69 replies to this topic

[275 GTB-4]

Not the best ever meeting put on by the HSRCA, but, despite a frustratingly slow Saturday...Sunday produced some brilliant racing.

I was almost in heaven, not two metres from a screaming DFV, Repco-Brabham V8 and 2556cc BT 23A!!

Almost a perfect mix (albeit smallish) of tin-top, sports and open wheel racing

Very fast and a sound to die for


Lotus 49 History Board


The beautiful BT23 A

[Tim Murray]

Originally posted by 275 GTB-4

"IT'S . . . IT'S . . . IT'S . . . "

AAAARRRGGHHH!!
(End of rant. Sorry. Will go and lie down now.)

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Tim Murray


"IT'S . . . IT'S . . . IT'S . . . "

AAAARRRGGHHH!!
(End of rant. Sorry. Will go and lie down now.)

Spit it out Tim

"IT'S . . . IT'S . . . IT'S . . . WINGLETS AND REAR WING ARE MISSING BECAUSE THEY AREN'T ALLOWED IN THE AUSTRALIAN RACING CATEGORY???"

(VERY, VERY FAST AND WON ALL ITS RACES....MUST LOOK UP ITS LAP TIMES (AND STOP SHOUTING)
)

Courtesy of NATSOFT (doing a great job there guys!!)
1 49 John Smith (entrant Adelicia Dawson-Damer) 1968 Lotus 49 (3000cc) 1:13.2473

(fastest lap time for OP is around 1:05.4000)

[Rob G]

It's "ITS," not "IT'S"!

;)

[Rob G]

It's also a great-looking car. I was at the Gold Cup meeting and was lucky to see McLaren M23/9 there. It was a late entry, and thanks to car problems of my own I wasn't sure whether I'd be able to go (as a spectator) or not.

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by 275 GTB-4
Not the best ever meeting put on by the HSRCA, but, despite a frustratingly slow Saturday...Sunday produced some brilliant racing.

I was almost in heaven, not two metres from a screaming DFV, Repco-Brabham V8 and 2556cc BT 23A!!

Almost a perfect mix (albeit smallish) of tin-top, sports and open wheel racing

Very fast and a sound to die for


Lotus 49 History Board


The beautiful BT23 A

Have you still got ear drums????????????

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by 275 GTB-4


Spit it out Tim


"IT'S . . . IT'S . . . IT'S . . . WINGLETS AND REAR WING ARE MISSING BECAUSE THEY AREN'T ALLOWED IN THE AUSTRALIAN RACING CATEGORY???"

(VERY, VERY FAST AND WON ALL ITS RACES....MUST LOOK UP ITS LAP TIMES (AND STOP SHOUTING)
)

Courtesy of NATSOFT (doing a great job there guys!!)
1 49 John Smith (entrant Adelicia Dawson-Damer) 1968 Lotus 49 (3000cc) 1:13.2473

(fastest lap time for OP is around 1:05.4000)

[275 GTB-4]

Ear Drums just fine....although wearing a headset all weekend can cause some discomfort. I lifted the trackside earpiece on quite a few occaisions as the cars roared past...the 5 litre Elfin MS7 sounded sweet, as did the Tiga SC83C2 and the Elfin 600 1600cc....so many nice sounding mills out there...did I mention the BT 23 A

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by 275 GTB-4
Ear Drums just fine....although wearing a headset all weekend can cause some discomfort. I lifted the trackside earpiece on quite a few occaisions as the cars roared past...the 5 litre Elfin MS7 sounded sweet, as did the Tiga SC83C2 and the Elfin 600 1600cc....so many nice sounding mills out there...did I mention the BT 23 A

Yes i would loved to have been there, the BT23A is really a loverly car and is kept in excellent order by it's owner....

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by cosworth bdg
Yes i would loved to have been there, the BT23A is really a loverly car and is kept in excellent order by it's owner....

and Peter is a nice fella to boot....

JPS Lotus 79

[Andrew Fellowes]

Originally posted by 275 GTB-4

WINGLETS AND REAR WING ARE MISSING BECAUSE THEY AREN'T ALLOWED IN THE AUSTRALIAN RACING CATEGORY???"

Yes they are, as from last year, 1969 to 1972, wings and treaded. sooooooo, so sensible and well overdue.

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by 275 GTB-4


and Peter is a nice fella to boot....

JPS Lotus 72

And so is his brother Terry...........

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by Andrew Fellowes


Yes they are, as from last year, 1969 to 1972, wings and treaded. sooooooo, so sensible and well overdue.

Agreed......

[David Shaw]

The SV logo on the BT23A's flanks is a nice touch, harking back to its other identity.

[Tim Murray]

Originally posted by Rob G
It's "ITS," not "IT'S"!

;)

Thank you Rob!
(but apologies for raising one of my pet hates in this thread devoted to such lovely cars)

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Andrew Fellowes


Yes they are, as from last year, 1969 to 1972, wings and treaded. sooooooo, so sensible and well overdue.

Well Andrew, the people prepping the car didn't know that...they were the ones who told me they wern't allowed but they would love to have em when I innocently asked where the front winglets were ;)

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Tim Murray


Thank you Rob!
(but apologies for raising one of my pet hates in this thread devoted to such lovely cars)

I'm still confused Tim, are you just being the grammar gestapo :

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by David Shaw
The SV logo on the BT23A's flanks is a nice touch, harking back to its other identity.

Very nice touch.......

[Mallory Dan]

Originally posted by 275 GTB-4
Ear Drums just fine....although wearing a headset all weekend can cause some discomfort. I lifted the trackside earpiece on quite a few occaisions as the cars roared past...the 5 litre Elfin MS7 sounded sweet, as did the Tiga SC83C2 and the Elfin 600 1600cc....so many nice sounding mills out there...did I mention the BT 23 A

Whats the Tiga SC83C2. I presume its a C2 car, tho' they didn't make any C2 cars in 1983 - unless you count the 2 converted S2000s with Mazdas that ran in ZA at th end of 83. The only true Group C car they made in 83, was the Chevy engined C1 car for Neil Crang, that was converted to a C2 ca from 1984 onwards. Is it this one ?

[SR781]

Originally posted by Mallory Dan


Whats the Tiga SC83C2. I presume its a C2 car, tho' they didn't make any C2 cars in 1983 - unless you count the 2 converted S2000s with Mazdas that ran in ZA at th end of 83. The only true Group C car they made in 83, was the Chevy engined C1 car for Neil Crang, that was converted to a C2 ca from 1984 onwards. Is it this one ?

I think it is one of the Mazda Rotary ones?

[Ray Bell]

That 'Lotus 72' looks so Andretti, doesn't it?

Whaddaya mean Mario didn't drive a 72?

[ian senior]

That BT23A is just gorgeous.

Can someone remind an ignorant Pom what the "SV" logo is all about? I might have known once but I've certainly forgotten now (pathetic excuse....).

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by ian senior
That BT23A is just gorgeous.

Can someone remind an ignorant Pom what the "SV" logo is all about? I might have known once but I've certainly forgotten now (pathetic excuse....).

Scuderia Veloce Sydney car dealers.

[ian senior]

Originally posted by cosworth bdg
Scuderia Veloce Sydney car dealers.

Thanks Peter!

[David Shaw]

And racing team. The BT23A was Jack's 1967 Tasman mount, and was the forerunner to the BT24. After the Tasman Series he sold it to David McKay for his Scuderia Veloce racing team for Greg Cusack to drive. He drove it until the end of the 1968 Tasman Series (the end came a bit quicker for him due to a big crash in it in practice) when he retired. It was then driven by Phil West for the rest of 1968, and he can be seen rounding Murray's Corner at Bathurst in the 1968 Bathurst 100 in my avatar.
Scuderia Veloce were also providing facilities for Amon's Dino 246T that he drove in the Tasman Series that year, and they owned the P4 that he drove in the sports car races that summer, along with a 250LM that they had for a few years.

[Tunks]

Is the JPS car not a 79?

The sound of the 49 was awsome, interesting to note they kept it under 9000RPM, even though it can rev to 11,000. I have heard that a Cosworth rebuild is over $50k AUD! This car lapped me at the last meeting at Eastern Creek, and the sound was inspiring as it went past, makes being lapped a pleasure.

John Smith is a well known driver in Australia, ex Gold Star winner and Bathurst veteran. One of a privileged few with the skill/experience to be trusted with these cars.

Everyone should pencil in the Tasman revival meeting December 6 at Eastern Creek, as several other cars from this vintage are coming from overseas. Should be a big weekend.

Did anyone see a BT 18 hit the wall? I saw it in scrutineering afterwards, it looked quite bent$$$$.

[Bernd]

Originally posted by Tunks
Is the JPS car not a 79?

That was what Ray cryptically pointed out.

[Gary C]

if that's a 72, then I'm a Dutchman!! LOL

[Gary C]

& that info board for the 49 is a bit out of date, isn't it? Surely it should read 'Current owners ; the family of John Dawson Damer' or something along those lines...

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by Gary C
& that info board for the 49 is a bit out of date, isn't it? Surely it should read 'Current owners ; the family of John Dawson Damer' or something along those lines...

Yes, you are correct in what you say........

[Ray Bell]

Less cryptic this time...

'SV' stands only for the race team. The car dealership was named after the race team, having been started by Bob Atkin and partially funded by David McKay. I think Peter Antill, David's brother in law, was among the original funding party too.

The car dealership is 'SVM' if abbreviated. But it's all a bit of a crock these days. In Canberra it's pronounced 'Scuderia Veluce Motors'... I went into the dealership one day after sickening from hearing this repeated over and over on their radio commercials.

"How come you say 'Veluce' when it should be pronounced 'Veloce'?" I asked.

"Well, it depends on which part of Sweden you come from!" I was told.

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by Tunks
Is the JPS car not a 79?

The sound of the 49 was awsome, interesting to note they kept it under 9000RPM, even though it can rev to 11,000. I have heard that a Cosworth rebuild is over $50k AUD! This car lapped me at the last meeting at Eastern Creek, and the sound was inspiring as it went past, makes being lapped a pleasure.

John Smith is a well known driver in Australia, ex Gold Star winner and Bathurst veteran.

Everyone should pencil in the Tasman revival meeting December 6 at Eastern Creek, as several other cars from this vintage are coming from overseas. Should be a big weekend.

Did anyone see a BT 18 hit the wall? I saw it in scrutineering afterwards, it looked quite bent$$$$.

[Tunks]

Peter

I assume the thumbs down are for Smithy

Shall I pass the sentiment on?

[cosworth bdg]

Deleted

[cosworth bdg]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Tunks
[B]Is the JPS car not a 79?



John Smith is a well known driver in Australia, ex Gold Star winner and Bathurst veteran. One of a privileged few with the skill/experience to be trusted with these cars......

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Tunks
Is the JPS car not a 79?

The sound of the 49 was awsome, interesting to note they kept it under 9000RPM, even though it can rev to 11,000. I have heard that a Cosworth rebuild is over $50k AUD! This car lapped me at the last meeting at Eastern Creek, and the sound was inspiring as it went past, makes being lapped a pleasure.

John Smith is a well known driver in Australia, ex Gold Star winner and Bathurst veteran. One of a privileged few with the skill/experience to be trusted with these cars.

Everyone should pencil in the Tasman revival meeting December 6 at Eastern Creek, as several other cars from this vintage are coming from overseas. Should be a big weekend.

Did anyone see a BT 18 hit the wall? I saw it in scrutineering afterwards, it looked quite bent$$$$.

Welcome Bob oops wrong forum ....I did see the 18 into the wall....don't think it was that bad a hit (heres hoping anyway).

Catalina....the Smith Sports Sedan....not the Camel Rover ???

[Ray Bell]

Smithy's an old mate of mine too... known him since his Vee days...

But his record in cars owned by others is, shall we say, at least unfortunate.

True, he's been put in there to extract the maximum from them, but the fact is that some finish up as smouldering wrecks from which he is able to walk away saying "do you think you can fix it?"

The Tiga at Winton, Richard Warland's car, shed a wheel. I think. Dave Mawer's Ralt Holden I don't know, but Dave was less than impressed.

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by Catalina Park
I like John Smith and I always got on well with him but I do remember seeing him inflict a lot of damage to a lot of cars. How many stuck throttles can one bloke have? He had a very big one at Oran Park in the Ralt RT4, another at Adelaide in the RT4 which he was very lucky to get out of, then there was the car he almost put into the crowd at Winton (I think it was a sports car) and I remember him having a bingle in a Ralt Formula Holden (Formula Holden or Formula Brabham or Formula 4000 or Formula Australia, they were all the same thing) Like I said, I like John but I would not throw him the keys to my car.

Agreed

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by Ray Bell


But his record in cars owned by others is, shall we say, at least unfortunate.

True, he's been put in there to extract the maximum from them, but the fact is that some finish up as smouldering wrecks from which he is able to walk away saying "do you think you can fix it?"

The Tiga at Winton, Richard Warland's car, shed a wheel. I think. Dave Mawer's Ralt Holden I don't know, but Dave was less than impressed.

Ray , You are exactly correct with what you say on this subject , Cheers.......

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by Ray Bell


But his record in cars owned by others is, shall we say, at least unfortunate.

True, he's been put in there to extract the maximum from them, but the fact is that some finish up as smouldering wrecks from which he is able to walk away saying "do you think you can fix it?"

The Tiga at Winton, Richard Warland's car, shed a wheel. I think. Dave Mawer's Ralt Holden I don't know, but Dave was less than impressed.

Ray , You are exactly correct with what you say on this subject , Cheers.......

[cosworth bdg]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Tunks
[B]


Everyone should pencil in the Tasman revival meeting December 6 at Eastern Creek, as several other cars from this vintage are coming from overseas. Should be a big weekend. Will be a very good meeting........

[Dick Willis]

To Peter, Ray and Catalina, you obviously weren't at Oran Park, I was in some of the same races as John Smith so I had a good opportunity to see him in action on the 49 as he lapped me and also while watching the later races after my car had expired and I must say I was most impressed, he seemed to be absolutely at one with the car and I never saw him put a foot wrong while obviously going very quickly both in the wet and the dry. On my observations I think your criticisms are unjustified, maybe he has mellowed in his maturing years. If John Dawson Damer had been able to watch John Smith driving his precious 49 I'm sure he would feel content in knowing that it was in good hands.

Not so the Brabham BT18 which "Tunks" mentioned crashing in the wet qualifying session, apparently the owner who had recently purchased the car, which has had an impressive history in the hands of its previous owners, chose this meeting as his first drive in it. As well as mixing it with some rather quick cars in this group and on a damp track with no previous experience in the car it was certainly a recipe for disaster and he was lucky to escape personally unscathed. I trust that this incident does not deter him from competing further with the BT 18 after he has it repaired but I hope that he does partake in some private practice before attemping to race it again.

Mick, I enjoyed your comments about Peter Simms' Repco, did you notice that I finished two places in front of him in Saturday's wet race in my old Formula Junior when he was understandably being very conservative because of the conditions. I would think that that would be the only time an FJ has ever finished in front of a V8 Repco but I certainly wouldn't be holding it up as an example of the ability of an FJ but rather as an example of a man driving a very unique car in a responsible manner in atrocious conditions when many would not have even ventured onto the track and put such a great car at risk..

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Dick Willis
Mick, I enjoyed your comments about Peter Simms' Repco, did you notice that I finished two places in front of him in Saturday's wet race in my old Formula Junior when he was understandably being very conservative because of the conditions. I would think that that would be the only time an FJ has ever finished in front of a V8 Repco but I certainly wouldn't be holding it up as an example of the ability of an FJ but rather as an example of a man driving a very unique car in a responsible manner in atrocious conditions when many would not have even ventured onto the track and put such a great car at risk..

Thanks Dick.....Peter was obviously being carful but still not pussy-footing around....I was just grateful that the team got it out there after hearing from one of his supporters earlier in the week, that "if it rains, its staying in the shed! just too valuable!".

The M&O races were very entertaining, I thought....far from processional.

And

Sorry...to all the anoraks above, the JDD car is of course a 79....the program notes say that both Mario and Carlos Ruetemann drove the car for Team Lotus in various 1979 GPs.

[cosworth bdg]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Dick Willis
[B]To Peter, Ray and Catalina, you obviously weren't at Oran Park, I was in some of the same races as John Smith so I had a good opportunity to see him in action on the 49 as he lapped me and also while watching the later races after my car had expired and I must say I was most impressed, he seemed to be absolutely at one with the car and I never saw him put a foot wrong while obviously going very quickly both in the wet and the dry. On my observations I think your criticisms are unjustified, maybe he has mellowed in his maturing years. If John Dawson Damer had been able to watch John Smith driving his precious 49 I'm sure he would feel content in knowing that it was in good hands......... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- May be he has mellowed over the years, but a leopard never changes it's spots............Cheers , Peter N..........

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Dick Willis
To Peter, Ray and Catalina, you obviously weren't at Oran Park, I was in some of the same races as John Smith so I had a good opportunity to see him in action on the 49 as he lapped me and also while watching the later races after my car had expired and I must say I was most impressed, he seemed to be absolutely at one with the car and I never saw him put a foot wrong while obviously going very quickly both in the wet and the dry. On my observations I think your criticisms are unjustified, maybe he has mellowed in his maturing years. If John Dawson Damer had been able to watch John Smith driving his precious 49 I'm sure he would feel content in knowing that it was in good hands.....

I can agree with you without having been there, Dick...

John has always had that capacity to be able to take a car to the edge and keep it there, to be 'at one' with the car at all times. His is and always was a great talent.

But when things have gone wrong, and it's not been a rare occurence, then he has at times be lucky to walk away. I wouldn't even say he'd have to have mellowed to produce the result you saw, maybe just lacked competition or desire to go to the ragged edge. And obviously nothing went wrong with the car either.

No, I don't think I was criticising at all. Just expressing the feeling that not everyone would have 'thrown the keys' of a Lotus 49 to John Smith.

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by Ray Bell


I can agree with you without having been there, Dick...

John has always had that capacity to be able to take a car to the edge and keep it there, to be 'at one' with the car at all times. His is and always was a great talent.

But when things have gone wrong, and it's not been a rare occurence, then he has at times be lucky to walk away. I wouldn't even say he'd have to have mellowed to produce the result you saw, maybe just lacked competition or desire to go to the ragged edge. And obviously nothing went wrong with the car either.

No, I don't think I was criticising at all. Just expressing the feeling that not everyone would have 'thrown the keys' of a Lotus 49 to John Smith.

Thanks Ray , you have put into words exactly what i wanted to say .

[Catalina Park]

Originally posted by 275 GTB-4
Catalina....the Smith Sports Sedan....not the Camel Rover ???

Sports car, not Sports sedan. Rover the wonder Camel was Jim Smith not John Smith.

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Catalina Park
Sports car, not Sports sedan. Rover the wonder Camel was Jim Smith not John Smith.

Camels, 72s, 79s, Smiths....it all too hard

[Ray Bell]

'Smiths' is the name on the tacho...

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
'Smiths' is the name on the tacho...

O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible, As a nose on a man’s face,

The Two Gentleman of Verona. ACT II Scene 1.