THE Northam Flying 50 has become a firm fixture on the WA motorsport calendar, but this year it will feature a car likely to bring a tear to many an eye.
Good timing, too, because this year is the 50th anniversary of the first Australian Touring Car race.
The car, owned by Leigh Turner, is a Holden 48/215 and he tells of his beautifully-presented crowd-puller:
It was the car to have back in the 60s, the Humpy Holden.
Known as the FX, but in reality it was a 48/215 model. The Geoghegans, Stormin’ Norman Beechy, Garry Rogers, and anyone who mattered ran one, including a bloke called Don Green, from Melbourne.
He bought this particular car from his neighbour after it was retired from the taxi business, and set about turning it into a race car.
The category was called Appendix J and allowed for various tuning and suspension modifications, most of which are still on this car.
Don raced the humpy all through the 1960s,with some success and it appeared at tracks like Hume Weir, Winton, Lakeland and Calder.
It was acquired by Noel Simmons in 1972 and I bought it from him in 2003.
Noel had moved to Perth in 1974 and brought the old girl with him. He raced it a few times at Wanneroo Raceway, but by then, she was no longer competitive and was retired.
In the late 1980s Noel stripped the car and put it back to original Appendix J specs, as it had been morphed into a sports sedan with disc brakes and Holden Red motor, fitted with triple Weber carburetters, and so on.
The car itself is a 1950 build, 48 series Holden, body number 78409.
It has a modified Grey motor fitted, two 45DCOE Weber carbies (one venturi is blocked off to comply with the regulations) with three- speed gearbox and drum brakes all round.
It’s a hoot to drive, and always attracts a lot of attention whenever she starts up.
Conducted by the Vintage Sports Car Club of WA, the Northam dates are March 27 and 28.
There’s a hillclimb at Mt Ommanney on Saturday, followed in the afternoon by an autokhana in Minson Ave and a concert in Bernard Park.
On Sunday, March 28, the town streets are transformed for the Around the Houses regularity runs, with 24 events for the 100 historic and classic racing and sports cars entered.