Brad Ward Photos

[RogerH]

Brad Ward was a Kiwi race mechanic from Wanganui who set off on his OE in the late 1950s to the UK. He joined up with Graham Warner who ran the very successful "The Chequered Flag" group of companies. Graham raced Lotus Elites (most famously LOV 1) and bought the Moorland racecar company from designer Les Redmond. The latest Moorland was badge engineered into the first Gemini race car.
Brad looked after Warner's Elite and was involved with building the first real Gemini race cars - the front engine Mk2 and the rear engine Mk3 and Mk3A. Brad travelled through Europe with the team to the likes of Monaco and also looked after a NZ driven Triumph Herald at Nurbergring. He then joined John Sprintzel's team and subsequently returned to NZ in the mid 1960s. Sadly Brad died late last month but left a great collection of period photos. Last year, we got Brad up to Auckland to see the first Gemini race car which we had found in Texas. This was a car that Brad built so it was a memorable occasion to re-introduce Brad to the car he had built 50 years beforehand.
These are some of his photos.

On the way to Monaco 1960 with the works Gemini. Brad standing in front of the Zodiac (or is it a Zephyr?).


Lotus Elite LOV 1 on pole.


Monaco pits 1960.

[Steve Holmes]

Oh my, these are outstanding!

[Steve Holmes]

Roger, what are the blue cars #46 and #4? in the last photo in front of the Yeoman-Credit Cooper? Are they Scarabs?

[RogerH]

Your are right Steve. Car #46 is Chuck Daigh and #48 is Lance Reventlow both in Scarabs.
Here is another photo of the Scarab from Brad.

[kiwi285]

Really great photos and so evocative too. Thanks for sharing these.

[RogerH]

Here are a number of photos when Brad was race mechanic for a little known NZ entry in the 1960 Nurburgring 500km. Kiwi Richard Izard (more recently known for his involvement with saw blade manufacture in Wellsford - now sold) teamed up with Wolfgang Daewel and entered a Triumph Herald Coupe. The race was held on 4 September 1960 and the Hearld finished 16th in a field of 51 cars.

Izard on the right, Daewel on the left.

[Steve Holmes]

Just brilliant Roger! This is already an incredible thread.

[RogerH]

This photo is in the pits at Brands Hatch in July 1960? presumably on the introduction to the press of the new Gemini Mk3 (#45). It was driven by Geoff Duke on this occasion but other drivers in 1960 were Sir John Whitmore, Tony Maggs and Peter Ashdown. There was only ever one Mk3 Gemini made and the production cars were slightly modified and designated Mk3A. The sole Mk3 was sold in early 1961 to Charlie Kolb in the US (who later teamed up with both Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez in Ferraris at Daytona and Watkins Glen and with Masten Gregory in a Ferrari 250LM at 1968 Le Mans) and in it's first race it decimated the field at Sebring in March 1961.
This car has quite a Kiwi connection as instrumental in its construction was Brad Ward from Wanganui. Although the car went to the US and resided in Florida for the remainder of its life, it was discovered earlier this year in somewhat changed form after being converted to a short track car with a Porsche engine and slicks. However the fundamentals of the original Mk3 remained intact. It has been purchased by a Kiwi historic racer and is currently on a ship bound for Auckland.



Charlie Kolb after winning at Sebring March 1961

[Rod Grimwood]

Love the number on the Herald, nice photos.

[Lee Tracey]

Roger, thanks for sharing these wondeful photos with us. Am I correct in assuming that the fact you have these is evidence that arrangements have been made to preserve these for posterity?

Cheers
Lee

[RogerH]

Hi Lee, these photos from Brad are among many photos that I have been collecting with the intent of preserving them for future generations. Unfortunately many significant collections of photos have been lost. Brad's photos have just been offered (for free) to the author of a book on The Chequered Flag when I understand the current price for each photo used in publications is around £70.

[RogerH]

A couple more Brad photos - the FJ grid at the 1960 Monaco race preceding the F1 GP.

[RogerH]

These two photos are the works Gemini race car factory in London. Brad Ward is standing next to the car in the first photo. The cars are Gemini Mk2.

[Steve Holmes]

This is a really sensational thread Roger, incredibly enjoyable. The Monaco Formula Junior shots are gorgeous!

[RogerH]

Below is an evocative photo of work being done in the paddock at Brands Hatch on Boxing Day 1959. On the left is Les Redmond who was the designer and constructor of the Moorland race cars and the early Gemini race cars. Les went on to design many sports and single seater cars and should have more recognition for his work. On the right is Derek (Del) Taylor who was Les' nephew and he worked as a young gaffer at The Chequered Flag race team.

Del came out to NZ last year to catch up with the first Gemini Mk2 car built that had a great race history in the UK, Sebring, Cuba and El Salvador. Nigel Russell and I found it in Texas three years ago and bought it back to NZ and passed it onto Mike Sexton who has just about completed a superb restoration.

The photo below is particularly significant as it shows the first ever Ford Cosworth engine used in competition. The engine was put into the team bosses (Graham Warner) car but it threw a flywheel in practice and the engine was transferred to the works Lotus 18.

This race at Brands on Boxing Day 1959 was very significant as it was :

- the first race for a Ford Cosworth engine
- the first race for a rear engine Lotus
- the first single seater race for Jim Clark
- the first outing for a Lola single seater (a car I now have)

Not bad for one race.

[thunder427]

Below is an evocative photo of work being done in the paddock at Brands Hatch on Boxing Day 1959. On the left is Les Redmond who was the designer and constructor of the Moorland race cars and the early Gemini race cars. Les went on to design many sports and single seater cars and should have more recognition for his work. On the right is Derek (Del) Taylor who was Les' nephew and he worked as a young gaffer at The Chequered Flag race team.

Del came out to NZ last year to catch up with the first Gemini Mk2 car built that had a great race history in the UK, Sebring, Cuba and El Salvador. Nigel Russell and I found it in Texas three years ago and bought it back to NZ and passed it onto Mike Sexton who has just about completed a superb restoration.

The photo below is particularly significant as it shows the first ever Ford Cosworth engine used in competition. The engine was put into the team bosses (Graham Warner) car but it threw a flywheel in practice and the engine was transferred to the works Lotus 18.

This race at Brands on Boxing Day 1959 was very significant as it was :

- the first race for a Ford Cosworth engine
- the first race for a rear engine Lotus
- the first single seater race for Jim Clark
- the first outing for a Lola single seater (a car I now have)

Not bad for one race.

..Just Brilliant,the sentiment is not wasted on us out here,look forward to more..............................regards thunder427

[Murray Maunder]

Below is an evocative photo of work being done in the paddock at Brands Hatch on Boxing Day 1959. On the left is Les Redmond who was the designer and constructor of the Moorland race cars and the early Gemini race cars. Les went on to design many sports and single seater cars and should have more recognition for his work. On the right is Derek (Del) Taylor who was Les' nephew and he worked as a young gaffer at The Chequered Flag race team.

Del came out to NZ last year to catch up with the first Gemini Mk2 car built that had a great race history in the UK, Sebring, Cuba and El Salvador. Nigel Russell and I found it in Texas three years ago and bought it back to NZ and passed it onto Mike Sexton who has just about completed a superb restoration.

The photo below is particularly significant as it shows the first ever Ford Cosworth engine used in competition. The engine was put into the team bosses (Graham Warner) car but it threw a flywheel in practice and the engine was transferred to the works Lotus 18.

This race at Brands on Boxing Day 1959 was very significant as it was :

- the first race for a Ford Cosworth engine
- the first race for a rear engine Lotus
- the first single seater race for Jim Clark
- the first outing for a Lola single seater (a car I now have)

Not bad for one race.

Amazing Roger, have you checked those claims with the unquestionable knowledge of DM?

Whenever old Cooper and McLaren mechanics talked to me about dirt floor workshops where they built the cars I found it hard to truly relate to. Not any more seeing those shots of the Gemini "factory".

What a thread! Thanks Roger.

[RogerH]

Digressing slightly from Brad's photos, in 1959 Brad was involved with the construction of the first Gemini race car - a Mk2 front engine Formula Junior powered by an A Series BMC engine. This car ran at Brands Hatch in October 1959 but was then entered by the US Gemini agent at Sebring in the FJ race at the US F1 GP meeting in December 1959. This necessitated the Gemini to be air freighted to Sebring where it was driven by local "hot shoe" Joe Sheppard for the owner Duncan Forlong. Forlong subsequently raced the car at Daytona, Havana Cuba and El Salvador. It then was sold on but put into storage in a rose nursery in Texas for 40 years where Nigel Russell and I bought it in 2008. We then passed it on at cost to Mike Sexton who is restoring it to race.

Gemini at Brands Hatch - October 1959


Gemini Mk2 at Sebring December 1959.


Gemini in Cuba just after Castro had taken over.


Racing in El Salvador.


Arrival in NZ.


2010 - Brad Ward, Nigel Russell and me with the Gemini Brad built over 50 years ago.

[kiwi285]

A fantastic thread and some really evocative photos. Thanks for sharing these.

I have read about the old lockups that were used by the early car builders - but what a dogs breakfast to try and work in and build top class race cars. A couple of these photos show that graphically. I'll bet they were damned cold in winter - like an old refirgerator.

Great to see one of the old Gemini front engines cars here in NZ especially with so much local association.

[RogerH]

A couple more photos of the Gemini works "factory" - Brad holding the garage cat.





At John Sprinzel's garage where Brad worked after The Chequered Flag. Sprinzel built up race Austin Healey Sprites. Far left is Australian race driver Paul Hawkins who went on to race F1 in a Brabham and Lotus. He was killed in 1969 in a Lola T70 crash. Middle is a race mechanic from Jamaica, who according to Brad could lift an A Series engine out of the engine bay without a hoist.