B&W Photos 1968 - 1970; From Baypark to Amaroo Park by Ken Hyndman

[Ray Bell]

Ken, here's the answer to your photo above...



This is from a few months before Warwick Farm opened and was probably 'drawn' some time before that and isn't quite correct. For instance, the exit from Creek Corner is not shown as parallel to the straight, which it definitely was, while the second left-hander of the esses isn't as tight as it finished up being. Like I said, that next section ran more or less parallel to the horse track 'chute'.

I was hoping to find a UBD street directory from the sixties or seventies to get a map showing this but it seems that the oldest I have is 1989. If anyone has one, probably as late as 1975, it should show both the horse track and the circuit. It would be on map 88.

Subsequent to the closure of the circuit the AJC have extended that 'chute' right out to cross Hume Straight.

Here is a picture posted by 'Wirra' on the Nostalgia Forum, obviously from a more recent time:



There is also a comment from David Shaw relating to it saying that this 'chute' extension gave the horse racers a couple of extra options for race lengths, which were apparently quite important to them.

[Terry S]

I went to the "Farm" for the first time in May 1970

The Neil Allen Elfin ME 5 Chevrolet was the star of the day and won the main race.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]43776[/ATTACH]
( Oldrace photos from Imgrum.org. )



(Ken Hyndman )

I was at that May 1970 meeting and thought the ME5 was the prettiest and most beautiful race car I had ever seen.
And still believe it is amongst the all time best looking cars.

That metallic blue colour was wonderful, and Allen even co-ordinated the colour of his helmet.

As this photo shows it looked to me like a stealth fighter.

Then in the interests of progress it got bastardised. Such a SIN.

See this TNF tread post #13 to see comparison of before and after.

http://forums.autosport.com/topic/132930-elfin-me5/?hl=+elfin +me5

Which would you prefer? I think it is pretty obvious.

In my opinion the current look is simply hideous

I know it is legal, as that TNF thread covers, but surely as an owner you would want it in its best and most appealing format.

[khyndart in CA]

Terry,
Thanks for your message.
I must have been standing right beside this movie maker in May 1970 at Warwick Farm.
[video=youtube_share;jjgNQy6YIRk]https://youtu.be/jjgNQy6YIRk[/video]

(Ken H)

[Ray Bell]

Sports Car No 7... the Lolita Mk 2?

Nice to see Niel Allen in action there, the late Bob Martin in the red Clubman, the Hustler SC1, the beautiful red/orange Elfin 300, No 13, I don't think it's the 350. And I think it's Ray Hanger in the blue Nota Sportsman (Clubman) with the stripe around the nose. Was the Chevron B8 then in Ray Strong's hands?

We all know the opening trio, of course, Pete Geoghegan in the Mustang, Norm Beechey in the Monaro, Jim McKeown in the Porsche. Later we see Sports Sedans with Chris Strode, perhaps, at the forefront and Wayne Rogerson next in the Falcon ahead of John Leffler's Mini. Some of those other tin-tops will take some identifying.

[khyndart in CA]

Thanks Ray for identifying so many of those in this video.

Ken

[Ray Bell]

No problem...

I'm told the pink Mini is Barry Grainger. Or Granger?

[Dale Harvey]

Chris Strode is correct.
Dale.

[Ray Bell]

Yes, the colour is a giveaway...

And I'm assured he was being lapped.

[Ray Bell]

Phil Moore is in the Elfin 300, who finished the race in third, two laps down over 23 laps...

The Chevron is Tony Oxley, he failed to place after a spin, Bob Martin was to finish sixth. I'm not sure now about the Nota Sportsman, it may well be Peter Wilson.

And I learn from the race report that Peter Wherrett was in Leffler's Mini in one race.

The really hard cars to pick are the last bunch, that's a GTR Torana there but I'm sure it's not a Series Production event. This is prior to the release of the XU1s.

[khyndart in CA]

OK Terry and Ray,
Here are some of my blurred photos of my day at the Warwick Farm Esses corners. May 1970.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]43906[/A

(Ken Hyndman )

[khyndart in CA]

The best cars of the day.

(KH )

[Terry S]

Ken, that crowd shot in the Essex had me looking closely as that is where we used to gather.

We had worked out it was best spot on the track as you could basically see the cars all the way down the straight to Creek corner as well as the Essex.

Oh such memories.

[khyndart in CA]

Terry,
I think I had had too much Australian ale that day and did not want to post this but hey,why not, you may make out something in this image.
Remember I have dragged these pix from Oz to NZ to England and then to the US. Their resting place is here on TRS !
Cheers,
Ken. (Memories indeed )

[Dale Harvey]

The really hard cars to pick are the last bunch, that's a GTR Torana there but I'm sure it's not a Series Production event. This is prior to the release of the XU1s.[/QUOTE]

I think that Torana is Bill Norman. So most probably supercharged and running as a sports sedan.
Dale.

[John McKechnie]

Ken- looking at some jackets there, it must have been a bit cold

[khyndart in CA]

John,
May in Sydney seemed a whole lot better than the frost and fog of the Waikato !

[Terry S]

Ken- looking at some jackets there, it must have been a bit cold

That's what he had "too much Australian ale" for......

[Terry S]

Terry,
Thanks for your message.
I must have been standing right beside this movie maker in May 1970 at Warwick Farm.
[video=youtube_share;jjgNQy6YIRk]https://youtu.be/jjgNQy6YIRk[/video]

(Ken H)

To summarise the cars;

First three are Improved Production Touring, and as Ray says Geoghegan, Beechey and McKeown

Then the sports cars. It was the RAC Trophy Race which was the 2nd round of Aust Sports Car Champ.
#15 is Phil Moore in Elfin 300. It had Ford T/c of only 1.5L hence so far behind the V8's
#2 is Niel Allen in the glorious Elfin ME5
#17 (not #7 Ray) is venerable Bo Holden in Lolita Mk2 BMC.
#8 is Tony Loxley in Chevron B8 BMW
#35 is Ray Hanger in blue Nota Clubman
#25 is Bob Martin in the red Hustler SC1 Ford

Then the sports sedans , or as described in the programme the "Closed Sports Sedan Car Race". So quaint and I wonder what an OPEN Sports Sedan would be.
#48 is Chris Strode in "yellow" Holden FE. Now drives a 1963 Galaxie in Historics.
#35 is Wayne Rogerson in Falcon V8. Now drives a Mazda R2 in Historics
#59 is the late Peter Wherrett in John Leffler's Mini
#57 is Ron Grainger in a Mini (Not Barry, Ray)
#39 is Bill Norman in a supercharged Torana GTR

Some great views and memories

[Ray Bell]

So much easier when you have the programme...

At that time the 'Sports Sedans' category had still not been formalised by the CAMS. The common heading under which these cars were grouped was 'Sports Racing - closed, by invitation.'

It was open to cars complying with Sports Car regulations, therefore they had to have headlights, tail lights, mudguards etc. But the 'invitation' was only to cars so complying which were built from sedan cars. This was a direct result of the Appendix J regulations for Touring Car racing being replaced by the 'Improved Production' category.

So many cars existed, in particular early Holdens, which no longer complied... or could be made competitive. For instance, the rules allowed no more than a very minor overbore of the cylinders - 0.030" IIRC - while many of these cars had engines which were bored out way beyond that. But once the movement started it became more of an 'open slather' category and some wild cars resulted.

Hence race headings varied from place to place.

[khyndart in CA]

Ray and Terry,
You both have put in such interesting information and memories of this time in 1970. Thank you.
I found this short clip of the June 1970 meeting at Oran Park that was mentioned earlier in this thread.
Your identification skills are required.
That corner onto the front straight was a great place to watch the 3 wheeled cornering.

[video=youtube;zoFKE-2pV3U]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoFKE-2pV3U[/video]


(KH)