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

[Ray Bell]

I can answer it?

There was, at least for a while, a provision in FJr that the car must have the same type of brakes as the engine donor-car.

Elfin Catalinas were 4-wheel drum cars, for instance. WR375s, which were the same cars with 1500 engines, had discs.

[Terry S]

Morning Ken, how are we today......I am sure Ray Bell or Terry S can answer this one.
Yep, drum brakes were so 50s

In the original F.I.A. Regulations for Formula Junior, under Article 3 para f "For cars constructed before 1962: the braking system and principle (viz. drum-brakes or disc-brakes) must remain the same as on the car from which is taken the engine"

[John McKechnie]

That was a good honeypot Ken, got any more curly ones?

[Ray Bell]

Terry, do you know of those rules applied to the (freakish) Australian variation of FJr?

That is to say, the cars which ran 1101 to 1500cc engines. This was allowed in the CAMS version of FJr for about two years.

[khyndart in CA]

A Formula Libre car at GVR was this De Tomaso Isis from the Mecom Race Team.
This may have been an ex F1 / F2 car with an Alfa Romeo engine. It was too big for the FJ class. (All inputs are welcome.)

John Mecom did not always have the best of luck with De Tomaso vehicles.
"Another flop was his extraordinary sports car design using a cast-magnesium backbone chassis with the diameter of a dustbin. When the American oil tycoon John Mecom took delivery, his racing advisers confessed that they were not sure whether to attempt to race it, or use it as a flower pot !"

(Jerry Melton photos.. )

A tiny sports car there was the 'Jabro" which was in the H Modified Group.

Some "Jabro" information at this site.

http://sports.racer.net/chassis/jabro/page1.htm


(Ken H)

[khyndart in CA]

Some of these cars are worth a fortune in today's market.
Little did these owners realise back in 1963 and even stuffed Chevrolet V-8 engines in along with automatic transmissions !

Maserati 250 S

An Osca 750 S

Maserati 300S with Chevy V-8 and auto transmission

(Jerry Melton photos..)

[Ray Bell]

A great insight into the past, Ken...

Thanks for continuing to post.

[khyndart in CA]

Louisiana driver, Harry Washburn, was a popular driver at this Texas track. Harry had a Cooper Monaco in 1963 with a Maserati engine.
Number 47.

George Koehn also drove a Cooper # 93 and this had a Buick engine.

Delmo Johnson showed up with his new 1963 Chevrolet Corvette "Sebring" # 3 for two GVR events.

This rather dim photo is just to show the beautiful lines of a car built in 1963.
Ageless even after 55 years ! (No not you Roger D !)

(Jerry Melton photos.. )

[John McKechnie]

Split-screen like the one in Cheers...was it a big block or a really cool 327 (looking at those tyres)
Behind 47 is a MG 1300 in the carpark...Ken did that have the optional Cooper S motor in .....do you know? looks like it has roundels on the door for a number

[khyndart in CA]

John that is an interesting spot. The MG 1100 was introduced to the USA in April 1963 and as the two meetings photographed by Jerry were in April and October so the MG 1100s in the photos must be at the October event. The Austin America (1275 engine ) did not get introduced to the US until May 1968. I am surprised how many British cars are in the background of these photos, (e.g. at image # 45 )perhaps they were popular in their day in Texas. I know we have a lot of Moss Motors customers in that state.

"April 1963 - USA: MG 1100 launched at the International Auto Show, New York and marketed as the MG Sports Sedan. 1100cc 55 bhp engine, available in two- or four-door saloon versions. Available in showrooms before launch."

(Ken H )

[Terry S]

Terry, do you know of those rules applied to the (freakish) Australian variation of FJr?

That is to say, the cars which ran 1101 to 1500cc engines. This was allowed in the CAMS version of FJr for about two years.

Ray, as I understand the international regulations were adopted in full in Australia for 1962 and 1963.

This included weight capacity formula of 1,000 cc cars had to be 882 lbs. and 1,000 cars had to be 794 lbs.

These were the first Australian cars to enjoy a series of events to an international formula. This was not done before or since.

There apparently was a proposal to allow 1,500 cc but with a 300 lb. weight penalty. So it never proceeded.

[Michael Clark]

Name drop time - but there's no other way of telling this story.

December 1980 - a used car forecourt in Otahuhu and I'm eating a sausage wrapped in a piece of white bread with Neil Bonnett and Donnie Allison. Neil looks across the road to another used car forecourt and says 'what's that green thing called?'

I look over and there's only one green car - 'That's an Austin 1100'

"Orrztin" says Neil - "that's it - I had me one of them once"

I have wondered ever since how many Austin dealers there would have been in Hueytown Alabama...

[John McKechnie]

Theres a race track in Austin, Texas...

[Dale Harvey]

Name drop time - but there's no other way of telling this story.

December 1980 - a used car forecourt in Otahuhu and I'm eating a sausage wrapped in a piece of white bread with Neil Bonnett and Donnie Allison. Neil looks across the road to another used car forecourt and says 'what's that green thing called?'

I look over and there's only one green car - 'That's an Austin 1100'

"Orrztin" says Neil - "that's it - I had me one of them once"

I have wondered ever since how many Austin dealers there would have been in Hueytown Alabama...

I don’t care about the name drop Michael. Good story! I would love to meet up again for beer and a good old chin wag.
Dale.

[khyndart in CA]

Michael,
Tell me more about Neil and Donnie coming out to NZ please.
Ken H

[Roger Dowding]

" Ageless even after 55 years ! (No not you Roger D !) " wadda ya mean ?? ha ha ..
53 years since I got my licence - still think I am a kid, but the bones say otherwise..

and Corvette's are well up my list of cars -Austin Healey's and TR's tie for first place

Just noticed my " Permanent ' paper ' Licence " expires next month .. B**g#r

[Michael Clark]

Ken, I think it was the second weekend of December back in 1980 - and Donnie and Neil may have been here for two consecutive weekends running 'saloons' at Waikaraka Park. I had met a really nice guy called John Rush who worked for a second hand dealer on the yard next to Paul Fahey's Fiat Centre at the southern/monument end of Otahuhu. I had bought a car from John - no fault of his but the worst car I have ever owned - in late 1980 and he'd told me how he'd helped rebuild the Leckie Capri so clearly he was a fan.

He was also involved in stockcars and had mentioned that 'they' were hoping to bring out Donnie and Neil. When it was confirmed, John asked me if I'd like to attend a barbeque that was being held 'on the forecourt' at lunchtime on the Saturday. John would also give me four passes for that night. I arrived with a friend and apart from John, we 'knew' no one. PBF was there, as was Dennis Marwood - we recognised them, and no doubt some other stalwarts that we didn't recognise were also lurking about.

Donnie and Neil were centre of attention and initially I thought we might just politely devour a sausage and bugger off - but seemingly in a flash, the Kiwis were talking amongst themselves meaning that D & N were 'free'. We didn't need to be asked twice so we started with 'Howdy' and about an hour and a half later, we were talking with Alabama accents - we talked Indy 500, we talked IROC, Petty, Cale - the fight had been the previous year - we talked Formula 1 a bit...my mate and I had these two legends to ourselves and they seemed happy to talk racin'.

I wrote about it in NZCC a couple of years ago and still remember Donnie's deep passion for racing - "Daytona - I love it...I wish it was tomorrow" and man, he meant it.

Anyway, I've gone on too long...but meeting them came about because I'd bought a turd, which kind of made it ok.

[khyndart in CA]

Michael,
Thanks for sharing that, was Spinner Black involved in getting them to come to NZ ?
Also, when does YOUR book go to print ?
Ken

[khyndart in CA]

I am trying to show the classes and entrants at the Green Valley Raceway in 1963.
I hope this is readable.

[khyndart in CA]

Note in the CM class is the Monsterati that had been built by Bill Janowski. Bill had just sold the car to Tim White and he had brought a Lotus 18 # 35 and entered in the F. Jr. race. The Lotus did not make it past practice and this was one of the last competitive races for the Monsterati which has since been beautifully restored and seen at the recent historic races.

Tim White in the Monsterati # 16. Oct. 1963. GVR Texas

Bill Janowski's Lotus 18 # 35
(Jerry Melton photos.)

The Monsterati # 35 at Sonoma Raceway June 2017
(K Hyndman photo..)