Racing FE's and FC's

[craiga]

Below are some pictures of FE and FC Holden's in (believe it or not) racing trim. It will take a little while to load, but be patient because some of these photos will blow you away. Check out the FC wagon?van?wheelstander!!!







Look closely and you will see the two tyre marks produced by this obviously CIG Diffed, Grey powered FE. Alright




Threw this one in to prove you can race anything if your keen enough.



All credit to the excellent site http://www.autopics.com.au. You can order any of these prints at the site.

Anybody who ever saw Lance J Rutting working at Oran or Amaroo Park's will appreciate the efforts that go into getting racing photographs like these. Lance passed away a few years ago but I always remember the 5 or so cameras draped around his thick neck with his VB induced stomach hanging over his light blue stubbies. Could have been -5 Degrees - Lance still had those stubbies on!!! RIP Lance.

Enjoy,

Craig.

[Hewart]

Hey Craig...

Great pics.... I'd love to see that wagon in action...!  
I thought I had a couple of racing pics, but the only one I found was this one taken at good old Mt Panorama (not sure when though). You can't see the FE as clearly as in your shots, but I'm sure it's about to pull out of the slip stream and fly past the other guys any second.....  The caption on the back says the drivers are: Car #34, Bill Burns, Car #27 is Des West and the FE (Standard ??), Car #113 is driven by Bruce McPhee....



I'll keep looking for more, but I fear I was thinking of FJ racers....
Cheers.
Les...

[customFC]

Cool pics. How many hours a day do you spend searching the net for these pics? Keep it up. Did you know that the 'Strip Tripper' wheelstander was powered by a FORD V8.
How about some Roundy-rounds.
Friday night, is Speedway night.....BE THERE!!


Pics from the late 60's, early 70's?
Hard to tell in these pics, but the #4 car on pole position has FE hubcaps for headlights.
Regards
Alex

[customFC]

Hey Craig.
Checked out that website you mentioned. He's got some awesome stuff on there, and it's all for sale. Would make a nice gift for the Holden fanatic.
Here's one you missed.

Drag racing is my favourite. Can't wait for them to build that new strip at Eastern Creek. Went past there a few weeks ago and they have started clearing.
Regards
Alex

[craiga]

Alex,

Thanks a million, those speedway pictures are great  

There is a Monaro at the rear of the field behind all the FE/FC's (of course ) so I'm sure you are close with your guess at late '60's - but more likely early 70's?

When I was young we always went to Castleragh Drags - my younger brother still has a piece of the track. 2" of bitumen, and 1/2" of rubber. When they closed the track they had a raffle to win seats on one of two buses that would take the last run. My younger brother would have been only about 7 or 8 years old at the time but he won a ticket (bastard  ) When he brags about this I remind him of when, same night, he cried with fear when the top fuellers ran.

Since then he has raced his own cars at Eastern Creek, so it must have left a lasting impression.

I'm sure the new strip will be hugely successful. Can't wait.

Cheers,

Craig.

[customFC]

Craig.
We probably sat in the stands at Castlereah together but didn't know each other. I was there at the last race and helped dig up the track. I remember the buses, and almost jumped in the back door of Ben Gatt's bus after the race, just to exit the front and get the "last" timing cards they were giving to everyone on the bus. Did your brother get one. I brought home a chunk of each lane in the boot of the FC. Stored it under the house we lived in, it's probably still there. I have a small chunk in the front ashtray of the FC.  My brother and I appeared in a photo in a drag mag digging up the track with picks. We also grabbed the cardboard road sign at the entry road that simply said "DRAGS" w/ an arrow. Long gone now. I think my brother may have traded it for 'pot'.....degenerate that he was.
I must show you the photos I took over the years. Might dig some out with the FE that ran and post them here.
Regards
Alex

[customFC]

Hey Craig.
Here is a pic of a car I'm sure you would remember from your days at Castlreagh. The Brosnan & Hilton FE Holden. Dug the pic out and thought I'd share it with you and anyone else that might like to see it.

Did you take any pics back then?
Regards
Alex

[craiga]

Thanks again Alex. This is a great picture. I can't wait to see your piece of the track.

Unfortunately I was at Castleragh drags a lot but didn't take any pictures. 50% percent of the time I was looking into a can of VB anyway, so most of my memories are pretty clouded No booze buses or speed cameras in those days! My personal record was about 240km's hour along Castleragh Road on the way home. This was in my Torana which had a 200km/h speedo - the needle was past there and all the way around against the '0' stop. Pretty stupid when you think back, but great fun at the time.

I have a couple of mates who are in their mid 50's now and used to race FE/FC's in the very early 70's. I'll chase them up and see if they have any photos.

At the last meet we were on the far side (opposite the entrance) right next to the start line, on the back of my mates table top truck. The view was just perfect - back then safety was just a word that was used to describe matches , so you could get real close.

When you are out at Oran Park next you will see the old F100 fire truck that was used at Castleragh. It's obviously been repainted but it always brings back memories.

What about you guys in other states? Do you have any pictures of racing FE/FC's? Phillip Island, Winton, Wanaroo, these places have been around for years. There must be some photos out there somewhere?

Cheers,

Craig.

[Norm Dawe]

Craig
Thought you might be interested in my car. Its a '59 FC Sports Sedan still in race trim .I purchased it in 1974, It was built in 1970 by Keith Croft , then owned by Geoff Darmody. The car has a 192,tripple SU's, Aussie 4 sp, GT falcon tailshaft, CIG diff, 4 wheel disc's,10 x 13 rims /racing slicks. I still own the car and hope to race it again in the future

[HARKO]

 :oI noticed these are fresh pictures to the site and was hoping if someone can pleeeeeeeeeeese tell how to post onto the site Thank' Harko belindaandvicki@aol.com

[RET]

Harko,

All the instructions for uploading images using StarPhoto are in the "Please Read Before Posting" thread at the top of the list.

RET

[craiga]

I have posted this picture and text on behalf of a new member of the boards, Norm.

This is a picture of Norm's FC race car. Must be a lightweight version - thats why it looks like its based on a 'Standard' model. No need for that extra chrome when you want speed.



Here's some information about the car as supplied by Norm......

This pic was taken outside Blacktown RSL club about 1986/87 . The car is still in the same condition except it needs a respray (Chrome Yellow) because when I moved out of Sydney it sat in my backyard for about 4 years and I didn't have a shed to put it in.  7 years ago we moved into our own home so it has been shedded ever since, Due to health reasons I haven't even started it up since .
           The car was built by Keith Croft (Pendle Hill) in 1970 . Keith used to supply welded steel rims for race cars about this time also. The car started as a wreck that had a head-on with a tree , you can still see the welds in the left firewall , so he renewed just about everything from the firewall forward also a set of new sills. It originally had a bench seat and 3 sp on the column , I'm not sure wether Keith or the next owner ,Geoff Darmody (Darmody Smash Repairs , Clyde), did the rest of the modifications to the car but at one stage Keith raced the car at Bathurst and Warwick Farm.
           I purchased the car off Geoff in 1974 . He didn't have much success with the car as he only ran it in 6 open meetings at Amaroo & Oran Park , blowing 5 motors & boiling it once. If anyone remembers back that far , it was a shocking "Olive Green with Orange wheels"  I purchased the car less engine & gearbox.

Modifications to the car :-

• HR disc brake front end (Monaro booster)
• 192 motor (Dyno tested at 245 hp) with a 40/80 cam , extended baffled sump , triple 1 3/4" SU's and Tuned length extractors into 2 , 3" exhausts (now tapered to 2" with 12" Hotdog mufflers , due to noise restrictions)
• Gearbox -  M20 (wish it was a M21) Australian 4 sp gearbox , GT falcon tailshaft.
• The diff. housing is standard FC with a welded 3.36 centre . Here's where it is very different . Instead of tramp rods and panhard rod , it has 2 bars running from the bottom of the diff. to the front of the springs (never seen another one like it) also the housing has got 2 flanges welded on it to which the "back" brake calipers are bolted to, I believe the calipers and disc's are off a Fiat , on a standard FC axle (never broken one).
• The wheels are 10" x 13"  (8 of them) and 2 , 7 1/2" x 13" with a big off-set , The guards are extensivly flared to cover the wheels.
  
• The interior is pretty basic with the usual gauges , half roll cage but it still has the roof lining "and the back seat".

[/i]
Thanks very much to Norm for the picture and text.

Cheers,

Craig.

[customFC]

Cool car.
Thanks Norm, and thanks Craig.
Harko, if you have any problems with your pics, just email me and I will help. Would love to see what you have to share.
Regards

[HARKO]

Thank's custom fc I worked it out - seem's bloody easy now !
I appreciate the offer ,I'll shout you a beer at the next nats
By the way microwaving cats for fun yeeah ""BUT FOR PROFIT""
                                                                                      Harko

[HARKO]

Here's another all-mighty FE doin hot lap's in race trim.

[Jockster]

Great Pics and posts guys. Way back when I was but a young whippersnapper, I purchased my first FC, which was a ten year old one owner car with only 35000 miles on the clock, cost me a whopping $80.00....oooh for those days again. Anyway after some tinkering and tuning adjustments I drove it to Melbourne and entered in Street Saloon Racing (I think that was the class, similar to appendix J today) at Sandown.

I placed 4th in the first heat and fifth in the second. I went for it hard in the third heat and overtook the leading EH Holden on the main straight......my elation was short lived however as a loud rattle followed by an even louder bang signified the change under the bonnet from a 6 cylinder grey motor to a five cylinder version.

It was a long slow trip on the end of a tow rope from Melbourne back to Mount Gambier (440Km), but I would not have missed the chance for anything (unfortunately I was not picked by the Holden Dealer Racing Team)
Cheers
Jockster

[normd]

Hey Harko,
        Cooooool   pic  mate ,     wonder how many are still around .
        ( gotta strip mine down this week , hope to get it to the " Masseur"   for it's body job next week    )

      Norm

[HARKO]

It's a real shame that the competition couldnt have been based on your racer Norm .
with a week to go I think the chances are pretty slim, I was a little surprised actualy that there wasnt even a single comment  (I thought I had come up with a great idea) oh well as they say "Nothing ventured , Nothing gained.

[normd]

Hey Harko ,
           She's cool , least you tried .  maybe another time. Looks like "The Old Girl" is gonna stay the same colour,  Mechanic and Massuer (spray painter) like the old colour but with something to brighten it up . Will be interesting to see how it comes back
   (must be the only dumb guy who let's the painter go wild .  hehehe)
    Norm

[Cat]

I was just thinking....yes I know you are all amazed!  Could we use any of these racing photos in the calendar?  With these and the advertisements it would be just awesome, and not like those crap calendars everyone has been complaining about that only have the car and chrome on the cover to sell the bloody thing!
Hmph!  Sorry ret should this be in the rant and rave section??
Cat