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Personal photos of Australian motor racing '50s to '70s


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#3801 Paul Hamilton

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Posted 18 August 2010 - 23:26

Lyn Brown should be able to identify this one :cool:



This is Dave Mawer in the TC now owned by Ross Hodgson.

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#3802 lyntonh

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 00:04

Oran Park 27th June 1971

Marque sports cars

Bring back memories, anyone?

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Edited by lyntonh, 18 February 2012 - 07:23.


#3803 fredeuce

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 00:14

Warwick Farm 12th July 1969
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Details?


Further to my previous post on this car I wonder if the Mazda sponsorship is of significance here. That is , was this car Mazda Rotary powered perhaps?

Mating a Mazda Rotary to a VW transaxle wasn't unheard of back then. They were an alternative powerplant to the VW's in the Purvis Eureka kit cars around this time.

Anyone able to check entry details when this car competed at the Farm?

#3804 Lee Nicolle

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 00:19

Further to my previous post on this car I wonder if the Mazda sponsorship is of significance here. That is , was this car Mazda Rotary powered perhaps?

Mating a Mazda Rotary to a VW transaxle wasn't unheard of back then. They were an alternative powerplant to the VW's in the Purvis Eureka kit cars around this time.

Anyone able to check entry details when this car competed at the Farm?

I doubt it since this pic is 1969 when rotarys would have been a very rare thing in Oz. Though a viable concept ofcourse. The VW gearboxes are not very strong, even the Hewland versions. Though rotarys would have had less power then than now and a 10A would probabl have been the only one advailable then.

#3805 Ray Bell

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 02:07

Originally posted by lyntonh
Oran Park 27th June 1971

Marque sports cars

Bring back memories, anyone?

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Should do...

With two TNF members in this picture alone!

And there's no doubt there's not a rotary in the Brolga at all. You wouldn't have heard another car on the circuit.

#3806 Paul Hamilton

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 03:55

Should do...

With two TNF members in this picture alone!

And there's no doubt there's not a rotary in the Brolga at all. You wouldn't have heard another car on the circuit.



These photos show a typically busy Marque sports race at Oran Park with my Turner in front of Iain Corness in the twin cam powered MGB and the MG Midgets of Barry Bassingthwaite and Les Carne. Barry's car is the left hand drive Midget. I don't recall the particular race but from the wheel widths on the Turner it looks like sometime in 1970/71. Iain certainly sems to be doing his very best to flat spot the Bee's left front tyre!!!

I think the Brolga shown in the photos at Warwick Farm was driven by Graham Woods who also had a quick MGB and is shown in other photos here driving Clive Osborne's low line Cooper T53.

#3807 lyntonh

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 05:01

These photos show a typically busy Marque sports race at Oran Park with my Turner in front of Iain Corness in the twin cam powered MGB and the MG Midgets of Barry Bassingthwaite and Les Carne. Barry's car is the left hand drive Midget. I don't recall the particular race but from the wheel widths on the Turner it looks like sometime in 1970/71. Iain certainly seems to be doing his very best to flat spot the Bee's left front tyre!!!


Unfortunately for you, he didn't flat spot them quite enough....
my next (& last) two shots from the race.
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#3808 Paul Hamilton

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 05:47

Unfortunately for you, he didn't flat spot them quite enough....
my next (& last) two shots from the race.
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Yes indeed - the desperate braking efforts do seem to have got him somewhere and, now that I see the full sequence, I can recall the race. Your last two shots show us going into Energol on the final two laps after Iain had very cleverly managed to have me boxed in behind some lapped traffic on the approach to the dogleg giving him the opportunity to dive past on the second last lap and take the lead I had held all the way until then. As these shots also show we had both by then managed to pull away from the pair of Midgets and the rest. This race and Iain's well judged pass was the subject of several posts some time back on the Marque Sports thread in which Iain confessed about his gamesmanship with the back markers which created the opening for him. Great photos and thanks for posting them as they bring back some very pleasant memories.

#3809 lyntonh

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 06:14

Yes indeed - the desperate braking efforts do seem to have got him somewhere and, now that I see the full sequence, I can recall the race. Your last two shots show us going into Energol on the final two laps after Iain had very cleverly managed to have me boxed in behind some lapped traffic on the approach to the dogleg giving him the opportunity to dive past on the second last lap and take the lead I had held all the way until then. As these shots also show we had both by then managed to pull away from the pair of Midgets and the rest. This race and Iain's well judged pass was the subject of several posts some time back on the Marque Sports thread in which Iain confessed about his gamesmanship with the back markers which created the opening for him. Great photos and thanks for posting them as they bring back some very pleasant memories.


I've just been looking at that thread & there's a photo (Dec 19 2009) which must have been taken about three seconds after my second last shot.
(I could have used "penultimate", but that's a bit too "Murray Walker" for me.)

Reading through the MS thread, it appears that CAMS couldn't stand the minor rule bending that brought about the success of your class, & decided to change it.

Clubman racing was at its best with the invitation 1500cc cars, & was left alone.

For several years, Sports cars produced seriously good races which even caught the attention of the tin-top junkies,
proving that all that was wanted was a good close race.

In later years, the politics were obviously different when Nissan got Godzilla under the radar, & we saw a Sports car win the Touring Car Championship.

Two days ago, these photos were just forgotten negatives.

I calculated today that I have around 1500 yet to scan!!!

Lynton




#3810 ellrosso

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 06:57

Pretty sure the Brolga had a Mazda 1500 SOHC engine out of the 4 dr sedan. I'll try and dig out the SCW article to check.

#3811 Lee Nicolle

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 08:40

I've just been looking at that thread & there's a photo (Dec 19 2009) which must have been taken about three seconds after my second last shot.
(I could have used "penultimate", but that's a bit too "Murray Walker" for me.)

Reading through the MS thread, it appears that CAMS couldn't stand the minor rule bending that brought about the success of your class, & decided to change it.

Clubman racing was at its best with the invitation 1500cc cars, & was left alone.

For several years, Sports cars produced seriously good races which even caught the attention of the tin-top junkies,
proving that all that was wanted was a good close race.

In later years, the politics were obviously different when Nissan got Godzilla under the radar, & we saw a Sports car win the Touring Car Championship.

Two days ago, these photos were just forgotten negatives.

I calculated today that I have around 1500 yet to scan!!!

Lynton

Lynton dont forget those other Japanese Sports Cars in Gp C. The horribly noisy ones that CAMS went out of their way to make outright winners from a good 3 litre class car.

#3812 Ian G

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 10:52

For several years, Sports cars produced seriously good races which even caught the attention of the tin-top junkies,
proving that all that was wanted was a good close race.

Lynton


It was one of the journo's at the time that said they had become too sucessful for their own good,it was a shame to see the category collapse and WF itself shortly after.



#3813 lyntonh

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 12:36

Oran Park Gold Star 27th June 1971

Morning warm-up
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Race
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Kevin Bartlett, Max Stewart & Graeme Lawrence

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Max Stewart ...early damage

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Alan Hamilton & John Walker

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Losing the wing seems not to have slowed Max down

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Max Stewart won from Graeme Lawrence & Alan Hamilton

Edited by lyntonh, 18 February 2012 - 07:37.


#3814 Allen Brown

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 12:45

Fantastic pictures!

#3815 Wirra

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 13:02

...Posted Image
Max Stewart ...early damage
..

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I'll stop now at the risk of becoming tedious, but please keep yours coming.

#3816 lyntonh

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 13:15

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I'll stop now at the risk of becoming tedious, but please keep yours coming.


Please don't stop....(sounds a bit suspicious!!)... I reckon it's good to compare shots.

For instance, I'd always wondered how long it took to finally shed the wing.

It looks like it sat back in on the suspension for a while.

The other thing I've forgotten is how he loosened it in the first place.

And, while I'm in a curious mood, am I right that KB broke as gearbox to cause him to drop out?

Lynton

#3817 Allen Brown

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 15:24

I agree. Please don't stop.

#3818 Ray Bell

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 22:55

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Gary Campbell, Allan Hamilton in the M10B, Ian Fergusson (Bowin P4) on the inside and Henk Woelders in the second 600.

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Doug Heasman (Rennmax)... that one goes down as a rare pic.

It was Colin Hyams in the Lola, wasn't it?


#3819 lyntonh

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Posted 19 August 2010 - 23:07

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Gary Campbell, Allan Hamilton in the M10B, Ian Fergusson (Bowin P4) on the inside and Henk Woelders in the second 600.

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Doug Heasman (Rennmax)... that one goes down as a rare pic.

It was Colin Hyams in the Lola, wasn't it?


Only a third as rare now...my other two shots of him from the day.

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Edited by lyntonh, 18 February 2012 - 07:26.


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#3820 cooper997

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Posted 20 August 2010 - 06:19

Paul Hamilton has already identified the driver, but the following may help.

From the 13th July 1969 Warwick Farm AJC Touring Car Trophy meeting's programme, Lyntonh's photo of the Brolga is described as follows in the event 8, 10 lapper 'Sports Car Race'.

19 Kemproof Indust. Plastics P/L (Dvr: G Wood) Brolga GT Mazda 1490 White


Stephen



#3821 lyntonh

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Posted 20 August 2010 - 06:25

Paul Hamilton has already identified the driver, but the following may help.

From the 13th July 1969 Warwick Farm AJC Touring Car Trophy meeting's programme, Lyntonh's photo of the Brolga is described as follows in the event 8, 10 lapper 'Sports Car Race'.

19 Kemproof Indust. Plastics P/L (Dvr: G Wood) Brolga GT Mazda 1490 White


Stephen


Thanks Stephen,

Keep those programmes handy!!

#3822 fredeuce

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Posted 20 August 2010 - 08:14

Oran Park Gold Star 27th June 1971

Morning warm-up
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Colin Hyams in the Lola T192?

#3823 Ray Bell

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Posted 20 August 2010 - 10:13

Yeah, I think so...

You'd reckon he'd have got used to using those mirrors!

#3824 Ray Bell

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Posted 22 August 2010 - 09:28

In the meantime, Glenn Law, son of Rex Law, has sent me this still from a movie of a Leyburn event...

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Looks to me like the Regal and the Buick side by side there, but with an XK120 in the background I doubt that it's at the Grand Prix. Anyone got any idea when it was? Law is in the Regal, not Larsen.

#3825 Ray Bell

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Posted 22 August 2010 - 09:29

Come to think of it... that's the Maybach in the background, and Lex Davison in the MG TC Special too...

So that seals the deal with identifying the meeting, was that 1950 or 1951?

Edited by Ray Bell, 22 August 2010 - 09:31.


#3826 David McKinney

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Posted 22 August 2010 - 10:36

I reckon it's 3 August 1952, when Law (Regal), Jones (Maybach) and Davison (MG) were among the competitors in the Darling Downs Championship race, together with Cyril Anderson (and wife) in the XK120, Peter Lowe (Bugatti-Holden), Lex Winten (Buick special), Colin Leagh-Murray (Healey Silverstone), Stan Mossetter (Rizzo Riley), Dick Bland (Dixon Riley) and Arthur Griffiths (MG Special)



#3827 Ray Bell

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Posted 22 August 2010 - 10:41

Thank you, David...

I have other photos from that meeting which I'm sure I've posted previously. Black and white pics with the front row lined up and with the Maybach on the back of a truck surrounded by fuel drums.

#3828 eldougo

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Posted 23 August 2010 - 09:38

[quote name='lyntonh' date='Aug 19 2010, 22:36' post='4546531']
Oran Park Gold Star 27th June 1971
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Graeme Lawrence ...A great weekend with GL a close 2nd.


#3829 David McKinney

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Posted 23 August 2010 - 11:10

.. and with an engine a third the size of most of the opposition :)

#3830 lyntonh

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 11:31

An Alan Moffat theme - to follow on from my oily shot on the Alan Moffat thread...

July 11th 1970 Warwick Farm practice
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Next day
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13th February 1971 - who remembers the Escort?
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He's there if you look....that's why Bob's having a wave!!
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Edited by lyntonh, 18 February 2012 - 07:18.


#3831 David Shaw

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 11:40

Didn't the Escort run a BDA?

#3832 lyntonh

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 11:46

Didn't the Escort run a BDA?


I reckon it did.

He didn't persist with it as I remember.


#3833 Towil

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 12:09

Didn't the Escort run a BDA?

FVA

#3834 David Shaw

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 12:43

Actually, that was my first thought, should've stuck with it. :well:

#3835 bradbury west

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 12:45

I came across this photo and I don't think I have posted it before. Bill Patterson, Fisherman's Bend, late 1950s.
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Talking of a Super Snipe, as we were, Tom Sulman had one, I gather, as a tow car.
Roger Lund


#3836 bradbury west

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 12:45

I came across this photo and I don't think I have posted it before. Bill Patterson, Fisherman's Bend, late 1950s.
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Talking of a Super Snipe, as we were, - see car behind rail- Tom Sulman had one, I gather, as a tow car.
Roger Lund


#3837 GeoffR

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 12:47

So all the Ford acronyms for various 4 cyl engines - TC, BDA, BDG, FVA etc etc. I have a good idea as to what they all meant, but what were the differences in what was basically the same engine??



#3838 seldo

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 13:00

Talking of a Super Snipe, as we were, - see car behind rail- Tom Sulman had one, I gather, as a tow car.
Roger Lund

Indeed he did, and I also seem to recall that he also drove it in the Redex Round Australia Trial

#3839 thunder427

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 13:23

Indeed he did, and I also seem to recall that he also drove it in the Redex Round Australia Trial

Talking about 'Super Snipes' I travelled to the 'Wiamati 50' with my Father and his friend, from Christchurch to the Waimati race ,leaving at 5AM (cold ,dark start to the day,but what an adventure when your young!!)in a Large 'dark green,grey leather interior, state of the art',1956 Humber Super Snipe by the Rootes Group,(they possibly weighed in about a ton and a half at a guess) this would be around 1957/8.

As the grey morning light started to break my Father (Dad!!) subjested I look over from my back seat position and look at the speedo....WOW!!!!...IOOMPH !!!!

Went to school on Monday and excitedly told anybody that would listen,..."I went 100MPH in my Dads car on the weekend"!!!!!!...Standard reply was... " BULLS^*#T"!!!!!!!

............Oh!! the memories that a single picture can revive!! :| ...........................Regards thunder427 :)

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#3840 David McKinney

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 14:33

You would have been better off going to Waimate :)

(First race there was 1959, incidentally, in a downpour)

#3841 fredeuce

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 21:55

So all the Ford acronyms for various 4 cyl engines - TC, BDA, BDG, FVA etc etc. I have a good idea as to what they all meant, but what were the differences in what was basically the same engine??


TC : Twin Cam 8 valve

BDA : Belt Drive "A" series 16 valve

BDG: Generally same as BDA but alloy block. There is a BDC as well which evolved from BDA but had fuel injection

FVA : Four Valve Arrangement (4cyl= 16 valve)

All based on the Ford 4 cyl "Kent" engine introduced in 1959 in the Ford Anglia.

There is also the Cosworth V8 DFV = Double Four Valve

#3842 David McKinney

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 22:14

BDD: 1598cc version of the BDA (which was 1601)

FVC: 1850cc FVA (later 2 litres?)

#3843 Wirra

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Posted 24 August 2010 - 23:52

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Mike Eyerly in one piece
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Leaving the pit lane moments prior

#3844 lyntonh

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Posted 25 August 2010 - 00:39

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Leaving the pit lane moments prior


Trouble with black & white is the way you forget what colour these cars were...

I had no idea, from my shots, that the car was yellow!!

Lynton

#3845 Ray Bell

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Posted 25 August 2010 - 02:21

Originally posted by seldo
Indeed he did, and I also seem to recall that he also drove it in the Red-Ex Round Australia Trial


He did, at least once...

It was his Humber that picked up a rock on a creek crossing, dug it out of the ground ready to lie in wait for the following Holden of Jack Brabham. To which the rock did enormous damage and Jack had to fix it out there himself.

#3846 john medley

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Posted 25 August 2010 - 02:21

All I can recall of Mike Eyerly was seeing him through Warwick Farm's Esses after Creek, eyes absolutely on stalks and going very hard.

#3847 john medley

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Posted 25 August 2010 - 02:27

After the long walk from Mt Druitt station up the slope through the strawlike grass to Tyresoles Corner on the Sunday am of the 1954 24 Hour Race, the first car I saw was the Tom Sulman Humber S/Snipe, absolutely filthy/ no muffler/lurching around Tyresoles looking just like it would have in Central Australia/Redex Trial. Looked like a hippopotamus in a bog.

And my friend Paul Kenny started his 1950s motor sporting career in a Humber S/Snipe. He still carries the psychological scars

#3848 Lee Nicolle

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Posted 25 August 2010 - 03:28

Over 40 years ago I was involved in a bush 'Speedway' A chap who worked in a wreckers came up with a 55 or so Snipe. The thing did more damage in its fairly short career than anything else. Because it handled like a supermarket trolley and was so heavy.His next project was far better, a grey motor in a Simca!
And Myles, I am sure the thing weighed about 2 ton!!And the Blue Riband 6 was the same motor used in Commer Trucks.

#3849 Wirra

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Posted 25 August 2010 - 03:36

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PS. The Mike Eyerly Surtees was near to a canary yellow (see paddock image on F5000 thread). Unfortunately many of my slides are suffering from colour degradation.

Edited by Wirra, 25 August 2010 - 03:45.


#3850 lyntonh

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Posted 25 August 2010 - 08:11

Bill Brown Warwick Farm Esses Practice 5th September 1970

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Always on the limit, but the only time I ever saw him lose it.

Edited by lyntonh, 18 February 2012 - 01:43.