In memory: Glen (Jigger) Jones

[Rod Grimwood]

I am fortunate enough to have known this great guy and shared alot of time and track with him. Remember him way back in Coupe days and then Valiant with 400 chev sideways at hillclimb, grass track and curcuit meetings and it goes on. He had already done a heap before i meet him, so I am very lucky to have on loan from his wife a history in photos of Glen. (believe he is in another thread in coupe on grass)
If anyone has a story (there's a couple) or photos, please join in and share with all of us.
This man was a true gentleman, until the helmet went on and then came the mist. A very talented person behind the wheel and with a spanner in his hand.
Never forgotten Glen

[Stan]

I too was one of the lucky ones to have raced and shared the odd DB sandwich with Jigger.
Great guy and had some great battles on the track.
Will not be forgotten.

[bob homewood]

819

Not a very good photo of Jigger I am sorry,but its from the Pukekohe Car Club Hillclimb at Ridge Road Pokeno April 1970 which Jigger won in his Coupe
I met Jigger through my good fiend George Dixon in the very early seventies when he was racing his first Coupe and I feel lucky to have shared that friendship for many years afterwards and yes there were a few DB sandwhiches along the way and more than a few good laughs and memories

[Rod Grimwood]

Once i can get this resize thing sorted i will post some classic photos of Glen and some of the cars he played with.

[Steve Holmes]

Great thread Rod, keep it coming.

[Greg Stokes]

Rod - do you know if this was the Glenn Jones that built the Morrari for Garth Souness?

[Rod Grimwood]

Yes it was and when i can sort out photos will show some great shots of him and Morrari, along with all types of beasts that Glen drove.

[Greg Stokes]

Hi Rod, that would be great to see more shots of the Morrari - we are almost ready to start the chassis and anything that shows any detail would be great.

[Rod Grimwood]

Will do, i have left note on your thread

[pallmall]

Yes it was and when i can sort out photos will show some great shots of him and Morrari, along with all types of beasts that Glen drove.

Rod, if this is the same Glen Jones that built the Morrari, would I be correct that it is the same GJ that raced stockcars at Epsom circa 1957, stockrods at Gloucester Park circa 1961, and possibly early modifieds/sprintcars at Western Springs?

[Rod Grimwood]

Pallmall you are right again here are a couple of the early days in stockcars, note the modified wire wheels of later model. I have photos shortly of Sprinter days from Rotorua and Auckland. Anyone with more info please pass it on in this thread.
Rod, if this is the same Glen Jones that built the Morrari, would I be correct that it is the same GJ that raced stockcars at Epsom circa 1957, stockrods at Gloucester Park circa 1961, and possibly early modifieds/sprintcars at Western Springs?

[Rod Grimwood]

Note the signwriting and steel work.

[Steve Holmes]

You wait till Greg Stokes see's the pics of that Ford coupe. You'll hear his jaw hit the floor. Its amazing that these old cars that are hugely desirable now (especially '30s Ford coupes) that back in the '60s held no value, and so many ended their days in the dirt bullrings. There is a '40 Willys coupe bodied stockcar in Palmerston North that has somehow survived. Those Willys coupe bodies are now nearly as desirable as '32 Ford 3 window coupes. Amazing photos Rod. This is an incredible thread.

I see the Pall Mall signage on the side. Was Glen part of the formidable Pall Mall team?

[pallmall]

I see the Pall Mall signage on the side. Was Glen part of the formidable Pall Mall team?


No, that car in the photo was around 1955-56, a long time before the Pall Mall team. I have some photos I will post later.

[Greg Stokes]

You wait till Greg Stokes see's the pics of that Ford coupe. You'll hear his jaw hit the floor. Its amazing that these old cars that are hugely desirable now (especially '30s Ford coupes) that back in the '60s held no value, and so many ended their days in the dirt bullrings. There is a '40 Willys coupe bodied stockcar in Palmerston North that has somehow survived. Those Willys coupe bodies are now nearly as desirable as '32 Ford 3 window coupes. Amazing photos Rod. This is an incredible thread.

I see the Pall Mall signage on the side. Was Glen part of the formidable Pall Mall team?

You got that right Steve - same amount of jaw dropping with that pic showing the reinforcing on the wire wheels! OUCH!

[pallmall]

Western Springs, probably around 1956, this car was also driven by Dave Rennie, so I am not sure exactly where Glen and Dave fit in the timeline. (Western Springs stockcar era is something I am curently researching for my Auckland Stockcar book)
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Assorted%20Stockcars%203/WesternSprings0002750x509.jpg

Epsom Showgrounds 1957-58 season. (sorry, repeating some images here)

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Assorted%20Stockcars%203/HTEpsom1957-58093750x545.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Assorted%20Stockcars%203/HTEpsom1957-58069750x542.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Assorted%20Stockcars%203/2glenjones002750x548.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Assorted%20Stockcars%203/2glenjones001750x548.jpg

[pallmall]

This car as #9 and #2 also has a possible connection to Dave Rennie, car originally was raced at TeRapa and Western Springs as #65 by Bill McBride then raced at Epsom by Glen Jones as #9 and #2, was sold to Sam Ferabend in 1958 and became his first stockcar.

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Assorted%20Stockcars%203/9Epsom750x409.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Assorted%20Stockcars%203/0000042Epsom644x420.jpg

[Rod Grimwood]

I am only down loading these off the photo disc's that Glens family have given me.
So Pallmall you will have the stories and knowledge about them.
Photos are too good not to look at history.
As we progress through into later years i will be able add a bit with your and Bobs help.

[Rod Grimwood]

Some Sprinter photos as well.

[pallmall]

The last two posts are all Rotorua, the Sprintcar is actually a Modified Sportsman, a class that started in Rotorua in around 1976 and still runs today as Modifieds around the country. Early guess is the Modified photos are mid to late eighties, the stockcar photos range from the very early days of Paradise Valley in 1971 through the following 10 years approx. I guess that is Glen in the modified without getting out my references, not sure which stockcars he is driving.

[Rod Grimwood]

Ok you guy's these must tell a story or two, and there are a few to come. Love the body position as we slip around the corner, Glen was known for that lean forward and go stance

[Rod Grimwood]

A couple more, love the attitude.

[Rod Grimwood]

Can pick the Puke Elbow shots and Chamberlain Rd 2nd top corner in last photo but not sure of where the others are.

[Steve Holmes]

Wow, these are absolutely magic shots Rod! I really love them. I'm building a traditional style hot rod using a '39 Deluxe coupe body similar to that, and the colour will even be green, although a slightly lighter shade. That is just one of the best shapes to come out of Detroit. Thanks again for posting these beautiful photos. I am absolutely passionate about the pre-war coupes that were road raced in the '50s and '60s.

[Rod Grimwood]

Have kind of worked out resize for now, thanks Steve now you will have to wait and see what else pops up.

[pallmall]

I have been waiting for the green coupe to show up, I remember that well. Great stuff.

[Rod Grimwood]

Some of the Chev Coupe days, saw this beast. Check out the attitude at Nongataha? Rotorua lake in background, was there years later when Glen slipped off backwards (at speed) on 2nd to top corner in the Valiant AP5 with 400 in it.

[Steve Holmes]

Rod, what powered the 39 Deluxe Ford? A hot flathead I assume? I wonder what happened to that car. They're few and far between now, the 39 coupes. A LOT of them ended up on the speedway. The body on my hot rod project was destined for the speedway in Taranaki in the '60s, but fortunately for whatever reason the project was stalled permanently. And Ford didn't import the '40, so this was it.

The Chevy coupe is very cool. Was this the same car in all four photos? Was this powered by a Chevy 6, or something else? Sort of looks like it reads "Chev Corvette" on the side of the hood in the colour photo.

[bob homewood]

Some of Rods later photos I think I can add a bit to a couple of them,the red Coupe with Pointon Motors on it was I believe Barry Pointons car which as the signage says was Corvette powered ,I believe it also had a Super Snipe gear box ,well from memory I think that is where the one I had went to,it was always a very well presented and turned out car.The picture taken at the Elbow with the white 39 and the darker colored one are I believe Frank Stephen and Cliff Horncy both those cars were GMC 6 powered,if you look closely at the photo you will see Frank has hit a bale and it is in front of the car ,this sticks in my mind as he got christened with the nick name farmer Stephen from us for that effort. The Angila no 105 and the big "sabrinas " in one of the other photos Is I believe Jack Nazer in a earlier guise of his car

[Steve Holmes]

Great info Bob! Barry Pointon raced a Willys coupe at one point, which is now owned by a hot rodder in Dannevirke.

Do you know where Glens Chevy coupe went to after he'd finished with it? There were a lot of pre-war coupes raced in the '50s and '60s. Other than Ron Sylvester's Chevy, are there any other known survivors?

[bob homewood]

I believe Barry Pointon is still around , I have been trying to find out and catch up with him,from memory Barry brought Jim Richards Anglia ,when Jim moved on to the red 1300 Escort

[Rod Grimwood]

The Chev coupe that Glen ran a long time before he went to the Valiant, ran a small block Chev 400 in its very later times and this motor went into the Valiant, it was in the car at Nongataha as i remember watching it. Remember seeing Glen at Ridge Road on the bombays one day just giving it to the coupe, always spectacular to watch. Made the old Humber 80 look pedestrian. Mind you i was not the only one i think.

[Rod Grimwood]

Glen giving the old girl a tune up.

[Rod Grimwood]

Glen kept some pretty good company at times. Reckonize any of them, can name a couple, especially the gentleman leaning on the Impala. The sports car that John is racing was a Lotus with a Olds V8 in it.

[Rod Grimwood]

Now we all know these blokes, name the two good looking girls. How is that Rambler love it now.

[Rod Grimwood]

Valiant second to last corner Chamberlain Rd. I reckon I know the fella with the mullet hair (wishs he just had some now). Standing right there and we had her back on wheels so quick the dust had not settled. Glen checked it over and went for another blast and did not seem to slow much at all. I was giving Rod a hand with the buggy and was waiting for Glen and him to come up as they were good to watch.

[Steve Holmes]

The photos on this thread are amazing Rod. The ones of the Coppins Zephyr are magic.

[Rod Grimwood]

Glad you enjoy, more to come that will jolt some peoples memory. All thanks to Glens family for giving me these to share.

[Rod Grimwood]

Glen can not have had many week ends at home, and we all know to play you have to put time in during the week, he must have had a different time schedule to most of us, or a 30 hour a day clock.
This looks good fun.

[Rod Grimwood]

Moving on a couple of years, the Holden had a 400 in it and was the tow car but came in handy at times for a bit of fun. Notice the starter for the Auckland Domain hillclimb, would love a dollar for every flag Laurie waved.

[Rod Grimwood]

The Rex Findlay Datsun when it was handed to Glen to beat us guys up. Dude in jeans is Glens brother in law Kevin Gerbic. partners in mayhem.

[Rod Grimwood]

New colour scheme and ready to go.

[Rod Grimwood]

Interesting grid line up at club curcuit Puke, used to have good fields then.

2nd photo little blue Anglia 2nd from rear finished behind (a ways back) Jigger in Datsun and other Datsun (yellow) loved that club circuit.

[Rod Grimwood]

Bay Park, This was one very quick little Datsun

[Rod Grimwood]

Glen and Kevin at prize giving, Glen did a bit of this over the years.

[Rod Grimwood]

One for you Auckland boy's, look at this likely bunch, I think this may be one of infamous Royal George social trips. Can not name all but some think I can. From left Pass, Glen Jones, The Reverand, pass, Bob Menzies, Rex Finlay, pass,pass, Brian Rice, pass,pass. Looks dangerous. Bob you may know missing links.

[Rod Grimwood]

Glens involvement with this name (EIT) will come to light a little later in thread. Glen was very good friends and helped both Bob Menzies the Merc Man and navigator for Graeme Horne with the boat.

[Rod Grimwood]

Glen and families purchase of this car was to be a huge step up to what Glen had always wanted.

[Rod Grimwood]

Glen did a trip to the South Island along with Brett Willis and his Commodore and Ralph Mossman and his Viva. Many a story to be told on this trip. Glen was always a very quick driver but this Commodore put up there and in front quite often. This was good racing days with Nth island Sports Sedans and Sth Island OSCA getting together.

[Rod Grimwood]

And there was Taupo, the original track with it's big tent as the main centre of activities and a more friendly bunch you could not meet. We used to tow our cars down there on Friday afternoon arrive around 8 or 9 and there they were waiting with the Bar B Q and hot food and of course they even had a bar with a chiller (not really needed some times) in the tent. A cold part of the country temperature wise but very warm with hospitality.

[Rod Grimwood]

On a successful day Ross, (the kind of team manager) had a ritual he used to do and would try and involve who ever was in drinking distance to partake. These were good fun days. As mentioned the tent at Taupo was a great place, and a bit went on there, as was the back of the pits at Bay Park or Pukekohe or were ever. Some how we always seemed to be in the same pit area.

[Rod Grimwood]

Another day of success and there is that ritual again.

[Rod Grimwood]

Another great days racing, it was about this time that Glen was becoming more ill but he had a few things to finish yet.

[Rod Grimwood]

Truck racing was a challenge that Glen took on and this was sponsored by EIT and was bought about with his involvement in Offshore Racing dating back and right up to this time with EIT Mover. Glen was good at truck racing also. A pity was that this did not last very long as Glens hard fought battle with cancer was about to come to an end, Glen made every post a winning post in his life and he rose to the challenge every time.
A small guy with a huge heart and pride in everything he did.

[Rod Grimwood]

Glens memories live on with all of us who got to know him over the years, and is remembered with a memorial cup, which a young Brett Willis was the first proud reciepient.

[Rod Grimwood]

The car was sold back to the South Island and these are the last photos the family have of the car. If anyone else has photos of the later years of the car can you please post them on this site or make contact with me, as the family would like to know were it went and what happened to it.
Thats it from me, but please feel free to share any experiences you may have had with Glen Jones and his band of merry men.
PS the car was unfortunately totalled in a big accident at levels.

[Steve Holmes]

I've really enjoyed this thread Rod. Great work! The '80s Sports Sedan photos are fantastic. There really were a lot of quality NZ built cars around then. I do have a photo of the Commodore during the 1989/90 season when Grant Taylor owned it. I'll scan and post it. I spoke to Clyde Collins about the car a few years ago and he thought it had been written off when Michael Johnston owned it. Can anyone else confirm or deny this?

[Rod Grimwood]

Correction: Enlightened by Kevin, Glens brother inlaw tonight. Glen and family bought the car off Steve Vigurs. Grant taylor then had it for a while and then it went to Sth Island apparently and the guy had a big accident. (sounds like Michael) as you mention Steve. Love to see later photos or any others of all the cars and Glen and the team.

[Steve Holmes]

Will scan and post that Grant Taylor photo Rod. I also have some images of when Clyde Collins was first rebuilding/completing the car for Avon Hyde to drive. Will scan and post those too.

[David McKinney]

Posted on behalf of Bob Homewood

Levin March 1963

[bob homewood]

Thanks David,yes I thought that photo was a real example of Glens push on style back in the Coupe days ,that was the Levin meeting where all the coupe boys went south for the first time for I think it was called "All Comer Saloons ' I think perhaps that was the first time I had heard that term used up North ,I remember it being used at Wigram before that.can you imagine driving all those old cars to Levin and back,no trailers or " A " frames for those boys ,you could have written a whole book just about that trip and its happenings

[pallmall]

Didn't the Taihape traffic cop write a reasonably sized book when they came through town?

[David McKinney]

I think you're right about the 'Allcomer' terminology, Bob

From memory, Wigram was the first organiser to be concerned about saloons getting away from the 'showroom stock' concept - as early as 1962 or 1963, when they wouldn't allow Mini-Coopers in with those nice Jagwahs etc. Instead they were given an 'all comers' race, in which anything with a roof could run. This led to the ridiculous situation of Spencer Martin running the Scuderia Veloce Ferrari 250LM in the 1966 race, and Brent Hawes entering into the spirit of the occasion by fixing a makeshift roof to the Tojeiro-Jaguar!

I think the Levin organisers' approach was similar - pre-war coupés with Corvette engines were hardly what came to mind when one thought of saloons, so they were put in a separate class. And Messrs Riley and Dawson especially showed their machinery to be on a par with the likes of McBeath's Jaguar and Marwood's Humber 80

[Munty]

Hi, yes the commodore was written off when Mike Johnston had a big off tangling with another car coming onto the back straight at Levels. It cartwheeled numerous times with the front in the air against the row of trees that used to line the straight. Mike was ok.
If its possible I would love any old OSCA or Nth Island Sport sedan photos as per above pictures sent to me as I'm compiling a large photo thread to display at our OSCA 40th reunion on nov 5th. Im sure many of these pics will start numerous conversations/stories on the night of the "good old days".
Cheers Evan
evanmunt@hotmail.com

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Evan, yes thats how I remember it too.

[Jizim]

Well done Drifty.................you are quite correct about Jigger...he was such a neat guy and a real great competitor to race against. I wrote to him just before I went to the USA and sadly he was to pass away before I was to return a month later. I was so moved when Lenora posted me the copy of his service. I have many cherished memories of Jigger way back in the sixties when I a pimply faced 15 yr old sold him a clutch for his Corvette powered Coupe right up to going head to head with him at Puke....talk about having to wear oil skinned undies!! He was a master of the late brakers in that bloody Datsun! These are brilliant photos ...and I see one of myself standing with my best mate your late brother Mike and your good self drinking out of a boot or similar....as ya did in those days. Well done mate and keep em coming. I will post a few delights along the way. Long Live Jigger. RIP. Sincere best personal wishes to his family. Kindest regards, Tony Rutherford.

[Steve Holmes]

Rod, as promised a few weeks back, Grant Taylor in the old Collins/Hyde, Jones Commodore. This was during the 1989/90 season. Sorry for the quality, my scanner seems to be on its way out.

2959

[Rod Grimwood]

I am only down loading these off the photo disc's that Glens family have given me.
So Pallmall you will have the stories and knowledge about them.
Photos are too good not to look at history.
As we progress through into later years i will be able add a bit with your and Bobs help.


Recieved this information last week, Refers to #18 & #19

Grimmie

Just a couple of bits of info to add to thread on Jigger.
Stockcars in approx 1971-----Glen is driving # 66 which
was the Ken Richardson car. The car he is about to attack
is a YOUNG Lindsay Willis in #14.

Glen's superstock, as they were called then, was reputed to
be a sprintcar ex Barry Butterworth with a body attached.
I can remember going past their workshop about 4pm on a
Sat afternoon [remember the days when the industrial areas
buzzed with the sounds of engines and cars doing highly
illegal test runs] Glen and the late ace car painter John Agnew
plus others were bogging the roof of the superstock. It had obviously
been one of those hard days by the hilarity of the bunch --
[The hard part was keeping up with the always available supply
of amber fluid] No shit the bog was well over 1" thick.

Another hard case bit came about at Wigram when Glen was
driving the Commodore--- He was giving it a big wind up after the
corner at the end of the main straight---the engine let go in front
of us all spreading smoking hot metal everywhere, one main cap
with a large piece of the block attached was picked up by Glen
and he wandered off with the thoughts of what are the
chances of welding it back in.
Such were the thoughts of a real racer---never say die!

Rod just a few bits from an older Racer.
Cheers

[Rod Grimwood]

Well it is amazing how time pass's us all by:

Today is Glen (Jigger) Jones 25th anniversary since he hung his helmet and overalls up and departed for the big race track in the sky.

Glen is still mentioned in conversation we have with different people, and as summed up by one text I received this morning from a close friend "He was a good bästard"

RIP Glen you will never be forgotten by all of us who were so lucky to have shared time with.

[fullnoise68]

Exactly right Rod, to think it was 25 years ago .... Jiggers funeral was testament to how many people he shared his life with by the huge turnout to pay our respects. For me personally, he was real helpful, a genuine guy, and a top bloke. R.I.P Glen.

[Grant Sprague]

Gee great post... Yep Glen was a good bugger for sure , I use to stay at same motel think it was around by Sahara motel at Taupo , would meet Glen at the bar after the hot pools, the best though as Rod said was in the big tent ...... was like one big family .... still is in a way but some of us moved on , & doing other things.....Glen was a natural Talent .......no two ways about that ...