I was there! Sitting on the grass bank at North Tower corner... The next year, Jimmy Clark (having just won the Indy 500) did a lap of honour in convertible Galaxy. I've still got the programmes, lap charts filled in. Great times.
I lived near the circuit as a baby in the early 60s. My mother used to leave me in my pram in the back garden to sleep with the sounds of screaming engines and I think this is the reason that I always fall asleep during F1 :-) I still remember that sound!
I have been living near Crystal Palace for the last 5 years and never knew this was there... this is where i taught my wife how to drive.... wow...to think that i taught my wife to drive on the bends that the greats have taken....
65 GT once owned, first car, what a hoot getting to see Jim Clsrk set up a turn and get Through and has the car set for the next 2 turns with just enough body roll to catch & grab within tire limits.
What a great piece of footage!! I lived in Palace for years and knew about the motor circuit, an outline of which you can still follow today. Amazing to think that the likes of Clark, Stewart and other great drivers raced there.
We lived within a mile of that circuit. I remember sitting on the bank of the first corner with my parents having a picnic and watching the racing. I was four years old at the time of this clip and may have even been at that exact race. I definitely remember Jim Clarke, Ford Cortinas and Hillman Imps! I learnt to swim in the new sports centre. I later revisited the circuit to take location photos for The Italian Job (1969). Thanks for putting this up.
LocationMr same I remember watching with my parents at the penge entrance bank grass as they come down the hill ,and the sound, the last few years of the race track
This vid is a delight. Whenever I walk round the old circuit at Crystal Palace it amazes me that it was ever used for racing. The track is very narrow in places, and bordered by banks and trees. I never saw a race there in the flesh, though I do remember on TV that Formula 3 race in 1970 that finished with James Hunt punching Dave Morgan!
SUPERB!!!! Agree with all thos eabove who commented that this is soooo much more exciting than the modern stuff!! Plus, I LOVE those Mk 1 Cortinas, on opposite lock ant one wheel in the air! Fantastic stuff.
Currantly racing a Lotus Cortina, so started looking for clipes and came across this one. My dad is racing in the black jag at the back of the pack does enyone have any other footage of BSCC from the 60's. My father crashed his jag at crystal palace some years later, but also raced and AC Leman and an XK120. And he still races the cortina with the Classic Touring Car Racing Club today. If anyone has foot age like this please let me know.. Its the best form of motor sport even today.
Great, I remember Crystal Palace track so well, my dad used to take me in the 50s, I remember seeing D type Jags and Astin Martin DBR2s, Roy Salvedori driving and Peter Ashdown in the 1100 Lola, great memories.
We need a return to the days when all sporting highlights were presented in a stiff upper lip British voice and some orchestral easy listening background muzak. Groovy 🙂
..This is fantastic!!..please theres got to be more of this great footage, thanks for posting! Think i have to do a race CP now in the cortina with GT Legends! ;)
I finally found it! My dad used to have "The year of the Cortina" video and I've been searching for this for years. Thanks so much for putting it up, do you happen to have the rest?
Fantastic!! - I spent a lot of time at race meetings back in the mid 60's, usually at the first main bend (opposite the bowl)as many of the cars used to bunch up and shunt into the wall, as they usually breaked too late - those were the days - exciting racing and loads of pile-ups!! - a boys dream!!
Most of the circuit still remains in Crystal Palace Park and its still used for cycle racing, it closed to motorsport because of complaints from local residents.
@janknuckey A small part of it, at the north end of the park, is still in use as a summer cycle-racing circuit, though the width of the track has been greatly reduced.
Danger creates excitement, excitement is why we do it. As sterling moss said " if it wasn't dangerous i would never have done it" Safety is like firing blanks on the battlefield. Looks the same but you know how it ends.
So much more entertaining than current racing - standard looking cars you could relate to (even own!) with huge slip angles. I used to go to F1 & F2 mainly to watch the supporting touring car races! Mind you, even F1 had bigger slip angles in those days than now. The current rulers of motorsport just don't get it that cars driving on rails are not as exciting..
@janknuckey the Palace circuit was situated in the Crystal Palace Park , S.London. Bits of the old track still exist but not enough of it to hold any hope that it might be revived in the manner Goodwood has. However, sprint meetings have been held there in recent years with short sections of the old circuit incorporated. As BMWizardofOz said, the Cortinas and Galaxies raced in separate classes. Jim Clark won his class in every Touring Car Championship round in 1964 to win the title outright.
Not enough??? - There is about 150m of the start/finish straight that has been laid to grass, 90% the track is still there, super place for a nostalgic walk.
@@gregtaylor6146 if you read my post again you will see my point was that there is not enough of it to contemplate the place ever being revived - or not without major construction work. Critically part of the bottom straight was built over when a second stand was built for the athletics track.
@@leach1527 - 'Stadium Straight' (or bottom straight as you refer to it) is all there, bar approximately 50m where it deviates slightly to the south, think of it as a very mild chicane? 'Terrace' (Top) straight needs no more than 100m of tarmac, topology is unchanged.
No roll cages!! That Mini driver was lucky beyond belief, if the impact on the roof had been his side he would have been in a bad way if not dead! Bl00dy good footage though, there are some stills from this event in that years Automobile Year.
Kids these days don't know what they missed. Love the commentary. "Tyres on Fire" "Clark and that swinging style' and "she only broke her glasses and a tooth" Don't get that sort of quality from James Allen !!!
This was a time of unlimited racecars and o matter if it was a Cortina, Falcon or Galaxiethat crossed the line first the Ford works team still counted as the winner.
If you watch closely you'll see another American V-8 close to the back of the field. Although they had a power advantage this didn't help through the turns. This wasn't NASCAR! Saloon races were also run in three or four classes according to engine size.
Well, the race was 1964, which is 53 years ago. If he was 25 at the time, he will be 78 now. He may well be dead.... But no, he got a broken tooth in the crash shown in the video.
I know it`s much safer now, thank god, but in those days you could get really close to the racing, no 50 yard run off with 10foot high chain link fencing you from the track.
Morbeus 1000 yes but I'll be buggered if I'm going to sit there, cross-legged on a straw bale on the outside of a 100mph bend, practice session or not!
I was there! Sitting on the grass bank at North Tower corner... The next year, Jimmy Clark (having just won the Indy 500) did a lap of honour in convertible Galaxy. I've still got the programmes, lap charts filled in. Great times.
I lived near the circuit as a baby in the early 60s. My mother used to leave me in my pram in the back garden to sleep with the sounds of screaming engines and I think this is the reason that I always fall asleep during F1 :-) I still remember that sound!
The predictability of F1 since 2014 possibly contributes towards Your heavy eyelids also 😂
@@jordanoswald8648 .... everyone's to be honest.
I have been living near Crystal Palace for the last 5 years and never knew this was there... this is where i taught my wife how to drive.... wow...to think that i taught my wife to drive on the bends that the greats have taken....
This made my day...I've walked the route of that track many times over the years...walking in the footsteps of a legend like Jim Clark!
This is golden footage. Old Cortinas back when they were new, with the skinny tires and factory wheels. Great stuff!
65 GT once owned, first car, what a hoot getting to see Jim Clsrk set up a turn and get Through and has the car set for the next 2 turns with just enough body roll to catch & grab within tire limits.
What a great piece of footage!! I lived in Palace for years and knew about the motor circuit, an outline of which you can still follow today. Amazing to think that the likes of Clark, Stewart and other great drivers raced there.
The track was in Crystal Palace Park - most of it can still be walked today
We lived within a mile of that circuit. I remember sitting on the bank of the first corner with my parents having a picnic and watching the racing. I was four years old at the time of this clip and may have even been at that exact race. I definitely remember Jim Clarke, Ford Cortinas and Hillman Imps! I learnt to swim in the new sports centre. I later revisited the circuit to take location photos for The Italian Job (1969). Thanks for putting this up.
LocationMr same I remember watching with my parents at the penge entrance bank grass as they come down the hill ,and the sound, the last few years of the race track
A smashing track, such a shame it`s gone now.
This vid is a delight. Whenever I walk round the old circuit at Crystal Palace it amazes me that it was ever used for racing. The track is very narrow in places, and bordered by banks and trees. I never saw a race there in the flesh, though I do remember on TV that Formula 3 race in 1970 that finished with James Hunt punching Dave Morgan!
..... that's on YT if you've not seen it yet?
jazzy cars and jazzy times, wish I could go back.
SUPERB!!!! Agree with all thos eabove who commented that this is soooo much more exciting than the modern stuff!! Plus, I LOVE those Mk 1 Cortinas, on opposite lock ant one wheel in the air! Fantastic stuff.
Great stuff!!!!
Straight out of the history books......
Fantastic footage.
The sound of that 427 Galaxie coming through the sweeper!
Oh how lucky the drive was in the rolled Mini. To think roll cages would not be made mandatory for another 7 years.
Currantly racing a Lotus Cortina, so started looking for clipes and came across this one.
My dad is racing in the black jag at the back of the pack does enyone have any other footage of BSCC from the 60's. My father crashed his jag at crystal palace some years later, but also raced and AC Leman and an XK120. And he still races the cortina with the Classic Touring Car Racing Club today. If anyone has foot age like this please let me know.. Its the best form of motor sport even today.
Cool, we race with a Galaxie 1964 and this weekend we did complete a 1000km / 7h race at Nordschleife.
Great, I remember Crystal Palace track so well, my dad used to take me in the 50s, I remember seeing D type Jags and Astin Martin DBR2s, Roy Salvedori driving and Peter Ashdown in the 1100 Lola, great memories.
We need a return to the days when all sporting highlights were presented in a stiff upper lip British voice and some orchestral easy listening background muzak. Groovy 🙂
superb vid,superb music too,and especially my hero Jim Clark,what a legend!
..This is fantastic!!..please theres got to be more of this great footage, thanks for posting! Think i have to do a race CP now in the cortina with GT Legends! ;)
Part of this film also showed Aintree and Silverstone. Would love to be able to find it again.
I use to live in the flats above the old Forest Hill Fire Station in the 60's and I can also remember hearing the racing.
I finally found it! My dad used to have "The year of the Cortina" video and I've been searching for this for years. Thanks so much for putting it up, do you happen to have the rest?
Wow! It's such a shame we have to resport to watching old footage like this to see demonstrations of truly great car handling. Wonderful video.
Fantastic!! - I spent a lot of time at race meetings back in the mid 60's, usually at the first main bend (opposite the bowl)as many of the cars used to bunch up and shunt into the wall, as they usually breaked too late - those were the days - exciting racing and loads of pile-ups!! - a boys dream!!
Most of the circuit still remains in Crystal Palace Park and its still used for cycle racing, it closed to motorsport because of complaints from local residents.
Absolutely amazing video!!! Thanks for putting it up!
oh lordi lordi,that was a good old time!
wow those old tires had so little grip! Those drivers had to be very talented to go so fast constantly in drift. amazing!
the galaxie is like 10 times as big as the others haha gotta love it
south of London, it was called cystal palace circuit. It is now crystal palace park.
PLEASE BRING RACING BACK!!! This is much better than today.
European hatchbacks against American muscle and maybe german muscle
"...a damaged pair of glasses and a broken tooth..."
Unreal
The structural integrity of his head saved him!
beautiful track
Thank you for uploading this!!!
(Yes, this is a minority here being thrilled)
@janknuckey
A small part of it, at the north end of the park, is still in use as a summer cycle-racing circuit, though the width of the track has been greatly reduced.
Danger creates excitement, excitement is why we do it. As sterling moss said " if it wasn't dangerous i would never have done it"
Safety is like firing blanks on the battlefield. Looks the same but you know how it ends.
Wow this GT Legends game footage almost looks real! J/K thanks for posting this vid.
Awesome footage,drifting eh..a new thing doubt it the way they were drivin those lovely Tinas..
They are meant to be having a race again this year.
So much more entertaining than current racing - standard looking cars you could relate to (even own!) with huge slip angles. I used to go to F1 & F2 mainly to watch the supporting touring car races! Mind you, even F1 had bigger slip angles in those days than now. The current rulers of motorsport just don't get it that cars driving on rails are not as exciting..
@Tarkus2040 According to results of the race I think that was driven by John Sears. Gawaine Baillie was in the other Galaxie.
no , they were sitting on the grass , while below them is a solid sleeper fence
Great video - proper racing !
By jove, those commentator chappies were jolly good.I'm dashed if i know how they did it !
Positively smashing, old boy. Bahahahaha!
...love the music :-)
Yeah, very nice footage.
@janknuckey the Palace circuit was situated in the Crystal Palace Park , S.London. Bits of the old track still exist but not enough of it to hold any hope that it might be revived in the manner Goodwood has. However, sprint meetings have been held there in recent years with short sections of the old circuit incorporated.
As BMWizardofOz said, the Cortinas and Galaxies raced in separate classes. Jim Clark won his class in every Touring Car Championship round in 1964 to win the title outright.
Not enough??? - There is about 150m of the start/finish straight that has been laid to grass, 90% the track is still there, super place for a nostalgic walk.
@@gregtaylor6146 if you read my post again you will see my point was that there is not enough of it to contemplate the place ever being revived - or not without major construction work. Critically part of the bottom straight was built over when a second stand was built for the athletics track.
@@leach1527 - 'Stadium Straight' (or bottom straight as you refer to it) is all there, bar approximately 50m where it deviates slightly to the south, think of it as a very mild chicane? 'Terrace' (Top) straight needs no more than 100m of tarmac, topology is unchanged.
excellent stuff.. More needed.. Checkout mine of CP too from 1971 Iberia Trophy with RS1600's etc. Know of any others??
This was 1964. Jim Clark was the current World Champion. Can't see Jenson turning up for a meet like that one!?
Was that Edward Lewis who scrapped the Mini?
Notice how the Mk.2 Jaguar was trailing well behind.
Just the place for the new FIA electric cars to race in the 2014 London event.
Hi BMWizardofOz, what's the best way to get in contact with you about this video please?
Great!
@Tarkus2040 Jack Sears was in the Galaxie
Comentary by Mr Chumley Warner
No roll cages!! That Mini driver was lucky beyond belief, if the impact on the roof had been his side he would have been in a bad way if not dead! Bl00dy good footage though, there are some stills from this event in that years Automobile Year.
Kids these days don't know what they missed. Love the commentary. "Tyres on Fire" "Clark and that swinging style' and "she only broke her glasses and a tooth"
Don't get that sort of quality from James Allen !!!
Where exactly was/is the track at Crystal Palace? Also, how come such a disparate group of cars were racing (Galaxie V Cortina!!!)
This was a time of unlimited racecars and o matter if it was a Cortina, Falcon or Galaxiethat crossed the line first the Ford works team still counted as the winner.
wow he was lucky
Health and what now? I was born thirty years too late for motorsport to be fun. :-(
If you watch closely you'll see another American V-8 close to the back of the field. Although they had a power advantage this didn't help through the turns. This wasn't NASCAR! Saloon races were also run in three or four classes according to engine size.
is the guy at 1.04 dead?
Well, the race was 1964, which is 53 years ago. If he was 25 at the time, he will be 78 now. He may well be dead.... But no, he got a broken tooth in the crash shown in the video.
I know it`s much safer now, thank god, but in those days you could get really close to the racing, no 50 yard run off with 10foot high chain link fencing you from the track.
Morbeus 1000 yes but I'll be buggered if I'm going to sit there, cross-legged on a straw bale on the outside of a 100mph bend, practice session or not!
Could Lewis Hamilton or Vettel take time off from F1 to drive as gloriously as that in saloon cards I wonder ?
Hideous background music