Thanks Bruce, I`ve actually got the spare grille surround ??? or maybe the complete grille??? that Red bought when he originally got the car in the US.
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Thanks Bruce, I`ve actually got the spare grille surround ??? or maybe the complete grille??? that Red bought when he originally got the car in the US.
What I had was painted black with a fair amount of rubbing to the lower beak when the on off trailer damage would have happened. I took it as a spare for my car....hell they are heavy. I don't know what happened to the doors, boot lid and some of the original interior ie door covers. Also in the parts bin was a rear spoiler for a mustang but no thanks.
Seems like a good excuse to post this great photo again, with Dawson in the Kensington Carpets Camaro lined up behind Pete Geoghegan in the Super Falcon and Frank Gardner in the SCA Freight Camaro at Bay Park in 1972.
Attachment 22111
I found a few old Dawson photos lately that may be of interest
Attachment 22119
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Attachment 22117
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Here are two from Steve Elliott's collection. They show the remains of Red's Dekon Monza after the crash that effectively ended his racing. The car was rebuilt and went to Australia and it survived a lot more racing but in later years without the Monza body, but a Saab body in it's place.
http://i41.tinypic.com/28ivt06.jpg
http://i44.tinypic.com/n2c02t.jpg
Bruce I think the Monza did come back to race in one of the summer series here in NZ when Aussie Jeff Barnes owned the car. I could be wrong, but Steve Holmes or someone else may recall.
There were three that came over from Aus and were at Puke one year- Supra was one -was this the same meeting?
The Chev Monza is available in the PC game, GT Legends and one of the cars in the list is, Red Dawson :)
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Shame they didn`t use a few more of that era NZ cars, and judging by the background this game must be set on Queensland Raceway?
Lakeside?
GT Legends is a good game, however most people are using rFactor. That has every track in NZ including Hampton Downs and the 2013 version of Pukekohe. You can find most of the Aussie tracks as well.
One of the vast mods available is the Historix mod where they have most of the cars from GT Legends as well as many more, including the 70's Trans Am cars.
There are 100's of "mods" out for rFactor so if you are into a particular class of car then most likely it is availabe. (The 1980's German DRM mod is another one that is very good - Zakspeed Capri, BMW M1 etc).
There are quite a few leagues in NZ and Australia that race too.
Might have to get one of those games, then can race at Puke again, and if you hit wall, push button and off again. Wish it was that easy.
rFactor has been the one that everyone uses. It’s a dumbed down version of what some of the top race teams around the world used for testing etc. The simulation is 6 -7 years old so it getting a bit long in the tooth, and the numbers are dropping, but there are leagues out there that still run it. The program is a small download, but it has been everyone around the world that adds to it – new tracks and cars all the time – and the majority of them are free to download.
The car setup is quite complex (depending on the mod), but can make a world of difference to your lap times etc. (Even changing tire pressures has an effect).
The creators are working on rFactor 2 at the moment, and that has tire deformation, if you flat spot a tire you will feel it through the wheel etc, and changeable weather.
There are a couple of NZ leagues and a few Aussie ones too. (We did have 55 drivers once – but that killed the server!).
Although pretty realistic it will never replace real racing – but it is far cheaper and easier, and you can still keep your hand in if you aren’t racing. In fact there are some top guys in the sport who still use this program for practice.
Just a couple of vids:
Pukekohe GT3’s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYO9NAPczgI
Kiwi V8 Supercar League 2006 Highlights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJV18wRl3AI
V8 Supercar Practise at Bathurst
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqodUfoelmw
Touring Car Legends – M3 vs. Rover (I was in the M3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzDTTyHAY-c
Wow! I'm blown away. These are fantastic Ross! The Monza pics all look like they're from the 1975/76 season? The one where its bunkered in the sand, would that be its NZ debut appearance at the Bay Park Xmas event in Dec 1975 where Allan Moffat also raced his Monza?
Yes thats right Steve, it actually returned to NZ twice, first with John Briggs in 1979, then many years later with Jeff Barnes, as part of a multi-car Australian Sports Sedan contingent that also included Bryan Thomson in a Jaguar XJS, and Kerry Bailey and Des Wall in Toyota Supras.
I thought the DeKon Monza 1001 was still in Monza form, though much modified and with very little left of the original car, although Rowan Harman (aussiemonza) would know for sure.
I have a photo taken from Motor Action magazine of the Dawson Monza flying through the air with bits flying off during this last , dramatic crash at Manfield.
I will copy it and post it when I have found it.
How and where did Art McKee get hold of a similar DeKon Monza about the same time as Dawson ?? I recall it had a lovely paint job.
An article I recently read quoted Jim Richards saying that , as a young fella just starting out in motorsport he was racing against Dawson in a saloon car race and when Richards had the chance to pass Dawson " Red looked over at me as I passed and promptly moved over on me until I was off the track on the grass ! " When Jim approached Red after the race and asked for a please explain , Red just said " No young fella is going to make a name for himself by passing Red Dawson "
Yep - a hard man
As promised , a photo I cut out of Motor Action Magazine as a kid and had stapled to my bedroom wall until it went yellow ( the photo - not the wall )
Red's final and wild ride across the infield at Manfield.
I recall at the time there was plenty of speculation that he had "blacked out" which led to the crash but I don't know how true that turned out to be.
Note Dawson hanging partially out of the cabin area after the door came off
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BMCBOY I have sent you a PM
Mike
The DeKon 1001 is still in Monza form. I haven't seen it for many years but from memory, the roof, A and C pillars are still intact but the DeKon chassis was replaced by a K&A version back in the early '80s.
The Monza that was re-bodied as a Saab was the Siedel Monza.
Thanks for the info Rowan.
I have some 16mm film footage of the car in the pits at Baypark in '76.
Although I was only 10 at the time I recall the superb sound that both Dawson's and the McKee Monza made.
The lovely deep silver colour and stripes of the McKee Monza looked superb.
As a kid , the size and width of the rear wheels blew my mind
Amazing for "little old NZ" to have 2 rare DeKon Monza's racing at the same time in 76
Do you own the McKee car ??
At Bay Park
Later at Manfield, there are those rear tyres.
What a stunning looking car ! Thanks for the photo's Rod
Hi Jeff,
I do have the King (McKee Monza). Resto has started but not much to see at the moment. The car will be returned as in Rod's photo's below as the last Tom Nehl - first McKee livery (Big Apple Racing - Sebring 1976) Do you have any plans to put the 16mm film onto a disc? Chat Soon, Rowan (CCR)
Great shots Rod. Your photo's show the metalic blue as a much brighter hue than in other images I have of the Monza. That will be the the tone I will be using, similar to Mazda 3 or Hi-Lux bright metalic blue, I haven't chased up the paint codes yet. Not getting too far off topic but Warren (Wazza) Bruce, who painted the McKee car in the Holbert colours, is over here in Aus and will be doing the paint on the car for the resto.
Rowan- I am sure that I speak for everyone when I say that you and your car would be welcomed with open arms to an Invited Historic Sports Sedan race meeting here in NZ
Yes Rowan , In the next month or 2 I will have the film professionally transferred to DVD.
It's such a shame the film is silent but 16mm TV camera's of the day had massive sound recorders that required an extra person ( ! ) to carry and record sound.
How times have changed.
There isn't a lot of footage of your fabulous Monza but there is some. It was a stunning looking car.
I'm so glad you are restoring it to it's former glory.
I will send you a message as soon as the disk is done
Kind regards
Jeff
Hi Guys
I have put a link to a rough copy of that '76 BayPark film footage on the Labour Weekend & BayPark Thread .
Enjoy - sorry about the fact it's silent film. Remember this is only a low - res copy.
Jeff
When / where did Red Dawson have his big accident in the ex Matich Brabham?
Was the car a writeoff?
Did Red have a big accident in the Brabham?
I think it was Barry Thomasen. Red sold the car in mid-1969 to Bill Thomasen, whose young(19 or 20 y-o) son Barry drove it in late 1969 at Pukekohe and Bay Park, where he had a very big accident, destroying the car and almost himself, too, surviving serious spinal injuries but as a paraplegic.
According to Graham Vercoe's book, the usable parts of the car went to several different owners.
Stu
Where is Red dawsons Camaro now ?????. I believe the Camaro is down deep south island, who owns this fantastic car now after Laurence Bruces ownership was it sold complete with the chevy engine.I hope we can see some photos of it in its current shape and a story about it future.
We would all love to hear and see this car back on the track or whats happened to it.
Kelvin Towns, Dunedin. Have not seen Kelvin for a few years, but keep hearing stories that he is working on the car.
Thanks for that Stu. Heading is incorrect should be BT 7a, not BT 4
In early 2010 there was a meeting at the Killarney Circuit in South Africa. Reported that Lord Irvine Laidlaw (fascinating stuff on Google on him) was driving a Brabham BT 7a. It noted this car "seriously damaged in an accident in NZ. Returned to Britain in the 1980's where it was completely rebuilt for Historic events"
Could this be the ex Matich/Dawson car?
Wow, could be, as it's a 7a. If it's any help. the chassis no is BT7A-IC-1-63, and ORC list its current location as England.
That Barry Thomasen crash happened almost at my feet, he spun coming out of Rothmans onto the back straight, the car ran off onto the infield, it hit the bank and flipped, and as it went over he was half-thrown out of the car, with the car landing upside-down and him still half-out. Clearly no belts, and I think this was the last season they weren't compulsory. Very sad.
What happened to the BT7A? Was it a writeoff?
I have come across a BT7A on race-cars.com that could be it?
http://www.race-cars.com/carsold/bra...56995143ss.htm
unfortunately I can't find a date for this sale.
However I always thought it had been written off.
can anyone help please?