Photos: The Bruce Wells Collection - Warwick Farm - Part 6

[Steve Holmes]

Time for another update from Bruce Wells. This is just a small one, only 20 photos, from Warwick Farm, in May 1967. It was not long after this Bruce and his wife moved away from New South Wales and he stopped taking motor racing photos, which is a real shame. Would have been exciting to have seen what great moments Bruce could have captured during the 1970s.

27903

[Steve Holmes]

Kicking things off is Bob Jane in his Elfin 400 Repco. Is this the ill-fated car Bevan Gibson was killed in at Bathurst in 1969?

27904

[Steve Holmes]

Don Holland in his wicked little Mini Cooper.

27905

[Steve Holmes]

.....and again. This car has been owned and raced by Fred Sayers for many years.

27906

27907

[Steve Holmes]

Alan Hamilton and his Porsche 908.

27909

[Steve Holmes]

27910

[Steve Holmes]

Can anyone ID the driver of this Volvo? Car control is excellent!

27913

[Steve Holmes]

27914

[Steve Holmes]

I believe possibly Warren Weldon?

27915

[Steve Holmes]

27941

[Dale Harvey]

Don Holland in his wicked little Mini Cooper.

27905

I beg to differ, I think it is Bob Holden.
The sideways Volvo is most probably David Seldon.
The Cooper S in post #9 looks like Lakis Manticas.
Dale.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Dale, re the Mini pictured above, is this the same car raced by Holland, or a completely different car?

[Steve Holmes]

From what I can tell, several people raced this pretty little TVR Grantura in 1967, but I believe this is David Haldane pictured here. In behind appears to be Fred Gibson in the Elan.

28102

[Dale Harvey]

Thanks Dale, re the Mini pictured above, is this the same car raced by Holland, or a completely different car?
I think it is a different car.
Dale.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Dale

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Steve Holmes
27941

Ken Ward's Morgan, Paul Meyer's Elan, Ross Bond's Healey 3000, Harry Cape and David Scales in the Midget. This photo was used in RCN but cropping Scales out.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Steve Holmes
Can anyone ID the driver of this Volvo? Car control is excellent!

27913

Coke-bottle glasses? Yep! David Seldon...

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Steve Holmes
From what I can tell, several people raced this pretty little TVR Grantura in 1967, but I believe this is David Haldane pictured here. In behind appears to be Fred Gibson in the Elan.

28102

Yes, Haldane and Gibson...

Gibson must be coming up to lap him... he was beaten home by Cape's Elan seen earlier, a regular road model.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Steve Holmes
I believe possibly Warren Weldon?

27915

I don't know who it is, but it's not Weldon.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Steve Holmes
Alan Hamilton and his Porsche 908.

27909

Not a 908...

It had a 6-cylinder motor and is described as a 'Porsche Spyder 6' in the report.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Steve Holmes
Kicking things off is Bob Jane in his Elfin 400 Repco. Is this the ill-fated car Bevan Gibson was killed in at Bathurst in 1969?

27904

Yes, that is the car Bevan Gibson crashed. The engine, 4.4-litre Repco single cam, went into a Torana a couple of years later, the car was rebuilt and raced by Ken Hastings with, I think, a Ford V8.

[Dale Harvey]

Ray, look at post #11.
Dale.

[Ray Bell]

Why do I run into this kind of rubbish?

David McKay, when it was necessary to change it to a 3.3-litre engine, pushed all the local press to refer to the car as a 275LM.

He owned it, didn't he?

And why do you mention this when there's so much really interesting stuff you never knew in that thread?

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Dale Harvey
Ray, look at post #11.

Yes, Dale, I saw that...

But you did say 'probably' and so I confirmed that you were right. Luckily for us, we were there and saw these things happening. Which some, apparently, don't appreciate.

[GD66]

I see that this forum is no longer a Ray Bell free zone. What a pity!




No sniping, mate.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Terry S
simply because your reputation precedes you from the Autosport Forum.

Well, obviously I don't know what that reputation is...

If you have the guts to tell, why not? But tell us your name too, as my name is out in public.

Otherwise my e.mail address is well known if you are prepared to send me a direct message. Or simply apologise.

[Steve Holmes]

Ok chaps, as Roger Penske used to say, "the clock goes back to zero at midnight" which means that everything that happened up to midnight, good or bad, is reset and each new day is started over from scratch. Same goes for The Roaring Season. All new members are treated with the same amount of respect, regardless, and their time on this site is determined by their behavior on this site, and not other websites.

So, no more will be said about this.

[Steve Holmes]

Yes, that is the car Bevan Gibson crashed. The engine, 4.4-litre Repco single cam, went into a Torana a couple of years later, the car was rebuilt and raced by Ken Hastings with, I think, a Ford V8.

Thanks Ray. So the motor from this car is the one that went into Bob's Torana Sports Sedan? Not sure why I never thought to make the connection before. It seems obvious now you point it out.

[Dale Harvey]

That car is now restored back to original and in the hands of Bill Hemming of The Elfin Heritage Centre. He drove it this year at Phillip Island.
Dale.

[Kenz]

Not a 908...

It had a 6-cylinder motor and is described as a 'Porsche Spyder 6' in the report.
The official title, ex factory at least, was 906 Carrera Competition Coupe until "imported to Australia by Alan Hamilton. Hamilton would use the car for road races around Australia but had problems getting into and out of the car. As a result of his tall frame, he would remove the roof turning the car into a spyder. In that form, Hamilton would take the car and would earn the 1967 Australian Championship" (quoted from conceptcarz.com and worth googling to read its subsequent history, including quite some time with Teddy Yip).
It's back to coupe form these days and has been auctioned by Bonhams a couple of times in the 800K bracket.

from Concept

[Ray Bell]

Steve, the Torana which temporarily housed the Repco V8 was a smart thing, especially when it had the tall wing on the rear...

But faster cars came along and the Frank Gardner period arrived at Bob Jane Racing and Frank oversaw the fitment of a Chev to that car.

[Steve Holmes]

Pete Geoghegan's first Mustang, just a few weeks before he sold it to Kiwi driver Rod Coppins.

28421

[Steve Holmes]

Bob Jane's '67 Mustang. I dare say he hadn't been racing the car too long at this stage. Bob didn't enjoy the success with this car he had hoped for, and imported one of the Shelby factory '68 Trans-Am Mustangs in late 1968. Meanwhile, the '67 was also raced by John Harvey, before being sold to Chris Brauer, who suffered a career-ending shunt at Lakeside in 1970.

I had always assumed this car no longer existed, having seen images following its Lakeside shunt. But I recently discovered what remains of it is owned by the Bowden family in Queensland. After it was wrecked at Lakeside, it was sold and converted into a speedway car. It has lived a hard life.

28422

[Seldo]

Can anyone ID the driver of this Volvo? Car control is excellent!

27913Yes - I am the culprit....David Seldon

[Steve Holmes]

Formula Vee action

30133

[Steve Holmes]

30134

[Ray Bell]

I think that's Jack Bono in the Elfin...

Neil Revell is behind him in the first shot, Aub Revell joins him in the second.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks for that info Ray, much appreciated.

[Steve Holmes]

Frank Matich and the gorgeous Elfin SR3.

30427

[Dale Harvey]

Don't you mean Matich SR3 not Elfin SR3 Steve?
Dale.

[Steve Holmes]

Lotus 23B. Any thoughts on the driver?


35907

[Steve Holmes]

Fiat 124 looking extremely sure-footed given its standard suspension and wheels.

35908

[Terry S]

Lotus 23B. Any thoughts on the driver?


35907

This would be John Martin, and maybe just moments before he had his career ending crash just a short distance further on from here

[Terry S]

Fiat 124 looking extremely sure-footed given its standard suspension and wheels.

35908

This may have been when there was a demonstration "race" for the introduction of the Fiat 124 with motoring journalists at the helm. Cars were bog standard.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks for the replies Terry.

[Steve Holmes]

Elfin Traco.

35936

[Ray Bell]

Niel looks to be on a fast one there...

The Fiat 124 race was won by Bill Tuckey. I'm pretty sure that pic is not him.

[Steve Holmes]

Last one.

36146

[Allan]

The original Fiat 124 was indeed very sure footed. Great little motor car. 1200cc OHV single side draft carb 4 wheel disc brakes. Used one as a rally car in the 80s until the owner hit a bank at a hillclimb and then your's truly put it in the toitois at a Maramarua rallysprint .

36160

[khyndart in CA]

Steve,
36162
This is a neat photo. It is not often you can capture cars numbered 1, 2 and 3 running in that order during a race.
Can you think of another example ?

I have a question about identifying this car and it's history. I took this photo at Warwick Farm in 1970.
Please help my fading memory.

36161


(Ken Hyndman )

[Dale Harvey]

Steve,
36162


I have a question about identifying this car and it's history. I took this photo at Warwick Farm in 1970.
Please help my fading memory.

36161


(Ken Hyndman )
That is a Rennmax sports car. Probably the first of these that were built. If it is the first it is Doug MacArthur's and it had a BMW engine. Later in it's career it got a Repco V8.
Dale.

[khyndart in CA]

Thanks Dale.
I appreciate that information. Thanks for helping an 'ol fella !

Ken H.

[Ray Bell]

Bob Britton has just personally confirmed that identification...

Please don't call Dale old!

[khyndart in CA]

Ray,
I was referring to myself as the ol' fella with a poor memory at times ! (Sorry Dale if you misunderstood. )

Also tell Bob Britton that his beautiful sports car looked much safer on that trailer than the one that Spinner Black used to tow his Camaro around with !
At least it had fenders and side marker lights and hub caps.
36230

36231

(Ken Hyndman photos)

[GD66]

Goodness, a Land Crab and a J2 co-starring in the pics. :cool:

[Dale Harvey]

No problem Ken. I understood.
Dale.

[Ray Bell]

And I missed the 'an'... my apologies...

The front guards on that Rennmax were lowered and followed a smoother line as tyre profiles came down, it become a stunningly good looking car. This is the car which went to the Gibsons, Paul and then his brothers drove it, it's also the car which was stolen a year or two back and was retrieved seriously damaged.

Britto has a good eye for line in his cars. So many nice designs have come out of his tiny workshops and fertile mind.