35 replies to this topic

[Tomas Karlsson]

I am trying to sort out the Swedish racing driver Jon Fast's short international career in the fifties. He raced a couple of Oscas during 1957-58, but it is very hard to find information about the small cars in the sportscar races.
What I am looking for now is results, race-numbers, anything from Oulton Park and Aintree in April '58. Is there anyone who have a race program or an old race report?

[Jean L]

Essentialy fom the Orsini/Zagari OSCA book:

9/6/57 GP des Frontières,Chimay #28 1°c 2°a (MT4 1500-1163)
11/8/57 Swedish GP #34 /Bengston 2°c 2000 (MT4 1500-1163)
25/8/57 3H de Francorchamps #? 6°c (1500)
14/9/57 Silverstone sport #? 3°c (MT4 1500-1163)
16/4/58 Oulton Park #? ? (FS 1500-1191)
5/5/58 GP des Frontières,Chimay #16 1°c 2°o (FS 1500-1191)
1/6/58 Nürburgring 1000km #25 /Campbell 3°c (FS 1500-1191)
6/7/58 Reims F2 #34 R (FS 1500-1191)

[Tomas Karlsson]

I have that book too, but it is not complete.

The thing is that he did not race 1191 at Oulton Park in '58, since it was not yet ready for him. He had in the meantime borrowed a 950cc Osca and raced with that and/or with 1163 at Oulton and Aintree. At the Prescott hill-climb he won the 1100 class with the small Osca.

Fast's co-driver in the Swedish GP was Gunnar Bengtson and at Nürburgring John Campbell-Jones.

Edited by Tomas Karlsson, 19 January 2016 - 07:48.

[Vitesse2]

Fast doesn't rate a mention in Motor Sport's Aintree report, but the introduction to the Oulton Park report says that

.... Jon Fast brought along two 1490cc Oscas from Sweden, the second car being for John Higham.

This may not be entirely correct, since the race report says Higham was driving a Lotus.

Both Fast and Higham started in the second (2 litre) heat, which saw a stirring drive by Graham Hill after losing 3 minutes and two laps in a pit stop. "Jon Fast's well-driven but comparatively slow Osca" appears to have been seventh at the finish, the heat being won by Cliff Allison (Lotus) from Salvadori, Naylor, Jones, Marsh and Hill. Only the first four qualified for the final.

[Tomas Karlsson]

Great!! Thanks! I have just got a photo of the two cars, appearently from Oulton Park, with #56 on his old car and #55 on the smaller 950cc. So Fast probably hired out his second car to Higham. He couldn't remember having hired out his car to someone, but this will hopefully kick-start his memory, now that I have a name...
The reason for the "slow Osca", was because it was a 950cc. Strange that it started in the 2-litre heat though... Wasn't it possible to change the entry...?

[Vitesse2]

Ah - just spotted that there were two drivers called Higham in that heat: John Higham as above and JW Higham with a Lotus XI.

[Pete Stowe]

The Autosport preview for the Oulton Park British Empire Trophy stated that among the entries were “two 1.5 litre Italian Oscas by the Swedish drivers Jon Fast and Sture Nottorp.”
The race was run in 3 heats and a final. The report for Heat 2 (1101-2000cc) mentioned “two 1.5 litre Oscas from Sweden, driven by Jon Fast and H Digby” and listing the order following the start “Finally Higham (Lotus) and the two Oscas were each trying not to be last.” They don’t appear in the results, which only list the first six.

The preview for Aintree listed entries for J Fast (Osca) in the upto 1100cc sports car race, and J Fast (Osca 1500) in the Unlimited sports car race.
He’s not mentioned in the report of the 1100cc race, which does however refer to every entrant having the Coventry-Climax engine. He’s not mentioned in the unlimited race report either.

Additionally, two Oscas were listed for the May Silverstone sportscar race the day before Prescott, for Ian Walker (1490cc) and J Fast (950cc). The report mentioned Walker as a non-starter, but made no mention of Fast at all, who therefore presumably did start.

Fast also won the GT award at Prescott in his 300SL Mercedes.

[GIGLEUX]

At Silverstone, 3rd May 1958, from official programme:

International Daily Express sports car race, 25 laps, approx. 75 miles
Over 1100cc and up to 1500cc
-n°3 I.Walker OSCA 1490 entrant: Jon Fast/Scuderia Viking

Up to 1100cc:
-26 Jon Fast OSCA 950, entrant: driver.

Aintree, 19th April 1958, from official programme:

Event 1, Sports car race up to 1100cc, 17 laps, approx 51 miles
-56 J.Fast OSCA 950, entrant: driver. Colour: red

Event 3, Sports car race over 1100cc, 17 laps, approx 51 miles
-95 J.Fast OSCA 1490, entrant: driver. Colour Blue/Yellow

[Graham Gauld]

Tomas:

As you know it is my colour photo of the Oulton start that you have. Note that Johnny Higham normally raced a Lotus 11 and I have a feeling that the Lotus 11 on the left is actually Johnny's car - red.
As you know I have no idea who was driving the second OSCA as shown on the grid. But there was no if or but about it, both OSCAs started in the race. As a well known character once said " I was there" and took the photograph.

Graham

[RAP]

Oulton Park 12 April 1958 from Programme
Heat 2 1100-2000cc
55 Jon Fast OSCA 1490cc
56 S Nottorp OSCA 1490cc Entrant J Fast. But in my programme Nottorp is crossed through and Digby written in.
Neither seem to have qualified for the final.

[Tomas Karlsson]

What can I say... You TNF:ers are fantastic! I talked to Fast yesterday, but he didn't remember anything about hiring out the car. He didn't even remember that he had used the old car during '58. But both photos and race reports show otherwise. He was a bit tired, just having been released from hospital, but I'll give it a try again in a few days. Thank you all! And a very special thanks to Graham, who gave me the key to this little box.

Fast did have the 950 at Oulton Park too (the car is quite smaller than the 1500), but for some reason he raced in the bigger class. Since he had entered the race believing that he would have a new 1500, he probably wasn't allowed to change class when he arrived in England.

I was a bit puzzled about a date that didn't fit in. It was the weekend 4-5th May '58. Fast raced at Prescott the 4th and according to my Chimay-book and to Krejcis homepage the Chimay race was the 5th?! But a quick search for "Chimay 1958" on Internet, gave me a poster with May 25th as the correct date.

[Tomas Karlsson]

Graham Gauld wrote:

Note that Johnny Higham normally raced a Lotus 11 and I have a feeling that the Lotus 11 on the left is actually Johnny's car - red.

Your feeling is right. The red Lotus with #47 is the John Higham Eleven SXB 697.

[RAP]

I think Chimay was 25th May. Autosport 30 May reports "Outright victory went to Brian Naylor in the Grand Prix des Frontieres last weekend....."

RAP

[Tomas Karlsson]

Yep, the 25th is the correct date (strange that the Chimay book was wrong though...), it was just before the Nürburgring 1000km. Fast had got problems with the ignition on his new car just after the Chimay race and had some problems in getting it sorted out in the short time before Nürburgring.

I talked to Fast again, but he couldn't remember much more. He did remember the name Digby though.

One thing he was certain of was that he had raced at Aintree. He couldn't remember if he had raced both cars, but certainly the old one. He had first thought that it was at the end of '57, but it must have been this race in April '58. He remebered it well because he had a dramatic moment in the start, when he squeezed himself between a couple of bigger cars and it was also memorable because it was here the engine broke down. That's why it was a non-starter at Silverstone. The engine wasn't repaired. The car was sold and it raced on in Sweden with a Volvo-engine. Fast's other Osca, the F2/S, also became an Osca-Volvo after Fast blew that Osca-engine at Karlskoga.
Fast said that if I could find a picture of the Osca in Sweden after the England-tour, it would probably have the Aintree race-number (#95) still painted on, because it wasn't raced for some time afterwards. Doesn't sound like an easy thing to find though...

[Bjorn Kjer]

Tomas , did Fast use a stripe in his colours , and what were they ? I have a picture which might be him !

[Tomas Karlsson]

Fast had a blue-and yellow car in '57 and also a helmet in what seems to be the same colours. He did several races at Roskilde BTW.
The new Osca he got for '58 was red and from the blurry picture from Chimay, it seems as if he had a new helmet too. I don't know if the car stayed red, as he raced at Nürburgring where they used to follow the national colours-rule. The car was all red when it reappeared as a Osca-Volvo.

[biz5300]

HI there..
The guy driving OSCA number 2was a privateer who had cancer and bought a car to fulfil his dreams.. checking name at the moment.. The guy to talk to is Dan hedborg who still has the swedish 1500TN.. Stirling Moss has other car ex. Södertälje.. Dans number I have if you want..
'
Nik H..
Stockholm osca 1600GT

[Tomas Karlsson]

I suppose you mean Per Brolén, who was Fast's only customer as Osca rep in Sweden. He bought Osca MT4- 1182 and raced it in England in the autumn of 1957 together with Fast. This car was never raced by Fast and was not in England in 1958.
Together with the Brolén car, Fast imported three Oscas to Sweden. The 950 was returned to Italy after the British spring races.

Edited by Tomas Karlsson, 19 January 2016 - 07:46.

[biz5300]

hej! I have checked with Dan and the swedish OSCAs are/were..
1500TN chassis 1163 later rennumbered by osca to 1174 / ex Fasth now Hedborg Sweden
Tipo FS chassis 1191 now with Stirling Moss
S187 chassis 764 US Race history now Hedborg sweden
MT4 chassis 1182 Ex. Pelle Brohlén in sweden till 1974 Not in sweden

Others
1600GT Zagato chassis 0011 Sollevi stockholm sweden
1600GT2 Fissore chassis 00103 Hannah, stockholm, sweden

[S187]

Hallo Nik H and Tomas and everybody,

As the owner of the ex Fast OSCA Mt4 1500TN No 1163, I may be in a position to contribute some on the Fast OSCAs. I realize that Tomas is primarily looking for the race results of Jon Fast, but there seems to be some interest in the OSCA cars involved as well.

"biz5300" got it almost right, my car was actually originally chassis No 1174 as one of the OSCA factory team cars in 1956. It was renumbered to its present No 1163 when delivered to Fast in March 1957, (the reason being that he quickly needed Italian road-registration documents), totally rebuilt and equipped according to 1957 international regulations, and nicely painted in Swedeish blue-yellow colours.

In 1956 it was raced by Luigi Villoresi and Luigi Musso;

56-04-08 GIRO DI SICILIA, VILLORESI, car #315, 1st c.2000, 3rd over all.
56-04-28 MILLE MIGLIA ,VILLORESI, car #436, DNF
56-07-22 GP BARI, VILLORESI, car #12, 2nd c.2000
56-07-29 GIRO DELLE CALABRIE, VILLORESI, car #846, 2nd c.2000
56-09-30 GP SHELL, IMOLA, MUSSO, car #22, 3rd
56-10-21 GP ROMA, 6 ORE DI CASTELFUSANO, MUSSO, car #42, 1st

The first race I have with J Fast is the Prescott National Meeting May 5th 1957, car #69, 2nd c. 1B 1600,
(photo in "Bugantics" 2/57)
The following races seem to be well known.
The Chimay race May 25th 1958 was the first with his new OSCA No 1191.

I have photos, but am unable at the moment to paste them into this post.

S187

[Tomas Karlsson]

Jon Fast passed away last week (Aug 18th) at the age of 75.

[Bjorn Kjer]

I am very sorry to hear that.

[rudi]

My question is about the OSCA MT4 #1182 that Jon Fast deliverd to Per Brohlen or Per Brohlan or

Pierre Brolen.

The car was raced by his owner in 1957 and dissapeared.

 

At the 1959 Kanonloppet race at Karlskoga, the two previously Jon Fast OSCA, with Volvo engines were raced.

There was a third OSCA driven by Lennart Hultqvist. Was it MT4 #1182 ?

[Tomas Karlsson]

Yes. And it is, or was, Per Brolén.

Edited by Tomas Karlsson, 18 January 2016 - 12:35.

[rudi]

Yes. And it is, or was, Per Brolén.

 

Thanks Thomas.

 

An other driver from Sweden, Erik Siegfasth, raced an OSCA at Rosskilde Ring DK in 1961 and 1962.

Do you know which car he raced ?

[Tomas Karlsson]

That was the ex-Fast FS-1191. Probably with a Volvo engine under the hood. And it was Sigfast. I can see that I have spelt Fast's half-brother's name wrong too, it was Gunnar Bengtson, with one s.

Edited by Tomas Karlsson, 19 January 2016 - 07:45.

[rudi]

That was the ex-Fast FS-1191. Probably with a Volvo engine under the hood. And it was Sigfast. I can see that I have spelt Fast's half-brother's name wrong too, it was Gunnar Bengtson, with one s.

 

Thanks again Thomas.

Regarding Karlskoga 1959, I wonder if Hultqvist raced. I watched several times the very good video, all cars are on the film, just not

#18. And if it started, it started very late so...

[Tomas Karlsson]

No, he was a DNS or maybe rather a DNA. I don't think he showed up, if I haven't missed him. All cars weren't there. The #6 Porsche did not show up of course. It should have been driven by Jean Behra...

[rudi]

No, he was a DNS or maybe rather a DNA. I don't think he showed up, if I haven't missed him. All cars weren't there. The #6 Porsche did not show up of course. It should have been driven by Jean Behra...

 

So last possibility to have the 3 OSCA racing together could be Falkenberg. But did Hultqvist race ?

[Tomas Karlsson]

I don't think so, but I still have a big question-mark beside that note in my papers. He seems to have participated in practice anyway.

Edited by Tomas Karlsson, 19 January 2016 - 21:30.

[rudi]

I don't think so, but I still have a big question-mark beside that note in my papers. He seems to have participated in practice anyway.

 

Thanks. Sad that the car was not in the race.

[Tomas Karlsson]

Thanks. Sad that the car was not in the race.

Well, I am not sure. My sources are a bit thin. I am sure there is more to be found....

[Charles Helps]

A couple of cockpit/engine bay pictures of an OSCA taken by John Ross at the 12th April 1958 Oulton Park meeting here (and a bonus picture of a young Graham Gauld).  Is Fast in any of the paddock pictures?

[Tomas Karlsson]

Wow! Great pictures! But I think the caption for #700 is wrong. That doesn't look like an Osca, which would be LHD and with no possibility to lift off the whole front.

But 702 is Fast's red car. It was a 950 borrowed from the factory. In the background is Fast's red 300SL. The guy who is looking down is maybe the rent-a-driver for the other car? The blue and yellow 1500TN.

There is a glimpse of it in #719 with No 56.

[Graham Gauld]

Tomas:

 

I thought I had already posted these. Here is my photo of Jon Fast's truck with both cars. However which one had the smaller engine ?

 

Also a  photo of one of the cars unloaded.  Also the engine of the blue and yellow car.

 

Charles Helps

 

Not surprising about the photo on John Ross's site as John and I used to meet up at various circuits around Europe.

 

 

 

 

hebergement d image

 

 

 

photo libre

 

 

 

 

hebergement image

 

 

 

[Tomas Karlsson]

I thought I had already posted these. Here is my photo of Jon Fast's truck with both cars. However which one had the smaller engine ?

 

It's the one on top. When Fast arrived in Italy to collect his new car, it transpired that it already had been sold to another driver. So the factory lent him this one until they had time to build a new one.