The Roaring Season

Time for another update from the Bruce Wells Collection. This is the second part from Warwick Farm, and all the photos in this chapter are from Round 5 of the 1965 Tasman Series. This chapter includes pics of the Tasman cars, plus the various saloons and sports cars that were on the support bill.

The 1965 Tasman Series was won by Jim Clark, in his Lotus-Climax. Clark took four victories from the seven rounds, and was the only driver to win on more than one occasion, so his championship was pretty emphatic. He was also leading the opening round, at Pukekohe, when clunked into by Bruce McLaren, who was attempting a pass for the lead on lap 4. The damage to Clarks suspension and consequent retirement was his only dnf of the season.

This being a Tasman event, in New South Wales, meant all the bug stars from the touring car and sports car ranks also turned out to entertain the fans.

Again, as with all of Bruce's photos, these are stunning, and beautifully capture the drama of the event, and the cars competing in it.

Kicking things off here are Clark in the Lotus-Climax, and young New Zealand driver Kerry Grant, in his Brabham-Climax. Palmerston North driver Grant was teamed with Graham Hill in the Scuderia Veloce squad, and impressed many with his speed, and at Round 2 at Levin, from 4th on the grid, he outbraked both both Phil Hill and Bruce McLaren on the opening tour, to move to second spot, which he held until lap 10, when he put a wheel on the grass and spun out of contention.

Here at the Farm, he completed only 13 laps, after striking engine trouble.

Some sports car and touring car action. Greg Cusack is first up, in the pretty Lotus 23, while the flying brick, is that of Peter Manton.

This looks to be the pretty Mildren-Maserati. This would be the car in an earlier guise, later in 1965 it had the rear wheel openings radiused out to fit larger wheels. This car was driven by both Ralph Sach and Kevin Bartlett, and both drivers appear to have worn light coloured helmets at the time, so I'm not able to ID who is at the wheel here. Perhaps KB could help?

The engine shot I'm not sure about, I hope someone here can help with this.

Norm Beechey, in the first Mustang to race in Australia. This car proved a sensation when it first made its race debut in January 1965. This is just a few weeks later, and Norm's is still the only Mustang racing in Aus.

Below is Clark again, in a simply stunning shot, at speed, with what looks like newspaper clinging to the front bodywork.

The shot of the Mildren Maserati has Ralph Sach at the tiller. Car was later fitted with a Traco Olds, owned and driven by Ross Ambrose (Tassie)

Thanks KB, thats great info. Marcos Ambrose now enjoys a pretty high profile career in the US, but his father Ross did some pretty good things too, including founding Van Diemen with Ralph Firman.

The engine is of course a Coventry Climax and I would guess it is in a Lotus 15.
Dale.

Dale, can you put names to these two?

Here is Frank Matich in the Brabham BT7A, which finished 3rd at Warwick Farm.

Following is another shot of the Mildren-Maserati. Does this car still exist?

Here she is, the magnificent Sir Gawaine Bailie '63 Galaxie. Bailie shared this car with Lex Davison in the Sandown 6-Hour race in 1964. It was later raced by John Raeburn in the 1965 ATCC at Sandown where it qualified 2nd and finished 5th after suffering from brake trouble. Note the licence plate. Surely this can't be coincidence? What was the history of this car? Was it built in Australia or imported from the UK? And where is it now?



Any guesses on the Lotus?

Steve Holmes wrote:Dale, can you put names to these two?

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I am not sure of the drivers,(I could make some guesses, but I won't) the first is a Rennmax and the second is an Elfin Catalina. The Lotus Super Seven in the last shot looks like Bill March.
Dale.

Dale Harvey wrote:I am not sure of the drivers,(I could make some guesses, but I won't) the first is a Rennmax and the second is an Elfin Catalina. The Lotus Super Seven in the last shot looks like Bill March.
Dale.

#34 Rennmax Paul Bolton(later ran the Rorstan cars)
#27 Elfin Noel Potts (listed in programme as red/black...)

Front bar at six, Dale?

Brilliant. Thanks for that you guys.

Steve Holmes wrote:Here she is, the magnificent Sir Gawaine Bailie '63 Galaxie. Bailie shared this car with Lex Davison in the Sandown 6-Hour race in 1964. It was later raced by John Raeburn in the 1965 ATCC at Sandown where it qualified 2nd and finished 5th after suffering from brake trouble. Note the licence plate. Surely this can't be coincidence? What was the history of this car? Was it built in Australia or imported from the UK? And where is it now?

Im pretty sure it was one of the Ex Wilment racing Galaxies.... I think there were 3 raced in the UK in 1963 IIRC, didn't the Bailie car end up back in the UK and coverted to Gp5 Specs for the 66 season where Brian Muir wrote it off at Crystal palace??

Thanks Pauly, I didn't know any of that! I went and found some old articles and you're 100% correct. Turns out Bailie raced this very car in the UK in 1963, with the same rego number. These Willment cars were pretty distinctive with their widened steel rims and hefty roll cages. The RAC were convinced the cages were some sort of cheat, so had the Willment team start cutting tubes out after a protest by one of the Jaguar teams.

Beechey and Anderson

Steve Holmes wrote:Thanks Pauly, I didn't know any of that! I went and found some old articles and you're 100% correct. Turns out Bailie raced this very car in the UK in 1963, with the same rego number. These Willment cars were pretty distinctive with their widened steel rims and hefty roll cages. The RAC were convinced the cages were some sort of cheat, so had the Willment team start cutting tubes out after a protest by one of the Jaguar teams.

Steve - you realise this post may create a whole lot more debate on the infamous Roll Cage thread.

Ha ha ha, anything is possible!

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Front bar at six, Dale?[/QUOTE]

If you wait that long we shall be a few up on you.
Dale.