Ron Silvester's and his Chev Coupe.... (other Variations as well!!)

[thunder427]

Ron Silvester,Big guy, Big heart and a 'big' Chev coupe!!!!

That about cover's it!!!!!but there is so much to tell,I believe Ron was responsible for creating that Famous 'Australian' saying..."No Worries"!!!!!!, epitomises Ron's handle on life,"If you can think it, you can make it happen", he once told me,I'm proud to say Ron treated me like a friend,he was a 'Mentor' in so many ways ,not only to me,but to many people he saw the 'Light' in....If you said your going to do it to Ron then you had better get it done,because the next time you meet he would say, "Hey!! how did you go with that such and such"????.....it payed to have an answer, a positive,even if you had aquired a 'negative' result,he still wanted to know how you went.....:)the Man!!...RIP

The Coupe.........! regards thunder427/MJ:)

[bob homewood]

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George was one of the first people to put a Chev V8 engine into one of the pre-war coupes and he was a pretty competitive driver in those times

[Javman]

Thats a cool photo Bob. YeeHaa

[David McKinney]

1962 GP meeting
I think that's George's second Corvette (Bob will correct me if I'm wrong:)
His first is immediately behind, driven by John Riley, with Red Dawson's Ford-Corvette alongside, then Tim Beetham and Joe Hayes in Mk2 Zephyrs with Alistair McLeod's Jag 3.4. I think it's Frank Stephen in the red Corvette with Carter's Studebaker Hawk alongside. Then Nigel Giblin (Alvis), Ted Thompson (flathead Ford) and Jock Mackintosh (Jag 2.4)
Eventual winner Bryan Innes (Zephyr) must be out of shot to the right and the only other starter not in the picture is Dennis Simmons in the Spinner Car Sales Mk1 Zephyr (with Mk2 engine)

[bob homewood]

[QUOTE=David McKinney;617]1962 GP meeting
I think that's George's second Corvette (Bob will correct me if I'm wrong:)

Yes I believe that is correct David that is the second car ,the first one would be the car Riley is driving in that photo,that was the meeting George told me he had problems in Practice which ended up with him having to work on the car really late the night before and apparently in the rush they forgot to change the rear wheels and tyres over before the race and he was plagued by bad oversteer all the race and a couple of spins which put paid to him doing better in that race

[Bruce302]

Did Rod Coppins buy the George Dixon Chev coupe, and inherit the number 141 ?

That was what he kept constant with all his cars didn't he ?
And on a side note, I see all the cars had 3 digit race numbers, not specifically in the above pics but the other thread from early Puke.

Bruce.

[David McKinney]

On your second point, I think this was one of the meetings where the whole entry was divided up into chunks, though there were some variations. Numbers in the Over 1600 saloon race ranged between 137 and 157

In think the No.141 is just a coincidence, though it was on the Chev coupé Coppins raced in 1964. Whether or not the car was ex-Dixon I don't recall (but - again - Bob will:) ) but the engine was, I believe, the ex-Camoradi one from the Tec-Mec, later to be seen in the Zephyr-Corvette

[Steve Holmes]

I think Rod McElrea also ran a Chevy coupe right through until the late '60s or early '70s? Anyone have more info on this car?

[David McKinney]

Pretty sure it was a six, as were others raced in the SI by Allan Milligan, Peter Gillum and (before the Corvette) Ron Silvester

George Dixon and Rod Coppins also raced sixes in the NI, and so did Jack Nazer

[Steve Holmes]

One of Terry Marshalls photos here of Sylvester obviously, but whos is the coupe in the background?

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[bob homewood]

Steve,
I won't clutter up this thread with a lot of quote replys .Some time soon I will write you a story on what I know of the Auckland Coupe scene early sixties ,I was pretty close to a lot of the guys back then,not sure if I can add a lot of new photos but I will look around ,some of the guys are still around

[kiwi285]

http://i55.tinypic.com/2q998p3.jpg http://i51.tinypic.com/2wlsjyc.jpg http://i52.tinypic.com/2eclo3l.jpg

A couple of shot taken at Ruapuna several years ago

[woody]

Doug Algie from Oamaru raced a 39 Chev Coupe for a few years. Two tone blue with the back of the boot cutaway.

[woody]

Red Dawsons Willys coupe was bought by Lin Neilson from Dunedin, motor was taken out and put into a Mk3 Zephyr and raced for a season, then Lin bought a mini. 66 NZ Motorsport page 38 has a photo.

[David McKinney]

I never knew that
(But am not allowed to post the fact because it's too short...)

[Shano]

I dug this out of my files, taken when I was a schoolkid with a plastic Brownie camera (by way of explanation of the quality).

I don't remember where this was but could have been a car show at Epsom Showgrounds. It says Kevin Green is the driver. Does anyone know more about this car?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/benderboat/Peter%20Suyvesant%20Meet%20Jan%2074/Chevcoupe.jpg

[pallmall]

I did a photo shoot of the car for NZ Hot Rod, and it was on the cover of NZHR January 1969, there was a feature story in another issue. I can recall it racing at Pukekohe on the club track, but not much more.

[Steve Holmes]

So is this your handiwork then Gavin?

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[bob homewood]

I did a photo shoot of the car for NZ Hot Rod, and it was on the cover of NZHR January 1969, there was a feature story in another issue. I can recall it racing at Pukekohe on the club track, but not much more.

Kevin raced that car quite a bit around that time at Pukekohe ,I think from memory he also raced it at Paritutu,by that time the Coupes were really no longer competitive,

[pallmall]

So is this your handiwork then Gavin?



Yes,taken up at Bastion Point. I think that issue had lots of my stuff in. Some rebuild photos of the Eisert at Performance Developments, took lots of photos of that over about 6 weeks, not much ended up being published, a Hot Rod show, and some speedway stuff. Fun times.
Although the cover says January 1969, that was actually the issue for January 1970!

[Steve Holmes]

Do you know what happened to the car Gavin?

[Bruce302]

Wow, I remember the Kevin Green Chev coupe, if that didn't make any school boy want one just like it, then nothing will.
Kevin may have taken it to the States when he moved there in the late 70's. He told me his wife gave him an ultimatum, and as he said, there are lots of women out there, not so many nice 37 coupes.
He had a Chev parts and engine importing business, and was well involved with the big block marine engine users.

He was a neat guy, hopefully he still is.

Bruce.

[David McKinney]

Kevin raced that car quite a bit around that time at Pukekohe ,I think from memory he also raced it at Paritutu,by that time the Coupes were really no longer competitive,
That's my exact memory, Bob
I think I first saw it at Paritutu, then later at Puke and, as you say, it couldn't keep up with the newer machinery
I wonder if it was the ex-Dixon/Riley car?

[Carlo]

Re Coupe in the background of post #10, it could be Mike Stanley's car, a Chev with a ford engine powering it. Rod McElrea's car was a "GMC McGurk Chev" as he called it. The engine being a GMC unit modified with McGurk componentry

[bob homewood]

That's my exact memory, Bob
I think I first saw it at Paritutu, then later at Puke and, as you say, it couldn't keep up with the newer machinery
I wonder if it was the ex-Dixon/Riley car?

No the Dixon / Riley car went to George Bunce ,Kevins car was only a 6 cylinder ,I am not sure of these facts some one can correct me but it was possibly Noel Forsyths car before,not sure but I know that Kevins car originally had modified 15" Chev utility wheels on it which were the same as the ones I sold to Noel

[bob homewood]

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[pallmall]

The photo in the Jolly Wide Wheels advert is also mine, so I must have seen the car race on the Puke main circuit. Can also remember it at New Plymouth. Running the six, when years earlier the mafia were all running V8s in the Coupes and became uncompetitive, meant that Kevin was really only running for fun and experience.

[bob homewood]

I have got Kevin in a program for the November 5th 1966 meeting that was the Dunlop Gold Star meeting ,the first one that was run with the " Champion " curve in it on the revised full circuit

[bob homewood]

That's my exact memory, Bob
I think I first saw it at Paritutu, then later at Puke and, as you say, it couldn't keep up with the newer machinery
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Sorry not sure of any credits to this photo ,it came from a scrapbook

[Steve Holmes]

Of all the pre-war Ford, Willys, and Chevy coupes raced in NZ during the 50s and 60s, other than the Ron Sylvester Chevy, are there any other known survivors?

[bob homewood]

Not to my knowledge Steve ,I did hear the ex Trevor Horncy black 6 Cyl one had survived and was possibly still around ,but it was detuned and put back to a road car anyway way back in 64 ish

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Bob, I'd forgotten that the Barry Pointon Willys coupe has survived, and now resides in Dannevirke, as a gasser style hot rod with Chrysler Hemi power. The Dawson Willys is apparently still alive, although not so well. Its been sitting beneath a tree out in the elements for many years. I believe the Garth Souness '32 Ford coupe is now a hot rod. Greg Stokes will be able to confirm that.

[markec]

I have just tried to upload a picture of the Silvester Coup when Ron had a fire in it, it didn't happen so I will try again later. Some of the pics I will load are out of period magazines and the quality is not brilliant

[David McKinney]

Some of the pics I will load are out of period magazines and the quality is not brilliant
They will also be subject to the laws of copyright;)

[markec]

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[markec]

A Hot day at Ruapuna

[GeebeeNZ]

Amongst my collection of old Hot Rod mags the Kevin Green Chev has impressed me more than most. It had a GMC 6 in it which is a bigger capacity than the Chev 6. I will have to check the mag but from memory I think it had been raced in some form before Kevin got it.

[bob homewood]

Its getting too far back for the memory now ,but was it Noel Forsyths before

[bry3500]

From the Cover of Tim Chadwick's 'Saloon Motorsport In New Zealand"

[Kwaussie]

Gerald Hoare from Dunedin had a Chev Coupe with a GMC 6 which was his tow car for a similar powered rail dragster.
Both cars were very fast. At a Teretonga meeting years ago the dragster spun up on its own oil just in front of the old control tower.
Can't remember what the SS1/4 times were.

[thunder427]

4754
.... Carlos Neat in Skyline #125,I think it was Barry Brown in the Mini directly in front of future Datsun,there again it may have been Lyn Neilson...cause of that 'Kurfuffle' was that Ron was wearing non regulation foot wear,Type in Sandle/Jandle, that came of his foot and got lodged under the brake pedal restricting the travel, EG, 'like no brakes.'..the results are clear:o!!!!!..........regards thunder427/MJ:cool:

[Oldfart]

From the Cover of Nick Chadwick's 'Saloon Motorsport In New Zealand"

Nick? Tim?

[bry3500]

Oops Tim
Nick? Tim?

[bry3500]

My old mate David Irving has painted many of NZ's ( and Australia's) classic Racing Cars. The Silvester Chev included. Check out his amazing portfolio of work here
http://www.david-irving.com/products.php?category_id=1&limit=5&page=9

[woody]

KWaussie, Gerald's coupe and dragster were sold to Spinner Black. The dragster still turns up at Meremere once a year. Paton & Black ran the dragster, then John Agnew. I used to push start it at the Waihola bent sprint. The coupe held the saloon record at Waitati hillclimb for a year or so.

[woody]

Doug Algie's coupe was always neat and tidy, light blue and white. Doug cut the back about 6 inches from the bottom of the boot. Looked smart. Johnny Armstrong ran a 39 coupe in hillclimbs around Dunedin before the Mk2 Zephyr. Remember Johnny running a Austin A90 Atlantic at a hillclimb. John Allum ran a Fiat 600. Gerald Hore owned D C Ross, toolmakers in Dunedin. Sold the business to Brugers. Gerald was a very good engineer.

[Kwaussie]

Thats great woody - someone who remembers! Looked up some old clippings. Dragster was good for 12sec. 1/4 mile which was very quick some 50 years ago. Coupe was not far off that time.

[Steve Holmes]

Here are a couple of beauties I got from Bob Homewood:

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[Steve Holmes]

Here is my '38 Deluxe coupe, currently having some chassis fabrication work done at Magoos Street Rods, to fit 324ci Oldsmobile Rocket motor and monstrous Hydramatic transmission. The body is ROUGH, but these old coupes don't exactly grow on trees. Fortunately for me Bob Drakes and other companies are now punching out good replacements panels for these cars.

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[bry3500]

That's looking fantastic Steve..makes me wish I still had my old 38 Ford, must dig out some pics

[Oldfart]

Somebody with cars like these must NEED a Chrysler "polyhead", not that I know what that is!

[MarkQ]

My Fathers 39 Coupe at full song, ESCC Hillclimb in Dunsdale, Southland in 1969. Looks like he was having fun!
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[MarkQ]

Here is another photo which must be around the same time, at a bent sprint in Riversdale, Eastern Southland Car Clubs timing caravan is a ripper with the chequered paint work.
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[David McKinney]

Here are a couple of beauties I got from Bob Homewood:

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George Dixon in one his his many Chev coupés (111) and in the Ford a young bloke who went on to race sportscars and F5000 with some success

Pukekohe 5 January 1963

[Steve Holmes]

Yep, thats right, Garry Pederson.

[Steve Holmes]

My Fathers 39 Coupe at full song, ESCC Hillclimb in Dunsdale, Southland in 1969. Looks like he was having fun!
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Wow, Mark, these photos are magnificent!

[Steve Holmes]

Here is another photo which must be around the same time, at a bent sprint in Riversdale, Eastern Southland Car Clubs timing caravan is a ripper with the chequered paint work.
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This picture is so sharp it looks like it could have been taken yesterday. Do you know what happened to your fathers '39 Deluxe?

[Steve Holmes]

That's looking fantastic Steve..makes me wish I still had my old 38 Ford, must dig out some pics

Thanks Bry, shes a pretty rough old nail. Its actually a mongrel. The chassis and front sheetmetal are all from a '38 Deluxe four door sedan my father bought in the late '70s and lost interest in. The body is '39 Deluxe. The body had actually been cut up back in the '60s and was to be used on a stockcar chassis for speedway racing, but for whatever reason the project stalled. The floors had been gas-axed out and the rear body lopped off. I bought the body about 5 years ago.

[MarkQ]

Hi Steve, Yeah they are good old clear photo's even when they are reduced in resolution.
He sold it in 1970 to buy Neil Stuart's Ford V8 Special from Norm Smith, which we still have.
The coupe went to Barry Fitzgerald of Invercargill who drove it on the road for a while with roll bar and megaphone exhaust!
I think he then sold the body to a guy in Australia in the early 70's.
3 years ago dad bought another '39 deluxe coupe and is presently restoring it along with a '38 deluxe coupe he has had in a shed since '67. The flatheads will use a few old speed parts he had collected over the years.

[Rod Grimwood]

Ross Tebbs ran this at club stuff years ago, before his radical MK11 Zephyr

Love the old coupes

MarkQ That blue coupe is a beaut

[thunder427]

Ross Tebbs ran this at club stuff years ago, before his radical MK11 Zephyr

Love the old coupes

MarkQ That blue coupe is a beaut

.....'Starfire' hupcaps with 'bullit' enchancements,very 'Cool ' in the day, had my very own set,just kept swapping from car to car !!!!!.......... MJ:cool:

[Steve Holmes]

Ross Tebbs ran this at club stuff years ago, before his radical MK11 Zephyr

Love the old coupes

MarkQ That blue coupe is a beaut

Wow, that is nice Rod!

[Steve Holmes]

These ones were posted by Rod Grimwood in the Glen (Jigger) Jones tribute thread: http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?153-In-memory-Glen-(Jigger)-Jones

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Steve Holmes]

And David McKinney posted this in the Glen Jones thread:

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[MarkQ]

12374
Another shot of my fathers coupe at an Eastern Southland Car Club event, around 1969.

[Rod Grimwood]

In 69 that car was 30 years old, not a bad effort is it, and it looks bloody tidy as well. Love the way he is transfering the weight inside, good stuff.

[Steve Holmes]

Mark, thats a brilliant photo!