Lisa Stevens | School of Science, RMIT University Preserving the Legacy of South Australian Motor Racing Identity Tom Stevens and 70 years of Racing MG’s. Tom Stevens was a man whose involvement with motor sport and the automotive industry spanned more than seven decades. His private collection of letters, photographs, technical reports and race programs, provide a glimpse of Australian motorsport from the 1930’s, post war through to the modern era. Stevens’ trademark was his scientific and technical approach to car preparation and racing. But it was his in-depth knowledge of cars, drivers and racetracks (long since gone) that made him an authoritative source. This paper not only provides an overview of Tom Stevens career, but also documents the challenges in preserving a small slice of motorsport history. 1| AHA 2016 Conference Proceedings Lisa Stevens Preserving the Legacy of South Australian Motor Racing Identity Tom Stevens and 70 years of Racing MG’s. Introduction Unlike some of his contemporaries, there are no books, websites or Wikipedia pages dedicated to his life and his achievements: There were no world records, no formal accolades. Tom Stevens is best described as one of the characters of motor racing in the pre and post war era. He maintained an involvement in motor sports and the fuel and lubricant industry for approximately 70 years as a sports administrator, historian, mechanic, restorer of cars, fuel and lubricant specialist, team manager and racing driver. Tom Stevens was the son of immigrant parents, born in Mile End, South Australia. His father, a motor body builder/munitions worker, left Somerset England in 1919 and settled in Camden Park in Adelaide. Tom’s childhood was spent around cars and it was probably no surprise that he ended up completing his Motor Mechanics Training at Goodwood Central School. In fact, many of his childhood friends became on track rivals. By the time war was declared in 1939, he was in the midst of his apprenticeship with Commonwealth Oil Refineries (COR) and had joined the Citizens Military Force. By the age of 24 he had enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (Figure 1) and served in Papua/New Guinea first in the 13th Field Regiment, transferring to Small Boats before finally being promoted to a Warrant Officer, 31st Water Transport. By the time war in the Pacific had ended, he had successfully completed the Vehicle and Maintenance course, and become one of their instructors. Figure 1. Tom Stevens at Woodside Army Camp South Australia 1942, Courtesy Stevens Family In 1946 Stevens rejoined COR/BP as a consultant in fuels and lubricants and resumed his car racing career that spanned from the 1930’s until 2003. As a sports administrator he 2| AHA 2016 Conference Proceedings Lisa Stevens Preserving the Legacy of South Australian Motor Racing Identity Tom Stevens and 70 years of Racing MG’s. became a CAMS Steward (1957) CAMS Councillor representing South Australia in 1959, and, in 1956 he and long-time friend and on-track rival Stephen Tillett became the founding vice presidents of the MG Car Club of South Australia.1 Racing Circuits It is probably easier to list the tracks and street circuits that Stevens did not race on rather than the ones he did. The South Australian street circuits of Lobethal and Victor Harbor along with the Port Wakefield track held many memories. They were in his mind the “spiritual home” of motor racing in South Australia. With many Australian states banning road circuits, Stevens witnessed the evolution of purpose-built tracks and the repurposing of local and disused airstrips. Today few of these tracks remain operational, swallowed up by housing developments. Stevens’ knowledge of tracks, drivers, cars and race results was unequaled. His collection of photographs and programs, help paint a picture of pre and post war motor racing. Figure 2. Tom Stevens (far right wearing sunglasses) in the pits at Port Wakefield Race Track 1955 enjoying his last race in the MG "square rigger" red car (#57) before acquiring MG TA/TC (#43,) (Photographer: unknown) Courtesy Stevens Family Images of gentlemen leaning against the side of a car, smartly dressed wearing berets, peaked caps and cravats presented a more “romantic” side of car racing (Figure 2). In Stevens’ case, it was his trademark white cotton overalls, a roughly fashioned fiberglass racing helmet, a pair of string back gloves and his highly prized imported Polaroid driving goggles that made him stand out from other drivers. A newspaper description of South 3| AHA 2016 Conference Proceedings Lisa Stevens Preserving the Legacy of South Australian Motor Racing Identity Tom Stevens and 70 years of Racing MG’s. Australia’s most successful female racecar driver, Judy Rackham, conjures an image that could be described as “Gatsby-esque”.2 These items were a far cry from the fire retardant racing suits and helmets that are required by the rules set down by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The same photographs show that safety measures were rudimentary at best. Hay bales were used either as safety barriers or to delineate a course. Unlike today’s racetracks, there was little separating spectators and drivers. Corners were sharpened and tracks resurfaced to improve speed. Track makeovers were newsworthy items.3 The racetracks of today have come a long way - high cyclone mesh safety/debris fences separate spectators from the track and tyre walls, rumble strips and run off areas have been designed and installed to help protect the driver in the event of an accident. Car preparation and racing Stevens’ racing career started as a child around the paddocks near home. While the team name “Ecurie Australie” will be forever linked with racing legend A.N. (Lex) Davison, Stevens and fellow South Australians, David Hopkins and Geoff Berry, raced their MG’s under the team name “Ecurie Abingdon”. The use of the name Abingdon was an acknowledgment of what was and continues to be the home of the MG. The adjectives “scientific”, “meticulous”, “technical”, “immaculate” were regularly used to describe not only Stevens’ driving but also the preparation of his cars. Albert Ludgate from Sports Care World, in writing about one of South Australia’s most successful MG’s (a MGTC), described Tom’s systematic and painstaking process of selecting a car worthy of his attention.4 The car (Figure 3) originally purchased from a Melbourne showroom, had to be perfect. It would then be scrutinized, re-scrutinised then stripped down and re-built to within an inch of its life. Presentation was equally as important as performance.5 The car, tuned to “near standard tune”, outperformed many of the more highly tuned MG’s and was successfully campaigned by Stevens between 1951 and 1955. Even then, potential owners would be mindful of the attention that Stevens had lavished upon it. 6 4| AHA 2016 Conference Proceedings Lisa Stevens Preserving the Legacy of South Australian Motor Racing Identity Tom Stevens and 70 years of Racing MG’s. Figure 3. Tom Stevens in his red MG "square rigger" (#57) on the starting line at Port Wakefield 1955 (Photographer: News Limited) Catastrophic failures were rare although in one event Stevens’ car suffered a broken stub axle resulting in the separation of one of his front wheels. The loss of hydraulics hampered his ability to slow down and stop but, having managed to avoid both spectators and other objects, he received a minor injury when, getting out of the car, he hit his hip on a post. 7 8 A spectator returned the wheel that had bounced over a wire fence.9 Despite that rare incident, preparation was Stevens’ hallmark and his reputation in this area was not lost on those who bought and subsequently sold his cars.10 11 Stevens’ last MG (a 1954 TF) previously owned by historic racing identity Andrew Patterson received many accolades for both its turnout and performance. Purchased in 1982 the MGTF (Figure 4) was stripped and rebuilt ready for its racing reappearance in 1985 at Mallala. Only a year into the rebuild process, there were rumors of Stevens’ much anticipated return to the racetrack. At the age of 66 he started a campaign that saw him receive yet more accolades and awards for the best presented car, and pick up numerous podium finishes in the regularity trials. Regularity trials, unlike a scratch or handicap race, are not about the first across a finishing line. Drivers had to complete a number of flying laps of a circuit, keeping within a 10th of a second of a pre-nominated lap time. It required a considerable amount of concentration and skill to negotiate the circuit and other cars while remaining within your lap time. Stevens’ record of success showed that even with his advancing years he had not lost his driving skill.12 5| AHA 2016 Conference Proceedings Lisa Stevens Preserving the Legacy of South Australian Motor Racing Identity Tom Stevens and 70 years of Racing MG’s. Figure 3. Stevens’ 1954 MG TF in street mode photographed in 2003 Courtesy of the Stevens Family The MGTF graced the cover of the 1994/95 edition of Sports and Classic Cars Australia magazine. Not only did Stevens’ cars look as if they had come off the showroom floor, but their ability to perform was never in question and this led car enthusiasts to his front door, or rather the back shed. When it came to restoration work, he was a “good friend to have”.13 It was not long after restoring his own MGTF that researcher, historian and motoring enthusiast Dr.