265 replies to this topic

[Barry Lake]

Went to Pete Geoghegan's funeral today and learned a few things.

Ian Anthony Geoghegan
Born, Bankstown, 26 April 1939
Died, Camperdown, 15 November 2003

I asked his widow, Nanette, when he got the nickname "Pete". She said his father, Tom, had called him Pinto Pete from when he was a couple of years old. Pinto Pete means something to me, so I asked was it a cartoon, comic, children's book? Two or three people there answered, "It was a horse", but no-one could elaborate on that. When the Geoghegan's race cars were all black, it was a natural thing that they began calling him "Black Pete". I said it had been suggested that Bill Tuckey coined that nickname. They said no, it had nothing to do with Tuckey, they were calling him that before Tuckey came on the scene.

Should have asked about correct pronunciation of the name Geoghegan (this was discussed on TNF once) but I forgot until after I had left. However, I didn't once hear anyone say "Geeg'n". Everyone who mentioned the name (including the priest in the church service) pronounced it "Gayg'n". That still doesn't mean it's right, just that it is common (almost universal) useage.

Will try to remember to ask Leo next time I am speaking to him.

I have a heap of new (to me) Pete Geoghegan stories to add to those I already had gathered from over the years. Also spoke with many people I hadn't seen for 30 or 40 years.

Pete's late-1960s Mustang, in Castrol colours, was parked outside the church, with some of his major trophies on the bonnet.

[normbeechey]

Thanks for the post Barry.

Are there any of the new Pete Geoghegan stories that you can share with us???

Thanks,
Chris
www.MotorsportArchive.com

BTW, does anyone know what happened to the original posting on this forum that contained the news of Ian's death? I can't seem to find it.

[275 GTB-4]

Barry - thank you for that.

Last night I watched my newly arrived copy of The Racing Geoghegans. Far to short but a delighful little video made up from Castrol series films. The film has more on Leo but Pete gets a good mention and you hear him stammering on about racing and about Leo several times - priceless.

Was the Mustang at the service a replica? (John Mann's?)

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by normbeechey
.....BTW, does anyone know what happened to the original posting on this forum that contained the news of Ian's death? I can't seem to find it.

It doesn't show up with a search, it's not on the first three pages of threads in this forum...

For some reason or other it must have been deleted?

The second one that Falcadore started was deleted at his request, though there were things posted in that that probably would have enhanced john medley's first thread.

Don, what's going on around here?

[mickj]

Thanks for your post Barry.

[Barry Lake]

Originally posted by normbeechey

Are there any of the new Pete Geoghegan stories that you can share with us???

I am saving them for a story I am doing for Australian Muscle Car - but here's one, courtesy of David Bowden.


Pete Geoghegan crashed his Ford Falcon at Sandown Park (out of sight - was it before the bridge at the beginning of the start/finish straight?). Commentator Adrian Ryan grabbed Pete as he was walking back to the pits. "How's the Falcon, Pete?" he asked, and pointed the microphone at the big man.
In his well-documented stammer, Pete replied, "The F-F-F-F-F-Falcon's, f-f-f-f-f-f-f..."
Ryan snatched back the microphone and continued, "Thank you very much Pete Geoghegan. And now, back to the race..."

David told this story in his eulogy at the funeral service. He prefaced it by saying, "I'm not sure if I'm allowed to say this in a catholic church... but it's too late anyway, because I'm going to."

[Ray Bell]

1973 endurance race... in the road car that was the subject of a long thread here a while back...

You're right, Barry, just before the Dunlop bridge. The car was orange... unlike the other team cars of Moffat and Gibson. There was a discussion here about whether or not the rear discs were legal.

[Paul Newby]

Originally posted by Ray Bell


It doesn't show up with a search, it's not on the first three pages of threads in this forum...

For some reason or other it must have been deleted?

The second one that Falcadore started was deleted at his request, though there were things posted in that that probably would have enhanced john medley's first thread.

Don, what's going on around here?

I suspect it is because the original thread got into murkier grounds about some aspects of Pete's life which, despite being on the public record, were probably deemed to be inappropriate.

I would imagine that Neville Mackay's "drivers drinking problems" thread went the same way ....

[Ray Bell]

Ah yes... of course...

But why not simply remove those posts? Similarly, I originally suggested the merging of Falcadore's thread into John's... there was information that was distinctly different in them.

Maybe this could still happen?

[David Shaw]

A possible answer to the 'Pinto Pete' query:
http://www.geocities...vins/pinto.html

[Barry Lake]

More on Pinto Pete:


From a site about western radio programmes:
“There were other program of lesser notice, PINTO PETE IN ARIZONA and PINTO PETE AND HIS RANCH BOYS were heard in the 1930s as a musical program.”


Highlights of Australian Radio History:
“Many of the radio serials were adapted from US productions such as Pinto Pete, Gunsmoke, I Hate Crime, Superman and Tarzan. Long-running local programs included McCackie Mansions, Martin's Corner, The Adventures of Smokey Dawson and Blue Hills, which ran for decades on the ABC.”


From a movie site:
6. Lash of the Whip (1926) Arrow Films Western ~ Florence Gilbert played Florence - Ashton Dearholt as Pinto Pete ~ Harry Dunkinson ~ Francis Ford (actor/writer/director) ~ Frank Baker
Poverty row actor-director-producer Ashton Dearholt, as Pinto Pete, battles a gang of railroad saboteurs led by the spiteful Hurricane Smith (Francis Ford who also directed). Dearholt collaborated with genre specialist Ben Wilson on this little oater, casting Mrs. Dearholt (Florence Gilbert) in the femme lead. Released on states rights through the Arrow organization, Lash of the Whip had little more than an exploitative title to offer. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide


A “cowboy song”, apparently from the 1920s, mentioned often:
“Swayback Pinto Pete.”

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Paul Newby


I suspect it is because the original thread got into murkier grounds about some aspects of Pete's life which, despite being on the public record, were probably deemed to be inappropriate.

I would imagine that Neville Mackay's "drivers drinking problems" thread went the same way ....

FFffffFFFfff%@* Sake, this thread is going the same way as the deleted one. On that one, when some couldn't resist turning over some rocks, I said how about we concentrate on why Big Pete was a hero to many, celebrate his racing achievements etc. Lets face it, you only live once and when you check out you deserve a suitable period of mourning.

I have lost the main Motorsport hero from my youth - despite several attempts, I never got to meet Ian, congratulate him on his achievements and shake his hand.

I never seemed to take much notice of the others on track at the time ..... just too enthralled with Pete's car control antics.

Sincere condolences to his family, friends and legion of fans.
__________________

[275 GTB-4]

Michael Geoghegan

Nice story in the paper and nice Fathers Day touch...

Michael to drive his Fathers car at Muscle Car Masters...

said he always dreamt of driving this car...

said the only disappointing thing is that Dad isn't around to see it...







PS did it happen??

[Lola5000]

If you were going to own an Australian touring car of that period,that would be the one for me.

[275 GTB-4]

If you were going to own an Australian touring car of that period,that would be the one for me.

must be a no brainer?? for a former Stang punter??

[Lola5000]

must be a no brainer?? for a former Stang punter??

Mick,when i built a '67 car for historics with a 302,was tempted to build a Chev with a 350 in it,but kept on thinking about Big Pete's car and what a great looking rig it was,Tate did my engine 500bhp 400 pounds of torque,when we did the dyno run on Sheppo's dyno,he said it was the most he had scene on a 5 litre Ford engine on carbs,that was good enough for me.
footnote.....when i was a kid I lived in a street ,one day the local racer Clive Green rolled up and parked on the back of a truck was Pete's stang painted Shell yellow,I stood there for a long long time,just looking.

[275 GTB-4]

Mick,when i built a '67 car for historics with a 302,was tempted to build a Chev with a 350 in it,but kept on thinking about Big Pete's car and what a great looking rig it was,Tate did my engine 500bhp 400 pounds of torque,when we did the dyno run on Sheppo's dyno,he said it was the most he had scene on a 5 litre Ford engine on carbs,that was good enough for me.
footnote.....when i was a kid I lived in a street ,one day the local racer Clive Green rolled up and parked on the back of a truck was Pete's stang painted Shell yellow,I stood there for a long long time,just looking.

Hmmm where did you source tyres to handle that amount of grunt in 67!! Pity you didn't have your Box Brownie with you when Clive rolled up

[Lola5000]

Hmmm where did you source tyres to handle that amount of grunt in 67!! Pity you didn't have your Box Brownie with you when Clive rolled up

I built my NC Mustang in about 1996/7.

[275 GTB-4]

Good answer Rob! ....slinks away...tired from travelling...off to bed soon!!

[Lola5000]

Good answer Rob! ....slinks away...tired from travelling...off to bed soon!!

were you at the track today?
From memory Michael Geoghegan in a short race career did OK in Formula Ford?
I guess like so many the money ran out/

[275 GTB-4]

No...the car I was assisting had problems yesterday so I begged off for Sunday...to be honest, I do not recall reading anything about Michael in FF...

[brucemoxon]

Yes, Michael drove the car - it looked a million bucks.








Bruce Moxon

[Lola5000]

Credit to Des Wall that he is prepared to still race it in NC,like many I've lost interest in other cars that have just become hanger queens.

[Wirra]

This is how Pete drove it... always.

[Lola5000]

This is how Pete drove it... always.

How lucky were we to see it and its owner in action.

[275 GTB-4]

Extremely Lucky..I am so glad my parents moved close by and were Night Racing and some day meeting fans until I could go myself

[Lola5000]

Extremely Lucky..I am so glad my parents moved close by and were Night Racing and some day meeting fans until I could go myself

Being a Melbourne boy,only saw it for ATCC races,from when the series became more then one meeting,saw it at a Sandown meeting ,about 1970? they were all there Moff in the 'Stang,the 2 Porkers,Jane in his trans-am mustang ,Norm won in the Monaro.

[Stinky]

Hullo All;
As said earlier in the forum let us remember Pete for what he was on the circuit or in the pits.
A couple of my favourite memories.
Pete in the Mustang in a full bore opposite lock slide through ALL the Causeway at the Farm.
Coming over the Dogleg at Oran Park at a night meeting opposite lock again with the front brake rotors glowing cherry red.
Driving a fire tender to an incident at Oran Park and having Pete pass it (Opposite lock again) OF COURSE slowing for yellows and whites!!
After a Hardie Ferodo at Bathurst when officials going into team tents for a drink was almost mandatory.
A warm day and I had a middy glass of Coke and ice in my hand.
A bloke walked past with a tray of bottles.
Pete grabbed a bottle of Bacardi off the tray and put about four good fingers in my glass.
The comment was some thing like "TTTThere you are mmmmmate that will put some fffffffking life in it"!
Great memories of "When Motor Sport Was Motor Sport."
Cheers.
Roger.

[Ray Bell]

Which reminds me of the time at Phillip Island...

Pete was there to drive the 935 and I was talking to he and Laurie in Laurie's flash motorhome, my son aged about 5 at my side.

My son started getting anxious that we'd miss the penguins and I broke away from talking to Pete to try to improve his patience. Then Pete chimed in:

"That's right, the penguins will still be there, true!"

All of which was said without a hint of a stammer...

[Ian G]

I forget the year,probaly around 1970 but we were buying a F.Vee chassis off a car dealer on Parramatta road when a guy that looked lot like Pete turned up and walked into this old wooden broken down shed that was alongside the dealership,while we were waiting for the dealer to get the OK to sell the Vee we wandered over to the shed and inside was the Mustang with a huge trophy sitting on top with Pete talking to a guy in overalls,we couldn't believe the car was maintained in a shed like that.Others here will probaly know more details but its a memory that has stayed with me.

[eldougo]

That would have been the old Geoghean cars lot at this address.
JAXQuickfit Tyres Haberfield
257 Parramatta Road, Haberfield NSW 2045.

[Ian G]

That would have been the old Geoghean cars lot at this address.
JAXQuickfit Tyres Haberfield
257 Parramatta Road, Haberfield NSW 2045.

Yeah,it was at that end of Parramatta Road,not far from Lynx,but i didn't think it was the Geoghans lot,the name on the receipt for the Vee was something else(can't remember) but they may have been selling on behalf of someone else.The other guy was probaly John Sheppard but we didn't know him so not sure.

[Ellis French]

Mick,when i built a '67 car for historics with a 302,was tempted to build a Chev with a 350 in it,but kept on thinking about Big Pete's car and what a great looking rig it was,Tate did my engine 500bhp 400 pounds of torque,when we did the dyno run on Sheppo's dyno,he said it was the most he had scene on a 5 litre Ford engine on carbs,that was good enough for me.
footnote.....when i was a kid I lived in a street ,one day the local racer Clive Green rolled up and parked on the back of a truck was Pete's stang painted Shell yellow,I stood there for a long long time,just looking.

Clive Green Mustang ex Geoghegan at Symmons Plains with Bessant in ex Elliot (also in Shell Colours) and the Super Falcon...
Pic courtesy Perry Drury Launceston Tas

[Lola5000]

Clive Green Mustang ex Geoghegan at Symmons Plains with Bessant in ex Elliot (also in Shell Colours) and the Super Falcon...
Pic courtesy Perry Drury Launceston Tas

Clive Green was a second hand car dealer in Whitehorse road Balwyn,lived in a street called Longview road North Balwyn for a short time either next to or the ex home of the parents of the i''ll famous RR mechanic ........mite.His wife a good looking (car bird) who had very bad burns to her body from memory.

[Lola5000]

I can remember being at Oran Park in 1994 for the Gold star final race of the year.He drove up in a 300ce Benz ,at the meeting was Alan Jones running a Mazda RX7,like so many i was in awe of seeing the Great driver at the event.
I was thinking the other day,how great it would have been to see him running in a car at some of the great historic meetings like say the Goddwood TT 1 hour sports car race.

[Hank the Deuce]

I was fortunate enough to attend a day in the shed with the Bowden family recently. They own the '65 Geoghegan Mustang or course, and the Improved Production XY. Dan was our host, and told a magnificent story of having Pete come to Brisbane to see the Mustang following its restoration.

Pete was not well at the time, and they took him out to Lakeside. According to Dan, KB took the car out on track for a shakedown, and then brought it in. The big fella got into the car, visibly moved, and burbled out. Dan said he just trundled around at about 40km/h; Dan felt a little disappointment, after growing up surrounded by tales of the man and that car in their day, but he and his father agreed that reuniting the pair was something special, regardless of how Ian chose to drive it, surmising that it was a moment for Pete, not for them. The Mustang puttered past them on the front straight, no faster, and they shrugged and started walking away from the track...

...and within a half a minute, the calm of Lake Kurwongbah was shattered by the sound of the 289 being gunned hard.

The Bowdens ran across to the other side of the infield, in time to see the Mustang flowing through Hungry and up into the Eastern Loop in signature Geoghegan style, sliding one way, then the next in a ceaseless flow, the engine note unchanging... and onto the next lap, then one more, and then pitward, cutting the motor into a deafening silence.

Dan reckoned if he hadn't seen it, he wouldn't have believed it for himself, and it obviously remains a cherished memory of man and machine.

[275 GTB-4]

I was fortunate enough to attend a day in the shed with the Bowden family recently. They own the '65 Geoghegan Mustang or course, and the Improved Production XY. Dan was our host, and told a magnificent story of having Pete come to Brisbane to see the Mustang following its restoration.

Pete was not well at the time, and they took him out to Lakeside. According to Dan, KB took the car out on track for a shakedown, and then brought it in. The big fella got into the car, visibly moved, and burbled out. Dan said he just trundled around at about 40km/h; Dan felt a little disappointment, after growing up surrounded by tales of the man and that car in their day, but he and his father agreed that reuniting the pair was something special, regardless of how Ian chose to drive it, surmising that it was a moment for Pete, not for them. The Mustang puttered past them on the front straight, no faster, and they shrugged and started walking away from the track...

...and within a half a minute, the calm of Lake Kurwongbah was shattered by the sound of the 289 being gunned hard.

The Bowdens ran across to the other side of the infield, in time to see the Mustang flowing through Hungry and up into the Eastern Loop in signature Geoghegan style, sliding one way, then the next in a ceaseless flow, the engine note unchanging... and onto the next lap, then one more, and then pitward, cutting the motor into a deafening silence.

Dan reckoned if he hadn't seen it, he wouldn't have believed it for himself, and it obviously remains a cherished memory of man and machine.

Gold Hank...just Gold!

[275 GTB-4]

Yeah,it was at that end of Parramatta Road,not far from Lynx,but i didn't think it was the Geoghans lot,the name on the receipt for the Vee was something else(can't remember) but they may have been selling on behalf of someone else.The other guy was probaly John Sheppard but we didn't know him so not sure.

Ummm Ian...you don't remember Lynx being half way down Taverners Hill at maybe Leichhardt?? and the Geoghegans had a the Car Yard at Haberfield???

[275 GTB-4]

Went to Pete Geoghegan's funeral today and learned a few things.

Ian Anthony Geoghegan
Born, Bankstown, 26 April 1939
Died, Camperdown, 15 November 2003

I asked his widow, Nanette, when he got the nickname "Pete". She said his father, Tom, had called him Pinto Pete from when he was a couple of years old. Pinto Pete means something to me, so I asked was it a cartoon, comic, children's book? Two or three people there answered, "It was a horse", but no-one could elaborate on that. When the Geoghegan's race cars were all black, it was a natural thing that they began calling him "Black Pete". I said it had been suggested that Bill Tuckey coined that nickname. They said no, it had nothing to do with Tuckey, they were calling him that before Tuckey came on the scene.

Should have asked about correct pronunciation of the name Geoghegan (this was discussed on TNF once) but I forgot until after I had left. However, I didn't once hear anyone say "Geeg'n". Everyone who mentioned the name (including the priest in the church service) pronounced it "Gayg'n". That still doesn't mean it's right, just that it is common (almost universal) useage.

Will try to remember to ask Leo next time I am speaking to him.

I have a heap of new (to me) Pete Geoghegan stories to add to those I already had gathered from over the years. Also spoke with many people I hadn't seen for 30 or 40 years.

Pete's late-1960s Mustang, in Castrol colours, was parked outside the church, with some of his major trophies on the bonnet.

On a more sombre note: a picture taken a few months back on a visit to the old home town of Liverpool...stopped myself from thinking about how tatty Pete's resting place was and just said a few words....and reminded myself how I should have called into the Geoghegans all those years ago, when I lived there!


w

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Hank the Deuce
.....The big fella got into the car, visibly moved, and burbled out. Dan said he just trundled around at about 40km/h; Dan felt a little disappointment, after growing up surrounded by tales of the man and that car in their day, but he and his father agreed that reuniting the pair was something special, regardless of how Ian chose to drive it, surmising that it was a moment for Pete, not for them. The Mustang puttered past them on the front straight, no faster, and they shrugged and started walking away from the track...

...and within a half a minute, the calm of Lake Kurwongbah was shattered by the sound of the 289 being gunned hard.....

Just as John Sheppard had trained him...

A slow lap before getting into it. So many times we saw him do it that way, it was almost a trademark.

[Lola5000]

Just as John Sheppard had trained him...

A slow lap before getting into it. So many times we saw him do it that way, it was almost a trademark.

Often thought that the best way to look at his ability to drive a car was how fast he was against others in similar cars, was how fast an 18 stone man could be in a 250bhp Porsche against others of less wait in similar spec cars.
Ray any idea what his times were like compared to Moffat at the '75 Bathurst in the XB GT?

Edited by Lola5000, 06 September 2012 - 10:53.

[Ray Bell]

Sorry, no idea...

His performances in the Laurex Porsche, however, could be taken as a good indicator. Also in the 275LM.

[PonysiteEd]

His other Mustang (2005 during my visit at the Bowdens place)


..and the 351GT

Edited by PonysiteEd, 07 September 2012 - 16:32.

[ken devine]

A great shot of Pete from the SCC of SA Archives. Possibly AIR.







Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[Stinky]

Hullo All;
Surely there is someone HSRCA,ARDC etc.
That could spend a few dollars on the restoration of the headstone.
The original work by the monumental mason must have been of dubious quality for it to deterioriate so much in such a (relatively) short time.
Come on Fellas;
Pete deserved better than this!!
Cheers. Roger.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by ken devine
A great shot of Pete from the SCC of SA Archives. Possibly AIR.

Not AIR...

Pete never ran this car there, for a start. I'm thinking it's Calder.

Edited by Ray Bell, 08 September 2012 - 16:08.

[Lee Nicolle]

Not AIR...

Pete never ran this car there, for a start. I'm thinking it's Calder.

AIR never opened until 71 and both the Mustangs were gone then. I think they ran both the Super Falcons at Mallala but neither raced? Moffatts defenitly did not as he had both cars there and raced the Mustang. My first ever visit to Mallala in I guess 71. Just before it closed.

[seldo]

Often thought that the best way to look at his ability to drive a car was how fast he was against others in similar cars, was how fast an 18 stone man could be in a 250bhp Porsche against others of less wait in similar spec cars.
Ray any idea what his times were like compared to Moffat at the '75 Bathurst in the XB GT?

18 stone...? In his dreams. He was almost 22 stone, which makes it even more amazing

[PonysiteEd]

Leo Geoghegan's Valiant Charger in the Birdwood Museum (2010)

(Edit: Pics moved to a Leo Geoghegan thread on request)

Edited by PonysiteEd, 09 September 2012 - 16:21.

[Lee Nicolle]

Leo Geoghegan's Valiant Charger in the Birdwood Museum (2010)








1971 Bathurst 2nd place in class, later crashed at Philip Island, body #27 (1 of 4 1971 Chrysler racers)

I am not sure if that is the real one. Some conjecture as to wether it is a replica. The later one that Leo raced [Grace Bros]as a GpC car was wrecked here in adelaide a long time ago. And it was very sad then.
Most of those cars then ended up back on the road, worth more a a roady than anything else,,, Then!

Edited by Lee Nicolle, 09 September 2012 - 02:14.