AMPOL 1958 Around Australia Trial

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AMPOL 1958 Around Australia Trial



Class Winners:

Ampol Trial 1958
  • Up to 750cc: R. McNair, Lloyd-Hartnett (323 points)
  • 750cc to 1100cc: J. Byrne, Morris Minor (72 points)
  • 1101cc - 1500cc: J. Witter, Volkswagen (10 points)
  • 1501cc - 3000cc: A. C. McGrath & Co., Holden (9 points)
  • 3001cc and over: J. Davey, Chrysler Royal (25 points)

State Prizes:

  • New South Wales: Regal Motors - Vanguard
  • Victoria: Alan Coffey Motors - Zephyr
  • Queensland: Palmer's Garage Pty Ltd. - Volkswagen
  • South Australia: L. Saunders - Holden
  • Tasmania: Dean and Weston - Volkswagen
  • Territories and Overseas: R. Gudgeon - Peugeot 403

Team Prize: Vanguard, cars 7, 28 and 160
Woman's Prize: Mrs. Ruth Corbett - Holden
Married Couple's Prize: Mr and Mrs Withers - Holden

Please Note: You can sort this listing by simply clicking on the column heading
VEHICLE DRIVER(S)
1
Holden A.C. McGrath & Co.
9
2
Standard Vanguard A. D. Hughes
10
2
Volkswagen J. Witter
10
4
Ford Zephyr Coffey Motors
12
5
Peugeot 403 Flamingo Motors
15
6
Standard Vanguard Regal Motors
22
7
Volkswagen R. Christie
23
8
Chrysler Royal J. Davey
25
9
Peugeot 403 R. Gudgeon
29
10
Volkswagen G. Reynolds
31
11
Volkswagen R. Smith
40
11
Simca A. Gilbert / S. Tosh
40
13
Holden Mrs R. Corbett
43
14
Peugeot 403 W. Wilcox
51
15
Peugeot 403 G. Green
52
16
Vanguard Standard Motor Company
55
17
Holden Mrs B. Withers
56
18
Volkswagen Dean & Weston
57
19
Volkswagen S. McGlashan
61
20
Ford Zephyr D. McKay
64
21
Ford Customline D. Marks
69
22
Morris Minor J. Byrne
72
23
Volkswagen Palmer's Garage
74
24
Holden L. Cozens
75
25
Morris Minor R, Kingham / T. Frazer
80
26
Ford Customline J. Farrow
85
26
Holden P. Cullen / Garard Taxi Trucks
85
28
Austin Lancer Monumental Motors
86
29
Simca V. Wilson
90
29
Ford Zephyr J. Priddle
90
31
Peugeot 203 A. Griffin
104
32
Peugeot 203 G. Williams
105
33
Fiat 1100 J. Murray
109
34
Dodge M. Wallace / I. Flynn
110
35
Peugeot 403 B. Waples / N. Watt
112
36
Morris Major Barry Motors
117
37
Porsche K. Tucker
131
38
Simca K. Tubman
135
38
Holden L. Saunders
135
40
Standard Vanguard R. Scarlett
137
41
Ford Consul Mrs F. Murray
145
42
Holden T. Black
150
43
Peugeot 103 Bombadier Motors
161
44
Austin E. Patten
172
45
Fiat 1100 R. Bunge / G. Bunge
174
46
Morris Major Delore Motors
179
47
Volkswagen G. Kook / J. Ritchie
183
48
Holden T. Prestland
184
49
Peugeot 403 Mrs D. Betts
189
50
Morris Minor Norm Porter
190
51
Morris Minor Peter Lloyd Ltd
196
52
Morris Minor L. Young
200
53
Volkswagen Lorna Gamble / K. Gamble
236
54
Holden L. Fiebig
215
55
Peugeot 203 A. Crabbe
223
56
Morris Minor B. Lloyd / W. Machin
237
57
Peugeot 403 K. Pollack / B. Williamson / B. Germyn
281
58
Standard 10 H. Drew / W. Cousins
284
58
Holden R. Hawke
284
60
Morris Minor K. Hogan / C. Baartz / R. Gablonski
287
61
Volkswagen C. Sheedy / R. Frazer
292
62
Morris Major V. Curtin / H. Williams
300
62
Volkswagen C. James
300
64
Morris Minor J. Halls
302
65
Ford Anglia Broons Motors
311
66
Lloyd-Hartnett Lloyd-Hartnett Distributors
323
67
Morris Major Morris Limited
344
68
Moris Isis R. Dunbier
392
69
Peugeot 403 J. Harrison
424
70
Holden Alma McClelland / H. McClelland
429
71
Ford Customline L. Shallard
558
72
Lloyd-Hartnett Lloyd-Hartnett Distributors
591
73
Volkswagen J. Rehders
709
74
Ford Customline R. Castle
722
75
Morris Major C. Hook
862
76
Rolls Royce Mrs Blanche Brown
818
77
Renault Dauphine Stevron Motors
960
78
Morris Major Peter Lloyd
1206
79
Renault Fregate Doctor I. Arcovics
1270
80
Renault Dauphine K. Sheedy / E. Meyn
1426
81
Holden Mrs N. Williamson
1721
82
Renault Warren Motors
2094
STARTERS AND FINISHERS
CAR
STARTED
FINISHED
Austin
3
2
Chrysler
2
1
Citroen
2
0
Dodge
1
1
Fiat
5
2
Ford
19
10
Goliath
1
0
Hillman
1
0
Holden
21
12
Humber
1
0
Jaguar
1
0
Lloyd-Hartnett
2
2
Mercedes-Benz
1
0
MG
1
0
Morris
17
15
Peugeot
13
12
Porsche
2
1
Renault
11
4
Rolls Royce
1
1
Simca
4
3
Skoda
1
0
Standard
9
5
Vauxhall
1
0
Volkswagen
27
13
Willys
1
0
More A Test Of Driver Than Car, But Still Extremely Tough:

With the 1957 Mobilgas trial almost becoming a non-event, it was fortuitous then that CAMS decided to work with all concerned parties to help ensure the success of the 1958 events. The start date for the Ampol trial was moved forward to May 18th, the subsequent Mobilgas event scheduled for August 20th,  this allowing some time for the dust to settle and, more importantly, the public to have a breather from motor-sport also.

Further adding to the allure of both trials, the routes chosen were very dissimilar. The Ampol event covered some 7,500 miles (12,068 km) and encompassed the three eastern Australian states. By contrast, the longer Mobilgas event would circumnavigate Australia and cover over 10,000 miles.

Directed by motoring identity Evan Green, the concept taken for the Ampol trial was to open up new and difficult back country roads on either side of the Great Dividing Range. There were some terrific roads utilized, around areas such as Wauchope, Walcha, Armidale and Kempsey. There were even several hill-climb stages, and much of the tarmac already well known and used by the various state car clubs was included in the route.

But best of all, for the loyal Australians anyway, was the win by Holden. Don Garard, this time without the addition of mystery “water in the fuel tank” as had occurred in the previous years event, would combine with ambulance superintendent Jim Roberts to take out the event.

But it was certainly no walk in the park, with other drivers and car makes going head-to-head. The Garard/Roberts win was only one point clear of the second placed Standard Vanguard and Volkswagen. Ford’s, Peugeot’s and even a Chrysler were in the mix, making it an enthralling event right to the finish line.

There were 161 entries for the event, although only 148 would actually start over the Mille-Miglia style ramp at Bondi Beach, where there were around 50,000 spectators. The event declared itself more a test of driver expertise than car reliability, the emphasis being on a drivers ability to maintain high average speeds over relatively good, if little used roads. This in turn attracted some quality entries such as Bill Burns in his Jaguar XK120 hard top, and even a couple of Porsche 1600’s.

Leaving Sydney, the cars would travel to Bundaberg, then Roma, Toowoomba and Stanthorpe. The organizers incorporated a very difficult hill climb just outside Wyong on the very first leg. Few could beat the required 6 minutes for the 4.7 mile (7.56 km) stretch, only Brooks and Firth’s Vanguard and John Hall’s Porsche 1600 getting over the line.

As there were higher than average speeds required, many drivers came to grief, and unfortunately none more so than Myles Dillon, who was killed when his car left the road near Taree. Only 138 cars reached Brisbane , although John Hall would be forced to withdraw when the Victorian constabulary reported that his driving license had been suspended some months earlier.

There would be another death near Murgon, when Melbourne police Detective-Sergeant Paulin crashed his Holden, although a later coronial enquiry noted a possible cause of death could have been a heart attack. The route then went down through the New South Wales western districts, winding a crisscross path that encompassed Moree, Narrabri, Tamworth, Coonambie, Dubbo, Lithgow and Parkes.Then down through Cowra and Young, over to West Wyalong, then Griffith, Wagga and Albury.

Once across the Victorian border the drivers would head as far south as Ballarat before heading north again, through Ararat and Stawel to Kerang, then on to Swan Hill and Mildura. Once across the South Australian border, the route went as far west as Port Augusta, Iron Knob and Whyalla, then down to Port Pirie and on to Adelaide. Jack “Gelignite” Murray had been keeping pace with the leaders up until now, however his navigator made some dreadful errors that would result in his going from 6 points to 81.

Crossing the border once again between Naracoorte and Edenhope, the teams traveled as far north as Warracknabeal before again turning south and heading to Hamilton, then back across the state border to Mount Gambier, then along the beautiful Victorian western coastline from Portland to Apollo Bay.

It was on the Port Campbell – Apollo Bay section that the race was won and lost. Rain and various road-works combined to make this stretch far more treacherous than perhaps intended. Amazingly the two Garard teams dropped only three points each in their FE Holden’s, and Doug Stewart, driving Witter’s Volkswagen lost only four. But the rain would see some competitors get bogged and, eventually, block the road. Those following had little choice but to help their fellow competitors out of the mire.

A fairly traditional route followed their departure from Melbourne, traveling through Sale, Bairnsdale and Orbost. There were two spectacular write-off crashes in the section to Sale via Welshpool. In the first, a Volkswagen rolled 70 metres down an embankment, followed minutes later by a Holden when the driver was dazzled by the rescue parties lights.

Fortunately nobody was injured. The 1958 Ampol Trial was a wonderful success, and many declared it to be the best ever, but unlike Juan Antonio Samaranch we are not tempted to to make such a statement, but will simply state that it was indeed very good.

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