The Marina! Looks like it had its wheelbase extended? Was the rear axle moved back?
Photo by Warwick Clayton.
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The Marina! Looks like it had its wheelbase extended? Was the rear axle moved back?
Photo by Warwick Clayton.
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I had a flick through my Motoractions, its the first time its mentioned at Manfield, so my date may be wrong, but there is a meet mentioned in the Nov 17 1980 issue.
Notice the sign on the top of screen of Marina, this was the time when the Americas Cup challenge was on in Aust.
Later on when Brett Willis went to States to race in Trans Am with Ralph Mossman along to keep an eye on him, they had 'Plastic Fantastic" on the screen just to let the yanks where they were from.
Correct Jim got it mixed up with later on signs that boys raced
Evercool was Johns company.
Parksy was a neat fella and always chirpy. Handy he was my size (fraction Thinner) when at Bay Park one day i went to ute and bag gone, no driving suit, helmet or boots, so he shot off and got me his spares. Remember it as they were black and i had him on about everything being black in middle of summer, and could he get a Red one so iI could go faster.
Graham's still having the odd gallop in a Porsche 944 S2 and still goes hard.
Yes very true,I think we were all fined $5for not slowing for yellow flag when that Mazda?? caught fire ,He zaped me into the righthander under the yellow{I slowed as it was my first time out}its hard to explain how good those days were when we look back,now all this pc ,and dogooders ,just thank God they werent here in the 80s
Thanks bigbanger, thats really great info. Your explanation of this car having the engine behind the driver explains why the driver appears to sit so close to the windscreen.
My request for photos of the Jac Mac/Rod McElrea Cortina OSCA racer resulted in some great photos from both Warwick Clayton and Terry Marshall. Here are Warwicks photos:
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More from Warwick:
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And these from Terry:
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Hi Jim and Rod, some photos of the Marina
Easter 1984 Baypark - Jim Short and myself
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Christmas 1984 - Baypark - Warwick Grey and myself
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Pukekohe Grand Prix 1986 Ian Algie and myself (Jim your car come off in the grass just behind us)
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Baypark with Harold Wooten and myself
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Christmas Baypark Start
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The Marina wheel base was extended by 4 inches, the motor, gear box and diff were all as one unit and had Jag independent rear suspension with splined half shafts with a top wish bone added. Front suspension had Jag XJ6 suspension which I made up top rocker arms with inboard mounted adjustable shocks. The Motor was a P76 turbo charged.
Does anyone know where this car is now?
Cheers,
Graeme (Black Park)
Ahar, so it must have been YOU, Jac, that fitted that big brake limiting valve (that worked on all 4wheels) and the oversized master cylinder that required both feet on the pedal!
Poor old Rod couldn't figure out why other cars could outbrake him.
The plot is thickening!
PK.
Hi Graeme I think the car on grass is Shack Manon green Escort, Bruce and I were on the gully side,1984???
The ex McElrea Cortina is being restored as we speak and should be out next summer
And it might continue to thicken!!! I built the car with two seperate master cyls & balance bar along with the Mustang pressure valve in the rear brake line, BUT in the pics that Anthony Prendergast has sent me of the car as purchased from Rod last year there is a photo of the empty engine bay with an extra bracket with three bolt holes that has been added in front of the original Master Cyl positions presumably for the Large master cylinder you mention. The steering column also was modified by removing the upper u-joint & replacing with an angle gear box that used a couple of mini diff side gears, I presume these mods were done to clear the space for the Chev Swap at the time. From what you describe it would appear that when the large single master cyl was fitted the brake lines got re-plumbed in the manner you describe where it worked on all four wheels, that would have made life exciting for Rodney!!!
Hi Jim Great to here from you. You are right about the year and and your car in the gully such a long time ago one tends to forget. Jim i would like to catch up with you soom time i will be raceing down at taupo on the 26 & 27th of jan & then hampton downs in early feb not shore of the dates yet. My Porsche is a 944 s2 what a fantastic car to race the motor is still standerd but have fully worked the suspension & brakes over. The car handels great and putting up some good times. Have you still got your Porsche and compete?. I wish you a merry xmas & a happy new year & hope to catch up with you soon. Cheers Graeme Park.
Graeme, compliments of the season to you. Years ago when I lived in Tauranga, I visited your place and had a good look at the Marina, think we discussed some alterations for the rear suspension. Sorry, can't remember the details, my memory is pretty dodgy these days!
Good luck with your Porsche racing, glad to see you are keeping your hand in.
Hi Grant , good to here from you.Yes, I remember you comimg up to my workshop in Tauranga you helped me with re designing the rear suspension. If you remember right, drive shafts acted as the top link which in turn made erratical camber change. So I had the drive shafts splined and made upper top links. Many hours later using a spirit level, I managed to achieve, with your help a proper set up. Wishing you all the best for the season. Looking forward to catching up with you sometime. Cheers, Graeme.
Hi Rod. Great to hear from you . Yes, I will be at HD Hulme festival with the porsche. Be good to catch up with you and Brett. Do you still have the Escourt? How about any of the other Sport Sedan drivers like Ralph Mosman, Tony Rutherford, John Learmouth, the Algie boys, the list goes on ..do you ever see any of them ?? See you soon Cheers Graeme.
Isn't Tony Rutherford a regular safety car driver or have I got it wrong - again?
Look forward to catching up Graeme.
The Algie boys pop up some times with Gordon Burr and the Alfetta, Ralph is the main go to man with Brett, I think John Learmonth may be rebuilding a car, John Windleburn can be seen pushing young Shanes 5000 around. See a few of them around. Yes the little car is still tucked away in my messy room out back.
I have some nice photos of Ralphs New (old) toy, it is neat. will ask if i can show them.
Was with Barry Algie the other night at his place.Says he will never let the Monaro go, and wants a good set of tyres as the existing have got too old. Brother Ian is in the USA , and has been there for years involved with racing.
When I first came to NZ, I remember well going to the Pukekohe Club circuit and noting the crowd response to Tony's car. Obviously a crowd favourite at the time.
As to him leading the field I had to smile, as at the first classic meet at Hampton Downs, Andy Culpin let me drive the Marcos LM500 in the parade to mark 50 years of Marcos, but the oil pressure warning came on and scared of wrecking an engine built out of "unobtainium", I parked it. Subsequent investigation showed that we were just travelling too slowly, stuck behind the safety car, as the warning came up at a relatively high oil pressure...
Hi Graeme yes still have 911 no Geof rebuilt it ,not allowed to touch it!!! new body ex usa new everything as well.I almost bought 944 some yrs back,good car.Carol Bay Park Sec.{pretty blond} one of Tonys dream girls, she and Garry brought one over a few months back red convert. real nice car.will catch up shortly Regards Jim
Hi Glen. Great to hear From you .Yes it would be good to catch up and reminisce on old times. June the 16th sounds good, no i didnt work for Broadspeed but worked for Brabhams in early 1967 and then worked for John Cooper raceing till 1969 then got maried and came home.Any how it will be great to catch up soon Cheers G.P.
Not Shack Manon Jim....Shack is Bruce's dad. He was a very good racer in his own right with a very very fast Mini that went off on the same corner. The green Escort is Sheree Wong's dad Dave and it seems like they all enjoyed a coming off on "Chinamans Hill". (with respect of course) I do remember a clash you and I had at the same spot although we never touched guards you took off to the infield...shit I was worried about you there Jim. You were fast Jim...but not fast enough to shut down the Green Blurr that was always in front of you..........loved our racing at close quarters and knowing you wouldnt pull a punch and have us both off....catch up soon mate at Hulme Fest.....PLEASE!!
Hi Graeme....bloody nora you probably have driven past me a dozen times of late. (the only time you were able to as well as that pesky VW special of Jim's) ....I will look out for you mate. I will be driving SC at Hampton and Puke etc so come over and catch up.....all the old team eventually call by. We need a re union....(Rod thats your call mate.....at HD Hulme Fest??). Looking Ford to seeing you soon Graeme for a refresh....Bobs never far away.... Great aye...Neat memories in the best years of NZ Motorsport..70's/90's. kind regards Tony rutherford. Merry Christmas you lot.