Northern Sports Car Club - the early years.

[Milan Fistonic]

Is it Paul Adams ??

Attachment 75090

Yes that's Paul Adams

[Oldfart]

I believe Paul Adams still has the 2002.

[ERC]

He ran it at Leadfoot not so long ago.

[Milan Fistonic]

I believe Paul Adams still has the 2002.

Not sure it's the same car as it has a different rego.

[Roger Dowding]

" Not sure it's the same car as it has a different rego.".

FF4077 still exists "

" 1970
Make: BMW
Model: BMW 2002
Colour: RED
Body Style: Saloon
Plate: FF4077
Engine No: N/A
Chassis: 1651834
CC rating: 1,990cc (2.0l)
Fuel Type: Petrol
"

Rego for FP7254 is not showing.

FP Rego was 1971, my Triumph GT6 was FP4651 plate.



Note years of issue approximate as some issuers [ Post Office ] had plates still from previous years in stock, And as has been discussed recently on the VCC Facebook Page - the first issue for 1964 for cars and then the Trucks and others in July 1965 needed more plates so E and F series plates were issued in 1965.
Had a Sprite, well two of them one a 65 and one a 66 with FD Plates, both NZ new Registrations, but the GT6 had FP plate was a 1971 new Rego.

F series plates started, according to the list with FB, in 1969 - note that FA was not listed, and the F series went to 1972.

Thanks for the information Milan.

[Oldfart]

Not sure it's the same car as it has a different rego.

I think that photo is Heads Rd at Ruakaka? I believe that he had owned the car for many years, now I'm unsure if it was his original, although the memory is saying it was.

[Milan Fistonic]

I took the photo at the Northland Car Club's 60th Anniversary Hillclimb at Doctor's Hill.

This excerpt from a profile on Paul Adams explains when the change over to the new car took place.

[Oldfart]

Of course Milan, Doctors Hill, I knew the exact road, just used the wrong name! Thanks.
So still a long term ownership, wrong car, as always your references are better than an old man's memory.

[Roger Dowding]

Hill Climb 28 November 1971 - report with photos and results form NSCC " Club Torque ". from Milan Fistonic vast archives.
Thanks Milan for sharing.

Paul Adams and Father in Law Allan Woolf with Class wins the Vitesse now 2500 cc motor
Paul Adams in the Rallied BMW FP7254 - that is mentioned in previous posts


Busy with Buggy's Millen Swann Fry and McNamara - as in the recent photos - same event ?



Results - small classes 0 - 1000, 1001 - 1300, 1301 - 1600 cc .



Bigger Saloons and Sports and Racing Cars.. [ and Buggy's ].

[Roger Dowding]

Graeme [ has been spelt Graham in this thread ] Wells was an early member of NSCC competing events in 1945 as shown in some photos already.
His son Anthony Wells contacted me with photos of Graeme with his cars and photos of other peoples at events in the early 1950's.

Some events will be NSCC and others may not be; - One looks like a Hill Climb at Muriwai on a road way up above the Beach which was used by Auckland Car Club for many years.

A couple of photos for starters.
Looking to identify the cars and drivers on some of them.


This looks like Muriwai - from other photos I have seen.



A well known car - the Ralph Watson BSA Special, which is still around - restored, Ralph competed in the car into the 1980s. Have details of Ralph's Motoring endeavors from the Trevor Sheffield book, so may be able to identify the location.





Believed to be Ivy Stephenson in her MG, she certainly was racing it in the period, before others cars including the Buckler.



The Number plates on many of the cars are the 1951 - 56 issue, which helps with the period.
The note " NSCC 1950 " - series - on the photos was just to group them
More to come on these and any notes / comments welcome.
There are over 20 photos so far - some on Graeme's cars being worked on.

[Roger Dowding]

More from the Graeme Wells archives, appear to be at the same event as some pictures in the set have the 1951 - 56 plates.







Any details of Drivers / Owners and location of event would be appreciated.

More to come ;
- Some Single Seater Formula 500 - Coopers and others, a couple of Specials and a Bugatti and an Alfa Romeo.

[Roger Dowding]

The Graeme Wells archives, thanks to Anthony Wells for these - a few more.



The same car;



Another Single Seater - what is it ? has its number plate



A Special - in the same place - same event ?



Another Special at a Race meeting by the looks and is that an Austin Healey beside - the beading around the cockpit tells me it is ?
This would be later in the period of the Number Plate - again 1951 - 56 plates.

[Roger Dowding]

More from the Graeme Wells archives - keeping them together.

Graeme standing beside the Bugatti - was it his ? - he was a Bentley Man. 1946 - 1951 plates



Bugatti at a Hill Climb - Ron Roycroft or who ??





Alfa Romeo P3, Ron Roycroft had one of these for a time.



A more Humble but well known Car - well the type was.
- 1956 - 1961 Plates - white on black with the " comma " " , "

[Roger Dowding]

The last few photos in the set - Graeme Wells archives;

- a Riley being worked on





In the shed





An engine but what is it ??
See GregT answer in the next Post



Moving on to the 1960's - after mid 1964 the new Permanent Plates -
Background could be Western Springs where the VCC held gatherings in the late 1960's - remember going to one in 1968 where there were a few Riley's.



Details still on Carjam
Sold new in New Zealand in 1937.

" 1937
Make: RILEY
Model: KESTREL
Colour: BLACK
Body Style: Saloon
Plate: BI3798
Engine No: K6596
Chassis: SS27K6596
CC rating: 1,200cc (1.2l)
Fuel Type: Petrol "

" BI3798
Plate Type: Standard
Origin: NZ New
Used as: Private Passenger vehicle
Cause of Latest Registration: New
NZ First Registration: 27-May-1937
NZ Last Registration: 27-May-1937 "

Registration WoF details go back to 1966 - probably when the plate was issued and the last WoF showing is December 2015. That has happened with other cars on Carjam, including my now ex MX5


Good to see the plate came up - wonder where the car is now !! ??

[GregT]

The engine pic is a Riley with four Amal carbs - and a pair of what look like SU float chambers.

[Roger Dowding]

Dawson Donaldson - known as Daws Donaldson had acquired the Bruce McLaren 1930's Austin Seven Ulster Sports Car by 1957.

Bruce had sold the car in August 1955 for 280 Pounds to buy the Bob Crips Standard Ford for 310 pounds, borrowing the 30 pounds he was short - according to his book " From the Cockpit ".
.
Is there another owner between Bruce and Les and Dawson Donaldson ?.
Yes !!, according to the article posted here - below. The owner is not named.

By 1956 Bruce was competing in the Les McLaren Austin Healey 100. ex Seabrook Fowlds [ driven by Ross Jensen ]

Peter Donaldson his, [ Dawson's Son ] has these images and is seeking more information on the cars exploits.

He placed the images on the Bruce McLaren Tribute Facebook page.

Here a photo of Daws competing in a Hill Climb and also a typed article, which is believed to be for the NSCC Club Torque magazine of the time 1957.





The Austin Seven when Bruce had it. He used to drive the Seven to School - Seddon Tech.



Car has the 1951 - 56 Number Plates and Bruce looks very Young - would have turned 15 in August 1952 - [ the 30th ] Bruce had owned the Austin for 3 years in August 1955, so had the car as soon as he could hold a drivers licence - maybe even before - it was the 1950's.

[Roger Dowding]

January 1978 was running the Triumph GT6 and entered the " Motorsport Day " which details have appeared on this thread.

Two weeks later I had changed cars, sold the 1971 GT6 back to the Fava Brothers in Greenlane and bought the 1967 Triumph TR4A and was competing for NSCC in the AUCC Grass Gymkhana at Western Springs
- Event held in the Carpark / Sports Field in front of the Stadium entrance.

A huge entry was in attendance as shown by these results - from Milan Fistonic vast archives - Thanks Milan.
An event I has forgotten about, and would have been my first in the TR4A.
- Was quicker than Jens Fogelberg in his TR6, but not as good as the MG's - had a bad run in test 3 by the looks.











Being University types they had a complicated class structure with ;
- where the engine was - front or rear wheel drive and a wheelbase component.
Sports Cars in two classes but some in other classes ??

[Roger Dowding]

Dawson Donaldson - known as Daws Donaldson had acquired the Bruce McLaren 1930's Austin Seven Ulster Sports Car by 1957.

Bruce had sold the car in August 1955 for 280 Pounds to buy the Bob Crips Standard Ford for 310 pounds, borrowing the 30 pounds he was short - according to his book " From the Cockpit ".
.
Is there another owner between Bruce and Les and Dawson Donaldson ?.
Yes !!, according to the article posted here - below. The owner is not named.

By 1956 Bruce was competing in the Les McLaren Austin Healey 100. ex Seabrook Fowlds [ driven by Ross Jensen ]

Peter Donaldson his, [ Dawson's Son ] has these images and is seeking more information on the cars exploits.

He placed the images on the Bruce McLaren Tribute Facebook page.

Here a photo of Daws competing in a Hill Climb and also a typed article, which is believed to be for the NSCC Club Torque magazine of the time 1957.





The Austin Seven when Bruce had it. He used to drive the Seven to School - Seddon Tech.



Car has the 1951 - 56 Number Plates and Bruce looks very Young - would have turned 15 in August 1952 - [ the 30th ] Bruce had owned the Austin for 3 years in August 1955, so had the car as soon as he could hold a drivers licence - maybe even before - it was the 1950's.

A bit more about Dawson Donaldson and the Austin Seven Ulster.
The car was with Herb Gilroy before Les and Bruce McLaren, according to the Vercoe books and in his book " Historic Racing Cars of New Zealand [ page 20 ] ...Dawson Donaldson later took it over but was fatally injured in the 1958 Ostrich Farm [ Road ] Hill climb ".

" Ostrich Farm Road " was an NSCC Hill Climb venue for several years - from 1957 I believe, [ as they were still using Wairamarama, Onewhero in late 1956.] until 1962 at least.

Hopefully more to come on the car. Was it ever rebuilt after the Hill Climb event in 1958 ?.

[Roger Dowding]

John Windelburn celebrated his birthday recently, his 92nd Birthday I do believe.

There is a this tribute to him in the Facebook Group " Sports Sedans ".
It is an extract from the Auckland Car Club - tribute to drivers ;

" John Windelburn has been involved in both the motor industry and
motorsport for several decades. He began racing an Austin A30 at
Ardmore in the early 1950s and progressed to the ex-Jim Palmer
Lotus 11 in which he enjoyed some success. After moving to
Auckland and setting up North Shore Transmissions he began
campaigning a B4 Roadster and with his mate George Bunce also
contested long distance production races including many races in the
well known Z28 Camaro and eventually a potent V8 sports sedan
during the 1980s. John also held volunteers in high regard and
donated the John Windleburn Trophy for outstanding volunteer
contribution to the Club. "

John's first event was in 1954 [ 70 years ago ] in a Sports Car a Singer S M Roadster not in the Austin A30/35 or Morris Minor Saloons that he competed in.

Here is John's Certificate from the First Event he competed in, run by Auckland Car Club.
** The event was at Bright Road, Franklin County - where Pukekohe Car Club ran their Hill Climbs including the Bardahl series event that I first met John in 1979. he was driving a huge Pontiac or Chevrolet convertible that had been burnt out.
I was in the Triumph TR4A.

- he sent the image of it to me, today. and later sent me the details of where ** !.



A Euan Sarginson photo of John in the Austin A30 - event not known, but moving quickly. 1961 - 64 plates on the car.
Is it at Pukekohe, exiting the Elbow ?



John was a member of Auckland, Northern Sports and Pukekohe Car Clubs over his motoring career, and was at the NSCC 50th Anniversary of the Clubrooms in August 2022,

[Roger Dowding]

Three photos of the cars outside the Helensville Hall - two from Arthur Siddall albums - courtesy Duncan Fox, the last from my Uncle Eddie Dowding's own photos.

Attachment 65906

Attachment 65907

Attachment 65908
disregard the date on the photo - we now know was 1945.. The Riley 9 Kestrel just seen to the left
Right - My Uncle Ed with pipe in the Riley and his wife Una as Navigator - Una turned 100 in January 2020.
Left - ** Ralph Watson and a Mate in the Singer
Ken Hemus was in a Sunbeam for this event and got stuck in Mackies Rest Mud Section as did many others.

Ron Roycroft won the event.

The full pages of the Album.

Attachment 65914

Poor editing on my part - the Album of Arthur Siddall state August 1945 - and the number plates are the " 1941 - 1946 " issue white on black with a , comma at the bottom centre of the plate - [ only taken 4 years to get right ].

I was also confused as Ed [ my Uncle Eddie ] and Una Dowding are in a Riley - they had a Morris Minor " 8 " Tourer in earlier years 1942 on and in the Winter Trial in August 1946 they are again in a Morris Minor " 8 " Tourer. I wonder was the Riley a " borrow " ?
What is confusing also is the colour of the Morris Minor " 8 " changed from dark in 1942 and 1946 to a light colour in 1947 when it appears in the Concour Photo taken at Cornwall Park in October 1947 and has the 1946 - 51 plates black on yellow with a - hyphen symbol centred

Posting again with an additional set of photos of the event from the Arthur Siddall Album.
It is the first page on the event page 4 in the Album and has the Results and show Ralph Watson in the Singer in action.
Ron Roycroft won the Cup with Vern Clarke second and "'[ Uncle ] E - Eddie Dowding 3rd, Ces Hodge 4th.



The Blank space with the corner stickers is a missing photo with Wally Housego in an M.G and George Sellars in the Austin Seven - presume the " Monoposto " Racer, so not from the Trial Event.