He may be back under another name!
Never..................dreaming of a ride on Patto's boat......"slaps wrist"
Posted 30 July 2014 - 08:49
He may be back under another name!
Never..................dreaming of a ride on Patto's boat......"slaps wrist"
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Posted 30 July 2014 - 09:22
Stephen, unfortunately I only have the outer sheet (seem to remember the Herald was an 'extra' packed with another item I bid for on eBay; a 60s Sandown programme I was adding to my collection). So there isn't a page 3; but for added 'nostalgia' and to lighten the tone here's Wally and the Major and Ben Bowyang from page 24...
PS Now I've found a cheaper uploading site I can re-post an enlargement of the top half of the front cover if people want to see it.
Posted 30 July 2014 - 11:21
Posted 31 July 2014 - 14:02
Herald cover 20th Feb 1965
Posted 31 July 2014 - 16:34
Herald cover 20th Feb 1965
When you see how period racing cars literally disintegrated or collapsed like crushed flat pack furniture in accidents, it becomes ever more apparent how brave were the drivers and how thin a proverbial line they trod.
Posted 31 July 2014 - 22:42
Posted 31 July 2014 - 23:24
When you read the heading of The Herald paper,I thought it was very today type of heading,rather then that of a conservative Melbourne 60s time.
Posted 01 August 2014 - 23:24
I read recently that the Ecurie Australie name is to be revived by the Davisons and used for their historic racing teams.
Dale.
Posted 02 August 2014 - 11:20
The Melbourne Herald was always a very Conservative journal and we should never forget it was the prime mover, along with its mates in the Liberal Party, in getting motor racing kicked out of Albert Park back in 1959.
It constantly and systematically shunned motor racing, instead, preferring to promote minor suburban football and local horse racing.
However, when Davison died (not killed) at Sandown in 1965, the rag had no compunction in plastering his death all over the front page as though "WE" were suddenly interested in motor racing .
Not much as changed
Alec
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Posted 04 August 2014 - 10:52
I would like to introduce myself to this topic. My name is Chris Davison, and my father was Lex Davison. I am fascinated to see the subject of Ecurie Australie come up, especially at this time, as my brother Richard and I are now reviving this once famous team name, and will run our historic cars under the Ecurie Australie team. If you go to the media pages on the CAMS web site you will find the full story on why we feel that this is the right time to revive Ecurie Australie. The story was well know, but has become part of history now. It is hard to believe, even 50 years after it happened, that both Lex and his young protégé Rocky Tresize were both killed within a two week period in February / March 1965, both the cars were right offs and the team totally destroyed. Even today, if you bring the matter of Ecurie Australie up with people like Tim Schenken, Brique Reed and Lou Russo, it still draws some raw emotion from these men. How my mother coped at that time still amazes her family, but as she did with everything in her life, she carried on with great courage and dignity. One thing about the revival of Ecurie Australie that is important is that it is not about us, but it is all about honouring these great achievements and memories of the past, and historic racing is the perfect vehicle in which to do this. We are all really impressed with the many excellent people in historic racing in Australia, and how much they respect and admire the history, the great times and the machinery of the past. Lex did not get the opportunity to race overseas much, but did enjoy some excellent results at Silverstone and Aintree in 1962. In November this year, a group of us are heading to Silverstone for the Walter Hayes Trophy, the biggest FF1600 race in the world. We have put together a lease deal with Brian Souley Motorsport, and the car will be driven by Jon Miles, who has been a regular front runner in historic FF racing in Australia for the past few years. Again, to honour what Lex achieved 50+ years ago, we are going to run Ecurie Australie badges on this car.
Posted 04 August 2014 - 13:35
Posted 04 August 2014 - 22:39
I'm sure that I speak for all here at TNF when I say that we are honoured to have you post here, Chris. Thank you.
Posted 04 August 2014 - 22:56
She certainly did...Originally posted by Chris Davison
.....Even today, if you bring the matter of Ecurie Australie up with people like Tim Schenken, Brique Reed and Lou Russo, it still draws some raw emotion from these men. How my mother coped at that time still amazes her family, but as she did with everything in her life, she carried on with great courage and dignity.....
Edited by Ray Bell, 04 August 2014 - 22:59.
Posted 05 August 2014 - 03:06
Posted 05 August 2014 - 05:40
Thank you for the comments regarding my wonderful Mum, especially as today [5th August] is the second anniversary of her passing. To then lose Tony 12 months later, it has left a big hole in our lives. One thing that I would like to respond to is that I do feel that there are many excellent woman in Australian motorsport, not only as competitors and officials, but also as supporters from both the family pits and the grandstands. WAMS has been set up to foster female participation in our great sport, but just seems to be missing the grass roots at this stage. I am especially proud of my daughter Claire, who is now driving her 1984 Reynard in historic racing, and I am sure that her much adored grandmother would have really enjoyed seeing her on the track. I know just how proud Claire will be to carry the Ecurie Australie colours in the future.
Posted 20 February 2015 - 00:01
Lex deserves to be remembered today... 50 years since the fateful practice day at Sandown.
What follows is a piece I did for the latest UK Mini Cooper Register 'CooperWorld' club magazine. http://www.minicooper.org/ .
There’s a fair degree of ‘Boys Own Adventure’ in the motor sporting life of Australian, Lex Davison. Here’s a taste of those adventures.
Through family and his business interests he was able to enjoy many motoring adventures across Australasia and indeed even Britain & Europe – including 1953 Monte Carlo Rallye & 1961 Le Mans 24 hour. Often under his own ‘Ecurie Australie’ team banner. No mean feat when communication, let alone logistics were somewhat harder 50 & 60 odd years ago. He is also one of few who had a drive of Donald Campbell’s Bluebird during the 1964 Lake Eyre record attempts.
It’s no secret that Australia was a ‘dumping ground’ for cast aside racing cars from Britain – often brought out by a visiting driver for the New Zealand/Australian Internationals. Although Lex sometimes took a slightly different approach by having UK-based contacts find cars for him. By the early 1960’s he was buying the latest cars they had built for the purpose. Amongst the racing cars Lex acquired and/or had developed were Alfa Romeo, MG, HWM, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Cooper & Repco-Brabham.
Lex first sampled then, Australian Cooper distributor, Keith Martin’s Cooper after the November 1950 Ballarat Aerodrome race meeting. Ultimately he purchased one of the Martin Cooper-JAPs in 1952. However that one remained unraced by Lex, although he did race Stan Jones Cooper at the October 1952 Parramatta Park (Sydney) meeting. Then after acquiring a Cooper-Vincent MkIV in early 1954, he went hillclimbing with it. But it wasn’t quick enough, so with the engineering skills of Phil Irving it was supercharged. Beginning 2 successful years hillclimbing, ¼ mile sprints and some circuit racing – across Australia with that chassis. Before the engine and supercharger were swapped into a later MkV chassis and the so-named Cooper-Irving was created. These 2 cars heralding 3 Australian Hillclimb Championship wins in the process.
Despite success, the aircooled Coopers played second fiddle to the various front-engined HWM, Ferrari & Aston Martin grand prix cars that Lex preferred to run for outright racing honours. With the Ferrari helping him become the 1st recipient of CAMS ‘Gold Star’ Australian Drivers’ Championship award for the 1957 season. Australian motor sports highest accolade. However by the Aston GP era, it was usually outclassed by the growing number of Cooper-Climax finding their way to Australia. Lex was known to make cracks about them being ‘Anti-Climaxes’. Finally though, he leased one of Bib Stillwell’s ‘spare’ Cooper T51 for the October 1961 Australian GP at Mallala. Resulting in Lex’s 4th and final Australian GP win – to add to those won in 1954, 57 & 58. He was finally taking to the rear engine formula!
It also meant that in a career littered with several ‘retirements’ due to family and business endeavours he was seriously hooked by the racing bug again. Consultation with BRM, Jack Brabham & Reg Parnell to source a suitable rear-engine car, ultimately saw a deal struck with Reg’s Bowmaker-Yeoman Credit Racing Team to drive one of their Coopers for the 1962 New Zealand and Australian ‘International’ meetings. They were already heading ‘Down Under’ to race throughout January, February & March. So an extra car was sent for Lex. That however ended badly for him at the penultimate International meeting. The result of a mishap at Longford where the Cooper was severely damaged after contact with a tree & local pub! It was enough to make him take up drinking – ordering Brandy from the bar. It also meant he was quickly in negotiations with Jack Brabham for the purchase of his ‘backup’ Cooper – as Sandown’s International was a little over a week away. But just to prove things could be complicated even then, Lex secured the Cooper, then leased it to Yeoman Credit for Roy Salvadori to use at Sandown. Roy had damaged his YC Cooper at Warwick Farm. With the benefit of excess racing cars, Lex wheeled out his Aston Martin for Sandown.
Bruce McLaren was Cooper’s #1 GP driver in 1962. But in readiness for the November 1962 AGP at Caversham, built the one-off Cooper Climax T62. This was all done foreign to Cooper Cars. Although the car was still identified as a Cooper, was built at Tommy Atkins workshop. So cutting a longer story short, this car became Lex’s after the 1963 NZ/Aus International meeting. Used throughout the 1963 Australian national season and the new 1964 Tasman Series. The process was then repeated during the 1964 Tasman by negotiating to purchase the Denny Hulme-raced Repco-Brabham BT4 from Jack Brabham yet again. To become the car Lex raced for the 1964 national season and 1965 Tasman. But the dangers of motor sport would intervene.
The February 20-21 Sandown meeting was the penultimate round of the 1965 Tasman Series, with Longford the final – and that year’s AGP meeting. Sandown however quickly became a sombre meeting when Lex went through the horse railing at Sandown’s back straight kink during Saturday’s practice. Later it was revealed he had suffered a heart attack and had been observed making no attempt to turn slightly right for the kink. He had turned 42, just 8 days earlier and one of Australia’s then most prolific drivers, husband of Diana & father of 7 was gone.
The tragedy didn’t end there though, as Lex’s young Protégé and next door neighbour, Rocky Tresise – who had been running the ex McLaren Cooper T62 still wanted to run at Longford. After what was no doubt some serious thought Diana allowed him and the T62 to venture to Tasmania for the Longford AGP meeting. In short, just 9 days after Lex, Rocky was gone too. All coming unstuck between the Longford startline and the water tower. The out of control Cooper also taking photographer Robin d’Abrera. Motor sport felt the pain and ‘Ecurie Australie’ was no more.
To finish a little more upbeat Davison’s continue in Australian motor sport to this day. Son’s Jon & Richard raced in the 70s & 80s. With Jon going on to ironically become Sandown’s promoter for 15 or so years from the early 90s. Then in the mid 90’s onward, their respective sons, James and his cousins, Alex & Will can be found racing somewhere. It should also be mentioned that another of Lex’s sons, Chris recently relaunched the use of ‘Ecurie Australie’ for the Formula Ford he and daughter Claire run in historics.
Stephen Dalton
Edited by cooper997, 18 April 2018 - 10:04.
Posted 20 February 2015 - 01:22
Posted 20 February 2015 - 01:46
Posted 20 February 2015 - 01:46
Posted 01 March 2015 - 05:16
And we should also remember Rocky & Robin 50 years today, since it all came so tragically unstuck at Longford's Australian GP.
And IIRC, it also means 50 years since 1961 F1 World Champion, Phil Hill had his last serious race in an open wheeler racing car. He drove the Cooper T70 that Adam Berryman now owns.
Stephen
Edited by cooper997, 18 April 2018 - 10:07.
Posted 01 March 2015 - 07:19
Posted 01 March 2015 - 09:40
Anthony Davison must have only been around 17 when that difficult presentation fell on his shoulders. I have 3 colour slides of the presentation held on the back of a truck or truck trailer on the start/finish line. But they have exposure issues. With dignitaries and the doyen of Tasman/Grand Prix drivers having had to scramble a ladder. How dare they! (I jest)
What follows, is I believe Saturday's 'The Examiner' Road Racing Championship rear of grid - Stillwell, Matich, Gardner, followed by Palmer and Rocky in the red Cooper, followed by Hobden. If I've got it sussed.
Stephen
Edited by cooper997, 18 April 2018 - 10:09.
Posted 01 March 2015 - 09:56
Posted 29 December 2016 - 08:26
Sit back and enjoy this rare piece of footage courtesy of Richard Davison.
It relates to the June 1963 Sandown meeting. With his father, Lex racing the ex McLaren 1962 AGP-winning Cooper T62 and so eloquently commentates the 10 minutes of fantastic footage. Even Stan Jones Maserati 250F has a brief cameo as it was entered for the Historic Racing Car Handicap at that meeting.
https://www.facebook...11347063382614/
Stephen
Posted 29 December 2016 - 08:54
Sit back and enjoy this rare piece of footage courtesy of Richard Davison.
It relates to the June 1963 Sandown meeting. With his father, Lex racing the ex McLaren 1962 AGP-winning Cooper T62 and so eloquently commentates the 10 minutes of fantastic footage. Even Stan Jones Maserati 250F has a brief cameo as it was entered for the Historic Racing Car Handicap at that meeting.
https://www.facebook...11347063382614/
Stephen
The Maserati ran without its bonnet ,do we know why,I've been told a creditor had it in safe keeping to make it hard for Stan to sell the car without their knowledge.
Posted 29 December 2016 - 09:02
Anthony Davison must have only been around 17 when that difficult presentation fell on his shoulders. I have 3 colour slides of the presentation held on the back of a truck or truck trailer on the start/finish line. But they have exposure issues. With dignitaries and the doyen of Tasman/Grand Prix drivers having had to scramble a ladder. How dare they! (I jest)
What follows, is I believe Saturday's 'The Examiner' Road Racing Championship rear of grid - Stillwell, Matich, Gardner, followed by Palmer and Rocky in the red Cooper, followed by Hobden. If I've got it sussed.
Stephen
Ita Pity Bibs BT11 is not in his Gold Star winning colours now racing in historics in team Brabham colours shrugs.
Posted 29 December 2016 - 21:32
Even Stan Jones Maserati 250F has a brief cameo as it was entered for the Historic Racing Car Handicap at that meeting.
Perhaps a measure of the revolution wrought by the big Coopers is that barely more than three years earlier the 250F had won the AGP.
Looks like the Carter Corvette getting a push through the pits too.
I also note the recent passing of Brique Reed, a link with the past and a great ambassador for historic motor sport.
Posted 30 December 2016 - 00:07
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Posted 30 December 2016 - 05:04
The Maserati ran without its bonnet ,do we know why,I've been told a creditor had it in safe keeping to make it hard for Stan to sell the car without their knowledge.
The brief mention in the Aug 63 AMS Sandown report mentions that "Jones, troubled by overheating, could manage no better than 7th despite a fastest lap of 1:24.9." There's a bonnetless 250F photo in the report too.
Obviously a bit troubled and an expensive repair bill if the engine got damaged. Given there was only 8 cars and one was the Ballot Olds and 2 Austin Sevens maybe Doug wished he'd not taken up historics.
Also, with the question over on the 'Mentioned in passing' thread about Brian Reed's involvement with Ecurie Australie, Graham Howard's wonderful book on Lex covers this over the pages 211 - 221ish. In a sentence, Brian had befriended Rocky Tresise in early 1964 and that meant he came in to Lex's radar. Page 217 tells the tale.
Stephen
Posted 28 September 2017 - 12:02
Guys,
Most of you have seen this, but popped in for completeness;
https://primotipo.co...per-t62-climax/
m
Posted 05 April 2018 - 06:24
Following some comments relating to Lex's time as a Holden dealer in this link
http://forums.autosp...ustralia/page-5
There is brief bit in the Graham Howard Lex Davison book on Monte Carlo Motors being set up between Lex & Stan Jones pages 79 and 161. But there's not a lot of detail.
As Dick Willis rightly points out in his post 233 in the above linked thread, it was set up on the corner of Punt Road and Swan St Richmond with an announcement made in the October 1954 Fisherman's Bend programme. They had obviously set up Jones, Davison Pty Ltd to trade as Monte Carlo Motors. The heading of the full page advert reads "Jones, Davison Pty Ltd have been appointed authorised dealers for the famous HOLDEN" It then gives a listing of events they had run Holden's in Monte Carlo Rally,, Redex Trail, Sun Rally, etc. There's also an advert in the December 1954 AMS.
Someone with good google skills and prepared to scroll through some government site might find how long Jones, Davison Pty Ltd traded to show the length of time Lex was in the car trade.
Certainly during 1956 Stan was listing his entrant as Stan Jones Motors. But then Stan had car yards in various locations around Melbourne that would take some amount of time to unravel. However, he was running Superior Motors in Victoria St Richmond before the Davison arrangement came into being.
The Punt Road/Swan St site no longer exists because probably at least 35 years ago the intersection was re-aligned and their buildings were knocked over for widening.
Even though this 1964/65ish photo shows the site as Kevin Dennis Holden, it was the Monte Carlo Motors.site.
Dennis Gowing who was one of the partners in this dealership competed with an aircooled Cooper in the late 50s and knocked around with Norm Beechey.
From behind where the photographer is standing, travel about 500 metres and it is the Rod Laver Tennis Centre precinct these days. When this photo was taken the landmark opposite what is now the Tennis Centre was the official 1956 Olympics pool (now remodelled and used for other purposes).
Stephen
Edited by cooper997, 05 April 2018 - 08:04.
Posted 05 April 2018 - 06:51
Pre 14 2 66 as the todays special is 799 quid. As I realise no pound symbol on this keyboard!
It shows our pommy upbringing with Hillman, 100E Bedford. A40. Minor and a Mini Van. Plus an EJ Holden and the EH Holden Wagon seemingly being pushed from the drivers door to left of pic.
Posted 05 April 2018 - 07:52
Posted 05 April 2018 - 09:12
And the Series II Major/Lancer just in front of it.You missed the Prefect there, Lee....
Posted 05 April 2018 - 12:01
Posted 05 April 2018 - 12:33
Pre 14 2 66 as the todays special is 799 quid. As I realise no pound symbol on this keyboard!
Lee,its 'ALT 0163' (£),you use the RHS numbers block for the '0163'',its 'ÁLT 0128' for the €.
I buy/sell Coins on UK Ebay so are using them all the time.
Posted 05 April 2018 - 22:19
You missed the Prefect there, Lee...
And isn't that an Austin van or Morris Messenger coming in on the right?
You wouldn't mind the AP3 on offer at Kevin Dennis', would you?
Or better the Dodge with the EJ alongside
Posted 05 April 2018 - 22:47
Stephen,
Just thumbed thru my copy of 'Lex' too. That intersection is close to where I live and as your pic shows- is nothing like that today.
As you all know Stan was in desperate trouble once the 1961 'Credit Squeeze' kicked in, very highly geared as he was then- it's safe to assume I think that even if the dealership lasted till then it would been finito during 1961.
I'll drop Chris Davo a line and see if he knows.
Mark
Mark, yes I'm within 150 metres of that intersection every week and if it wasn't a life threatening act, the photo could be recreated. But I've never seen a quiet time around there.
My best guess is that the Jones, Davison Monte Carlo Motors thing lasted 18 months, if that. I've had a check in my Jones file and have Stan Jones operating out of Keilor Rd North Essendon when the first Phillip Island meeting took place. Last time I drove along that area it was still a Holden dealer at the address.
Dennis Gowing worked with Reno Auto Sales before he went and created Kevin Dennis with Kevin Heffernan (Ford Dealer in Wangaratta in the 70s). As far as I'm aware Reno was Reg Smith. Who died in the Porsche accident at Bathurst and father of Garry & Warren Smith, Holden dealer in Oakleigh.
Chris Davison might have a bit more information, but he was very young at the time.of Monte Carlo Motors.operating.
Stephen
Posted 05 April 2018 - 23:37
Or better the Dodge with the EJ alongside
Your welcome DH.
Posted 07 April 2018 - 07:37
The Punt Road/Swan Street intersection today, l think it was better before.
Posted 08 April 2018 - 20:37
By the mid 1950s GM in Australia found themselves with two groups of Holden dealers, those who had previously been Vauxhall dealers and those who had been Chev etc dealers. Many country towns had two Holden dealers so the situation was clearly not sustainable and the inevitable culling of the weaker of the two dealers occurred. My thoughts are that this is the fate that befell Monte Carlo Motors. Similarly, a decade later BMC found themselves in the same situation when sorting out their dealers from the Austin or Nuffield origins.
Posted 08 April 2018 - 22:34
By the mid 1950s GM in Australia found themselves with two groups of Holden dealers, those who had previously been Vauxhall dealers and those who had been Chev etc dealers. Many country towns had two Holden dealers so the situation was clearly not sustainable and the inevitable culling of the weaker of the two dealers occurred. My thoughts are that this is the fate that befell Monte Carlo Motors. Similarly, a decade later BMC found themselves in the same situation when sorting out their dealers from the Austin or Nuffield origins.
Yes, sometimes there were 3 dealers in large towns and sometimes ended up with 2. When there was really room for one. Some regions though seemed to continue with lots of Chev sales, or sometimes even Vauxhall sales. But never both.
These days Holden has culled about a third of their dealers including some very big ones and have left some regions without a Holden dealer at all.
Posted 14 August 2021 - 03:13
Article about Lex and his Galaxies ; https://primotipo.co...-ford-galaxies/
Edited by MarkBisset, 14 August 2021 - 03:17.
Posted 15 April 2022 - 04:45
The British motoring magazine industry prospered from advertising revenue aligned with race/rally victories.
Here The Autocar ran this British GP support race report with the Smiths advert beside it. There's a photo of Lex's Aston Zagato leading Jack Sears E Type in the main BGP report of the same issue.
Stephen
Edited by cooper997, 15 April 2022 - 04:55.