I was at the salt flats when both Phil Hill and Goldie Gardner ran for
records. (two different occasions) Pretty awsome stuff in the roaring
fifties. Goldie Gardners car stopped on the back side from the pits when
they were doing the endurance run on the ten mile circle. He had a broken
rocker arm. I loaned the rocker from my stock MG. to the team so that they
could get the car quickly back to the piuts. Ah yes, days of yore. I was
also at the Flats when Donald and Geoff Healey were there running for
records with the Healey's. I rode out to the track on the flats several
times with Geoff Healey and he by far was the worst driver I have ever seen.
It was just a two lane road in those daysfrom Wendover Utah but he had
trouble keeping a 1953 Chevrolet beween the shoulders. Yet on the flats he
was terrific. At that time Geoff showed me how to trick the 3 speed gearbox
in the Healey 100 to get the fourth speed that was in the box but locked
out. Thinking about it there was a lot going on in those days after all.
----- Original Message -----
From: jonmac <jonmac@ndirect.co.uk>
To: <BillDentin@AOL.COM>; <Paul-Richardson@cyberware.co.uk>;
<fot@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 1999 3:15 PM
Subject: Re: Stranger than fiction
>
>
> >In a message dated 12/07/1999 2:54:11 PM Central Standard
> Time,
> >jonmac@ndirect.co.uk writes:
> >
> ><< Typically the French objected to the Triumph victoryt
> > saying that the
> > >speeds the Glorias achieved on the tests could not be
> > achieved unless the
> > >Glorias had 'big' engines. >>
>
> No, Bill - I didn't write that. Someone else did. I came in
> on the thread about the Cooper 'S' cars in the 1966 Monte.
>
> >Since my paternal ancestors where guys with first names
> like Jean and
> >Antoine, and they came to the USA from the Alsace one of
> the times Germany
> >took over, I must protest any suggestion that the French
> are Hard Losers. I
> >think we all look for an excuse when we bet beat.
>
> Ah, but you overlook the fact (perhaps unknown to you) that
> the Brits and the French have been at one another's throats
> for well over a thousand years. At the moment, they won't
> import our beef (probably any more than they're willing to
> import yours either) and the mutual animosity nation to
> nation is as alive and well as ever it was. Doesn't go
> necessarily to an individual level but nationally we hate
> one another's guts - and I don't presently see any
> likelihood of the picture improving in the next few days.
>
> >Fast Little British Cars makes me think of one of the times
> I heard PHIL HILL
> >speak. He was asked with all of his international motor
> sports history, what
> >single item impressed him the most. Without taking a
> breath he said
> >something to the effect of, "...driving for MG at the Utah
> Salt Flats. I
> >could not believe how much speed they could get out of
> those little British
> >engines."
>
>
> Next time you're in the UK, come to Gaydon. Then you'll be
> able to see not only the car but the engine as well to which
> Phil Hill refers.
>
> Jonmac
>
>
|