Fangio and the 6.9

[braminator123]

Hi Mark,

When will we see Skye back on the road?

I love the 6.9s with extraordinary tales connected to them!

 

[Oversize]

I’m just her guardian ATM! I think she’ll be a inspirational project for her next owner; Lindsay FOX??

 

[Oversize]

After lunch at Emu Bottom it seems Fangio drove Skye, the Grey Blue Metallic (colour code 906) 6.9, on at least two hot laps of the Sunbury area with the following passengers:

1st 'lap':

Julio Jeldes (his interpreter)
Peter Anderson (Motor Manual journalist), and

2nd 'lap':

Then-motoring editor of The Age, Christopher de Fraga, hopped in the back, behind front seat passenger, 1967 World Champion Denny Hulme.

It doesn't make sense that Jeldes wouldn't be present on the second lap, so that would put 4 people in the car the second time around.

I'm assuming Sir Stirling Moss was driving the second 6.9, which might've been Jeff K's old car. Fitting that the car is a light green... However it can't be Moss Green since that appears too dark. Oh and Jeff's old car can't be Thistle Green, since that wasn't released until 1980. Could Jeff K's old car actually be Cypress Green? Or was that car not built until 1980 (which would rule it out of the Fangio media day altogether)???

https://www.w116.org/tech/colors/

 

[c107]

After lunch at Emu Bottom it seems Fangio drove Skye, the Grey Blue Metallic (colour code 906) 6.9, on at least two hot laps of the Sunbury area with the following passengers:

1st 'lap':

Julio Jeldes (his interpreter)
Peter Anderson (Motor Manual journalist), and

2nd 'lap':

Then-motoring editor of The Age, Christopher de Fraga, hopped in the back, behind front seat passenger, 1967 World Champion Denny Hulme.

It doesn't make sense that Jeldes wouldn't be present on the second lap, so that would put 4 people in the car the second time around.

I'm assuming Sir Stirling Moss was driving the second 6.9, which might've been Jeff K's old car. Fitting that the car is a light green... However it can't be Moss Green since that appears too dark. Oh and Jeff's old car can't be Thistle Green, since that wasn't released until 1980. Could Jeff K's old car actually be Cypress Green? Or was that car not built until 1980 (which would rule it out of the Fangio media day altogether)???

https://www.w116.org/tech/colors/

What about Silver-Green (861)? Its a colour that is often mistaken for Thistle green and was popular at the time on W116's.

 

[BenzBoy]

I recall when Jeff K's car was for sale and I believe it to be Silver Green from the pictures that were on the net at the time. I owned an 80s Benz for a short period and it was Thistle Green which is a darker colour with more gold in it.
Regards,
Brian

 

[Oversize]

Yep I just spoke to Craig, who bought it from Jeff. Colour code 861 (Silver Green Metallic) and first owned by Mercedes Benz Australia. Sold to someone in WA and last seen in Bathurst NSW... Additional pix pending.

 

[SEL_69L]

I believe that Alan Jones also owned a 6.9 for quite a while.

 

[Oversize]

I wonder what this might reveal....

 

[Oversize]

I finally got a copy of this book which reveals some leads to more info on the event and the media release:

 

[Oversize]

It truly sux when a lead comes to a dead end (pardon the pun)! Unfortunately this has been the result of many leads because the event was more than 40 years ago!

https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/vale-hans-von-brockhusen

Michel do you have any contacts in the media that might have more info?

 

[sean sherry]

My fading memory needs some help...... I recall seeing Fangio and Moss driving
Mercedes Cars with Air Brakes at the Dundrod Circuit in Nth Ireland. Must have been in the early Fifties. What Cars were these back then ?

 

[Oversize]

The info continues to trickle in. This was just published in ‘Around The Benz’ which is the monthly magazine of the MBCV. This year is their 50th anniversary!! More info when it comes to hand...

 

[Oversize]

Strangely an ad popped up in the MBCV Mag which featured a name that rang a bell. I contacted the email provided & now have been conversing with Chris de Fragas’ wife!! Seems she’s even applied to join TK!

Hopefully some more info will emerge from this new lead!!

 

[Oversize]

Info from the new TK member as mentioned in my previous post

former Herald Sun motoring journalist, Peter Gavaghan, was also there on the day.

BTW the Herald & Sun were separate back then... I’m not sure if he rode in the cars, or just covered the story. He did say MB were very controlling of their media pix & released media ‘packs’ sometime after the event.
Some other interesting thoughts...
Hedley said the Silver Arrow was there & extremely noisy. But why would MB risk taking such a valuable car all the way out to Sunbury for such a small crowd?
MB must’ve been highly secretive about the whole thing because if it was made public a massive crowd would’ve attended to see the drivers and the cars. And that would’ve prevented any ‘enthusiastic’ driving to demonstrate the 6.9s abilities.

 

[Oversize]

I’m making initial enquires about having a small monument/plaque erected on or outside the site at Emu Bottom. Funded by MBCV or Hume City Council. Fingers crossed I can make this happen!!