Hi All
Just bought a new book it's called Bathurst 500, 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967, by Stephen c Stathis , the first page has a mini on it and the last page has a mini on it.
Many of you younger generation possibly will not know many of our famous drivers of the past but us old farts know them well, drivers like Frank Matich famous for building race cars and driving them, Colin Chapman of Lotus fame offered Frank a drive in Formula One but Frank said no because of family and work commitments, but he with others Kevin Bartlett driving mini delux Barry Seton mini 850, Harry Firth, Fred Gibson, the Geoghegan borthers all drove minis at one stage.
Spencer Martin I think he was the first man to lap Bathurst at over 100 mph average won his class in a Vauxhall Viva in 1964,
Lionel Ayers driving a Hillman Imp and the list goes on, if you want a good read on the history of the mini and Bathurst 500,
Sorry it was called the Armstrong 500 back then.
It was good to see the safety back them shorts and short sleeve shirts but you did have to have a crash hat.
Back in 1964 the Geoghegan brothers wore a full man suite with shoes supplied by Mcdowells quality mens suits maybe the first sign of sponsor ship in motor racing as you were not allowed to advertise on the out side on the car.
The book is very good read well worth the price, there is a limited edition of hard back copies 250 or leather bound I think 50 or 100 copies then there will be a soft back copy, my hard back copy was $90.
Graham Russell

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"It's better to be not informed than ill-informed"

Received my copy, great book, well worth getting.

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1963 997 Morris Cooper
1964 Sunbeam Tiger
1969 Austin 1800
1969 Lancia Fulvia Rallye 1,3S

GR,

Can you tell me if there is (sort of ) equal treatment of each year? Most of the stuff I have seen skips over 63 - 66 etc because it is pre-V8.

Also, are more than just October Bathurst meets covered? eg Easter?

Maybe I should just go and buy the damn book!!!

Cheers, Mick

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"Show me the Mini!"

I'm having trouble finding it. He has a few books on Bathurst. Can only find one on 68 and 69. Not a period?

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68 Morris Cooper S Mk1 (*ex 78 1275 LS 4th last built, 70 Morris 1500 OHC & 70 MiniMatic)

https://m.facebook.com/motorbookworld/p ... 4&refid=17

http://www.motorbookworld.com.au/bathur ... cover.html

I don't have a stupid book account but found this on there from google searching for Bathurst 500, 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967, by Stephen c Stathis

$250 with Leo Geoghegan signing it wonder what its value would be with both him and bob Holden signing it

Leo died of cancer march 2015 rip

Thankyou

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68 Morris Cooper S Mk1 (*ex 78 1275 LS 4th last built, 70 Morris 1500 OHC & 70 MiniMatic)

IMHO equal treatment of the years, this is what interests me when there was true variety! Many photos and references to Studebakers, VW's, Simcas and even Citroen.

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1963 997 Morris Cooper
1964 Sunbeam Tiger
1969 Austin 1800
1969 Lancia Fulvia Rallye 1,3S

Hi Mick
That's the beauty of this book it's not all about V8's that's why it stops at 1967, it's covers all the little cars even a little fiat 700 which did 71 MPH down the hill.
Now back in our days we use to think the little 850 was a fast little car, but think about the 850 and 1200 v dubs going up the mountain I don't know how the hell they ever mad it to the cutting it must have been a slow trip up the hill, I have tried to find lap times for the 850's but not having much luck, I think it was around 8 minutes if the Cooper s was doing 3 minutes 12 for the fastest one running on race tyres, eight minutes sounds some where it for the 850, but a really good book if you come up I will let you look at mine, for a fee, but if you want to read it that will cost you more
Graham Russell

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"It's better to be not informed than ill-informed"

"Some car, this SIM-CA!"

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"Show me the Mini!"

Thanks GR, how much to read it? and is there a policy on returns, like in the library?

I think 8 minutes may be a little on the high side...I have an RCN report somewhere...will look for it.

Cheers and Beers, Mick

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"Show me the Mini!"

Update to my emails to GRE: Greg reckons he may have been doing 24s now on Michy Xs

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"Show me the Mini!"

Taking information from Bill Tuckey's book, it looks like the 850s were managing just under four minutes.

In 1963, the fastest Morris 850 did 116 laps, the class winning Morris Cooper 125 laps and the race winning Cortina GT 130 laps.
In 1964, the practice times were similar (but didn't count for the grid) and the class winning Morris Cooper did 124 laps and the race winning Cortina GT 130 laps.
That 1964 race duration was 7 and a half hours (from a delayed 09:15 start to 16:45).
If the 1963 race was also 7.5 hours then the average lap times for the whole day were 3:52 for the 850, 3:36 for the Cooper and 3:27 for the GT.
The Cortina GT practiced in 3:29 in both '63 and '64 and set fastest lap in 1964 at 3:21, which makes those averages seem reasonably representative.

Not related to said book, but relating to Ian Geoghegan and Morris 850 raisen…

My hero is now MORE of a hero

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"Show me the Mini!"

Unfortunately this copy of BMC Rosette has seen better days but still of interest as it highlights the Warwick Farm meeting.

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

HI Mick
Have a good think about this, I have a copy of a record set by Pete Geoghegan at Castlereagh on the 2nd of july 1961,
Standing quarter mile in 18.675 seconds, for the750cc to1000cc. (CAMS record
How long had the 850 been out for? no trick gear box no special tuning bits, that's very fast for that time, cooper S times,
Well done big boy:)
Graham Russell

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"It's better to be not informed than ill-informed"