Mildren's Special in the 1946 New South Wales Grand Prix at Bathurst; pics from State Library of New South Wales/Mitchell Library; originally from ACP Magazines/Pix Magazine
Those old Bathurst pics don,t do the gutsy drivers justice on that track . For those who don,t know Mount Panorama , Bathurst , NSW, just have a look on U-tube for a street circuit different to any other . Up to safety standards now
On Facebook today: "Kenneth Neve's KN IV(fourth special) using two Ariel Square Four engines in a GN chassis. It was originally built in the 50s, Wiscombe 2013, it's first outing since the 90s"
Ford V8 Jeep Special - owner/constructor Ray Mitchell; built in a hurry; two Jeep chassis each cut to two thirds length and then welded together; Jeep front and back axles, front axle's center removed; Jeep hydraulic brakes; fairly standard Ford V8-85 hp side-valve; Humber Snipe gearbox (Australian Motor Sports, April 1948; courtesy State Library of Victoria)
Australian Motor Sports 'for sale' adverts for the Ford-Jeep Special (Sept 1948, Feb 1949 and Aug 1949)[State Library of Victoria]
Does anyone have a copy of Veda Orr's "New Revised Hot Rod Pictorial", please? I am looking for a scan of a page from it!
Australian Motor Sports magazine, May 1953 (State Library of Victoria)https://dmtrg.com/2022/12/18/barlow-simca-8-special-1951/
The Jack Phillips & Ted Parsons Ford, pictured on the turntable in the Melford Motors (Melbourne) showroom, circa 1940. Photos by Lyle Fowler's Commercial Photographic Company; Fowler's office was situated not far from Melford; he seems to have used Ford panel vans for his business. (Lyle Fowler, 1896-1969) photos courtesy of State Library of Victoria The Melford building still exists, now as a Toyota dealership. The turntable is still used occasionally, for smaller vehicles. On the exterior of the building it's possible to see partial outlines of some of the large FORD lettering.https://primotipo.com/2023/03/07/jack-phillips-ted-parsons-ford-v8/
My photo of a grainy pic in March 1953 Australian Motor Sports (State Library of Victoria); Lancia Special on start line at a Rob Roy Hill Climb event and a link to the primotipo site gives more info on this car https://primotipo.com/tag/ron-chandler/
First pic is from a hill climb at Rob Roy, late 1951. Second pic must have been a road race. Eddie Perkins was the father of racing driver Larry Perkins. Pics from Australian Motor Sports, State Library of Victoria
Ford V8 Ballot, built circa 1936 by Jack Nelson of Western Australia from a wrecked French Ballot, using a 1929 Chevrolet chassis and flathead Ford V8 (AMS December 1949; State Library of Victoria) (Edit: Nelson sold it to Syd Barker)
I should have posted this with the Melford Motors pics. Australian Motor Sports magazine; State Library of Victoria
Eldred Norman's Eclipse Ford Zephyr special, which must have been a cut above most of the other Aussie specials. [Norman was the builder of the twin Mercury V8-powered special.] The Ford Zephyr special still exists: https://primotipo.com/tag/zephyr-special/ (Australian Motor Sports magazine courtesy of State Library of Victoria)
Ralt Special. Ford 10 sidevalve powered. (Ron Tauranac went on to become highly successful, partnering with Jack Brabham, building F3 and F2 racing cars etc etc) Australian Motor Sports, April 1951 [State Library of Victoria]
AMS, October 1949; State Library of Victoria; https://primotipo.com/2023/07/15/alta-1100-special/ (one of this forum's members might know a bit more about this car)
B/W pics from Australian Motor Sports magazine, 1952; State Library of Victoria; colour pic - same car? Perhaps it never "reached the body stage".
I was thinking that the front suspension might be Lancia Lambda, but I could be wrong. Some Oz Specials back then were based on, or used parts from, Lancia Lambdas, which must have been around in good numbers.
The Jalopy Journal
