33 replies to this topic

[Darren Galpin]

From 1964-1972 (excluding 1966), John MacDonald won the Hong Kong Hillclimb Championship every year. Does anyone know anything more about the championship? Was it based on a single venue, or were multiple venues used? Where were these venues?

[David McKinney]

Can't speak for that specific period, but certainly in earlier years (mid '50s) the title was decied over three or four events on different hills

[Angus Lamont]

Hi Dave and Darren,

The Hong Kong Hill-climb Championships were usually a series of 4 events, 2 held in the autumn and 2 held in the spring. The championship was decided on the results of these 4 events. There were at least 2 hills involved which were Wong Nei Chong hill on Hong Kong and Golden Hill on Kowloon. These were actually waterworks catchment roads which were closed to public traffic. At the end of the 60's there was too much pedestrian traffic so these venues became lost to the MSCHK. Alternatives were at Ha Tsuen in the New Territories, Brick Hill at Aberdeen, Hong Kong, and Lye Yue Mun at the army barracks of the same name. I also seem to remember one somewhere near Kowloon Peak.
As you mention John Macdonald was the ace driver and rider who held the hill records at all these venues (even making a course record while one arm was in plaster!). At Wong Nei Chong he held the course records for all classes of car (about 6 classes in all) and held the motor cycle record as well.
I competed in these events on my BSA bike at the time.
Reminds me of the good old days.
trust that this info is of some help,
Angus

[Darren Galpin]

That is of great help! Is there any chance that you could point out where these hills are on a map at all?

[Angus Lamont]

Hi Darren,

Yes, no problem. All we need is a map! To give you some idea the following might help if you are familiar with Hong Kong.

1/ Wong Nei Chong is the gap where the main road (whose name I've forgotten!) crosses the hills between Happy Valley and Repulse Bay. It is more or less in the middle of the island. There is a big development there now called Hong Kong Parkview.

2/ Golden Hill is close to the Kowloon Reservoirs along the Old Taipo Road which runs between Kowloon and Shatin. A waterworks road bisects the reservoirs and Golden hill starts once you have crossed the dam.

3/ Brick Hill is between Ocean Park and Aberdeen. I'm pretty sure that this road was part of the Police Training School which used to be nearby. The Commandant of the camp used to run in HKMSC events!

4/ Ha Tsuen was in the New Territories near Lau Fo Shan on the western coast between Maipo and Castle Peak. The area bordered Deep Bay.

5/ Lye Yue Mun was at the army barracks which guarded the entrance to the eastern end of Hong Kong harbour at its narrowist point. It was on Hong Kong island.

6/ I can't remember much about the Kowloon Peak which I may actually be confusing with a rally special stage!

Trust that this is of some help.

Best regards,

Angus

[Darren Galpin]

OK, using multimap.com:

1) http://www.multimap....&multimap.y=305
Is this the road?

2) http://www.multimap....t.x=11&out.y=10

[Darren Galpin]

3) Could this be it?
http://www.multimap....out.x=2&out.y=6

[Darren Galpin]

4) Somewhere on here? http://www.multimap....ut.x=7&out.y=10

[Darren Galpin]

5) Should be on here?
http://www.multimap....&multimap.y=106

[fivestar]

Hi Angus,
I think Kowloon Peak was one of the HK Rally stages. I remember going over it following Mark Simpson when he entered a Land Rover in the event, with the guy from the US Embassy(had an Elan) whose name I can never recall.
FYinfo Jonathan Buxton, Roger's son lives about two minutes away from me here in Cebu.
Mike

[Angus Lamont]

Hi Darren,

I must congratulate you on finding all the places on the map from my somewhat indifferent instructions!
I can't remember the exact location for Ha Tsuen but would certainly recognise it if I saw it! The first half was really a wriggly sprint (more or less flat out for the brave, followed by a left-hander up the start of the hill with a sharp right somewhere in the middle. the climb ended just before the road ended with a concrete apron (used as a holding area) at the top.
From a tight right-hander on Brick Hill it was possible to see through the gap in the hills to see the Ocean Park's cable cars.
Lye Yue Mun was in an army camp. The parade ground was used as the paddock which was at the top of the ascent. I think that the road we used as actually a service road for some kind of land-based torpedo which was supposed to be used to sink any enemy shipping entering the harbour. I think that the torpedo was fired down a tube from the top of a hill and would shoot out at the bottom into the sea and on to its target. It was one of a kind but was never used in anger.
As I said before the Golden Hill climb started just across the dam and was about 900 yds long.
Wong Nei Chong was about 800 yds in length and started at a small concrete apron just before the first dam.
The original hills used were Golden Hill and Wong Nei Chong but when the MSCHK were forced to give up these venues the other hills were found. Wong Nei Chong went first, 1969 at a guess, and Golden Hill in 1972 or 1973.

Hi Mike,

I'm sure that you are right about Kowloon Peak being used for rallies.

Any more questions, please feel free to ask.

Angus

[fivestar]

Hi Angus, remember the time at Ha Tsuen(1973?) when Klaus or was it Herbbie went off the course and into the paddy field, just before the sharp left turn and up the hill. I think I still have a couple a photos. It was always held around Chinese new year and B---dy cold.
For me Ha Tsuen and Lye Mun were the most fun. Mike

[Angus Lamont]

Hi Mike,
Can't actually remember the Ha Tsuen incident but these things did happen! The American with the Elan was Vernon Yates.
I remember Jonathan as a young lad! Please ask him to pass on my best regards to his parents, Bob and Dorothy. I'd be interested to know whether Bob has any copies of the MSCHK "Chequered Flag" publications that I could refer to.

Hi Darren,
I've managed to find some more info for you. Golden Hill was 913 yards long. Wei Nong Chong was 842 yards long. I think that Brick Hill was only used once, in 1971. Lye Yue Mun was certainly in use in the spring of 1973 as I remember John Macdonald bringing his Brabham BT36 to the event.

Regards,

Angus

[fivestar]

Angus, will do when i next see him. I'll try also and get Bob's email address. You are correct it was Roger Burkhill not Roger Buxton. - Mike

[Darren Galpin]

Thanks Angus.

[Angus Lamont]

Hi Darren,

I've got some of John Macdonald's times for the HK hill climbs;

1966? Wong Nei Chong. Cooper Ford FJ Mk.3A 1,500cc. 33.22 seconds (record)

5 Feb 1967. Golden Hill. Cooper Ford FJ Mk.3A 1,500cc. 38.31 seconds (record)

7 Jan 1968. Golden Hill. Lotus 30/40. 39.42 seconds FTD

7 Jan 1968. Golden Hill. Yamaha TD-1B 250cc. 41.09 seconds FTD

28 Jan 1968. Wong Nei Chong. Yamaha TD-1B 250cc. 34.18 seconds (record)

[Darren Galpin]

Thanks!

[Angus Lamont]

Hi Darren,

I've got some more info about the Hong Kong Hill Climbs.
Wong Nei Chong was used until 1970.
Golden Hill was used until 1971.
Brick Hill was used in 1971.
Ha Tsuen was used from 1971 onwards (can't remember for how long).
Lye Yue Mun was used from 1972 onwards (at least 2 years, probably more)
An additional hill climb was used at Deep Bay, this must be close to the Ha Tsuen site, but I don't know anything about this one.

Cheers,

Angus

[Darren Galpin]

Thanks!

[Rainer Nyberg]

When was the Championship discontinued and why?

[Angus Lamont]

Hi Rainer,

The events used to be held on Government waterworks roads that were closed to public traffic. However, as Hong Kong grew and developed more people started to use these roads for walking etc. The Motor Sports Club of Hong Kong managed to keep these venues for so long because several prominent members of the club were working for the Government. It is a tribute to them that we had these venues for so long. Political upheaveals within the club in the mid 70's led to most of the event organisers resigning from the organisation of events and no suitable replacements were found. The contacts with the relevent Government Depts. was lost and the Club eventually fell apart. I don't know but would guess that the last hill climbs were held in 1975 (the same year that their last Rothmans International Rally was held).

Cheers,

Angus

[Angus Lamont]

Hi Darren,

I've managed to find some more Hong Kong hill climb results for you. Also a slight correction as John Macdonald didn't win the 1971 hill-climb championship as he had both arms in plaster after his horrific motorcycle crash during the 1970 Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix!

MSCHK Hillclimbs:

Autumn (probably after the Macau Grand Prix) 1970. Lye Yue Mun.. Herb Adamczyk. FTD cars. Porsche 911S. Time unknown.

Early (probably mid January) 1971. Ha Tsuen. Herb Adamczyk FTD cars. Porsche 911S. 33.90s Record.

Herb Adamczyk was 1971 champion after winning the first 2 events.


10th Dec 1972. Lye Yue Mun. John Macdonald. FTD cars. 27.95s. Brabham BT-36. Record. Also 2nd fastest FTD 32.05s in TVR Griffith.

8th Jan 1973. Lye Yue Mun. John Macdonald. FTD cars 31.64s in TVR Griffith.

John Macdonald was 1973 champion after winning the first 2 events.

Best regards,

[Darren Galpin]

Thanks!

[Angus Lamont]

Hi Darren,

I've discovered that there was another hill climb venue used between 1954 and 1966. It was called the Jubilee Reservoir hill climb and is located behind Tsuen Wan. The name is currently Shing Mun and I'm sure that it will be clear on a map of ther area.

John Macdonald was the MSCHK hill climb champion form 1963–70 and from 1972-74, a total of 11 years. Herb Adamczyk was the 1971 champion (the year that John broke his arms).

John Macdonald broke the absolute hill climb records at least 10 times and probably more. The known results are:

Wong Nai Chong:
1964 Lotus Elan / 1,558cc Ford twin-cam 34.74s
1966 Cooper T59 Mk.3A / 1,500cc Ford push rod 33.22s
1967 Cooper T59 Mk.3A / 1,500cc Ford push rod 32.03s
1970 Brabham BT-10 / 1,600cc Cosworth FVA 29.??s

Golden Hill:
1966 Lotus 18 FJ / 1,098cc Coventry Climax 39.74s
1967 Cooper T59 Mk.3A / 1,500cc Ford push rod 38.31s
1970 Brabham BT-10 / 1,600cc Cosworth FVA 35.20s

Brick Hill:
1971 TVR Griffith / 4,727cc Ford V-8 Unknown

Lye Yue Mun:
1972 Brabham BT-36 / 1,600cc Hart Twin-cam 27.95s
1974 Brabham BT-40 / 1,600cc Camlex Twin –cam 27.66s

Here is a record for Ha Tsuen:
1971 Porsche 911S / 2,165cc flat-6 33.90s
(Herb Adamczyk)

If I can get any more information I'll pass it on to you.

[Doug Nye]

Isn't TNF astounding...

I am interested by the reference to John MacDonald running a Lotus 30/40 at Golden Hill in 1968. I wonder which car that would have been?

DCN

[Darren Galpin]

Thanks again.

[Angus Lamont]

Hi Doug,

Here is what I know about John Macdonald's Lotus 30/40.

Purchased from John Dean in the summer of 1967 (John tested the car at Silverstone prior to purchase).
Raced at the Tunku Abdul Raman meeting at the Batu Tiga circuit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 3 September 1967. Dropped a valve in practice and the welded up piston only lasted a few laps in the race.
Raced the following weekend at the Johor GP at the Pasir Oudang circuit, Johor, Malaysia where it broke a front upright during practice. Teddy Yip kindly lent John a Lotus 22 for the race itself.
Raced at the Macau GP on 19 November 1967 but the car suffered a radiator leak on lap 2.
Used at the Motor Sports Club of Hong Kong (MSCHK) hill climb that you have already noted. It may have been used at another hill climb venue where John got FTD but I can't confirm this.
Raced at the Fuji 300 Yomiuri Asian Challenge Cup, Japan on 24 March 1968. I don't know the result but it was a DNF.
Sold in Japan to Mr. Schitzuwawa, who was an organiser of the above race. He put his own body on the car. John commented "thus replacing the only beautiful thing about it"!

[Doug Nye]

Coo. Very, very interesting indeed - if hardly surprising. Thank you.

DCN

[Angus Lamont]

After further research I’ve got some more information about the Motor Sports Club of Hong Kong’s (MSCHK) hill climb events. Rather than correcting earlier postings individually I thought it better to re-write the entry.

The hill climb series was sponsored by Wallace Harper, the Ford agent in Hong Kong and Macau, and they donated the Wallace Harper trophy for the series winner.

From 1956 until 1966 there were 4 hill climbs annually held at 3 venues. The 4th hill climb was also a handicap event and that venue was chosen by picking the name out of a hat.

The 3 venues were Wong Nei Chong, Golden Hill and Jubilee Reservoir. The first was on Hong Kong Island and the other two were in the New Territories. These venues were government waterworks roads closed to the public and available for use only because some of the club’s members worked for the Hong Kong government and were in a position to obtain the requisite permission for the club to use them.

Jubilee Reservoir was last used in 1966 so the events were then shared by the 2 remaining venues until Wong Nei Chong went the same way as Jubilee in 1970 followed by Golden Hill in 1971.

Hong Kong’s economy and population grew rapidly in the early 70’s putting increasing pressure on the use of the countryside that eventually brought to a halt all hill climbs held on government land.

Thereafter various alternative venues were tried until finally being reduced to one hill climb venue at the military barracks at Lye Mun.

Here is a list of hill climb venues used by the club:-
Wong Nei Chong (842 yards) was used from 1953 until 1970
Golden Hill (913 yards) was used from 1953 until 1971
Jubilee Reservoir was used from 1956 until 1966
Stanley hill climb was used in 1959 (probably inside the Army camp)
TWSK hill climb was used in 1959 (at that time it was a closed military road linking
Tsuen Wan with Sek Kong via Tai Mo Shan, a 3,000+ft mountain. It made a
superb hill climb venue)
Lye Mun was used in 1970 and from 1972 to 1974
Ha Tsuen was used in 1971 and 1972
Brick Hill was used twice in 1972

Here is a list of the winners of the Wallace Harper Trophy from 1964 onwards together with some of the motorcycle champions.

Cars Motorcycles
1964 John Macdonald
1965 Bill Gray
1966 John Macdonald
1967 John Macdonald
1968 John Macdonald John Macdonald
1969 John Macdonald
1970 John Macdonald Neville White
1971 Herb Adamczyk Neville White
1972 Lee, Po Chiu (Henry?) Ian Campbell
1973 John Macdonald
1974 Herb Adamczyk
1975 Herb Adamczyk

John Macdonald was by far the most successful competitor and was champion 7 times followed by Herb Adamczyk who was champion 3 times.
John Macdonald took part in 24 hill climbs making FTD 22 times in cars and 3 times on motorcycles and was 2nd in the other 2 car events.
He broke the absolute hill records 13 times and the motorcycle hill record twice.

[terry mcgrath]

this information is great on the various hills used, are there any complete details on the competitors lists?
or at least 1st, 2nd and 3rd
I am mainly interested in how the various jaguar XK's went that I know ran
terry

[Angus Lamont]

Hi Terry,

I don’t have any complete entry lists for any these hill climbs but do have some results. These vary from just the FTD information to one or two cases where I have more comprehensive results. As there were 15 classes for cars and 4 classes for motorcycles listing the complete results for even one meeting would be a lot of work.

Sorry that I can’t find out anything about how Jaguar XK’s did in these events as they were probably more active pre 1963 and I don’t have any information for that period.

I do know that Martin Redfern had an XK Jaguar that he raced and L C Kwan also owned one (although whether it was the Redfern car I don’t know).

[Allen Brown]

What a great thread!

[Rupertlt1]

Hill Climb Dates:

January 1970: Sunday 4th; Sunday 18th.

February 1970: Sunday 1st; Sunday 15th.

Club Programme, 1969/70, Hong Kong Motor Sports Club

 

(Neville White, award winner listed above, was riding a motorcycle.)

 

Venues thought to be were Golden Hill and Wongneichong. A "Hillclimb on Handicap" was held at Golden Hill, early 1970.

 

"John Macdonald set new overall records in his

Brabham at both Golden Hill on Jan. 4th and at Wong-

neichong on Jan. 18th. He was not present at the

second Golden Hill event and Herbert Adamczyk set

F.T.D. in a Porsche on Feb. 1st. John was back, this

time with the Lotus 47, at the last event at Wongnei-

chong and again recorded the fastest time overall. This

event was held on Feb 15th."

 

See also: http://www.lotus-eur...NAL HISTORY.htm

 

https://forums.autos...1/#entry6778080

 

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 18 September 2023 - 02:13.

[Rupertlt1]

Ron Hardwick was seen towing a fast bit of

heavy metal through the streets of Kowloon the

other day and at first seemed reluctant to disclose

particulars but we have it on good authority that

the car is a 1958/59 Cooper Climax 1500cc

Formula 2 machine which should produce a few

Sprint and Hill Climb records next season.

 

Bob Harper is reported to be building a very

hot special for Macau with a fully modified 997cc

Ford short stroke as a base. Good luck Bob —

you deserve it.

(Extracts from "Chequered Flag"

Vol. 3, No. 12 — Aug 1960.)

 

The question of a mystery Cooper in Hong Kong rings a bell from way back. More to follow.

Per Phil Newsome re Macau 1960: "the Cooper Climax he [Hardwick] had intended to race was now disallowed."

(This clue has been hiding in plain sight. No single-seaters at Macau 1960.)

 

For a Cooper sold to Hong Kong see:

 

https://forums.autos...s/#entry9002454

 

See also Peter Morley: https://forums.autos...s/#entry9002504

 

Note the Cooper F2 was in Hong Kong from mid-1960. Appeared at the Autumn Sprint Meeting, Sek Kong Airfield, 18th September 1960. A one kilometre sprint, 2nd FTD, 26.70 sec. (FTD Martin Redfern, Jaguar XKSS, 26.50 secs.)

"Class 12 saw the first appearance of (Hardwick's) Cooper Climax Formula 2 machine, painted green with a yellow stripe, which annexed second fastest time of the day, 0.20 of a second behind the Jaguar XKSS."

(Extracts from "Chequered Flag"

Vol. 4, No. 2 — October 1960.)

 

At Sek Kong 11th December 1960 [slalom]

For this event there was only 66 competitors, due largely to the fact that there was

a Police Parade that day and so for some Club members it was a case of duty first.

Experimental new classes were tried out, classification based solely on c.c. rating being

abandoned and two strokes being up graded by 40%.

Another new innovation at this meeting was the Public Address system, recently presented

by our printers, and much appreciated by all. It adds tremendously to the interest of an event

if everyone can be kept in touch with what is going on.

B. Eastman won the Norton Cup for F.T.D. motor cycles on a Triumph

R. Hardwick won the Pirelli cup for F.T.D sports/racing cars, in a Cooper

W. Sulke won the Neil's Cup for F.T.D saloons in an AU 1000

[Brian Eastman, Ron Hardwick, Walter Sulke.]

 

Per Eli Soloman:

 

7 January 1961 – Hong Kong Golden Hill Hill Climb (HKMSC) – Ron Hardwick – FTD

 

22 January 1961 – Hong Kong Wong Nei Chong Hill Climb (HKMSC) – Ron Hardwick – FTD

 

12 February 1961 – Hong Kong Golden Hill Hill Climb (HKMSC) – Ron Hardwick – FTD and Course Record

 

26 February 1961 – Hong Kong Golden Hill Hill Climb (HKMSC) – Ron Hardwick – FTD

 

5 March 1961 – Hong Kong Sek Kong Sprint (HKMSC) – Ron Hardwick – FTD

 

Ron Hardwick was a Cathay Pacific pilot. 1959 address: 3, York Road, Kowloontong, Hong Kong.

 

Two photographs: https://gwulo.com/media/46254

 

Per David McKinney: "F2-12-57 was sold to John Pringle in 1959 but apparently returned, after which it disappears from the record."

 

See also a splendid comprehensive history: https://rewind-media...operholic-coup/

 

So, the car did not go to Australia?

 

RGDS RLT  

Edited by Rupertlt1, 19 September 2023 - 01:41.