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John Newmarch and the Capricornia


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#1 maggiep007

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Posted 18 July 2012 - 11:00

I read somewhere in one of the posts that somebody was enquiring about the Capricornia, driven by John Newmarch. The Capricornia was owned and built by John Bruggeman, who eventually renamed it the Ricardian after his two children Richard and Diane. John Newmarch had a great friendship and association with the Bruggeman's and drove the Ricardian for some years.

Prior to driving for the Bruggemans, John Newmarch drove a 34 Ford in Autocrosses, then drove a Simca Aronde, madly modified. The Simca rolled 3 times at Collingrove Hill Climb, and was panel beaten and repainted to race in the Monday meeting at Port Wakefield.

I have a number of photographs of those early days of motor racing, including many of Col Riches 1930 DD Dodge if anyone is interested. They have now been copied and archived at the Birdwood Motor Museum so they would not be lost to posterity.

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#2 Allan Lupton

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Posted 18 July 2012 - 11:42

I gather a Capricornia was indeed built by John Bruggeman, but he, like others no doubt, built it on a chassis designed by Albert Ludgate and probably used a Buchanan body.
I think the name went with the chassis, but I can't for the moment find the letter Ludgate wrote to us (the Lea-Francis O.C.) about the Capricornias.

#3 Lee Nicolle

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Posted 19 July 2012 - 06:35

I read somewhere in one of the posts that somebody was enquiring about the Capricornia, driven by John Newmarch. The Capricornia was owned and built by John Bruggeman, who eventually renamed it the Ricardian after his two children Richard and Diane. John Newmarch had a great friendship and association with the Bruggeman's and drove the Ricardian for some years.

Prior to driving for the Bruggemans, John Newmarch drove a 34 Ford in Autocrosses, then drove a Simca Aronde, madly modified. The Simca rolled 3 times at Collingrove Hill Climb, and was panel beaten and repainted to race in the Monday meeting at Port Wakefield.

I have a number of photographs of those early days of motor racing, including many of Col Riches 1930 DD Dodge if anyone is interested. They have now been copied and archived at the Birdwood Motor Museum so they would not be lost to posterity.

The car is still around, I took a pic of it at Mallala last year.
I was friendly with Richard Bruggeman in the distant past. At that point he was more interested in horses than horsepower.
There is or was quite a lot of pics of Col Riches Dodge on various threads on this site.
I have seen pics of it on the Oz Rodders site too.

#4 Piquet959

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Posted 19 July 2012 - 11:49

Also John drove a Prince Skyline GT in 1966,I think.
I have a photo of him on the front row of the grid next to Norm Beechey in his Nova.

Cheers
Peter Sneddon

#5 maggiep007

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Posted 20 July 2012 - 11:39

The car is still around, I took a pic of it at Mallala last year.
I was friendly with Richard Bruggeman in the distant past. At that point he was more interested in horses than horsepower.
There is or was quite a lot of pics of Col Riches Dodge on various threads on this site.
I have seen pics of it on the Oz Rodders site too.


Not quite sure how to reply to these things, but if it works, great. Yes, Richard and Diane were well known in the equestrian world. I saw the Bruggeman's at Mt. Pleasant show some years back, and heard that John Newmarch was in Queensland, and, I believe, more interested in flying than racing.

My family was involved with Col Riches for over 10 years, and many of the race meetings the Dodge went to, I went also, sitting in the dicky seat. I believe Leo Boylan eventually purchased the Dodge, when Col changed the motor over into an Austin Westminster body. He raced that under the name of "Auschry" I have many photos of the Dodge, as well as the famous roll over at Collingrove, by John Newmarch and many of the old Port Wakefield ciricuit, where, incidentally, I learned to drive.

#6 SJ Lambert

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Posted 06 August 2012 - 04:51

Is this the same Ricardian that John Newmarch drove at the 1961 AGP at Mallala? If so then I think he may also have driven it again at the commerative event celebrating the GP at Mallala in 2011?

If it's the "one off" car I'm thinking of then during my flying visit to Adelaide a few weeks ago I got to have a look at it at a mate's place. It's a wonderful vehicle still!!

Cheers

James

#7 AnnieOz

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Posted 17 August 2012 - 22:02

Being one of the organizers - yes it was the Riccardian which as you mentioned lives quietly in SA and goes out to play on increasing occasions. When we approached John to come down to Mallala and join the celebrations he was more than keen to. As he left he said Äny time you want me to drive the car, just let me know" The car passed through numerous hands here in SA - Paul Fraser, Greg Elliot and Ken Messenger that I can quickly think of.

#8 SJ Lambert

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Posted 21 August 2012 - 00:42

Being one of the organizers - yes it was the Riccardian which as you mentioned lives quietly in SA and goes out to play on increasing occasions. When we approached John to come down to Mallala and join the celebrations he was more than keen to. As he left he said Äny time you want me to drive the car, just let me know" The car passed through numerous hands here in SA - Paul Fraser, Greg Elliot and Ken Messenger that I can quickly think of.



Hi Annie, I'll post a couple of shots of John with the car at the Mallala 2011 event tonight.

Cheers

James

#9 SJ Lambert

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Posted 21 August 2012 - 07:36

Here 'tis.

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From all reports John was as "Happy as!!"



#10 SJ Lambert

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Posted 07 September 2012 - 09:49

Here's some tremendous shots kindly provided by maggiep007.

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Posted Image

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#11 SJ Lambert

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Posted 07 September 2012 - 11:20

Col Riches 1958

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#12 SJ Lambert

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Posted 10 September 2012 - 13:21

A couple more shots of this gem of a car from maggiep007 - thanks so much maggiep - these shots are sensational!!



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#13 maggiep007

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Posted 12 January 2015 - 10:51

If anybody could advise me of John Newmarch's address or email address I would appreciate it.  I would like to send him the photos I have of him so he can share with his children and grandchildren.   There are copies of these now in the Birdwood Motor Museum archives, but the originals need to go back to John.

 

My email address is chris.pisani@rocketmail.com.

 

Thanks in anticipation.



#14 cooper997

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Posted 12 November 2019 - 21:49

Having just added the Col Riches Dodge to that thread, the Capricornia appears in the same Motor Manual/ Keith Windser Australian Motor Sporting Guide #8 1959-60.

 

John-Bruggeman-Capricornia-TNF.jpg

 

Stephen



#15 Ray Bell

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Posted 02 December 2019 - 20:52

James...

Do you think you could edit those pics back into this thread please?

#16 SJ Lambert

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Posted 03 December 2019 - 12:27

I’d love to, but ........... I can’t remember the edit trick/process:(

#17 Ray Bell

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Posted 03 December 2019 - 23:46

All you do is locate the pics on your computer...

Then upload to Postimage (you do use Postimage, don't you?)

The go back to each post and click on edit and replace the Imageshack URLs with the Postimage ones.

#18 SJ Lambert

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Posted 04 December 2019 - 02:30

That computer went up in a cloud of smoke!

Perhaps maggiep could re-supply?

#19 Ray Bell

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Posted 04 December 2019 - 03:13

You didn't keep backup copies on a USB stick?

They aren't latent there in your e.mails?