Good photos
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Good photos
While I check over some forums this is the first time I have actually added to one; so here goes re The Sprague Family Collection.
Years ago, about 1974 to around 77 my brother Jimmy and I had a BP service station in Tuakau, which is about ten kilometers past Puke from Auckland. One day the phone goes and it is Ernie asking if the Sprague/Leonard car could be based at our place for an upcoming B&H race at Puke.
Obviously the answer was yes as we were interested to see how behind the scenes worked with this successful South Island group. At this point I should say that my mother was originally a West Coaster and my dad was from Temuka so I didn’t have a north or south bias, just a racing obsession.
The B&H date duly arrived and we found Ernie, Gary, Leo, Peter Wilson and the rest of the Team all good people with the attitude that they were there to do the job. We had a big workshop so the guys had their own space, and keys in case they were back from the track late etc. The first night back I always remember that the first thing they did was to get a discussion going on what was needed to be done and in what order, all contributed. The first thing on the list was to get a few beers for later in the night.
They all stayed along the road in the Tuakau pub which wasn’t that flash in those days, unlike now after a major reno and referb.
This same thing happened every year B&H wise until we sold the servo, to go racing ourselves in a bigger way.
As the years flashed past it was always a pleasure to organize Ernie passes to the Eastern Creek round of V8 racing that he came over for a few times. It was special to show him around our setup, and cars, as I always had a lot of respect for that Sprague operation that had so much talent.
In later years again it was always good to catch-up with Gary in Western Australia while he was living there. Speaking of Gary there is an image of the Nissan, in the Sprague forum, that he and Graeme Crosby drove for Kent Baigent and Graham Bowkett in the Wellington and Puke races. I like to think I helped put those two drivers together, obviously along with Graham and Kent.
The guy on the roof on the skis is another story on its own after the testing at Manfield then his boot binding came undone while on-track. It was basically the last race for those cars so no one was too worried about a few holes in the roof to secure the ski mounts. Jimmy was goat farming, of all things for a short while, and we brought him in to mount the skis using mounting off the cage etc. The skis had to angle so the guy on top could lean in the corners. I can’t remember the skiers name but with him was a guy called AJ Hackett , who was telling us that he was going to start a business where people could jump off a bridge or whatever on a stretchy rope, any doubts I had about that were soon gone after a year or so, good luck to him.
Just quick story from around 2004 on Leo who I always thought was a special driver. Jimmy and I had a friend who lived in Oamaru and sponsored our Winterbottom Championship development car plus he had some main game signage with us over the years, mainly Ambrose’s car. Anyhow we were heading to Ch Ch from Oamaru and going thro Timaru this white van pulled out in front of us. Straight away I recognized Leo and tried to get him to pull over for a BS session but he wouldn’t stop until he pulled into a spare parts joint. He thought that there was going to be some agro and it looked like he was about to bolt for the door until he recognized us. Leo was in overalls, hadn’t changed and it was great to have that catch-up with him.
Sorry, this is all a bit long but I couldn’t shorten it, as it was such a great era, great people and great racing. I haven’t met Grant but I enjoy his passion for motorsport, must catch-up one day, also good to read Steve Emson’s comments.
Great stories Ross
Good to read , thank you Ross...... as you probably know Gary & Ernie held you & jimmy in high regard, made me grin re Tuakau .. as a boy I tagged along was an early teen I remember the pub well ....after the work was done .. & there was plenty of it ..they resorted to a beer [but controlled & very onto what was meant to be] twice I got to Tuakau .... the other times we stayed at the Rockfeild Motel Gt South Rd I think it was , every thing was budget ..but they got support from Todds , & Ford & used the resourses to the best they could with great results ..... I recall Dad coming home from seeing you & Jimmy he had an SBR jacket he brought back & tossed it to me when you guys were up front & said "Grant this is yours" as we had been running a mustang here & thought it suited the occasion ......had the pertek name on it , as for Steve Emson & I that was an era that followed with great gusto for what we had ....yep would be great to catch up one day , Gary is still in Perth .....
Attachment 34792 Grant ................... craigmore Hill Climb south of Timaru......about 1973
Attachment 35564Good days , Grant & Roy fighting it out for the finals NZ Championship North & South Island combined ..............great days both cars are still running in the S I ...
Cool photo Grant. I remember that event, it was part of the Formula Holdens? I thought the Pre65s were by far the most entertaining class at the event. Unfortunately, all your races were shuffled through early. I think two races on Saturday and only one on the main day Sunday?
Yea Steve not one race was easy , these cars had rear drums no power steer [not mine any way lol ] no power brakes , road tyres or dot rated ......and still did 250k plus[ with a strong 289.]... at Puke this car was fun
Here you go Grant, did you know this was out there.
https://youtu.be/ACgKhQdEb_E
The early days in Anglias, I can still se the temp gauge rising on that grid......great to see Bay Park again & didn't the Jag sound cool...our anglias dominated even over the v,8s....probably 5 yrs in a row that when we decided to go into v8,s....Thank you Seamac
Attachment 37597
The boys after winning ANZ , Gary,Pumkin, Dad &Alby..Promo photo Chch for Ford Motor Co
Grant, do you know anything about Ernie running an 1172 cc Morris Minor in 1954 at Dunedin, it features in the programme on my Dunedin Street races thread .. the Morris Minor in the same field has the 918 sidevalve..?? could it be a Ford side valve, did it to run over 1000cc , but don't think they had that category then, 0 - 1000, 1001 - 1300, 1301 etc .. classes in 1954.
Hi Rog, I have a photo some where of Dad with a low light minor grey I think in colour , would have been late model I would think in the day , really not sure on the class etc it was never really mentioned from him , but sure it would be a side valve being a low light model .. hope you well over there Roger ...
Grant at Wellington 2000
Attachment 39038
Gary at Timaru 1968
Attachment 39037
Thanks for sharing these , they were great years for sure .. I would have been there , plus a glimps of the Anglia & 3.8 Jag of Dads Gary would race the Anglia & Ernie the Jag , I would be eating mums bacon & egg pie ....& collecting empty fizz bottles in between watching ... as the yrs rolled on it was my turn, I think Ruapuna is such a great track ....
Steve , Peter did a deal with a guy in Cambridge , swapped it for a falcon S and some cash the difference , I forget the mans name but foggy knows more about the history of it than me he might add to this a name like Buckridge springs to mind then I might be wrong , the car raced in some class at Taupo, when I racing my SCANZ car & I recall it then , it seemed to go backwards from there no disrespect to that owner , as I think he put him self in the deep end ......Pump
kin & team were happy to move on ..and that was about it Steve
In the video - Jim Palmer in the yellow Monaro won the Production Endurance race, Boot open on the Mercury Cyclone which didnt finish.Kennedy in the white Mustang and Baker in the Plymouth
Grant, the mans name was Tim Buxton.........ruined a historic car and turned it into a 'hot rod'....... Dont know where it is now, but the son, Darren took it over. It will lying in a shed somewhere.......a heap of junk. At the Taupo meetings, the engine was lucky to last a couple of laps.......I think I know who the engine builder was but my lips are sealed... :)
John you would be correct , I do remember Jim bringing the Monaro down from Hamilton it must have been new in those days , oddly enough I only met Jim for the first time at Hampton last year , a really good down to earth funny kiwi bloke still has a car sale yard must look him up next time over there ..
Thanks AMCO ............ that would be correct ......yes you are right .
I remember here is a picture of possibly this car on TRS a side view with it looking like a bit like a Sports Sedan,anyone else remember this ?
http://www.theroaringseason.com/show...ghlight=buxton
#26-
Gerald, you have a good memory. I had completely forgotten it became Tim Buxton's Sports Sedan. I only ever saw it race once as a Sports Sedan. It was painted yellow and had huge box flares. It arrived as a Sports Sedan just as the new breed of American style space-frame cars were being introduced to NZ, so was never in the hunt.
I could be wrong but I think the photo below was following another rebuild.
Attachment 39562
Grant,
This may be old stuff but I came across this site showing brother Gary at Ruapuna in 1969.
Cheers,
Ken.
http://mcc.museums.org.nz/1969_Ruapuna_in_Feb.htm
Some great B/W photos also at this site from the Marborough Car Club.
(Ken Hyndman )
This shot was taken many years ago at the Tauranga Historic Museum
Attachment 40026
Attachment 40048
For sale in 1992.
Woooow Milan , do you believe in syncronicities , the day after seeing my old car here & the for sale add , in comes a pre 65 member that now owns this car , & is thinking of selling it , a bit untidy now but worth more than double when I sold it as is the case now with historic racing cars .
Yep,
You have to eat bacon and egg pie. An Emson tradition which we still do...................
I was looking for some rally information and came across this photo from the 1971 Heatway Rally.
Attachment 40993
Excellent pic Milan, great to see these gems are still out there waiting to be found.