44 replies to this topic

[Fidini]

Hello All, I am writing a book to be called "A History of Clubman Sportscars in South Australia". The word "in" signifying that all clubmans that came from interstate into South Australia for whatever purpose will be included. This is mainly competition cars.
I am seeking stories, photos, anecdotes and technical and build details of these cars. The book will have sections on Competition (all types),Social and the social explosion since 1995, biographies of people who have impacted on Clubmans in SA and then an A to Z of Clubmans. I have identified 107 different types/makes so far.
This post is not intended to take away from Ray's Clubman Racing post, but rather I hope the two posts will compliment each other.
A couple of names to start the ball rolling.
Richard Thurston, Vic, red Nota Sportsman #74, Mallala, Dec 63
R Bendell, Vic, X3 Clubman, silver, 2994cc (Zephyr?) Mallala 67
Tony Farrell, Vic, Farrell C1/P, Mallala, 22 Nov 70
R Mason, NSW, Lotus 7 , blue, 1498cc, Mallala, 28 Dec 65

Kym Ninnes
www.kymroundoz.com
Kymclubman@gmail.com

[Ray Bell]

An anecdote...

Back in 1977 I was competing at the Collingrove Hillclimb in Peter Hitchin's Hudson Special. A number of very fast cars were there, but Rob Butcher was out to beat them all in the ASP entered by John Blanden.

Run after run he went absolutely kamikaze-style attacking the hill, as he was in a car that wasn't supposed to be beating some of the more favoured runners, Peter Holinger, Ian Judd and Werner Rodkin.

It was win or crash. A tremendous effort that netted him a time of 34.71s despite hair-raising antics, easily beating the other Clubmans of (?) Walsh (ASP) on 34.91 and Peter Bail (Farrell) on 35.69.

FTD went to Holinger with 4.4-litre Repco V8 on 32.76, Rodkin's Dolphin BMW was third on 34.12.

[Fidini]

Thanks Ray. Good stuff and just the sort of thing I am after.

[Ray Bell]

There was a two-car team run by Blanden with backing from Shell...

Butcher drove one, Dean Hosking drove the other, with Blanden's assistance from about June '73. Both were very quick and they travelled a bit with them.

Hosking had earlier driven an Elfin Clubman IIRC, while your list should soon grow to include Tom Tymons in his Farrell, Jim Doig's ASP, Graeme Baird in the Hargal and Jeoffrey Turner in his Argus.

I'm sure Lee can add more local cars to the list. Do you have Dave Wallis in an ASP 340B? Colin Pavic and Noel Devine ran their Farrell's there in April, '73, as did Brique Reed run the Elfin, Mike Drewer in the ASP, the Trengoves were there that day with the Delta II for Colin and an ASP for Mike, and Barry Caire is listed in yet another ASP. Later in the year Malcolm Johns was in an ASP.

There's a few more names for you...




.

Edited by Ray Bell, 17 August 2015 - 04:16.

[Fidini]

Thanks Ray, I was going to dribble feed the names over a few weeks. I have another 50 or more to come yet. I attend the Sporting Car Club of SA library a couple of times each week for research and one of the volunteer staff is Dean Hosking who is a veritable mine of information. It would be nice to still have such patrons as the late John Blanden. His son, Richard is the current manager of the club.

[Lee Nicolle]

Actually I have never really followed the clubbies. The blokes for that are 2 Bob and his mate Doig,, whose car is not a Clubman as he has told me a LOT of times!

Looking at Rays other thread it seems the NSW Clubbies had a slightly different lot of cars as to our SA cars. And seemed to be a bit more kamikaze too following the various comments about racing there from many contributors.

There has been a LOT of clubman style cars around and there is still a lot now of modern ones. Some are indecently quick, at Supersprints inc Kym Ninnes's car that he competes

[smeetsie]

Ray, Andrew Mitchell in his Farrell based clubman sports car left the class record at Collingrove at something like 31.??secs.

Rob Butcher is a very gifted and experienced driver and preparer of sports and open wheeled race cars.

He did a lot of work for John Blanden, as well as also driving his F5000.

He also rebuilt the prototype Bacchus clubman I once owned for me.

Seen recently at Mallala in a Formula Ford. 

Pete S.

Edited by smeetsie, 17 August 2015 - 04:35.

[smeetsie]

Dean Hosking drove an early ASP Corolla at Mallala for Indy Speed Shop......his then employers. He also drove the "Capricornia" Buchanan based Holden powered sports car for them.

In later years , as you say, he drove in John Blanden's 2 car ASP clubman team.....but is best remembered for the Biranna F3 he drove for John. He also had a spectacular bingle in Blanden's Lotus Elite at Phillip Island. At Collingrove he was very quick in the John Blanden Cooper 50's GP car......(don't know the model no.). He also drove/still drives an ASP on the road. His father the late Tom Hosking, drove one on the road too.

Regards

Pete S.

[2Bob]

An anecdote...

Back in 1977 I was competing at the Collingrove Hillclimb in Peter Hitchin's Hudson Special. A number of very fast cars were there, but Rob Butcher was out to beat them all in the ASP entered by John Blanden.

Run after run he went absolutely kamikaze-style attacking the hill, as he was in a car that wasn't supposed to be beating some of the more favoured runners, Peter Holinger, Ian Judd and Werner Rodkin.

It was win or crash. A tremendous effort that netted him a time of 34.71s despite hair-raising antics, easily beating the other Clubmans of (?) Walsh (ASP) on 34.91 and Peter Bail (Farrell) on 35.69.

FTD went to Holinger with 4.4-litre Repco V8 on 32.76, Rodkin's Dolphin BMW was third on 34.12.

Photo of Dave Walsh also doing a Kamikase run at Collingrove, not sure if was the same day though!

 

[/URL

 

 

Dave kept the car until the early 80s.  Had a couple of big prangs along the way, rebuilt it and then sold it to Dick Clutterbuck with an all alloy bodywork with side pods. It then passed into my hands in 1985.  I ran it with side pods etc until 1989, started a bare chassis rebuild in 1989, ran out of work and thus money, and finished the rebuild in 2008 back to original body shape for historic racing.  (Mark Peacock who does the technical work on Jim Doigs evergreen ASP (not a) clubman did all the work, I just paid for it.  Mark also looks after all the Bob Middleton vehicles from Nascars to Trucks to TCM Camaroes of Andrew Medeckie and Mark King..). First practice day:

 

[url=https://imageshack.com/i/pdjh2igQj]

Edited by 2Bob, 17 August 2015 - 04:54.

[smeetsie]

That was Dave Walsh's car when he ran Mitsubishi engine and x4 Amal carbs.

Jim Bidstrup, Bob Butcher and Dave ran ASP 340's in those days if I remember correctly.

Bidstrup is restoring an ASP I am pretty sure, whilst Dave Walsh has bought a Pendragon (one of two) from me.

Dean Hosking still has a racing ASP clubman which had a VW Golf engine...maybe even a BMW engine at some stage I think.

Both Pendragons had VW Passat 1300cc variants. Graeme Manual still has his, as well as a Kestrel street clubman.

Jim Doig has his race ASP and also the Lotus 7 he raced - which is now a road car.

Pete S.

[2Bob]

A Farrell under restoration:

 

 

A beautiful job being done.  Taking too long though - want it out there to compete against!

Edited by 2Bob, 17 August 2015 - 06:31.

[Fidini]

That Farrell looks nice. Whose?

[jeremy durward]

Some great old film of clubbies at Adelaide international raceway, my Dad Ken appears in his Asp at about 20 seconds in. 

 

[bradbury west]

So what sort of bhp were these devices running in period, with all these varied power units, having abandoned/forsaken the Ford crossflow presumably?

Roger Lund

[Ray Bell]

Roger, it was typical to see about 125hp out of a Corolla... but with less torque than a BMC engine...

Eventually as the eighties wound up some went near 150hp as I understand it. Some Fords did too, but the Ford was much heavier than the Corolla and the Datsun 1200 engine too. The latter, with the GX head, could give some good power.

Passats, Mitsubishi Galants, Renaults, Fiat 128s and others were used in the 1300cc class while almost only the Ford was used in the 1500/1600 class. With the exception of my Renault 16TS and a lone Datsun Fairlady 1500, mine being as much lighter than the Ford as the Nissan was heavier I suspect.

[2Bob]

"Eventually as the eighties wound up some went near 150hp as I understand it."

 

I think that is quite possible.  I was running a Motor Improvements head on my Corolla.  Must have been in the car from the mid 1970s.  Last rebuild (4 years ago) with that head we got 138+ on Bill Hansen's dyno.  That head gave it away early this year (dropped a valve seat).  Brand new head bought of the shelf (they fit Toyota gas fork lifts still) with breathing on by Bill (many hours) it gave 148 on same dyno, still under 1300cc.  Bill reckons that is as good as he ever got and he built many engines for Australian F3.  They used to run well into the 9500 rev range and had steel everything.  We run into low 8000 range with Corolla rods and crank and have better low down torque than they used to get.   

 

I understand that the good Datsuns run over 150 bhp.  Dave Barrum runs one (or used to a few years ago) in his, highly modified, ASP 340c and brought it to Adelaide a few years ago to run against the Wests at a Clipsal event.  He told me all he wanted to do was be a bit quicker and beat 1 or 2 of the Wests.  He did that!

[2Bob]

Dave Barram's ASP at Clipsal event at Adelaide:

 

[Lee Nicolle]

Some great old film of clubbies at Adelaide international raceway, my Dad Ken appears in his Asp at about 20 seconds in. 

 

Some of those blokes,, and cars are running this weekend at Mallala. Doig, Warland etc. And Mark Peacock no doubt will be crewing for Doig

How little changes,, just they all have grey hair now!

The Lui Deluca Anglia in the clip I believe is running too, with big brother Serge driving it!

[seldo]

Roger, it was typical to see about 125hp out of a Corolla... but with less torque than a BMC engine...

Eventually as the eighties wound up some went near 150hp as I understand it. Some Fords did too, but the Ford was much heavier than the Corolla and the Datsun 1200 engine too. The latter, with the GX head, could give some good power.

Passats, Mitsubishi Galants, Renaults, Fiat 128s and others were used in the 1300cc class while almost only the Ford was used in the 1500/1600 class. With the exception of my Renault 16TS and a lone Datsun Fairlady 1500, mine being as much lighter than the Ford as the Nissan was heavier I suspect.

I recall that we once got 132bhp (must have been a lucky day...)from our 1293 A series, but mostly it ran at about 125-128bhp on Waggott's dyno.

[DavidI]

Divid Barram's car has been developed over a number of years (I remember him showing off a nicely triangulated bolt on structure he said was worth an extra few tenths) and was almost unbeatable at Lakeside for several seasons during the 90's. He now runs a mid engined supersport instead but i heard a rumour he might return the ASP to an Historic specification.
On engine power, Peter Tighe once told me of Corolla engines "you can get 120bhp out of them pretty easily witha stock bottom end"

[2Bob]

" And Mark Peacock no doubt will be crewing for Doig

How little changes,, just they all have grey hair now!"

 

Actually Doig will be missing this meeting, something like his 4th or 5th meeting missed since 1968.  His most inconsiderate grandson decided to get married this weekend in Tasmania!

 

You are right about the grey hair though, but it is a bit sparse on Mark Peacock's head, nut HE will be there crewing for just me instead of both of us!

[Lee Nicolle]

" And Mark Peacock no doubt will be crewing for Doig

How little changes,, just they all have grey hair now!"

 

Actually Doig will be missing this meeting, something like his 4th or 5th meeting missed since 1968.  His most inconsiderate grandson decided to get married this weekend in Tasmania!

 

You are right about the grey hair though, but it is a bit sparse on Mark Peacock's head, nut HE will be there crewing for just me instead of both of us!

I would have though that Doigs family would know to work around race meetings by now! 

A lot sparse on Marks head.

[Fidini]

Hello All,
This thread has proved very worthwhile for me. I have gained some valuable information and have a had a couple of SA clubman drivers from the past contact me direct by email.
I still haven't got any information on the drivers and cars I mentioned in my first post, so I will put them up again with a couple of others. Any details and photos would be welcome.
Richard Thurston, Vic, red Nota Sportsman, #74,Mallala, Dec 63
R Bendell, Vic, X3 Clubman, silver, 2994cc,Mallala, 1967
Tony Farrell,Vic, Farrell C1/P,Mallala, Nov 70
R Mason, NSW,Lotus 7, blue1498cc, Mallala, Dec 65
John Allison, Allison Clubman, Collingrove, 1978
Rod Anderson, 1964 Stirling Clubman, #45, 1598cc, Mallala Easter 89
Peter Beehag, Farrell, blue, 1298cc, AIR, Oct 80 and later
Noel Devine, UFO Clubman, 1294cc, AIR, Feb and Apr 73
Mike Dobson, #29, Farrell, 1298cc, blue, Mallala, Apr 90
That's probably enough for now. Only another 50 or so to come.

Cheers
Kym

[john medley]

Thurston's Nota probably ex Les Howard then I think Jacques Sapir/ Ron Davis, later Claude Morton and Murray Batson, later Henry Walker back in NSW, then???

Dick Bendall is/was the Motec man

Rod Anderson's Stirling was exNSW , a Lotus 23 copy not a clubman

[275 GTB-4]

Nota Sportsman ex-Walker went to Peter Mathews in Victoria in 1999.

[Fidini]

Thanks John for the information and putting me straight on the Stirling. I have checked the appropriate race program and don't know how I made the error. Just to confirm to me how wrong I was, in the September 2015 issue of Vintage race car which arrived at the Sporting Club today there is a photo of the Stirling with its builder on page 41.

[Fidini]

I managed to find a new (to me) clubman today. A Nimbus. Built in the early 80's with a one piece bonnet and nose cone. It currently has a Mitsubishi Galant motor and gearbox, although it was built with a Cortina motor and gearbox. The car was driven a couple of times after it was made, but was never registeredI. it has been sitting unloved in a shed full of other cars for over 30 years. I'll post some photos when I learn how to do it.
For John Medley. Did you ever compete at Mallala in the 60's? I have noticed another clubbie entered (or co driven) by a David Medley. Any connection

[Ray Bell]

David is John's brother...

There are photos of him in the Australian Clubman thread.

[Fidini]

A Queensland registered Caterham turned up at the third Sunday get together at the "Rezz" yesterday. The owner said it was a 1986 model with a Ford 1600  engine and live Ford rear axle. Interestingly it had made in Japan weber lookalike carbbies.

Still chasing up Victorian drivers and cars that came over to Mallala and Collingrove. Here are a few more.

Bruce Durbin, DT Nissan, yellow/blue/green, Mallala 89 - 91

Evans and Fairweather, Mallock U2, Malalla April 2010

Paul fellows. #15, Farrell, Mallala April 2013

Peter Ferrai. Minda, Collingrove,  11 April 1982.

Wayne Ford, Fiat Clubman, AIR October 1980

Hugh Gantley (Gartley??), #44, Cheetah, orange, MallalaApril 1998

 Chris Hocking, Gordon C2, AIR 74 - 76

Does anyone have any info, photos or contacts?

[Ray Bell]

I suspect that Wayne Ford's car was the Krefel...

The 'DT' stood for Dave Thompson.

Chris Hocking shouldn't be too hard to find, he's from Melbourne. Doesn't his son still race?

[2Bob]

Hugh Gartley runs a Cheetah F3 car, owned from new I think, Orange and still #44.  Not a clubman.  Still running at historic meetings in Victoria, Winton and PI to my knowledge.

 

Bruce Durban's car came to SA - maybe to Michael Clarke?  Hocking's Gordon came here too, to Dave Evans I think.

[Andrew73]

Bruce Durbin still has his car, the DT1.

Michael Clarke's Farrell F483, originally Dick Watts > Wesley Inkster then Michael.

[Librules]

I think Chris Hocking may still be racing - in a Matich F5000??   I've sent Fidini a PM with contact details for Hugh Gartley....

[Fidini]

Thanks Librules for the information. It just goes to show how thorough you need to be going through old race programs. Here in SA cars used to race in Divisions one, two and three based on their lap speeds, but the difficulty was that racing cars, sportscars and clubmans all used to run together. What makes it even more difficult is when a manufacturer makes both clubmans and racing cars eg Cheetah. Even in straight sports car races it is sometimes difficult to differentiate between say group A sports cars and clubmans. The numbers of Clubbies racing in SA was generally not sufficient for them to have their own dedicated races. This thread has been helpful so far in sorting out some of these cars into their correct categories.

[SJ Lambert]

(South) Australia's Elfin Clubman!!

 

 

[Fidini]

Thanks SJ (don't know your name). The Elfin Clubman provides an interesting story with some copies thrown in as well just to muddy the waters. The original 1960's versions still perform well in historic competition.

[Ray Bell]

James, with your intimate knowledge of the Elfin works...

Obviously it's Garrie at the wheel, who are the others?

And wasn't it a lot of work to go to with that body for so few produced?

The other week I was talking to Brian Reed, he was the man who (of those I saw) got the most out of an Elfin Clubman.

[Lee Nicolle]

James, with your intimate knowledge of the Elfin works...

Obviously it's Garrie at the wheel, who are the others?

And wasn't it a lot of work to go to with that body for so few produced?

The other week I was talking to Brian Reed, he was the man who (of those I saw) got the most out of an Elfin Clubman.

The number produced is probably hindsight. Garrie would have thought it a viable project which it quite possibly was anyway.

I dont know the people but it sure looks like Collingrove.

[SJ Lambert]

Garrie's at the wheel as you say Ray, his father Cliff is in the cardigan on the driver's side and long time Elfin Works fibreglass man, Ron Tonkin is in slacks & shirt on passenger side.

Apologies if I've said it before, but that magazine cover provided the impetus for my father, Ron Lambert to join Elfins in 1964. He saw a number of near new Clubmans at Conmurra Avenue when he got there, but doesn't recall having a hand in building any. (He did see the last of them get wired up for lights/electricals though).

Lee, at least one other Crow Eater racing aficionado besides me think it's Collingrove too!

Edited by SJ Lambert, 13 October 2015 - 02:00.

[Ray Bell]

Just wheeling up to the Collingrove starting pad, I'd say...

"Hindsight"? Probably, but then even a small run was probably pretty useful in building the Elfin name in those times. And Garrie was to become famous for his after-sales service.

[Fidini]

I have received some information as a result of this thread, but there is still a lot missing. Kaydee has kindly sent me the photos he posted on the Lotus 7 thread and Dean Rainsford has sent some period photos of the Simca Sportsman and a history of it when in his ownership. This is an interesting car which had its genesis in an Austin Special that was raced in the 1961 Australian Grand Prix by Trevor Ellis who was 19 years and seven months old at the time. ( he finished and won 45 pounds in prize money). Dean provided a photo of Trevor standing beside the car prior to competition.

[Lee Nicolle]

Just wheeling up to the Collingrove starting pad, I'd say...

"Hindsight"? Probably, but then even a small run was probably pretty useful in building the Elfin name in those times. And Garrie was to become famous for his after-sales service.

Coming in the pit area actually. The main road is in the background. The pit area and hill are behind the photographer.

Actually the place has not changed a great deal in the 40 odd years I have been going there. though what is used as pit area these days has tripled in size.

[Lee Nicolle]

I have received some information as a result of this thread, but there is still a lot missing. Kaydee has kindly sent me the photos he posted on the Lotus 7 thread and Dean Rainsford has sent some period photos of the Simca Sportsman and a history of it when in his ownership. This is an interesting car which had its genesis in an Austin Special that was raced in the 1961 Australian Grand Prix by Trevor Ellis who was 19 years and seven months old at the time. ( he finished and won 45 pounds in prize money). Dean provided a photo of Trevor standing beside the car prior to competition.

I have not seen Trevor in long time. He used to run a car auction as well as the wire works opposite Elfin 20 plus years ago. 

I often used to help him out with some cars to make the auction look populated.

[ClubmanClatter53]

Hi Kym,

I 'm not sure where your'e up to with your book on Clubman History but I have two or three years of Victorian Clubbie racing history round by round

and some stuff on a couple of Clubbie National Titles all supported by pictures, you are welcome to have copies of if you are interested.

My Email Contact is : bruce.durbin@bigpond.com drop me a line.

 

 

[Fidini]

Hi Bruce , Thanks for contacting me. The book is coming along well. I have about 90% of the information that I need and I am starting to insert photos into the text. I am still short of a few photos, but have contacted several people in Victoria who have been most helpful in providing contact details and photos and information about Clubmans in SA.

Your DT Nissan Clubman is one that I currently have no photos of so your contact has come at a good time.

I will contact you via email to get some more information.

 

regards