63 replies to this topic

[Allen Brown]

Originally posted by Bondy
Re 1975 F2 Results....

Allen, im back on the job of the stats, so i'll email them to you on the weekend. I made a return to Karting so my research time kind of came to a grinding holt, lol.

There was a F2 series at Amaroo in 1978 sponsored by Rothmans......

As for the perth F2 i thought it was Elfin, lol i was thinking 622 by the bodywork and WA did have a few over there, Mick Moylan, Graham Head etc...... Geoff Nicol???? Rod Housego.... I dare say there was only 2 there and the cars changed hands a few times.....

Fantastic Bondy!

Great to see you back here. We've missed you!

[Ray Bell]

1978 was the single cam formula that sort of combined ANF2 and
anF3... really, it was a step up for ANF3 and a way of getting rid of ANF2.

[Bondy]

I saw Werner last year, he happened to come into my Brothers diecast Model shop, seemed like an interesting fellow.... I remember David Crabtree running a BMW engine in his Cheetah Mk6 in the 80s, he was actually leading the 1983 AF2 Championship for a little bit until Peter Glover overhauled him.

[Allen Brown]

Originally posted by Bondy
Re 1975 F2 Results....

Allen, im back on the job of the stats, so i'll email them to you on the weekend.

Dear Bondy

That was 28 Sep 2005. I'm just wondering which weekend you meant.

Allen

[Hexi]

The car Geoff Brabham raced in the 1975 Autralian Formula 2 Championship was the ex Neil Rear Car 274-018. The Geoghegan car of 274-015 went to Alfredo Costanzo in 1975.

[Ray Bell]

The start of Alfie's real streak to stardom...

Soon his runs in the Birrana would lead to the Lola, a few lucky breaks as well as being in the right place at the right time, Alfie was heading for race wins and titles.

[giffo]

[quote name='FIL' post='1751282' date='Aug 11 2004, 22:30']Well, after searching for a non-existent Formula 2/Libre thread/folder...I give up...

So...can anyone identify this F2 being restored in Australia ??

http://spaces.msn.co...mbers/derbydog/
quote]

Better late than never I guess
Tony Alfonsi and his Alfonsi Special. Tony still owns the car which was build in the 70's but alas we haven't seen it since late last year (2008)
The second car in the racing pics of the links page would be the ZX3 which was built (I believe) by Bernie Zampatti.

Edited by giffo, 23 June 2009 - 12:14.

[adain24]

Thanks for taking the time to help, I really apprciate it.

[Quixotic]

I remember watching Alfredo Costanzo a lot. he was a bit of a hero to the little 9yo sweno at the time.

[kym]

Revived this thread as I found this poster in my stuff.

For the Adelaide round 1974 October 27.

Original is 500mm x 365mm



Kym

[Paul Hamilton]

Revived this thread as I found this poster in my stuff.

For the Adelaide round 1974 October 27.

Original is 500mm x 365mm



Kym

I think that poster was derived from an RCN cover but Ray Bell should be able to confirm that.

[Ray Bell]

Originally proposed by Paul Hamilton
I think that poster was derived from an RCN cover but Ray Bell should be able to confirm that.

Indeedy...



I guess the original artwork (approximately four times the size of the cover reproduction) is hanging on Hans Tierperman's wall somewhere?

[Paul Newby]

researching the '74 Van Heusen story I tried to find both Hans Tiepermann (GBs) and Michael Compton (VH marketing mgr). I found a lot of very helpful rag trade people, but could not get to HT, and no-one knew what had happenned to MC. Current management of Van Heusen explained it was just a brand name, not a particular factory as such, and that the brand had been sold from Melbourne to its current Sydney owner abt 1975, and there were no records from the F2 sponsorship era. VH could have sponsored the '75 AF2 series but it seemed to me two things unsettled them - one was decision by several circuits not to run a '75 F2 round, and the other was Calder made them a better offer; sponsor stealing was not unknown in those days. I have no evidence for the latter suggestion, other than mutterings by competitors at the time. I had hoped to get the real story from either HT or MC, but had to go without it. I tried to find Doug Hicks, who worked for Bob Jane at that time, but also had no luck.
Grace Bros did look past F/Ford, and was in fact looking specifically to F5000 - this was why Leffo bought a P8 Bowin, so he could do an F2 season with it then convert to F5000, and Leo Geoghegan was also thinking abt F5000 and according to Chequered Flag talked seriously to Matich abt the A53 before Goss bought it.

 

As the OP for this vintage (2003) thread I was thrilled to see a post from one of Australia's greatest motor racing historian, the late Graham Howard. I had met him a few times and was in awe of his persistence in getting in touch with people who were there at the time and including their input into the story. Along with his craft for telling the definitive story, these quotes added both authority and immediacy to the tale being told.

 

I was surprised that he had not been able to find Hans Tiepermann for the '74 Van Heusen Story and it was something that I never forgot. I have written stories for Australian Muscle Car magazine on several drivers who owe a debt to Hans Tiepermann for kick-starting their careers and I became more intrigued about the man. It is a lot easier today to find people with the internet and social media than it was back in 2003 when Graham Howard wrote the original story. Sadly I was nine years too late - Hans Tiepermann died in a car accident in 2013 - but I was able to speak to most of the drivers who raced for him (sadly it was too late to speak to Bruce Cary, the Geoghegans and John Leffler) as well as his widow Jacqueline Tiepermann, who was lovely.

 

You can read my profile on Hans Tiepermann in issue #132 of Australian Muscle Car magazine that hit the newsstands today. After he disbanded the Grace Bros racing team at the end of 1977 he disappeared from the racing scene. He left Grace Bros in the early 80s and moved to Melbourne in 1992. He loved his Jaguars and he remained a motor racing enthusiast to the end - always watched Bathurst and attended a number of Grand Prixs in Melbourne. His contribution to Australian motorsport in the 1970s was significant but he is barely remembered today. I hope my story goes some way to posthumously giving him the recognition that he deserved.

[Ray Bell]

I came across Lee, Hans' son, four or five years ago...

 

He was in Melbourne working for Roy Morgan Research, but it seems his style or their style didn't suit the other and he only lasted about six months there.

 

As for the 'rag trade' and the branding, a lot of old-time Lebanese families were in this business in Sydney. The Gazal family played a leading role with factories in Summer Hill, Peakhurst, St Peters and a couple of others. I've forgotten, with the passing of years, what brands I saw being made in these places.