39 replies to this topic

[ellrosso]

Aust Motorsport Hall of Fame member, John Harvey, unfortunately has terminal lung cancer. His family issued a statement on Speedcafe yesterday of his condition. Very sad news for the motorsport community here in Australia.

There will no doubt be more information in the motorsport media next week.

[Ray Bell]

"Such a good-looking young man..."

 

Roughly, that statement came from the book, The Rise and Fall of Peter Brock. It was about John Harvey, who was describing the aftermath of his 1968 Bathurst crash. The sentence ended, "...a shame he won't make it through the night."

 

John was in a bad way. He'd lost a lot of skin apart from everything else, and now he could hear - as he lay there supposedly unconscious - a nurse saying he was at death's door. He wasn't going to give in just like that, he was going to make it no matter what they thought.

 

And he did, and he had a fine racing career for another twenty or so years.

 

Sadly, I know only too well how his present position is nothing like that he faced in 1968. Lung cancer is such an ugly way to go.

 

I'm sure others have happier stories to relate about this Champion of Speedway and Road Racing, stories more befitting someone bedecked with the flower garlands of Symmons Plains after winning the final round of the Australian Sports Car Championship in Bob Jane's McLaren-Repco.

[brucemoxon]

Last night at 8:45 sadly our Dad John Francis Harvey passed away peacefully with his family by his side. Most people will have fond memories of Dad's amazing racing career & the great memories of him will live on forever. To us he was much more, a wonderful husband, father, grandfather & great grandfather, supporting all of us whenever we needed his guidance & love.

What a life he has lived travelling the world racing with and against the best in the business, always a true gentleman. We all know his most proudest achievement was us. We will dearly miss him but we know the time was right.

John Francis Harvey OAM 21-2-1938 -05-12-2020

[Ray Bell]

Certainly someone who'll be missed...

 

I saw his first road race, in fact I saw his first several road races. I was also there when he stepped into an open-wheeler for the first time at a road race meeting. He was quick from the beginning, always as competitive as the machinery allowed.

 

An Australian Champion in a couple of categories, he earned his place in our racing history.

[Lola5000]

Certainly someone who'll be missed...

 

I saw his first road race, in fact I saw his first several road races. I was also there when he stepped into an open-wheeler for the first time at a road race meeting. He was quick from the beginning, always as competitive as the machinery allowed.

 

An Australian Champion in a couple of categories, he earned his place in our racing history.

RIP a very brave quality racer ,who was so loyal as hired gun driver to other great Australian racers.

[Wirra]

 

Bill Pearson's wonderful image of John Harvey.

 

 

Wet Japan - McLaren.

Apologies - photographer unknown to me.

Edited by Wirra, 06 December 2020 - 05:10.

[TerryS]

Very sad to hear that he has passed away. A great person

[MarkBisset]

 

 

Most amazing versatile pro and sportsman

 

GM Sunracer, Adelaide November 1987

[lyntonh]

[GMiranda]

 

Last night at 8:45 sadly our Dad John Francis Harvey passed away peacefully with his family by his side. Most people will have fond memories of Dad's amazing racing career & the great memories of him will live on forever. To us he was much more, a wonderful husband, father, grandfather & great grandfather, supporting all of us whenever we needed his guidance & love.

What a life he has lived travelling the world racing with and against the best in the business, always a true gentleman. We all know his most proudest achievement was us. We will dearly miss him but we know the time was right.

John Francis Harvey OAM 21-2-1938 -05-12-2020

 

My deepest condolences, I spoke with him sometimes on Facebook, he was one of my first contacts when I turned my account into a professional tool for research.

[Andrew Fellowes]

He was very keen to see that race car histories were not misrepresented and I'm very grateful for the phone calls we had, they were very enjoyable.

Condolences to his family & friends.

[GreenMachine]

Sad news indeed, RIP John.  My fondest memories of him are in the Mini, and then the 1.5 Brabham which he drove to great effect.

 

Condolences to his family and friends.

[Ray Bell]

Some pics I got, please forgive the quality...

 

Mini at Catalina Park. July 1965, just seven months after he commenced road racing in this car and he was matching and sometimes beating Foley and Manton.

 

First day in the Brabham. Practice day at Lakeside, November 1965. He would trail Geoghegan and Cusack in the race, but lap times were nearly identical and there were no gaps between them.

 

Somewhere I have a photo of Peter Molloy crouched down talking to him before he went out onto the circuit.

 

Dream unrealised. With the Jane team preparing and developing this car, Harvey could well have been in contention again for the Gold Star. Instead it was put away after just two appearances.
 

And I came across him at Phillip Island when he was there to drive a little Brabham in Historics. Certainly as Andrew says, not misrepresenting history, he was having a ball.

[cooper997]

24 January 1965 Calder - second circuit racing outing for John, in the still Almond Green / OEW R C Phillips Austin Cooper S.

 

 

He did a lot for Australian motor racing and specialist Aussie car manufacturing over many years.

 

My condolences to John's family and friends.

 

 

Stephen

 

 

 

[cooper997]

John's early circuit racing success with the Cooper S was quickly noted by those in power. He was ushered into the BMC (Australia) 10 driver works team for the October assault on the 1965 Bathurst Armstrong 500. He was paired with John French for a run in one of the 3 Cooper S (there was a Mini De Luxe and Morris Cooper also). Problem was the wheel literally fell off the 25C entry when Frenchie was driving and John Harvey didn't get a steer.

 

Happier times are shown in BMC Rosette after Johnny Harvey (as he was usually known in the early days) took victory of the 10 lap Event 3 (All) BMC Mini race at December 1965's Warwick Farm meeting. All smiles from Peter Molloy, JH and AARC's Dan MacFarlane

 

cooper997 collection

 

If anybody reading has any spare BMC Rosette papers please let me know, I'd like to fill some gaps.

 

 

Stephen

 

 

[ellrosso]

John Harvey RIP. I have been a JH fan since 1969 and have seen him race many times over the years.  I was lucky enough to meet him at Eastern Creek Historics a few years back, sitting with his old mate Kevin Bartlett and soaking up the atmosphere.

Two good Aussie blokes still loving their Motorsport.

I always thought John was under rated, maybe the 1968 Bathurst crash took a bit out of him, maybe 5% or something, who knows. Sounds like he was fearless on the Speedway, in the Cooper S and the F2 Brabham in the mid 60's before the crash, according to Peter Molloy. I will post some of the cars John raced in two lots and I won't cover all of them as there are too many! Hopefully it give an overview of his versatility.

[MCS]

Sad news, indeed.  But I am curious about the second picture in post #6 – unfamiliar crash helmet, unless it’s Ulf Norinder’s ?

[Ray Bell]

Lindsay...

 

Bevan Gibson and John Sawyer were tending the BT11A that day.

[lyntonh]

 

Sad news, indeed.  But I am curious about the second picture in post #6 – unfamiliar crash helmet, unless it’s Ulf Norinder’s ?

 

His usual helmet for a few years after the end of 1969.

Edited by lyntonh, 08 December 2020 - 20:47.

[cooper997]

As has become the normal in these Covid times with webcasting...

 

 

https://tobinbrother...M/obituary.html

Funeral notice for John Francis Harvey OAM

The funeral service for John Francis Harvey OAM will be held at Hyatt Place, 1 English Street , Essendon Fields on Wednesday 16th December 2020 at 1pm . ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

The Funeral Service for John Francis Harvey OAM will be Webcast live on Wednesday 16 December 2020 with a service commencing at 1pm (local time) To view the Webcast please ensure you are using Google Chrome as your internet browser, or the latest updated version of your preferred browser. If you have the page/screen open for a period of time prior to the streaming commencing, once the digital count down clock gets down to zero, please refresh your page by clicking on the icon semi-circle arrow in the top left hand of your screen, to re-set the tribute page and the streaming. The streaming will commence shortly after your page has been refreshed.

 

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

On behalf of John Ellacott

 

Easter 1966 Bathurst meeting, John Harvey Brabham BT14 across the top of Mt Panorama.

John Ellacott photo

 

 

 

Stephen

[cooper997]

Monday, 4 March 1968, John splashes around Longford in the old Brabham BT11A Repco-ised warhorse. Placed between Mountford property gates and the viaduct.

 

cooper997 collection

 

 

Stephen

[Lola5000]

On behalf of John Ellacott

 

Easter 1966 Bathurst meeting, John Harvey Brabham BT14 across the top of Mt Panorama.

John Ellacott photo

 

 

 

Stephen

The ex Bib Stillwell F2 Brabham that Bib won the F2 championship in 1965,which John raced also in historics 

[ellrosso]

As promised, some more shots of the cars John raced over the years, some doubling up on previous posts but I'm pretty sure they are pics TNF'rs haven't seen before. Also Ray, I was referring to the period Peter Molloy was looking after John's cars rather than the Bathurst meeting John had his accident - apologies if that wasn't clear. Interestingly, Peter saw John as maybe too aggressive in those early road racing days in the Cooper S and 1.5 Brabham. I always remember him as silky smooth from '69 onwards. I can't even recall him having a spin or unforced error... maybe because he was driving other people's cars - he never owned a race car himself.

[Wirra]

His Speedway days.

 

When you look back on it, a risky activity for a chap with a young family.

 

[Lee Nicolle]

His Speedway days.

 

When you look back on it, a risky activity for a chap with a young family.

 

The Mackay Offy.

[GeoffR]

Given the range of different cars, from speed cars to open wheelers to sports cars to sports sedans to touring cars, that he raced (mainly for Bob Jane) he would have to be rated as one of the most versatile race car drivers that Australia has seen. Always liked his quote in one of Bill Tuckey's Bathurst books after retiring on top of the mountain, 'I hit a rock, but it was just a small one'! In my opinion one of the most underrated race car drivers we have seen, and I can remember him winning the 1975(?) ATCC round at Symons Plains in the local B&D Autos L34 against all the other hot shots.

[Ray Bell]

He was pretty much 'between drives' at that time..

 

The win in the opening ATCC race at Symmons Plains in 1976 was good for him and at the end of that year he joined the Holden Dealer Team.

[Wirra]

John was on the scene to extricate Bob Jane from the Mustang at Catalina.

 

 

ref: here

Edited by Wirra, 11 December 2020 - 04:19.

[Ray Bell]

That was the beginning of their close friendship...

 

Bob never forgot that.

[MarkBisset]

GeoffR got it in one, Harves has to get our ‘Mario Andretti Versatility’ award

 

Wonderful photos all, a swag of beauties from Lindsay

 

 

If only...Castrol priorities it’s said sidelined the Bowin P8 Repco

 

F5000 needed another topliner at the time and John Joyce needed a team like Bob Jane to develop a car John Harvey has positive things to say about in the McGirr book

 

If only...

[Ray Bell]

That's right...

 

This is the car which led the 1975 AGP until water got into the electrics, all the while suffering from shortcomings of an engine change and the lack of resources caused by being run by a real 'privateer'.

 

Harvey's experience and John Sheppard's abilities to get to the bottom of things would have found the inherent chassis weakness quickly and made it a real flyer.

[cooper997]

Aprill 1966 SCW covers the early John Harvey speedway and racing days by Bill Tuckey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen

 

 

[MarkBisset]

Thanks Stephen,

l’ve not seen that article, doesn’t he write beautifully?

Mark

[cooper997]

Mark, there are days when trying to cobble something together for the MCR, that Bill's ability to knock out a feature would be very handy.

 

 

I assume there might be a few around TNF that visited the address on this advert to buy, or simply drool...

 

 

 

Stephen

[MarkBisset]

 

 

apropos Stephen’s post 

 

[Ray Bell]

Yes, I called in at R C Phillips' Sports Car World...

 

Just up the hill from Robert Muir Motors.

[TerryS]

Yes, I called in at R C Phillips' Sports Car World...

 

Just up the hill from Robert Muir Motors.

It is interesting that RC Phillips Pty Ltd is still operating, but now as a Construction Equipment dealer.

[GreenMachine]

Me too. I don't want to take this topic seriously OT and therefore suggest a new topic "sportscar sales yards I have known " encompassing SCW and Leo and Big Pete's places etc. I'm indisposed so I will leave it to someone else to action this any way they choose. Iwill contributein due course

[cooper997]

July 65 Oran Park programme shows John Harvey Austin Cooper S and George Garth ex Geoghegan Cortina GT during battle at the previous 2 May 1965 OP meeting.

 

 

 

Stephen