Pete Geoghegans Craven Mild Monaro

[Steve Holmes]

BUt surely GT40 parts would have been fairly "cheap" (or should I say easily attainable) in the early-mid 70's??? As it woulda just have been old race car stuff... Just like alot of the Gp5 BSCC Falcons ended up with GT40 engines, brakes, wheels etc....

Yeah the Falcons did seem to end up with a few GT40 parts, I guess that was the Alan Mann connection. I guess GT40s are a bit like Cobra's. Looking back now, the prices paid for them does seem pretty cheap, but at the time would have still been fairly expensive. Its just they weren't stratospheric. But from what I understand, the fact O'Neil obtained GT40 parts even at the time was considered a pretty big deal.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Steve Holmes
..... But from what I understand, the fact O'Neil obtained GT40 parts even at the time was considered a pretty big deal.

Laurie was a complete and utter car and motor racing nut. The story was that at the time he had his own GT40, whether the bits came from it, or from spares he had with it, or via contacts he had because of owning it, I don't know.

His history in the sport started when he popped up from a roadside culvert to watch Ossie Cranston take a rapid pass on some outer-Perth road in his 1936 Ford V8. He was obviously publicly-known to be out testing out its top speed that day, possibly in preparation for the South Australian Centenary Grand Prix later in the year at Victor Harbor.

He was closely associated with four Australian Grand Prix winners - Allan Tomlinson, Doug Whiteford, Frank Matich and John Goss. The latter two he supported in their racing, while Whiteford had a drive or two in Laurie's Aston Martin DB4GTZ (as did Pete Geoghegan, incidentally) and Tomlinson remained a lifelong friend.

[librules]

Here's the pic I mentioned. Not my photo and happy to add an attribution if anyone knows who took it....

[Terry S]

Here's the pic I mentioned. Not my photo and happy to add an attribution if anyone knows who took it....

Fantastic to see this restoration. I was worried it wouldn’t happens as well .

I have the Models 56 version of this car and it is probably my favourite.

Not sure about the Swiss cheese look of the rear inside panel. I don’t think John Shepard would have left it like that.

I like that restored to original look fenders. Those later ones were so hideous.

I love the 11am opening time of the business. Don’t want to rush these things....

[Roger Dowding]

Fantastic to see this restoration. I was worried it wouldn’t happens as well .

I have the Models 56 version of this car and it is probably my favourite.

Not sure about the Swiss cheese look of the rear inside panel. I don’t think John Shepard would have left it like that.

I like that restored to original look fenders. Those later ones were so hideous.

I love the 11am opening time of the business. Don’t want to rush these things....

Terry S looks like your posts are getting through OK.

Re " I love the 11am opening time of the business. Don’t want to rush these things.. " That is to make sure the coffee is ready and the scones are in the oven - or is it the " rotisserie " for the chassis ??