The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

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Expand view Topic review: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by GeebeeNZ » Wed Feb 13, 2013 10:22 am

And the 1963 1964 Winners

Wills Previous Winners.jpg

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by GeebeeNZ » Wed Feb 13, 2013 10:21 am

This is the listing for the 1965 three hour race

Wills Gold leaf list.jpg

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by GeebeeNZ » Wed Feb 13, 2013 10:19 am

At last I found the programme to match the 1965 Video on this thread

Wills list.jpg

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by stubuchanan » Mon Feb 11, 2013 11:01 am

Steve Holmes wrote:Beaut photo Stu!


It may be my brother's, not mine. Maybe too much zoom for my equipment of the time. But possession is 9 points of the law!
I may have been using a Bell & Howell 8mm movie camera that year, to no great effect unfortunately.

Stu

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by Steve Holmes » Mon Feb 11, 2013 12:02 am

stubuchanan wrote:I discovered this when looking for another photo (can't remember what) -

Image

Late afternoon 1965 B & H - #22 Hawes/Leonard Alfa passing the #2 Harrington/Bailey Fiat coming out of the hairpin. Looks like both cars are number 22, but speed differential and poor light means slow shutter speed so slower car is blurred. But #2 Fiat was second in class, don't know if Alfa was a finisher.

Stu


Beaut photo Stu!

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by Ost » Sun Feb 10, 2013 11:56 pm

Milan Fistonic wrote:The 1966 race was won by Ray Archibald and Tony Shelly (Jaguar 3.8) who completed 170 laps. Second was another Jaguar 3.8 driven by Ernie Sprague and David Simpson who did 167 laps. Third went to the Alfa Romeo Guilia TI of Ray Thackwell and Ronnie Moore on 166 laps.

I'll post a photo of the Jag later.


Thank you Milan, this clears up the confusion I had around the '65 and '66 races.

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by macpac » Sat Feb 09, 2013 7:43 pm

Milan Fistonic wrote:Your Dad and Barry Phillips drove a Ford Zephyr (No 32) in the 1965 Wills 6-Hour. From what I wrote in my programme it would appear they qualified seventh fastest. I can find only one mention of the car in the Motorman report and that states: Barry Phillips (Zephyr) and Graham Lucas (Peugeot 403) kept up their close dice for lap after lap. The Peugeot finished in eighth place but your Dad's car is not listed in the top 15 so they must have had trouble or retired.

He was not entered in the 3-Hour race that year but in 1966 they entered a Lotus Cortina in the 3-Hour race and were first reserve for the 6-Hour event driving a Papakura Motors entered Fiat 1500. They finished third in the Lotus Cortina behind Fahey and Palmer's Mustang and Innes and Grant's Mini Cooper. That was an impressive result as Phillips had tangled with a Jaguar in the loop on the first lap and dropped to the rear of the field with damage to front and left guard.

Their 6-Hour campaign started badly when the Fiat siezed its engine on the back straight during practice. The Motorman report states 'it required an all-night repair job to make the grid the next day.'

They retired from the race just before 7 p.m., after 4 hours racing.


Thanks so much for the run down Milan. Appreciate your time and knowledge of the 2 events. It's great to know, as I was a little to young to remember (1965 I would have only been 6years old).

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by GeebeeNZ » Sat Feb 09, 2013 5:42 pm

Milan, Many thanks for your confirmation of the 65 and 66 winners. That would explain why Tony Shelley is shown in his car at the end of the 1966 video clip. The Rod Coppins thread says he won the 66 race which I didnt think was correct but had no way of proving it. Thanks to your Jaguar ad it is clear Rod won the 1965 race not the 1966.
Graeme

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by stubuchanan » Sat Feb 09, 2013 10:47 am

I discovered this when looking for another photo (can't remember what) -

Image

Late afternoon 1965 B & H - #22 Hawes/Leonard Alfa passing the #2 Harrington/Bailey Fiat coming out of the hairpin. Looks like both cars are number 22, but speed differential and poor light means slow shutter speed so slower car is blurred. But #2 Fiat was second in class, don't know if Alfa was a finisher.

Stu

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by Milan Fistonic » Sat Feb 09, 2013 10:38 am

Jaguar Ad 1965.JPG

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by Milan Fistonic » Sat Feb 09, 2013 4:01 am

Ost wrote:Does anyone have a photo of that Jag, as well as details of the 2nd and 3rd finishers in the '66 race? I have the details of the '65 race.



The 1966 race was won by Ray Archibald and Tony Shelly (Jaguar 3.8) who completed 170 laps. Second was another Jaguar 3.8 driven by Ernie Sprague and David Simpson who did 167 laps. Third went to the Alfa Romeo Guilia TI of Ray Thackwell and Ronnie Moore on 166 laps.

I'll post a photo of the Jag later.

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by Milan Fistonic » Sat Feb 09, 2013 3:02 am

macpac wrote:It would be great if you could post what details you have on the 65 race? I am wondering weather my dad Bruce McLean was driving one of the Lotus Cortina's in either of those years.



Your Dad and Barry Phillips drove a Ford Zephyr (No 32) in the 1965 Wills 6-Hour. From what I wrote in my programme it would appear they qualified seventh fastest. I can find only one mention of the car in the Motorman report and that states: Barry Phillips (Zephyr) and Graham Lucas (Peugeot 403) kept up their close dice for lap after lap. The Peugeot finished in eighth place but your Dad's car is not listed in the top 15 so they must have had trouble or retired.

He was not entered in the 3-Hour race that year but in 1966 they entered a Lotus Cortina in the 3-Hour race and were first reserve for the 6-Hour event driving a Papakura Motors entered Fiat 1500. They finished third in the Lotus Cortina behind Fahey and Palmer's Mustang and Innes and Grant's Mini Cooper. That was an impressive result as Phillips had tangled with a Jaguar in the loop on the first lap and dropped to the rear of the field with damage to front and left guard.

Their 6-Hour campaign started badly when the Fiat siezed its engine on the back straight during practice. The Motorman report states 'it required an all-night repair job to make the grid the next day.'

They retired from the race just before 7 p.m., after 4 hours racing.

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by macpac » Fri Feb 08, 2013 6:54 pm

Ost wrote:Thank you for the info.



Unfortunately I only have the top three finishers, not the entry list.


No worries Ost thanks anyway.

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by Ost » Fri Feb 08, 2013 1:09 am

Thank you for the info.

macpac wrote:It would be great if you could post what details you have on the 65 race? I am wondering weather my dad Bruce McLean was driving one of the Lotus Cortina's in either of those years.


Unfortunately I only have the top three finishers, not the entry list.

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by Steve Holmes » Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:41 am

Ost wrote:Does anyone have a photo of that Jag, as well as details of the 2nd and 3rd finishers in the '66 race? I have the details of the '65 race.


The only photo I have of it is from the 1966 Shell annual. Will try and scan it. 2nd and 3rd place finishers were both Alfa Romeo's, those of Jensen/Jensen and Emson/Bremner.

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by Steve Holmes » Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:37 am

BMCBOY wrote:I have these three photos in my collection of the start of the race.
The two colour shots are from Peter Bruin and the B&W photographer is unknown.
I have collected these photos as I have owned the red Healey 3000 for 40 years.
It was owned/driven by Bill Dunster at this meeting.
I believe the race was won by Jim Mullins in a Mini Cooper and was the first outing
for the Fleetwood Mustang hence the problems with reliability.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15878[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15879[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15880[/ATTACH]


Wow! These photos are completely stunning, particularly the two colour ones. Thanks for posting these.

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by macpac » Thu Feb 07, 2013 7:03 pm

Ost wrote:Does anyone have a photo of that Jag, as well as details of the 2nd and 3rd finishers in the '66 race? I have the details of the '65 race.


It would be great if you could post what details you have on the 65 race? I am wondering weather my dad Bruce McLean was driving one of the Lotus Cortina's in either of those years.

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by Ost » Thu Feb 07, 2013 3:40 am

fullnoise68 wrote:GeeBee, if you look on the Rod Coppins thread, page 4, there is a photo of Rod and John Ward when they won the 1966 Wills race in a Jag. Bruce302 has one of my Shell Yearbooks from that year so he may be able to help you.


Does anyone have a photo of that Jag, as well as details of the 2nd and 3rd finishers in the '66 race? I have the details of the '65 race.

1965 Wills Gold Leaf Challenge

by BMCBOY » Thu Feb 07, 2013 2:00 am

I have these three photos in my collection of the start of the race.
The two colour shots are from Peter Bruin and the B&W photographer is unknown.
I have collected these photos as I have owned the red Healey 3000 for 40 years.
It was owned/driven by Bill Dunster at this meeting.
I believe the race was won by Jim Mullins in a Mini Cooper and was the first outing
for the Fleetwood Mustang hence the problems with reliability.

Healey at Wills Gold leaf Challenge1.jpg


Healey at Wills Gold leaf Challenge2.jpg


Mustang and BN7.jpg

Re: The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

by Steve Holmes » Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:10 pm

What an amazing thread, its staggering to see this old footage. Great work guys.

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