44 replies to this topic

[SJ Lambert]

Thunder, lightning and rain brought proceedings to a halt mid morning for today’s Friday practice



Thankfully, things cleared up this arvo.

[Ray Bell]

That looks a lot like a Brabham... or maybe a Dolphin?

I didn't think it was legal to have removable steering wheels in those years?

[SJ Lambert]

I think it’s Andrew Robson, 1969 BT30.

That may be so, but even Elmo has a removable steering wheel in the pipeline/on the to do list - Ron has told me that he wants one fitted to allow speedier egress in the case of emergency - we’ll make a whole new column & I’m going to ask my preferred steering boss manufacturer to supply a boss to the existing Elfin steering wheel pcd

Edited by SJ Lambert, 25 October 2019 - 11:28.

[Lee Nicolle]

I have used quick release wheels for probably 15 years. Makes getting in and out a lot easier as I become less flexible. And in the tintop a damned site easier to work under the dash as well. Though the intrusion bars are a pain and I only have a single one per side as it is just too hard to get out  quickly without literally hurting my sciatica.

And James, I agree with your dad. I doubt I could get into that little low car at all. And if I did a real problem getting out.

Though playing incident vehicle 40 years ago I got stuck in a Vee as we towed it back.

Though I have driven a Vee and a FF  in private practice since then. Both set up for smaller blokes. While fun I could never race one. These days probably not even one that fits me!

Edited by Lee Nicolle, 25 October 2019 - 11:26.

[10kDA]

 

And James, I agree with your dad. I doubt I could get into that little low car at all. And if I did a real problem getting out.

Though playing incident vehicle 40 years ago I got stuck in a Vee as we towed it back.

Though I have driven a Vee and a FF  in private practice since then. Both set up for smaller blokes. While fun I could never race one. These days probably not even one that fits me!

Heard from an elderly gliding acquaintance (I call him elderly because he's older than me) re: the reclined seating position of gliders: "I can get in & out without TOO much trouble... once I'm in, the biggest problem is where to put the cane."

[SJ Lambert]

Getting into the Mono is pretty easy, I “slide” in with elbows up so as to not crack the screen - I can get out pretty fast, but tend to bruise my knees when trying to be super fast as it’s a two stage process that involves wedging/bracing the knees with “upward” pressure on the fuel filler tube in order to be able to get my hands on the rear flat section of the shoulder rest to do a press raise as the final stage.

If I don’t “creep” rearward enough on the initial “knee jamb” stage then getting my right leg past/through the gear lever and steering wheel gap can be tricky.

[Lola5000]

Andrew Robson BT30 ex Chris Farrell,are they still allowing the BT31 formula one (sic) to enter and run as a 3.0 litre car?

[cooper997]

I caught up with Donald Capps and Mark Bisset on Tuesday night and was meant to catch up again at Sandown today. but we never crossed paths.

 

Unfortunately Donald (and the rest of us) experienced Melbourne's'4 seasons in one day at Sandown and surrounds. A shocker, sorry Don! Safe trip back to the US tomorrow.

 

Stephen

Edited by cooper997, 26 October 2019 - 05:48.

[cooper997]

I was just having a flick through the Sandown programme and stumbled upon an advert for a new Elfin book. Clearly James has had his head buried in Elfin Mono twin cam misfirings too much to tell us about this tome. Quoted at a mere 704 pages and 5 kilos and looks like art in the sample pages..A couple of editions have artwork prices it appears also.

https://elfinspiritofspeed.com.au/

 

Stephen

[Lola5000]

I was just having a flick through the Sandown programme and stumbled upon an advert for a new Elfin book. Clearly James has had his head buried in Elfin Mono twin cam misfirings too much to tell us about this tome. Quoted at a mere 704 pages and 5 kilos and looks like art in the sample pages..A couple of editions have artwork prices it appears also.

https://elfinspiritofspeed.com.au/

 

Stephen

Ta for the heads up on this one .Had a lot of fun with my Mono #6441.

[cooper997]

The race programme also has a page about the Victorian Historic Racing Register's new 'The Patrick Ryan Trophy' and tribute by Greg Smith. The trophy, as suggested by TNF member and PRAD Holden competitor, Shane Bowden.

 

With it to be presented on the basis as follows "This trophy will be awarded to the entrant, not necessarily the winner, but deemed to have competed in the true spirit of historic racing."

 

The Ryan fleet consisted of Patrick's MG special with Conor having a steer, Elgaram Jaguar for John Noble and Daveric Formula Vee for Joshua Lowing.

 

 

Stephen

[SJ Lambert]

I was just having a flick through the Sandown programme and stumbled upon an advert for a new Elfin book. Clearly James has had his head buried in Elfin Mono twin cam misfirings too much to tell us about this tome. Quoted at a mere 704 pages and 5 kilos and looks like art in the sample pages..A couple of editions have artwork prices it appears also.
https://elfinspiritofspeed.com.au/
 
Stephen

The book looks sensational! (Admittedly, I’m somewhat biased, having shot some of the artwork myself, along with others, including my dear departed uncle Nick Munting!!)

I’m also pleased to report that after months of chasing an electrical problem in 6653, I’ve fallen for the ol’
“90% of fuel problems are electrical” routine! At 5pm on Saturday arvo Andrew Makin helped me diagnose a stuffed fuel pump!

[E1pix]

At $16 per pound, that book is a real deal.

Looks spectacular!

(one does wonder how many ounces of photos came from our man James) :-)

[Lola5000]

Just ordered the Elfin book.

 

Re the meeting what is with Sports Sedans and HQS running and of course the regularity cars by large numbers ,gone are the days of pure historic.

 

The fields are down in the norm historic groups,I can understand why in M and O why would you bother running against at least one car with a fat motor .

 

While I no longer have a Elfin or a Brabham or any interest in running or owning a car (more then enough coin to buy and run) I for one would not run against a cheat with outrageous claims about a car and the gall to run and enter it as a incorrect capacity car.

 

Is Australain historics now a free for all ................run what size motor you like ? And just confuse and con with lies .

[SJ Lambert]

At $16 per pound, that book is a real deal.
Looks spectacular!
(one does wonder how many ounces of photos came from our man James) :-)

Well, the shot at the bottom of this screen grab, of John Bowe in his 792, is one of mine, for a start!

[SJ Lambert]

I’ve just learnt that Bob Harborow has flipped his McLaren M6 late yesterday afternoon, apparently he’s fine. I have no idea of the car’s condition.....

[Ray Bell]

That doesn't sound like fun...

And I don't suppose he's going to take another car out today as a substitute?

[cooper997]

Good to hear you've found the Mono misfiring fault James.

 

Clearly yesterday was a big headache for the organisers to maintain schedules with delay due to incidents. Early afternoon there was an hour or thereablouts delay when armco required replacing. Sitting in the scrutineering area afterwards was a very broken, front impacted Royale RP37 (R Sports category) - hopefully Graeme Hughes is ok

 

Stephen.

[cooper997]

John Harvey is Patron for this meeting.

 

John having come into the Holden Dealer Team during their phase of using these 4 door LX Toranas. Although he was quite familiar with the LC style Torana (shown in green) when he raced the Bob Jane Racing Team XU1 that ended up with a Repco Brabham V8.

 

 

(obviously shown here with Peter Brock signage, but JH probably drove this one also. I'll leave it to the HDT experts to confirm)

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

Look... then look again. It's not quite what it appears.

 

I didn't seek out the detail, but it appears to be an approximate 3/4 scale Ford Falcon XB Coupe. No doubt they'll be few cashed up Ford tragics wanting one in Moffat livery or the XC version of same.

 

 

Stephen

[brucemoxon]

John Harvey is Patron for this meeting.

 

John having come into the Holden Dealer Team during their phase of using these 4 door LX Toranas. Although he was quite familiar with the LC style Torana (shown in green) when he raced the Bob Jane Racing Team XU1 that ended up with a Repco Brabham V8.

 

 

(obviously shown here with Peter Brock signage, but JH probably drove this one also. I'll leave it to the HDT experts to confirm)

 

Stephen

 

 

No, John never raced this car; few people did. It was the second car at Sandown and Bathurst in 1977, driven by Charlie O'Brien and Wayne Negus. Brock drove it at Sandown in February 1978 on his return to the HDT, but the car was parked once Brock's new hatchback was finished. It got sold and used as a road car for a very long time.

 

BM

[SJ Lambert]

Elmo cozies up to Team Wright for the M & O brekky bbq!

 

[SJ Lambert]

The 600 Alfa over in the sheds

 

[cooper997]

Mark Bisset has sent through this photo of Donald Capps with John Medley - trying to stay out of the fickle weather in Sandown's grandstand.

 

Donald reminds us that TNF turns 20 this week.

 

Stephen

Edited by cooper997, 27 October 2019 - 09:44.

[cooper997]

Evolution of the Monaro species.

 

Just 3 years seperate these popular Holden's. For those outside of Australia or NZ the yellow example owned by a TNF member is the original 1968 HK 327 model and raced by Paul Hawkins and Bill Brown at the 1968 Bathurst 500 as part of David McKay's 3 car squad. The silver example is from 1971-73 HQ model production.

 

 

Stephen

[Charlieman]

From 12 hours round the globe, thanks for the photos and best wishes to everyone participating or helping out. It looks rather cloudy but it's seriously wet over here, as one might expect for the time of year!

[Tim Murray]

Donald reminds us that TNF turns 20 this week.

We’ll be celebrating our 20th anniversary on the 12th or 13th November, depending on where you are in the world.

[2Bob]

 "front impacted Royale RP37 (R Sports category) - hopefully Graeme Hughes is ok"

 

Any further news?

[john medley]

I would like to pass on to Mark Bissett (of Primotipo) my thanks for introducing me at Sandown to Don Capps and Tony Lupton. We four had a particularly pleasurable perhaps wide-ranging conversation about history and historians in the motor racing milieu. It was good to meet, it was good to share, but of course there is never enough time. Weather was appalling, as the pic above implies-- not least as I wore shorts. The pic cannot convey how much I enjoyed that brief time. Thanks Mark.

[cooper997]

Just to show Melbourne's 4 season's in a day. Here's about all the sun we got and that wasn't that long after a down pour. It was the wind that was the biggest annoyance to me.

 

The Toranas, well they were out in force. The white A9X hatchback is subject to a feature in issue #112 Australian Muscle Car mag.

 

 

 

and to respond to 2bob, I'm not aware of how Graeme Hughes is after the Royale crash on Saturday. Hopefully someone else knows.

 

Stephen

[SJ Lambert]

Peter Weaver has kindly granted permission for his sequence of the Harborow rollover to be reproduced here














Photos by Peter Weaver Motorsport Photography

Edited by SJ Lambert, 29 October 2019 - 08:14.

[cooper997]

Looks like Robert Wilson came out of this with a little bit of luck on his side persanally. But the same can't be said for his car.

 

Thanks to Peter and James for the sequence.

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

Shane Bowden has kindly forwarded this photo of Kath and Conor Ryan with the first recpient awarded 'The Patrick Ryan Trophy' - E T 'Charlie' Mitchell.

 

 

 

Stephen

[john medley]

Well done Charlie.

 

Well done all those instrumental in creating this lovely trophy recalling as it does one of our favourite people. Kath and Conor are just two, but add Whitey, Shane, John, Ian, and more. Well done, folks.

[Lee Nicolle]

Just ordered the Elfin book.

 

Re the meeting what is with Sports Sedans and HQS running and of course the regularity cars by large numbers ,gone are the days of pure historic.

 

The fields are down in the norm historic groups,I can understand why in M and O why would you bother running against at least one car with a fat motor .

 

While I no longer have a Elfin or a Brabham or any interest in running or owning a car (more then enough coin to buy and run) I for one would not run against a cheat with outrageous claims about a car and the gall to run and enter it as a incorrect capacity car.

 

Is Australain historics now a free for all ................run what size motor you like ? And just confuse and con with lies .

 

Rob, While I understand your feelings re this this would hardly be the first 'fat' engine used in historics and some were fat even in their day. But  unless you won regularly you never got checked. Often pure economics, a milder bigger engine is cheaper to build and run. 

OR EB Falcons acid dipped and lighter. Yet those cars were still allowed to run.

Harry Firth pushed legalities often.

Though the car you are complaining about should be checked by CAMS and the b/s being talked about thye car should not be allowed.

It is damned hard to get a log book for historics so how does this pile of rubbish get one?

 

Also with 'Harves' as patron I actually had a John Harvey clip come up on You Tube in the last couple of days,,, speedcar driver who went 'legit' with several teams, Bob Jane and HDT the most obvious.

Excellent operator for a long time in a large variety of cars. The pics in the Mackay Offy was the start and the HDT Bombadores towards the end.

And the pic in the Bob Jane Sports car racing underwater [well nearly] in Japan

[Lee Nicolle]

Peter Weaver has kindly granted permission for his sequence of the Harborow rollover to be reproduced here














Photos by Peter Weaver Motorsport Photography

A couple of very nice cars damaged. Both appear to be mostly cosmetic  but a lot of work and money to get them right again.

Appears 23 half spun and got hit by the 117, And tipped over . And turn 1 is quite a fast place so it happens very quickly.

[SJ Lambert]

Shane Bowden has kindly forwarded this photo of Kath and Conor Ryan with the first recpient awarded 'The Patrick Ryan Trophy' - E T 'Charlie' Mitchell.
 

 
 
Stephen

The gorgeously crafted “tiramisu” trophy!

[yasmin]

Is Bob Ok...?????

[Lola5000]

Rob, While I understand your feelings re this this would hardly be the first 'fat' engine used in historics and some were fat even in their day. 

 

 

Though the car you are complaining about should be checked by CAMS and the b/s being talked about thye car should not be allowed.

It is damned hard to get a log book for historics so how does this pile of rubbish get one?

 

 

Hi Lee,its just not correct ,the car is even entered as 3,000cc when all know its a Tasman 2.5 litre car ,should have its log book removed,engine cover is incorrect as are I suspect the heads .

 

The owner will tell anyone within listening distance its a F1 car ,ye well FT200 gearbox,size of the car ect ect .in fact the engine is Tasman the F1 engines of a different spec re heads.

 

What it is is the last Brabham to run a V8 Repco nothing more nothing less.

 

Grubs cheat ,Gentleman race fair.

[cooper997]

Is Bob Ok...?????

Yasmin, Best I can offer is that in post 16 of this thread, James Lambert has "apparently he's fine."

 

Stephen

[SJ Lambert]

David Crabtree was teasing him the following morning about having joined him in the “arse up” club!!

[DCapps]

I thoroughly enjoyed my outing at Sandown Park. That Tony Lupton was gracious and kind enough to make it happen is something for which I cannot thank him enough. After meeting Stephen at dinner with Mark on Tuesday evening, I am sorry that we somehow managed to miss each on Saturday. It was great to meet and spend time with you, Stephen -- I was impressed. As ever, my many thanks as well to Mark for both the great conversation at dinner, but the time spent at Sandown. Not to mention the really interesting presentation at the AHA conference on the Repco 860. It certain got my attention as well as that of others at the conference. It was a great delight to have a good chat with John, with it ranging over the many issues relating to motor sport history and culture. As he clearly states, we could have gone on for much, much, much longer. It was a delight to meet so many people at the meeting and put names to faces, not to mention to seeing the cars. Tony and I were very disappointed not to be able do the parade lap around the circuit -- which is something I was really looking forward to, of course -- but it was a nice gesture to let one of Pat Ryan's buses take a lap (I think that Daniel was as the wheel). It was nice to meet Conor as well, but Patrick's absence was often quite palpable. All in all, despite the weather, a Grand Outing.

Edited by DCapps, 31 October 2019 - 21:17.

[john medley]

Your presence and conversations really appreciated, Don. Please come back again.

 

However, I take immense pleasure in editing and correcting your work (old school teachers still mark learners' work! In your last sentence you mean, not "palatable", but "palpable"-- and I agree with the sentiment

[DCapps]

Your presence and conversations really appreciated, Don. Please come back again.

 

However, I take immense pleasure in editing and correcting your work (old school teachers still mark learners' work! In your last sentence you mean, not "palatable", but "palpable"-- and I agree with the sentiment

 

AAAAAGH!!!!!!! No excuse, complete brain fade.

[ken devine]

Well done Charlie Mitchell. We certainly miss seeing you and the mighty TS competing in WA.