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Photo request - early Norm Beechey

Started by mymemoryfails , Jan 07 2013 06:07

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31 replies to this topic

#1 mymemoryfails

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Joined: October 10

Posted 07 January 2013 - 06:07

Hi.

I'm hoping someone can help me . I'm looking for a photo of Norm Beechey in his Cusso 1956. I've been told the KLG Melbourne Grand Prix at Albert Park was his first serious car race win.

I've tried the obvious Autopix, OldRace photos and Google without luck. Any suggestions?

mymemoryfails

#2 David Shaw

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1,734 posts
Joined: August 02

Posted 07 January 2013 - 08:17

Hi.

I'm hoping someone can help me . I'm looking for a photo of Norm Beechey in his Cusso 1956. I've been told the KLG Melbourne Grand Prix at Albert Park was his first serious car race win.

I've tried the obvious Autopix, OldRace photos and Google without luck. Any suggestions?

mymemoryfails

Ford - The Racing History by Stewart Wilson and Max Stahl, have some photos on page 14. It is incorrectly listed as 1955, and he is wrongly listed in car #1 (Len Lukey), when he was in the following #4 Customline. Apparently he was entered under "B. Rice" as he had missed the entry cutoff, but was able to locate Basil? Rice and after frightening him with his speed with a lap around the block, was able to convince Basil that he would have a better chance in his current model Customline than Basil's sidevalve version.

PS. I have a bit of info as far as results for this race, you can email me via the link on my Gold Star website found at the bottom of my posts.

Edited by David Shaw, 07 January 2013 - 08:22.

#3 Lola5000

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1,717 posts
Joined: August 08

Posted 07 January 2013 - 12:07

Hi.

I'm hoping someone can help me . I'm looking for a photo of Norm Beechey in his Cusso 1956. I've been told the KLG Melbourne Grand Prix at Albert Park was his first serious car race win.

I've tried the obvious Autopix, OldRace photos and Google without luck. Any suggestions?

mymemoryfails

I have many photos of the '58 meeting as both Norm and my father ended parking there Cusso's next to each other ,next to a pole.
my fathers car was the ex len lukey cusso.
The photos are the orginals from the Argus paper photographer,also are many photos of the meeting including the Formula cars. :up:

#4 D-Type

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Joined: February 03

Posted 07 January 2013 - 15:17

Have I cracked the code?

Is 'Cusso' the Australian name for a [Ford] 'Customline'?

#5 David McKinney

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Posted 07 January 2013 - 15:44

Yes, Australians don't do three-syllable words. Hence Lex Davison was always "Davo", Bill Patterson "Patto" etc

#6 Piquet959

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127 posts
Joined: September 11

Posted 07 January 2013 - 19:59

The trophy that Norm Beechey won for that event was given to the Historic Touring Car Assoc. of Victoria by Norm. It is a perpetual trophy awarded within the club for an outstanding competitor in that year.

It's a great looking trophy as most of the big ones were in those days

Cheers
Peter Sneddon
HTCAV Member

#7 Ray Bell

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82,361 posts
Joined: December 99

Posted 07 January 2013 - 20:10

Keep going there, David...

I'm keen to know what the following were shortened to:

Tornado
Bruderlin
Tauranac
Tomlinson
Caversham
Seeliger
Housego
Orlando
Collerson
Costanzo
McEwin
Kingsbury
Dunkerton
Galloway
Hamilton
Champion
Sullivan
Buesselmann
Middleton
Wanneroo

And who was that other bloke at the Island? Oh, yeah, McKinney?

Another question that's bothered me for years, over forty years in fact, I overheard some Kiwis (you are a Kiwi, aren't you?) talking in the pits at Warwick Farm mention a bloke named 'Andy Buck'... who could that have been?

#8 David McKinney

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Joined: November 00

Posted 07 January 2013 - 20:47

My tongue was in my cheek, Ray

And I don't know about Rod Housego, but his father pronounced the name as two syllables

#9 GMACKIE

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Posted 07 January 2013 - 21:16

Hello, Bello's agro, Davo. :rotfl:

#10 Lee Nicolle

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Joined: July 08

Posted 07 January 2013 - 21:21

Have I cracked the code?

Is 'Cusso' the Australian name for a [Ford] 'Customline'?

Cusso, also known as ledsled.

#11 mymemoryfails

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298 posts
Joined: October 10

Posted 07 January 2013 - 21:50

Ford - The Racing History by Stewart Wilson and Max Stahl, have some photos on page 14. It is incorrectly listed as 1955, and he is wrongly listed in car #1 (Len Lukey), when he was in the following #4 Customline. Apparently he was entered under "B. Rice" as he had missed the entry cutoff, but was able to locate Basil? Rice and after frightening him with his speed with a lap around the block, was able to convince Basil that he would have a better chance in his current model Customline than Basil's sidevalve version.

PS. I have a bit of info as far as results for this race, you can email me via the link on my Gold Star website found at the bottom of my posts.

Thanks for your help David. I am really keen to find out all I can. Unfortunately my computer " protection programs" gave me a big warning about your site. Nothing personal of course, but I simply wimped it. (Just lost a mountain of stuff recently -years of work and collections).

Maybe you can email me via link to the Gospel Show http://www.pbsfm.org.au/gospelshow if that's ok with you. I'll / we'll find a way somehow.

Thanks

Mymemoryfails

#12 mymemoryfails

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298 posts
Joined: October 10

Posted 07 January 2013 - 21:56

I have many photos of the '58 meeting as both Norm and my father ended parking there Cusso's next to each other ,next to a pole.
my fathers car was the ex len lukey cusso.
The photos are the orginals from the Argus paper photographer,also are many photos of the meeting including the Formula cars.

A real treat!

mymemoryfails

#13 Librules

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265 posts
Joined: September 11

Posted 07 January 2013 - 22:00

Well Ray, according to Bob Watson Dunkerton was shortened to 'Dunko', and surely the abbreviation for Costanzo is 'Alfie'?

#14 Ray Bell

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Joined: December 99

Posted 07 January 2013 - 22:10

Originally posted by David Shaw
Ford - The Racing History by Stewart Wilson and Max Stahl, have some photos on page 14. It is incorrectly listed as 1955, and he is wrongly listed in car #1 (Len Lukey), when he was in the following #4 Customline.....

They would be Peter D'Abbs photos, wouldn't they, David?

The photo credits will be there somewhere. I'd think his stuff would have been the most accessible from that era at that time.

Originally posted by David McKinney
My tongue was in my cheek, Ray

And I don't know about Rod Housego, but his father pronounced the name as two syllables

Tongue in cheek or not, you failed to relieve my need to know about this 'Buck' bloke...

But I'll concede the Hous'go as an Eastern Stater who might never have heard the man pronounce his name and raise you:

Rogerson
Trevethan
Mulholland
Verheyen
Reithmuller
Mollison
Willmington
Macarthur
Barnacle
McCombie
Watkinson
McClelland
Donnelly
McClintock
Michelmore

Edited by Ray Bell, 07 January 2013 - 22:12.

#15 mymemoryfails

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298 posts
Joined: October 10

Posted 07 January 2013 - 22:15

Keep going there, David...

I'm keen to know what the following were shortened to:

Tornado
Bruderlin
Tauranac
Tomlinson
Caversham
Seeliger
Housego
Orlando
Collerson
Costanzo
McEwin
Kingsbury
Dunkerton
Galloway
Hamilton
Champion
Sullivan
Buesselmann
Middleton
Wanneroo

And who was that other bloke at the Island? Oh, yeah, McKinney?

Another question that's bothered me for years, over forty years in fact, I overheard some Kiwis (you are a Kiwi, aren't you?) talking in the pits at Warwick Farm mention a bloke named 'Andy Buck'... who could that have been?

I can only answer a couple in Ray's trick-quiz (as a spectator... not knowing the actual people at all)

Constanzo naturally gets shortened to Alfie
Wanneroo (3) gets shortened to Barbagallo (4)
I've only ever heard Tauranac get shortened to "The guy that partnered Jack Brabham in Europe - did a lot of the deign, engineering stuff etc.........Oh and he was the guy that did RALT too". Maybe some how Ron never quite rolled off the tongue easily enough, or might be confusing with other Rons about the place.

Curiously Jones (1 syllable) sometimes gets shortened to Jonesy (2 syllables), but sometimes left at Jones if you're doubtful about stuff.

BTW I hate the deliberate, fawning, shortening of names by television channels. Makes me nauseous. Eg. "My Omelette Rules" becomes "Omelette"

Sorry
cheers
mymemoryfails

Edited by mymemoryfails, 07 January 2013 - 22:18.

#16 Wirra

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Posted 07 January 2013 - 23:11

Buesselmann is shortened to Enno.

#17 GMACKIE

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Posted 07 January 2013 - 23:40

And Bono didn't need any re-working at all.

#18 Lee Nicolle

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Joined: July 08

Posted 08 January 2013 - 00:34

To me, here in SA so it is different elsewhere generally.
Tauranac is Ron or sometimes RALT.
Tomlinson is Tom, or Tommy
Orlando is Tony
Constanzo is Alf or Alfie
Mcewin is Mel [Or Grot, his son]
Dunkerton is Dunko
Sullivan is Sully, there was a couple.
Middleton is Bob.
And Wanneroo is a sandpit in WA!! To me Alf Barbagello is a Supermodified driver from WA in the 70s.

#19 Welby

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99 posts
Joined: March 11

Posted 08 January 2013 - 03:37

Wanneroo locally is called 'Barbs' an d surely any Mac or Mc would be 'Macca'

#20 johnny yuma

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928 posts
Joined: May 07

Posted 08 January 2013 - 04:27

Hi.

I'm hoping someone can help me . I'm looking for a photo of Norm Beechey in his Cusso 1956. I've been told the KLG Melbourne Grand Prix at Albert Park was his first serious car race win.

I've tried the obvious Autopix, OldRace photos and Google without luck. Any suggestions?

mymemoryfails

Perhaps you used Autopix as you describe,it is in fact Autopics and has several Customline shots from 1958 and 1959.No idea if they are correct dates,but the February 1958 Rob Roy photos show both Len Lukey and Norm Beechey's seperate Cussos at that hillclimb.The 1958 Albert Park shows Beechey ,4,Cusso ,chasing Charlie Smith's Humpy ,14 (FJ Holden for our overseas readers).Another shows 2 cussos parked near a pole,along with Bob Holden in a Holden FE.Not sure who had "pole" position there.

#21 eldougo

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Joined: March 02

Posted 08 January 2013 - 05:55

We used to call RON Tauranac..... Anorak at the RAT factory.

Hi Ron Happy New year.
DOUG

#22 David Shaw

Member

1,734 posts
Joined: August 02

Posted 08 January 2013 - 08:10

Thanks for your help David. I am really keen to find out all I can. Unfortunately my computer " protection programs" gave me a big warning about your site. Nothing personal of course, but I simply wimped it. (Just lost a mountain of stuff recently -years of work and collections).

Maybe you can email me via link to the Gospel Show http://www.pbsfm.org.au/gospelshow if that's ok with you. I'll / we'll find a way somehow.

Thanks

Mymemoryfails

That's understandable, I actually have the same thing come up. Must contact Optus about it.
I couldn't find an email address via the Gospel Show link where I could attach any files, please email me at dandsshaw@optusnet.com.au

#23 Repco22

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981 posts
Joined: February 11

Posted 08 January 2013 - 09:22

Caversham was 'Cavvy'. I don't have two syllables for Kingsbury but he gets two words when he buzzes our house every couple of weeks in his ultra-light.

#24 DanTra2858

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Joined: May 10

Posted 08 January 2013 - 20:04

It has amassed me how a simple question concerning Norm Beechy has changed in a few replies to now consist mainly of shortened Surnames for people, lets get back on the subject or start another thread for names.

#25 mymemoryfails

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298 posts
Joined: October 10

Posted 08 January 2013 - 22:29

It has amassed me how a simple question concerning Norm Beechy has changed in a few replies to now consist mainly of shortened Surnames for people, lets get back on the subject or start another thread for names.

As the OP I have appreciated all the responses. Thanks. I have sometimes put topics up on this bb that have "sunk like a stone", so a little off topic seems ok to me. I started it by using Cusso I suppose. Anyway I am getting some great help through it all and big thanks.

I certainly imagine this board as a bit like "a chat with old / "experienced" men. I'm sure plenty have the experience of visiting someone's garage/workshop and leaving a few hours later wondering what the original topic was?

mymemoryfails

#26 mymemoryfails

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298 posts
Joined: October 10

Posted 08 January 2013 - 22:46

Perhaps you used Autopix as you describe,it is in fact Autopics and has several Customline shots from 1958 and 1959.No idea if they are correct dates,but the February 1958 Rob Roy photos show both Len Lukey and Norm Beechey's seperate Cussos at that hillclimb.The 1958 Albert Park shows Beechey ,4,Cusso ,chasing Charlie Smith's Humpy ,14 (FJ Holden for our overseas readers).Another shows 2 cussos parked near a pole,along with Bob Holden in a Holden FE.Not sure who had "pole" position there.

Thanks Johnny, it was simple spelling error on my part. Yes the photos are excellent, but marked as '58 when I'm after '56 specifically. It even seems that the two Cussos in '58 are different from Rob Roy to Albert Park. I figure a whole new car is more likely than a paint job. It seems Norm changed cars quite often and continued to do so.

Thanks
mymemoryfails

#27 brucemoxon

Member

1,056 posts
Joined: December 04

Posted 08 January 2013 - 23:25

Keep going there, David...

I'm keen to know what the following were shortened to:

Tornado
Bruderlin
Tauranac
Tomlinson
Caversham
Seeliger
Housego
Orlando
Collerson
Costanzo
McEwin
Kingsbury
Dunkerton
Galloway
Hamilton
Champion
Sullivan
Buesselmann
Middleton
Wanneroo

And who was that other bloke at the Island? Oh, yeah, McKinney?

Another question that's bothered me for years, over forty years in fact, I overheard some Kiwis (you are a Kiwi, aren't you?) talking in the pits at Warwick Farm mention a bloke named 'Andy Buck'... who could that have been?

First, you should remember, as my English teacher Mr Mahoney (yes, he was Irish) would say 'never use sweeping generalisations; they're always wrong.'

Some suggestions appear below:

Tauranac Ron
Costanzo Alfie
Dunkerton Rossco or Dunk the Drunk
Buesselmann Enno

Moxo

#28 GMACKIE

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Joined: January 11

Posted 08 January 2013 - 23:42

Moxo, I've told you a hundred million times...don't exaggerate!

Grego

#29 Ray Bell

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82,361 posts
Joined: December 99

Posted 09 January 2013 - 07:24

He (and others...) have missed the point...

Using a person's Christian name is not the same as abbreviating their surname. Nicknames don't count either, unless they are actually such an abbreviation of the surname.

#30 Terry Walker

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3,005 posts
Joined: July 05

Posted 09 January 2013 - 10:14

There's a circuit in WA widely known as The Roo. Never heard of Barbs.

I always knew Ross Dunkerton as Rossco, it was pretty universal over here. Can't speak for those foreigners on the East Coast.