1296 replies to this topic

[Lee Nicolle]

Torquay Speedway, Victoria, early 1970's:

 

 

 

http://www.speedwaya...y-speedway.html

Going by the Supermods in the background it looks like about 67 68 making that HD or HR a late model car then.

Check out the r/f camber on some of those cars, especially the EH No 11. The HD is toeing out more than a bit too.

Bend the kingpin support by heating and bouncing! Seen it done a few times. And lengthen the pitman arm [and sometimes idler] about 2" to quicken the steering up.

Lowering the back was sometimes achieved by heating the back of the spring behind the 2nd leaf and bouncing. Sometimes that happened in the front too, just sag a coil or two. 

Life was simple and the gas supply companys had not priced half the racers out of having an oxy set with stupid bottle rental charges.

Edited by Lee Nicolle, 24 May 2014 - 04:51.

[wagons46]

I think the #55 is a HD with the unique front guard extensions flattened, especially the LHS.
The car parked 2nd on the right of the 'clubhouse' could well be a HR and the car parked at the top of the rickety staircase, 1st on the left might be a HK Monaro.

Edited by wagons46, 24 May 2014 - 06:47.

[Lee Nicolle]

I think the #55 is a HD with the unique front guard extensions flattened, especially the LHS.
The car parked 2nd on the right of the 'clubhouse' could well be a HR and the car parked at the top of the rickety staircase, 1st on the left might be a HK Monaro.

Yes, my thoughts too. The cars on the hill seems to be a HK GTS parked next to an XR. The car third right of the building on the lower level I feel is a HK Kingswood, between the HR and EJ. And everywhere you go a 57 Belair turns up! More common than FEs now.

[David Shaw]

Yes, my thoughts too. The cars on the hill seems to be a HK GTS parked next to an XR. The car third right of the building on the lower level I feel is a HK Kingswood, between the HR and EJ. And everywhere you go a 57 Belair turns up! More common than FEs now.

I reckon it's an AP5 on the lower level between the HR and EJ.

[Ray Bell]

Either that or another Monaro...

the rear dips away too much for most sedans.

[275 GTB-4]

Yes, my thoughts too. The cars on the hill seems to be a HK GTS parked next to an XR. The car third right of the building on the lower level I feel is a HK Kingswood, between the HR and EJ. And everywhere you go a 57 Belair turns up! More common than FEs now.

There is even a Volksy there for GM

[GMACKIE]

There is even a Volksy there for GM

You've got better eyes than I have, Gunga Din.

[wagons46]

There is even a Volksy there for GM

Oh do you mean the one on the right of the girl with black hair smoking an Ardath up on the higher level?

Edited by wagons46, 13 December 2014 - 00:39.

[GMACKIE]

Oh do you mean the one on the right of the girl with black hair smoking an Ardath up on the higher level?

Struth !..I'd better get straight down to Specsavers.

[Lee Nicolle]

Early 70s. Dont mind the pics,, they are pictures of 40 y/o photos and a bit curved as I took them from the album.

The HQ is one I crewed for in about 74. Built for both dirt and bitumen. It was just a current model car, built from a pranged cab shell and had rust holes in the floor already! The second pic spot the venue.

 

The FB is one I raced in our stockcar oval in the bottom paddock plus dirt circuit type of events in the hills. That about 71-72.It appears to be having a few new panels. 

Edited by Lee Nicolle, 13 December 2014 - 02:28.

[seldo]

Jeez Lee - I reckon you must have had more starts than Phar Lap...

[wagons46]

And just looking at the fleet.........more hits than Elvis.

[Ray Bell]

But are any of them early Holdens?




.

[275 GTB-4]

Torquay Speedway, Victoria, early 1970's:
 

 
 
http://www.speedwaya...y-speedway.html

Torquay Speedway, Victoria, early 1970's:

http://www.speedwaya...y-speedway.html

OK moving right from the stairs, you have the Hot Dog shack, EK S/Wagon with two kids on bonnet then maybe a HR...look directly above that on the embankment.

It could be a Chevy Ute partially obscured by a small sign...but I think its a VW!

Edited by 275 GTB-4, 13 December 2014 - 11:01.

[Lee Nicolle]

Jeez Lee - I reckon you must have had more starts than Phar Lap...

A whole lot more,,, about 46 years!

From my history I feel PharLap ever only had 20 odd starts, most in the placings.

[RepcoHead]

At the Lake Gairdner Salt Lake "annual" TOP SPEED RUNS over 3 miles on very hard salt (it's like cold marble to walk on) an FJ hit 113 mph,fastest grey holden so far since event began in 1991.A very low silver car standard bodywork skinny wheels the usual 3 S.U. setup don't know how well developed it is [Lehmann from Robe,S.A.).This was 2006,last 2 meetings rained out! Same week a Suzuki Hayabusa hit 223 mph.Go to dlra.org.

Always impressed by the HQ speeds--faster than I thought! Do they run 3.55 diff ? It's impressive to do 110 UP mountain Straight in top gear hauling the hefty hunk of blunt metal.One would suspect a 3.89 ???

DJH guess you may have just seen Top Gear with the 1963 Opel Kadett/Vauxhall Viva racing the other cheap heaps across Africa and lookin pretty smick !! so much so the presenter had it shipped back to England.

Another tack anyone have details on how the FX went in the Monte Carlo Rally in 1953 with Tony Gaze,Stan Jones and (can't recall) aboard.The Tuckey book has them clean-sheeting early then getting lost.

 

Not the Silver FJ ute but another that was on the salt lakes:

 

http://www.thegreymo...lakes-1993.html

 

https://youtu.be/6Io74hEcFc0

 

[275 GTB-4]

Not the Silver FJ ute but another that was on the salt lakes:
 

Top shot Rep, and welcome...

I'm wondering if a well fitted tonneau or skin would be better than dropping the tailgate?

Edited by 275 GTB-4, 02 May 2015 - 23:14.

[seldo]

Top shot Rep, and welcome...I'm wondering if a well fitted tonneau or skin would be better than dropping the tailgate?

I made the same suggestion to a mate at the drags....the tonneau ripped to shreds first run...

[275 GTB-4]

Yep...it would have been fairly tatty if it was an original 1957-59 example...

[Lee Nicolle]

I made the same suggestion to a mate at the drags....the tonneau ripped to shreds first run...

Decades ago I ran a dead stock 308 HQ ute, 15.9 around 102mph  with the touneau on with no problems. I bought the ute Sat morning and raced it Sunday,, full race prep. I checked the oil and water and 100mph blast up Pt Wakefield road to give it a clean out.

Upset my mate in his Stato, he ran 16.1. Next street meet his g/f ran 16.00 dead 3 times in a row.

Back in the day I raced cars like that at both hillclimbs and street drags. And both were cheap to play in. 

[Lee Nicolle]

For the early tragics. This SuperModified is powered by a Repco head grey. not only has it played on Speedway but it has been used for mudsprints and circuit sprints over the last nearly fifty years. Unrestored, it still has its 1970 paint job. Built in 67, Repco Grey, Holden gearbox and A40 diff with Zephyr hubs.

 

It was reputedly exciting at AIR,, over 130mph into turn 1 @ over 7000 rpm. And yes on one occasion it broke a crank. Right at the flywheel flange and then it sounded really strong as it coasted back into the AIR pits as the crank broke right at the flywheel flange. In those days it had 6 'zoomies' about 3 foot long. Classic speedway required mufflers! This was taken in 2001 at the Murray Bridge Classic. And yes it still goes but is resting at the moment.

 

The red car alongside is one for Ray,, 318 Poly engine.

Dont mind my lousy pic, taken with the flash.

[Lee Nicolle]

While on Repco powered speedway cars I found these while looking for something else.

The car that won the the pre 64 Oz title early 80s  the Dean Qualman owned FJ driven by Ivar,the Engine driver, Benneche. This is pictured as Pacecar for the 2014 Oz Super Sedan Title at Murray Bridge. Engines varied in that car, injected Repco, Waggott Twin Cam and as pictured a very 'soft' carby Repco. It was still being raced up until the early 90s and still had the occasional win even then.

For a couple of seasons Dean ran two yellow FJs, the other one was always Repco powered and the earlier car to this one. He also had a hand in running the Bill Gower red FJ which from memory was always grey powered. All three were still competitive until the late 80s along with the two Haseldine Mk1 Zephyrs. Jims was an injected Raymond Mays headed engine.

There was a few living in the past in those days,, though all were competitive and beat plenty of V8s.

Edited by Lee Nicolle, 05 May 2015 - 07:26.

[Lee Nicolle]

Just had a chap in here and he knows of two Dunstan rotary valves that have recently turned up. The above FJ owner has 2 a relative of the designer has 1 and I know of another in Adelaide. So where is the other 24?

Well reputedly there was 30 made.

Edited by Lee Nicolle, 05 June 2015 - 08:05.

[RepcoHead]

Just had a chap in here and he knows of two Dunstan rotary valves that have recently turned up. The above FJ owner has 2 a relative of the designer has 1 and I know of another in Adelaide. So where is the other 24?

Well reputedly there was 30 made.

 

I know of 2 in NSW, 5+ in S.A. and several in QLD.   I know a guy that basically can place about 20 of them.  Pretty much all of them survived.

 

One popped up in S.A. just a few months back, it's missing alot but the new owner wants to see it going again.

 

Further to that a Waggot is now calling Tasmania home and should be out and about running in a year or so.

[RepcoHead]

While on Repco powered speedway cars I found these while looking for something else.

The car that won the the pre 64 Oz title early 80s  the Dean Qualman owned FJ driven by Ivar,the Engine driver, Benneche. This is pictured as Pacecar for the 2014 Oz Super Sedan Title at Murray Bridge. Engines varied in that car, injected Repco, Waggott Twin Cam and as pictured a very 'soft' carby Repco. It was still being raced up until the early 90s and still had the occasional win even then.

For a couple of seasons Dean ran two yellow FJs, the other one was always Repco powered and the earlier car to this one. He also had a hand in running the Bill Gower red FJ which from memory was always grey powered. All three were still competitive until the late 80s along with the two Haseldine Mk1 Zephyrs. Jims was an injected Raymond Mays headed engine.

There was a few living in the past in those days,, though all were competitive and beat plenty of V8s.

 

Michael ( Deans son ) still owns this and it will be at Portland this year racing. ( spirited demo )

[Lee Nicolle]

And here is the Waggott that it used. It used injection on methanol in the FJ.

[Ellis French]

The Waggott TC in the MW has an interesting history

It is engine #6 and was in the Centaur Waggott when new followed by Screamin Eagle then Qualmanns with maybe a few others in between.

The Centaur now has #4

[Lee Nicolle]

The Waggott TC in the MW has an interesting history

It is engine #6 and was in the Centaur Waggott when new followed by Screamin Eagle then Qualmanns with maybe a few others in between.

The Centaur now has #4

I think Dean had two, he had multiples of most. I seem to remember another lurking in the back of the workshop along with Repcos and rotary valves

[Ellis French]

Baskerville Historics 2017....Yes 2017....Early Holdens + Grey Eng Sports / Racing

Early Holdens will be the feature make at this meeting Plus Grey Engined Sports and Racing Cars

We are expecting 35-40 Early Sedans and 15-20 Grey Eng Racing and Sports

Also expect a Waggott Twin Cam Grey Engined FX to compete along with some Repco X Flow Engined vehicles
The Centaur Waggott 62 Australian Sports Car Championship car has also been asked.

There will be races in Eligible Classes
Holden Sedan Only Regularity
Sports and Racing Regularity
Special race for Grey Eng Sports / Racing combined

Print the Flyer off and nail it to your dunny door

More Info will be provided in due course.

 

 

[Lee Nicolle]

I see in the media today that Greg Crick will drive a humpy he raced in the past for a Baskerville fund raiser.

[ellrosso]

Takes you back Ellis...... He was always a trier.... I think I'll come down for that one - will be great. Hopefully Darryl, Munyard and Mather will do laps, would be good if Peter Lockley could be out there too.

[RepcoHead]

I think Dean had two, he had multiples of most. I seem to remember another lurking in the back of the workshop along with Repcos and rotary valves

 

I would say thats pretty accurate.

[wagons46]

Great news for fans of this thread in that a book has just been released on 'The Legends of the 48-215' written by Joel Wakely, the former owner of the BP Boomerang Service Station Holden as driven by Spencer Martin and Barry Seton. It covers the years when appendix J peaked,62-64, and tells of the development of the 48-215 making it the fastest Holden racing in that class at that time. Together with behind the scenes stories of preparation, travelling to interstate circuits, with input from both Spencer and Bo and many never seen before photos taken at the time. There are 131 pages in A4 size.
It does digress a little to talk of Spencer's success after his leaving to join David MacKay and later Bob Jane and the two Gold Star wins.
All the greats of the era, Warren Weldon, Des West, the Geoghegans etc are featured as part of Early Holden Racng in the 60's.
It is a book you would want if you were part of this scene or simply wish you were. Copies are available on line from 'legends.48.215@gmail.com' direct from the Author at $34.95. Car Clubs should benefit from bulk buying.
I look forward to others opinions after reading the book.

[Graham Clayton]

An EK Holden was entered by Kakamega Motor Works of Kisumu, Kenya in the 1962 East African Safari. Driven by HS Sembi and CM Mehta, it finished 14th.

[Team Result]

An EK Holden was entered by Kakamega Motor Works of Kisumu, Kenya in the 1962 East African Safari. Driven by HS Sembi and CM Mehta, it finished 14th.

I glimpsed it on the documentary made by Hillmans to celebrate their three car entry. The works XP Falcons from Australia featured quite a bit, too.

[ellrosso]

Surfers 12 Hour in 1967 with the Tassy FX (48-215) Holden of Geoff Munyard/Dick Crawford and Tony Calvert featured. Didn't make the finish though.

[Ray Bell]

I'd be sure Charlie Smith thought the MGB was a better mount than the Mini Moke he drove the previous year...

 

How brave were Munyard and Crawford, did they have the original type of rear hubs/brake drums?

[MarkBisset]

Amazing shot Lindsay.

 

If the ‘53 Monte was the first international appearance of a Humpy Holden, surely the ‘67 Surfers was the last ?
 

I see the De Jersey/Birmingham/Shaw FJ did finish, in 15th position. Not bad for a series of car first sold in 1948? !
 

Mark

[ellrosso]

You would think, who in their right mind would choose an FX Holden with all its foibles, to do a 12 hour endurance race alongside a Lola T70 and Ferrari 250 LM. etc, etc. And there were two of them..... and one actually finished!

I've actually met all three of the drivers involved in the Tassy entry (Munyard/Crawford/Calvert) and odds on they would have had a ball! I actually interviewed Geoff Munyard for an article in Tas Motor Sports Annual back in 1982. He was racing an indecently quick rear engined rotary powered sporty built by John Trowbridge at the time and had purchased the Matich A50 (or A51?) F5000. He did a private practice run at Oran Park in the wet then sold it on from memory (to Dave Powell Jnr? - can't remember). Last time I went to the October Bask Historic meeting in 2009 he was building up an FJ for historics.

Dick Crawford was at that meeting with his zimmer frame and I think he was one of the oldest drivers still racing in Oz back in 1982 with his Vee. His career ran from the early 50's right through till the early 80's in all sorts of sports cars/openwheelers and he was also a successful boat racer with his V8 inboard on the Derwent. He raced his little 250cc Yamaha powered openwheelers in the late 60's and usually beat the handicapper at least once a year, traditionally on his birthday...... he was a real crowd favourite in Tassy, especially at Baskerville. He'd rock up to Bask in his old FC Holden ute with his tiny racer in the back. 

Tony Calvert raced a very quick EH in 1967/68, then graduated to the Ex Bessant Lotus Cortina for 1969. He hit the big time with the ex Gordon Stephenson Mustang in 1970/71 - he held the Touring Car lap record at Bask for a while and really served it up to Robin Pare in the Elliot Mustang on his day. Had a run in an E49 Charger before retiring in the early 70's. Very capable steerer. Shots of all three on the ORP website if anyone is keen.

Edited by ellrosso, 11 July 2021 - 12:05.

[ellrosso]

Looks like it was Geoff Munyard's car they used for the 1967 Surfers 12 hour race - note the lights highlighting the race number on the door.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by ellrosso
.....He hit the big time with the ex Gordon Stephenson Mustang in 1970/71... and really served it up to Robin Pare in the Elliot Mustang on his day.....

Well, he might have done...

A proper factory-prepared Mustang against a converted road car.

[MarkBisset]

Looking at the ‘67 Surfers entry, there was a veritable gulf in pace between the top 3 sports-prototypes up front and the rest.

 

The good ole’ Humpys would not have been the slowest cars present , what a fun event that looks to have been ! 

[ellrosso]

Following on from my earlier post, here are a few pics of the drivers in the Tassy FX Surfers entry (I've got some spare time so why not...)

[Lee Nicolle]

Following on from my earlier post, here are a few pics of the drivers in the Tassy FX Surfers entry (I've got some spare time so why not...)

BUT did he pull the humpy back down or did it turn to crap!!

Somewhere I have a pic of me in a FJ  stockcar about that high and it did come back down.

Dick Crawford,, a friend who came to SA and stayed from Tassy had been an official on the dummy grid in Tasmania. She remembered him having a cigarette in the Vee waiting to go out. This in the 70s

Very unoccelfan safety these days!

[MarkBisset]

Thanks for posting Lindsay.

What is the Trowbridge JT35 powered by? 

m

[Ray Bell]

Looks like an aluminium V8 car to me...

[ellrosso]

Mark, the Trowbridge was Mazda Rotary powered - 13B from memory. Very light, very quick. Lee, he didn't manage to bring it down.......