11 replies to this topic

[Hieronymus]

Can anyone please perhaps help me with a photo of the Realpha that Ray Reed raced in the 1964 Rand Grand Prix? I think he only competed in this one race in this car.

A tough one this, but perhaps someone have a pic somewhere?!

[Michael Oliver]

Quote

Originally posted by Hieronymus
Can anyone please perhaps help me with a photo of the Realpha that Ray Reed raced in the 1964 Rand Grand Prix? I think he only competed in this one race in this car.

A tough one this, but perhaps someone have a pic somewhere?!

Two suggestions:

1) Classic Car Africa are currently doing a year-by-year history of the South African Drivers' Championship with words written by Frank somebody (sorry, can't recall his surname and my copies are in the loft!) which includes a number of pictures. I'm not sure what year they are up to but I'm sure the pics in the magazine are the tip of the iceberg and they almost certainly have access to others or know where you could get them.

2) What about that book that Rob Young had rebound a few years ago about South African Formula 1 racing? Again, can't remember the title offhand but I think Rob is a member of this forum. If he doesn't respond, I could have a look as I have a copy in a box somewhere .

Note to self: I really must get those bookshelves put up this weekend

[ry6]

Sometimes even the best of us are at a loss.

Photos of the Re-Alpha or Re-Alfa and Re-Ford do not seem to be available.

I have a hazy recollection of seeing a magazine or newspaper photo of the Re-Ford many years ago. (Foolishly, I never kept it.)

Maybe it was Cooper "500" based?

The Re-Alpha was a spaceframed 1500 "F1" car of the early 1960's entered usually by Rays Engineering from Rhodesia.

While not boasting a very good finishing record in South African and Rhodesian events the Ray Reed/Re-Alfa combo did not disgrace itself in terms of qualifying lap times.

Rob

[Jimmy Piget]

Rob,

This Ray Reed, driver cum car maker, is a kind of mystery for me.
Never a picture of him nor his cars.
Said to be dead early 1965 in an airplane accident — this information by Mike Lawrence bothy in his F1 car books and in Hodges's A-Z formula cars.
What was the source of Mike Lawrence to assume this, another mystery...
Do you know more ?

PS : a kind "hello" to Hieronymus.

[Hieronymus]

I know that Ray Reed operated from Gwelo in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) where he had a work shop. That is about all.

If ry6 can't help...I guess there is little hope for success in this regard. Classic Car Africa unfortunately does not show a pic of the Realpha. I have all the issues, so I am sue about this.

[LDS]

Looks like all the records of Rays death in early January 65 are wrong. I've been speaking to the last guy to race the Realpha, Peter Huson. He told me about his accident in the 1966 Rhodesian GP, where he spun off and managed to hit the only tree stump for miles. Chassis was bent like a banana. Anyway he tells me that Ray visited him in hospital and wanted to buy the remains of the car back so he could make a sportscar out of it. Peter seemed to think that his planecrash into the foothills of the Drakensberg may have occurred on the Easter holidays of 1967 as he was taking his kids for a holiday to Durban. Peter also tells me that he raced in the 1966 Bulawayo 100, though he doesn't show up in the Peter Macintosh database. He suggests that somebody contact the South African Civil Aviation authority for further details?? Other tidbits include the fact that the bodywork of the Realpha started its life as a drop tank from some aeroplane. He had copied the layout from some overseas Cooper in Durban and was caught redhanded doing so.
Looking into Rays career, it seems he had a Cooper Vincent 997cc, then a Cooper 52, then the Realpha with a 105E Ford engine, and then lastly same chassis but with the Alfa motor. I have photos of all the cars plus a nice pic of Ray himself, but copyright issues preclude me from posting on this site. I understand that the Realpha miraculously survived and is being resurrected in Capetown as we speak.
By all accounts Ray was a real nice guy and I have vague recollections of meeting him at Sam Tingles workshop when I was a kid.

[john medley]

Former Rhodesian Ivan Glasby in Sydney may be another possible source -- but I dont have any contact numbers for him

[Ray Bell]

The phone book works, either business or residential, I think the former...

Glasby Engineering? At Castle Hill, NSW.

[proviz]

A photo of Ray Reed in his Realpha can be found in the splendid "Sunset on Kyalami 1961-1971".

[gubulawayo]

There are two photos of the RE Alfa on my website http://www.classicca...eter_Huson.html

 

As an aside Rey Reed died 8 May 1970

 

Wayne

[uechtel]

Great link, amazing photo!

[Michael Ferner]

Many thanks for the link and great info!

As an aside, from looking at these great pics, most of Rhodesia's racing appears to have happened "off track"