wizard smith

Before Jack Brabham, Norman Smith would have to have been Australia's greatest motoring hero. A

skilful driver, more in the mould of the modern rally driver than the 1920's daredevil that some writers try to portray him. He always studied the route beforehand, took copious notes and prepared detailed route map cards. His 'mechanics', read navigators, were also skilled drivers and E.Croysdill in particular held motoring records in his own right. His attention to detail is why he was able to set motoring records in what were unlikely cars, the Essex 4 being as unlikely as any.

The Essex 4 produced between 1919 and 1923 as a cheaper Hudson line had all the strengths and weaknesses of the early 1920's American car. It was reliable with a strong chassis, rudimentary brakes on the rear wheels and simple to repair. The one thing that set it head and shoulders above its contemporaries was a rather sophisticated engine, supposedly copying, thus infringing, many of the patents of the Hispano Suiza engine. Overhead inlet valves, side draft carburetor, coil ignition with automatic spark advance and 55 BHP made it twice as powerful as other popular 3L American motors.

Norman Smith first came to the notice of the Australian motoring press when he won first prize in the November 1922 R.A.C.V. 1000 mile Alpine Rally. Let's clear the preconceptions. We would now call this a reliability trial. All cars were stock standard, carried four people, and points were deducted for stalling, adding water, changing a wheel etc. Points were awarded through a complicated formula system for performance in fuel economy, hill climb, speed runs etc. Smith did not, as one historian alleges, 'leap in his racing Essex and roar down to Victoria to sweep all before him'!

The photo in the December 1922 issue of the Australian Motorist shows him at the wheel of car No. 35,a 1922 Essex with wooden spoke wheels, drum headlamps and rear opening doors. Neal's Motors entered two cars in the open event, Smith driving No. 35 and his boss Harry Lane, managing director of Neal's Motors driving No. 40. Smith was not well known at this time. He is listed in the list of competitors as Neal's Motors Essex driver H.Smith. They got the initial wrong. In the 29 pages of rally story his name is not mentioned in the text. His boss, Harry Lane, gets a mention for setting the hood of his car alight with a cigarette and for losing points for forgetting to turn his petrol on and stalling his car. They both did well in the events where points were awarded, Smith with 278 and Lane with 277 out of a possible 300. Norman Smith won first prize and was awarded a trophy valued at 50 guineas from the Dunlop Rubber Co. This was the beginning of a little over 12 months partnership with the Essex 4 a list of record breaking runs that would be difficult to duplicate today.

December 14, 1922 Sydney to Melbourne 15hrs 38mins

January 13, 1922 Melbourne to Sydney 14hrs 28mins

February 1922, Brisbane to Sydney 18hrs 45mins and Adelaide to Melbourne 13hrs 21mins

Launceston to Hobart to Launceston 243 miles at an average speed of 56.5MPH

Melbourne to Sydney 12hrs 59mins