WHEELS DRANES... BELLETT

[BULLITT]

HI GUYS THIS THE SECOND SERIES ON THE HOT UP BELLETT SAYS HOT-UP GUIDE NUMBER 4 ...NO DATE ?? HAS ALL THE SPECS DONE TO THE DRANE BELLETT

[Teditor]

Not all the specs.

Unfortunately I managed to get it creamed and written off on the street of all places.

Ted (Teditor) Freeman

[dave]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Teditor]

Thought seeing as how the subject came up, I might as well share what photos I have, hope they will be of interest.
I have to confess, I'm not to sure what I am doing, so I will just post a photo or two at a time, let me know if they come out OK and if you wish to see more.
Along with this little history lesson, I do have other photos that may be of interest, probably as separate subjects.
Again, let me know if you would like me to start posting.

[GerryBellettGT]

Love these old photo's,thanks for sharing,Gerry

[BULLITT]

great stuff mate start posting more ...by the way did you get a bellett ?? you were after one cheers davo

[Teditor]

Unfortunately being an old age pensioner (I thought it would never happen either) I'm not in a position to really get one, the Falcon is mine, debt free, and I think the world of it, if the right opportunity arose, I would quick as have a Bellett - AS WELL!

Another couple of shots, poor quality, but better to do something with them for posterity on here rather than let them rot and be forgotten.

[BULLITT]

KEEP THEM COMING MATE ..YOU MUST HAVE A SWAG OF PICS ..YOU ARE GETTING US ALL NOSTALGIC ..GREAT STUFF CHEERS DAVO

[Teditor]

I'll wait till tomorrow, I did do another one, but it went off into cyberspace somehow, have to regroup and attack from a safe side.

[GTtoo]

OMG Teditor, never wasted and always so appreciated

Great to see them being driven out their skins......

B.

[Teditor]

Another go at sending this one, somehow it went bye, bye.

The Marrickville Tyre Centre were great supporters of the Bellett Car Club, we held shows at their premises and received good prices on tyres, I recal using Uniroyal Radials for some time.

The "STEEMAN" referred to the combined efforts of George Steeden and myself with the suspension of the Bellett's, a catchy name that really meant very little in the real world.

Note the WAGGOTT sticker on the window, we had a lot of work done with Waggots, cams, heads, blocks, pistons, balancing etc.

[Teditor]

Catalina park in Katoomba was a demanding track winding around the side of a vast hill, several sections were lined with old railway sleepers, one area known as "The Tunnell of Love" was anything but, an example of it's dire consequences coming up.

This photo shows several members working on my ex Drane car after a bit of an incident, I think that is Gary Vandenberg at the front, George Steeden at the rear and yours truly looking on.

[Teditor]

Catalina Park was a really interesting circuit and I feel privileged to have run there, the next three photos show an incident in the Tunnel of Love, yes! I kissed the wall, but it was not romantic.

First photo is as I am understeering into the sleepers, impact was the front tyre and rear bumper.

[Teditor]

This next shot was the result of over correction sending me towards the opposite side, in avoiding the opposite wall, I went into a spin onto the main straight.

[Teditor]

Final photo of the series (sorry, don't know who the photographer was), a complete 360 onto the main straight with the car just coming to a standstill inches from the wall as I speared backwards.

The car suffered no apparent damage other than loose wheel nuts on the drivers front wheel and a scratch on the side of the rear bumper.

Drove home after the event, girlfriend at the time woke up when I got on the cam on the F4 (?) in top gear, so went the rest of the way home quietly.

Next morning, went to back out of the driveway to go to work and the right front collapsed, the collision had split the lower wishbone, it opened up as I reversed and the spring tried to come out the bottom.

[Teditor]

When I left the railway, I took a short job as a security guard (of all things), I was based in Sydney, Westpac (or whatever it was then), I think in Martin Plaza.

I was on a Saturday nightshift and had made arrangements with my relief Sunday morning to come in early so I could head off home and then up to Silverdale Hill Climb.

I spent the majority of the shift cleaning the Bellett up ready for the Sunday racing, I was relieved early (6.30am?) as arranged and set off.

The first intersection I came to I was taking it nice and easy getting some temperature in the car when a drunk came through a red light and T-Boned me into a pole.

Needless to say, I didn't get to compete at Silverdale that day.

This photo is the sad end of the Ex Bob Drane Bellett.

[BULLITT]

GREAT STORY MATE AND ALL THAT DRIVING AND BINGO GOOD NEWS WAS YOU SURVIVED IT AND BY THE LOOK OF THE CAR A LITTLE BIT FURTHER UP COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL ......WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WRECK ,THE MOTOR ETC CHEERS DAVO KEEP THOSE STORIES COMING ..LOVE IT ..

[Teditor]

None of the mechanicals went to waste, I was actually running Bellett Spares & Repairs as a backyard business (labour @ $8.00 an hour). Had something like 15-16 Belletts at any one time and worked out of a two car garage and the driveway.

Probably just as easy to continue on here with reminisces as begin a new subject, I will put Screamin' Squirrel stuff in it's existing subject matter.

[GTtoo]

What this stuff is made of DAVO So happy you got out of that one TED, some have not been so lucky. So you drove it home then you get THAT!? I've also had the T-bone from someone on PILLS going through a Red on an intersection, sucks !! Was laid up for a while tho.

Brilliant footage, enjoyed, post more please

B.

[BULLITT]

hi guys the article out of the hot up guide book ...sorry ted ...just wanted to show more shots ..what a sweet little car cheers davo