Posts Tagged ‘Australian Motor Racing History’

Bathurst 100 1959…

Posted: May 18, 2024 in Fotos, Who,What,Where & When...?
Tags: , , , , , , ,
9

It’s Easter Monday 1959. March 30, the Bathurst 100 grid. Alec Mildren on the wheel of his Cooper T45 Climax, Ross Jensen behind and to the left of his Maserati 250F and Stan Jones perched on the back wheel of his 250F…

Top contenders for the 100 mile classic were the three Maserati 250Fs driven by Stan Jones – winner of the AGP at Longford on March 2 and the South Australian Trophy at Port Wakefield only two days before on March 28 – Arnold Glass, and Kiwi 1957 Gold Star winner, the very experienced and accomplished Ross Jensen. His 250F Maserati is ‘in the blue and white colours of the Automobile Club of El Salvador – an NZGP publicity gimmick,’ wrote John Medley.

Doug Whiteford’s Maserati 300S, the 1958 Bathurst 100 winner was a contender as were the 2-litre Coventry Climax FPF powered Cooper T45s of Alec Mildren, Len Lukey and Bill Patterson.

Raceday, bright and sunny, attracted 25,000 spectators.

(unattributed)

The first three lap qualifying heat was won by Glynn Scott’s Repco Holden from Bill Reynold’s Orlando MG and Alwyn Rose’s big, booming Dalro Jaguar. The second three-lapper was won by Jones’ Maserati 250F from Mildren’s Cooper T45 Climax and Jensen’s 250F.

The photo above shows the grid prior to the start of the second heat, with Jack Myers beside his WM Holden and then the Maserati 250Fs of Jones and Jensen. Myers’ special was a very clever concoction of Cooper T20 chassis – although by then the frame was of Jack’s construction – and six-cylinder Holden Grey block atop which sat a Merv Waggott designed and built aluminium DOHC, twin-cam, two-valve cylinder head. This car in Jack’s capable hands always punched above its weight, read about it here; https://primotipo.com/2015/02/10/stirling-moss-cumberland-park-speedway-sydney-cooper-t20-wm-holden-1956/

Parade lap, logically before the Bathurst 100…(unattributed)
(unattributed)

After the parade lap the Bathurst 100 grid of 27 starters was ‘away in indescribable noise, dust and confusion’, Jones was first to Hell Corner from Mildren Lukey and Whiteford – then Jensen, Glass, Scott, Jack Myers WM Cooper – with Ray Walmsley in the Alfa P3 GMC rolling to a halt out of Hell.

Mildren led at the end of lap one from Jones, Lukey, Jensen who was closing and Doug Whiteford who was falling back. Jensen passed Lukey on lap four and then challenged Jones, roaring past before The Cutting with the three leaders nose to tail through Reid Park.

Jones, 250F (unattributed)

Lukey’s Cooper was close, Whiteford a bit further back and Glass much further back, and then the Myers WM. Into lap five Medley records that the Kiwi started his run by putting in two laps of 2:51, taking the lead and extending it whilst Stan Jones pitted, restarted and retired after six laps.

Then Mildren was black flagged due to a loose bonnet catch, he pitted and rejoined after the drama was rectified, but he was now behind Jensen, Lukey and Whiteford.

Mildren got the bit back between his teeth and passed Whiteford up Mountain Straight at half distance and Lukey under brakes at Murray’s – Doug took Len two laps later as well. By then up to second, Mildren retired at Quarry having done a 2:55 lap and 147.73 mph on Conrod. Whiteford too retired from transmission failure.

Jensen passes Whiteford and his stranded Maserati 300S as he goes over the finishing line, out with transmission woes (PIX-SLNSW)

After Mildren’s pitstop Jensen wasn’t threatened and ‘motored the next 80 miles to win easily’ with a best lap of 2:50.6 and a speed through the Conrod traps at 139.53 mph.

Jensen won a race of incredible attrition – only 11 of the 27 starters finished – from Len Lukey, Cooper T45 Climax, and Glass in the ex-Hunt/Stillwell Maserati 250F, then Jack Myers WM Cooper Holden, Walmsley’s Alfa P3 GMC and Werner Greve in the ex-Moss/Davison 1954 AGP winning HWM Jaguar.

Walmsley’s fifth place in a Gold Star round in his pre-war Alfa Romeo P3 was surely the highest placing for such an old car in any Gold Star round?

(PIX-SLNSW)

Ross Jensen…

While Aucklander, Ross Jensen’s performance may have astonished fringe-race-fans in Australia in fact he had been a front runner in New Zealand amongst the visiting internationals for years.

He purchased the ex-Moss Maserati 250F #2508 1956 NZ GP winner finishing second to Jack Brabham’s Cooper in the 1958 NZ GP. Later that year he raced works-Lister Jaguars in the UK, placing second at Snetterton and Brands in July-August and winning Scott-Brown Memorial – a man he got to know on Archie’s early ’58 NZ Tour – at Snetterton in September. He then returned home having taken delivery of the long shark-nosed 250F #2509 in time for the 1959 NZ internationals.

Ross Jensen shared this Lister Jag with Ivor Bueb and Bruce Halford during the September 1958 Tourist Trophy at Goodwood, DNF (LAT)
Soggy Ross – Jensen and 250F during the early stages of the 1959 Waimate 50. “famously there was a cloud burst just after the start…once the rain stopped, it dried up quickly and we had some really great racing,” Allan Dick wrote (Classic Auto News)

Bruce Sergent wrote that “the car was built around the frame of the Bira race winner (NZ GP) of 1955, but with the latest motor and transmission, giving the low, offset driving position.”

He was fifth in the NZ GP, qualified on the front row at Wigram but DNF with transmission problems, was second behind Bruce McLaren’s Cooper at Waimate, and was fourth behind McLaren, Flockhart’s BRM P25 and Brabham, Cooper T45 at Teretonga. He was no slouch…

Jensen established a race preparation shop, retired from racing in 1961 but was always part of the scene – foundation member and on the board of the NZ Grand Prix Association, founding trustee of the Bruce McLaren Trust – and later imported Renault, Jaguar and BMW amongst others. He died, aged 78 in October 2003.

Etcetera…

(PIX-SLNSW)

Stan Jones (right) dispenses some words of wisdom to a gent in the exclusive confines of the Mobilgas hospitality suite. BYO chair clearly.

(SLNSW)

Great Pit Straight panorama with the #33 Bruce Leer MG TC Spl, Jesse Griffiths Maserati 4CL #36 and John Schroeder, covered Nota Consul. All of them contested the Bathurst 100 and all were DNFs.

(unattributed)

Porsche 356 Coupe leads Stan Jones and Ross Jensen on the parade lap.

(PIX-SLNSW)

Mildren, Cooper T45 and the Jensen and Jones 250F’s on the front row at the start of the 100, feel the vibe…Len Lukey’s #5 Cooper Climax on the outside of row two

(unattributed)

Arnold Glass’ Maserati 250F goes inside Bill Clarke’s 492cc two-stroke, three-cylinder, air-cooled Berkeley SE492 Excelsior, the speed differential between some of the cars that weekend was mega.

Credits…

Russell Beckman, Bill Miles Collection, ‘Bathurst: Cradle of Australian Motor Racing’ John Medley, sergeant.com, Allan Dick-Classic Auto News, LAT, Maserati 250F chassis number source: http://8w.forix.com/250f-redux.html

Tailpiece…

Ross Jensen’s Maserati 250F in 1959, on the cover of the 1960 meeting programme.

Finito…

Morris/Mini Cooper…

Posted: May 11, 2024 in Icons & Iconoclasts, Touring Cars
Tags: , , , , , ,
4
(Donaldson/SLNSW)

“Don’t even think about!” said Liz Stanton of the Mini Automatic. “It hasn’t got enough poke to pull ‘yer foreskin back, the Cooper S is the go for a studmeister like you,” or words to that general effect.

Pix photographer Bob Donaldson shot the Mini Matic launch at Surfers Paradise in September 1967 and five years before, a Morris Cooper test in October 1962, not to forget his November 1964 Zetland Grand Prix shots…

(Donaldson/SLNSW)
Morris 850 at left, Cooper at right (Donaldson/SLNSW)

By the look of the backgrounds on some of the action shots, the drive and photos took place on the British Motor Corporation’s massive site centred on Zetland, six kilometres south of Sydney.

While common knowledge to Oz motor enthusiasts, some of you furriners may not be aware that a huge range of BMC cars were manufactured in full in Australia – bodies and engines included – until the favourable tariff treatment afforded the mother-country was eliminated in the early 1970s, after you bastards joined the EU…

Click here for a timeline of key BMC/Leyland Australia events from 1950-1975, from the company’s birth until death: http://www.bmclaheritage.org.au/timeline.htm This one outlines the various factories/facilities: http://www.bmclaheritage.org.au/sites.htm

(Donaldson/SLNSW)
(Donaldson/SLNSW)

Surely there has been no better small performance car on road, track, the hills and in the forests than the Cooper/Cooper S? Not to forget the iconic status of Alec Issigonis’ brilliant, original ADO15 (Austin Design Office) design.

Topsy grew in engine capacity – but critically not in size – from 997cc-54bhp to 998cc-54bhp, then 1071cc-69bhp, then for a while 970cc-64bhp, and 1275cc-75bhp, before settling at that 1275cc magic-number…

(Donaldson/SLNSW)

Note the factory extractors and twin HS2 SU carbs, the 997 gave circa 54bhp, not shedloads, but the thing weighed nothing and far more was easily capable of being extracted.

(Donaldson/SLNSW)

That instrument-pod never changed, thankfully. Coopers got a remote gearshift which was fast and great to use, the 850 got a long pudding-stirrer. The standard steering wheel was shit but no Cooper was complete without aftermarket Mota-Lita or Momo wheels and a Smiths tach. Oh yes, a racy mirror too, but only on the driver’s side.

(Donaldson/SLNSW)

The 7.5 inch front discs were effective, rare on small cars then too. Issigonis and John Cooper knew a thing or two about competition after all.

(Donaldson/SLNSW)

“Where is the other 5-gallon tank?” you ask. That came with the 1275cc S from 1966.

(Donaldson/SLNSW)
(Donaldson/SLNSW)

“Oh no!” Those steel wheels have got to go, and usually did. The well heeled bought Minilites but I always thought a set of Cosmic wheels were hard to toss visually, and were a bit stronger for road use and abuse.

For another level of minutiae on the Australian Coopers, click on this Nostalgia Forum thread written largely by my friend, Cooper expert, Stephen Dalton: https://forums.autosport.com/topic/199685-mini-coopers-in-australia/

(Donaldson/SLNSW)

Zetland Grand Prix…

(Donaldson/SLNSW)

Paddy Hopkirk competes in the little known ‘Zetland Grand Prix’ in November 1964.

Factory BMC drivers Hopkirk – winner of the Monte Carlo Rally aboard a Cooper S partnered by Henry Liddon that January – John Fitzpatrick, Timo Makinen and Rauno Aaltonen were in Australia to contest the first Sandown 6-Hour enduro on November 29.

Evan Green at the left? Paddy Hopkirk in the centre, and John Fitzpatrick, perhaps, at right (Donaldson/SLNSW)
(Donaldson/SLNSW)

Part of the promotional activities set up by BMC Oz while the visitors were in their grasp was this demonstration of the capabilities of the cars built by the Sydney workers right in their own backyard.

Note the content of the safety processes/briefings: to the workers, ‘keep an eye on the cars’ and to the drivers, ‘try not to hit anyone’…Mission accomplished I believe. What a blast that would have been.

(Donaldson/SLNSW)

Credits…

Bob Donaldson, Pix, State Library of New South Wales, The Sun UK, LAT, Ashley Tracey

Tailpieces…

(The Sun UK)

Paddy Hopkirk races around Monaco during the final 1964 Monte stage, and below after securing the historic win, with co-driver, Henry Liddon.

(LAT)
(A Tracey)

Sandown 6-Hour 1964, the end of the first lap perhaps with the Barry Topen/Digby Cooke Fiat 2300 leading two of the three works-Cooper S.

These 1275 S were British built cars brought to Australia for the event by Zetland’s newly formed competition department, the idea of BMC PR Manager – and rally driver – the much respected Evan Green.

Alan Kemp managed the department, while the three Cooper S racers were prepared for Sandown by the legendary Peter Molloy – then working with Brian Foley in Sydney – at BMC’s Melbourne workshop in Moorabbin.

Peter Manton/Brian Foley were second, seven laps adrift of the victorious Alec Mildren Racing Alfa Romeo TI Super driven by Roberto Businello and Ralph Sach. The Hopkirk/Fitzpatrick car was sixth, while the Makinen/Aaltonen pair failed to finish after losing a wheel and rolling. See here for some footage of the race: https://youtu.be/LZiQ4PJSmyo?si=Sb39mqNzckopf-kK

Finito…

Australian Grand Prix, Stan Jones and Len Lukey, Longford 1959…

Posted: May 8, 2024 in F1
Tags: , , , , ,
5
(C Rice)

Stan Jones, well aloft over the railway crossing on Tannery Straight at Longford aboard his Maserati 250F, leads Len Lukey, Cooper T45 Climax 2-litre, during their epic battle for honours in the March 2, 1959 Australian Grand Prix.

(SLT)

Stan Jones gets the jump in his Maserati 250F at the start of the 25 lap, 110 mile Formula Libre race from Len Lukey, Cooper T45 2-litre, Arnold Glass, Maserati 250F, Doug Whiteford, Maserati 300S, Ron Phillips’ Cooper T33 Jaguar 3.8, and #4, Alec Mildren, Cooper T43 Climax 2-litre.

‘Take it easy Dad!’ Alan to Stan Jones before their victory lap (Dunstan Collection)

In a long race of thrust and parry between the nimble Cooper and brawny Maserati, 30,000 spectators saw the battle resolved in Stan’s favour.

The reigning Gold Star champion had just enough power to offset the handling and roadholding advantage of Lukey’s new fangled mid-engined Cooper. Armed with a 2.5-litre Coventry Climax FPF – not readily available to customers at that time – the result wouldn’t have been the same, but karma looked after Stan that day, he had well-and-truly paid his AGP dues since 1952 after all!

More about Stan here: https://primotipo.com/2014/12/26/stan-jones-australian-and-new-zealand-grand-prix-and-gold-star-winner/

1959 Longford AGP program cover. The ATT was a motorcycle event(s) (A Lamont)

While Len Lukey missed out on that ‘59 AGP win, the Melbourne proprietor of the substantial Lukey Mufflers business took a great Gold Star win in a long championship of twelve rounds. He only won two of them but was a consistent front runner and point scorer throughout. Jones and Bill Patterson won two rounds, and Alec Mildren three, taking this pace into 1960, winning the title in a locally developed Cooper T51 Maserati.

Kiwi Ross Jensen’s Maserati 250F Bathurst 100 March 30, 1959 win was the last Gold Star victory for a front-engined car.

(A Lamont Collection)

Etcetera…

(B Young Collection)

So near to Australian Grand Prix wins in 1954, 1955, 1957 – he took the chequered flat that Caversham day – and 1958, it must have been an immensely satisfying moment for the 1954 New Zealand Grand Prix winner and reigning Australian Gold Star champion, Stan Jones, to take the chequered flag at super demanding Longford.

(unattributed)

Otto Stone and Stan exchange congratulations in the Longford paddock. It wasn’t just the superb car preparation of racer/engineer Stone that made the difference to Jones’s results in 1958-59, it was a little bit more of a percentage play in his driving as well.

Otto was no slouch behind the wheel, there seems little doubt that he was able to communicate with Stan as a peer ‘to bring the thing home’. And yes, I’m not forgetting that (Repco’s) Charlie Dean was a good steerer too.

Jones only won two of the nine Gold Star rounds to win the title in 1958 but he had enough consistency to win a championship he richly deserved, let’s not forget Otto’s role in that regard…

Key Team: Jones, Jones with obscured Otto Stone behind Alan and John Sawyer at right (The Northern Courier)
(A Lamont Collection)

Super rare colour shot of the 1959 AGP dice between Jones and Lukey on the cover of the 1960 Longford program.

(G Dutton)

Gay Dutton’s tribute to Stan’s great victory.

Credits…

The much used and abused money-Longford-shot was taken by Charles Rice, here courtesy of Paul Cross’ collection, Bob Young Collection, Lindsay Ross’ oldracephotos.com, Andrew ‘Slim’ Lamont Collection, Gay Dutton, The Northern Courier

Tailpiece…

(oldracephotos.com)

‘Don’t even think about it Stanley!’ muses Len Lukey as Jones shoves his nose into a rapidly diminishing gap. What a shot! The money-shot used on the cover of Neil Kearney’s excellent book actually…

Finito…

Jack Myers…

Posted: May 2, 2024 in F1, Features, Touring Cars
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
7
(C Lynch/SLNSW)

Jack Myers may well have been the very first Holden Hero, but if not he was certainly an early bird in the very long line of touring car champs to race General Motors Holdens’ products.

Here he is in front of the pack aboard his very quick, self modified 48-215 during a South Pacific Trophy support race at Gnoo Blas, Orange in January 1956.

Hard chargers both, Stan Jones and Jack Myers at Mount Panorama during the October 1960 Craven A International weekend (C Lynch-SLNSW)
(B Williamson Collection)
Myers at Bathurst in 1958

The Kingsford, NSW racer/mechanic/engineer/retailer was up to his armpits in Holden 48-215s from early on, racing a 110mph cream Humpy from 1953.

Myers soon offered 100 mph Holden motoring to all for £130. His kit involved boring your block to 3 3/16 inches, new pistons and rings, a shaved-head, re-ground cam, 12 inner valve-springs, an additional Stromberg carb, Myers inlet manifold and extractors, sports air-cleaners and a Lukey muffler. Seems as-cheap-as-chips!

Bathurst’s first ‘Production Car Race’ was held in October 1950; the first Holden entered at Mount Panorama was R Isackson’s Uni Motors car during the Easter 1951 meeting, but he didn’t start the race. The first Holden finisher on this holiest of racing turf was the 48-215 driven by R Mitchell who was fifth in a six lap sedan handicap in 1954. He was timed at 91mph down Conrod.

Fittingly, the first Mount Panorama Holden winner was Jack. John Medley anointed him “the Holden wonder-man of the mid-1950s, his black-roofed yellow car going progressively more quickly over the years.” 109.9mph down Conrod during the Easter 1956 weekend to be precise. He took that win in a six lap handicap in October 1955, the following year he was back in one of the swiftest Greys of all.

Myers aboard the Cooper T20 Holden during the 1957 AGP at Caversham. DNF in the race won by the Lex Davison/Bill Patterson Ferrari 500/625
Aboard the more advanced, spaceframe chassis, but still Cooper derived, WM Holden Special on Pit Straight during practice for the the Craven-A International at Bathurst in October 1960. DNS in the race won by Jack Brabham’s Cooper T51 Climax 2.5 FPF

After campaigning the winning Holden far and wide: Mount Druitt, Gnoo Blas, Mount Panorama, Strathpine, Lowood, Fishermans Bend and Port Wakefield, Myers was up for the next challenge.

He bought Stan Coffey’s, rolled Cooper T20 (#CB-1-52) single-seater and repaired it at his Anzac Parade ‘shop. Then, together with Merv Waggott, he built and progressively developed the big-daddy of early Holden engined racers, the 2.4-litre DOHC Waggott-Holden WM Holden.  

It was always fast among the high-priced European exotica of the day, a front of the grid heat-start in the ’59 Bathurst 100 was indicative of its place in the pecking order. But the machine was an ongoing development exercise so finishing results weren’t great. See here for a feature about the car: https://primotipo.com/2015/02/10/stirling-moss-cumberland-park-speedway-sydney-cooper-t20-wm-holden-1956/

Stirling Moss was so fascinated by this home-grown application of technology to a Cooper type he knew so well, he did some demonstration laps in it at Sydney’s Cumberland Speedway whilst in Oz for the November 1956 AGP at Albert Park. Jack was twelfth at the Park and first Australian car home.

Myers was typical of so many Holden Heroes from the 1950s to 1970s, he serviced them for customers, modified them, made and sold hot-bits and raced them.

Etcetera…

(SLNSW)

Holden 48-215s on the production line – ‘the car floor press’ – at the GMH Woodville plant in South Australia, 1949. Holden’s early days are covered here: https://primotipo.com/2018/12/06/general-motors-holden-formative/

(L Mortimer)

Myers Holden 48-215 at Mount Druitt, Sydney in the early 1950s.

Sitting up in the breeze! Myers, Cooper T20 Waggott-Holden, at Caversham, AGP 1957

Myers in the form-up area, or dummy-grid depending upon your religion, Craven-A International meeting at Mount Panorama in October 1960. That’s Austin Miller’s Cooper T51 at left.

While early on in his ownership of the ex-Stan Coffey Cooper T20, the car was rightly called a Cooper, but as Jack crashed and rebuilt the car/developed it, the machine became more Myers than Cooper, and fitted with that extraordinary twin-cam six fitted, more Waggott-Myers than Cooper!

Note the disc brakes above, albeit the front suspension still looks kosher-Cooper T20, the stylised Jack Myers brandmark in a neat touch. Myers didn’t start the car in the feature won by Jack Brabham’s Cooper T51 Climax.

Brabham was present at Bathurst for the first time since 1955, 6,000 people turned up for practice to see the twice World Champ. Unfortunately, as John Medley wrote, “Jack Myers crashed the newly disc-braked WM Cooper on top of the mountain, bending the chassis and destroying the suspension. There would be no overnight (or any) rebuilds this time. The motor was sold, the remains of the car sold separately, Myers borrowed the little Dalro Reno to run at this meeting, and would then turn his attention to his little hillclimb special – the ex-Saywell/Reynolds Mark IV Cooper with his Triumph ‘twin-twin’ engine.”

Tragically, Jack died at the wheel of the Cooper Triumph at Catalina Park, Katoomba on January 21, 1962 (7/1/18-21/1/62). The WM Holden was ultimately restored and lives at the National Motor Museum, Birdwood Mill campus, in the Adelaide Hills.

Myers – famous for racing in these horizontally hooped T-shirts – and crew in the Mount Panorama paddock, Easter 1959. Bonus points for crew-members names folks? That is a Cooper alloy wheel.

The boys push start that Waggott-Holden twin-cam six into life before the start of the 1959 Bathurst 100 on March 31. Stan Jones’ Maserati 250F is in the middle and race victor Ross Jensen’s 250F on pole at right. All the fun of the fair, look at that crowd! Jack was an excellent fourth behind Jensen, Len Lukey, Cooper T45 Climax, and Arnold Glass, Maserati 250F.

Stan is in the early stages of his best season and a bit ever, he was the reigning Gold Star Champion (1958) and at this stage of the year had won the Australian Grand Prix at Longford a month before. Jensen was seriously quick, he ran the Maserati at Bathurst in ’58, but failed to finish the 100, and finish the job he did a year later in convincing style!

WM Holden in the pits at Gnoo Blas, and again at the start of a race below, in February 1960. The ex-Whiteford Talbot-Lago T26C #110007 was raced by Barry Collerson.

While it is true that the WM-Holden was the sexiest and quickest Holden-powered racing car of the period, the most successful was Tom Hawkes’ Cooper T23 Repco-Holden (below). Chassis #CB/Mk2/1/53) was no less a car than the ex-Jack Brabham Redex Special – a Bristol 2-litre six cylinder powered T23 – albeit continuously evolved by Hawkes after Jack sold the car (to Stan Jones then on to Hawkes) when he left for Europe in early 1955. Its Repco Hi-Power crossflow headed engine was far less exotic than Merv’s twinc, but was more reliable.


(NAA)

Tom Hawkes aboard his Cooper T23 Repco-Holden during the 1956 AGP weekend at Albert Park. The potent, reliable, twin SU fed, Repco Hi-Power crossflow 2.3-litre engine on display; his best was a tremendous second in the 1957 Gold Star and third in the 1958 AGP at Bathurst. See here for features on this car: https://primotipo.com/2017/08/16/tom-hawkes-1958-australian-grand-prix/ and here: https://primotipo.com/2016/06/24/jacks-altona-grand-prix-and-cooper-t23-bristol/

Very late in its in-period competitive life the T23 was fitted with a Chev 283cid V8, a task commenced by Tom Hawkes and Murray Rainey, and finished by Earl Davey-Milne. It’s still owned by the Davey-Milnes and is shown below last week. Mighty fine it is too…

(C Lynch-SLNSW)

Back where we started, Gnoo Blas in 1956, how did Jack do in the touring car races that weekend, and who is at the wheel of in that little VW Beetle 1200!?

Credits…

Cec Lynch-Pix-State Library of New South Wales, Bob Williamson Collection, Les Mortimer, David Medley, Ken Devine, Kelsey Collection, Kaleda Family Collection, National Archives of Australia, ‘Bathurst:Cradle of Australian Motor Racing’ John Medley

Tailpieces…

(Lynch/SLNSW)

“Don’t even think about it kid, my 48-215 has been worked over by Jack Myers, you don’t have a chance!”

This shot is from a Pix puff-piece in 1955 promoting Italian toy cars for David Jones, a national department store chain. The little dude appears to be a handy-mechanic and would be 80’ish now. Chassis number and make of EV unknown…

(Lynch/SLNSW)

Finito…

The Brothers Geoghegan in 1973…

Posted: April 27, 2024 in Touring Cars
Tags: , , , , ,
8
(Auto Action)

I was flicking through some images and came upon a few photographs of Leo and Pete Geoghegan the other day, intriguingly, they were all shots taken in 1973. A good reason for a quickie article.

The shot above is on Pit Straight at Sandown just before Leo eases onto the brakes for Torana. Interesting for we Birrana-perves is the little winglet atop the nose. I wonder where else he ran it so equipped, buggered if I know the meeting date either. More Birrana here: https://primotipo.com/2021/10/12/tony-alcock-birrana-cars-design-process/ and here: https://primotipo.com/2020/08/10/testing-times-2/

Leo initially raced the first ANF2 Birrana, the 272 Hart-Ford 416B 1.6, in 1972. By 1973 he raced a works-car to the Australian Formula 2 Championship in the 273 shown above. He won six of the seven rounds, then doubled up and won again aboard a 274 in 1974 against much stronger opposition. More about the 272 here: https://primotipo.com/2019/02/01/this-is-hard-work/

Pete Geoghegan ahead of one of the Toranas in the final ATCC round of 1973 at Warwick Farm in July. He was third behind the Peter Brock and Bob Morris XU-1s (Auto Action)

Meanwhile, younger-brother, Pete was doing his thing as one of the country’s greatest exponents of touring cars. He ran a John Sheppard built Group C Chrysler Valiant Charger E49 in the Australian Touring Car Championship, then switched brands to co-drive a works XA Ford Falcon GT351 Coupe in the Bathurst round of the Australian Manufacturers Championship.

Pete was sixth in the ATCC, his bests, a second place at Surfers and a pair of thirds at Calder and Warwick Farm. Allan Moffat won the title in his XY Ford Falcon GTHO Phase 3 from Peter Brock, LJ Holden Torana GTR XU-1, and Graham ‘Tubby’ Ritter, Ford Escort twin-cam.

At Bathurst (below) Pete bagged an overdue 500-win for the brothers when he co-drove Moffat’s Coupe to a celebrated FoMoCo victory. Holden (Torana GTR XU-1) won the Manchamps with wins in three of the five rounds, Ford won two and were placed fourth in the title race, with Alfa Romeo (105 Series 2000 GTV) second and Mazda (Capella RX2) third.

(R Steffanoni)

Credits…

Auto Action, Rod Steffanoni

Finito…

Longford Trophy Meeting 1955…

Posted: April 22, 2024 in Obscurities
Tags: , , , , , ,
3
(P Cross Collection)

Lyndon Duckett on the way to winning the Longford Trophy in the Anzani Bugatti – Anzani R1 four cylinder, twin-cam engined Bugatti Type 35 chassis #4450 – on March 7, 1955.

It’s said to be Newry corner but the steep rise to the apex isn’t there, so it’s probably the short run from Long Bridge to Newry I think. More on the Anzani here: https://primotipo.com/2021/09/17/werrangourt-archive-9-lyndon-duckett-by-bob-king/

Reportage of the early Longford meetings is pretty thin on the ground, so this contemporary summary of the weekend’s proceedings written by Brian Nichols for the May 1955 issue of Modern Motor is great to see, and share. Many thanks to Barry Oliver for posting it online.

Etcetera…

Geoff Smedley’s Triumph TR2 rounding Pub Corner, the Country Club Hotel more formally.

Pretty scratchy, shitty one of a favourite car, the Cisitalia D46 driven by Alan Watson; the machines Australian debut apparently. Through the viaduct in front of an MG T-Type Special. See here for more: https://primotipo.com/2023/09/08/cisitalia-d46/

‘No idea of time period, wife found them in a secondhand shop!’ wrote Robert Haines of this post on Bob Williamson’s Old Motor Racing Photographs – Australia page. Many thanks to Robert and his chairperson!

Mountford Corner, happily that magnificent tree still marks the spot!

The MG TF above is driven by longtime Tasmanian Senator, Peter Rae, still alive in his 90s.

And this T-Type special was raced either by Derrick Holden or Mike Winch.

Credits…

Paul Cross Collection via Neil Kearney’s ‘Longford: A Little Town with a Big Motor’, Modern Motor May 1955 via Barry Oliver Collection, Robert Staines, Rob Knott, Matthew Magilton

Finito…

Fugly Car Cup 2…

Posted: April 15, 2024 in Sports Racers
Tags: , , , , , ,
0
(SLNSW)

Murray Carter’s self built Carter Corvette V8 was a brutally attractive sports car that became Dingo-Ugly when the body was adapted to Appendix-K GT regs, as here during the March 1962, Sandown Park international meeting…

Here she is below in an earlier, far more appealing format, at Bathurst in October 1961. This article tells the story of the car and the folly of one of the CAMS’ less-than-brilliant rule changes: https://primotipo.com/2017/01/19/forever-young/

(VHRR Collection)
(SLNSW)

Murray again, this time leading Barry Topen in the similarly vulgarised Jaguar D-Type, #XKD526, through Mobiloil corner – it seems – or Turn One in vulgar, modern parlance.

Barry had a disagreement with the Sandown fence later in the weekend, more about that car here: https://primotipo.com/2019/10/11/bill-pitt-frank-matich-and-xkd526-take-two/

(SLNSW)

The capacious Sandown paddock above, not quite so accommodating by the early 1970s mind you. Meanwhile old-mate below – craning his neck in the light coloured suit – is upset because he thought he was heading off to his favourite track to see the donkeys galloping around…It was Sandown’s ‘opening car race meeting’ after all, the first clubbie is duly noted.

(SLNSW)
(SLNSW)

Ah, that’s reassuring, Peters corner, was named so, right from the start. At least until ‘Torana’ made an offer the Light Car Club of Australia couldn’t decline circa 1971-72. Sandown’s Pit Straight before the pit counter and pitlane armco…and armco and grass runoff area on the outside. That road style kerb would have caused some excitement and grief.

Some early Sandown history here: https://primotipo.com/2021/07/11/sandown-park-and-light-car-club-of-australia/ and if you really have nothing better to do, here: https://primotipo.com/2015/11/17/australias-first-car-motor-race-sandown-racecourse-victoria-australia-1904/

Credits…

State Library of New South Wales, VHRR Collection

Finito…

Riley Imp…

Posted: April 13, 2024 in Features, Sports Racers
Tags: , ,
0

Etcetera…

“A group of Rileys during the (Victorian) Centenary Grand Prix – January 1 1935 – weekend at Phillip Island,” wrote David Trunfull.

“The Ulster Imp is being driven by Bill Williamson, his passenger is Air Commodore Johnny Summers. The Brooklands #6 is being driven by Bill Galpin from New Zealand, the passenger is MC Shmith. This car is the ex-Riley works car that won the 1933 AGP driven by Bill Thompson. Brooklands 63.902 is being driven by Merton Wreford, his passenger is Alan Wyatt, the source of this photo. Wreford worked for the Riley distributor, BL Cohen.”

Another shot from the same event. “#6 is the Bill Thompson 1933 AGP car. It was brought over specially for the Centenary 300 by Bill Galpin but for some unknown reason it didn’t take place in the race.”

Trunfull, “The ex-Riley team car was raced in the UK by Sir Malcolm Campbell, AK v.d Becke and Sir Chris Staniland.” “The Brooklands also won the 1949 inaugural Lady Wigram Trophy (on the RNZAF Christchurch airforce base of the same name ) in the hands of Morrie Proctor. It still resides in Christchurch,” chipped in John Newell.

The car on the right is another ex-Riley team car which is said to have been a spare for the 1934 Ulster Tourist Trophy. BL Cohen Pty Ltd imported it in 1934, Bill Williamson raced it for them. The Head brothers later owned and raced it, fitting a 12/4 race engine.”

“This car (the Imp) is now one by Ian Ruffley’s family, the original Ulster Imp engine is probably fitted to the late Terry Moran’s car,” wrote Jim Runciman.

This shot from Tony Johns “was taken during the 1932 AGP weekend at Phillip Island.” #14 is the ninth placed Bill Williamson driven Riley, car #19 Ken McKinney’s Austin 7 DNF. Bill Thompson won the race in a Bugatti T37A.

A bit of trivia, “if you enlarge the photo, the open door on the left has CRD (Cyril Dickason) and RCM (Clarrie May) and CRW (Cec Warren) who would have shared the same garage when they raced Austins in the 1931 AGP the year before.”

Credits…

The Car, David Trunfull, Jim Runciman, John Newell, Tony Johns, VSCC NSW Archive

Finito…

Chamberlain 8 Take 4…

Posted: April 3, 2024 in Icons & Iconoclasts, Obscurities
Tags: , ,
5
(G Thomas)

The Chamberlain 8 contesting a Light Car Club of Australia sprint meeting at Pakenham, 55 km northeast of Melbourne in the late 1940s.

There are lengthy articles about this revolutionary car here: https://primotipo.com/2015/07/24/chamberlain-8-by-john-medley-and-mark-bisset/ and here: https://primotipo.com/2022/11/05/chamberlain-indian/

Yes, it is two-stroke smoke!

(G Thomas)
(SLV)

The Chamberlain at rest between runs, Mount Tarrengower, in April 1947 perhaps. See here for more on this great, challenging venue: https://primotipo.com/2020/08/21/mount-tarrengower-2/

(G Thomas)

This pair of shots are of Jim Hawker at the 16th Rob Roy in June 1948 above, and the 10th Rob Roy meeting below, in 1946.

(G Thomas)
(G Thomas)

Peeling out during a run at the Vintage Sports Car Club speed trials on June 16, 1947.

Spaceframe chassis, independent suspension front and rear, front wheel drive, and a complex four cylinder 1.1-litre, stepped bore, eight-piston, vertically opposed, supercharged two-stroke, twin-plug engine amongst its pre-war bag of tricks.

Credits…

George Thomas via the State Library of Victoria

Finito…

Australian Racing Random 14…

Posted: March 30, 2024 in Features
Tags: , , , , ,
6
(unattributed)

Bruce McLaren tips his Cooper T70 Climax into Shell corner at Sandown during the 1964 Tasman Cup round – the Australian Grand Prix – DNF engine in the race won by Jack Brabham. See here: https://primotipo.com/2020/04/20/mclaren-cooper-t70-sandown/

The ‘first McLarens’ – two Cooper T70s – built by Bruce McLaren and Wally Willmott at Coopers in late 1963 have been very much in the news, and star of the historic show at the 2024 Australian Grand Prix carnival given it’s 60 years since Bruce McLaren won the very first Tasman Cup driving the two T70s that summer. Bruce won three of the eight rounds – NZ GP at Pukekohe, Lady Wigram Trophy and Teretonga International – in this car #T70 FL-2-64, so too did Jack Brabham (Brabham BT7A Climax), but Bruce had the better haul of points.

Sadly, Tim Mayer crashed the car Bruce is driving above, to his death at Longford three weeks after Sandown. The surviving car (#FL-1-64) is owned by Adam Berryman, proudly showing off a car which has been in the family since 1974 at Government House, Melbourne on March 21. See here for more about the T70: https://primotipo.com/2016/11/18/tim-mayer-what-might-have-been/

(M Bisset)
(M Bisset)
(Eisert Family)

Aussie Ace, Bob Muir alongside the ex-Gary Campbell/Jones-Eisert Lola T330 Chev HU14 during the 1973 US L&M F5000 Championship round at Laguna Seca. Jerry Eisert is alongside Muir, John Wright is attending to the right-front, with Peter Molloy in the white top to the left.

(Eisert Family)

Early days below in a Rennmax Mk1 Formula Vee at Warwick Farm in 1966, see more about Bob here: https://primotipo.com/2023/02/13/bob-muir-r-i-p/

(B Williamson Collection)
(unattributed)

Reg Hunt’s Maserati A6GCM/250 during the 1955 Moomba TT meeting held at Albert Park on March 26-27. I’m not so sure its the prosperous motor dealer owner at the wheel.

Hunt had a great weekend with his new car – a 2.5-litre Maserati 250F engined A6GCM – winning the Argus Cup 50-miler and one heat of the Argus Trophy 50-mile feature. He led the final until the red car’s crown wheel and pinion failed, giving Doug Whiteford’s well driven old Talbot-Lago T26C a lucky win.

Hunt turned the local scene on its head with this car, it was the most recent Grand Prix car imported to Australia for many a long year. All of his motor dealer rivals had to reach way-deep into their pockets to keep up with the Brighton Road dealer. See here for more on this car: https://primotipo.com/2017/12/12/hunts-gp-maser-a6gcm-2038/

Holden 48-215 at Albert Park was about the extent of the State Library of Victoria caption, before 1970 Australian Rally Champion, Bob Watson came to the rescue.

“It’s a BP Rally of the 1950s, possibly Lex Davison driving. A sub-event in Albert Park at the end of the rally, later events finished at Chadstone Shopping Centre on Mother’s day in front of huge crowds.” See here: https://primotipo.com/2018/12/06/general-motors-holden-formative/

(SLNSW-R Donaldson)

Ross Jensen on the way to victory of the 1959 Bathurst 100 held over the Easter long-weekend, Maserati 250F, #2509/2504. He is negotiating Hell Corner before heading up Mountain Straight.

It was a terrific win by the visiting Kiwi, all of our Top-Guns were there but Ross beat the lot: Stan Jones, Arnold Glass, Len Lukey, Alec Mildren, Doug Whiteford and others. He was as sharp-as-a-tack having raced for the works-Lister Jaguar team in Europe in 1958 upon the recommendation of Archie Scott Brown who had raced his works-lister in New Zealand in the Summer of ’58 and was impressed by what he saw.

That’s Len Lukey congratulating him below, #5 is Len’s Cooper T45 Climax 2-litre, the 250F on the far side is Glass’s. Love the proboscis…

(SLNSW-R Donaldson)
(Auto Action)

Colin Bond, Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 during the 1975 Phillip Island 500k enduro, a round of the Australian Manufacturers Championship.

It’s hard to believe its nearly a half-century since this crowd pleasing 5-litre/308 V8 engined beastie wrought havoc in Australian Touring Car racing, see here: https://primotipo.com/2024/03/05/holden-torana-sl-r-5000-l34/

(CD Pratt-SLV)

1948 Australian Grand Prix winner, Frank Pratt, and passenger Alick Smith at Phillip Island, date unknown. Pratt, a Geelong motor cycle dealer and racer, had famously barely done any car racing when he won that Point Cook, RAAF Airbase, AGP (photo below). See here: https://primotipo.com/2021/09/27/werrangourt-archive-10-george-martins-bmw-328/

Held in searing summer heat, his BMW 328 hung on while the more fancied runners, both drivers and cars, wilted in the heat, see here: https://primotipo.com/2016/09/18/who-what-where-and-when-3/

(SLV)

Missed by that much…

Alain Prost during the West End Jubilee South Australian Open Pro-am golf tournament held at Kooyonga during the 1986 Australian Grand Prix week in Adelaide.

He looks pretty relaxed, and the weekend worked out mighty fine too.

Poor old Nigel had his 180mph Williams FW11 Honda 1.5 V6 tyre blowout, so his teammate Piquet was brought in for a precautionary tyre change and Alain’s McLaren MP4/2C TAG-Porsche 1.5 V6 won the race…and the title(s) in a thriller-diller of a race: Drivers and Constructors.

Glen Dix flags an ecstatic Alain Prost home in the 1986 AGP. His McLaren wasn’t as fast as the FW11 Williams that year but he chipped away with a mix of speed and consistency: the Fab-Four in ‘86 were Mansell, Piquet, Senna…and Prost
(SLV)

Jack Brabham contests a race at the short lived Altona circuit, to Melbourne’s west in March 1954, Cooper T23 Bristol. See here for details on the circuit and Jack’s visit there: https://primotipo.com/2016/06/24/jacks-altona-grand-prix-and-cooper-t23-bristol/

(Bob Atkin)

Sportscar grid at Warwick Farm circa 1967. Frank Matich, Matich SR3 Oldsmobile, Bob Jane, Elfin 400 Repco, Glyn Scott’s Lotus 23B Ford and Bill Brown – perhaps – in the Scuderia Veloce Ferrari 250LM. More on Matich’s Ferrari muncher here: https://primotipo.com/2023/04/02/matich-sr3/

Nigel Mansell blasts away from a pitstop on the Surfers Paradise road circuit during the March 21, 1993 Australian Indycar Grand Prix, Lola T93/00 Ford Cosworth XB V8.

In a portent of things to come that year, series debutant Mansell won the opening round of the ’93 CART Championship. He won five of the 16 rounds, and the championship with 191 points, fellow ex-F1 World Champ, Emerson Fittipaldi was second on 183, Penske PC22 Chev.

(C Denby)

Not so much thought of as a racing car in Australia, Leyland’s P76 4.4-litre V8 got a run in New Zealand’s annual B &H 1000 enduro, in this case the 1975 event at Pukekohe.

This one was raced by the very experienced and successful David Oxton and Garry Pederson who finished fourth, the winning car was another Australian car, a Valiant Charger – usually dominant in this race – driven by Wayne Wilkinson and Bryan Innes.

Chris Denby, in an amusing Facebook post relates the story of the exhaust problem which befell the similar car raced by Dauntsey Teagle and Jim Murdoch. “Over a few laps its impressive engine became ‘uncorked’, which injected some great V8 sound into its otherwise fairly subdued race noise.”

“Suddenly it sounded more lie a stock-car than a production saloon – very impressive in the stand. The stewards were quick to act, within minutes a message came over the Tannoy asking if any spectator had a P76 V8 in the carpark would he allow his car to be relieved of its exhaust system to help a race team on the track (they faced exclusion otherwise).”

“That approach didn’t work. A later Tannoy message said, ‘If a spectator with a Leyland P76 notices a much louder than normal exhaust note upon leaving the track, don’t worry, the race mechanics will fix it before you depart…”

(MotorSport)

Vern Schuppan contesting the Race of Champions at Brands Hatch in March 1973, BRM P160D.

The Victorian Governor’s Australian GP party is a wonderful event on the Thursday before the race, here is Jenny and Vern Schuppan on March 21, 2024.

Vern has just turned 81 and is a sharp as a tack. The couple live in a penthouse apartment in the Adelaide Markets – on the AGP course – and split their time between there, visiting their son and family in Melbourne, their daughter in Cambridge, and another home in Portugal.

(M Bisset)
(SLNSW)

Fred Withers at Penrith aboard the Marcus Clark & Company owned Cleveland Six racer, circa 1925.

It’s hard to believe that department stores once sold cars, but there-ya-go! This company was founded by Marcus Clark in Newtown, Sydney in 1883 and by the early 1900s was a colossus operating from buildings like this on the corner of Pitt and George Streets, Railway Square, Sydney.

(Hall & Co)
(Nambour Chronicle January 22, 1926)

Withers raced the Cleveland Six at Penrith and Maroubra Speedways in New South Wales/Sydney and at Aspendale, outside Melbourne in the 1920s. He was also a record-breaker of some repute using Cleveland and Essex products.

He was famous at the time for some crazy jumps performed with his Essex to gain column-inches in the dailies, this shot was taken in 1927.

(J Sherwood Collection)
(P Jones)

Frank Matich contesting the 1970 New Zealand Grand Prix in his much-modified McLaren M10A Chev at Pukekohe. FM had a pretty good Tasman Series, winning here at Pukekohe and at Wigram a week later. While he had the pace, he didn’t have Graeme Lawrence’s Ferrari Dino 246T reliability. Graeme prevailed by five points, 30 to 25.

(T Glenn)

A little later, from 1971-74, Frank Matich and his small team designed and built six F5000 cars: three A50s, two A51s – one A51 evolved into the short-lived A52 – and this A53, the very last of the breed.

It was a tool intended to take on the best of the F5000 world, the US L&M Championship in 1974. That plan all turned to custard when Frank was injured in a boating accident early in ’74, then Joan Matich became ill. What might have been…see here for the story: https://primotipo.com/2015/09/11/frank-matich-matich-f5000-cars-etcetera/ and here: https://primotipo.com/2019/05/06/matich-a53-repco/

Matich A53/007 in build in FM’s ‘shop in Military Road, Cremorne in late 1973 (D Kneller)

Credits…

Getty Images, State Library of Victoria, Charles Pratt-State Library of Victoria, Rennie Ellis, MotorSport Images, Chris Denby, Peter Jones, John Sherwood Collection in ‘Half a Century of Speed’ by Tony & Pedr Davis and Barry Lake, Bob Williamson Collection, Eisert Family Collection, Derek Kneller, State Library of NSW-Lynch, Tony Glenn, oldracingcars.com

Tailpiece…

(SLNSW-Lynch)

A Warwick Farm flaggie dealing with the excruciating summer heat during the 1961 Warwick Farm 100 international meeting, see here: https://primotipo.com/2018/11/16/1961-warwick-farm-100/

Finito…

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