Ampol Trial Anniversary Re-Run Parramatta 23/4

[RET]

The Peugeot Car Club of Victoria are staging a re-run of the 1956 Ampol Trial to celebrate the Anniversary of the event (which was won by a 403).

The event kicks off from Parramatta Park this Sunday, with a lap of the old race-track and heads off to Riverwood Downs (past Dungog), following the route of the 1958 Trial.  Full details are available at the PCCV website.

There will be a variety of the types of cars that competed in the original Ampol Trials on display, as well as those participating in the rally.

The PCCV contacted me to locate a light-coloured FE Holden to participate in a photo session before the race kicks off, which I was happy to volunteer for.  The 1958 event was won by an FE Holden, and the daughter of the winner will be there with the trophy.  The organisers have told me that there is parking available for classics who wish to watch the start of the Trial (at 9.00am).

Sounds like it might be a bit of fun - maybe something to check out before heading to the Nostalgia Drags?

Check out the PCCV website for more info about this event (and the original Trials).  Here's the map of the route - makes Sydney to Phillip Island look like a Sunday drive...



cheers
RET

[RET]

Although I didn't see any other FE-FC vehicles/members/owners at Parramatta Park the other day, it was still an interesting morning.  All up, there were just over 50 vehicles entered in the Ampol Rerun.  Unsurprisingly, most of them were Peugeots (given that this event was run by the PCC of Victoria), but there were a few other makes, including an FJ and two EHs.

Ann Garard, daughter-in-law of Don Garard was there with the first-place trophy from the 1958 Trial, and a class trophy plate from the '64 event.  Don Garard and Jim Roberts won the 1958 Ampol in an FE Holden supplied and sponsored by McGraths of Liverpool.  As I mentioned in the previous post, the organisers wanted some display vehicles of other makes that had won the Ampol Trial, hence my peripheral involvement.  To the exasperation of the organisers, the media brushed most of the Peugeots in favour of taking photos of the trophy on the Holden

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Here's the trophy on the bonnet[/box]

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A close-up of the award - a very impressive piece of silverware.[/box]

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A number of the original entrants in the earlier trials were there on the day, and indeed some of them were participating in this event.[/box]

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Some of the other scenery on display.[/box]

The start of the trial had some media interest, and appeared as a tail-ender on both the Channel 9 (Sydney) and ABC News broadcasts.  The organisers would have been relieved to see what little coverage there was seemed to focus on the Peugeots: the FE did appear, but very much in the background.

cheers
RET

[customFC]

Hey Richard.
That trophy is a piece of art.
Nice pics for the album.
How did you resist walking up to that old bugger leaning on the front of the FE and giving him an old reliable slap to the back of his noggin?
Regards
Alex

[RET]

He sat on the bumper at one point, too.  I guess if they thrash their cars around Australia for a month, paint their names on the sides and put stickers all over them, they don't have a great deal of respect for paintwork.

As much as I was looking forward to seeing what of this event made the news, I didn't want to be the focus, abuse of the elderly, "shame RET, shame" etc...

That trophy is really something.  Worth the early morning start just to see it.

cheers
RET

[Johns]

Don't know who the lounger is, however,  the bloke closest the camera is Barry Ferguson.

In a career that spanned around 20 years, he won 6 or 7 Australian Rally Championships, competed in the original London to Sydney, rally crossed in the 70s and co drove with Brocky (I think) in the '79 Round Australia Trial.

Very modest bloke and a hell of a steerer.

Cheers
John