The Bruce Wells Collection - Catalina Park - Part 1

[Ellis]

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

[Steve Holmes]

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

[Catalina Park]

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

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

Looking forward to the images from 1965

Craig

[Steve Holmes]

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

[Steve Holmes]

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

[John Medley]

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

[Steve Holmes]

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

[nigel watts]

Wow - these images are first class

[Rod Grimwood]

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

[Steve Holmes]

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

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

[Kevin Bartlett]

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

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

[Dale Harvey]

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

[Dale Harvey]

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

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

[GeebeeNZ]

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

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

[Steve Holmes]

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

[EH S4]

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

[EH S4]

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

[EH S4]

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