1961 F1 Motor Racing World Champion Phil Hill's Leica photos ...

[dkCambridgeshire]

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Many F1 motor racing enthusiasts are aware of the late Phil Hill's contributions to the sport including winning the 1961 F1 World Championship for Ferrari and his 3 Le Mans 24 Hours victories … but maybe not many are aware that he documented his F1 career and travels using Leica cameras and Kodachrome reversal film. The October 2017 edition of Classic & Sports Car magazine includes a 5 page article showing some of Phil Hill's excellent Leica photos and and relates: 'Hill's photographs were kept private for decades … After Hill's death in 2008 , (Doug) Nye and Paul Vestey dedicated themselves to producing a book that would form a suitable tribute. The results are are surely unique, part autobiography …  part photographic record of everything' 

 

The book INSIDE TRACK (available in a variety of editions) should be a good read for both Leica and motor racing enthusiasts … but please be aware they are expensive. 

 

(  http://phil-hill-book.com/home  

(  http://issuu.com/watermarkpublicationsuklimited/docs/autobiography_r?e=14907188/51638730   …. previews and  taster for the books referring to Phil Hill’s Leica cameras 

   

   http://phil-hill-book.com/about-phil  … includes photo of Phil Hill with his Leica M3.  

 

dunk  

Edited October 3, 2017 by dkCambridgeshire

[luigi bertolotti]

Thanks a lot Dunk !! Classic & Sports Car is a magazine isn't difficult to find also in my town... I'm going to get a copy because the link between Phil Hill and Leica was at all unknown to me.

 

Btw : the Ferrari 156 that Phil Hill drove to win the '61 Championship is imho one of the nicest F1 ever designed (the less fortunate model of 1962, 120° engine, was even slightly finer again)

 

I was VERY little in 61... but have a vague remembrance of my father talking of the tragic accident at Monza (Von Trips and several spectators dead) , maybe just the day in which Hill secured his win of the Championship...

Edited October 3, 2017 by luigi bertolotti

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[willeica]

Thanks Dunk

 

I recall Phil Hill from my youth and his world championship in 1961. I even remember being at a seaside resort on the day of the fatal collision in Monza and hearing about the death of Von Trips (I was about 12 at the time). Phil Hill was also a hero because of his Le Mans exploits. I did not know until now that he was interested in photography and, more specifically, Leicas.

 

In 1962 I heard about another Hill, Graham, who became world champion that year. He immediately became a hero along with my previous hero, Stirling Moss, who had quit racing earlier that year. Somehow boyhood heroes like Moss and the two Hills can never be replaced and nobody who has come along since, even the likes of Senna, Prost and Schumacher, can replace them.

 

I must look out for those books.

 

William 

Edited October 3, 2017 by willeica

[wattsy]

Thanks, that's very interesting, Dunk.

 

Incidentally, maybe I'm imagining things but wasn't the racing dentist, a contemporary of Phil Hill at Ferrari, once a regular member of this forum?

[dkCambridgeshire]

Thanks, that's very interesting, Dunk.

 

Incidentally, maybe I'm imagining things but wasn't the racing dentist, a contemporary of Phil Hill at Ferrari, once a regular member of this forum?

 

 

Not sure who the racing dentist is. Was he a F1 driver? Maybe someone can advise?

 

dunk 

[wattsy]

Not sure who the racing dentist is. Was he a F1 driver? Maybe someone can advise?

 

dunk 

 

 

This bloke.

[willeica]

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This bloke.

 

Tony Brooks recently drove a Vanwall at Goodwood to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the first ever GP win by a British Car. In 1957 (British GP at Aintree) Brooks had not been well following an accident (at Le Mans I believe) and when the Vanwall of his team mate Stirling Moss broke down he handed his car over to Stirling who went on to win. At the Goodwood event this year Stirling was not well enough to take the wheel, but Tony Brooks was ready and able to drive the car. Positions reversed 60 years later. 

 

William

[steed]

Tony Brooks was the racing dentist.

On the subject of Phil Hill, i have a Leica photo of the start of the 1961 24 hours of LeMans that he autographed. He told me himself that he took the photo, handed the Leica to a crew member and proceeded to win the race. 

[levegh]

My brother bought a print of a painting of Chris Lawrence's Le Mans class winning Morgan being overtaken on the Mulsanne straight and, at Goodwood a few years ago, got the autographs of both Morgan drivers. It was pointed out that coincidentally the driver of the Ferrari was standing a few yards away. So we have Phil Hill's autograph on the print as well. Neither of us are autograph collectors but we followed the Morgans of Lawrence and Dence with great enthusiasm in the sixties and were admirers of Phil Hill. Happy days! I certainly could not afford a Leica M2 then. Now I would happily exchange the camera for a chance to go back in time to watch the racing and to spend the evening in the Richmond Arms near the track.

 

Stuart

[wlaidlaw]

The garage at the Paul Ricard circuit in France (R D Racing), where my three wheel Morgan is currently having its failed chassis replaced, specialises in restoring historic race cars. They have one of Chris Lawrence's original racing +4 Morgans there at the moment. 

 

Wilson

[dkCambridgeshire]

The garage at the Paul Ricard circuit in France (R D Racing), where my three wheel Morgan is currently having its failed chassis replaced, specialises in restoring historic race cars. They have one of Chris Lawrence's original racing +4 Morgans there at the moment. 

 

Wilson

 

 

 

Wilson, The November edition of Classic and Sports Car has a special 10 page 'Morgan Megatest' section where in 3 paragraphs it describes the current 3 Wheeler in somewhat glowing journalese. 

 

dunk 

[wlaidlaw]

Wilson, The November edition of Classic and Sports Car has a special 10 page 'Morgan Megatest' section where in 3 paragraphs it describes the current 3 Wheeler in somewhat glowing journalese. 

 

dunk 

 

Dunk, 

 

They obviously were not Morgan three wheeler owners   

 

They are appallingly badly put together and there are a number of excruciating design errors, which a first week automotive design student would have twigged. The chassis on mine had one of the 4 main longitudinal tubes break through totally and the same member of the other side was cracked. If I had been in a serious accident, it would have folded up like a concertina with me in the middle. The chassis is badly designed, has obviously never had any finite element stress analysis done on it, is constructed of very poor quality steel and indifferently coated, so that it suffers from corrosion accelerated fatigue failure. The company has bent over backwards to be difficult and moronic over the warranty chassis replacement. The only good news is that when the job is finally finished (it started in May), I will almost certainly have the world's best built Three Wheeler, given RD Racing's meticulous attention to detail. Would I ever buy a Morgan again? Absolutely not. A sad example of why the British motor industry failed in the past and why we may struggle post Brexit. When it does work it is great fun to drive and raises more smiles amongst people you pass than any other car I have driven. 

 

Mind you even German cars can fail. I am currently driving my 1977 911 RSR rally car, as my 997 Porsche is in having a service and being prepared for sale. The RSR ground to a halt, while I was on the way yesterday afternoon to collect my grandson from school. I noticed that there was no high pressure fuel pump whine, so as an experiment changed over the relay from the horn circuit to the fuel pump circuit and all sprang to life. I later went to my local Porsche garage, which fortunately is only 5 miles away, to buy another relay plus a spare. They commented that the tubular 5 pin Hella relays were rather prone to failure and that on competition cars, where there will be high fuel pump current, they normally replace them with the square Bosch type. 

 

Wilson

[dkCambridgeshire]

I hope your Three Wheeler is fully sorted soon Wilson; I recall your comments about it in TLF's "Name This Car". The Classic and Sports Car magazine's 'Morgan Megatest' article also devotes two pages to the 'Super Sports MX2' and the 'F Super' three wheelers. Given your experience with the modern '3 Wheeler' chassis there are likely other owners who've had the same problem - thus expecting some 'Readers' letters' in the magazine's December and January editions.

 

dunk 

[Guest]

A friend of mine has until recently owned several Morgan’s the last being a plus 8. He always enjoyed driving them but under no consideration would he have had one if he needed it for commuting. The cars seem to self destruct and permanently need attention / money spending on them. John Harvey Jones visited the company for a TV programne about 30 years ago and concluded that they would not survive without major strategy changes. They have survived but the order book is nothing like the 2 year wait it was then.

As Wilson says ,a sad example of why the British motor industry failed.

[dkCambridgeshire]

Morgan cars do hold their value … and very often appreciate in value … likely indicative of demand exceeding supply … but maybe also indicative of their owners' never failing Morgan loyalty … mixed with a dose of mechanical masochism and willpower. I recall the John Harvey Jones TV programme and the company not taking his advice … which seems to have been the best course of action given is subsequent survival and success (compared to other independent sports car manufacturers). 

 

dunk  

[wlaidlaw]

I hope your Three Wheeler is fully sorted soon Wilson; I recall your comments about it in TLF's "Name This Car". The Classic and Sports Car magazine's 'Morgan Megatest' article also devotes two pages to the 'Super Sports MX2' and the 'F Super' three wheelers. Given your experience with the modern '3 Wheeler' chassis there are likely other owners who've had the same problem - thus expecting some 'Readers' letters' in the magazine's December and January editions.

 

dunk 

 

I am a bit concerned that Morgan's future existence could be threatened by the chassis debacle. I would guess that up to 50% of owners of the early (2012 - 2014) Three wheelers may have suffered chassis failure (some twice!). The more recent models are slightly better built, following the extensive R&D and testing work done by customers. I have just received an email from the garage in France saying they have been told yesterday, that Morgan will only fund up to 40 hours labour for a total chassis change and asking my authorisation to continue work at my expense at an estimated cost to me of £2000. I have forwarded this to Morgan and asked them: Which part of the EU legislation on strict product liability for faulty manufacture do you not understand? 

 

Wilson

[dkCambridgeshire]

Good luck Wilson and hope Morgan face up fully to their responsibilities … I guess they will try and keep their costs down but surely they must have product liability insurances which should cover chassis failures … and up to a high £$€limit.

 

dunk  

 

Expect the mods will want to move this thread soon  

Edited October 18, 2017 by dkCambridgeshire

[willeica]

I am a bit concerned that Morgan's future existence could be threatened by the chassis debacle. I would guess that up to 50% of owners of the early (2012 - 2014) Three wheelers may have suffered chassis failure (some twice!). The more recent models are slightly better built, following the extensive R&D and testing work done by customers. I have just received an email from the garage in France saying they have been told yesterday, that Morgan will only fund up to 40 hours labour for a total chassis change and asking my authorisation to continue work at my expense at an estimated cost to me of £2000. I have forwarded this to Morgan and asked them: Which part of the EU legislation on strict product liability for faulty manufacture do you not understand? 

 

Wilson

 

Glad to see Wilson that, despite Brexit, some part of you will always be in the EU. For what its worth, Trading Standards in the UK are very keen on product safety and liability issues. I used to address their annual conferences on these and other subjects at one stage of my career.

 

William