SCCA regional events in Texas etc. 1960s-70s through the lens of Jerry Melton

[Ray Bell]

There was, apparently, no specific reason for the LHD car being purchased into Australia by the collector other than that he wanted a Lotus Cortina and that was the one he found...

And later, I guess, he fell out of love with it and the present owner bought it and took it to Alice Springs.

I was really expecting to learn that a US Serviceman stationed at Pine Gap (just outside The Alice) had brought it with him and left it behind when he went home. I know of one 1958 Plymouth 2-door station wagon that stayed here like that, and there are others.

[khyndart in CA]

I found some Jerry Melton photos taken in 1967 at the Green Valley Raceway in Texas and it is time to share some.


This young driver seems pretty calm as he has a smoke and waits for the starting grid to assemble.

Roger is this a BN1 or a BN 2 (As I don't know the difference from this angle.)

A Sunbeam Tiger

Jerry Melton photos


(Ken H)

[khyndart in CA]

The Minis always provided good close racing.

This Austin Cooper 997 is in the under 1 Litre Class.

Not sure which direction this MGA was meant to be headed !

This Datsun 1600 Fairlady Roadster was an early Japanese racer in the US in 1967
Many more were in the years to come.
(Did any of these race in NZ at that time ?)


(Jerry Melton 1967 photos )

[Roger Dowding]

" Roger is this a BN1 or a BN 2 (As I don't know the difference from this angle.) "

Good question,
Bodywise - there were several differences
- bigger radius front wheel arches - but guys racing use to cut them bigger anyway.
- swage line on the rear guard behind the wheel arch - but they were progressively used and a few BN1 had them.
- separate rear reflectors in chrome mounts above the tail lights - probably the most noticed change
There are probably more - this is off the top my retired head.
Mechanical
- hidden was the four speed gearbox.

So in essence " I don't know the difference from this angle " - nor do I Ken H.

Nice car great photo - thanks - it will appear on the Austin Healey thread I think.. and again here !!

[khyndart in CA]

At the February 1967 meet at GVR were two Jabro sports cars powered by Saab engines.
There is some information regarding these cars at this site.

https://zinkpetitemkii.wordpress.com/jabro-mk-i-ii-and-iii/

Jabro Mk 3 Sports cars.

(Jerry Melton photos 1967..

# 8 and # 12.)

[khyndart in CA]

In the FP Class and small sedan race, James Boswell had qualified well in his Volvo P 1800 # 78
And led the field at the start.

He was well positioned on the first lap.

James was enjoying the race in his Volvo.

Until the darn RHD Mini of Brad Dunn got in the way !

(Jerry Melton ..1967 photos )

(Ken H)

[Ray Bell]

And I guess the Mini driver said, "Oh oh..."?

[khyndart in CA]

And I guess the Mini driver said, "Oh oh..."?

Good one Ray

[John McKechnie]

In the FP Class and small sedan race, James Boswell had qualified well in his Volvo P 1800 # 78
And led the field at the start.
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He was well positioned on the first lap.
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James was enjoying the race in his Volvo.
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Until the darn RHD Mini of Brad Dunn got in the way !
[ATTACH=CONFIG]67565[/ATTACH]

(Jerry Melton ..1967 photos )

(Ken H)

I am trimming one of these Volvos at the moment

[khyndart in CA]

Another British car racing at GVR in 1967 was a TVR Grantura Series 2 # 65.
The car was built by the very talented Trevor Wilkinson from Blackpool, England. TVR derived from TreVoR.
Some of the TVR story can be found at this site;
https://www.carthrottle.com/post/3l654d7/

(Jerry Melton ..1967 photos)


This # 65 car could have been one of the TVR Grantura's brought over for the 1963 Sebring 12 Hour Race.
They were powered by a MGA 1600 Mk 2 engine (1622 cc)
They had overheating issues in the 1963 event.
One of the TVRs was driven by Mark Donohue in car # 51

Class 10 Entry List for the 1963 Sebring 12 Hour Race.

If you want to see a top class entry list check this site.
(Note the drivers in Jaguar # 20 for instance )
Plus all the supporting races.

https://sebringrace.com/page17.html




( Ken H) ( I had to do some homework for this one !)

[khyndart in CA]

The Lotus marque was well represented throughout the race groups in 1967 at Green Valley Raceway.
Including Lotus Sevens.

A Lotus 11

A Lotus Cortina # 50

A Lotus Elan.

(Jerry Melton photos )




(Ken H)

[Ray Bell]

That's a high-spec Seven there...

Wobbly alloy wheels.

[khyndart in CA]

Some more of Lotus cars entered at GVR in 1967.

A Lotus 23B.

A rare Porsche powered Lotus 23 B.

(Jerry Melton photos..)

Ken H.

[khyndart in CA]

Another Lotus that was prominent in Texas in 1967 was the Formula B Class, Lotus 41 C powered by a Ford twin cam engine prepared by BRM.
The team that dominated was the Gus Hutchison team of 3 cars.

The team preparing to compete. Gus Hutchison in the white shirt in the centre.

A well prepared Lotus 41 C # 51

# 53 on the way to winning the Formula B race.

# 53 taking the chequered flag.
(Jerry Melton photos.)

( A coloured photo of two of the Gus Hutchison Lotus 41 C Formula B cars )

(Ken H )

[Ray Bell]

Those 23s don't have original wheels either!

[khyndart in CA]

If the Lotus 41C was a success story then the Lotus 40 was just the opposite.
It was a V-8 engined sports car built to compete against the McLarens and Lolas in 1965.
It was was very twitchy due to chassis flexing and also often overheated.
Even the driving skills of Jim Clark and A.J. Foyt could not make it a winner.
English driver Jack Sears rated it as one of the worst race cars he ever drove and an accident in one at Silverstone almost ended his life.
He describes it at this site.
https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/may-1998/55/mistakes-they-made-few

Jim Cark struggling with his Lotus 40 at Riverside 1965

There was a Lotus 40 at the Texas track in 1967.
I will try to enter some of Jerry Melton's photos of # 98.


(Ken H )

[khyndart in CA]

A Lotus 40 # 98 at Green Valley Raceway in 1967.

In the days before spoilers.

The 351 Ford Cleveland motor being worked on.

(Jerry Melton photos from 1967.

[khyndart in CA]

Some German vehicles at Green Valley in 1967.
The Porsche 356 Speedsters had various issues such as ;

Losing a left front wheel as a TR 4 # 11 passes by.

Number 15 trying really hard;

Before destroying his left front going off the circuit.

Other Porsche stayed on the circuit.

Even one was brave enough to enter the track as a McLaren M1B flashes by.
With something amiss with the tail pipe.

Jerry Melton photos..1967

[Paul B]

Great pics Ken, Those Porsche's would be worth a few bucks today! The lotus 40 above is very cool too, Would they have had a 351 Cleveland engine in 1967? maybe a 351 Windsor? Great pics anyway!
Hope you and yours are safe and well.
Cheers
P

[khyndart in CA]

Thanks Paul,
We have managed to stay safe to this point and had a mixed feelings anniversary this weekend.
It was 48 years ago in 1972 that I met Judy while in Earls Court before working at Trojan in Croydon so that was cause for celebration and then we looked back on it being 40 years ago in 1980 that dear Judy was hit with a polio type virus that changed our plans and goals dramatically and here we are today counting our many blessings. As I have mentioned before, "I sure married up !".

Back to the Lotus 40. What I based the engine in Texas was from this; " The Lotus 40 remarkably similar to the GT40. It had a Lotus chassis and used the same Lola Ford GT40 drivetrain and engine. Both cars had Shelby 289 engines with a ZF5DS25 gearbox, however the Lotus used the Tecalmit-Jackson fuel injection where Ford used Webers. Both accounted for around 150 additional horsepower.
Ford would use the 351 Cleveland in later years."

Cheers Paul,
Ken