Fiat 125T

[Steve125T]

Hello everyone, Ive just found this site and joined straight up. By way of introduction I'm in Perth Western Australia and have been campaigning an original Fiat 125T for about 8 years in Historic motorsport mostly here in W.A.,with various trips to other circuits in the east.
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I have a well compiled history file on the car including all photo copies of the registration book. I believe, as other previous owners have, that this car competed at the B&H 500 in 72 but as yet I have no actual proof. I would be grateful if we could, with input from the knowledgeable members of this forum, find this out. The original number plate was GG7963 (I still have those plates) and the car was first registered to Town & Country Cars Auckland in August 1972. This car went on to have some 14 owners between then and June 1974 (including Maurice Thompson for a while in 73) according to these records. I do have a photo that was published in the Australian publication Sports Car World in 1973 showing this car crossed up coming out of a corner with all the sponsors logos still in place.
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I will try and get that photo and the article scanned and post it here.
Any info greatly accepted. If anyone has any questions about the ins and outs of keeping on of these fantastic NZ only cars in active competition then just ask.
Cheers
Steve

[Spgeti]

Hi Steve, I am making some enquires and will come back to you.
Did you buy the car from NZ or from someone in Aussie ?

Cheers
Bruce

[Steve125T]

Thanks Bruce
I am not the one responsible for removing the car from NZ, that was done by an ex pat Kiwi who purchased it and had it shipped over in 2000. I bought the car from him in 2007 and have been thrashing it/maintaining it ever since. He purchased the car from Maurice O'Reilly of Tauranga. In the photo (rear quarter view) you can just make out a Fiat Club Waikato sticker.
A couple of photos taken in 2015 at one of our "Round The Houses" events.
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[Spgeti]

Hi Steve,

It was not the one I was thinking of. An Ex pat kiwi in Sydney purchased a T off a very good friend of mine quite a few years ago ex Manawatu.
I think from memory it belonged to Fred Parker of the Manawatu Car Club and it had no B&H history.
The Ex Pat had it for sale a few years back.
We will check the regos for you and get back to you.

Cheers
Bruce

[Steve125T]

Hi Bruce
As far as know there are 3 genuine 125T's in OZ. Mine in WA, one in Vic (for sale) and one in QLD (for sale). The car in QLD is the ex Tim Bailey- Roy Harrington car GH6701 which came 3rd outright.

Cheers
Steve

[Spgeti]

Hi Steve, yes according to the register your car GG7963 was raced in the 72 B&H by Hughes/T Lawrence car # 33.

Cheers
Bruce

[speedsterboy]

I have twice owned the ex Paul Fahey/ G. Lawrence B&H car registration GG8049. I found it in 1989 in south Auckland with a jacked up rear end tearing around driven by a girl racer. I started restoring it before realising it was too much work for my teen skills , sold it then bought it back 5 years later from the guy in Rotorua I sold it to. He restored and raced it but sad to say he reshelled the car and transferred all the chassis numbers and plates across. It was hard to drive on the road as it was all or nothing , set up for racing more than anything. I sold to to a guy from CHCH who flew to Auckland and drove it back.
I rescued another that was about to have a ford V6 transplant and sold that to Nigel Derbyshire who was an ex Maurice Thompson / Fiat centre mechanic who then restored it and sold it on . I can't remember the plate of that one.

Last time I watched a good race with 125T's was the Ardmore Shell classics with 3 entered. Have some great pictures that I will try to upload.
Am currently racing a Fiat 128 rally after 20 years away from Box car Fiats... Would love another 125T though...

[Kwaussie]

Link to the one in Melbourne for sale. http://www.carpoint.com.au/used-cars/FIAT/125/model-make.htm

[Steve125T]

Thanks Bruce
To read that post and be able to know definitively that GG7963 really did start the race is absolutely fantastic. Then to find a period colour photo of it is brilliant. Now I would really like to know whether the car finished the race, and if so in what position.
I knew quite a lot about the car going back to the late 80's when Maurice O'Reilly bought the car. He raced it in Historics in the late 80's & early 90"s with some success I believe. He also competed in the inaugural Targa NZ in this car. Please if anyone can elaborate on these things we'd love to hear about it. I must commend Maurice for the work that was put into this car in his ownership. They spent quite some time & effort on this body in the early 90's. It was fully seam welded and a bolt in roll cage was installed. The car shows no sign of ever having been rusty and repaired. A testament to the quality of this work is that I have been able campaign this car through 8 seasons with no significant maintenance to the body and little deterioration.

Cheers
Steve

[Steve125T]

By the way this car has been kept in the spirit it's history deserves. It still sports a a Fiat 125 series 1608 engine with it's original spec Dellorto DHLA40 carbs, 4 speed gearbox and Fiat 4.1 axle (with LSD centre added). Original brakes (good pads) and original period option 6" x13 Ward wheels with modern R Spec track rubber. The engine has been "tuned" but only by way of traditional means - cams, compression etc and a decent set of headers. It is still on points ignition. Below is a link to a clip from inside the T at our annual event around the middle of the City of Albany at the very Southern part of WA, we call these events here "Round the Houses" events.
Turn it up - or better still get some speakers.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFPTzszkSzg

Cheers
Steve

[Powder]

I've a copy of Driver magazine from Oct'72 that has the B&H race report including a couple of photos of GG7963 (it raced with the rego plate still fitted to the rear). If you send me your email address via PM I'm happy to forward scans to you. I might have some other photos/info as well - I haven't looked too hard yet.

[Spgeti]

Great video Steve.
I have also sent you a PM that you will find under Notifications.

Cheers
Bruce

[45DCOE]

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[Steve125T]

Thanks for all the info everyone, I now have a complete picture. My car was No33 driven by Peter Hughes / Tony Lawrence and finished 7th outright, after some time in the pits with gear selection problems. I have read that it put in 2nd fastest lap of the day late in the race when Mr Hughes was trying to claw back some lost time. So GG7963 was indeed one of the 3 "Works" cars entered by Torino Motors.

[Oldfart]

Steve, PM me with an email address and I will put you in touch with Peter, and possibly Tony too.

[SPman]

Must keep a lookout for your car Steve. Have you run at Northam at all?

[Steve125T]

Every year since 2008 without fail. Fantastic event, had an absolute ball this year.

[Steve Emson]

Hi Steve,
I think Dads car was entered by Torino motors as well. I was still at school and must have been 15 at the time. 'Our' T came as a virtually standard car without the engine mods. I ran this car in for Dad up and down the motoway in Auckland for what seems like ages. Doug Bremner who always drove with Dad in the B & H and Wills races fitted the carburettors and stuff at P & R Motors from memory. This was later, after I had run the car in. I was at Puke for the test day when all these cars ran. Remember it well because Dad was the quickest. In the race he was the leading car until a flat tyre sort of buggered the race for them. I do not think we had a spare handy and they lost a lot of time.
They were good fun cars to drive. I think i am right saying Doug tried tuning this car a few different ways, however ended up putting it back to std specs. It was quick, however as the son speaking here, i think that had a little to do with the drivers and not the car being anything special.
These cars are all special as far as the model is concerned of course! I guess i was the only 15 yo school boy who actually knew how these things performed. Flat out out the back of Papakura, ...................we were very naughty in those days.
Regards to you,
Steve E

[Steve Emson]

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[John McKechnie]

Hi Steve,
I think Dads car was entered by Torino motors as well. I was still at school and must have been 15 at the time. 'Our' T came as a virtually standard car without the engine mods. I ran this car in for Dad up and down the motoway in Auckland for what seems like ages. Doug Bremner who always drove with Dad in the B & H and Wills races fitted the carburettors and stuff at P & R Motors from memory. This was later, after I had run the car in. I was at Puke for the test day when all these cars ran. Remember it well because Dad was the quickest. In the race he was the leading car until a flat tyre sort of buggered the race for them. I do not think we had a spare handy and they lost a lot of time.
They were good fun cars to drive. I think i am right saying Doug tried tuning this car a few different ways, however ended up putting it back to std specs. It was quick, however as the son speaking here, i think that had a little to do with the drivers and not the car being anything special.
These cars are all special as far as the model is concerned of course! I guess i was the only 15 yo school boy who actually knew how these things performed. Flat out out the back of Papakura, ...................we were very naughty in those days.
Regards to you,
Steve E

Airfield road of course- use King Concretes rural area................

[Spgeti]

Hi Steve,
I think Dads car was entered by Torino motors as well. I was still at school and must have been 15 at the time. 'Our' T came as a virtually standard car without the engine mods. I ran this car in for Dad up and down the motoway in Auckland for what seems like ages. Doug Bremner who always drove with Dad in the B & H and Wills races fitted the carburettors and stuff at P & R Motors from memory. This was later, after I had run the car in. I was at Puke for the test day when all these cars ran. Remember it well because Dad was the quickest. In the race he was the leading car until a flat tyre sort of buggered the race for them. I do not think we had a spare handy and they lost a lot of time.
They were good fun cars to drive. I think i am right saying Doug tried tuning this car a few different ways, however ended up putting it back to std specs. It was quick, however as the son speaking here, i think that had a little to do with the drivers and not the car being anything special.
These cars are all special as far as the model is concerned of course! I guess i was the only 15 yo school boy who actually knew how these things performed. Flat out out the back of Papakura, ...................we were very naughty in those days.
Regards to you,
Steve E

Hi Steve, yes your Dad raced #31 at the 72 B&H with Doug.

Milan has put the entry list up on 72 B&H thread on TRS.

Great photo

Cheers

[Roger Dowding]

45DCOE, read the story, do you have page 2, .. I thought they were brilliant, I tried to buy a Red one, not a raced car in the later 1970's wasn't happening.. so bought an older Triumph TR4 instead ..

[Allan]

Roger, the only red one was the sample car set up at Town and Country Cars for Torino Motors.

[Ray Bell]

Which gearbox did these cars have?

There were several gearsets... so which ratios?

[Spgeti]

From my understanding Ray, standard production 4 speed 125 gearbox, 4.1 diff with LSD centre. Certainly not the 5 speed box from the 125S.

[45DCOE]

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Hows this ?

[45DCOE]

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Now for page 3. Images c/o Motorman

[Allan]

The 125T used the standard 125 gearbox (1st 3.422, 2nd 2.10, 3rd 1.361 and 1 to 1 4th gear and standard 4.1 to 1 NON lsd rear axle.
Allan

[Peter M]

Alf Goldsbury competed in 1974 & 1975 in a 125T doing several national rallies also the Pall Mall championship, prior to this he drove a Fiat 127 in various club events. The highlight being winning his class and finishing 24th in the 1973 Heatway Rally.
Back in the 70,s Pio Pio Motors in the King Country ( Alf was a partner in the business )were Fiat agents for both cars and tractors,this was unique at the time the only place in NZ with both cars and tractors together. Different distributors.

[Steve125T]

My car GG7963 also competed in the inaugural Targa NZ with Maurice O'Reilly at the helm so I believe.

[MIKE T]

Hi my name is mike,the 3 of 125 Ts you saw racing at Ardmore in 1998 were ,mine ,Chris Castles,and Graeme picketts.
i have started a - NEW ZEALAND FIAT 125T MODEL CLUB -on face book check it out your welcome to join alot more photos of the Ts and the different places we raced also .Photos from from the early 1980s to 1999 and some original; Benson and Hedges 125T phoros also check them out .

Photo is of our 3 Ts in Auckland for the Ardmore 29 january 1989

The 125T GH399 x Torino Motors Demonstrator 125 T belonged to Graeme Pickett from palmerston North number 101 in the photo ,Chriss T was 97 ,mine 94 .,,sadly Graeme passed away in 2004,,a great guy a good friend of many years.a great competotor on the track .photos of Tim Baileys 125 T 1972m Benson and Hedges .3rd out Right Photos of our Ts at Ardmore Auckland 1989 .3714237144371453714637147

[MIKE T]

37140 Photos of Fred Parkers 125T at manfield in the later 1980s.approx.1 of our club days .also our 125Ts at Ohakea 1987 ..Freds car is first on the left .
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[MIKE T]

37143 my 125T with standard air box .

[MIKE T]

original b and h photo

[Frosty5]

37140 Photos of Fred Parkers 125T at manfield in the later 1980s.approx.1 of our club days .also our 125Ts at Ohakea 1987 ..Freds car is first on the left .
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Superb photo. I remember these well at the B&H races. Rockets

[MIKE T]

37213372143721537216 A few more photos ,my T plus others at Atrdmore 1989

[MIKE T]

37213372143721537216 A few more photos ,my T

[MIKE T]

top photod GH399,owned by Graeme Pickety middle in photo..our 125Ts on thinder park Hastings 1985 .and 125T .GG8049 at Manfield 1980s fiat cvlub day .372173721837219

[MIKE T]

TORINO DEMONSTRATER GH399 WAS OWNED BY GRAEME PICKETT FROM PALMERSTON NORTH ALOS37220

[Spgeti]

Great photos Mike. I also knew Graeme very well.
Cheers, Bruce

[Spgeti]

Thanks Mike, I will have a look.

[Milan Fistonic]

This is the Michael Draper/Roger Hood car from the 1972 B&H.

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[Steve Holmes]

Awesome photo Milan!

[Steve Emson]

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Dads 125T

[Steve125T]

125T at Phillip Island Classic 2017.
Hi all, a note to let those of you who may be attending the Phillip Island Classic event in March, that my ex B&H 500 works 125T will be competing in this years event. We will set off on our big road trip (from Perth) next weekend the 12th and tow the car over. The car will also be wearing it's original GG7963 number plates over the weekend. Sorry I wasn't able to secure the original race number of 33 but will be wearing No 70.
A recently built engine has been bedded in for a couple of events and she should be ready for action.
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Please look us up in the paddock if you are attending.
Cheers
Steve

[Spgeti]

Hi Steve, where did you get the curved trumpets from ?

Good luck for the meeting.

Cheers
Bruce

[Steve125T]

Hi Bruce, they are Alfa GTA Ram Tubes. Available from international suppliers such as Classic Alfa and are available for both 40mm and 45mm carbs. I use them because they allow me to "arrange" them away from the shockie tower. They are retained by a ring which allows free rotation and clamped by washers.

Cheers
Steve

[tonttu]

Roger, the only red one was the sample car set up at Town and Country Cars for Torino Motors.

Which ended up in ChCh in 1975/77 as my then soon to be brother-in-law had it.

[Steve125T]

Hi Everyone an update on GG7963 has been up to recently. Here is a report that appeared in the US based online magazine Veloce Today.

http://www.velocetoday.com/and-how-4-25-fiat-sedan-vs-formula-cars/

[Allan]

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The 125"T" I built for Ross Macdonald back in the early 1980s out of a rusty shell and a box of bits. We had a lot of fun for not a lot of money like a lot of other folks back then. Maramarua rallysprint 1985 me driving. Milan Fistonic photo from Milan's facebook page

[Graelin]

Thanks for these posts. I was in New Zealand as a school kid at the time of the 125 T. My Dad had the standard 125 as a company car and did we enjoy that. They were so far ahead of their time. Being in Peth WA I must get to see this car in action. I did club race a 131 Superbrava back in the eighties, grass track, speedway days where we hired a track.

[Steve Holmes]

Bruce Dyer just made me aware of this: http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/specialist-cars/competition-cars/auction-1354526613.htm

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[Steve125T]

Wow I hope he gets what he is looking for. The car looks authentic as a 125T, though it is painted up in the livery of my car and probably doesn't have the Race history suggested by that livery.

Steve

[John McKechnie]

Steve- Did you see the H 2098- Historic Vehicle sticker. MSNZ dont hand these out because you have put some period stickers on

[Spgeti]

I believe this is one of the "T's" that raced in the 72 B&H.

[Steve125T]

Thanks John,
I did see the H 2098 sticker and have no doubt that MSNZ don't issue them easily. As I said this car looks to be the "real deal" as being a good 125T but the original livery for the B&H 500 is not correct according to all the records I have been able to ascertain. If you have read earlier in this thread you will see where I found out my car's B&H history. GG7963 (I physically have those plates not just photos) was raced with No33 in the event. I also have copies of the original registration book which links the chassis number to the rego number. Both the chassis number - as photographed and the rego number do not match this.
Steve

[Milan Fistonic]

Here's a shot of the number 33 125T in the race.

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