Vale...Des West

[Ellis]

Des has succumbed to cancer.

He came to notice in his famous Humpies and progressed to the Holden Dealer Team entered Monaros with one P Brock in 1969 where they ran 3rd at Bathurst.

Also did Bathurst over many years in a variety of makes and in 71 and 72 in Gtho Ph3 and later years a lot of charity work.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/GnooBlas026_zpseaa21a29.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/falcongtho/media/GnooBlas026_zpseaa21a29.jpg.html)

This pic is from a tribute from On the Grid on fb
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/1149020_500949119998261_1144790243_n_zps28a8f5c7.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/falcongtho/media/1149020_500949119998261_1144790243_n_zps28a8f5c7.jpg.html)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/humpy4_zps9ace3bf3.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/falcongtho/media/humpy4_zps9ace3bf3.jpg.html)

[Jay Bowden]

Sad news

[darren]

Sad news indeed. Condolences to his family. Des was certainly a character and a very likeable and approachable bloke.

[Steve Holmes]

Very sad to hear, what an amazing guy, and legendary driver. RIP Des.

[Michael Clark]

Any relation to Phil West who shared a Monaro with Jimmy Palmer at Bathurst in 68?

[darren]

I don't believe he was related to Phil West.

[Rod Grimwood]

There was a very good article in Australian Muscle Car about a year ago about Des West.

Some of the cars that Des drove.

[Rod Grimwood]

Some more

[Rod Grimwood]

And maybe his last Bathurst effort.

[Ellis]

And maybe his last Bathurst effort.

Rod

That pic #67E (Yellow Wright Ford) is 1971 (8th Outright)
He used the same car in 1972 but painted Blue #13D (Gold Power Auto) in other pic (dnf)

Regards
Ellis

[mid-year]

67E was ( I think) Yellow Glo with a white interior which was an unusual PH3 colour combination and I remember looking at 13D in the pits at Bathurst 1972 and it had been painted a wild candy dark blue which was very distinctive,a pity the clutch let go on lap 26.


Regards Pete.

[Ellis]

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/falcongtho/Snapshot2013-08-2718-15-00_zpsebd99b0e.jpg (http://s4.photobucket.com/user/falcongtho/media/Snapshot2013-08-2718-15-00_zpsebd99b0e.jpg.html)



Info courtesy G Poole

[darren]

@ Rod Grimwood. Des replaced Pete Geoghegan in Geoghegans Charger at Bathurst 1973. He was teamed with Bill Brown. They lasted 11 laps before the Charger broke valve springs. Pete went on to win with Allan Moffat.

[Rod Grimwood]

Thanks Darren good info, and move by Pete by sound of it.