169 replies to this topic

[Jaxs]

Paul Hawkins, drove a GT40 with some success in the 60s/70s, from Oz, but what did happen tio him?

[Vitesse2]

Paul Hawkins died at the wheel of his Lola T70 when it hit a tree during the 1969 Tourist Trophy at Oulton Park.

He held the distinction of being one of only two drivers to go into the harbour at Monaco (Ascari was the other). Coincidentally, they both died on May 26th.

[LittleChris]

He lost it coming through Island Bend and ended up in the trees at the Esso hairpin ( Now known as Shell ). When I was first really getting into the history of the sport in 1971/2, my mum was friends with a family that had recently moved from Cheshire down to Somerset ( Counties in the UK ). It turned out that the husband in the family was a marshal that day at Oulton and he told me that there was absolutely nothing that anyone could do to rescue Hawkins, such was the intensity of the fire. He also had received an award previously for rescuing Roy Salvadori from drowning after Roy had lost it coming out of Cascades and ended up upside down in the lake. I must have looked sceptical ( I was only 8 or 9 ), but he showed me a copy of the report from Motor which showed the Marshalls from behind at the Hawkins crash and the bald patch on the back of his head exactly matched the one he showed me on the back of his head !!

[Jaxs]

Thank you, Guys.

[neville mackay]

As a newcomer to TNF, I wondered whether there has previously been any discussion of the characterful and under-rated Australian sportcar driver Paul Hawkins. Famous for crashing a Formula 1 car into the harbour at Monaco in 1965, his real talents lay in sportscars with works rides for Porsche and a spell with John Wyer. But just how good was he? Why did he leave a plum drive with JWA at the end of 1968 to run his own Lola T70 in 69? And what were the circumstances of his tragic accident at Oulton Park?

Neville Mackay

[Marcor]

Have you tried the search BB ?
I've seen a Paul Hawkins thread, from 2001.
http://www.atlasf1.c...&threadid=23670

[neville mackay]

Thanks Marc - I really must try harder to understand how these computer thingy's work! The thread referred to is a useful starting point but it is very short - reaffirming my belief that this talented driver is sadly overlooked today. I can't belive that there aren't TNF'ers out there who can't rise to this challenge!

Neville Mackay

[Bruce Moxon]

Motor Racing Australia magazine did a two-part bio on Hawkeye a while back. You can contact them at www.chevron.com.au

Bruce Moxon

[David Birchall]

I seem to remember him driving a "Works" Healey 3000 in the Targa Florio in 1964 (?) and said to be lapping faster than the GTOs until a minor ignition fault sidelined him

[Mozart]

Paul "Hawkeye" Hawkins was one of small band of "privateer" drivers who earned a living
in the sport he loved by buying a good car and living off the "start" money paid by all race organisers.

We were team mates in 1968 driving for John Wyer Guld Ford, in the GT40. Usually, I drove with Belgian wonder-boy Jacky Ickx, and Paul drove with David Hobbs.

Paul died in a fiery blaze when he crashed at Island Bend, Oulton Park, Cheshire, England in 1969. I have no doubt his Lola T70 Mk IIIB suffered suspension failure - later in the race, I crashed heavily
at Knicker Brook due to the same problem.

I remember him best for his Australian tinted remarks:

"I've gotta show Percy the porcelain"

"See me coming round that bend matey? Me arms were going up and down like a whore's drawers at
a pile-drivers picnic"!

There aren't too many "characters" around like that anymore!

Brian Redman

[Gary Davies]

Ah, Australianisms! In his autobiography, Donald Healey mentions Paul Hawkins, who worked for him for a while as a mechanic in Healey's Grosvenor Street showrooms, and includes two further delightful quotes.

Firstly, describing driving a Healey in the wet: "Just like having a bunk-up in a hammock, with roller skates on." and, upon receiving from Healey a new set of overalls: "Like Westminster Abbey - no ballroom."

[Doug Nye]

Perhaps Brian - who loved the Targa Florio - recalls 'Hawkeye's great quote there when asked "...doesn't it worry you, when you might have to choose between crashing into a rockface or crashing into people?" - and Paul, who had a wonderfully gravelly voice to accompany his heavily pocked, apparently shot-blasted bouncer's face, replied quite seriously:

"Nah... If I had to choose between a rockface or people, I'd choose people every time.

"People are MUSHY..."

DCN

[David Birchall]

I wonder if anyone can confirm or deny the report that Paul Hawkins was lapping faster than the GTOs in the 1964 Targa? I believe he was driving the car that Eoin Young later took his famous driving test in in England. Can you imagine if Bob Newhart had been the Driving Examiner:-

"Thats ok Mr Young, I can hear you if you keep it below 6000! "

No, always wear a grab handle between my teeth, it helps me concentrate"

"Whats that? You want to take that roundabout in fourth overdrive? Your kidding right? I SAID, YOUR KIDDING AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[LittleChris]

Is it true he was the son of a man of the cloth ?

If so, he sounds like he decided against following his fathers occupation fairly early on given his way with words or are all Aussie religious types that outspoken ?

[Ray Bell]

What's outspoken about that?

Doug... that is the best description I've ever read of his face.

And on the subject of choosing what to hit... once I was towing the Petticoat Hudson to Adelaide with my Austin and the brakes were somewhat troublesome. Going down Victoria Pass, the big descent of the journey, I said to my wife, "Keep an eye open for something soft to hit..."

Of course, all the caravans on the road that day had no idea they had good reason to be pleased we made it safely.

[neville mackay]

Another great example of the power of TNF! Thanks to all - especially to Brian and Doug for sharing these stories. Brian's comment about the Lola sufferring suspension failure was a new one for me - I had always swallowed the received wisdom that Hawkeye had somehow lost it on a slippery track surface as a result of driver error. I recall reading that the T70 Lola's sufferred from dodgy welding in the suspension department, but this tale is normally told in the context of Jo Bonnier's biggie at Brands. I wondered if there was more to this tale than meets the eye....

Neville Mackay

[LittleChris]

Think I've posted this before, but a friend of my mum was a marshall at Oulton that fateful day in 1969 and was one of the people who just had to stand and watch the conflagration without being able to do anything about it ( Apparently a few years earlier he'd helped drag Roy Salvadori out of the lake ).

Even though the accident started at Island, I believe the Lola ended within the trees at Esso ( Now known as Shell ).

Perhaps Mozart can confirm this as it is one of my enduring memories as a child and I''d like to know that I'm not mistaken 34 years later.

Chris

[Doug Nye]

Regarding 'Hawkeye's beauteous features I vividly recall one 1,000Kms race at Spa which was run the weekend after Gregor Grant's new magazine - 'Speedworld International' (???) the one he started after being ousted from 'Autosport' (which of course he had founded in 1950) - had just published a feature on Paul illustrated by a cartoon, drawn by Gregor's talented son Don.

'Hawkeye' was absolutely steaming about the Gerald Scarfe-style cartoon treatment of his battered features.

He button-holed me and said "D'you know this f------ Grant? If I get hold o' the bastard I'll stick his f------- pencils up his f----- ---- and shove his sharpener up there too...and his f----- magazine, and his f----- drawing board if it'll f------- fit! I know I'm no f------ oil painting but that's not the f--------- problem. It's one thing to have a f------- laugh at someone else's expense but this is just f--------- takin' the f--------- p--- and I don't f--------- see why I should be f----- expected to put the f---- up with it.".

He rounded out this 'I'm the son of a Presbyterian minister" homily with a very rude word which pretty much rounded-out his opinion at the time of the perfectly nice Mr Grant and his talented artistry...

I formed the opinion his was a definite 'No' vote.

We all liked and respected motor racing's 'Barry McKenzie'. Henry Manney of 'Road & Track' magazine was entranced by him, and by the 'Chunder Mug' which 'Hawkeye' presented to him one year at the Targa Florio.

Paul really was a darned good journeyman all-rounder; a hard man who made his racing pay. As his great friend and racing partner David Piper once put it "Paul lived hard, and my God he died hard...and he was always a great chap to be around...".

Think of some of the cars he drove, from Ian Walker team Lotus 22 and Brabham Juniors through Lotus 23, Elite, Sprite, Porsche 910, Ferrari P4, his very highly modified and enhanced GT40, the Gulf-JW Mirages and GT40s...and so many more. A man to be missed - and we all did.

DCN

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
.....He rounded out this 'I'm the son of a Presbyterian minister" homily.....DCN

Ahh... so that's where it all comes from!

The Scottish undertones in his language, I mean...

[Kpy]

Miss him indeed.

He was one of three who were under my stopwatch, and never came round again.
The others were Seppi Siffert and Gilles Villeneuve.

After Zolder 1982, don't think I've used the thing again.

[eldougo]

I remember seeing him race at Warwick Farm in 1968! in the dark green Lola -T70. At least i
could say that i seen him race,And a few years later Frank Gardner talked about him with a lot
of respect both as a driver an a person. Another great aussie bloke.

[Ray Bell]

They raced on the same team, as I recall, during 1962 and/or 1963 ...the Ian Walker team.

I also saw Hawkeye at Warwick Farm, naturally enough from the close quarters we were esteemed to inhabit there on flag point M.

[Pete Stowe]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
Regarding 'Hawkeye's beauteous features I vividly recall one 1,000Kms race at Spa which was run the weekend after Gregor Grant's new magazine - 'Speedworld International' (???) the one he started after being ousted from 'Autosport' (which of course he had founded in 1950) - had just published a feature on Paul illustrated by a cartoon, drawn by Gregor's talented son Donn.

'Hawkeye' was absolutely steaming about the Gerald Scarfe-style cartoon treatment of his battered features.

[ensign14]

I have to be honest, the worst thing about Speedworld was the set of cartoons, just not my cup of tea at all...but the mags have oodles of William Court, so that's a bonus.

[neville mackay]

For all you Hawkins fans, I was amazed to discover at Goodwood that a book has now been written on Paul's life and career. Entitled "Hawkeye" and written by Ivan McLeod, its a modestly sized 175 page volume that promises to get to grips with its subject in a colourful and entertaining way. Haven't finished it yet, but the first pages are very promising indeed. Its priced at £15.99 and published by MRP. Well done to all concerned!

Neville

[WGD706]

Wasn't Paul's father a racing motorcyclist before he became a minister?

[eldougo]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by neville mackay
For all you Hawkins fans, I was amazed to discover at Goodwood that a book has now been written on Paul's life and career. Entitled "Hawkeye" and written by Ivan McLeod, its a modestly sized 175 page volume that promises to get to grips with its subject in a colourful and entertaining way. Haven't finished it yet, but the first pages are very promising indeed. Its priced at £15.99 and published by MRP. Well done to all concerned!

Neville [/QUOTE
___________________________________________

That is going to be my next book :up: Thanks Neville

[neville mackay]

I've now finished the book and can give my assessment. Overall, a good book and a fine read. It makes a valuable contribution to our understanding of his career and personality and will play a major role in keeping the memory of Hawks alive. Lots of good research (including a complete race listing) and lots of sizzling and outrageous anecdotes from those who were alongside him on his madcap journey through the 1960's. On the downside, the production is modest and the photo's are nothing special - but when offset against the cover price it ranks as a very fine effort indeed.

One interesting pointer to the power of TNF ....DCN's anecdote about the Don Grant cartoon, as found on this thread, appears word for word in the book ...so remember chaps, you read it here first!

The book left me reeling at times with the audacity of Hawkeye's character and behaviour which, in this politically correct and sanitised age, appear to come from another planet. What times they must have been, and perhaps in some way it is best that he never saw the way that the sport he loved descended into the tawdry commercialism and backbiting that characterises it today.

[Joe Fan]

Thanks for sharing that one with us.

[mickj]

Neville thanks for the update on the book. I ordered a copy yesterday.

[Udo K.]

Originally posted by Mozart

We were team mates in 1968 driving for John Wyer Guld Ford, in the GT40. Usually, I drove with Belgian wonder-boy Jacky Ickx, and Paul drove with David Hobbs.

Brian Redman

At The Nürburgring 1000 KMs, Brian, you drove with David Hobbs, whereas Hawkins was with Ickx.

The weather was as dull as the pics, but still one can recognize you in the background:





Still you were in a good mood, as was Derek with whom you strolled the paddock.

[Zagato]

I finished reading the book last night having started it late afternoon, Only received it at lunchtime. i was priveleged to meet Paul on more than one occasion as a young boy in the Silverstone paddock and he was most tolerant of my boyish enthusiasm. His language on occasions had me blushing but the book bought back many happy and sad memories. I am not sur if I laughed or cried most, probably the latter as I laughed so much at times the tears stopped me reading!

[Pedro 917]

The four Wyer musketeers, Nürburgring 68 :



On the left from top to bottom : Ickx, Hobbs and Redman. On the right Hawkins.

[Bjorn Kjer]

When PH had his Paul Hawkins Racing Ltd. racing F5000 and LolaT70GT , what colour were these racing cars ?

[gerard BARATHIEU]

Red,except the FERRARI P4 Canam he drove latter.

[john ruston]

Thoughts
The GT40 was blue?
I remember it had a sticker on rear 'Stamp out Clap-Ring 312-656-????' He found it in the States
Speedworld-Read the Bill Gavin stuff and work out how much fun the lawyers would have with it today.Mike Kettlewell was one of the most underestimated writers and Gregor the best boozer.
My favorite Hawkeye story is the German Resturant where he picked his trout from the tank and when presented with it told them it was not the one he picked.That was only the start,could not go back to the resturant for years.

[gerard BARATHIEU]

RED ,RED except the FERRARI CAN AM.

[john ruston]

No shouting-You will note it was a question not a statement.Check Silverstone race when he first got the car.This to is a request not a statement as I remember moving it for him.At the time I was small enough to sit in one.Leave it with you as I thought the sign was much more interesting than the colour

[Ivan A]

I seem to recall that someone told me Paul preferred Red for his cars as that was the colour of his Austin Healey in Melbourne as a youngster.

Pity his sponsors in SA didn't agree. I personally thought the CanAm Ferrari looked a terrible mess.

[bradbury west]

My memory may play tricks at times, but IIRC, (he says, as a caveat) there were two GT40s in Paul's garage when I saw them. He had 2 or 3 lockups at the front of of the U shaped Lynton Garage in Fortis Green Road, perhaps former showrooms/filling station, just down the road from where I lived in Muswell Hill as a student. Roger Nathan's place was at the rear of the premises. I recall one GT40 as red and the other as a very dark colour, navy blue or black. Perhaps he prepared it for someone else? Perhaps Barry could ask RN if he recalls Hawkeye there.

Roger Lund.

[petestenning]

Paul's Lola was definately a red car, with Paul Hawkins Racing on the side of the engine cover, rear section of bodywork.

This was the car i saw at Snetterton on Good Friday 1969, were he had a good fight with Brian's Sid Taylor car untill i beleive Brian had head gasket trouble?.

Please correct me if i am wrong , this left 2nd to Jo Bonnier's Bon Grip Car, while Charlie Lucas in a rapid Porsche 910 ? 3rd.


I thought Hawkins was a great typical Aussie hard but fair driver, i was an impressed 16 yo at the time.


Pete

[Ray Bell]

The Lola T70 GT he raced in Australia was dark green...

[sterling49]

Paul's GT40 was definitely red. Saw it many times, great car and driver.

[Michael Oliver]

Originally posted by Ray Bell
The Lola T70 GT he raced in Australia was dark green...

Ray, IIRC that car was Jackie Epstein's? They raced it at Surfers, Rothmans 12 hours, didn't they?

I did a two-parter on Hawkins for MRA a few years ago (1999, I've just looked it up ) and I did quite a bit of research, including going to see his mechanic on the T70 the day he died, all very sad.

I've got 16 pages of transcripts from interviews I did with people who knew Paul - Jackie Epstein, David Piper, Richard Attwood, David Hobbs, Cedric Selzer, Nick Syrett, John Love etc. One day I'll have to sit down and put another article together using the material I've got: what a character!

Pete: I've definitely seen a shot of the red car with 'Paul Hawkins Racing' sitting in front of a similarly-liveried transporter, it was in his mechanic's photo album, car #2, maybe even taken at Snetterton? This was a works-supported car run out of Slough but owned by PH, or at least this is what I was told.

Roger: Jackie Epstein told me they bought PH's lightweight (aluminium-tub) GT40 on a trip to the US, together with a pile of bits, including a spare steel tub, which they later built up into a second car, which I guess would not have a chassis number today as it didn't officially exist.

Michael

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Michael Oliver
Ray, IIRC that car was Jackie Epstein's? They raced it at Surfers, Rothmans 12 hours, didn't they?

Right again... Jackie Epstein's car, raced here at Warwick Farm and Surfers in September 1967...

A very rewarding trip for the car, a distant second behind Bill and Greg in the 12-hour being offset by a major win and two minor wins at Warwick Farm. Admittedly, Niel Allen would have trounced him had he not had a problem or two... first with a misfire that cost him over a lap in the pits, then a broken crownwheel put him out. With the Elfin out, the two minor races were easy.

I have to say, the car didn't impress me as being all that fast. Perhaps it arrived all set up for the 12-hour and was thus unsuited for the shorter races at the Farm... which is where I saw it... or maybe it was just a bit of a handful alongside the open cars we were used to seeing.

[petestenning]

Michael,

Hawkins car was no 52 at Snetterton, and yes i also believe it was a works supported car.

As a Lola T70 man through and through i like all the extra info on Paul i can get.

You just have to imagine what Historic racing would be like with them in it.

I wonder how many of the original T70's drivers could be persuaded to run in todays historic event cars being availible of course.

Brian Redman
Chris Craft
Frank Gardner
David Piper
Robin Widdows
David Hobbs
ETC


Pete

[Bjorn Kjer]

I know , but since you mention , a name popped up in my head ,but as far as I remember he is not with us anymore : Mike de Udy

[Ray Bell]

Don O'Sullivan, Howie Sangster and Frank Matich are...

John Surtees is known to still apply the leadfoot too, I hear.

What about Archie Scott-Thomas?

[adminj]

Paul Hawkins´ red GT 40. Location: "200 Meilen" Norisring 1967. Hawkins drove the same red GT 40 there in 1968. Have a kind look on www.norisringhistorie.de .

Regards

Jürgen

[Martin Roessler]

just found this slide,
99% Hockenheim Preis der Nationen 15.09.68 Ford GT 40 #AM GT2
cheers Marty