Motorbike-powered race cars in Australia 1950 - 1980
#151
Posted 31 January 2012 - 19:58
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#152
Posted 01 February 2012 - 04:15
I cannot be sure of the answer to that, but I have a vague memory that the WGM, a front-engined / front drive Matchless powered car in Victoria in mid 1950s may have used an aircraft disc brake, whether front or rear I could not say. It certainly used aircraft bungee cord for suspension springing, as I think did a few other early 500s. Its builders (Wheeler & Gow) were I think aircraft industry types, but I am sure there will be others lurking on TNF that know more than me on this, including the car's restorer, Chester McKaige.Did any of these cars ever run front Disc Brakes during this period.
Rob Saward
#153
Posted 01 February 2012 - 05:37
The first Tasmanian-owned Cooper was the A.A.(Alan) Stephenson (that was his actual name, but some contemporary reports did say Bill, for reasons I dont know) car, ex John Crouch, with alloy 1098cc JAP vee twin engine. During Stephenson's time with the car it was painted light blue. Not sure about the Gorringe connection, would need some evidence on that. I have not found anything to connect Gorringe with ownership or driving of this car. Lyn Archer appears to have been the last Tasmanian owner, entered at Longford 1955 but DNA. Lyn told me that he did not get on with the car, and did not own it for very long. First entry I have for Stephenson was for Longford 28/2/53, but he was a DNA at that meeting. The combination raced at early every Tasmanian race and sprint meeting (beach and airfield) from then through to Quorn Hall 1/11/54 (last recorded appearance I have).[i]Mk5-L5-51
John Crouch (1100 JAP, silver/aluminium) > Don Gorringe (not known to have used) > Bill Stephenson > Lyn Archer > probably Doug Green > Jack Rowe > Jack Ayres > Hilton McGee > Mark Dymond > John Dymond > Penrite Oils (AU)
I assume the red Mk V at post number 39, Terry Walker's photo of Jack Ayres in WA, is this same car about 8 years later.
The photos below are not that good, all by unknown photographer, from Mick Watt, and show the car in Alan Stephenson hands at Quorn Hall, Tasmania c1953-54. He hit the hay bales that divided the airstrip and damaged the front suspension and a wheel. A rather more severe result might have happened if he hit one of the tar-filled oil drums used to mark the course at Quorn Hall (visible in each of the photos)!
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Rob Saward
Edited by austmcreg, 01 February 2012 - 05:51.
#154
Posted 01 February 2012 - 07:22
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Rob Saward
#155
Posted 01 February 2012 - 19:29
Australia' ultimate air-cooled hillclimb car in 1950s, Bruce Walton's Walton Cooper with supercharged JAP, taken by unknown photographer at Australian Hillclimb Championship, 14/11/59 on Hobart's Queens Domain .
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Rob Saward
This would have to be one of the best photos of car & driver showing sheer dertermination to win that I have ever seen.
#156
Posted 03 February 2012 - 13:05
More Tasmanian motorcycle engined cars to add to the lists at posts 78 and 148:To bring the list of Tasmanian cars originally at post #78 up to date, the following have emerged in recent research:
Piaggio Special. Built by Garth Wigston and Denny Goodsell in Hobart 1961 using a 150cc (Piaggio) Vespa engine/transmission unit. Raced for about 1 year with some (handicap) success.
Michell 500. Entered by Max Stephens Motors, driver R.Michell, December 1963.
Derek White, BSA Special, 1963.
John Dobie, BSA Special, c1962-63.
J.A.T. Ariel 350cc, entered at Baskerville October 1961 by G.Templemen and driver S.Tilley
Trowjm Yamaha. There were two of these, Yamaha 249cc cars racing in Tasmania c1966-67 built by John Trowbridge and Dick Crawford, and driven variously by Crawford, Tony Wise and Gary Siepen. These were small cars in the JMW style.
Johnford. One car built by Dick Crawford and ? Johnston in c1967 using Yamaha 249cc engine. This was another small car in the JMW style.
Rob Saward
#157
Posted 12 February 2012 - 10:42
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Rob Saward
EDIT July 2012. This was in March 1955, not 1956 as originally posted.
Edited by austmcreg, 14 July 2012 - 02:32.
#158
Posted 25 February 2012 - 19:30
Brian Simpson in his 1956 Cooper JAP 1100cc
Garry Simkin in the 1950 Cooper Vincent 998cc
Fred Greeneklee in the 1952 Cooper MK6 500cc
Andrew Halliday in the 1953 Waye JAP 500cc
Any pictures & history of these cars would be appriciated
#159
Posted 26 February 2012 - 01:03
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#160
Posted 26 February 2012 - 01:25
I can put up a few shots of them at Wakefield Park if you can handle non period shots?
Mr Lambert, anything is better than nothing, thank you as it allows us to know what we are discussing in much more detail.
#163
Posted 27 February 2012 - 06:18
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#165
Posted 27 February 2012 - 07:11
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#166
Posted 27 February 2012 - 12:03
These pics were taken by David Van Dal, most likely 1958 on his trip east. Can someone identify car, driver and place? I see Decca Special there.
Walton Special (I think it should be called) aka Walton JAP. If 1958 it must be John Fish because it's not Bruce. Looks like Collingrove, South Australia. Car was yellow when Bruce had it. Is the colour in these photos correct - I thought John had it in red?
#167
Posted 27 February 2012 - 12:08
Walton Special (I think it should be called) aka Walton JAP. If 1958 it must be John Fish because it's not Bruce. Looks like Collingrove, South Australia. Car was yellow when Bruce had it. Is the colour in these photos correct - I thought John had it in red?
Was John Fish that thin?
#168
Posted 27 February 2012 - 14:26
A couple of images at Autopics show John Fish in the car at Geelong Sprints, 23/08/1959. They indicate:
- Yes, he was once that thin
- He had the same helmet (and note the similar 'tilt' to the way he wore it)
- The car could well have been red,
- Same nosecone (and note the thin yellow border)
- And curiously it had now gained 'pannier sides' rather than the slab sides and external gear shift that Bruce had.
That would fit with these colour shots being 1958 (or the 1958-59 Summer), presumably fairly soon after he bought the car?
#169
Posted 28 February 2012 - 02:33
Terry,
- And curiously it had now gained 'pannier sides' rather than the slab sides and external gear shift that Bruce had.
That would fit with these colour shots being 1958 (or the 1958-59 Summer), presumably fairly soon after he bought the car?
Well spotted! I have never seen those pics before nor any others with those curved side panels so I didn't know about them.
(For other's info, I own the car)
Edited by tsrwright, 28 February 2012 - 02:34.
#170
Posted 13 March 2012 - 08:34
#171
Posted 14 March 2012 - 00:20
#172
Posted 14 March 2012 - 01:42
Brian Schureck's? If so, it was bought by Neville Cohen, and driven by Graeme Denning.I think this is the BB Ariel. at amaroo, early 80s - apologies for the picture quality
#173
Posted 14 March 2012 - 03:58
#174
Posted 14 March 2012 - 06:27
John was an ex speedway rider ("Johnny Stephens" perhaps?) who had some fearsome things like fat Vincent outfits but a serious lack of fingers here and there. He ran the ex Warren Blomfield Pronta Holden, the BB, the Nota Mazengarb, and others in early Historics in NSW
He sold the BB to Graeme Snape, so it was GS's first Historic car
#175
Posted 14 March 2012 - 07:16
#176
Posted 14 March 2012 - 20:56
#177
Posted 14 March 2012 - 21:46
Graeme Snape has had some cars, has he not? He was a member [President at one stage, I think] of the Sutherland Shire Automobile Club, along with messrs. Cohen, Denning, and myself. The S.S.A.C. was very much motorsport orientated, back in the late 50', early '60s, and many of the members had C.A.M.S. licences.....and were successful.
#178
Posted 14 March 2012 - 23:35
#179
Posted 18 March 2012 - 12:43
Five Day Special. A.N.Harvey. Built in 1959 with 250cc BSA engine, just prior to the 1959 AHCC at Queen’s Domain, Hobart. Ran several times in 1959 only. Current whereabouts unknown.
Rob Saward
New (to me) information on the Five Day Special, built in Hobart in 1959. It was apparently built by prolific Hobart special builder John Trowbridge, using a Triumph Tiger Cub 200cc engine, I assume for owner A.N.Harvey. A picture appears at post #49. The earlier information about BSA engine is wrong - entries confirm it as being 200cc.
John Trowbridge is also belived to have been involved in the build of several other Tasmanian motorcycle engined cars that I am currently researching. None of the early cars carried his name, but the Trowjm Yamaha(s) raced by Dick Crawford in mid 1960s at least had part of his name. He became better known in later years for his Trowbridge Formula Vees.
Rob Saward
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#180
Posted 18 March 2012 - 13:02
This is the ex Stephenson / Archer Tasmanian car MkV-L5-51, pictured in post #153 of this thread, which left Tasmania in about 1956. It is now with Dymond family in Melbourne with a correct JAP twin as per original. A lot of these cars suffered mightily at times!This car was discussed when I posted it on the Personal Photos of... thread a few years ago, but I thought it was worth bringing it back. It's the Cooper MkV raced in WA by Doug Green, Jack Ayres and Jack Rowe. After an absence of a couple of years, it turned up at Caversham in perhaps late 66 with this twin Triumph conversion. I didn't get there until the afternoon, so I don't know whether the car made it out for practice, but it didn't race, and then wasn't seen again until Hilton McGee rescued it a few years later.
Can anyone add any detail of its journey from Tas to WA? Is its arrival date in WA known with any certainty? Any other owners between Lyn Archer and Doug Green?
Rob Saward
#181
Posted 21 March 2012 - 10:24
#182
Posted 21 March 2012 - 10:36
You can still get there by entering the name, eg
http://www.500race.o...arques/Ralt.htm
#183
Posted 21 March 2012 - 10:40
Found this picture in a report from January 1959 Sports Car World on the 1958??? Port Wakefield Races.
The pictures showes the spinning Taylor Special owned by J. Taylor, can any one provide further information or pictures on this car.
David McKinney passed on this info, AMS refers to John Taylor in his JAP 500...
#184
Posted 21 March 2012 - 10:45
The data seems to still be there, but the link to 'Marques' from the title page has gone
You can still get there by entering the name, eg
http://www.500race.o...arques/Ralt.htm
Sorry David it did not work no matter what adjustments of the URL I tried, so back to the question would some one wish to share this info.
#185
Posted 21 March 2012 - 11:37
http://www.500race.o...ues/marques.htm
Edit: David's link works if 'Ralt' is all in lower case:
http://www.500race.o...arques/ralt.htm
#186
Posted 21 March 2012 - 13:41
#187
Posted 21 March 2012 - 21:07
Try this one - it works for me:
http://www.500race.o...ues/marques.htm
Edit: David's link works if 'Ralt' is all in lower case:
http://www.500race.o...arques/ralt.htm
A big thanks to David & Tim for there assistance, http://www.500race.o...ues/marques.htm this works very well.
#188
Posted 22 March 2012 - 11:53
There was a couple of very pukka and very pretty I think Coopers. One I am sure was a JAP. There was just so many cars I have lost track. I was too busy looking at 5000s and F1s. And some interesting big banger sportysCould some kind person please list the Motorbike powered cars at last weekends Phillip Island.
#189
Posted 23 March 2012 - 08:55
Thanks David I will try this address.
Found this picture in a report from January 1959 Sports Car World on the 1958??? Port Wakefield Races.
The pictures showes the spinning Taylor Special owned by J. Taylor, can any one provide further information or pictures on this car.
David McKinney passed on this info, AMS refers to John Taylor in his JAP 500...
I found this picture on Google from www.MotorsportArchive.com, I believe that the following car is the Taylor Special, it is running the number 20 & is from the same meeting Wakefield Trophy meeting of October 13th, 1958.
I appears more like a Bike powered car from the side, if the picture is to be removed please contact me.
#190
Posted 02 May 2012 - 21:41
#191
Posted 03 May 2012 - 13:47
I cannot answer the question with any authority, but can relate the experience of one Cooper owner in this regard.All Cooper cars had magnesium wheels with built in brake drums, what would be the safe life expectancy of the wheels, not taking into account those that have been involved in accidents.
The Mk 3 (though it was always called a Mk 4 in period) which was best known when run by Reg Smith's Reno Car Sales in 1950s and later Jack French in Victoria and Dave Powell in Tasmania, was sold by later owner John Soundy in Tasmania in 1969 becasue John noticed cracks appearing in the wheels adjacent to the pressed-in brake drums. He raced the car in 1967-68, but became concerned about the safety of the wheels.
By this time the car was 20 years old, on about its 8th owner and had done a lot of racing miles. We dont know, of course whether the wheels were its originals. I am not an expert on Cooper wheels, but they were early type (Mk3/4) castings and not the visually different Mk 5 and later items.
Rob Saward
#192
Posted 03 May 2012 - 21:21
I cannot answer the question with any authority, but can relate the experience of one Cooper owner in this regard.
The Mk 3 (though it was always called a Mk 4 in period) which was best known when run by Reg Smith's Reno Car Sales in 1950s and later Jack French in Victoria and Dave Powell in Tasmania, was sold by later owner John Soundy in Tasmania in 1969 becasue John noticed cracks appearing in the wheels adjacent to the pressed-in brake drums. He raced the car in 1967-68, but became concerned about the safety of the wheels.
By this time the car was 20 years old, on about its 8th owner and had done a lot of racing miles. We dont know, of course whether the wheels were its originals. I am not an expert on Cooper wheels, but they were early type (Mk3/4) castings and not the visually different Mk 5 and later items.
Rob Saward
I suppose the next question is were / are Magnesium wheels repairable ??????
#193
Posted 04 May 2012 - 04:40
#194
Posted 04 May 2012 - 07:51
However new magnesium are available from a number of sources, I have just had a set made for our mk6 by Simon Frost a 500OA member and fast 500 peddeller. (now does anyone have the Turner 500 wheel patterns?)
Edited by rbm, 04 May 2012 - 07:53.
#195
Posted 08 May 2012 - 00:23
My mk2 Cooper the 10th car made is still running on original mk2/3/4 type wheels, these were ultra-sounded and x-rayed before we re-assembled the car to check for cracks and none were found.
However new magnesium are available from a number of sources, I have just had a set made for our mk6 by Simon Frost a 500OA member and fast 500 peddeller. (now does anyone have the Turner 500 wheel patterns?)
An advantage of new wheels (such as Simon Frost's) is that the rim section can be made to suit the tyres that are available today; the period rims are well under the preferred rim size for current Dunlops, which incidentally are available in several aspect ratios in the 500 size to catch out the unwary.
Does anyone know for certain the timing of the various Cooper patterns - the original with the square edge to the drum, the variant with the annular stiffening rib on the outer face of the drum, then the type with the round edge to the drum which seems to have predated the Mk8. This is important because it is sometimes the only clue when trying to date a car in a photo.
#196
Posted 08 May 2012 - 04:09
An advantage of new wheels (such as Simon Frost's) is that the rim section can be made to suit the tyres that are available today; the period rims are well under the preferred rim size for current Dunlops, which incidentally are available in several aspect ratios in the 500 size to catch out the unwary.
Does anyone know for certain the timing of the various Cooper patterns - the original with the square edge to the drum, the variant with the annular stiffening rib on the outer face of the drum, then the type with the round edge to the drum which seems to have predated the Mk8. This is important because it is sometimes the only clue when trying to date a car in a photo.
That is a good question Terry but I am not the person to answer you but would be very interested if someone would post pictures of the different wheels that Cooper produced on their cars & what was the production run dates of each wheel type.
#197
Posted 08 May 2012 - 04:53
#198
Posted 08 May 2012 - 16:14
#199
Posted 15 May 2012 - 07:32
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#200
Posted 15 May 2012 - 07:44
http://www.500race.org/index.htm
Click on Marques > Cooper > Model number