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If you have some nostalgic pictures you would like to share then please post them here

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 #35984  by MisteR Tee
 
Some of you may have seen that I've been posting some of my eary pics on Facebook, Jon then asked that I post them on here as a lot of you don't do FB!! So, being an accomodating sort of fella, here they are, some are B & W & some are colour (color, for you colonials!) & go right back to 66 & even earlier in some cases. I started going there in 65(!) yes before it opened as I had become friends with John Bennett, Ted Jennings & Dick Lawrence, later joining the staff at JBs bodyshop after working on the magazine he owned, Drag Racing & Hot Rod. During this time I became part of Race Control, together with most of my car club at the time, the Con Rodders from SE London, several of whom went on to play a big part in organising the racing there.

Anyway, enough about me, you want to see some pics. These first few are from 66, don't know which meeting & sorry about the quality but we are talking about the box Brownie age here!!

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 #35985  by MisteR Tee
 
You may remember a while ago, there was a video posted of a light aircraft crash landing on the end of a drag strip during racing, several people commented o it & quoted similar events happening over here (it was in the US, this video).

Well, during my scanning of my old pics I came across these of a similar incident at SPR, no date for this but sometime in the late 60s. I'm pretty sure that's Stu Brad in the last pic, so it was probably after 68 when Brian Holmes emigrated to the US.

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 #35986  by ukdrn
 
Thanks for Re-posting these Maurice, what a nice chap you are.
 #35987  by MisteR Tee
 
Oh & this is a rare one of me in action doing my "photographic editor" bit! Tony Densham getting an award from the late & much-missed Ann Bennett, John Bennett just visible betweeen them & next to him is Bernie Davey. Looking at my hunched position, I would guess that I'm using the magazine Hasselblad, which explains why some are in B & W & some in colour (you could swap film cannisters over without spoiling the film).

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Junior dragsters are nothing new!

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My friend of long standing & also colleague, John Bennett, seen here cuddling up to my wife (although I don't think she was then).

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The Wheelie Stingray of course, probably fresh out in this pic.

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A rare shot from me of a bike!! Tony Bartums Impala Imp, blown Hillman Imp motor (according to KL).

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A trike, as yet unidentified.

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This looks all wrong, shouldn't the A40 be towing the Mini? Looking at it closely, that might be me standing by the A40, which would make sense as I would have had one of them around this time, so I was probably taking a keen interest.

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Finally in this segment, an Opus HRF with I think, Cliff Jones (but I may be wrong!).

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 #35988  by MisteR Tee
 
The winners pose with some of the cars.
The winners pose with some of the cars.
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Sorry about the size of these, haven't got the hang of re-sizing them when posting, makes some of them lose half the pic when viewed on the post but if you click on each one they show up in full. I'll try attaching them & see how that works out.

These are my pics of the Beach Party at Greatstones nr Camber Sands in Kent in 1968. I post these here mainly because they are virtually all dragsters, as there were very few hot rods customs around then.

I went down there with my wife (to be at that time) in Mike Collins 54 Chevy ceedan & slept on the beach under a polythene sheet(!). Any stories you may have heard about this weekend are entirely.......true!! Well, it was the 60s after all.
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The line up for the bikini competition, the eventual winner was Christine Skilton, 6th from the left, my wife/girlfriend is 4th from the left.
The line up for the bikini competition, the eventual winner was Christine Skilton, 6th from the left, my wife/girlfriend is 4th from the left.
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The two Anglia vans owned by Spa Engineering, one Hot & one Cold!  So called because the Hot one had a 3lt Vauxhall straight 6 lump & manual trans fitted.  It went rather well & was my regular transport bacl & forth to the Pod.  Thats Ian Penberthy, the editor of Drag Racing & Hot Rod Magazine & then Hot Rod & Custom UK, leaning over the wing.
The two Anglia vans owned by Spa Engineering, one Hot & one Cold! So called because the Hot one had a 3lt Vauxhall straight 6 lump & manual trans fitted. It went rather well & was my regular transport bacl & forth to the Pod. Thats Ian Penberthy, the editor of Drag Racing & Hot Rod Magazine & then Hot Rod & Custom UK, leaning over the wing.
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Half-a-Min, owned at this time by Brian Holmes,  he emigrated shortly after this.
Half-a-Min, owned at this time by Brian Holmes, he emigrated shortly after this.
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Goldrush.
Goldrush.
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Some of the assembled race cars
Some of the assembled race cars
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How do we get it down there???
How do we get it down there???
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Hustler on the top deck!
Hustler on the top deck!
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The John Woolf Racing transporter which became a party bus!!
The John Woolf Racing transporter which became a party bus!!
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Unloading Commuter
Unloading Commuter
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 #35995  by muddytalker
 
Exactly what Jon said. Thanks for posting these excellent period photos from days of the past MisterTee. By adding them here at least those who are not registered with Facebook will now have the opportunity to see how British drag racing used to be and understand its history more and appreciate some of its characters who have brought the sport along to where it is today. Looking forward to the next post.
 #35998  by MisteR Tee
 
Just a few more from a show held at Woburn Abbey in 1970, lots of race cars & dragsters attended as did a lot of people involved in drag racing then some of whom you may recognise.
This was the Glass Slipper, freshly imported Stingray belonging to Roger Marshall of Marshall Dickson Racing fame.
This was the Glass Slipper, freshly imported Stingray belonging to Roger Marshall of Marshall Dickson Racing fame.
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Some of the dragsters on display, Harold Bull's Strip Duster nearest.
Some of the dragsters on display, Harold Bull's Strip Duster nearest.
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A line-up of altereds including what was to become Fire Injun.
A line-up of altereds including what was to become Fire Injun.
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Nick Pettitt correctly identified the owner of the Vanguard as Bill Beeman but I got him with the name of the car, as he never knew it had one.  When I find the pic of it with it, I'll post it up.
Nick Pettitt correctly identified the owner of the Vanguard as Bill Beeman but I got him with the name of the car, as he never knew it had one. When I find the pic of it with it, I'll post it up.
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Awards time & a chance to identify some faces in the background behind Bill Marshall, winner of Street & Best Custom, being presented with his trophy by the Duke of Bedford.
Awards time & a chance to identify some faces in the background behind Bill Marshall, winner of Street & Best Custom, being presented with his trophy by the Duke of Bedford.
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Winner of runner up in Street, Ken Obee.
Winner of runner up in Street, Ken Obee.
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Ken Obee's car, a regular competitor.
Ken Obee's car, a regular competitor.
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Pretty sure the 100E in the background was mine, or at least the Spa Engineering courtesy car that I used a lot! Also think the Jaguar was Harold Bull's tow car.
 #36002  by CRR
 
It looks like Dave Watts helping to present the trophies.
 #36004  by shabby1
 
Great Pics,
Is the the second rail in the Woburn line-up with the Jag motor and front mounted Wade blower Limelight/Phaeton?
Chris.