MotorSport Legends Issue 11

MotorSport Legends T H E M A G A Z I N E T H AT B R I N G S Y O U R M O T O R S P O R T M E M O R I E S B A C K T O L I F E www.motorsportlegends.com.au

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COWANGIE KID A very special Maserati in the heart of F1 great Stirling Moss

Issue #11

Aug/Oct 2010 $6.95

ISSN 1835-5544

Tony Gaze: Australia’s first post-WWII superstar

Quarterly magazine

Larry Perkins: the story of a self-taught racer and engineer

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T H E M A G A Z I N E T H AT B R I N G S Y O U R M O T O R S P O R T M E M O R I E S B A C K T O L I F E

Contents Editorial 04 Will the V8 Supercar era at Bathurst be remembered as fondly as those which came before it?

News Who did what on the historic and nostalgia motorsport scenes.

Issue 11

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Cowangie Kid 10-16 Larry Perkins has gone from a country lad to a motor racing icon. Glenis Lindley tells his life story.

A gentleman racer 19-22 John Goss is one of the true characters of Australian motor racing. David Dowsey caught up with him for an interesting chat.

Historic Racer 23-30 Welcome to the fifth edition of our historic racing section, which includes coverage of the Winton Historics and Targa Tasmania and a preview of the inaugural CARnival.

Webb of Intrigue 31 Mick recalls the personalities that he has worked with during his long career in Australian motorsport.

A famous Maserati 32-37 David Dowsey takes Stirling Moss dowm memory lane to reminisce about a car that is very close to Australian motor racing followers’ hearts.

Aussie racing pioneer 38-43 Brian Reed interviews one of this country’s true motor racing heroes from the sport’s formative years.

Techno files 45-46 In the second of our new technical features for historic racing cars, we take a close look at wheels and tyres.

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Contributors in this issue Glenis Lindley Larry Perkins is a motor racing icon, orininally from a small town in country Victoria, Larry became a no-nonsense self-taught racer and engineer. Today he is a successful businessman and team owner. Glenis Lindley captures his life story.

David Dowsey Stirling Moss and John Goss are two gentleman racing drivers from the old school. David Dowsey caught up with Goss to talk about driving GHTOs sideways and with Moss to reminisce about a Masterati that is very special to Aussie fans.

Brian Reed Australian motor racing owes a lot to Tony Gaze.

Brian Reed caught up with him to talk about racing in Formula One in the early days and the dynasty he started which extends to Will and Alex Davison in today’s V8 Supercar racing.

T H E M A G A Z I N E T H AT B R I N G S Y O U R M O T O R S P O R T M E M O R I E S B A C K T O L I F E

Managing Editor Allan Edwards Pole Position Productions Address: PO Box 225 Keilor, Victoria, 3036 Phone: (03) 9331 2608 Fax: (03) 8080 6473 Email: admin@motorsportlegends.com.au Website: www.motorsportlegends.com.au Staff Journalist Briar Gunther Artist/Design House Natalie Delarey Raamen Pty Ltd (03) 9873 8282 Contributors Glenis Lindley, Darren House, Mark Cooper, David Dowsey, Brian Reed and Mick Webb.

Photographers Autopics.com.au, John Doig/Torque Photos, and Glenis Lindley.

Advertising Manager Jennifer Gamble Phone: 0431 451470 Email: advertising@ motorsportlegends.com.au Material in Motorsport Legends is protected by copyright laws and may not be reporoduced in any format.

Motorsport Legends will consider unsolicited articles and pictures; however, no responsibility will be taken for their return. While all efforts are taken to verify information in Motorsport Legends is factual, no responsibility will be taken for any material which is later found to be false or misleading.

The opinions of the contributors are not always those of the publishers.

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CLASSIC

Lines Welcome to issue 11 of Motorsport Legends magazine. Motorsport Legends includes motor racing nostalgia and historic motorsport events.

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y the time you read this issue, V8 Supercar teams will be gearing up to add another chapter to the already rich history of Australia’s most famous motor race, the Bathurst 1000.

While the 2010 version of the race will no doubt bring its own tales, I can’t help wonder whether we will ever look back on the races in the V8 Supercar era with as much passion and fond memories as we have when we remember the races of the 1980s and earlier.

With just over 30 cars and two marques racing around The Mountain and the only real difference between them being the badge on the grille, I get the feeling that the history of the

Great Race in the Supercar era will fail to capture the imagination as much as the annual Bathurst races did in the days when there were over 50 cars which were made up of many marques.

Also, back then we had guys with next to no budget who would do anything to get their often smoking, wounded cars to the chequered flag.

Scenes of Peter Williamson trying to cut open the boot of his Toyota with an axe in pitlane and mechanics kicking out the rear window in Brock’s Commodore spring to mind as images we’ll probably never get to see again, but that’s what this magazine is all about, nostalgia and re-living your favourite memories.

One man whose career spreads across both those less complicated days and

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the V8 Supercar era is Larry Perkins (pictured above with yours truly).

Glenis Lindley has captured his story brilliantly in the cover feature of this issue. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

This publication is also about experiencing today’s historic scene, and we have joined forces with Raceway Travel Services to organise a tour to the 2011 NZ Festival of Motor Racing at Hampton Downs in January. Make sure you book early because it’s going to be an awesome trip!

Until next time, drive safely on the road and the race track.

Cheers, – Allan Edwards, Managing Editor

THE BEST OF

MotorSport Legends

Volume One BRINGING YOUR MOTOR SPORT MEMORIES BACK TO LIFE

HISTORIC NEWS STORY BY BRIAR GUNTHER

LONGFORD REVIVAL FESTIVAL Government announced the addition of the Festival in June with Tourism Minister Michelle O’Byrne saying it will stand alongside Targa Tasmania and Targa Wrest Point on the state’s prestigious motorsport event calendar.

“The Festival will be a celebration of Longford’s fascinating motor racing heritage and aims to redestination attracting some establish the town as a of the world’s best drivers motor-racing destination, including: Jack Brabham, with sections of the legendary Stirling Moss, Denny Hulme, ‘Flying Mile’ sure to attract Bruce McLaren, John Surtees motorsport legends and and Graham Hill. enthusiasts from Australia The Longford circuit also and overseas,” she said. hosted the 1959 Australian The inaugural Longford Grand Prix.

Revival Festival is planned The Tasmanian for the weekend of April The start of the 1964 Tasman Series in Longford.

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ext year’s Longford Revival Festival brings the total of major annual motorsport events in Tasmania featuring historic cars to three.

From 1953 to 1968 the Longford circuit was an iconic motorsport

1-3, 2011 just prior to the 20th anniversary of Targa Tasmania.

The Festival will include demonstrations of legendary cars driven by famous drivers along with music, entertainment, and car and trade shows.

It has been billed as an event to sustain an authentic revival of motorsport from the 1950s and ’60s at Longford.

Like the Targa events, Octagon will manage the event and the Government will provide $350,000 every year as part of a three-year agreement. ML The event website is www.longfordrevival.com.au

STORY BY BRIAR GUNTHER

CELEBRATE IN NZ

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he 2011 NZ Festival of Motor Racing celebrates the life of former Formula One driver Chris Amon and Raceway Travel Services and Motorsport Legends magazine are offering Australian motorsport fans the ultimate opportunity to take part in the celebrations.

Raceway Travel Services has been appointed as the festival’s official travel partner for Australia and is putting together an exciting 13-day

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package in conjunction with Motorsport Legends magazine.

The NZ Festival of Motor Racing takes place over the last two weekends in January at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park.

More than 400 vehicles, including some that Amon drove in his motorsport career, are expected to arrive in New Zealand for the festival from all over the world including: England, Germany and Australia.

Raceway Travel Services will hold its own activities outside of the Festival, including a barbecue lunch with drivers and a trip to the Bruce McLaren Trust museum.

The tour group will be based in luxury accommodation in Auckland and coaches will provide transportation to the track.

Airport transfers, travel insurance and hire cars for those who want added

flexibility can also be organised through Raceway Travel Services. ML For more information visit on the NZ Festival of Motor Sport Tour, visit www. racewaytravelservices.com To register your interest to take part in Raceway Travel Service’s tour to New Zealand in January email mal@racewayservices.com. au or call 08 8289 9189.

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run of supercars limited to 20 and named after New Zealand motorsport legend Denny Hulme has gone on sale.

The Hulme CanAm Supercar is named after the 1967 Formula One World Champion, who also competed in the CanAm series and the Australian Touring Car Championship.

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developer/manufacturer Hulme Supercars will hand build the road-legal Hulme CanAm which features an ultra-lightweight carbon composite tub and bodywork and race-orientated chassis, suspension and braking.

Weighing in at less than 1000 kilograms, the car has a seven-litre Chevrolet LS7 V8 engine, six-speed CIMA manual gearbox and a top speed in excess of 300kph

which can be driven on the road or raced on the track.

Hulme died of a heart attack while competing in the 1992 Bathurst 1000 and his widow Greeta praised the car named after him. “(Hulme Managing Director) Jock Freemantle’s desire to honour Denny’s life with this unique car has been matched by his irrepressible enthusiasm and passion to create it,” Mrs Hulme said.

“I am both proud and immensely impressed with what he and the Hulme Supercars team have achieved.”

The Hulme CanAm costs about half a million Australian dollars with delivery beginning in the second half of next year and into 2012, the 20th anniversary of Denny ML Hulme’s death.

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THAT’S TUF

described the car, which he competed in to finish runner-up to Jim Richards in a ick Johnson’s Greens-Tuf BMW 635 in 1985, as a “great car”.

Ford Mustang GT was one Johnson said the Mustang was a “bit of the showpieces of an of a stop gap” between the Falcon and auction held at MotorEx in the Sierra.

Sydney late July.

“We had the opportunity to either Johnson, who won the 1984 Australian go with the Mustang... or we could Touring Car Championship, swapped have run what they call the Merkur, an his famous Group C Greens-Tuf Falcon American version of the Sierra which for the Mustang when Australia moved had a two-litre single overhead cam to the International Group A Touring engine.

Car regulations in 1985.

“It was probably too big a change for The Australian motorsport legend us in one hit so while we waited for the

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Sierra to come online, we opted for the Mustangs.”

The car was sold to New Zealand racer Robbie Kerr in early 1987 and it remained in New Zealand until New South Wales muscle car racer Ross Donnelley bought it in 2006 and restored it.

It was expected to sell for between $180,000 to $220,000.

Another standout vehicle at the MotorEx auction was a totally original and undisturbed Torana A9X Hatch ‘homologation special’.

The Palais White A9X was the very first of just 100 two-door Hatch and 305 four-door Torana A9X sedans built for sale to the public between August and December 1977.

It was initially one of two GMH press and promotional vehicles before Sydney Holden dealer and racing driver Ron Hodgson acquired the car, which has a mere 16,000km on the clock.

Because of its provenance, originality and historic significance, Shannons quoted a guiding range of $270,000 to ML $290,000.

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LARRY PERKINS’ PASSION AND PRIDE Reputations usually don’t happen overnight! Larry Perkins has been around long enough – approaching four decades of motor racing – to have deserved his amazing string of achievements, but also to have rubbed a few people up the wrong way.

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hat’s not going to cause this well-known motorsporting identity and straight shooter too much sleep loss, as he’s always believed in speaking his mind. Besides, with six Bathurst 1000 victories to his name, he’s well qualified in this respect.

Larry’s a great guy when you get to know him: a strong competitor with plenty of drive, and as an engineer, albeit self-taught, absolutely brilliant.

Born in Cowangie, in Victoria’s Mallee region, his nickname was ‘Cowangie Kid’ before ‘LP’ became fashionable (or ‘Graphmeister’, as Brocky called him). Farm life, driving everything from tractors to ancient paddock bashers and VWs, agreed with young Larry and his brothers, Terry and Gary who were also taught mechanical skills by their father Eddie, a wartime aircraft mechanic and car buff. Eddie participated in Round Australia Trials in a Volkswagen, winning

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STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY GLENIS LINDLEY

in 1956 and 1958, and later drove a Porsche 356 in the Monte Carlo Rally.

Inevitably the boys became involved with motorsport, although Larry was a windmill mechanic before channelling his interest towards circuit racing in 1969, debuting a Formula Vee for Bib Stillwell’s team at Mallala.

“I got sick of water boring and bought a Formula Vee,” he said with his familiar mischievous grin.

Larry successfully snared the 1971 Australian Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series in an Elfin 600 (thanks to Allan Moffat who bought him an engine), then won the Formula Two title in ‘72 in an Elfin (clinching eight wins from nine starts) with help from mentors like *Gary Campbell and David Mackay (Scuderia Veloce).

This sewed some serious seeds, encouraging Larry to set his sights on Formula One. With Jack Brabham’s retirement, perhaps this new Aussie single-seater sensation could become his

successor.

According to legend Harry Firth, who gave the ‘raw country kid’ his first job at his Queens Avenue workshop, he was ‘a real wild lad’. “Asked to road test the Torana XU1 prototype, he pulled peak revs then had the courage to tell me it was ‘a bit light in the steering’ at top speed! “ But I knew he’d succeed with racing, because he was prepared to listen,” declared Firth.

With bags packed for Europe, full of great expectations, but little else except limited savings and no cheque book so to speak, his new overseas adventure began in 1973, racing Formula Three.

“Life was tough trying to make ends meet,” the young talent said.

Running ‘Team Cowangie’ on a shoestring budget meant using a converted furniture truck for a race transporter, which also doubled on occasions, as sleeping accommodation for ❯ Larry and his crew. As another cost-

Leading the pack at Bathurst in 1997.

Perkins surprised his legion of Holden fans when he drove a Ford Mustang with Dick Johnson in 1985.

In the Elfin MR8 F5000 at Sandown in 1979.

cutting exercise and a bit of a challenge, they also hitchhiked around the place.

“We lived from day-to-day on appearance money and prizemoney,” explained Perkins.

His ambition remained F1 so he attempted to open some doors. Success didn’t come at his first test session with New Zealander Chris Amon’s new F5000 car, then he also failed to qualify Amon’s ill-fated F1 car in Germany at Nurburgring in 1974 after only a short stint of practice.

Undeterred, Perkins concentrated on F3 for 1975. It was ex-Brabham engineering genius Ron Tauranac who 12

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helped his cause considerably, designing a Ralt RT1 with a twin cam Ford engine prepared by Novamotor and input from Perkins himself. That year, brother Terry also joined the F3 ranks, the pair racing RT1s, with Larry sealing the European F3 Series Championship with very impressive results.

This re-opened the F1 door – pursuing his ultimate dream during 1976 at the wheel of a (slightly better) EnsignCosworth F1 Team car. Then came a Brabham BT45 for Martini Racing with Bernie Ecclestone as team boss, no less.

Perkins subsequently lost his Brabham seat (because of a slight difference of

opinion!) after withdrawing (joined by a handful of other drivers, including Niki Lauda) from the Japanese GP because of atrocious weather conditions.

Perkins then moved to BRM, before racing for Team Surtees in 1977. In all, he contested 11 Grand Prix races, scoring a career-best eighth place in his second race, but never earning any prized points.

Engine or mechanical failures in some woefully inadequate cars, the odd minor crash, and demoralising team prospects, didn’t enhance his reputation. So, despite his initial persistent commitment, a somewhat disillusioned and disappointed young gun walked away from the career

The Perkins class of 2004.

Perkins co-drove with Peter Janson at Bathurst in 1977.

In the Stillwell Elfin Formula Ford at Calder in 1971.

A moustached Perkins at the Rothmans International Series in 1979.

he’d previously sought with a passion.

“Yes, I did get to race against Alan Jones in 1976 (in F1) after saying words to the effect – ‘He’s still in F3 after about five years, but I can’t see that he’ll go much further’.

“I got that wrong,” admitted Perkins sheepishly.

In fact, Jones earned two points during his debut year (1975) and his first F1 victory two years later as Perkins was heading for the exit door. Ironically, when Jones returned to Australia racing touring cars, it was Perkins who ran rings around him, as the 1980 F1 World Champion was never able to win

Bathurst.

With F1 behind him Perkins licked his wounds and returned home, but he desperately wanted to continue racing.

Fronting at Bathurst for his first start at the famous Mount Panorama circuit with flamboyant Melbourne socialite Peter Janson, they drove a Torana A9X in 1977, finishing a creditable third, considering Perkins’ lack of experience in touring cars.

But he was an incredibly versatile driver, trying his hand in any available category, including the 1978 Le Mans 24-Hour (finishing second in class in a Porsche Carrera 911), and the New

Zealand Formula Atlantic Championship that same year. He ended up second again, beaten by Finland’s Keke Rosberg.

In 1979, he turned his talent to the Rothmans International Series, claiming victory in an Elfin MR8 F5000. He also won the one and only Australian Rallycross Championship in a borrowed VW, before building himself a VW for the Repco Round Australia Trial – which was won by Peter Brock’s high-profile team.

Janson/Perkins joined forces again at Bathurst in 1979, finishing second to Peter Brock/Jim Richards’ Torana A9X – a feat that was repeated the following ❯ MotorSportLegends

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LARRY PERKINS

year.

“I wasn’t just a driver in Janson’s team,” explained Perkins, “I was actively responsible for certain aspects of car preparation.

“It was special to sit on the grid in those days, but even more so in later years with my own team,” Perkins said proudly.

Having caught the ‘Bathurst Bug’, becoming involved in the engineering side of the Holden Dealer Team (HDT) workshop later encouraged him to form his own team under the Perkins Engineering banner.

“My big opportunity came in 1982 at HDT when Peter (Brock) asked me to The 1982 Great Race was the first of three victories for the Brock/Perkins combination at Bathurst.

step in at Bathurst after regular co-driver Jim Richards left to become lead driver at JPS-BMW, following the parting of ways with Allan Grice.

“I enjoyed the managerial challenge of ensuring the car would survive for 1000 kilometres and remain competitive,” Perkins said enthusiastically.

In 1982, he (with some help from brother Gary) also teamed up with renowned visionary adventurer Hans Tholstrup. They designed and built the ‘Quiet Achiever’, a machine (that looked more like a bath tub on wheels than a ‘technically-motivated’ car), becoming the first to cross Australia from Perth to Sydney using solar energy – that’s the sort of innovative brain housed within Larry’s head!

At a faster pace, Brock with Perkins in the co-driver seat, notched up three successive Bathurst 1000 victories -1982 to 1984, before Perkins split with the factory outfit. They also paired up at Le Mans in a Bob Jane T-Marts sponsored Porsche 956 in 1984, but that’s one race Larry would rather forget, as he crashed.

“I didn’t have a good excuse. I just came

unstuck,” admitted LP. His 1988 Le Mans attempt with Tom Walkinshaw Racing in a Silk Cut Jaguar was more successful, gaining fourth place.

To the disbelief of his staunch Holden supporters, Larry also teamed with Dick Johnson in a Ford Mustang in 1985, after parting company with HDT. Perkins was a colourful character indeed, definitely not adverse to ‘unofficial road-testing’ of various cars on public roads, and while several stories circulated, ‘Larrikin Larry’ managed to avoid any serious brushes with the law.

Having formed his own no-frills team in late 1985, he began supplying other outfits with high-performance equipment (something he continued to do for many years) before accepting his first major sponsorship deal from Castrol, and so Castrol Perkins Racing evolved.

Three more Great Race wins were clocked up, the first with former motorcycle ace Gregg Hansford in 1993, with Perkins starting from pole.

Following Hansford’s untimely death at Phillip Island, Russell Ingall, then

returning from overseas racing, was drafted into the team, with two more victories resulting -1995 and 1997.

Driving the Castrol Perkins Commodore, they achieved one of the most memorable mountain victories in history going from last to first after their car was forced to pit on the first lap with a flat tyre caused by a touch-up with Craig Lowndes off the start line. That heroic charge showed Perkins’ strong fighting spirit, and also showed his soft side when he dedicating the win to his absent friend, Gregg Hansford.

The 1997 win was just as impressive with their Commodore VS never missing a beat and always looking like a winner during the incident-packed race. Perkins’ engineering magic had once again worked on the mountain, remembering that his was a privateer team (despite substantial Castrol sponsorship) and he often fronted with older model cars, but engineered to perfection.

“I prided myself that we could conquer the mountain with a fraction of the budget of the more fancied high-profile factory-backed outfits,” explained the

popular battler and gifted engineer.

However, despite many attempts, Perkins couldn’t crack the Australian Touring Car Championship (now V8 Supercar Series), but was a consistent front-runner picking up several major wins – usually endurance events such as the Sandown 500 and 1999 Queensland 500.

His team expanded to two cars in 1996 with Steve Richards eventually slipping into Perkins’ car (#11) on his retirement, which came after 2003. Perkins was no slouch behind the wheel during his long career, but after two uncharacteristic crashes at his beloved Bathurst, he pulled the pin on competition.

“I sacked myself,” he declared, admitting his competitive edge had diminished.

In 2001 when entering the pits (and leading) he slid into the tyre barrier – ending a strong possibility of Bathurst victory number seven.

“A rookie error,” he grunted bluntly at the time.

His 2003 practice crash in The Cutting made an even bigger impact, as car #11 ❯

LARRY PERKINS

crunched into the wall.

“I wasn’t focused on what I was doing. It was totally avoidable,” stated Perkins.

Always on the lookout for talent, he gave countless young hopefuls ranging from current V8 superstar Jamie Whincup, to his own son Jack Perkins, a kick-start with their careers.

Appropriately this respected legend’s workshop was established in an aircraft hanger at Moorabbin Airport in 1992, where he also houses his vintage tractor collection. His other hobby (read passion) is flying, beginning with fixed-wing Cessnas and such before moving to helicopters, which he flies regularly. Thinking outside the motor racing square, his latest buzz-business is Perkins Technologies, a company specialising in design, development, and manufacturer of quality, low-cost aviation products based around monitoring instrumentation.

Larry’s accumulated accolades, achievements and antics would fill a book, but one worthy of mention includes signing up bluechip sponsor Jack Daniel’s, when Castrol withdrew from motor racing at the end of 2005. The knockers said his team would fold, but far from it. When he decided to pull back from team ownership, Perkins sold his interests to the Kelly family, with Todd and Rick as owner/drivers, although he initially remained in the background for ‘consultation purposes’.

During his long motorsport career his dogmatic approach incurred the odd fine or two, as he was renowned for arguing with officials and appealing against directives and rules that he considered completely unjust. Being a constant critic of authority, especially TEGA (Touring Car Entrants Group Australia), he put into practice the old adage ‘if you can’t beat them, join them’ and controversially became a member of the board.

Of significance on a personal note, Perkins was inducted into the V8 Supercar Hall of Fame in 2008 as the 13th member.

With few regrets in life, this man from humble beginnings

Perkins could always be found on the pit wall at races watching the team that he built from the ground up.

With Russell Ingall and son Jack.

keeps his finger on the pulse, while his son Jack strives to uphold the family tradition of motor racing excellence. *Amongst other things, Gary Campbell was Larry and Peter Brock’s refueller for their 1984 Le Mans attempt, as well as ML being a former AGP Elfin driver himself.

Perkins gave up racing after his crash at The Cutting at Bathurst in 2003.

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STORY BY DAVID DOWSEY; PHOTOGRAPHS SUPPLIED BY AUTOPICS.COM.AU

FLAMBOYANT AND FAST His competition days may be behind him but John Goss is still all class.

D

ressed in his trademark red neckerchief it’s hard to miss John Goss as he mills around at the many historic motorsport events he attends these days.

But he is still fast and he’s still serious about his motorsport. He no longer competes, but when he demonstrates his cars he does so with the commitment that made him a two-time Bathurst champion and the only person to win on The Mountain and the Australian Grand Prix – a feat that looks unlikely to be repeated.

His commitment to excellence remains the same when he is speaking in public and giving interviews. He’s razor sharp and always keen to make an impression.

Born in Glen Iris Victoria, Goss was brought up and educated in Tasmania. His father was a development engineer at General Motors before WWII. After demobbing he returned to GM but as his mother was Tasmanian and he was a keen sailor Goss’ father moved the family to Tasmania.

“I had a good education but I hankered to get out and do

something mechanical although I didn’t know it at the time,” says Goss.

“I was a keen aero-modeller and my father instinctively saw that and rather than compel me to go on to university he obtained an apprenticeship for me at the Ford dealership in Tasmania.”

Embracing all the main disciplines – welding, machining etc., Goss remained there for five years. A year after he completed his apprenticeship he was working for himself and has done so ever since.

“Those early days in Tasmania were important because my father was keen on motorsport and he took me each year to the Longford international meeting, where I saw the great Europeans of the day coming down with their cars and mechanics. Ferrari was there; Coopers of course,” he says.

“In the late-1950s when I was still at school and being taken to that event, there were many of the classic front❯ engined cars including the 250F Maseratis. I remember MotorSportLegends

19

Goss and Kevin Bartlett were first outright and the Class D winner at the 1974 Bathurst 1000 in this XA-GT Falcon.

seeing (Stan) Jones win the AGP in one of those cars so I have brilliant memories of really inspired visions of motor racing at a proper level right from the early days. I was fortunate for that because of the setting of the Longford circuit in Tasmania. It was truly a European-style venue; ďŹ ve-mile circuit in rolling pastoral country, magniďŹ cent property. It was a backdrop that absolutely inspired anybody that was likely to be interested in motor racing. “So I went back to Hobart and I went to a function to support that event. I had restored an early-model Holden and the current (state) touring car champion, Brian Higgins, who was a clerk at law, persuaded me to think about racing at the function at the Warratah Hotel drinking a fair bit of beer as we did as young Tasmanians, but the following morning at 10am he called me and he said ‘I’ve entered you for Longford’ and I couldn’t comprehend it at that stage. “He said he had also taken the precaution to obtain a late

entry for me for Baskerville the next weekend so we ew into action and we had a lot of work to do on this beautifullyrestored early Holden. We took it to Baskerville and I found that I actually had a skill for it and I ďŹ nished mid-ďŹ eld with a few dents. The only experience I’d had before that was a bit of fairground racing at the Royal Agricultural Show at Hobart, where we’d rush around on the grass in our street Holdens. “(So) I was launched into racing; it was somebody else’s decision and it was just amazing. We went to that ďŹ rst meeting at Longford; I remember we worked three days and nights without leaving the workshop, my little workshop in the northern suburbs of Hobart. We left at midday on Friday to drive to Longford, a distance of a couple of hours, and my mechanic, Adrian Jones, was so exhausted he slept all the way and I managed to keep myself awake. “We arrived at Longford and I was surprised to see that on mid-afternoon the circuit was very quiet and we were able to

1/26 Burgess Rd Bayswater Nth Vic 3153 20

MotorSportLegends

JOHN GOSS Denis Cribbin co-drove the XW Ford Falcon GTHO with Goss at Bathurst in 1969.

In a Matich A53 at Oran Park in May 1975.

Goss at Oran Park on December 12, 1970.

Goss and Ron Gillard only completed 14 laps at Bathurst in 1980 after the gearbox went in their XJS Jaguar.

cross the main straight to enter the pits and that surprised me because I was concerned that we would be isolated outside the circuit.

“We had a mixed result over the weekend, had some damage to the car (but) I pressed on and went to Symmons Plains a few weeks later and after a while it became routine.

I prepared a special FJ Holden for racing but I found I really couldn’t compete with the guys who had a lot of money for development engines in Appendix J. So I developed a Ford Customline and that gave me a horsepower advantage at modest cost. I had a lot of success with that car, 131mph on the straight at Longford and I was barely a teenager, but that was 42-years ago or more.

“I then found the same problem not being able to be competitive with imported Mustangs and Cooper Ss and that sort of stuff so I designed and built a 2.8-litre Tornado Ford (prototype sports car) and raced it at Winton and that

At Oran Park in a Tornado Ford, 1970.

launched my career on the mainland.

“I saw it as a journey to Europe but I never made it there at that time in my life. I raced in Sydney; (Oran Park promoter) Allan Horsley invited me to Sydney, I met (Ford Dealer) Max McLeod by accident and that developed into a 10-year association through Max’s interests with my efforts with the Ford Motor Company and anchored me to a touring car program for 27 years. And so I had 27 years of commitment to Australian Touring Car racing, specifically as a NSW-based team, Bathurst and other events because we couldn’t really muster the overall financial backing to do the entire Touring Car Championship.

“We won the (1973) South Pacific Touring Car Championship (run in conjunction with Australian Tasman Rounds), the Sandown 300 and Bathurst 1000 for Ford.

“So Max McLeod really adopted me as a son and he gave me ❯ a lot of advice away from racing in life as well.

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JOHN GOSS

In 1985 Armin Hahne helped Goss drive to his second Bathurst victory in the XJS Jaguar.

Alongside Kevin ‘KB’ Bartlett, Moss won the James Hardie 1000km race at Mount Panorama in 1974 in a very close race and in August 1975 Ford released a run of XB-based John Goss Special limited edition hardtops. Powered by the 180kW 302ci V8 with either a three-speed automatic or four-speed manual transmission, the car was available in two different paint schemes, blue and white, or green and white with several stripe and decal options. Colour-coded front and rear bumpers (similar to the GT) and rally-pack-type wheels could also be optioned. Sports handling suspension was fitted, as was a rally instrument pack. Only 260 were produced between 1975 and 1976.

Some dealers introduced other special components to the John Goss Special like front and rear spoilers and interior options.

His second Bathurst win came in 1985 with Armin Hahne in a Group A Walkinshaw XJS Jaguar, but his love affair with the big British cats started a few years earlier.

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MotorSportLegends

“I first developed a Jaguar program in 1980. We developed that car over four seasons in Group C to quite a high pitch, then dismantled the car completely and reconstructed and redeveloped it as a Group A car,” Goss explains.

However, it was his ‘sideways’ driving in the Falcon GTHOs that many will remember him for.

“We had to get them through the corners; you had to set them up in a bit of a power slide (and) we had to protect the tyres at the same time… I had my own particular style. I was keen on winning races and history shows we had a lot of success in that regard,” he says.

He was also famous for his ‘playboy racer’ image.

“I think it’s interesting and I don’t mind that. You see yourself sometimes as having more success than you really achieved, but I enjoyed my motor racing and I still enjoy the motorsport angle. I was involved in what might be called the tail end of the gentleman’s era and we could express ourselves ML and enjoy ourselves and that’s what I did… ”

HISTORIC RACER

MotorSport Legends T H E M A G A Z I N E T H AT B R I N G S Y O U R M O T O R S P O R T M E M O R I E S B A C K T O L I F E

WET, WILD WINTON The rain doesn’t stop the action at the Austin 7 historic meet

Taking the sport to the people

Broadbent goes back-to-back

STORY BY BRIAN REED; PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN DOIG/TORQUE PHOTOS

Samantha Dymond in a Lola MI.

Steve Pike’s replica of Donald Healey’’s record breaking car

Paul Cruse in his Escort leads Fraser Ross in his Mustang during a Group N race.

Jim Russell (11) in his Ford Special on the dummy grid.

RAIN FAILS TO SPOIL HISTORICS PARTY AT WINTON The paddock may have been wet and soggy, but the entertainment, the quality of the cars and the racing, and the atmosphere at the Winton Historics were still first class.

T

hings were different this year, not that competitors cared, but for the first time in the 34 years of the Historic Winton meeting it wasn’t run under CAMS. The weather was also different to the past few years, with veteran racer Ian Pope describing Saturday, May 29 as the worst conditions he had experienced in 35 years of racing. “Nobody could see!” he said. Fortunately track conditions improved for Sunday.

It was a landmark year for the organising club, being the 60th anniversary of the Austin 7 Club. Not surprising, the iconic ‘baby’ Austins turned out in force, both on the track 24

HistoricRacer

and in the car display in the very muddy paddock. The highly prized Colonel Arthur Waite Trophy, named after the winner of the first Australian GP at Phillip Island, went to Grant Cowie for the third time in the famous 1931 747cc.

Austin ‘Rubber Duck.’

Alfa Romeo and Peugeot, while not quite as old as the program stated, were also celebrated, with main focus on the centenary of Alfa.

But the car that created most interest in the pits was the Warman Special, a monster car created by Rod Hadfield, the hot rod exponent from Castlemaine, in honour of his grandfather Raymond Sidley Hadfield. This beautifully

engineered machine boasts a 27-litre Rolls Royce engine fitted to a stretched 1932 Packard Limo chassis, with other period bits and instruments to match. It took Hadfield five years to build, and he proudly drove it in demonstration laps of the circuit. Another interesting car taking part in the demo laps was the recreation of Donald Healey’s streamlined Austin Healey that established a number of speed records at Bonneville Salt Flats back in the 1950s. This crowd stopper was built by Steve Pike of Bacchus Marsh, but didn’t complete its track time at Winton. It ran out of fuel!

Revelling in the muddy conditions were the ‘ferals’, a group of enthusiasts

WINTON 2010

Dick Willis in his ex-Mildren Cooper (Type 51).

The ‘Ferals’ were a crowd favourite.

Pitt and Ivermee (33) lead Williams and Gay (92).

who pride themselves in never cleaning their old vehicles, together with water bags, foxes and various rusty oddments attached to the bumper bars thanks to the ingenious use of fencing wire and hay band. The occupants came suitably attired, and this motley lot were great crowd favourites.

Other favourites were John Needham’s 1930 Austin 7, a car that has completed almost 600,000kms, the very basic 1936 Ford Special driven by Derek ‘Dekka’ McLaughlin, and Nigel Gray’s 1934 Singer Le Mans Spl. Good to see old habits dying hard, as Nigel was loading up his prized sports car for the trip home after competing in the Regularity events.

The 34th Historic Winton was its usual smorgasbord of desirable Historic cars and motorcycles, all there to contest the 47 events over the two days on

THE REGULARITY EVENTS GAVE NOT-SO-REGULAR COMPETITORS A CHANCE TO COMPETE IN SOME INTERESTING CARS Winton’s short track. As always, the feature races are keenly contested. The evergreen Jim ‘Stumpy’ Russell (1939 Ford V8 Spl.) took the honours in the Lou Molina Trophy, while Queenslander Rod McMullin took home the Douglas Briese Trophy in his 1934 Ford V8 Indy Spl. Keith Simpson (1966 Brabham BT16) won the Phil Irving Trophy, and Peter Statton (Sabakat) the George Coad Memorial Trophy. The Regularity events were well subscribed, and gave not-soregular competitors a chance to compete in some interesting cars that would

otherwise not be seen on the track. It is also good to see handicap races remain a part of Historic motorsport as they give less competitive cars a chance of sharing the trophies. One of the most popular wins went to long time tryer Michael Stupka who managed to hold off a Cooper S swarm in his Hillman Imp. The motorcycle fraternity run their own show, but always turn it on for the spectators. More than 80 solos dating back to the 1920s and two dozen outfits were a fitting adjunct to the program – Australia’s only combined historic car and bike meeting.

Peter Gostelow in his MG.

Daniel Smith (13) in his Wren leads the pack during a Formula Ford race.

Paul Savoy in his Cooper T39 Bobtail (38) and Samantha Dymond in her Lola MI (17) grid up for an Lb race.

HistoricRacer

25

STORY BY BRIAR GUNTHER

RACING COMES IN THREES The VHRR adds the Festival of Speed to its line up of motor racing events.

T

o encourage participation in historic racing, the Victorian Historic Racing Register (VHRR) has announced a three event championship.

Besides the Return of the Thunder event at Sandown and the Phillip Island Classic, the VHRR will run the Festival of Speed at Winton Motor Raceway on August 13-15.

Although Winton’s management has been involved in the planning, promotion and running of the Festival of Speed, the event will run under the auspices of the VHRR which is reputedly Australia’s largest and most influential historic motorsport club.

Shannons, Penrite and CoolDrive support the Festival of Speed which is a full race meeting with added features aimed at increasing both spectator and competitor numbers.

It is also designed at reaching a younger and more diverse audience as

well as attracting classic car enthusiasts who may not want to race but want the opportunity to run timed laps.

For the first time the popular ‘Regularity’ events will be backed up by timed ‘Sprints’ with 15 minute runs.

The eligibility for the sprint events will be American and Australian muscle cars, plus Porsches up to 1985.

VHRR President, Ian Tate, said the club was looking at historic racing as a growth area for Australian motorsport.

“Last year, as part of a business strategy we canvassed competitors, car club members and spectators at both Phillip Island and Sandown about the events,” he said.

“A third survey canvassed competitors, racing enthusiasts and car club members on re-inventing a historic race meeting at Winton Raceway’s long circuit.

“The club survey showed there was a very strong and encouraging response.

“Basically the answer was – ‘yes, we will support such an event and we like it to be part of a three-race championship’.”

Drivers will need a basic CAMS or AASA licence and must wear a helmet.

For more information call Ian Tate on 03 9877 3317, Ian Ross on 03 8256 1644 or Colin Fulton on 03 9877 4617.

The club currently runs the two pre-eminent historic events in Australia, the ‘Return of the Thunder’ event at Sandown and the Phillip Island Classic – the ‘Festival of Motorsport.

Both events are growing in popularity – with record driver and spectator participation. They have also been profitable ventures for the VHRR.

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HistoricRacer

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TARGA TASMANIA STORY BY BRIAR GUNTHER

BROADBENT GOES BACK TO BACK Victorian Rex Broadbent puts another feather in his Targa Tasmania cap.

R

ex Broadbent took the Classic Outright class win for the second consecutive year at Targa Tasmania.

The Victorian and his co-driver Chris Randell entered the event at the eleventh hour but their 1974 Porsche 911 RS never missed a beat to finish almost 12 minutes clear of second placed Barry Faux and Therezia Mihajlovic in a 1979 RX7 Mazda.

Broadbent’s 2010 victory, which took 35:57 to achieve, brings his total number of Targa Tasmania wins in the classic category to four.

“It’s been survival of the fittest, but I’m still pretty happy and have enjoyed it enormously,” he said.

“My co-driver and good friend, Chris, has been totally professional and didn’t put a foot wrong, and it makes a big difference to the driver.

“I’ve always said that navigators are 80 per cent of the team, but I reckon it might even be 85 per cent this time.”

Paul Batten and his father Mike won the Classic Handicap class in a 1961 Volvo PV544, almost 11 minutes ahead of husband and wife team Peter and Sari Ullrich in a 1963 Jensen CV8.

Clerk of Course, Stuart Benson, described the 27-year-old’s effort as the drive of the rally.

“It is an underpowered car yet Paul has

managed to get the maximum out of it,” Benson said.

“His driving skill is outstanding. He also brings a lot of expertise to the set-up of the car, with his suspension really aiding his performance.”

Batten works for international motorsport outfit Prodrive and was delighted with his victory.

“It’s been a challenging five days and we’ve just kept our nose to the grindstone and just doing the best we can, and it’s turned out quite a good result,” he said.

“The car is a lot quicker than people give it credit for and we’ve overtaken some fairly quick cars.

“The tyres have been very good in the wet as well, so we’ve just tried to keep the momentum going from one stage to the next.”

Batten was surprised that they finished fourth in the Classic Outright class 13 minutes behind Broadbent.

“There’s a lot of fast cars there and I think the wet weather may have suited us a little more, and there’s been a few offs as well,” he noted.

“Some of the big boys have fallen and we’ve been there to pick up the pieces.”

Local driver Jason White and his co-driver, uncle John White, led Targa Tasmania from start to finish in a 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo Strada, finishing the Modern class in

19:10.

Meanwhile, Wayne Clark and Roger Richardson completed the course to win the Vintage category in a 1938 Dodge Speedster Special.

The 71-year-old car survived the 2000 kilometre test across Tasmania’s roads to secure the Vintage title on debut for Clark and Richardson, but it was actually the second year in a row the car won the top vintage offering.

Graham Copeland drove the same car to victory in 2009 before it was sold to Clark.

The only other vintage car to survive the journey was the 1930 Oakland 8-100 of John Felder and Craig De Sommerville.

Event director Mark Perry was delighted to welcome the two cars when they arrived at the finish line at Wrest Point.

“These cars are a very important part of the event,” he said.

“Targa is a cavalcade of motoring history, and these two cars represent that more than any other entries in the field.

“They do it tough across the six days of competition, but they made it, and we hope that they will be back again in 2011 when Targa celebrates its 20th anniversary.”

The 2011 Targa Tasmania takes place from April 5-10, 2011.

HistoricRacer

27

STORY BY BRIAR GUNTHER STORY BY BRIAN REED PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHERYL REID

The Shannons Show ‘n Shine

GET READY FOR THE CARnival The Echuca-Moama region gears up for the inaugural CAMS CARnival.

T

he CAMS CARnival is shaping up to be four days jam-packed with both competitive and noncompetitive motoring events.

Taking place from October 1-4 in the Echuca-Moama region on the Victorian/ New South Wales border, the inaugural CARnival is expected to attract up to 2000 cars of all makes, models and ages in more than 30 activities.

These range from static displays to motorkhanas and speed events on both tarmac and unsealed surfaces.

Autotests at two different venues and five Motorkhana courses are just a couple of the tarmac events.

Speed Events at Echuca Airport on the Saturday and Sunday will allow entrants to extract the most from their special vehicle.

The high performance activities will take entrants for a ‘lap’ of the complex and get timed in four separate activities.

The action starts on the airport apron with a rapid slalom run, followed by a ‘go-to-whoa’ acceleration and braking test on the main runway.

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HistoricRacer

Off-bitumen action

This will be followed by another highspeed slalom and conclude with a timed 400 metre ‘drag’.

Competitors can then line up and do it all again.

For something a bit fun and different, former Australian Rally Champion and past GP Rally competitor, Bob Watson, has designed and organised the CARnival Navigation Trail.

Armed with an official map, participants and their navigators will test their wits by locating a number of controls over a 250km sealed road

course in the Echuca-Moama area on the Saturday afternoon.

Those who would like to enjoy a completely different, but equally challenging drive at CARnival can also enter the Fuel Economy Run. Watson has also designed this event, which rewards the driver with the lightest foot over a different 250km course, with the winner decided on a formula that relates vehicle weight to the fuel used.

Rally and off-road enthusiasts will be busy off the bitumen at CARnival, with a variety of loose surface events.

ECHUCA CARnival

There will be two Autocross events, a four-course Rallysprint, and laps of Heartland Speedway to be done.

Rallysprint competitors will enjoy four special stages on challenging tracks abutting Murray River reserves in two separate locations, while also being timed over laps at Moama’s Heartland Speedway.

Rally enthusiasts can also compete on two different Autocross and Khanacross courses and on five grass Motorkhana courses – enjoying two runs on each over the weekend.

Off-road enthusiasts also have their own events, with two separate courses offered in the Murray River region designed to test both the driver’s skill and the vehicle.

The best news is that you can do as many runs as your time allows in some of these events, with the only limit being your enthusiasm!

Although CARnival is a Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) initiative, all clubs and enthusiasts are welcome.

Clubs wishing to do their own thing at CARnival will be spoilt for choice and CARnival organisers are making it easy for them.

By cherry-picking from the range of events available, then reserving accommodation and lunch and dinner venues, clubs can put together individual programs for their members with a minimum of fuss.

Echuca-Moama Tourism is actively organising accommodation for CARnival participants and clubs including

the Porsche Club of Victoria to the Ford Coupe Club of Australia have approached CARnival organisers for help in organising their special programs.

The highlight of CARnival for many enthusiasts will be the Shannons Show ’n’ Shine held at Echuca’s Aquatic Reserve on the banks of the Murray River.

Adjacent to the CARnival Village, children’s entertainment, a daily market and the famous Echuca Historic Wharf Precinct with its iconic paddle steamers, the Shannons Show ‘n Shine will be the premier parking place at CARnival for the best-looking cars, utes and commercial vehicles.

Preliminary judging to find the Cars of CARnival will take place on the Saturday afternoon, with the top 50 vehicles going into Sunday’s shootout final.

Results will be announced and trophies presented at the CARnival Awards Function at the Shannons Super Rig in the Aquatic Reserve at 3pm Sunday.

It costs $30 to enter the show ‘n shine.

Entries for some of the other high demand activities including the Motorkhana and Rallysprint events are

Drive till you drop.

HIGH DEMAND ACTIVITIES WILL FILL UP EARLY AND IT WILL BE A CASE OF FIRST COME FIRST SERVED

Get lost in a navigational rally.

expected to fill up early and it will be a case of first come first served.

Echuca-Moama will be jumping over the weekend, because the CARnival coincides with the Port of Echuca’s annual Celebration of Steam Festival.

CARnival will support the Celebration of Steam with up to 50 historic vehicles displayed in the Historic Port Precinct on the Saturday afternoon, while a special ‘cabaret-style’ dinner is being arranged for the public in the precinct and neighboring areas on the Saturday evening.

Registration for CARnival costs $35 and entrants get a goodie bag containing event merchandise and discount vouchers.

It also includes free entry into a number of special CARnival attractions such as the welcome function on October 1, a motorsport film, photo and art festival featuring historic racing films and an exhibition of the works of well-known motorsport cartoonist John ‘Stonie’ Stoneham, entry to the CARnival Swap Meet and CARnival Village and a fun Observation Touring road event for car club members.

The wide range of other CARnival events staged on both tarmac and unsealed surfaces can be entered, with prices for activities starting at $30.

Motorkhana enthusiasts have the opportunity to tackle 20 separate timed events on both tarmac and grass for a fee of $50 per individual discipline, while entry in the five-stage Rallysprint will cost $100.

Entry fees for the entire weekend is capped at $195 including registration and GST, with competitors able to drive in more than 50 timed events including a 250km Navigation Trial and a Fuel Economy Test.

This first national motoring festival offers more competitive driving activity that most entrants can handle.

An online entry for CARnival can be completed at the website www.camscarnival.com.au or call the CARnival Registrar, Ben Raggatt, on (03) 9593 7736 or 0416 084 590.

Entries can also be made in writing to Ben Raggatt, Motor Sport Development Co-ordinator, CAMS Ltd, 851 Dandenong Rd, Malvern East, Victoria 3145.

HistoricRacer

29

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13 days commencing Wednesday January 19th 2011 Proudly brought to you by

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WEBB OF

Intrigue Mick Webb has worked with many top-line drivers throughout his career, and he didn’t hold back when Motorsport Legends asked him to rate them…

P

eople often ask me about the drivers I have worked with over the years.

I started at Stillwell Ford in the 1970s and my first two racing drivers were Graham Ritter and Richard Knight.

Richard won the inaugural Australian Formula Ford Championship in 1970 and we had a fantastic, successful year.

It was also my first Bathurst. We had moderate success at Sandown, crashed at Bathurst.

Other drivers in that era at Stillwell’s were Larry Perkins and Michael Stillwell; Jon Davison even did a stint at Stillwells.

In the early years it was a learning curve for us all. Larry showed he was eager to learn all aspects of how to improve the performance of the FFs; Michael did a good job, as did Jon. We were operating out of the Ford dealerships around the country so I got to meet Allan Moffat, and that is how our association started.

Moffat really didn’t know whether we had three wheels or four on the car – by that I mean he had no mechanical knowledge at all. Allan wasn’t passionate about motorsport. He would never go near a workshop if he didn’t have to. He raced because he had to, I think - that was the feeling he gave you.

Moffat’s success came from mind power. I honestly don’t think he had the body strength or the fitness required but his brain told him to do it all. Moffat

could drive and he got the job done.

On the other hand, Jim Richards, Peter Brock and Colin Bond were just standout drivers, although I rate Jim as the best driver I have ever worked with.

In contrast to Moffat, JR races because he has a passion for it. He watches every motorsport program on TV; he is motor racing 24 hours a day.

Jim is as laid back and casual and relaxed as you could ever get a person.

He very rarely perspires. Jim has driven against the top guys in NASCAR in Japan and qualified on the front row.

And Jim was selected to represent Australia in a race at Monaco against the best touring car drivers the world.

JR is a mechanic by trade and I think that has a bit to do with it. You have to have a bit of a mechanical knowledge of what is going on in the car.

While with Moffat I had the honour to work with such greats as Jackie Ickx, John Fitzpatrick and Alan Hamilton.

Ickx, because of his experience, was just so smart. He knew all about tyre pressures and anti-sway bars and how to adjust them and knew what gave the car more turn-in and what didn’t, and what was going to be easier on tyres.

But he said the Falcon was the biggest touring car that he had driven and was extremely hard to drive fast and look after all mechanical bits and the tyres.

You jump into a two-door Falcon today and drive it on the road and you say, ‘Holy snappin’… how in the hell did

they ever drive these around the block let alone race these bloody things around Bathurst?’

I call Alan Hamilton a great because he is a great bloke as well as a great driver, and he was a fantastic endurance driver.

Around that time I also met Vern Schuppan, who was also a really good bloke and bloody fast. I remember we did a test day at Ford’s You Yangs proving ground in ’76 prior to going to Bathurst. I think Vern had a little bit more oval track experience than Moffat because the speed Vern got out of the car was phenomenal. Vern was very smart. I think the guys who had genuine European experience were really good.

In 1977 Colin Bond was contracted to drive with Moffat. CB is probably still my best old time mate of mine, he and his lovely wife Robyn are great.

Then we banged into the Mazdas from 1980 onwards. It was my pleasure again to meet greats like Yoshimi Katayama, the Japanese hero who came out for Bathurst as the factory Mazda driver, and Gregg Hansford, God bless his soul.

It was pretty hard to communicate with Yoshimi because he didn’t speak English and I didn’t speak Japanese but we got on pretty well because anyone who knows me knows I speak a universal language!

Gregg Hansford had a really good feel in the car and he was learning every time he drove the little Mazda.

– Mick Webb MotorSportLegends

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The Maserati 250F lives in the hearts of many Australian motorsport enthusiasts.

RED TERROR

I

t’s an Italian thoroughbred, was driven by British legend Stirling Moss and resides in America, but this magnificent Maserati 250F lives in the hearts of many Aussie motorsport enthusiasts.

This stunning red Formula One warrior was the winner of Australia’s first ‘international’ Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne’s Olympic year – 1956.

More than 50 years on it is in the hands of Englishman Peter Giddings who campaigns the 250F at important Historic events the world over. Aware of the car’s significance to Australia’s

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motoring heritage, Giddings brings it over regularly for the Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne.

Watching him punt the car around the twisting Albert Park circuit it is clear that he treasures the 250F. But his fascination with this lovely car goes back decades.

“Winding the clock right back,” begins Giddings, “I met Stirling Moss when I was a youngster and ended up at his Mews home at Hide Park corner where he still is today,” he told Motorsport Legends.

“I sat down with him in his study and

behind his shoulder on a bookshelf was a little model of a red car. I was quite distracted by it and he noticed that and took it down off the shelf and said, ‘Oh you’re interested in this red car are you?’

I said ‘yes it’s beautiful’ and he asked me if I knew what it was. I said, ‘yes it is a 250F Maserati’. ‘Oh my goodness,’ he said, ‘you really do know your cars’.

“He then spoke to me and said that it was the best balanced of all the cars and an Italian thoroughbred. What struck me was that he was stroking this toy as if it was a pet cat and it made a very, very deep impression on me.” Giddings’

STORY BY DAVID DOWSEY; PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN DOIG/TORQUE PHOTOS

Moss won the 1956 Albert Park Grand Prix in the 250F Maserati.

Moss broke the lap record at Albert Park in the 250F.

Moss describes the Italian thoroughbred as the best balanced of all cars.

Through a very special car one man lives the dream of being in the shoes of the great Sir Stirling Moss.

passion for the Maserati 250F is as strong today as it was back then.

But what exactly is it about the 250F that lights Giddings’ fire? “They weren’t mass produced back then,” he explains.

“Every car was hand built. They are a visual, aural – and in every other sense – work of art.” Enough said.

After Giddings’ eventful brush with Sir Stirling as a child he eased himself into motorsport.

“Before I got into motor racing – so I could get up close to the cars – I became a time keeper’s assistant and then a time keeper at my local circuit; Goodwood

in Sussex. I saw Moss racing there many times, for example in the 1961 Tourist Trophy which he won in a competition short wheelbase Scaglietti Ferrari and years later I aspired to one of those.

Years later again I aspired to a 250F Maserati.”

Someone who enjoyed getting the best out of the 250F in its hey day was Sir Stirling Moss who wowed the crowds at Albert Park more than 50 years ago in this very car. He was so dominant that the jet lagged Brit came out to practice for the first time at the Melbourne circuit and shattered the lap record held

by Reg Hunt by 10 seconds.

The Maserati team – including Frenchman Jean Behra – were treated like pop stars by the adoring public.

Australia hadn’t seen the likes of this team before and the race aces didn’t disappoint.

Moss won the Grand Prix race in this 250F and the Australian Tourist Trophy in a Maserati 300S sports car at the same meet setting lap records in both races. Moss was so dominant that his teammate Behra was the only other person on the same lap some 48 seconds ❯ behind in the TT. MotorSportLegends

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The name says it all.

Giddings says the car is a thrill to drive.

Peter Giddings enters the car in important Historic events across the world.

The car weighed only 630kg.

Giddings brings the car over for the Australian Grand Prix regularly.

The ‘Continental-style’ pedal layout confused even the best.

In the Grand Prix Moss set pole with a brilliant 1minute 49.6 seconds with team mate Behra in second place and led from start to finish in the 80-lap 250-mile race. Moss had lapped every driver in a storming drive and was only seconds off repeating the feat on his teammate Behra. Peter Whitehead finished third a lap down in a Ferrari Monza.

Built between 1954-57 and with only 26 examples built the Maserati 250F is considered by many to be the definitive front-engined Grand Prix car. Even more than 50 years after its debut its on-paper specifications are tantalising.

It was based on a multi-tubular laddertype chassis with wishbone independent front suspension and a de Dion rear end – with the transaxle mounted behind – and (initially) outboard-mounted drum brakes all-round.

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It was clothed in breathtaking aluminium coachwork of sublime proportions but it was a matter of function before form. The curvaceous tail contained a 200-litre fuel tank and its slippery lines made the most of ’50s aerodynamic understanding. The total package weighed only 630kg.

The interior is pure ’50s class. With a leather single seat exhibiting years of patina and a wood-rimmed steering wheel to grip on to the only thing to baffle the novice was the ‘Continentalstyle’ pedal layout – central accelerator, brake on the right and clutch on the left. More than one professional driver came a cropper burying what they thought was the brake only to be propelled at lightning speeds into a barrier – including the great Moss.

The Maserati’s most potent feature however was its snorting engine. It’s

a DOHC 2490cc normally-aspirated inline twin-spark six-cylinder with three Weber 45 DCO3 carburettors developing around 179kW (later versions produced as much as 201kW).

Coupled to a four-speed gearbox (fivespeeders were used later) the Italian thoroughbred was a potent machine capable of 290kph and holding its end up well enough against cross-town rivals Ferrari and the might of MercedesBenz.

Many of the greats drove the machine including Fangio, Behra, Luigi Musso, Ascari and our man Moss. When Motorsport Legends spoke to Sir Stirling at the Australian Grand Prix’s Albert Park circuit – the scene of his famous victory – he was full of praise for the 250F 50 years on.

“I remember that car very fondly,” ❯ recalls the sharp septuagenarian.

The DOHC 2490CC naturally-aspirated six-cylinder engine.

The 250F: clothed in breathtaking aluminium.

Polished to perfection.

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Hulme deep in concentration before a race.

Moss insisted Giddings enjoy the limelight at Albert Park.

“It was a wonderfully balanced car; perhaps the best of the lot. It oversteered a bit but it steered beautifully if you know what I mean; it was great to drift through the corners. It was quite powerful although I would have liked a little more – I always did.”

Moss is regularly reunited with his Australian GP-winning Maserati but although Giddings offered the car to Moss for demonstration laps on a recent outing at Albert Park Moss insisted Giddings enjoy the limelight while he cruised the course in a similar looking version.

“It’s always nice to be back in Melbourne and to see this wonderful car,” he said. “I always enjoy getting back into it and I always enjoy being back in Melbourne.”

Listening to Moss speak so enthusiastically about the 250F is 36

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enough to stir the blood of any racing enthusiast. But being passionate is one thing; affording this calibre of car is quite another. And for Giddings it wasn’t a case of starting at the top.

“I started with the old cars because I wanted to race and they were all I could afford,” remembers Giddings.

“I started with a chain-deriven FrazerNash and to my surprise started beating the then-current cars of the day; the Jaguar E-Types, Austin Healeys and the (Triumph) TRs and so on. Later on when I had done reasonably well in business and could afford the later cars, whilst I dabbled in contemporary racing and other current Formulas, I kept coming back to the older cars.”

In answer to the question, would his 250F be his ultimate car Giddings says: “It would be right up there. I was privileged to drive a Mercedes-Benz 125

in several races; that was an unbelievable thrill. I still have to get my bum into an Auto Union from that period, so they would be right up there. The cars that I own, the Alfas, the pre-war Maseratis and the post-war Maseratis would all be level pegging.

“It’s a thrill and a great privilege to drive. It’s a very fine line between putting on a reasonable show and not hurting the vehicle,” he says.

“Even though I sign the cheques I consider myself as just the custodian of this 2501/2523 and I feel a great responsibility to keep the car intact and to eventually pass it on to the next lucky person.

“I work very hard with young people encouraging them to work hard as I did. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I delivered newspapers and played gigs as a musician all round

Giddings said everyone aches to beat the 250F.

Giddings says the car is a thrill to drive.

Besides Moss, Fangio, Behra, Musso and Ascari all drove the 250F.

The 250F is considered to be the definitive front engined Grand Prix car.

London to raise the money to go racing and now encourage young people to go and do likewise to keep the flame burning.

“It is a great thrill but it is a little worrying when I am racing against cars of lesser value. Everyone typically wants to have a go at me saying, ‘I beat Giddings in his Maserati’. Other than that I cherish living, in a very minor, amateur way the life of the great Moss and Fangio and Nuvolari.”

Giddings is now used to the attention he garners at racetracks around the world. He enjoys being in the moment but smiles cheekily as he reminisces about the beginnings of his Maserati passion.

“I think if a psychologist stretched me out on a couch and probed he would conclude that Mr Moss has a lot to ML answer for.”

Moss still praises the 250F half a century later.

A single leather seat exhibits years of patina.

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Gaze in his Air Force years.

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Gaze and David McKay finished second in this Aston Martin DB3S at the Hyeres 12 Hour in May 1955.

STORY BY BRIAN REED; PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE TONY GAZE COLLECTION

BETTER KNOWN THAN HE THINKS! The story of Australia’s first Formula One driver, Tony Gaze

Amongst the crowd at the first Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island in 1928 was a wide-eyed eight-year old lad, Frederick Anthony Owen (‘Tony’) Gaze.

His father, Irvine Owen Gaze was to have competed, but his wife, Freda objected on the grounds motor racing was too dangerous. An odd call, given that Irvine Gaze had survived Sir Ernest Shackelton’s ill-fated expedition to the Antarctic in 1914 before enlisting in the Royal Flying Corp as a World War I fighter pilot. It seems that spirit of adventure as well as a love of motor racing was passed on to young Tony following the family visit to Phillip Island in 1928.

T

he extraordinary life of Tony Gaze began in Melbourne in February 1920. Educated at Geelong Grammar where he excelled as a sportsman, especially in athletics and rowing, Tony moved on to tertiary studies at Queens College, Cambridge. After only one year of his engineering course World War II broke out and Tony and his younger brother, Scott found their way into the RAF 610 Squadron where Tony ultimately rose to the rank of Squadron Leader. He flew with such famous airmen as Douglas ‘Tin Legs’ Bader, Johnnie Johnson, the Canadian aces George ‘Screwball’ Beurling and Don Gentile, as well as the famous British test pilot, Capt. Eric ‘Winkle’ Brown.

In spite of losing his younger brother in combat after only two weeks of action, Tony forged a distinguished career as a Spitfire pilot, scoring 12.5 combat victories, four “probables” and ❯ several other enemy planes recorded MotorSportLegends

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Gaze flew Spitfires with 610 Squadron in 1941.

Tony and Diana at Goodwood’s media centre which is named in Gaze’s honour

Reunited with his HWM Jaguar VPA 9 at Goodwood.

Gaze’s Air Force career was incredibly distinguished.

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Getting ready to go out in George Abecassis’ HWM 1 Jaguar at the Aintree Daily Telegraph International.

TONY GAZEL The Kangaroo Stable cars. Gaze’s one is #24 and part of the team’s third car is just visible to the right.

as damaged. He became the only Australian airman to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on three occasions (DFC and two bars).

His amazing escape after being shot down over occupied France reads like a James Bond thriller. After recovering from back damage and serious facial injuries, thanks to local French sympathisers, Tony eventually made his way back to England to rejoin the RAF. Much of this dangerous journey was on foot via France, Spain and Gibraltar with the help of the French Resistance, some Spanish bandits and a fair smattering of luck avoiding the Gestapo. With his flying career back on track, he went on to become the first Australian to fly a jet plane, the first to shoot down an enemy jet in combat, and the first Allied airman to land in France after D-Day. Turning back the clock to his university days, Tony was cultivating a love of fast cars and fast driving. He credits his mother, herself a keen racing competitor, for his growing love of motorsport, and as a member of the university’s Junior Car Club, he raced at the famous Brooklands circuit in a borrowed Hudson.

Throughout his years in the RAF Tony had MGs, Aston Martins and other performance cars, often racing several of his Air Force mates around the perimeter of their flying base at Westhampnett, West Sussex. The airbase was part of the estate belonging to the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, which had been commandeered by the War Ministry because of its strategic location. The Duke (or ‘Freddie

Richmond’ to his friends), was a keen flyer and skilled aviation designer as well as a racing driver of some considerable talent, and when he bemoaned the fact that England had lost its key racing circuit with the closing of Brooklands in 1938, it was Australia’s Tony Gaze who suggested the property at Westhampnett.

Freddie didn’t take much convincing, and the famed 2.4-mile (3.9km) Goodwood circuit came into being. The opening meeting in 1948 attracted a crowd of 15,000 enthusiastic spectators with a 19-year-old youngster winning the 500cc race the day after his 19th birthday. It was his first race and his name was Stirling Moss. Goodwood became England’s most significant race circuit. It hosted the best cars and drivers until it was closed in 1966 due to noise and safety concerns, but remained an important test track and venue for club racing.

Goodwood was rejuvenated in 1991 with the running of the inaugural Festival of Speed for Historic cars hosted

by Lord March, the grandson of Freddie Richmond. The annual Goodwood Revival meeting followed, and last year the three-day gathering of Historic cars and famous drivers attracted an enthusiastic crowd of 134,000 spectators, suitably attired for the occasion. Tony Gaze’s initial suggestion for the Goodwood motor racing circuit is recognised through the naming of the media centre at Goodwood as ‘The Tony Gaze Building’.

Always one to have interesting motor cars, Tony Gaze began his British and European campaign driving a new twolitre Formula Two Alta. A major engine

failure at Avus, Germany halted his F2 program, so he reverted to an aged 1934 Maserati 8CM in Formula Libre races.

He also drove a Jaguar XK120, an Aston Martin DB3 and a HWM Jaguar in sports car events.

Tony Gaze became Australia’s first Formula One Grand Prix driver. Behind the wheel of his privately entered ex-Stirling Moss HWM Alta, Gaze contested the Belgian GP, round three of the 1952 World Championship at Spa. He was officially classified 15th after surviving a nasty hit in the face from a wayward bird. He failed to finish in the British GP at Silverstone and the German GP at Nurburgring, and missed out on qualifying for the Italian GP. A short Formula One career perhaps, but at least the opportunity to compete against greats such as Ascari, Fangio, Prince Bira, Wharton, Frere, Behra, Collins, Moss and other luminaries.

Unable to secure a suitable car for the 1953 Grand Prix season, Tony Gaze turned to other events including the 1953 Monte Carlo rally in ‘Australia’s Own Car’ a 48/215 Holden. His teammates were fellow leading Australian drivers, Lex Davison and Stan Jones, and the trio finished 64th in Holden’s first international motor sport event.

During the same year, an Australian team of three Aston Martin DB3s known as the ‘Kangaroo Stable’ contested long distance sports car races.

Tony Gaze teamed with David McKay to finish second in the 12-hour race at Hyeres, and the Kangaroo Stable won the teams’ trophy.

The following year, Tony returned down under to contest two major races in New Zealand, the 1954 New Zealand GP and the Lady Wigram Trophy. His car was a HWM powered by a twolitre supercharged engine. Between the two races was a 24-hour sports car race at Mt Druitt, NSW, a first for Australia. Tony shared a C-type Jaguar with British friend and teammate Peter Whitehead. Following Tony’s fighting third place in the New Zealand GP, the Gaze/Whitehead/Alf Barrett C-type led the 24-hour race after 282 laps before suspension failure sidelined them. Gaze and Whitehead then returned to New Zealand for the Lady Wigram Trophy.

For their 1955 campaign, Gaze and ❯ MotorSportLegends

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TONY GAZE

Whitehead took delivery of two Type 500/625 Ferraris. Tony finished second ahead of Whitehead in the 1956 New Zealand GP – a fine effort, given the only man in front was the fast rising ace, Stirling Moss.

Tony’s final international drive ended in grief. It was the 1956 Le Mans 24hour race in which he and co-driver Dickie Stoop were leading the two-litre class until Stoop crashed after 10 hours of racing.

With his outstanding years of war service behind him and an international motor racing career at an end, Tony Gaze wasn’t about to let the grass grow beneath his feet. New challenges beckoned. Flying was still very much in the blood, and on the advice of fellow aviator and racing driver, Prince Bira of Siam, Gaze turned his attention to gliding. He was a fast learner, and within a short time he had passed all the required tests with flying colours. Gaze went on to represent Australia in the 1960 World Gliding Championships in Germany, and set a number of significant height and endurance records over the next eight years.

Tony also retained some contact with motorsport and was partly responsible for helping the son of one of his close friends to get a foothold in the tough European arena. His friend was Australian racing champion Stan Jones, and the son was Alan Jones who went on to become the 1980 World Drivers’ Champion in Formula One. When Diana Davison lost her husband Lex in a motor racing accident at Sandown Park while practicing for the 1965 Tasman Championship, and Tony lost his wife to illness in 1976, it came as no great surprise that fate would bring together the two remaining family friends. Tony and Diana were married in Melbourne in 1977. Diana, a highly skilled racing driver in her own right, proved a perfect partner for Tony, and after hectic years of commuting around the motor race circuits of Europe, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, it was time to seek a more relaxed lifestyle in rural Victoria. Not surprisingly, their property is known as ‘Goodwood Farm’.

Today, the Gaze-Davison family ties remain close, and Tony and Diana are joint patrons of the Lex Davison Society, an organisation dedicated to supporting 42

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up-and-coming young Australian race drivers on the international stage – just as Lex’s race team Ecurie Australie was planning to do on the local scene before his untimely death.

The great Davison dynasty lives on with Diana’s sons Jon, Chris and Richard all carving out notable careers in Australian motorsport. Jon competed in Formula 5000 before turning his attention to administering Sandown Park motor racing circuit, and Chris and Richard achieved success in Formula Ford. Richard also went on to win the 1980 Australian F2 Championship.

Now it’s the turn of the grandchildren, and both Will and Alex are carving out successful careers in V8 Supercar racing, while Jon’s son James is tackling the tough American arena. Meanwhile, the Gazes follow their progress here and overseas with pride and a great deal of interest.

Although long retired from motorsport, the accolades continue to come to Gaze. As a tribute to his foresight he was the special guest of Lord March at the re-opening of the Goodwood circuit for the inaugural Goodwood Revival meeting in 1998 where he was reunited with his HWM Jaguar and many of his old friends. What a pity ill-health prevented him from attending the 60th anniversary celebrations in 2008.

In 2006 Tony was the recipient of an OAM, a Queen’s honour that was both popular and well deserved.

A well researched biography on Tony Gaze appeared in 2009 with the extraordinary title Almost Unknown.

Author Stewart Wilson, a well-respected author of aviation and motor race books, was assigned the task and has produced a fitting tribute to the fighter pilot and F1 driver. When asked how the title came about, Tony said that when he received a copy of a book titled Planes of the Lufwaffe Fighter Aces it fell open at the page describing the high performance Spitfire Mk 14 DW-D which “was flown by an almost unknown Australian ace, Sqn Ldr Tony Gaze, DFC, who had been credited with nine victories…” he suggested “Almost Unknown” as a suitable title for a book about himself!

In recent years Tony Gaze has made numerous public appearances at motoring clubs, aviation gatherings,

Tony and Diana Gaze.

Anzac Day ceremonies and Historic motor race meetings. A memorable experience recently was being driven on a lap of honour of the MCG prior to the start of the Anzac Day Australian Rules football match in front of more than 90,000 enthusiastic spectators.

Perhaps “Almost Unknown” was not the most accurate title for a book about this great Australian – Squadron Leader Tony Gaze, OAM, DFC. It was, however, his call and says something about his modesty and dry sense of humour. ML

Almost Unknown is available from www.chevron.com.au

Diana and Tony with family.

Gaze became the first Australian to fly a jet operationally.

After his Air Force and motor racing days were over, Gaze got involved in gliding setting a number of records.

Gaze stands in front of a Meteor painted like the one he flew in the RAF at the end of WWII.

Mingling with the top brass.

Gaze won the Sports 1500 class at the 1949 Rob Roy hillclimb in a HRG Woodside.

Dickie Stoop crashed the Frazer Nash after 10 hours of racing while leading the two-litre class at Gaze’s last Le Mans in 1956.

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WHEEL AND TYRE SPECIAL STORY BY MARK COOPER; PHOTOGRAPHS JOHN DOIG/TORQUE PHOTOS & AUTOPICS.COM.AU

CONTACT PATCH What wheels and tyres are allowed on your historic race car.

W

e all know that wheels and tyres are one of the most crucial elements when it comes to the handling and drivability of any racing car but what options do we have when choosing wheels and tyres for our historic vehicle?

Unfortunately we can’t go down to our local motorsport tyre outlet and buy the latest set of extra sticky slicks, nor can we go and bolt on some big, ultra light racing wheels, because as with most things historic we are dictated in our choices by what the car ran when it was all fresh and new.

In the main, most historic classes have to run both wheels and tyres that are visually identical to when the car originally raced and this takes into account wheel diameter and width, as well as overall style. All of which goes â?Ż

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WHEEL AND TYRE SPECIAL

to helping maintain the original appearance, and to some extent performance level, of the car in question. In historic sports and racing car classes the tyre rule goes as far as saying that tyres must be ‘consistent in general appearance and tread pattern’ to those originally fitted.

Looking at historic touring car classes the tyre rules are relaxed a little but the general rule of thumb regarding wheels remains.

For Group N Historic Touring Cars the maximum width of wheels to be used is dictated by the category’s sub-groups, either Group Na, Nb or Nc. Wheels in all groups must be of the original diameter, excepting that cars originally running 14” wheels may upsize to a 15” diameter.

For Group N the aspect ratio of the tyre is also specified, once again by sub-group, with Group Na needing to run a minimum aspect ratio of 65 per cent, while Group Nb and Nc must run a minimum ratio of 60 per cent. For Na a maximum wheel width of 5” is specified while for Nb the maximum width is 6”. In Group Nc the maximum wheel width varies between 6–8” and this is determined by the engine capacity of the vehicle. There are a number of tyre options for Group N and these are specified in a list published by CAMS. Newer Groups such as Group C and Group A Touring Cars must run wheels that are specified in the cars’ original homologation documents.

The same basic rules apply to Group S, which envelopes Production Sports Cars, which includes MG, Porsche and similar vehicles. Tyres are once again selected from the CAMS list the same as Group N and a minimum aspect ratio of 60 per

cent applies across all classes. Wheel width is capped at 5” for vehicles up to 1300cc and increases to 6” for cars with engines above this capacity. Once again the wheels must maintain that period look to maintain the integrity of the vehicles’ original appearance.

Tyres and wheels for older vehicles, which fall into Groups J, K and L are a slightly different ballgame. Wheels must be period style and be identical in diameter and width to those originally fitted. Tyres must have a minimum aspect ratio of 70 per cent.

The biggest problem as an outsider looking in would seem to be sourcing tyres, but major manufacturers such as Goodyear, Dunlop and Avon have dedicated divisions producing tyres for historic racing. In addition Groups J, K and L may also use some motorcycle tyres of which a list of acceptable options is published by CAMS. There is also an abundance of wheel manufacturers still producing either replica or in some cases original replacements for many popular brands of historic wheels such as the ever popular Minilite brand. In addition there is always a roaring trade in historic race car parts, with the internet providing a large worldwide market for buying and selling, from wheels ML and tyres, down to the smallest nut and bolt.

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C

lutches are obviously vital for transferring the power from your car to the ground, but if you’re restoring your first Historic Racer how do you go about selecting the right clutch assembly?

Individual class rules in the CAMS Manual don’t specifically mention that much on clutches, so where do we start? Obviously we are dictated by the engine/gearbox combination and what is available for your car. And what you

select needs to be dependent on the torque output of your engine.

Back when your historic racer was a state-of–the-art piece of kit your choices were limited compared to modern times, and organic based clutches may well have been all that was available.

Now we have a much broader range of material options, all with slightly differing friction, heat control and wear characteristics. You must take into account though, that exotic materials

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TRADE TALK

ALL YOUR WIRE WHEEL NEEDS COVERED

A

ustralian Classic Wire Wheels has been the Australian Distributor of Dunlop wire wheels for eight years now and is also the Australian distributors for LA Custom Wires, the American style wire wheels from 13” to 22” to suit most makes and models.

Dunlop wire wheels are now a first class, top quality wheel made under licence by Motor Wheel Services in England. These wheels are manufactured to look as close as possible to original equipment but have numerous technological advances to give much better service. Spokes on Dunlop wheels are stainless steel for much better life and less maintenance and then chrome on chrome wheels for better appearance.

Australian Classic Wire Wheels attends as many car club displays and concours as possible to show members its great wheels first hand.

For those who want to convert their

car from disc wheels to wire wheels, Australian Classic Wire Wheels has kits that include five wheels, front and rear hubs and a set of four spinners at a very special price.

Australian Classic Wire Wheels also carries wooden spinner savers, cleaning kits, hammers and accessories.

As well as the best range of wire wheels in Australia, Australian Classic Wire Wheels also sells a range of classic alloy wheels including Performance

Superlites, Cragar and Weld alloys.

Australian Classic Wire Wheels has a new warehouse at F9/123 Chesterville Rd, Highett where it has a display area and about 1000 in stock, with regular arrivals of shipments from England and the USA. ML If you have any questions about wire wheels please call Paul or Gay on 03 9532 5322 or 0412 780900, email on paul@acww.com.au or visit www.acww.com.au

TRADE TALK

RUBBER FOR YOUR CLUB RACING NEEDS

F

or anyone wanting a replacement set of tyres for that occasional track outing but not wanting to go to the extra expense of ‘R Spec’ tyres, or just wanting a set of extreme performance street tyres, Stuckey Tyre Service in Brunswick now has supplies of the all new Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 ‘Star Spec’ in stock.

The Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec has been eagerly awaited in Australia, having already established a strong reputation overseas. It is Dunlop’s Extreme Performance tyre developed for serious enthusiasts looking for race tyre-like traction on the street, or for track events where ‘R’ Spec tyres are not allowed.

The Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec tread compound helps provide faster lap times from the start along with consistent grip on subsequent laps when the tyres are fully warmed up. This means the Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec tread compound accommodates a wider

operating temperature range than other tyres and reaches its maximum grip level faster.

The Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec tread compound is moulded in a directional design featuring continuous shoulder ribs, large intermediate shoulder blocks and a wide centre rib to deliver consistent contact with the road and enhance grip during cornering. Two wide, circumferential centre grooves, wavy shoulder grooves and multiple lateral grooves provide water evacuation to enhance wet traction. The tyre’s internal structure includes two wide steel belts reinforced by Jointless Band (JLB) Technology spirally wound polyamide to provide strength, uniform ride quality and high-speed capability while steel cord reinforced, 2-ply polyester sidewalls help resist lateral deflection to provide responsive handling and cornering stability. more under development. ML For more details contact Russell Stuckey The exciting new Direzza Sport Z1 at Stuckey Tyre Service 03 9386 5331 Star Spec is available in 22 sizes, with

Bathurst Legends Series PRINTS OF DRAWINGS BY RENOWNED ARTIST MIKE HARBAR A3 SIZE AT $50 (PLUS $10 POSTAGE & HANDLING)

MORE TO CHOOSE FROM ON WEB SITE ORDER AT WWW.MOTORSPORTLEGENDS.COM.AU AND FOLLOW THE LINKS TO THE MARKETPLACE OR CALL (03) 9331 2608

WORLDWIDE EXCLUSIVE RELEASE

The ultimate tribute to Jack Brabham’s most famous World Championship 1966 Repco Brabham BT19 V8 Formula 1 Racing Car 1:43 scale replica

AUSTRALIA’S very own Sir Jack Brabham is our greatest and most successful racing driver/engineer. Sir Jack won the Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship in 1959, 1960 and 1966 – the third time in the car he co-designed: the BT19.

1966 is the only time in history that a driver has won both the driver and constructor championships! At long last he receives the recognition he deserves with this special Signature Edition replica of the car carrying his own name: The Repco Brabham BT19 V8.

Now, you have the opportunity to enjoy Jack Brabham’s most famous World Championship with this highly detailed, hand crafted, 1:43 scale replica of the Formula 1 car he co-designed and drove to victory in 1966. This Signature Edition is beautifully mounted on a quality timber base with a numbered metallic plaque, individually signed by Sir Jack himself. Strictly limited to just 1000 units, this unique presentation is housed under a sturdy, clear perspex dust cover and is accompanied by ‘The Victory’ booklet; also personally signed by Jack Brabham. This worldwide exclusive release is only available while stocks last and can only be purchased direct from Top Gear. This ultimate tribute to Australia’s most legendary racing driver can be yours for just $298 and payable in five interest-free monthly instalments. The first in a new Legends Series – honouring the achievements of outstanding Australians – the Repco Brabham Signature and Collector’s Editions are destined to become highly-prized collectables.

Secure yours by ordering now, before these Limited Editions sell out!

Signature Edition (base is 160 x 160mm)

COLLECTOR’S EDITION ALSO AVAILABLE Collectors may also select this unsigned edition. Mounted on a quality timber base, this edition features the same highly detailed, resin, 1:43 scale replica of the 1966 Repco Brabham BT19 V8 Formula 1 Racing Car as displayed on the Signature Edition.

This release is also Strictly Limited in number, although the plaque will not be numbered. Includes perspex dust cover and is beautifully boxed. Just $129 and may be paid in three interest-free monthly instalments of $43 plus postage and handling.

YES Please send my Limited Edition(s) of the 1966 Repco Brabham BT19 V8 Formula 1 Racing Car for delivery Australia-wide by Signature Service.

Please send me a FREE Top Gear Australian Motoring Legends model car catalogue

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All Top Gear quality products are backed by our RISK FREE GUARANTEE. If, for any reason, you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, simply return the item to us within 28 days in its original condition and packaging, together with the delivery advice slip. We will promptly refund your money, credit your account or send a replacement – the choice is yours.

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*Repco Brabham BT19 Signature Edition _____ x $298 = $ _______________

I prefer to pay the full purchase price now. My cheque, money order or credit card details are enclosed.

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Repco Brabham BT19 Collector’s Edition _____ x $129 = $ _______________ Plus Postage and Handling ($17.10 for Signature Edition and $10.50 for Collector’s Edition) = $ _______________

Signature ____________________________________ Expiry date ___/ ___ BT06 Address envelope to: Reply Paid 63562 Top Gear Locked Bag 143 Silverwater NSW 2128

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