The Bruce Wells Collection - Catalina Park - Part 1

[Steve Holmes]

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Catalina Park was a pretty little circuit that wound its way through the Blue Mountains, in Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia. Long since closed, Catalina Park once held races for both cars and motorbikes. It does still exist, though in fairly poor shape, and serves better purpose as a walking track.

Bruce Wells was a regular visitor to Catalina Park, and his photo collection includes several events that span from 1963 - 1965. I've split the Catalina collection so it'll appear as two parts, in chronological order.

Bruce has captioned a small number of the photos, and others I'm able to caption myself, but any help filling in any of the details would be appreciated from you guys.

So here goes.

[Steve Holmes]

Kicking off here with a race meeting from January 1963. First up are Lotus propelled Pete Geoghegan (car #1) and Frank Gardner. Bob Jane is in the Jaguar E Type. Next up is Bruce Leer, with Norm Beechey rounding off the post in his Impala.

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[Steve Holmes]

Here we've got Beechey again in the Impala, having whacked either another car, or a piece of the Catalina Park armco. Greg Cusack is driving the Lotus 23 in the second photo. Jane appears again, this time in his multiple ATCC winning Jaguar. Last shot has John Evans in the MG.

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[Steve Holmes]

Last batch from this event. First up is John Martin in the Lola, followed by a couple of Frank Matich shots, in Elfin and Lotus. Last is a beautiful shot capturing a trio of Holdens. Can anyone ID these cars?

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[Steve Holmes]

OK, leaping forward now to August 1964. Only 7 shots from this event. Any help with identifying these pics would be appreciated.

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[Steve Holmes]

Is that Frank Matich driving the Brabham?

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[Steve Holmes]

The following several photos are from the November 1964 event. Again, help to ID cars and drivers would be appreciated. Now I am pretty sure the #27 Humpy is that of Des West, and I think the #46 machine might be that of John Hall, but any help with the others would be great.

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[Steve Holmes]

Now the 3-wheeling Humpy (#119) I believe to be Warren Weldon. The FX giving chase to Weldon is probably the Bo Seton car. The Customline is the Anderson car. The 3-wheeling Morris Cooper is that of Brian Foley, part of the Neptune Racing Team.

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[Steve Holmes]

OK, here we have a couple of shots of Pete Geoghegan in his Lotus Cortina, getting the hurry-up from Foley. The first of these is just beautiful! Bob Janes Lotus Cortina also features here, as does Terry Quartleys VW Beetle.

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[Steve Holmes]

Warren Weldon and John Hall shown here again in their FX Holdens. The little special with its hood up, I believe, is the Buckle. Kevin Walters is named as the driver here, but there were several people who raced this car. Can anyone ID the little special at the end of this post?

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[Ellis]

Great shots of the Humpies and others.
Thanks
Ellis

[Steve Holmes]

Glad you're enjoying them Ellis. OK, continuing, more Humpy shots, and another of the Foley Cooper, 3-wheeling as always.

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[Munty]

Hi Steve, I actually raced at what I think was the last ever race meeting at Catalina Park in my uncles 38 Ford special. It was a vintage/historic regularity race meeting. Track was in pretty bad condition but it would have been awesome back in the day especially with all the armco etc lining the track.

[bry3500]

The #91 Special is in fact George Murray's 1928 Austin 7 - Now housed at the Powerhouse Museum. Full history and details can be found here - http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=414365

[Steve Holmes]

Bry, thanks heaps for that. Fantastic!

[Steve Holmes]

Hi Steve, I actually raced at what I think was the last ever race meeting at Catalina Park in my uncles 38 Ford special. It was a vintage/historic regularity race meeting. Track was in pretty bad condition but it would have been awesome back in the day especially with all the armco etc lining the track.

Wow, thats awesome Evan! The track looks a heap of fun. Real nice flowing track with lots of undulation. Can you give more info on your uncles 38 Ford special?

[Steve Holmes]

OK, next batch, as we count down towards the finish. First is is a production sports car race. Not sure if that is the Seifman Healey Sprite in the first shot? But I think that is probably Kevin Bartlett giving chase in the TVR Grantura. Are you able to confirm this KB? I think the pretty little Elan might be the Meyer car, and the white Sprite the MacArthur car.

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Steve Holmes]

This is the last of them folks. I'll start a separate thread for the second batch of Catalina Park pics from 1965 at a later date. Thanks again to Bruce Wells for sharing these beautiful photos.

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[Ellis]

Some of the best quality Humpy pics (and Others of course) of the era I have seen.
Thanks for allowing us to view them.
Regards
Ellis

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Ellis, yeah they're great aren't they!

[Catalina Park]

Hi Steve below is the details for the shots from the August 1964 Meeting.many thanks for sharing these with us, as Ellis mentioned the quality of the shots is outstanding.

33 Sportscar Spares J.Evans / N. Anderson M.G. T.C.
41. F Walters So Cal Mk. II
19. I Fergusson I.R.M. Holden
84. K Rowe M.G. T.C.
44. Neil Allen Jaguar E Type
3. D Walker Brabham
4. Frank Matich Repco Brabham

Looking forward to the images from 1965

Craig

[Steve Holmes]

Craig, welcome to The Roaring Season. Thanks heaps for posting up the info for these pics. Would you happen to have more info on the So Cal Mk. II? And do you know where they got the name from? The So Cal Speed Shop in California built a number of specials for dry lakes, salt, and drag racing throughout the 40s and 50s. I wonder if the So Cal II was a name-play on these, or if it was just a complete coincidence?

[Steve Holmes]

Carl, there are also several Catalina Park shots, among several other venues, in the first Bruce Wells Collection thread, found here: http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?353-The-Bruce-Wells-Collection

[John Medley]

The "So Cal" was built originally in Bathurst in late 1940s by prolific special builder George Reed as one of his series of "Skates", all Ford V8 s. This one "The White Car" aka "Skate 3" was raced by Dick Bland, Tom Griffith, and Jesse Griffiths before being raced , re-engined, and (as you can see) partly rebodied by Frank Walters , who also used it as a road car. Walters was a friend or aquaintance of Alec Xydias of the So Cal Speedshop in the USA, bought various bits from him, and renamed the car. In recent times Eric Worner has raced this car in NSW Historics (and at the Flathead Drags) before 2011 selling to Graeme Raper in Victoria, owner of the George Reed Monoskate Ford V8.
Pictured above too ( the odd nosed rear engined IRM Holden) is among the last of George Reed's specials

[Steve Holmes]

Wow, John thats great info. I wonder how he came to know Alex Xydias?

[nigel watts]

Wow - these images are first class

[Rod Grimwood]

#4 Photos of Gardner in Elfin and Lotus, same part of track, same seat position with head, same steer angle and hands in identical pose. Steering geometry must have been very similar and that was obviously the quick way around there.
Great photos, and the angle of some of those Humpy's, a little bit of flex, wonder how often they re-adjusted the door catch's

[Steve Holmes]

The "So Cal" was built originally in Bathurst in late 1940s by prolific special builder George Reed as one of his series of "Skates", all Ford V8 s. This one "The White Car" aka "Skate 3" was raced by Dick Bland, Tom Griffith, and Jesse Griffiths before being raced , re-engined, and (as you can see) partly rebodied by Frank Walters , who also used it as a road car. Walters was a friend or aquaintance of Alec Xydias of the So Cal Speedshop in the USA, bought various bits from him, and renamed the car. In recent times Eric Worner has raced this car in NSW Historics (and at the Flathead Drags) before 2011 selling to Graeme Raper in Victoria, owner of the George Reed Monoskate Ford V8.
Pictured above too ( the odd nosed rear engined IRM Holden) is among the last of George Reed's specials

Just out of interest John, when Walters re-engined the car, what he he put in it? I assume he must have purchased the car in the 50s, as Xydias closed the So-Cal Speed Shop in 61. Was there a So-Cal 1? What a neat connection that is.

[Kevin Bartlett]

[QUOTE=Steve Holmes;10131]OK, next batch, as we count down towards the finish. First is is a production sports car race. Not sure if that is the Seifman Healey Sprite in the first shot? But I think that is probably Kevin Bartlett giving chase in the TVR Grantura. Are you able to confirm this KB? I think the pretty little Elan might be the Meyer car, and the white Sprite the MacArthur car.

Sure, it's me in the Pedro Owen TVR- 1800 MGB engined

[Dale Harvey]

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The last two shots here show Leo Geoghegan in the Lotus and Bob Holden (#13) in the Lynx Peugoet S/C. This car was later driven by Colin Bond.
Dale.

[Dale Harvey]

Here we've got Beechey again in the Impala, having whacked either another car, or a piece of the Catalina Park armco. Greg Cusack is driving the Lotus 23 in the second photo. Jane appears again, this time in his multiple ATCC winning Jaguar. Last shot has John Evans in the MG.

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The second shot here shows Greg Cusack in an Elfin Mallala not a Lotus 23.
Dale.

[GeebeeNZ]

The "So Cal" was built originally in Bathurst in late 1940s by prolific special builder George Reed as one of his series of "Skates", all Ford V8 s. This one "The White Car" aka "Skate 3" was raced by Dick Bland, Tom Griffith, and Jesse Griffiths before being raced , re-engined, and (as you can see) partly rebodied by Frank Walters , who also used it as a road car. Walters was a friend or aquaintance of Alec Xydias of the So Cal Speedshop in the USA, bought various bits from him, and renamed the car. In recent times Eric Worner has raced this car in NSW Historics (and at the Flathead Drags) before 2011 selling to Graeme Raper in Victoria, owner of the George Reed Monoskate Ford V8.
Pictured above too ( the odd nosed rear engined IRM Holden) is among the last of George Reed's specials

Very disapointed with my filing system. Somewhere I have an Australian magazine article on Frank Walters and the So Cal. Found other interesting articles on things like Holt Binnies Holden powered MGTF and an article on a 27 year old Wally Wilmott working for the Geoghegan's. I was lucky enough to meet So Cals Pete Chapouris and his wife on their visit to NZ this year. Great People.

[Steve Holmes]

Great stuff Dale, thats fantastic. Make sure you stay tuned, I'll be starting to upload the vast number of Oran Park photos soon, from 1964 - '67. Will almost certainly need as much help as I can get with these!

[EH S4]

#3 is Barry Seton and the FE #115 is Bruce McPhee.

[EH S4]

Car 33 was entered by Sportscar Spares and would likely be J Evans or N Anderson.
Car 41 is the So Cal Mark 11 driven by F Walters
Car 19 is the I.R.M Holden driven by I Fergusson
car 84 is K Rowe from the Hygrade Service Station

[EH S4]

is it possible Car 15 is Les Howard in a Lotus 23 and car 13 the Killara Motor garage Lynx with Bob Holden at the wheel in the 100 Guineas scratch race?
FX Holden car 10 is Midge Bosworth entered by Peter Williamson.
FJ Holden 46 is J Hall.
FX Holden 83 is Graham Ryan with Fred Morgan in FE Holden number 40 looking for a way past. This car was flat towed to Catalina, which was not uncommon in that era. However, it was towed by his S4 which placed second in class and second outright in the 1963 Armstrong 500.