Yards And Yarns

[jim short]

Are you happy now Jamie .laughter is very good but sorry for those that cant stand a bit of bulldust

[jamie]

Thanks Jim I see my old mate RUSS hasent lost the plot like my mate the USA /MEX DOG morning to you PHIL keep taking the GREEN pills the ones that have HAPPY PILL on the bottle ? Nice Day in Rottenrua

[Russ Cunningham]

Are you happy now Jamie .laughter is very good but sorry for those that cant stand a bit of bulldust

Correct Jum. As my old cell mate in Mt.Eden used to say: 'If you poke it! you've got to take it".

[woody]

Russ, What were you in Mt. Eden for, buggery or thuggery?

[markec]

Firery

[woody]

Arseon ??????????

[Russ Cunningham]

I decapitated a couple of blokes who took the piss out of me on a motorsport forum!

[Carlo]

I decapitated a couple of blokes who took the piss out of me on a motorsport forum!

Why ? did they jump the list? wasn't it their turn? did they use facts in their submissions? were they real racers? this in many more questions will be answered in Days of Russ's life. Stay tuned to this channel :D

[woody]

Russ, "took the piss out of me". Did you have to give a urine sample to someone?

[Russ Cunningham]

Russ, "took the piss out of me". Did you have to give a urine sample to someone?

Yeah! Carlo

[jamie]

You guys piss around A lot Jamie

[woody]

Starting to piss me off a bit too.

[Russ Cunningham]

You guys piss around A lot Jamie

You know how it is Jamie! You drink - you pee! If you stop peeing - you're dead!
Terrific day today - I woke up dying for a pee.

[jamie]

Thats always good russ?? did you do aneything good today !!

[Oldfart]

To get away a bit from the p taking..
Rod G, is that your welly boot being chucked away with "rhythm" in the local rag today?

[Rod Grimwood]

Correct, the missus giving it a go. Good afternoon of fun at the local water hole, raised a few bucks for local primary school trip so all good.

[jamie]

Afternoon wats up Drinking piss or taking the piss verry quiet Jamie

[jim short]

The fun has gone Jamie Amco no more dave outlawed what next???

[jamie]

Dave Who or Dr Who And it is only Monday

[Rod Grimwood]

Jamie, we have all aged a fraction and now just "slowly extract the urine"

[Russ Cunningham]

Stop moaning you old buggers! You're as young as the woman you feel. Isn't that right Woody?

[markec]

Give it a year or two and the Urine will arrive with out an invitation,Diaper time then.

[Oldfart]

Long past time diaper/nappy time!
Come on guys, can we please give this a rest and get back to some real input?

[Carlo]

Long past time diaper/nappy time!
Come on guys, can we please give this a rest and get back to some real input?

What he said

[markec]

Shutter Speed

By Max Le Grand, taken from a book called “International Motor Racing Book 3”

I was standing around the forth row of the grid just before the french Grand Prix at Rouen
Les-Essarts in 1962. My mind was fixed on a picture I had been assigned to get of a Grand Prixgrid from a drivers eye-view just before the flag is dropped to start the race.

From the corner of my right eye I had spotted a one minute signal board raised which struck me as being ample time to get my shot and make haste from the high-revving machinery.

The grid was almost clearof officials and mechanics. My camera was composed. I had taken a correct light-reading, nothing could go wrong. But this was my first ever French Grand Prix, and I was not familiar with the starting proceedureof “Toto Roche”who, I learnt that, that at that very momentis an unpredictable man.

Itook the picture three times to cover myself adequatly and was moving to the rear of the grid in backward steps. I sawthe 30 second signal flashabove the heads of the crowd along the grid side. My steps briskened, then suddenly all hell let loose, the tri-colour fell, there was a giant cloud of dust and rubber smokeand the grid was roaring off with me standing in the middle.

By reflex action or plain fright I don't know which, I took another shot as the cars rushed from around me.Richie Ginther in a BRW was left behind, he was another obsticlefor the drivers to miss and from the confusion I reeled at the thought of having survived and made a quick dash for the side of the road.

Almost imediatlyI was decended apon by three gendarmes who ruffled me up, one screwed my armbehind my back while another took my camera and the third stripped me of my credentials.They marched me the full length of the pit lanein front of everybody, I was furious, throwing my one free arm about and shouting oaths. Familiar faces stood out from the sea of onlookers. I spotted Denis Jenkinson of “Motor Sport” nodding his head as if to say”You Naughty Boy”

Some people laughed, while others egged me on with my struggle. A few even tried to help. Atlast I realised the futility of my struggle and I marched toward the blue paddy wagonwhere the biggest slanging matchof my life took place. At last an English speaking officialturned up. I opologized to him profusely and explained to him, I had to fulfil my assignment. He explained this to the gend- armes and they begrudgingly let me free.

Such are the hazards of a motor racing photographer, I must confess though, during 1962 I was
pretty new and over enthusiastic. Today ( the book was published 1969/1970) I know where to tread carefully so as to keep my nose clean with the law. The battle between motor sporting photographers and the police has been waged a good many years. We know they have a job to do, but so do we. Agood photographer will go to great lengths to get his material, in some cases making a calculated risk of life and limb in doing so. This doesn't make us foolhardy, because those of us who attend race meetings regularly know almost as much about the risks of the sport as the drivers. We respect their skill and they respect our judgement. It is true to say a close harmony exists etweenGrand Prix drivers and top photographers. I often talk to drivers during practice periods about certain spots and the strong liklyhood of accidents happening in the area where I might stand. If they advise me to move to a safer position I head their remark, for then I know if I want that shot badly enough I have the choice of taking a risk and knowing what might happen.
On some dangerous spots at circuits I reach a happy compromise.

[AMCO72]

14111

Good old Yards and Yarns has languished on page 3 for far too long.

On page 5 of Y & Y post 92, I regailed a storey about the 8 mile chase. It was the storey of a pursuit, late one evening between a MK3 Ford Zephyr and an XK120C.......the one in the picture. The person driving the Ford was a Cop, and the driver of the XK was me.....you can read all about it if you want.

The XK had quite a history. It is the only NZ new drophead still in existence, and now resides in Australia. Chassis No
667206 was despatched to ChCh Jaguar agent, Archibalds on 2 march 1954, and among other illustrious owners David Young, racing driver from Timaru was one of them. He traded the car on a C type race car, and it eventually ending up at Des Wilds Motor Emporiam where I purchased it in 1964 for the grand sum of 625 pounds.

Is one of those cars which we have all had and said 'I shouldnt have sold it', but all sorts of things happen in our lives that such promises can never be kept. I used it as an everyday car on the farm, did my courting in it, and eventually sold it because quite frankly it was not the most suitable car for a young bride/mother to go to the shops in.

I had a great deal of difficulty selling it in 1967 because in every ones eyes, it was just a worn out old and troublesome British sports car. I eventually got 500 pounds for it, and the turkey that bought it robbed all the good bits of it and sold it on. A later owner managed to trace most of the performance equipment and reunite it with the car.

Incidentally I bought a 1966 Morris 1100 with the proceeds!!!!!!!

[Shano]

I recently read Rod Coleman's book The Colemans, a must-read for anyone who is interested in NZ's motorcycle history. One of the things I learned was that Paul Fahey started out on motorycles and typically, was a very handy rider.

But there was a passage in there that astonished me. It is a testament to the toughness and tenacity of our original motor racing enthusiasts. To me, the stories in this forum often show that these attitudes were still alive well into the 70s, maybe further.

I wonder whether this is still the case. It's a very different sport now, compared with those early days....

I offer the following (and sorry about the length) which is from the book and is a story told by Len Perry, one of this country's greatest ever motorcycle riders.

It's called My Toughest Days and highlights how hard these old roosters were.

It starts with the New Zealand TT, which like the Isle of Man was held on the Island of Waiheke. Len was riding a Velocette KTT in the lead when he was knocked over a bank by another rider he was overtaking. When he stopped he had lost his right footrest, as well as all the springs in the seat – he rejoined the race and did the last 15 laps sitting on the steel seat mounting tube. He finished the race “minus a great deal of skin on the parts where you sit.”

After the race he immediately returned to Auckland by ferry and started preparing his bike for the NZ Lightweight Grass Track Championships at Awapuni Racecourse, New Plymouth, the next day. (Even with modern vehicles and roads, this would be a difficult journey.)

He stripped the bike, removed the brakes, converted the motor to alcohol, and loaded up his old International Chevy at 2.30am. He picked up a couple of mates and away they went. About half way there they Chevy’s head gasket blew but they struggled all the way there – arriving too late to do any practise.

He was leading the race when his back tyre failed and he mowed down 35ft of the horse track’s inside railing, including the last post which he took out with his body. “I lay very quiet, as I was not too sure what was broken.”

The doctor found nothing broken but admired the huge post-shaped bruise across his legs and stomach - so Perry returned to the track. The other riders thought they were seeing a ghost, they were sure he had died. What was left of his Velo was about 3ft long.
They loaded it into the Chev and got permission to replace the headgasket at the local Chev dealers. While working on the engine he passed out across the mudguard and woke up freezing cold in the early hours of the morning, finding that he was locked inside the workshop.

They headed for Auckland in heavy rain and as they went up a steep, mud and gravel hill section they were pushed off the road by an out of control car coming down, rolling three times before coming to a rest against two trees that had saved them from a further 70ft drop into the river.

They couldn’t climb back up the cliff and had to be rescued by being hauled up with a rope. A tow truck hauled the Chev up using a three-part purchase around a tree and a log scarfed into a drain.

The Chev’s roof was smashed in but it still ran, so, filling it with gas, they again set off to Auckland, huddled in the truck and lashed by the freezing rain, driving through the night.

“I carried on to my work. When my boss saw my smashed up car, rain stained face and bloodshot eyes he said go home before you fall down. Perry slept for 12 hours straight. The only other sleep he’d had was when he passed out on the Chev’s guard as he replaced the head gasket....

[GD66]

Another yarn featuring Len and one of his great rivals from those days, Dixie Dean (father of latter-day roadracer Robbie).

http://www.maddixpark.co.nz/articles/dixie-dean-at-waiheke.html

Ok, it's bike racing, but racers of both codes in those days were hard buggers, and often raced on the same programme anyway...

[Art Markus]

Read on another photo thread about the Datsun 180B-based OSCA(?) saloon built by Kelvin Cameron, in which he was fatally injured in a testing accident at Ruapuna. Kelvin ran a car yard in Ferry Road in Christchurch, and specialized in sports and performance cars. He had a minor disability - from memory I think he contracted polio as a child - and walked with a noticeable limp, but he didn't let that slow him down. Hell no. He was bloody fast but always drove with a ferocious determination and what appeared to be a cavalier disregard for his own mortality.

Anyway, in 1972 i was driving a 1962 MG Midget, drum brakes, puny 948cc engine etc. I hankered after a more modern Midget and eventually a 1970 MkIII came up for sale; 1275 engine, disc brakes BRG, wires, folding hood etc. I had to have it. Having committed myself, I then had to sell the MkI, and having failed to find a buyer privately, ended up at Kelvin's yard. He insisted on taking it for a test drive, and tore out of the yard and took off up Ferry Road, valve-bouncing in every gear! Five minutes later he was back, silly grin on his face, the car virtually panting with exertion and probably a little excitement too. "Not a bad little car" he opined. "How much do you reckon it's worth?" I mentioned my price. From memory it was $1300. "Pretty fair", he ventured. My heart leapt. "The gearbox is noisy in first though. I'll have to rebuild it for resale, which will be about $150. How about $1150?" My heart sank, but of course with little realistic alternative I ended up taking it.

Only years (and years!) later did I realize that the Midget has a straight-cut first gear and that ALL Midgets are noisy in first. Wonder how many ignorant punters have been taken in by that one over the years! Only heard about Kelvin's accident many years after the event but was saddened nonetheless. RIP Kelvin Cameron.

Art Markus

[Malcolm McLeod]

What someone with more time then me should do is sit down with some of the older Northland Car Club members and do a "article" on some of Neil Johns' exploits.
A few years ago, while I was editing the NCC club mag, I went through some of the older club mags and pulled out paragraphs which related to what Johnsy had (or hadn't...) done and put them together as an 8 page unauthorised biography.
I then thought that I should personally deliver his copy of the mag. That was alright - he spent half an hour or so reading it, laughing, and denying stories alternately.
He then asked me if I had my gumboots, and he smiled when I made the mistake of answering yes....I was then volunteered to assist him with clearing a section which he had a house going on! I should have run and hid while I had the oppotunity....
Anyway he offered me dinner afterwards, so I guess I came out ahead.
Half of the stories I think related to him being late for something or another.....which reminds me of the other year when one of our life members died, yes, Johnsy came to the funeral......he got there late of course! But he had an excuse - the plane was late...

[Rod Grimwood]

Mr Johns and the 'infamous' jinker towed behind his car was a common site on the North Island roads in the 70s and 80s, now that jinker could tell a few stories heading south empty and back up north with another one lady owner car.

He was a common visiter to RotorSport in Wairau Rd and other workshops along the way, did not realize Neil had a time schedule.

[Carlo]

Malcolm, Did he tell you the story about driving a tractor back home from somewhere around Hamilton or should we leave that tale in the Auckland university capping mag

[Carlo]

Rod, when I was up north Johnsy's timetable was somthing like this, win a tender for a damaged car that was still closed to mobile and get it back to Whangarei where a few of us would undertake the repairs required for him to have it advertised for sale next weekend as a damaged but repairable car, has a brand new WOF.
It worked out pretty good as it supplied much of the funds we all needed to go rallying.
I never knew Neil to be early for anything or for that matter to be close on time but man he sure could make driving a motor car on loose surfaces look easy

[bry3500]

http://www.thosewerethedays.org.uk/motor-racing-stories/denny-hulme.html

[Grant Sprague]

http://www.thosewerethedays.org.uk/motor-racing-stories/denny-hulme.html Bry this I would say was an exact of Denny........ I did not know him that well but meet him through Dad ....... I would say Ernie would be a clone of Denny [not a world champ though lol] BUT same nature did not clown about or suffer fools at all & really disliked people wanting to talk about what was etc etc got a little embarrassing at times I wanted to hide....... I ended up though being quite close to one of Dennie' s best freinds , his name is Pete & lives in Tauranga, Pete is a real easy going down to earth guy so I can imagine & relate why these two were close mates & confided in each other , Pete also being shy sometimes people need relaxed people around them to be grounded , & not the whaa whaa whaas... & would be s if could be s .. fantastic article thanks mate

[Roger Dowding]

Good one Bry3500. Unfortunately it takes all sorts to make a world. As I have grown older I've learned that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everyone off is a piece of cake.

Too easy, Kiwi 285, and for me made even worse as I live across the ditch, near a Beach that does not have a Maori name, fishing is good, motoring is OK, lots of interesting cars on this island, but they don't always get the Kiwi Humour, that " Bugger " word was a Toyota masterpiece and when they used it in an ad in " the Lucky Country ", they were not happy, Oh well, shall we all move on, get driving and faster.. like this

29918

Seen before but this car - well sort of, a early 1930 BSA saloon, with front wheel drive, heavily modified, in the 1950's, cut the front and rear parts of the chassis and suspension, fitted twin tube central chassis, then in this case took the four cylinder BSA out about 950cc and fitted a sidevalve Ford, back to front to mate with the gearbox / transaxle [ a word no one used in the 50's.. ] I drove this at Pukekohe on a Sprint Day for VCC crash gearbox, the works.

Think that it could be a new thread about the BSA.

[Kevin Hirst]

Too easy, Kiwi 285, and for me made even worse as I live across the ditch, near a Beach that does not have a Maori name, fishing is good, motoring is OK, lots of interesting cars on this island, but they don't always get the Kiwi Humour, that " Bugger " word was a Toyota masterpiece and when they used it in an ad in " the Lucky Country ", they were not happy, Oh well, shall we all move on, get driving and faster.. like this

29918

Seen before but this car - well sort of, a early 1930 BSA saloon, with front wheel drive, heavily modified, in the 1950's, cut the front and rear parts of the chassis and suspension, fitted twin tube central chassis, then in this case took the four cylinder BSA out about 950cc and fitted a sidevalve Ford, back to front to mate with the gearbox / transaxle [ a word no one used in the 50's.. ] I drove this at Pukekohe on a Sprint Day for VCC crash gearbox, the works.

Think that it could be a new thread about the BSA.
I always thought they had a "V" twin, as in Ralph Watsons car.

[Roger Dowding]

I always thought they had a "V" twin, as in Ralph Watsons car.

Kevin, most of the three wheelers did, but BSA did 4 wheel, 4 seater saloons too !!, and this was adapted from one of them.
Lyle Chambers [ member of Waitemata branch of Vintage Car Club at one stage ] the guy that owned intended to restore it, but still as a Special, as had been like that since the 1950's was going to put a better body on.
It was a hard thing to drive. I once was asked to take it for a WOF, [ Roadworthy to the Australians in the group ] and drove it in to a local WOF tester, a garage not a tesing station, the mechanic took one and refused to drive it, so had to do the brake test. It had front brakes and the handbrake worked on a driveshaft, so when I did the footbrake test pulled the handbrake as well, it passed.

Unfortunately have lost contact with Lyle, so if anyone on TRS comes across him - got involved in Motorcycles and I think Classic Bike racing in NZ, please send me a Private Message. I have a few photos of the car, the above one is from BMC BOY, Ross Cammick the others I have are my own.

[Trevor Sheffield]

This thread could provide an opportunity to park probably useless write up I prepared some time ago for another forum, as it will have to be split into two parts. For what it is worth. ---

Part 1. --- Vintage Fiat 509 Special

Shortly after WW2, having secured a drivers license at the age of 15 years, an absolutely burning desire to own a sports car and to do some motor racing became an obsession. My sport had been competitive cycle racing and prior to school I was well into a Meccano sets and later building radios and electrical stuff. Sport and technology therefore ran hand in hand.

A bike ride out to an amateur motor race meeting held at a disused wartime airfield, really set my brain on fire. By hook or by crook I would acquire a suitable car. I could feel the wind in my hair and the feel of an engine in place of handlebars and peddles. It was rather odd that motorcycles never tickled my fancy.

I had picked up a book “Specials” by john Bolster of “Bloody Mary” fame and also a sports car magazine had appeared describing an interesting Ford Ten Special, cheaply built close by. Cycle racing was out and racing sports cars was in.

The theme in those days involving a special was dictated by an absolute scarcity of funds and the lack of obtainable new components. Of necessity, things had to be kept simple. Personally my tool kit was meagre not even a socket set. Only tube spanners scrounged from car tool kits and only a single Crescent and old right angle shifters were on hand. A power tool was a dream. I swapped a record playing amplifier which I had built, for a few extra hand tools and this helped a bit. What I did have, was an eggbeater hand drill, a carpenters brace and a few drill bits, plus a hacksaw.

A couple of specials had been built locally using a suitable available chassis fitted with a Ford Ten engine and these were leaving the only sports car then on hand for dust. The pre-war models, including the MG B brigade were well and truly out gunned on a power to weight basis. After selling a couple of racing push bikes I had one hundred pounds odd. My head and heart were pounding, but what could I do?

I had read all the classic stuff about overhead cams, hemispherical combustion chambers, inlet and exhaust systems etc. A Ford Ten engine was beyond my pocket and what's more did not appeal. Kept searching the papers. Fiat 509, 1927, two seat tourer, not running, unregistered, good for parts, price sixty five pounds.

Looked up the specs. Overhead cam, close to the 11,000 cc class limit. Very pretty little engine with not an external drive in sight. The generator was driven from the front of the crankshaft and the fan directly from the single overhead camshaft. I was a gonna. Could not hold myself back.

Dragged it home. Dad's car remained outside for a few days while I tore off the body an sent it to the tip. Dad complained, found space at a friends house. His dad complained. Moved it to my grandmothers small garage some mile and a bit from home. Discovered that the wheels were for beaded edge tyres, bugger. Cycled there and back at every opportunity.

Pulled the old girl to pieces, stood and looked at the bits rather soulfully, but never the less hopefully. What had I done? Ouch! No power to the shed but at home I had a length of telephone cable from a war assets radio I had acquired. Naughty but practical. No bench or vice. First off I cleaned and painted the chassis, all the time with grandiose thoughts propelling me forwards. Would have liked to shorten the wheelbase, but that was not on.

My head spun and my thoughts full-time were devoted to my racing sports car. I frequented a wreckers yard operated by quite a character “Merv. Hardy” and his helper “Gerry Matherson”. These guys had raced cars prior to the war and became my stalwart advisers. Merv. had a Ford T Frontenac racing car in his yard and Gerry was restoring it when time allowed. Gerry had owned and raced locally a quite famous classic Indianapolis Miller. His advice ---- “cam and com is the way to go”.

I made sure of both by havung the head machined and some ingenuity. Cam grinding was out of the question but what the hell. The old 509 had the single central OHC operating the valves via short rockers. I had the rounded ends built up lengthened and ground flat, Bingo.

Merv. rented an extensive old building, no longer existing. The roof leaked and parts were simply strewn about as cars became dismantled. Merv. --- “over there in the corner, under all that crap you will find a Fiat 509 engine”. He had no book of inventory, but with his vibrant old brain none was needed. “Yeh know they used to race those things” he said. “Bloody great little engine, getting them breathing was a problem”. After some digging I found the engine and it tuned out to be from a 1926 Fiat 509, whereas I had identified mine as being a year later 509A, and this turned out to be very significant.

I discovered that the earlier model had the single carburettor located low down on the inlet side of the block, with the inlet passage cast within the block and siamised to exit the block and enter the head as two passages. Here these were again siamised towards the four inlet valves. I became exited. The later model which I possessed had the carburettor shifted to the hot side of the engine with a separate inlet manifold combined with the exhaust. This fed into two passages arranged within the head, so as to connect with the as previously arranged siamised ports.

This change had obviously been made due to problems experienced during cold weather and a sad blunder it would appear. However this suited Trevor. He put the earlier head on his engine which did not have the upward passages in the block, leaving the two passage junctions remaining within the head blanked off. These acted as plenums to be opened up so as to directly fit a pair of carburettors on the cold side of the engine. As a result he very happy to have the sort after classic set up.

[Trevor Sheffield]

Part 2. --- Vintage Fiat 509 Special

The design of the engine overall was quite interesting. The crankshaft included three bearings, but arranged in a quite novel way. The camshaft was driven from the rear via a chain drive which included an interim shaft and sprocket . This intermediate shaft drove a magneto which protruded into the cockpit, very Bugatti like and quite a feature. A crankshaft bearing was located on each sides of the crankshaft sprocket, with the third bearing at the front end. Not a bad set up when one takes into account the cantilevered stiffness this provides. The engine proved reliable when regularly run to 6,000 RPM.

The arrangement of the accessories provided torsional damping for the crankshaft, camshaft and the intermediate chain sprocket. Not silly for sure, given that no supple belts were included in the drives. The block and head were hand filed out behind the camshaft sprocket so as to provide mounting for a bearing assembly and flexible drive to a tachometer. This was made up by converting suitable discarded speedometer.

I had joined the Northern Sports Car club and made a few friends including Ralph Watson who was developing his renowned BSA Special. He knew all about Amal carburettors and they were available very cheaply so that the choice became obvious.

A wide ratio three speed gearbox presented a serious disadvantage. However in the back of my mind remained details of the first locally built Ford Ten special which incorporated a model T Ruxel two speed back axle, suitably modified. Again the choice became obvious. When in the presence of anyone not in the know, two reverse speeds provided entertainment. It also fun to become expert at handling two levers while double de clutching and blipping the throttle in neutral in order to make clean changes. There certainly was no synchromesh available in 1927.

I was lucky to be able to borrow for a short time, a gas welding set and constructed a body frame using electrical conduit taken from rewired houses. Everything was brazed rather than welded for good reason. Rounded sections on the basis of cost were beyond consideration and the frame was fitted with flat steel panels. Here is where the design fell somewhat outside of a modern clubman, as doors were included. The rear was finished off with a discarded tank of suitable shape, together with the spare wheel. All very pukka and in the British tradition, but also more importantly, a very cheap option. Painted with a brush in a light grey without any conception of a flash job, but never the less it was neat and tidy.

The radiator finished off the frontal aspect and was OK using the original radiator which was of a squared shape, off very much like a Rolls Royce. No problems with that! Simple thermo syphon cooling was retained but the header tank was extended using sheet brass and solder.

A set of side and headlamps was spotted advertised in the daily paper at a cheap price and these turned out to be from an classic early Vauxhall tourer, a sort of poor mans Bentley. These Lucas “King of the Road lights”, were quite outstanding in both performance, quality and appearance. I used the quite large matching side lamps as secondary lights, which meant that dipping headlights were not required.

Strangely a stock of new Morris Eight wheels appeared on the market at a very cheap price, therefore a set was purchased and the hubs altered to suit. ( I think these may have been war assets and a story within itself.) Good second hand tyres were fitted. The original car had four wheel internal expanding rod operated mechanical brakes and these had to be accepted in order to minimise costs.

The first event entered was a road race over partly unsealed roads which were closed due to the area being set aside for new housing. Dust was a problem. Run as a charity event the bureaucrats were somehow circumvented. Huge spectator interest but never to be repeated. Not surprisingly the untried car disappointed but completed several races without failing.

Next came a National, hill climb championship with several brand new cars competing. I won the 1,100 c.c. class with time to spare. Just a home-made roadster, but up against some brand new stuff, it performed quite well. The nice spread of gear ratios was a bonus.

I did not have the car for long. An early marriage and a baby daughter intervened. Arranging weather protection was out of the question. The subsequent owner became a car racing friend. Equally short of cash at the time, to my surprise he drove my little Fiat Special on a very long trip down country without any problems. Sadly a photo of the car does not exist.

A Singer Le Mans requiring a lot of restoration took the place of the Fiat Special and as our one and only car. My wife also drove the Singer in competitive events and as a tiny tot daughter Jennifer was transported to and from events in the extended space behind the seats. To this day I am unable to understand and how we all put up with the rock hard suspension.

Them certainly were the days. LOL

[bry3500]

That was a great read Trevor - cheers

[Roger Dowding]

As I was the one who mentioned a couple of typos, I must apologize that it has become such an issue, and it was not apostrophes (yes they do bug me but I don't bring it up). I loved the articles and all I commented was that it was such a set of great articles that corrected it would be even better.
As the topic has gone pretty much off topic, and my love is NZ specials, perhaps the few really neat posts relating to them could be moved? Steve?
I would love to know where Roger's special now is!

Oldfart, we meet again, the BSA Special, yes I would love to know, where it and the owner are - he may still have it. It was never mine but did drive it often, including at a Sprint meeting on the main Pukekohe circuit once as well as in Gymkhana's and on the road.
Here is a photo with Lyle Chambers driving and his best mate Richard Leaper [ Flying Officer J R Leaper as was in the RNZAF at one time ], the car is pulling into the driveway at my house in mid 1970's probably around 1976.

29939

I have more of these small photo's, hopefully someone may recognise the car and the owner..

[Roger Dowding]

Oldfart, we meet again, the BSA Special, yes I would love to know, where it and the owner are - he may still have it. It was never mine but did drive it often, including at a Sprint meeting on the main Pukekohe circuit once as well as in Gymkhana's and on the road.
Here is a photo with Lyle Chambers driving and his best mate Richard Leaper [ Flying Officer J R Leaper as was in the RNZAF at one time ], the car is pulling into the driveway at my house in mid 1970's probably around 1976.

29939

I have more of these small photo's, hopefully someone may recognise the car and the owner..

Have found some more ; these taken in 1981 from memory, after an event.

29945

29946

29947

[Roger Dowding]

And another, Note that the headlights get moved from the Grille to between the grille and the guards.
Getting ready for an event, [ think the VCC event mentioned below ] Lyle Chambers driving, myself as passenger, Richard Leapers Triumph 2500 behind.
29948

this last photo was at a Vintage Car Club event about 1980.

29949

[Malcolm McLeod]

Has the Northland Special changed hands?
A friend of mine spotted it roaring around a Maungakaramea back road recently....

[Oldfart]

Has the Northland Special changed hands?
A friend of mine spotted it roaring around a Maungakaramea back road recently....
Hasn't changed hands, Fred still has it.
It was used for a wedding car recently though. Groom went in it!

[Malcolm McLeod]

Thats ok then!
Wedding car....hmmmm.
My mate reported though that it was being driven like it was stolen, so that was ok!
Hasn't changed hands, Fred still has it.
It was used for a wedding car recently though. Groom went in it!

[Roger Dowding]

These are not worth a new thread - some interesting engines.

The RA Vanguard - RA4, when owned by Mike Courtney - see Historic Racing Saloons thread
Photo taken around 1990 ;

30031

Dunedin Revival Street Races weekend January 1984 ; Sprints on one day at the wharves and Racing around the
" houses " on the Sunday
30032
Single seater - details unknown

30033
Riley - think the Ransley Riley Dunedin January 1984.

30034
Doesn't need a title, but for all you non-kiwi's Ralph Watson's Lycoming Special a Lycomong 290 .
[4751 cc aircraft engine, mounted upside down. Dunedin January 1984.

[Shane Bowden]

The yellow single seater, details unknown looks the Wylie Javelin to me, but I have known to wrong before. The Aussie flag may confirm this.

regards Shane

[Jac Mac]

Lycomings are Lycomings, even upside down it does not spell Continental....!

[Oldfart]

30036

How about this LYCOMING

I suppose some folks would think a Chev is a Ford :)

[GD66]

Wasn't Continental what powered Tyrell Turtill's weapon ?

[Roger Dowding]

Jac Mac GD66, Oldfart and any others " Mea Culpa " [ as Oldfart said over those Rob Williams tail-lights ], got all carried away, had mixed my Turtill with my Watson.. but do believe the engine was / is upside down compared to its aircraft position..
Got you all on the thread though.. good stuff.

BTW, go back to the pictures all fixed ########.

[Oldfart]

Yes Roger, the Watson Lycoming was inverted, check the RA engine I posted to compare. Ralph said there were a number of reasons, outlined in the very excellent (bad grammar but true) book called "Ralph Watson, Special Engineer", written by one of the contributors on here. Now who did I lend my copy to?

[Roger Dowding]

Yes Roger, the Watson Lycoming was inverted, check the RA engine I posted to compare. Ralph said there were a number of reasons, outlined in the very excellent (bad grammar but true) book called "Ralph Watson, Special Engineer", written by one of the contributors on here. Now who did I lend my copy to?

Have read some of the article as Trevor Sheffield posted the link. Ralph Watson used to visit my flatmate Lyle Chambers whose BSA special is in this thread, at my house in Herne Bay, we had a collection of cars in those days, Lyle the BSA and a mid 60's Sunbeam Rapier, I had the TR4A [ damaged at the time ] a Healey 100 and a 2.5 PI Triumph Saloon as a daily driver

[Roger Dowding]

30047

Early days of the Lycoming - Trevor Sheffield article

[Trevor Sheffield]

The complete book is available here with a simple click and it presents quite well in cyberspace. ----

http://ralphwatson.scienceontheweb.net/

[Roger Dowding]

On another thread is some mention of Frank Karl and the Purple Healey [ now green ], Frank competed at the 1981 Ohakea Reunion meeting, where Saturday was " Practice " at Manfield and the racing was Sunday at Ohakea. A group of Healey Club [ AHCCNZ ] members went to the meeting to support Frank and of course watch racing and socialise.
A couple of photos ;. have to find the racing ones buried somewhere !!
Frank talking to Nell and Mark Donaldson - Mark raced at Ardmore 1989 and in the Le Mans Relay Race in 1982 in his BN2 Austin-Healey 100/4
30116

Working on Franks Car at the Motel before race day -after practice , Frank and Lyle Chambers, who had the BSA Special -mentioned in this thread #582/3 and 4.

30117

[ERC]

Just to follow on from the above:




Whenuapai 1987
30119

Hampton Downs 2011 - Is this the same car? Definitely same driver....
30120

[Roger Dowding]

Yep same car, same Rego, [ although he did put the KH3000 plate on a Healey 100/4 back in the early 1980's to take it to a meeting ], same driver. then I looked at the recent photo the shroud is different and the roll bar, full windscreen back on -probably for eligibility. same vents in the side.

Here is the 100 with the KH3000 plate at a Healey club event - I think Napier in 1984.

30122

[Roger Dowding]

These Motorfests ran for several years and used some of the roads that later were used for the V8 Supercars Hamilton 400.
Have placed them here but there are at least 20 photos, so maybe a new thread is required.

30125

30126

30127

[Spgeti]

My Elf raced in one or two of these.

[Roger Dowding]

My Elf raced in one or two of these.

Bruce don't think there is an Elf, but will check the background and the pits photo's - more to come

30128

[Steve Holmes]

These Motorfests ran for several years and used some of the roads that later were used for the V8 Supercars Hamilton 400.
Have placed them here but there are at least 20 photos, so maybe a new thread is required.

30125

30126

30127

Wow, these are great! I think the black Mustang is that of Rick Cooper, which is the car later raced by Mark Ross, Richard Gatward etc.

Whose is the XA Falcon hardtop?

[ERC]

Agree with earlier post #601. This might need a new thread.

[Roger Dowding]

Agree with earlier post #601. This might need a new thread.

ERC, have asked Steve Holmes to move the ones posted and then will add more as I scan and save them, all as prints at the moment.
cheers,
Roger

[Roger Dowding]

ERC, have asked Steve Holmes to move the ones posted and then will add more as I scan and save them, all as prints at the moment.
cheers,
Roger

ERC and others - have started a new post Telecom Classic MOTORFEST ; Steve is going to move some of the photos.

[Roger Dowding]

Guess we remember these ;

30162
Carless Days from 1979 - was on that TR4A, so could use it on the weekends.

This one is an Auckland only issue ;

30163

Lost money here, a whole 80cents .. early 1980's can anyone remember the date ??.

[Roger Dowding]

30167

It says must be done by a " competent mechanic ". Mine went into my Sprite 1975/76 and that TR4A, 1978 - probably still there,
[ installed by myself, as you did ] . although don't know if there was an NZ standard back then ..??

[Ross Hollings]

Still unused on backing,ex reunion.30184

[Roger Dowding]

Ross, OK if I copy that sticker and put on BMC Boys "Ardmore Reunion " thread .? . collecting is a habit, honest but time consuming and takes up a bit of room, I have several Boxes of stickers programs badges patches car brochures form the 60's 70's Pit passes etc, plus too many photographs.

[Ross Hollings]

No problem.

[Roger Dowding]

Hey guys a shot from Lakeside today, there are 50 in total, posting here now, but will start a new thread, this one is for Spgeti and all the Alfisti out there.
a beautiful 105 ..

30411

[Spgeti]

Just like my car and the same year Roger. Very nice.....

[Roger Dowding]

Just like my car and the same year Roger. Very nice.....

There was a step front racing as well, with the race # 105, not as tidy but a lot quicker.. heaps of Alfa's a Lancia or two and some Fiats, plus a couple of Ferrari's.. " Italian challenge series " , could not get a racing list though, so no idea who drove or owned what !!, sorry

[Cooper997]

Hopefully the natsoft website can provide the Lakeside entrants
http://racing.natsoft.com.au/results/#2
or
http://racing.natsoft.com.au/637352561/object_210955.85L/View?3

Stephen

[Roger Dowding]

Hopefully the natsoft website can provide the Lakeside entrants
http://racing.natsoft.com.au/results/#2
or
http://racing.natsoft.com.au/637352561/object_210955.85L/View?3

Stephen

Thanks Cooper 997 Stephen, will check it out so can name the photo's.. more to come

Have bookmarked the link will have a look !!

[mark powell]

Wow, these are great! I think the black Mustang is that of Rick Cooper, which is the car later raced by Mark Ross, Richard Gatward etc.

Whose is the XA Falcon hardtop?

Kevin Alelly's coupe

[John McKechnie]

Mark- thanks for this info.
He and I raced together last meeting at Bay Park and then at Hamilton street race.
The Handicap race he was leading almost to the end- a tough field too.
I forgot his name, I even contacted Franks Tyres who sponsored him and they couldnt remember,
Usual question- what happened to Kevin and this car?

[Roger Dowding]

A small selection ; need help to ID the single seaters.
Have many of my own shots but bought these from ODT when working in Dunedin for a couple of weeks and stayed there instead of returning home to Auckland.

30501

30502

30503

30504

and from a previous time a book issued in 1983 and purchased at the races in 1984.
30505

[ERC]

A small selection ; need help to ID the single seaters.

30503



ERA (1) is probably Bill Moss as the car also appeared at Whenuapai - a meeting I sadly missed having elected to do the family thing and spent the day with my now ex-wife and son.

I presume the Allard with diabolical positive camber would be Rob Boult.

[Roger Dowding]

24th October 1971 ; Auckland to Hunua 100 miles.
Charles Liddell's Model A Ford, with crew of Charles Driver, Roger Dowding Navigator, Peter Firth Timekeeper.
The Official Check sign;
30653
The Model A Ford Official photo.
30661
30654
The crew Left Peter Firth, Roger Dowding, Charles [ Charlie ] Liddell. owner.
Ken Hydman reckons we were really a Bootleg Gang from the late 1920's The car I think was a 1930 model, almost the last year for the Model A
30655
The Model A at the finish - Hunua
30656
Have just a few photos of other cars - to follow, and I fortunately wrote details on the back in 1971

[Roger Dowding]

1920/30's Bentley's
30657
Hispano - Suiza
30658
1920's Renault
30659
1932 Chevrolet
30660

any information on theses cars and their owners, please contribute.

[John McKechnie]

Would the Renault be George Mahalivich ?

[Roger Dowding]

Would the Renault be George Mahalivich ?

Somewhere, " my usual comment " I have a series of photos - about 30 of another VVCC meeting and a list of entrants, from around the same time, could hold the key, but think you are correct, John M.

[John McKechnie]

Uncle Jack me today that the Hispano -Suiza came from Hamilton..also That is Georges Renault

[stubuchanan]

[QUOTE=Roger Dowding;48822]A small selection ; need help to ID the single seaters.
Have many of my own shots but bought these from ODT when working in Dunedin for a couple of weeks and stayed there instead of returning home to Auckland.

30502
http://s6.postimg.org/q9i7o0hyp/Almazniy.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
upload gambar (http://postimage.org/)

Dunedin photos, as seen in Thompson's Dunedin book and also his 'Roycroft Years" book often had interesting things, like ships, in the background. Some years it was the Harbour Board dredge, sometimes a Caltex oil tanker, this time the good ship 'Almazniy' maybe another tanker. However I have only ever seen one picture with the Dunedin Railway Station in it, a very gloomy background shot. Perhaps in the 1950's it was very grimy from decades of smoky steam trains, not the present-day cleaned-up masterpiece of designer 'Gingerbread George' Troup - worthy of Monte Carlo at least. Are there any other pictures from the '50's?

Stu

[Roger Dowding]

[QUOTE=Roger Dowding;48822]A small selection ; need help to ID the single seaters.
Have many of my own shots but bought these from ODT when working in Dunedin for a couple of weeks and stayed there instead of returning home to Auckland.

30502
http://s6.postimg.org/q9i7o0hyp/Almazniy.jpg (http://postimage.org/)
upload gambar (http://postimage.org/)

Dunedin photos, as seen in Thompson's Dunedin book and also his 'Roycroft Years" book often had interesting things, like ships, in the background. Some years it was the Harbour Board dredge, sometimes a Caltex oil tanker, this time the good ship 'Almazniy' maybe another tanker. However I have only ever seen one picture with the Dunedin Railway Station in it, a very gloomy background shot. Perhaps in the 1950's it was very grimy from decades of smoky steam trains, not the present-day cleaned-up masterpiece of designer 'Gingerbread George' Troup - worthy of Monte Carlo at least. Are there any other pictures from the '50's?

Stu

Have had a look through the 40 or so photos I took, including the ERA sitting in a showroom, prior to racing, and lots of buildings at the port in the backgrounds, no railway station though.
Probably the set of photos is better in a separate thread, so will get to work and scan a resize the pictures.
As mentioned stayed the weekend in Dunedin, so had plenty of time to wander around, take photo's then during the next week, visit the Otago Daily Times - to get the B and W shots like The ERA and Minis and Jag's already posted.

[Roger Dowding]

30816

[John McKechnie]

it stops the itch from mosquito bites

[Roger Dowding]

it stops the itch from mosquito bites

oh, well in Aussie to keep away the " Aussie Mossie ". there are all the hints on the sides of the cans these days..

[Roger Dowding]

30816

Use # 598 - " Cleans Crayons from walls " think the comments in the use of the product have different meanings these days.

[Roger Dowding]

A set of cars in a card series by Sanitarium, obviously ate lots of Weetbix at the time.
there were 12 in the series have 9, plus 4 duplicated and one triplicated.
Does anyone have #5, #7, #11.
30826

30827

30828

30829

30830

[Roger Dowding]

Fords,
30831
Fords the details - back of the cards.
30833
Morris Minor and Plymouth
30834
Minor and Plymouth the details.
30835

That is it, I know the forum is a lot about Motor Racing/ Motorsport , but Hot Rods are just another part of the New Zealand Car scene..

If anyone does have the cards, would love to swap.. have duplicates of the first 5 shown, so need those numbers 5, 7, and 11,

[Growler]

I did have some of these...somewhere. Weetbix did the same thing with smaller cards and a booklet. I have the whole set of Hotrods and the booklet at home...somewhere!!

[Bruce302]

I had a T bucket that had been featured on the back of the Weetbix packet and card but it may have been later than '71.
The pics above were taken at the Rotorua Show in January 1971.

Bruce.

[Roger Dowding]

I had a T bucket that had been featured on the back of the Weetbix packet and card but it may have been later than '71.
The pics above were taken at the Rotorua Show in January 1971.

Bruce.

Bruce, thanks for identifying the venue.

Growler Re; I did have some of these...somewhere. Weetbix did the same thing with smaller cards and a booklet. I have the whole set of Hotrods and the booklet at home...somewhere!!

I know the feeling and it has annoyed for a while that I could finds negatives [ old B & W ones ] but not the prints, well grey day here in South East Queensland today so went through a huge storage box of photos and found .. over 60 B & W's from 1966 to 1971, of racing and in the pits at Pukekohe, at least 5 different meetings as I wrote on the back of some .. just as well. and more colour photos from Ohakea Reunion meeting in 1982.
The Black and Whites are from April May 1966 meetings November 1967, Grand Prix 1968 [ Brian Foley and Mini etc plus some unknown dates and a few from 1971.
Included in the shots are the Morrari, Humber Jag, Johnny Riley Ford V8 Coupe, Stanton Corvette, Heron Daimler Sports Car, The #55 Mini Sprint - before and after the crash.
Think best to do them as a collection rather than here or Minis and Imps etc,

[Roger Dowding]

Bruce, thanks for identifying the venue.

Growler Re; I did have some of these...somewhere. Weetbix did the same thing with smaller cards and a booklet. I have the whole set of Hotrods and the booklet at home...somewhere!!

I know the feeling and it has annoyed for a while that I could finds negatives [ old B & W ones ] but not the prints, well grey day here in South East Queensland today so went through a huge storage box of photos and found .. over 60 B & W's from 1966 to 1971, of racing and in the pits at Pukekohe, at least 5 different meetings as I wrote on the back of some .. just as well. and more colour photos from Ohakea Reunion meeting in 1982.
The Black and Whites are from April May 1966 meetings November 1967, Grand Prix 1968 [ Brian Foley and Mini etc plus some unknown dates and a few from 1971.
Included in the shots are the Morrari, Humber Jag, Johnny Riley Ford V8 Coupe, Stanton Corvette, Heron Daimler Sports Car, The #55 Mini Sprint - before and after the crash.
Think best to do them as a collection rather than here or Minis and Imps etc,

Have posted the Minisprint crashed car on Minis and Imps,
and shots of Ron Browns Mini,
Here is the field of the Saloon Car allcomers race Pukekohe 14th May 1966, one of the " lost photos ".

30891

Will post the rest and these on a new thread of my early photos, 1964 - 1971 approx ..

[Roger Dowding]

Croydon's name was mentioned in a thread **, and here are a couple of photos taken at a Grasstrack meeting at Riverhead in early 1971

31065

31066

31067

Think it was a sidetrack of Shano's - Minis and Imps thread.

[Roger Dowding]

Not my photos but a copy of a double sided brochure that Alfa Romeo in the UK sent me back in 1965.
I used to write to addresses from the " Observers Book of Automobiles " usually of the British address shown and in most cases got responses.
Have brochures from Alfa Romeo - a full set of these two-sided four language sheets. Renault, NSU, Rover, Triumph and others.
Also have the spiral bound brochure issued by Jaguar at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show for the launch of the E-Type Jaguar , my Uncle Eddie [ of NSCC fame ] worked in Geneva in the 1960's and gave it to me when still new ..

Here is the Alfa brochure / specification sheet.
31583

31584

this if for all the Alfisti on TRS - but especially for Spgeti

[Roger Dowding]

As the owner of a well used 1991 Mazda MX5, Eunos Roadster Special Edition [ V-Spec ] I am intrigued by this article from Cars Guide Australia in our local Bribie Island paper.

This is it [ the 1991 V-Spec ] at a track day in 2004
32109

A photo from about 2011 ;
32110

Has anyone heard anymore - there is a link to " autofans.be " Belgium which shows an Abarth logoed version, a bit different to the one below;

32111

Here is the autofans post ;

32112

32113

a little different to this the MX5

32114

[Roger Dowding]

This was a meeting organised by Jaguar Drivers Club.
I entered, in the 1971 Triumph GT6 Mark 3, probably as a member of Austin Healey Car Club [ had sold the Sprite in late '76 but remained a member ]. AHCC and Jag Drivers had a strong relationship and even had an Anuual Cricket Match at the Puhoi Pub on the front lawn in the '70's
Was an invitation event from memory and as I had only a " Closed Club " licence -[ from NSCC actually as AHCC was not a MANZ affiliated club ] had to run singly - most of the Jag boys had higher rated licences and ran in pairs.

The GT6
32309

32310

32311
at the front of the line
32312

[Roger Dowding]

Some of the Jaguars ; I can only identify the XK120 on the return road as Bill Clouston's - Bill was or had been a Healey Club member, although the other XK120 shots may be the same car.

The Mark 11 is Jim Short

Mark 11 and E-type

32313

XK120
32314

32315

32316

If anyone can provide any more information - please do, can only find these few shots taken with an Instamatic - 3 x3 inch pictures - but now in colour - must have been earning more money. !!

[Roger Dowding]

This was posted on Historic Sports Car Racing New Zealand Facebook page, they have posted a couple of mine, so thought we should share ;
Garth Souness - pre Morrari in the V8 Coupe, and Dennis Marwood in the Humber 80, - is it the same one that features in the 1965 NSCC Hillclimb pics from Stu Buchanan.??.

32331

Before my time, just .. first saw car racing in late 1964 at Pukekohe, from behind the fence the B and H 500 ..

[Roger Dowding]

Some of the Jaguars ; I can only identify the XK120 on the return road as Bill Clouston's - Bill was or had been a Healey Club member, although the other XK120 shots may be the same car.

The Mark 11 is Jim Short

Mark 11 and E-type

32313

XK120
32314

32315

32316

If anyone can provide any more information - please do, can only find these few shots taken with an Instamatic - 3 x3 inch pictures - but now in colour - must have been earning more money. !!

The two Jags, Jim Short Mark 11, Geoff Humphries E-type info from HSCRNZ Facebook page after they used my photo, now acknowledged.. gather Jim Short's son runs the page.

[Grant Sprague]

Beaut photo thanks Rog....... great shot showing the other right hander never seen that before , we were a couple K,s from this road today as headed to the Mount for a swim

[Roger Dowding]

Beaut photo thanks Rog....... great shot showing the other right hander never seen that before , we were a couple K,s from this road today as headed to the Mount for a swim

Heard that NZ is having good weather at the moment 27 in Auckland yesterday, only that here in North Brisbane today and cloudy..
Hope you enjoyed the swim, will acquire what I can from Historic Sports Car's site - they cover everything single seaters, saloons, Vintage etc..

[ERC]

Not my photos but a copy of a double sided brochure that Alfa Romeo in the UK sent me back in 1965.
I used to write to addresses from the " Observers Book of Automobiles " usually of the British address shown and in most cases got responses. Also have the spiral bound brochure issued by Jaguar at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show for the launch of the E-Type Jaguar , my Uncle Eddie [ of NSCC fame ] worked in Geneva in the 1960's and gave it to me when still new ..

LOL. Oh how I used to look forward to the postman's arrival with another swag of brochures! (He probably retired with a hernia.) I too had the spiral bound Jaguar brochures but a vindictive ex-wife somehow or other managed to not pack them into the shipping container - along with all my other brochures, car photographs not mounted, and my much loved 'Scrap books' complete with autographed photographs of Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill etc...

The scrap books also contained photographs (and scribbled reports) taken at the BRM works open days (alas, no negatives survive) and a series of excellent Michael Turner paintings that appeared in the Eagle comic.

The Observer's books were annual attendance awards presented at Sunday School for several years (I still have them) thanks to a vey generous lady who ran the Sunday School.

My total loyalty to the BMC/BL/MG/Rover/Land Rover brands as a customer, was initiated by the response from BMC. The lack of initial response from Ford and Vauxhall coloured my support from then on.

Apart from Jaguar, the other 'prestige' firms who were generous included Aston Martin and even Ferrari.

[Grant Ellwood]

Heard that NZ is having good weather at the moment 27 in Auckland yesterday, only that here in North Brisbane today and cloudy..
Hope you enjoyed the swim, will acquire what I can from Historic Sports Car's site - they cover everything single seaters, saloons, Vintage etc..

Amazingly it's been 27 here in southern Virginia, usually snowing with temps between 0-5 or worse. And the wildlife has given up on hibernating, saw a couple of grumpy bears out in the woods looking for food yesterday. I sure prefer this amount of global warming...

[hilstwist]

Grant,yes we ate Xmas dinner out on the porch at our beach house in eastern shore Maryland! Last time I did that I was living in Auckland 25 years ago!

[Roger Dowding]

Have found a series of Ohakea Reunion - the 1982 event, amongst my collection, will have been with a borrowed camera which I didn't use that well only, about 35 are OK to publish am going to add them to the Dunedin 1984 series as another Reunion type meeting. here is a single shot to start.

32339

[John McKechnie]

Would 11 be a Chev Monza Coupe- Corvair engine ?

[Spgeti]

Yes John. I remember looking at one for sale, same colour quite a few years ago in Taupo.

[John McKechnie]

I did a 1966 Monza Spyder Convertible for a guy recently and he also had a red Monza Coupe, even showed me the pics. He said he was going to sell it, as he did not want to do another restoration. Wonder if it was the same one?
Can you see the Camaro roof line and hips here also?

[khyndart in CA]

[QUOTE=Roger Dowding;50633]This was posted on Historic Sports Car Racing New Zealand Facebook page, they have posted a couple of mine, so thought we should share ;
Garth Souness - pre Morrari in the V8 Coupe, and Dennis Marwood in the Humber 80, - is it the same one that features in the 1965 NSCC Hillclimb pics from Stu Buchanan.??.

32331

Roger,
Thanks for posting this as it certainly brings back memories for me. December 28 1963. My dad had just died 2 weeks before this and my brother John took me away from all the gloom over to the Mount for this racing. If you look closely you may see me in the distance as I was at the far corner with my b&w Box Brownie camera, taking these photos of Ernie Sprague in his Mark 3 Zephyr ahead of the Lotus Cortina and also a photo of Frank Matich coming around in his Lotus 19B. Allan has some great coloured photos from this same race day. I can remember all the dust in the distance when David Young flipped over Morrie Stanton's Special and somehow survived.

32345

Check this great coloured photo that Allan posted at the previous corner and it could have been on the same lap. Thanks Allan.
32348

32346
This is turning onto Totara Street from Hull Road. Some of these buildings are still there when I last looked.



(Ken Hyndman )

[Spgeti]

Yes, design was similar in this model compared to the earlier version which was more early Impala like. Wonder if it is the same car John.
Can,t be many of these around as they suffered from rust and lack of parts for the air cooled 6.

[khyndart in CA]

Roger,
Here is a flashback to October 1965. Another case of having those wonderful "Overseas Funds."
Wishing you and everyone a wonderful new year.

32352



( Ken Hyndman )

[Roger Dowding]

Roger,
Here is a flashback to October 1965. Another case of having those wonderful "Overseas Funds."
Wishing you and everyone a wonderful new year.

32352



( Ken Hyndman )

Magic the first of the TR4A 's with the side flash incorporating the indicators, This the Roadster, Mine was the Surrey [ or Targa roof ] version with a fixed back window and removable hard and soft centre roof sections, Had the Overdrive, IRS, wires, back seat - well a seat pad, and Two speed wipers, what next !!

32358

Poster from the 1982 Jaguar Owners Club of Oregon British Car Field Day in Portland Oregon 11th September 1982 .. must have some photos somewhere ..

[John McKechnie]

Heres a good road trip in Japan-

www.driven.co.nz/news/lifestyle/f1-cars-in-the-mountains-it-could-only-be-japan/?ref=NZHNetwork.

[John H]

Re the Stanton crash that day. We were standing on the outside of the track at the end of the straight where this happened. The Stanton rode over the back of the beautiful little Cooper of Young and we all had a clear view of the underside of the Stanton as it flew in the air. It crashed and rolled down in right hand side of the track against the pine logs placed there. All of the spectators were on the left hand side say about 5-6 deep. The crowd marshal had been having a problem trying to hold the crowd back up to that point.
After this accident we were very happy to be further back. It could so easily have been a 1955 Lemans type result. Very fortunate.
Matich pulled up on the side of the track to take a look as he must have seen it in his mirrors then drove away. I have a photo somewhere the Young Cooper that had slammed into the fence. Clear memory. Was it only held on that track for 2 years? Not sure.

[GD66]

Yes, two years : at the end of 1962 and '63.
Rough pic from '63.
32395

[woody]

3239732397

[khyndart in CA]

Was this another Stanton crash as the ambulance is from Timaru ?

Ken H

[John H]

The photo I have of the Mount crash seems to have different damage to this photo? So perhaps you are correct with a different time and place?

[woody]

Ken, It was a Waimate accident with the Stanton Corvette.

[khyndart in CA]

Thanks Woody,
The Stanton Corvette Special certainly had a hard life.



Ken H

[John McKechnie]

Ken- pm me your email address- my old computer burnt out and all addresses lost.
I have a nice colouful Boss Andy sticker you can have a look at

[Roger Dowding]

Ken, It was a Waimate accident with the Stanton Corvette.

Woody, looks like a very early version of the Stanton Corvette, it had quite a few body changes over the years.
looked like this at one stage

32406

This is at the 1968 NZ Grand Prix meeting in January - Geoff Mardon driving that day

[woody]

I think the Waimate photo was the Mk 1 version.

[Milan Fistonic]

Re the Stanton crash that day. We were standing on the outside of the track at the end of the straight where this happened. The Stanton rode over the back of the beautiful little Cooper of Young and we all had a clear view of the underside of the Stanton as it flew in the air. It crashed and rolled down in right hand side of the track against the pine logs placed there. All of the spectators were on the left hand side say about 5-6 deep. The crowd marshal had been having a problem trying to hold the crowd back up to that point.
After this accident we were very happy to be further back. It could so easily have been a 1955 Lemans type result. Very fortunate.
Matich pulled up on the side of the track to take a look as he must have seen it in his mirrors then drove away. I have a photo somewhere the Young Cooper that had slammed into the fence. Clear memory. Was it only held on that track for 2 years? Not sure.

I must have been standing alongside you that day. It happened right in front of us and there was I with a camera in my hand and too shocked to take a shot. I got a photo of the Stanton being taken away dangling from the back of a tow truck but the photo is still packed away somewhere following my shift.

[John McKechnie]

#668- The Stanton is a beautiful work of art., love the road registration.

[GD66]

For some ridiculous reason race vehicles had to be registered for a couple of years, check out Graham Lacy's Manx Norton at Wanganui 1968.
We carried ours on the inside of the fairing...
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[John H]

Thanks Milan. I also have a photo of it dangling from the tow truck but mostly blocked by your girlfriends huge sun hat!! Hows that... over 50 years ago and our memory is still sharp :) Chrs

[rf84]

Race cars and bikes that competed on closed public roads had to be registered. There was a category called "Class A" that covered vehicles and machinery that were used infrequently on public roads eg tractors and other farm machinery that had to travel on roads to get from one farm to another, trucks that were used seasonally to cart fruit etc.
Racing cars and bikes were Class A, sub category E. I still have a couple of old stickers here and would post photos if I knew how.
The cost was $1-30 in 1973-$1 for the 2 metal plates and 30 cents for the actual rego.
The rules around using race cars on the road were very loose-there was a clause that said a vehicle registered EA could be driven on public roads "for the purposes of testing or servicing". The boundaries seemed to have been pushed at times-Jim Birkett crashed the JBS now owned by Garry Simkin on the Ngauranga Gorge on his way to or from a hillclimb and I have photos of the Cooper I owned parked on the side of what is now the Hutt Motorway by the original owner Bob Gibbons.
As late as about 15 years ago, Colin Waite and Allan Woolf were the only ones who could run an out-and-out race car at a HB Car Club hillclimb at Pukeora because the Cooper Imp was registered EA and the organisers had obtained the wrong kind of road closure. Further, the little Cooper had a "daylight Warrant Of Fitness", another quaint anachronism that probably does not exist any more. Not only was Allan able to do the hillclimb, after each run he drove the car on State Highway 5 back to the start line! I always kick myself that I did not get a photo but on one trip back to the start line there was a big stock truck and trailer closely following Allan. Allan gave a perfect hand signal and turned right to get back into the venue. The diminutive Cooper looked positively miniscule in front of the huge truck.

[Roger Dowding]

rf84

" Racing cars and bikes were Class A, sub category E. I still have a couple of old stickers here and would post photos if I knew how.".
If you scan the stickers to your PC assuming you have one you can then - resize them as they have to be less than 185mb then should be able to upload. It took me a while to get it, the first time I emailed Steve Holmes to get a picture posted, so maybe thry that if you have trouble, cheers .

PS love the info about the Rego and WoF's .. remember seeing a racing Anglia with the rego plate bolted to the floor on the passenger side ..

[Roger Dowding]

Austin Gypsy - a poor mans Landrover !!.. taken in 1963 approx,
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When the bridge opened in 1959, I walked it with my parents, well we walked to the middle from the city side and back down, my Great Aunts lived in Sarsfield Street.
The Harbour toll was paid in cash for many years, unsure of the cost but by the time they removed tolls it cost 20 cents and you could pay cash or use a ticket, like this. Never did get the refund for the 80 cents.

32446

[Roger Dowding]

Chris Watson, regular competitor in this car - appeared at some AHCC Otaua Hillclimbs and many other Classic type events, also a founding member of the group that put Hampton Downs together, Chris ran a workshop in Glenfield at some stage.
here from the 10th November 1986 issue of the " Auckland Star ", a now defunct paper, are pictures of his accident at Manfield - presume the MG Classic meeting;

Off the edge of the track
32483

the rollover - Ambulance close by.
32484

inverted the picture - very scary Chris was only shaken, do not know what happened to the car !.**
Later 2020 - the car was rebuilt the damage not huge ..
Chris is still involved in Motorsport ..

32485

The car was a favourite of mine, having run a TR4A, in earlier years

here is the car in better times ; Otaua Hillclimb

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[Roger Dowding]

This is a great thread guys, loving the stories!

1009

The Carlos Neate Prince GT 6 in the picture is the Topic and Front Page [ Cover Photo ] of the latest Edition of NZ Classic Driver.
Off to get my copy ...today or tomorrow.

Cheers

[AMCO72]

So, Roger, what did you think of the article ? I just have to wonder how the car has been elevated to cult status with such a short time on the track and so little success. Maybe it was like the V16 BRM......famous for its sound but not much else. Certainly the right guy owns it now and it would be nice to see and hear it doing its stuff on a track somewhere.

[Roger Dowding]

So, Roger, what did you think of the article ? I just have to wonder how the car has been elevated to cult status with such a short time on the track and so little success. Maybe it was like the V16 BRM......famous for its sound but not much else. Certainly the right guy owns it now and it would be nice to see and hear it doing its stuff on a track somewhere.

AMC072 .. Yes liked the article, written by Allan Dick .. who is now " 80 " and still full of strong opinions ..

Would like to see the car as it was very different for the time - a Prince Four -lengthened by about 4 - 6 inches to take the six - sounds just the Austin Healey going from 100 [4 ] to 100 -Six

Had an interest in the cars as back in the late 80's [ maybe early 90's ] a guy ** I knew had another one - never saw the car but he had interior panels and parts from the car in his garage - we had gone out for dinner as we knew his " girlfriend " at the time and she invited us, well, not only saw the parts but also had a ride in his Porsche 911, later - after dinner we watched Videos on a machine that had those long cables and the "controller " - before it was all Wi-Fi or cordless .. Allan mentions three cars in NZ, so assume the guy, [ Mike Jeromanivic # excuse the spelling ] had one of them..

A bit like the Morrari, never a real winner but was great to watch .. There is a post on the trading part of facebook at the moment with my old photo of the " Morrari "- this one ;

65515

and the price $99,999 - the guy actually is just asking a question about the wheels - originally the Borrani Wires - ex the Ferrari and later -
- widened and strengthened steel wheels -as they did with the Lycoming too !!

[AMCO72]

Somebody, somewhere said that the Morrari still had its knock off hubs, with the steel wheels, but it certainly hasn't in your pic.

[Roger Dowding]

AMC072

" Morrari still had its knock off hubs, with the steel wheels, but it certainly hasn't in your pic. "
Some wire wheel hubs bolt on to existing wheel studs - would seem unlikely to have retained them.

I had an Austin Healey on Five Stud Mag wheels [ very unoriginal ] and got bolt on splined wire wheel hubs to fit and ran the car with Wires on the rear and the unoriginal Mags on the front.

65520

Greg Stokes [ TRS member ] - father Mark Stokes, is making a recreation [ Ferrari Chassis too expensive to cut up to make a saloon car these days ] may know - he has been collecting information from TRS and other forums to help with the rebuild.



" http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?76-The-Morrari-recreation&highlight=Morrari+Recreation "