Motorclassica opens today.

Motorclassica celebrates a Eureka moment

For those who thought that Australia’s motoring history begins and ends with Holden, well we have news for you!  Australia is the birthplace of a number of interesting sports marques including Elfin, Bolwell and the almost forgotten Purvis, whose Eureka sports car turns 40 this year. Based on the British Nova and featuring a unique opening canopy-design, the Eureka was marketed as “for the individual” and came with a long list of options and alternatives.  If you have never seen one, check out the Purvis along with a trio of newly-restored Bolwells starring in the Australian International Concours d’Elegance.

What do they think it is, an Ikara?

More on Albert Ludgate.

I came across this when doing a bit of research for a local speedway historian.

Ludgate Head Design

Designer Albert Ludgate was a very innovative engineer who came to Australia from the U.K. after WW2 to settle in Adelaide where he soon became deeply involved in motorsport. He had previously worked for some years with LeaFrancis. He is remembered particularly for his involvement with the one-off Capricornia sports car and for his pioneering of the T/Q (three quarter) midget speedcar design, whereby went a lot of potential Austin Seven restoration projects.

The T/Q was a poor man's introduction to track racing based on a Seven chassis with standard (but suitably bent) axles and a variety of 500c.c. motor cycle engines driving through a gutted Seven gearbox using the dog "clutch" for go or stop. The cars performed very well and provided a lot of excitement for enthusiasts on low budgets for several years. A few survive as historics.

The head was another of Albert's brainchildren which he produced in small numbers for the Seven racing fraternity in the fifties and early sixties. As can be seen from the photos, the design featured sandwich construction, no doubt chosen for ease of casting as it eliminated the need for complicated and expensive cores. It would also have made it easier to maintain correct thickness of material and a clean water space. The combustion chamber was basically late model Seven and enthusiasts often modified the shape to their own requirements. There was also a very neat four branch water manifold which attached to the bosses visible in the photo. The two halves were held together by the normal head studs with a gasket between them, and the water manifold by two quarter inch screws at each connection, coming up through the top half from the water space.

The heads were used by many well known Seven racers including Garrie Cooper of Elfin sports/racing cars fame. Several years before he died, Albert told me he had made a total of thirty one heads, but I believe that more were made subsequently from his patterns. The heads are now quite rare and desirable.

Photographs by Bruce White and article by Ron Burchett

Photographs shown here are of new castings being produced in South Australia from the originals

Anzac Day.

Looking forward to this. It'll be the launch of historic sports sedans - Barry's Datto, Dick's Abarth, the rotary Anglia, Monty's Escort Chev etc., etc., etc. Can't wait for Trevor Lambert to get Finchy's  old A9X going..

Not a bad effort.

122 MX5s.

Pete's cupboard clearout.

I have a quantity of old car magazines that have articles about Bolwells in them.

All mags in average condition except where I’ve listed defects. I’d like to sell them as one lot, preferably to a Bowell owner

$100 for the lot plus postage.

If interested contact me on 0409 361880 or email

bollie7@yahoo.com.au

regards

Peter Marr

TITLES

Great Australian Sports Cars and Specials – Large paperback – Good condition

Wheels & Sports Car World Publications

“Muscle Cars No 1” (Singing in the Rain – Nagari article)

Australian Muscle Car Issue II

“Essential Muscle Buyers Guide – Nagari”

Sports Car World

March 1967 – Mk7 1^st Road test

Sep 1969 – New Bolwell- Brain Snapper

Feb 1970 – New Nagari - Full Test

Jan 1971 – Bolwell Mk7 – Bold as Ever

Modern Motor

June 1972 – Bolwell Sports

Wheels Road Tests

No24 – Nagari Sport

Sports Cars Road tests

No 4 Mk7

Wheels

March 1967 – Beautiful Bolwell (cover torn)

Nov 1971 – Bolwell Nagari (no front cover)

Motor Manual

Oct 1972 – Nagari Soft Top (cover torn)

Wheels Road Tests

No24 – Nagari Sport

Sports Cars Road tests

No 4 Mk7

Wheels

March 1967 – Beautiful Bolwell (cover torn)

Nov 1971 – Bolwell Nagari (no front cover)

Motor Manual

Oct 1972 – Nagari Soft Top (cover torn)

Wheels Road Tests

No24 – Nagari Sport

Sports Cars Road tests

No 4 Mk7

Wheels

March 1967 – Beautiful Bolwell (cover torn)

Nov 1971 – Bolwell Nagari (no front cover)

Motor Manual

Oct 1972 – Nagari Soft Top (cover torn)

Wheels Road Tests

No24 – Nagari Sport

Sports Cars Road tests

No 4 Mk7

Wheels

March 1967 – Beautiful Bolwell (cover torn)

Nov 1971 – Bolwell Nagari (no front cover)

Motor Manual

Oct 1972 – Nagari Soft Top (cover torn)