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Racing photos

sunbeam74

sunbeam74

Silver Level Sponsor
Check out this link.... images #40 and #41 are of the Visalia Dodge Boys Alpine (Skip Adrian and Tommy Elliot)

http://homepage.mac.com/johnwilson1942/sunbeam/index.html

There are some real interesting questions that arise.... I am pretty sure that the orange Alpine is the Sebring Alpine Andrew Martin now owns. However, it is on solid wheels versus wire wheels. (Technically you couldn't use wires after 67/68 in the SCCA so most cars were converted - it is a quick way to determine when a car stopped racing, too)

Anyway if the orange car isn't Andrews' Proctor/Harper Sebring car could it be the Miles/Spencer Alpine? Maybe.

Steve
 
A

AndrewM

Donation Time
Steve,

The orange #44 car is James Bragno who purchased the #41 Sebring Alpine in 1966 and sold the car to Mike McLaughlin in 1974. Mike raced it through 1976. Ted Block (West Covina Sports Cars) was probably the person who purchased the car from Rootes after Sebring and raced it until sometime around 1964. There is a gap in ownership between Block and Bragno. James Bragno told me that he can not remember whom he bought the Alpine from, but it was not Block.

If I am not mistaken, the #54 Alpine shown in pictures #42 and #43 is right hand drive. If the photo is taken in 1966/67, it could be the missing west coast Sebring Alpine! Do you know were the track is (Riverside?) and the approximate date of the photo? I can not make out the sponsor on the rear fender or the writing on the front fender. If there is a way to get a clearer image, we might be able to solve some mysteries. If the photo is prior to 1966, it could be the Block car after he sold it. Bragno told me the car was orange when he bought it. The car was silver before the orange paint. The car in these photos might be silver. However, the roll bar of the #54 car has a rear suport and a different windscreen than the Block's. Very interesting....

Andrew
 
alpine_64

alpine_64

Donation Time
Pic #43

The car has a sponsor XXX sports cars on the rear fender.

the car also seems to carry the sheild under the alpine badge of the series 3-V, is it possible the car is a S3?
 
A

AndrewM

Donation Time
Steve,

Look at photo #35. Right hand drive Alpine with Sebring headlight trim and hood latch in same spot as Sebring cars. I looked at a couple of west coast SCCA programs from the mid sixties. Serge May used #54. His sponsor was Larry Sports Cars (Larry Reed). I believe that the #35 picture is Serge May in car #54 during the September 1964 Santa Barbara F Production race. The # 39 MGA next to the Alpine is listed as Douglas Odom, Bud hand Sports car Service.

The Alpine is a darker color in the #35 photo, but the Ray-Dot mirrors and the roll bar with the rear suport is the same as the photo of the #54 Alpine in the #42/43 pictures. I think both photos are of the "missing" Sebring Alpine.

Andrew
 
sunbeam74

sunbeam74

Silver Level Sponsor
I believe that car number 54 (also 45) is Serge May's RHD Series 3 car. I don't thnk it was a Sebring car but it was a factory prepared car. You can just barely see the gas cap in photo number 43 and the badge below the Alpine script suggest that it is a 3.

This was the car that was;

Raced by Ken Miles
Sold to Serge May (Serge had a heartattach in the mid-60's, 65?)
Willard Clever, Sherman Oaks, bought it but George Cheyne my have owned it previously.
Then Ray Schuler in Peoria, Ill
Then Roger Saunders in Peoria, Ill
Then Don Stephen
Then Carl C. bought it...

I am almost positive that was one of two truely factory built Series 3's sent to the US for Ken Miles and Bob Grossman to drive. There is enough first hand evidence to say with some certainy.

- HJ Meyer bought Grossman's car and knew it's past
- Competition Press mentions the Grossman car as being specially prepared.
- In an interview with Grossman by Scott Christie he mentioned he drove the factory car for Rootes (1963 at Little LeMans and Watkins Glen)
- Roger Saunders, who bought the Ken Miles car, swore up and down that he had one of the Sebring cars but could never prove it. Photos and details suggest that it was pretty special. It certainly had some unique details.

They are great photos.



Steve
 
sunbeam74

sunbeam74

Silver Level Sponsor
As a side note, I wish we could add captions... it would help keep things straight.

Starting at photo #35 with the first Alpine:

35 - Serge May in the Series 3
36 - The Bob Richman Alpine possibly driven by Jim Adams, D. Jordan or Steve Froines (or any other driver that ran the car)
37 - Orange Alpine is a Sebring Alpine driven by ? (will have to check my programs)
38 - Car #184 Unkown - could this be the Hollywood Sports Car Alpine???? Window sort of looks right...
39 - #66 Sereis II, "Behler". Not sure who this is. Was he the one driving the #66 Tiger in the early photos?
40 - Tommy Elliot driving the "Visalia Dodge Boy's" Alpine
41 - Tommy Elliot driving the "Visalia Dodge Boy's" Alpine
42 - Car's 14 and 54. Serge May in 54 and 14 is the Bob Richman Alpine
43 - Serge May


I really wonder if car #184 in picture 38 is the Hollywood Sports Car Alpine in a later life (Life after HSC)

STeve
 
sunbeam74

sunbeam74

Silver Level Sponsor
As another note, Davey Jordan said the photo of the Orange #44 was taken at Santa Barbara. For the May 1965 event I show two orange Alpines!

1) #49 Denny Harrison
2) #54 George Cheyne

For the september Santa Barbara event I show:
Les Nelson driving an orange Alpine (no number listed)

It really becomes a tangled web with these Orange Alpines.

Steve
 
sunbeam74

sunbeam74

Silver Level Sponsor
John Wilson posted new photos, too.

http://homepage.mac.com/johnwilson1942/alpine/index.html

I think the red Alpines #69 is Don Sanasac and the number 67 is William Rushton (the Alpine that was in Herbie - I need to check this... it was one of these cars). I believe, or at least Don Stephan said, he believed this was the car he was racing. It is now owned by David Oliveri.

http://www.vintagemotorsportphotography.com/servlet/the-SCCA-RACE-CARS/Categories

BTW, you can buy these images, too. If you are interested DO IT! John has provided some of the best images from the West Coast I have ever seen. All of these are pretty special images.


Steve
 
sunbeam74

sunbeam74

Silver Level Sponsor
No, I haven't seen any of Ralph Bowyer's car. However, most of these images seem to be from 65-68. I am pretty sure Ralph had moved on to other cars by then.

Steve
 
sunbeam74

sunbeam74

Silver Level Sponsor
I had to chuckle when I got this email from Corb Flick regarding John Wilson's photos:

http://homepage.mac.com/johnwilson1942/alpine/index.html

"Steve, Finally some stuff I can help you with. Pic#1, Me (Corb Flick) in my #69 Alpine & Chuck Willis in Pietro Filia's #67,1967 Santa Barbara road races , Chuck built both of these cars. I wrote off this car in turn 6 during the support races for the 1969 Times Gran Prix Can Am at Riverside Raceway. I raced this car 1966 to 1969, I built another Alpine and raced it till 1972.

I have boring details of what I think of the crappy 1725cc engine and how Chrysler ruined Rootes, but you know all about it anyway. Pic#2 car #44, I think is Jim Dittemore '67 Santa Barbara.#3 me '67 Santa Barbara .#s 7,8&9 car #66, I think is Skip Adrian at Willow Springs 1968. k, Corb"


Corb's #69 was really good looking... I think in the programs they list the color as Chiante. One of these cars I believe can be seen in the first "Herbie" movie.

Steve
 
alpine1963

alpine1963

Diamond Level Sponsor
In photo 1511 it appears the Alpine driver is being told he was number one by the driver in front of him.

Cheers,
 
sunbeam74

sunbeam74

Silver Level Sponsor
Todd,

Yes, at first I thought he was telling the Tiger driver which side to pass on...
but then I realized the Porsche driver was politely telling him he's "number 1" in his book.

Hmmm... communication on the track can be confusing.

Steve
 
M

monimay

Donation Time
Hello,
my name is Claire May and Serge May is my long-deceased uncle, whom I never met. I tried to look at some of the photos with him but cannot succeed. Can you help me? Our family would be thrilled. Clairebusiness@online.de. Thanks ever so much
 
Alpineracer8

Alpineracer8

Donation Time
Ms. May:

The person you really need to visit with is Steve Silverstein as he is accepted as being the authority when it comes to the racing history of Sunbeam Alpines in the U.S. Unfortunately, I don't believe Steve hangs around on the SAOCA site much anymore. Your best bet would probably be to send an e-mail to the site administrator to see if he could put you in touch with Steve. I think you will find Steve most eager to help you in your search for info on your uncle's Alpine racing exploits.

Best of luck,
 
Alpine 1789

Alpine 1789

SAOCA President
Diamond Level Sponsor
Steve is "Sunbeam 74" who started this thread and he can be reached via his profile on this forum. As far as I know, his contact details are still current, even though he doesn't visit the forum as much as he used to.
 
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