69 replies to this topic

[Lee Nicolle]

something in the back of my mind tells me that Jack Brabham or Frank Gardner brought a Mustang to Australia?

Jack Brabham Ford brought in a 69 Fastback which was dropped on the wharves and wrecked, Ended up on speedway

[Ray Bell]

The engine was a Boss 302 and, when tried in a local car (Falcon Sports Sedan?) proved to be too peaky for local circuits.

[omobob]

Many thanks, Roger - good stuff. But might there be a little confusion here? The Wayside Garage Ltd was the garage that Roy Pierpoint ran with Alan Mann in the late '50s/early '60s: in fact Pierpoint's father had bought it in the hope that his son would run it. But that was in Rusper, West Sussex just a few miles north of Horsham (not Surrey as stated in the introduction to chapter 7 of Mann's book). In fact, if you enter Rusper into Google Maps, the first photo that comes up in the lhs sidebar is one of the garage itself, described as "the old Alfa Romeo garage" and looking rather forlorn (the image dates from July '17 and looks as if the buildings are about to be demolished). Note that the spelling was Wayside (not Weyside) and not associated with the river Wey which is in Surrey and gives its name to the town of Weybridge. If the existence of Weybridge Engineering is correct, the similarity in names is purely coincidental.

 

You mention "the old wooden bridge" but could you please clarify which bridge this is, or where? In Alan Mann's book he says that AMR took delivery of a pre-production Mustang in April 1964 and, because it had not yet been released, was told personally by Lee Iacocca to keep it hidden. This, he says, was done at Pierpoint's "plant hire yard" which presumably must therefore have been at, or near, Byfleet. Weybridge, rather than Rusper, would fit that description. And was plant hire also part of Pierpoint's construction business, or a different company? The Walton garage may be a red herring.

 

Thanks for the tips about Unipower. Re Attila, I knew of the origin of design and construction by VDB and Mark Perry in North London but, while I clearly remember Pierpont driving them in the '60s, something lurking in my mind from back then told me he was also associated with their construction: did he build all of the V8 cars and, indeed, how many of them were there?

 

I have a couple more questions: what was the name of the East Clandon farming family you mention that bought Connaught Engineering (assets auctioned 17-19 Sept. 1957 by Goddard, Davison & Smith Ltd., some bought by one B. Ecclestone) to become Connaught Cars (1959) Ltd? Is there a connection with Kenneth McAlpine, he of the McAlpine civil engineering dynasty, who was part (driver and financial backer) of the Connaught F1 team and subsequently went on to wine growing after hanging up his helmet?

 

Connaught Cars (1959) Ltd. was known for offering a twin-carb conversion on the Citroën DS and, of course, was fronted by Continental Cars from which it is said to have taken its name (Continental Autos, though the company name was definitely "...Cars"): was the commercial vehicle repair definitely carried out in the same shop? And where was their other site that you mention? As I'm sure you know, the Send works later passed to Emeryson and then Scirocco.

 

Where's Doug Nye when you need him?

[Geoff E]

The Rusper garage was one a smithy and is now apparently replaced by the Old Forge accommodation. https://tinyurl.com/4sm9xmy8

[omobob]

Can we clarify the point about Weybridge Engineering and Weyside Garage, please.?. I always understood it was Weyside Engineering, near the old wooden bridge , my source told me years ago, and Pierpoint was involved there with Cyril Libovitz. The civil engineering company was likely to have been a different company, who built the Send bypass, according to Nick Syrett, and dredged the river Wey, and whose owner, an expanding East Clandon farming family, also bought the former Connaught Cars premises to form Connaught Cars (1959)Ltd, from where they operated a commercial vehicle repair garage for some major companies, along with such work at another site. Alan Brown is listed as Sales Director on the official documents until he left a few years later.

I have always understood that Reg Tanner of Esso funded the Alan Brown entered Galaxie as a Celebrity car, qv the Esso contracted drivers who drove it, so it is reasonable to surmise that the same applied to the Mustang for JB, a car which had legality issues with valve gear, I understand.

For any info about  the Unipower project, who did what , when and where, and with what money, I recommended a conversation with the excellent Ernie Unger who will happily give you all the details. I had spoken to him previously, and he was an excellent guest speaker at one of Richard Hinton’s film events some time back.

With the Attila story, the first one was designed, with a bit of input  from well known engineer Valerian Dare Bryan, by the excellent Mark Perry, - I have to declare a certain bias here- who built it at his father’s garage, using major components from a wrecked Elite, as a road car. Peter Morley knows the car well.

The second, the 2 litre  Climax engined sports racer, was designed by Val DB again and built by Mark. Pierpoint may have driven it at some point, I have not checked, but I remember John Bekaert driving it. The V8 Attilas were again designed by Val DB, and built by Pierpoint, I believe. I cannot help with the Walton garage query. No doubt Nick Syrett could have told me, but it did not come up. Perhaps Mr Nye may be able to help.

 

As an extra point, please refer to post 48 about the registration number of the Galaxie used by Ljungfeldt on the 1963 Tour de France. Was that the Ford France entry and what happened to it after that event?

Roger Lund.

 

Searching long and hard turned up no photos of Ljunfeldt's '63 TdF Galaxie which, as I'm sure you know, was no. 92 in that event. However, Bill Shephard's entry in the Goodwood Speedweek appears to have been painted to replicate that car, probably because he shared it with Stig Blomqvist and in tribute to the latter's countryman.

It's probably Shephard's usual Galaxie, re-liveried for the occasion but I can see the plate starts with FR22 although no more than that. If you want to trace it further, may I suggest contacting Bill at https://www.billshepherdmustang.com/? He's extremely knowledgeable about such matters and I'd bet he could shed a light on what happened to the original car.

 

As an aside, can anyone help identify the Galaxie in the 2nd photo? It was taken by a friend of mine at what he thought was the saloon support race for the 1964 Aintree 200. I think it's the Willment car and therefore driven by Baillie but I can't see the plate to confirm - I've seen a photo from Silverstone later that year and all that appears to differ is the race number. Unfortunately I lost contact with the friend 20-30 years ago so can't revisit with him.

 

[cooper997]

omobob, it is indeed Sir Gawaine Baillie's 122 Galaxie. Motor Racing Year 1964-65 has a double page photo of this car leading at Aintree page 50-51. It shows the rego as GB 448.

 

I dare say it's the exact same car that he brought out to Australia for the November 1964 Sandown 6 hour here in Melbourne, that Lex Davison famously put through the fence at Peter's Corner.

 

 

Stephen

[Tim Murray]

Confirmation on the Touring Car Racing site:

http://www.touringca...64 Aintree.html

[omobob]

Many thanks, both. But am I getting my wires crossed here? The entry list linked above shows Baillie's no. 122 as entered by himself, not JWA as listed for Sears' Galaxie and the Cortinas of Gardner and Olthoff. I had read elsewhere that it was owned by Willment but reading further, I can only find reference to one Galaxie: was this one owned by Baillie himself? Did Willment have any involvement with it? In Motor Sport June 1966, Gerry Phillips wrote ".... Another driver to race under the Willment colours in 1964 was Boley Pittard, the significance of his appearance in a twin-cam 1,650 c.c. Anglia being in the fact that the car was really his own. Willment had realised that many club drivers had the ability to do well on the circuits but lacked the necessary funds and he set about exploring the possibilities of giving his support to such people, Many of whom have cause to thank him for his sporting generosity". Is this the case with Baillie's Galaxie?

[pete53]

Many thanks, both. But am I getting my wires crossed here? The entry list linked above shows Baillie's no. 122 as entered by himself, not JWA as listed for Sears' Galaxie and the Cortinas of Gardner and Olthoff. I had read elsewhere that it was owned by Willment but reading further, I can only find reference to one Galaxie: was this one owned by Baillie himself? Did Willment have any involvement with it? In Motor Sport June 1966, Gerry Phillips wrote ".... Another driver to race under the Willment colours in 1964 was Boley Pittard, the significance of his appearance in a twin-cam 1,650 c.c. Anglia being in the fact that the car was really his own. Willment had realised that many club drivers had the ability to do well on the circuits but lacked the necessary funds and he set about exploring the possibilities of giving his support to such people, Many of whom have cause to thank him for his sporting generosity". Is this the case with Baillie's Galaxie?

Yes I think this is correct that Willment did back a number of drivers who still actually owned the car car they competed in. You mention Bo Pittard, but there was John Miles and his Elan, Tony Dean's Brabham BT8 amongst others. However, these cars were all decked out in Willment livery - red with white longitudinal stripes, or vice versa. The Baillie Galaxie did, I think, remain all white suggesting no direct JWA association.

[JanAlsemgeest]

Found this image on my phone. Maybe it help.



https://i.postimg.cc...0305-152306.png

[omobob]

Yes I think this is correct that Willment did back a number of drivers who still actually owned the car car they competed in. You mention Bo Pittard, but there was John Miles and his Elan, Tony Dean's Brabham BT8 amongst others. However, these cars were all decked out in Willment livery - red with white longitudinal stripes, or vice versa. The Baillie Galaxie did, I think, remain all white suggesting no direct JWA association.

 

Yes, that makes sense. Certainly Baillie's was all white except for some discreet red trims on the front bumper. Also noting that red tape was used on the headlights rather than the usual black, I wonder if both these are a nod to assistance by Willment.

[Lee Nicolle]

The engine was a Boss 302 and, when tried in a local car (Falcon Sports Sedan?) proved to be too peaky for local circuits.

Barry Sharp?? 

I remember reading that he used something similar in I believe an XT Falcon and did not like it and went to a 302C a bit later.

Personally those Boss engines were not clever,,those huge 4V heads on a 302W Would have no bottom end.
I have ridden in a standard 69 Boss 302 Mustang. Super rare, super valuable but quite unpleasant to drive. Even with a 3.9 diff ratio.

The Z28s were not a great deal better either. Both homolgation specials.

[omobob]

Four-valve heads on the Boss 302? Are you sure? Wasn't that the Boss 429 with Ford's attempt at copying the Chrysler Hemi? Or am I misunderstanding what you meant (which is quite usual for me)?

 

Smokey Yunick's comments on the Boss 429 in Best Damn Garage In Town make interesting reading. He points out how the engine was a monster and far too big to fit in the Mustang properly so it had to sit much too high up and far forward for the car to have any semblance of handling. And yet there are those who revere it and consider it the most desirable of Mustangs, probably only because it had the biggest engine.

[Librules]

I think 4V and 2V in a 60/70's Australian Ford context refers to venturis ....ie:2 barrel or 4 barrel carbies.

[Lee Nicolle]

Four-valve heads on the Boss 302? Are you sure? Wasn't that the Boss 429 with Ford's attempt at copying the Chrysler Hemi? Or am I misunderstanding what you meant (which is quite usual for me)?

 

Smokey Yunick's comments on the Boss 429 in Best Damn Garage In Town make interesting reading. He points out how the engine was a monster and far too big to fit in the Mustang properly so it had to sit much too high up and far forward for the car to have any semblance of handling. And yet there are those who revere it and consider it the most desirable of Mustangs, probably only because it had the biggest engine.

4Venturi. As in  a 4bbl carb engine, of which the cylinder heads has huge intake ports and huge valves as well. WHY?? Clearly someone was not thinking.

The Boss 302 used the 4V Cleveland heads. They were canted 2 valve heads. In reality they were too big for 351s with lousy air velocity. So on a 302W bottom end would have been hard work.. keep the engine well above 4000rpm to actually use the heads at all.

[omobob]

I just stumbled upon a copy of Classic American magazine from May 2013 (no. 265) which contains a feature on Bill Shepherd’s Galaxie (see my post #55). It turns out that this actually is the car that Bo Ljungfeldt and Fergus Sager drove on the ’63 TdF and was indeed a Ford France entry, having been one of the four lightweights built up by Holman Moody for use in Europe. The other three went to JWA, Alan Brown and Gawaine Baillie.

 

This car was the one that then went on to Alan Mann who raced it himself to 3^rd o/all and a class win at the ’64 Swedish round of the ETC, the Kannonloppet at Karlskoga (9-Aug-64). In AM’s own words he went over to Ford France after the TdF and “nicked it from them”, though it’s not clear what that means and there is precious little about it in his book.

 

A photo from the Karlskoga race shows the reg. no. to be FR 2272. Mann sold it the following year to John Bond-Smith whose wife Jacquie raced it in ’65/’66. It was then crashed at Silverstone by Paddy McNally and ended up in a breaker’s yard owned by one Ian Mumberson until Bill bought it in 2008.

 

If anyone wants it, I can try to scan and post the article.

[bradbury west]

I would welcome seeing the article, either posted here or via e mail. I have never seen a photo of the Ljungfeldt car in the TdF as it went out with a blown engine very early on, perhaps before the snappers caught up as the event progressed, so the reg no has always been of interest. I always understood that the Bond Smith car was the ex Alan Hutchesen, ex  Alan Brown entered car. AH blew the engine up quite successfully twice in his season with the car. Ages ago we had a contribution here from one of the mechanics who worked on the Hutchesen car at Brown’s workshop.

Bill Shepherd and I were just starting an interesting conversation about the car at the FoS a couple of years ago when he was called very sharply to go to the collection area and I never had chance to see him later, although he gave me his card, which I have failed to follow up. He was intrigued that I knew what the graphics on the reg plate and bonnet were all about, so perhaps that is why he gave me the time of day.

From what  I can see the dates of the 63 TdF and the Brands saloon race mean that the Brown car and the Ford France car are two separate entities, which is why the reg no of the Ford France car had always interested me.

Alan Mann probably got the car from Ford France with the engine blown.

Roger Lund

 

edit spl.

Edited by bradbury west, 07 May 2021 - 09:54.

[omobob]

'Happy to oblige but am trying to post the scan and getting a message saying "You are not allowed to use that image extension on this community". 'Don't know what I'm doing wrong but will keep trying. Alternatively I can e-mail it if you point me to an e-mail address.

Edited by omobob, 07 May 2021 - 17:19.

[Lee Nicolle]

I think 4V and 2V in a 60/70's Australian Ford context refers to venturis ....ie:2 barrel or 4 barrel carbies.

World wide those Clevos and many other models were 2 Venturi or 4 venturi. 

390, 351W among others. 

Though the 4V Cleveland had intakes that were huge, stupidly so. A complete lack of airspeed and it would be worse on the 302W bottom end.

Being someone silly enough to play with those engines it was ooh aaah 4V. Very much not so.

I have owned Falcon GTs with 4V engines and the standard 2V 351 in everyday driving was nicer though ofcourse lacked the top end that the 4bbl alone gives.

Those 60s and 70s Windsors however were opposite with 'speed humps' in the intake ports. Why?? It never made sense.

Here in Oz we got the 302C engine which had smaller chambers in 2V configuration [small port] though even they had intake runner size the same as a Chev race port.

When used on a stock 351 around 10-5 comp ensures and without too much drama near 11-1 with a far better velocity port and valve size is available. The 2V heads have bigger valves than any Chev head, the 4Vs are around an 1/8 of an inch larger. So again poor velocity.

In the 'day' racers reduced the 4V port size a lot as well as lifting the roof of the port.

Which is what you get with the CHI 3V heads made here in Oz. Reputedly developed by John Kaase the roof of the intake is at least half inch higher and using std 302 size valves. And needs the matching intake to suit

There is 3 main types, 195cc 208cc which is what I have and 225cc. For big time racers.

A 2V replacement version and then some very large special order stuff for drag racing and very high rpm.

I believe the SVO heads on  V8 Supercars are fairly similar as well. 

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by omobob
Happy to oblige but am trying to post the scan and getting a message saying "You are not allowed to use that image extension on this community". 'Don't know what I'm doing wrong but will keep trying. Alternatively I can e-mail it if you point me to an e-mail address.

You have to save the image as a .jpg file...

I think a .gif still works, but .jpg is easy enough.