Laurie Glass has sent the story of the ” MM Special” Sports Car. There is also a photo of Laurie proudly sitting in the car, which he would dearly love to find again. If anyone has any information on whereabouts of the MM Special, please contact me via this web site and I will pass on the details to Laurie.
It was built by Bruce Towns and myself in Bruces fathers garage in Carnegie in 1962/63. All the design and fabrication was done by us with reference to many other cars of the period.
The frame was constructed from 1 ” square steel tube. The engine and gearbox were offset 6″-7″ to the left of centre and mounted as far to the rear as possible. The carbys were 3 x 1 ” S.U. The exhaust was two separate extractors with the tailpipes finishing in front of the left rear wheel. The tail shaft was 13″-14″ long and acutely angled to the centrally mounted diff. The gearbox was an early model Holden 3 speed unit.
The rear axle was a modified F.E .Holden unit located by 4 rose jointed trailing arms and a pan hard rod. The front end was Triumph Herald uprights, rose jointed upper wishbones (round tube) and square steel tube lower wishbones. Suspension was coil spring/damper units all round. A modified Morris 850 steering rack was used.
The brakes were discs at the front and F.E drum brakes at the rear with an adjustable proportioning valve fitted. A VH24 P.B.R power brake unit was fitted.
The wheels were 13 x 6″ front and 13 x10″ at the rear. The wide rims were made and fitted by Austral Wheel Works. When sold the wheels were fitted with Dunlop Racing Tyres.
The bodywork was minimal, being flat aluminium sheet. When fitted, the front bodywork was fairly typical front engine style. Being our first effort and made in a hurry, to satisfy regulations, it was not all that pretty.
The car was run mainly in V.A.D.C. meetings driven by Bruce Towns or Barry Benson. It was driven by Barry Benson at the Geelong Speed Trials 23rd August 1965 and ended up in the hay bales after the finish line. It was driven by Bruce Towns at an open Sandown Meeting, 26th September 1965,in division 2 racing car scratch race.
The car was sold to Lou Molina approx 1965/66 and driven by Ernest and Anthony Molina, being known as the M.M. Special. I have no further knowledge of the car from there on, although Anthony said that he saw it at a hill climb in Gippsland 6-7 years ago being run by a young bloke who said that it scared him.