Old racecar pictures

General Discussion about the Datsun PL510
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bertvorgon
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Re: Old racecar pictures

Post by bertvorgon »

Yes, that is Byron and Jamie Mitchell. That is his car they are working on, Jamie had an end link failure at Knox. That is 1997, not sure how old Byron would have been, I was 47 then. I had some spare end link bits, so we had him going right away.
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan

Keith Law
1973 2 Door Slalom/hill climb/road race / canyon carver /Giant Killer 510
1971 Vintage 13' BOLER trailer
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Byron510
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Re: Old racecar pictures

Post by Byron510 »

greenthumb wrote:is that a young(er) Byron M changing that front tire on jpg 031?
If I can recall correctly, that's Knox in the early 90's - and yeas that is a much younger (and slimmer) me. That was an interesting day for Jamie, that car had been assembled for the first time the day before - and we are not talking just an new engine - the entire car had every part of the drive train and suspension swapped out fr another car, it fired late in the evening the night before in Vancouver - that car still needed to be transported 4 hours to Kelowna, passed through tech and on the grid by 7am the next morning.

The photo in question was taken just after radiusing the glass fenders with a burr on an electric drill as the new tires/wheels had not yet been mounted on the car for test clearance right before the warm up run. Jamie was the first car out of the grip that morning, and had a great day learning the car and posting some respectable times. It was not his first time at the hill, but his first day in this car - which he still drives today.
background: Byron Meston<br />foregroud: Jamie Mitchell
background: Byron Meston
foregroud: Jamie Mitchell
031.jpg (190.58 KiB) Viewed 4742 times
The unsung hear in this picture was Pat Roberts, who helped Jamie put the car together in the week leading up to this event. Pat send Jamie to get some sleep while he continued to put the car together. Pat was there - asleep across somebodies bench seat in the pits. I was just there at that moment to lend a hand, as I usually would at any time.

Funny you mention the hair Robyn. I had chopped my rocker hair by this point, but Jamie is still sportin' a good mullet. Sean K in the shot with his 1200 - that photo isn't as old as you think, that's in roughly 2006 when he was working with me at the big turbo shop (ABB). But there are many more photos with guys still sportin' their flowing locks. Keith, seeing the photos of you in your early 20's is great, because you were twice that when I first met you.
Seeing Andy and Colin 30 or more years younger as well is a kick back.
Keith, is that Don N in the 200SX in photo 012?
I have a few pics of Mark B's 13B Fast back 510 as well - this was definitely Westwood era photo - I remember that car well, especially in the enduro's.
Ice racing, Thunder in the streets (where you drove my car one year!) - great fun!
But I really got a kick out of the side of the road shot 048 - that must be me leaning on Malc's car, with Malcolm beside me talking to you. A very young Cam and Richard can be seen on the left, Nick M and Ray S have their backs to the photo. The Bronze wasn't even Bronze yet, it's still in it's white, unrestored state at that time - just how Bob Stevens had built the car in 1971. Very cool. I have precious few photos of the car before it was restored.
In 034, with Colin in the middle and you off to the right, those were the Westwood days before I even knew you. I was up there helping run Honda Michelin cars at that time. And that Specialty trailer still lives on with Malcolm's race effort.

Very cool - thanks.

Byron
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because the opposite never works.
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bertvorgon
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Re: Old racecar pictures

Post by bertvorgon »

Yes, that is Don Nimi, pre-pink wheels.

That picture of you guys is for sure 1997, the year I went sub 2. It was en end link failure.
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan

Keith Law
1973 2 Door Slalom/hill climb/road race / canyon carver /Giant Killer 510
1971 Vintage 13' BOLER trailer
510rob
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Re: Old racecar pictures

Post by 510rob »

I edited info into the fields for a bunch of Keith's pictures. If any of it is wrong, say so and we'll change it. If you see a question mark, that means I was guessing at period, place, person...
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bertvorgon
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Re: Old racecar pictures

Post by bertvorgon »

Thanks for tidying that up Rob. I have gone through most, at least to clarify names and places. Dates would take me longer, but I will work away at this segment of photos.

Now, if you faithful readers are enjoying this, I will continue. I have been writing a bit of history, as I experienced it, for the early days at Boundary Bay and of course my time at Westwood. Hopefully you will find it interesting, there are not many left like me who actually raced out there. I have also tracked down some information of Andy Fields 510, which will help with some of our local history again, and Jake should be happy with some of it, as it puts a lot of names in place and reminded me on two other shops in the 70's. One of which helped me with the killer suspension I ended up with in my 510 wagon....I even forgot abut them...that was 44 years ago.

The core group I was involved with really had the love of motorsport at their heart, where we did all sorts of cool things with solo type events and then dabbled in some fun types of rallying, one of the main ones being "The BLUNDERBUSS RALLY".

I will also scan in some of the pictures that go with that time period, even when the Trans-Am cars came to Westwood.

To be continued.....
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan

Keith Law
1973 2 Door Slalom/hill climb/road race / canyon carver /Giant Killer 510
1971 Vintage 13' BOLER trailer
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gooned
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Re: Old racecar pictures

Post by gooned »

As I am no where nearly as organized it would be a winter project for me to find any old pics, I do know we as a family have a ton of photos going all the way back to before I was born when dad & my uncle were running the turbo lotus cortina, lots of neat history.

Carry on with an archival posts Keith, time well spent before ones brain lets it slip into the ether...
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funwithmonkeys
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Re: Old racecar pictures

Post by funwithmonkeys »

I have to say that this is what I was hoping for when I started this thread. I, for one, could read these stories all day. Keep it up Keith. Maybe I should change the name to stories and photos from days gone by? Anyone else have some more stories and photos they want to share?
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bertvorgon
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Re: Old racecar pictures

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Before I get carried away by my enthusiasm for racing history, both mine and Solo in B.C., which are totally entwined, as I was significantly involved for so many years, is everyone ok that I post here? There will be a written account of the early days, coupled with pictures and stuff from that time period. I have dragged out my early photo album and found my "photo" packet of early Solo pictures from the 70's...even I forgot about some of them, which is now 45 years ago...Holy Mother of God where did the time go....?

I also, after spending two days looking for my DVD collection of transferred VHS and some 8MM movies, found the collection, Buried in the Bert Vorgon Archives. The most significant one, relative to this thread, is the 8MM movie I shot at Westwood, when I first went out there, and, an 8MM movie my late Dad shot of me at Boundary Bay running my 1972 Turbo 510 with the 1800 in it, on the "short" course.

The Westwood film has Andy Field in his 510 plus a few other 510's and Z-cars of the time. I have not watched it for a many years and forgot about the bell bottom pants and long hair I had, let alone the few spins and cones I got as I learned my craft.. there is a shot of John Haftner's run in his Porsche powered dune buggy too.

Also on here are the early track days of the 510 Club of B.C., with LOTS of 510's, and, I switch back and forth from my car to inside the GT car of Don Nimi, in the tube frame 510. Don's car sounds AWESOME as he runs to 9,000 RPM. There is an engine blow at the air museum we did, in a 510 too, pretty funny.

Many, many thanks to GREG510 on this site who did the transfer for me and set it to some period music.

Not sure of the later stuff, if you would find it interesting, but, If I can get Norm to post this up on the Net, we can link it to this post I think.

Let me know, as I need to spend some hours scanning photos and doing some colour correction.
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan

Keith Law
1973 2 Door Slalom/hill climb/road race / canyon carver /Giant Killer 510
1971 Vintage 13' BOLER trailer
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funwithmonkeys
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Re: Old racecar pictures

Post by funwithmonkeys »

Yes please Keith! I for one would love to see more of the history. I can can pick up some of the media you have and transfer it to digital and upload it to YouTube or maybe even just up on my own server. It takes a while to transfer and upload but very little of my actual time unless I end up watching them all as I do it (I probably will) but I would be more than happy to do it.
If no one from the future comes back to stop you from doing it then how bad of a decision can it really be?
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SteveEdmonton
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Re: Old racecar pictures

Post by SteveEdmonton »

Keith, I too am thoroughly enjoying your stories-- and pics-- and would be really glad to see more, including those videos.

I grew up in Burnaby in the 60s and 70s and spent a number of weekends at Westwood with my Dad and brother, watching the "big" races-- Players Pacific, Can Am, etc. I doubt I ever saw you and your car, or the "club" racing scene at all, but despite those regrets about the past I'm eager to see and learn from whatever I can about those days.

(BTW, what do you think of Tom Johnston's book, "Westwood"? I picked it up a few years ago and found it pretty interesting....)
'71 4-door
'74 MGB-GT
'04 Miata
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Re: Old racecar pictures

Post by The Taterhead »

Bonus 620 in the background of the second picture of "Mr. Guts" in the mud.
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bertvorgon
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Re: Old racecar pictures

Post by bertvorgon »

Thanks for the support!

The 2.0 liter engine that was in that 620 truck ended up as my first race motor in my 1973. I swapped the fellow for my 1800 after my 72' got wrecked. The fellow that owned that truck ended up with the largest used part's inventory of 510 parts ever to hit the lower mainland (1977-1979), as he started a small Datsun only wrecking business. When the 510 went into a bit of a decline in enthusiasm, he sold things off and a lot went to scrap!!!!!! If only we had a crystal ball.....

Steve, that is cool that you got to see those professional big races, very impressive some of those cars. I have not read Tom's book yet, I know at one point I sent him some info on the BlackComb/Whistler hillclimb, as there are very few pictures of it. Did any of that make the book?

I just finished this book, which I just found fascinating. It put a lot of the pieces of the puzzle together as far as the politics went with Motorsport in Canada, as I crashed around a bit with them with rules and other issues.

https://www.amazon.ca/Chequered-Past-Sp ... 0802090931
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan

Keith Law
1973 2 Door Slalom/hill climb/road race / canyon carver /Giant Killer 510
1971 Vintage 13' BOLER trailer
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SteveEdmonton
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Re: Old racecar pictures

Post by SteveEdmonton »

bertvorgon wrote:I have not read Tom's book yet, I know at one point I sent him some info on the BlackComb/Whistler hillclimb, as there are very few pictures of it. Did any of that make the book?

I just finished this book, which I just found fascinating. It put a lot of the pieces of the puzzle together as far as the politics went with Motorsport in Canada, as I crashed around a bit with them with rules and other issues.

https://www.amazon.ca/Chequered-Past-Sp ... 0802090931
Hey Keith, no I don't think there's anything about Whistler/Blackcomb in Tom's book. I flipped through it again quickly and checked the index and came up empty. It's pretty tightly focused on the Westwood track itself, and tells that story pretty quickly.

Interesting you just read Charters' book. I picked it up right when it came out and really enjoyed it. I wish I had been old enough to take part in some of the great, small-scale racing that seemed to be going on "everywhere" back in the day. By the time I finally got to a point in life where I might have contemplated getting involved, tracks were few... the cost of entry was (or just seemed to be?) higher... and, well, I guess there have always been a passel of other reasons too, why I haven't done it.

But reading about the heyday of the racing scene all across Canada was a blast! Thoroughly enjoyed the book.
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bertvorgon
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Re: Old racecar pictures

Post by bertvorgon »

Another event lost in history, I should write my own damn book.

I hope when I finish my thread here, I will have included enough to give a sense of what was going on, with lots of pictures. I have most of the text done and as it is supposed to rain on Saturday here, I am going to make a pot of coffee and start scanning pictures in.

We even had a 510 written off at Blackcomb, just after the start of the hill. There was a fairly hard right after you got up some speed from the start line. The driver just went in too hot with cold tires and buried it into a very deep ditch, with very large rocks. One had to be aware that we were in the mountains, so morning temperature's were very cool. Really sad as it was a nicely done 510.

I need to co-ordinate with Norm, to get some video on Youtube, and then linked here, so as to have some continuity. This thread will pass on to history too unless bookmarked.

I also in my searching the Bert Vorgon Archives found another DVD, which I called the Gary and Al show. It profiles a slalom at Boundary Bay, with myself and another member ( CHICKENMAN) who lurks here, plus a few others. It was done by one of the local cable companies ( Delta Cable ) if I remember correctly, so it is of reasonable quality. In the 70's CKVU..who morphed into GLOBAL TV, had a sports show on at 11:30 at night. They were always looking for stories then so we contacted them and they sent out a camera guy and reporter to film a slalom , go for a ride in my car, then, I WAS A TV STAR and got to go on SPORTSPAGE and talk about the Solo sport. I wish we had gotten a copy of that!
"Racing makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for something salty" - Peter Egan

Keith Law
1973 2 Door Slalom/hill climb/road race / canyon carver /Giant Killer 510
1971 Vintage 13' BOLER trailer
510rob
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Re: Old racecar pictures

Post by 510rob »

bertvorgon wrote:Another event lost in history, I should write my own damn book.
Yes, you should. It would sell.
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