The Bruce Wells Collection - Oran Park - Part 1

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Jim, great stuff. What was the body made out of?

[jim short]

I think fiberglass they may have made more than one??

[bry3500]

check the link Steve..the car still exists, great story behind it. The current owner bought it as a barn find and is aboout 50% restored.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Bry, amazing story. This car I would consider a very early version of a Sports Sedan, or Sports Racing Closed as they were previously known. I think this car may even precede that But any event organiser celebrating historic Sports Sedans really needs to have this car at their event. Thanks for the link Bry.

[Steve Holmes]

I think fiberglass they may have made more than one??

Thanks Jim, its an impressive looking car.

[Steve Holmes]

[bry3500]

Thanks Bry, amazing story. This car I would consider a very early version of a Sports Sedan, or Sports Racing Closed as they were previously known. I think this car may even precede that But any event organiser celebrating historic Sports Sedans really needs to have this car at their event. Thanks for the link Bry.

Angria105 and I were just saying the same thing Steve - interesting to see it running with the sports cars.
More info including current owner here - http://www.spriteparts.com.au/garage/abarth.html

[bry3500]

The Renault 750 in post #26 is possibly Ted Ansell

[bry3500]

[video=youtube;AU7VpK-lHQU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU7VpK-lHQU[/video]

[Peddler]

This is spectacular. All that elegant design and execution lavished on the rear and tin snips on the front. BMC donk, but from what? Like the Dauphine above it seems to retain the hilarious European wheels at the front. These little rear engined Europeans are so tempting to mess with, witness my brother and I attempting to make something of the engine from our rotted in half Dauphine Gordini and 2 4CVs. It started and drove. Stop.

[Steve Holmes]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing as you Peddler, that rear bodywork treatment is really nice! I'd love to know what it was like to drive. Surely must have required full concentration!

[Steve Holmes]

[video=youtube;AU7VpK-lHQU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU7VpK-lHQU[/video]

Great find Bry, that is amazing! Looking at it closely, I'm wondering if this is the very same meeting as the first group of photos in this thread, from May 1964.

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Lee Tracey]

I am rather surprised at the high percentage of assorted French cars in these shots. Obviously Australia had much less reliance on the UK and US than we did for their motoring needs, and dare one say mosre sophisticated taste? The variety of cars on track in these shots is incredible. It certainly makes me realise what we are missing these days with our super tightly controlled rules in the name of the Great God Parity.

Cheers
Lee

[Steve Holmes]

I think that variation was par for the course for many countries in the early '60s, before manufacturers began building cars specifically for the purpose of road racing, and competitors gravitated to the faster cars. The first season of the Trans-Am series in 1966 had an incredible variation of vehicles, of all makes, from all countries.

[Steve Holmes]

OK, just winding down towards the finish:

[Steve Holmes]

Last ones. Special thanks once again to Bruce for sharing these beautiful photos. I'll be creating new threads for more Oran Park pics over the coming weeks.

[Cannan Morris]

Car #55 Cannan Morris, originally with side valve Morris 8 then as in this photo 1100 cc ohv Skoda, driver would be John Channon. Car built in Merrylands Sydney by Colin T Cannan in the late fifties.
Cheers Richard.