Can't think of the guy's first name, possibly Noel?
Anyone know who I'm talking about? Please?
A bit of a fabricator, probably built his own car, I only have about a quarter the recollection I should do of him and I can't seem to find where to get more information.
Cliff Byfield; a Western Australian
Started by
Ray Bell
, Feb 06 2006 12:17
14 replies to this topic
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#2
Ray Bell
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Posted 06 February 2006 - 13:02
Okay, I have a first name... Cliff...
He built the Byfield MG raced by John Walker in the mid-fifties... what else can we find out about him?
Just where is Terry Walker when you need him?
He built the Byfield MG raced by John Walker in the mid-fifties... what else can we find out about him?
Just where is Terry Walker when you need him?
#3
Terry Walker
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Posted 07 February 2006 - 02:12
Cliff Byfield is alive and well and still building cars. He built the bodies for a number of WA racers in the 1950s including the Repco Holden Sports and the Byfield MG. More recently scratchbuilt a replica of the rear engined V12 Jaguar - was it the XJ13, or similar? I'm not a Jag expert. Road-going, licenced. It got quite a wrap on local TV when it appeared at a classic car show. His son is gradually building an archive of pics of all the cars his dad built over the years, and lives not far from me. In fact he's a member of newly launched Motoring Historians WA.
Theres a couple of pictures of the Byfeld MG on the Around the Houses CD ROM, and some pics of the Repco Holden Sports on my website www.terrywalkersplace.com.
Theres a couple of pictures of the Byfeld MG on the Around the Houses CD ROM, and some pics of the Repco Holden Sports on my website www.terrywalkersplace.com.
#4
Ray Bell
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Posted 07 February 2006 - 02:47
Terry... back in the early eighties, when I was in Sydney, you were in CBR and the world was still revolving once every 24 hours, could this have been him?
Steve Webb, debutting his new sports car, had the rear wing collapse early on as he came rushing down the back straight. As he was packing the car away for the return trip to Sydney, someone came over and offered to fabricate a new wing for the car and have it back at the track at 7am.
Sound like Cliff? Could you possibly ask him?
Ahh... yes, I found the John Walker picture, that's where I got the first name. Suggestion that it might have been him comes from one of your greater and more broadly raced WA drivers.
Steve Webb, debutting his new sports car, had the rear wing collapse early on as he came rushing down the back straight. As he was packing the car away for the return trip to Sydney, someone came over and offered to fabricate a new wing for the car and have it back at the track at 7am.
Sound like Cliff? Could you possibly ask him?
Ahh... yes, I found the John Walker picture, that's where I got the first name. Suggestion that it might have been him comes from one of your greater and more broadly raced WA drivers.
#5
Terry Walker
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Posted 07 February 2006 - 02:57
I've never met Cliff, but I know his son. I don't know about that episode, I was pretty much uninterested in motorsport then, although I did go to the bike races at MacArthur Park in Canberra, and to the opening of Wakefield Park.
I think Cliff ought to be the subject of a profile in the Supplement section of my website. I want to bring in some of the "forgotten people" - the race mechanics, body builders and so on.
I think Cliff ought to be the subject of a profile in the Supplement section of my website. I want to bring in some of the "forgotten people" - the race mechanics, body builders and so on.
#6
Ray Bell
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Posted 07 February 2006 - 03:13
You'd better get cracking... Mike Risebrow's dead, isn't he?
They're rapidly dropping off the perch. But you have Frank Cecchele, first class example (preparing Cooper-Climax, so many Alfas and Fiats, not to mention de-bugging the turbocharged Rover engine...), his team won a few WA titles as I recall.
Jaime Gard is about too, have to be near the top of your list.
They're rapidly dropping off the perch. But you have Frank Cecchele, first class example (preparing Cooper-Climax, so many Alfas and Fiats, not to mention de-bugging the turbocharged Rover engine...), his team won a few WA titles as I recall.
Jaime Gard is about too, have to be near the top of your list.
#7
Terry Walker
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Posted 15 March 2006 - 11:28
"Terry... back in the early eighties, when I was in Sydney, you were in CBR and the world was still revolving once every 24 hours, could this have been him?
Steve Webb, debutting his new sports car, had the rear wing collapse early on as he came rushing down the back straight. As he was packing the car away for the return trip to Sydney, someone came over and offered to fabricate a new wing for the car and have it back at the track at 7am.
Sound like Cliff? Could you possibly ask him?"
Ray - I didn't ask him, but I asked his son. Cliff hasn't been East.
Steve Webb, debutting his new sports car, had the rear wing collapse early on as he came rushing down the back straight. As he was packing the car away for the return trip to Sydney, someone came over and offered to fabricate a new wing for the car and have it back at the track at 7am.
Sound like Cliff? Could you possibly ask him?"
Ray - I didn't ask him, but I asked his son. Cliff hasn't been East.
#8
Ray Bell
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Posted 15 March 2006 - 12:39
You missed the point, Terry...
Steve Webb made the car's debut at Wanneroo.
Steve Webb made the car's debut at Wanneroo.
#9
275 GTB-4
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Posted 17 March 2006 - 09:57
Originally posted by Terry Walker
More recently scratchbuilt a replica of the rear engined V12 Jaguar - was it the XJ13, or similar? I'm not a Jag expert. Road-going, licenced. It got quite a wrap on local TV when it appeared at a classic car show[/url]
Interestingly, there is also a magnificent BRG scratch built XJ13 that appears regularly at Canberra car shows....I believe it was built by a well known automotive engineer here ...first name John ;)
#10
Ray Bell
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Posted 18 March 2006 - 13:00
Could that be the one that Tony Dale started to build in Evatt?
#11
Warren Matthews
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Posted 20 March 2006 - 05:21
Cliff's first two cars were the Byfield Citroen and the Byfield Jaguar.
The Cit was built on a Light 15 or similar chassis and was beautiful and had photos in top mags and books. This was around late 50s early 60s.
This is link to ABC inteview in 2005
The Cit was built on a Light 15 or similar chassis and was beautiful and had photos in top mags and books. This was around late 50s early 60s.
This is link to ABC inteview in 2005
#12
kateee86
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Posted 18 December 2006 - 13:02
I know Cliff quite well, he's my grandpa!!
Dont know if any of you knw about his 1st jag that he built... the red one, went for a cruise in that one when i was about 12, should have tied my hair up i tell ya!
he wont let me drive this new one, even thought im old enough, such a great guy, and in such good shape for his age... it must be the same lunch for over 20 years that my grandma makes for him every day!!
Dont know if any of you knw about his 1st jag that he built... the red one, went for a cruise in that one when i was about 12, should have tied my hair up i tell ya!
he wont let me drive this new one, even thought im old enough, such a great guy, and in such good shape for his age... it must be the same lunch for over 20 years that my grandma makes for him every day!!
#13
Ray Bell
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Posted 18 December 2006 - 13:13
Do you mind asking him if the story about the rear wing is about him Katee...
And welcome to the thread, the forum and everything else! We need more WA representation.
And welcome to the thread, the forum and everything else! We need more WA representation.
#14
kateee86
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Posted 19 December 2006 - 23:49
I thought someone had already answered that... about Steve Webb having the wing break off or fall off, someone said that his son told him that he hasnt been to the eastern states... I can still ask him if you like?
I'm actually in the process of making up a nice framed collage of photos that we have of the process of the "yellow one" do you know of anywhere on the net that I can find some, my grandma is trying to find the photos for us aswell, however my sister wont go over there to get them and Im at work all the time...
I'm actually in the process of making up a nice framed collage of photos that we have of the process of the "yellow one" do you know of anywhere on the net that I can find some, my grandma is trying to find the photos for us aswell, however my sister wont go over there to get them and Im at work all the time...
#15
Ray Bell
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Posted 20 December 2006 - 00:30
Originally posted by kateee86
I thought someone had already answered that... about Steve Webb having the wing break off or fall off, someone said that his son told him that he hasnt been to the eastern states... I can still ask him if you like?
Please, Katee... because it happened at Wanneroo, not in the East... as I told Terry...
If you read my original request you'll see how that works out:
Terry... back in the early eighties, when I was in Sydney, you were in CBR and the world was still revolving once every 24 hours, could this have been him?
Steve Webb, debutting his new sports car, had the rear wing collapse early on as he came rushing down the back straight. As he was packing the car away for the return trip to Sydney, someone came over and offered to fabricate a new wing for the car and have it back at the track at 7am.
Sound like Cliff? Could you possibly ask him?
Ahh... yes, I found the John Walker picture, that's where I got the first name. Suggestion that it might have been him comes from one of your greater and more broadly raced WA drivers.
I was in Sydney, Terry was in Canberra, the back straight was at Wanneroo and Steve was packing up to go back to Sydney. My source was a man well versed in WA racing over the last 40 years, but he wasn't sure.
