Monday, April 9, 2012

ProdSports and after.

Being a bit of a hoarder I still have my old "Prodsportsman" newsletters. In the 70s they were still printed on foolscap paper and on a Gestetner, just like the early Slipstreams. The photos weren't too flash but interesting nevertheless. Here's a few.
Doug, Barry and Ron.
The Main Bolwell and the Docker Bolwell. However that's not Barry driving No.25, it's the "Good Captain".
This is what John Latham drove when not driving the Midget.
Ranald.
This is Alan Edwards pre Bolwell. Alan Hanns was also pedalling a Datto pre Bolwell. Both their Datsuns went North afterwards. If you are wondering why there's no John Gourlay Bolwell in this lot it's because around this time he was stepping out of his ProdSports Spitfire and into a very quick Midget. John Latham ran a Midget as did Alex Tsakmakis. Speaking of Alex, here's one of him in the Bolwell leading Ron.
B8/75 was a very formidable racecar but the ProdSports career was shortlived. It was a very quick road car too, probably still is.
I took this photo soon after, in its roadgoing phase.
It was at the back of a warehouse in a lane behind Elizabeth Street, that part on the other side of Latrobe Street that heads out to Flemington Road.
Same car? Looks like it. This was taken by Warwick at the 1979 Victorian Show 'n' Tell. Tell me Peter, who was the P-plated member at that time.
We in SA were unfamiliar with the car until it turned up in Performance Cars yard on North East Road where it was bought by the late Gus Safranko.
It was a very quick car then, with Gus making it much quicker again.
When Gus eventually sold it, it went to the Apple Isle to Mark Williams. Mark may still have it, I'm not sure.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I haven't been able to determine who owned the car at the 1979 Show and Tell, I do know that Terry Spooner had it in a shed at Frankston after AlexT stopped racing it, I was told that at his last event he over-reved the motor and the pressure plate went up through the windscreen!
PeterG

John L said...

HI JOHN
MARK WILLIAMS WHO IS NO LONGER WITH US SOLD THE ORANGE NAGARI TO A GUY IN DEVONPORT TAS JIM SHANAHAN KNOWS WHERE ITS LIVING REGUARDS ROB WRAGG