Historic race cars from overseas to compete in New Zealand

Word and Photos:

FTerry Collier

ormula Junior — a racing-car Formula from the 1950s — is celebrating its Diamond Jubilee with a massive international undertaking that started in 2016 and continues throughout next year.

To those not familiar with historic motor sport, and even some who are, the term Formula Junior might be a little confusing. To put it in its proper context, think of the years from 1958 to 1964, when the junior reference related to the senior class, which was then Formula 1. It was created in Italy in 1958 as an inexpensive, more accessible singleseater racing class, using commonly available components from standard production saloon cars powered by motors with a capacity under 1000cc — such as engines from Fiat and Lancia. The leading Italian makes were Stanguellini, Autosud, Volpini and Taraschi, and examples are racing in New Zealand historic events today.

The godfather of Formula Junior is considered to be Count Johnny Lurani, and today’s annual international Formula Junior series competes for the Lurani Trophy.

The Formula’s appeal was apparent from the start, as ‘Juniors’ were indeed scaled-down versions of Formula 1 cars of that time, mostly front engined and often reflecting Ferrari and Maserati profiles.

Other countries quickly latched on to the concept, in particular in the United Kingdom where Elva, Lola, Gemini, Mallock and others produced front-engined Formula Juniors based on BMC ‘A’ series and Ford 105E components. Other European countries and the USA followed with a range of cars, mainly one-offs or limitedproduction types, and in Germany and elsewhere the DKW was a popular platform for some of them.

Perhaps the most significant non-european FJ was the ‘BMC’ designed by Californian Joe Huffaker, built from Austin Healey Sprite / MG Midget bits and obviously using the BMC ‘A’ series engine.

Juniors weren’t just miniature Formula 1 cars, they also straddled an important time in terms of technological changes, in particular the move from drum to disc brakes and from front to rear engine designs.

For a variety of reasons Formula Junior in New Zealand took a typically Kiwi direction. The first two FJ cars to appear here in late 1960 were the Cooper BMC T52 imported by Denny Hulme and raced by Roly Levis, and the Lotus Ford 18 imported by George Palmer for Jim [Palmer] to drive. Both debuted at the 1961 NZIGP, but neither was fast enough to qualify. That was a disappointment for Palmer, in particular, who had actually finished seventh the previous year in the impressive 1960cc Lotus 15 sports.

Import controls of the time restricted access to further cars and the parts needed for local constructors, so Formula Junior as such never really progressed as a viable class here, and the cars were often slower than the old 500cc Formula 3 models. Nonetheless, they did look like real Grand Prix cars, and local engineers were quick to find ways for them to go a lot faster. In modified form they were very competitive in the Formula Libre class that operated in New Zealand until 1964, and in the subsequent Tasman Formula that limited engine sizes at 2.5 litres. The most common modification was simply installing a larger-capacity engine, and the Palmer Lotus 18 had the 998cc motor, eventually replaced by a 1340cc unit. Roly Levis replaced the 994cc BMC unit with a 1.5-litre Ford 109E engine, as well as fitting wider wheels and making a number of other changes. In this type of form Formula Junior cars were transformed and the trend was set. People eventually arranged for various ‘Juniors’ to be imported, often already fitted with the larger ‘Tasman’ engines. Many will recall the impossibly quick front-engined 1.5-litre Lola Ford raced by John Histed, and the 1340cc rear-engined Gemini MK3A

of Rex Flowers. In 1962 Palmer imported the first Lotus 20 with a 1500cc engine, and finished third in the NZ Gold Star Championship in it that year. Lotus 22s and the new Brabham BT2, and then the BT6, were also becoming popular, often fitted with 1.6- and 1.7-litre pushrod engines and/or the 1.5 Ford twin cam. By 1964, however, the FIA decided that Formula Juniors, now with an optional 1100cc engine class, no longer fulfilled their original purpose as an entry-level single-seater class, and that they were effectively dominated by quite sophisticated factory designs. It was decided that the Formula would be replaced by a new Formula 3, with restrictions on engines including a 1000cc capacity limit.

The first Formula 3 cars, despite having quite sophisticated chassis designs, were therefore often slower than the last Formula Juniors. In due course there were so many of these cars, including locally built models such as the Mccrae, Valour and others, that a National Formula was adopted for them with a maximum engine size of 1.5 litres.

Internationally and in NZ FJ has been undergoing a rebirth, in many ways for the reasons which made the Formula such a success between 1958 and 1964. They look like scaled-down Grand Prix cars of the period but can be restored, maintained and raced at a fraction of the cost. There are currently 25 or so FJS restored and/or racing in New Zealand, as well as a couple of closely related F3 cars. From Italy there are Autosud, Stanguellini, Taraschi and Volpini: from the UK there are Elva, Lola, Lotus, Cooper, Gemini, Emeryson and Brabham: from Australia, Elfin, from the USA you’ll find BMC Huffaker and Jocko, and from New Zealand the FMZ (but others like the Valour and Barden are under restoration). A number of cars are also either under restoration or awaiting restoration.

The International Formula Junior Association has just kicked off an ambitious worldwide celebration of the start of the class in Italy in 1958, with a series of races to take place in every country where Formula Juniors competed. Each segment is named after a leading Formula Junior figure in, or from, that country. The Australian section is the Ron Tauranac Trophy, and New Zealand’s is the Denny Hulme Trophy (Denny was one of the world’s most successful Formula Junior drivers in both Coopers and Brabhams).

The Diamond Jubilee anniversary project will conclude in 2018. Cars will travel from country to country as the series of events proceeds around the world, with the New Zealand section scheduled after Australia in January and February 2017. The first races will be at Hampton Downs, followed by the Skope Classic at Ruapuna and Evolution Classic at Teretonga. The caravan then moves on to North America, in what seems to be a quite exceptional international celebration of historic motor sport.

Mossgreen-webb’s will present for sale the car collection belonging to Wellington businessman Roy Savage on Sunday, December 4 at the Southward Car Museum. Savage began collecting cars some 40 years ago, and, over the years, has built an impressive collection of vehicles, ranging from Morris Minor utilities to a Jaguar XK140 fixed-head coupé, 1969 Mercedes Benz, 1996 Bentley Azure, and many more.

Mossgreen, Australia’s largest alldepartment auction house, recently acquired Webb’s and is now making a push into the local classic car marketplace; The Roy Savage Collection of Classic Cars marks its entrance to the market. Savage

has concentrated mainly on British classics in the latter years, with very defined parameters around what he’ll purchase — from full service history and logbooks and low mileage to ensuring all his cars are in very tidy original condition.

Next issue, we’ll look at the auction in more detail and include the full catalogue and some thoughts from those representing the collection.

For more details, visit theroysavagecollection.co.nz.