1955-2005

Max Paterson reflects on Jaguar days of 50 years ago.

In the early 1950’s Max joined the ASCC (Australian Sporting Car Club) & became involved in trial & rally driving working his way through Morris Minor, VW Beetle, Austin A70, Jaguar Mark 5 & his co-drivers Mk 7.

The Jaguar disease had descended upon him, In June 1955 he took delivery of a new XK140 Special

With Monthly match racing at Ring wood and Tomago Airstrips together with fellow club member Norm Crowfoot in his Triumph TR2 & others like Dr. John Boorman in his beautiful Jaguar C type & many others.

1955 NSW & HVSCC Hill Climb Championships

Held at King Edward Park, Newcastle.

Norm Crowfoot took first in the Sports Car Class & broke the class record .

Max took first in  the Closed Car Class & broke the class record.

These were great days.

1956 South Pacific Road Racing Championships

50 years ago this month (January) was to be the XK’s moment of glory.

The Australia Day weekend at the Gnoo Blas Circuit at Orange NSW. 

With a good start in the supporting Closed Car  Handicap Max worked his way through the field until on lap three he arrived at Mrs. Mutton’s corner at high speed to find his brakes had completely faded. This resulted in a spin and slipping into the culvert beside the safety fence. After making some sort of recovery he finally managed to finish fifth.

South Pacific Championship for Closed Cars

30th January 1956

The main race in the XK’s class was the South Pacific Championship for Closed Cars. This race was described in the March 1956 issue of the Open Road under the heading of Motor Sport, by F.A. Schubach.

“For really interesting racing at Orange we had to turn to the sports cars and sedans. The duel of the giants was between Alec Mildren (Aston Martin DB2), John Aldis (Bristol 404) Max Paterson (XK140 Hard Top) Allen Gray (XK120 Hard Top) and Reg Hunt driving a new OHV Ford V8.  

In the Sedan Championship, a 10 lap scratch race, this group  made the pace, except that Mildren (A/M) had fallen out with motor trouble. The battle was between Paterson (XK140) and Aldis (Bristol), with Aldis hard on the tail of  the XK140 right through to the finish.

In spite of the tremendous speeds of the Grand Prix type racing cars it needs a number of them to have similar speeds as shown at Orange, the close competition of the sedan cars to please the crowd.

MOTOR Magazine of Jan. 2005 describe the Circuit.

“GNOO BLAS  The Radius, Mrs Mutton’s Corner—tell of another time and use and, unlike Catalina, signs exist to tell their story. These are in Sir Jack  Brabham Park, dedicated to be one of the many luminaries who raced here, among them World Champions and international drivers.

Gnoo Blas, from the Aboriginal term for nearby Mt. Canobolas, lasted only eight years , from 1953 to 1961. But by then it was established as the  fastest circuit in Australia, with a lap record of 105mph (169km/h), 15% faster than Mt. Panorama. Reg Hunt did that in 1956. In a Maserati.

1956 NSW Hill Climb Championship. King Edward Park, Newcastle.

1956  Australian Hill Climb Championships.  Mount Panorama,   Bathurst.  

1st Frank Gardiner XK120 Special.

2nd Max Paterson XK140.