Jump to content


Photo

Formula 1 in the deadly years


  • Please log in to reply
43 replies to this topic

#1 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 11 September 2014 - 02:46

Hi everyone! My name is Richard Melville. I am a former racing driver. I drove GT cars in Europe in early sixties, Formula Supervees and Atlantic in the States and Canada, and finally in New Zealand in the mid-seventies.

 

I have often tried to find a good novel about motor-racing from the driver's point of view, without much luck, so I decided to write one. The novel is about Formula 1 motor-racing driver in the deadly years of the 1970s. I was driving Supervees and Formula Atlantic at that time, and have a good understanding of racing cars and what makes them tick. Here is the link to my website where you may find out more about the book and me: http://MelvilleAuthor.com.

Alternatively you may read the excerpt of the book http://bit.ly/1w2H5n4  

 

I'd love to hear your thoughts about the book. Thanks and look forward to conversing with you all.



Advertisement

#2 Marc Sproule

Marc Sproule
  • Member

  • 984 posts
  • Joined: April 10

Posted 11 September 2014 - 17:33

i admit this is a bit off topic, but is this you, as i suspected, as the driver in this image?

 

https://www.flickr.c...@N03/7959588174

 

this is my atlantic album on flickr.........

 

https://www.flickr.c...57623186773769/

 

 

 

 



#3 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 14 September 2014 - 09:06

I am not sure Marc, I was at St Jovite in Wilbur Bunce's Lola in 1976 and I think I was the only Lola there. But I wouldn't swear that is the car. Do you know I never finished one race in that car? It was so narrow and rolled so much that it broke the half shafts in every race. Hector Rebaque drove one as well, but he couldn't get it to work either. Lovely car to drive though and dynamite in the wet. You should read my book you would get a few laughs.



#4 Tim Murray

Tim Murray
  • Moderator

  • 24,581 posts
  • Joined: May 02

Posted 14 September 2014 - 14:05

According to the results on Champ Car Stats that is you in Marc's photo, Richard:

http://www.champcars...ces/1976c04.htm

You were in one of a number of Lola T460s in the race, one of which finished second in the hands of Tom Klausler. Have you had a look at the Nostalgia Forum here? I think you might be interested in some of the threads there, and we'd love to hear some of your racing stories.

#5 Vitesse2

Vitesse2
  • Administrator

  • 41,742 posts
  • Joined: April 01

Posted 14 September 2014 - 19:50

Following Tim's suggestion above, I've taken the liberty of moving this thread to where it will probably attract more interest!



#6 GMiranda

GMiranda
  • Member

  • 1,168 posts
  • Joined: April 13

Posted 14 September 2014 - 22:45

Interesting book



#7 TimRTC

TimRTC
  • Member

  • 1,282 posts
  • Joined: March 12

Posted 15 September 2014 - 08:15

I always thought Alistair MacLean's Way to Dusty Death was quite accurate... :stoned:



#8 Marc Sproule

Marc Sproule
  • Member

  • 984 posts
  • Joined: April 10

Posted 15 September 2014 - 08:25

judging from the photos i took of the various t460s that year i would have to say that roll was a very apt word for that car.

 

actually twist might be applicable too. in head-on cornering pics it appeared the chassis was doing a fair amount of twisting/flexing.

 

klauser was the only one who had any success in that chassis. he, hector rebaque and craig hill were the only other ones i had pics of in the t460 at mont tremblant that year.

 

my t460 set.....

 

https://www.flickr.c...57631396124318/

 

all my sets......

 

https://www.flickr.c...81980@N03/sets/



#9 Glengavel

Glengavel
  • Member

  • 1,300 posts
  • Joined: September 06

Posted 15 September 2014 - 09:02

I always thought Alistair MacLean's Way to Dusty Death was quite accurate... :stoned:

 

That's just you and Alastair MacLean then.



#10 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 16 September 2014 - 03:20

According to the results on Champ Car Stats that is you in Marc's photo, Richard:

http://www.champcars...ces/1976c04.htm

You were in one of a number of Lola T460s in the race, one of which finished second in the hands of Tom Klausler. Have you had a look at the Nostalgia Forum here? I think you might be interested in some of the threads there, and we'd love to hear some of your racing stories.

Tim, unless I have got it totally wrong Tom Klausler was the year before in the earlier model Lola which was abrilliant car. I drove the Lola Supervee in 1975 which was thre best car I ever drove. In I976 Villeneuve won in a March 76B I don't remember who came second.  I shared the front row with Tom in the 1975 Lola at Road America in a Fred Opert Chevron and he was way faster than everybody else. He was brilliant..



#11 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 16 September 2014 - 03:32

That's just you and Alastair MacLean then.

Alistair MacLean, is a famous author, I just wrote a story using my life experience as a template. Read the first chapter which gives a description of driving a racing car and see if you like it:http://bit.ly/1w2H5n4  


Edited by melville, 16 September 2014 - 04:20.


#12 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 16 September 2014 - 03:39

judging from the photos i took of the various t460s that year i would have to say that roll was a very apt word for that car.

 

actually twist might be applicable too. in head-on cornering pics it appeared the chassis was doing a fair amount of twisting/flexing.

 

klauser was the only one who had any success in that chassis. he, hector rebaque and craig hill were the only other ones i had pics of in the t460 at mont tremblant that year.

 

my t460 set.....

 

https://www.flickr.c...57631396124318/

 

all my sets......

 

https://www.flickr.c...81980@N03/sets/

It was a very strange car, you sat so far forward that the steering rack was under your knees. I t was so narrow that you could read GoodYear on the tyres. It had tremendous brakes, and in a fast corner it was fabulous. It was very fast in a straight line, but out of a tight corner it would just roll and wheel spin. It broke the CV Joints in every single race.



#13 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 16 September 2014 - 03:41

I always thought Alistair MacLean's Way to Dusty Death was quite accurate... :stoned:

I have never read it, but he was a great author   Look at the first chapter of my book: http://bit.ly/1w2H5n4  


Edited by melville, 16 September 2014 - 04:21.


#14 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 16 September 2014 - 03:42

Following Tim's suggestion above, I've taken the liberty of moving this thread to where it will probably attract more interest!

Thank you very much  Apreciate it



#15 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 16 September 2014 - 03:51

That's just you and Alastair MacLean then.

 

I always thought Alistair MacLean's Way to Dusty Death was quite accurate.

 

Interesting book

Did you like it?



#16 Tim Murray

Tim Murray
  • Moderator

  • 24,581 posts
  • Joined: May 02

Posted 16 September 2014 - 04:24

In I976 Villeneuve won in a March 76B I don't remember who came second.

:confused:

 

The full results of the 1976 race are shown in the link I posted above, and show Klausler in second place.



#17 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 16 September 2014 - 05:50

:confused:

 

The full results of the 1976 race are shown in the link I posted above, and show Klausler in second place.

Guess, I am going senile



#18 Marc Sproule

Marc Sproule
  • Member

  • 984 posts
  • Joined: April 10

Posted 16 September 2014 - 06:27

Guess, I am going senile

 

don't feel like the lone ranger. my 50 year high school reunion is next year!!

 

:eek: :eek: :eek:

 

what were we talking about???



#19 Lee Nicolle

Lee Nicolle
  • Member

  • 11,036 posts
  • Joined: July 08

Posted 16 September 2014 - 08:55

That's just you and Alastair MacLean then.

A readable book. But as a story about motorsport totally inaccurate shite! Headlights!!!

McLeans early books were generally pretty good, later ones were at best average.



Advertisement

#20 Dick Dastardly

Dick Dastardly
  • Member

  • 893 posts
  • Joined: August 09

Posted 16 September 2014 - 17:35

Another book written by a racer is John Bartlett's "Chequered Justice". Not having read it, I've no idea if it is any good or not.

 

Alistair Maclean books are very dated now, after Frederick Forsyth wrote "The Day of the Jackal", any author had to do a lot of research to do a reasonable Faction [fact & fiction] novel. I think Graham Hill appeared in Caravan to Vaccares as a helicopter pilot....did "The Way to Dusty Death" ever get made into a film? 


Edited by Dick Dastardly, 16 September 2014 - 21:28.


#21 Glengavel

Glengavel
  • Member

  • 1,300 posts
  • Joined: September 06

Posted 16 September 2014 - 18:03

It did, as a made-for-TV movie. It apparently bears little resemblance to the book.



#22 Tim Murray

Tim Murray
  • Moderator

  • 24,581 posts
  • Joined: May 02

Posted 16 September 2014 - 19:04

There had been plans in the '70s for a Hollywood blockbuster - Jackie Stewart was involved - but the film never materialised. See this earlier thread:

http://forums.autosp...to-dusty-death/

#23 Dick Dastardly

Dick Dastardly
  • Member

  • 893 posts
  • Joined: August 09

Posted 16 September 2014 - 21:37

Hi everyone! My name is Richard Melville. I am a former racing driver. I drove GT cars in Europe in early sixties, Formula Supervees and Atlantic in the States and Canada, and finally in New Zealand in the mid-seventies.

 

I have often tried to find a good novel about motor-racing from the driver's point of view, without much luck, so I decided to write one. The novel is about Formula 1 motor-racing driver in the deadly years of the 1970s. I was driving Supervees and Formula Atlantic at that time, and have a good understanding of racing cars and what makes them tick. Here is the link to my website where you may find out more about the book and me: http://MelvilleAuthor.com.

Alternatively you may read the excerpt of the book http://bit.ly/1w2H5n4

 

I'd love to hear your thoughts about the book. Thanks and look forward to conversing with you all.

I've just ordered a copy from Amazon, should have it in the next few days.... :drunk:



#24 Nemo1965

Nemo1965
  • Member

  • 7,836 posts
  • Joined: October 12

Posted 17 September 2014 - 10:22

That's just you and Alastair MacLean then.

 

:rotfl:

Quite funny... and deadly. But I have to say it is the only novel I've ever read that had an half-accurate description of contrasting driving styles. Remember the chase in the mountains, and that the protagonist/hero recognises the man he is chasing in the way he turns the corner?

 

For the rest it was typical MacLean-drivel. I don't understand that MacLean thought that using the same trick in every book - the bastard in the beginning of the book turns out to be the hero - would not become tedious...


Edited by Nemo1965, 17 September 2014 - 10:22.


#25 Glengavel

Glengavel
  • Member

  • 1,300 posts
  • Joined: September 06

Posted 17 September 2014 - 12:23

:rotfl:

Quite funny... and deadly. But I have to say it is the only novel I've ever read that had an half-accurate description of contrasting driving styles. Remember the chase in the mountains, and that the protagonist/hero recognises the man he is chasing in the way he turns the corner?

 

For the rest it was typical MacLean-drivel. I don't understand that MacLean thought that using the same trick in every book - the bastard in the beginning of the book turns out to be the hero - would not become tedious...

 

Ta. But I disagree about the 'same trick' theory (and the comment about 'drivel'!) - there's only a few books where the eventual hero is initially a 'bastard' (Dusty Death, and possibly Fear Is The Key and Breakheart Pass); I'd say more often the hero's true motivation is kept hidden. However, MacLean's books do have repetitive elements - resourceful protagonist, usually named John, attractive female love interest, usually named Mary, gruff but kindly father figure, stalwart sidekick, urbane and scholarly villains, flat-out nasty villains, etc.


Edited by Glengavel, 17 September 2014 - 12:24.


#26 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 18 September 2014 - 02:53

I've just ordered a copy from Amazon, should have it in the next few days.... :drunk:

That sounds great Dick, I am sure you are going to like it, It is based around what was actually happening at the time, although I never drove Formula One. Let me know how you make out with it and if you could post a review on Amazon it would certainly help with the promotion.



#27 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 18 September 2014 - 03:03

:rotfl:

Quite funny... and deadly. But I have to say it is the only novel I've ever read that had an half-accurate description of contrasting driving styles. Remember the chase in the mountains, and that the protagonist/hero recognises the man he is chasing in the way he turns the corner?

 

For the rest it was typical MacLean-drivel. I don't understand that MacLean thought that using the same trick in every book - the bastard in the beginning of the book turns out to be the hero - would not become tedious...

Have a look at the free chapter Nemo, you will find it is an accurate description of driving a single seat racing car. The plane  he flies is the same make and model I flew, the yacht that is his refuge is the same as mine except twice the size, his problems in Central America is similar to what I went through. The women of course are all disguised. If you decide to read it let me know how you make out. I would be very interested. The general response is that people love it.



#28 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 18 September 2014 - 03:14

Another book written by a racer is John Bartlett's "Chequered Justice". Not having read it, I've no idea if it is any good or not.

 

Alistair Maclean books are very dated now, after Frederick Forsyth wrote "The Day of the Jackal", any author had to do a lot of research to do a reasonable Faction [fact & fiction] novel. I think Graham Hill appeared in Caravan to Vaccares as a helicopter pilot....did "The Way to Dusty Death" ever get made into a film? 

The only movie worth a damn was Grand Prix done in the 60's with most of the drivers of the time. The movie Senna was brilliant, but that wasn't fiction. Rush was a real disappointment as it was so de tuned and basically boring. Hunt and Lauda were not enemies, and Hunt's sexual exploits were probably too much for Hollywood. 



#29 john aston

john aston
  • Member

  • 2,675 posts
  • Joined: March 04

Posted 18 September 2014 - 06:53

Alistair MacLean - the man who , with Hammond Innes and Desmond Bagley , created a whole subgenre of stiff upper lip literature. Read them a lot when I was a kid but risibly dreadful once you've read some proper authors. The road to etc was beyond parody- utterly dire. Motor sport has such a wealth of characters and bizarre stories that fiction isn't necessary. Nobody could make up Ecclestone and nobody would believe the Brawn story  


Edited by john aston, 18 September 2014 - 06:54.


#30 Nemo1965

Nemo1965
  • Member

  • 7,836 posts
  • Joined: October 12

Posted 18 September 2014 - 15:46

Have a look at the free chapter Nemo, you will find it is an accurate description of driving a single seat racing car. The plane  he flies is the same make and model I flew, the yacht that is his refuge is the same as mine except twice the size, his problems in Central America is similar to what I went through. The women of course are all disguised. If you decide to read it let me know how you make out. I would be very interested. The general response is that people love it.

 

I read the free chapter, Richard, loved the driving sequence. Have you read Niki Lauda's book Protocol? In it, there are some gems about particular races he drove. You will like them and perhaps even recognise yourself in it...

 

Okay, and here comes my criticism (if you appreciate it, otherwise, don't read it!)

 

I have published books myself (two novels), and I teach professional writing at an university for professional learning.  If I would have been your editor, I would have made the reader work a little bit harder. You write good, very well composed prose, and you describe the frantic, quick decision-making behind the wheel very well. But I think that as you go further in the driving sequence, you could have even used less verbs, so the reader would plunge deeper and deeper in purely visual input. You already did that very well, but it could have gone even further.

 

Furthermore, in the dialogues, I would say: less is more. I think that this rival Carlos is quite too eloquent on the podium. Remember that famous sequence of film at the Glenn, when Cevert died there? There has been an accident. Chapman walks up to, I think, Maurice Philippe. 'Who is it?' 'Cevert.' 'Cevert...' He walks away. 'Cevert. Bloody hell.'

 

For the rest: a must read!


Edited by Nemo1965, 18 September 2014 - 15:48.


#31 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 19 September 2014 - 09:22

I read the free chapter, Richard, loved the driving sequence. Have you read Niki Lauda's book Protocol? In it, there are some gems about particular races he drove. You will like them and perhaps even recognise yourself in it...

 

Okay, and here comes my criticism (if you appreciate it, otherwise, don't read it!)

 

I have published books myself (two novels), and I teach professional writing at an university for professional learning.  If I would have been your editor, I would have made the reader work a little bit harder. You write good, very well composed prose, and you describe the frantic, quick decision-making behind the wheel very well. But I think that as you go further in the driving sequence, you could have even used less verbs, so the reader would plunge deeper and deeper in purely visual input. You already did that very well, but it could have gone even further.

 

Furthermore, in the dialogues, I would say: less is more. I think that this rival Carlos is quite too eloquent on the podium. Remember that famous sequence of film at the Glenn, when Cevert died there? There has been an accident. Chapman walks up to, I think, Maurice Philippe. 'Who is it?' 'Cevert.' 'Cevert...' He walks away. 'Cevert. Bloody hell.'

 

For the rest: a must read!

Thank you Nemo, it went through three editors and a proof reader, but as you know if you go through a book book a million times you can always find ways to improve it. I was at Watkins Glen  driving Supervees when Cevert was killed, the armco was too high and took his head off.  There is a picture of the supervee race in my website.



#32 Collombin

Collombin
  • Member

  • 8,589 posts
  • Joined: March 05

Posted 19 September 2014 - 11:47

when Cevert was killed, the armco was too high and took his head off


That just isn't true.

#33 Nemo1965

Nemo1965
  • Member

  • 7,836 posts
  • Joined: October 12

Posted 19 September 2014 - 18:57

Thank you Nemo, it went through three editors and a proof reader, but as you know if you go through a book book a million times you can always find ways to improve it. I was at Watkins Glen  driving Supervees when Cevert was killed, the armco was too high and took his head off.  There is a picture of the supervee race in my website.

 

But oh, it was just an opinion. I have never been able myself to control the language and tone of any of the books I wrote. It always eluded me. So my suggestions were not hints at improvement, just what I would write as a critic or editor at a publishing company.

 

Quite incredible that you drove that day at the Glen... me and my big mouth... Of course I did not know...



#34 funformula

funformula
  • Member

  • 515 posts
  • Joined: March 08

Posted 19 September 2014 - 19:12

...when Cevert was killed, the armco was too high and took his head off...

 

Richard, is it possible you mixed the Cevert accident with the one of Helmut Koinigg at Watkins Glen in 1974. He was decapitated by the armco barrier.

Not sure about the injuries Cevert had died of, but they must have been also so severe that he was instantly killed according to JYS biography.



#35 RonPohl

RonPohl
  • Member

  • 193 posts
  • Joined: September 11

Posted 23 September 2014 - 01:52

I am about halfway through the book.  A very enjoyable read.  Richard, you really captured the feel of driving the relatively low downforce cars of that great era.  Any chance of a prequel ?  Will in his formula 3 days?  Thanks so much for your work. Cheers



#36 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 23 September 2014 - 03:15

Richard, is it possible you mixed the Cevert accident with the one of Helmut Koinigg at Watkins Glen in 1974. He was decapitated by the armco barrier.

Not sure about the injuries Cevert had died of, but they must have been also so severe that he was instantly killed according to JYS biography.

All I know was that they were trying to stop his girlfriend from getting to the crash scene because his head had been taken off by the armco barrier. 



#37 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 23 September 2014 - 03:22

I am about halfway through the book.  A very enjoyable read.  Richard, you really captured the feel of driving the relatively low downforce cars of that great era.  Any chance of a prequel ?  Will in his formula 3 days?  Thanks so much for your work. Cheers

I am 12% through it, it starts from the last chapter of the existing book with him falling asleep. And remembering Ray coming to his hospital room after a huge Formula 3 crash and offering him a Formula 1 drive. If you really like the book can you review it on Amazon? 



#38 ReWind

ReWind
  • Member

  • 3,392 posts
  • Joined: October 03

Posted 23 September 2014 - 07:01

All I know was that they were trying to stop his girlfriend from getting to the crash scene because his head had been taken off by the armco barrier. 

With all due respect: That is not true.

Niki Lauda once described what happened to poor François and demonstrated it with his hands. From the hip upwards Cevert was nearly cut in half, obviously caused by the armco severing the cockpit of the upside down car.

(Sorry for the gruesome detail. I'm sick now.)



#39 funformula

funformula
  • Member

  • 515 posts
  • Joined: March 08

Posted 23 September 2014 - 19:54

All I know was that they were trying to stop his girlfriend from getting to the crash scene because his head had been taken off by the armco barrier. 

 

 I don´t want to sound too pedantic here, but I don´t think Cevert had a girlfriend with him during the US-GP weekend in 1973.

According to the JYS biography Cevert together with Jackie and Helen Stewart spend a brief holiday between the Canadian and US-GP. No mention of a girlfriend here.

Also no mention of her in the aftermaths of the accident when JYS disclosed to his wife that he is no longer a racing driver. Both spend the whole night crying in the hotel room.

Wouldn´t they both not have given comfort to a grief-stricken girlfriend instead as they did so many times before? (Nina Rindt, Sally Courage...)



Advertisement

#40 RonPohl

RonPohl
  • Member

  • 193 posts
  • Joined: September 11

Posted 23 September 2014 - 21:26

I am 12% through it, it starts from the last chapter of the existing book with him falling asleep. And remembering Ray coming to his hospital room after a huge Formula 3 crash and offering him a Formula 1 drive. If you really like the book can you review it on Amazon?



#41 RonPohl

RonPohl
  • Member

  • 193 posts
  • Joined: September 11

Posted 23 September 2014 - 21:28

Glad you are working on another book. There is a real shortage of motor racing fiction. I will post a review on Amazon when I finish. Cheers.

#42 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 30 September 2014 - 22:59

Glad you are working on another book. There is a real shortage of motor racing fiction. I will post a review on Amazon when I finish. Cheers.

Thanks for the review, I need all the help I can get, let me know how you made out.  All the best



#43 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 02 October 2014 - 04:53

 I don´t want to sound too pedantic here, but I don´t think Cevert had a girlfriend with him during the US-GP weekend in 1973.

According to the JYS biography Cevert together with Jackie and Helen Stewart spend a brief holiday between the Canadian and US-GP. No mention of a girlfriend here.

Also no mention of her in the aftermaths of the accident when JYS disclosed to his wife that he is no longer a racing driver. Both spend the whole night crying in the hotel room.

Wouldn´t they both not have given comfort to a grief-stricken girlfriend instead as they did so many times before? (Nina Rindt, Sally Courage...)

I could be wrong, but that was what was going around the paddock at the time



#44 melville

melville
  • New Member

  • 20 posts
  • Joined: September 14

Posted 02 October 2014 - 04:54

Glad you are working on another book. There is a real shortage of motor racing fiction. I will post a review on Amazon when I finish. Cheers.

Thank you for the review, it really helps. Glad you enjoyed it