A 'period' classics pictures thread (Mk II)

[Escort3500]

Enjoyed both. Thanks.

[bigothunter]

Escort3500 said:

Enjoyed both. Thanks.

Did Gerry Marshall give away any clues on how to drive Oulton quickly?

[V8 TVR]

bigothunter said:

Escort3500 said:

bigothunter said:

Mike Hawthorn’s Jag?

Yes, he lost control and hit a tree on the Hog's Back.

A3.

[nicanary]

V8 TVR said:

bigothunter said:

Escort3500 said:

bigothunter said:

Mike Hawthorn’s Jag?

Yes, he lost control and hit a tree on the Hog's Back.

A3.

Supposedly racing Rob Walker's 300SL.

[bigothunter]

nicanary said:

Supposedly racing Rob Walker's 300SL.

As Hawthorn stood on the forecourt a grey Mercedes 300SL slowed down in the road outside. R.R.C. ‘Rob’ Walker, owner and entrant of many Grand Prix cars and patron of Stirling Moss, spied Mike and, making eye contact, gave a large, light hearted V sign! He then drove off in the direction of Guildford at some speed. This was obviously like a red rag to a bull to the super-competitive Hawthorn and he leapt into his Jaguar to make chase.

Inevitably the reigning world champion closed in on the Mercedes, Rob saying, in his characteristic mahogany tone, “I wasn’t used to a Jaguar catching me like that”! The road between Farnham and Guildford, known as the Hog’s Back, is a long and fairly straight piece of trunk road which has always been a magnet for speed freaks and these two drivers were as mad about speed as anyone. By the time they got to Guildford the Jaguar was ahead.

https://historicracingnews.com/Article/Mike-Hawtho...

[aeropilot]

bigothunter said:

nicanary said:

Supposedly racing Rob Walker's 300SL.

As Hawthorn stood on the forecourt a grey Mercedes 300SL slowed down in the road outside. R.R.C. ‘Rob’ Walker, owner and entrant of many Grand Prix cars and patron of Stirling Moss, spied Mike and, making eye contact, gave a large, light hearted V sign! He then drove off in the direction of Guildford at some speed. This was obviously like a red rag to a bull to the super-competitive Hawthorn and he leapt into his Jaguar to make chase.

Inevitably the reigning world champion closed in on the Mercedes, Rob saying, in his characteristic mahogany tone, “I wasn’t used to a Jaguar catching me like that”! The road between Farnham and Guildford, known as the Hog’s Back, is a long and fairly straight piece of trunk road which has always been a magnet for speed freaks and these two drivers were as mad about speed as anyone. By the time they got to Guildford the Jaguar was ahead.

That appears to be one of the vastly more embellished versions, must have been written by a Daily Mail hack......

Walker's account had him tooting when he went past the TT in his white (not grey) 300SL but he didn't see Hawthorn. He didn't realise it was Hawthorn in the Jag catching up until Mike passed him and waved, after they had joined onto the downhill section of the A3 past Coombes garage, just before Mike lost the back end of the Jag and spun across the road, clipping a lorry and a traffic bollard before wrapping itself around the tree, cutting the car in half.

[nicanary]

All of which is why I used the word "supposedly". No doubt Rob Walker was circumspect with his description of the events when questioned, notwithstanding the fact that he was 100% Gentleman. Most of the commonly held beliefs are I think the result of sensationalist press.

[droopsnoot]

bigothunter said:

Baby Bertha is still racing in CSCC Special Saloons:
http://www.specialsaloons.co.uk/baby-bertha/458184...

I've seen that a thousand times, but I can always watch it again. The old street scenes are great for the reminiscing, but I've still yet to spot a Droopsnoot Firenza in any of them. I am coming to the conclusion that people who bought them new took them straight home and never drove them anywhere.

[56Lotus]

Hawthorn in happier times and not in a Jag.



!956 at Goodwood

[Halmyre]

droopsnoot said:

bigothunter said:

Baby Bertha is still racing in CSCC Special Saloons:
http://www.specialsaloons.co.uk/baby-bertha/458184...

I've seen that a thousand times, but I can always watch it again. The old street scenes are great for the reminiscing, but I've still yet to spot a Droopsnoot Firenza in any of them. I am coming to the conclusion that people who bought them new took them straight home and never drove them anywhere.

With only 204 built, the chances of any one caught at random must be astronomically high.

[bigothunter]

droopsnoot said:

I've seen that a thousand times, but I can always watch it again. The old street scenes are great for the reminiscing, but I've still yet to spot a Droopsnoot Firenza in any of them. I am coming to the conclusion that people who bought them new took them straight home and never drove them anywhere.

I risk getting hammered for this comment but hey ho. Clearly Baby Bertha is high geared and only has 4 gears. Even so, I'm surprised Gerry drops into 2nd gear for Old Hall which just seems to unsettle the car. Also he appears to lose speed through the left-hander at top of Clay Hill

Regardless, Gerry would still kick my arse

[bigothunter]

56Lotus said:

Hawthorn in happier times and not in a Jag.



!956 at Goodwood

Low corner stiffness tyres provide big slip angles. Assume that's a Lotus Eleven?

[56Lotus]

bigothunter said:

56Lotus said:

Hawthorn in happier times and not in a Jag.



!956 at Goodwood

Low corner stiffness tyres provide big slip angles. Assume that's a Lotus Eleven?

Correct, Hawthorn having an epic race in his 1500cc Eleven against Colin Chapman. He came second after they touched in a corner and Hawthorn had to pit to have the bonnet pulled off his front wheel. Later that day he entered in an unlimited race and was only beaten by a Jag D Type.



Hawthorn is the Centre Eleven, Chapman on the right who later retired. Winning D Type on the left.

[P5BNij]

A slightly different take on period motorsport stuff, at Barcelona, 1975....



I wonder how many Transits of this period are left now...?

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

P5BNij said:

A slightly different take on period motorsport stuff, at Barcelona, 1975....



I wonder how many Transits of this period are left now...?

Quite a lot is your answer!

[bigothunter]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

P5BNij said:

A slightly different take on period motorsport stuff, at Barcelona, 1975....



I wonder how many Transits of this period are left now...?

Quite a lot is your answer!

Getting expensive though. LWB with 150hp diesel has appeal

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/classic_cars.php?c...

[Loose_Cannon]

P5BNij said:

This rather nice image taken in Eastholm Green, Letchworth popped up while I was looking for something else.... I do like the old Frogeye....

Completely agree, nice postwar home counties image, I was intrigued enough to find the rest of the set from the excellent "Allen Cash Archive". Apparently the Alpine belonged to Mom and Pops, dated 27th April 1960;









and the obligatory "why can't the roads still be as quiet as when I was a kid?" picture;

[Loose_Cannon]

From the same archive this picture caught my attention, an eccentric road safety campaigner Bill Boakes. His Wikipedia page makes fascinating reading!

[bristolracer]

Loose_Cannon said:

From the same archive this picture caught my attention, an eccentric road safety campaigner Bill Boakes. His Wikipedia page makes fascinating reading!

Says a bloke riding a bike with sod all visibility!

[Ferodocastrol]

He has good night lighting though.