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

[khyndart in CA]

Ray,
I found this 1962 Lotus Seven that could be yours for just $ 50,000 US.
Plus it is RHD so you could take it home !

"The Lotus still retains the Original Factory Roll Bar, Woodrim Steering Wheel, and Factory Wobble Magnesium Wheels. It truly is unique to retain these original features."

I got into this site and I could get lost in it for hours.
I hope others can enjoy it too.
I might hang onto my 1962 Austin Mini Cooper for a while yet after converting some of these prices !

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1093684


Cheers Ken H..

[Ray Bell]

I could, Ken, but there are many of them here and many more original...

As can be seen with every pic of a Seven above, that cannot be an 'original factory roll bar'.

[khyndart in CA]

Here is to the two "flaggies" who risked life and limb in sunshine or rain to do their volunteer job at Green Valley Raceway in 1966.
Thanks to all flagmen everywhere.

A Spitfire and a Sprite

An Elva Courier

An MGA passing by.
(Jerry Melton photos..)


(Ken H )

[khyndart in CA]

As can be seen with every pic of a Seven above, that cannot be an 'original factory roll bar'.

Ray,
The 1965 photos of the Thompson's Lotus Seven seem to show a roll bar very similar to the 1962 Seven on sale although perhaps not as sturdy. So could not that type of roll bar have been a factory option in 1962 ?
BTW That 1962 Seven for sale is actually just 60 miles north here. (See below.)

(Jerry Melton photos.)

Check this site;
https://www.britishcarclassifieds.com/autos/lotus/super-seven/1962-lotus-super-seven-1324.html

(It has even been lowered in price. )


(Ken H)

[Ray Bell]

I would suggest, Ken, that the factory had no regular rollover bar for these cars in 1962...

https://autopics.com.au/63052-bill-march-lotus-super-7-bathurst-easter-1963-paul-manton-collection/#gallery-1

https://autopics.com.au/65315-lorraine-hill-lotus-super-7-warwick-farm-1963-paul-manton-collection/

https://autopics.com.au/65331-bob-beasley-lotus-super-7-fred-gibson-lotus-elan-oran-park-1965-photographer-lance-j-ruting/

https://autopics.com.au/66200-fred-gibson-niel-allen-lotus-elan-syd-howard-lotus-super-7-catalina-1966-photographer-lance-j-ruting/#gallery

These pictures from '62 to '65 show four different cars (there are others I found, but no online pics to give you) without any rollover protection.

It was a coming thing in 1962. 1961 had seen rollover bars mandated for F1 and it all moved on from there. But these cars came from the Australian distributors (Derek Jolly or the Geoghegans) with none. I think it likely that they were mandated earlier in the US than here.

[khyndart in CA]

Ray,
Indeed rollover bars certainly began to appear and grow during 1961.
For example;
January 7th 1961. NZGP at Ardmore and Stirling Moss in his Lotus 18 # 7 has no form of rollover bar at all.

By May 1961 at Monaco the Lotus of Stirling Moss had developed this roll bar.

By September 1961 at Mosport in Canada Stirling's Lotus 19 had a roll bar as shown.

Also at Mosport in 1961 was this Lotus Seven with a roll bar that looks similar to the one on the Lotus Seven on sale in San Luis Obispo, California today.

(So there is my input on the development of roll bars during 1961. )

(Ken H )

[Ray Bell]

It was a new rule for F1 that year...

I'm not sure whether FJr mandated them in '60 or '61, but one or the other.

[khyndart in CA]

Some Jaguar at GVR in the mid 60s.
I like photos that have all the information on the side of a bus !
David Dooley in his XKE # 41.

With lights set up for the Enduro event.

# 41 in the rain.

# 41 on a nicer day in 1965.

Another XKE.

AN XK 120

AN XK 150

(Jerry Melton photos in 1965-66.)


(Ken H..)

[khyndart in CA]

Some Jaguar at GVR in the mid 60s.
I like photos that have all the information on the side of a bus !
David Dooley in his XKE # 41.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]68011[/ATTACH]
With lights set up for the Enduro event.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]68012[/ATTACH]
# 41 in the rain.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]68013[/ATTACH]
# 41 on a nicer day in 1965.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]68014[/ATTACH]
Another XKE.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]68015[/ATTACH]
AN XK 120

[ATTACH=CONFIG]68016[/ATTACH]
AN XK 150

(Jerry Melton photos in 1965-66.)


(Ken H..)

[khyndart in CA]

John Mecom was a wealthy Texas millionaire who also had interests in the Jordanian oil industry.
John helped many drivers get established, including: Roger Penske in the Zerex Special and then selling that car to Bruce McLaren.
He often entered cars at events at GVR.

Plus AJ Foyt drove for Mecom Racing in a 7 liter Can Am car known as the Hussein and based on a Cooper Monaco chassis.

With some info. at this site.
https://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z11315/mecom-hussein-mk-i.aspx

Another Mecom Formula C race car.

============================================================================
A Mecom race car on a trailer.

I think this is a description of the car on the trailer.

Bill Frank's car also had a strong Mecom connection as Frank was the Firestone race tire Manager for Mecom and purchased his car from the team to run as a privateer. It was fitted with a 3-litre Ford V8. Mecom is known to have had three De Tomasos in 1964, a Formula Junior with Holbay engine, a Formula Senior car with a 1300cc Alfa Romeo engine and the cast monocoque ex-F1 car with a 256 ci or 289 ci Ford. This last car was ordered by Mecom in 1963 as an Indy project and initially fitted with a 4.2-litre Ford Fairlane engine and is the most likely of the three to have become Frank's Formula A car.
(A Jerry Melton photo..)


(Ken H )

[Ray Bell]

256 Ford?

That cast magnesium monocoque chassis was first see, as I recall, at the'62 Italian GP. It may have been '63. De Tomaso had built the whole thing, including the 1.5 V8.

[khyndart in CA]

Ray,
I found this info. on a 256 ci Ford engine. (Wikipedia )

" Ford Y-block engine..

The Y-block engine' is a family of overhead valve V8 automobile engines produced by Ford Motor Company. The engine is well known and named for its deep skirting, which causes the engine block to resemble a Y. It was introduced in 1954 as a more modern replacement for the outdated side-valved Ford Flathead V8 ' was used in a variety of Ford vehicles through 1964.

256 engine.
The original Mercury Y-block, introduced for the 1954 model year, displaced 256 in³ (4,194 cc). Advertised as the "V-161" engine, it ran a bore and stroke of 3.625 x 3.1 in. The compression ratio was 7.5:1, and the rated power was 161 hp (120 kW) at 4,400 rpm. Torque was 238 lb⋅ft (323 N⋅m) at 2,200 rpm.[3] The engine breathed through a Holley model 2140 (4V) carburetor. The 256 in³ version of the Mercury Y-block was only available in 1954 models and was replaced by the 292 in³ in 1955. "

(Ken H..)

[Ray Bell]

That's certainly not the engine in that car, then, nor should it be if there was any logic...

The 221 came out in 1962 or 1963, it was a very much lighter engine and held a lot more promise. It went to 260 before too long, then 289. The inlet port spacing in the photo is much more in keeping with the 221/260/289 family engines.

[khyndart in CA]

An ad for a 1961 De Tomaso Formula Junior, similar to what raced at GVR.

( Ken H.. )

[khyndart in CA]

The well-known Mexican driver, Pedro Rodriguez, entered in events at GVR in February 1966.

First, in a preliminary race driving a Mini -Cooper # 51.

Then in the main event Pedro was driving a GT 350 Mustang # 7

Pedro's driving skills took him to victory.

(Jerry Melton photos.. )



(Ken H )

[khyndart in CA]

In 1965 Ed Servabjian came to GVR with his 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport # 00.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]68061[/ATTACH

Ed battled throughout the race with the handling and braking issues.

Finally toward the end of the race, Ed had the rear brakes lock up which took him off the track.
As shown in the local newspaper.

(Jerry Melton photos )


(Ken H..)

[khyndart in CA]

The #1 car at Sebring in 1963 was 003, which Mecom had sold to Ed Sevadjian from Arlington, Texas.
Sevadjian raced it in SCCA's SW Division.in 1965.

The Grand Sport as it is today.
type Racing Car
production years 1962 – 1964
engineers Zora Arkus-Duntov
production 5
engine V8
position Front Longitudinal
aspiration Natural
block material Cast Iron
valvetrain Pushrod OHV, 2 Valves per Cyl
fuel feed 8 Sidedraft Weber 58mm
displacement 5358.57 cc / 327 in³
body / frame Fiberglass Body over Steel Tube Frame
driven wheels RWD
front tires Goodyear 8.20×15 Stock Car
rear tires Goodyear 8.20×15 Stock Car
front brakes Girling Discs
rear brakes Girling Discs
front wheels F 38.1 x 20.3 cm / 15 x 8 in
rear wheels R 38.1 x 20.3 cm / 15 x 8 in
steering Rack & Pinion
f suspension Wishbones w/Transverse Leaf Spring, Shock Absorbers
r suspension Transverse Leaf Spring, Shock Absorbers
curb weight 863 kg / 1900 lbs
transmission Borg Warner T-10 4-Speed Manual
1960s1962ChevroletChevrolet CorvettecorvetteV8

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Untold Stories of the 1963 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport #003
Ultra-Rare Racer: Untold Stories About One of the Most Illustrious Corvettes Ever — the ’63 Grand Sport.

http://www.superchevy.com/features/1507-untold-stories-of-the-1963-chevrolet-corvette-grand-sport-003

Note the rather colorful descriptions of what it was like to drive this car and perhaps that is why
Ed Servabjian had his crash at the Green Valley Raceway in 1965.


(Ken H..)

[Paul B]

That's certainly not the engine in that car, then, nor should it be if there was any logic...

The 221 came out in 1962 or 1963, it was a very much lighter engine and held a lot more promise. It went to 260 before too long, then 289. The inlet port spacing in the photo is much more in keeping with the 221/260/289 family engines.

Ford was playing around with the 221/260 block and developed some variant racing engines in the early 60s. I have some literature on them somewhere, they did a lot of modifications and it was a very high revving motor. They even used a modified 272 Y block rocker assembly in one engine. many failures too. Likely it may have been that engine?

[khyndart in CA]

Paul,
I got my piece that mentions the 256 ci engine, from this site which I have found reliable.

https://www.oldracingcars.com/fa/1966/southwestdiv/

Thanks for your input.
Cheers,
Ken

[Roger Dowding]

Ken H, my Man..
Thanks for the Corvette Grand Sport photos - I had a question about the first post #292 race # 00 what was the Chassis number but in post #293 you answered it - Chassis #003.
Have a great interest in the GS cars that started when I bought the Dave Friedman book " Corvette Grand Sport " at the Orange County Fare in 1988.
The copy with its now faded spine binding - too much sun sits with several other Corvette Books, and close by are my 10 1;43 scale models.
One each of Chassis' #001 and #002 the Roadsters and all three Coupes #003, #004, #005 in their Nassau 1963 guise - the first races, and then 5 others being 003, 004 and 005 from other races including Sebring 1964.

The Book front cover

There is a famous quote by A J Foyt when passed by one of the Grand Sports at Sebring in 1964 -
" What was that damned Dinosaur ? It went by me like I was stopped ".
The photo and quote - back cover

A couple of them at Sebring in 1964 - photo from the book - with the models in front.

and as you always say
" Thanks for your input.
Cheers,
Ken H "

Roger