1034 at Historic Winton last Weekend

ChrisL · 06-03-04, 06:48 AM

Historic Winton Weekend is always a great day out, but always better when there is a GT40 involved. In this case it was 1034, and it wasn't just a demo run. The driver was punting this this really seriously.

ChrisL · 06-03-04, 07:02 AM

And as the rain came down, the Lola had a spin in the back esses. The driver of 1034 was hanging out the tail at every corner in an attempt to keep the lead. Pity they are still shots and not movies. It was quite a site.

ChrisL · 06-03-04, 07:09 AM

Unfortunately though, the Lola managed to gain the lead before the end of the race. Back in the pits however, 1034 was managing to attract a crowd of enthusiastic onlookers.

ChrisL · 06-03-04, 07:14 AM

On closer inspection, it was obvious that the GT40 was going to struggle in the wet, given that it was running tyers with a replica original tread pattern. The Lola was running modern wet-weather tyers.

Clayton · 06-04-04, 05:31 AM

Hi Chris
The last time I saw 1034 it had webers, but that was awhile ago in Adelaide.
Did you get a chance to speak with the owner / driver.

Clayton

ChrisL · 06-04-04, 05:41 AM

Clayton,
I had a very quick chat as he was preparing to go onto the track. The engine settup surprised me as well but the entry list did say that it was a 289. The rocker covers and carb might suggest that it may not be the original motor though.

Clayton · 06-04-04, 07:27 AM

Hi Chris
Heres one of the engine bay taken back in 99, sure looked a lot better then. :grin:
Clayton

MK -IV J6 · 06-04-04, 07:47 AM

This is an interesting and real problem. Vintage Racing has become more and more like regular racing and as it does original isn't fast enough for some. IMHO it's a very slippery slope with no good answer. Where do safety modifications end and monster motors, etc. begin? The other problem is that some cars are so rare that there are no longer ANY real ones left racing. (MK-IV's). Does that mean cars like JWHAT and Tom Molloy's "J11" shouldn't be allow to race? Of course not. If real cars that are racing want to beat the Lola's with MANY NON ORIGINAL UPGRADES they have to upgrade as well. There are no easy answers. The only problem I see is that if a car isn't ORIGINAL it should be noted as such.

Howard Jones · 06-04-04, 05:18 PM

Ya maybe we outa rebody a 5 year old CART car with GT40 skin and really show em!

ChrisL · 06-05-04, 09:26 AM

I'm not sure what the rules allow, but I kind’a wondered about the tyers. Why go to the trouble of replacing the engine to find that extra speed, and then use period tyers? Makes me think that there might be an alternate reason for replacing the engine. Should we condemn so quickly?

Also, I didn't attend the Saturday meet (Sat weather was fine and sunny), but I did notice that the GT40 had started in front of the Lola on the grid. I wonder if that meant that the GT40 was quicker in the dry?

Incidentally J6, I totally agree about the slippery-slope. When I was racing old Triumphs, I ran many a campaign to, at least, allow a CATEGORY of ORIGINAL race cars. It was always an uphill battle.

FastForty · 06-07-04, 12:57 AM

I am at work so I don't have my GT40 records but from memory 1034 was originally bought by a Mr Fielding who was the Chairman of the company that made dynos used to test the GT40's. A guy in the UK , Paul Weldon I think bought it and raced it. It was sold to a Sydney based guy who then sold it to George Parlby also of Sydney. It was originally a road car painted green but I beleive that Parlby painted it in Gulf colours. Its original motor was a 289 with webers and a ZF and Borrani wheels
It was later sold to someone in America and eventually ended up back in England at the Silverstone auction in 2000 and was bought by David Bowden from Queensland. Long time racing legend Kevin Bartlett is a friend of David,s and usually drives it.
My race mechanic, Kerry O'Brien who works on my GT40 told me that he did work on it back when Parlby owned it - he rebuilt the gearbox and fabricated new exhausts in Parlby's garage under his house because Parlby did not want to let the car out of his sight. He had 3 phase power put on and provided everything so that Kerry could do the job.
Its obviouis that it has a different manifold and carb set up but it could easlily be one of David's other motors from his array of historic Mustangs and Falcon GT's.

flatchat(Chris) · 06-07-04, 05:32 AM

The Lola and GT40 racing in the rain at Winton are owned by a charming gentleman called Rob Sherrard of Queensland Australia,he was punting the GT and Wayne Park was driving the Lola.
The GT with the Webbers is Dave Bowdens also of Queensland and is often driven by Kev Bartlett.
Hopefully they'll all be at the historics,Queensland raceway 24-25/7/04

Clayton · 06-07-04, 08:51 AM

So if David Bowdens is 1034, what does Rob Sherrard have

Clayton

flatchat(Chris) · 06-07-04, 09:53 PM

1034 Dave Bowden
p1109 R Sherrard
So I beleive.

Clayton · 06-08-04, 05:49 AM

Thanks flatchat
I also thought 1034 was now painted in a dark green.

Clayton

ChrisL · 06-09-04, 06:37 AM

Oops.. sorry all. Should've done my homework better. Glad its been cleared up.

TimOz40 · 06-17-04, 11:39 PM

I believe mr Sherrard's GT40 is running at Eastern Creek Historics this weekend. I will be there tomorrow and try to get a few snaps.

This will be my first real live Gt40 experience...cant wait!

FastForty · 06-21-04, 12:33 AM

Rob Sherrard had both his GT40 and his Lola T70 at Eastern Creek in Sydney on the weekend. Rob said that he has only had the GT40 since late last year and that it had been in a Japanese Museum for the past 14 years. It is painted in Gulf colours and is in original condition with scratches, star cracks, blistered paint etc.
He said that underneath the Gulf colours it was painted red.
It still has its JWAutomotive ID plate on the left hand side of the engine bay.
The engine bay and support steel bars for the rear clip looks almost identical to the current GT40 Australia engine bay.
In fact the rear clip looks identical to mine other than the fact that they have removed the whole inside edge of the mudguards to allow the wide tyres some space.

FastForty · 06-21-04, 03:32 AM

Pictures of 1109

FastForty · 06-21-04, 03:36 AM

Pictures of 1109
P2