66 replies to this topic

[ChrisJson]

40 years ago I and my brother Conny (conjohn to you) borrowed our fathers car and
drove the 70 kms to Scandinavian Raceway in Anderstorp. Equipped with paddock passes
and a Pentax Spotmatic we were on our first trip to a Grand Prix. I would like to share
with you some of the photos we took.


I wonder, did he have any inkling what would happen three days later?






And speaking of McLaren could someone (Nigel?) identify these two gentlemen?






If there´s interest I could upload many more photos and if you got any specific requests please let me know.


Christer
 

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 21:18.

[sterling49]

You must have some very interesting photos, glad that you are willing to share. Any of Ronnie perchance?

I can assure you, there will be plenty of interest, greetings from the Garden of England.

[ChrisJson]

Hi sterling49!

Ronnie.....

 

 

and Barbro.






Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 21:24.

[funformula]

And speaking of McLaren could someone (Nigel?) identify these two gentlemen?




Uploaded with ImageShack.us

I guess the one in the foreground who is working on the nose of the McLaren is Alastair Caldwell

[ChrisJson]

Though we only got a paddock pass you could take some pitwall
photos as well.

Emerson and Colin.





Francois and....






Christer
 

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 21:26.

[Andretti Fan]

Great pictures. Post any you have. We'd love to see more.

[ChrisJson]

Sometimes things get better if you stand and stare at them....





...or perhaps not.
Once a mechanic always a mechanic.





As always I would be grateful if someone could put names to the
faces (and backs) of those unsung heroes, the mechanics, without
whom there would not be much racin´goin´on!


Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 21:28.

[ChrisJson]

Hi Andretti Fan!

Surely not all of them. You´ll be bored cause there´s hundreds of them!

All of these photos were shot on Agfachrome CT 18 with a Pentax Spotmatic
equipped with a Asahi 50mm and a Tokina 200mm. Scanned on a HP Scanjet
G2710 at 4800 dpi, resized to 72 dpi before the upload.


Christer

[john winfield]

Great photos Christer; thanks for sharing them. I've never been to Sweden but, in your shots and in those of magazines of the time, there's something unique about the sky at Anderstorp, and the light.

I like the mechanics' equipment, toolboxes etc. covered in rival teams' stickers; a big Shell sticker in the Hill (Esso) team for example. Today, sub-section 12 on page 43 of the sponsorship contract (appertaining to display of decals in a public area by team personnel) would exclude such light-heartedness. Probably.

The silhouette of Denny, hair blowing in the fresh Swedish air, is excellent. Delighted that he won, but must have been so disappointing for the home crowd.

Edited by john winfield, 16 June 2013 - 07:07.

[ChrisJson]

Thank you very much John!

The swedish summer is short but beautiful. Even in southern Sweden
there´s only a couple of hours of semi-darkness around midnight.

Did you say stickers??





Does somebody know of Jimmy Tully?

Yes, that slow puncture was really not what we wanted!


Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 21:31.

[sterling49]

Keep scanning Christer, fabulous stuff !

[ChrisJson]

Thank you sterling49!

How about that other swede?





The public on race day didn´t get to see much of his car.
I nearly missed him also so you´ll have to excuse the bad shot.





It´s easier to get it sharp when it´s standing still!





How about those trousers? You just gonna love them!


Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 21:34.

[ChrisJson]

Francois and....



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

I´d be bummed if I know.

I´ll get my coat!

[Andretti Fan]

Hi Andretti Fan!

Surely not all of them. You´ll be bored cause there´s hundreds of them!

Christer

Oh I doubt that. I love these candid style shots, showing what life was like behind the pit wall. 73 was the beginning of my interest in F1. Great drivers, cars that all looked different, the human interest stories. So much mmore interesting than today.

[Nigel Beresford]

I guess the one in the foreground who is working on the nose of the McLaren is Alastair Caldwell

Agreed. From the blond hair and the body English I think the other person is Phil Sharp.

[ChrisJson]

Thank you funformula and Nigel!

Teamwork italian style....





...and their tools!





Same question. Do you recognize someone?


Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 21:37.

[JacnGille]

Keep scanning Christer, fabulous stuff !

[ChrisJson]

One thing I´ve thought about is this, was we the only future
TNF members there?

Let´s make a roll call! Who of you were attending the first
Swedish Grand Prix, held at Scandinavian Raceway June 15-17
1973, either as a spectator or participating in some way?


Christer

[Tomas Karlsson]

I was there! It was my first ever motor race and I managed to persuade my father to drive me to Anderstorp from the West-coast on raceday. I remember when we stopped just short of our goal to take a leak, and then heard the screaming F1-engines in the distance (probably Sunday's morning warm-up session). It was magic!
And even more so when we got to the track. The sound was unbelievable.
We didn't have any grandstand tickets or any pass for the pits, but it was still a fascinating experience. And I can clearly remember the loud "FAAAN!" (=Damned!) from the whole crowd where I stood, when Hulme passed Ronnie on the penultimate lap. But when we walked back over the bridge to our Volvo Amazon, I said: "Next time he'll win!" And I was right!

Edited by Tomas Karlsson, 17 June 2013 - 16:27.

[doc knutsen]

One thing I´ve thought about is this, was we the only future
TNF members there?

Let´s make a roll call! Who of you were attending the first
Swedish Grand Prix, held at Scandinavian Raceway June 15-17
1973, either as a spectator or participating in some way?


Christer

I was there! Took to quite a few photos as well, see if I can manage to scan them and put them up here.

[ChrisJson]

Please do doc!!

[SEdward]

I´d be bummed if I know.

I´ll get my coat!

Whoever's bum it was, François was clearly enjoying it.

Edward

[ChrisJson]

The Champ....





...and his Master.





Is it only me or did the Tyrrell have a very short wheelbase?


Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 21:40.

[Tim Murray]

Is it only me or did the Tyrrell have a very short wheelbase?

Yes indeed - Tyrrell 006 had a wheelbase of 94 inches. The significant opposition in 1973 had wheelbases of 100 inches or more. Derek Gardner had deliberately designed the car to have a lower polar moment of inertia. This made it potentially quicker but more difficult to drive. Gardner knew that in Stewart and Cevert he had two drivers who could cope with it. When he designed 007 he lengthened the wheelbase to 102 inches so that the new drivers Scheckter and Depailler would have an easier car to drive.

[ChrisJson]

Thank you Tim!

This is perhaps not the most beautiful Ferrari ever but
it was the first I saw in real life! At least it sounded good.





Last summer I got the opportunity to drive a 458 Italia.
A dream come true. Thank you kids!!


Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 21:42.

[ChrisJson]

At the time I studied mechanical engineering at Chalmers Tech in
Gothenburg with the ambition of later getting a job designing race cars.

Alas it was never to be but I photographed some of my then heroes.

 

 

Apropos the last photo I realize the Ferrari and Embassy mechanics
aren´t that well known but surely some of you can name the Tyrrell
mechanics in this photo and in post #23. I´ve got a hunch the man
on the right was called Robin.


Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 21:49.

[Nigel Beresford]

Roy Topp and Roger Hill.

I'm pretty sure post 23 shows Neil Davis.

And for your amusement, the bum in the Cevert pic looks like Roland Law's!

Edited by Nigel Beresford, 18 June 2013 - 12:33.

[ChrisJson]

So Ro.. was right!

Thank you Nigel. I admire your expertise on
all kind of subjects.

[Paul Taylor]

Wheelbase - Swedish GP review, 1973:

[arttidesco]

When he designed 007 he lengthened the wheelbase to 102 inches so that the new drivers Scheckter and Depailler would have an easier car to drive.

Would he not have had Cevert in mind when he designed 007, or was the wheel base lengthened after the tragedy at Watkins Glen ?

Great pictures Chris '73 was when my interest in Formula One took off after visiting the Race of Champions, any pics of Niki in the BRM ?

[ChrisJson]

Thank you Ralph!

Here you go! Front...





...back...





...and in the flesh!






Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 21:53.

[arttidesco]

Thank you Ralph!


...and in the flesh!


Christer

Thank you Chris

[ChrisJson]

One of the reason I took technical close-ups like these....





















...was that during the ´70s I bought all the F1 1:12th scale models
I could find. I had all the Tamiya ones from Honda RA 273 to
Renault RE 20, the Bandai Lotus 33 & Ferrari 1512 and the sole
Heller Ligier JS 11. Most of them was bought at Barnvaruhuset
(Childrens Warehouse) in Borås but 3 or 4, including the Heller,
from Lambert Ley Street Models in ´78.

I only completed one model, Ferrari 312B Andretti/ZA´71, and
started on a few others until more important things took over.
Like work, marriage and children. In the end they were all sold
at a local flea market in ´94 for iirc €10 a piece.


Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 22:00.

[ChrisJson]

Okay, let´s make it a little easier. Does someone recognize
any of the persons now? I expect the man barely visible in
the extreme left must be Jimmy Tully. You´d never trust
your tools in another mans hand, right?





I love the uniform team clothing as well!
Especially the hats.


Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 22:02.

[Emery0323]

What are the typical temperatures at Anderstorp in June ? The weather looks sunny, but it seems like most people were wearing fairly heavy jackets.

[ChrisJson]

What are the typical temperatures at Anderstorp in June ? The weather looks sunny, but it seems like most people were wearing fairly heavy jackets.

I don´t remember the temperature in 1973 but usually
it´s 20-25 C. It can be quite chilly in the morning and the
evening though, especially if it´s windy.

Edited by ChrisJson, 21 June 2013 - 18:04.

[Tim Murray]

Autosport described the weather as 'superior' throughout the weekend, and 'Hot sun - dry' on raceday.

[ChrisJson]

Speaking of Autosport here´s another one of my heroes.





I bought my first copy in ´72 at the news-stand at Kungsportsplatsen,
Gothenburg. Conny started to subscribe not long after and is perhaps
still doing so. Reading Pete´s accounts of the Grand Prix were a real
pleasure and something to look forward to.


Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 22:04.

[Emery0323]

I don´t remember the temperature in 1973 but usually
it´s 20-25 C. It can be quite chilly in the morning and the
evening though, especially if it´s windy.

Makes sense. I guess it was the cool conditions and windchill, but Babro, in particular, looks like she's bundled up for winter.
The McLaren mechanics are among the few who are in shirtsleeves.

[Tony Kingston]

Okay, let´s make it a little easier. Does someone recognize
any of the persons now? I expect the man barely visible in
the extreme left must be Jimmy Tully. You´d never trust
your tools in another mans hand, right?

Christer

Didn't Jimmy Tully manage the Project 4 Formula 3 team for Ron Dennis in '78 and '79? Chico Serra becoming British F3 champion in 1979.

[conjohn]

I bought my first copy in ´72 at the news-stand at Kungsportsplatsen,
Gothenburg. Conny started to subscribe not long after and is perhaps
still doing so. Reading Pete´s accounts of the Grand Prix were a real
pleasure and something to look forward to.

Yes, I still do.

As an (almost) complete set of a weekly magazine since 1973 takes up quite a lot of space, I have scanned them and stored them on less than 10 16GB USB sticks - you can hold them in one hand... An incredibly boring (and physically demanding!) job, made easier by the pdf versions of Autosport from February 2010 onwards - now I only have to get 2006 - 2009 done...

As for the Swedish GP, I'm looking forward to 1976 and my first (motor sport) love - Chris Amon.

/Conny

[Tim Murray]

When he designed 007 he lengthened the wheelbase to 102 inches so that the new drivers Scheckter and Depailler would have an easier car to drive.

Would he not have had Cevert in mind when he designed 007, or was the wheel base lengthened after the tragedy at Watkins Glen ?

According to DCN in The Grand Prix Car 1966 - 85, the 1974 Tyrrell was originally intended to be another low-polar-moment car, with a stubby wedge-shaped monocoque (possibly made using Mallite) with side radiators and torsion bar suspension. This would have been 'a highly strung thoroughbred car from which only the masters could extract an elusive potential'. However, after Stewart's retirement and Cevert's death, 'the new team drivers would be comparative schoolboys, and it was considered prudent to design completely different cars in keeping with their relative inexperience'.

[ChrisJson]

According to DCN in The Grand Prix Car 1966 - 85, the 1974 Tyrrell was originally intended to be another low-polar-moment car, with a stubby wedge-shaped monocoque (possibly made using Mallite) with side radiators and torsion bar suspension.

Back from a 24 hour break.

Interesting Tim! Based on this car?










Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 22:08.

[ChrisJson]

Now we have seen drivers, mechanics and designers. But someone must
make the tough decisions. Colin and Ken have appeared already and here
are some more team principals.














Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 22:12.

[eldougo]

Frank Williams ---John Surtees---Teddy Mayer‎.

Edited by eldougo, 27 June 2013 - 06:42.

[thecako]

[ChrisJson]

You have to excuse my recent absence but I have been riding
my bike in the morning and watching le Tour in the afternoon.

Here are some more drivers.

Jackie Oliver ...





... Peter Revson ...





... and "our very own" Howden Ganley.






Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 22:15.

[ChrisJson]

Now that the first snow has fallen and the road cycling season

have come to the end (at least here in Europe) I´ll be able to

take up my other big interest.

 

Namely Formula 1 racing in the ´70s!

 

Where were we.... yes, drivers.

 

George Follmer was there ....

 

 

 

.. and so was Wilson Fittipaldi.

 

 

 

But why so mournful?

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 22:17.

[ChrisJson]

You would be too if this happened to you.

 

 

 

Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 22:19.

[ChrisJson]

40 years ago my brother and I borrowed our fathers Volvo 142 

and drove the 70 kms to Scandinavian Raceway in Anderstorp.

 

It was time again for the Swedish Grand Prix, the highlight of the

year for us. Equipped with a camera and our mothers "race pudding",

rice pudding with raisins, we entered the paddock on friday the 7th.

 

One of the first things we saw was the car that Bob built

 

 

 

Notice also the wet asphalt. I think that was the only time it rained 

during the six years we visited Anderstorp.

 

At the back of the paddock was flight Brabham BT 447 ready for take off!!

 

 

 

The pilote soon arrived dressed up for the occasion

 

 

 

and was buckled up by whom?

 

 

 

 

I´m sure Bob can tell us.

 

Christer

Edited by ChrisJson, 11 November 2015 - 22:25.