Jim Clark tire test video April 1965

[Brian Skeoch]

a friend of mine was a Med Student at Indiana in 1965 and was asked to be on the safety team at the speedway that spring. In April, he was at the speedway and with his 8 MM camera he filmed Jimmy Clark doing tire tests for Lotus.

it was a closed test session but my pal was able to film the test all day.

he gave me the 8 mm video and I am having it converted to a DVD format and I am then sending a copy to Donald Davidson at teh speedway as a donation.

he also has video of the Mickey Thompson side car and some video of Duka Nalon in the Novi Special.

I will donate that to the speedway also . I assume it will be put in the basment at the speedway but hopefully enjoyed by some people someday that enjoys that sort of stuff like I do.

Brian

[Autocross7]

That's cool! Would not mind having a copy of that if you get around to selling one or two. I think you are right about the basment file and that is a shame. There is no telling what great stuff is filed away down there...

:huh: You might want to have a document drawn up that will give you ownership even though it is a "donation". It should not cost much to cover yourself on this legally and it will free you up later should you decide to give them away, sell them, or whatever...


Cameron

[Brian Skeoch]

the basement is filled with cars in various states of restoration that have been donated and are in a rolling display. They rotate some of the cars that are not behind ropes in the main section of the museum.

the basement is also the machine shop and engine shop . believe it or not, 99 % of the cars in the museum run. they take them out on a regular basis to keep the cars going.

the mechanics down there are paid well for keeping those old cars going.

for instance. the Miller cars. you couldnt get a Miller chassis or motor now if you had to so the guys in the basement keep it all going..

Just as god intended.

Brian

[Autocross7]

Yes, I knew that most of the cas in the museum run... good story there.

I had about three hours to kill one afternoon, and not wanting to spend the entire day at the airport, I stopped by the museum. Love that place...

Anyway, there were a couple 'wrenchers' in there, me, and I think that was about it. They were fidling with an old Benetton car (Yellow and Green with a Camel livery), so I wandered over to have a look as the engine cover was off. Really did not say much, just watched and listened to them. One of the guys says to me, "could you get that side?" and enlisted me to help replace the cover! Little thing sure... but it made my day. I got to actuall touch one without getting yelled at!... so cover in place the second guy appears with a starter and a battery and they fired it up! Inside! WOW!!!! I am pretty sure I am still some what def in the right ear form that day.... and they drove right out of the back of the show floor.
It is truley a great place...

Cameron

[Brian Skeoch]

it is Gods own Cathedral. You just cant a price on that sort of entertainment.

you were asked to help.. that soo cool. and get this. Tony George didnt want the museum. he didnt want the up keep and didnt think old cars on display would mean anything revenue wise.

he was told by his mother that his grandfather started the museum and he better not even THINK about closing it.

period..

Its gods own cathedral.

LOG 28 will be fun up there.

[GregWO]

Tony George... :nono:

I can't wait for LOG 28.... never been to the Speedway....:icon15:

[Brian Skeoch]

You have never been to the speedway ? Oh man.. are you ever in for a treat.

I am heading up there in May to drive an IRL car at the speedway. I cant wait..

Brian

[GregWO]

Nope.... I even had tickets to this years Indy and I couldn't go....:crying:

Your gonna drive an IRL car? thats freaking AWESOME!

[Autocross7]

At least you don't have advanced tickes to the USGP (a by luck I sold mine for Sebring!) - Thanks, Bernnie and George! Way to GO!

Cameron

[WayneB]

I would very much like to see that film Brian, could you put it on UTube?

I have been to the Museum about 6 times in all, the first time (in 1986) I flew from England with my wife as part of a sort of "pilgramage" to a few places I had always dreamed of visiting as a kid.

Big moment to stand out on the track, and get a true impression of the scale of the place (vast) and feel the blazing sunshine (July).

Last visit was 5 years ago (US GP), with a group of Canadian car nuts who were all friends of the late Richard (Dick) Baker, who had forgotten more about Indy than I will ever know, and had just bought his own Indy Car, The Liquid Suspension Special (still part of the Baker collection today).

Great to have been conducted around by a true enthusiast.

Oddly though, I have never actually been to the Indy 500, but have been there 3 times to see the f1 cars (2000,2001.2002)

[Brian Skeoch]

Okay. Once I get it burned on DVD I will put it on you tube. there is no sound obviously, but its Jimmy Clark in the Lotus in April of 65..

I love this stuff.

[TWO OLD ELANS]

Hi Brian, if you have access to a Mickey Thompson sidecar video get it. I'd guess that'd be worth millions of dollars. Where was it filmed? Eric

[Brian Skeoch]

yeah, in the 8 mm film there is footage of the Mickey Thompson side car. there is no sound but lots of footage of the side car, the Novi and the Lotus of Jim Clark.

that side car idea was crazy... I wouldnt have gone near that thing as a driver but Thompson had some guys interested in driving that thing,.

It was all filmed at the speedway . Nobody cared that my buddy was filming the testing.

great stuff.

Brian

[TWO OLD ELANS]

Was Mickey Thompson's side car as crazy as Smokey Yunick's side car? Are all the 8mm video's from 1965? Eric

[Brian Skeoch]

the movies are from several years . 63-66 I believe.

Brian