John Sheppard, crouching lower left, with the HDT crew in the late 1970s. Image: HDT
Sheppard passed away on Saturday morning, aged 89.
‘Sheppo’ as he became known, started his career as an apprentice in a Stan Jones’ car dealership in Melbourne before a move to Mini ace Peter Manton’s Monaro Motors.
Sheppard then accepted an offer from Tom Geoghegan and moved to Sydney to look after the cars raced by sons Leo and Ian from 1963 to 1969. That union reaped several Australian Touring Car Championships.
After that and a stint at Ron Hodgson Motors, Sheppard moved back to Melbourne to work on Norm Beechey’s new Holden Monaro and turn it into a race winner.
Sheppard then joined Bob Jane Racing and worked on the successful cars of Jane and John Harvey and built the Repco V8-powered Holden Torana XU-1.
At the end of 1972 he left the Jane organisation to set up his own mechanical and race preparation business. He was joined there by Neil Burns and later both worked at the Holden Dealer Team.
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Before he took over from Harry Firth at the HDT, Sheppard was contacted by Laurie O’Neil to build a Monaro for Ian Geoghegan.
Brock during the 1978 Bathurst 1000. Image: Glenis Lindley / Speedcafe
Sheppard had a very successful stint at the HDT with the 1978 ATCC win followed by the Sandown and Bathurst double in ’78 and ‘79.
He left the HDT for a role within General Motors-Holden before he returned to racing with the Volvo Dealer Team in 1996.
When Bob Jane created the Calder Park Thunderdome, Sheppard was enlisted to furbish the NASCAR machinery and take one to Charlotte in the US for Allan Grice.
After that Sheppard became Technical Director of TEGA until 1999 and since has been active with the Victorian Historic Racing Register where he has been involved in club events and meetings and restored and prepared historic cars.
In 1994 he received the CAMS Service Award, and in 2000 he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his services to motorsport.
Sheppard, centre, with Fred Gibson and Bruce Richardson in 2023. Image: Richard Gresham / Speedcafe
Born in 1935 in Brisbane, he was the second son of Reg and Lucy and brother to Len. He married his wife Eileen in 1956 with whom he raised daughters Julie, Susan and Joanne.
Speedcafe extends its condolences to his family, friends and the people he influenced over an extensive career.
Those to pay tribute online have included the official accounts for Chevrolet Racing, HDT and Allan Moffat.