20 replies to this topic

[f1steveuk]

I spent a very nice day with Mrs Ruth Sulke, the widow of Walter, who happily told me stories of racing in Macau, horse racing with Teddy Yip, and her own exploits in hillclimbs and sprints.

She told me her only regret was that as they were so busy racing, they never took photographs, and as such she has none of herself driving, but more importantly to her, none of her late husband racing, especially in his "lovely Merc'".

So this is a plea, has anybody any pictures of Walter and Ruth Sulke racing that I might share with her?

[David McKinney]

She's presumably seen Philip Newsome's Colour and Noise?

[f1steveuk]

That's the name I was trying to recall as we spoke, b#g**r!!

Is there much reference to Walter and Ruth in it? She's due to go back to Hong Kong shortly, but I am in touch by e mail, so can certainly recommend it.

[David McKinney]

Thanks for saving me the trouble of checking, Steve
Most of Sulke's races were as an entrant rather than a driver - Mercedes 190SL, Mercedes 300SL, DKW saloon, Auto Union 1000S, FJ Tojeiro-DKW, Triumph Spitfire, ex-Le Mans Alpine-Renault etc. His drivers included Douglas Steane, Arthur Pateman, Bill Wyllie, Mauro Bianchi and doubtless others as well.
Pateman in the 300SL won the 1957 Macau GP for Sulke, and Bianchi took the 1966 race in the Alpine

[f1steveuk]

I suspect from her comments, she'd like to see ANY pictures. I suppose in this day and age of digital, it's easy to forget we were once very sparing of using up film, and as such chose our subjects more carefully, so there are less pictures of times gone by.

[Angus Lamont]

I have a friend who has access to a complete set of the Motor Sports Club of Hong Kong’s monthly magazine “The Chequered Flag”. As Walter Sulke was an active member I expect that he will feature in some of the magazines pictures. I will check with him and post his reply.

[Gary Davies]

Steve, Mrs Sulke may be interested to learn that the Mercedes-Benz 220SL Walter imported from the factory in 1957 is alive and well and living - beautifully restored - in Adelaide. There are some photographs I took of it of it in the Lobethal Carnival thread - http://forums.autosp...threadid=104439 see post #7. If you wish to receive the hi-res originals, please feel free to PM me.

It will be appearing in the Classic Adelaide Rally later this week and I will surely have more pictures of it soon. And if her/your interest extends that far, I am close to this car and I can provide some more details of its background since it arrived here in the mid-sixties.

[f1steveuk]

Thanks chaps. Vanwall, have sent a pm.

Mr Sulke appears to have been very very camera shy!

[Graham Gauld]

Reference the Sulke Mercedes Benz here are two shots, the grid shot is well known but the other shot shows Arthur Pateman after the race and can one assume this is Walter Sulke on the cockpit ?

[f1steveuk]

She'll be dead chuffed with those, are there bigger copies?

[Cynic2]

The "Triumph Spitfire" raced by Walter Sulke was a very special one-off, prepared by the Triumph Competition Department to Walter Sulke's order; the car has long been know as the Triumph Macau. (I know the car well, having owned it for a while in the 1980s and having restored it to its original appearance.)

While there are no photos of Mr. Sulke in the car, a detailed and well-researched history of the car can be found at:

http://www.canleycla...ticle=macau.xml

Cynic

[f1steveuk]

Originally posted by Graham Gauld
Reference the Sulke Mercedes Benz here are two shots, the grid shot is well known but the other shot shows Arthur Pateman after the race and can one assume this is Walter Sulke on the cockpit ?

Ruth tells me "it's Walter in the car and the other chap is Doug Steane" Does that make sense?

[Graham Gauld]

MMMMmmmm not really as the car is clearly as it was in 1956, black, and the driver was Doug Stearn in 1955 the only other time the 190SL ran at Macau it was silver. There is no reference to Mr Sulke racing it but he did race a mercedes 220 inthe first Macau event in 1954

[f1steveuk]

I think I'll put that down to a "senior" moment! To say she was delighted to see these pictures is an understatement!

[Rupertlt1]

I have a friend who has access to a complete set of the Motor Sports Club of Hong Kong’s monthly magazine “The Chequered Flag”. As Walter Sulke was an active member I expect that he will feature in some of the magazines pictures. I will check with him and post his reply.

 

You can just make out Walter Sulke, Mercedes Benz 220, at the start of the Macau Grand Prix, 1954 (not 1955):

 

 

Behind the Riley convertible, at the 'Le Mans' start. Play the video at half speed for best effect.

Are the copies of Chequered Flag still to be found?

 

See also:

 

https://forums.autos.../#entry10383014

 

https://forums.autos...dpost&p=2731057

RGDS RLT 

Edited by Rupertlt1, 28 September 2023 - 15:51.

[Rupertlt1]

Triumph Victory
in Hong Kong
Rickshaws are not the only
racing vehicles in Hong Kong,
according to a copy of the South

China Morning Post mailed to this

office.

The paper devotes almost an

entire page to an account of the
first "Macao Grand Prix" in
which three Coventry - built
Triumph T.R.2's scored a con-
vincing success.
The winner was an Eddie Car-
valho, of Far East Motors, who
drove 204 miles in 4hrs. 3 mins. He
received a cup from the Governor,
Admiral Esparteiro.
Incidentally, the same paper
carries an account of the Coventry
delegation's visit to Stalingrad.
Coventry Evening Telegraph, Wednesday 17 November 1954, Page 4

 

Does anybody have the South China Morning Post article referenced above?

 

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 29 September 2023 - 09:11.

[Rupertlt1]

HONG KONG

FOR SALE

A UNIQUE BARGAIN

August 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300-SL Roadster

specially factory prepared and factory run-in,

the only car of its kind in the East, 2500

miles done, raced once, winner of 1957 Macao

Grand Prix (17th November 1957) in guar-

anteed first-class condition (checked by fac-

tory mechanic this month) Black with beige

real leather upholstery with following extras:

Racing Windscreen

Racing Tonneaux cover

Knock in Rudge wheels

4 spare wheels 8 spare tyres (all used, now in

80% condition)

Extra axle ratio (3.89 fitted)

(3.64 extra)

and many spare parts including spare dis-

tributor, fanbelts, brakeshoes and linings, two

extra sets spark plugs, complete set jets for

injection equipment, complete spare clutch

with linings, etc. etc.

US $7550.00 ex garage Hong Kong

Please write to MERCEDES-BENZ Agents in Hong Kong:

W. M. SULKE

Tower court,

Hysan Avenue

Hong Kong

P.S. The car has three months factory guar-

antee. The Owner must sell as lefthand drive

cars are not allowed to be licensed in Hong

Kong.

ARMY TIMES, 28 Dec 1957, Page 29

 

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 29 September 2023 - 10:54.

[ReWind]

More about Walter Sulke (Berlin 1923 - 1994 London) here.

[Rupertlt1]

More about Walter Sulke (Berlin 1923 - 1994 London) here.

 

What a marvelous article! The Zung Fu group of companies were regular advertisers in Chequered Flag, journal of The Motor Sports Club of Hong Kong Ltd., circa 1970, at this address: Embassy Court, Hysan Avenue, Hong Kong.  Also Wallace Harper & Co., Ltd., for Ford at 256 Hennessy Road, Wanchai; Turin Motors for Fiat at Caroline Mansion, Yun Ping Road, Hong Kong and Capitol Court, Argyle Street, Kowloon. Also Jebsen Motors, for VW at 734 King's Road, Hong Kong; Wing Lee Mansion, 25 Austin Avenue, Kowloon; 924 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon.

Also Repco Automotive Engineering (H.K.) Ltd., 88 Pau Chung Street, To Kwa Wan, Kowloon.

 

RGDS RLT 

Edited by Rupertlt1, 29 September 2023 - 16:30.

[f1steveuk]

A bit late for Ruth sadly, but I will certainly pass this on to her son. Many thanks.

[Rupertlt1]

f1steveuk

 

There is a report of a Hong Kong sprint in Motor Sport, May 1957, Page 357 — names both Walter and Ruth Sulke — available on request, PM me with email.

 

Walter Sulke also published accounts of the 1959 Macau Grand Prix — in Road & Track (March 1960) and Canada Track & Traffic (March 1960). His car was on pole position!

 

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 01 October 2023 - 13:26.