Photos: The Peter Mellor Collection - Part 2

[Steve Holmes]

With Part 1 of the Peter Mellor Collection of historic Australian motor racing photos off and running hard, Pete has sent me a batch of new photos to post. These I've decided deserve their own separate chapter. The focus on Part 1 has been Touring Cars. Part 2, however, will be Sports Cars. And there are some real gems in amongst this lot.

As with Part 1, these photos are a joint effort between Pete, Ray Moore, along with other friends. And there are some wonderful and interesting cars in this chapter. My thanks to Pete for taking the time to share these amazing photos. Its really a privilege to be able to share them here.

Enjoy, and feel free to contribute stories and info related to these images.

[Steve Holmes]

OK, lets kick things off with what I think is one of the prettiest cars to come out of Australia: The Centaur. This car was built by Wal Anderson for Queensland driver John French to compete in the Australian GT Championship. It was powered by a Merv Waggott Holden motor, and French went on to win the 1962 Australian GT Championship with it. This is the Centaur pictured slightly later in life, owned and driven here by Dennis Geary, who later raced a Lola T70 Spyder. Interesting point here is that the exhaust system exits out the left side, whereas the original system exited out the right side. Did Geary re-power it?

[Ellis]

The current owner has had it since 1964

Not sure who is photographer but some are from Speed on Tweed







The Waggott Twin Cammer was probably the pinnacle of the Holden Grey development
It was reported to have 202hp
Of note are the finned front drums
One of my favorite cars also Steve

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Ellis, love the pics! The head is absolutely beautiful. How many twin-cam Waggott heads were made?

[Ellis]

Thanks Ellis, love the pics! The head is absolutely beautiful. How many twin-cam Waggott heads were made?

Most say only 6 or 7 which I reckon is probably in the ball park altho I have seen other estimates around 100+
He used a 7 main bearing crank with the high performance ones which in itself would have required some major engineering. I doubt there was much "Holden" remaining in these engines

[mid-year]

Hi Ellis,thanks for posting those great photos-the engine bay is a delight,I once heard that Waggot made less than a dozen of these exotic heads with use split between Speedway and Ski-Boats.

Pete.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Ellis. They must sound amazing! Have you heard one running?

[Ellis]

Thanks Ellis. They must sound amazing! Have you heard one running?

No never had the pleasure but a mate in Qld says they are quite amazing.

Pic of one in a Humpy

[mid-year]

The current owners run the car regularly at historic events and it does sound magnificent thru those lovely side-pipes.

Pete.

[Robert Bailey]

The colour in the 1st photo of Frank,is wonderful and clear.
had tolook twice thought the twin cam was a Jaguar head.

[Steve Holmes]

Here is the second photo of the Centaur in Geary's ownership. Note the colour is different to the other Geary photo in Post 2. This is far closer to the colour the car was when French raced it, so maybe its an earlier photo than the one posted above? But still the exhausts exit out the left side. I'd love to know if Geary raced it with a different motor, or if he just re-routed the Holden exhaust system for whatever reason. Perhaps because of heat or noise?

[Ellis]

Steve

Its got Team xxxx?
with
Dvr
BARRY J KARLE I think

Do you know the signifigance of the sign writing

[Ellis]

These pics from John Stanley Collection and their captions answer a couple of questions

[Steve Holmes]

Oh wow, great find Ellis! I knew I'd seen photos somewhere of the car having had a big shunt at Lakeside in 1963, but hadn't noticed the exhaust wasn't exiting out the right side. Great work!

[Steve Holmes]

Next up are a couple of shots of Bob Jane's E Type Jaguar. This car he raced prior to the lightweight version. This car he raced in 1962/63. The lightweight was 1965/66, to the best of my knowledge.

[Robert Bailey]

Pity that car is lost the red E-type but I do know a guy that claims its still in South aust....in a bad way

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Robert, I was just going to ask if anyone knew its whereabouts. Thats a shame.

[Robert Bailey]

Jane sold, not along after he crashed it heavily at Warwick Farm in June '63.

Sold in December '63 to Hutchins/Kennedy of Adelaide.

Was crashed written of in the Adelaide hills ,early '64.

A guy I know in S.A claims to have seen the on-sold wreck in a shed/garage up to about 2 years.

Will not give me any other details....so who knows.

[Steve Holmes]

Wow, OK, thanks Robert. Would love to know more about that.

[Ellis]

Jane Pub Cnr Longford 1963

Photographer not known