in his Len Terry designed Leda GM1 Chev aka McRae GM1. His Louis Morand Chevy powered car was both reliable and fast with wins at Levin, Wigram, Surfers and Sandown. It is fair to say the GM1 was the most successful F5000 car of 1972 with McRae also taking the US ‘L&M’ F5000 Championship- he was also third in the European title taking five of the fourteen rounds despite not contesting all of the them. More of the Warwick Farm Tasman in 1972; https://primotipo.com/2018/11/02/australias-mr-and-mrs-motorsport/

 

 

(R Thorncraft)

 

Credits…

 

All photos by Russell Thorncraft

 

Tailpiece: FG did get in front- KB’s McLaren from FG in front of a marvellous crowd…

 

(R Thorncraft)

 

Finito…

 

Vanwall Cutaway…

Posted: February 28, 2020 in F1, Fotos
Tags: ,
0

Lawrence Watts quite beautiful cutaway drawing of the 1957/8 Vanwall Grand Prix car…

Simply superb, as is Max Millar’s effort on the car, and Vic Berris’ work on the engine.

I wrote a feature a while back on the Thinwall Specials, Vanwall Special and the Vanwalls, click here to read it; https://primotipo.com/2014/09/05/vanwall-cars-and-the-moroccan-grand-prix-1958/

Do take the effort as that piece is my feature this week!

Over the last ten days i have converted my 1500 word ‘whacky-dacky’ which started as a short piece on the 1958 Moroccan GP and then morphed over time into a ‘quickie’ on the Vanwalls into a 10,000 word feature with a crazy 80 or so photographs.

So check it out even if you read the old version a while back.

Mechanical specifications of the 2.5 litre, DOHC, two valve, fuel injected, four cylinder spaceframe machine- winner of the 1958, and first, F1 Constructors Championship are as per the text in the feature article.

Credits…

Laurence Watts, Vic Berris, Max Millar

Finito…

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