22 replies to this topic

[AnnieOz]

1961 saw the Australian Grand Prix held at Mallala - only its second meeting ever. At the SCC Round 4 on November 20/21 we are planning to honour the 50th anniversary of this event. What we need help with is the current location of the cars that competed. So who better to ask to help out Joan and I, as well as the HRR of SA.
Many thanks for your anticipated help, and a promised glass of something refreshing such as an Australian owned Coopers beer, a good Clare Valley riesling or a rich red from McLaren Vale (to be collected at Mallala at this event or next Easter!! )

[Dick Willis]

Annie, from the AGP entry list and off the top of my head ;
Jones, Cooper, on TNF recently, dismantled in Tas
Stillwell, Cooper, ?
McKay, Cooper, NZ ?
Patterson, Cooper, Rod Jolley, UK
Trenberth, Alta, UK ?
Whitehead, Ausper, Melb
Davison, Cooper, Peter Harburg, Qld
Youll, Cooper, USA
Glass, Cooper Maser, dismantled, NSW
Rilstone, Zephyr, G. Snape, NSW
Dalton, Cooper Maser, UK ?
Ampt, Cooper Jag, Frank Moore, Qld
Hurd, Zephyr ?
McEwin, Tornado, Frank Moore, Qld
Tillett, MG TC ?
Whiteford, Cooper, crashed, long term repair, Vic
Clay, Cooper Bristol, UK ?
Carter, Corvette, Lou Russo, Vic
Jack, Cooper T39, Paul Savoy, NSW
Newmarch, Ricardian, was in SA ?
Deaton, Cooper T43, USA ?
Dansie, BBM, SA ?

Sorry, the others I don't know the whereabouts of, not many left in Australia !

[austmcreg]

Annie, from the AGP entry list and off the top of my head ;
Jones, Cooper, on TNF recently, dismantled in Tas
Stillwell, Cooper, ?
McKay, Cooper, NZ ?
Patterson, Cooper, Rod Jolley, UK
Trenberth, Alta, UK ?
Whitehead, Ausper, Melb
Davison, Cooper, Peter Harburg, Qld
Youll, Cooper, USA
Glass, Cooper Maser, dismantled, NSW
Rilstone, Zephyr, G. Snape, NSW
Dalton, Cooper Maser, UK ?
Ampt, Cooper Jag, Frank Moore, Qld
Hurd, Zephyr ?
McEwin, Tornado, Frank Moore, Qld
Tillett, MG TC ?
Whiteford, Cooper, crashed, long term repair, Vic
Clay, Cooper Bristol, UK ?
Carter, Corvette, Lou Russo, Vic
Jack, Cooper T39, Paul Savoy, NSW
Newmarch, Ricardian, was in SA ?
Deaton, Cooper T43, USA ?
Dansie, BBM, SA ?

Sorry, the others I don't know the whereabouts of, not many left in Australia !

Jones Cooper remains (chassis only with maybe a few body panels) now believed to have been sold from Tasmania to overseas in last few years.
Stillwell Cooper went to Patterson then O'Sullivan, largely destroyed in crash, some bits probably exist in the various O'Sullivan / Sangster / Gard cars from WA as per other TNF threads.

Dick is correct - not many left here!

Rob Saward

[AnnieOz]

I knew I could rely on TNF Aus branch for help

The Ricardian has a new guardian here in SA,
The Hurd Zephyr combo is still intact,
I spoke recently to the owner of the BBM so now must work on twisting his arm to at least bring the car out
Tillett TC I am sure that resides here

Did Helene Bittner enter the GP, or was she entered at the race meeting?
Our Simca, known as the Tudor Special (I think - bother Dad for having so much info in his head!) was entered either in a GP or a GP event - we thought this one but maybe not

When are you collecting your drinks?

Edited by AnnieOz, 03 October 2011 - 10:46.

[Dick Willis]

Collecting the drinks, sounds like some bribery to get me to Easter Mallala !

I wasn't sure whether it was BBM 1 or 2 that was at the 61 AGP, no 2 is in NZ

For my records, can you tell me who owns the Ricardian now.

[Lee Nicolle]

Anne, I think Noel Hurd still has the Zephyr, it was at the Elfin anniversary a couple of years back with Noel.
The Repco Riccardian was at Mallala a couple of years back, I dont know who owns it. I took a pic of it.
And quite a few of the drivers are still around and would probably consider a request to be there.A good third of those blokes are still around and active. Though really a race or races of period cars would be in order. Or at least a 'spirited demonstration'

[David McKinney]

McKay, Cooper, NZ - check
Trenberth, Alta, UK - a regular in European historic racing for many years
Dalton, Cooper Maser, UK - check
Clay, Cooper Bristol, UK - check (at least, as of 2000)
Deaton, Cooper T43, USA - check - in Collier collection

[Ray Bell]

What (and who...) was the little Austin 7 Special that ran in this event?

The real shame is that there are no true contenders still around...

[Anthony Harradine]

Annie,

Not sure of the accuracy, but this link quotes the field and so on:

http://members.fortu...5nc/1961agp.htm

Anthony.

[eldougo]

from Anthony list.
Dud Dansie BBM Holden rotary valve Spl. (now that is a name and car i never heard of)

[AnnieOz]

Thank you all so much for a great start to this little venture.

I have found the answer to my question regarding Helene.

Dick, I can only remember that the Ricardian's owner's Christian name is James, but I will find that one for you. He bought it last year from Tony Parkinson, so it will be easy to track down.

Yes Lee, Noel has the car indeed.

The BBM - well there is an interesting story that I will leave for far more knowledgeable people to tell! Suffice to say that it is an amazing piece of engineering and machinery.

[Anthony Harradine]

from Anthony list.
Dud Dansie BBM Holden rotary valve Spl. (now that is a name and car i never heard of)

El,

You can read snippets in various places on this forum, e.g.
http://forums.autosp...w...5463&hl=BBM
http://forums.autosp...w...3049&hl=BBM

There has been numerous articles on the car over the years dating back to the early 60s. A short summary:
Sometime in the 1950's BBM born, build by Bob Lindsay (if anyone knows anything about this man I would love to hear from you). Dodge 3-speed box, Holden Grey Motor. It was said Tim Hocking drove the car - speaking to him recently he says otherwise, but offered to have a drive now. He is a colourful man.
Late 50s BBM purchased by Dud Dansie. Jag. box fitted and Holden Grey with Dunstan Rotary Valve Head with GM 271 blower. Southcotts Pty Ltd made 30 DRV heads in the late 50s.
Dansie races and continues to develop the car through to the early 60s during which, IRS added (Rilstone's Zephyr Special was borrowed for a weekend as a guide), Preo box added, DRV removed, body mods made. So at some point this monster ran a DRV blown with a GM-271 coupled to a Preo box ending with a home-made IRS.
History from the time when sold by Danise to when purchased by Jim Doig not know.
Jim raced BBM through the late 60s.
Last race action for BBM in the early 70s at AIR.
BBM twiddles her thumbs for many years.
BBM is currently nearing the end of a very long stop-start restoration process.
While this car may not have been what Ray terms a true contender it certainly captures the amazing spirit of Australian men who could not afford a true contender and who just grabbed what was around and used it, down to a door hinge as an accelerator pedal.

A picture of the BBM circa late 50s can be seen here:
http://www.lagler.co...rtwakefield.htm (this is a picture taken by Kevin Drage and is posted somewhere in this site, but I can't easily locate it).
And pictures of Jim's era here:
http://www.colsoft.c...Webpage/BBM.htm (Jim Doig's era)

Edited by Anthony Harradine, 04 October 2011 - 10:42.

[Ray Bell]

I hope you didn't get the impression I was belittling such cars, Anthony...

Far from it! Anyone who knows me will tell you that my first love is Specials, and this is a very special Special.

[Anthony Harradine]

I hope you didn't get the impression I was belittling such cars, Anthony...

Far from it! Anyone who knows me will tell you that my first love is Specials, and this is a very special Special.

Not at all Ray.

[AnnieOz]

The two Austins entered were Trevor Ellis listed as an Austin 8 special, which later became the Tudor (Accessories?) Special with a Simca engine, and Elfin body parts and resides with the Shearer family.
The second Austin of Doug Trengrove is causing us some difficulty as we are not sure if it was an A7 special, the Cicada or the Ausford. Any suggestions gratefully accepted.

2 other problematic cars which did not start, but entered were the John Lugg ERJ 500 and Drue Trottman Vincent 1000

There is also a DNS for Garrie Cooper in an Elfin FJ, but according to the Elfin book the only 2 built in 61 were those of Harrison/Brown and Ferguson, so we are wondering what happened with that story.

I have also been given a copy of the times, lap charts etc for the AGP, along with times for the other events of the day. Please let me know if you would like the info uploaded as I am currently without scanning facilities and I am not too sure of the quality even if I did scan it

Dick, how could you say I would bribe you to come to Easter Mallala? Just offering good old fashioned SA hospitality

[Lee Nicolle]

The two Austins entered were Trevor Ellis listed as an Austin 8 special, which later became the Tudor (Accessories?) Special with a Simca engine, and Elfin body parts and resides with the Shearer family.
The second Austin of Doug Trengrove is causing us some difficulty as we are not sure if it was an A7 special, the Cicada or the Ausford. Any suggestions gratefully accepted.

2 other problematic cars which did not start, but entered were the John Lugg ERJ 500 and Drue Trottman Vincent 1000

There is also a DNS for Garrie Cooper in an Elfin FJ, but according to the Elfin book the only 2 built in 61 were those of Harrison/Brown and Ferguson, so we are wondering what happened with that story.

I have also been given a copy of the times, lap charts etc for the AGP, along with times for the other events of the day. Please let me know if you would like the info uploaded as I am currently without scanning facilities and I am not too sure of the quality even if I did scan it

Dick, how could you say I would bribe you to come to Easter Mallala? Just offering good old fashioned SA hospitality

Bruce Went had the Ausford for a long time[maybe still has?] and may well know the history, as he was very good friends with Garrie. Doug Trengove also built at one stage a Austin 7 based Sports Car special with a A series in it though I feel that was a later car.
Trevor Ellis Wireworks was literally across the road from Elfin.

[Anthony Harradine]

2 other problematic cars which did not start, but entered were the John Lugg ERJ 500 and Drue Trottman Vincent 1000

In case it helps, I was looking at a program from Pt. Wakefield, 1959, it has J.D. Lugg campaigning an MG TC.

[Anthony Harradine]

Again, in case it help:
at Easter 1985, Mallala, John Lugg ran a Jaguar and Chris Lugg ran the Bacchus (once owned, I think, by Graham Sharley).

Edited by Anthony Harradine, 07 October 2011 - 22:24.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by AnnieOz
.....I am currently without scanning facilities and I am not too sure of the quality even if I did scan it.....

Do you have a digital camera?

Equal results can be obtained in good sunlight, but out of the sun, using a digital camera.

[David Shaw]

Annie, I don't know if it's of any help as I can't recall where I sourced the information, but on my website (link at the bottom) it has Doug's car listed as an A30 Special.

[AnnieOz]

Thank you, but unfortunately Doug built a number of Austin/BMC based specials and many are a case of Grandpa's axe so becoming very difficult to track down
We are still working on it. We have 5 days left

[David McKinney]

Annie - check your PMs

[gray chandler]

from Anthony list.
Dud Dansie BBM Holden rotary valve Spl. (now that is a name and car i never heard of)

Named after his garage ,Bakewell Bridge Motors on the Adelaide City outskirts.