Pretty sure it's Raynond Mays in one of his Brescia Bugattis (Cordon Bleu or Cordon Rouge) in an English hillclimb circa 1923
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Thanks guys.I knew someone would no who it was.This site is amazing the knowledge is endless. . .thanks again
The Torana French Hell Drivers put on an appearance at Teretonga in the 1970's as part of a NZ tour. As part of the show they drove the Torana's on 2 wheels (right round Teretonga's 2.6km track). Unsure of the dates but was in the late 1970's. Note in the background the new clubrooms being built - in 2013 they are now the old clubrooms with the building of the new control tower.
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The Torana French Hell Drivers put on an appearance at Teretonga in the 1970's as part of a NZ tour. As part of the show they drove the Torana's on 2 wheels (right round Teretonga's 2.6km track). Unsure of the dates but was in the late 1970's.
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They came to Ocean Veiw Speedway in Wanganui to i saw them,drove right round the track on two wheels in the Toranas.Also remember driving a Vangard into a big block of ice
Note left hand drive conversion.
They also drove around the trotting track in Epson. Did shows all over.
Know bit about them and 2 wheel, more for a later date.
This is the boat that I helped build alongside my Brother in Law Aussie Offshore Legend Peter Noonan (whom passed away just last week).....and did the Pacific 1000 in coming second overall and first in Class 2 ...amongst a lot of other Offshore races in Australia. We brought it out to NZ in the 80's for a marathon North Island 4 day race from Auck/ Tutukaka/Bay of Islands/Helensville where we came second to the recently late Barry Ford. The boat went back to Australia and was purchased by John Garrity of Visor fame who is currently residing in the Phillipines where he set up a Marine Business. Primarily the boat was designed to empty the Shark Nets along each beach on the Gold Coast....(I did this job alongside my bro in laws for three years on the weekends....(Chick City Arizona!!)....oh hence the name Shark Cat.... Just another snippet for you's all. Cheers. Tony Rutherford.
You're a man of many talents Tony, thats a great story.
Yes, but did the guy in the Vauxhall doing the jump have a 48mm or a 42mm main hoop in his rollcage, did he have two retaining clips on his fire extinguisher, did he have a relief valve fitted for his `air' brakes, or maybe this was connected to his undies? He probably also signed an idemnity form making him his own risk and solely responsible for his vehicle. But that was a while ago, things are `different' now.........
Do I note a touch of sarcasm there Steve ! Nothing like clearing the brain of excess crap that floats around at times. Good on you.
They came to Te Marua speedway also and had planned a 2 wheel escapade down the Wainuiomata Hill road. IIRC that didn't happen due to issues with Council/MOT/ road closures etc ...
Perhaps we were a bit PC in those days too?
Two pics I would like identified if possible - must be someone out there who knows who/what. Taken at Puke - probably a club meet, ACC or NSSC, late 1965 - 66. Look like Brabhams - may be the same car. My memory is going and there is nothing on the photos to indicate who /what/when
JohnL
I may have been going through a "take photos of engines" phase - Jim Palmer's Lotus, Pukekohe, Jan 1966. I like the rag stuffed up the exhaust....
I notice the dark red Torana is LHD, yet has NZ rego, assume the green one was also, Also remember some discussion with a Radio interview where they admitted that the spider gears had been 'modified' for the two wheel demos..
Photo was taken by Gavin Evitt. RIP.
Wasn't there gossip at the time, that, the reason it "flew off the track', was because he didn't have a sufficient outlet for the radiator, so the front of the car pressurised.......
We were annoyed at the time, because, having heard all about it, we were looking forward to seeing (and hearing) it go.......
As we all should know, Dennis was the engineer involved with he Anzial Nova. A great talent.
Two different cars as the roll bars and exhausts are not the same shape. I think the first one is Ken Sager on the left of the car and his Dad leaning over it. Unable to identify the second car.
True. Is he still extant?
Here we have an example of the perils of racing your everyday car - Gerry Smaller at an ACC club meet on the club circuit at Puke, Feb 1970. A very nice little Riley Elf which met it's demise against the pole and guard embankment. Made even worse by the fact, someone removed the Weber and manifold when the car was back in the pits and the driver was being attended to.....
The lower pic is Mike Edgell (Randalls older brother) in his Imp, at the same meeting.
Club racers - the unsung little men who do it mainly for the fun....
Thanks Steve....crikey mate..I just recently wrote down a few things that I have achieved through out my adventure to very good friend Jim "Yet to get in front of me" Short......and you know when I look at it on paper ... I just think...holy crap did I do all that....and the funny thing is..yes I did and then I would remember another tale that I forgot to mention. So although I haven't spent a lot of time on this site of late...(busy with my ongoing adventure...).... I find it so bloody engrossing that I end up reading all these stories and somewhere along the line they will cross where I have been and I don't like correcting people but I like accuracy if you know what I mean? I think that this site is the best site in the world for us blokes who like their "fix" of listening to a great yarn or two of years gone by that entailed a bit of bravado and risk taking coupled with speed....Thank you Steve for the opportunity to unleash on you...................Regards, Tony Rutherford.
Lucky i had a sheltered upbringing and did not get rapt up with rascals like you Tony (Jizim) and uncle Jim and the rest of that lot.
I agree about the ladies, which would make the car one of the Smiths' Lotuses. On the other hand they might be eying up the opposition
SPman is right about Ken and Jim Sager with the car in the top photo.
Stockcar racing was very strong in Eastern Southland during the 1970's - here is a photo taken I think at Monaghan's at Brydone in 1974. It was basically paddock racing. Can anyone help with names etc.
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PH**K, thats a long time ago, pretty sure its Kevin Woods in #2 with either the early 289 motor or it did have a 351w later, the 'spinner' is Peter Woods car with a 390GT, there is a slight possibility that it might be me driving it as the one & only time I did was spent mainly in that attitude, what a heap of shite that car was, steering ratio so slow you had to start planning for the next corner about 30 seconds beforehand:) & bump steer like you would not believe!!!. Point of interest, I think the rear tires were a pair of M&S [ mud & snow] that came with the GT500 that Peter Woods had bought as an insurance write off, then rebuilt & sold around that time, can remember the insurance company did not want a bar of it being a Shelby, probably played a big part in Woody getting into the import business as getting the bits to fix it was a steep learning curve at the time.
Can send you a copy if you like - just need an email. Was Monaghans the Pat that raced the E49 Charger in the 70's
Yes, that was the same Pat Monaghan, cant have been long after that photos time that Riverside Raceway just south of Teretonga became active, in fact construction was probably underway.
Here is Pat Monaghan in a Falcon at Teretonga Oct 1972 - a bit of a rough photo - but it is history - note control tower in the infield
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Yes, thats Pat in the ex Ernie Sprague GTHO, IIRC it went back up the Sth Island before John Gillard brought it back down south, by which time Pat was into the E49's.
Jac, is that Falcon still down the deep south. What colour was/is it please.
No, IIRC it went north to Tauranga? with John Gillard when he shifted up there & bought or started a car yard. Car was always Green, quite a dark green with metallic that you could only see when clean & in good light. Ownership IIRC was Ernie, Pat, Ernie?, John... there is a pic somewhere else on this site of John at Ruapuna coming around the sweeper onto the main straight. Car was fitted with the option 15 x 7 globes at some time during Johns ownership.
Story doing the rounds years ago was when the GTHO was being recovered back down south after a meeting at Ruapuna. One very keen fan wanted to get a ride back south in the GTHO - Ok said the driver in command, fill the car with fuel and you are on.
Story went that it took around 160 litres to fill and the fan could have flown back and forward a couple of times for what it cost for fuel!!
Imagine filling one now,
Remember mate got his new one and when it arrived was just about empty so went to local station to fill it and kept looking under car to see if there was a leak.