22 replies to this topic

[VAR1016]

I wonder, were any of you at Kylami's opening GP meeting?

There is an excellent account, in Tony Rudd's book "It was fun" about Graham Hill opening the circuit with a V-16 BRM.

Rudd says that they persuaded Shell to make a few drums of the special fuel and that they fitted the original enormous R-R carburettor etc.
Apparently, Hill had the rev counter off the clock and Rudd calculated that the engine was making over 700 horsepower.

I would LOVE to have heard that.

VAR1016

[scheivlak]

Are you sure we're talking about 1968?

[Roger Clark]

Hill did demonstrate the V16 at Kyalami in 1968, althogh it wasn't the opening meeting of the circuit.

[LittleChris]

I think Pedro might have had something to say about the track opening in 1968 !!

[ry6]

The 1967 SAGP was the first World Championship event ever run at Kyalami. It was won by Pedro Rodriguez (Cooper Maser) from John Love's Cooper T79 Climax.

Prior to that since 1962 the South African GP's had been staged at East London.

I can remember the BRM V16 having a demo run before a GP at Kyalami. Whether or not it was the 1967 event I can't say but I can assure you that it sounded sensational, but whether or not Graham Hill really "gave it all" I cannot say. He certainly did give it a blast down the straighaway.

Alex Blignaut, a driver of some capability, who organised many World Championship GP's at Kyalami once told me that he had been invited to have a run in the BRM and thoroughly enjoyed this experience. I cannot substantiate this.

The "opening" of Kyalami was on November 4th, 1961.

It featured the Rand Spring Race which was won by Ernest Pieterse's Heron-Alfa from John Love (Cooper Maserati) and Syd van der Vyver (Lotus 18 Alfa).

Also on the day's bill was a 9-Hour enduro. This was won by Dawie Gous and John Love in the ex-Fraser Jones Posche 550 Spyder. Bruce Johnstone and Nick Kingwill were second in an Alfa Ti and the ACe Bristol of Eric Glasby/Dave Riley was third.

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by ry6
The 1967 SAGP was the first World Championship event ever run at Kyalami. It was won by Pedro Rodriguez (Cooper Maser) from John Love's Cooper T79 Climax.

Prior to that since 1962 the South African GP's had been staged at East London.

I can remember the BRM V16 having a demo run before a GP at Kyalami. Whether or not it was the 1967 event I can't say but I can assure you that it sounded sensational, but whether or not Graham Hill really "gave it all" I cannot say. He certainly did give it a blast down the straighaway.

Alex Blignaut, a driver of some capability, who organised many World Championship GP's at Kyalami once told me that he had been invited to have a run in the BRM and thoroughly enjoyed this experience. I cannot substantiate this.

The "opening" of Kyalami was on November 4th, 1961.

It featured the Rand Spring Race which was won by Ernest Pieterse's Heron-Alfa from John Love (Cooper Maserati) and Syd van der Vyver (Lotus 18 Alfa).

Also on the day's bill was a 9-Hour enduro. This was won by Dawie Gous and John Love in the ex-Fraser Jones Posche 550 Spyder. Bruce Johnstone and Nick Kingwill were second in an Alfa Ti and the ACe Bristol of Eric Glasby/Dave Riley was third.

Thank you Rob.

VAR1016

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by ry6
I can remember the BRM V16 having a demo run before a GP at Kyalami. Whether or not it was the 1967 event I can't say but I can assure you that it sounded sensational, but whether or not Graham Hill really "gave it all" I cannot say. He certainly did give it a blast down the straighaway.

It was definitely 1968 - there's a picture on page 106 of Motor Sport, Feb 1968, showing Hill tyre-smoking it away from the pits and leaving plenty of rubber on the tarmac. Most of the nearest spectators have their fingers in their ears against the noise - pretty sure I can see Tony Rudd, Colin Chapman and Jo Bonnier watching.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by ry6
The "opening" of Kyalami was on November 4th, 1961........the ACe Bristol of Eric Glasby/Dave Riley was third.

Would Eric have been Ivan's father?

[ry6]

That's right, Eric was the father of Ivan and Bruce.

(Apparently the Ace's problem during the 9 Hours was that of a leaking fuel tank. The pit crew could only put a certain amount of fuel in it, hence the many stops for fuel.)

Eric passed away a year or so ago. He was living in Tasmania at the time.

There was an obit in Classic Car Africa about his racing and rallying exploits in Africa.

[euro]

Originally posted by VAR1016
I wonder, were any of you at Kylami's opening GP meeting?

There is an excellent account, in Tony Rudd's book "It was fun" about Graham Hill opening the circuit with a V-16 BRM.

Rudd says that they persuaded Shell to make a few drums of the special fuel and that they fitted the original enormous R-R carburettor etc.
Apparently, Hill had the rev counter off the clock and Rudd calculated that the engine was making over 700 horsepower.

I would LOVE to have heard that.

VAR1016

I had just missed it. (Arrived in Dec 68 to Pretoria, and had pretty happy 10 years there).

[barrykm]

I was there, and as I noted in a reply to the 'favourite noise' thread, what a sound that BRM made.

I think that the 1968 SA GP was the first GP, if not the first meeting (?) held on the then newly-resurfaced and widened Kyalami - compare the pics of the '67 race with '68 and this will be apparent.

Jim Clark was my childhood hero so the result remains a very special memory for me.

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by barrykm
I was there, and as I noted in a reply to the 'favourite noise' thread, what a sound that BRM made.

I think that the 1968 SA GP was the first GP, if not the first meeting (?) held on the then newly-resurfaced and widened Kyalami - compare the pics of the '67 race with '68 and this will be apparent.

Jim Clark was my childhood hero so the result remains a very special memory for me.

That's very interesting; I felt sure that there was a special reason for Kyalami's management to invite Graham Hill to "open" the circuit. Obviously it related to the revisions.

What fascinates me is the fact that the BRM was, according to Rudd, truly on full noise; it must have shrieked!

VAR1016

[scheivlak]

Fascinating to read about Graham Hill demonstrating a BRM H-16, more than year after leaving the team! I was thinking about making a contemporary comparison, but who is the Graham Hill of these days (and what's the H-16 of....) ?

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by scheivlak
Fascinating to read about Graham Hill demonstrating a BRM H-16, more than year after leaving the team! I was thinking about making a contemporary comparison, but who is the Graham Hill of these days (and what's the H-16 of....) ?

This I do not know about.

The thread concerns his driving a V-16. I saw the H-16 at Goodwood; bloody shambles really!

VAR1016

[scheivlak]

Originally posted by VAR1016


This I do not know about.

The thread concerns his driving a V-16. I saw the H-16 at Goodwood; bloody shambles really!

VAR1016

oops!

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by scheivlak


oops!

Spare your blushes! I do it all the time!

VAR1016

[Vitesse2]

As I've finally learned how to post pictures - here's Graham at Kyalami in the V16

[ry6]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ry6
[.

I can remember the BRM V16 having a demo run before a GP at Kyalami. Whether or not it was the 1967 event I can't say but I can assure you that it sounded sensational, but whether or not Graham Hill really "gave it all" I cannot say. He certainly did give it a blast down the straighaway.

_________________________________________________________________

a) What a bad memory this chap has!

From Page 129 of the book "Springbok Grand Prix" where the author reports on the 1968 SAGP :

Before the Grand Prix Mike "The Bike" Hailwood gave a demonstration on the 250 cc six-cylinder Honda motorcycle and then Graham Hill did a few laps in the famous V16 BRM 1500 cc and its deep throated exhaust note must have brought back memories for many of the old timers present.


b)The track had undergone some refurbishment. Better surface and widening. This, and the improvement in development, showed in qualifying times and race times.


1967 "top four" - Jack Brabham 1 min 28.3 s ; Denny Hulme 1:28.9 ; Jim Clark 1 min 29.0;
Pedro Rodriguez 1 min 29.1 secs

1968 "top 4 qualifiers" -J Clark 1 min 21.6 ; Graham Hill 1 min 22.6 ; Jackie Stewart 1 min 22.7 ;
Jochen Rindt 1 min 23.0

Fastest ap 1967 - D Hulme 1 min 29.9
Fastest lap 1968 - J Clark 1 min 23.7

Winners average speed : 1967 - 97.1 mph
Winners average spped 1968 :107.4 mph

The slowest qualifier in 1968, Jackie Pretorius in a very old Brabham BT11, did 1 min 29.0 which would have equalled Jim Clark's 4th spot on the 1967 grid!

c) This was the first GP in South Africa where "big time" advertising was allowed on race cars and the teams got really daring. There were stickers proclaiming allegiance to "Caltex", fuel companies, tyres and so on. The Rhodesian tobacco team even had "Team Gunston" painted on the cars of John Love and Samuel Tingle.

The 1968 SAGP signalled Jim Clark's 25th GP win.

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by Vitesse2
As I've finally learned how to post pictures - here's Graham at Kyalami in the V16

Excellent Vitesse!

Thanks

VAR1016

[ry6]

Looks like Henri Pescarolo in background with hands on hips?

[VAR1016]

Originally posted by ry6
Looks like Henri Pescarolo in background with hands on hips?

What? the deaf one (without his fingers in his ears )

VAR1016

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by ry6
Looks like Henri Pescarolo in background with hands on hips?

Funnily enough, Rob, that's exactly what I thought, but AFAIK Henri wasn't there - he certainly wasn't racing in the GP. That's why I said Bonnier, in view of the beard: and was Henri follically challenged that early in his career? I think that's Tony Rudd with his fingers in his ears, while the figure in white is Chapman - doesn't come out well on the scan though.

[ry6]

Yes certainly it looks like Tony Rudd and Chapman.
Henri did not race in the GP so I don't think it's him.
It looks like the man is wearing an overall so maybe he was a mechanic?