The "Good Old Days" were they?

[cavvy]

The Graduate - did Stan Starcevich build it, is it related to the Cooper Ford big banger Don O'Sullivan ran prior to the Lola T70 he ran at Caversham.

[Camaroz]

Thunder,

I don't know if I will get details of the THUNDERSPORTS SEDAN ALLCOMERS Register and race series up tonight!

Bit of research today. Gilly sold the Gowans Celica to WA (Matthew Lloyd), The Rotex Monza Chasis to someone here in VIC, the body panels to a Monza punter in QLD (John White?). The Capri was sold as a roller to someone in Seaford VIC and he tells me he was never paid for it - so - he rekons he still owns it.

[Camaroz]

Robert Ryan,

Thanks heaps for starting this Thread. Would you be offended if we started a new Thread under the heading THUNDERSPORTS SEDANS & ALLCOMERS (maybe under Historic Racing so we don't get lost in the V8SC traffic) to help guage interest in getting some cars out of garages and into some fun?

[valtheval]

Those were the days but a while ago and memory not as good as most but here goes
Hastings Yellow VW in rear of servo station Pascoe Vale area
So cold at Calder one Sunday drove all way back into Melb & still ice on roof of car.
Harry Lefoe Imp at Hume Weir
Ritter FJ I think then went to Tino Leo
Ritter left Melb went to work for that Thommo for a while in country
Thomson I remember had early Mustang loaded it into back of live in bus & took it to UK ? to live work for a time.
Came back to Aus & had a Camaro Red until painted Mustard colour which many of his cars were it arrived @ Calder on back of open Ford Tray truck.
Then I can remember him having Alfa 1750 GTV mustard colour in 1st lap big crash top mountain 1969 sharing drive with Ritter.
He also had V8 Torana LJ Sports sedan V8 & also XU1 LJ race car also
Then VW originally in Black with bit of yellow No 17 in those days I believe, then it later went to Mustard colour also, & I believe he had another spare shell then also.
Remember being at Calder for Grand Finale to who won speed boat, Jane Won in Monaro not sure of other placings.
Then Mercedes he drove mainly but I seem to remember Bowe & Jones names there somewhere now after reading this post
Whilst he had Mercedes he had Supra road car & I believe I sdaw his name in Targa results this year on web, but I thought he had bad motor cycle accident overseas somewhere last year or two.
Bryan Thomson has phenomenal memory for collector cars etc, someone should get him on this web & I believe he would still know where plenty of those cars are today.
I remember when we started travelling up to Amaroo CRC 300 from Vic knowing noone in NSW , guy beside us on top of hill backed his Dodge Phoeniz backwards into the mound & opened up the boot & invited myself wife & kids to share his boot full of fresh iced prawns & grog & he had the water draining out the bottom of the boot as the ice melted , those were the days.

[valtheval]

And I remember when young unknown from Aus came over here to race Formula Fords by now nickname Enforcer was battling missing home & Thomson over here just on holidays popped into tent and made himself known just because he was an Aussie having a go over here.

[Camaroz]

G'day valtheval.

All info spot on correct in your post! Sorry I missed the iced prawns at Amaroo - I was usually tied up demolishing 'Grenades' (those little twist top stubbies) with Geoff Leeds!

[mickj]

Camaroz
I agree with the idea of starting up in the Historic section under the heading of Thundersaloons & Allcomers. I am interested in SS and Sports cars eg Elfin, Matich and the lesser known ones. Are they included under Allcomers or do we start another thread? You are right it should not be lost in the V8SC traffic.
Cavvy re the Graduate, I remember reading ages ago that Stan Starcevich built the chassic and fitted a Matich SR3 body. I was surprised that it appeared with a M8 styled body at Sandown historics 2 years ago. I have gone thru old RCN's and AA, it was in the results as the T Mart special. The only other sporty I know of made out of a Cooper formula car was the ARGO raced by Ian Cook and Peter Macrow around 1968-69.
valtheval welcome.
Your mention of BT's (ex NB) Mustang, It appeared on the front cover of the UK magazine Cars &Car Conversions in 1967 and recently I have seen a photo of it on a UK website.

[thunder road]

mickj; (is that really 'Mick Jager !!??),just spoke to camaroz/OFL..('our fearless leader'),his reaction to your request with regard to the "allcomers/Elfin,Matich etc, was, quote;"MOST CERTAINLY"!!,GREAT!!,as I'm building a 'Corvette Roadster Racer',we've now got some where to 'play, can only be 'gooooood!!!!!.

[Robert Ryan]

I think there is no category specifically for Sports Sedans and Allcomers. The Matich SR3 and the other "Can Am" local sporties do belong in the Historic Sportscar catergories.
A Historic Sports Sedans and Allcomers catergory, will probably prompt some car owners to get rid of their"current" cars and build something new, you know with body styles later than 1990( My toungue is firmly buried in my cheek, while I am typing this)

[Camaroz]

RR,

Sorry not to get on line earlier. What are your thoughts re a new Thread outside of the Touring car Topic for "THUNDERSPORTS SEDANS & ALLCOMERS". This does not have to happen overnight .... Like all thing to be done well - "gently Bentley, catch the monkey"!!!

Early start, Night!

[valtheval]

Originally posted by Camaroz



G'day valtheval.

All info spot on correct in your post! Sorry I missed the iced prawns at Amaroo - I was usually tied up demolishing 'Grenades' (those little twist top stubbies) with Geoff Leeds!

But after consideration today of all those years ago over there today I set my old mind to it & thought of few more classics from those days,

Bill Brown who was a Bathurst classic rolling the diamond white ( blue tinge white XW ) over the fence @ Mc Phillamy, sitting on top of beer stand by apex or rotary @ Bathurst on Saturday as Bond put XU1 over fence CaSTROL bend up the top of mountain
guy by name Clearihan in Alfetta having a good go always,
I think that Alfa by Thomson @ Bathurst was registered KGP083 by 25 years ago memory ? but I would nearly bet my house on it,
friendly guy @ Amaroo was SP Bookie named Jack I think who regularly attended Bathurst as well camping in camping ground,
& re those hand grenade little stubbies in those days didn,t they catch us all out regularly,
@ Albury Hume Weir, little older guy
raced Cortina & drove S4 EH road car threw bucket of cold water over Horsley who had had a few of those stubbies
then threw the empty bucket outside the side door of the hall & said I will help you find the culprits, those certainly were the days.
Then later @ Sandown they got new pits & Moffat had given Clearihan in privateer Mazda the big heave ho, on back straight, after practice Moffat with Webb as his guard said who do you think you are & Clearihan as he moved Webb aside & punched Moffat out said you will remember me forever as he laid him out & got rubbed out for weekend only later to win the case as he was not even there for the practice session Moffat thought he had hit him in earlier session
Then in XA Coupe debut @ Adelaide the organisers held up the programme for Murray Carter to arrive & debut the first Falcon 2 door coupe.
Then about 1975 on way home from Adelaide having road race with Brock & Norm Gown in his 2 door yellow Gemini Coupe,
we all got pulled over near Bordertown/ Keith area SA
we got booked & he got let off as he was racing hero.
No such humour these days I imagine.

[valtheval]

And re Amaroo,
us quiet Victorians of the time who got lost just getting there, arrived in Brock Commodore @ the time & lady at hotel/ motel (thinking Turmine ? near Windsor ) said you better park that in our private enclose yard, I said WHY.
Middle of night As pub band finished I awoke to the noise of people walking over the top of a Celica parked near our room, from then on we took renter car or stayed home no $50 flights in those days, we used to have races on the way to & from the races.

[Aarrgh8]

That would be the Tourmaline. It used to have a statue of a large rampant black horse out the front. Maybe the owner was a Ferrari fan. The carpark is regularly used for car club displays. There were about 100 Mustangs on display there a few Sundays back. Nobody walking over them though.

[Camaroz]

valtheval (must let me know where that come from)

Keep them comming!

A couple of posible corrections.

Bill Brown Falcon was Yellow (John Newell Ford?).

Bondy tripped and fell over at Castrol in the race on Sunday (Lap 2 or 3) in 1972.

I don't think may would remember that Alan Horsley was the Manager at Hume Weir Circuit before he went to Oran Park!

Shame we lost Hume Weir after 'passion fingers' took it over!

Stayed at the same motel (Tourmaline) I think with Jim McKeown when running the Carrera in the Amaroo SS Series.

Talking with Tubby last night, his Imp didn't go to Harry LeFoe, Chrysler held on to it after the gig finished, same with Beecheys black one. The last owner I know of the Imp was Neil West (North Croydon) that also ran a very quick (and immaculate) LJ XU1 (improved touring - colour gold).

Cheers

[Amonfan]

Camoroz, which Imp did Rob Webster used to run?. I remember this running circa 1985, think it was white from memory...

[pete55]

I have pics from mags over the last 30 years here. Not sure if my scanner will work as i've had a few problems with it. But i'll try to post them. Some of the pics include the Lefloe Imp and Stillwell Escort, Delforce P76, Mahnken EH etc.

[Camaroz]

Amon Fan,

Rob built his own! Ran a Hart 416B or that was the plan before he went turbo something (forgot). Rob still has the car! Really well engineered!

[Camaroz]

valtheval,

They may have held up the race for Murray and his XA Hardtop but Gossy (McLeod Ford - Shell) ran the first XA Hardtop I think.

Cheers.

[Robert Ryan]

Camaroz,
Not a bad idea...new thread with "Australian Thundersports and New Zealand Allcomers" there was a British thundersports catergory. I remember when they ran the Thundersports catergory as a support at Surfers and Kayne Scott went through the field like a knife through butter driving his green mustang.
Does anyone know how I can upload scanned photos on to this site?

[valtheval]

Originally posted by Camaroz
valtheval (must let me know where that come from)

Keep them comming!

A couple of posible corrections.

Bill Brown Falcon was Yellow (John Newell Ford?).

Bondy tripped and fell over at Castrol in the race on Sunday (Lap 2 or 3) in 1972.

I don't think may would remember that Alan Horsley was the Manager at Hume Weir Circuit before he went to Oran Park!

Shame we lost Hume Weir after 'passion fingers' took it over!

Stayed at the same motel (Tourmaline) I think with Jim McKeown when running the Carrera in the Amaroo SS Series.

Talking with Tubby last night, his Imp didn't go to Harry LeFoe, Chrysler held on to it after the gig finished, same with Beecheys black one. The last owner I know of the Imp was Neil West (North Croydon) that also ran a very quick (and immaculate) LJ XU1 (improved touring - colour gold).

Cheers

Valtheval came from having a couple of them,
R Series was the first I think with floorshift 3 speed manual ? & false spare wheel image on bootlid, White with aqua interior,
then one of the last CM sedan 4 speed manual runout model I think they called sports or similar, yellow with cloth trim upholstery & steel pressed sportier wheels,give it the big rev going down up or down a hill & it felt like you were Geoghegan on Conrod as it floated but it certainly got up & went for a 6cyl.

[valtheval]

Whilst they are coming,
Marlboro HDT V8 Sports sedan I think was UC ? Torana with big bulgey guards,
Then they also had Rallycross ?/ Motocross ? cannot remember @ Calder used circuit plus dirt/mud in middle?
Brock ? in Torana & I think his brother in their EH Grey panelvan/towcar in the event as well ?
Then another time on way to Bathurst they lost XU1 off trailer on way up took it somewhere got it repaired & ended up driving it up to run it in on road as then behind schdule.
I can still remember Geoff Brock running around the camping area @ Bathurst years ago in early hours of morning yelling all excited ,waking all within a mile saying,
" we won the Americas cup ".
When we first started going to Bathurst drive up Sat am from Vic get there after lunch & park on fence @ top of mountain & park where you like, & after 30 years of doing it the last time I went was over 5 years ago & they wanted us to walk, as not camping up there, I thought I am too impatient for this nowadays & TV suffices
Do they bring out all those old sports sedans @ any historic meets, they must be still around.
Big major accident in Sports sedan @ Adelaide but I cannot remember who it was I am thinking a Monza?

[valtheval]

My memory not perfect but I would nearly bet the time I was in crowd @ Mc Philamy & it was over it was a diamond white ? but I believe he had a couple over there didn,t he ,if my memory is correct.
They still use footage of one of them Bathurst weekends on TV as it hangs over the fence, I will have to keep a look out on the colour this year, but regardless of colour it has made TV for many years
No doubt he is still around & I believe races in some those Targa or Grand Prix rally,s ? I came across him in Sydney a few years ago & he was in wholesale potato business then selling bags of ready made chips to fish & chip shops

[valtheval]

Originally posted by Steve Holmes
Add to the list a few more NZ cars:

PDL Mustang I. Steve Ross. Restored
PDL Mustang II. Stewart family (PDL) restored
Graeme Addis Charger. Addis. running soon
Bullivant/Baker/Cullinane Capri V8. running
Fahey Cologne Capri. Roger Townshend. Being restored
Allan Moffat Cologne Capri. Mike John. running
Red Dawson 70 Camaro. Kelvin Towns. being restored
Don Grindley Mazda RX7 Buick. Restored
Grant Brennan Escort V8. running
Don Halliday Escort BDA. Being restored
Avon Hyde V8 Capri. running

thunder, I'm not sure who's is the Monza in the shot. The front spoiler has the name John Rob????

[valtheval]

Originally posted by valtheval

Thats a great memory list
There used to be a great site on computer for old photos in colour
I forget name of guy around NSW with old caravan for years he had some great shots
I used to be able to find a good site for photos of yesteryear but nowadays I belive he has passed away & shots now on some other site but I don,t think as many are on computer as I used to be able to find,
unless there is 2 sites , anyone have any ideas ?

[thunder road]

valtheval;the Monza that got on it's roof at Adelaide(on top of Jum Richards /BMW,was the Bob Jane Monza driven at the time time by Mr P.Brock,and the Bill Brown /Falcon that ended up on the fence was 'YELLOW',the Falcon he rolled the previous year,in about the same area, was WHITE