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"On 19th January
1950, those interested in the formation of the
Austin 7 Club met to discuss details of its
formation."
Thus read the
first minutes, when eleven Austin Seven enthusiasts
met and formed an interim committee. Immediately
the club embarked on an active and varied motor
sport career with a series of club runs, treasure
hunts, hill climbs, border runs and observed
section trials. Before the middle of 1950 a club
badge was designed, and in July the constitution
was adopted and a committee elected.
In the early days
many of the competitors drove their Austins as
everyday transport and quite often "improved" them
to suit their requirements, as the Austin Seven was
very adaptable to the "Special" builder. The
various sections of the sport developed and
competition rules and trophies evolved, together
with formulae devised to regulate the construction
of vehicles used in circuit racing and observed
section trials. These formulae were later modified
to obviate the necessity of using many Austin
components, as their increasing scarcity put them
at a premium for those wishing to restore Austins
for the road. The 750 formula withered to a
sprinkling of cars, but thankfully the genesis of
the historic racing movement in the 1970s
regenerated interest. Nowadays we see regular
appearances by many original cars, augmented by
more recently created examples.
The observed
section cars, whilst no longer of Austin origin,
continue to be competed under the aegis of the
club, with occasional international competitions
being fostered by our group, along with New Zealand
and English interest.
The club's
credentials in motor race officiating and
organisation were established from the mid 50's,
when we were seconded at short notice to provide
trackside communications at the memorable Albert
Park races. Thence followed similar appointments at
Phillip Island, Sandown Park and Calder. Notably,
Fred Darling continued his involvement as chief
comms. official through all the Australian Grands
Prix until his retirement after the 1999
event.
We cut our teeth
as race promoters with the introduction to this
country of the Six Hour Relay. Run initially at
Fisherman's Bend, the meeting then moved to Calder
and later to Winton over a period of about ten
years through the 60's. Then after a few years'
respite, we were back into it again with Historic
Winton. Also in 1968, CAMS called upon us to
conduct an open motorkhana at our Mickleham venue,
which was the progenitor of the Victorian
Motorkhana Championships.
A growing need
for replacement parts for the Austins was
recognised with the establishment of the Spares
Garage. This has grown in range and quality to the
stage where an Austin can now be refettled and
maintained better than at any time since production
ceased, and usually with better than original
parts.
Our club took a
really deep breath in the early 1990s, and
purchased the property that, with substantial
modifications, became the clubrooms
that we enjoy today. Opened in early 1995,this gave
us a purpose-built auditorium, a properly set up
spare parts department, committee room and library
- something of which we can be justifiably proud.
The club is still
as diversified as ever and, while the types of
events conducted may have varied over the decades,
we now have border runs, other extended runs, day
outings and concours for the road cars. There is
also a full calendar of racing, sprints and
hillclimbs for the racers, a season of twelve
trials for the O.S.T. cars, and the organisation of
the prestigious Winton historic races and, until
2000, Arthur's Seat historic Hillclimb.
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