57 replies to this topic

[Tim Murray]

The Chateau Impney hill climb takes place this weekend - Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th July. Arttidesco and I attended this excellent event last year, and will be there again this Sunday. Here's a list of the runners and riders:

http://www.chateauim...rs-and-drivers/

The star of the show will again probably be Duncan Pittaway's Fiat S76.

Any other TNFers planning to be there?

[ensign14]

Might rock up to this, Droitwich isn't too far.  Weather has been bone-dead blanket cloud for seemingly ever, and will stay till the weekend, so no point in a longer trek.

[h4887]

I'll be there on Saturday

[ensign14]

I did go in the end.  And wow, was it worth it.  Free grandstands, a twisty climb with lots of viewing points. and lots of fascinating machinery. 

 

Such as...

 

 

 

^ Hardy Special (one of two)

 

 

^ Ol' Yaller (or is it Yeller?  Says the latter on the badge)

 

 

^ a flaming Packard-Bentley

 

 

^ GSM Delta

 

 

^ two Mercury Specials: the Chapman...

 

 

^ ...and next to it, the Fairley.

 

 

 

^ It wasn't the only Fairley there; here is the JAP-engined hillclimb in more expensive, but less unique, company.  Oh, wait, not the Fairley, but the Farley.  I suppose it makes one iota of difference.

 

 

^ One I had never heard of - the Penny-Ford.  With a unique approach to its car badge...

 

 

 

^ Aston Martin DB3R

 

 

^ And a brand-new marque for me; Fafnir.  Didn't Caracciola get his start in one of these?  Has a really scary badge...

Edited by ensign14, 09 July 2016 - 20:32.

[ensign14]

 

^ ...like so. 

 

Some more general scenes:

 

 

^ Whistling Billy, the White steamer recreation, really did whistle.

 

 

^ lost car seeks owner.  The Bloody Mary, of course.

 

 

^ Whizzo guns R3A past some posh drum.

 

 

^ this hillclimbing lark is hard work

 

 

^ Ecosse Monzanapolis surveys the paddock scene (LOOK AT OUR GLORIOUS ENGLISH SUMMER!!!  IT HAS NOT BEEN LIKE THIS FOR ****ing WEEKS, HONESTLY!!!!)

 

 

^ Erskine Staride getting dressed

 

 

^ all three wheels pointing in different directions

 

 

^ GN Gnat - and tabard envy.

[arttidesco]

 

 

^ And a brand-new marque for me; Fafnir.  Didn't Caracciola get his start in one of these?  Has a really scary badge...

 

Thanks for the preview, looking forward to going on Sunday.

 

IIRC Fafnirs were built from 1908 to 1927, Stewart Wilkies example seen above is fitted with a 10 litre Hall & Scott aero engine.

[bradbury west]

What is a DB3R?
Roger Lund

[ronsimmonds70]

Nice to see Ernie Magamatsu running "Old Yella", Ernie has brought this car out to the VHRR Phillip Island Classic and the Sandown Historic meetings.

 

Although not a front runner, it looks and sounds great out on the circuits. Ernie and his wife are regulars at the VHRR when they are in Melbourne, and always bring some nice gifts for the club to put on display.

 

He has made good friends of the track side officials, and always has something for them too, nice people.

 

This year he brought out his 1958 Kilpatrick Porsche Speedster, running in the J, K,Lb Sports car races and seemed to enjoy himself.

 

Cheers Simmo. 

[ensign14]

What is a DB3R?
Roger Lund

 

It's the experimental Aston built for the Aussie races in the 1950s.  Couldn't find its official designation.  But if the DB3S is a sportscar, DB3R for a racer seems OK.

[bradbury west]

As the other Roger would say, Are you sure? Surely that was DP155. Is this not the car which we covered in 2008 which I queried after a Wiscombe meeting. The Oz car was a central/single seater, this is clearly not. Just asking.. The reg no UUY504 springs to mind. Nice to see it out being exercised, whatever it is.
Roger Lund.
Nice photos btw.

[h4887]

Did the Napier Bentley run on Saturday? If so I was looking the other way twice

[MCS]

Wow, looking at Ensign's excellent pictures alone, this looks good. Really good. Thanks all.

 

Maybe next year... (wonder how many others are thinking that?)...

[Sharman]

Ensign, can you tell me where you found the designation for the DB3R, we had a long discussion on DP155, and in the background were always Geoff Richardson and Wilbert McKee. This seems to be in very much the same mold, Like Roger i am more than a little dubious about the nomenclature.

[ensign14]

Googled it.  Found a model under that designation.  I'm always sceptical about nomenclature anyway as so much of it seems to be ex post facto retcon.  Doesn't matter so much as what it is though...

[h4887]

I heard a gentleman who was with the car say it was a DB3R. Don't know who he was though

[rbm]

 

...

 

 

...

 

 

 

 

 The first Cooper Grand Prix car? - the Harry Schell Cooper mk4 

[Sharman]

Pity I didn't see it earlier Ensign, you could have ask Barrie W who was big muckers with Geoff Richardson who had a lot of Aston bits and pieces pass through his hands and Barrie might have seen them.

[bill p]

Any photographs of my pal, Andy Johnson, in his green Alfa Romeo Monza??

Thank you, Bill P

[bob433]

Wasn't the Penny Ford from Sydney, driven in the 60's by David Coode?

[Sharman]

Cor!David Coode. I was at college with him

[exhillclimber]

I heard a gentleman who was with the car say it was a DB3R. Don't know who he was though

I interviewed its owner/driver in the startline line-up and he said it was DB3R built for Reg Parnell to race in the Tasman series.

[Dale Harvey]

Wasn't the Penny Ford from Sydney, driven in the 60's by David Coode?

There was a Penny Ford racing around the NSW tracks back then. It could be the one.

Dale.

[john medley]

Correct, Dale, and David Coode's next car was called Tuppence.

The blue car shown at Chateau Impney is one of these two, but looks unlike the car I saw on NSW Central Coast 20 years ago. I think Doug Bradhurst's estate sold that green car I saw to Kim Shearn in Victoria, and this version emerged from the rebuild. It now looks more like the second Coode car (Tuppence) than the green car I saw.

I did some research for Doug Bradhurst, and found that David Coode raced one of the cars at the Nurburgring and elsewhere, as well as during his time in Australia.

[bill p]

I interviewed its owner/driver in the startline line-up and he said it was DB3R built for Reg Parnell to race in the Tasman series.

For historical accuracy, the official Tasman Series did not start until 1964 and Reg sadly passed away in 1963.

[ensign14]

Few more pics.  Starting with the pre-WW2 Broolkandsish material:

 

 

 

^ Morgan RIP Special - perhaps an unfortunate name

 

 

^ Matt Johnson (not the one from The The) looking pensive in the MG LA Special

 

Some GNs:

 

 

^ Phoenix

 

 

^ Gnat

 

 

^ Morgan-Salome

 

 

^ an Austin 7 Shelsley Special

 

 

^ MG NA Special

 

 

^ Pic-Pic Sturtevant Aero Special

 

 

^ Th Schneider - wish it had the diagnostic radiator cowl

 

 

^ Hotchkiss AM80

 

 

^ Menasco Pirate, whatever that is

[ensign14]

Some 50s and 60s sportscars:

 

 

^ the other BRM - a Bassett Racing Motors Jaguar

 

 

^ Farrallac

 

 

^ DB3S, with Ol' Yaller and a Cobra in the background

 

 

^ Owen

 

 

^ Chapman Mk III (Bassett next to it)

 

 

^ Ashley-MG

 

 

^ Ernest Nagamatsu gets ready (he does these most amazing notebooks for hillclimbs, watercolours of the track on which he draws the racing line)

 

 

^ Willment-Climax

 

 

^ Speedwell Sprite

 

 

[ensign14]

Some rare single-seaters:

 

 

^ McLaren M3 Whoosh-Bonk Spl

 

 

^ Gillian Goldsmith's Cooper-Daimler - a late addition to the list (223 is a Lotus 51A)

 

 

^ Cooper T75

 

 

^ Caravelle

 

And on the way out there was a Locomobile just sitting there for sale...

 

[ron54]

Some rare single-seaters:

 

 

^ McLaren M3 Whoosh-Bonk Spl

 

 

^ Gillian Goldsmith's Cooper-Daimler - a late addition to the list (223 is a Lotus 51A)

 

 

^ Cooper T75

 

 

^ Caravelle

 

And on the way out there was a Locomobile just sitting there for sale...

 

Ironic that the "strut" was missing on the Patsy Burt car......

[Doug Nye]

What a lovely variety of motor cars - including several apparently based upon imagination - which I greatly applaud.  Just a pity some of the owners don't appear to recognise them as such.    Any further news on the gent who rolled his Bugatti?

 

DCN

[john winfield]

For historical accuracy, the official Tasman Series did not start until 1964 and Reg sadly passed away in 1963.

Bill, I've no idea if the car was intended for Reg to race in the first official Tasman series but he died in January 1964, in England, just after the Levin race.

 

Ed.   Ensign - great photos!

Edited by john winfield, 13 July 2016 - 07:06.

[mgtd]

What a lovely variety of motor cars - including several apparently based upon imagination - which I greatly applaud.  Just a pity some of the owners don't appear to recognise them as such.    Any further news on the gent who rolled his Bugatti?

 

DCN

 

 

Poor old Ed Burgess...you may remember the wide coverage in the popular rags when he rolled the Brescia at Prescott a few years ago.

 

http://www.dailymail...nders-beer.html

 

He was taken to QE Hospital Birmingham for scans and thankfully released on Monday afternoon....battered and bruised, hopefully no lasting damage.

 

Mail had another spread on Edmund on Monday.

 

http://www.dailymail...limb-event.html

 

Perhaps perceived values of Bugs are of more interest to D.Mail Online readers than the wellbeing of the driver?

Edited by mgtd, 13 July 2016 - 08:04.

[cooper997]

Great selection of photos from Ensign14.

 

The Aston Martin single seater with supposed Australian connection... closest thing I can think of is this.

 

 

Stephen

Edited by cooper997, 13 July 2016 - 08:34.

[kayemod]

Poor old Ed Burgess...you may remember the wide coverage in the popular rags when he rolled the Brescia at Prescott a few years ago.

 

http://www.dailymail...limb-event.html

 

Perhaps perceived values of Bugs are of more interest to D.Mail Online readers than the wellbeing of the driver?

 

The comments from DM readers following the article are pretty much what you'd expect from that paper. What's scary is that these people are walking among us, and they're entitled to vote.

[bradbury west]

If anyone has an interest in, or questions about, the claimed DB3R shown by ensign I urge them to search this Forum for DP155 and check the thread which I started after seeing it at Wiscombe Park. A full review of it is to be found there, and I recommend reading the  description for the car when it was up for sale by Bonham's, where it failed to find a buyer. Somewhere here I have a copy of one of David McKinney's original shots of DP155 when it raced in NZ.. Subsequent to that thread I was contacted by the  representative of the owner of DP155 in its current form, with interest. He sent me a full dossier of the car in its various iterations.

To claim the CI car is a DB3R is something of a misnomer, I feel, and to make any claims about connections with DP155, other than a form of lookalike, somewhat more than that.

Roger Lund

[ensign14]

Thread is here.  Had I been an historian I might have had a bigger snout around.  Whatever it is, it is interesting. 

[bradbury west]

Thanks for the link, ensign
RL

[bill p]

Bill, I've no idea if the car was intended for Reg to race in the first official Tasman series but he died in January 1964, in England, just after the Levin race.
 
Ed.   Ensign - great photos!

Thank you, John - shows one should not always rely on one's memory!

Bill

[Alan Cox]

Thanks for those great photos, Ensign. I have to agree with those who have recommended Chateau Impney Hillclimb Revival, having been both last year and, again, this time, it is far and away the best 'new' event I have been to for over 20 years. A really welcoming and friendly atmosphere (happily free from 'celebrities' and F1 drivers), a great venue and tremendous variety and quality in the entry. what's more, A clash with Le Mans Classic failed to dent the quality of the entry, while a Grand Prix was also taking place across country, and a number of marshals I spoke to said that, for them, there was no contest. it is a serious competition with class wins and FTD being earnestly fought over in the best sporting spirit.
If you have yet to sample its delights, make it a firm date in your diary for next year. I can confidently say that you won't be disappointed.

Here, for bill p, is one of his pal, Andy Johnson

[Alan Cox]

 

Ernie Nagamatsu's Shelby Cobra

 

 

The good Dr Nagamatsu
 

 

Bill Tuer's Morgan Super Sports
 

 

Dr Robert Dyke's White steamer replica, "Whistling Billy"
 

 

Gathering of ERAs

 

 

Ivan Dutton's Skirrow-JAP dirt-track racer

 

 

Whizzo Williams with ERA R3A

 

 

8. Richard Scaldwell's 130hp De Dietrich

 

 

Chessie Wilton's Austin 7 Kay Petre replica
 

 

Ben Fidler with ERA AJM1

 

 

John Bolster's "Bloody Mary" getting some exercise

[Mallory Dan]

Anything from the 70s onwards there? 

[Tim Murray]

If you have yet to sample its delights, make it a firm date in your diary for next year. I can confidently say that you won't be disappointed.

Hear hear! Long may it continue, and I do hope it manages to retain its friendly informality, something the FoS lost a long time ago.

Thanks for all the great photos.
  

Anything from the 70s onwards there?

No - the cut-off date is 1967, the year of the last original Chateau Impney event.

[bill p]

Here, for bill p, is one of his pal, Andy Johnson

Alan, thank you for the excellent photo, I hope Andy was "entertaining"!

Bill P

[h4887]

And let us not forget FTD man and new course record holder Martin Jones, former stalwart of the Ginetta Owners' Club Speed Championship in his G21 Holbay, seen here in the ex-Sir Nick Williamson Brabham BT21B

 

 

 

 

[Repco22]

Thanks for the great pics Alan. Re posting; See? Nothing to it!!

[cooper997]

Here's the Parnell Aston taken to New Zealand. for early 1956 races there.

 

Photo from Graham Vercoe's 'The golden era of New Zealand motor racing'

 

 

Stephen

[Lee Nicolle]

Apologies for the somewhat unconventional method of posting, but the mechanics of this forum continue to frustrate me beyond belief - I had uploaded the above selection of photos but as soon as I started to type any text, the URL numbers disappeared and couldn't be persuaded to reappear so I attach the details here:
1. Ernie Nagamatsu's Shelby Cobra
2. The good Dr Nagamatsu
3. Bill Tuer's Morgan Super Sports
4. Dr Robert Dyke's White steamer replica, "Whistling Billy"
5. Gathering of ERAs
6. Ivan Dutton's Skirrow-JAP dirt-track racer
7. Whizzo Williams with ERA R3A
8. Richard Scaldwell's 130hp De Dietrich
9. Chessie Wilton's Austin 7 Kay Petre replica
10. Ben Fidler with ERA AJM1
11. John Bolster's "Bloody Mary" getting some exercise

Is it any wonder I have given up posting photos on here? It used to be relatively easy (apart from having to host the photos elsewhere) but something has happened which now makes it a real pain, for me at least.

 

MOD EDIT: I've taken the liberty of editing the captions into your post, Alan. For future reference, you should press return three times and then arrow back up two lines before clicking on the image icon. That will mean you have a ready-made 'empty' line to put the caption in. Then rinse and repeat ...

Text and pics becomes very hard on this site. Especially for us technophobes!

BTW great pics.

Edited by Lee Nicolle, 14 July 2016 - 05:56.

[Sharman]

Apologies for the somewhat unconventional method of posting, but the mechanics of this forum continue to frustrate me beyond belief - I had uploaded the above selection of photos but as soon as I started to type any text, the URL numbers disappeared and couldn't be persuaded to reappear so I attach the details here:
1. Ernie Nagamatsu's Shelby Cobra
2. The good Dr Nagamatsu
3. Bill Tuer's Morgan Super Sports
4. Dr Robert Dyke's White steamer replica, "Whistling Billy"
5. Gathering of ERAs
6. Ivan Dutton's Skirrow-JAP dirt-track racer
7. Whizzo Williams with ERA R3A
8. Richard Scaldwell's 130hp De Dietrich
9. Chessie Wilton's Austin 7 Kay Petre replica
10. Ben Fidler with ERA AJM1
11. John Bolster's "Bloody Mary" getting some exercise

Is it any wonder I have given up posting photos on here? It used to be relatively easy (apart from having to host the photos elsewhere) but something has happened which now makes it a real pain, for me at least.

 

MOD EDIT: I've taken the liberty of editing the captions into your post, Alan. For future reference, you should press return three times and then arrow back up two lines before clicking on the image icon. That will mean you have a ready-made 'empty' line to put the caption in. Then rinse and repeat ...

 

Clear as mud, still totally baffled by the whole procedure

[Alan Cox]

MOD EDIT: I've taken the liberty of editing the captions into your post, Alan. For future reference, you should press return three times and then arrow back up two lines before clicking on the image icon. That will mean you have a ready-made 'empty' line to put the caption in. Then rinse and repeat ...

 

Thank you moderators, Vitesse/Tim? Still a rigmarole so any future photo posts will be few and far between, I'm afraid

[SJ Lambert]

And let us not forget FTD man and new course record holder Martin Jones, former stalwart of the Ginetta Owners' Club Speed Championship in his G21 Holbay, seen here in the ex-Sir Nick Williamson Brabham BT21B

 

 

 

 

 

Was this Sir Nicholas's preferred car immediately prior to his yellow McLaren M10B Chevrolet? 

[Tim Murray]

Yes indeed. He used the BT21B in 1967 and 1968. For 1969 the original plan was to use a BT29 fitted with an Oldsmobile V8, but this never quite came to fruition, so the BT21 continued in service until he acquired the McLaren towards the end of the season. He then won the last two rounds of the British Hillclimb Championship in the McLaren before going on to win the championship with it the following year.