Hello again from sunny Australia and my tale of young speedsters. In 1968, we were a great group of young friends, who, in our 20-year-old life, loved to share the interest in fast sportscars and certain beverages in many summers which never seemed to end.
My car that year was an 1965 MG B tourer with sparkling wire wheels, British Racing Green and black seats with white piping. The free spinning, three-bearing motor was specially modified with a balanced flywheel, clutch and crankshaft to match the performance-shaved head. It ran on 30% Methyl Benzine and 70% 100 octane fuel. FAST!
It was a hot Saturday summer night, and I attended a Farewell Evening for a Purchasing Officer who had worked for the same Mining company as me. At 3am continuing through the Main Street of town, I saw my friends gathered with their cars, chatting away in the hot morning air. Doug owned a Prince (Nissan) Skyline GTB, the first of these very fast cars that came out in May,1964.
The Skyline creator was Shinichiro Sakurai and he wished to capture the GT 2 class win at that year’s Japanese Grand Prix. He shoehorned a Prince Gloria G7, 2 litre OHC straight six (of Mercedes design) into the engine bay of a base Skyline 1500 4 Cylinder. The nose was lengthened 200 ml at the cowl to accommodate this new engine. Other additions were a 5-speed gearbox, 3 triple Webbers, a long- range fuel tank, a competition dash and a beautiful race steering wheel. FAST!
Doug said, “I believe I left my thongs (flip-flops) at the Mount Gipps Hotel earlier this evening.” This country pub was on a fast bitumen road 13 kms from Broken Hill and we all agreed we would go and retrieve them, but really it was an excuse to race each other there and back!!
So, the MG B was first away deciding no-one would pass it on the way! Then followed David, driving his new Honda S800 roadster with John as passenger. The Honda was a technical marvel and featured a 791cc twin cam 4-cylinder motor with 4 carbs and a roller bearing crankshaft. It was coupled to a conventional driveshaft and live axle. They would safely rev to 10,000 rpm and were put together like a Swiss watch!
Behind these two cars was Doug in his fast Prince (Nissan) Skyline GTB in third position.
In these days, the local police department in Broken Hill (and New South Wales generally) would use a combination of Ford F100 “paddy-wagons,” 4-door sedans and police motorcycles for traffic duties and law-enforcement. The town was a very wealthy one (look it up on the map) due to the rich mineral assets and every young (and old) driver had a fast and expensive car. The police decided to obtain a Morris Cooper S 1275cc to keep up the pace against local lawbreakers. This car was a very fast small car with many race and rally successes internationally and hard to beat with its handling and speed. In addition to the standard model , the police had 113 new special models made with upgraded twin 1.5 SU twin carbs (standard were twin 1.25 SU Carbs), a faster road/race camshaft, modified head, handbrake warning light and a deadly accurate, large additional 120mph (192 km) police speedometer, modified suspension and disc brakes.
So, as we sped down this road and, unknown to us, Doug in the Skyline had decided to exit the race and go home.
Speeding along, the MG B was still in front with David and John in the Honda S800 in continual hot pursuit on that dessert highway.
A white Morris Cooper S 1275 was noticed going in the opposite direction fast to Broken Hill and David said, “Hmmm, that is like the colour of the white Police Cooper S?”
It was, and as David looked in his mirror, he saw the Cooper S brake lights and a subsequent u-turn – they were now after us!! The Police Cooper S was in hot Pursuit!!
As we arrived at the Mount Gipps hotel, the MG B slowed and stopped for well-earned rest. The Police then pulled up at the side of the road and said, “We just clocked this MGB at 120mph.” My response was, “That is a big compliment for an MG B, no MG B could do that speed!”
The police said, “Where are you boys going now?” Myself and David and John in the Honda S800 said, “We are going home,” to which the police said, “Good idea – GO!”
David was booked for excessive speed and I was lucky to escape any fine!
Doug slept well that night and I think the thongs (flip-flops) remain at the hotel!!
