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Lobethal Grand Prix

on now until October 2008

Long before it became synonymous with an annual Christmas lights display, the sleepy Adelaide Hills town of Lobethal was home to magnificent racing machines travelling at daunting speeds on a hugely challenging circuit of more than eight miles. Legends were created with heroic displays of human bravery, inspired performance and epic endurance. On 2 January 1939 Lobethal was even home to the Australian Grand Prix – the last such race held before the Second World War interrupted the schedule.
Lobethal’s unique motoring heritage will be relived at the ‘Lobethal Grand Carnival’ on 11-12 October 2008. This will mark sixty years after the last races of 1948 and a timely seventy years after Lobethal Carnivals Ltd first recruited the services of a fledgling Sporting Car Club of S.A. and the Motor Cycle Club of S.A. to stage car and motor cycle races in 1938. In celebration of this event, the National Motor Museum has developed a display featuring a select number of cars and bikes that still exist from Lobethal’s past, including the following:

1948 MG TC Special ‘Tillet Special’ - Originally run at the 1948 Lobethal Grand Prix as a standard production MG TC, this vehicle was progressively modified throughout its racing career. Its owner Steve Tillet replaced the factory body with a sheet aluminium structure and won the 1951 Australian Grand Prix in W.A. In 1952 the chassis was shortened, radiator and body lowered and engine fettled by famous MG tuner Tony Ohlmeyer. In this form it contested the 1955 Australian Grand Prix at Port Wakefield. Around 1958 the aluminium body was replaced with one made from a new body building product, ‘Fibreglass’. Tillet then ran it at the 1961 Australian Grand Prix with a recently installed MG TF engine, again modified by Ohlmeyer. After the race it was sold and a supercharger was installed but it soon met with an unfortunate accident. Thereafter the remains were sold to the present owner who began a restoration in 1985. Since its resurrection it has competed in many historic racing events nationally.

1939 Ford V8 Special ‘Black Bess’ - This car depicts the very basis of Australian racing car manufacture. Based around that great Aussie icon, a Ford V8 utility, it was built by Doug Whiteford in 1939. This second hand vehicle was stripped of every last utilitarian vestige and converted to a pure racing machine. A coat of black paint gave it its name ‘Black Bess’. Its debut was the 1940 Lobethal New Years Day race. However an early retirement followed by a blown engine at a race in Albury W.A. brought an end to its pre-war racing career. When Doug returned from war service a, new Mercury (Ford) V8 motor was installed which was modified numerous times, benefiting from American ‘hot rod’ developments. From 1946 until 1952 the car was virtually unbeatable. A win at the 1950 Australian Grand Prix in Nuriootpa ensured ‘Black Bess’s’ place in Australian motor sports history. In 1954, at the Australian Grand Prix held at Southport, ‘Black Bess’ held third place for much of the race before a forced retirement. It continued to be used in local races, but by this time was no longer competitive against the imported European racing cars. The car was tracked down, recovered and restored before debuting at the 1977 City of Sydney Trophy.

1934 MG K3 ‘Magnette’
Before being brought to Australia by John Snow, this car had been raced extensively in Europe by Thai (then known as Siam) Prince Bira. Its first Australian outing was at Victor Harbor in 1936, when Lord Walerin retired early. The car changed hands several times before the Second World War but competed in the 1939 and 1940 Australian Grands Prix. In the hands of John Barraclough it took the 1949 Australian Hill Climb Championship and broke the 1500cc record. Up and coming racing driver Andy Brown came third in it at the1953 Australia Grand Prix held at Albert Park, heading off many later model cars. The car competed in the 1955 Australian Grand Prix at Port Wakefield, but did not place. In 1958, Tom Brady purchased the car. After an extensive rebuild, he campaigned it through the 1960s and early 1970s before passing it on to his then ten year old grandson, the present owner, who with his father continues to ‘exercise’ the vehicle.

1948 Morris Special ‘Bedmore’
This 1929 Morris Minor based special was constructed by Adelaide engineer Bill Jolly and competed at the 1948 Lobethal Grand Prix. As the result of a serious crash suffered at Lobethal due to brake failure, Jolly set about modifying his original design. It was one of the first vehicles in the world to feature disk rather than drum brakes. Supplementing the original Morris engine with a bigger Bedford engine, the car was christened the ‘Bedmore’. The car successfully competed at a number of South Australian racing events in the hands of such notable drivers as Tony Lucas and Roy Wooding before slipping into obscurity. In the late 1980s the ‘Bedmore’ was extensively restored by Ray Finch before passing into the hands of its present owner.

Other vehicles featured in the display include a 1950 BSA Bantam Racer, 1952 Norton International and a 1948 Vellocette KTT.
For more information on the ‘Lobethal Grand Carnival’ visit http://www.lobethalgrandcarnival.com.au