1964 Ampol Trial

The 1964 Ampol Trial ran from 14 to 28 June.

1964 Ampol Trial

After a six year break, this was the second of three Ampol Trials, the third being in 1970. It was not a true “round Australia” trial as it was restricted to the eastern states. The event was promoted by the ARDC and directed by Carl Kennedy.

The event was won by Harry Firth and Graham Hoinville in their factory Ford Cortina. Holdens also featured well in the results with the new EH model finishing equal second with Barry Ferguson’s VW.

Unlike previous such events, there were no penalties for replacing parts on cars, with only the engine block needing to remain unchanged. Indeed the Firth Cortina underwent a substantial engine rebuild during the event but retained the same block.

147 cars started the event with 101 finishing.

The Firth/Hoinville Cortina in action on the 1964 Ampol Trial

Results and entry list

PlaceDriverNavigatorCarPoints
1Harry FirthGraham HoinvilleFord Consul Cortina GT21
2=John GarardGreg GarardHolden EH 179M25
2=Barry FergusonTony DenhamVW 1500 S25
4Doug StewartBarry LloydVW 1500 S28
5Lionel WilliamsSteve HalloranHolden EH 179M31
6Tom QuillRoger AbrahamsFord Falcon XL 17043
7Barry ArentzGeoff StockFord Consul Cortina GT51
8Bruce CollierJohn BrysonHolden EH 179M55
9Ard TheilGarry ChapmanFord Falcon XM 17057
10Mal McPhersonIan HolmHolden EH 179 M71

Route

The event started at finished at Bondi Beach in Sydney. The route followed an anti-clockwise loop visiting Dubbo, Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Armadale, Coffs Harbour, Warwick, Brisbane, Toowoomba, Nambour, Maryborough, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, Winton, Longreach, Charleville, Cunnamulla, Bourke, Broken Hill, Port Augusta, Adelaide, Renmark, Mildura, Mount Gambier, Warrnambool, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton, Melbourne, Bairnsdale, Albury, Wagga, Goulburn, Canberra, Cooma and Bega.

Other event documents

None available.

Media and other reports

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