Historic Touring Cars (New Zealand)

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks to Historic Touring Cars series coordinator Rick Michels for sending me these beautiful photos from Ruapuna on the weekend. The NZ Historic Touring Cars group is quite different to that which goes by the same name in Australia, which runs under Group N rules. The NZ category, caters to original touring cars that raced during the 1970s, '80s, and early '90s. Some really great cars here, and the class is growing. Interesting to see the old Mike Hourigan Jaguar XJS has been restored and returned to the track.

Photos are by Alex Mitchell.

Rick is expecting a new website for the class to be up and running in the next day or so.

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Steve Holmes]

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[Malcolm McLeod]

Just imagine a combined grid of these and the Heritage Touring Cars (Group C & A) from Australia!
I will try and post some from the Sandown Historic Meeting later in the week if I get a chance.
Suffice to say - the shreak from the Bathurst-winning Tomcat - unforgettable!!!!!!!

[conrod]

Thanks for posting Steve:) First pics I have seen from the weekend. (thats me in the last shot) Was going quite well until race 2 when something hit #4 spark plug:(

Foggy did a great restoration job on the old Jag, and was really hustling it around well (check out the tyre width on it!) and that is our very own "JR" in the JPS 635.

Conrad

[Robert Bailey]

The TWR Jaguar,what chassis # or history?

[conrod]

The TWR Jaguar,what chassis # or history?

Its a replica:)

[Snoozin]

Wow! Lovely shots, and what a grid! Wish I was there to see that!

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks for posting Steve:) First pics I have seen from the weekend. (thats me in the last shot) Was going quite well until race 2 when something hit #4 spark plug:(

Foggy did a great restoration job on the old Jag, and was really hustling it around well (check out the tyre width on it!) and that is our very own "JR" in the JPS 635.

Conrad

Thanks Conrad, yes I had noticed the Jag wheels. I bet Angus wasn't complaining about a lack of grip?

[ERC]

Its a replica:)
And the best presented under bonnet of any V12 Jag!

[conrod]

And the best presented under bonnet of any V12 Jag!

yes, although the white car looked lovely under bonnet too! Same owner of both cars anyway, so won't be any jealousy:)

[conrod]

Thanks Conrad, yes I had noticed the Jag wheels. I bet Angus wasn't complaining about a lack of grip?

It looked like it had plenty of grip from where I was sitting! I started race one behind Foggy, and decided I would follow him for a few laps, to try and learn the track quickly, as I had not raced there before. He does drive very well, and the car looked like it handled quite nicely. Pretty decent amount of power too:)

[Robert Bailey]

A'int they all.:)

[AMCO72]

We had the XJS out for a blast at Hampton a couple of weeks ago before it was 'shipped' to the Sth Island. The first run it had had after the rebuild and the first for many a long year. I'm afraid she was up to her old tricks........getting rather too warm in the oil and water departments, despite two massive oil coolers up front. The radiator is an original item and is not up to getting the heat out of all that metal in the V12, so something will have to be done about that.

Having said that, Angus and Gary decided to just get on with it and not look too hard at the temperature gauge!!!!!!!!!

One thing we noticed at Hampton was how QUIET the car was. With all this talk lately on decibel levels, this machine was howling round almost unobtrusively. It has a drain-pipe sized exhaust pipe with minimal silencing, and yet it was difficult to hear the exhaust noise at all except when it was actually passing you. Don't know why that would be, multiple cylinders maybe. Although when you think of other multicylinder cars......the BRM in particular, it could be heard 2 counties away......apparently.

Anyway was good to see it shooting the breeze again on the track where it belongs. It has certainly gone to the right home.

[ERC]

The BRM V16 that could be heard miles way was a supercharged 1500cc and I believe one of the first race engines to reach 10,000rpm, at which point it is a wail and a scream. I remember well working just inside the Staines/Egham bypass for six years, where they'd be road testing the cars from Maranello Concessionaires and those road-going Ferrari V12's weren't exactly quiet. What does the Jag V12 rev to?

Good to see both Jags out anyway and hopefully, both will be at Hampton Downs in January.

[AMCO72]

Ray, they were using 8,000 revs as a self-imposed limit, which is probably enough if longevity is an issue.

Yes it would be good to see them both at HD but not sure who is going to drive them, what with Minis and Super-Tourers having to be catered for during the same weekends!!!!!

This class of Historic Touring Cars is going to be a ripper, with lots of great sounds and looks.

[ERC]

Practice day, NZ GP January 1986 - but I can't seem to find the exact date on Google and once again, flaggies didn't get a programme...

PS:

http://www.progcovers.com/motor/index.html Forgot this great resource (that that I have contributed plenty to!) GP was January 5th so I presume this pic was Jan 4th

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[fullnoise68]

Ray, they were using 8,000 revs as a self-imposed limit, which is probably enough if longevity is an issue.

Yes it would be good to see them both at HD but not sure who is going to drive them, what with Minis and Super-Tourers having to be catered for during the same weekends!!!!!

This class of Historic Touring Cars is going to be a ripper, with lots of great sounds and looks.

Gerald, about 10 - 12 years ago this Jag and the accompanying covered tandem trailer where stored in a big shed on an orchard out in Patumahoe. I bought the trailer and used it for a while, before selling it to Glen Suckling?? who at the time was drag racing a Nissan Skyline sponsored by Croydon Wholesale in West Auckland. Good to see the car up and running again.

[Steve Holmes]

We had the XJS out for a blast at Hampton a couple of weeks ago before it was 'shipped' to the Sth Island. The first run it had had after the rebuild and the first for many a long year. I'm afraid she was up to her old tricks........getting rather too warm in the oil and water departments, despite two massive oil coolers up front. The radiator is an original item and is not up to getting the heat out of all that metal in the V12, so something will have to be done about that.

Having said that, Angus and Gary decided to just get on with it and not look too hard at the temperature gauge!!!!!!!!!

One thing we noticed at Hampton was how QUIET the car was. With all this talk lately on decibel levels, this machine was howling round almost unobtrusively. It has a drain-pipe sized exhaust pipe with minimal silencing, and yet it was difficult to hear the exhaust noise at all except when it was actually passing you. Don't know why that would be, multiple cylinders maybe. Although when you think of other multicylinder cars......the BRM in particular, it could be heard 2 counties away......apparently.

Anyway was good to see it shooting the breeze again on the track where it belongs. It has certainly gone to the right home.

Thanks for the description Gerald. Great to see another old Group A car out and running again, and looking amazing!

[Jizim]

Ray, they were using 8,000 revs as a self-imposed limit, which is probably enough if longevity is an issue.

Yes it would be good to see them both at HD but not sure who is going to drive them, what with Minis and Super-Tourers having to be catered for during the same weekends!!!!!

This class of Historic Touring Cars is going to be a ripper, with lots of great sounds and looks.

Ran against this Jag a few times....they were a great pair of blokes. Craig "Revs" Pullman built them an engine for Nissan Mobil in Wgtn and I remember it blowing conrods out through the engine block on the front straight not that far in from of our car. I always remember the sound it made and I spent many hours trying to replicate it on my road going car which I had put a set of 6 brand new IDF Webers on an Ardun manifold. Sat it on a set of chrome wires which made it look really nice with it's dog dick red paint.... Jim Short should remember my roadie.... Hey you have done a nice job on the Grp A car Angus and good to see master resto man Conrad down there to keep everyone honest. Nice nice class that holds a special place in my heart. Kind regards, Tony Rutherford.

[conrod]

Ran against this Jag a few times....they were a great pair of blokes. Craig "Revs" Pullman built them an engine for Nissan Mobil in Wgtn and I remember it blowing conrods out through the engine block on the front straight not that far in from of our car. I always remember the sound it made and I spent many hours trying to replicate it on my road going car which I had put a set of 6 brand new IDF Webers on an Ardun manifold. Sat it on a set of chrome wires which made it look really nice with it's dog dick red paint.... Jim Short should remember my roadie.... Hey you have done a nice job on the Grp A car Angus and good to see master resto man Conrad down there to keep everyone honest. Nice nice class that holds a special place in my heart. Kind regards, Tony Rutherford.

I am sure Craig would have covered the engine failure with his comprehensive "concrete warranty";):

Race engine warranty: once it leaves our concrete, it is out of warranty

[John H]

Advice please? Where do I get a bell housing for a Ford 302 Clevo to fit a T5 Box. Any suggestions would be so appreciated. Chrs John H

[dekon]

Advice please? Where do I get a bell housing for a Ford 302 Clevo to fit a T5 Box. Any suggestions would be so appreciated. Chrs John H
Castlemaine rod shop in aussie do bellhousings for most anything, have you tried lol Dale?

[Jac Mac]

Advice please? Where do I get a bell housing for a Ford 302 Clevo to fit a T5 Box. Any suggestions would be so appreciated. Chrs John H
Didnt know we had a techline on this site?:)
The bellhousing for a T5 that would have originally been fitted to a 80's onward mustang (5.0 windsor) etc should also fit the 302c block, that bell housing would be for cable clutch operation, your problem then will be locating a suitable balance factor ( 28 oz/in ) flywheel for the cleveland as most 5.0 mustangs are 50 oz/in factor.
You can use a manual bell housing from a 302c ( or any early pre 80's 6 bolt SBF ), but you then require an adapter to fit between bell housing & T5 along with a bit of basic lathe & machine work as the T5 input shaft is longer than older top loaders etc, but at least that allows conventional hyd clutch operation along with all the std flywheel/clutch hardware etc.

[John H]

Didnt know we had a techline on this site?:)
The bellhousing for a T5 that would have originally been fitted to a 80's onward mustang (5.0 windsor) etc should also fit the 302c block, that bell housing would be for cable clutch operation, your problem then will be locating a suitable balance factor ( 28 oz/in ) flywheel for the cleveland as most 5.0 mustangs are 50 oz/in factor.
You can use a manual bell housing from a 302c ( or any early pre 80's 6 bolt SBF ), but you then require an adapter to fit between bell housing & T5 along with a bit of basic lathe & machine work as the T5 input shaft is longer than older top loaders etc, but at least that allows conventional hyd clutch operation along with all the std flywheel/clutch hardware etc.
Thanks a lot to you both. Its been nearly 50 years since my first race at Puke in a MK 1 Zepher. So I need to get up to date with things now. At that time Kenny Smith and his father were trying out the front engine Lola. My Zepher fried its brakes as I came belting down to the railway line. Only just got though the corner. Thanks again I appreciate that.