200 replies to this topic

[SJ Lambert]

These fabulous cars were surely Garrie Cooper's most successful open wheelers. From prototype frame 6801 to B,C,D and E variants.
They would also have been the most versatile of Garrie's racing cars as well.

Numerous examples would have graced the pointy ends of Australian Domestic Grids in late sixties into early seventies.

Not to mention Singapore GP success.

Let's celebrate the 600 with some period shots. I'll be able to put up quite a few of Garrie's personal cars, having plenty of the one
that would later be the Uerbergang car.


It would be great to see all the early owners behind the wheel of their various steeds.

Quincey, Woelders, McCormack, Iriawan, Ramsay and Walker spring to mind.

To start off here's "the one" that did indeed start it all off. 6801, in it's initial build phase, being attended upon by one of Garrie's very able lieutenants, Bob Mills.

Edited by SJ Lambert, 16 February 2013 - 10:40.

[SJ Lambert]

Garrie Cooper at the wheel of either 6801 or 6802, I'm leaning toward 6802.

[SJ Lambert]

[SJ Lambert]

[SJ Lambert]

The long time Holy Grail 600. Iriawan in the 600 C #6910

[SJ Lambert]

Upsizing to the Repco Brabham 830 Series V8

[SJ Lambert]

Back at Mallala with Repco Brabham power.

Edited by SJ Lambert, 16 February 2013 - 13:50.

[SJ Lambert]

Henk Woelders with wings to back off their angle when on the straights by the looks.

[Paul Hamilton]

Garrie Cooper at the wheel of either 6801 or 6802, I'm leaning toward 6802.

6802 for sure, James. The signage carried, rear view mirror mounting, engine cover panel and oil cooler location are all different from 6801. The major difference was the transmission as 6802 had an FT200 from the start whereas my car only acquired one later in life. Although that cannot be seen in any of these photos the other differences are evident in the 'babe in arms' photo you have posted elsewhere of 6801 and which now surely belongs here along with the other early 6801 photos Ray Bell has promised to post.

I am looking forward to seeing more of the 600 photos from Ron's collection.

[SJ Lambert]

Here's the new born and baby! Proud parent as well!

[lyntonh]

I bought the Blanden/Catford Elfin book reprint last year.

It had me thinking of posting any Elfin shots I had,
to see how many of the cars I had seen during my
now seemingly brief stint looking over the fence.

This thread presents a good place to get started....so here goes.....


Very new 6909 Ivan Tighe Warwick Farm esses December 6th 1969...no wings


6909 Ivan Tighe again Warwick Farm main straight May 2nd 1970...now with wings

[SJ Lambert]

Thanks Lynton, the "pre wing" era for them was pretty short really. Any that you find will be much appreciated.

Cheers

James

[Ray Bell]

Not 'pre-wing era' but without wings on the 600:

I believe this is Garrie testing first up... is that right, Paul?



And it shows in this one that the car is all new and the boys look like they've put in some long hours:



I guess it's Garrie driving across the paddock either before or after some time on the circuit at Mallala?



This pic shows the gearbox to be the original VW-based unit. It was the breakage of this box that led Garrie to always use the FT200 unit, wasn't it Paul?



This one I'm not sure of the details at all...



While this is later... more details?



These pics were given to Paul by Barry Catford, photographer possibly unknown.

[Ray Bell]

I separated this pic because I'd like to make a few (I think) relevant comments:



Garrie's 'personal cars' had a lot of bolts drilled for lightness, this can be seen here in the bolts retaining the top wishbone. He used an aluminium replacement hub similar to the Spitfire iron hubs, these were usually drilled to the 4.0" PCD, the discs were machined around the outer perimeter for lightness, while the Herald upright can clearly be seen to have a bracing gusset across the top bend to prevent flexing or failure.

Of course, the front uprights were one of the things changed during the life of the 600, at some point (600C?) they went over to the cast magnesium 'live axle' style of upright as was being used on other cars built during that period.

The regular car jack in use here contrasts with the 'quick lift' jack used in the photo of the rear end above...

[SJ Lambert]

Thanks Ray, in recent years when giving one of Garrie's Monos a quick inspection at Baskerville Dad was able to confirm by feel the drilling done to lighten the steering arms. Garrie's wheels were machined thinner too!

Edit - In Ray's post #13 - it may be Tony Maw in the second last shot that features the concrete wall ?


Second Edit - Adrian Van Loon's article, appearing in Australian Autosportsman, November 1968


The type 600 Elfin, introduced as a prototype early in 1968, has taken the best part of the Gold Star Series to score any points. However the victorious debut in Malaya and the more recent second place in the Sandown round of the Gold Star series prove that the car is basically "right".

More important, actually, is the promise which the design offers for next year: as this report shows, the car can accept a variety of engines, and orders have already been placed with Elfins for a number of replicas.

The subject of this article is Garrie Cooper's own car, which has been racing with a 1760cc twin cam Ford motor. "Autosportsman" is grateful for the assistance given by Garrie Cooper in supplying information and arranging for photographs.

The 600 has not made many racing appearances during the year, and its record suggests Garrie Cooper has been using the car more for testing and development than for chasing victory at any price. The car has been used to test an airfoil at Mallala (see "Technical Camera", October), and has had several engine failures. However, there have been no chassis bothers; and it is likely that a driver with less on his mind than Cooper could better the following times: Mallala 1m 15.4 (1.5 record 1m 15.7), Sandown 1m 13.7.

The 600 should not be considered as a purely 1.5-type car, either: a variant designated the 600A can be built for 1500 or 1100 pushrod engines (or smaller budgets), using smaller brakes, lighter transmission components and non adjustable shocks; a further variant, the 600C, can accept Tasman Formula engines and uses fabricated front uprights with live hubs, plus detail items such as 15" rear wheels and a larger radiator. In other words the Elfin 600 design is aimed for every level of Australian national racing, and the car should be seen in ever increasing numbers during next season.

The body styling gives the first clue that the 600 is an all-new Elfin. It has a distinctive wedge shape to the nose, along the lines set down by Garrie Cooper and Ron Lambert. The sides of the car are formed by the pannier fuel tanks, but the detachable nose/screen section is in fibreglass, using two layers of 1 1/2" chopped strand mat.

Removal of the body reveals the tube chassis. Cooper states that the reason for his return to steel tube is that a variety of engines can be mounted in the car without problem, as only triangulating tubes need to be modified.

The Elfin Mono was specifically designed around the four cylinder Ford unit and to fit an engine of larger physical dimensions would necessitate a complete new engine bay design.

The 600's space frame is constructed of 16, 18 and 20 guage tube in round, square and rectangular forms, nickel bronze welded with a stove enamelled finish. the 2" by 1" rectangular rear crossmember is detachable and the cockpit area has triangular sides, "punched" steel stiffeners and built in safety harness mounting points.

The whole unit is further stiffened by a stressed alloy undertray which is rivetted and bonded with poxy-resin. Due to experimenting with the prototype, the current 600 offers 100% more torsional stiffness rigidity than the original design.

The front suspension has slight anti-dive geometry and is by unequal length wishbones. Armstrong coil/shock units are used with spring rates of either 212 or 220 lb/inch. It is fully adjustable for caster, camber, toe in and ride height and has a fully adjustable anti sway bar. Static centre roll centre height is at ground level. The front uprights are steel forgings (Herald-type) with cast alloy hubs and heavy duty stub axles.

The rear suspension, also fully adjustable, features lower reversed "A" frames, top transverse links and trailing radius arms of 1" diameter 18-gauge tube. Other suspension arms are 7/8" or 1". diameter 16-gauge tubes. All parts are heat treated for hydrogen embrittlement after chrome plating. The rear Armstrong spring/shock absorber units are rated at 225 lb/in and are attached to cast magnesium hub carriers.

The car has 10 5/8" dia. x 3/8" wide disc brakes up front, with Girling light alloy racing calipers. The rear has 10 1/2" discs, again using the Girling calipers. A dual brake system is fitted with twin master cylinders, allowing a full adjustment of the front to rear braking ratio.

Although the works car is fitted with sliding spline double-jointed drive shafts and light weight forged hub shafts, tubular driveshafts with Rotoflex "doughnut" type couplings are an offered alternative.

Steering is by Elfin rack and pinion in a magnesium cast housing; steering wheel size and ratio can be built-in to suit any driver.

The cooling system incorporates an alloy crossflow radiator mounted in the nose. Water is carried to the engine through the right lower chassis tube and returned through the left upper chassis tube. A 13 p.s.is cap is fitted. The oil radiator is mounted ahead of the water unit, with the alloy oil tank mounted between the radiator and the front bulk head, which carries the pedals and the master cylinders. The oil is carried to and from the engine in alloy tubes separate from the chassis.
The fuel system consists of two complicated tanks mounted in the triangular sides of the cockpit. Constructed of welded sheet aluminium, they have a total capacity of 12 imperial gallons. A one gallon collector tank is mounted behind the semi reclining black vinyl glass fibre seat and from there the fuel is delivered to the engine via the fuel pump mounted in the engine bay.

The works 600 has an Elfin modified twin cam Lotus-Ford motor, which features a Laystall crankshaft and Cosworth connecting rods. Two 45 DCOE Weber carburettors are used and 180 BHP has come up on the dynometer.

The 7 1/4" diameter single dry plate clutch is of Porsche origin, with Elfin mods. A Hewland FT200 gearbox is used with five forward speeds and reverse, with some 26 alternative forward ratios available and quickly changed. A limited slip differential is fitted with 8/31 or 9/31 crown wheel and pinion.

The Elfin designed wheels, cast in magnesium by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, are of 13" diameter, with 8 1/2" rims front and 12" rims rear. Firestone 5.00-9.50 x 13 and 6.00-13.00 x 13 tyres are fitted.

Wheelbase 92 1/2"
Track 54 1/2" f , 55 1/2 " rear

Edited by SJ Lambert, 02 September 2014 - 13:17.

[Paul Hamilton]

Not 'pre-wing era' but without wings on the 600:

I believe this is Garrie testing first up... is that right, Paul?



And it shows in this one that the car is all new and the boys look like they've put in some long hours:



I guess it's Garrie driving across the paddock either before or after some time on the circuit at Mallala?



This pic shows the gearbox to be the original VW-based unit. It was the breakage of this box that led Garrie to always use the FT200 unit, wasn't it Paul?



This one I'm not sure of the details at all...



While this is later... more details?



These pics were given to Paul by Barry Catford, photographer possibly unknown.

These photos are all of the prototype 600 s/n 6801.

The two shots of the car with wings and carrying the number 6 were taken in Macau later in the car's life when in Tony Maw's ownership. I am not sure of the year or years for those photos as Tony ran the car there on several occasions.

All the other photos were taken during a test session at Mallala subsequent to its Calder debut but prior to its shipment to Malaysia/Singapore where it retired from the Johore GP with transmission failure but then went on to win the Singapore GP. The shipping was arranged though QANTAS and the car is carrying their signage as it did in Singapore.

The photo at post 10 shows James Lambert in a proud mother's arms on the evening of the car's completion. In traditional Elfin style it was finished on the day prior to qualifying for a round of the Lucas Davison Championship and was trailered to Melbourne overnight where it turned a wheel for the first time in the qualifying session. After return from Calder the engine was changed and the Mallala test programme undertaken prior to shipment north.

[SJ Lambert]

And it shows in this one that the car is all new and the boys look like they've put in some long hours:

That looks like "Music" (Bob Mills again) squatting next to the car. I reckon they had been putting in the hours during that time - don't they reckon 6801 went from inception to completion in six weeks? John Webb has said in recent times that they used to go to work on a Tuesday and come home Thursday!!

[SJ Lambert]

Vern and Elaine Hamilton are sending me shots of their much loved 600B - will put up a selection in coming days.

Looking good unloaded in Queensland!!!

Edited by SJ Lambert, 18 February 2013 - 11:33.

[SJ Lambert]

John Walker 600B #6907

[Ray Bell]

"Poxy resin," eh?

Did anyone ever get a 600A, as described in the story? I would have thought that the Bob Minogue car (later to Jim Evans?) might have been one of these, but I'm sure it would have had adjustable shocks. The transmission wouldn't have been much lighter, either.

Paul, the story seems to say that your car was modified along the way (during Garrie's ownership) to stiffen the chassis. Is that evident?

[SJ Lambert]

"Poxy resin" - Reproduced Adrian's article warts & all......

Stiffening was Garrie's idea. I think they welded a bar to the frame to lean on and had another to measure deflection. They were able to obtain the best torsional rigidity by experimenting with the bracing. I wouldn't be surprised if the 100% improvement figure was just plucked out of thin air. Nevertheless, they were very happy with the improvement obtained. It was done prior to the car's initial final build & I presume it was completed before the frame was stove enameled.

I don't think any of the 600s were designated as type A. I'll check.

Edited by SJ Lambert, 19 February 2013 - 11:10.

[Paul Hamilton]

"Poxy resin," eh?

Did anyone ever get a 600A, as described in the story? I would have thought that the Bob Minogue car (later to Jim Evans?) might have been one of these, but I'm sure it would have had adjustable shocks. The transmission wouldn't have been much lighter, either.

Paul, the story seems to say that your car was modified along the way (during Garrie's ownership) to stiffen the chassis. Is that evident?

I think that the 'experimenting with the prototype' referred to in the article may have been done during its construction as either Garrie or Ron Lambert once told me that they did a series of torsional tests with it prior to completion moving some of the triangulating tubes to get the best results. There is no evidence now of any significant changes which might subsequently have been made to the chassis other than a relocation of the lower rear suspension pick up point. Although, prior to my acquisition in 1973, the car lived most of its life in SE Asia, it did return periodically to Edwardstown for various reasons including the repair of significant crash damage on at least one occasion and any changes made at such times would most likely have been done in a manner which may not now be obvious. However, it has always been my observation that the frames of the first 10 cars were essentially identical except for the mods made to the first 600C (6908) to fit the Repco V8 engine.

From 7011 (600C for John McCormack) onwards there were some changes to the frame design at various times. That car appeared first early in 1970 following production of the first batch of 600 Formula Fords and it seems to have been the FF project which triggered a bit of a design rethink in some areas. Certainly the revised more wedge shaped bodywork first appeared on the FFs as did an improved air exhaust for the water radiator both of which were then fitted to all subsequent 600B, C, D and Es. The revised upper bodywork was retro fitted to most of the earlier cars at some point or another but those early cars all retained the original side panels which did not allow use of the improved design radiator air exhaust system.

There is no record of a 600A ever getting any further than the catalogue and I suspect that the concept may have died with the introduction of the FF which then became the bargain basement model. The Minogue/Evans car (7017) was built as a 600B for Brian Sampson who called it the Speco Toyota. It has always had the same brakes and suspension as the 600B F2 cars although built from the outset as an F3 with a Toyota Corolla engine.

[SJ Lambert]

The first four shots are by the recently departed Brier Thomas

Vern's first race grid in the then new 600 at Lakeside - mid 1970 or thereabouts (edit, it's 7 June 1970). Looks like he wasn't the only one who liked the 600B concept!




Lakeside - going through Hungry Corner




Surfers Paradise - Esses at Repco Hill



Trying hard to get past Lionel Ayers at Surfers in what may have been his last meeting in the 600 before getting out of it and into a 622.



And actually getting out of the 600B for the last time

Edited by SJ Lambert, 25 February 2013 - 11:44.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by SJ Lambert
.....Lakeside - going through Hungry Corner

You neglect to mention Gary Campbell's car in the middle there, one of the most successful 600s of all in ANF2 racing.

[lyntonh]

7016 600B Glynn Scott leading 7012 600D Garrie Cooper Warwick Farm Main Straight July 11th 1970

There was a discussion on the "Garrie Cooper 600C Repco V8" thread about whether this is GS or not,
& I believe that it ended up as a yes!!

http://forums.autosp...w...t&p=4456970



Here's a roughie of Glynn Scott at Oran Park in June 1970


7012 again Esses same day


7011 600C John McCormack Warwick Farm Esses July 11th 1970

Edited by lyntonh, 19 February 2013 - 23:08.

[Ray Bell]

For years I've been thinking that John McCormack's 600 had the fastest ever lap around Warwick Farm with a Repco V8...

I just spotted a time faster than his (I'm sure he did 1:27.5) in practice by John Harvey, a 1:27.1 at the 1970 Tasman Cup meeting. I believe that McCormack's time would have been the best race lap ever for a Repco V8.

I wonder what time he did with the Climax at this race?

[Paul Hamilton]

[quote name='lyntonh' date='Feb 20 2013, 10:07' post='6133586']

7016 600B Glynn Scott leading 7012 600D Garrie Cooper Warwick Farm Main Straight July 11th 1970

There was a discussion on the "Garrie Cooper 600C Repco V8" thread about whether this is GS or not,
& I believe that it ended up as a yes!!

http://forums.autosp...w...t&p=4456970



Here's a roughie of Glynn Scott at Oran Park in June 1970

[
Two very rare photos of 7016, the only 600 confirmed as totally destroyed. This was a unique car fitted with a 2 litre Waggott TC4V and saw very little use before Glynn tangled wheels with Ivan Tighe at Lakeside and went into the fence with fatal results. The wreck was broken up and scapped at the request of Coral Scott and the useable 'hardware' sold on by Leo Geoghegan on her behalf. Some years ago an attempt was made to recreate the car but CAMS declined to consider the historic Certificate of Description application unless the consent of the Scott family was first obtained.

[SJ Lambert]

Did Glyn use the car in as few as 3 or 4 race meetings?


Edit (I'm told Glyn was definitely not with a double n).

Edited by SJ Lambert, 25 February 2013 - 12:08.

[Wirra]

You neglect to mention Gary Campbell's car in the middle there, one of the most successful 600s of all in ANF2 racing.

[SJ Lambert]

Nice one, that's frame number 7122 I presume. Do we know why he's pulled off the track in the first shot?

[Wirra]

Give me a break, I can't remember what I had for breakfast this morning

Edited by Wirra, 21 February 2013 - 00:38.

[Paul Hamilton]

Give me a break, I can't remember what I had for breakfast this morning

This one is Jack Bono in his Collier Tools sponsored 7123 which, as with most 600Bs, was equipped with a 1600cc Lotus twin cam engine for use in ANF2. Jack was a born 'fiddler' and in this photo the car is fitted with a rear wing from a Brabham BT36, a wide Tyrrell style nose along the lines Garrie used for a time on the 600D and what appear to be rather narrow front wheels. This car was quite successful in NSW and was always immaculately prepared in Jack's hands. He was extremely 'house proud' and I suspect it broke his heart to see the standard of preparation decline significantly after its sale to Wolfgang Prejawa. After Wolfgang had finished with it 7123 was converted to F3 form by David 'Gronkey' Medley with a 1300cc Corolla engine and I think that more recently it may have ended up in Queensland. I purchased some of the F2 related bits and pieces from Gronkey as spares for 6801.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by SJ Lambert
Did Glynn use the car in as few as 3 or 4 race meetings?

First appearance was Lakeside on June 7...

His last race in the Bowin was on March 8th at Lakeside, just a week after running sixth in the opening Gold Star round at Symmons Plains. In the second round, with the 1600cc Waggott TC4V engine, he placed third and lapped at 57.0 seconds.

Three weeks later he was at Oran Park for the Gold Star meeting and was well back on the grid, had a bit of a time with Len Goodwin before striding through to sixth and then didn't make the finish.

July 12, another fortnight on, he was at Warwick Farm for a 15-lapper where he diced for a while (somewhere around fifth or sixth place) with Garrie Cooper but the report fails to mention how it all finished up. This was the race where KB met up with Gary Rush in unfortunate circumstances out of Homestead and Niel Allen's harmonic damper put paid to his and Matich's finishing prospects.

July 26 was the fateful Lakeside meeting at which Scott died. In the report it mentions he had the 2-litre Waggott engine... was the listing at Oran Park wrong? Dicing with Garrie Cooper at the Farm might indicate it was.

The report says that he lost the start to Ivan Tighe and spent four laps trying to get past him. With a Twin Cam 1600. Finally he put two wheels in the dirt on the left, the car got out of control as he came back across, skated into a dance with Tighe's car and then went under the Armco at about 120mph.

I'm of the understanding that the car was destroyed.

So just four meetings, no Lotus 23 running at those meetings either. Just the Elfin, and he had a new lease on life, as he always seemed to have when he got a new car. In seven weeks he'd raced at Lakeside, Oran Park, Warwick Farm and was back at Lakeside, but the impression on Norm Meller was more than that.

Even though there hadn't been an interstate meeting in their schedule since March 2, he was very much sick of not being at home. He mentioned that last evening at Warwick Farm that from the Tassie meeting on he'd hardly been home, a part of that time being spent in Adelaide (finishing off the car, I've no doubt) and possibly he'd had to run to Sydney and back to get the engine.

The trip to Lakeside was supposed to be the beginning of a break for him. No more racing for several weeks, but it didn't work out that way...

Edited by Ray Bell, 25 February 2013 - 10:11.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Wirra

Could that be the day at Oran Park where he clipped something and had to order in a new suspension link overnight?

Gary was very vocal about the service offered by Elfin, he said it was a good reason to own one of their cars.

[Paul Hamilton]

Gary was very vocal about the service offered by Elfin, he said it was a good reason to own one of their cars.
[/quote]


I can certainly vouch for the standard of Elfin service. Although 6801 was nearly 5 years old when I acquired it Garrie always took a close personal interest in it and responded very quickly to any request I made of him.

[SJ Lambert]

" ....... In the report it mentions he had the 2-litre Waggott engine... was the listing at Oran Park wrong? Dicing with Garrie Cooper at the Farm might indicate it was........"

Thanks for that outline Ray, I reckon the exhaust pipes on the car at both tracks look the same and feature a pretty reasonable looking diameter on the individual pipes before the collector, could very well be a 2 litre system each time. There wouldn't have been a whole lot of spare Waggott engines on hand either, would there?

[Ray Bell]

I think we need KB to comment on this, or to talk to the resident expert on the TC4Vs, Lionel Ayers...

There was a 1600... or was it an 1850? which was built up (IIRC) on a standard Ford block. This was Max Stewart's engine for a long time, but would have been surplus to any Mildren requirements by this time. That would be the only loose engine around, if it was.

New engines went to Alec Mildren (3), Leo Geoghegan, Bob Jane and Bob Muir. Were there others? Bill O'Gorman had one in the SR5, but it might well have been ex-Geoghegan (the 59 was sold less engine) or ex-Mildren Submarine (which went to Bob Muir with the TC4V, but he already had one, later sold to Ray Winter without it).

Paul probably has a good idea too on these. But I do have a notion Scotty bought his new.

[SJ Lambert]

I've just received a treasure trove of Brier Thomas's shots from Elaine Hamilton, amongst the hundreds of images there are some of Glyn in the 600B at Lakeside on June 7 and July 26. They feature a couple of nice "individual" on track shots from each meeting and an additional two or three of he & Garrie Cooper in close proximity at the June meeting.

I'll ask for versions that I am able to post.

Edited by SJ Lambert, 25 February 2013 - 12:08.

[lyntonh]

Warwick Farm 5-6 September 1970


Garrie Cooper 7012


?


John McCormack 7011


Tony Stewart 6806

[lyntonh]

On the Glynn Scott crash, I always thought it was Ivan Tighe.

This seems to be confirmed in the Blandon/Catford Elfin Book by the note
about Tighe having his Elfin 6909 (damaged June 70(sic)) re-chassied as 7021 in November 1970.

This also matches their note about Scott's car being written off Lakeside June 1970, which is obviously incorrectly dated.

I suspect that they thought it was at the Gold Star meeting in early June.

It was during a support race for the Touring Car round at the end of July.

Edited by lyntonh, 25 February 2013 - 07:08.

[BT 35-8]

Confirming the tragic accident involved Ivan Tighe's Elfin 600 which I purchased years ago
from Kerry Luckins along with two other 600s , had it mostly finished when Nick Livanes just had to
purchase car , car now with Bob Cracknell .
Original chassis number was 6909 and according to Ivan [ many years ago] he had two serious
accidents in the car and both times it was returned to Elfin in S.A. for repair and as they had done
so much work to the car with updates etc. it was re-numbered to 7021 , not 7012 .

Bryan Miller.

[lyntonh]

Of course it was renumbered 7021.....7012 was GC's 600D Repco V8.

I should check my posts more carefully before I hit "submit post".

I've edited my post to correct the number.

[lyntonh]

Warwick Farm November 21-22 1970


Garrie Cooper in 7012


Clive Millis in 7019


GC again

[Ray Bell]

Thanks for picking me up on the 'brain fade' about Ivan's identity, Lynton...

I've edited in the correction now.



Noel Potts, perhaps?

[SJ Lambert]

Speaking of Ivan,

Here he is in it at a couple of Lakeside meetings in late 1969, early 1970. These fabulous pictures are by Brier Thomas -


30 November 1969











8 March 1970

Edited by SJ Lambert, 25 February 2013 - 11:28.

[SJ Lambert]

Now, onto the debut meeting for two 600Bs that was Lakeside, 7 June 1970 - Glyn Scott and Vern Hamilton (Vern's car can be seen at this meeting in the first shot in post #23 of this thread).


Glyn, early in the race (or even pre race warm up) I presume (as it was one of Brier's earlier shots that day).




Garrie Cooper and Ivan Tighe too.




Paddock shot of Garrie Cooper and co. Do I see Granton Harrison, amongst others with Garrie?





Glyn through Hungry






Glyn again

Edited by SJ Lambert, 25 February 2013 - 12:22.

[SJ Lambert]

As Elaine Hamilton says, 26 July 1970. A day to remember for all the wrong reasons.




Glyn Scott







Vern Hamilton, yet to fit wings.






Ivan Tighe

[SJ Lambert]

John Walker at Lakeside, 27 September 1970, in what looks to be his second chassis in a 600B, or at least with the later small screen nose. Dates fit with it being 7018, I'm not sure when he sold 6907 to Mal Ramsay, but he could have been racing 7018 for a couple of months by this stage.






Photo Brier Thomas (as are all the shots I've posted on this page).

Edited by SJ Lambert, 25 February 2013 - 12:50.

[SJ Lambert]

As tonight's posts have had a Glyn Scott theme, here's a shot featuring a trio of his rapid Queensland mates taken by Brier Thomas at Lakeside on 18 April 1971.

Vern Hamilton, Lionel Ayers and Ivan Tighe.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by SJ Lambert
.....Glyn, early in the race (or even pre race warm up) I presume (as it was one of Brier's earlier shots that day).

Amazing what you find when you look more closely...

I'm sure that I said earlier that Glyn had not used the 23 in this period... but at this meeting I find in the report that he did. He dropped an oil line off it in practice and then apparently put it away.

Also I found this:

"Scott now moved into third. The temporary 1600 Waggott engine (on load from Merv Waggott until a 2000 is ready) sounded like six thousand dollars and the new car was going like a dream."

That solves a couple of problems. But another look at both the grid and the results shows John McCormack listed as being in an Elfin 600B 1600. Where did that come from?

Oh, yeah, as Ramsay was there it's quite likely Granton Harrison was on hand as he owned that car.

And for a final tid-bit, the reflection of the wheels on the road in the pic above is explained by the note in the report that the circuit had been resurfaced.

Edited by Ray Bell, 25 February 2013 - 13:03.