Back to grass roots low key motorsport

[Steve Emson]

Remember the days of people turning up with a car, knocking off the hubcaps and away you go? As a kid i watched my Dad do this countless times. Grass track racing, and national circuit racing & Rallying. Back then Dad thought anyone using a car trailer, mag wheels, little steering wheels or racing tyres to be a bit strange.

Of course he changed over the years, mainly because i started to use said items in my racing.
Well, we have come full circle.
I have aquired a one little old lady owner TF Holden Gemini, done 53,000km from new. (Yes we did meet her) This is a case study in ultra low budget motorsport.
In Queensland we have an autocross track which runs events monthly. My son Brett and daughter Krystal are going to be driving this car along with a legend of NZ motorsport, my Dad Ralph.(now 83)

This will be great fun with almost no money involved. I have removed the hubcaps, fitted the little steering wheel, and changed the radiator. I had to remove 30 years of water and crap from the fuel tank and we put a new exhaust on the thing. New plugs, leads, points, cap, coil and the removal of all the pollution crap have also been completed. Oh and i threw out the radio and speaker for good measure. You have to save weight as we all know.

It is actually starting to go OK (for a gemini) now! I have also put in a rev counter to identify when max power is available (5400rpm) as we cannot leave anything on the table.

I have a good friend who will lend me some low racing springs, konis and maybe a slippery unit for the rear end. We shall see if we bother fitting these.

I have bought a sun shade fold out thingy and ground sheet, and special chair for my grandson. My wife will make the bacon and egg pie and coffee etc. It is going to be a family picinic with a dash of motorsport.

Of course most of the people there will never know this old guy (Dad) was one of NZ's best rally drivers.

We have used cars out here before and it is a great day.

Maybe we should all remember you do not need to spend mega to have a little family fun. Just saying.......

Regards to all,
Steve

[fullnoise68]

Can you post some photos of said rocketship Steve to show the NZ younger generation - not the `daddy send more money brigade' what `entry level' and `fun' have in common .....

[GD66]

That should be fun mate, good on you. Your old man was a fearless little bugger, I recall seeing him pitching one of those odd little Simca 1000s into all sorts of turns at ridiculous rates, never screwed it up once.

[Grant Sprague]

Steve , that is soooo cool....love this story.... Ralf was not only great on the Rally stages we know that he was one of the best for sure on race tracks a natural a bit like his son , hey don't forget to scrape the underseal off the top & bottom off floor pan that sure does slow the car over a given period of time ..... yep life is not all about sponsors & money but it helps to get a leg up in motor racing .......Grant

[Oldfart]

Steve, your dad was not only "one of the best rally drivers" but a bloody good race driver and a hell of a good bloke to do business with in the days of P & R Motors. Very fond memories, and my mum who would now be over 100 would take her cars nowhere else for servicing. Top guy.

[Kevin Hirst]

Steve, your dad was not only "one of the best rally drivers" but a bloody good race driver and a hell of a good bloke to do business with in the days of P & R Motors. Very fond memories, and my mum who would now be over 100 would take her cars nowhere else for servicing. Top guy.

Yes, great guy, used to be in some of the same races as Ralph, usually only saw him before or after the race, was hard to see through the dust, he was mostly way op front, fond memories,

[paul lancaster]

Sounds like a 2kcup car steve

[Carlo]

History repeats eh Steve, The young ones starting out just like the previous generations, long may it continue for even in our family we now have the 4th generation starting out in motorsport via Autocross and Motokhanas too.

[Rod Grimwood]

That is awsesome Steve, and be great to have a photo of Ralph and youngsters in gear and car, (and you of coarse when you 'test' it) Yep don't rush into the slippery diff some times not needed, a bit of wheel slip can help when learning.
best of luck