50 replies to this topic

[ed holly]

A search of the web shows very little information about this Queensland circuit on an airstrip. If anyone has any information about it maybe they might share it here. 

 

Meanwhile this is what I have been able to find on the web.

 

http://www.speedwaya...ld-circuit.html

 

https://trove.nla.go...rticle/50087036

 

https://www.mgccq.org.au/nostalgia3

 

Ed

[cooper997]

Gathering info on Strathpine isn't very easy. It ran events between August 1946 and October 1959 but precious little is recorded in one spot.

 

I don't believe Graham or Ray ever wrote a feature about it in Motor Racing Australia's 'Closed Circuits' series and neither has Australian Muscle Car in more recent year's with their 'Sacred Sites';  However Jim Scaysbrook in the sister Chevron publication Old Bike Australasia may have. But apart from 1 issue with Lowood, I don't buy that mag.

 

Finding programmes is near impossible, I have only ever come across one and the price was out of my budget. Many have probably been washed away in Qld floods over the years. Although I am aware of someone who gained access to a few 1956 meeting programmes. But if I guess correctly this will be based on history of a certain Lotus 11 and 1956 is too early.

 

Stephen

[Terry Walker]

This is what I wrote about it some years ago

 

 

STRATHPINE, QLD

THE Queensland Motor Sporting Club was formed in January 1938 to run the motor sport events previously conducted by the R.A.C.Q. Its first outing was a scavenger hunt, followed quickly by a sprint meeting at Strathpine on February 25, 1938. Charles Whatmore (Ford V8 roadster) proceeded to break Uhlmann’s 1937 State record for the Flying Quarter Mile when he punched his car through the timers in 10.13 seconds, 88.845 mph.

Strathpine had replaced Myrtletown as the venue for these sorts of events in about 1936. When the war ended and the Club looked to resume activities, it discovered that there was a nice bitumen airstrip on private property not far from its old sprint course. At just seven-tenths of a mile in length, it was too short for a good flying quarter-mile sprint, but fine for standing quarter-mile drags.

It was also suitable for adaptation into a 1.4 mile racing circuit. Initially, it was a simple up-and-back affair, like Marsden Park or Ringwood in New South Wales. However, by 1955 a few minor variations at the southern end of the circuit blossomed into a loop which darted off the side of the runway into the scrub, around a stand of trees, and then back onto the airstrip again. This was sealed in 1955, and with a matching chicane on the airstrip itself, became the definitive Strathpine layout.

Race meetings were held at Strathpine for many years, although its small size and basic layout prevented it from taking on any of the really big ticket events. Another impediment was the great difficulty involved in getting permission to run events on a Sunday. Most Strathpine meetings, like the Middle Ridge races at Toowoomba, were one-day affairs. In due course it faced competition frorn the new Lakeside circuit being constructed only a short distance away. The 1960 season was its last. By 1961 the bulldozers had moved in, and the site was being turned into a housing development.

TODAY the circuit survives as Spitfire Avenue, Strathpine, easily found in your Brisbane city street directory. As you drive along the street you notice that there is something funny about it; then you realise that the bitumen runs the full width from fence to fence. You are in fact driving along the old airstrip, the main straight of Strathpine racing circuit. The start-finish line was located roughly at the junction of modern Lancaster Street and Spitfire Avenue.

 

[Tim Murray]

There’s some discussion about the 1946 event in this earlier thread:

Query: 1946 Strathpine

[MarkBisset]

I had a poke around inspired by the Chas Whatmore Lotus 11 which popped up on Bobs site a while back.
I found the Brisbane Courier Mail article Ed has referenced but little else- the bones of an article is at the back-end of primo where it stays for want of info as Stephen says.
Sorry to be of no help.
M

[cooper997]

Some information does exist, it's just that it's spread far and wide in numerous publications. And I still wish some FB users would invite Quentin Miles to visit TNF, because his dad's archive might very well be the best chance of finding a clearer picture to Qld motor sporting activities of that era.

 

Maybe it was ambitious for a motor sporting body to secure a 2 year lease back in the 1950s, but today 2 years would sound like a cop out. However it must surely have restricted (even limited) investment by the QMSC at Strathpine. The securing of the 2 year lease was mentioned within James Robinson's 8 September 1956 Strathpine report in the shortlived Ian Fraser-edited 'Sports Cars and Specials' December 1956 issue.

 

Stephen

[Terry Walker]

There's a ton of stuff on TROVE: I just entered the search string  "Car Racing Strathpine" and got these right at the top.

 

STRATHPINE AIRSTRIP

For Largest motor racing programme ever presented in Australia will be run on the Strathpine airstrip on Sunday. August 11.

Courier-Mail 23 July 1946, page 6

 

An Australian open 25-mile racing car championship, three motor cycle championships, and a push cycle title, as well as car and motor cycle handicaps, will be run over a collective distance of 90 miles. The motor cycle and push cycle events will be Grand Prix races, but the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland has refused permission for the car race to be known as a Grand Prix, as it is reserving the title for open events conducted by its registered clubs. A request to R.A.A.F. Headquarters, Melbourne, was made by Exhibition speedway promoter, Frank Arthur, before the airstrip was made available for racing. The 50-yard wide runway, which is seven-tenths of a mile long, will be divided by a row of 44gallon drums.The The contestants will race up and down on each side, making a sharp turn at each end. For the all-power car event, the R.A.C.Q. has insisted that its officials test cars and examine the drivers. Proceeds will go to ex-servicemen's organisations.

_______________

 

CAR RACING AT STRATHPINE

By LES VOWLES.

Brisbane Telegraph 9 October 1951, page 30

 

A five-event all-car programme of speed events is to be held by the Queensland Motor Sporting Club at the Strathpine airstrip on Saturday afternoon, October 27,Events Events will be: Under 1500 c.c. scratch race, four laps (about 5.6miles) ; over 1500 c.c. scratch race, four laps; open handicap, eight laps (10.2 miles) , consolation handicap, four laps, and a high-speed trial with "Le Mans" start. First race is to be at 12-30 and the first three races will carry points for the - Jubilee trophies-Entries close with the Q.M.S-C- secretary (Mr. Ben Westerman) tomorrow- .

__________________

 

Brisbane Telegraph 21 May 1954, page 23

 

STRATHPINE RACING

Feature of the day at Strathpine racing events on Saturday next, May 29, will be the initial appearance of Chas. Whatmore's Jaguar Special and Ken Richardson's 1,100 c.c. Cooper. The programme will include motor car and motor cycle events. The first race at 1 p.m. will be the under 1.500 c.c. scratch race, and will possibly feature a Le Mans start. The programme includes the Strathpine Handicap over 15 miles. Open Scratch Race, over 1,500 Racing and Sports Cars Handicaps and Group Handicaps. Entries close with the secretary tomorrow, May 22. Proceeds will be donated to the War Veterans' Home Appeal.

Edited by Terry Walker, 06 April 2019 - 09:43.

[Terry Walker]

And this:

 

Kelinig's Great Strathpine Win

 

Brisbane Telegraph 12 August 1946, page 14

 

By LES VOWLES

 

Going into the lead after 19 miles of the 25 miles Victory Trophy Car Handicap at the Strathpine airstrip carnival yesterday, John Crouch (M.G., Sydney) was caught only 100 yards from the finishing line by the scratch man, Frank Kleinig (Hudson Special, Svdnev).

 

The three-quarters of a mile airstritp, up and down which the races were held , was encircled by a crowd estimated at about 40,000. Police had counted 8,000 cars and motor cycles by noon and (spectators were still arriving at 3 pm. The big car race provided a thrilling finish that was a tribute to the handicapper. Mr Jack Sherwood, of Sydney. The first four cars finished within a very short distance of each other, Kleinig winning by 15 yards from Crouch, with Maryborough entrant W. J. Mathieson (S.S. Jaguar) and Strathpine's Snow Sefton close behind them. Kleinig was third to Crouch and Mathieson at the start of the last lap, with C. Anderson's Wolseley Hornet and then Sefton (Ford Special) next.

 

The finishing times were: Kleinig 34 min. 18 sec.. Crouch 34.19, Mathieson 34.26, Sefton 34.49, Anderson 35.54, and R. Chatterton (Austin 7) 37.13. Crouch, who entered his well performed French racer, the Delahaye, was unable to get it ready In time, and drove up in his 1946 MG, the mode TC that now replaces the Magnette. This was a standard car that on arrival here had covered only 2,000 miles, and Crouch was reluctant to race it owing to its newness. However, fortunately for the thousands of spectators who were delighted with the quiet, unassuming efficiency of the MG, he decided to start it. His second in both the 10 and 25 miles races was his reward: Incidentally, after the meeting Crouch drove back to the city just as did thousands of other motorists. He and another well known NSW motorist who accompanied him to Brisbane. J. P Nind. leave for Sydney today.

 

It was estimated that Kleinlg's big red Hudson was hitting nearly 110 mph down the .7-mile straights (one lap. 1.4 mile). Outstanding speed also was shown by Ken Wiley's speedcar which, unfortunately, did not survive the 10 miles handicap. Left badly at the start when his single geared car stalled, Wiley proved little slower than Klelnig and should have won the race on handicap had he had normal luck. As it was. in the effort to make up lost ground, his hard-driven motor seized fairiy early in the event.

 

While Klelnig's lap times ran from 1.28 (standing start), to 1.22, 1.30, 1.20, 1.21. 1.19 and 1.18 (last lap), the speedcar clocked 1.24 on Its best lap. It must be remembered that twice each lap Wiley had to accelerate out of the turns without the help of gears.

[cooper997]

Additional to the 1946 Trove find from Terry, here's the September 1946 AMS report of the cars and bikes at the August meeting

 

 

Stephen

[ed holly]

Thank you so much guys for the effort you have put in. Shame that Strathpine wasn't covered very well. 

 

And yes Stephen a date for that 58 meeting would finish off the entry for the Eleven's log very nicely. 

[cooper997]

Ed, do you mean 58 or 59? Is the Schagen Lotus book mentioning your car coming here in Jan 59, now proven otherwise?

 

Stephen

[ed holly]

Meant 59 Stephen ... thanks ... 

Edited by ed holly, 08 April 2019 - 21:11.

[Ray Bell]

It looks like, from the 'Coming Events' columns of AMS, that the first meeting at Strathpine in 1959 was March 5...

 

There are no reports unfortunately. Lowood had a meeting scheduled for April 12 and Strathpine again on April 12, then Lowood June 14, their Gold Star meeting.

[cooper997]

Did you get the March 5 date from the Feb 59 AMS Ray? That was a Thursday.

 

Sometime ago I came up with these 1959 dates for Strathpine. Source is noted, but precious little else has been found to confirm the dates (not that I've made it a huge priority).

March 8, 1959 in 2/59 AMS coming events p42

 

May 17 1959 in 4/59 AMS coming events p130

 

July 12, 1959 MGCQ in 6/59 AMS coming events p223

 

August 9, 1959 QMSC in 7/59 AMS p265

 

October 11, 1959 – final meeting.in 9/59 AMS coming events p349

 

I usually prefer finding the actual programme, either on the net or hardcopy. But either way they are elusive. Reason I prefer seeing the programme is that in the overall scheme of Australian events, AMS was pretty good, but didn't always get the date correct within the report or even publish the date in the report (or the event date  changed at the last minute).

 

So despite the dates it will still require digging to confirm when the Jamieson Lotus lined up between the Fagan Witney and Sakzewski Porsche. Which I'm pretty sure is the basis of Ed chasing this circuit info. As most who chase up history know many avenues usually need to be checked to gather the facts. So I thought today I would ask one of Australia's foremost 356  experts about when Sakzewski got his 356 Carrera. But that only complicated things when Phil rattled off the car's chassis number, engine number, date built, arrival in Oz, first rego (in Victoria), etc. All but when Sid purchased it and took it racing.in Qld. By the way if anyone knows where the Sakzewski Ivory with red trim 356 Carrera is, or what happened to it, please tell/ Tony Basile also raced it.

 

Stephen

Edited by cooper997, 09 April 2019 - 09:07.

[Ray Bell]

No mention of when it blew up crossing the Nullarbor?

 

Yes, from the February 'Coming Events'.

 

Geoff Sakzewski is still around to ask.

[cooper997]

Ray, I'm not exactly sure what facts Phil holds on 356 events/races - he was busy and I was meant to be working. However, he wrote out the Sakzewski Carrera details for me.

 

I know he has car info from Hamilton's own records and from the factory too. For around 25 years he owned one of the first pair of 356 Norman Hamilton brought to Australia. That also made them the first RHD examples.

 

The Sakzewski 356 is entered for the April 59 Lowood meeting, but I'm unsure when the car went north and hence whether it was at Strathpine for the March 59 meeting.

 

Stephen

Edited by cooper997, 10 April 2019 - 11:32.

[Ray Bell]

And I guess most security videos and dashcams have been wiped by now...

One of the things I found when doing research on circuits, particularly, was that you go to more trouble proving something isn't true than you do to prove what's true.

[ed holly]

I have 538's debut as the Lowood meeting, 12th April 1959 then Lowood 14 June and 30th August. The April Lowood meeting was apparently written up in AMS May 59 but I don't have a copy of it. If it did debut in April - then the March Strathpine meeting would be out and it would be one later in the year as Ray says there were 5 meetings in 1959 so it could be any one of the other 4.

[Ray Bell]

Actually, Stephen said that...

The report does say about one race, "...Jamieson in his new pretty pale blue Lotus Climax 1100..." so it would seem that this tends to indicate it was his first meeting.

But, like I said, you spend more time proving things not to be true rather than proving them true.

The Sakzewski Porsche was at this meeting, by the way.

[cooper997]

To save some of the cryptics for everyone this is the Strathpine photo Ed's seeking a date. I have some recollection we may have visited this photo on TNF last year, but I've lost track where.

 

It is of course a set of 4 photos taken by Bill Miles and posted last year by his son, Quentin Miles on FB. Attribution to Bill & Quentin.

 

Link should allow the other photos to be seen as they will potentially help with clues and besides the Lotus 11 is in the Ferrari Super Squalo photo too (and lurking in at least one other).

https://www.facebook...&type=3

 

 

The Fagan Witney is at the left of photo, Jamieson Lotus and Sakzewski 356 Carrera.

 

35 MG could very well be Keith Russell, perhaps Tom Ross in 46 TR and one of the humpys will be John French who usually ran 26 whenever possible.

 

 

Stephen

[ed holly]

Stephen, In that sequence of photos the Eleven carries the No.10 in one photo and the No.4 in another - or am I seeing something that's not there ?  Thanks again for your help and you too Ray. 

[cooper997]

I've just dug out some 1959 Modern Motor's and it appears Tony Basile raced the Sakzewski 356 at the October 26, 1958 Lowood QTT meeting. So that places that car north earlier than I was aware. Could still end up earlier yet.

 

A little snippet that may please Ed from the pages of the Feb 59 issue is that there's a report for the December 7, 1958 Strathpine meeting and the final paragraph reads "Whispers going around the QMSC at present indicate that an unnamed driver has placed an order in the UK for a Lotus XI, and that another identity will shortly take delivery of a factory-prepared "double-knocker" MG A. Next year's racing should be brighter than ever."

 

If they covered the March Strathpine then it's likely to be in the May issue, which is a gap I have.

 

July 12, 1959 Strathpine is briefly covered in the Sept 59 issue and mainly revolves around Arnold Glass bringing his ex Stillwell 250F from NSW. In the course of breaking the Whatmore Lotus Climax lap record by 2 seconds.

 

And that ends the Strathpine info found within those issues that published a Sportlight page, up to and including Jan 60 issue

 

Stephen

Edited by cooper997, 11 April 2019 - 02:43.

[cooper997]

Sorry Ed, I failed to notice the car number variations. Even more reason to find programmes.

 

Stephen

[Ray Bell]

There is no Strathpine report in the May issue, Stephen...

And if I recall what I looked at yesterday, no mention in Spotlight either.

The Courier Mail or the Brisbane Sun (I think that was the other paper there those days) might have some results in their Monday editions.

[cooper997]

We may be getting tangled up on the last couple of posts, Ray.

 

You mention Spotlight (and hence reference to AMS), but I mentioned Sportlight - that being Modern Motor's events page. It is the May 59 Modern Motor I don't have and Ed doesn't have the May 59 AMS.

 

So if you do mean you looked at May 59 Modern Motor then all is good, otherwise we're needing someone with a copy of that issue to tell us if Strathpine gets a mention.

 

Stephen

[Ray Bell]

No, I don't have the Modern Motor issues at all...

But I have been back to AMS and found that Sid Sakzewski drove the Carrera at Lowood on March 23, June 15 and August 31. In the report on the March meeting it states he drove "... new Carrera for the first time at Lowood."

Which may or may not mean it was at a Strathpine event (or a Mt Cotton hillclimb etc) earlier. There are, again, no Strathpine reports.

[cooper997]

Ray, thanks for digging up the info on Sid running the 356 as early as March 1958. That means it spent just weeks with its original Victorian registration, having arrived in Australia in Feb 58.

 

Now if we could solve the Lotus at Strathpine dates that quick.

 

Stephen

[Ray Bell]

I have fond memories of Sid, Stephen...

He had his 'VIP Room' overlooking the part of the circuit where Frank Matich crashed, it was open to competitors, press etc and the wives of drivers and officials would prepare snacks for all.

And Best Western champagne was poured regularly too. The elderly couple I spent much time with in the latter days of the circuit were most gracious and generous.

It was sad when Sid had shingles. He was in a bad state, he said to me that he wanted to go and visit Dr Nitschke in Darwin.

But in better times he was more expansive. At one time talking about extending the circuit so that it came past the VIP Room and then turned left about where the Dunlop Bridge was, took a loop up beside the big farm dam and then returned at Hungry. He also talked about putting in an airstrip.

But that was all in the sixties, thirty and more years earlier. I recall Bill Patterson one night talking about the airstrip, "He says he's going to put it over the back somewhere, but everything's going to be over the back somewhere."

My first visit to Sid's circuit was in February, 1964. For several years I went to two or three meetings a year. From Sydney. I once went to a meeting at Lakeside the same day there was one on at Oran Park.

A far cry from Strathpine, isn't it?

[cooper997]

Ray, it's pretty fair to say that Qld motor racing enthusiasts would have had very limited circuits to play on for a number of year's without Sid. However, although I can find several references to him in various publications there's precious little of his overall story written down. So maybe there's potential for you to put some of your personal Sakzewski/Lakeside experiences into a primotipo piece or now there's a change of editor at Australian Muscle Car for that mag.

 

Stephen

[Ray Bell]

Isn't there a photo somewhere of a 1958 or 1959 Dodge Custom Royal in the middle of a pack of tourers at Lakeside?

 

Anyone who would do that would have to be considered adventurous, wouldn't you think?

 

Sid and Beryl were such a nice couple. The other outstanding one in my recollections of the VIP Room was Coral Scott.

 

Who's editing Australian Muscle Car now?

[cooper997]

Ray, next issue Steve Normoyle's gig.

 

The Lakeside book has a photo of Sid running the Plymouth (alone) at the opening meeting in March 1961.

 

Stephen

Edited by cooper997, 12 April 2019 - 12:09.

[Ray Bell]

And a picture from those wild days:
 

 
Mosseter in the Rizzo Riley heading Griffiths in the Whatmore Jag. Corrected below, MG Special, thank you John.

By the way, if anyone knows who owns this photo or the many others in the album containing it, I'd be happy to give the album back, it came to me by accident and it's likely the owner misses it.




.

Edited by Ray Bell, 12 April 2019 - 22:34.

[john medley]

ex Ray Gordon MG Special, probably Arthur Griffiths chases Rizzo Riley 1, probably Stan Mosseter

[cooper997]

I assume no one noticed the date mistake in the Sept 46 AMS reports for the August Strathpine car and motorcycle meeting. This being the case I raise in post 14. Although part of the game is given away by the Trove Brisbane Telegraph report Terry posted.

 

I give you that it might be a bit difficult to decipher the AMS pages, but they have Sunday, August 12 for the cars and Sunday, August 11 for the motorcycles. With the Trove BT report dated August 12. Tthat should be correct for the report published in the paper's Monday edition.

 

If anyone is recording these details, please amend (if the mistake hasn't already been noted)

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

In the October 1946 Bathurst programme there's some details for an upcoming Strathpine meeting. It reads...

"AIR STRIP RACING

Another mixed programme of motor cycle, speed car and racing car events will be held on the Strathpine Airstrip (Brisbane) on November 17.

Full particulars from Sporting Promotions Ltd,  6th Floor, Commercial Bank Building, 360 Queen At, Brisbane, or Australian Sporting Car Club , 4th Floor, 16 Spring St, Sydney."

 

Again, this is where things come unstuck in trying to track events from our past. Because at some stage between this being published for the October 7 Bathurst and the running of the Strathpine meeting a date change took place.  Strathpine was changed to the following Sunday of November 24, probable reason (that I'm aware) is that a Marsden Park meeting ran on the 17th.

 

Stephen

Edited by cooper997, 18 April 2019 - 22:29.

[cooper997]

This Modern Motor Sportlight page shows just how brief the reports were. In this, coverage for the June 1955 Strathpine meeting, the photo shown is a very significant car in Australian motor racing of the early 50s. The Lago Talbot already with its 4th Australian owner at this meeting. Tom Hawkes, Doug Whiteford and Rex Taylor having preceded Ken Richardson.

 

Also mentioned at Strathpine is Steve Ames, aka Count Stephen Ouvaroff who went on to race in the UK.

 

 

Stephen

[ken devine]

That's an interesting race report in Stephen's post,George Wakelin winning the main race at Goomalling WA in the former Barry Ranford/ Morrie Maurice Chrystler Special now Ford V8 powered. A car that interests Ray.

[Ray Bell]

Yes, I knew from Terry's book it had won a race at Goomalling, I think there's a photo of it in that race in the book...

 

But I never knew that Richardson had the Lago, nor that Ames had Richardson's inverted chassised beast.

[cooper997]

Here's another page from Modern Motor's Sportlight pages. In this instance the October 1954 issue with brief writeup on the July 54 Strathpine. As you will hopefully read clearly, there's some incorrect info with Les Taylor mentioned as the Lago Talbot owner. As far as I'm aware he was Rex Taylor and the driver would be Les Agnew.

 

 

Stephen

[MarkBisset]

Article on the Snow Sefton/Bill Cuncliffe Strathpine Ford V8 Spl with some wonderful Dick Simpson / Don Thallon Collection photos inclusive of Strathpine, Lowood and Samsonvale

https://primotipo.co...pl-lowood-1956/

Mark

[MarkBisset]

 

Cooper T38 Jaguar, Strathpine circa 1956 John Aldis (Luke Manton Collection)

Quentin Miles thinks Strathpine, Tony Parkinson thinks John Aldis, which I agree with. When Stan bought the car it had the grille which disappeared in the Phillips era 

 

Edited by MarkBisset, 27 October 2020 - 10:45.

[Ray Bell]

I wonder if that's Jim Bertram...

 

The fence in the background identifies it as Strathpine. The same (temporary) fencing is seen in one or two pictures in the MGCC magazine linked by Ed Holly in the opening post.

 

Not that the trees aren't a dead giveaway, though you'd see similar background at Ringwood.

[john medley]

In John Aldis' ownership it was painted basic white with red highlights and blue highlights variously distributed

[Ray Bell]

Another point for Strathpine...

 

No front numberplate on the Prefect.

[Lee Nicolle]

I have fond memories of Sid, Stephen...

He had his 'VIP Room' overlooking the part of the circuit where Frank Matich crashed, it was open to competitors, press etc and the wives of drivers and officials would prepare snacks for all.

And Best Western champagne was poured regularly too. The elderly couple I spent much time with in the latter days of the circuit were most gracious and generous.

It was sad when Sid had shingles. He was in a bad state, he said to me that he wanted to go and visit Dr Nitschke in Darwin.

But in better times he was more expansive. At one time talking about extending the circuit so that it came past the VIP Room and then turned left about where the Dunlop Bridge was, took a loop up beside the big farm dam and then returned at Hungry. He also talked about putting in an airstrip.

But that was all in the sixties, thirty and more years earlier. I recall Bill Patterson one night talking about the airstrip, "He says he's going to put it over the back somewhere, but everything's going to be over the back somewhere."

My first visit to Sid's circuit was in February, 1964. For several years I went to two or three meetings a year. From Sydney. I once went to a meeting at Lakeside the same day there was one on at Oran Park.

A far cry from Strathpine, isn't it?

Shingles, something I would not wish on anyone. I have had it twice, severely in my teens and not very severely last year. I had always been of the opinion you could not have it twice,,WRONG!

A friend had it at 70, 2 years later he still had symptons. Finally gone now.

[cooper997]

At the moment the biggest clue towards dating the Cooper Jaguar photos is possibly the car 103 Jim Johnson MG TC Special photo that Luke Manton added to social media closely aligned with putting up the C-J photos.

 

Jim is shown in August 56 Sports Cars and Specials at the 26/5/56 MGCCQld Strathpine meeting as car 103. This 'report' has 2 other photos, but precious little in written info to help confirm whether the C-J was there. If it's not that Strathpine then perhaps the 5/5/56 event might come into the equation. That is another reported in the 8/56 SC&S over 3 pages, but again more pictorial than text based.

 

John Aldis is shown in the same magazine and indeed the July 56 AMS reports for 3/6/56 Lowood. The same photo used in both, as car 22 and credited to The Courier Mail (perhaps ironic given the current CJ owner is ex Courier Mail owner).

 

I can only assume that Bathurst's Mr Medley saw the car in the colour scheme be describes when he was still in short pants at the 30/9/56 Bathurst meeting. But my suspicion from the Lowood, Courier Mail photo is that the car is the blue as shown in the Manton posted social media photos posted here by Mark. With the exception of the grille (appears easily removed) and number of 22 v 11, it looks like two successive weekends by NSW's John Aldis in Qld is possible.

 

The trove (Courier Mail) experts might find something newspaper related to get this over the line.

 

 

Stephen

[MarkBisset]

 Cripes, you have fitted a lot of information into few words, wish I could do that! 
 

So Frank Moore owned The Courier Mail Stephen? 
 

I’ll have a Trove on the weekend and see wot nuggets are there.

 

Tony Parkinson and Ian McDonald gave me a swag of info just as the Wet Market entrepreneurs got their Covid 19 Dim Sims into the supply chain, I really must finish that piece before this seasons brew hits the market mid-January 

[cooper997]

Mark, would have been less words had I found the correct answer.

 

There will be many others better informed than me, but as I understand it Frank's car collection was built from the Qld Courier Mail (and/or its sale to the publishing juggernauts).

 

 

Stephen

[MarkBisset]

 

Stephen mentioned this post above

 

Jim Johnson, MG TC Spl at Strathpine in 1956 (Luke  Manton Collection)

Edited by MarkBisset, 31 October 2020 - 10:04.

[Swampy]

Mal Spiden from MGCC Qld has recently completed a history of motor racing in Queensland, including Strathpine. I can’t seem to find it on the web at the moment. Here is a link from the MGCCQ page about the Strathpine races
https://www.mgccq.org.au/nostalgia3