12 replies to this topic

[Llandowhistoricmotorsport]

I am looking for any photographs or Cine footage of motorsport at St Athan or Llandow between 1958-60’s.
I am 4-5 years into my Llandow archive and museum collection and I am hoping for any help with the above period.
Thankyou all as always.

[Rupertlt1]

Autosport, 20 May 1960, Page 679

Gilbern Gran Turismo on test at Llandow.

 

18 September 1960, Swansea M.C., sprint, Llandow airfield

The week before the hill climb at Castel Farm.

 

Easter Monday, 30 March 1964, Hagley D.L.C.C. and South Wales A.C., racing. Llandow, near Cardiff.

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 10 September 2024 - 07:10.

[Salsin]

If I remember correctly, the Welsh Rally in 1966 finished at Llandow with a thrash round the circuit. I have 6 pics taken of cars in the finish assembly car park - competitors, officials (damaged Anglia!) and works teams' service barges. If my memory is correct and these would be of interest, please let me know.

Regards,

Mike Dodman

[Llandowhistoricmotorsport]

I would love to see those photos!
Yes Llandow was the final stage of the Welsh, they had 10 laps; after driving with a navigator the whole way through various stages; they raced Llandow solo.
Most wouldn’t pay attention to how many laps they’d done so the navigators would stick 10 strips of tape to be removed one by one.
I’m told some guys did 11 laps by mistake after forgetting to remove the tape.
You’re welcome to email the images if that’s easier, my email is :
Llandowhistoricmotorsport@gmail.com

If I remember correctly, the Welsh Rally in 1966 finished at Llandow with a thrash round the circuit. I have 6 pics taken of cars in the finish assembly car park - competitors, officials (damaged Anglia!) and works teams' service barges. If my memory is correct and these would be of interest, please let me know.
Regards,
Mike Dodman

[Salsin]

Hello, Pics sent to you by email.

Mike Dodman.

[BRG]

Any chance of posting them for the rest of us to see?

 

Pretty please?

[Salsin]

Welsh Rally 1966. My pics taken at the final stage at Llandow. I didn't have a zoom lens then (only 21) so concentrated on "paddock"-type shots instead.

 

 

Jerry Larsson - who came 3rd.

 

 

 

J.T. Evans - Cooper 'S'

 

 

I was really trying to capture the sparks flying but I believe this is the Richard Hudson-Evans car.

 

 

Rootes team service car.

 

 

Triumph team service car.

 

 

 

I captioned this in my archives as "Officials damage their cars too."

 

Enjoy - hope these bring back memories for some of you.

Mike Dodman

[Rupertlt1]

Fram Welsh International Rally, S.W.A.C., 9th-11th December 1966, start/finish Cardiff

1. #15 Ford Cortina Lotus, Tony Chappell/Barrie Llewellyn

2. #2 Triumph 2000, Roy Fidler/Alan Taylor

3. #4 Austin Cooper S, registration S26818, Jerry Larsson/Lars Lundblad

4. Ford Cortina Lotus, registration KPU 380C, Brian Melia/G. Davies

5. #7 Hillman Rallye Imp, Andrew Cowan/B. Coyle

Final stage at Llandow run in reverse direction, 10-laps, near Bridgend.

Fram Filters Ltd., were based at Treforest.

Tony Chappell was from Cardiff. Was it MJH 120C?

These photographs dated 11 December.

Triumph 2000, AHP 424B was in the same range as the rally cars from 1964:

https://library.revs...ac-rally/421648

Triumph 2000, AHP 424B was #23 Thuner/Gretener on the 1965 R.A.C. Rally.

Relegated to life as a service barge.

What is the flying A sticker on the rear of #31?

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 19 September 2024 - 07:19.

[BRG]

 

Triumph team service car.

Thank you for posting these shots, Mike.  I imagine the first shot, the Swedish registered Cooper S must be Jerry Larrson/Lars Lundblad at #4.  Mini #31 might be John Evans (there is a blurry sticker on the front wing) who was rallying a Mini at that level in 1966.   

 

I really liked the shots of the two service cars. 

 

In 1973, I serviced on the Welsh for a friend, a privateer running at no 61  By then, we had a Triumph 2.5pi estate car,    which shows how quickly things had moved on in rallying - the factory teams had large vans at their disposal!  My friend retired with a broken gear-box and we had no spare so that was that.

[RS2000]

Jerry Larrson's white/black Cooper S was works prepared and had works service support on the UK Internationals he did. Photos exist of it being attended to on the 66 Gulf by a works Westminster "barge", despite the Gulf at that time not being recognised by the SMMT for "works" participation. It was reported to have been parked at the end of the 66 Scottish with a cryptic note on the screen to BMC Comps : "Prepare for Gulf".

Graham Hill's 66 RAC works Cooper S GRX309D was "borrowed" by Tony Fall for the 66 Welsh (held shortly after the 66 RAC, despite the books of both Peter Browning and Bill Price saying otherwise), presumably with a new gearbox and probably a different engine with a different cam, chasing the British Championship, which went to Roy Fidler. 

Fall put that car off at "Grimshaw's Bend" on Epynt and photos of it were sought (and still are) to show this 3rd GRX309D was damaged enough to be retired from use. The 67 Sebring saloon race car with that reg (to comply with export paperwork) was new (again contrary to the statement that "we converted one of our Group 2 rally cars"). 

 

I have some photos I took from the paddock of the "Avenger GT Group One race" at the end of the 76 Welsh but despair of ever being able to post them here. I was servicing a Gp1 Avenger on that event, having driven in 72 and 73 and co-driven in 74. It was compulsory to start the "race" to be classified as a finisher but you didn't have to finish it, so walking wounded could complete one lap and pull off.

[BRG]

....despite the Gulf at that time not being recognised by the SMMT for "works" participation. It was reported to have been parked at the end of the 66 Scottish with a cryptic note on the screen to BMC Comps : "Prepare for Gulf".

 

What was that about?  What had the SMMT got to do with rallying?  Just a little before my time!

[RS2000]

The SMMT had a committee (on which Marcus Chambers, ex-BMC and then Rootes Comps Manager sat at that time) that apparently operated a sort of cartel decision on which international events the UK manufacturers could advertise their results in the media. I think that's why you saw works cars entered on the Scottish most years when it was not in the top rank. When the Gulf became an international in 65, after having its name on the London national in 64, there seems to have been an outbreak of indignation at a company name being in the title. UK of course didn't have advertising on cars even on internationals until 1968. I'm not sure whether the last Gulf (68) was finally brought in from the cold. From 65 to 67 works drivers "borrowed" works cars to enter the Gulf as "private" entries. There were varying degrees of compliance. BMC seemed to sail close to the wind with Westminsters lurking along the route but Ford played it by the book (and lost both the Clark and Elford cars to broken diffs in 66 because of no service cars).

[BRG]

Thanks, I had not heard about that rather restrictive practice before.  I note that Fram Filters only got added to the Welsh from 1966 and Gallahers to the Circuit of  Ireland from 1967 which is presumably connected to this.