"Production Supercars" of the late 70's/early 80's

[Rellum]

Yes Veens car is the Francevic car (I always think of it as the Lendich car - may have been the sponser). John Popes XC (it originally started life as an XA (had the GT front etc (may have even been a GT) was sold to a guy in Thames (I think) who was going to turn it back into a road car but I'm not sure if that ever happened. Wes Kidby started racing in a XBGT sedan but the power was slightly to much for him so he stepped down to the XU1 to acclimatise himself.

[rogered]

Yes Veens car is the Francevic car (I always think of it as the Lendich car - may have been the sponser). John Popes XC (it originally started life as an XA (had the GT front etc (may have even been a GT) was sold to a guy in Thames (I think) who was going to turn it back into a road car but I'm not sure if that ever happened. Wes Kidby started racing in a XBGT sedan but the power was slightly to much for him so he stepped down to the XU1 to acclimatise himself.

I was cruising though trade me the other week and there was an coupe for sale.
My first thought was that it looked abit like John Popes.
Not sure if its still on there as i cannot seam to find it.

[rogered]

Veen Smith had it on display at the BMW festivel, painted back to plain white, and looking a million bucks

Wow, these photos are amazing Vern! How did you get hold of them all? I have to say, your Falcon looked awesome when it was an XA.

I didn't realise that red/white/yellow Commodore of Veen Smith was one of the special batch of 30 SS cars. But now I look at it, it has the exact same paint scheme of the Robbie Francevic car, although on Francevics its blue where on Veens its yellow. Is this the same car?

Awesome pics, thanks for posting.

[Kiwiboss]

Vern Mullers XAGT (err.. that's me) - owned it for 20 years then sold in a fit of madness (it's now back in Aus).

OK, Rellum is you Vern, great to have you on here, you have some fantastic pics Vern and of anyone you will know most of the history of all these cars!!

I luv the look of your Coupe in post 33, can't remember it been that colour!!

Keep'em coming

Dale M

[rogered]

definitally "wrong direction"
Andall this gear looked always seemed to be the best at baypark

Hi Rellum, these are REALLY cool, i remember all this!! i just luv how original looking the cars are, fantastic!! were did we all go wrong(or rite to some) but from memory it was Pullman that stretch the rules with his falcoon and ruined it for everyone when he spaced framed the front and made it look like "Darth Vaders" rocket!!

I first started racing around 94/5 just after Baypark closed and everyone went to Taupo, Millsy and gang with alot of these left over cars!! i remember Wes Kidby's Torana and it was fast and Paul Burnet racing a Charger, wait till i see him next, LOL

Dale M

[Rod Grimwood]

Ian Magees E38 Charger

Ian worked on Graeme Addis Charger Sports Sedan, if I remember right he was a auto electrician but jack of all trades. Top bloke and we had many a funny conversation in the big tent at Taupo and other places.

[Rellum]

Ian still works as an auto sparkie, I bumped into him a couple of years ago, he now owns and is rebuilding the ex Shane Blind Camaro that used to race in Super GT's, it must almost be track ready by now.

[Steve Holmes]

Haven't seen that car for a long time, must be at least 15 years since it last raced. I assume its for CMC?

Should you be on your way to Manfeild now Vern?

[Steve Holmes]

Here is some early 90s Production Muscle Car racing that Paul Stacey posted on the Castrol GTX Falcons thread: http://www.theroaringseason.com/show...s-Falcon-XAGTs

[Rellum]

Budgetry constraints mean a somewhat limited campaign this season, a few more in the new year hopefully.
The above video would probably be at least late 90's and is of yet another fledgling muscle car class - "Road Race Musclecars" (I dont think I got the name quite right but it was somthing like that. That class evolved into whats now Producyion Musclecars. Great footage of a lot of cars that aren't around now.

[macpac]

Hi all. I have been following many interesting discussions for many months on this site but have only recently become a member. An era of particular interest to me is the ‘Production Supercars’ of the late 70’s /early 80’s. Post GTX days there was, I guess, a bit of a void in what we would call now Muscle Cars and Production Supercars had splendid fields and great racing – this was my initial exposure to motorsport and my interest grew from there. However I have seen very little written about these cars and drivers.
The current “Historic Muscle Cars’ are very similar in spec. and intent of those cars, although like any motorsport the cars evolved and got faster. In the earlier years I remember Trevor McLean in his E49 being quite dominant (his brothers raced as well –Bruce in a blue XB Fairmont and Steve also in a Charger). In latter years Peter Meadows in his L34 (ex Jim Richards) was a front runner along with Mick Quinn in a late 70’s Camaro. Other stalwarts of the class include George Shewiery in his Falcons, Gary Bromley also in a Falcon. Bob Cullinane raced a black HQ Monaro. Paul Burnet (still racing today) in a Charger. MacDonald in a V8 Charger. There were a couple of XU1’s. I remember fields of 20-30 cars at Baypark, but a lot of names escape me now.

Hi Vern
Trevor Mclean and my dad Bruce were brothers and I (Steve) am Bruce's son. I don't suppose you would happen to have any pics of dads XB or Trevor or my E49's we ran back then by any chance?

[Habu]

I think Pullman modified his car to go Sports Sedan racing in the early 90s. By that stage I think the Production Supercar thing had all but closed shop.

What happened to that John Pope XC hardtop?

Pulmans car is (still) owned by Ivan Bevins - he bought the car a few years ago from someone in Northland if I remember rightly. The car has been for sale a couple of times in recent years. It sill looks exactly the same as when it raced as a Sports Sedan in the early 1990's. I'd like to know what happened to the Pope car too. There are a few others that I remember too, but dont know who owned them, there was a XAGT 4 door painted a very distinctive shade of light green metallic, a green XBGT 4 door, and then there were the succession of coupes and 4 doors run by Kirk Benge.....Keith Rennies XU1 was a fantastic car too. Although not a V8, whatever happened to the "SAMURI" 240Z that used to run the Penzoil Production Supercar days too???

[Steve Holmes]

Kirk is a member on here so can probably help with the whereabouts of some of his old cars. He also had a blue Torino which he sold a few years back.

Pretty sure his yellow XB Falcon hardtop was on Trademe a couple of years ago also?

[Hillbilly]

Pretty sure his yellow XB Falcon hardtop was on Trademe a couple of years ago also?[/QUOTE]

I saw that too Steve, it was down your way and didnt sell, i think Palmerston North too if i remember correctly?

[Steve Holmes]

Yeah I think it possibly was from memory Paul. Think it had been stripped down too, some assembly required.

[Rellum]

Hi Vern
Trevor Mclean and my dad Bruce were brothers and I (Steve) am Bruce's son. I don't suppose you would happen to have any pics of dads XB or Trevor or my E49's we ran back then by any chance?

Hi Steve

I remember the cars well, but unfortunately do not have many photos. Part of the reason I started this thread was in the hope that it might result in photos being posted, particularly of those initial years 1980-82. I'm sure I do have some photos of Trevors E49 which I'll post if I dig them out. Didn't he start out in a triple webered Valiant Ute? - it would be cool to see pictures of that too.

[Rod Grimwood]

White ute that screamed, and was the king of club curcuit in it.

[Habu]

White ute that screamed, and was the king of club curcuit in it.

Is that the same white ute that later had the turbo fitted to it? Remember it (the ute) being at Trevor McLeans workshop alot.

[hilstwist]

Steve,I am about to send you a dvd with nice colour shots of a B&H race in I think the early eighties.You and others on the forum will be able to pinpoint the year. A lot of Commodores but Chrighton/Wilkinson driving a black one.And a Statesman!! The Falcons look like XDs

[John McKechnie]

The Statesman could be John Windlebourn