Racing History BEX333 (1957-1964)

[AC Ace Bristol]

<b>Latest email from Dave / Bill  and  Lorraine</b>
   
   
   
   <b><font size="4">Well your in luck Keith!</font id="size4"></b>
   
   <b>As I thought my mom Lorraine did have photos of a washington plated ACE...and check out the plate!! </b>
   
   It is your car!
   
   I cant believe it either.
   and the best thing they are month and date stamped..may 64.
   
   So hope that adds to your archive
   
   I will send these to my uncle Bill now too.
   
   Also my mother is planning to visit England to visit family and do some geneology research in the next few years from what she tells me.
   
   The reason she has all these photos was her boyfriend Wayne Laker owned and drove the other one in the photos I sent. Perhaps if she makes it there you can take her
   for a spin in an ACE again  almost 50 years later!
   
   I have a few more of that white cobra at Westwood and will send in separate email
   
   Let me know what ya think of the photos..
   
   Regards
   Dave
   Vancouver, Canada
   
   
   <b>Dave</b>
   
   <font color="purple"><b>A big Thank you to your MOM  " Lorraine"</b></font id="purple">
   for taking the photos, keeping them for fifty years and sharing them with me.
   
   
   The three picture dated May 1964,  are my <b>BEX333</b>, the pictures  were taken  in May 1964 some 7 months before Lee Kolb bought it (Dec 1964) who owned it for the next 36 years,till I became the Third Custodian in September 2000..[:)].[:)].[:)]

The Other two pictures of the dark coloured Ace Bristol could well be BEX332 which was mail box red and came over in the same shipment as BEX331. BEX332 and BEX333.
   
   Unfortunately I can't copy and post the three pictures at present, Have emailed Jerry who hopefully will post the three period  B&W  pictures of BEX333  (ARZ913) when Painted
   Red in  1962/4.
   
   It really is surprising how things develope and materialise, thanks to the Forum  and modern Technology ..[;)]
   
   Cheers for Now
   
   
   <b>Keith</b>..[:)]..[:)]

[bex316]

And here are the May 1964 pictures found of BEX 333. What a surprise it is indeed!

[nikbj68]

Here are some photos from Keith showing BEX 333 bearing the ARZ plate in 1965 & 1978:
   
   

   
   
   

[AC Ace Bristol]

Posted - 24 September 2012 :  23:50:54
   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   
    Reference Bills  seperate thread "AC Ace Bristol Vancouver.1962/3"
   
   
   Confirming that Lorraine took some 8mm Film of Sports Car Racing at WestWood during the early 1960s, possibility  capturing a Ace Bristol or two.[?]
   ( 4 ACtually competed at WestWood).
   
   Bill & Dave.
   
   Receiving two new period photos of BEX333 (dated May 1964) is a Bonus and confirms that it was Red in May 1964, Earlier photos in my possession confirm it was Light Metalic
   Blue in 1962, and some time between 1958 and 1962 it's original coat of Thames Ditton "White" disapeared under the Silver Blue metallic Paint job. When[?].one day
   We might home in on the date it was repainted and by whom.[;)]
   
   In the meantime, If you can find Lorraines 8mm film of Sports Car racing at WestWood, lets hope it shows Jim Parsons Piloting BEX333 round the track,
   as well as a few other Ace Bristols known to have competed at WestWood.. Whether Positive or negative would still appreciate CD or DVD of Lorraines
   8mm Film capturing period Sports racing at WestWood. (1958 - Early 1960s)
   
   Please arrange for good copy, I will reimburse cost of copy and Post&Packing.
   
   Please Thank Lorraine for hopefully capturing BEX333 in ACtion at WestWood..... Last but not least thank you Bill & Dave for coming up trumps...[;)]
   
   Keith[:)] ....

[nikbj68]

Jim Parsons was obviously a pretty handy driver in BEX333, as it would appear that he won the Puget Sound Class B Production Championship in 1960:
   

[AC Ace Bristol]

<b>Nik</b>.
   
   Thank you for reproducung a clean copy of page 7 of Northwest Sports Car News December 1960.[;)]
   
   First piece of written data to substantiate one of the Brass  Race Plaques posted on this thread back in October 2009.
   
   Jim Parsons Won Puget Sound Sports Car Club  Class B (prod) Annual Championship in 1958/ 1959 and 1960.
   
   During early 1960's Jim Parsons  also regularly competed  in Formula Junior and BEX333 was eventually sold to Lee Kolb in December 1964.
   The 70 or so race plaques now in my possession definitely comfirm James enjoyed many seasons successfuly racing BEX333 and his Formula Junior.
   
   I notice two interesting additional items printed in 13 issues of The Northwest Sports Car news,  Mention to the Van Man Van Rally which Jim competed in
   (I have ACtual Rally Plaque removed from Trophy)) and the mention to a Mr Hal Rudow (Class D mod) Annual Championship winner in 1960, whom I        believe was the
   Father of Martin Rudow who wrote " <b>Long Straights and Hairpin Turns"</b>  and <b> "Weekend of Glory" </b>
   Two books on Sports Car racing in North West USA, Vol 1 1950 through 1961 and Vol 2 1962 through 1970.
   
   A small world indeed..  Please keep delving into those archives,      New material is shared with Both ACOC Ace Registrars and the various Custodians / Club     members as it comes to light..[;)]
   
   
   <b>Keith</b>..[:)]

[1744]

Keith,
   
   You may already know this bit of trivia, but the Van Man Van Rally was a popular and hotly contested timed rally that ran from Vancouver up the Lower Fraser Valley to Hope, 90 miles east of Vancouver, then continuing through very mountainous territory up the Hope Princeton Highway to the summit and the Lodge at Manning Provincial Park. The return trip was about 280 miles and usually took place in June.
   
   Jonathan Parker

[AC Ace Bristol]

Latest email received from Vince Howlett, reference BEX333.. James Parsons plus a lead on the Bob Constabaris Ace Bristol  BEX437,
   ( which will be of interest to   Kent Laurence )
   
   
   Hi Keith
   
   Sorry if I didn't respond to this, over a year ago !
   
   As for Barbara Lovely-Doyon's email address, I believe what I sent you was what she told me.  It might be better to phone her, if you haven't already.
   
   I have attached a photo, in three versions.  It is from the program for the Pacific International Road Races, sponsored by the Puget Sounds Sports Car Club, and sanctioned by
   the International Conference of Northwest Sports Car Clubs, at Pacific Raceways, Kent, Washington, September 18, 1960.  This photo is from a couple of pages of photos titled
   "Scenes from Pacific Raceways Inaugural Race², which took place August 14, 1960.  In the first version of the photo, you can see an AC Bristol, the fourth car back.  I believe this is
   Jim Parsons.  For the second and third versions, I cropped the photo to only include the AC Bristol.  As you can see, they are not clear, but perhaps you can do something with them.
   Also, the September 18 program, under "Class B Production", lists ³251...Jim Parsons...Seattle, Wash....A-C Bristol"
   
   Also, from the 1960 race programs from the Westwood Racing Circuit, for the Sunday, May 29th Texaco Grand Prix Conference Event, and the June 26th Castrol Trophy Races,
   each program has two pages, "Behind the Wheel, Conference Drivers and Their Numbers".  The listings in both programs are identical, and list "251...James Parsons...PSSCC
   (Puget Sound Sports Car Club)."  This does not necessarily mean that Parson raced at these events.
   
   The program for the October 2nd Westwood Conference races lists "Entries for the Westwood Conference Race", including "251 Jim Parsons A.C. Bristol Seattle."
   So apparently he was entered for that one.
   
   I have also been in touch with Tom Ellsworth in Massachusetts who apparently has the ex-Bob Constabaris A.C. Bristol.  Interesting stuff.
   
   Hope all is well.
   
   Vince Howlett, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, phone/fax
   ....................................
   
   
   
   
   Vince
   
   
   Thank you for new details regards racing ACtivities of Jim Parsons and BEX333..[;)] unfortunately the pictures will not reproduce with any clarity, will see if I can improve
   quality and post on the Forum.
   In the meantime, sorry to be so Bold, but could you photocopy the details in the relevent  programms..  Thanking you in anticipation...[;)]..[B)]
   
   Hopefully all going well, will ship BEX333 over to USA for the proposed ACOC International in  August 2013 along with various other ACs,
   to take in and coincide with Laguna Seca, Monterey and Pebble Beach, then travel North to Seattle and if time permits quick visit to Vancouver...[:p].
   
   Cheers for Now.
   
   Keith..[:)]..[:)]

[AC Ace Bristol]

.
   Another piece of the BEX333 Racing History confirmed.
   .
   
   Hi again Keith
   
   Further info on the October 2nd, 1960 Westwood races:
   
   "RESULTS OF B.M.C. TOURIST TROPHY RACE ­ WESTWOOD"
   
   October 2, 1960.
   
   Race III ­ A, B, C & D Production
   
   Class B
   
   Bob Yeakel..  .. ..          . SCCA..  ..  ..     Porsche      ...(#)41.
             Jim Parsons..  .. ..          PSSCC..  ..   AC Bristol    ...(#)251.
             Bob Constabaris..  ..     B.C.  .. ..        AC Bristol    ...(#)50.
   
   I went through the other results for Westwood from 1960, and the October 2nd race is the only one in which "Jim Parsons" name appears.
   His name does not appear at all in any of the 1961 or 1962 Westwood results.
   
   I'll let you know if I find anything else.[;)]
   
   Vince Howlett.
   
   Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
   .

[AC Ace Bristol]

.
   Another photo of BEX333 Racing number  251. .. ( May 1960 )
   Thanks to  Vince Howlett.
   
   
   
   Scenes at the Sports Car Races last Sunday.
   
   
   
   Hi Keith
   
   
   I found a link to the Arlington, Washington newspaper archives.  Here is a link, hopefully to the May issues.  It was apparently published weekly:
   
   http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=ovGv7akYl-cC
   
   Click on May 5, then go to page 10.  There is a photo, not too clear, but AC Bristol #251 is in the foreground, at least the front of the car.
   There are also some results on page one, but not detailed, so no mention of Parsons.
   
   
   Thank you  Vince  for link. .[;)]
   
   
   Unfortunately very poor quality, Good News .... definitely BEX333   ..[;)].......... Bad News......  Unfortunately,    Couldn't download copy.....[:(]
   
   Can any one reading this entry  please down load the picture..[?]. or better still does anyone know how to request hard copy of original photo from Arlington Times
   or Know the Photographer who regularly covered Sports Car Racing in Vancouver..
   
   Cheers......
   
   
   Keith..[:)]

[AC Ace Bristol]

27th October 2012.
   
   Received the following e mail from  John Lucke:-
   
   Keith
   
   Here is the contact info for the  Arlington Washington Times Newspaper..[;)]
   
   Arlington Times
   1085 Cedar Avenue
   Marysville, WA  98201
   
   Phone:-  360-659-1300.
   
   Interestingly,  Marysville is where Ed McBee another former AC Owner is located.
   
   I spoke with  Walt Petersen recently,  he lives just a couple of miles from me, his Aceca is now in the care of his Son, It sounds as if it is currently off the road
   awaiting restoration.
   
   Hopefully we'll meet in person and continue our conversation.
   
   Hope all is well with you and Family.
   
   John ..[:)]
   
   **********************************************************************************************************************************
   
   
   
   John
   
   Thank you for confirming address and Tel Number of Arlington Washington Times  Newspaper...[;)]
   
   
   Sent email requesting Copy of Picture, if negative, Requested confirmation of Photographer...[?].
   
   Keith..[:)]..[:)]

[nikbj68]

Originally posted by AC Ace Bristol: Unfortunately very poor quality, Good News...definitely BEX333...Bad News...Unfortunately, Couldn't download copy...:(
   Can any one reading this entry  please down load the picture? Cheers...

Guess who?!  ???
   

[AC Ace Bristol]

Nik.........Thank you for posting the Picture..[;)]
   
   Jerry.......Thank you for email re:- Downloading and Posting the picture on Forum..[;)]
   
   Last but not least, thank you John Lucke for offering to Phone   "The Arlington Washington Time Newspaper" to see if they can supply
   hard copy of said picture ....... Fingers Crossed......[:)]
   
   Cheers
   
   Keith [:)]

[jrlucke]

Keith, just an update.
   
   I spoke with the editor of the Arlington/Marysville newspapers this morning. He indicated that they do not have any of the older photographs but had given them to the local Marysville Historical Society.
   
   I have emailed the Historical Society (website http://www.marysvillehistory.org/) and will followup by phone during their business hours later this week.
   
   The editor indicated the website we saw the photo is an independent business that they are no longer associated with and that frequently in the process of digitizing the papers, in order to get the print quality, photo images are lost.
   
   I also inquired of the Historical Society if they have other info available regarding the Arlington Airport races. I do know that they have an annual drag race reunion for cars/people who raced there many years ago.
   
   I'll let you know what info I find once I've spoken with them by phone.
   
   John

[AC Ace Bristol]

.
   .
   Response received from  John:-
   
   Keith.
   
   I did get a call back from the Historical Society indicating that all of the photos from the newspaper are stored in boxes un-cataloged and that since they rely on volunteer time there were no plans to go through the inventory.
   
   She did indicate that she would post our inquiry in the event that someone did come across the photo.
   
   So for now it appears that the online version is all we have.
   
   
   Best wishes for the Holiday Season and the coming new year with lots of seat time in your Ace!
   
    John.