34 replies to this topic

[Vicuna]

1. Please help me with the background of a most attractive little dark green sports car called the Sterling?

2. In the race for older cars - like Lagos and the Maybach, why was a tatty looking wedge shaped car competing when it looked like it should racing against Brabhams and Elfins? The 'tatty wedge' is yellow and pale blue and has a strange looking box on the back...

3. A fellow called Don was on the microphone in the pits - does he have a claim to fame?

4. Am I alone in assuming the commentators had never seen, or heard of, F5000 before?

5. Were any other TNFers at the Saturday night function?

6. Aren't Elfin 300S BEAUTIFUL little things?

7. Didn't the 1973 March F5000 prove that a car, even if never the wizard thing when new, can be a highly effective classic racer so long as it has 4 good tyres, a strong wngine, good preperation and a decent driver?


To conclude, at this point, I had never been the PI before. I was blown away - I expected it to be good but it was better than I expected.

BTW, the March that John Cannon used in the 1976 Australian series was auctioned yesterday. The guide range was $90,000 to 110,000. Anyone know what she fetched?

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Vicuna
1. Please help me with the background of a most attractive little dark green sports car called the Sterling?

2. In the race for older cars - like Lagos and the Maybach, why was a tatty looking wedge shaped car competing when it looked like it should racing against Brabhams and Elfins? The 'tatty wedge' is yellow and pale blue and has a strange looking box on the back...

3. A fellow called Don was on the microphone in the pits - does he have a claim to fame?

4. Am I alone in assuming the commentators had never seen, or heard of, F5000 before?

5. Were any other TNFers at the Saturday night function?

6. Aren't Elfin 300S BEAUTIFUL little things?

7. Didn't the 1973 March F5000 prove that a car, even if never the wizard thing when new, can be a highly effective classic racer so long as it has 4 good tyres, a strong wngine, good preperation and a decent driver?


To conclude, at this point, I had never been the PI before. I was blown away - I expected it to be good but it was better than I expected.

BTW, the March that John Cannon used in the 1976 Australian series was auctioned yesterday. The guide range was $90,000 to 110,000. Anyone know what she fetched?

1. Sounds like the Holden powered open wheeler, I imagine the box is a secret forced air induction system ;) A lot of classes were combined and thrown together over the weekend in an effort to even things up lap time wise and get people more track time (AIUI)

[Ray Bell]

The Sterling, if it's the one I'm thinking of, was a Lotus 23 replica built in Sydney when Lotus 23s were quite new...

Originally raced by Paul Bolton, he crashed it into the notorious Oran Park fence (on the left just before BP Bend) at the same meeting at which Allan Grice crashed his TC in the same place. March '65?

The commentators really should know what F5000s are... perhaps they thought they were too new to be called 'historic'?

And yes, Elfin 300s are truly beautiful little bits of kit...

[Piston Broke]

Originally posted by Vicuna
BTW, the March that John Cannon used in the 1976 Australian series was auctioned yesterday. The guide range was $90,000 to 110,000. Anyone know what she fetched?

It was passed in.
http://www.shannons....13EF5YUC2C6CB8B :

[Bondy]

Vicuna, the Wedge car you refer to is the Wayne Ford Special, i believe it runs a Ford 6cyl, not the 250 the one below that, lol.... It normally races amongst the slower cars hence its inclusion with the J,K, L etc class.

[normbeechey]

Vicuna, here's a pic of the Elfin 300 at Phillip Island on this page:
http://members.tripo...hris_meaden.htm

Note: You may have to manually 'copy' and then 'paste' the above web address manually onto your Internet web browser address bar.

By the way [and off the subjects] , does anyone know if the Porsche 934 on the same page is the ex-Alan Hamilton/Allan Moffat car?

Thanks, Chris.

[Vicuna]

Tell me about the Jane Brabham

[Bondy]

Vicuna,

The Jane Brabham is the ex Bob Jane owned Harvey driven Brabham Repco, i believe a chassis was built by Bob Britten (spelling). The original car was wrecked when Harvey had the big crash at Bathurst. The car no longer has repco power, it raced in WA for many years with Dom Manello at the wheel. Some more details can be found here........ http://www.warm.org.au/home.htm

then go to WARM cars and you will find the rest there

thanks

Curt

[David Shaw]

I personally find it sad that of the V8 Gold Star contenders from 1967-69, only three of them survive in that form being the BT23A, the BT23D and the Elfin 600C.

I can understand why the others have been restored to original or alternate specification, but I would love nothing more than to see the BT23E, Harvey's BT14, the Lotus 39 and the two other Elfins of Ramsay and McCormack, with Repco V8s in the back again and having a run together.

[Towil]

By the way [and off the subjects] , does anyone know if the Porsche 934 on the same page is the ex-Alan Hamilton/Allan Moffat car?

Thanks, Chris. [/B][/QUOTE]

Yes it is.

[normbeechey]

Thanks Towil.

Does anyone know what happened to the car (Brabham?) Ian Cook was killed in at Sandown in 1973?

[Robert Bailey]

Originally posted by normbeechey
Thanks Towil.

Does anyone know what happened to the car (Brabham?) Ian Cook was killed in at Sandown in 1973?

Denis Lupton would know.

[Robert Bailey]

Originally posted by normbeechey
Vicuna, here's a pic of the Elfin 300 at Phillip Island on this page:
http://members.tripo...hris_meaden.htm

Note: You may have to manually 'copy' and then 'paste' the above web address manually onto your Internet web browser address bar.

By the way [and off the subjects] , does anyone know if the Porsche 934 on the same page is the ex-Alan Hamilton/Allan Moffat car?

Thanks, Chris.

yes it is,from Hamilton to Magnum wheels for J.Walker to drive then George Palbry? to Bruce Harris for many years and approx 4years ago to Dr Henderson.

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by David Shaw
I personally find it sad that of the V8 Gold Star contenders from 1967-69, only three of them survive in that form being the BT23A, the BT23D and the Elfin 600C.

I can understand why the others have been restored to original or alternate specification, but I would love nothing more than to see the BT23E, Harvey's BT14, the Lotus 39 and the two other Elfins of Ramsay and McCormack, with Repco V8s in the back again and having a run together.

The ex Ramsay Elfin Repco/ Waggot is now owned by Ian Ross of NSW.

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by Robert Bailey
Denis Lupton would know.

I belive it now resides in NSW............but it needs a realy decent WAGGOT engine.

[normbeechey]

Thanks guys . I've just found on the other forum [I dare not mention its name] that the ex-Bob Jane, Ian Cook Brabham is listed as a Brabham BT36 (a BT30 coverted to a BT36?) in the chassis history archive section.

No racing history seems to be listed after Ian Cooks unfortunate accident. In 2003 it was listed as being in New South Wales, as 'cosworth bdg' says. From the photo I have (albeit from a distance) from a newspaper at the time, the car does not look like it was too badly damaged.

[cosworth bdg]

The Denis Lupton BT 36 has not been used in anger since the unfortunate Ian Cook accident............

[Andrew Fellowes]

Originally posted by normbeechey
Thanks guys . I've just found on the other forum [I dare not mention its name] that the ex-Bob Jane, Ian Cook Brabham is listed as a Brabham BT36 (a BT30 coverted to a BT36?) in the chassis history archive section.

It has the chassis number BT30-27 but in every respect its a BT36 with a very early 1971 AM number (BT30's ended in 1970), quite likely the 4th chassis made that year so that might suggest it wasn't the prototype. No it wasn't converted either! Also I think you will find that in the entry lists it is always mentioned as a BT36 but as it has a BT30 number its on this page:-

http://www.oldracing...es/brabham/bt30

Edit. If you want to read Denis' full story it's well worth the read, about 1/2 way down, http://www.ten-tenth...t=80247&page=24

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by Andrew Fellowes

It has the chassis number BT30-27 but in every respect its a BT36 with a very early 1971 AM number (BT30's ended in 1970), quite likely the 4th chassis made that year so that might suggest it wasn't the prototype. No it wasn't converted either! Also I think you will find that in the entry lists it is always mentioned as a BT36.

http://www.oldracing...es/brabham/bt30

And i belive it has only ever been fitted with a 2 L 4/TC waggot engine...........

[BT 35-8]

All the time the late Ian Cook raced the car it was fitted with a Twin-cam Ford.

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by BT 35-8
All the time the late Ian Cook raced the car it was fitted with a Twin-cam Ford.

I belive you are correct.....

[Leo D]

Originally posted by David Shaw
I personally find it sad that of the V8 Gold Star contenders from 1967-69, only three of them survive in that form being the BT23A, the BT23D and the Elfin 600C.

I can understand why the others have been restored to original or alternate specification, but I would love nothing more than to see the BT23E, Harvey's BT14, the Lotus 39 and the two other Elfins of Ramsay and McCormack, with Repco V8s in the back again and having a run together.

This would be one of the said Elfins?

[David Shaw]

Yes, that is Ian Ross' 600C Chassis 6908 ex-Garrie Cooper. Actually, checking through my records I see that Garrie Cooper's 600D Chassis 7012 should currently be Repco V8 powered as well, but McCormack's 600C Chassis 7011 I have down as being a Ford T/C.

[Leo D]

Originally posted by normbeechey
Vicuna, here's a pic of the Elfin 300 at Phillip Island on this page:
http://members.tripo...hris_meaden.htm

Note: You may have to manually 'copy' and then 'paste' the above web address manually onto your Internet web browser address bar.


Thanks, Chris.

Some nice pics of the restoration in there Chris.

It was interesting to see the 2ltr Climax powered Elfin 300 at the Island (pitted in the garage behind the F5000's) as I didn't know that there was a Climax powered 300 until I read it in the Elfin 300 " Past That's Fast" article in MRA.



What was also of interest in that artcle was the B&W photo of the start at Winton with Ken Hastings in the 2ltr Coventry powered Atom Climax (13). The engine in that car latter being on sold to Peter Woodward who had the 2.5ltr Coventry Climax powered Elfin 350.

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by David Shaw
Yes, that is Ian Ross' 600C Chassis 6908 ex-Garrie Cooper. Actually, checking through my records I see that Garrie Cooper's 600D Chassis 7012 should currently be Repco V8 powered as well, but McCormack's 600C Chassis 7011 I have down as being a Ford T/C.

Where abouts are the other Elfin 600 Repco's.............????????

[David Shaw]

I only know of the 3. Ray had mentioned Cooper's, Ramsay's and McCormack's, so I wasn't aware there were others and they don't show in the Elfin Register file. There were 3 600Cs, 6908, 6910 and 7011 and the lone 600D. 6910 was the only of these 4 not Repco V8 powered, bing fitted with an FVA for Hengkie Iriawan of Indonesia. The missing chassis here 6909 was a Ford T/C powered 600B for Ivan Tighe.

[cosworth bdg]

Where is the ex McCormack Elfin 600 Repco ???

[David Shaw]

Apparently now owned by Penrite Oil Co. (VIC) and running a Ford T/C. This chassis of course originally ran with a Climax, then to a 740 Series Repco with centre exhaust, whereas the other 2 ran the later 830 Series engine with the side exhaust as also run in the BT31 that Jack drove to victory in the 1969 Bathurst Gold Star round.

[Ray Bell]

I think Peter means 'where are the other two Elfin Repcos today?'...

Leo, I don't think I'd ever known about the 2-litre Climax 300 that went to South Africa, or certainly I'd forgotten about it.

So easy after forty years, of course.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by David Shaw
Apparently now owned by Penrite Oil Co. (VIC) and running a Ford T/C. This chassis of course originally ran with a Climax, then to a 740 Series Repco with centre exhaust, whereas the other 2 ran the later 830 Series engine with the side exhaust as also run in the BT31 that Jack drove to victory in the 1969 Bathurst Gold Star round.

Was also the fastest ever 2.5 Repco V8 around Warwick Farm...

Really, it's a wonder nobody has stuck an FVA in it or changed it to a FFord, isn't it?

[cosworth bdg]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
I think Peter means 'where are the other two Elfin Repcos today?'...

Leo, I don't think I'd ever known about the 2-litre Climax 300 that went to South Africa, or certainly I'd forgotten about it.

So easy after forty years, of course.

Ray ,you are correct with the info i am looking for, Cheers, thanks, Peter.

[David Shaw]

Okay, now I understand. :doh:
Here's what I have on all 3.

600C 6908 Garrie Cooper Repco V8 830 - Now raced by Ian Ross.
600C 7011 John McCormack Repco V8 740 - Now owned by Penrite as above.
600D 7012 Garrie Cooper Repco V8 830 - Now owned by John Dalziel/John Harris (VIC)

[SJ Lambert]

Leo, I don't think I'd ever known about the 2-litre Climax 300 that went to South Africa, or certainly I'd forgotten about it.

So easy after forty years, of course.

I'm pretty sure the Climax powered 300 was the last of that type that Dad had a hand in building before he left Elfins.

Link here to a shot of it stripped at Kyalami nine hour race in 1967.

There's also a shot of it lined up near Porsche 906s and others.

And another offloading shot for East London 1968.

Edited by SJ Lambert, 12 February 2013 - 01:02.

[austmcreg]

What was also of interest in that artcle was the B&W photo of the start at Winton with Ken Hastings in the 2ltr Coventry powered Atom Climax (13). The engine in that car latter being on sold to Peter Woodward who had the 2.5ltr Coventry Climax powered Elfin 350.

Having not seen this old thread before I was surprised and delighted to see this photo of Hastings' Atom Climax. This is the former Tasma Climax, built in Tasmania in 1964 by Bob Wright around a spaceframe chassis designed by Wright and built by my father, Jim Saward. Initially it ran with a Peugeot motor but that was replaced in mid 1966 by the 2 litre Climax FPF which Wright took from his Cooper Climax, ex Sternberg/Stillwell/Brabham/works. That engine was supplied new in the (David Mckay) Victa Industries Cooper which was sold to Stillwell when Victa pulled out. Stillwell swapped engines between the two Coopers and sold the ex Brabham car with the 2 litre engine to Sternberg in Tasmania in 1962. Sternberg sold it to Wright in early 1966.

The distinctive Tasma headlights remain, the body having originaly been a local copy fibreglass Lotus 11, much modified.

The chassis of this car returned to Tasmania in about 1970 and became the Turnham Climax, built by Peter Turnbull, with a 2.5 litre FPF ex the Davison estate via Wally Mitchell.

Some of those Climax engines have been in many different chassis over their lifetime! Does anyone know what Woodward did with this engine?

Does anyone have any other photos of the Atom Climax?

Rob Saward

[ron simmonds]

1. Please help me with the background of a most attractive little dark green sports car called the Sterling?

2. In the race for older cars - like Lagos and the Maybach, why was a tatty looking wedge shaped car competing when it looked like it should racing against Brabhams and Elfins? The 'tatty wedge' is yellow and pale blue and has a strange looking box on the back...

3. A fellow called Don was on the microphone in the pits - does he have a claim to fame?

4. Am I alone in assuming the commentators had never seen, or heard of, F5000 before?

5. Were any other TNFers at the Saturday night function?

6. Aren't Elfin 300S BEAUTIFUL little things?

7. Didn't the 1973 March F5000 prove that a car, even if never the wizard thing when new, can be a highly effective classic racer so long as it has 4 good tyres, a strong wngine, good preperation and a decent driver?

To answer point 3. Don Kinsey is the person you are asking about. Don is an ex radio 3DB braoadcaster and Ch7 TV presenter,a very popular MC at many events, not all to do with motor racing. Don is a hard working VHRR committee worker for both PI and Sandown.Don was awarded an AM in the Australian awards a couple of years back.
Point 4.
The commentators have a very good handle on all things F5000, having expert imput from guest commentators during the F5000 races on the day
Regards Ron Simmonds Cheif Commentator for the VHRR.

To conclude, at this point, I had never been the PI before. I was blown away - I expected it to be good but it was better than I expected.

BTW, the March that John Cannon used in the 1976 Australian series was auctioned yesterday. The guide range was $90,000 to 110,000. Anyone know what she fetched?