Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix - Pics Posted

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C J Murray
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Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix - Pics Posted

#1 Post by C J Murray »

Looking for something to do tomorrow??? This will be a bazaar event with cars and motorcycles made before 1966 competing through the streets of Coatesville PA. It must be seen! Pre-War GP machines up to cheater 1963 Porsche coupes(mine) competing at break neck speeds! Period dress encouraged, not required. Come watch amazing acts of skill performed by man(woman) and machine.

link...
http://www.coatesvillegrandprix.com
Last edited by C J Murray on Sun Sep 25, 2016 2:38 pm, edited 2 times in total.
'57 Speedster
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Ron LaDow
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Re: Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix TOMORROW!

#2 Post by Ron LaDow »

You left out the part about the tow trucks.
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Re: Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix TOMORROW!

#3 Post by John Brooks »

Makes me almost wish I was back east. Everyone who can needs to go.

When I was in Australia many years ago, they had a similar traveling event, "Around the corners racing". Small country towns were made in to race courses with hey bails for a weekend. An entire weekend was devoted to racing old sports cars. A town to 1 to 4000 population would triple for a weekend. People drove to the town, put some Mylar decals on the car and went racing. Fans came from hundreds of miles to watch. The races were a big boost for the local shops and the hotel. Back then in OZ you could not sell alcohol unless you let rooms. So every town had a small hotel with a pub and a lounge for women and rooms above. The took over part of the lounge for registration and official administration.

A few of the car magazines, clubs and parts suppliers would give you a tube of plastic static cling advertising decals, windshield placards for the cars. By the time you had been to a couple races your car looked like a NASCAR add. 30-50 sports cars from the 30's- late 60 would tear around town. Austin's, MG A Tc TD's Morgans Allard's prewar MB and a few 356's raced Saturday in 15 minute heats. People were three deep lining the streets. Nothing better than holding a beer standing in the side of the street while a Porsche passes by you at 50 mph, so close you can touch it. Stand inside the curves and on the shady side of the street. "Spectate at your own risk" was the rule.

I am not sure how they classed the cars but I do remember watching 356A zip by followed but a mid 30's blower Bentley with 3" wire wheels mechanical hand break screaming by 30 mph faster and trying to figure out how to slow for the curve. The Bentley was really fast and could pass everyone in the straight, and was last coming out of the in town curves

Everyone camped in a grass field, spectators were everywhere, much beer was consumed. It was like the races you see in Europe in the 50's. It was a great economic benefit for the town, some would get more visitors for that weekend than they would see in a year. With all the drinking and lack or safety rules, no wrecks or injuries. One of my best weekends down under ever.

On Sunday, stickers came off and back in the tube, pack up and join the caravan of cars back to the coast on a dirt road. Everyone was very well mannered and civil, (like when I was a kid in the 40-50's) and being the only guy with an accent, I have never been offered so many beers,and meat pies by strangers.

Too bad we are now so safety conscious and afraid something might happen and get sued, you can't do this here in the USA more.

If you have not been to a small town street race I can recommend it high enough.
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Jim Liberty
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Re: Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix TOMORROW!

#4 Post by Jim Liberty »

CJ., you should be Trump's front man. ..........................Jim.
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Re: Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix TOMORROW!

#5 Post by C J Murray »

Jim Liberty wrote:CJ., you should be Trump's front man. ..........................Jim.
Hey, don't blow my cover!

Today my friend Dick Miles who is running the event for the city told me that a 908 and other '50s and '60s Porsche prototypes will be running along with an Alfa 8C pre-war racer. I know a 120 Jag will be there along with some Ferraris. I will have the crappiest car there. Dick has owned a number of 356 Speedsters that he raced in PA Hillclimbs when I met him in 1969. More recently he has raced a Norton Manx in vintage bike racing where we used to compete against each other. He is a true character and anything he is involved in is bound to be entertaining.

Here is a newspaper article about one of Dick's Porsche 356 adventures that occurred around the time I met him...
NewArticle.pdf
(261.67 KiB) Downloaded 117 times
'57 Speedster
'59 Sunroof
'60 Devin D Porsche Race Car
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'67 911 S Original Owner
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Re: Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix TOMORROW!

#6 Post by Jim Liberty »

Hey C.J., how about some pics of the event. .......................................Jim.
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C J Murray
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Re: Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix TOMORROW!

#7 Post by C J Murray »

I will try to take some pics.

Do you like the newspaper article?
'57 Speedster
'59 Sunroof
'60 Devin D Porsche Race Car
'63 Cabriolet "Norm"
'67 911 S Original Owner
'03 Ferrari 575M
'09 Smart Passion

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Re: Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix TOMORROW!

#8 Post by Dave Erickson »

C J Murray wrote:I will try to take some pics.

Do you like the newspaper article?
Classic. I needed that, almost spilled my morning coffee. Thanks for posting it.

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Re: Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix TOMORROW!

#9 Post by C J Murray »

"Damage to the hedge was estimated at $20." LOL!
'57 Speedster
'59 Sunroof
'60 Devin D Porsche Race Car
'63 Cabriolet "Norm"
'67 911 S Original Owner
'03 Ferrari 575M
'09 Smart Passion

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Re: Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix TOMORROW!

#10 Post by C J Murray »

The famous Dick Miles...
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'57 Speedster
'59 Sunroof
'60 Devin D Porsche Race Car
'63 Cabriolet "Norm"
'67 911 S Original Owner
'03 Ferrari 575M
'09 Smart Passion

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Re: Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix TOMORROW!

#11 Post by C J Murray »

Me going slowly.
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My wife with Dick Vermeil, former coach of the Phila Eagles who was driving a beautiful black sprint car. I hope Frank Koch will tell us what it is. Google Calastoga speedway and the Vermeil family.
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'57 Speedster
'59 Sunroof
'60 Devin D Porsche Race Car
'63 Cabriolet "Norm"
'67 911 S Original Owner
'03 Ferrari 575M
'09 Smart Passion

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C J Murray
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Re: Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix TOMORROW!

#12 Post by C J Murray »

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My friend Skip Chalfont has owned his Speedster for 50 years! As a kid I knew the original owners through our family Porsche involvement!
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My friend Ed Davidson has owned his XK120 for 45 years and drives it often as well as in the race today.
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I think Sandy said he bought his AC Bristol in 1964.
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'57 Speedster
'59 Sunroof
'60 Devin D Porsche Race Car
'63 Cabriolet "Norm"
'67 911 S Original Owner
'03 Ferrari 575M
'09 Smart Passion

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Re: Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix TOMORROW!

#13 Post by C J Murray »

Registry member Chris Duerr slapped me around on the track today.
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Seems like an unfair advantage to me.
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This looks complicated.
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It made lovely noises.
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'57 Speedster
'59 Sunroof
'60 Devin D Porsche Race Car
'63 Cabriolet "Norm"
'67 911 S Original Owner
'03 Ferrari 575M
'09 Smart Passion

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Re: Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix TOMORROW!

#14 Post by C J Murray »

When you click the pictures they show correctly.
Dr John Wittner of Moto Guzzi fame on right.
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Ed Fisher 92 years young getting to the grid on his '49 Triumph. He will be racing at Daytona again next year.
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'57 Speedster
'59 Sunroof
'60 Devin D Porsche Race Car
'63 Cabriolet "Norm"
'67 911 S Original Owner
'03 Ferrari 575M
'09 Smart Passion

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C J Murray
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Re: Coatesville Vintage Grand Prix TOMORROW!

#15 Post by C J Murray »

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'57 Speedster
'59 Sunroof
'60 Devin D Porsche Race Car
'63 Cabriolet "Norm"
'67 911 S Original Owner
'03 Ferrari 575M
'09 Smart Passion

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