FRANK SHUTER,(Hot rods/Speedway/Racing cars) NZ Motorsport Legend !!

[thunder427]

:)Frank Shuter was to the Kiwi car scene what Vic Edelbrock was to California/USA in the 50's/60's Christchurch...Mr 'Flathead' speed equip...Frank ran a 'Local' garage,the usual,Fuel and Service/W.O.F, but some how manage to raise a family,go motor racing,manufacture 'flathead equipment (and for the V8/60 speedway motors) race against the imported Cars (Sucessfully!!) trip 'backwards and forwards to the 'States' raise to 'sons both to follow in Motorsport,Frank Jnr (R.I.P)carving out a sucessful career in 'Solos Bikes',competing in England and around the world,sucessfully only to lose his life the results of a traffic accident,Rodney,younger Brother, found success in Speedway/NASCAR/USA as an Engine builder and a 'weekend warrior' driving succesfully in his chosen sport of Speedway/Stock Cars................many great stories here,my next move is to get Rod to join the our forum to talk,answer questions regarding growing up in a very normal home where ya Dad is a House hold name/identity.................regards thunder427/MJ:)

[David McKinney]

Yes, Rod would be a great addition to the forum

[Steve Holmes]

Cool thread Myles!

[Paul Kirk]

:)Frank Shuter was to the Kiwi car scene what Vic Edelbrock was to California/USA in the 50's/60's Christchurch...Mr 'Flathead' speed equip...Frank ran a 'Local' garage,the usual,Fuel and Service/W.O.F, but some how manage to raise a family,go motor racing,manufacture 'flathead equipment (and for the V8/60 speedway motors) race against the imported Cars (Sucessfully!!) trip 'backwards and forwards to the 'States' raise to 'sons both to follow in Motorsport,Frank Jnr (R.I.P)carving out a sucessful career in 'Solos Bikes',competing in England and around the world,sucessfully only to lose his life the results of a traffic accident,Rodney,younger Brother, found success in Speedway/NASCAR/USA as an Engine builder and a 'weekend warrior' driving succesfully in his chosen sport of Speedway/Stock Cars................many great stories here,my next move is to get Rod to join the our forum to talk,answer questions regarding growing up in a very normal home where ya Dad is a House hold name/identity.................regards thunder427/MJ:)

Yes, Thunder, I remember Frank Shuter very well, he was working as a used car salesman at Hains Motors in ChCh when I was finishing my apprenticship there (early '60s), that must have been after his involvement with the service station. I didn
t know him very well

[Paul Kirk]

:)Frank Shuter was to the Kiwi car scene what Vic Edelbrock was to California/USA in the 50's/60's Christchurch...Mr 'Flathead' speed equip...Frank ran a 'Local' garage,the usual,Fuel and Service/W.O.F, but some how manage to raise a family,go motor racing,manufacture 'flathead equipment (and for the V8/60 speedway motors) race against the imported Cars (Sucessfully!!) trip 'backwards and forwards to the 'States' raise to 'sons both to follow in Motorsport,Frank Jnr (R.I.P)carving out a sucessful career in 'Solos Bikes',competing in England and around the world,sucessfully only to lose his life the results of a traffic accident,Rodney,younger Brother, found success in Speedway/NASCAR/USA as an Engine builder and a 'weekend warrior' driving succesfully in his chosen sport of Speedway/Stock Cars................many great stories here,my next move is to get Rod to join the our forum to talk,answer questions regarding growing up in a very normal home where ya Dad is a House hold name/identity.................regards thunder427/MJ:)

Yes Thunder, I remember Frank Shuter well, he was a used/new car salesman at Hains Motors in ChCh as I was finishing my apprenticship there, (early to mid '60s). That must have been after his involvement with the service stn. We didn't know eachother very well, him being a flash dressed car salesman and me being a hairy-arsed apprentice, and I hadn't got involved in motorsport yet. Interestingly, I wasn't awear that he produced racing car parts. Years later when building my Viva Buick OSCA car I answered an advert selling a gearbox, by Dave Bailey, it turned out to be the Jaguar 'box that came into NZ on the back of the Cadilac v8 that Frank used in his Special, (he didn't use the Jag 'box). From memory I think Dave's father might have been a friend of Frank's and that was how he had the 'box.
The 'box was a Le Mans version of the old Moss (crash first gear) box and had close ratios specially 3rd to top.
When I got involved in the motorcycle scene I was looking for some leathers and Doug Drake said he had a two piece set which I bought, they turned out to be a pair that young Frank had used when riding solos in LosAngles. I still have them to this day, but time's moving by so I should really sell them on to a collector.
Regards
PK.
Incidently I was spectating at the Wigram meeting where Frank spun off to the infield at Bombay and hit a marshal's Morris 12, breaking his racer in two pieces!

[bry3500]

Marshal's car was a Citroen Light 15
check post #198
http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?321-Who-What-and-Where/page10

[David McKinney]

Looks like a Standard 14 to me...

[bry3500]

Uh oh..thanks David,,as usual you are quite right..put on my glasses next time ;)

[bry3500]

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