Posts Tagged ‘Australian Motor Racing History’

The Wylie’s Javelin Special by Bruce Polain and Mark Bisset…

Posted: September 14, 2018 in Features, Obscurities
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Arthur Wylie, Javelin Spl/Wylie Javelin, Rob Roy, date uncertain, possibly 1952 (L Sims)

Bruce Polain, a prominent Australian historic-racer, historian and restorer wrote this tongue in cheek piece about how Arthur Wylie’s radical Javelin Special/Wylie Javelin could have changed the face of motor racing history. Bruce’s full ‘bio’ is later in this article…

‘In addition to my personal motor sport participation, I had for some years been a contributor to the motorsport media and one of the monthly contributions I made actually took over from an old acquaintance, Mike Kable who had moved to a full-time position with the Murdoch Press.  My new task was to assemble ‘Spotlight’ for the first magazine of its type in the country – ‘Australian Motor Sports’. Initially edited and published by Arthur Wylie, a well known driver and enthusiast, it is a collector’s item these days.

I also took photographs such as this cover shot of Ray Kenny driving Barry Collerson’s Lago Talbot T26C at Castlereagh Airstrip.

 

 Spotlight was fun as I made it my business to collate about forty snippets of information for each monthly edition of the magazine.  This meant my phone was often busy as I chased up the same number of informants.

 

My association with both Jowetts and Arthur Wylie was the catalyst that created an interest by me to purchase a racing car built by Arthur some fourteen years prior with support from the importers of Jowett. It used a Jowett Javelin engine that was supercharged but it was far more innovative than that, as the construction placed the engine behind the driver.  This was in the period when the only other post war race cars with a rear engine, used motor cycle engines. However, while the Wylie project was quite different to local thoughts, it was not in contravention to that permitted within Grand Prix car rules.  Furthermore, the rules at the time allowed engines up to 4500cc normally aspirated.  Or if supercharged, the engine capacity was limited to 1500cc – this latter was the concept that Wylie used. As it eventuated I purchased the supercharged Wylie Javelin in March 1963 and retained ownership until September 1997 and during that period it was actively used with many successes.

Bruce Polain with Arthur Wylie in his creation at Amaroo Park in 1976 (Polain)

 

However, it was at the 1988 Australian Bi-Centennial Meeting at Oran Park where the s/c 1500cc Wylie Javelin, built in 1950, had its first encounter with a Grand Prix Ferrari with an engine capacity of 4500cc. The latter being the actual car that won the British GP in 1951 when driven by the Argentinian driver Jose Froilan Gonzalez and it was still coloured in French Blue, as it was when raced by Louis Rosier in 1952.

 

It brings to mind the ‘wotif’ or ‘if only’ situation.

 

 

For instance, in Australia, during 1950 we had Wylie, an experienced race driver/engineer building a most innovative rear engined car that would likely fit the specifications for the Grand Prix Cars of the period but the car did not leave Australia as neither the thought nor the finance was considered.

 

Therefore, while the ‘if only’ situation of an Aussie Special contesting the 1951 British GP was never an issue, the possibility of such a contest could now be staged at Oran Park some 37 years later as both the subject cars were entered. On one hand we had the GP winning Ferrari in the capable hands of its current owner, Gavin Bain of N.Z. who expended huge effort creating a beautiful restoration which included repurchasing back from Australia the original V12 engine where it served time in Ernie Nunn’s record breaking speedboat – after Frank Wallbank of Auburn had remanufactured a new crankshaft and 12 con-rods. On the other hand the Wylie Javelin had also been well prepared for this event.

 

What an opportunity to revisit the past?

 

On the day, and in in a series of races for quite a number of historic cars, there was also ‘a race within the race’ – that of the Ferrari and the Wylie Javelin.  In short, a re-run of the ‘wotif’ British GP of 1951.

The day was incredibly hot – so I drained the radiator water and replaced it with 100% coolant.  Plus, each time we returned to our pit, my sons-in-law crew (Mark Woolven and Craig Middleton) had buckets of water to pour over the radiator to obviate after boiling – and it worked.  Despite the conditions the WJ ran like a clock. The two cars met on four occasions and in the first instance the Ferrari was in the lead – however then the Wylie Javelin increased its pace and for all starts the W.J finished narrowly ahead of the Ferrari. Such a result begs conjecture as to what would have been the case if, in 1951, Arthur and the Wylie Javelin had somehow made it to the British GP – would the rear engined revolution have started earlier?

 

Actually, because of limited funds the Javelin was not raced in the early years, but was hill-climbed successfully.  However, it did appear in the 1953 AGP at Albert Park and ran in sixth position until a spin resulted in the loss of three places, which position it held to the end.

Polain from Bain at Oran Park in 1988 (Polain)

 

We know that years later, Jack Brabham driving a rear engine Cooper finished sixth in the 1957 Monaco which signified a change, later confirmed by Stirling Moss in a similar car winning the 1958 Grand Prix in Argentina.   Clearly, Arthur Wylie was well ahead of his time. Sadly, neither the Wylie nor the Ferrari are likely to meet again as both cars have been sold – The Ferrari to England and the Wylie to South Australia where it sees little active use – its current role is as a display feature at a winery.

 

There was another car at this meeting that I had previously owned – the Maybach 3 (or 4 dependent upon who you talk to), photo below.  It was also a dominant car being powered with a 400 hp Chevrolet V8 and had achieved many successes in days gone by and had come from West Australia to compete.  Lucky for us the circuit did not suit the Maybach’s gearing and once again the W.J. prevailed…

 

(Max Stahl)

 

Bruce Polain…

 

Bruce Polain was a month old when his father carried him across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on opening day. His first involvement with motor sport was visiting Foleys Hill aged 16years 10months while on his ‘L’s, he first raced at Mount Druitt in his MGTC – when racing was only up and down the strip. After Mount Druitt was extended, he was part of the Daniel/Spring/Polain entry in the 1954 24 hour race where they won the open (sports) category.

 

Immediately thereafter he left for the UK season as spanner for Mike Anthony in Mk6 Lotus – Mike was number three and Colin Chapman drove the leading team car.  This was in the days when Chapman had a day job and Lotus was operating out of a single car garage at the back of his father’s pub. He attended the UK meetings with the Lotus and all the F1 meetings, plus the Le Mans 24 hour and Rheims 12 hour on a Harley Davidson.

 

After arrival back in Australia in 1955 he joined Manly Warringah Sports Car Club holding numerous committee positions and promoted regular Foley’s Hill events, 24 hour trials plus probably the most successful Schofields Race Meeting.  He inaugurated the Mona Vale Sprint and represented the club at CAMS State Council. He was appointed CAMS Noise Panel Chairman and awarded life membership by MWSCC.

He raced a Jowett Javelin at Bathurst 1957 plus innumerable club events which generated his interest in the Jowett based Wylie Javelin, which he purchased in 1963 in very sad condition. After being rebuilt over the years much work resulted in many successes- example Geelong 13.2  Silverdale 39.16. He eventually sold the unique car in 1997.

 

Into the eighties Bruce created and then ran on multiple occasions the ‘Seaforth GP’ which took racing cars to the streets of Seaforth (on Sydney’s North Shore) for three 2.35 km laps. It was an amazing promotion with free entry for driver’s and spectators and always plenty of media coverage on all four local TV networks.

 

As Stephen Dalton observed in contributing this – ‘appropriate to combine AMS and the Wylie Javelin as one’. Indeed! Photograph is of Arthur lined up for the 18 July 1953 Fishermans Bend quarter-mile sprints (S Dalton)

 

Apart from salvaging the Wylie Javelin from destruction Bruce purchased the ex-Paul England Ausca chassis/body then sourced wheels, Repco Grey engine/gearbox and diff to bring the car back to life, winning at Amaroo in its first appearance. He purchased the ex-Barry Garner Rennmax in bits and again rebuilt it, as well as a Ginetta GT4, began the process for the Thompson Ford and also campaigned a very early Mallock U2. In 1983 he purchased one of Australia’s great racing cars, the Repco Research built Maybach 3 from Lance Dixon. The car was substantially reconfigured by Ern Seeliger after Stan Jones and Repco put it to one side with Stan’s purchase of a Maserati 250F- Ern replaced the Maybach six with a Chevrolet small-block V8, De Dion rear suspension and other changes. In Bruce’s ownership  its handling problems were solved with the intention of racing it in the UK in partnership with Arnold Glass where Arnold then living – however the Poms would not accept Maybach’s heritage so the car was sold.

 

In addition to the ‘Spotlight’ snippets in Australian Motor Sport he has contributed race and vehicle reports to Sports Car World, Racing Car News and other magazines – and with the knowledge gained from this pursuit plus the time spent on CAMS State Council has expended much effort on bringing to to CAMS attention many of its deficiencies.  In the interim he was the major contributor to the concept of (non-CAMS) ‘GEAR’ and awarded a life membership. GEAR has now been successfully extended to Queensland.

 

When CAMS closed Catalina Park, Bruce was somewhat disenchanted so formed ‘Friends of Historic Catalina’ $40 entry. John Large, then President of  CAMS was one of the early members) and spent funds on fence repairs, trimming undergrowth and patching tar- then (courtesy of the Navy, another story) painted the Armco battleship grey, the DSR were so impressed they renewed the licence without consulting CAMS (another story). The circuit was then used for lap dashes for another ten years. When the period for review came, CAMS (although invited, another story) did not officially turn up and that is why the circuit was closed. These days the circuit’s closure is said to be due to indigenous or noise reasons but Bruce claims that is incorrect, as at the time it was just the normal 10-year reassessment, as required under the Local Government Act, that applies to many council operations. That years later, council assigned the area to an Aboriginal Group was not the issue at the time- that latter decision was merely to devolve themselves of the responsibility of maintenance which automatically occurred whilst there was income from motorsport.

 

Professionally he has served decades as a shipping traffic manager, property developer, grazier and executive accommodation operator.  Married since 1960 to Tilli – one son and three daughters – Currently writing his memoirs which may put a new slant on CAMS History given that the current CEO rejects consultation.

 

Javelin Special Technical Specifications…

As reported in-period in MotorSport

 

 

Changes to the cars specifications from the above include a Marshall M200 supercharger, replacement of the Norton gearbox with a close ratio Jowett box which drove through a Ford differential with open driveshafts,. Early in the cars life the swing axles were replaced by a De Dion rear end and torsion bars donated by a Javelin.

 

(ACCM)

Bruce with plenty of interest (above) at a race meeting in the mid-nineties. Inherent design brilliance clear- mid-engine, Jowett low flat-four aluminium crankcase, cast iron head 1486cc, OHV, two-valve engine, its only the supercharger which makes the motor look ‘big’. Ron Reid’s Sulman Singer trailer in the background an ever-present member of the Oz historic scene for decades (still is, the car is now in his sons hands)

(ACCM)

Grainy photograph above shows SU carb at top-left, supercharger and inlet manifold. Standard Javelin heads were modified to allow the exhausts to exit to the rear.

(ACCM)

Photo above included to show the cars wonderful lines- and a great overhead shot of the suspension. You can see the De Dion tube, exposed axles and twin radius rods. At the front you can see the transverse leaf spring. Twin-fuel tanks, one each side of the driver, whopping big steering wheel and left hand change for the four speed Javelin close-ratio gearbox.

(ACCM)

Three little shots above.

To the left shows the chain drive from the crank to blower. In the middle a clearer one of the front suspension which comprises top transverse leaf spring, lower wishbones and co-axial shocks. Front radiator is clear as is the ‘semi’-spaceframe chassis. The far right shot is rear suspension detail- to the right the De Dion tube and to the left the open driveshafts/axles from the Ford differential.

In terms of the rear suspension, Bruce comments; ‘The torsion bar rear end was very clever- the two torsion bars (one either side) run alongside the chassis tubes with the ride height adjustment at the end- all of it was ex-Javelin and standard. As built it would have been fine on those rough circuits but for the later hot-mix variety I softened the suspension with positive results. I took a couple of leaves out of the front transverse spring and ground about thirty thou off the two rear torsion bars- it worked fine’.

The two two photos below ‘bring it all together’.

The first shows the chassis devoid of bodywork and the two side fuel tanks. It shows the two main chassis tubes and additional structural elements, can we call it a ‘semi-spaceframe’?

(SCW)

 

(SCW)

The other shot above reveals the key mechanical components and their justaposition- Jowett engine and four speed gearbox with the shortest of prop-shafts joining a Ford differential. Open axles and De Dion tube with two forward radius rods each side. Neat, clever, simple.

 

Arthur Wylie and his (and brother Ken’s) Javelin Special, with Wylie looking suitably nautical- I wonder what yacht club it is, in the 1953 AGP Albert Park paddock. Note attention to detail of the new car with its neat little grille and bonnet badge.

 

‘In Period’ Race Record of the Wylie Javelin…

 

The ‘Javelin Special’ appeared on Jowett agent ‘Liberty Motors’ stand at the 1951 Melbourne Motor Show.

Motor Manual reported that ‘One of the most interesting exhibits at the show…was the first pubic appearance of the Javelin racing car designed by leading driver Arthur Wylie. The little rear-engine car took pride of place on the stand and was painted vivid yellow’.

Wylie was dealing with a few health issues as the car was completed, as a consequence the Javelin’s competition debut was delayed- Stephen Dalton’s research shows he entered three races at the October ’51 Bathurst meeting, listing two different engine capacities, 1499cc and 1501cc to get under and over 1500cc, but did not appear, the reason given was ‘driver with a ricked back’.

The car finally appeared at the Rob Roy Hillclimb, Melbourne Cup Day meeting on 6 November 1951.

He set a time of 27.42 seconds in the first of three runs throughout the day, on one of his runs AMS notes he spun at ‘Tin Shed’ and went across the Spillway backwards whilst feeling the limits of his new car. I wonder if his concerns about the suitability of the swing-axle rear suspension started then?!

During that notable meeting Jack Brabham won his first road-racing Australian title- the 1951 Australian Hillclimb Championship driving his ‘Twin Special Speedcar’ dirt track midget, which, with the addition of front brakes satisfied the scrutineers of its eligibility.

Jack Brabham at Rob Roy during his November 1951 Australian Hillclimb Championship winning meeting ‘Twin Special Speedcar’ (L Sims)

In November 1951 Arthur contested the Victoria Trophy at the LCCA’s Ballarat Airfield meeting, he struggled during the 17 lap handicap race as ‘all his gears had left him except for top’.

He took a class win at Rob Roy in March 1952 and on the  Templestowe Hill that June.

In November 1953, by then with the De Dion tube rear suspension fitted, he took the Under 1500cc record at Rob Roy in the Australian Hillclimb Championship- and was third outright.

Arthur Wylie, Javelin Spl, Rob Roy 1954 (Polain)

That same month Arthur and his brother Ken entered the revolutionary little car in the first Australian Grand Prix held at Albert Park on 21 November. It was the circuit’s first meeting, and notable as the first AGP held in a major population centre or city.

Graham Howard’s ‘History of The Australian Grand Prix’ records that the ‘Most opportunistic start of the field had been made by Wylie’s yellow Javelin, a very accelerative little car, and he strung together a series of openings to be sixth (momentarily fifth) as the field swept through the very fast corners on the opposite side of the lake- and then on the quick left hand kink outside the football ground he lost it and had to wait for most of the field to go past before he could rejoin’.

Lex Davison’s new HWM Jaguar passes the spinning Arthur Wylie on lap 1 of the 1953 AGP, Albert Park (SCW)

Both Wylies drove the car, they managed to finish ninth overall despite a slipping clutch. Bruce observes that the car then had no baffle behind the radiator and in such a long race both brothers suffered from heat exhaustion as a consequence.

The sophisticated nature of the car (below) and it’s unusual appearance drew crowds of people eager to have a look at the Javelin’s secrets, developed as it was by a talented young local.

Sensational 1953 AGP Albert Park paddock shot from the Dacre Stubbs archive. Stunning engine detail inclusive of SU carb, Marshall blower, water header tank, clutch linkage atop Javelin gearbox- and bottom right, one of the two main chassis longerons. Workmanship and attention to detail clear (Dacre Stubbs)

 

Ken Wylie, Javelin Spl ahead of Jack Brabham, Cooper T23 Bristol, Victoria Trophy, Fishermans Bend 1954 (SLV)

Stan Jones ran the car when offered it by the Wylies when his own Cooper failed at Templestowe, Jones took the car to a class record of 61.51 seconds.

At Fishermans Bend in March 1954 (photo above) Ken Wylie contested the Victoria Trophy finishing third behind Stan’s Maybach and Jack Brabham’s Cooper T23 Bristol. In a strong performance Wylie was in second from lap 23 and appeared set to finish in that slot until slowed by tyre wear allowing Jack ahead.

Wheels have it that Arthur drove the car to 3rd in the 1954 Victoria Trophy but it was brother Ken Wylie at the wheel that day

The following week Rob Roy succumbed to the little cars speed, Wylie set a class record with a race report recording that ‘this car is a very consistent performer and shows a clean pair of wheels to many of the larger racing machines in the longer road events’.

The brothers took the car to Orange at Easter 1954 contesting a series of races at Gnoo Blas- second in a 22 mile handicap and victory in the Redex 45 mile scratch race at an average speed of 95mph a good yield for the weekend. The Javelin was recorded at 132mph using a 3.3:1 rear axle.

Arthur Wylie and his steed at Gnoo Blas in 1954 (aussiehomesteadracing)

Wylie advertised the car in his Australian Motor Sports magazine in August 1954 and after listing its successes his ad said ‘contrary to what the armchair experts may say, the car has never blown a head-gasket, run bearings or broken piston rings etc. The car has the original motor’.

The little racer was bought by Arthur Griffiths of Toowoomba who air-freighted the car and trailer from Essendon Airport in outer Melbourne to Brisbane- the trailer was cut in half to fit into the aircraft and then welded back together again upon arrival in Queensland!

Leyburn was close by to Griffiths, success in September 1954 was achieved with a scratch race victory ahead of Rex Taylor’s ex-Whiteford Talbot-Lago T26C. Later in the day Griffiths won in front of Ken Richardson’s Cooper JAP.

Like practically every other racing car in Queensland, Griffiths entered the Javelin in the 1954 Australian Grand Prix held at Southport on the Gold Coast.

Motor Manual reported that ‘Arthur Griffiths…was one of Queensland’s main hopes in the race. For the first two thirds of the race he fought a continuous duel with Doug Whiteford (Black Bess Ford V8 Spl) but within a lap of Whiteford’s withdrawal the Javelin blew a cylinder head gasket forcing him out of the race’, he was in third place at the time. Lex Davison won this dramatic race in an HWM Jaguar.

I wrote about the 1954 AGP at Southport a while back, click here to read about it;

1954 Australian Grand Prix, Southport, Qld…

Arthur Griffiths, Javelin Spl during the 1954 AGP (Polain)

 

Flat out during the AGP (E Hayes)

It was about this time the car obtained the name ‘Wylie Javelin’, which was thought to more appropriate after the car moved from Wylie ownership although its nickname amongst the racing fraternity was ‘The Goanna’ given the similarities in physical appearance of the reptile and car!

In March Griffiths raised the flying quarter class record at Leyburn from 112.7mph to 117mph but during the June meeting a rear axle failure caused a considerable rebuild- he was leading Geordie Anderson’s  Jag XK120 at the time. The car then passed back to Arthur Wylie in Melbourne before he sold it to Don Gorringe who was the Jowett agent in The Apple Isle, Tasmania.

Gorringe’s first meeting in the little machine was under the Wylie’s supervision- he contested the support events at the 25 November 1956 Tourist Trophy meeting at Albert Park, the wonderful photo below shows the car in the capacious park’s paddock.

(G McKaige)

 

Don Gorringe, Baskerville 1958 (Gorringe Family)

Gorringe had much success with the car and as a notable businessman about Hobart it was not uncommon for Don to drive the racer on the road, it was a quiet place after all!

(Gorringe Family)

I have written about the Tasmanian Youl brothers previously. The young graziers were making their way in motor racing, John was looking for the next step up from his Porsche 356 and in April 1958 acquired the Wylie Javelin racing it at all of the local venues.

He won races inclusive of setting a lap record at Baskerville, won a state hillclimb championship, took the Penguin Hill record- perhaps during the March 1959 meeting which he won, and finished third in the Australian Hillclimb Championship held at the Queens Domain, Hobart in November 1959- Bruce Walton in the Walton Cooper took the win that day, the second of six ‘on the trot’ championships Bruce won.

Youl completely rebuilt the car and commented at the time that it was the best handling machine he had ever driven. After he bought a Cooper T51 Climax to step into national competition the car lay idle for a while but was eventually taken to Victoria by John Sheppard on John Youl’s behalf- and was then sold to Victorian, Bob Punch.

When Punch offered it for sale, frustrated with its reliability, he was considering fitment of a Peugeot engine, it was at this point Bruce Polain came in- the little car was lucky Jowett enthusiast Polain came onto the scene then. The car was never cut and shut or butchered with other mechanicals in an effort to keep it competitive with more modern machines.

The racer continued to live an active life with Bruce a much loved member of the historic scene. It appeared at the first ‘All-Historic’ meeting at Amaroo Park in 1976 with John Youl as guest-driver in the Grand Parade.

In 1984 the Wylie Javelin toured New Zealand and continued to race all over Australia upon its return. In 1997 Bruce sold it, since then, sadly, the car has seen more sedentary use, somehow not right for such a significant and always raced machine…

Don Gorringe at the end of a race at Baskerville ahead of Stan Allen Fiat 1400 Spl with John Youl in the distance aboard the red Porsche 356 (oldracephotos)

Etcetera…

Stephen Dalton very kindly sent through this article on the new car from the June 1951 issue of Australian Motor Sports- before the car had first raced.

 

 

 

There is more- Sports Car World article…

Bruce has found an article about his car way back in 1966, it may be a bit challenging in parts to read but is included for completeness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arthur Wylie and AMS Snippets…

‘The pages relate to the 27-28 January 1979 Amaroo Historics meeting, with the Wylies guests for the meeting. A nice insight into Arthur and AMS’ wrote Stephen Dalton.

(S Dalton)

 

(S Dalton)

 

‘A tribute to Arthur Wylie’ 1990 Amaroo Historics Program cover in the style of AMS…

 

(S Dalton)

Credits/Bibliography

Bruce Polain, Australian Motor Sports, (ACCM) Australian Classic Car Monthly October 1996, ‘Historic Racing Cars in Australia’ John Blanden, Eric Hayes, George McKaige, oldracephotos.com.au, Max Stahl, Leon Sims Collection, Gorringe Family Collection, Martin Stubbs and Dacre Stubbs Archive, Stephen Dalton and his collection, Sports Car World

 

Tailpiece: John Youl, Wylie Javelin, Queens Domain, Tasmania, November 1959…

(oldracephotos)

Finito…

Sandown Sunrise…

Posted: September 9, 2018 in Fotos, Obscurities, Sports Racers
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Holden LJ Torana ad-shoot at Sandown Park circa 1972…

The Tommy Torana is of no interest other than that GMH are promoting a mid-spec Torana-Six rather than the huffin’ and puffin’ 202 GTR-XU1, surely one of Australia’s finest all-round touring-car racers on tarmac and dirt?

Two of Bob Jane’s cars form the backdrop- the Tasman Formula Brabham BT36 Waggott 2 litre and McLaren M6B Repco 5 litre ‘740’ V8 sports-racer. John Harvey raced the Brabham and both Harves and Jano shared the one of a kind, Repco powered McLaren- albeit it was with John at the wheel that the car won the 1971 and 1972 Australian Sportscar Championships.

John Harvey, McLaren M6B Repco, Warwick Farm Esses 1972 (oldracephotos)

Both cars are superb jiggers and still extant, the McLaren still in Australia and owned by Bob (ongoing family litigation duly noted). Jane’s taste in racing cars down the decades has been flawless, his machines included but are far from limited to a Maserati 300S, Jag XKD, Jag E Lwt, Elfin Type 100 ‘Mono’ Ford, Brabham BT11A Climax, Elfin 400 Repco, Brabham BT23E Repco, the Rennmax built Jane Repco, Bowin P8 Repco, Ralt RT4 Ford plus twenty or so touring cars/sports sedans the most mouth watering of which were the Shelby built Ford Mustang, John Sheppard built Holden Torana GTR-XU1 Repco and Holden Monaro GTS350 and Pat Purcell constructed Chevy Monza. Lets not forget the Porsche 956 tho it was a lease deal not a car he owned. I’ve lost touch with exactly which cars he retains but I think the scorecard includes the Brabham BT11A, Ralt RT4, McLaren, Monaro and a 635 CSI BMW rings a bell- be great to hear from those who know.

Many other fellas raced these cars other than Jane- the uber successful businessman put way more into racing than he ever extracted- the tabloid family stoushes of recent decades are a sad final chapter in a great mans life.

Sandown old-timers know this bit of real estate rather well. The racers are facing the wrong way in the pitlane, the models are standing more or less on the spot, depending upon your car, that brakes and a downshift or two into second gear would be considered for the ‘Peters’ or ‘Torana’ (depending upon your era) left-hander and then the blast up the back straight.

Harvey again, Brabham BT36 Waggott, into the WF Esses 1972 Tasman round (unattributed)

Etcetera: Bob Jane Racing brochure circa 1971 from Murray Thomas’ Collection…

Credits…

Greg Feltham Collection, Murray Thomas Collection

Tailpiece…

‘When You’re Hot- You’re Hot’ absolutely captured the performance variants of the Torana at the time- the GTR ‘poverty pack’ and ‘ducks-guts’ GTR-XU1. But, at fourteen years old at the time, overall I thought ‘Going Ford Was The Going Thing’! Fords ‘Total Performance’ approach to motor racing globally was intoxicating for a teenaged racing nut- this one anyway!

Finito…

John Youl…

Posted: September 2, 2018 in Sports Racers, Who,What,Where & When...?
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(P Geard)

John Youl attacks Mountford Corner, Longford in his Porsche 356 during the late fifties…

John and his racer brother Gavin were scions of a prominent Tasmanian grazier family and very successful, competitive drivers until business pressures forced early retirement. Symmons Plains is a permanent legacy for the racing brothers built as it was on the family property.

(P Geard)

John proved his world level pace in several seasons aboard Cooper Climax T51 and T55 prepared by Geoff Smedley, whose just published book will be definitive on both drivers careers.

In the 1961 Longford shot below he is in the best of company (at right) aboard a Cooper T51 alongside #14 Brabham’s T53 with Austin Miller’s distinctive yellow T51 Climax behind.

(J Richardson)

Roy Salvadori won the South Pacific Trophy race that weekend from Bill Patterson and John with Austin fourth. Brabham was outed with a broken half-shaft on lap 16 of the 24 lap distance.

Here John’s appearance in the Porsche is a little earlier, the last photo below perhaps in 1957 and the others a little later- you can see the evolution from road car still fitted with hubcaps! to lowered rortier racer. I wonder what modifications were made to that 356 Super?

Credits…

Paul Geard, Historic Racing Car Club of Tasmania, Ellis French, Geoff Smedley, John Richardson

Tailpiece: Youl, White, Walkem on ‘The Flying Mile’, Longford circa 1957…

(HRCCT)

Youl in what looks like a motor-cycle racing helmet beside his Porker, the yellow machine is Graham White’s Vincent Spl and the obscured Cooper is Jock Walkem’s- the man in black. Delightful bucolic scene belies the high speeds and sound of straining engines which took place annually on this stretch of road over the March Labour Day long-weekend from 1953 to 1968…

Finito…

1967 Surfers Paradise 12 Hour…

Posted: August 28, 2018 in Fotos, Sports Racers
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(P Maslen)

Paul Hawkins appears reasonably fleet of foot, first dude on the left…

And so he should too- the Australian international had far more experience than the locals at Le Mans run and jump starts. What great panoramic, colourful, atmospheric photographs these are.

The first few cars lined up in the 3 September 1967 twelve hour enduro are the Hawkins/Jackie Epstein Lola Mk3 Chev, Alan Hamilton/Glynn Scott Porsche 906, Bill Brown/Greg Cusack Ferrari 250LM, Bill Gates/Jim Bertram Lotus Elan and then the white Kevin Bartlett/Doug Chivas Alfa Romeo GTA.

Whilst Paul was quick to the car, the task of affixing his Willans six-pointer was tricky when getting his Heavy Chevy started even in the calmness of a paddock, let alone with a schrieking 2 litre Porsche flat-6 blasting past and reinforcing his tardiness. Not that the notion of outrunning the Porsche over twelve hours should have been an issue- the Gates Lotus is also fast away whilst at far right is the red John Keran Volvo P1800S.

(P Maslen)

 

Hamilton from Hawkins, 5 litres of Chev V8 is hard to deny!, end of lap 1, he will grab the lead before the fast right hand swoop under Dunlop Bridge (P Maslen)

The last Le Mans 24 Hours with a running start was the 1969 event when Jacky Ickx famously walked to his John Wyer Ford GT40 before carefully fitting his belt- and winning the following day with Jackie Oliver.

The tragic irony of Ickx’ protest was that the ‘unbelted’ John Woolfe died in his Porsche 917 in a first lap accident- safety and seatbelts were the end of that bit of racing spectacle, fair enough too.

Lone ranger, Ickx, Le Mans 1969 (unattributed)

David McKay’s Scuderia Veloce 250LM was almost ‘rusted to this race’. It was never the fastest thing entered but it won in 1966- crewed by Jackie Stewart and Andy Buchanan, in 1967 with McKay’s regular team drivers of the day, Bill Brown and Greg Cusack at the wheel and in 1968 piloted by the brothers Geoghegan- Leo and Pete.

In second place behind the Brown/Cusack 250LM in 1967 was the Lola with 468 laps and third the Hamilton/Scott Porsche 906 with 460- the winners covered 490 laps of reliable, fast Ferrari motoring.

Surfers Paradise International Raceway was opened in 1966 with a bang- ‘Speed Week’ well and truly put Keith William’s circuit on the map in terms of both the motor racing community and the Queensland populace.

I wrote an article about that meeting a while back, check it out here; https://primotipo.com/2015/02/13/jackie-stewart-at-surfers-paradise-speed-week-1966-brabham-bt11a-climax-and-ferrari-250lm/

‘Speed Week’ in 1967 included the Gold Star race won by Spencer Martin from Paul Bolton, both aboard Brabham Climax’ the Sunday before, the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix on Saturday 2 September and the Rothmans 12 Hour the following day- the race started at 10am, Des White’s ‘Racing Car News’ account of the race sets the scene, ‘Sunday dawned just perfect, sunshine, a cool breeze, and the circuit looked great after a massive clean up following Saturday’s AGP for Motor Cycles’.

‘The garbage trucks removed the rubbish, several ambulances had removed all the leather clad bodies that had been lying around under Dunlop Bridge, and some six police cars had removed many of the exuberant but unfriendly Ned Kelly types from Repco Hill.’ This article is for the most part a truncated variant of Des’ great work in the September 1967 issue of ‘Racing Car News’.

Thirty-seven cars entered the meeting with a somewhat disappointing nineteen fronting for practice- notable absentees were Australia’s large population of Lotus 23’s and local clones thereof, the three Elfin 400’s of Bob Jane, Noel Hurd and Niel Allen. Frank Matich was taking in some Can-Am rounds in his Matich SR3 Repco at the time- all of the cars mentioned were/are ‘sprinters’ rather than purpose built endurance machines so perhaps the lessons of the previous year in terms of the longevity required had been heeded and the driver/entrants therefore stayed away.

The ninth placed Ron Thorp/Ray Strong AC Cobra ahead of the Scuderia Veloce Greg Cusack/Bill Brown Ferrari 250LM, the pair completed 416 laps compared with the winners 490 (B Williamson)

In 1966 there were five ‘outright contenders’ entered- the Stewart/Buchanan and Epstein/Hawkins Ferrari 250LM, Piper/Attwood Ferrari 365P2, Sutcliffe/Matich Ford GT40 and Hamilton/Reed Porsche 906 whereas in 1967 there were only three, the Scuderia Veloce 250LM, Porsche Cars Australia 906 and Hawkins/Epstein Lola T70 Mk3 Chev- unfortunately the Scott-Davies/Harvey/Tuckey Lola T70 Chev Spyder failed to take the grid after terminal engine failure in practice. The car suffered piston and rod failure and after replacements flown in from the US were fitted on Saturday night the car dropped a valve during a practice session before the start ending a rather unpleasant weekend for the crew.

Fastest in practice was the Hawkins Lola T70 on 1:16.3 from the Hamilton 906, 1:18.7, then the SV 250LM on 1:20.6 before getting into the ‘class cars’- the Gates/Bertram Lotus Elan 1:27.0 then the Mildren Alfa GTA on 1:28.7 and Macarthur brothers Lotus Elan on 1:29.30- also under the 1:30 mark was the Bob Holden/Don Holland Cooper S Lwt on 1:29.7 seconds.

The Hawkins/Epstein Lola (chassis number SL73/112) had not long prior led the Reims 12 Hour for 3 1/2 hours but its Hewland LG500 gearbox cried ‘enough’ but not before setting a lap record on this very fast circuit of ‘147mph, done at 1 o’clock in the morning with full tanks, and included a speed of 200mph on the straight’ Des White observed. That race was won by the Guy Ligier/Jo Schlesser Ford GT Mk2B. The big Lola was clearly the quickest car in the Surfers race but over the ensuing years the success of these wonderful machines in endurance racing was hampered by the brittle nature of the Chev engines most entrants used and the Hewland box.

Scuderia Veloce Ferrari 250LM (C Anderson)

 

(Mixed bag here, again on the main straight- the #37 Charlie Smith/Noel Hall MGB, #18 Daimler SP250 shared by Peter Whitelaw/Ian Jenkins/Peter Ganderton and the only Holden entered- the Max de Jersey/Bill Birmingham 48-215 (P Maslen)

 

Its got a touch of Sebring about it in terms of variety: Calvert Holden 48-215, Ron Thorp AC Cobra, Charles Smith MGB and Phil Barnes, Morris Cooper S during the contests early laps (oldracephotos.com/Phillips)

Alan Hamilton made a great start at the flags drop- 10am, his 906 jumping sideways as he applied all of the 2 litre engines flat-6 power to the very abrasive Surfers tarmac- KB also got away well in the Mildren GTA as did the Gate’s Elan but the Porsche succumbed to the big Lola at the end of the first lap.

Bartlett slipped under Bill Gates as the 250LM eased into third place during lap 5, a dice developed between the John French driven BMC Australia MG Midget and the Elans whilst the Harry Gapps Renault 8 Gordini engine blew after 24 minutes of racing and was the first retirement.

At 10.30 the Lola led from the Porsche and Ferrari then Bartlett in the GTA, the Holden/Holland Mini Lwt and Doug Macarthur in the family’ Lotus Elan. The first of many pitstops for the Hawkins Lola took place at 10.45am when 3 pints of oil were sloshed into the oil tank- a poorly fitted rocker cover was leaking badly.

Hamilton’s leading Porsche had completed 43 laps in the first hour, a lap clear of the Cusack/SV Ferrari and Hawkins Lola on the same lap as the Italian V12. Bartlett was 4 laps back in fourth, then Holden on the same lap as KB with Ron Thorp’s AC Cobra a lap in arrears.

The T70 pitted again at 11.16am for 8 pints of oil and a replacement rocker cover gasket- the stop took 12 minutes 54 seconds. The Whitelaw Daimler SP250 pitted with lots of steam and leaking brakes whilst the class leading Thorp Cobra came in for a front end check.

(C Anderson)

 

The batch of three photographs above and below are of the John Keran entered Volvo P1800S crewed by John, Colin Bond and Max Winkless. On circuit the car is driven by Keran- the two pitlane shots show John staring down the camera and he and Col Bond discussing the progress of the car.
The rally men, mind you Bond was racing on all kinds of surfaces then in tourers, sporties and his Rennmax Peugeot s/c single-seater, did well- fourth in the Improved Production under 2 litre class won by the Datsun Racing Team Datsun 1600 Sports with the Victorian pair of John Roxburgh and thrice Australian Grand Prix winner, Dog Whiteford behind the wheel (P Maslen)

 

(J Keran)

 

Keran, Bond and who is it in that Team Total shirt to the right? (J Keran)

At 11.30am the Hamilton Porsche led with 65 laps completed from the Ferrari and Bartlett Alfa GTA with the Holden Mini in fourth as the Lola hung around the pits. The John Roxburgh Datsun was in sixth on the same lap as the Thorp Cobra with the two Datsuns seemingly having a good grip on the 2 litre Improved Production class as the Barry Tapsall/Henk Woelders car headed John Keran’s Volvo P1800S.

At 11.45 Kevin Bartlett pitted for fuel and oil and handover to Doug Chivas but the little, lightweight Alfa would not answer the starter- pushed behind the pit counter for closer attention there the machine stayed, ‘the engine tighter than tight’.

Hamilton took his first pitstop bang on noon- four tyres went on and 22 gallons of fuel and Glynn Scott went in, the stop took 3 minutes 24 seconds, at that stage the 906 had done 87 laps, the Ferrari 86, then Bob Holden, Paul Hawkins, John French, John Roxburgh and Ron Thorp followed.

The Thorp Cobra pitted again with brake problems and at 12.16 Greg Cusack handed the SV 250LM over to Bill Brown after the Ferrari was filled with 32 gallons of fuel, 6 pints of oil and four, fresh Firestones, the slick stop taking two minutes.

Around the same time the Harry Cape Triumph GT6 pitted to have its rear light taped after a bingle and the Holden Mini Lwt had its rocker-post replaced- the Hindmarsh Elfin retired over at Firestone- the field was falling away whilst Doug Whiteford took over the class leading Datsun 1600 from John Roxburgh at 1pm together with 20 gallons of fuel and 4 tyres.

Barry Ferguson/Max Stahl ‘Racing Car News’ entered MGB, Max being the much loved racer/editor/proprietor of RCN (C Anderson)

 

Peter Maslen, the enthusiast who captured these wonderful images images wrote of the photograph above as ‘One of the finest drives I ever saw. When Alan Hamilton dropped the Porsche into a ditch around the back of the circuit, he was encouraged to recover it- Glynn Scott took over and they came in third. This picture now holds pride of place on my study wall’. It is a marvellous shot of the Porsche 906- he has managed to capture the determined set of Scott’s jaw, local open-wheeler and sportscar ace rather nicely (P Maslen)

 

I suspect its the first of the pit-stops for the Hawkins Lola with the 1:21.2 being given to Alan Hamilton in the now leading Porker 906 (oldracephotos.com/Phillips)

Des White records that the Lola T70’s first ‘scheduled’ stop was made just on 1pm when 45 gallons of avgas and 4 pints of oil were taken onboard in 3 minutes 15 seconds- Paul remained at the wheel and set off at undiminished pace after the Ferrari and Porsche which was about 10 laps in front up the road.

Glynn Scott took the Porsche 906 to a 3 lap lead after three hours of racing at 1pm having completed 129 laps- he was a lap ahead of the Ferrari and ten laps ahead of the Lola on 119 laps. The works MG Midget of John French and Brian Foley was fourth on 115 laps, and doing amazingly well given its recent build and therefore hasty preparation, 3 laps clear of the Volvo Coupe now just 1 lap clear of the Whiteford Datsun 1600 after its pitstop, the Macarthur Elan was still in the race and running well.

Epstein Enterprises Lola T70 Mk3 (C Anderson)

 

The Bartlett/Doug Chivas Alfa Romeo GTA ‘RHD’- the second of Alec Mildren’s two GTA’s (P Maslen)

 

Ross Bond’s legendary Austin Healey 3000 in its more formative specifications in a long, successful race career and the John Keran Volvo P1800S (oldracephotos.com/Phillips)

Alan Hamilton took over the 906 at 2.03pm for a top up of fluids and driver change, losing 3 minutes 10 seconds and in so doing allowed the Ferrari 250LM into the lead- then Bill Brown pitted the Ferrari to change over to Greg Cusack, that stop took 2 minutes 45 seconds, in the process re-entering the race a lap and a half behind Hamilton- both cars were well clear of the Lola which was in Jackie Epstein’s hands after a 7 minute stop.

Alan Hamilton niggled Cusack in the 250LM for several laps looking for a way past to increase his advantage finally getting alongside on the outside of Lukey- Greg held his line, the Porsche left the road, shot over a low mound and hit the Armco. The Victorian regained the circuit after 30 seconds but as the car entered Shell Straight the rear fibreglass body panel blew open and was ‘dragged along like some weird insect in the middle of a mating dance’ as White poetically put it!

The flustered pilot pulled off at Firestone, his race seemingly run but he was pursuaded to return the car to the pits for repairs- the team made good the rear panel with a combination of rivetted aluminium, race-tape and wire, they lost 17 minutes in the process with Glynn Scott determined to make up the lost time (in one of his photo captions White wrote that the 906 lost a total of 1 1/4 hours in the pits in total- not sure what is correct).

250LM at rest (C Anderson)

 

The Lotus Elan 26R crewed by disc-jockey Bill Gates and Jim Bertram (P Maslen)

 

Mroom-waaahhhrr. Scotty on the hop 906- where on circuit folks? (oldracephotos.com/Phillips)

By this stage the ever reliable ‘Old Red Lady’ as David McKay referred to his adored car was in a lead which was all but impossible to peg back.

By 3pm the LM had completed 212 laps and had a 22 lap lead over the French/Foley MG Midget which was in a stunning second place from the Hawkins/Epstein Lola- which had also been back to the pits during the 906 time standing still. The Roxburgh/Whiteford Datsun 1600 still led its class and was fifth outright at a time the Porsche was back in ninth after going back to the pits for a further 49 seconds of repairs.

The French/Foley Midget pitted near 4pm with a broken scavenge pump whereupon the crew worked to convert the gallant little car from a dry to wet sump- this marvellous effort was in vain when the oil pump shaft broke at 4.20pm.

Scott pushed the robust 906 along very quickly- lapping in the regular 1:20’s, by 5pm he was back in sixth with 251 laps on the board, he was in sparkling form no doubt buoyed by his victory in the NSW ANF1.5 Championship aboard his old Lotus 27 Ford at Catalina Park in mid-August over Max Stewart and Phil West amongst others- Tapsall’s Datsun had completed 253 laps and Keran’s Volvo 255. With five hours to run even the third placed Roxburgh Datsun 1600 Sports looked likely to be caught by the flying Porsche.

The Tapsall Datsun pitted at 5.10pm for fuel and tyres but refused to start and was taken behind the pit wall where the battery and starter motor were replaced. Hamilton jumped back into the 906 at 5.38 pm having taken on 20 gallons of fuel and was after the third placed car- now only 4 laps away- a quick, high speed spin under the Dunlop Bridge at 6.50pm did not diminish his intent.

Not too hard to tell which car was artist Colin Anderson’s favourite! The winning 250LM (C Anderson)

 

A routine fuel and tyre stop for the victorious 250LM and below that the rumbling Lola in the Repco Hill to Castol corner section of the circuit prior to ‘Rothmans Straight’- the main straight(P Maslen)

 

Hard to tell but I think its Doug Chivas in the Mildren Alfa GTA, therefore practice, perhaps KB can advise (oldracephotos.com/Phillips)

By 7 pm the Cusack/Brown Ferrari 250LM led the Hawkins/Epstein Lola T70 by over 25 laps having completed 374 circuits of the challenging Nerang layout- by then the speedy 906 was only a lap adrift of the leading Datsun and gaining fast. The Holden/Holland Cooper S Lwt followed on 326 laps, a lap clear of the Volvo.

Henk Woelder’s, later Australian F2 Champion aboard Bill Patterson’s Elfin 600E Ford, exited his Datsun after again replacing the car’s battery and starter motor- only fifteen cars remained in the battle at this point.

Glynn Scott took over the 906 again at 8pm after a 3 minute 49 seconds stop for fuel- his first flying lap in the dark was a 1:21.2, about 5 seconds quicker than the Ferrari and 10 seconds better than the big rumbling Lola- both of these machines being stroked along to the finish in ‘secure’ positions of course- Scotty had a big spin under Repco after 3 laps but kept on pushing all the same.

Woelders’ Datsun re-entered the fray but was black-flagged for running without rear tail-lights- Whiteford’s similar car (#28 rather than Woelders’ #29) was shown the flag- ‘a nasty scene was avoided’ as ‘Dicer Doug’ was not a man to be trifled with, and the Woelders machine was put away for the rest of the night.

MGB pitstop, probably Max Stahl (C Anderson)

 

The rumbling Lola in the Repco Hill to Castol corner section of the circuit prior to ‘Rothmans Straight’- the main straight (P Maslen)

 

From right- #7 works, new French/Foley MG Midget which is extant, de Jersey/Birmingham Holden FJ, #14 Hallam/Pare Ford Anglia, #15 Lister/Seldon Volvo 122S, #28 Roxburgh/Whiteford Datsun 1600 Sports, #4 250LM, #8 Holden/Holland Morris Cooper S Lwt (oldracephotos.com/Phillips)

By 9 pm with one hour left to run the Ferrari had completed 448 laps, 20 laps ahead of Paul Hawkins who was at the wheel for the final stint, Glynn Scott was still lapping in the low 1 min 21’s in his series of inspiring stints and was by then up to third outright with 417 laps- 11 adrift of the curvaceous Lola.

Hawkins pitted for the last time at 9.25pm, the two and a bit minutes stop handed Glynn another 2 laps with Hawkins circulating in the 1:26’s to go easy on the car, Des White finished his wonderful article on the race with ‘The race finished in the cold dampness of 10pm and the Ferrari coasted into the presentation area, quickly joined by the Porsche which received and rightly deserved all the ovation it received followed by the big mean, green machine, the Lola.’

‘The results were just about what one must expect in an endurance event, the Ferrari taking out its second Rothmans 12 Hour, while both Hawkins and Hamilton vowed to be back next year with the same teams, for as Hawkins stated- ‘Its time we won this thing.’

Alan Hamilton was and is a tall fella so lopping the lid off Porsche 906 ‘007’ made sense especially in an Australian sprint racing context- the bulk of our sportscar races were short. Here looking all pristine in practice entering ze pits, she looked a bit more grungy and used post-event (oldracephotos.com/Phillips)

 

Three Minis were entered in the Sports Racing under 2 litre class, this one is the Phil Barnes/Jeff Leighton Morris Cooper S- they completed 238 laps and placed seventh in the class won by the Hamilton/Scott 906, the best placed Cooper S was the BMC works entry raced by Bob Holden and Don Holland to fifth with 437 laps completed (P Maslen)

 

250LM and 906 early in the contest, main straight (oldracephotos.com/Phillips)

 

(P Maslen)

The results of the race, to the first three finishers in each class are as follows; (source RCN)

Outright

Greg Cusack/Bill Brown Ferrari 250LM, Paul Hawkins/Jackie Epstein Lola T70 Mk3 Chev, Alan Hamilton/Glynn Scott Porsche 906

Sports Racing over 2 litres

250LM, T70, Max de Jersey/A Shaw Holden FJ

Sports Racing under 2 litres

906, Bob Holden/Don Holland Morris Cooper S Lwt, David Seldon/Gerry Lister Volvo 122S

Improved Production over 2 litres

Ron Thorp/Ray Strong AC Cobra, Peter Whitelaw/Kevan Woolf/P Ganderton Daimler SP250

Improved Production under 2 litres

John Roxburgh/Doug Whiteford Datsun 1600 Sports, Chris Smith/Noel Hall MGB, Ray Kearns/Brian Lawler/Col Wear Volvo 122S

Ron Thorp on the hop, AC Cobra (Bowden Collection)

Afterthoughts…

Surfers Paradise owner/promoter Keith Williams tried very hard to establish this race, first over twelve hours duration in 1966/7 and then six hours in 1968/9 as fixtures on the Australian racing calendar.

Forty cars raced in 1966, 27 in 1967, 29 in 1968 and 23 in 1969, in the latter years Australian ‘Pony’ cars swelled the numbers and of course endurance events in Australia quickly evolved as Series Production/Group E Touring Car events in the late sixties with huge entries. ‘Sports prototype or racing sportscar’ numbers in each of the SPIR events were 8, 3, 4 and 7 from 1966 to 1969, which I understand on one level in the sense that the local population of such cars in Australia were sprinters rather than endurance racers. Having said that one could have run your twin-cam or Olds or Chev with a softer cam and used less revs for this event- all of which assumes the funds to do so of course.

The entry of cars from Europe was problematic given the distance involved without payment of generous subsidies and why would the Americans bother given the size of the Can-Am purses?

Sportscar construction spiked a bit in Oz in 1970/71 with the release of 2.5 litre Repco Brabham V8’s as the Tasman 2.5 Formula ended but so engined Rennmax’ and Elfins were fitted with motors which struggled over 100 miles let alone six hours- and so it was that Williams’ valiant attempts withered on the vine.

A pity.

Credits and References…

Peter Maslen, oldracephotos.com/Phillips, John Keran Collection, Bowden Collection, September 1967 Racing Car News

Superb drawings by Colin Anderson scanned from RCN

Tailpieces: Paul Hawkins T70 Mk3 Chev, Surfers…

(oldracephotos.com/Phillips)

An all time Top Ten Racing Cars pick for me- been on the list for forty years too so its unlikely to slip off it. A big arsed but oh so curvaceous, busty, buxom, broad- it oozes sex if you get my drift.

Twiggy it ain’t.

(unattributed)

Funnily enough Paul had a sprint win in the car before leaving Australia.

He contested the 34 lap, 76 mile ‘Gallaher GT Trophy’ race at Warwick Farm the weekend after Surfers on 10 September and had a terrific weekend, winning the race and a couple of five lappers as well. Niel Allen’s Elfin 400 Chev was 3 seconds a lap quicker in practice than Paul- and Glynn Scott’s Lotus 23B Ford twin-cam was half a chance too but come raceday Allen lost a tooth off the crown wheel relinquishing the lead to happy Hawkins.

Paul shortly thereafter bought the Lola from Epstein and had some club successes in it back in the UK before having a very successful Springbok tour with it that November/December 1967.

At this stage of his career Hawkins was both a sportscar ace for hire- Porsche, Ferrari and John Wyer spring to mind, and did good business racing modified GT40’s and Lolas out of his own workshops in Finchley, North London.

As most of you will be aware the gifted Australian lost his life in a semi-works T70 Mk3B Chev whilst contesting the very wet Tourist Trophy at Oulton Park on 26 May 1969- he left the track and hit a tree at Island Bend.

Finito…

Rennmax BN2 Waggott…

Posted: August 14, 2018 in Fotos, Obscurities
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8

(D Simpson)

Bob Muir punches his Rennmax onto the straight at Oran Park during 1970…

Muir loved this car, it was initially built around a Coventry Climax 2.5 litre FPF engine and first raced at Oran Park in September 1969 and then through the Australian Tasman rounds and a bit beyond. One of Merv Waggott’s 2 litre, 275 bhp’ish engines was installed later in 1970.

Late that year it was sold to prominent Melbourne racer/engine builder Peter Larner who fitted a Lotus/Ford twin-cam, later still passing through the hands of a couple of other drivers ‘in-period’. It has been in Barry Singleton’s hands since the early 1980’s. With only a dozen or so meetings all up it would be a very yummy thing to have especially with a 2 litre Waggott fitted.

Bob later fitted his Waggott motor to the Mildren ‘Yellow Submarine’ which he raced for a year or so and rated the Rennmax the sweeter car- which is no small statement given the race record of The Sub.

As is well established, Bob Britton/Rennmax built a series of cars based on a jig he created from Denny Hulme’s Brabham BT23-5 which was crashed during the 1968 Tasman Series and given to Britto to repair. The most successful of these ‘BN3’s is Max Stewart’s Mildren Waggott, a chassis I have written about. Perversely Muir’s car has always been referred to as a BN2 but it is a BN3 in terms of its specification.

Where is that Rennmax book Ray Bell?!, Bob Britton, his cars and adventures are certainly worthy of a book.

(L Hemer)

Wings ‘n Things…

Lynton Hemer was at Warwick Farm in December 1969 when Bob Muir first fitted wings to this car during the Hordern Trophy Gold Star round in its original Coventry Climax engined form.

The first couple of shots are those below, he reasoned that they were taken in the morning without wings and engine cover to get a base level time and feel for the car. Between sessions they fitted all of the aerodynamic goodies and then Bob went out with Lynton observing ‘no wonder he had that (grimaced) look on his face, he must have found the car completely different’- as in faster!

An oil seal failed on the car during the race won by Kevin Bartlett- making the race debut of the 2 litre Waggott engine in The Sub- the car Muir would later own. Bob didn’t race the car sans wings ever again…

(L Hemer)

Credits…

Dick Simpson- oldracephotos.com.au, Lynton Hemer, oldracingcars.com

Tailpiece: In search of a wing…

Homestead Corner, big oil tank, angle on the exhaust dangle unattractive. I wonder who he bought the FPF from? (L Hemer)

Finito…

Jack’s Donut…

Posted: August 12, 2018 in F1, Fotos, Who,What,Where & When...?
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4
(I McCleave)

Jack Brabham playing with the kids in the Phillip Island paddock, Cooper T51 Climax, 14 March 1960…

Jack won the Repco Trophy over 16 laps in a T51 rout from Bill Patterson, Bib Stillwell and Austin Miller in similar cars. None shared the latest 2.5-litre Coventry Climax FPF fitted to Jack’s F2-4-59 said to be ‘Brabham’s main car during the early part of 1959’. Austin’s motor was 2.2-litres, Bib and Bill’s 2-litre units.

Brabham had a successful fortnight during his short 1960 Australian summer racing tour, three races from three, winning the Longford Trophy, Light Car Club of Tasmania Trophy on 5 and 7 March at Longford the week before.

Ian McCleave took the opening photo of ‘A youthful Jack Brabham showering my younger brother in dust…I seem to recall Dad charged with adrenalin winding the Austin A95 up to 90 mph on the way back to Melbourne!’ Lukey Heights is well familiar to ‘Island regulars in the background, its a top shot and another enthusiast that day, Robert Jones caught the start of the race, below.

(T Johns Collection)

Australian Motor Sports Review 1959-60 wrote that “During these hectic two days , Brabham more than simulated his performance at the opening meeting of Phillip Island in December 1956.”

“On that occasion driving a Cooper sportscar he won the three races he entered including the Formula Libre event ahead of Ted Gray’s Tornado Ford V8 and Lex Davison’s 3-litre Ferrari 500/625. Three years later, Brabham as you would expect from a World Champion, won every scratch race he entered; but unlike the first meeting, he competed in five events, but won only four, having been beaten into second place in the Racing Car Handicap on the first day.”

(Ron Jackson)

Credits…

Ian McLeave, Robert Jones, Tony Johns Collection, Ron Jackson, Australian Motor Sports Review 1959-60

Tailpieces…

(R Jones)

The off, Brabham, Stillwell and Miller, with Bill Patterson in white, on row two.

(T Johns Collection)

Finito…

Boys Just Wanna Have Fun…

Posted: August 10, 2018 in Fotos, Who,What,Where & When...?
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7

(P Ansell)

It does all get a bit serious these days doesn’t it!?

Here Jim McGuire and Alan Tatham are enjoying their Cooper Mk4 Norton at Gnoo Blas, circa 1957…

Aren’t these an amazing group of colour photographs of a race meeting at the popular, relatively shortlived Orange, NSW circuit. Such vivid images of race meetings in Oz at the time are not exactly plentiful.

These shots were posted on Bob Williamson’s Old Motor Racing Photographs – Australia Facebook page by Paul Ansell and immediately provoked a response from a swag of enthusiasts contributing information about the car and that day.

McGuire works, Tatham poses for the babes, as drivers do (P Ansell)

Australian Ace Kevin Bartlett recognised his ‘blue Morris Minor Series 2 fitted with a fibreglass top…’, that’s KB in blue standing beside the door of the car in the background. In fact Jim McGuire and his wife Carmen aided and abetted the careers of several drivers including KB, who raced the Elfin Imp for them in the mid-sixties and Peter Wherrett- the latter raced this very Cooper Mk4 with a Hillman Minx four-cylinder engine installed in the early sixties.

Here the Cooper is fitted with a Norton Manx engine. The red car over the back in the first photo is the Profilio MG Spl which still exists in historic racing as indeed does the Cooper Minx- restored by David Kerr a couple of decades ago.

By the time McGuire acquired the car, chassis # ’10/54/50′ was already a veteran of the 1954 Australian Grand Prix, Charlie Swinburne raced it, Manx Norton powered, to tenth place. Its thought when first imported to Australia the car was originally supplied to Les Taylor in Queensland fitted with a JAP 1100 motor.

Later raced by Queensland’s Ray Lewis as the ‘LPS Cooper Norton’ (Lewis/Bill Pitt/Charlie Swinburne) during 1953, Jim McGuire bought it from Tony Crick of Wellington, NSW, initially racing the machine with Tatham at the wheel.

Barry Collerson in the Cooper Minx leads an Elfin Catalina at Oran Park circa 1961 (Alan Stewart)

Later, in 1959 or early 1960, Jim mated a Hillman Minx 1500 engine and VW gearbox to the frame, the car in this form contested the 1960 Australian Grand Prix at Lowood.

The photo below shows Tatham aboard the Cooper Mk4 Hillman together with the #37 D Russell MG TD, #49 N Barnes MG TC s/c. I’m mystified by a couple of the cars but it appears to be the great Tornado 2 Chev down the back, by that stage driven and owned by Mel McEwin.

(F Pearse)

Up front a thriller of an AGP was won by Alec Mildren’s Cooper T51 Maserati by a whisker from Lex Davison’s Aston Martin DBR4/250, the little Cooper retired with an undisclosed ailment. Not so long after Lowood Tatham ceased to drive the car but it raced on, still owned by Jim at Strathpine, Tarrawingee, Hume Weir, Oran Park and Warwick Farm driven by Peter Wherrett and Barry Collerson.

Peter Wherrett, Cooper Minx, Warwick Farm May 1961 (P Wherrett)

Both Sydneysiders were talented coming-men of the day with Collerson racing an ex-Doug Whiteford GP Talbot-Lago in Australia before chasing the  FJ circuit in Europe for a couple of years. He has written a book too- i must buy ‘Mount Druitt to Monza’, been meaning to for ages.

Wherrett is incredibly prominent in the memories of several generations of us for his racing, his ‘Racing Car News’, for many years THE Australian motor racing monthly bible- race reports, ‘Peter Wherrett Advanced Driving’ school and ‘Torque’ the seminal, defining, brilliant ABC television motoring program of the mid-seventies. The genre popularised by Jeremy Clarkson much later started with Wherrett and a team at the ABC. Remember PW’s track test of Warwick Brown’s Lola T332 Chev?, it just blew my tiny, teenaged mind!

The Cooper Minx later fell into the tender, loving hands of David Kerr who restored and raced it extensively in historic racing with John Herman the last reported owner.

Lets Get Physical! Little Barry Collerson trying to stay aboard the Cooper Minx at Warwick Farm in August 1962. Note the different, later fibreglass nosecone in this shot (P Wherrett)

Credits…

Paul Ansell- photos. Dick Willis, Kevin Bartlett, Greg Smith, ‘Historic Racing Cars in Australia’ John Blanden, Fred Pearse Collection, Alan Stewart Collection and Peter Wherrett Collection on aussieroadracing.homestead.com

Etcetera: Cooper Minx, circa 1961, perhaps at the McGuire’s home in Sydney- Peter Wherrett Collection photos…

Water radiator neatly integrated given air-cooled engines originally fitted

Front transverse leaf suspension as standard Cooper Mk4

Rear suspension and wheels appear as standard Cooper Mk4

Hillman Minx 1500 four fed by a couple of downdraft Strombergs, transaxle is modified 4 speed VW

Tailpiece: Gnoo Blas officialdom, Cooper Mk4 unwell…

Never seen so many crisply laundered white overalls! Tatham in Cooper Mk4 Norton. Bucolic Gnoo Blas (P Ansell)

Finito…

Kev’s Matich A51…

Posted: August 5, 2018 in Fotos, Obscurities, Who,What,Where & When...?
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(N Stratton)

 

Kevin Loy’s Matich A51 ‘005’ Repco F5000 departing Oran Park in Vice-Regal style, 2 February 1975…

No standing on ceremony here, although its a you-beaut ANF1 car- the Formula 5000 machine is travelling in no more comfort than my Formula Vee and considerably less so than my old Lola T342 Formula Ford. And its off to Surfers Paradise, 850 kilometres away in the hands of Ian Douglass to whom it has just been sold.

I’ll bet Frank Matich, Derek Kneller and the boys looked after the thing much more nicely in the US- this chassis was new for the US L&M Series tour Team Matich undertook during 1973. It was FM’s primary weapon, A51 ‘006’ went along for the ride as the spare. Here is a story about Matich and his F5000 cars;

Frank Matich: Matich F5000 Cars etcetera…

Matich A51 ‘005’ in the Mid Ohio paddock 1973 (T Capps)

 

Lella Lombardi in A51 ‘005’ during the 1974 AGP- car was overseen by Matich himself. Lella pushed Max Stewart, the winner very hard before oil pump failure ended a great run (HAGP)

In many ways this little baby would be ‘the’ F5000 Matich to own. It toured the US, was raced by Lella Lombardi at Sandown and Oran Park in 1974, and, sold to John Goss to keep A53 ‘007’ company, won the 1976 Sandown Park Australian Grand Prix modified to A53 spec.

Another shot of Lombardi, this time at Sandown Park’s Dandenong Road corner in 1974 (B Keys)

Later still French sportscar ace Henri Pescarolo raced it at Calder in 1977, so too did Jim Richards in its ‘period dotage’ in 1979.

A very nice jigger indeed, here looking a bit forlorn on an open trailer behind an XA Ford Falcon Wagon rent-a-rocket.

Still, the serious money should be spent on the car not the trailer…

Goss wins the 1976 AGP aboard his Matich A51/53 ‘005’ from Vern Schuppan’s Elfin MR8C Chev, Sandown Park (HAGP)

Credits…

Neil Stratton, oldracingcars.com, Terry Capps, Derek Kneller, ‘History of The AGP’ G Howard and ors, Bruce Keys

Tailpiece: A51 ‘005’ fitted with Repco V8 flat-plane ‘Shaker’ crank in the Watkins Glen pitlane 1973…

(D Kneller)

Finito…

‘History of Motor Racing in Australia’ by John Sherwood in 1953…

Posted: August 3, 2018 in Obscurities, Who,What,Where & When...?
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(S Hood)

Goerge Barton and John Sherwood with their MG NE Magnette, in 1934, place unknown…

John Sherwood was a rather talented Australian- an elite road racer, competitor in the 1938 Australian Grand Prix and winner of the 1939 New South Wales Grand Prix/Motor Road Race, both events at Bathurst. He was also an excellent Midget speedway racer, motor sport administrator and promoter.

Sherwood was the driving force of the NSW Light Car Club and the key individual who created the Mount Panorama track at Bathurst. From a pioneering motoring family, he was a formidable competitor and later, as a Director of Empire Speedways, was a big contributor to the growth of Speedway Racing in Australia

I was researching an article on Sydney’s Parramatta Park road circuit when I tripped over this article written by Sherwood in 1953. I’ve reproduced it for its rarity- a man of the sport, in the sport and involved in the business of racing writing about its history in period having participated in many of the events he describes.

The selection of photographs to help bring the article to life are my own, otherwise Sherwood’s work is reproduced verbatim.

John Sherwood exiting Murray’s Corner, MG NE Magnette, Bathurst, Easter Monday 10 April 1939 on the way to winning the handicap NSW GP/Motor Road Race. He won from Paul Swedberg in John Snow’s Delahaye 135S and John Barraclough’s MG NE Magnette. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that ‘Sherwood drove a splendid race throughout going into the lead after the first few laps and holding it to the end, though making two stops for faulty spark plugs’ (M Stahl)

‘Generally speaking, history tends to be on the dry side, but fortunately the historical side of motor racing is anything but dry. It is rather fascinating to look back along the years to see how the sport in Australia has developed.

Motor racing in our country has grown over the years despite several retarding factors: the continued objection of officialdom to all aspects of organised fast driving, for many years the impossibility of obtaining suitable circuits and tracks on which to race and the lack of factory support for ambitious and worthy drivers. Nevertheless, motor racing enthusiasts throughout Australia have overcome all these drawbacks, and today (1953 remember) we see more of the sport than ever before.

Motor racing in Australia developed in Australia through the early reliability trials of 45 years ago, followed gradually by the inclusion in such trials of speed events such as hillclimbs, acceleration tests and short timed events over quarter and half mile distances. Then commenced the various city to city record attempts, for a long time unhindered by officialdom, in which usually big engined chassis with bucket seats, and a host of spare tyres sped from capital to capital over atrocious roads with the success of the run always influenced by the number of blowouts of the cord beaded edge tyres, and the number of tyres it was possible to carry on the vehicle.

Drivers of these cars were considered super-drivers, and such men as the late AV Turner (later killed in a hillclimb), the late Boyd Edkins and ‘Wizard’ Smith were hero-worshipped everywhere by motor enthusiasts.

The first actual racing in Australia probably occurred on the enclosed tracks at Victoria Park Racecourse (Sydney) and the Aspendale one mile dirt track (Melbourne). Mostly big-engine low revving juggernauts took part, entirely unsuitable for the job as we look back now, but in those days the last thing in racing automobiles.’

‘World Championship’ for Under 1500cc cars- Penrith Speedway, Sydney, 6 October 1930. From the outside is John Sherwood’s Lea Francis O-Type, then the Sam Aggett and Charlie East driven Bugatti T37’s and on the inside Tom Lord’s, Geoff Lowe owned Austin 7 Brooklands. On the very inside verge is Jack Field’s supercharged Lea Francis S-Type Hyper tourer slowing having paced the competitors for a lap before the championships 3 lap journey, East was the winner in his Bugatti (SLNSW)

‘The early drivers were keen, and more tracks were opened at Penrith (one mile) Maroubra (5/6 mile highly banked concrete track) and beaches at Gerringong and in Victoria came into use for racing purposes. At Gerringong, Don Harkness, driving an enormous Minerva engined chassis, was clocked at 107 mph to be the first in Australia to exceed the coveted ‘century’.

(The) First actual road racing circuit was opened at Phillip Island in Westernport Bay, 40 miles from Melbourne in 1928 and this became the mecca for motor racing enthusiasts for the next nine or ten years. At this point the dry bed of Lake Perkollili in Western Australia was the centre of motor racing in the west.

Australia’s best road circuit (more or less built specially for the purpose) at Mount Panorama, Bathurst came into being in 1938, and except for most of the war years, has been in use ever since. Other road circuits in other states have also sprung up, and since the war various ex-airforce strips have been adapted for racing with much success.

The newest circuit to come into use is in Parramatta Park, 15 miles from Sydney, a rather narrow 2 mile circuit, suitable mainly for the smaller cars, but by reason of its close proximity to a big population, is certain of success.

Down through the years cars have altered very considerably, the small high revving high compression engines now putting out power which one could not have conceived in the early days. Suspensions, brakes, steering, weight, tyres, fuel, streamlining and a hundred and one other things have combined to make the modern racing car a real thoroughbred, capable of sustaining terrific speeds over long distances.

As the years have rolled on, the scene changes, but motor racing itself does not change. Its spirit, rich in tradition and sportsmanship, linking past and present, reaches out to the future.’

Photo Credits…

Sam Hood, State Library of New South Wales, Max Stahl Collection

Bibliography…

South Coast Times and Wollongong Argus 21 September 1953, reprint of an article first published in the ‘Bentwood Review’, Sydney Morning Herald 11 April 1939, John Medley

Tailpiece: Sherwood and flock…

(Fairfax)

John Sherwood standing beside John Snow’s #4 Delahaye 135S, with the #6 Edison Waters Jaguar 100SS, Alf Barrett’s Alfa Monza and John Barraclough driven Alvis Terraplane straight-8 on the Bathurst grid in October 1939. Sherwood instrumental in the construction of this Australian racing institution- in the words of John Medley ‘Bathurst: Cradle of Australian Motor Racing’.

Finito…

 

 

‘Warwick Farm 100’ 1968: Take Three…

Posted: August 1, 2018 in F1, Fotos
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Graham Hill, works Gold Leaf Team Lotus 49 Ford 2.5 DFW in the Warwick Farm pitlane during the ‘Farm’s February 1968 Tasman Round weekend…

I’ve done the 1968 Tasman Series to death with a series of articles uploaded before including one on this particular weekend but this batch of ‘up close and personal’ photos by enthusiast Bryan Henderson are too good to ignore.

One of the reasons enthusiasts get misty eyed about that series is that both Clark and Hill had been regular, enormously popular visitors to Australasia from the dawn of the sixties pre-Tasman era, 1968 was the last we had the pair of them down south together.

Clark won the Tasman with the still very new Lotus 49 in dominant fashion and then returned to Europe after winning the series and the F1 season opening South African GP to his untimely death aboard a Lotus 48 Ford FVA during a Euro F2 round at Hockenheim. In the words of The Seekers popular song of the day ‘The Carnival Is Over’.

Hill, WF- this shot 1969

 

Clark and Hill, Lotus 49’s, Amon Ferrari Dino 246T, then Courage behind Clark, McLaren M4A FVA and Hulme, Brabham BT23 FVA with Gardner, Brabham BT23D Alfa  behind Denny

We all have our favourite seasons of course but arguably that summer of ’68 was the Tasman peak.

The variety of cars was truly stunning- BRM P261 V8 and P126 V12, Ferrari Dino V6, Brabham Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 V8, the Lotus 49 Ford V8’s, various Brabham Repco V8’s including Jack’s latest works BT23E Repco ‘740’ V8 and a swag of Coventry Climax FPF engined machines in the hands of locals. The driving pool included just annointed World Champ Denny Hulme, Jack Brabham, Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Chris Amon, Bruce McLaren, Richard Attwood, Chris Irwin, Frank Gardner, Piers Courage and local hotshoes Kevin Bartlett, Leo Geoghegan, John Harvey, Graeme Lawrence and others. An amazing variety of cars and depth of talent on the grid…

Etcetera…

(B Jackson)

Things go better with…

Graham and the boys bleed the Lotus’ brakes, note the use of a solid rotor rather than the vented discs used initially in 1967. Nice shot of the front bulkhead and inboard front suspension packaging.

Credits…

All photographs- Bryan Henderson, exceptions attributed on the shot

Tailpiece: To the victor the spoils…

Stilrling Moss, long retired but looking disgustingly fit addresses the crowd in advance of presenting Jim Clark his trophy- he won from Graham and Piers Courage in an F2 McLaren M4A Ford FVA. The gent in the shirt and dark tie is the much respected Geoff Sykes, the AARC/Warwick Farm General Manager/Promoter.

Wonderful times…

Finito…

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