My father used to compete in various motor racing events against Harry Firth in the 1950s. Harry was a year older than him. This is great footage of memorable years for many people. The Phillip Island circuit was rough n ready back then. "Football, Meat Pies, Kangaroos and Holden cars".
Colin, back in about 1976 when I was about a 19 kid from the bush trying to make a bob in the BIG City and had never been to a race but was always been a staunch Holden fan I met you and Harry in that cobblestone alley in Hawthorn (I was staying with a mate in that ugly black & yellow set of flats on the corner of Auburn & Burwood Roads). By accident I saw one of the Toranas one day and went for a bit of a gander. I was blown away at the time, you and Harry were having a yarn out front and I said geday. Both of you replied very friendly like and we had a short yarn about things. I wont forget it. I suppose it gave me bragging rights for years to come, LOL.
Was a student at Swinburne, knew that Harry’s Garage was in Auburn, had a wander down. It was underwhelming, Harry Firth’s little garage, Not much space in there.Really interesting though . Often had a wander down there.
I remember watching an interview with Bob Jane. He said, "when Bathurst first started, we were racing big Fords. The front ends were very sloppy & driving it was a bitch. One day a mechanic bought some fencing wire & we welded two big strands to the 4 corners of the engine bay above the motor. We twitched them up pretty tight. She drove beautifully after that.. ". Australia's first strut brace.
The cars under Harry went like hell.i used to look at the paint job & shudder, looked like it was & it was touched up with with a paint brush. No mufflers either back then, they sounded so good.
Interesting to see at 40:53 what looks very much like roller rockers and being adjusted on the new 5 litre engine! Something Allan Moffat was not allowed to use even as late as 1978!
Moffat used roller rockers (illegally) in an atcc round in 1978 to embarrass cams . In the early rounds he blew the engines up .He hated the imbalance so much that he stayed away from the homologation process . Cams refused to help the Falcons with sumps like they had the Torana . In 1975 cams refused to give numbers to Ford to homologate a Goss spec Falcon . There are many more issues which is why Ford pulled support from racing .
@@Steveaustin007 Alan has said that Brocky had oil pressure accelerting away for slow corners and the Ford had air! Quite simply the Ford pan was designed arse about. And the Falcon engine bay/ crossmember would not allow a rear pan well. The winged pans were used on XC? They were originally a ph4 part. Far from ideal but better. And the Yanks had made pans that worked on TransAm with trap doors and baffles. Same engines same standard pan. Though come Commondore, they too had front well pans. Dry sumping simply made the cars reliable, you do not race with one eye on the oil guage. Ford wanted the rules changed to suit them,, Holden homolgated roller tip rockers on the L34. Which had a rear well pan. And still exploded regularly. The Plastic Fantastic! As for the roller rockers on the Fords with carefull engine building they were reliable enough. Though 1.72 ratio made then more vulnerable. BUT Ford could have homolgated them earlier. They were readliy available in the aftermarket.
LDN Wholesale Ford in 1975 tried to homologate a new XB evolution that John Goss listed and amazingly Ford agreed - Cams however would not give Ford an answer on car numbers and delayed so long they ran out of time so the program was quashed . The Specs included roller rockers and a vast array of improvements for speed / power and reliability. No wonder cams didn’t let Ford build it.
@@Steveaustin007 Whatever they did the Clevo anchor was still an accident waiting too happen. Especially when you are trying to open the valve 600 thou with a tin rocker,, even a roller throws a LOT of load into the stud. And bolt ons [ala y/t] simply break the 5/16 bolts. Or the now current Crane deal with a 5/16 bolt that becomes 7/16 and uses a 7/16 rocker. 6 grand and max about 520 lift and they still break The Holdens were little better, the roller tip rocker was still a bolt on bridge, again 5/16. And they break!!! And yes I do know about the Ford weaknesses as I Sprint and hillclimb an XE with a Clevo. Perfectly good pre 27A engine for the road but fragile for motorsport as well as HEAVY! As were those XBs. Post 27A a big thirsty gunker that does not go. After playing with Chevs there will never be a comparison. And they had plenty of problems as well. The Ford is better cast and machined but is a heavy poorly oiled and cooled lump with a front well pan. That far too often has the floor pushed up as they are very vulnerable. That means lousy oil pressure and running a main or rod bearing. Been there and done several of those as roadcars.
Ah, I remember it like it was just 1974. When Australia made cars, woman didn't have tattoos, and blokes had hair,.... some still do apparently?? We were all Yesterdays Hero.
Glad they have something from 1974 as there's only 30mins on bathurst1974 which is very sad Brocky was up by 6 laps by lap 118 till the engine let go I was at Bathurst a number of years ago and spoke to arron nonan and asked him the question he said unfortunately most of the 1974 race was thrown out by some arshole when channel 7 moved buildings I wonder if anybody of the public has it recorded it on vhs and converted it to disc with technology this days nomater how bad it is they could fix it
to see the whole telecast would be awesome, not sure anyone would have it on vhs as im pretty sure the public didnt have vcrs until the late 70s, but maybe some specialist mightve had the ability to record it from tv, who knows
@@johngoogle8635 it was 1980 the first vhs recorder was available in australia I just googled it and in America it was 1977 yes I highly doubt anybody has it which is sad as those l34 toranas were miles ahead of the Ford's it I'd pay good money to get the opportunity to watch the full race unfortunately I think it's gone forever now😔😔😔😔😔
@@markperkins8858 i reckon i can remember watching it on tv, a few weeks before my 5th birthday, what sticks in my mind was being excited that forbes was winning at one stage coz my favorite number was number 4, i was sitting on the floor watching on a little b&w tv in my parent's bedroom, also remember the rain and all the spray
Are you serious when did that happen may I ask and did they salvage anything and which hdt place was it Harry's or brockys which ever one it was it's still fucked and very sad that's motorsport history lost😢😢😢😢😢
Perhaps one reason is by that time Ford Australia switched to using the Cleveland V8 which was wider than the Windsor and impractical to fit in the Cortina and Capri. I've seen Windsors fitted to both, and even Escorts in the 70's by enthusiasts. Chrysler also should've considered a run of aluminum block 340's and fitted them to the Chargers and Centura's. What might have been?
@@erroneouscode Holden were always the media's favorite. Always given the lime light. My guess is regulations were made to stop Ford. However, as I suggested, a specifically constructed and developed small body car could have been produced to take the 8 whether Windsor or the Cleveland. Hell, Torana was too small until they changed the body shape. Then again, I think Ford just gave up on Australian motor sport altogether, probably too big a battle with homologation. Ford were never going to win that battle. And yes, Chrysler V8 in Centura would have been interesting.
The narration on this is so cheesy, lol. All Australian's spoke through their noses back then too, everyone sounded like Bob Hawke. No wonder there was a cultural cringe!
My father used to compete in various motor racing events against Harry Firth in the 1950s. Harry was a year older than him.
This is great footage of memorable years for many people. The Phillip Island circuit was rough n ready back then. "Football, Meat Pies, Kangaroos and Holden cars".
Also I have to say what a great and historic bit of footage and history that was. It will never be the same again.
V8 Jokercars ; so much to learn from stuff like this. Watching stuff like this shows how much they've lost touch. That video was magnificent.
Great film,From start to finish, A great era for Aussie motor racing. Thoroughly enjoyed..Love the music especially at surfers Paradise...Cool sound..
Great video, thank you for this wonderful slice of history
My Uncle showed me this bloody awesome! He shot a lot of it!
Ask him if he has any photos or videotape of these types of races, If so, message the super100mph website here!
Colin, back in about 1976 when I was about a 19 kid from the bush trying to make a bob in the BIG City and had never been to a race but was always been a staunch Holden fan I met you and Harry in that cobblestone alley in Hawthorn (I was staying with a mate in that ugly black & yellow set of flats on the corner of Auburn & Burwood Roads).
By accident I saw one of the Toranas one day and went for a bit of a gander. I was blown away at the time, you and Harry were having a yarn out front and I said geday. Both of you replied very friendly like and we had a short yarn about things. I wont forget it. I suppose it gave me bragging rights for years to come, LOL.
Trailer racing back in the day, love it! The old buildings in Queens Avenue Hawthorn still stand today!
Great Documentary . These contests helped the Manufacturers out enormously as well . Some of the Music made me snicker .
Was a student at Swinburne, knew that Harry’s Garage was in Auburn, had a wander down. It was underwhelming, Harry Firth’s little garage, Not much space in there.Really interesting though . Often had a wander down there.
Those were the day's my friend.
I remember watching an interview with Bob Jane. He said, "when Bathurst first started, we were racing big Fords. The front ends were very sloppy & driving it was a bitch. One day a mechanic bought some fencing wire & we welded two big strands to the 4 corners of the engine bay above the motor. We twitched them up pretty tight. She drove beautifully after that.. ". Australia's first strut brace.
" big fords ?" they were racing cortinas
Amazing to see such a great historic video . Awesome.
Wonderful authentic material ! Thanks again.
The cars under Harry went like hell.i used to look at the paint job & shudder, looked like it was & it was touched up with with a paint brush. No mufflers either back then, they sounded so good.
The XB and XC Falcon coupe was the best looking muscle car ever. It was prettier and more practical than it's American cousins.
This is a great period piece, thanks Colin, trying to figure out the narrator, sounds like Luke Swann to me but can't be sure.
scotty3da Pretty sure it's Ken Sparks th-cam.com/video/HFdYThhR1Ig/w-d-xo.html
Aaah! The good old days of TAA and Ansett! :)
Used to watch Johm Pollard in his corolla 1300. Moved on to L34 wwith garry and warren smith. Colours were designed for the new colour TV
Interesting to see at 40:53 what looks very much like roller rockers and being adjusted on the new 5 litre engine! Something Allan Moffat was not allowed to use even as late as 1978!
L34 had rollers homolgated though not a full alloy rocker like that
Moffat used roller rockers (illegally) in an atcc round in 1978 to embarrass cams . In the early rounds he blew the engines up .He hated the imbalance so much that he stayed away from the homologation process . Cams refused to help the Falcons with sumps like they had the Torana . In 1975 cams refused to give numbers to Ford to homologate a Goss spec Falcon . There are many more issues which is why Ford pulled support from racing .
@@Steveaustin007 Alan has said that Brocky had oil pressure accelerting away for slow corners and the Ford had air! Quite simply the Ford pan was designed arse about. And the Falcon engine bay/ crossmember would not allow a rear pan well. The winged pans were used on XC? They were originally a ph4 part. Far from ideal but better. And the Yanks had made pans that worked on TransAm with trap doors and baffles. Same engines same standard pan.
Though come Commondore, they too had front well pans.
Dry sumping simply made the cars reliable, you do not race with one eye on the oil guage.
Ford wanted the rules changed to suit them,, Holden homolgated roller tip rockers on the L34. Which had a rear well pan.
And still exploded regularly. The Plastic Fantastic!
As for the roller rockers on the Fords with carefull engine building they were reliable enough. Though 1.72 ratio made then more vulnerable. BUT Ford could have homolgated them earlier. They were readliy available in the aftermarket.
LDN Wholesale Ford in 1975 tried to homologate a new XB evolution that John Goss listed and amazingly Ford agreed - Cams however would not give Ford an answer on car numbers and delayed so long they ran out of time so the program was quashed . The Specs included roller rockers and a vast array of improvements for speed / power and reliability. No wonder cams didn’t let Ford build it.
@@Steveaustin007 Whatever they did the Clevo anchor was still an accident waiting too happen. Especially when you are trying to open the valve 600 thou with a tin rocker,, even a roller throws a LOT of load into the stud. And bolt ons [ala y/t] simply break the 5/16 bolts. Or the now current Crane deal with a 5/16 bolt that becomes 7/16 and uses a 7/16 rocker. 6 grand and max about 520 lift and they still break
The Holdens were little better, the roller tip rocker was still a bolt on bridge, again 5/16. And they break!!!
And yes I do know about the Ford weaknesses as I Sprint and hillclimb an XE with a Clevo. Perfectly good pre 27A engine for the road but fragile for motorsport as well as HEAVY! As were those XBs. Post 27A a big thirsty gunker that does not go.
After playing with Chevs there will never be a comparison. And they had plenty of problems as well. The Ford is better cast and machined but is a heavy poorly oiled and cooled lump with a front well pan. That far too often has the floor pushed up as they are very vulnerable. That means lousy oil pressure and running a main or rod bearing. Been there and done several of those as roadcars.
Way better than the fake cars and drivers racing today.
How life has changed
Not always for the better...
Brock Bond and our Harry be absolute legends so to Alan Moffett I often wonder how very well he'd have done in a Holden
A lot of people didn't particularly like Moffatt , but make no mistake , he was the real deal . Would have been a Front-Runner in Holdens as well .
wow haven't seen this one from late on 1974.
Fantastic thanks for posting.
Ah, I remember it like it was just 1974. When Australia made cars, woman didn't have tattoos, and blokes had hair,.... some still do apparently?? We were all Yesterdays Hero.
Fantastic film!!!
My Sunbird never compared,but I have to admire these beasts
Yep, the good old days.
Cool THANKS for uploading!
Love your torrie mate 😍
My granddad walks in and asks "You watching the 70's Porno's with forced sound and everything?"
Awesome video .
Love it
Makes v8 super car look like what they are crap.
Love LX Toranas BORN to Fly
That was 74/75. They were LH L34’s.
My father knew Colin Bond he used to deliver bread to his house
in the 70s my father said he's a good bloke
Holden - Ford...... RIP
Colin Bond with Murray Walker at the start
Glad they have something from 1974 as there's only 30mins on bathurst1974 which is very sad Brocky was up by 6 laps by lap 118 till the engine let go I was at Bathurst a number of years ago and spoke to arron nonan and asked him the question he said unfortunately most of the 1974 race was thrown out by some arshole when channel 7 moved buildings I wonder if anybody of the public has it recorded it on vhs and converted it to disc with technology this days nomater how bad it is they could fix it
to see the whole telecast would be awesome, not sure anyone would have it on vhs as im pretty sure the public didnt have vcrs until the late 70s, but maybe some specialist mightve had the ability to record it from tv, who knows
@@johngoogle8635 it was 1980 the first vhs recorder was available in australia I just googled it and in America it was 1977 yes I highly doubt anybody has it which is sad as those l34 toranas were miles ahead of the Ford's it I'd pay good money to get the opportunity to watch the full race unfortunately I think it's gone forever now😔😔😔😔😔
@@markperkins8858 i reckon i can remember watching it on tv, a few weeks before my 5th birthday, what sticks in my mind was being excited that forbes was winning at one stage coz my favorite number was number 4, i was sitting on the floor watching on a little b&w tv in my parent's bedroom, also remember the rain and all the spray
A very sad day the old HDT workshop in the centre of Melbourne had been demolished.
Are you serious when did that happen may I ask and did they salvage anything and which hdt place was it Harry's or brockys which ever one it was it's still fucked and very sad that's motorsport history lost😢😢😢😢😢
I own sLR LX Toranas
9:15....welding aluminium with an oxy.
Can't you?
I never understood why Ford didn't drop a V8 in specifically developed Cortina or Capri. Would have made for some interesting racing.
Perhaps one reason is by that time Ford Australia switched to using the Cleveland V8 which was wider than the Windsor and impractical to fit in the Cortina and Capri. I've seen Windsors fitted to both, and even Escorts in the 70's by enthusiasts. Chrysler also should've considered a run of aluminum block 340's and fitted them to the Chargers and Centura's. What might have been?
@@erroneouscode Holden were always the media's favorite. Always given the lime light. My guess is regulations were made to stop Ford. However, as I suggested, a specifically constructed and developed small body car could have been produced to take the 8 whether Windsor or the Cleveland. Hell, Torana was too small until they changed the body shape.
Then again, I think Ford just gave up on Australian motor sport altogether, probably too big a battle with homologation. Ford were never going to win that battle.
And yes, Chrysler V8 in Centura would have been interesting.
@@crustydownunder Capri had v8s
@@crustydownunder early days it was all ford good old Moffat, till brocky he was a rockstar of racing people where installing drawn to him
@27:54 Is that Brock drinking Milk and Milo? :D
He was a huge tea drinker at the time, but it does look a bit messy for a cuppa tea.
@@gilesflower Tea is a diuretic. Milo is not.
Urination is a big concern in endurance races, take it from me.
I just love the jealous ford fans remarks,😂
L34 what?
Racing isn't exciting like this anymore
Elfin Safety!
H doesnt look much different! And the 'Hollywood' transporters. But the racing was probably better!
what sort of knob dislikes this ????
Brock could have won more bathurst
God damn irritating biased voiceover.. ugh.
The narration on this is so cheesy, lol. All Australian's spoke through their noses back then too, everyone sounded like Bob Hawke. No wonder there was a cultural cringe!