Geeeees Steve........
Havnt finnished "studying" the last lot of Humpies and others yet and now there are more.
Work on the Humpy will have to wait.....lol
Thanks for posting them.
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Geeeees Steve........
Havnt finnished "studying" the last lot of Humpies and others yet and now there are more.
Work on the Humpy will have to wait.....lol
Thanks for posting them.
I only recently read a story about Ken Miles running this Cobra at Lakeside and giving a motoring journalist the ride of his life, I'll see if I can find it to post. I wonder which CSX No.car this was and if it still exists, Ken's normal car used 98 so I presume it is another Shelby American Competition Cobra. Looks like a 427 Full Competition car by the screen, quick jacks and the "special" rubber tie down cord used to keep the boot closed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Holmes
CSX3002.
(I think this may have been the Ken Miles 390ci engined special, flip front car.)
Edit: No it wasn't the Miles 390 special, CSX3002 was the only 427 racer that the Shelby works produced, came a little after the special which had been 289, pre coil sprung chassis based.
Here is the section I mentioned about Ken Miles running the Cobra at Lakeside, it is out of the book by Wallace A. Wyss "SHELBY The Man. The Cars. The Legend"
In 1966, Ken Miles suckered an Australian reporter clad in a dress shirt, slacks and tie, into taking a ride around the Lakeside circuit "down under" in a Comp 427 equipped with a low cut racing windscreen for the driver only. The reporter enjoyed the ride but by the time they returned to the pits, the reporter noted his shirt had been ripped to shreds by them going 140 mph in the open car!
The article when I reread it tonight confirms my thoughts and Pallmall's recent post that it was indeed a Comp 427. I've checked my Shelby Cars in Detail book and it does mention CSX3002.
Only one 427, CSX3002, was raced as a Shelby American team car, and even then only a few times
It doesn't mention if CSX3002 still survives?
[QUOTE=Steve Holmes;10820]Attachment 6484
Can anyone tell me a little about the Ron Thorpe AC Cobra.
Was it an early 260ci or later 289ci, and does anyone know what number car it was? It would be interesting to find out if it also survives.
Interesting to note that the car ran with and without a bonnet scoop and front grill
Think its in Qld...Bowden
He got it from the John Blanden Estate auction form memory
Cheers Ellis, I'm attending a function with the Bowden's this Friday night coincidentally, they are in Tassie for the Longford Revival. I'll have to have a chat to them about it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ellis
[QUOTE=nick_tassie;11466]Will have to dig a little deeper, but I assume it would be a car from AC being RH drive. The only car I can see as being exported direct from AC to Australia was COB6114, but this was in 1967, too late to be the Thorpe car. I assume the car was purchased in the UK second hand or from a dealer, chassis number would be a COX prefix, or COB 600 series.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Holmes
Pretty sure its a 289, not 260. Dan Bowden told me he thought the hard top was supplied new with the car. They still have it.
Thorp car is COB6033 and a 289. So, an AC not a Shelby not that there is any real difference. I see the engine now has Shelby Cobra alloy rocker covers, probably just Ford steel ones back in the day.
I notice while I was researching COB6033 that the correct spelling is Thorp, not Thorpe.
The car was supplied from AC Cars Ltd on the 10.12.1964 in Vineyard green with black trim.
Found this interesting information on the LHD Manton Mini http://bmcexperience.com.au/bmc-issue-1/manton.htmlQuote:
Originally Posted by Steve Holmes
Craig
There was an Aussie Mini racer that used to change his car from right steer to left steer depending on the direction of the track.
Yes, that would be the Manton Mini. Neville Watts converted a steering rack to be both left and right so it could be changed easily to suit the different directions of tracks.
Don't know how often it was changed though?
Might be able to see with all the great pics thoughout the years that are coming up on this great site.
Thanks
Ian
Oh brilliant article Craig, many thanks for posting that. The whole gear changing thing was something I'd wondered about with this car. I've spoken to various people who race a lhd race car, but own a rhd road car, (eg, they might own a '69 Mustang race car, but drive a new Falcon road car) and wondered if they had trouble adjusting to suddenly changing gear with their right hand in the race car. But because the surroundings inside the cars are different, they adapt almost immediately. But with Manton, he wouldn't have had that luxury, as the surroundings inside the car would be the same, its just sometimes he sat on the left, other times on the right. Must have been difficult.Quote:
Originally Posted by Catalina Park
The Cortina #9 in this set of photos is the ex Geoghegan Cortina GT being driven here by George Garth. George still owns this car, I believe. Also the sports car being chased by Fred Gibson in some other shots would be Wal Donelly in the Turner. Great photos in this thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Holmes
Dale.
Thanks for that info Dale. So re the Geoghegan Cortina, is that the same car posted earlier where it had been inverted? And if so, was it Geoghegan or Garth who had inverted it?
There were two Cortinas raced by the Geoghehans. The first was a two door GT and then a Lotus. The car that was rolled at Catalina was the Lotus and driven by Pete. The GT was bought by George Garth and raced extensively with plenty of success. The last I heard it was still in his posession.
Dale.
Thanks for that info Dale.
Just found this on Catalina. Not the same era as these photos but it does show the track.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHJUt...eature=related
Peter Manton did change the Mini to left or right hand drive depending on the circuit
Dennis
Thanks Dennis.
Dale, just going back through Bruce Wells incredibly great photos and noticed your comment on the Geoghegans Cortinas.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dale Harvey
May I beg to differ, but there were actually THREE Cortinas raced by them, and not two.
The third was a four door Cortina GT raced late 1963, early 1964 and mainly driven by Leo.
I don't know what happened to it, it just seemed to disappear. Any clues?
Terry, the 'four door' would have probably been to comply with Appendix J rules [which ended in Dec., 1963]. Any car over 1300cc must have four doors.
Greg I think you will find that the 4 door regulation applied to cars over 1600cc.Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg Mackie
For example Jim McKeown was racing his Lotus Cortina before the end of 1963.
I won't argue about the four door car. My memory is not perfect. I think I do remember seeing a photo of it, maybe at Bathurst. I will have a look when I get back home in a week or so.
Dale.
Dale, for interest I have found a photo of the four door car on the Bruce Wells Collection - Oran Park - Part 1, which is on page 19.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dale Harvey
Go to post #10.
Great to see this thread bumped back to the top. The Catalina images were some of my favourite chapters from Bruce's collection. I really need to go through and resize the photos so they're larger, for better viewing.
Geez Terry, now you've got me doubting my memory [usually pretty good].Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry S
Having driven an under 1300cc, 2 door Appendix J car in 1963, I thought that over 1300cc had to be 4 doors....or you raced in GT.
Steve, that looks similar to the Le Mans start of my 1963 race there. The 'mechanic' would run across the track with the ign. key. He would hand the key to the driver, who was in the car, with the seat belt fastened.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Holmes
Yes, definitely a four door. Looks like big Pete driving.Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry S
Dale.
You're right, Niel Allen (despite other opinions having been posted)...Quote:
Originally posted by Steve Holmes
.....Can anyone ID the E Type? I'm guessing Niel Allen?
Attachment 6492
The lean out the window is a giveaway without checking numbers. But it is him, refer RCN February '65 page 23.
Gary Bergman has the bonnet up... 30 is Bruce Stewart, and yes, 46 is John Hall. Brian Donovan is in the striped car following Stewart, I don't know 81.Quote:
Originally posted by Steve Holmes
.....I can't get enough of the Humpy Holden shots. These cars have so much character and look fantastic on the swooping Catalina Park circuit. This is the Francel 48/215 diving inside another car thats given something/someone enough of a whack its popped the hood open. Whose is car #25? Could this be Harold Thynne? #46, in the last shot, I believe is the John Hall car. Can anyone help with the others?
Attachment 6495
Attachment 6496
Attachment 6493
By 'FJs' I guess you mean Formula Juniors?Quote:
Originally posted by Steve Holmes
OK, I'll take a punt and say the EH Holden is that of Brian Muir. Can someone help with the FJs?
Attachment 6498
Attachment 6499
Attachment 6497
Yes, Brian Muir in the first pic...
Phil West is in the Brabham ANF2 (1100cc) car, this is the car prepared by Kevin Carrad which proved unbeatable and got him the Scuderia Veloce 2.5 Brabham drive a couple of years later.
Glyn Scott in the Lotus 27, which I'm sure was always a 1500 car, perhaps Ian Fergusson in the Elfin (same number as his Bathurst entry and he qualified just ahead of Glyn for this meeting).
The irrepressible Barry Sharp in the Wolseley 6/90...Quote:
Originally posted by Steve Holmes
Thanks Jac. Any clues as to why the Mini was lhd? Last ... from this particular event.....
Attachment 6505
Attachment 6503
Tom Anderson in the green '55 Customline he campaigned for so long, Denis Cooke in the red 203 is here pressing him after being caught out by Anderson's great start.
Regarding the LHD/RHD Manton Mini, I don't know how many times he changed it but it certainly wasn't many! It was a simple job for the steering part of the job, I think it was a RHD Sprite rack that switched over to a LHD mini rack.
Des Leonard in the R-Series Valiant...Quote:
Originally posted by Steve Holmes
OK, next batch. These are from another 1965 meeting, held, I believe, in May. Kicking off here, and I'm at a loss identifying the drivers in this first post, other than the Rowe MG. Any help would be appreciated.
Attachment 6508
Attachment 6509
Attachment 6510
Attachment 6507
Probably Barry Thiele in the Major, that was a mid-blue car. 52 could be, but I wouldn't bet on it, Alan Barrow.
The Nota outside of the Kenny Rowe MG, I'm not sure, but 'Lawson' is mentioned.
The Zephyr is Bruce Taylor.
The Minis-only race wasn't in '65, but I can verify that it's the mechanics running and the cars were shut down until the keys were handed through the window.Quote:
Originally posted by Steve Holmes
There appears to have been a race held at this meeting just for Minis, which included some sort of Le Mans start. Its hard to tell if those are the drivers running across to the tracks (without helmets), or if the people running across the track just tag the cars when they get there, at which point, each car, with driver already inside, charges off.
Attachment 6512
Attachment 6513
Attachment 6514
Attachment 6511
The Holden is Warren Weldon, 119 was his usual number.
And it's Paul Meyer, not Peter. Father of Michael Meyer, who went into FFords in the early seventies, Paul had a tuning shop in Woolloomooloo (maybe not enough ls in there). He wasn't real quick, but Doug Macarthur certainly showed speed and thus he's challenging a car which should have been faster than his. Mind you, Meyer's car was a road-going Elan, not a lightweight.
Whether or not it's the same Studebaker I don't know, but it is Warren Weldon. In one shot he is holding an early lead over eventual winner Max Volkers in a Cortina GT (Series Production race) while in the other he's falling back into the clutches of David Frazer's Renault Gordini.Quote:
Originally posted by Steve Holmes
The Studebaker appears to be the same car raced by Warren Weldon/Bruce Slattery at Bathurst in 1965.
I'm trying to ID who the driver of the inverted FX Holden could be. Perhaps Bruce Stewart?
Attachment 6516
Attachment 6517
Attachment 6518
And it is Bruce Stewart's car inverted in the Tunnel after blowing a rear tyre.
You're right, these pics are from the November 7 meeting, 1965... the meeting Jane wrote off his Mustang.Quote:
Originally posted by Steve Holmes
Here we have Pete Geoghegan's new Mustang, which raised the bar from the time it arrived in Australia, winning the ATCC at Bathurst in 1966. Here Geoghegan battles with Beechey. Actually, I started this batch of photos stating I thought they were from a May 1965 meeting, but I don't think that can be correct, as the Geoghegan Mustang apparently didn't make its race debut until August 1965.
The 250LM is the beautiful Scuderia Veloce machine, driven here, most likely, by Spencer Martin.
Attachment 6519
Spencer's Ferrari has all that ugly protective foam and tape over the front because it had been to Lowood a few weeks earlier to win the Queensland TT from KB in the Mildren Maserati.
22nd August, 1965... not July, Thorp wasn't there, Jane interfered with the Elans that time too...Quote:
Originally posted by Steve Holmes
OK, time for some more additions to this thread. Bruce has marked this folder as "KA 7-65", which to me means July 1965. If anyone ifs able to confirm this, I'd appreciate it. Several cars in this first post as seen previously in this thread, including Fred Gibson in the Lotus Elan, the Ron Thorpe Cobra, and George Murrays Austin 7 Special, but note also Pete Geoghegan in the Lotus 23B, and you also catch a glimpse of the nose on Leo Geoghegans Lotus Elan, chasing the Turner.
Attachment 6829
Attachment 6830
Attachment 6831
Attachment 6828
Neither time was it Leo in the Elan, though. Remember how Leo only put the car together to show it off because Fred was going too slow and he had been trying to sell the second one for a long time? He sold it after only three meetings.
So it's Niel Allen poking around behind Wal Donnelly (note the spelling) in the Turner.
The Elan is Niel Allen...Quote:
Originally posted by Steve Holmes
Can anyone ID the Lotus 7 pictured here? Rear view of the Lotus is the Geoghegan car again.
Attachment 6834
Attachment 6835
The Super Seven is driven by Arnold Ahrenfeld. Here he is again, leading Bob Beasley, Jim Quinn and Ian Brown:
http://s26.postimg.cc/dfet6grp5/0315...aahrenfeld.jpg
This was taken at the August '65 meeting as they came through Bosch Corner.