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AUSTRALIAN FORMULA JUNIOR ASSOCIATION Email: afja@iprimus.com.au www.australianformulajunior.com Executive Committee Chairman Ian Bailey 02 9411 4251 Secretary Kelvin Prior 03 9707 1652 Vic. Rep. Nick McDonald 0414 569 506 NSW Rep. Peter Johnson 02 9211 2854 SA Rep. Mike Shearer 08 8556 8242 Q Rep. Don Thallon 07 3356 1700

Spring is here, the grass is ris, I wonder where all those cars is is, the cars are hardly on the wing for most reside in attics, basements and garages and rarely see the light of day. We are of course speaking about Formula Junior, which on average are now 40 years old and are predominately owned by bowerbird type collectors like you and I.

For the record there is 79 Formula Junior cars in Australia that we know of, so if you are aware of a car where the owner does not receive this newsletter, we need to hear from you. We would also like information about any car that is similar to a Formula Junior, complies with the regulations and the owner would like to become an Associate Member of the AFJA.

Since the last Winter Edition Newsletter the new expanded Executive Committee have established permanent electronic communication links for transmitting information on matters concerning members and the Association.

The next meeting of the AFJA will be very important to the future of the Association, as matters of considerable concern will be discussed and hopefully resolved by this meeting. The most contentious matter regarding regulations governing the eligibility of our cars was canvassed by CAMS Historic Commission in our last newsletter, where you were asked to put your point of view. At the time of writing I have not received any submissions other than from Committee Members concerning this matter, and therefore expect that member intend to put their point of view verbally at the meeting, which of course everyone is encouraged to do.

Missing from the Winter Edition mailout was the2001 AFJA Trophy Brochure that we now enclose for your use and encouragement to enter the competition. Unfortunately the September date for Eastern Creek has since been changed to the 8th and 9^th for Year 2001 and we trust the other dates will remain unaltered.

KELVIN PRIOR
SECRETRY/TREASURER

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Due to the Olympic Games and the rescheduling of other sporting events in Australia during the games period, the AFJA Trophy Series has not changed since our previous Winter Edition newsletter where 10 members have points recorded for the championship.

Of the 10 cars 7 can win the trophy at Wakefield Park on November 25^th and 26^th. This being the final and 4^th round of the race series.

DATE: 7 p.m. Saturday 25^th November 2000

VENUE: Dining Room – Lilac City Motor Inn, 126 Lagoon Street, Goulburn, NSW

NOTICE: AFJA Members including guests are requested to advise Secretary Kelvin re attendance by Thursday 23^rd November

AGENDA: Will include the following matters for discussion:

1. Australian Formula Junior regulations. Refer previous newsletter and enclosed Notice of Motion for more details.
2. An expanded Trophy Series with the best 4 results of maximum 6 events including Sth. Aust. & Queensland.
3. Potential sponsorship of AFJA Series or individual events.
4. AFJA involvement with NZ car owners
5. AFJA Constitution, incorporation, CAMS affiliation
6. Register and publication of Formula Junior lap records.
7. AFJA permanent Web Site
8. Other business raised by members

If you are unable to attend, but would like your view expressed on these matters, please write to the Secretary or contact your State representative.

To rescind Resolution 4 "Eligibility Moratorium" adopted by the meeting of members at Goulburn on 17^th April 1999 and in its stead adopt the following resolution.

That the qualifications for an Australian Historic Formula Junior racing car shall require the vehicle to have been raced as a Formula Junior under 1100 cc during the period ending December 1963. These cars together with invited cars, which are similar, but from outside the period, may compete as Historic Formula Juniors provided the car shall comply with the original FIA regulations for Formula Junior and that of CAMS 5^th Category current regulations.

From the report by CAMS Historic Commission as published in the Winter Edition of the AFJA Newsletter it was obvious the original resolution by the AFJA was in direct conflict with CAMS Australian Regulations, and therefore could not be implemented. The new resolution puts the responsibility for eligibility with CAMS Historic Eligibility Committee where it belongs.

Congratulations to Peter Johnson who was recently elected Race Secretary and member of committee to NSW HSRCA Historic Organisation. Peter as you know is also our AFJA representative for NSW, and member of our Executive Committee. With the 2 Brabhams should keep him reasonably busy.

The cars new owner is the National Racing Museum at Mt. Panorama in Bathurst NSW where it will be displayed for all to see.

We understand the council selected this car which was for sale at $40,000 because it was Australian built and had considerable history of competition in NSW including Bathhurst.

An interesting note received from Jim Madden in NSW concerning his T56 Cooper BMC originally owned by Bob Gerard (UK), for those who don’t know, Jim is the driving force behind the successful "Gear" group of drivers in NSW who enjoy mid week events at pensioner prices.

It appears that Jim’s car originally build in 1960 with 998 cc engine and drum brakes is in fact a Group M car like most other rear engine Formula Juniors build before 31/12/1960. If the car was front engine it would be in the earlier Group LB. Confused? The good news is that Jim can now present the car, as it was late 1961 with 1098 cc engine (more power) and front disc brakes (better stopping). Definite improvement.

Grandfather Gary Ryan and wife Jan have returned from Europe in time for the birth of their granddaughter. The Lola MK3 has arrived in its container at the wharf and will undergo some serious restoration work before competing again. We understand Gary would like to revisit Europe next year with more than one car and complete in FJ. Events during their racing season. We have asked Gary for a report on his recent exploits for publication in our next issue.

In conjunction with Duncan Rabagliati from the UK we are endeavoring to arrange a global communication link with Formula Junior car owners in other parts of the world where organizations such as ours exist, if we are successful the information we share will be distributed world wide.

One advantage of an International Network will be the certification of genuine cars and eradication of fake reproductions from the mid eighties, for example, Renzo Bridchi of Milan arranged with Christies Auctions at Nine Elms to sell his BT6 Brabham with FIA Papers on 27^th March this year. The car was reported to be FJ-16-63 but the history quoted lacked credibility which makes the car suspect.

The AFJA are committed to the stance taken in Australia whereby the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport require a Formula Junior to be the original car and not a reproduction before issuing a CAMS Log Book and certificate of description, and where a car has this certification, the AFJA will endeavor to protect title to that car from overseas duplicates claiming to be the original

In our last newsletter (Winter Edition) an illustration at the end of this column did not photo copy with sufficient clarity for you to identify the subject. It was in fact a photo of Brian Harts treatment of a 105E Anglia engine.

Len Terry built the car called Terrier as a front engine Formula Junior car in 1960. The engine featured dual twin choke Down Draft webers, which were mounted vertically on flanges welded above the cylinder head similar to later Formula 3 configurations.

It would seem that Brian Hart was an innovator with engine design way back then.

Did you know in 1960 that Peugeot engines produced more power than most used in Formula Junior, it appears that inermeccanica modified the Peugeot 203 engine by sleeving it back to 1092 cc and using twin DCOE webers. The hemispherical cross flow head enabled it to produce 94 BHP at 6800 RPM when most were happy with 80 BHP.

You will recall in our last newsletter we reported on experiments being conducted on 105E blocks whereby new cast iron sleeves were being vacuum brazed into the casting reconstituting the cylinders to accept 85 mm pistons as used in the period. The good news is that whilst the process in the initial trial was flawed, the engineer believes that subsequent tests will prove the procedure to be viable, so for those interested keep watching this space.

Most devotees to the strange activity of collecting historic racing cars can only dream of finding that long lost racing car in the proverbial farmers chook shed, where it was written off by its owner as another piece of outdated machinery.

We have all heard the stories and wondered if they were true or just the figment of someone’s over active imagination, trying to prove ownership of an important racing icon.

My Brabham BT2 Formula Junior is one of two cars that have emerged from obscurity in modern time. I purchased my car in 1990 after Anthony Wood of NOWRA NSW shipped it in 1981 from Hong Kong. Anthony was working in Hong Kong at the time and found the car in an underground car park where he recognized the cars origins. Anthony researched the history of the car and eventually traced it to the original owner Bob Olthof who raced it successfully in Europe as a Formula Junior in 1962.

The other car is a 1063 Lola MK 5A Formula Junior originally owned by Midland Racing Partnership Suedo Works Racing Team. The car is the No. 1 vehicle originally driven by Richard Attwood, who in

1963 won the prestigious Formula Junior grand Prix at Monaco. At this stage it should be pointed out that this car is considered so important in historic racing that two other cars, one in USA and one in the UK, are being promoted as being this car.

In 1995 Gary Ryan was offered and agreed to purchase from his connection in the USA a T55 Lola Formula 2 with Cosorth SCA engine. The cars history in America was documented having spend most of that time from 1971 in storage, and Gary obtained further information from the UK to establish that the car was originally a MK5A Formula Junior owned by Midland Racing Partnership.

It was Gary’s intention to restore the car as a Formula 2 until Rob Hands convinced him to sell the car at a weak moment when Rob was looking to acquire a significant Formula car for restoration.

Rob had obviously seen the potential in restoring the car in its original Formula Junior specs to complete in FJ events in Australia..During the cars restoration it became obvious the parts were all original, and armed with various tell tale details as to its origins, Rob has now completed his further research confirming the car to be possibly the most important Formula Junior of all time.

Rob completed the cars restoration early this year and should be complimented on the professional finish and attention to original detail. Famous Australian driver and long time friend of Rob’s, John Harvey, has driven the car in recent historic events. So if you get the opportunity take a look at where someone found some brass.

Roy Best in Dad’s car at Sandown. Car is MRD T1 Brabham very unique

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M35 Lucas starter motor fully reconditioned suit Ford/BMC FJ engine $60.

Phone Nick McDonald 0414 569 506

Hewland MK4 gear ratios need variety of good condition gear sets to suit

Brabham. Phone Nick McDonald 0414 569 506

Quality white T-Shirts with AFJA Logo, all sizes $30 each including

postage. Order direct from Peter Johnson Phone (02) 9211 2854