295 replies to this topic

[Graham Clayton]

I have enjoyed reading Kevan's thread about 1980's British touring car one-offs and rarities, so I thought that I would start a similar thread covering Australian touring car racing, across all formulas from 1960 onwards.

I will start with some of my own memories of rarities during the Group A era.

The Rover Vitesse was a rare car in Australia. The only 2 Rovers campaigned locally in Australia that I can recall were the Tim Slako car from Western Australia, and the Simon Harrex car from Queensland. Does anyone have a picture of the Harrex car? Were there any other Group A Rover Vitesses in Australia?

The inaugral year of Group A in Australia, 1985, saw some rare entries. Mike Minear ran a Volvo 360LT, Chris Heyer ran an Audi 5 + 5, along with John White entering an Isuzu Gemini ZZ.

In 1987 Laurie Hazelton entered a 240 Volvo at the Oran Park "Castrol Clash for Cash" meeting. I vaguely remember the car hitting the wall on the main straight - did this car ever race again?

Going back to the early 1970's, Malcolm Ramsay ran a F5000-engined Holden Kingswood, finishing 6th overall. 1973 saw possibly the most obscure car ever entered for an Australian touring car race. Perth driver E Vajda entered a Subaru at the Wanneroo Park round of the Australian Touring Car Championship, finishing 9 laps down on race winner Allan Moffat. To today this is the only occassion when a Subaru has competed in an Australian touring car race. Does anyone have a picture of the car?

Going back to the 1960's, there were also some rare cars entered in the "one-off" races that constituted the Australian Touring Car Championship. Here are some of these cars:

1961 - Muir Daniel (Austin A-105)
1963 - D Sternberg (Vauxhall Cresta); George Maguire (Hillman)
1964 - Malcolm Bailey (Ford Zephyr Mk 3): B Hare (Renault)
1966 - Bill Brown (Volvo 122S)

I would be interested in any other rare cars or "one-off" entries for drivers.

[Hank the Deuce]

Ron Dickson campaigned an HQ 4-door Monaro in Group C circa 1974 IIRC.

From the Group C era, Chris Heyer's pyrotechnic Golf surely rates as an orphan, the 5+5 you mention was the car used to set all sorts of records at Surfers Paradise International Raceway circa 1980, and which IIRC made its Group C debut in 1982... it was later converted to a Group A specification, but never seemed like much of a unit.

John Goss' XJS would surely qualify... its first Bathurst appearance in 1980 saw it compete with a stock donk, and it appeared again in 1981 & 1982, missing 1983 before being rebirthed into a Group C/A hybrid courtesy of Tom Walkinshaw's involvement in the 1984 campaign... apparently TW didn't think much of the vehicle, responding to a query as to how he could best prepare the car for Bathurst, the retort was that he wished he could build a big box around it, and then drop the whole lot into Sydney Harbour. It showed more speed that ever that year, but was brought undone by the clutch - a part which had apparently been the subject of a fair amount of disagreement in the leadup, TW ultimately acquiescing to JG's specifications - exploding when TW dropped the clutch. The XJS appeared at Bathurst one more time, in 1986, where the conversion to Group A spec's caused a fair bit of drama with the scrutes during Race Week. It languished in a corner as last raced until earlier this decade, when JG dusted it off and tarted her up in the Bathurst-winning livery of 1985 (which that particular car never wore!).

What about the McKay/Martin Volvo 240GT which raced at Bathurst in 1979, road-registered and showroom-stock?

Or the little Fiat from WA that refused to play nice at Bathust in 1986?

Or Murray Coote's Mazda 626 which I think may have appeared at the ATCC round at Surfers in 1986 as well?

The Burrell/Shute Mitsubishi Colt which raced at Bathurst in 1981?

And Bob Jane's Mercedes 600 Grosser, which made the entry list (but no more than that... admittedly as a publicity stunt along the lines of the perennial Paul Newman entry) at The Great Race for 1,000 years running?

I'd give an honourable mention to the Chev Camaros originally campaigned by Kevin Barlett, and Ron Dickson's two-car team, as well... not quite orphans, and potentially a winner - particularly in KB's hands - but treated by CAMS as a bit of an oddity nonetheless.

Also, Peter Williamson's Supra... potentially a great car, but more renowned for having had more hits than The Beatles.

Ironic that the 1984 startline crash which brought about a restart from red fir the first time in the race's history, involved three cars mentioned above...

[Ray Bell]

The A105 could hardly have been considered 'rare'... Barry Gurdon used to run the predecessor to that model regularly, the A90, maybe A95...

Hillmans weren't all that unknown either. Paul Bolton ran one regularly for a couple of years, shedding many wheels as it went. The Cresta was also one of several, there was a driver named Jones (I'm fairly sure) had one in Queensland (there's a pic of it at Lakeside in RCN) and they did win the Armstrong 500 once.

Renaults... quite a few hit the circuits here, David Frazer had one, I think Greville Edgerton as well (I'm talking about R8s, not Gordinis or earlier stuff), while 750s and Dauphins were seen at times.

And our very own David Seldon (seldo) ran a 122, along with Gerry Lister and others, in many races in the late sixties.

Even the Mk 3 Zephyr was no stranger, I've previously posted a pic of one at Catalina which I'm sure wasn't Malcolm Bailey's. Zephyr fanciers would have regarded this as a good move, for while they might have been a little heavier than the Mk 2 they did have a 4-speed box.

There was a New Zealand-entered front wheel drive Escort at Bathurst about '84, that was a one-off for us. And Frank Cecchele's Fiat Uno was definitely one of a kind here.

Then there were cars like Alan Caelli's Plymouth, Pat Peck's previously mentioned barge (Buick?) and, looking further back, Don Gibson's cart-sprung '38 Dodge.

And did you know that someone was once ejected through the sunroof of a Riley 1.5 during a rollover at Mt Druitt?

[Hank the Deuce]

There was a New Zealand-entered front wheel drive Escort at Bathurst about '84, that was a one-off for us. And Frank Cecchele's Fiat Uno was definitely one of a kind here.

I'd forgotten about the Escort - Andrew Bagnall IIRC, in 1986... and do you think I could remember that the Fiat was a Uno? Qld summer frying the brain methinks...

[Ray Bell]

Problem you have, Hank, is Garry Willmington...

'One-off's' lose that label when others run the same make, so Garry's participation in both an XJS and a Supra take two out of your list!

This list would also exclude cars run at the Series Production events up to '72.

I almost started to list the HD Holden of Wayne Negus/Bob Forbes, but then I remembered that Boote ran one in Tassie. Others that raced, I'm pretty sure, were all Series Production.

[Hank the Deuce]

Problem you have, Hank, is Garry Willmington...

'One-off's' lose that label when others run the same make, so Garry's participation in both an XJS and a Supra take two out of your list!

This list would also exclude cars run at the Series Production events up to '72.

I almost started to list the HD Holden of Wayne Negus/Bob Forbes, but then I remembered that Boote ran one in Tassie. Others that raced, I'm pretty sure, were all Series Production.

True... is Garry a problem tho'? He had the most fanatical group of supporters I ever encountered at McPhillamy!

Gossy's Group C Jag was certainly unique at the time, and Willo's early-model Supra wasn't duplicated here to my mind, although Wilmington, and the works Toyota team both had the later-model turbos out there.

What about Willo's old Levin coupe? Alexandra Surplice ran it late in its life... I remember her getting in John Harvey's road at Sandown in 1982, and being launched into a rollover as a consequence...

[eldougo]

Looking through the Bathurst book i find Touring cars such as.

Isuzu Bellett

DAS 850

Austin lancer

Austin A90

Austin Freeway

Fiat 1500

Simca

Speedwell Morris

Morris Majors

Morris 850

Mercedes Banz 220se

Studebaker Lark

This was the time when Touring cars where just that ....with racing numbers!

[Ray Bell]

Didn't Bob Holden also have a Levin?

Good old Alexandra... she and her father certainly persisted, all too long with the Dolomite methinks.

[Hank the Deuce]

Didn't Bob Holden also have a Levin?

Good old Alexandra... she and her father certainly persisted, all too long with the Dolomite methinks.

In the Group A period, some of the Toyota Sprinters appeared with "Levin" badging (the one I recall is the Don Smith/David Ratcliff example), which I don't believe to have been completely truthful (was it an NZ nameplate?) but the Surplice machine was one of the earlier units from the 70's (KE35 model or something?). Alexandra co-drove Bob's Sprinter in 1984 IIRC...

What about Scotty Taylor's first Commodore? Hardly a rare car, the Commodore, save for that Scotty's was first raced with a 186 straight six, rather than the ubiquitous 308...

[Ray Bell]

202, more likely... and I don't remember that...

But I do remember John Mann's Falcon 250, did anyone else race one of them?

[Kevan]

I have enjoyed reading Kevan's thread about 1980's British touring car one-offs and rarities, so I thought that I would start a similar thread covering Australian touring car racing, across all formulas from 1960 onwards.

I will start with some of my own memories of rarities during the Group A era.

The Rover Vitesse was a rare car in Australia. The only 2 Rovers campaigned locally in Australia that I can recall were the Tim Slako car from Western Australia, and the Simon Harrex car from Queensland. Does anyone have a picture of the Harrex car? Were there any other Group A Rover Vitesses in Australia?

The inaugral year of Group A in Australia, 1985, saw some rare entries. Mike Minear ran a Volvo 360LT, Chris Heyer ran an Audi 5 + 5, along with John White entering an Isuzu Gemini ZZ.

In 1987 Laurie Hazelton entered a 240 Volvo at the Oran Park "Castrol Clash for Cash" meeting. I vaguely remember the car hitting the wall on the main straight - did this car ever race again?

Slako's car (probably best-known for it's pink paintjob) was an Andy Rouse-prepared car originally run in the UK by Charles Sawyer-Hoare. The John Donnelly/Simon Harrex car was locally built in Australia AFAIK?

I can't think of any other Australian-based Group A Rover, though there were a couple of visitors for Bathurst- Walkinshaw brought a pair of Mobil-backed cars to the Mountain in '84 and won the Group A class, and a year later, two British privateers, Barry Robinson and Jon Jeffery appeared with a Rover- this one was an upgraded production saloon racer I think, and was well off the pace.

I don't think the Hazelton Volvo raced very much at the time- though the car still exists. Mark Petch of course imported one in '85 for Robbie Francevic to drive, later evolving into a 2-car factory-backed Volvo Dealer Team.
http://people.physic..._GpA_racing.htm

History of the Hazelton car: http://www.ovlov.net...?page_name=main
/

Edited by Kevan, 08 December 2009 - 11:33.

[Kevan]

I'd forgotten about the Escort - Andrew Bagnall IIRC, in 1986... and do you think I could remember that the Fiat was a Uno? Qld summer frying the brain methinks...

Bagnall's Escort RS1600i was another ex-BTCC car (ex-Richard Longman Datpost car,later raced by Richard Belcher in 1985) -the RS1600i was fairly widely raced in Group A in Europe until the 16-valve Toyota Corollas took over. Several ex-BTCC Escorts went to NZ, though at least one has returned to the UK- the current owner lives fairly locally to me.

The Uno Turbo wasn't just unique in Australia, but possibly in the world- They were rallied in Group A in Europe, but I can't think of another Group A racer. Certainly they were only raced at club level or in production saloons in the UK

Edited by Kevan, 08 December 2009 - 01:56.

[Ray Bell]

Frank Cecchele and Gordon Mitchell had this one flying!

It was doing better than 130mph down the straight at Bathurst...

[Terry Walker]

Lloyd Trezise raced this 1938 Ford V8 for several years at Caversham in the 60s. Here he watches Bruce McLaren zip past in a touring car support race for the 1962 AGP.

[Lee Nicolle]

The Scotty Taylor 6cyl Commodore was a stop gap car. Possibly a 2850 for under 3 litre. There was a write up on him and Kevin recently in Muscle Car.Which i cannot find at the moment!
The Bob Forbes HD was a under 3 litre Gp C protest in the mid 70s. I was not aware of others. Apart from series production.
From memory there was a few HQ 4 doors run, one was 308 auto. I seem to remember Bob Jane had one too.None very startling

[Lee Nicolle]

The John Donnely Rover was canibilised by Tom Hutchinson to build a Sports car. Tom raced it once at Mallala but it was quite slow.

[Ray Bell]

Lee, I don't remember anyone else ran a 4-door HQ...

But maybe some oddball low level entries were made, as you refer to one with a 308 auto?

The Forbes car was an 'Amaroo Special' when the 3-litre class was first introduced. Bought and built up in about three weeks, IIRC, it failed largely due to the non-availability of a 4-speed in that model. What it did have, that attracted Forbes et al, was the twin carbies that they lost when the 186S models came out with a dual choke carby. This enabled them to do things on the induction side otherwise not possible. And also greater room for tyres inside the wheel arches than Toranas offered.

And as I mentioned, Boote ran an HD in Improved Production in 1966.

Scotty Taylor's would have to have been a 173.

[Lee Nicolle]

Lee, I don't remember anyone else ran a 4-door HQ...

But maybe some oddball low level entries were made, as you refer to one with a 308 auto?

The Forbes car was an 'Amaroo Special' when the 3-litre class was first introduced. Bought and built up in about three weeks, IIRC, it failed largely due to the non-availability of a 4-speed in that model. What it did have, that attracted Forbes et al, was the twin carbies that they lost when the 186S models came out with a dual choke carby. This enabled them to do things on the induction side otherwise not possible. And also greater room for tyres inside the wheel arches than Toranas offered.

And as I mentioned, Boote ran an HD in Improved Production in 1966.

Scotty Taylor's would have to have been a 173.

Jusyt my vague recollection of 2 or 3 4 doors at Bathurst either 73 or 74. Ron Dickson ran one, I feel Bob Jane?? and another. Or I am going senile!
There was a write up in I reckon Sports Car World about Bob Forbes HD. It seemingly was built as a protest against under 3 litre and I guess would have attracted attention by being different. I reckon a 2850S LC Torana GTR would have been a better thing, and you could get enough tyre under an XU1 so the GTR would have been the same.The HD would probably make a little more power though. But I feel that the 'antisocial' aspect was what he was looking for. And HD did stand for highly dangerous!!
There has been a couple of HDs as Sports Sedans too ofcourse.

Harry Firth also entered a V8 auto XR or XT Falcon or Fairmont as a different class at Bathurst in the late 60s as opposed to GTs.

[Ray Bell]

Ron Dickson's car was a Monaro... in those days that meant it had two doors...

Nobody else, I'm quite sure, ran a 4-door anywhere it would be noticed.

There was no 'protest' about Forbesy's entry of the HD in the 3-litre series. He wanted a car to run in it, he might have had a tight budget (but I don't know that it mattered) and he probably liked something different.

3-litre cars could run 10" wide wheels, but Toranas couldn't fit them.

[Kevan]

The John Donnely Rover was canibilised by Tom Hutchinson to build a Sports car. Tom raced it once at Mallala but it was quite slow.

As I recall,it wasn't particularly quick at Bathurst either. Presumbly a fairly low-budget car which didn't benefit from all of the developments that went into Slako's car (the sister car to Andy Rouse's '84 BTCC winner), let alone the factory-backed TWR cars?

[Catalina Park]

Ron Dickson's car was a Monaro... in those days that meant it had two doors...

Nobody else, I'm quite sure, ran a 4-door anywhere it would be noticed.

The Ron Dickson Monaro was a 4 door. The 4 door Monaro came out about halfway through the life of the HQ model. It raced at Bathurst in 73 and 74. I have seen various stories claiming it had a 308 and an Auto or even a 253 and a manual but it came with a 350 Chev and a 4 speed manual.
One of my mates owned the ex-Dickson Monaro in the late 80s/early 90s and used it in Club Car racing (Improved Production)
When I built my HQ race car we painted it to match the Monaro to fool the handicappers at the Winton 6 hour relay race. It worked, we won!!

Here is the Monaro on the right alongside my HQ Kingswood at Catalina in the early 90s. (the Valiant Pacer is the ex-Norm Beechey car.)

Edited by Catalina Park, 08 December 2009 - 08:34.

[David Shaw]

Harry Firth also entered a V8 auto XR or XT Falcon or Fairmont as a different class at Bathurst in the late 60s as opposed to GTs.

In 1968 there was an automatic Falcon GT entered by Harry for Jim McKeown/Spencer Martin, and there was a V8 auto Falcon 500 in Class C for Mike Champion/Barry Arentz.

[Ray Bell]

Thank you, Michael, I stand corrected...

My memory was telling me that the '4-door Monaro' came out in the later years, after HQs were finished. As for the Falcon automatics at Bathurst, they were all in the Series Production era and therefore not a part of this thread.

The basic reason for those different cars in the different classes was because the prices were divided by price. A Falcon GT automatic, however, was still in the same class as the 4-speed GTs, but the Champion/Arentz car ran against the Cooper Ss.

[Lee Nicolle]

The HQ GTS 4 door was manufactured from May 73 to Jan 75 and was part of the HQ update range.Engine range was the same as the early coupe with 253 308 and 350 in both auto and manual.
When I get motivated i will try and look up the magazines for the entry lists.
I was hoping the journalists here would beat me!!

[Ian G]

I had one as a Company Car,i think they continued to be sold after the HJ was released in 1974 but i'm sure production stopped early 1974.I remember Muirs in Sydney had a yard full of them,i had to get the Engine Number off each one for a GMAC audit,i think they were a slow seller because of price,people that paid a premium went for the 2 Door.

Edit..yeah,the HQ Ray,i remember new ones were on the yard long after the HJ was released.

Edited by Ian G, 11 December 2009 - 02:17.

[Ray Bell]

In HQs... yes, probably...

But the 4-door Monaro continued into the HZ range, I remember well doing a test on one with a trip to Phillip Island and PB doing some miles in it. Just to ensure that anyone reading this came to the conclusion that they ended with the HQ, of course.

But by that time the 350 engine was long gone.

[johnny yuma]

Leon Pedzik ran a very neat black 55 Chev at Oran Park in the late 60s.My hazy recall is it started as improved production then may have been lightweighted a bit for sports sedan.Around the same time Bill Warner of speedway fame ran an orange 57 Chev in sports sedan with a 7 litre big block.Did one fast lap,failed to stop at the end of the straight on second.

Pat Peck ran a Chev Camaro (very slowly) in late 60s and some big EuroAmerican sedan car possibly an Iso Grifo,also quite slowly.

Barry Seton ran the Mercedes 220SE (Einspritzen)mentioned earlier in the early 60s,fairly successful, but too heavy to beat the best of the old Holdens or the Jaguars.

Citroens were raced in the very early 50s, before the Holden thing got off the ground.

QUESTION-What would have been the first modern OHV V8 sedan raced in Australia,and by whom.I'm guessing Customline,but whose ? Followed by Studebaker,then a Chev Impala or Ford Galaxie ?

Edited by johnny yuma, 11 December 2009 - 03:27.

[Ray Bell]

Should have remembered Seton's... actually Cusato's... Mercedes...

Citroens were indeed popular. There was one that used to turn up at Leyburn and Lowood and run in the sedan race first, then progressively through the day, as it shed panels, seats and other parts, run as a sports car and then an openwheeler!

[gkennedy]

I remember Barry Seton in the Merc 220SE. It only ran a couple of times, and as you say Ray, not quite up to running with the Holdens (like Barry's regular 'BP Boomerang' ride of the time).

Here's a contender for a rare Australian touring car 'one off or rarity': FORD FALCON. Doesn't sound quite right, bearing in mind the Falcon's history over the past 25 years, but...

...back in the early '60s, a Ford Falcon on the racetrack was a rare bird indeed - in 'Appendix J' especially. I vaguely remember one or two, but I'm getting them mixed up. We're talking XL, XM, XP here (and not including Ray Morris' red two door V8 sports sedan). I do distinctly remember as a teenager, looking under the bonnet of a white Falcon at WF back then, and seeing six (6) Amal motorbike carburrettors hanging off the side of the blue Falcon block. It sounded nice, seemed to handle quite flat and fast, but was getting passed by most of the humpys, plus Bruce McPhee's lime green FE. Don Algie, was it? Nice try - just a decade or two ahead of his time.

[David Shaw]

QUESTION-What would have been the first modern OHV V8 sedan raced in Australia,and by whom.I'm guessing Customline,but whose ? Followed by Studebaker,then a Chev Impala or Ford Galaxie ?

The first record I have is from October 2nd, 1955 in the Melford Motors Trophy at Fisherman's Bend.
Doug Whiteford won his class and outright in the Lukey Muffler's Customline, with Andrew Mills 2nd in class in his, while Norm Beechey's was unplaced. (If it indeed started)

[Ray Bell]

Yes, Don Algie was in the ivory early Falcon...

And you're right, considering the number on the road there were very few on the track. But he wasn't totally alone, I think Gene Cook had one too, and there would be others when you go looking.

I didn't make the comment about Seto in the Benz, that was Johnny, and I actually disagree. He may not have run first often, but he did run at the head of the Holdens at times. At the time he wasn't driving the Boomerang car... Spencer still had control of it.

[ellrosso]

Just a couple of things to add to the mix - Gene Cook's XL Falcon S/sedan had 250 engine, Colin Noble's XL Improved Prod Falcon had 200 ci and was for sure the quickest of the model anywhere in OZ (he ended up putting the donk into a Capri S/Sedan which was really quick also) Rod Butler had an XL with 6 Amals in Tassy circa 1969 - had some success at Symmons from memory.
Ray - can't recall Rob Boote in an HD in '66 - he raced an EH. Charles Ivey raced an HD X2 at Baskerville (1965) and Longford in 1966 which you might be thinking of. Did'nt Herb Taylor race an HD X2 at NSW circuits - pretty sure we have a shot of him at Amaroo in 1967 on the site.
Regards, ellrosso

[seldo]

We also ran an XY Falcon 500 351 4sp (not a GT) in either 72/73 (don't recall). It was in class D instead of E and therefore up against the XU1s. It went ok but just would not stop for love or money. The discs warped badly in practise and on Freddie Gibbo's advice we just machined them instead of replacing them, but the warpage got so bad in the race that we were braking before the last rise at the end of the straight and even then the driver's complete vision would just blur with the vibration and the steering wheel almost shook out our hands. We managed to finish without a scratch, and, post-race, on the way back to the sponsor's home town of Cooma, the car was totalled after it hit a caravan that had been left parked in the middle of the highway to get a flat tyre fixed!
Other oddities that I ran at Bathurst included a couple of Volvo 122Ss (KB and Harvey drove one one year too), and a VW Passat in about '74/75.
There was Lindsay Derriman in his Dodge Phoenix, Clyde Hodkins in the Morris 1100, David McKay in the Citroen ID19, the Mercedes 123 280SE of ...of...?

[Team Result]

Well, as you know, up in Queensland things are done a little differently.
How about a Simca Aronde? Ok, probably a few ran in the early Phillip Island enduros. However, this one-off I recall ran in the Group E Series Production class at Lakeside in the Seventies! Dick was running the Zupps LJ XU1 at the time and would lap this guy on about the third lap! The driver's name escapes me, but I'm sure it ended in 'ski' (it wasn't Sakzewski!). He later graduated (quantum leap) to an E49 Charger, which must have scared him as it only made a few appearances before he converted it back to road use. I know as he was a frequent visitor to Eric Olsen's BP Links service station on Sandgate Road where I worked part-time.
Some car, that Simca!

Edited by Team Result, 11 December 2009 - 13:41.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by seldo
.....Other oddities that I ran at Bathurst included a couple of Volvo 122Ss (KB and Harvey drove one one year too), and a VW Passat in about '74/75.
There was Lindsay Derriman in his Dodge Phoenix, Clyde Hodkins in the Morris 1100, David McKay in the Citroen ID19, the Mercedes 123 280SE of ...of...?

I remember that Passat too, but I didn't mention it because it's not a part of this subject, if I understand correctly...

Series Production is out. The topic is about Improved Production and its heirs and successors, and Appendix J before that and so on.

The 280SE, however, was entered by Ross Wemyss and Tom Naughton... Clubman drivers both and you didn't remember them?

Originally posted by ellrosso
.....Ray - can't recall Rob Boote in an HD in '66 - he raced an EH. Charles Ivey raced an HD X2 at Baskerville (1965) and Longford in 1966 which you might be thinking of. Didn't Herb Taylor race an HD X2 at NSW circuits - pretty sure we have a shot of him at Amaroo in 1967 on the site.

I was there... Mahnken was dicing with a dark red or maroon HD and I'm sure it was Boote... or was it '65? To be racing against Wayne it would have to be well-modified you will have to agree... I seem to recall chrome wide wheels too, a very neat looking car. It wasn't a Series Production car.

Herb Taylor's car was Series Production, as was Mike Savva's... not a part of this thread.

On the subject of Simcas, they were commonplace in Appendix J days. Max Stahl and David McKay raced them, McKay going back to 1958 or maybe 1956, Max's car was a '56 model but raced a bit later. Another name I can think of was David Scanlan, but there were several more.

[David Shaw]

Here's a few from the 50s

Lou Kingsley's Mercedes 220A before the Repco headed Holden.
Hoot Gibson's Vanguard Sportsman.
Dean Richards' 1935 Plymouth PJ that he drove at Port Wakefield.
Don Gibson's 1938 Dodge D8.
Gavin Sandford-Morgan's 1924 Vauxhall 30/98.

[Ray Bell]

Good additions, David...

I omitted Hoot's Vanguard on the basis that other Vanguards of similar style raced. But maybe his was the nly Sportsman.

[Ellis French]

"Ray Quote.....I was there... Mahnken was dicing with a dark red or maroon HD and I'm sure it was Boote... or was it '65? To be racing against Wayne it would have to be well-modified you will have to agree... I seem to recall chrome wide wheels too, a very neat looking car. It wasn't a Series Production car."

Robert Boote ran a Maroon /White roof EH.
The all Maroon X2 was as Ellrosso says Charles Ivey. It did have Chrome wheels.. at Longford 66 anyway.
Ivey raced it at Baskerville within a few days of X2's being released in Tas .

Old Race pics has a photo of it at Longford in 66 at Mountford with Ray Alfords Customline

The Wayne Mahnken and Robert Boote cars were very equal on the track....and both quicker than the X2

Symmons Plains 11/66...Boote leads Mahnken

[ellrosso]

Pretty sure Charles Ivey's HD X2 was maroon(no white roof though) Ray.Rob Boote's EH was maroon with white roof. Also I think Brian Chopping (Stephen's father - V8 Supercars legal eagle) ran a Vanguard Sportsman in Tassy - would'nt have a clue whether it was modified or not though. We also had a couple of Hillman Minx (mid 50's boxy shape as well as the early 60's shape) race down there too (mustn't forget the FJ ute too!)
Regards, ellrosso

[ellrosso]

Beat me to it Ellis - you're quick off the mark on a Sunday morning! I'm sure you will know about whether Chopping's Vanguard raced or not too.
Regards, ellrosso

[DJH]

I recall seeing a black Skoda racing a few times at the Farm mid 1960's. Think the driver was named Prisk. Also recall Pat Peck running a Buick Riviera at O.P. There was a Nissan Cedric running at an O.P. meeting, must have been around '65........John

Edited by DJH, 12 December 2009 - 21:50.

[Haggis 2]

In WA there was a purple Fiat Topolino (probably 1950's vintage) running in sports sedans in the 1970's. Owned by a guy called Ross ???? (may have been Crump???) who had a camshaft grinding business in Osborne Park.
_____________________
Brendon Hagarty

[Haggis 2]

In WA there was a purple Fiat Topolino (probably 1950's vintage) running in sports sedans in the 1970's. Owned by a guy called Ross ???? (may have been Crump???) who had a camshaft grinding business in Osborne Park.
_____________________
Brendon Hagarty

Also in WA we can't forget Vic Watson's Goblin V8 based on a Goggomobile (no...... not the Dart!) or Gordon Mitchell's Morris Marina V8 Turbo.
_____________________
Brendon Hagarty

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by DJH
I recall seeing a black Skoda racing a few times at the Farm mid 1960's. Think the driver was named Prisk. Also recall Pat Peck running a Buick Riviera at O.P. There was a Nissan Cedric running at an O.P. meeting, must have been around '65....

John Prisk, indeed...

It was a black Octavia, probably about a '60 to '62 model, went like the clappers...

We first saw it at an AARC Club Meeting, he ran it a few times, not sure if he ran an open meeting or at Oran Park as well. The Cedric, however, is really testing my memory. You're probably right, but I don't recall it easily.

On the Boote thing, yes, it is on the other foot! I had my wires crossed with that one somehow... however, this must surely be a rare photo:



Surely Mahnken was usually ahead?

Haggis... Sports Sedans aren't a part of this thread. If they were we'd have to count in the ones you mention of course, but also so much other stuff the thread would never end!

[Haggis 2]

Haggis... Sports Sedans aren't a part of this thread. If they were we'd have to count in the ones you mention of course, but also so much other stuff the thread would never end!

Sorry.... my bad, I got carried away while reading about the other oddities and lost track of the thread topic - even though it is obvious!
______________________
Brendon Hagarty

[Lee Nicolle]

Just a couple of things to add to the mix - Gene Cook's XL Falcon S/sedan had 250 engine, Colin Noble's XL Improved Prod Falcon had 200 ci and was for sure the quickest of the model anywhere in OZ (he ended up putting the donk into a Capri S/Sedan which was really quick also) Rod Butler had an XL with 6 Amals in Tassy circa 1969 - had some success at Symmons from memory.
Ray - can't recall Rob Boote in an HD in '66 - he raced an EH. Charles Ivey raced an HD X2 at Baskerville (1965) and Longford in 1966 which you might be thinking of. Did'nt Herb Taylor race an HD X2 at NSW circuits - pretty sure we have a shot of him at Amaroo in 1967 on the site.
Regards, ellrosso

But wasnt Gene Cooks early Falcon a Sports sedan? He defenitly had one as a sports sedan with a webered 221? and I am sure left hand drive. I am pretty certain that car ended up here in Adelaide and was cut up in the process of space framing it only to be scrapped.

[DJH]

Ray Bell, I recall seeing a snap of the Skoda tripping over at W.F., might have been it's swan song. I'd seen it racing before it became a Team Total black look-alike, it had the red, white and blue patches and all !

[Ray Bell]

You'd be right there...

In the early Improved days, Cook drove a Customline. Did he switch to the Falcon before it was too uncompetitive in the Improved Production class?

In the day, one of the detracting features of those early Falcons for Improved racing was the slow steering.

[RCH]

Mind if I join in as a mere Pom? You guys seem to have had a huge variety of saloon/sedan/touring car racers in the past, we somehow seem to get the impression over here that it is just about Holdens and Fords. Is that the case today or is there more variety at a lower level than the V8 series?

I'm fascinated by the mention of Hillman Minxes and Standard Vanguards, were these standard (oops) or modified? Were the Minxes as well as Sunbeam Rapiers or did the Rapier never get to Oz? The thought of racing a Vanguard seems totally bizarre although there is one running in the "Top Hat" series and Brian Pollard got one going quite well in the pre '57 series some years ago.

[Ray Bell]

The cars mentioned are obviously from entry lists over a very long period...

Oldest entries mentioned, I think, would be from about 1950.

Hillmans did have their badge-engineered cousins sold here to a very limited degree. And for short periods, I would have to add. The cars were all 'hotted up' with typical modifications being to raise compression, fit multiple carburettors and extractors, camshafts and the like. More sophistication came in the early sixties.

As for today, there's a wealth of racing of a vast range of cars, but it's all hidden from view because of the total swamping of everything by the Holden/Falcon V8 rubbish.

One that might interest you is the total lack of Riley 1.5s from our racing in the late fifties. We didn't get these, though there might have been a few private imports. But we had the Morris Major and the Austin Lancer sold here with that body/powertrain combination and they were both (successfully) raced.

It must be said, too, that by 1960, and through to about 1965, the majority of the fields in most touring car races were made up of the 48/215 and FJ Holdens, like Brock raced at Goodwood. With the coming of the new rules in 1965 they fell out of favour. They could no longer be as competitive as they once were for a variety of reasons.