60 replies to this topic

[plannerpower]

Forrest's Elbow, Bathurst, Easter 1964;

 

 

 

 

[Ray Bell]

Really nice to see your pics coming out, Peter...

 

This one, of course, is the 19B. Devastatingly fast for its time, Frank maintained that outright lap records would always go to Sports Cars because they didn't have the drag of the open wheels.

 

Originally posted by Lola5000
One of the posters on here will know perhaps Ray-Was Laurie O'Neill involved in the purchase of the Lotus19s?  And at that time was Matich working for the company Peterbilt?

Rob, I can't say but I don't think so...

John Ellacott may know. I think he was paying all the bills when the Traco Olds came about, and both cars carried the 'Laurie O'Neill/Peterbilt' name on them.

The original 19 was purchased by either Matich or maybe Leaton Motors, Matich being the more likely. And if that was the case, it was with a lot of help fom Total Oils.

I would think, and I'm just guessing, that Laurie put up some of the funding for the '19B', while he certainly funded the Traco.

[Lola5000]

 

Really nice to see your pics coming out, Peter...

 

This one, of course, is the 19B. Devastatingly fast for its time, Frank maintained that outright lap records would always go to Sports Cars because they didn't have the drag of the open wheels.

 

 

 

Rob, I can't say but I don't think so...

John Ellacott may know. I think he was paying all the bills when the Traco Olds came about, and both cars carried the 'Laurie O'Neill/Peterbilt' name on them.

The original 19 was purchased by either Matich or maybe Leaton Motors, Matich being the more likely. And if that was the case, it was with a lot of help fom Total Oils.

I would think, and I'm just guessing, that Laurie put up some of the funding for the '19B', while he certainly funded the Traco.

 

Ta Ray, the two O'Neill brothers apart from the stunning race cars and support to front line drivers and mechanics ,they owned some of Australia's most significant collectable cars , be it Rolls-Royce, Bentley,Jaguar,Ford,Aston Martin .

 

They wouldn't have been collectors of all that car memoribillia that so many car people are now stuck with as they enter old age amd needing muppets to clean the "gear" instead the O'Neills were drivers of there cars .

[MarkBisset]

In some material dated March 1963, Matich, post leaving Leatons, is quoted as saying, 'Took TOTAL Service Stn (Cnr Canterbury Rd & Rossmore Ave, Punchbowl). TOTAL helped in purchase of Lotus 19.' FM gives the date of the first Lotus 19's arrival as January 21, 1962.

 

It isn't clear when Laurie O'Neil's handshake - unbelievable isn't it - deal to import Peterbilts into Australia was unilaterally rescinded by them.

 

 

It is clear from John Ellacott's photographs (one above) that the Elfin 400 Olds #BB662 was delivered from Elfins by Bruce Richardson to Peterbilt's Alexandria, Sydney HQ on February 8, 1966 for a Warwick Farm (memory) debut shortly thereafter. Whether Laurie owned the car in whole or part, who knows the facts.

 

A quick Google shows O'Neil's Peterbilt entity imported 115 RHD trucks in his time as 'franchisee'. A lot in the context of the times. 

 

The road cars he owned are of no interest to me but the list of racing cars he owned/built/sponsored would be a mighty impressive one. 
 

https://primotipo.co...-garrie-cooper/

Edited by MarkBisset, 06 January 2025 - 05:11.

[Ray Bell]

Those pics from John Ellacott indicate that Laurie was at least a little hands-on...

 

I think one of them shows him helping bleed the brakes or something similar.

 

That list might be a good thing to discuss on another thread.

[Lola5000]

In some material dated March 1963, Matich, post leaving Leatons, is quoted as saying, 'Took TOTAL Service Stn (Cnr Canterbury Rd & Rossmore Ave, Punchbowl). TOTAL helped in purchase of Lotus 19.' FM gives the date of the first Lotus 19's arrival as January 21, 1962.

 

It isn't clear when Laurie O'Neil's handshake - unbelievable isn't it - deal to import Peterbilts into Australia was unilaterally rescinded by them.

 

 

 

 

The road cars he owned are of no interest to me but the list of racing cars he owned/built/sponsored would be a mighty impressive one. 
 

https://primotipo.co...-garrie-cooper/

A topic on the race cars he owned would be rather easy to fill ,including the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato ,the XKSS,GT40 (all road registered)  right up to the Porsche 935 he bought new .

 

From memory he also had built up a VH SLE Commordore by HDT?

 

The road cars interest me ,having  myself and my family having owned various ones included the Bentley S3 Flying Spur and the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost year 1912 which my sister has of recent times sold .

Edited by Lola5000, 06 January 2025 - 08:23.

[Ray Bell]

The HQ Monaro Sports Sedan, Rob, was said to have some bits from the GT40...

 

Monaro. Joe Gomez captured this great shot from under the control tower at Amaroo as he waited for Vince's next race in the Elfin.

 

...like hubs, hub carriers and wheels.

 

The Porsche 911S formerly raced by Bill Brown under the Scuderia Veloce flag, also by John Goss when Laurie owned it:

 

The first Laurex Porsche. Another shot of Pete Geoghegan at Amaroo from Joe, this time leading Ross Bond in the Bolwell.

[Lola5000]

The HQ Monaro Sports Sedan, Rob, was said to have some bits from the GT40...

 

Monaro. Joe Gomez captured this great shot from under the control tower at Amaroo as he waited for Vince's next race in the Elfin.

 

...like hubs, hub carriers and wheels.

 

The Porsche 911S formerly raced by Bill Brown under the Scuderia Veloce flag, also by John Goss when Laurie owned it:

 

The first Laurex Porsche. Another shot of Pete Geoghegan at Amaroo from Joe, this time leading Ross Bond in the Bolwell.

Easy to pick this 911 as the ex Bill Brown car ,being LHD, not sure where it ended up.

[Lee Nicolle]

Terry, the guru for Lotus in Australia is Marc Schagen...

He's convinced that the chassis was buried under a house or garage. But there may be more knowledge somewhere.

One thing's for sure, it was not sold on in damaged condition and it wasn't repaired. Any car claiming to be this one is undoubtedly relying on the mystery to sneak in under the radar.

The thread to which I referred is definitely about this car - and it's stablemates:

http://forums.autosp...19-monte-carlo/

Enjoy the read...

Comes up as error!

[GreenMachine]

Same here.  Search doesn't thow up anything either, at least not on the first page..  Merged thread?  Paging Ray ...

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
A sad story, Terry...
 
The answer is here.

Again we point to this answer...

We should now, perhaps, start asking Speedy to see if he can bring back the 'less contentious' posts.