“PITSTOP”

 SPRING 2001 ISSUE

 

 Editorial by Chairman

 Since it was established, the aims of the AFJA, have included the promotion of Formula Junior generally within the historic car fraternity” and in particular promote a Formula Juniors Series in Australia and Abroad”.  These lofty ambitions have in recent times generated the idea for participation in the Australian Grand Prix as an incentive for interest overseas and encouragement of locals to reactivate resting juniors.

A submission was made to the Australian Grand Prix Corporation with a proposal that Formula Junior be nominated for the Historic Garage Display and Demonstration next year.

The submission was the result of a substantial effort including contact with members and owners of cars in Australia and in New Zealand and South Africa.  The AFJA acknowledges and thanks Nick McDonald for the highly professional presentation of our proposal.  For those who have not seen a copy the document was a very slick full pictorial submission of the cars being offered.

It seems however that our proposal will probably not be accepted.  The understandable and primary concern of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation is to ensure that the numbers and quality of its Historic Displays and Demonstrations is maintained.

It would seem that notwithstanding the extensive written commitments which the AFJA had received, the Corporation is concerned by the lack of numbers on the grid.

The problem possibly is whilst there are the cars available in Australia and the commitment to use them eventually, the Historic Racing Competition program and format in Australia has not encouraged them to be brought out.

Perhaps we as an association need to promote static displays at Historic Race Meetings similar to that of the Historic Garage at the AGP.  There are many members who own FJ cars but do not for one reason or other wish to race their car, but would display and even demonstrate their cars given the opportunity.  We would appreciate comments and suggestions from members as to how we might proceed with this suggestion.  The objective is to provide visual evidence of the availability of our cars.

With further evidence of the availability of cars, we are confident that the determination and professionalism displayed by the preparation and presentation of the proposal to the corporation will stand us in good stead in the future.

Whilst many members will be disappointed if we have to adjourn the consideration of being involved in the AGP, there is still a possibility that Phillip Island in February will have generated enough interest and shaken enough cars out of the woodwork to produce a substantial field.  The lack of the AGP and international reluctance to travel since September 11 may reduce some of the numbers.

The committee looks forward to receiving any communications from members as to ideas for the steady promotion of Formula Junior.  In particular the organisation of static car displays at Historic Race Meetings.

IAN BAILEY – CHAIRMAN

 

RACE REPORT – EASTERN CREEK

 The third round of the Annual Competition for 2001 was held at Eastern Creek west of Sydney during the weekend of 8^th and 9^th September.  Here each competitor enjoyed a practices session and 3 races.  Some entrants participated in private practice on the Friday to hone their skills for the official weekend events.

 The circuits is purpose built with excellent facilities, the anticlockwise track is 3.93 km of undulating roadway, with complex corners for uninitiated, especially corner one at the end of the main downhill straight. There were 13 AFJA members entered in composite group events incorporating our cars.  Unfortunately, not all qualified for our Trophy Series as some still had the wrong engine installed.  Brian Pymble is yet to fit correct rear tyres and for some reason we preclude Group M F3 cars from the results.  We may need to reappraise that position in the future.

 Murray Bryden drove his ex Lionel Ayres Lotus MRC impeccably and gained maximum points in our FJ2 Group, as did John Medley in the FJ1 Group in the Nota BMC.  Dick (Old Dog) McAruther-Onslow seemed to be driving his Lotus 20 faster than usual and gained useful points for this consistency.

 Two cars that could have contested the front positions were Graham Browns Lynx which proved unreliable in practice with engine problems, and Brian Pymble’s Brabham BT6 driven by son Simon which initially had fluctuating oil pressure and then tangled with another car damaging the RHF suspension.  Colin Sullivan had an altercation with a trackside wall in his Elfin, the wall is OK, but Colin has sore ribs.  Unfortunately that’s motor racing.

 

Part of the group of cars assembling for the final race at Eastern Creek

 

   

LEO GEOGEGAN AND RETIREINVEST PERPETUAL TROPHY CURRENT SCORES

 

Owner/Driver	Car	Group	Phillip Island	Winton	Eastern Ck	Total
Murray Bryden	MRC	FJ2 #	6+8	10+10	10 + 10	54
John Pymble	Donford	FJ2 #	4+6	8+8	8 + 8	42
John Medley	Nota	FJ1 #	-	10+10	10 + 10	40
Geoff Fry	Jolus	FJ1 #	6+8	8+8	4 + 0	34
Gary Ryan	Lotus 22	FJ2	10+10	-	-	20
Peter Cooper	Schazum	FJ1 #	-	6+6	8 + 0	20
Gary Ryan	Lola MK3	FJ1	10+10	-	-	20
John Best	MRD	FJ1	8+1	1+4	-	14
Dick McArthur-Onslow	Lotus 20	FJ1	-		6 + 8	14
Mark Esmore	Talisman	FJ2 #	-	6+6	-	12
Geoff Manning	Volpini	FJ1	4+6	-	-	10
Graham Brown	Lynx	FJ2 #	8+0	-	-	8

 # Denotes Australian built car with points towards the Retireinvest Perpetual Trophy

AUSTRALIAN FJ TROPHY SERIES – FINAL ROUND 2001

 

Leo Geoghegan Perpetual Trophy

The fourth and final round of our series this year will be held at ‘Wakefield Park’ near Goulburn NSW on the weekend of November 24^th and 25^th, with private practice on Friday.  This event is organised by the HSRCA and entries will have closed by the time you receive this newsletter.  As this is the most central circuit to our membership you may wish to attend the event and support our members who have entered their cars.

From the current score sheet you will note that there are 3 cars capable of winning both  trophies in the final round where both scratch races count towards their individuals score.  Actually   the first 4 cars are Australian built and therefore eligible to win not only the Leo Geoghegan Trophy, but   also the ‘Retireinvest’ Perpetual Trophy. 

 During the 2002 Perpetual Trophy Series for Formula Junior, points will be awarded for both scratch races at all 6 venues with the best 4 counting towards the trophies. Cars are divided into 2 sections with FJ1 for cars built pre 1962 and FJ2 for cars built 1962 onwards, and each section competes equally for the trophies.

There are 2 trophies namely the AFJA Leo Geoghagan Formula Junior Trophy and a second trophy for Australian built cars donated by “Retireinvest.

EVENTS FOR YEAR 2002

Retireinvest Perpetual Trophy

 

Feb 22 - 24	Phillip Island Classic -VIC	VHRR
Mar 29/Apr 1	Mallala Speed Week - SA	SCCSA
May 25 - 26	Historic Winton - VIC	A7C1
July 27 - 28	Ipswich Historics - QLD	HRCCQ
Sept 7 - 8	Eastern Creek - NSW	HSRCA
Nov 30/Dec 1	Wakefield Park - NSW	HSRCA

 

Members who intend to compete in any of the events in 2002 need to ensure they are on the mailing list for entrants by the organising club.

We have requested the organisers to provide a separate box on all future entry forms for Formula Junior as distinct from the various groups as we believe that next year it is possible we will enjoy separate events for Formula Junior on most race programs we have nominated for our series. 

  

 Brian Pymble’s BT6 Brabham after Simon ran over the rear wheel of another car at Eastern Creek

 

MOVEMENT AT THE STATION

 Another Formula Junior identified in Australia.  Dick Willis has purchased from Ivan Glasby a 1961 Ausper T3 that has been hanging in a shed for years in NSW.  Ivan brought the car from Africa where he has past connections.  The car was originally driven by Count Steve Ouvaroff and built by ex pat Australian tom Hawkes whilst in England, and this is the 3^rd Ausper in this country.  Dick Willis is well advanced with a total restoration and the car should be completed for 2002 season.

In the last issue of Pitstop we identified 7 cars that had disappeared since the early sixties, to which we received considerable information, including advice, that one car, the Piranha Fiat, was illustrated in a photo in our newsletter (how embarrassing).  The Gillespi Fiat is alive and well in NZ and the Taraschi went to the USA with its then owner Rod Carveth.  Thanks to everyone who contributed to the jigsaw.

 Graham and Jan Brown are still travelling by air to different parts of the globe seeking adventure.  Their last jaunt was 2 weeks in Bali where they enjoyed an extensive program of diving.  Graham states the Lynx should be mobile for Wakefield Park with a new engine by Noel Tuckey in Queensland.

 2002 will be an interesting year for Formula Junior in Australia with many new cars unseen for many years appearing for the first time.  Some of the cars recently complete or currently in the final stage of restoration include: -

1961	Ausper T3	Dick Willis
1963	Brabham BT6	Peter Johnson
1963	Brabham BT6	Peter Strauss
1962	Brabham BT2	Nick McDonald
1961	Cooper T56	Don Thallon
1962	Cooper T59	Mike Shearer
1959	Gemini MK2	Tony Caldersmith
1963	Lola MK 5A	Pieter Boel
1962	Lynx BMC	Dennis Neal
1961	Lynx BMC	Kelvin Prior
1962	Nota R.Eng.	George Yeremeyev
1961	Lotus 20	Murray Bryden
1963	Rennmax BN1	Ken Ward

 Received an email from Pieter Boel of Queensland currently living in Hong Kong.  Peter wants to enter his Lola MK 5A in our series for 2002 and fly to each event from Hong Kong.  However Peter needs assistance from someone in Vic/NSW who would be prepared to store his car next year between events.  Please contact Secretary Kelvin if you can help.

 A very important car in Formula Junior circles has recently been sold by public auction in South Australia.  The original Elfin prototype FJ build by Gary Cooper No. 61P1 was purchased by Mark Poole for around $39,000.  This car with the correct engine and driven by Mark could be a dominant combination in our Trophy Series as it qualifies for our early FJ1 Category, welcome to FJ Mark. 

 

TECHNICAL TALK ON FORD ENGINES

 The first ford Anglia 105E engines were produced in 1959, and were used in racing cars initially in standard 998 cc form.  Then Cosworth overbored the blocks to 85 mm giving 1098 cc engine capacity and the majority followed their lead.

 40 years later it has proved difficult to obtain a stable 85 mm overbore in old castings and many blocks have been destroyed.  Those engines currently using 85 mm bores are possibly suffering with harmonics and oxegenization of the coolant which caused overheating.

 Peter Backhouse from Victoria has been experimenting with a process to rejuvenate the cylinder block and has finally obtained a very satisfactory result.

 The process involves removed the existing cylinders and fitting new cast iron bores using a brazing process in a vacuum oven.  The new wall thickness exceeds 5mm and the structural integrity of the original casting is maintained with no distortion.

 It should be pointed out the process is not new, as Lotus were modifying blocks in the 70’s using the same process.  The main problem has been in engineering the parts to suit the process and several variations were tried before succeeding.  OK so its destroyed a few more blocks, but at least that should be the last if owners accept this new remedy.  That’s the good news, unfortunately the process is expensive at around $2000.  But then if you spent $3000 for a steel crank and another $1500 for forged pistons it makes sense to house them in a solid casting.

 If you would like to discuss this with Peter at Twin Cam Services in Seaford, Victoria, you can phone 03 9786 4711, Fax 03 9786 8263 or email twincamservices@unite.com.au.