Motormarques.com | Classic car revival

 Martin Stubbs and Bill Hunter

Lineup of three Leo Bates built cars

Despite torrential rain over the weekend of 28/29 November, some rare and wonderful cars braved the weather to attend  the last Rob Roy meeting for the year 2010.

In order of arrangement :-

Below:  Outstanding was John Gillett's  blue 1934 MG K3 Magnette once driven by His Highness Prince Birabongse of Siam - Car No 30 - that leads our photo lineup. ' Hyacinth Blue was Bira's chosen racing colour.

The following information about this famous car was obtained from a display board shown at the Sandown meeting this year.

MG K. 3030

The Prince Bira

MG K3

K 3030 was the second last built of the 33 K3s manufactured in 1933/34 and the last to leave the factory

It was originally ordered by, and painted red for, Italian racing driver Pellegrini for his entry into the 1935 Mille Miglia, however Mussolini banned its import, and the sale lapsed.

In late 1934 or early 1935 it was purchased by Prince Chula Chakrabongse of Siam for his cousin Prince Birabongse.  Bira raced the car six times at Brooklands and Donington in 1935/36.  He lapped Brooklands at 109 mph that year.

John Snow bought the car to Australia in 1936 any grand the 1936 Australian Grand Prix at Victor Harbour (Lord Waleran).  Colin Dunne bought the K3 in 1937 and raced at Lobethal in 1938/39 (AGP)/1940 and at Bathurst AGP in 1938 and Phillip Island.   

After the war, the K3 was driven by Ron Uffindel and John Barraclough and passed to Lex Davison's ownership in 1949.  The car competed in the 1950 AGP at Nuriootpa, the 1953 AGP at Albert Park (Andy Brown came third) and at the 1955 AGP at Wakefield (Bob Burnett-Read)

In 1958 the K3 was bought by Tom Bradey of South Australia and raced by him, his son Peter and grandson Philip over 51 years.  Philip became its long-term owner and used it enthusiastically in Australia and overseas.  In 1988, on the invitation of the King of Thailand, Philip took the K3 to Thailand for the races to celebrate the birthday of the King and the achievements of Prince Bira.  Philip also took the car to the Mille Miglia in 1996 and raced it in Europe.

This famous car is in remarkably original condition and is now owned  by John and Helen Gillett in Melbourne.

Car number 137 - John Gillett's 1949 MG TC Special  with its history emblazoned on the side.

1934 MG K3 Special	John Gillett leaves starting line	1949 MG TC Special	John Gillett's TC

Below:: To keep with the MG theme for a while - the dark green MG   - Car No 87 - is the  1947 MG TC of Terry White.

Next to the TC  is another brilliant MG - car No 8. This aluminium bodied masterpiece  is  Doug Keith's 1934 MG NA Magnette. 

To the right of the Magnette is car No 143 -  Bruce Maplestone's 1966 Farr Special. 

The last photo in this group is Terry Wright in the Walton Cooper

Terry White - MG TC	Doug Keith - 1934 MG NA Magnette	Farr Special	Walton Cooper

Below: This row of pictures features three cars  constructed by Leo Bates. Leo (driving car No 64) has held FTD and outright record at Rob Roy on more than one occasion, and his engineering skills are legendary.

Car 49 is Darren Visser's Kawasaki-powered air-cooled car.  And to the right of that is the Paul Schilling air-cooled car, also powered by a Kawasaki engine  -  the JNX Special - with its well-known smoke trail. The 'Jinx'  was  specially prepared for the hillclimb this weekend, mainly due to the efforts and urging of Darren Visser, who ralied the troops, and performed a few mechanical miracles to get the numbers required to make up Class M.  

One of the 3 Kawasaki-powered cars engineered by Leo is car 60 (?163)  shown in our top-of-page picture. It was  found under a house, still in original if delapidated condition, and as Darren pointed out, with wheels. actually made by Leo.

Darren said, "This is the first time all 3 cars engineered by Leo have been together. Car #60  (running as Car No 63 today) has been under a house for 30 years. Leo made the wheels. It is probably the 1st time the M Class has been activated, I think. "
He recalls Motormarques' interest in the Chamberlain Special formerly owned by John Hazelden.  An exact replica of the Chamberlain is registered in Darren's name.

The last in this group of 12 photos is the magnificent   1953 Cooper Norton, car No 19, owned by Graeme Noonan. (see Drivers and cars)

Darren Visser	Paul Schilling	Leo Bates - Lobito	1953 Cooper Norton

	Leo Bates

Below: Taking  the meeting by surprise was the glorious little 1930 Austin 7 Sports driven by Barbara Hill.  

Two Austin 7 regulars: John Marriott and Trevor Cole   

Peter Matthews (Austin 7) fixing his helmet.

Allan Tyrrell, risking a draught in his un-bodied Austin 7 racer, car No 121    

The Millthorpe Special  (See Drivers and Cars)  

Ron Savage, Victoria's tethercar representative, 

and after the  Bike, the last in this group of shots is  Jim Russell in his 1939 Ford Racing

1930 Austin 7 Sports	John Marriott (L) and Trevor Cole (R)	Peter Matthews	Allan Tyrell

Ron Savage displays the tightly-packed engineering of his class-winning tethercar.

See also entries in Drivers and cars, including

 Alan Green

Paul Schilling

Note: Some of the above photos do not enlarge to their former big size. We have had to do this because of piracy by a site in the UK, claiming our photos to be theirs and offering them for sale. If readers want large-size photos or other information , please use the Contact Us facility in the Left Hand column of the front page..