NB raced the Nova at Baypark twice, as can be seen in the photos, first time the Spinner Black Camaro was still cream, second time the Camaro was in Lexington colours.
NB raced the Nova at Baypark twice, as can be seen in the photos, first time the Spinner Black Camaro was still cream, second time the Camaro was in Lexington colours.
Must be three times then Gavin? He also raced it in late 1967. So what were the dates of his two 1968 visits? Obviously one was the Xmas 1968 meeting, when was the other? And was the Nova sent back to Aus in between, or left in NZ?
Yes Steve, you must be correct with 3 visits. The first time was at the second ever Bay Park meeting on December 30 1967 and I am positive the car was in its black colours at that meeting. The next time would be 12 months later, December 1968, at the meeting with the USA Formula A cars and Spinner's Camaro was still cream then. So was his next drive at the Easter 1969 meeting, or December 1969? The Nova was blue at the last two outings as you can see in the photos.
Correction to the above, the Spinner Black car was in the Lexington Colours at the December 1968 meeting, so that must be the third outing for the Nova? So, the Nova either ran again prior to the Dec 68 meeting or it only ran twice. A colour photo to confirm if it was black or blue at the December 1967 meeting would be handy!
It likely would have been black at the Dec 1967 meeting, as that was the colour it raced in throughout 1967. What is strange is that it raced in NZ in 1968 at all, given Beechey had taken stock of a '68 Camaro which was used as an interim until the HK Monaro for '69. But I'm getting off topic.
I wonder if he returned for the Labour Weekend event in October '68, then the Xmas meeting in Dec '68. That would explain the pic I posted above where he is chasing the Spinner Black Camaro pre-Lexington colours. It wouldn't have been Dec 1969, as Coppins would have been racing the Black Camaro by then, and Beechey had been racing his Monaro all year, with the Nova having been sold to John Kay.
Originally Posted by Steve Holmes
I reckon that's it Steve. The Nova was definitely black first time out in Dec 1967, but Spinner Black's Camaro wasn't at that meeting.
As far as I recall, the Nova then went back to Australia, but was used seldom if at all until its' return to Bay Park, painted blue : I tend to agree with the Labour Weekend theory. By then the jig was up, the Nova was heavy and underbraked which Norm had offset first time out with piles of bravado and lashings of opposite lock. Next time out, and for the subsequent Dec '68 meeting, it seemed it was no longer much fun to be steering the old girl. Didn't stop Norm making a legion of fans with his thrilling driving and effervescent personality. Great days...
Labour weekend 1968 would make sense, the Camaro was still cream then at the start of the season and the Nova was surplus in Australia as the Beechy Camaro was being raced there.
Baypark meeting with NB Nova - December 28th 1968?
Heres a couple more from Pukekohe:
And this ones a personal favourite of mine
These are just magic Allan! I'm really enjoying them.
Yes thats right, Blacks Camaro didn't arrive until 1968. Beechey raced the Nova in NZ at the 1967 Bay Park Xmas meeting, then took it back home where it received its 1968 war paint, and it was raced quite intensely throughout the first half of 1968, with his Camaro making its debut in late July at Warwick Farm. The Camaro then raced at Calder, then at Catalina Park, and then its final race with Beechey was the 1968 ATCC at Warwick Farm in early September.I reckon that's it Steve. The Nova was definitely black first time out in Dec 1967, but Spinner Black's Camaro wasn't at that meeting.
As far as I recall, the Nova then went back to Australia, but was used seldom if at all until its' return to Bay Park, painted blue : I tend to agree with the Labour Weekend theory. By then the jig was up, the Nova was heavy and underbraked which Norm had offset first time out with piles of bravado and lashings of opposite lock. Next time out, and for the subsequent Dec '68 meeting, it seemed it was no longer much fun to be steering the old girl. Didn't stop Norm making a legion of fans with his thrilling driving and effervescent personality. Great days...
The ATCC race was the last time Beechey raced the car, and for whatever reason, he reverted back to the Nova for the late 1968 NZ events. I've never quite understood this, the Camaro was the better car, perhaps the NZ track promoters wanted the Nova instead because it had been so popular with the Kiwi punters the year before? And if he did race it at the Labour weekend Bay Park meeting, was it left in NZ for the next couple of months before the Bay Park Xmas meeting?
When i caught up with Mr Beechy at Phillip Island he talked about how he loved Baypark and his stays with Mr Rorison, so chances are it was tucked away there.
Those photos are pure magic, thanks for posting.
Thanks Rod, I dont have a great deal more - some saloon car stuff, mainly Minis, a couple of Imps etc. Its nice to know people who were around during the era appreciate the pictures for what they are. Rather than my children who just see old stuff as, well, just old.
Thanks for posting them, they are great and have revived many memories, and proved how fallible old memories can be!
Thanks pallmall - heres another couple.
I know this ones a bit boring, but check out that tobacco sponsorship!!!
Attachment 8221
Production saloons?
Last edited by Habu; 05-03-2012 at 08:59 PM.
And one from Baypark
Love the Dunlop van in this last lot.
I'm really enjoying these Allan, thanks heaps for posting them. The Red Dawson Mustang shot is just fantastic! You can really see a lot of the detail here.
Allan - with the Pukekohe shots we must have been following each other around as some of my shots are of the same grids.
I love the sports car grid ones, Bobtail Cooper, U2, Lotus 23 etc.
Yellow Imp, was that Roy Harrington
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