Photos: The Alan Smith Collection

Attachment 16326

Here is the latest collection of beautiful historic motor racing photos to be sent to me. This collection came about thanks to Allan Walton at New Zealand Classic Car magazine, who'd put the collections owner, Alan Smith, in touch with me. After I'd written a brief review of the 1967 NZ Saloon Car Championship for NZCC, reader Alan Smith spotted a couple of the photos used in the article that were supplied by Brett Young, taken at Levin in late 1966, and was sure they were his. This prompted him to delve into his own collection, long since stored away, to check.

In fact, the photos used in the article weren't Alan's, but the photo angles were very similar. Indeed, he and Brett may have bumped into each other trying to get their shots in! Its a small world when you think about it.

So from here, Alan offered to supply his photos for Roaring Season members and visitors to enjoy. And they're really superb images. Most are from Levin, during the 1966, 1967, and 1968 seasons, although a couple also look to be from Pukekohe.

They're almost all in colour, almost all taken either in the pits, or near the dummy grid. There are a few in here I'm really struggling to ID, so any help would be appreciated. There are only around 35 photos in the collection (unless Alan finds a few more stored away in shoe boxes), but they're a refreshing view on New Zealand motorsport history during the late 1960s.

Kicking things off here are two quite significant race cars from the 1966 New Zealand racing season. Paul Fahey's breadvan Lotus Anglia battled season long with the similar car of Dave Simpson for outright race wins and the championship. Ultimately it came up short, but at most events was the only car that could foot it with Simpson.

Meanwhile, Ivan Segedin's Mustang was the first Mustang to go circuit racing in New Zealand. Amazingly, both of these cars survive, and both were on display almost parked together at this years Denny Hulme Festival at Hampton Downs!

Attachment 16327

And speaking of Dave Simpson, here is his Lotus Anglia lined up alongside the amazing A40 of Kerry Grant. Note that Simpsons Anglia isn't fitted with its fastback roof section in this photo.

Attachment 16328

Now here is one of those ones I'm really struggling to ID. I know someone on here will be able to help. I don't think I've ever seen this car before. But just look at the amount of work thats gone into that nose piece. Can anyone help?

Attachment 16329

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steve Holmes

And speaking of Dave Simpson, here is his Lotus Anglia lined up alongside the amazing A40 of Kerry Grant. Note that Simpsons Anglia isn't fitted with its fastback roof section in this photo.

Attachment 16328

---

Another treasure trove for us to enjoy, thanks Alan
Seeing the Simpson Anglia in "standard" spec leads me to ask if someone can please tell me which of the Anglia's was first to go with the "breadvan" styling?

Re the fastback sections on the Lotus Anglia's, someone here may wish to correct me on this but I thought they both showed up at the NZIGP fitted with them for the first time. I think this led to questions about whether there were spy tactics going on between the two teams.

Never fails to amaze me the number of photo collections that are seeing the light of day on this website. Maybe they would have been lost forever if it wasn't for the Roaring Season. Great job Steve.

Mike, that`s why the campleader should be remunerated for his efforts, as Roger Penske once said...... `no effort, no result'.

Steve, I have already agreed with this sentiment

Thanks guys.

Here is the ex-Fahey Anglia, now owned by John Ward and Rod Coppins. Not sure who is driving here, although if this was the championship round, it would have been Ward at the wheel.

Attachment 16339

Could you get two more different sports cars? Andrew Buchanan's magnificent Italian thoroughbred Ferrari 250LM, parked next one of NZs most successful 'specials', the aero-engined Lycoming Special, owned here by Jim Boyd.

Attachment 16340

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steve Holmes

Now here is one of those ones I'm really struggling to ID. I know someone on here will be able to help. I don't think I've ever seen this car before. But just look at the amount of work thats gone into that nose piece. Can anyone help?

Attachment 16329

---

Number 101 at the November 1966 meeting was M. D. Lucas from Auckland driving a 1298cc Farina Ford.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steve Holmes

Here is the ex-Fahey Anglia, now owned by John Ward and Rod Coppins. Not sure who is driving here, although if this was the championship round, it would have been Ward at the wheel.

Attachment 16339

---

Both Ward (142) and Coppins (141) were entered in the Anglia at the November 1966 meeting. It would appear from the Motorman report that Ward did all the races though Coppins alone was entered in the final handicap race of the day.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Milan Fistonic

Number 101 at the November 1966 meeting was M. D. Lucas from Auckland driving a 1298cc Farina Ford.

---

Thanks Milan, fantastic! Have you ever seen this car before?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steve Holmes

Could you get two more different sports cars? Andrew Buchanan's magnificent Italian thoroughbred Ferrari 250LM, parked next one of NZs most successful 'specials', the aero-engined Lycoming Special, owned here by Jim Boyd.

Attachment 16340

---

whats the white car my first thought lola mk1 or cooper bobtail?????

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rogered

whats the white car my first thought lola mk1 or cooper bobtail?????

---

It's a Cooper Bobtail, owned at that time by Doug Smyth of Kaponga.

The first time I saw Dave Simpsons car, pre GP meeting, it had the fastback fitted - we were gobsmacked at how fast the damn thing was!

Ahh, thanks, can you remember when/where that was?

Andrew Buchanan's fantastic Elfin 400 at Levin. This car took Buchanan to 4 race wins from 7 starts in the 1968 NZ Sports Car Championship, winning him the title.

Attachment 16384

Many years ago Peter Bruin asked me to print this photo for him from and old negative he had.
Thought it may be of interest....

Attachment 16391

Wow! Staggering! Is that from the 1966 NZIGP meeting Ross?

A real mixed bag this one, and typical of Allcomer racing of the period. All I know about this photo is that its from Levin, from the 1966 season. I can see Rod Coppins' Zephyr Corvette in the background, but whose is the blue Anglia closest to camera? Dave Jurie raced an Anglia that looked quite similar to this, but I've never seen a photo of his car in this colour scheme, or with this number. Can anyone help?

I had to ask Greg Stokes about the '32 Ford coupe. Greg is a leading authority on old hot rods, which naturally spills over into hot rod race cars. Greg thinks its probably the old Garth Souness car. Obviously Souness was racing the Morrari in 1966, so its likely not him here. Greg thinks its possibly Ed Jensen?

Attachment 16397

I have a feeling the Jurie car was tan. I believe it ended up in the creek that ran along by the old pit entrance.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steve Holmes

A real mixed bag this one, and typical of Allcomer racing of the period. All I know about this photo is that its from Levin, from the 1966 season. I can see Rod Coppins' Zephyr Corvette in the background, but whose is the blue Anglia closest to camera? Dave Jurie raced an Anglia that looked quite similar to this, but I've never seen a photo of his car in this colour scheme, or with this number. Can anyone help?

I had to ask Greg Stokes about the '32 Ford coupe. Greg is a leading authority on old hot rods, which naturally spills over into hot rod race cars. Greg thinks its probably the old Garth Souness car. Obviously Souness was racing the Morrari in 1966, so its likely not him here. Greg thinks its possibly Ed Jensen?

Attachment 16397

---

What can be seen of the date looks to me like Dec 65 which would make the date of the meeting 27 November 1965. If that's correct car 60 was C. Everson from Auckland.

The only Ford Corvette entered that day was driven by K. McGreal also from Auckland.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Milan Fistonic

What can be seen of the date looks to me like Dec 65 which would make the date of the meeting 27 November 1965. If that's correct car 60 was C. Everson from Auckland.

The only Ford Corvette entered that day was driven by K. McGreal also from Auckland.

---

Correct, Kevin McGreal owned this car after Garth Souness and then Ed Jensen....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Allan

I have a feeling the Jurie car was tan. I believe it ended up in the creek that ran along by the old pit entrance.

---

After wrapping around the tree.......

Wow! Scary. I think there was another photo somewhere on this site of the aftermath of that crash. Might have been one of Mike Feissts pics.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Milan Fistonic

What can be seen of the date looks to me like Dec 65 which would make the date of the meeting 27 November 1965. If that's correct car 60 was C. Everson from Auckland.

The only Ford Corvette entered that day was driven by K. McGreal also from Auckland.

---

Thanks Milan, that is great!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Greg Stokes

Correct, Kevin McGreal owned this car after Garth Souness and then Ed Jensen....

---

Greg, does this car still exist?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steve Holmes

Greg, does this car still exist?

---

Sure does - its one of NZ's top hot rods owned by John Allen in Hamilton. Though I would love to have seen it back to how it was....
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...a/IMG_8986.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Milan Fistonic

What can be seen of the date looks to me like Dec 65 which would make the date of the meeting 27 November 1965. If that's correct car 60 was C. Everson from Auckland.

The only Ford Corvette entered that day was driven by K. McGreal also from Auckland.

---

Presuming the C. Everson in the Anglia #60 is Cliff Everson, and it should be, he was a very clever and talented engineer and a pioneer of the properly done left to right hand drive conversions of USA cars and pickups, long before some of the others got involved.

Thanks Steve, really great info.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Greg Stokes

Sure does - its one of NZ's top hot rods owned by John Allen in Hamilton. Though I would love to have seen it back to how it was....
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...a/IMG_8986.jpg

---

Woah! I had no idea! I knew of this car, but didn't know it was the old Souness car. Its certainly pretty impressive, but its a shame it couldn't have been built from another car and the Souness car be restored to what it was. Each to their own though I guess.

Next photo, Rod Coppins' ex-Pete Geoghegan Mustang.

Attachment 16478

The Roy Harrington Imp.

Attachment 16479

Tony Gilbertsons's amazing little Minisprint, captured here during the 1967 season. What happened to this car? Does it still exist?

Attachment 16509

And another Mini based special, but this one a road car pictured in the pits. Anyone got any info on this?

Attachment 16510

John Wards Lotus Cortina at Levin. Check out the neat of '56 Chevy in the background.

Attachment 16617

Spotted in the pits at Levin, pretty E Type Jag. Kinda looks like that trailer is hitched up to the back of it!

Attachment 16618