GT2

More inspiration from Peter's Sydney Seaforth GP photos. This time the Milano GT2. The GT2, in my opinion was a relatively simple car yet for 3 years in NSW was a front runner in sports car racing among some very formidable company. Milanos were the most popular of the various kit cars built by JWF through the late 50s to early 60s. The Milano started as an open car but later they came up with a roofed version and called it the Milano GT. The name JWF came from the three partners, "Sam" Johnson, Geoff Williams and Grant Furzer but by 1962 Geoff and Grant had gone their separate ways. Sam continued on with the JWF fibreglass business, moving away from sports car bodies and concentrating more on industrial products (does this sound familiar?). However he did go motor racing with a couple of mates, earthmoving contractor Bruce Leer and Moss Angliss. Sam and Bruce ran 179 powered Milano GTs on fabricated twin tubed chassis and Moss raced a Lotus Super 7. For those that don't know the original Milano GTs looked nothing like the GT2 and maybe I'd better post some photos later. After a lapse in racing for Sam and Bruce, they became bitten by the bug again probably inspired by the bits in the workshop left over from the racing days. They were also inspired by the success Moss was having with his clubman and thought about how that style of car would go with a 179 in it. The GT2 doesn't look much like a clubman but you will notice that the cars have long noses and the driver sits right back in the clubman position. Two cars were built, Sam doing the bodies and Bruce doing the chassis. Some of the bodywork was actually bonded to the chassis for additional strength. The cars were ready to race in late 1970. By then Sam's wife didn't like him racing any more and Moss, who had helped build the second chassis, mainly drove Sam's car. Both cars were painted black and looked stunning. The motors were almost standard apart from being fitted with triple one and three quarter inch SUs. Yet they were front runners. I used to follow their performances with enthusiasm, often through the pages of RCN and Auto Action. In 1972 in round 3 of the Australian Sports Car Championship at Warwick Farm, Bruce came a creditable 6th and Moss 7th behind such cars as the Elfin 360s of South Australians Phil Moore (3rd) and Henry Michell (5th) and the Elfin ME5 of Charlie Occhipinti (4th). The ME5 is the awesome car that we are now following with equal enthusiasm in the hands of Trevor Lambert. When the emphasis in sportscar racing shifted to Production Sportscars, you might recall Charlie came out with that monstrous Corvette and to this day, Chris Clearihan is still grumbling about Charlie flipping his ex-Canon Nagari at Hume Weir as he came up to lap him resulting in the car being rebodied in LHD form. I've digressed so much that I might as well do so even more. On the subject of the 1972 championship, in round 5, 7th place was taken by Barry Coleman in a Bolwell Mark 7 which might be of some interest to the friends of Dave Hamlin. Meanwhile, back at the GT2, pressure came from everywhere for replicas to be made but Sam was adamant that they just weren't viable as they would be too much work. There was just one exception. A cousin of Frank Matich was able to convince them to build a third car for him and that car is still around today in the hands of Scott Whittaker I believe. In 1973 both works cars went to Western Australia. Firstly Sam's car, but it wasn't long before the new owner pranged it and wanted to buy Bruce's which went over there too. I'm not sure which car it is but former NSW Bolwell Cub president, Andrew Kluver, owns this GT2 below. It would be great to hear from Andrew about the recent history of his car.

In more recent times I came across Bruce Leer when he came to SA for a round of the speedcar championship with his speedway team. I have a feeling he was building speedcars and supporting his son in that endeavour as was my old friend Bruce Howle (another Bruce from Sydney).