George Steeden, Ted Freeman and Garry Vandebergs Belletts mid 1970's, photo's taken by me before I had my licence with a 110 Kodak camera, whish i had more photo's though once I got my licence, ditched the camera in favour of racing.

I'm slow to view these posts Geoff, but great to see. Wish I'd taken more about that time, but developing was exey for a school kid. Veeeery familiar though!
Thanks for the memories.
Cheers, Matt.

These photos are just super. Keep them coming guys.

I was a bit young to be into the racing in those days.


Chris

Great to see the suspension all loaded up in the hairpin on the hillclimb - I can hear the engine singing now......

Jeff,
Isn't the Ted Freeman car the old Bob Drane ex Victoria with a new paint job??
Dave M.

dave,
i think u'll find bob drane was from sydney. he owned and ran "drane's tuning shoppe". i have a pic here of him racing at oran park, and every pic i've seen of his car (it was also featured in "wheels" magazine) was a 66-68 style sedan that was light blue.
the victorian car u might be thinking of was pat crea's? he raced a very quick early 'tear drop' that was white with a green "racing stripe" over the roof, but i was under the impression that car stayed here in victoria, but who knows...??

Dave, Brett,
Teds first car was indeed the Bob Drane car. It may take me a littile while to track down a photo of this car. The car in the photo is Ted's second car built from the remains of the Drane Car. The orignal car was written off on the way home from work before a hill climb at Silverdale. This car was then transformed into the Screaming Squirrel in which photos have been posted on this site.
I hope to have a photo of the Drane Car up soon
Regards
Geoff

Geoff,
I was not aware Ted had that prang, the cars were painted the same way were they?
I think I may have been in Darwin when that happened, what year was it?
Who's race car was it that was written off on the way home from Amaroo Park raceway??

Any chance of you and Dave visiting Gulgong??
CATCH YA LATER.
D.

Dave, Peter Degnans new car was on a trailer on the way home from Amaroo Park in the late 70's when he came across a slippery patch of surface, thus resulting in the trailer hitting a powerer pole causing extensive damage to both the car / trailer and tow car, and you should have seen my racing tyres and wheels rolling down the road, it was not a good sight,though it is something i will not forget.
I will one day find the the original and only photo that I have of the Drane car.
Geoff.

Ted Freeman here,

I have some photos that I will need to scan and then work out how to get them on here.

Young Geoffsnr? (like I'm 64 now) skinned his first Bellett knuckles on the ex Bob Drane car, it was a light bluey (don't remember the correct name) sort of colour with an orange racing stripe over the top.

Some of the photos on here I have in my collection as well as others, this is really bringing back some memories.

Some may remember that I ran Bellett Spares and Repairs from my Greystanes home for some time, the computerized traction control in those days was a CIG Locker and the Webers got tuned by ear with a length of garden hose.

I worked with George Steeden at RFD (I think he is still with them), together I think we held the Parramatta Road Race Course Record from Marrickville to Seven Hills.

Sometimes we were rewarded by nice flashing lights and a thankyou letter, (but not very often).

It was nothing for us to change an axle universal joint on the way to/from work after some subjective 1-2 gear shifting.

Ted

The car in the photo was a completely different shell, the Drane car was bent like a banana (I have a poor photo of it I will get to and scan), the first outing for the car was at Amaroo where I succeeded in end for ending it on it's debut, the paint job seen is a result of that incident.

It was 'brush' painted with numerous small tins of Dulux house enamel, warmed up and brush flowed on to the car, looked OK from a distance.

Ted.

Ted, It is so good to see you have found this site. You gave me the passion of motorsport and life in my early years, I have now turned 50, can you believe that. My passion for Belletts is still there, I still see George, Kath and Darren at race meetings with their V8 Escort they have built. In the last few year,s I have been back in touch with David and Jackie, at various race meets around the country. It would be great to catch up with you one day soon, and please find and scan your photos that you have, as I do not have many, and I hope you have the many ones you had
Best regards,
Geoff.

And yes the Drane car was completley destroyed the night before a meeting at (Silverdale hillclimb), on your way home from work, I remember the new car was white, and you painted the engine bay a beautifull metalic Blue, it was rolled at Honda corner at Amaroo park, I recall there was a photo of it with your arm out of the window, do you still have it ? We then had the roof cut off by George, rewelded, and then progressed to paint the car by hand, with your skills with vynal stickers those days the car looked and went great.
Geoff.

Geoff,

I have the photo with my arm out the window, one preceding it as I was heading for the bank, and one of everyone getting into it with crowbars and hammers to get me back on the track, will attempt to get them on the forum.
Dave doesn't seem to remember the stickers so well these days (he is getting old), I'm not the Sticker Kid, but Tedidecal (I make custom decals for model trains, cars, planes, etc).

Hey TED, I AM NOW 66.
I was in Darwin when all that happened, I was talking to Tom Amos about those days the other night!!
Boy, weren't those great times!!!
It would be great if we could all catch up some along the track.

I will be one looking forward to seeing those photos you have online.
Dave M.

OK, trying to see if I can get an image on here, these new fangled computer thingies just don't like me, let's see what happens.

Ted.

Alright, how do I get photos on here please (jpg, pdf)? as I don't think I succeeded in this effort.

Dave (I assume Maurice?), you poor old thing, I'm only 21 x 3 + 1.

Ted Freeman

Hi Ted,
There are great instructions here from one of the young 'puter literate fellas (Adelaide Dave - good bloke).
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=254
Basically, I reduce my jpg pics to 653x460 pixels to make them fit (80% reduction from 8 megapixie camera).
I'm still on training wheels, so if I can, you can I rekon.
Cheers, Matt.

OK, just getting my feet wet to see if I get a photo on here successfully, if I do, more to come if you wish (in no particular order, but with what information I know about each photo).

This one is when Dave Waldon had the 'Squirrell' and was at Amaroo Park, another of this series of photos was put on by Dave's son, I have a couple more I think.

Ted

I have managed to put the Screamin' Squirrell in as an Avatar (I thought they were blue people), larger version of the photo included, yours truly at the wheel.