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VALVE BOUNCE
• Gippsland Car Club Inc PO Box 493, Morwell, 3840 A3759. ABN 76 691 013 424
• Website: gippslandcarclub.com.au
• Track: Bryant Park, Bill Schulz Drive, Yallourn, 3852.
• All contents © Gippsland Car Club 2020
NOVEMBER, 2020
After months of almost no use, the hills around Bryant Park have again been
resonating to the sounds of squealing tyres and thrashed engines!
It may only have been a small entry field, but last Sunday’s khanacross represented a
move back to motorsport under the conditions of the ‘new normal’ COVID-19 rules.
Next week’s hillclimb will see us nearly back to pre-COVID competition, awaiting our
Melbourne brethren to join us soon.
And…we’re back to including reports, photos and results in VB! 😊
Yes! – We’re
Back!
GIPPSLAND CAR CLUB INCORPORATED
2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHAIRMAN Mick McGinn 0402 739291
DEPUTY CHAIRMAN Paul Hickey 0427 852179
SECRETARY Rhys Yeomans 0400 519490
TREASURER Yvette Stolk 0411 166 628
COMPETITION SECRETARY VACANT
.
KHANACROSS Rob Duncan 0419 501394
PROPERTY Bill Jennings 0459 833431
MEMBERSHIP Ken Neilson 0409 427199
VALVE BOUNCE EDITOR Ian Maud 0414 580921
PUBLICITY AND MARKETING Ian Maud 0414 580921
HEALTH AND SAFETY Shane Cane 0407 764275
BUILDINGS Phil Tullett 5127 8915
TRACK Wayde Griffiths 0458 882353
CLUB WEBSITE/FACEBOOK Rhys Yeomans 0400 519490
CLUB PERMIT REGISTRAR Ken Neilson 0409 427199
P.O. Box 1377, Traralgon, 3844
CLUB POINTS SCORER VACANT
CLUB ASSET HIRE John Bryant 0439 741473
SOCIAL Jill Hickey 0409 412452
GENERAL BOARD MEMBER James Dyer 0437 760019
CAMS DELEGATE
MAGAZINE CONTRIBUTIONS Forward by email to [email protected] Contributions should be
forwarded by the third Friday in the month.
BANK DETAILS: Bendigo Bank, BSB 633000, Account Number 1574 73836, Gippsland Car Club
WEB PAGE: www.gippslandcarclub.com.au
GIPPSLAND CAR CLUB VISION: To inspire and enable people to participate in motor sport.
GIPPSLAND CAR CLUB MISSION: To provide affordable motor sporting experiences for people of all
abilities in a safe and friendly environment.
CALENDAR 2020
PLEASE NOTE CHANGES TO THE CALENDAR:
• The Victorian Hill Climb Championship for 2020 has been cancelled.
• The GCC Annual General Meeting for election of office bearers, etc, has now been cancelled, and will be rescheduled on a date to be determined at some time in the future.
• It is hoped that all other GCC events as shown on the Calendar will proceed on the dates shown, dependent upon Government regulations at the time.
• All events at the track will be spectator-free until such time as government regulations allow spectators to attend. The definition of spectators includes our Club members – if you are competing you are allowed to be there, if you are not competing you will not be admitted to the event.
• The canteen will not operate at any events in 2020
• Tentative dates for the Victorian Hill Climb Championship rounds for 2021 have been included on the Calendar – these dates will be finalised in the near future.
NOVEMBER Sunday 8 GCC Club Hill Climb at Bryant Park Sunday 8 RACES East Sale Super Sprint - CANCELLED Tuesday 10 Board Meeting, 7.00 p.m., Friday to Sunday, 13/15 Bathurst International - CANCELLED Sunday 14 Private Clubrooms hire Sunday 14 Repco Sprint Series Round 5, Winton Saturday 14 M&DCC Boisdale Hill Climb Round 8, Short Track (Noel Burley
Memorial) Saturday 28 Nugget Nationals at Bryant Park Saturday to Sunday 28/29 Island Magic DECEMBER December 1 Valve Bounce collation Saturday 5 GCC Twilight Club Hill Climb at Bryant Park Saturday to Sunday, 5/6 Shannons Nationals at Sandown Tuesday 8 Board Meeting, 7.00 p.m. Saturday to Sunday 12/13 Shannons Nationals at Sandown Sunday 13 GCC Club Khanacross at Bryant Park CALENDAR 2021 JANUARY Saturday to Sunday, 9/10 Supercars at Hampton Downs or Pukekohe Sunday 17 VHCC Round 1 at Rob Roy Friday to Sunday, 24/26 Australian Racing Group at Symmons Plains Saturday to Sunday, 30/31 Australian Racing Group at Baskerville FEBRUARY Friday to Sunday, 5/7 Supercars at Bathurst Thursday to Sunday, 11/15 Mansfield High Country Holden Nationals Saturday 13 VHCC Round 2 at Bryant Park Saturday 27 Targa Florio at Bryant Park
MARCH Thursday to Sunday, 18/21 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park Satruday to Sunday. 27/28 VHCC Round 3 at Mt Leura, Camperdown APRIL Sunday 18 VHCC Round 4 at Bryant Park (PIARC) Saturday to Sunday, 25/26 Ford Four Track Hire at Bryant Park MAY Saturday to Sunday 30/31 Historic Winton JUNE Saturday to Sunday, 5/6 VHCC Round 5 at One Tree Hill, Ararat JULY Sunday 4 VHCC Round 6 at TAFE Logic Centre, Wodonga AUGUST Sunday 22 VHCC Round 7 at Broadford SEPTEMBER Sunday 5 Austin 7 Club OST at Bryant Park Sunday 19 MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA Club Challenge at Bryant Park OCTOBER Sunday 3 Kyneton Car Club track hire at Bryant Park Saturday 16 MG Car Club track hire at Bryant Park Friday to Sunday, 23/25 Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island NOTE: • All dates shown above are subject to change - please check with the organisers of the events to confirm the dates.
• Events shown as Bold are rounds of the Gippsland Car Club Club Championship (some of these dates may be changed)
• Events shown as Bold Italics are rounds of the Gippsland Car Club Khanacross Championship.
• GCC Practice Days are for members and associate members only, and will run from 1.00 pm until 4.00 pm.
• If you believe that any of the dates listed are incorrect, please contact John Bryant and they will be amended.
After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone in the queue a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies. The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days.
Vale – Bob Murphy Ed: Bob was one of the very early members of our Club, and I am told was possibly one of the founding members. Sadly, Bob – a resident of Trafalgar and always a motoring enthusiast - passed away recently. John Weymouth is also a very long-term member of our Club, and he has written this short dedication to his mate, a friend of many in the district, and one of the people responsible for the success and evolution of the Gippsland Car Club we know and enjoy today.
I met Bob through our common interest in cars. Although he was originally an
upholsterer when I met him about 50 years ago, he was working for Kelly
Brothers’ Holden in Morwell. He was managing their body repair shop in
Latrobe Rd where they had offices with a big Board Room above. It was here
we formed a branch of the Gippsland Car Club for sports car owners called
Scuderia Gippsland through which we organized events like the motorkhanas
on a farm at Minniedale Rd, Traralgon owned by Greg Ireland's father. It is
now part of the Loy Yang Power Station. Bob and Sue had many cars including
MGs, Healeys and Triumphs, one particularly nice GT6 and the odd Alfa
Romeo. There were more, including bikes, the last of which was a blue Electra
Glide Harley Davidson. Not long after, Bob and Sue moved to a Bush block at
Jeeralang where he had an Alfa Romeo GT and later on a Range Rover that he
went Bush bashing in with a 4x4 group.
When they moved to Trafalgar, Bob moved back into sports cars with MGs -
one of which, an MGA is still owned by Sporting Register member Grady
Edwards. During this time Bob bought an Austin Healey Sprite in Adelaide
which we bought back on a trailer in the pouring rain using his Keith Williams
Real Estate work car. The rain didn’t help the rust in the little Bug Eye and
the four-pot Mitsubishi Magna was at its towing limit, if not over. His next
cars were all German. A particular favorite was a white 911 Porsche which he
regretted selling, but relinquished it after receiving an offer he couldn't
refuse when a buyer saw it being serviced at Mike Jacobson’s workshop in
Warragul. His last sports cars were a BMW Z4 and the SLK Mercedes, which
is technically Sue’s, so I hope it stays around for a while as a memory to Bob.
As well as his interest in cars, Bob was also involved in Rotary and supported
various other charity organisations. He will be missed by many people not just
those in the car scene. As a fellow car nut who served on the Committee of
the GSCCR with him, I have many fond memories of our trips together with
Sue and Cheryl over the years, both with the Club and otherwise. He
particularly liked our runs to Moss Vale Park for the Music for the People
concerts with our picnics under the giant oak trees. So, rest in peace Bob and
I hope you catch up with Cheryl somewhere in the after-life.
-John Weymouth
Editorial Ponderings: Yes, WE’RE BACK!!! By the time you read this month’s VB, there will have been at least one event held in the new COVID-19 era at Bryant Park! After enduring a drought of motorsport recently, (regional) members are again able to take to the track for their shot of adrenalin, petrol fumes and hot rubber – ah, the memories! We may
have to wear masks; we may not be able to stand around and yarn as we used to; and salivating over the thought of a canteen hot dog will remain a frustratingly futile occupation for the moment, but at least we’re back at the venue and can progress from there. Even our metropolitan brethren who have had far more to endure than we rural cousins, are going to be let off the hook in the next week or so and will be able to make the pilgrimage to the motoring Mecca that is Bryant Park, and join us in some serious tyre-tread thinning. Like many of our members, I look forward to renewing acquaintances
and actually seeing people again – in person, not via some electronic media. One of the main motorsport events (actually, I think they are referred to nowadays by people in ‘the industry’ as ‘entertainment’ events – yuch!) held recently was of course, Bathurst 2020. While I retain a good dose of cynicism at the way motorsport has been steered in recent years, I did watch the telecast. It didn’t disappoint in terms of technical excellence, nor did we run short of knowledgeable commentary. We were at least spared one of my pet hates – as employed ruthlessly during the Melbourne F1 telecast, when we had one – and that those moments when you know there are some excellent races happening (such as historics) but the *$%@#&!!!! Telecast Director takes you to a suite remote from the track, where countless pampered TV ‘celebrities’ are interviewed, and asked such perceptive questions as “Who’s your favourite driver?” – despite obviously having less knowledge and passion for motorsport than it takes to fill their overused Botox syringe. Umm…sorry – where was I? Senility and aggro are a potent distraction! Ah, yes, Bathurst: like many GCC members, I spent my childhood aching for the first weekend in October, and would spend the fateful day faithfully glued to a grainy black-and-white transmission of the race. There were large fields comprising cars of various sizes and speeds, and drivers would have to pace themselves cleverly to ensure their weary cars would make the final lap. The start grid filled the main straight and went around Murray’s Corner with someone waving a flag remotely to start the race, as the tail-end drivers couldn’t see the national flag drop from where they were! Compare this to a depleted field of 25 near-identical runners, and our great race seems to have paled somewhat. Australians used to watch different makers’ models battle out the day, and their success would influence sales. Nowadays we have a silhouette formula with most parts shared between chassis. What’s the next step in this evolution? I read that GMH supporters will finally lose any reference to the ‘H’ (Holden) element: it seems we will be subject to a field of Mustangs and Camaros – how Australian is that? All they need to do is run circles around a banked raceway and the conversion will be complete! No wonder historic racing is gaining popularity. Grrr…! In terms of pondering, the BIG ONE is to consider where motoring, and therefore motorsport, is heading. If room permits, I’ll include a news article released recently, but the gist of it is that California has just announced it will ban the sale of new gas (read petrol) and diesel-fuelled vehicles by 2035. You will still be able to run your old gas-guzzler, and will be able to sell it on, but can’t buy a new one. Then, even this disappears by 2050: NO fossil-fuelled cars allowed at all.
So, what will motorsport look like then? Not much like what we have enjoyed. In fact, if this is the new world trend, we are close to being the last generation to enjoy petrol-powered motoring. What will you do with the race car you planned to sell? What about the CPS-registered beauty in the shed? Were you planning on leaving it to your kids in your will?
They might get a bit of use out of it, but ultimately it will be parked somewhere, and far from inheriting the classic car bug from you, they may even live to curse your name for dumping this useless space-gobbling thing on them. Ah, the fun that lies ahead! My suggestion? Get out and give your race car a damn good flogging before rules tighten up, another plague renders us house-bound, or the bowsers are turned off “for our own good.” And guess what? You’re in the right place at the right time! Our members have access to Australia’s leading hillclimb track and club race circuit for a mere pittance, and we can now go out there and have all the adrenalin-fuelled, cardiac-stopping moments you can handle – what a beauty! Are we blessed or what? With COVID restrictions lifting, there isn’t a better time to have a run at Bryant Park. After all, what else are you going to be able to brag to your grand kids about?!
See you there in a helmet!
-IM, the Ed.
Is this how your classic will end up? Parked where it comes to a stop? What would happen if Parliament ruled everyone had to drive non-petrol fuelled vehicles?
Source: www.dreamstime.com
Chairman’s Report – November, 2020 -not received this month
What do you need to know now? There are several changes, as outlined by John Bryant in the section at the top of the calendar – make sure you read them! ➢ CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP 2020 CANCELLED Here is the updated version: Club events for 2020 are as follows:
o Sunday, November 8 GCC Multiclub Hillclimb… o Saturday, December 5 GCC Multiclub Hillclimb (Twilight)…
➢ More for your calendar:
→
➢ VICTORIAN HILL CLIMB CHAMPIONSHIP 2020
…has been cancelled
➢ REMINDER TO ALL COMPETITORS MEECAMS-only entry now applies for all events from now on!! Go to the CAMS website for access.
Save the trees, forget the paper, see your event SuppRegs for more info or help if required.
Next KHANACROSS for 2020
Sunday, November 1st … Sunday, December 13th …
Next GCC MULTICLUB HILLCLIMB
• There are no multiclub hillclimbs scheduled as yet. • There are GCC-only events – see above
➢ From the AOMC: A couple of extracts from the AOMC:
Also from the AOMC – worth a ponder!
Covid Hardship -What Hardship?
The following article was published in the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs September newsletter, and puts the constraints on our normal lives under COVID-19 into historical perspective. The FBHVC Communications Director Wayne Scott came across it via a WhatsApp chat group.
Imagine you were born in 1900. At 14 years old, the First World War breaks out and runs until you have your 18th birthday with 22 million dead around the world. Soon after that and in time for your 20th birthday, a global pandemic of Spanish Flu strikes with 50 million dead by 1920. By the time you celebrate your 29th birthday, a global recession breaks out, the New York Stock Exchange collapses and millions suffer in poverty and famine. Riding on the back all of this, when you turn 33, the Nazis come to power in Germany. Just before your 40th birthday, World War 2 begins and by the time you are 45, some 60 million have been killed in that conflict, plus 6 million Jews. When you are 52, the Korean War begins and when you are 64 the Vietnam War breaks out and lasts until you are 75! Not to mention the Cold War which probably outlasted you altogether.
The point is, today we live in relative peace and comfort. We have many tools, technological advances and medicines to help us. So, if we need to wear a mask and stay at home where we have food, electricity, running water, radio, TV and WiFi, we should appreciate that thankfully all this bears little resemblance the hardship encountered by some of those previous generations that ‘saw it all’ in their lifetime. They suffered so much, yet still came out fighting to change the world and make great advances for the betterment of all, especially in the automotive and aviation fields. So, if ever you find yourself frustrated, angry even, at not being able to attend your favourite historic vehicle club event or venue; if you feel bereft of the freedom to meet up with like-minded friends and wander around autojumbles, then pause. Stop and remember the person born in 1900 and be inspired to find the strength, patience and tolerance to cope with the present situation’s challenges. Just as those previous generations fought for a better life, so we will come out fighting to return to our previous way of life and to once again enjoy the collective use of historic vehicles and the camaraderie they bring. We will get back to it: patience is required, but normality will return through collaboration and support for one another.
PO Box 199 Trafalgar Vic 3824
Bryant Park track was asphalted by Fowlers Asphalting For domestic and industrial asphalting services, please call 03 56332918
This information from a medical expert was provided to the Federal Veteran Car Club and other clubs with rallies in the pipeline: A meeting of representatives from several major historic car clubs in Victoria heard from an epidemic specialist about the ongoing effects of the pandemic, especially in relation to recreational motoring events. It seems likely that national rallies may well be affected for 2021 and possibly longer, the threat of border closures being one serious matter as that influences entries (and likewise major interstate swap meet attendances), to say nothing of the difficulties in arranging hundreds of meals etc. attentive to health safety and distancing, and satisfying local authorities (Councils, Police and Health) that all aspects of COVID safety for large numbers coming into a centre would be appropriately managed. As was pointed out, a national rally may introduce a COVID hotspot that could overwhelm local and regional health facilities. On a brighter note though, it was suggested that State and regional rallies, while needing to of course observe all the health etc. requirements could, with limited entries, be managed to comply. It certainly seems it is going to be a changed environment for car clubs and historic motoring events into 2021 too. And some other forthcoming events…not yet advised as having been cancelled, but dependent on restrictions at the time (confirm with organisers):
Local news from the Herald newspaper, 11th Sept, 1975
Supplied by Yvette Stolk
And something a bit odd-ball, from the early 1960s.
JOHN BRYANT OUTLINES SOME RECENT BOARD DECISIONS
Whilst the Board has been unable to meet in person for some months now, Board meetings have still continued, with some significant decisions being made. These are not in any particular order:
1. MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS 2021. Membership subscriptions are due and payable as
from January 1, 2021. The Club is a member of the Association of Motoring Clubs, which
held a poll during the year to ask how much member clubs were going to charge for
subscriptions in 2021, assuming that the current COVID crisis is over by then and we are
back to semi-normal. I did contribute my own thoughts to the poll on behalf of the Club, but
at that point the Board had not come up with a proposal for 2021 subscriptions. The poll
results for the AOMC showed that the COVID virus had no impact on the finances of some
clubs (51% of those surveyed), but a serious impact on others – we are one of the ‘others’ as
we have a large asset that we have to finance, and with no income for much of the year, our
financial reserves have taken a bit of a battering – the estimate at the present time is that
we have spent in excess of $30,000 with basically no income.
The conclusion of the AOMC poll is that 84% of the Clubs surveyed are NOT reducing annual fees for 2021; 4% are considering a reduction; and 12% are reducing fees. The conclusion for our Club, after considering a large number of options (continue with full subscriptions, change no subscriptions, charge part subscriptions, give free entries to a certain number of events, charge differential amounts etc) is that we will NOT be reducing membership subscriptions for 2021. We cannot afford, with the expenses incurred in running our Club, to reduce the amount of our income if we are to continue providing existing services to our members and to maintain our assets. We would ask you to renew your membership for 2021 any time from now on. A membership application form is contained in this edition of Valve Bounce, and is also on the website. Payment by direct debit would be appreciated.
2. ADVERTISING SIGNS. The advertising signs placed near the start line and in front of the
Clubrooms are income earners for the Club. Some of these signs have seen better days, and
some are out of date. An audit is being conducted as to what we have, and whether or not
the current advertisers wish to continue with their signs. Some of the current signs will
probably be removed in the near future, and some new signs installed.
3. ASSETS AND INSURANCE. On behalf of the Board, for both insurance and accounting
purposes, Phil Tullett and Ken Neilson undertook an audit of all of our assets – an onerous
task. One of our insurance policies, that for buildings and contents, had become due, and it
was an appropriate time to undertake such an audit. Such audits often reveal assets that
had either not been insured previously, or had been underinsured, and this was the case on
this occasion. The policy for Buildings and Contents has now been renewed, at a cost of
$5,323.05 for one year.
4. NEW GARAGE. A new garage is being, or may even have been by the time you read this,
erected alongside the current scrutiny bay and almost out to the two tanks that are in place.
The purpose of the garage is to house a number of items, mostly for use with the tractor,
which are currently lying around out in the open: these can be a health and safety hazard as
well as being subjected to the weather. Items such as the slasher, blade and flail mower will
now be housed in a new and safe environment. Many thanks to Ken Neilson for undertaking
the planning of the garage, and to Dave Chapman for organising the raw materials for the
job. Hopefully the garage will have been erected at the working bee.
5. DEFIBRILLATOR. The pads on our current defibrillator are now out of date, and we have
organised with Robert O’Gorman of Emergency Response Services (the ambulance man at
our hill climb events) to source new pads, and also to provide us with a price for a second
defibrillator. The aim would then be to have one machine in the Clubrooms and one in the
timing building so that in the case of an emergency at either a working bee or a khanacross,
it would not be as far to go to grab such a machine. Robert will also look at our first aid
cabinets when he is at our next hill climb and advise as to what we need to purchase to bring
the contents up to date. Robert is also happy to carry out an in-service activity on the use of
the defibrillators, probably prior to the December twilight hill climb.
6. CLUB ACCOUNTS. Treasurer Yvette Stolk has spent a considerable amount of time in recent
months bringing our accounts up to date after the discovery of some errors from previous
years. This process, in consultation with an accounting firm RGM, has now concluded, and
this will enable smooth sailing in the financial area from now on. Thanks go to Yvette for the
work that she has undertaken.
7. CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP 2020. As you will all be well aware, only one hill climb and one
khanacross have been held so far this year, and the points scored at both of these events
were included in Valve Bounce earlier in the year. As time passed and we were unable to
conduct any events, the concept of a Club Championship for this year became more and
more meaningless, unless of course the scores for only two or three events would determine
the Championship. Given the government rules at the present time (this was written on
October 28), only regional members can compete in our event on November 8, so that
cannot be included as part of a championship if only half of our members are eligible to
compete - our twilight event on December 5 is open to all Club members, but is restricted in
numbers to comply with COVID directives which are included in our permits from
Motorsport Australia. If you wish to compete in the December 5 event, keep a watch on our
Facebook page and website for the Supp Regs. You will have to bring your own everything
at this event as the Canteen and Clubrooms will not be open.
Given all of the above, the Board has come to the conclusion that we will not be presenting any of our annual awards for 2020 – the Club Championship will recommence at the first event in 2021, providing of course that we might be back to something resembling normal at that time.
Lost circuits: Hume Weir by Bill Revill
Whilst in the Albury region recently, I couldn’t resist a visit to see what had become of the old Hume Weir circuit. It used to be one of my favourites – short, twisty, tight and, yes, obviously dangerous, but it always rewarded you for hard work – you were constantly busy, but getting it right ensured a flowing, fast lap with the corners melding from individual bends to a continuous series of sweeps – come out of one on the power and immediately start lining up for the next, never slowing, never letting up...
A lap of the circuit started with a blast out of the esses, pouring on the power and feeling the back wheel skittering on the rough asphalt surface before lining up for the ever–tightening radius ‘straight’ – a mad blast on the narrow road between trees on both sides of the track. It’s incredible to think of it today…. There were concrete gateposts on either side on the road as you started the right hander, hard on the throttle, and used the right-hand post as an apex marker - flat out and passing slower competitors before braking hard and lunging for first gear at Scrub corner, the slowest part of the track.
Then slam on the power, hold on tight, powersliding through the following left-hander before charging down the short straight towards the flat–out left hander under Lukey bridge and through the cutting – between a concrete wall on your right separating you from the traffic going the other way and a towering stone wall on your left, the remains of the old quarry in which the circuit was built.
Start/Finish
Energol Loop Concrete wall
Racing into the start of scrub corner – complete with phone box on the inside.
Source: www.spyderauto.wordpress.com
Map of Hume Weir circuit.
Source: Bill Revill
Still recovering from the left hander, it’s hard on the brakes and sweep right around Energol Loop in a series of small slides. Again, no room for error as the outside was an unforgiving earth bank (against which my brother had a horrifying accident which he was lucky to survive unscathed) then it was hard back on the throttle, power on to the short straight, again under the bridge and through the cutting, close as you dare to the concrete wall but now passing in the opposite direction to before. Then frantic braking for the esses (lots of passing here), a quick left / right swing and back into the next lap….
Who that was here can forget the sight of Norm Beechy wrestling the giant Chevvy Nova around this tiny circuit, dicing with Bob Jane and Terry Allen in Camaros on this tight, unsuitable circuit? Or Alan Hamilton and Jim McEwan dicing together in their Porsche 911’s with the utmost precision on the narrow strip of pavement? Or Stan Keen (SA) in a twin cam Elfin Mono taking the complete Energol loop in one long powerslide? Brave did you have to be to try a pass into Scrub Corner- flat out, as fast as possible, trees on both sides, no runoff area and no room for error? Or try it on a motorcycle – even less protection and higher speeds! Everone who was there will remember the ‘King of the Weir’ meetings – Ross Barelli, Ron Toombes and Kenny Blake (sadly, now all claimed by their chosen sport) on unwieldy, evil-handling Yamaha 750s battling the more nimble Yamaha 350s of Bob Rosenthal et al for the title of the ‘King..’.
Pleasant memories, but alas no more. The circuit has been bulldozed; the area now reclaimed for some obscure purpose, the cuttings and the Lukey Bridge are no more. The only recognisable part is the esses (now dirt) and the straight leading into Scrub corner (see the
A generous crowd on top of the embankment at the exit to Energol loop.
Source: www. spyderauto.wordpress.com
‘Humpies’ charging under Lukey bridge before the Esses.
Source: www.spyderauto.wordpress.com
photos). And the old scrutineering building is still standing – but only just. The telephone boxes, such a part of the track, are long gone.
What a shame. A piece of Australian Motor Sporting History disappearing from our heritage and our current racing scene. A place where brave men (and the occasional lady) once took their chances for no more reason than the exhilaration of speed and the thrill of winning. ‘The Weir’ has disappeared forever.
Without doubt, a sound financial and safety case can be made for the circuits’ demise, but we must reflect that the destruction of Hume Weir is more than this. These changes themselves mirror the changes in our society- how we have become a safer, more aware society, one that would not consider or tolerate the taking of chances as people did in the past and thought nothing of it. Indeed, the press, the risk managers, the insurance companies and CAMS would not consider letting anyone do so even if they chose to.
Yet for some of us, the feeling never dies. Keep the dream alive – wouldn’t it be wonderful to be riding a big bike, a powerful bike, to feel the throttle in your right hand, to pour on the power, feel the bike sliding across the Start/ Finish line again, hear the engine screaming through the gears - and to line up this big, fast machine for one, last mad blast through the trees into Scrub corner?
…and what’s left of the track?
Crossing the start/finish line
Photo: Bill Revill
Braking for Scrub corner
Photo: Bill Revill
(Ed: Hume Weir circuit was built VERY close to the weir: in fact, the quarry Bill mentions was used for rock fill for the dam wall. In this aerial photograph of the track soon after it was sealed in 1960 (Scrub corner to the bottom of the picture) you can see the weir wall in the bottom left-hand corner.
The final open race meeting was held at The Weir in March, 1977.)
What’s left of Scrub corner today.
Photo: Bill Revill
…and just because Bill mentioned it, here’s ‘Stormin’ Norman’ Beechey in the Chevvy Nova, trying to keep ahead of Pete Geoghegan in the Mustang.
Source: www.theracetorque.com
What’s in a name? Weber carburettors ----- by Bill Freame, together with advice and historical information from Phil Buggee.
The name ‘Weber’ on your carburettors is a sense of great pride for some motorists. Up until F1 went over to fuel injection most, but not all, race engines post-WW2 were fitted with Weber DCOE-style side-draught carburettors. They were usually the carburettor of choice for the top engine builders. In fact, these carburettors are so good, even the Editor has a pair of them on his Fiat! (Ed: ‘tis true!)
The Italian, Edoardo Weber, was born in Turin on November 29th, 1889, the son of a manufacturer who came from Switzerland with the skill and ability to produce textile machinery. Edoardo inherited a sense of engineering technology and the mechanical side of engines from his father and also his grandfather. In 1904 (age 15) he graduated from technical college and eventually started working for the Fiat car factory in Turin, checking the quality of their engines in the factory, during the First World War. By the end of the war he was considered an engine specialist and he had moved to a servicing/dealership for Fiats in Bologna. There was a severe shortage of petrol after the war, thus it was sold at a very high price, when available. Edoardo was among the many specialists who were adapting petrol truck engines to run on kerosene, his by the aid of a conversion kit that utilised a vapouriser to improve the igniting of the kerosene as fuel: a cost saving for the operator.
In June 1920, Weber drove a Fiat 501 to third place at the ‘Circuit of Mugello’ - an circuit where a young Enzo Ferrari (22-year-old) had started his racing career in an Isotta Fraschini. Enzo failed to finish, registering as a DNF in the results. Weber was further convinced that fuel mixture control was a very common problem among the other drivers’ race cars of that time.
In a partnership with three others, in 1923 he formed the company ‘Fabbrica Italiana Carburatori Weber’, in Bologna and began making bronze-bodied carburettors as part of a conversion kit for Fiats. During this time, he eventually mastered the technique of die casting light metal materials for the wide range of quality carburettors he was by then making. The Weber company pioneered the use of two-stage, twin-barrel carburettors, with two venturis of different sizes: the smaller one for low-speed running and the larger one optimised for high-speed use. These carburettors were made to be easy to clean because there was a lot of dirt in the fuel at that time. They also had a choke mechanism, so that even a very cold engine could be easily started. The Weber carburettor was
Early brass-bodied Weber Tipo 30 DR3 carburettor
extremely popular but most especially with the taxi drivers who fitted it to their Fiat 501 taxis to dramatically improve their fuel consumption.
On September 28th, 1929, racer Mario Umberto Borzacchini drove a Maserati Typo V4 to a world speed record of 247.933 km/h, using Weber carburettors. This new engine was two straight-eight engines, making it a supercharged V16 while sharing a common crankcase, but with the two crankshafts geared together. The engine was a narrow vee of 25 degrees1, was very thirsty in races and rapidly wore out its rear tyres. The new world record was very keenly celebrated with a dinner in Bologna, attended by the city’s top officials, the auto club members, the hero driver and also Enzo Ferrari, who took this opportunity to convince two wealthy businessmen, Alfredo Caniato and Mario Tadini to make the investment needed to help him establish the racing team which has ultimately been around under his name since that time.
By this time, all Italian car makers were using Weber carburettors on their cars. This was a trend that was to continue well past Edoardo’s death in 1945. During the 1930s Weber started to produce twin-barrel carburettors for racing applications, where both barrels and butterflies were of the same size. But also uniquely, two float chambers to provide a constant fuel level despite centrifugal forces when turning through bends. This would allow for one barrel to feed only one cylinder, requiring multiple carburettors synchronised to open all at the same time. This provided the best tuning control and performance that race cars and their drivers of the period demanded. These were fitted to Maserati and Alfa Romeo engines of the time, including feeding the superchargers on the 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C race cars.
Three Weber carburettors of different configuration:
• LHS top: 48 IDA, as commonly used on Mazda rotaries
• RHS top: 55 DCO-SP, a huge side-draft as used on large capacity motors
• Bottom centre: Tipo 28 IMB6 as used on 1950s FIAT twin-cylinder 500s.
FIAT 501 taxi – owner Richard Unkles, FIAT Club, Victoria.
There is speculation that Weber might have seen something like this during a visit to the Miller engine dynamometer in the USA, where a Miller Indy engine was being tested with firstly four and then eight carburettors. Miller were the largest carburettor manufacturer in the US at that time.
In 1937 Weber had a contract to be the exclusive supplier of carburettors to Fiat. This would require a new plant to be built and it was opened with great ceremony in Bologna on April 21st, 1940. This new factory provided work for 400 employees and had a kitchen, dining room and a health care clinic. During the very difficult war years, they grew vegetables in the field alongside the factory. These vegetables Weber allowed his workers to take home to feed their families. The factory was protected(?) by anti-aircraft guns during the war. In 1943, when the Germans liberated Mussolini (from the Gran Sasso d'Italia massif where he had been imprisoned after a vote of no confidence by the Grand Council of Fascism), Weber was convinced that the factory and equipment would be confiscated and transferred into Germany. Determined to protect his factory, Weber arranged to move most of his equipment into the Alfa Romeo plant in Milan, where production continued and thrived. Just as he had expected, when the Germans eventually left Bologna, all they left behind of the Weber factory was basically just the parking lot. But the Weber business had survived.
In April 1945 Bologna was liberated by the Americans and Mussolini was by then dead. Italy could start to slowly rebuild the businesses that had survived the bombing and fighting. Three weeks after Bologna was liberated, being the 17th of May, 1945, Edoardo Weber was lured from his home by three men in civilian clothes, on the pretext that they needed to verify some information about some of his employees. He was never seen again2. After the war many mass graves were found in the Bologna area but his body was never identified amongst those recovered. He was 55 years old when he disappeared. His two surviving partners continued to produce carburettors until 1952 when Fiat assumed control of the Weber name and all the business associated with it.
In Bologna there is a tomb for Edoardo Weber, but it remains empty as he is still missing. The tomb was designed by the sculptor Venanzio Baccillieri, between 1954 and 1957. On the tomb is the inscription, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but they cannot kill the soul…”
In 1986, Fiat took control of Solex, and then merged the two companies until in 2001 it became known as ‘Magneti Marelli Powertrain S.p.A’ - a subsidiary of Fiat. Weber carburettors continued to be produced in Bologna until 1992, when production was transferred to Madrid, in Spain, where they continue to be manufactured to the same exacting standards and quality as they were in Italy. Beware of the almost identical copies that are coming out of China. The Chinese can almost copy them but they still don’t understand how they work in metering the required air/ fuel ratio for serious racing. Let any buyer of them beware! Genuine Weber carburettors are branded, ‘Made in Italy’ or ‘Made in Spain’. If they don’t have that branding then they are most likely not a Weber.
Genuine Weber carburettors remain the carburettor to use in historic racing, being the most easily altered/adjusted to suit whatever engine configuration and capacity they are fitted to. Racing Webers for a given butterfly size have a range of easily replaced main and secondary venturis to match the carburettor to the air volume the engine will need. Small engines usually require the smaller diameter venturis to provide some bottom-end torque during the lower air speed through the venturi at low revs. After the venturi size has been selected, the idle, main and air corrector jets are also selected and easily changed to adjust the air/fuel ratio through the engine operating range. The beauty of working with Weber (and also Dellorto) carburettors is the amazing adjustability they allow to quite accurately tune any engine they are fitted to.
Big venturis on a big engine will require large main jets to maintain the A/F ratio required for the fuel being used. Please bear in mind that it is possible for there to be a percentage of alcohol blended into your premium petrol to achieve the octane rating. This can mean there is a need to run the A/F ratio slightly richer than on just straight petrol. Big venturis and big jets will very rapidly empty the float chamber at high RPM unless the fuel intake ‘needle and seat’ are exchanged for a larger size. This will reduce the chance of lowering the fuel level to lean out the A/F ratio on a long fast straight, like at Phillip Island, Eastern Creek or Tailem Bend. The lean out of the A/F will usually be at the far end of the straight when the main jets have demanded more fuel than the needle and seat can pass to keep up with demand and maintain the correct float level. This lean out can also happen when it’s the fuel pump that can’t keep up with the demand, especially when feeding multiple carbys, both giving the same result of burnt pistons or a burnt head gasket: just a basic but different problem to solve.
So now you know a small part of the story of Weber carburettors. I think that like many others of my age and car preference I have probably driven about half my life’s travel distance propelled by several different type of Weber carbs over the last half century; however, much less now than previously.
Acknowledgements:
Phil Buggee at BOI Performance can supply, repair and also tune all styles of Weber and Dellorto Carburettors on his Land & Sea chassis dynamometer. His help in the preparation of this story, including the range of Weber carburettors for photographs was essential and very much appreciated.
(Ed: while in no way detracting from Phil Buggee’s considerable expertise and knowledge at BOI Performance in Dandenong, GCC members should also note we have a local company (BTR) who advertise in this magazine and offer Weber tuning.)
1Some reports claim the engine vee angle was 22.5 degrees. I tend to believe it was more
likely to have been 25 degrees, giving more room for the inlet manifold to be mounted.
2There is confusion about his death. It is possible he was kidnapped during his walk home
from work at the end of the day. As an industrialist in Italy he would have had to work with,
and for, the Fascist government during the war. Many people in his position disappeared
just after Bologna was liberated, shot and buried in mass graves in the surrounding forests.
His body has never been found; thus his tomb remains empty.
Ed: next month: how a Weber operates!
The Christie V4 - Celebrating those who think ‘outside the square:’ -Ian Maud
I’ve always been impressed by someone who could look at a problem (usually mechanical) and see a completely different way around it to other people. By necessity, Formula 1 abounds with such creativity, with the likes of Graham Chapman springing to mind as a leading example. Here is a short account of another such engineer, from the very early days of motoring.
For much of the information that follows, I am indebted to an excellent website I stumbled across, called www.crankhandleblog.com - here you can find the background and details of a number of weird and wonderful old machines. John Walter Christie was an American mechanic, engineer and inventor. In a deviation from traditional automotive practice at the time, especially in the USA, Christie set about building a series of front-wheel drive vehicles. This in itself is noteworthy, but combined with the monstrous engines he harnessed, the unique engineering solutions he came up with (such as a car with an engine at each end), and the fact that he sent each of his designs racing, and you could be forgiven for concluding he was seriously thinking so far outside the box (at the time) that I doubt he would have been able to see it, had he looked over his shoulder. A statement this bold requires explanation.
Perhaps the most famous of his designs was the Christie V4 race car of 1907. This is it in race trim:
The photo on the next page shows its construction a little more clearly: In particular, I’d like to draw your attention to the following features, as evident in these photos:
• Yes, it’s front-wheel drive, with the location of the motor across the front axle line pre-dating Alec
Issigonis’ Mini masterpiece by decades!
• It’s American, so why use something subtle? The engine is a V4 design, of 20-litre displacement!
Each cylinder had a bore and stroke of 184mm…just envisage pistons the size of small dinner plates
thrashing up and down.
• The engine crankcase is the riveted cylinder between the front wheels. In an inspired piece of
weight-saving (?!) design, it also provides the mounting for the drivetrain…again, sounds a bit like
the Mini?
• Did it have gearing? Of sorts: there were crankshaft-mounted spur gears and telescopic U-joints on
each end to drive the front wheels, originally through a transmission arrangement that featured
dangerously exposed gears. Mostly, the car relied on its monstrous torque to make gears all but
redundant. From Michael Bottrell, c/o a Facebook response:
“On each end of the crankshaft was a manganese bronze flywheel. The outer diameter of the flywheel was lined with woven camel hair (Ed: of course – what else would you consider using?!) to provide a friction surface. Covering the flywheel was a chrome steel cone clutch. Shafts and universal joints connected the drive wheels to the clutches and allowed for steering and independent coil spring suspension. Normal gear would lock the flywheel, clutch, and shaft together so that there was no reduction between the engine and drive wheels; for every revolution of the engine, the drive wheels turned one revolution. Normal engine speed was 1,000 to 1,200 rpm. With its 34 in (864 mm) by 4.5 in (114 mm) front tyres, the car was capable of 120 mph (193 km/h) at 1,200 rpm. Of course, different size tyres could be used to alter the vehicle’s acceleration and top speed. The rear tyres were 34 in (864 mm) by 4 in (102 mm).”
• If you
notice in this second
photo, the car has
one single tyre on
the LHS front, but
dual tyres on the
RHS. Could this be to
combat enormous
torque steer?
• The
exhausts
were…rudimentary,
to say the least. You
can see one in the
second photo, above
the front wheel.
• Each exhaust was about 500mm long, and appears to be about 75mm diameter, with no
mufflers. Must have been a tad noisy.
• Valves? Not just two per cylinder, one exhaust, one inlet, as per convention. Each cylinder
used eight inlet valves operated by atmospheric pressure, and one mechanically-operated
exhaust valve. The housing visible at the base of the cylinders covered the camshaft used to
operate the exhaust valves.
• On examining the second photo, I was
left wondering why, with such a
compact engine design, the driver was
sitting so far back? This next photo,
showing the car under construction,
explains why: the radiator sat between
the engine and driver, though in
keeping with the theme of bespoke
engineering solutions, it isn’t content to
sit vertically and be rectangular…that’s
the radiator, bent over and forming
what appears to be bodywork ahead of
the scuttle!
• The car did start the French Grand Prix of 1907(?) but was a DNF, after reportedly achieving
a speed of 120 mph.
• There is an external handbrake shown: one can only hope it supplements a foot brake…but
most likely, given the era, either would be operating only on the rear wheels. Can you
imagine how long it would take this 900 kg vehicle to slow, on two-wheel brakes, running on
wooden spokes, with 4”-wide tyres? They must have hired only the brave – or the very near-
sighted – to race these.
Another article from this month’s AOMC newsletter
CLUB MEMBER PROFILE: ROB DUNCAN
You’ve seen him around Bryant Park – especially if you compete at the khanacrosses: Rob is the moustached Director of these events. • Years of membership of GCC: 6 or 7
• Cars of interest owned: HX statesman; WB ute
• Your first car was: VE Valiant Regal
• The best car you ever owned was: HX Statesman
• The worst car you ever owned was: JB Camira
• Your biggest car-related disaster: had a young bloke fail to stop at
a give-way sign and wrote off my VT.
• Your greatest moment in motoring was: winning Clubman of the
year a couple of years ago
• Your most-admired driver is (and why?): has to be Peter Brock and why- well, it’s Brocky!
• Your favourite driving circuit/track/road/area, & why: Phillip Island - turning into turn 1 at 170
kph is just great
• A phrase you say regularly: it is what it is
• Finish the sentence: I will die satisfied if......I could finish my HX statesman
• What is something few GCC members would know about you? I drive a red Commodore in the
khanancross events (Ed: usually VERY sideways!)
• Who or what do you think has been a great influence in your life? My mate Johnny Mahy, and
Brocky
• Any other insights you’d care to share? Stay COVID-safe and let’s get back to racing
Another blast from the past:
Ray Humphries, Toyota Corolla, slides around Skyline corner at Gippsland Park, 1989 AHCC.
Source:
Facebook: Gippsland Park Morwell Hillclimb 1960's-2008
Competition report (remember those?!) – Khanacross, 1/11/20 -Ian Maud
The first competition event as we return from COVID-19 lockdown was held at the track on the first of November, and without the participation of our Melbourne colleagues, attracted a smallish but enthusiastic field of 14 competitors (see front cover photo). Our intrepid Director Rob Duncan took us through the requirements of the day: no canteen; no congregating; maintaining social distance; and wearing a face mask when not competing - these were new arrangements we will need to become familiar with for the foreseeable future. As if to help celebrate a return to competition, the weather was perfect for the task, with a warm, fine day and light winds – quite a change from some of the pleurisy-inducing Antarctic winds we’ve had at previous events! The field was an eclectic mixture of vehicles, drivers and experience: everything from Terry’s grandson Ben Selwyn in the Junior class, through to some of the lads in mind-bogglingly brutish drift cars, sports cars, newish and older sedans, and some impressive custom-built machines like Matt Paulet’s Hyundai Excel look-alike ‘sleeper.’ The one thing they all had in common was to get out on the track and give it everything! Rob had once again laid out some deviously-challenging slaloms around the track, and a few fell foul of brain fade in the heat of competition and collected cones, WD’d…and in a couple of cases, came back to the finish line from the wrong direction! One vehicle and driver combination worthy of highlighting was our eventual outright winner, James Dyer. Against a field including several grunty turbo-ed vehicles, lightweight beasts, and very experienced steerers, James rolled up in his all-conquering…Suzuki Ignis (!) – and won! By his own admission, it’s not a vehicle you would expect to do well, originating as a 1500cc naturally-aspirated, FWD, boxy econovehicle more likely at home in the local Woollie’s car park. James has added a few tweaks, and drives it brilliantly. For me, the icing on the cake is that it is a ‘Nugget’ car: he bought it on eBay for – wait for it - $1,500; drives it to the event, blows everyone away by winning five of the seven events, then drives it home again! To me, this is ideal club-level motorsport: good on you, James!
Never been to a khanacross? They are an ideal event in which to learn vehicle maneuvering skills, judgement, vehicle setup – and more – and cheap! They are particularly suitable for young drivers who don’t have their license yet, as they can sharpen their skills in a safe and encouraging environment. You don’t need a fancy, expensive competition car to take part – a standard road car, or a cheap, unregistered vehicle will serve you well. Results for this event are on the next page. The next khanacross will be held on December 13th – see you there!
And here’s the weapon of choice: James takes off for another khanacross run, trailing a plume of FWD tyre smoke behind.
Yes, he made FTD on this run as well!
…and a couple of parting shots: Below is an intriguing photo that appeared recently on Facebook, from ‘Silodrome’- possibly under the banner of the group: ‘Old Motor Racing Photographs – Australia’ which I have joined and provides a daily infusion of terrific period photos, often of cars and circuits that are now lost. This picture shows one of Alec Mildren’s open wheelers (sorry – I don’t know the details) being manhandled through a door of the Avalon cinema in Sydney. The year was 1966 and the occasion was the opening of the film ‘Grand Prix,’ starring (as shown on the board above the helpers) James Garner and Eva Marie Saint. One can only hope the car wasn’t molested too badly by the swarming masses.
Most of us would connect Norm Beechey with his famous yellow Monaro, which was an HT. Here’s a great photo of him three-wheeling its predecessor, a yellow Monaro also, but an HK model, in 1968. Note especially the elaborate safety fences – or lack of them!
Source: www.theracetorque.com
SUPPORTERS AND ADVERTISERS INDEX These businesses support our club!! Make sure we support them!
Name Product Contact Details
Moe Parklands Motel Accommodation 03 5127 3344 [email protected]
BTR Machining and Cylinder heads
Dyno tuning, engine rebuilds, race prep, general repairs
03 5134 4023 [email protected]
Penrite Oils Oils and lubricants www.penritetopclass.com.au
Fowlers Asphalting Roadmaking 03 5633 2918 [email protected]
Arrow Linemarking Linemarking 0458 882 353 [email protected]
Alfa Motorsport Fibreglass
Automotive repairs [email protected]
O’Connell’s tyres Suspension, front end, brakes, shocks
03 5126 2822 Facebook presence https://oconnellstyres.weebly.com/
James Lambert
Photography James Lambert @SJLambert6
Jim Jones
Photography Jim Jones Jamar Imaging.net
SPIN Media
Photography and video [email protected]
Trafalgar Auto Elec
Auto Electrics 56332062
Capaldo Automotive Repairs
Mechanical, alignment and MX 5 specialist
5134 4328 Ask for Steve
Peter Weaver Msport Photography
Photography 0438 109 027 [email protected]
