VANTAGE Winter 2013 VRCBC Vantage Winter 2013 2 We are back! We haven’t had a In This Issue: Vantage issue for a while, that is what Geezer Central 2 happens when the editor is also the President’s Report 3 chair of the British Columbia Historic BCHMR It rained 4 Motor Races. Mike Tate 6 We had had a good 2013 season President Stan’s Europe 8 with an active REVS series and pretty GVMPS Inductees 10 good BCHMR It rained unfortunately. Fairservice on Donald Healey 11 See details later. Tom’s photo Page 15 The Book 17 Photo Contest 18 About VRCBC 18 Your Editor at Work You can contact me at [email protected] or by phone at 604 922 2722 Vintage Racing Club of British Columbia, 3366 Baird Road, North Vancouver, BC, V7K 2G7 Tel: 604 980 7750, Email: [email protected], Web www.vrcbc.ca VRCBC Vantage Winter 2013 3 President’s Message That dramatic Jock Hobson photo of Dennis Repel ventilating the engine in his Heavy Chevy Camaro on the Mission front straight is actually from 2012. But it is so cool that Editor Tom decided to put it on the cover of this final 2013 edition of Vantage regard- less. After all, one of the things VRCBC members like to do is to commemorate memorable motorsport moments from history; even if in this case the history is only one year old! Thanks to Jock (and Dennis too of course) for this great ‘visual’. Speaking of remembering the past, President Stan channels Jenson Button on the Brooklands Banking Janet and I had a chance to see a lot bution to the promotion of road racing of motorsport history when we visited that attract us to Vintage racing. Even locally. England in May, unfortunately missing though most of the cars Janet and I We continued to hold some month- the BCHMR. The highlights were visits saw in England were more memorable ly meetings at interesting venues; pri- to Goodwood, the Brooklands Museum, (and more expensive!) than what we marily thanks to Wes Stinson’s seem- a big event at the historic Prescott Hill race here, the common bond was obvi- ingly unlimited Rolodex. And our Kart Climb and a visit to Bugatti restoration ous to us. We all get a lot of enjoy- Enduros have now become a local tra- specialists, Tom Dark Engineering. ment from ‘messing about’ with our dition; so much so that we will have Maybe I’m just aging fast but I old cars. had two by the end of this year. much prefer this old stuff to modern This has been another successful But of course, our biggest event of racing cars. I have been told many year. Competitively, we had four REVS all was the 26th (but who’s counting?) times that I have rose-coloured glass- races plus one more ‘non- running of the BC Historic Motor Races es on; that the actual on-track racing championship’ race in August. Some in May. It was a success in spite of the today is much closer than it ever was VRCBC members went south to race at rain. back in the supposed ‘golden years’. Seattle, Portland and Spokane, while In closing, I want to say thank you That is undoubtedly true but for a others tackled the (in)famous hill at on behalf of all Club members to our gearhead like me, those eccentric, un- Knox Mountain. Editor / Publisher / Boss Geezer, Tom reliable (and unsafe in many cases) old We had our usual racing car display Johnston for producing another excel- cars, even the very unsuccessful ones, and booth at the All British Field Meet lent edition of Vantage. are far more interesting than the high- and also participated again with the Stanton Guy, President tech machines of today. SCCBC and META in the BC Classic & It is these cars with their own dis- Custom Car Show. We like to think tinct personality and idiosyncrasies that our efforts make a positive contri- Vintage Racing Club of British Columbia, 3366 Baird Road, North Vancouver, BC, V7K 2G7 Tel: 604 980 7750, Email: [email protected], Web www.vrcbc.ca VRCBC Vantage Winter 2013 4 2013 British Columbia Historic Motor Races It Rained Tony Ioannou Jim Moody Jim Moody Jim Moody Jim Moody Jim Moody Jim Moody Jim Moody Jim Moody Vintage Racing Club of British Columbia, 3366 Baird Road, North Vancouver, BC, V7K 2G7 Tel: 604 980 7750, Email: [email protected], Web www.vrcbc.ca VRCBC Vantage Winter 2013 5 Brent Martin Brent Martin Brent Martin Brent Martin Brent Martin Brent Martin Marshall Autry Autry Marshall Brent Martin Brent Martin Brent Martin Brent Martin (Below) Formula Ford Drivers Brent Martin Brent Martin Vintage Racing Club of British Columbia, 3366 Baird Road, North Vancouver, BC, V7K 2G7 Tel: 604 980 7750, Email: [email protected], Web www.vrcbc.ca VRCBC Vantage Winter 2013 6 Comparisons are odious! Mike Tate et Tate Who was the better general . fitted in then watch your arse because rolled out at Zandvoort for the 1962 Rommel or Hannibal? Who do you he would take no prisoners! Dutch Grand Prix. think was the stronger person Samson So when it comes to my hero of or Arnie Schwarzenegger? Would Bach the sixties Jim Clark I will brook no have played the piano better than Glen comparisons but I would like to go Gould? Was Juan Manuel Fangio a back in time to reason as to why I feel better driver than Michael he was one of the finest drivers of all Schumacher? They were all products time. He wasn’t the best all the time at of their time and worked with the every race but damn nearly. However, knowledge and equipment then there was a time when he was available! How would the ‘Pampas Bull’ unbeatable and a car that he was Frolian Gonzalez have driven a modern unbeatable in. They year was 1963 F1 race car? Well he just couldn’t have and the car the Formula One Lotus even fitted into one! Discussion over! 25R4. That year he won no less than But then . if he could have been seven of the ten Grand Prix for Lotus which broke the record of the amazing Luckily for Chapman Jim Clark was Alberto Ascari in his Ferrari. There there to carry the Lotus torch to the were other players in this success future in the revolutionary monocoque story, Colin Chapman the oft times Lotus 25. It was the start of a new era. obdurate design genius and owner of I often wondered how Moss would Lotus, mechanics Alan McCall, Bob have taken to the 25, I’m sure it would Dance, and Bob Sparshott and perhaps have been an unbeatable combination girlfriend Sally Stokes should not be and if Clark had been his team mate at forgotten. Lotus, what then? Graham Hill was They called Jim ‘The Flying Scot’ also there at Lotus; so much world and fly he did, he also took up aircraft class talent from the British Isles! flying as a means of transportation The reason that I think Jimmy when he subsequently lived as a tax Clark was the finest driver of the exile in Paris with journalist ‘Jabby’ immediate post Moss period is that he Crombac. When Stirling Moss crashed was very smooth and economical in his heavily on Easter Monday 1962 at movements at the wheel, once he did Goodwood in a space frame Lotus 24 four G.P.s on one set of tires! They sustaining severe injuries and ending sure don’t do that these days even in his brilliant career the Lotus 25 was club racing sometimes! He was broadly designed and almost ready to be built. experienced in many different race and Ted Langton Adams Adams Ted Langton He was still in a coma when it was rally cars from his first race in Ian Clark at 1962 Monaco Vintage Racing Club of British Columbia, 3366 Baird Road, North Vancouver, BC, V7K 2G7 Tel: 604 980 7750, Email: [email protected], Web www.vrcbc.ca VRCBC Vantage Winter 2013 7 his first race at Crimond, where he came last, to his very last at Hockenheim he was by far the best in his brief era at the top and remember he was racing against the very best, Surtees, Amon, Hill, Spence, Scott- Brown, Brabham, Rindt, Taylor, Stacey, Rodriguez, Gregory, Hill, Gurney and so many more. To be the best of that bunch is to be the best in the world, championship or no championship! Writer and Parisian room mate Jabby Crombac puts it best about his untimely demise . “Unfortunately, we forget the part which luck has to play. Jim Clark didn’t run out of skill . he ran out of luck!” Twenty-five wins from seventy-two starts, twenty-seven fastest laps and thirty-three pole positions! . Jim you were my pick of the crop and always will be. Ted Langton Adams Adams Ted Langton First Appearance of the Lotus 25 - Dutch Grand Prix 1962 Scott Watson’s DKW, through Lotus mechanics to do the job right and they Cortinas, Ford Galaxies, C Type usually did. Jaguars, Aston Martins, Sunbeam Jim Clark was really a farmer at Talbots and Alpines, Porsches, Formula heart and seemed happiest there away One Lotus race cars and of course that from the bustle and bull shit of the winning Lotus Indy Car too! Formula One scene, he was also more They say that he was not a driver/ relaxed in the off season Tasman mechanic and could be a problem Series in New Zealand.