Thanks JM :)
Thanks JM :)
Great photos Ken ,did the dummy and main grids at Pukekohe for many years in late 60's and early 70's ,put most of the famous names on grids there,wished i had had a digital camera then,remember once when my wife Cushla who used contact lenses,the old hard type,which flicked out on the dummy grid just before race start,here were all the top line saloon drivers ,Paul Fahey etc,crawling around on their hands and knees trying to find the lens [which we didnt],it was like a family in those days everyone new everyone else grand old days.Raced at Keripehi also and Te Awamutu in my Mini 850 !!
Rodger- just a little taster from autoNEWS vol 3 number 5 18 Sept 1969-
"I personally tossed up between a sports car and a Formula F5000, but after a discussion with my sponsors, we leased the T70."
Will have this article for you, also several on the Elfin 400.
Also if Grant Sprague wants to show up- can have the articles on Garry and Ernie
John, had chat with Grant yesterday, and reckons he will be at HD, be great to catch up.
October 1969.
Jim Boyd's opposition came mainly from this car. Grahame Harvey's well prepared Elfin Chevrolet.
Attachment 25846
(Ken Hyndman )
Pukekohe. Nov 1970.
Garry Pedersen drove this stunning looking sports car. The Gemco Olds.
This car originally started out as a Lotus 18/21 and driven by Tony Shelly, later by Johnny Riley.
It had a 3.5 litre Olds engine with Traco parts.
In all its history it never looked better than this.
Attachment 25847
(Ken Hyndman )
Real Canam styling- right down to the kiwi
Nov. 1970. Pukekohe.
Paul Fahey,s Cambridge Racing Team Mustang.
Later to be the PDL Mustang. Was there ever a better Mustang anywhere ?
The number 104 remained on this car over many seasons.
"This car is a genuine KK Boss 429 mustang that was imported to NZ by Paul Fahey in late 1970 without its motor and transmission, and was fitted with a 351C HO motor. It was initially campaigned in Cambridge Racing Team colours, but with only mixed success at first. "
Quote from NZMustang.com
Attachment 25853
Attachment 25849
(My young nephew showing me what a cool car this was. Amen to that ! )
(Ken Hyndman )
Here is a small example of the Cambridge Racing Team colours that I could not show in the B&W photos. (Thanks to NZ Classic Car article)
Attachment 25865
Ken Hyndman.
(Soon I will be off to Oz ...Feb. 1970 )
1970
I went to Sydney in Feb. 1970 and worked in a Holden dealership in Woolloomoolo which was quite a change from Morrinsville and living at home with my Mum !
I went to the Warwick Farm track a couple of times. I was having trouble with this camera but I thought I would share some of these photos anyway. (Please excuse the quality )
My first impression was of how wide the track was as compared to Bay Park and I thought this must be like being at Indianapolis !
A course worker warned me to get out of the way as I photographed this first corner and thought of all the great drivers that had passed through here.
Attachment 25866
(Ken Hyndman )
Hi John & Rod, I will come up to the Feb meet............ Mike Fiest will be there to collect some piks from Steve at ice breaker to restart the Sprague piks ..[which is much appreciated...... Thanks Steve for the starting of it & Mike for continuation ........... as Steve has bigger work load now than ever writing books etc .... Thanks keep cool .. Grant
Hey Grant
I think you hit the wrong key !
Talk to me Big Guy !
Ken
Warwick Farm. 1970
Pete/ Ian Geoghegan's 1967 GTA Mustang with 302 engine is prepared in the pit area.
In the background Leo Geoghegan is working on getting his Lotus 59 prepared also.
Attachment 25872
(Ken Hyndman )
Warwick Farm. 1970.
Geoghegan brothers preparing their cars before entering the battle fields.
I think that is Pete with the tie on. (Correct me if I am wrong please )
Leo is on the ground sorting gear ratios for his Lotus 59.
Attachment 25873
(Ken Hyndman )
Warwick Farm. 1970
Leo Geoghegan in his Lotus 59B. Having adjustments made in the pits.
This car had a Waggot TC4V motor. 2 Litres based on a Cortina block. Twin OHC with 4 valves per cylinder.
It was a good enough combination to win the Australian Championship in 1970.
Attachment 25874
(Ken Hyndman )
Warwick Farm. 1970
Allan Moffat's 1969 Mach 1 302 Mustang sits in the paddock waiting to do battle with the 1967 Mustang of Pete Geoghegan.
Attachment 25875
(Ken Hyndman )
Warwick Farm. 1970.
I tried to capture one of the great races between Geoghegan and Moffat. They went at it like this lap after lap. Note the corner is coming up and I wonder who braked first ! (great stuff )
(Apparently another spectator at this race was a "Des Wall, who successfully bid $ 322,000
for the Geoghegan Mustang at the Shannons Sydney Motor Show 3 years ago and is enjoying every moment with it.") (Uniquecarsmag.com.au )
I think it is great these cars are kept in their former glory. They were wonderful times for racing.
Attachment 25876
(Ken Hyndman )
In 1969 at Warwick Farm, Pete Geoghegan in his Mustang and Brian Foley in his Mini Cooper had a great race with the Mustang just coming out ahead at the end.
Enjoy the Youtube video as it shows how much Pete had to work at it, keeping the Mustang on the track !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTriIxFXYb4
(Ken Hyndman )
September 13,1970. Amaroo Park. NSW.
Amaroo Park was an easy drive from where I lived in Sydney. I liked it as a spectator as you could easily park on the hill and sit at a bench and look out over a good part of the track. It was almost a natural ampitheatre.
Like Warwick Farm it is closed to racing and been developed for housing etc.
The 1.2 mile track saw all forms of racing from 1967 to 1998.
Attachment 25897
(Ken Hyndman )
I was driving that day, and would've waved, but was too busy trying to get round Bernie....managed to grab the Vee lap record, though. Elfin Vee #31.
http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/a...pseff6be80.jpg
Greg Mackie
Amaroo Park, Sept 13. 1970
Greg,
I only took 1 photo of a Formula Vee car that day. I think it is an Elfin. Could it possibly be you ?
I had never been that close to a race track before with a car coming towards me. I got so excited I almost dropped my camera on the track !
I hope you can recognize the car in the photo. That would be great. Thanks for sharing this race information.
Attachment 25898
(Ken Hyndman )
Amaroo Park. Sept 13. 1970
Waiting to take on any challengers is one of my all-time favorites, the Pete Geoghegan 1967 GTA Mustang
Attachment 25899
(Ken Hyndman )
Amaroo Park. Sept 13. 1970
Frank Matich entered his new McLaren M 10 B # 400-10-2. I think this was the first outing with the Repco Holden 5.0 litre V8 engine.
It certainly was great to watch him drive on this short circuit. It proved to be a winning combination as Frank won the Australian Grand Prix in Nov. 1970 driving this car at Warwick Farm. Starting there from pole and setting fastest lap about sums it up as a job well done !
Attachment 25900
Attachment 25901
( Ken Hyndman )
Ken, that Vee does look like an Elfin.....could be Howard Revell [Rays son].
The Anglia behind the McLaren is Graeme Hodges, and the Mini is Nando Adorini.
These are great photos Ken,what sort of camera were you using and lens size etc
Ross
It was just a cheap 35 camera, no lens. Possibly a Pentax. It actually gave me trouble and let in too much light.
Anyway I am glad you like the photos. Thanks.
(Ken Hyndman )
Sept. 13 1970.
Even though Frank Matich was pleased with his McLaren M10 B, he spoke after his drive that he had very mixed feelings as he had been at Monza the previous weekend when his friend Jochen Rindt had died when his Lotus 72 had crashed. He had also been at the McLaren works when Bruce McLaren had died June and weeks later another Tasman competitor, Piers Courage had died during the Dutch Grand Prix.
1970 was an awful year Formula One drivers.
This was all exactly 44 years ago, may there never be another year like that again.
(Ken Hyndman )
Sept 13 1970. Amaroo Park
Frank Matich preparing to enter his McLaren M10B and to see how well it would run on this track.
Attachment 25966
(Ken Hyndman )
Sept 13. 1970. Amaroo Park.
Frank Matich being push started in his beautiful McLaren M10 B with a Repco 5 litre engine.
Attachment 25965
Heading off into the sunset.
As I must do also as this is my last photo in this thread. (Thanks for following along)
Little did I realize at the time that almost 2 years to the day I would be hired at Trojan Works in England
where this race car was built.
(that would be another thread if anyone is interested.)
(Ken Hyndman )
Sounds interesting Ken, get writing fella
Likewise, Rod, no reason to change buses, we have an excellent tour guide.
Ken , I am not sure if I mentioned , Gary worked for Frank about mid 70,s on the way back to NZ from UK ..... I also ended up working for Frank on the , then new wheel alignment machine in Cremorne ... Gary held held him in high regards naturally , i was about 18 at the time[ Gary had moved on bavk home] me doing the teen age Bondi thing, I have a couple of piks I will find of Gary in the rear of tyre shop where they worked on his F5000, also a couple of mine at Franks place over looking the shore was an xmas party , being a teen , every thing was a bit of a blur , but he had two beautiful daughters lol .... I do remember that ...:p
Gee Grant your memory is amazing.
Ha HA Roddy they were very interesting years so can remember a bit , I knew lots re wheel alignments etc camber , caster, etc etc ...so Frank thought I was the young bees knees....with some knowledge.........I use to watch as a boy & take it in ....reading tyres on my race cars was a great advantage as years ticked by... even Ernie was amazed ......ps Hey mate how you going ??Talk soon
Grant,
You do have a good memory. If you look at posting # 106 you will see Mrs Matich at the back of the Fairlane along with her
young daughter.
I have tried to write to you on the message board but they will not go through because your message box is full !
Do check it out and let me know.
Thanks Ken , give me a few days etc just pretty full on doing other things not really pc savvy................ got some re-entries coming up thanks to Steve/ H & Mike F........... Kind Regards Grant