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Motoring History - all cars had to have a Registration Plate !!
all cars in New Zealand, including Racing Cars had to have a number plate, remember seeing them inside saloons on the floor and elsewhere ;.. a series of the plates over the last Century or so .. part of motoring heritage in NZ..
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then there were different plates for vehicles other than cars, Govt, Taxi, Heavy Vehicles, Buses etc, and even motorcycles.
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I got these images from Richard Armstrong the first three [ Car plates ] and Dave Howell for the " Other " number plates. no doubt from an Archive.. Don't know who the Graham is but he buys them ..
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The Ralph Watson Lycoming Special - sports car
Ralph was a member of Northern Sports Car Club in the 1950's when he built the car and a regular competitor at NSCC and other Clubs events, including Auckland Car Club, Hamilton Car Club, Taumaranui Car Club, as well as competing at the NZ International Grand Prix, the Lady Wigram Trophy races, NZ Drivers Championship events at Ryal Bush, Mairehau Road Races and elsewhere.
In 1985, Ralph wrote an article for the Sports Car Club of New Zealand covering his various cars the BSA Special, cars he worked on, like some of Ron Roycroft's - the Bugatti Jaguar, Alfa P3, Ferrari's and his own car ;The Lycoming Special. the article was published in the SCCNZ's Special Edition Magazine called Sports Car Talk .. this is an extract from the 1986 Special Edition..
Jim Clark driving the car at Teretonga
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The car just completed with Ralph and Warren Parkinson
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Specifications
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The Competition Record from late 1956 to 1968 .. the first few years
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Ralph Watson at the 1958 Grand Prix
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more to come, the rest of the history and some more photos - the above all from the SCCNZ article, the book was given to me by Ross Hollings, along the the first and third edition of the SCCNZ Special Editions, the 1984 and the 1989 ones.
Have just previewed the attachments and realise these are the uncropped ones so have parts of the article with the photos .. must try harder in the next segment ..
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The Ralph Watson Lycoming Special - sports car
The Specifications and Competition Record have reposted the first part as cut out some of the early events..
here is the correct sequence ;
The Specifications
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I saw the car at the Hamilton Car Club grass track races at Waharoa on 11th March 1967, had just bought my first car a 1960 Mini [ Austin Seven ], had seen the Lycoming at previous events at Pukekohe in 1965 and 1966 and at the 1967 Grand Prix meeting. Have a couple of photo's from 1966.
As has been mentioned on " The Roaring Season " Trevor Sheffield wrote a great history of Ralph, entitle " Ralph Watson Special Engineer " Trevor being a long time member of NSCC, and mate of many of the great Racing Car guys of the 50's and 60's, a quick driver himself, in cars ranging from a Singer to a Daimler SP250 [ Dart ] ..
Here is Jim Boyd competing in a Hill Climb; note the narrow wheels compared to the Jim Clark photo but the wider guards to accommodate those widened wheels with the strengthening straps ..
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Book is available here free.
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A Famous Lady in a Buckler with her NSCC Club patch on the overalls
Ivy Stephenson in her Buckler - Climax, that was later owned by Bruce Sutcliffe - a very well known car and driver.
photo provided by Richard Armstrong
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NSCC a comment on early Rallying - from Steve Emson
Rallying in NZ acutally started out with events like this. This is Dad in a rally Imp. I think Andrew Cowan helped Dad, and sent him specs to convert it to front radiator trim.
My first impressions of rallying was Dad taking me as navigator in the Rally of the Pines in a LC XU1. I was only young and still at school, awhile away from getting my drivers licence.( I might have been about 13- 14). I remember thinking Sh*t!!!, how was he able to drive the thing sooooo fast, he had it all sideways through the pine needle covered forestry tracks.I may have thought Fark, if i even knew that word then.
Dad also took me as navigator in a Woodhill rally in a LJ 72 XU1 he raced on the circuits. We made the front page of the Auckland Star. What I remember about that was John Woolf was navigating for his Dad Allan. We were together on the road and we both wrong slotted a turn point. We came flying over a rise to find them stopped at a gate, jumping out of the car because they knew we were coming.........................interesting, Dad got it all stopped in time however.
This is the Imp, mentioned at the start of the comment - thanks to Steve Emson . comment is as written ..
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Family names - members of NSCC in the early years !!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Milan Fistonic
Milan, thank you for that, a great read, the J Boot [ my late Uncle - never met him as died before I was born ] was of course Jack Boot who had the Roycroft Bugley " Bugatti / Riley or Riley Bugatti " depending on which is first chassis or engine, and the E Dowding is my Uncle Ed [ Eddie Dowding NSCC Club Captain and later President in 1945/46,] saw him on Good Friday, still with us at 97, in fact am using his car at the moment. Alan Pybus mentioned in the story was a great mate of Ed and family, I knew him also.
I wonder if they ever found the Minute Book or Club Captain's book, I hope so.
Milan I would like to copy / save these pages and show them to Ed in the coming weeks.
NSCC The very early years !!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Milan Fistonic
Milan, thank you again this is brilliant, would like to know who " Gremlin " was - maybe Trevor Sheffield may know.
again will copy the articles and keep.
Regards,
Roger
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The John Hatton Mark One Zephyr was entered in the ACC April 1964 meeting
John's car has featured in a photo at Pukekohe for the Autumn Auckland Car Club meeting in 1964.
Here are a couple of John's photos of his car a Hillclimb in 1965, and at rest - had a repaint as the top is now dark !!
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John now has a much newer car, A Falcon that has been rebuilt and was recently at Hampton Downs for a Classic meeting
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Special Event.. non- motoring
Tomorrow the 14th of June will be the 75th Wedding Anniversary of Eddie and Una Dowding, and a small group of family will visit them for a cup of tea and cake and of course a chat.. maybe not much about NSCC, it is interesting to note that not only did the club start during the war, but Eddie an early Club Captain and then President, was married also during the War.
posted before, here are Ed and Una in their Riley Nine, next to Ken Hemus' and a mate in Ken's Singer, at the NSCC Winter [ mud ] Trial in 1949, other cars in the line up appeared in the Scott Thomson Book " Up to Speed " the Ron Roycroft story.
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and Ed and Una pushing the Morris 8 tourer at Mackies Rest, Waitakere Ranges in around 1946, again the NSCC Winter Trial, which became known as the Jack Boot Memorial trial,Jack was Ed's brother in law.
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The Riley Bugatti - Bugattii Riley , The Jack Boot and Ron Roycroft car
The Riley Bugatti [ Bugley ] at Huntly in 1945 - Ron Roycroft driving Photo from Website
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Jack Boot sitting in the car at Huntly -my note says 1940's could be the same meeting.
It was mentioned to me by Ed [ Eddie ] Dowding my Uncle and Jack Boot's brother - in law that the car was not successful, it was modified and improved and has quite a history.
It is mentioned in Scott Thomson's Roycroft Biography " Up to Speed " and in Graham Vercoe's NZ Motor Racings Histories ..
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Photo from Ed Dowding Collection, I have an Original Print.
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NSCC Cosseys Farm going through the gate ;
Great Photo provided by Mungo Lloyd to NZ Rallying History.
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believed to be Dave Bristow in his Holden 308 V8 powered Escort, event unsure if just a Hill Climb or part of a bigger event, like an Invitation Club Rally.
Michael Clark, would that be close to your front door ??
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Cosseys Farm a competitor
Rex Rattenbury has posted a few photos of various cars at Cossey's Farm the NSCC Hill Climb venue from early 1967 until the mid 1980's ?? [ unsure when the last event was ]
Here are a few shots - going through the gateway before the big sweep to the finish ..
Mini Clubman - unsure who ??
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Rex in his Escort
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BMW Paul Adams ..
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VW Buggy Kevin MacNamara..
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and posted again, when it all began
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Bardahl Series Hillclimbs 1979 -80 some updates
Posted before but have found out a little more -
- where the Hamilton Car Club event was
and have placed the known rounds 1, 2 , 3 and 6, as have the results,
I am sure Triumph Car Club Round was the last.
I broke the oil pipe from the filter to the oil pressure gauge and finished up with a pint or two of oil in the passenger footwell. Russ Abbott,from Empire Motors had the pipe blocked off so I could continue to run without the gauge working.
The car would have been in his workshop on Monday for the repair !!
The Bardahl series Hill Climbs were run by 8 different Car Clubs in the Auckland Frankton Waikato area over the
" summer " starting in late October and finishing in February.
The 8 Clubs involved were ;
have placed them in order as best I remember and then corrected from Milan's information ;
Hamilton Car Club, Hamilton Round 1 Pekanui Rd, Puketotara, near Pirongia 27 October 1979 ?
Northern Sports Car Club, Cossey’s Farm, Drury Round 2, 4/11/1979.
Auckland Car Club, Mclachlan Road, Kaukapakapa Round 3, 18/11/1979.
Triumph Sports Car Club, West Road Clevedon. Nov 1979
Pukekohe Car Club, Bright Road, Waiuku Dec 1979
MG Car Club, Bald Hill Round, Waiuku Round 6, Dec 1979.
Auckland University Car Club, Stoney Creek near Paremoremo Prison, Albany ? Jan 1980
Hisbiscus Coast Motorsport Club, Bayers Farm near Silverdale Jan 1980
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NSCC the 1972 Woodhill Rally - I think the first - Milan Fistonic's post
Milan Fistonic has posted an article that appeared in the " Auckland University Car Club " magazine - written by Allan Grout. there is a comment that it was called a Sporting Trial, as clubs were testing the Rally Rules. I do remember Rod Peat suggesting that I enter in my 850cc standard Mini, as Roll Cages and Full Harness seat belts were not yet required. I didn't enter but went to help as a Marshall, which meant you did get to drive on some of the roads.
Thanks Milan for the post, I thought it is appropriate here :
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