Personal photos of Australian motor racing '50s to '70s
#1
Posted 25 February 2007 - 11:18
As they aren’t doing much good sitting in a dusty photo album I though it might be a good idea to start another Thread where personal and previously unpublished photos of early Australian racing cars, engines, drivers and circuits could be displayed for TNF’s to view.
All of us probably have some personal and unpublished photos that we could share and which in all likelihood may well disappear forever once we “fall off the perch”.
By putting them up in the Forum they may just help someone who is restoring a particular car or looking for historical detail or even just stir some memories?
I would tentatively suggest that we might start with photos from the ’50 – ‘70s?
Here’s a few that I took at the 1955 Australian Grand Prix at Port Wakefield -
Jack Brabham in newly completed, rear engined, Cooper Bristol (eventual winner)
Stan Jones in the Australian Maybach special
View of Maybach engine
Doug Whiteford in Lago-Talbot
Lago-Talbot engine (or is it more correctly Talbot-Lago engine?)
My apologies regarding the quality as they we taken with a small "Box Brownie" type of camera!
If you like this idea please dig out your old photo albums or slides and post!
Kaydee
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#2
Posted 26 February 2007 - 07:26
I love the engine shot of the Maybach, look at the slant engine with fuel injection and look at those beautiful front brakes! It was very modern for the time.
I don't know why they called it a Maybach and didn't call it a Repco.
#4
Posted 26 February 2007 - 08:29
Ray, I take it that the Leyburn photo is the the Mk l version?
#6
Posted 26 February 2007 - 10:58
Drivers from L to R look like 'Pete' Geogehan, Alan Hamilton, David McKay and Leo Geogehan
#8
Posted 26 February 2007 - 11:50
Really...Where's Spencer? I can see Leo talking to Jim Russel from Newcastle...Originally posted by Ray Bell
...and Spencer Martin.
#9
Posted 26 February 2007 - 11:55
Reg Hunt KLG Maserati 250F
Cockpit of Reg Hunt Maserati
Bill Craig's Alta Holden
#10
Posted 26 February 2007 - 12:36
Originally posted by seldo
Really...Where's Spencer? I can see Leo talking to Jim Russel from Newcastle...
Afraid I don't know any Jim Russells from Newcastle...
But it sure looks like Spencer to me.
#11
Posted 26 February 2007 - 19:09
#12
Posted 26 February 2007 - 19:57
#13
Posted 26 February 2007 - 23:40
I knew the surname was wrong...It is Jim and he did some racing in Europe and when he came back here he was a motor-race journo...Originally posted by Ray Bell
Afraid I don't know any Jim Russells from Newcastle...
But it sure looks like Spencer to me.
AHA...It just came to me (old age and senility) Jim Sullivan!
#14
Posted 26 February 2007 - 23:50
By the way, I wonder if that's the Nomex suit David finished up in?
#15
Posted 27 February 2007 - 01:13
#16
Posted 27 February 2007 - 01:17
But he is with David, I would say.
#17
Posted 27 February 2007 - 01:27
#18
Posted 27 February 2007 - 01:34
I was looking at some of the people in the bckground and maybe I'm imagining it, but is that Fred Gigson and one of the scrutineers over Leo's left shoulder, and it could almost be me and Col Wear chatting to a balding guy with sunnies at top left above C pillar of the Falcon. Probably imaginitis...Originally posted by Terry Walker
Bathurst, 1969 ( think). One of a box of Bathurst slides from that meeting given to me by former RCN correspondent Peter Longley.
#19
Posted 27 February 2007 - 01:37
#21
Posted 27 February 2007 - 03:15
#22
Posted 27 February 2007 - 06:14
Would Col have been there helping out with the Fiat?
#23
Posted 27 February 2007 - 07:53
Yes - Col prepared the Fiat as far as I recall. And Ron I think introduced me to Col at that meeting...I dunno - they have all morphed into one now...OA&S doesn't help either...Originally posted by Ray Bell
You didn't run that meeting, David, and Ron Kearns ran in a Fiat...
Would Col have been there helping out with the Fiat?
#24
Posted 27 February 2007 - 09:32
And here's another pits scene from Bathurst 69:
#26
Posted 27 February 2007 - 09:53
#27
Posted 27 February 2007 - 11:33
Yes...and Des West to the left. I remember the guy in the overalls but can't put a name to him yet.Originally posted by 275 GTB-4
Harry Firth in the centre....the old fox??
#28
Posted 27 February 2007 - 11:40
These guys have aged somewhat since this photo session, I can tell you!
#29
Posted 27 February 2007 - 11:40
#30
Posted 27 February 2007 - 11:50
You are most welcome to post that shot of Jack Brabham on his Australian website
www.jack-brabham-engines.com
We are happy to use your name or any other recollections you have of that particular time.
#31
Posted 27 February 2007 - 23:24
Stan Jones's Maserati 250F
Reg Hunt's Cooper Bristol, driver Len Lukey.
#32
Posted 28 February 2007 - 07:30
That's the second time in a few days I have been looking at photos of that Cooper Bristol. I've just been given a handful of dusty amateur slides from the 50s, and this one (badly faded) not only shows the Lukey C-B but also the Cusso sedan at the 1957 AGP meeting at Caversham.
#33
Posted 28 February 2007 - 10:47
#34
Posted 28 February 2007 - 11:00
EDIT: just checked my own website entry list. Ray Haythornthwaite's A90 Atlantic.
#35
Posted 28 February 2007 - 11:03
Originally posted by Ray Bell
Terry... what on earth is that car over in the corner, behind the balding Len?
Do you mean the box trailer or the A90
#36
Posted 02 March 2007 - 14:05
It didn't come with a workshop manual, so ace mechanic Don Reimann had to have an offsider solely to take notes whenever he had to dismantle anything.
#37
Posted 02 March 2007 - 15:35
Roger Lund.
#38
Posted 02 March 2007 - 15:53
1960
possibly the December Caversham meeting
#39
Posted 02 March 2007 - 18:53
RL
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#40
Posted 02 March 2007 - 19:35
In David McKinney's excellent 250F book there is a photo of Stan Jones at the 1956 Olympic Grand Prix, December 1956, with Stan Jones in #2.
Could someone please clarify.. are the Austrlalian GP and the Olympic GP one and the same?
If so, who drove #2 and who drove #8?
Thanks
Rob
#41
Posted 02 March 2007 - 20:25
Entry List:
1. Jean Behra (Maserati 250F)
2. Reg Parnell (Ferrari)
3. Peter Whitehead (Ferrari)
4. Ken Wharton (Maserati 250F)
5. Reg Hunt (Maserati 250F)
6. Kevin Neal (A6GCM)
7. Stirling Moss (Maserati 250F)
8. Stan Jones (Maserati 250F)
9. Lex Davison (Ferrari 625/750)
10. Jack Brabham (Maserati 250F) (DNS)
11. Doug Whiteford (Lago Talbot)
12. Owen Bailey (Lago Talbot)
15. Arthur Griffiths (HWM Jaguar)
16. Ted Gray (Tornado Ford)
17. Tom Hawkes (Cooper Holden)
18. Tom Clark (HWM Alta)
19. Gib Barrett (Alta)
20. Bill Wilcox (Alta)
21. Arnold Glass (Maserati 4CL) (DNS)
22. Reg Smith (Cooper Bristol)
23. Jack Myers (WM Cooper)
24. Alec Mildren (Coper Bristol)
25. Len Lukey (Cooper Bristol)
26. Bill Craig (Alta Holden)
28. Harry McLaughlin (Ford Special)
#42
Posted 02 March 2007 - 21:43
Rob
#43
Posted 02 March 2007 - 22:16
Or maybe David has another explanation?
#44
Posted 02 March 2007 - 23:55
The pictures and captioning for that book were a nightmare (for reasons beyond my control). That one came with others that were from the Olympic meeting, and I can only think that in the rush I didn't check
Sorry, Rob
#45
Posted 03 March 2007 - 09:06
I must get all the old photos from that meeting out and lodge them.Has anyone ever seen the magazine/book that was printed showing all the race results and standings/lap times lap by lap.Few years ago I gave my copy to the Hunts along with a Lago badge.Originally posted by Ray Bell
The term 'Olympic Grand Prix' refers to the Australian Grand Prix of 1956... which was staged in Melbourne even though it was Western Australia's turn to host the race... because it was run during the time of the Olympic Games in Melbourne...
Entry List:
1. Jean Behra (Maserati 250F)
2. Reg Parnell (Ferrari)
3. Peter Whitehead (Ferrari)
4. Ken Wharton (Maserati 250F)
5. Reg Hunt (Maserati 250F)
6. Kevin Neal (A6GCM)
7. Stirling Moss (Maserati 250F)
8. Stan Jones (Maserati 250F)
9. Lex Davison (Ferrari 625/750)
10. Jack Brabham (Maserati 250F) (DNS)
11. Doug Whiteford (Lago Talbot)
12. Owen Bailey (Lago Talbot)
15. Arthur Griffiths (HWM Jaguar)
16. Ted Gray (Tornado Ford)
17. Tom Hawkes (Cooper Holden)
18. Tom Clark (HWM Alta)
19. Gib Barrett (Alta)
20. Bill Wilcox (Alta)
21. Arnold Glass (Maserati 4CL) (DNS)
22. Reg Smith (Cooper Bristol)
23. Jack Myers (WM Cooper)
24. Alec Mildren (Coper Bristol)
25. Len Lukey (Cooper Bristol)
26. Bill Craig (Alta Holden)
28. Harry McLaughlin (Ford Special)
#46
Posted 03 March 2007 - 13:54
This is an example, a Cooper F2, back when they were workaday racers. I'm puzzled by the odd paint effect on the front.
#47
Posted 03 March 2007 - 14:05
Or maybe an accident in the trailer on the way to the meeting?
#48
Posted 03 March 2007 - 14:25
#49
Posted 03 March 2007 - 15:14
If, as it appears, it's Alec Mildren, he went off on oil in his preliminary heat and was hit by a Ferrari - hard enough to put both cars out
#50
Posted 03 March 2007 - 19:43
Mildren had spun, so the front of the car was damaged. The AGP book refers to Mildren's car being left 'well bent'... and to it being repaired and starting from the rear of the grid. Mildren's number in the race was indeed 10.
Obviously this car had a body from the days when Cooper made their bodywork in aluminium rather than fibreglass.