24 replies to this topic

[Rainer Nyberg]

Since the other pic was swiftly solved.

Here is another of my mysteries.
Tony Brooks in a Vanwall with # 6.
Any ideas?

[Roger Clark]

THe Glover Trophy at Goodwood22 April 1957. Brooks has pitted at the end of lapfour with a broken throttle linkage. He joined the race many laps behind and broke the lap record to finish 6th, or not classified, depending on who you believe. The race was won by Lewis-Evans in the "toothpaste-tube" connaught.

[Rainer Nyberg]

Thanks again Roger....!

[Gary Davies]

Love pictures like these, with lots of faces to spot! In the background, above Walter Hassan's back, is that not Colin Chapman looking straight ahead, wearing jacket and dark tie??

Vanwall.

[fines]

I agree that's probably Chappo, but why do you think it's Wally Hassan's back? I'd go for GAV...

[Gary Davies]

Oh Fines, you may have got me! The hair, the bulk. And (here's where too much haste may be the problem) I thought I recalled that WH was involved on the engine side with Vandervell.

Concerned Vanwall

[Roger Clark]

I too thought it was Wally Hassen, but he was Chief Engineer of Coventry Climax at the time, so why he would be in the Vanwall pit during a race I can't imagine. also interesting is the attitude of people in the next pit. It's presumably Moss', he was number 7. They look as though they're expecting him in, but his car stopped at St Mary's with the same problem as Brooks': broken throttle linkage.

[Kpy]

Think it's CAV and Cyril Atkins nearest the camera - I'm usually wrong !
Don't think it's Chapman, as he'd taken to wearing a check shirt and no tie as a kind of signature to races at least a year before. He had more hair then too !
"Vanwall" (1975 - Patrick Stevens) by Denis Jenkinson and Cyril Posthumus is well worth the read if you can find it.

[oldtimer]

Thanks for bringing back memories, Rainer.

I got to be as close to that Vanwall in the paddock after practice for that event. IIRC, Brooks tell-tale rev counter showed he still had 4-500rpm in hand after lapping about 0.2 sec slower than Moss. Moss was doing a lot of wheel-winding at Woodcote, in contrast to Brooks, who was driving in his normal unflurried style. Moss' car was not left in the paddock for public scrutiny...

[Bernd]

Originally posted by Roger Clark
"toothpaste-tube" connaught.

I'm sure you'd agree a suitable mount for a Dentist.

[oldtimer]

Not quite. Didn't this particular dentist believe racing cars should have more power than the chassis can handle?

[Bernd]

Good point! a suitable mount in name only. The Connaught was quite a 'Dog' as Alain de Cadenet likes to call it.

Brooks is right in my opinion.
Who was it that said "Just as I always thought a really safe car needs at least 1000BHP" I think it may have been Hans Stuck or Walter Rohrl.

[Barry Boor]

Although not really pertinent to any of the informed and interested discussion that has already taken place on this thread, can I add that like Oldtimer, I was there too?

The difference is I was only 9 and my biggest excitement was that the car that won was the only one in the race that wasn't green!

[Roger Clark]

Originally posted by Barry Boor


The difference is I was only 9 and my biggest excitement was that the car that won was the only one in the race that wasn't green!

but only because they hadn't got round to painting it!

[Roger Clark]

Originally posted by oldtimer
Thanks for bringing back memories, Rainer.

I got to be as close to that Vanwall in the paddock after practice for that event. IIRC, Brooks tell-tale rev counter showed he still had 4-500rpm in hand after lapping about 0.2 sec slower than Moss.

The question you have to ask is why Brooks didn't use everything the car had to squeeze out those extra tenths. The difference between him and moss I suppose.

[oldtimer]

Originally posted by Roger Clark


The question you have to ask is why Brooks didn't use everything the car had to squeeze out those extra tenths. The difference between him and moss I suppose.

My speculation is that he was conscious of being the new boy in the team. Tony Vandervell was never happy about engine blow-ups, even on the test bed, and the Vanwall engine was not one to take abuse. Moss, on the other hand, had a free hand to go racing, win or bust.

Or was it do with the power band characteristics of the Vanwall engine?

Another reason to wish Brooks would tell his story, other than bits and pieces in various articles.

[Barry Boor]

Hear, hear, Oldtimer. If ever there was a need for an autobiography, it is Tony's.

The trouble is, I bet if asked, he would reply along the lines of "I can't think why anyone would want to read about my career." - or words to that effect.

Why don't we get up a petition to try to show the man how highly he is thought of and how much we would cherish such a book?

[Kpy]

Originally posted by Barry Boor


Why don't we get up a petition to try to show the man how highly he is thought of and how much we would cherish such a book?

Well I'm with you Barry. Brooks is the all-time forgotten maestro for me - smooth before Stewart or Prost. But who would write the book?

[Don Capps]

What we need is another person to imitate Keir -- only with Tony Brooks as the center of attention.....

[Barry Boor]

Do we have a thread dedicated entirely and only to Tony Brooks? I would look myself but I have a life.......

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by Barry Boor
... but I have a life.......

Really??

[Mike Argetsinger]

I too think that could well be Chapman in photo. And how about to his immediate right (our left) and partially obscured by post? - could be Gregor Grant. I am virtually certain that is not Wally Hassan in foreground. And as for Cyril Atkins - I would bet on that being him to rear of car facing away with his hands folded behind his back. And finally, anyone else think that may be (half of) John Bolster in checked jacket on extreme right of photo!?

[Roger Clark]

I'm not sure about gregor Grant. He had been at Sebring a week or two earlier and stayed in the States for some weeks; he reported on the SCCA meeting at Palm springs in early April T Autosport Goodwod report was written by Cyril Posthumus.

Who is next to Cyril Atkins with the clipboard? Is that David yorke?

[oldtimer]

There is a fellow in the picture who resembles Chapman, but what would he be doing in the Vanwall pit? He had enough troubles with his own team. Incidently, I remember the Vanwall mechanics requesting the Lotus boys to 'move their pile of junk', or words to that effect, whilst lining up for scrutineering. All in good humour, of course.

Scanning back to the picture, I noticed Brook's posture; all outward patience, arm resting on the windscreen. Maybe it was the inner impatience that broke the lap record after the stop...

[Yelnats]

The fellow certainly looks like Chapman but appears to be about ten years too old for him at the time.