Caption Assistance - 1963 Sebring Photos

[Editor_Reid]

I wonder if anyone can tell me the identities of some of the people in these photos taken by John Thornley at the 1963 Sebring 12-Hour Race:



Of course that's DMH on the left. Anyone know the name of the gentlemen with whom he is conversing?



The man on the right may be a driver from the race, but here he is apparently having a discussion with one of the big Healey drivers. Anyone recognize him? Is it John Colgate (who drove a Sprite in the same race)?



There were four drivers of the two big Healeys entered in the Sebring race in 1963: Paddy Hopkirk, Donald Morley, Ronnie Bucknum and Bob Olthoff. It doesn't look like Hopkirk or Morley; is it Bucknum or Olthoff? Or perhaps someone else driving the car for maintenance test purposes or some such?


These photos will be included in an upcoming issue of HEALEY MARQUE and and I'm trying to research correct captions for them.

Thanks and please be aware that these photos are copyrighted.

RT

 

[dougie]

Reid -

The third photo is Bob Olthoff. The Red stripe on his shoulder confirms a works drivers suite and face is not Ronnie's.


L to R - Ronnie, DMH, Bob



Ronnie Buchnum

 

[DerekJ]

On a related topic I have just received a 20 by 30 inch print of Paddy Hopkirk's Le mans start at the same Sebring race. See below.

 

[Editor_Reid]

On a related topic I have just received a 20 by 30 inch print of Paddy Hopkirk's Le mans start at the same Sebring race. See below.

Great image! And what a great way the "Le Mans start" was for beginning races... except for the safety aspect where drivers pulled away without fastening seats belts, the traffic jam it caused, etc., etc.

 

[Editor_Reid]

Reid - The third photo is Bob Olthoff.

Thanks Dougie. I also did a similar process of elimination to determine that it is Olthoff. All of the photos of Olthoff I could find online seemed to be of him in later years, so it wasn't a good match, but if the photo isn't of Hopkirk, Morley or Bucknum, then it must be Olthoff. By the way, I don't think I've ever seen a photo of Morley at Sebring. Strange.

Also by the way, did you know that Monte Shelton once owned and raced an ex-Ronnie Bucknum Healey?

 

[HealeyRick]

On a related topic I have just received a 20 by 30 inch print of Paddy Hopkirk's Le mans start at the same Sebring race. See below.

I think this is from the 1964 Sebring race. Paddy drove the #34 car in the 1963 race and the #33 in 1963 which ended up thusly:

Source: https://www.racingsportscars.com/driver/photo/Paddy-Hopkirk-GB.html

 

[dougie]

Also by the way, did you know that Monte Shelton once owned and raced an ex-Ronnie Bucknum Healey?

Yes, I have heard of Monte's early days with the ex-HSC Healey. It would be really nice to have now.....

 

[Editor_Reid]

Yes, I have heard of Monte's early days with the ex-HSC Healey. It would be really nice to have now.....

I suppose that as a historical/collector's item it would be a very interesting car, but wouldn't a currently prepared Healey such as yours - prepared with all of the latest stuff and know-how - actually be a far superior racing machine? I mean, the tires alone would have to make your car far faster, wouldn't they?

 

[dougie]

My interest would be historically only. To make it competitive in vintage racing today, you would have to change (improve/upgrade) many of the period items that make desirable, if you found it as a time capsule.