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posted on November 21st, 2012 at 07:55 AM
1960 Armstrong 500 - 36 or 40bhp VWs?
I recently had a query from a fellow who was a spectator at the very first Armstrong 500, at Phillip Island in 1960.
This was the very first of the annual 500-mile production car races, later moved to Bathurst in 1963 and evolved into the famous Bathurst 1000 we know
today. In 1960 there were five classes - Class A - Up to 750cc; Class B - 751-1300cc; Class C - 1301-2000cc; Class D - 2001-3500cc; Class E - Over
3500cc. There were four VWs entered in Class B.
The VWs finished fifth, sixth and seventh in Class B, behind three Simca Arondes and a Triumph Herald. The VW drivers were Ken Orman / Max McPherson,
David McKay / Greg Cusack, and Arthur Wylie / Ken Wylie. The fourth VW of Eddie Perkins / George Reynolds did not finish (ran out of petrol). The
'overall' winner of the event was a Vauxhall Cresta.
Anyway the question is - what sort of VWs were run that year? Were they 36-bhp or the new 40-bhp models?
In Australia the new 40-bhp model was first launched by Lanock Motors at a function at the Coogee Bay Hotel on 18 October 1960, where it was shown to
the VW dealer body and the press. The model went on sale to the public in early November.
The Armstrong 500 was raced on Sunday 20 November 1960, after entries had closed on 21 October. Was there time for the VW teams to have sourced the
new model, prepped and tested them in time for the race?? Could they have sourced the new models from Germany, where the 40-bhp model appeared a few
months earlier? Or did they just use existing Australian 36-bhp models?
I have looked for reports in both the Sydney Morning Herald and the Melbourne Age (which are on fiche in the State Library) but they do not say and
only give basic results. The race was small and unknown in 1960 and was not mentioned in the Daily Mirror or The Sun at all.
More details may have been published in Wheels or Modern Motor in Dec 1960 or January 1961, but I don't have copies.
The only clue I can find is several fantastic shots of the 1960 race at the http://www.autopics.com.au website. They show VWs with blinkers on the front guards - indicatiing that they are in fact
the new 40-bhp models.
Can anyone confirm?
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posted on November 21st, 2012 at 08:47 AM
Phil, the blinkers came out mid 1960, along with baked enamel. - still 36hp though. I think the VWs in the 1960 race were 36hp, but please correct me
if I'm wrong.
I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!
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posted on November 21st, 2012 at 09:50 AM
Hi Phil
Just yesterday I was going through my old mags ,and there is an article about 500 mile race at philip island in the Royal Auto Journal (RACv)
November1960 issue.I could scan & email it to you.Dec. or Jan may have some reference but I havent got those.
Paul
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posted on November 21st, 2012 at 09:53 AM
Ps just got your pm Ill give copy to Birchall & directory.
Paul
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posted on November 21st, 2012 at 11:27 AM
Hi Greg, I was hoping you would reply as you would be more familiar with these than anyone. George Reynolds and Eddie Perkins have passed on; not sure
about Greg Cusack. And who knows where the other 1960 VW drivers are now - I doubt they'd be on Facebook (I'm not on it myself).
Anyway yes I'm trying to establish whether the 1960 race VWs were 36 or 40hp. With the 40hp model not released locally until a few weeks before the
race, it seems unlikey they could have been set up and tested in time to race. I am also not sure of the race regulations for the early Armstrongs -
did the cars have to be made or assembled in Australia to be eligible?
This is a VW ad from November 1960, explaining the new 40-bhp model and its new features. In the bottom paragraph it mentions flashing turn indicators
- but as you say, VW Australia never introduced all changes at once but introduced them gradually over a few months. There was indeed an
'intermediate' model released a months before the new 40-bhp model officially appeared, that did have push button door handles, horn ring and
flashers (instead of trafficators) - but still with the 36-hp engine, crash first and older fuel tank. In the October 1960 Modern Motor there's a
report and a reader's letter about this 'in between' model he spotted.
Perhaps that is what the 1960 Phillip Island VWs were - 36-hp models with the Sept-Oct 1960 external features?
If anyone has Wheels or Modern Motor from Dec 1960 or Jan 1961 please let me know.
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posted on November 21st, 2012 at 11:30 AM
This is a blow-up of the text in case it's too hard to read:
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posted on November 21st, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Phil, the push-button door handles were on the late '59 Beetles, along with softer rear torsion bars, horn ring etc. I bought one in January, 1960
that had semaphores and lacquer [Duco] paintwork. In July my Dad bought one that had blinkers, and baked enamel. Got even in April, 1961....I bought my 40hp.
Not sure about the P.I. Armstrong 500s, but at Bathurst there was no 'Australian built' rule.
I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!
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posted on November 21st, 2012 at 12:02 PM
I'm not sure but this well spoken well dressed gentleman might elude to what the car restrictions were for the early races
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posted on November 21st, 2012 at 01:04 PM
Thanks for your clarification Greg - nothing beats first-hand experience! Interesting that VWA is advertising 'new' and 'up-to-the-minute'
features that had already been included for almost a year.
Still no closer to working out whether the 1960 race cars were 40bhp or not. I found a complete entry list for the 1960 Armstrong 500 here: Some
interesting makes and models there.
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posted on November 21st, 2012 at 03:00 PM
Quote:
Originally
posted by modulus
Not wishing to hijack, but what is the distinction between the 36 and 40 HP? Was this the move from 1200 to 1300 or something else?
Thanks in advance.
I thought of saying "4hp", but decided not to.
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posted on November 21st, 2012 at 03:42 PM
Quote:
Originally
posted by HappyDaze
I thought of saying "4hp", but decided not to.
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posted on November 23rd, 2012 at 07:35 AM
The 36-bhp and 40-bhp engines have the same bore and stroke (77 x 64 mm) and hence the same 1192 cc capacity, but are completely different engines.
The 40-horse was a complete redesign, so there are hardly any parts compatible between the two.
Only the very first imported VWs in late '53 and early '54 had the even eariler 30-bhp 1100cc engine. By the time local CKD assembly began in June
1954, they were fitting the 36-bhp 1200, and this was the model that was tested in all the earliest newspaper and magazine road tests of the time. All
the Redex, Mobilgas and Ampol Trial VWs of the late '50s were 36-hp.
Germany introduced the 40-hp engine in August 1960 but we didn't get it until November 1960 (although revealed by Lanock Motors in October 1960).
Since the first Armstong 500 was in November 1960, the question was which engine the race cars had. I trust Greg's memory, so I'll go with him and
believe they are the older 36-hp engine unless evidence to the contrary comes to hand. Obviously the next two Phillip Island races in 1961 and 1962
were 40-hp cars, plus the first two Bathurst 500s in 1963 and 1964. Beetles didn't race at Bathurst again after that. The last air-cooled VW to race
at Bathurst was a solitary 1500 Type 3 sedan in 1968.
The 50-hp 1300 engine was another new design, which we didn't see until 1966. It wasn't an improved 40-hp engine, but was based on the different
1500 that was first used in the Transporter and Type 3.
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posted on November 23rd, 2012 at 09:21 AM
Hey Phil, I just thought if you could get the lap times at Phillip Island for 1960 and compare to '61 if there is a significant difference between
the 2 it could be surmised that the '60 was indeed 36hp.
Short of getting a photo of an engine from the race this might be a good indicator....
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posted on November 23rd, 2012 at 07:07 PM
The only thing I can add is that my first beetle was an Aussie 1960 and it had blinkers, 36hp engine and a split cased tranny.
Chassis number was 3120338
Engine number was 3789026
The transporters got the bastard40hp engine first in '59(?), but the good(better) 40hp engines were still before the bug(early in 1960?),
so smart racers would have visited the spare parts department and perhaps upgraded before the race.
Interesting times.
Quote:
Originally
posted by westi
That's mad Alan.
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posted on November 26th, 2012 at 07:29 AM
Thanks guys for your suggestions. Comparing lap times is a great idea but not sure where I would find that data. The NSW State Library has Wheels,
Australian Motor Manual and Modern Motor in their stacks, so might be worth a look next time I have a spare day. They may also have some more useful
photos. But their reports may not have lap times - we will see. Was there a good Australian auto racing magazine around in 1960 that the State Library
may also have?
Unfortunately the Phillip Island track broke up significantly in '61 and '62 (and only ONE VW raced in '61), so lap times may not be as significant
as we hope. But worth a look anyway if possible.
Yes Dave I imagine that the race teams could have easily sourced the new 40-bhp engine prior to November 1960, as German VWs already had them and they
would have been available as spares. Not sure whether that would have been legal though, under the race rules of the time. Greg can you tell us what
was allowed, and not allowed, to be done to the cars when you raced in '63?
Got even in April, 1961....I bought my 40hp.
