47 replies to this topic

[RTH]

Having just bought and watched all 5 one and a half hour VHS compilations - I have to say if you enjoy the subject matter on this forum - you will just love these films - they are fantastic !

I have no connection with any of it and paid full price like everyone else. It must be a labour of love I doubt if they have made anything out of it yet.

Lets just hope David Wegelin and Doug Nye will keep going and can continue to find new unseen material - this must be the biggest problem.

If anyone has any old Motoring or Motor Racing footage however small get it to them - and the more obscure the better. I particually liked all the pit and paddock atmospheric pre race film.

Get your camcorders out and go to some race meetings and motoring events and record some material ready for the 2053 editions - Doug will still be there in his oak panelled library to introduce it - he might have a little less hair and a bit whiter beard - but I expect he will still be going !

[Doug Nye]

Richard - God bless you indeed... Would that I could share your confidence....

Santa

[Bernd]

Doug did you ever see that Melbourne Grand Prix film I pointed you towards some time ago?

[Ray Bell]

I have at my side a large roll of 16mm colour but no sound movie...

Albert Park, predominently, c 1955. Belongs to Mrs Elsie Maurice, widow of the cinematographer... she had many rolls, but loaned them out over the years. In 1979 this was the only one she had left.

I also have access to the start of the 1949 Australian GP (in colour, from 8mm) and some scraggy old (same period) Lowood.

Clive Gibson has piles of pre-war stuff. I believe I can track down a lot of Bathurst movie too, some said to be from 1938.

[Jack-the-Lad]

I've just ordered mine. Very much looking forward to seeing them.

Jack

[Ron Scoma]

Let me add my voice to the chorus...

I just got all 5 discs and spend an enjoyable Saturday and Sunday watching them, along with Rendezvous.
Next weekend I'll set up the 16 mm projector and see what I have collecting dust, I know I have about a hundred reels of misc. stuff.
Oh well, it's only time....

Ron, who is anxiously awaiting Volume 6

[dretceterini]

Does anyone know of any film coverage of the Mille Miglia or the Targa Florio that is available? I'm especially interested in the immediate post WW2 era..

[RTH]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
I have at my side a large roll of 16mm colour but no sound movie...

Albert Park, predominently, c 1955. Belongs to Mrs Elsie Maurice, widow of the cinematographer... she had many rolls, but loaned them out over the years. In 1979 this was the only one she had left.

I also have access to the start of the 1949 Australian GP (in colour, from 8mm) and some scraggy old (same period) Lowood.

Clive Gibson has piles of pre-war stuff. I believe I can track down a lot of Bathurst movie too, some said to be from 1938.

Ray,

This sounds just the right sort of material - don't worry about no sound - write your own commentary with everything you know about what the viewer is seeing + any background - they can dub voice over and even sound effects ( as in Bill Masons excellent "Shell History of Motor Racing group of films ) and get it to Doug or David Weguelin www.motorfilms.com 01483 235600 somehow David manages to get even the oldest film look brilliant - and something I have never seen before corrected for real life speed - now you have told us about it I want to see it !



Now Ron............ why have n't you checked your stock before !

[Mat]

I have the first 3 on dvd and still watch them over and over again. And Im only 22! I plan on getting the others on DVD soon.

[Ray Bell]

Trust me, you'll have trouble getting the sound to dub right with the Leyburn clip...

The cars are marshalled, then the next scene is the grid and the start. Now, there's a Delayhaye 6, an SS100 six, a Riley 1500, a side-valve Ford V8 and a Hudson straight 8 in that... and that's just the first row!

Behind them is a Buick Century 8, another Ford V8, but with two gearboxes in series (I kid you not), a Cadillac SV V8 with two pipes and a Terraplane 6... good job the Wolseley 25hp 6 with the 30/98 gearbox didn't start... then there's MGs, more Ford V8s, another (earlier model) Caddy, all sorts of stuff...

And the Caddy-engined Regal scorches away best and almost takes the lead from the start!

Film quality is no problem with the Albert Park stuff, it's first class and hasn't seen all that many trips through a projector at all.

[The Runner]

...someone mentioned sometime ago in another thread that the BBC actually destroyed film of motor racing in their archives. I found this inconcievable and very dissapointing.

...I have always wanted to see film of the TV coverage from the early sixties of Grand Prix and other British and european events eg.. the 1962 TT from goodwood, Guards Trophy 1962, Oulton Park Gold Cup 1982-63-64-65 etc... and any other TV coverage. Remember Raymond Baxter?

..I have tried several times to try and find out if our German or French ot Italian friends destroyed their films of Grand Prix, without success.

..any ideas lads, I have always looked for ways to find if we can get hold of this kind of brillliant footage of our heroes including unananswerd letters to the BBC and ITV.

Regards
Randall

[RTH]

Ray,

Now there's a challenge for someone - to go out and record these sounds to fit that piece of film

...............now I really want to see this film

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by RTH
...............now I really want to see this film

It blew John Medley away when he saw it...

For all these years, all we had of this race was some black and white pics. Stills, some pretty ordinary stills at that... now suddenly we have this glimpse of the real life colour of it all, the enormity of that vast airfield, the size of the crowd and the lovely sight of that 1911 chassis ripping off level pegging with Kleinig for the lead!

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by RTH
Now there's a challenge for someone - to go out and record these sounds to fit that piece of film.....

When they go out, get them to look also for a Studebaker and a Dodge, the latter to sound like it's in a Bugatti. Of course the Bugatti 37 shouldn't be too hard to find, but there's also a 4-cyl Ford in there too...

And the Buick complicates matters... unlike the 9-speed Ford beside it on the grid, it had no gears and a 2-speed diff.

[green-blood]

I recently did the exact same thing, watched all five whilst I was off work having my 4 wisdom teeth out.

sure Doug must be finished having teeth out by now!!!! Will you be in Goodwood Doug, I'd love to get something signed....perhaps a C-Type photo!!!!!

[Doug Nye]

- Good heavens - just revisited TNF to find all the above...Weg would certainly be VERY happy to help restore, preserve, dub onto tape or DVD any and all of the above if it could be arranged. Please contact him direct on the e-mail address... It's EXTREMELY encouraging to hear such like-minded appreciation of this material.... Bernd - I'm very sorry but I did not get to see the Melbourne GP film you mention - Stu - we will be running Part 1 of Bill Mason's fantastic Shell film covering the 1953 Mille Miglia in MFQ 6 - and Mat, yours is the most encouraging news I've heard in years, just 22 and this old rubbish is of interest to you. Fantastic! We felt SURE there are still like-minded newcomers out there to help keep the faith... history need not be stuffy and dull and earnest - it can be fun, 'cos so much of it was as it was being written...

DCN

[RTH]

Can I commend another wonderful video to you all in the same vein which I just discovered

Its titled "Green to Glory " made by DD Video 5 Churchill Court,58 Station Road North Harrow Middx HA2 7SA compiled in 1993 - its only 22 minutes long - but its solid gold ! all 1960's - F1 and many other events in those years + lots of behind the scenes activity..........and on board in colour with Jim Clark in the 25 around the Brands GP circuit - worth it for that alone ! Its still readily available from your regular Motorsport video retailer or from Duke I.O.M No. DD638 best of all its just £6.99 + P&P tel 01624 64000 www.dukevideo.com

[RTH]

Originally posted by Ray Bell


When they go out, get them to look also for a Studebaker and a Dodge, the latter to sound like it's in a Bugatti. Of course the Bugatti 37 shouldn't be too hard to find, but there's also a 4-cyl Ford in there too...

And the Buick complicates matters... unlike the 9-speed Ford beside it on the grid, it had no gears and a 2-speed diff.

When I said "someone " Ray I was rather thinking you were the man for the job !

Seriously though please do get this to David I am quite sure he will take the greatest care of all material and be sure to return it to you safely.

Same goes for everyone if you have or can borrow film on any Motoring or Motor Racing subject that fits I suppose 25 to 100 years old we would all like to see it......... so please really do get in touch direct with David Weguelin productions then it will live on for ever for everyone.

[Mat]

Thanks for the kind words Doug! I rave about Jim Clark and Nuvolari like I saw them race. Most of my friends just dont understand, but thanks to reading some great books, Motor Sport mag and watching old footage like MFQ I feel like I have! Dont give up, there's not many of the younger generation but im doing my part to spread the word! BTW, I was flicking through your BRM book, looks great, but cant quite afford it yet!

[Hse289]

Doug, may i ask are you planning to use any footage of Cobras in future videos. I have the free Classic & sportscars mag video with the Sebring 1964 footage you had something to do with. I also have a couple of Dick Wallen videos. One has Dave Macdonald battling in the King Cobra against Roger Penske in the Zerox spl. What i would really, really love to see is the Shelby American Cobra Dragonsnake in action.

[RTH]

Originally posted by Mat
Thanks for the kind words Doug! I rave about Jim Clark and Nuvolari like I saw them race. Most of my friends just dont understand, but thanks to reading some great books, Motor Sport mag and watching old footage like MFQ I feel like I have! Dont give up, there's not many of the younger generation but im doing my part to spread the word! BTW, I was flicking through your BRM book, looks great, but cant quite afford it yet!

Or course you know Doug is only 23 himself.............he's just spent rather too long in front of a computer screen !

Actually my two nephews, who are 11 and 13 are also very keen on historics prefering them to current F1............ but then again their favourite TV programme is "Dad's Army " .

Some years ago one of them said to me "Was everything black and white in the olden days when you were a boy ? " .......... and you know I thought - what a profound and perceptive comment on modern society !

I sometimes wonder if I 'm having too much influence on them ?

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by RTH
When I said "someone " Ray I was rather thinking you were the man for the job !

Seriously though please do get this to David I am quite sure he will take the greatest care of all material and be sure to return it to you safely.

Same goes for everyone if you have or can borrow film on any Motoring or Motor Racing subject that fits I suppose 25 to 100 years old we would all like to see it......... so please really do get in touch direct with David Weguelin productions then it will live on for ever for everyone.

I will talk to the copyright holders in both instances...

At least the Leyburn stuff is already on video, done professionally by a TV studio. I expect, actually, to use the same back door to get the other one done so the film and a video of it can be returned to Elsie Maurice.

A lovely lady, she's been widowed something like 46 years now, it no doubt galls her that people have simply neglected to return the films she's loaned them over the years. When I misplaced this one I was similarly upset about it, my brother finding it in his loft was a pleasant surprise. I had left it with him to put on video, but it never happened.

[RTH]

One of the real surprise packages on the last Motorfilms Quarterly No. 5 - was just how excellent the Amateur 8mm film was of the intercontinental race meeting at Silverstone 1962 filmed , edited, and narrated by one man a Mr Freddie Barratt - a very clever piece of work with basic domestic equipment of 40 years ago and in some ways gave a better impression of just how much those big saloon cars of the period slid round that great fast sweeper that was Woodcote.

So........ do any of you possess any amateur 8mm or similar footage shot by you of perhaps your father or relative say over 25yrs ago of a motoring or motorsport event however small even it you don' t thing its all that good please do get in touch this sort of material is very evocative and often tells us more about the scene that professional films

[Ray Bell]

Well, I shot a fair bit of 8mm at one stage, used a 36mm lens, there was Longford, Lakeside, Warwick Farm, Bathurst, Oran Park, Sandown...

It's among the stuff my wife threw out in the backyard just before we had a substantial fall of rain. There was about 20 rolls of slides as well.

[Mat]

Originally posted by RTH


Or course you know Doug is only 23 himself.............he's just spent rather too long in front of a computer screen !

Actually my two nephews, who are 11 and 13 are also very keen on historics prefering them to current F1............ but then again their favourite TV programme is "Dad's Army " .

Some years ago one of them said to me "Was everything black and white in the olden days when you were a boy ? " .......... and you know I thought - what a profound and perceptive comment on modern society !

I sometimes wonder if I 'm having too much influence on them ?

My little brother said something very similar to that once as well, something to the effect of, 'you know the days when everything was in black & white.'

[RTH]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
Well, I shot a fair bit of 8mm at one stage, used a 36mm lens, there was Longford, Lakeside, Warwick Farm, Bathurst, Oran Park, Sandown...

It's among the stuff my wife threw out in the backyard just before we had a substantial fall of rain. There was about 20 rolls of slides as well.

Well if that isn't grounds for divorce I don't know what is! -- Any chance of asking her to retrieve it all ?

[Gary C]

'One of the real surprise packages on the last Motorfilms Quarterly No. 5 - was just how excellent the Amateur 8mm film was of the intercontinental race meeting at Silverstone 1962 filmed , edited, and narrated by one man a Mr Freddie Barratt - a very clever piece of work with basic domestic equipment of 40 years ago and in some ways gave a better impression of just how much those big saloon cars of the period slid round that great fast sweeper that was Woodcote.'
I'm glad you enjoyed that particular film, as it's from my personal collection!! I bought the film from Freddie about five years ago, a lovely bloke, still loves his motor racing!

[RTH]

Gary,

If Freddie has been a Motor Racing enthusiast for more than 40 years and a keen film maker he must surely have gone on to make some more ? Did he go on to make a career in the Film business ? Does he know where anything similar could be laid hands on ? Amateur film clubs perhaps?

[JohnB]

Originally posted by dretceterini
Does anyone know of any film coverage of the Mille Miglia or the Targa Florio that is available? I'm especially interested in the immediate post WW2 era..

It's not immediately post-WW2, but Mountain Legend is an excellent film (IMHO ayway) of the '65 Targa Florio. It follows the BMC team in particular, with some footage from Timo Makinen's Healey in practice, but there's plenty of coverage of the other teams too, and (short) interviews with Makinen, Hopkirk, Hill, Bonnier, Parkes, von Hanstein, Scarfiotti, Bandini and Vaccarella (off the top of my head, so maybe others too).

It's available from Duke:-
http://www.dukevideo...oducts/3131.htm

PS. My first ever TNF post, though I've been lurking here quite a while. Love the forum, and (to get back on topic) love the Motorfilms DVDs!

[Gary C]

RTH, yes, Freddie made many more films, all of which reside in my collection!! All I can say is ; 'wait and see!'

[Gary C]

and yes, I've done the rounds of amateur film clubs, right across the UK!!

[RTH]

Originally posted by Gary C
RTH, yes, Freddie made many more films, all of which reside in my collection!! All I can say is ; 'wait and see!'

I'm impressed..............Give us a taster perhaps ?

[Gary C]

just one clue : what's the title of this thread??

[RTH]

Originally posted by Gary C
just one clue : what's the title of this thread??

Gary.................... Thats giving nothing away at all ! Any point in me asking How many films? and are they all as good as the first ?

[Gary C]

as I said earlier, 'wait and see'!!!

[Lotus23]

JohnB, thanks for jumping into the posting pool!

Hope you'll feel free to contribute more as time goes by. I've long since discovered that none of us -- with the possible exceptions of Doug Nye and Colonel Capps! -- knows everything about everything. All viewpoints welcomed.

[RTH]

Originally posted by dretceterini
Does anyone know of any film coverage of the Mille Miglia or the Targa Florio that is available? I'm especially interested in the immediate post WW2 era..

Two feature films in the 1950's had the Mille Miglia as their background - and have frequently been shown on TV in recent years "Checkpoint " and "The Green Helmet " both showing original footage of the event. It also often crops up in driver biographic films

[Doug Nye]

Gary has provided tremendous support for 'MFQ' for which both Weg and I are extremely grateful -

Regarding Mille Miglia material, we have just been permitted by Shell to offer a season of the great Bill Mason's motor sporting documentaries in forthcoming issues.

We will begin in Volume 6 with Part One of his wonderful 'Mille Miglia 1953'....a true classic.

And we hope subscribers will share our high opinion of it ...

DCN

[chippi]

As with JohnB, I'm breaking my posting virginity here ..

I just wanted to throw my hat in the ring/air for what David Wegelin and Doug Nye have been doing, fantastic.

Doug, I'm looking to complete my set fof DVD's and was wondering if I should get them direct from yourselves or from a reseller at Goodwood next week.

In other words, I'd rather line your pockets than someone elses? What's best?

ps. only 8 days to go...

StuB

[RTH]

I see from their wesite this morning MOTORFILMS QUARTERLY VOLUME 6 is now on sale in VHS or DVD and includes ; -

The 1937 grand Prix season

1965 Rover Car Company film

Sir Jack Brabham at 75 part 6

Two Grand Prix 1965

Mille Miglia 1953 part 1 - Shell

Total running time 1hr 26 m

[Felix Muelas]

Having JUST finished viewing it (Vol 6, I mean) I am sure this is the BEST so far!
Thanks for it, worth every penny


If any of you has not yet started to collect them, start with this one ;)

[Superbar]

Hello. My first post in NF. Sorry to pop in only for a couple of questions.

1. The only place to buy online is http://www.motorfilms.com/, right?

2. As some small publishers of low volume DVD's have thier discs burned on DVD-/+R rather than pressed/manufactured in a plant, I wonder what is the case for Motorfilms Quaterly.

Thank you

[Paul Taylor]

Is there any chance of seeing the 1955 Dundrod Trophy Race on one of the upcoming Motorfilms Quarterly videos?

I saw it on Stirling Moss night, back in 1997...then I lost the tape! Would be great to see it again

[Doug Nye]

We're working on that Paul - Superbar (great name, mine's a Newcastle Brown) good question, don;t know the answer, get back to you soon. I do know that Weg's DVDs now play - or should play - equally well on PAL and American NTSC standards...if that's what your conern involves?

DCN

[Superbar]

I do know that Weg's DVDs now play - or should play - equally well on PAL and American NTSC standards...if that's what your conern involves?

No, that's no problem for me. Well, while the lifespan of regular pressed DVD's are estimated to be about a 100 years, the jury is still out on how long an DVD-R (recordable) will hold the recording. I'm not really concerned as there should be no problems for many years with good quality discs and recorders, but I'm curious.

Superbar (great name, mine's a Newcastle Brown)

I'm sorry to say the reason for my nick is not that great, but you're saying there's a Superbar beer!? I've got to try it (if I can find it). I do like Newcastle Brown Ale.

[David Birchall]

I finally got around to reading these two threads and realise I need them like a junky needs dope! The problem is; I live on this piss-pot little island and I am very embarrassed to say that I don't know where to order them from! Can someone provide me with the info'?

DCN: Surely "The Sound of Speed" fits into this category...? (Whats that funny noise?)

[Gary C]

go straight to www.motorfilms.com & order from there!!

[David Birchall]

Many thanks Gary. Here goes another couple a hundred...

David B