Some photos for John McMechnie

[Milan Fistonic]

Great finally getting to meet you. Here are some shots your cars competing today.

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[Milan Fistonic]

And some of the Monaro. You've done a fabulous job.

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[ERC]

Pity I didn't know you were around Milan! Are you at HD next weekend? If so, would love to catch up, even if only to thank you for your on-going supply of valuable information!

[Shoreboy57]

[QUOTE=Milan Fistonic;56922]And some of the Monaro. You've done a fabulous job.

Couldn't agree more. Well done John. Look forward to the day she will be on the track

[Milan Fistonic]

Pity I didn't know you were around Milan! Are you at HD next weekend? If so, would love to catch up, even if only to thank you for your on-going supply of valuable information!

Yes I will be there but haven't decided as yet which day. Was that you with the white whiskers and wearing a pink photographer's jacket?

[nigel watts]

Yes I will be there but haven't decided as yet which day. Was that you with the white whiskers and wearing a pink photographer's jacket?

That might have been me!!

[ERC]

No whiskers!!! Black ERC hat and pink jacket, yes...

[Rod Grimwood]

ERC, drop in and catch up with me as well if you can, i got white whiskers as well.
be good to catch up with you as well Milan, i will be with Willis F5000 and Can Am as well as close by Johns Falcon.

[Steve Holmes]

The Monaro looks amazing and is a real credit to John and his commitment to restoring this important car. Most others would have simply walked away from the scale of this project.

The Monaro was on display, and can't yet be driven. However............the motor does run, and John let me start it. And I can tell you it is loud! And very cool. Awesome job John! You really brought that car back from the dead.

[khyndart in CA]

Congratulations John,
The Monaro never looked better, you truly have done an amazing restoration.
( I am still on rear spoiler research for you !)

I am impressed with the total quality of all the cars at HD. From the photos you Kiwis have done the best restorations from anywhere in the world. I truly mean that .. just magnificent and more to come this weekend. I envy you. Hope the weather is perfect and the racing is fast and safe.
Cheers Ken H.

[John McKechnie]

Ken- Jack Nazer raced against Grady in 1970 at the Mercury Series, and Lady Wigram.
Swore absolutely that the car never looked that good at the time...........

[Ray Bell]

Now for the important stuff...

Who owns the Dodge?

[John McKechnie]

Mossman Family transport

[John McKechnie]

Special thanks to Angus Fogg for doing the period cage to how it was.,
Also getting the motor set up so it will start with a simple flick of the key.
With those 4 x 48 IDA Webers, it still starts easier than the FunCargo.
So many things happening over the Festive season, and he kept his word on having it there and running for all of us to enjoy.

[kiwi285]

Here is a photo of John and also one of the Barry Algie trophy.

http://i68.tinypic.com/b6dicz.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/bde9y.jpg

[John McKechnie]

Thanks Mike for these pix showing this magnificent trophy dedicated to our little buddy.
This new trophy is the Barry Algie Memorial Trophy and will be awarded annually in the Historic Sports Sedan and Invited Allcomers class.
Taupo- April 7,8 Historic Racing Club meeting is be where it will be given, and I will be giving more details soon.

[Andrew Metford]

That's a nice touch with the photo on the trophy. Good photo too!! ;)

Seriously, I can't think of many people with as much enthusiasm and commitment as Mr McKechnie for this great class. It's a credit to his dedication and relentless behind the scenes work by getting other people enthused and back out on the track, and I think we all owe him a lot, for otherwise I'd guess we probably wouldn't be enjoying the great spectical that is Historic Sports Sedans as they are today.

[ERC]

Couldn't agree more JAFA. This class has been needed for a long time and John has worked his butt off to make it a (growing) success.

[khyndart in CA]

" Ken- Jack Nazer raced against Grady in 1970 at the Mercury Series, and Lady Wigram.
Swore absolutely that the car never looked that good at the time........... "

John,
I totally agree with Ray and JAFA as you are such a valuable person in NZ motorsports. It would not be the same without your presence. You are the "rock"!
I do remember that the Camaro seemed to get most of the attention and the Monaro was always being "developed" back at Spinner's.
I did get a reply back from a gentleman who said that "American Racing Equipment" only manufactured and sold wheels.
Did you get the information from a "A.R.E." sticker ?
I will keep hunting but I will NOT go to South African junkyards in my searching !

(Ken H )

[John McKechnie]

Ken,
I have looked at many Firenza CanAms and there is one picture showing American Racing Equipment engraved into the foot that attaches to the boot lid.
Yep, even shows type of script and size.
Tell you what - I will find the link , send it to you and to help get through the long hours at work , you can copy it, resize it and post it..........
In the meantime, heres a good link to a barn find Firenza Can Am, good detail on the wing.-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NZQy3WnYXM
and-
http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/history-archive/chevrolet-firenza-can-am-south-african-firenza-v8-28942

[khyndart in CA]

Geez John,
If you have Mike on a spoiler quest do you need me as well ?
I think I know the answer. LOL.

(Ken Hyndman )

[John McKechnie]

Always sad when a senior moment catches up........damn.

[Milan Fistonic]

Some more from NZFMR Sunday

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[Grant Sprague]

It can happen to any one John , it is fixable dont be hard on yr self , just a bit of back burner stuff & $$$ elcchhhh

[Spgeti]

Ouch.....bad luck John and not the way you wanted to end a great festival for and your group. It can be fixed. Cheers, Bruce

[John McKechnie]

Yep, Rod has said he will make this happen-thanks mate.
we all really feel for him on this his first run with us

[AMCO72]

Needs to go to 'The Best Damn Body Shop in Town'......... theres some serious bodywork damage there.

[John McKechnie]

their chassis machine is busy for more than one month....checked yesterday.

[ERC]

Sad that it involved a non-series car. Feel sorry for Grimmie too. He won't be feeling too good about it.

It merely emphasises the importance of the Series convenors controlling the invitation to their grids. If a race organiser accepts a series into a meeting, that is an Invitation series only, then it has to be to series rules.

If the organisers don't want to lose that control, then they don't invite the series, but run an open class instead. It might be tough on out of towners or those only racing a couple of times a year, not having a race at a specific meeting, but that is the decision an organiser must make. We have seen some very small grids in the past which isn't good for organisers or spectators.

Where a series only has a few cars, (an uneconomic grid) then they have to decide to be part of a meeting and maybe pay a higher entry fee, or share the track. Thankfully, this class is still growing, thanks mainly to John's efforts.

On a separate note, this is why we allow fibreglass panels... You never know when you are going to get dinged. I know John is now frantically trying to source panels, but racing rarer cars carries a risk and finding panels for some of the cars out there, is nigh on impossible. Forget any perceived weight advantage, it is minimal in the overall scheme of things and negated in handicap races anyway.

[khyndart in CA]

Sorry to see the damage to a fine looking machine.
What happened and was Rod G driving at the time ?

[khyndart in CA]

Don't worry lads it could have been worse. Even the great ones have their moments.
Dale Earnhardt after rolling at Pocono track in the mid 1980s.
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[khyndart in CA]

John's XA Falcon Coupe today.
Well done lads, it looks better than new. May it always look this grand.

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[Rod Grimwood]

Sorry to see the damage to a fine looking machine.
What happened and was Rod G driving at the time ?

Yep he was. Loved it until final 10 metres.
PM me some time for catch up Ken. Hope to be going to 50 year anniversary F5000 La Guna 2018.

[John McKechnie]

Rod-
Huge thanks for you arranging and taking care of the Surgeon that was needed, also grille, bonnet moulding and rf indicator lamp

Lex Greer at LG Panel and Paint, Manukau, for his Traction machine,and skills to make it better than it looks...and also to let a Ford be in his Lions Den and not have a Commodore sticker slapped on it

Also thanks to Cam Crawford donating a steel XAGT right front guard from his XA Coupe parts. There is now a Chillex racing sticker solely occupying the advertising boot space of the XU1 Torana.

Not forgetting Mark Powell for giving correct dimensions for badges- hes been watching this car since I first started building it.
Front and rear bumpers came from Invercargill,
chassis rail, inner guard and radiator support panel from Inglewood
These cars may be tough, but its tougher being the owner trying to find replacement panels when the time comes.
If it was a Camaro or Mustang, no probs- get new,clean replacement part from local supplier- Dale ,for instance. Aussie cars- no way ,everything is old and usually rusty
Bonnet I got 2 years ago, same as the lower valance panel.
Front screen still to be replaced, rear bumper seen on the car is also to be replaced.
Rare Spares had rear side lamps, rear honeycombes, badges and driving light rings for the grille.
Front air dam, being plastic, just need gluing back together

Marsh personally groomed the 633 horses living under the bonnet at the same time

[mark powell]

I have a spare front screen

[John McKechnie]

Mark- thanks for the offer, but Windscreenman Barry already has a new one here ready to go.

[Ray Bell]

Maybe now the car's fixed Steve can fix the name at the head of the thread?

What date is the F5000 50th on?

[John McKechnie]

Ray- F-5000 Grand Prix is January 21st weekend at Taupo- are you coming to visit us?

[John McKechnie]

Save the best till last-

A HUGE thanks to Angus Fogg for his side.-
Picking up car- stripping the smashed front, pulling the engine out, delivering the stranded auto to LG Panelbeaters, motor to Marsh.
Later-Collecting said rip roaring, ready to go motor and not so stranded limo from Lex , and reuniting aforementioned mechanical items in his workshop and delivering to me as a running, driving car for the final assembly..............saved me a ton of running round ,I know that he definitely looked after me, as i am sure his bill did not reflect the amount of work this took .


It was a thoroughly professional effort on the whole project and sure as hell hope it doesnt happen again !!!!!!

[Rod Grimwood]

Maybe now the car's fixed Steve can fix the name at the head of the thread?

What date is the F5000 50th on?

Ray it is at La Guna Seca Rolex August 2018. 2 weekends with Re-Union the 1st and Rolex the 2nd.

[Ray Bell]

That sounds enticing to someone planning to visit the US again next year...

Though it's a bit earlier in the year than I'd like to be there.

[seaqnmac27]

John, saw this at the Lakeside Classic on Sunday, thought of you for some reason

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[John McKechnie]

Awww, Sean, thanks for the thought.
Thats a minter HG
Back in 1972 I worked with a lady- Mrs Pretty- who had a 308 auto just like this.