Dunedin Street Races - revival meeting January 1984 [Archive]

Roger Dowding

10-08-2015, 08:11 AM

" Dunedin 1984 ; Other Events, Lost tracks and Specials, and random pictures - a mix of stories and Pictures "

The Thread Started as the Dunedin Street Races 1984 - with my own and Otago Daily Times photos plus extracts from the " Racing Round the House " Book by Scott Thomson for the Otago Vintage Car Club, and included the Otago Sports Car Street Sprints on Fryatt Street.

Expansion of the topics of this thread ; Dunedin, Ardmore, Ohakea, Napier and now onto other events more recent, Chelsea Hill Climb, Caffeine and Classics, and recently Greerton Vintage Fayre and Car Show , plus other articles on Lost Tracks and NZ Specials;

*** October 2019 - a lot of stuff of South Island origin added,
Nelson Tahunanui Beach Races,
Peter Leversedge Car #77,
The Jim Bennett - Furi story - a continuing saga

North Island events like Ohakea Napier Ardmore and others belong in the Lost Tracks part of the thread as does Chelsea Walsh - No event in 2018, the VCC Boys did get to run at the MG Car Clubs
[ ex Austin Healey Club NZ ] Hill Climb at Otaua in March of this year - let us hope that continues - was very successful from what I have heard and read.

I have fortunate to collect [ been given ] various programmes and book on NZ Motor Sport from the 1950's on.

Will get Steve Homes to rename the Thread ; - never did that but will use it for Lost Tracks and Old Airfields etc.

" Dunedin 1984 ; Other Events, Lost Tracks and Specials - A mix of stories ".

Have recently - July 2022 - seen a lot of photos from Ohakea in the 1950's /60's and also Levin ..Not South Island Events but will go on here, don't want another thread.
Old photos unless from Pukekohe or about Northern Sports Car Club will be here.

Much of the information has been acquired and credit given to where it came from ;

Have added some photos from Napier in the early 1960's by Norman Agnew .. maybe the thread need a new name as covers.. " Old Racing Circuits as so far has Dunedin Revival 1984, Ohakea 1982, and some other shots plus now Napier 1960's and have added photos by others and more modern events....

Adding more photos and details, recently Mount Manganui and Matamata in the early 1960's the items are borrowed though, as wasn't there, almost too young and didn't have a drivers licence or car.

Dunedin January 1984 This was a two day event.
Saturday, with straight sprints in the Port Area by the storage warehouses, and the local car clubs, not just the Classic Historics were allowed to run.
Sunday, the Classic Historic races.
There was also a Hill Climb at Bethunes Gully, which I was not aware of at the time, and didn't have a
" Ride " to get there.
My set of photos I will break into, types, NZ Specials and Open Wheelers, Sports Car saloon, and there is even a couple of Motorcycle shots.

Unfortunately have lost or given away the programme, probably the latter, so again any help identifying the cars would be appreciated.

Reshowing the photos from the Otago Daily Times to start with - posted on Yards and Yarns and Minis and Imps threads.
The Allard J2.
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thanks for identifying it as Rob Boult's.

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The Minis and Jaguars, plus something large in the back of the pack..
The Mark Dawber Pontiac Bonneville, Race #77, a 1965 Four Door Sedan with a 6.5 litre V8 - the biggest engine of the Saloons entered.

The ERA, and a single seater..

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The Lycoming Special, built by Ralph Watson - powered by, yes I remembered a Lycoming Engine - turned upside down. Trevor Sheffield's article " Ralph Watson - Special Engineer " can tell you much more.

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And the book that was on sale at the time about the original races; Racing Around the Houses, by Scott Thomson, 1983.
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Have photos from other Reunion / Revival meetings and Wings and Wheels meetings, only a few photos so will post as a continuation of this thread, First Ohakea 1982

Have been given some old Programmes by Bruce Dyer " Spgeti " which will post here progressively from Dunedin,Wigram,Ohakea and others ..

Bruce Dyer has now [ January 2017 ] sent me photos from around Manfield of various sports cars, Bucklers, Fiat Targa, Mallock U2, and others Ralph Watson BSA Special and a Kieft single seater, have posted the Bucklers on the Oldfart Buckler thread.. will post a lot of the others here :

[B][I]Have added some photos from Napier in the early 1960's by Norman Agnew .. maybe the thread need a new name .. " Old Racing Circuits as so far has Dunedin Revival 1984, Ohakea 1982, and some other shots plus now Napier 1960's .. Have tried to rename it [ first entry re-titled ] so it will be more like ;
" Images from my Past " - by Nigel Watts,
or
" Just a mix of Pics " -by ' ERC ' Ray Green - will include photos from others !!
Cheers
Roger
edited 25 September 2018

Roger Dowding

10-08-2015, 08:49 AM

The Motorcycles - at the Sprints by the Port warehouses;
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The Gavin Bain Ferrari..
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and the plaque on the transmission tunnel with details of the car and it's races .
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It is not easy to read, and I am not good at Photo Editing, so feel free to download and Edit.

Sports Cars to follow ;

Kwaussie

10-08-2015, 10:05 AM

Just from memory -
David Read 260M Zephyr
Bill Morris ERA R12B
Sam Johnson Ferrari 256 Dino replica
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Ralph Smith Lycoming
Paul Samuels Lotus 15 FPF
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Gavin Bain Ferrari 375
Paul Samuels Lotus 15 FPF
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Great event with lots of very nice cars!

Roger Dowding

10-08-2015, 09:58 PM

ERC

10-08-2015, 10:40 PM

The 260M Zephyr

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Roger Dowding

10-09-2015, 04:12 AM

On the grid - waiting
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In the Pit area - side of a side road. Paul Samuels Lotus 15 revealed.
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Lotus and Lycoming
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Lycoming again,
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Lycoming
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and engine
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Roger Dowding

10-09-2015, 04:45 AM

Austin Healey - Des Spillane from Timaru not Chris White from Wanganui -

Chris White ; Healeys owned and raced by Chris, there were many. A Sprite, a 100, a 3000 at Hamilton and in 2000'/10's he ran a Jensen Healey - believe he still does.
*** corrections see below
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***
Neil Ferguson Blue Healey, from Waiau ,
I have been in and drove Des's Healey 100, with Des at an AHCCNZ National Rally.
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Neil's car in the pit area
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Des Neil and others around a Morgan and Des Spillane's *** Healey;

The red Morgan was raced by Peter Gendall and was a Ford powered Morgan 4/4 initially with a 1500 cc Ford OHV motor, it later gained a Twincam ford engine - Registration FX6426.
[ added Feb 2023 ]

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[Chris raced a Healey 3000 at the Telecom Motorfest in 1994 - seen on that thread, his first Healey was a Bugeye Sprite in the late 1970's]

The venue, don't you love the safety features Haybales around pole, road cones to show a side street is closed off and how close you could get to the track.

Next up is Saloons Minis Jaguars and A40 and a Pontiac amongst others

*** Correction to my comments above : " Spinaway " contacted to advise I had the names wrong for the Healey's.. The White 100 is not Chris White's but belongs to Des Spillane, who I thought had the Blue one.. The Blue 100 is Neal Ferguson's from Waiau, South Island.. will correct on the Healey Post as well

GD66

10-09-2015, 11:52 AM

The Motorcycles - at the Sprints by the Port warehouses;
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Great pics, Roger !
Looks as though #146 is Errol "Slick" Healey, and #148 is his son Richard. #28 S Wilson on the 7R AJS, and #84 could be J Bramwell on the 500 Manx Norton as the only other one entered is Ken Lucas, and that's not him.
Programme from Steve Nisbett.30886

Roger Dowding

10-14-2015, 08:09 AM

Great pics, Roger !
Looks as though #146 is Errol "Slick" Healey, and #148 is his son Richard. #28 S Wilson on the 7R AJS, and #84 could be J Bramwell on the 500 Manx Norton as the only other one entered is Ken Lucas, and that's not him.
Programme from Steve Nisbett.30886

GD66, Thanks for the information, Do you have the whole programme ?, would like it if you could post the Front Cover here, no idea where mine went, probably given away with my really old stuff from the 60-70's.

Roger Dowding

10-26-2015, 09:23 AM

Roger Dowding

10-27-2015, 12:21 AM

Jaguar and Minis
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Pontiac
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Another Jag and more Minis.
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more to follow;

close up of the Pontiac

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Roger Dowding

10-27-2015, 08:04 AM

Minis Cortina and Jaguar
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More Jaguars
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A40 and Jaguar
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More minis
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Mini from the rear end, The End for the saloons.
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Coming up Gee Cee Ess, the ERA and others.

Roger Dowding

10-28-2015, 08:16 AM

GD66

10-28-2015, 12:37 PM

GD66, Thanks for the information, Do you have the whole programme ?, would like it if you could post the Front Cover here, no idea where mine went, probably given away with my really old stuff from the 60-70's.

Cover courtesy of Steve Nesbitt :cool:
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Roger Dowding

10-28-2015, 11:59 PM

Cover courtesy of Steve Nesbitt :cool:
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The correct name for the meeting - programme indicates a one day event, but there were sprints organised by the Otago Sports Car Club on the Saturday 28th January 1984, and the Historic races on the Sunday 29th January.

Thanks to GD66 for the cover

Roger Dowding

11-10-2015, 08:34 AM

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Roger Dowding

11-10-2015, 11:47 AM

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any identification of the cars, please add to the thread.

Next the " Gee Cee Ess " , and 50-60's single seaters. and they will be the last.

a great weekend in Dunedin.

Roger Dowding

11-11-2015, 08:28 AM

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According to Graham Vercoe's book " Historic Racing cars of New Zealand " the car ran a variety of V8 engines from Mercury to Ford to a 5400 cc Chrysler, the Ford- Mercury's with various heads - Edelbrock and Ardun [ OHV conversion ]

Look at the field in the final shot the Gee Cee Ess looking very old fashioned against later 1960's machines and others

the final few shots to follow ;

Oldfart

11-11-2015, 07:01 PM

Red and white car behind the GeeCee Ess is the Capella, seen recently at Northland Car Club event. Roger, always consider Vercoe's book as a source to be verified rather than definitive.

Roger Dowding

11-11-2015, 11:00 PM

Red and white car behind the GeeCee Ess is the Capella, seen recently at Northland Car Club event. Roger, always consider Vercoe's book as a source to be verified rather than definitive.

Oldfart, thanks, there is another picture with the " Capella " in it, being posted soon.
Re ; Graham Vercoe, BMC BOY once told me that he gave Graham Vercoe a lot of photos and they got lost, so maybe a bit unreliable, but at least made a huge list of NZ Specials and famous racing cars.
Have the two Vercoe books, my Uncle Eddie Dowding did actually query some of Grahams comments especially about cars that Jack Boot [ his brother-in-law owned or raced.

Cheers
Roger

Allan

11-12-2015, 12:29 AM

Can someone please identify cars 16 and 18?

Roger Dowding

11-12-2015, 12:49 AM

Can someone please identify cars 16 and 18?

Allan, #18 is a Citroen powered special, built by Doug Haig have seen it elsewhere in books
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woody

11-12-2015, 12:50 AM

#16 is C Read in the B. C. M. special. #18 is R Smith in the Citroen special.

Roger Dowding

11-12-2015, 12:58 AM

#16 is C Read in the B. C. M. special. #18 is R Smith in the Citroen special.

Woody you just beat with details of #18,- the Doug Haigh built Citroen Special and it was owned and raced by Ralph Smith, who has the Lycoming, the Citroen was made from a Light 15 with the Motor/ gearbox final drive turned back to front for the rear wheel drive, which is quite normal for racing cars these days. Interestingly an early photo in Graham Vercoe's book it has #18 on it - so a permanent number from the 1950's

rf84

11-12-2015, 01:21 AM

Pity about Vercoe's "Historic Racing Cars" book-it was riddled with inaccuracies. They started before you even opened the book-the dust jacket shows (amongst other cars) a blue Lola T70 which is labelled a Lola T1!
To make matters worse many knowledgeable people such as Max Fisher and David McKinney went to great lengths to correct the errors but, alas, they wasted their time and energy. When the second edition was published it was word for word the same as the first edition.
As "Oldfart" says, the info it contains needs to be looked at very critically.

Roger Dowding

11-12-2015, 04:55 AM

The field
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The Capella
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Capella close up
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The field racing
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Ferrari and Stanton Cropduster
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Ferrari BCM and GCS
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Roger Dowding

11-12-2015, 05:02 AM

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and as I like Riley's the Ransley Riley Engine

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and that upside down engine again
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That is it the whole 50 or so photo's
and thanks for the information to identify the cars

John H

11-12-2015, 05:13 AM

Hi Roger re the G C S. As a 10-11 year old we went to Murewai beach racing about 1956-57. We walked up the beach to see the racing. The cars were all just sitting around and I touched the tyre on this car. I guess it was George Smith who told me not to do that as the sand would get into the engine. Sadly no racing took place as the tide or something was not right. Very disappointing but amazing to think perhaps Bruce McLaren and others could have been there. :) Chrs ...

Roger Dowding

11-24-2015, 12:34 AM

Cover courtesy of Steve Nesbitt :cool:
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Found another dozen photos including some of the straight sprints and a few of the cars in the pit area

Roger Dowding

11-24-2015, 06:52 AM

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A view of the city - peaceful for the moment and a lonely Mini in the carpark.
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from the Sprints on the Saturday - organised by the Otago Sports Car Club
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Huge crowd and not much safety as was in the time and earlier, much like the 1960's 70's

Oldfart

11-24-2015, 07:01 AM

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Huge crowd and not much safety as was in the time and earlier, much like the 1960's 70's
And as it could be/should be if we were not living in a nanny state, when people actually had enough sense to be self preserving.

Roger Dowding

11-24-2015, 07:37 AM

Cooper Vincent
the car known as "Jilly " and raced at one time by Dave "Jaguar " Silcock
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the Vincent engine end.
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A Sports Special ** which we now know is Furi 2, built by Jim Bennett with help from his brother Cliff [ bodywork ] and Ivan - engineering.
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(Think this is ) the engine from the special - It is using the Roots type twin vane Commer TS3 Truck supercharger.
Supercharged Jaguar
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any comment appreciated, maybe from the programme Steve Nisbet !!

Roger Dowding

11-24-2015, 07:45 AM

New-ish
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Oldish the B C M Special
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the engine
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Older - and a Favourite. the Stanton Special
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I think that will be all from the 1984 Dunedin races, unless you guys have some to add.
Please do, and enjoy these.

Rascal

11-26-2015, 02:37 AM

Roger Dowding

11-26-2015, 06:06 AM

Very good presentation Roger, many thanks.
We competed much later when the races were revived and ran clockwise & used the motorway over to 'THE GLEN" then up to and over Cemetary Hill & back around the "OVAL" Pic attached , maybe someone can do a spread on those later years, that have now also, Sadly gone forever it seems.31861

Hope there are more photos out there, feel free to add them here or on a new thread.

Re : " Sadly gone forever it seems " wasn't it at Dunedin that there was a Spectator death ??, and MANZ [as it was then ] didn't support the organising club(s) and only intervened when the Clubs Officials were to be charged with the death

thanks

Roger

woody

11-26-2015, 06:11 AM

Roger, The accident was at the Queenstown meeting.

Roger Dowding

11-26-2015, 07:48 AM

Roger, The accident was at the Queenstown meeting.

Woody, thanks I was unsure, but do know that it had a big effect on organising street events.

Roger Dowding

12-13-2015, 05:00 AM

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Can post details from the programme.

Otago Sports Car Club were behind the 1984 event too !!

Oldfart

12-21-2015, 09:05 PM

Can someone please give me street names for the earlier circuits ASAP?
Thanks

Roger Dowding

12-21-2015, 09:57 PM

Can someone please give me street names for the earlier circuits ASAP?
Thanks

Oldfart, will have a look at Scott Thomsons book and the programme above, will scan them to here, later today !!, cheers Roger
Have a quick look at post #1, as Scott's book has a couple of the maps - a bit small though !!, will try to resize for you..

Oldfart

12-22-2015, 12:08 AM

Oldfart, will have a look at Scott Thomsons book and the programme above, will scan them to here, later today !!, cheers Roger
Have a quick look at post #1, as Scott's book has a couple of the maps - a bit small though !!, will try to resize for you..

Hi Roger, I tried that but any enlargement became too fuzzy to decipher. any input welcomed though.

Roger Dowding

12-22-2015, 04:22 AM

Can someone please give me street names for the earlier circuits ASAP?
Thanks

I gather the circuit changed a lot over time, here are three variations.
1954 the Initial NZ Championship Road Race, Easter Monday April 1954.

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Start / Finish on Fryatt St, left into Halsey, right into Jutland left Wickliffe over the bridge onto Ward then kink into Burns left into Willis then right onto Fish left into Rattray and to the Start Finish.

1961 Festival Road Races Saturday January 28th 1961. a very different course.

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Not much detail just names for the corners from the start ascent to the kink then descent to the Glen - hairpin, then curve around to kink at Service Station another kink at Kensington School the Railway to a sharp left at Tramshed corner, back to Start / Finish

1965 The Final Road Races - prior to the Revival meeting in 1984 from Scott Thomson's book " Racing Round the Houses "

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A better map the course runs around the Railway Yards.

Here is a description of the course from Scott's book.
1965
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Hope this is some use ;, and good to put the information here on the thread.

Chris Read

12-22-2015, 10:24 AM

Car 60 is 1964 Capella. Along side I think is 'Jilly' Cooper- Dave Sillcock, then (18) The Citroen Spyder owned by Ralph Smith probably with family member driving .Front row near is Gee Cee Ess, then my Ex Palmer 1960 Lotus 20B with my brother driving along side me in my 1955 BCM Special (16) and the Ransley Riley with Malcolm or Eileen McMillian. Chris Read, Arrowtown.

Chris Read

12-22-2015, 10:33 AM

My 1955 BCM Special with Dave Mills talking to Malcolm McLeod in the pits. Note the old cross plys and they were original cases with retreads of some soft compound rubber. The 1 3/4 carbs are off Ernie Sprague's Zephyr when he put side drafts on. Still in my ownership and still 2250 cc Vauxhall motor. Chris Read,Arrowtown.

Chris Read

12-22-2015, 10:37 AM

Cooper Vincent 'Jilly' definitely Dave Silcock. Dave had it going soooo fast everything was wired shut otherwise it would shake to bits. He won the WN street race leaving behind a huge array of English F 2 cars.....Listers, Cooper Bristols, Lotus.......go Dave..

Chris Read

12-22-2015, 10:38 AM

Frangipani?? Holden based

Chris Read

12-22-2015, 10:42 AM

Sam in the DIno replica, then my BCM and the Gee cee Ess.@60m Zepryr Special along side the BillMorris ERA.

Kwaussie

12-22-2015, 11:37 AM

A while ago on another thread someone welcomed me to the "Rivet Counters Club" not that I minded!
However for a Christmas special quiz - 'What is different about the rivets on Sam's Dino body with all of the real ones built.
Chocolate fish for the first correct answer.

Roger Dowding

12-22-2015, 10:55 PM

Minor correction, the first race was in January 1953, so the map of the 1954 races is for the second event.
The programmes from '54 and '61 provided to me by Bruce Dyer " Spgeti ", thanks Bruce.

As a result of " Oldfarts " query I am re-reading the Scott Thomson book [ booklet ] " Racing Round the Houses " the story of the Dunedin races published in 1983, which I bought at the 1984 Revival event.

A lot of my stuff has done the Ken Hyndman trick, shifted house many times in Auckland and then across the ditch to Sydney NSW and then in 2011 to Bellara, on Bribie Island, in Queensland, north of Brisbane City.
Then in 2017 sat in storage in Brisbane for 3 months then 9 months in Te Puna Storage, and now - since April 2018 - back in my clutches in Omokoroa -with all my other treasures..

tweaks

12-23-2015, 05:20 AM

Difference between Sams Dino body and the real Dino's were that Sams glass body actually had them molded into the glass when flopped from the mold...

Cheers
Lyndsay

Kwaussie

12-23-2015, 09:29 AM

That is very correct - story I was told that Sam dropped little portions of glass onto cardboard and once hardened sorted into correct sizes. Easy then to bond to the body and a perfect rivet head is born!
The year he was racing in Dunedin was about the same time he was refused entry into Australian Historic races.

Roger Dowding

12-29-2015, 08:17 AM

Roger Dowding

12-29-2015, 08:21 AM

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working on Frank Karl's Healey at the Motel

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Frank Karl with Nell and Mark Donaldson

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More to come around 30 odd, so good some not so, but worth preserving..

Roger Dowding

12-30-2015, 12:21 AM

a few more shots the pits area - getting ready to run.

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Roger Dowding

12-30-2015, 12:29 AM

1951 - The first meeting ??
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1954
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No inflation in those days three years later and still One Shilling !!
If you want the details of competitors from these just let me know !!.

And if anyone has the Reunion programme's please add to the thread.

Roger Dowding

12-30-2015, 08:19 AM

A couple more views of the field getting ready.
a mix of 1930's to 1950's cars ..
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Roger Dowding

01-01-2016, 06:54 AM

More of the cars in the Pit Paddock areas, where it was easy to get up close ; a mixture of types

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Car described in Graham Vercoes book as " Studebaker Indianapolis Replica " remember it being described as the Chry - Baker, Chrysler chassis and Studebaker Straight Eight engine of around 5500 cc
Ray Disher was unfortunately killed in the car a few years later.
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and what would my photos be without a Healey in the collection *** correction Des Spillane's Healey 100.

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The note on the photo says Chris White - now corrected in the text as advise by Des - interestingly Chris White lived " just up the road " at Wanganui [ Gonville actually ] and owned a White 100 [later Blue over White " NE354 ".

My racing shots were terrible too far away and blurry so about 40 shots not worth sharing

Roger Dowding

01-01-2016, 06:56 AM

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Milan Fistonic

01-01-2016, 09:01 AM

This is the first page of the entry list for the 1982 Ohakea Reunion. If it is readable I'll scan the other two pages.

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Milan Fistonic

01-02-2016, 12:21 AM

This should be a bit clearer.

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Milan Fistonic

01-02-2016, 12:24 AM

Pages 2 & 3

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Roger Dowding

01-02-2016, 08:08 AM

Milan, thanks, If I had a programme it has gone, given away or just lost after so many house moves, If you don't mind I will save them to my archives / photos etc.

Roger Dowding

01-03-2016, 01:32 AM

ERA and 260M - as seen in an Otago Daily Times B and W photo
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Riley in action
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Riley in the pits
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ERA in the pits area
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ERA on display at a motorcycle shop - during the weekend.
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More Vintage to follow

Found this on Wikipaedia an article on International Racing colours, could it be the same car The ERA [ different race # 9 ].32419

very small pic,

Roger Dowding

01-15-2016, 10:51 PM

Allan Dick publisher of motoring magazines since the 1960's and more recently " Classic Driver " has been asked to write a book on the History of the Club - here is his post on Facebook;

" THE HISTORY OF THE OTAGO SPORTS CAR CLUB.
The Otago Sports Car Club (Inc) was founded in 1948 and was one of the charter members of the newly formed Association of New Zealand Car Clubs — today MotorSport NZ. As such is is one of the oldest and more important clubs of its kind in the country.
It played a pivotal role in re-establishing the sport in New Zealand after World War 2 and creating an operating organisation.
In 1953 the club was courageous enough to stage street race racing with the first round-the-houses meeting to be held in New Zealand and through the fifties the city was an important part of the national motor racing scene.
Today, the club is a major player in the world of rallying (the Otago Rally sets standards for all other clubs) but remains active across the other aspects of the sport as well.
The OSCC was a crucial part of my life through most of the sixties and becoming Editor of the club magazine, Wheelspin, in 1963 was the impetus that started me on what I am still doing today.
I have been asked to put together a history of the club from the establishment in1948 to the present day.
Early records are very sketchy and much of the early stuff has been lost and, of course, most of those early pioneers are no longer with us.
The book will not be a long, detailed history, but rather written and photographic snapshots of events, people and places from 1948 right through to 2015.
So, please search your scrapbooks, boxes in the garage, photo albums for anything you think might help with this project.
Photograph is of one of the club founders — Harry Hedges — in his MGTC raising dust at an early hillclimb where crash helmets were not obligatory. Sadly, Harry died several months ago at a grand old age, still loving his cars and his whiskey.
I will be establishing a Facebook page devoted to this as well as a direct email address, but in the meantime please contact me at adnztoday@gmail.com.
And please spread the word. "

I have added some of the fronts of the programmes that were given to me by Bruce Dyer [ Spgeti ] and front of the 1984 Revival meeting added by Steve Nisbett [ gd66 ].
I am sure many of you will have photos, new clippings and pieces of history of the club.

as Allan says - please spread the word,
cheers

Roger
the photo
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Roger Dowding

01-18-2016, 08:00 AM

Roger Dowding

09-16-2016, 05:49 AM

Austin Healey - Chris White from Wanganui - one of many Healeys owned and raced by Chris, in 2000'/10's he ran a Jensen Healey - believe he still does.
*** corrections see below
Des Spillane from Temuka, following a Buckler !!
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Des Spillane
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***
Des Spillane from Temuka, back then, and his Healey 100, drove that car many years ago with Des at an AHCCNZ National Rally.
Neal Ferguson from Waiau
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Neal's car in the pit area
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Des Chris and others around a Morgan and Chris Whites *** Healey around Neal Fergusons Healey - the blue one ;
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Chris raced a Healey 3000 at the Telecom Motorfest in 1994 - seen on that thread, his first Healey was a Bugeye Sprite in the late 1970's

The venue, don't you love the safety features Haybales around pole, road cones to show a side street is closed off and how close you could get to the track.

Next up is Saloons Minis Jaguars and A40 and a Pontiac amongst others

*** Correction to my comments above : " Spinaway " contacted to advise I had the names wrong for the Healey's.. The White 100 is not Chris White's but belongs to Des Spillane, who I thought had the Blue one.. The Blue 100 is Neal Ferguson's from Waiau, South Island.. will correct on the Healey Post as well
***

Roger Dowding

09-20-2016, 07:45 AM

The first few pages ; pages are in pairs 2-3, 4-5, etc..

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More to follow, when i get a moment ..

Roger Dowding

09-21-2016, 03:41 AM

Like the adverts too !! ..

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Roger Dowding

09-21-2016, 04:01 AM

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Motorcycles ;
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the cover. back and front ;
37587

Thanks again to Bruce Dyer .. interestingly I posted these on Fb, and Digby Paape, remembered going as a young fellow,in 1961, his father Godrey Paape, was a stalwart of the Otago Sports Car Club in the 1950's .

Oldfart

09-21-2016, 05:48 AM

In post #62 one E Sprague in a Morris Minor, capacity 1172cc Ford 10 power?

Roger Dowding

09-21-2016, 10:35 PM

32716

The Officials.
32717

The Race schedule ; only 3 races one for each Class
32718

The Race entrants - 3 classes
32719

32720

The Main Race NZ Championship Road Race .
32721

Thanks to Bruce Dyer for the programme - have shared the full programme book with Allan Dick to assist with his Otago Sports Car Club History project.

Oldfart, Rhys, I see the Morris Minor entry for E Sprague, with the 1172 cc engine , the one above is 918, the old side valve, later they were 948, " *** A " series, and I think the first OHV ones were the 803 cc same as the Austin A30, would have to look it up.. Grant Sprague may be able to shed some light on the car..

Oldfart

09-22-2016, 01:39 AM

Roger 948 was A series, B series was the bigger as in MGA, Morris Oxcarts etc. OHV Minor was 803 nominally, the next progression was ??

khyndart in CA

09-22-2016, 03:24 AM

A bit of BMC engine information at this site.

http://www.mg-cars.org.uk/news/news498.html

Roger Dowding

09-22-2016, 07:18 AM

Roger 948 was A series, B series was the bigger as in MGA, Morris Oxcarts etc. OHV Minor was 803 nominally, the next progression was ??

Rhys I meant A series think the " B " series came from the 1220 cc in the early Austin A40's, must check it out !!

Roger Dowding

09-22-2016, 07:24 AM

A bit of BMC engine information at this site.

http://www.mg-cars.org.uk/news/news498.html

Thanks Ken H, I was sort of correct.. the " B " series did start in 1200 cc I always thought it was 1220 for some reason, and have corrected the A versus B series mix-up a typo really, as owned about 8 A series and only 1 B series BMC cars.. Austin Mini 4, A40 Farina 1, , Austin Healey Sprites 4, and finally B series MGB GT.. thanks to Rhys too !! .. my proof reader hates motoring subjects so goes on strike !!

Roger Dowding

01-08-2017, 11:38 PM

Bruce Dyer has now [ January 2017 ] sent me photos from around Manfield
correction Taupo around 1998 -
of various sports cars, Bucklers, Fiat Targa, Mallock U2, and others Ralph Watson BSA Special and a Kieft single seater, have posted the Bucklers on the Oldfart Buckler thread.. will post a lot of the others here :
Lots of other cars in the background of the photos, the Humber 80 Special background RA4 photo, Riley Special, behind the Fiat, the a Ferrari beside the BSA

Fiat Targa
40073

The Ralph Watson BSA Special
40074

40075

40076

40077

The Hec Green RA4 [ Vanguard !! ].

40078

Spgeti

01-08-2017, 11:58 PM

Hi Roger, the circuit photos were taken at the club track at Taupo, not Manfeild. Circa 1998 I think. It was the same weekend that Garry bought the Buckler 90 from Dewar Thomas.

Roger Dowding

01-09-2017, 12:17 AM

Hi Roger, the circuit photos were taken at the club track at Taupo, not Manfeild. Circa 1998 I think. It was the same weekend that Garry bought the Buckler 90 from Dewar Thomas.

Bruce thanks, will correct that and realise that Ross Hollings took photos at a similar meeting, that I though was Taupo, turned out it was Pukekohe .. where does / did Garry live at the time ??

Roger Dowding

01-21-2017, 08:00 AM

Moving away from Dunedin and the original theme of this thread, " Dunedin Street Races ... 1984 " have included other information from old programmes and events.
Graham Woods, from Canterbury has posted a couple of pages from programmes with connections to Austin-Healey's and Bucklers.
Graham has few photos of George Lawton and his cars, George at one time had a Healey 100/6, mentioned in one programme as well as a Cooper Bobtail, George was on the " Driver To Europe " scheme in 1960 along with Denny Hulme; George ran the Healey in the 1958 meeting and the Cooper in 1959, a much traveled man, was was from Whangarei

this is Georges 100/6, which I was unsure whether it was a 100/6 or an early 3000, now I know ;
40426

Teretonga meeting, February 1958 the are errors in descriptions of the Healeys, as the 2639 cc ones are 100/6, 100 - Six not 100S, the Graham Pierce car was a 100S, as featured in the latest NZ Classic Driver magazine, and the J F Grieve, could have been another 100S [ 100/4, 100M's and 100S were all 2660 cc with the 100S have a different head with inlet / exhaust ports on the opposite side of the motor to the original 100/4 ( A90 ) , thanks Ken H for helping me when I got that wrong a while ago
40424

and from Waimate in 1959
40425

The A "Arthur" Kennard Healey - Corvette, was a well known car in South Island motoring circles and even got to Ardmore, according to Jim Short. The car has been rebuilt and an artcile on it appears in an issue of NZ Classic Driver, one that I missed;

Ken H, these programme pages should go on your " Old programmes memories .. etc " thread

MarkD

01-23-2017, 09:13 AM

Roger Dowding

01-23-2017, 09:48 AM

I have just joined this site after searching the net for anything about the 1984 Dunedin Street Race. It was me that drove the Pontiac Bonneville. I still have the car and after a hibernation of more than 20 years it is being resurrected. Pictures to come. I am not sure where those pictures of the street sprints are from but in January 1984 for the race competitors the Saturday was taken up with a hill climb at Bethune's Gully. I wonder if maybe the locals had the street sprints as entertainment because there was very limited spectating at the hill climb. I have some pics of the event and I will have to resize them to suit this site.

I entered for the 1986 event but did not make it as the new, bigger, engine was not ready in time. I subsequently did the 1986 and 1987 Queenstown Sprints, the 1987 Wigram Wings and Wheels, and the 1989(?) Lyttelton Street Race. I was a regular at the local drag strip as well.

Mark D, got your private message, I was visiting from Auckland, working in Dunedin for two weeks and this event was the middle weekend of my trip, so didn't go back home, and had my camera, a bonus !! Yes the programme was for the racing on Sunday, but they had Sprints, down by the wharves on the Saturday, combined event between two clubs, wished I had known about the Hill Climb. All my photos are on the thread, plus some I bought from the Otago Daily Times, which I ordered on the Monday and were at work by mid-week.. a great weekend, and the Dunedin weather was good too !!

Would be great to see other photos of the Car.. post them here if you wish as connected to Dunedin and Street Races.. or start your own thread.. Is all Good ..

40621

MarkD

01-23-2017, 07:58 PM

Somewhere. someone must have a copy of the video taken at this event. I remember they showed it at the after match function. The camera had picked up the spin I performed trying to follow the line taken I had seen taken by the ERA (in a different race) turning left from the main straight on Fryatt onto Halsey St. I got a little too far out onto the marbles and turned it around as I turned left. I remembered the car stopped facing the right way but it had stalled. It fired up easily and I took off in a cloud of tyre smoke. One wheel only of course with the standard non-LSD rear.

MarkD

01-24-2017, 07:24 AM

Some pics from Dunedin in 1984. The first one is at the start of the Bethune's Gully hill climb. It is quite steep.

These are some quite low resolution scans I did some years ago which seem to be all that this site will accept. I have some more photos to scan but haven't worked out how to modify the size of the files.

I have only recently found the envelopes with the paperwork, programmes and souvenirs of both the 1984 and 1986 events. I entered for 1986 but didn't get the car going again in time, so went to Dunedin as a spectator.

The last pic was taken on 2 Jan this year, the first day the car's original engine had run since some time in early 1986. Lots more work to do yet.

40758407594076040761

Roger Dowding

01-27-2017, 06:49 AM

Roger Dowding

08-28-2017, 05:36 AM

Guys, this is a small thread because, I got sidetracked with my Pukekohe shots - there are another 30 photos to come Saloons, Specials Gee Cee S etc and Vintage - the ERA, and 50's single seaters, must get back to it soon.

Have just been provided with the race entries by [ Mark Dawber [ was Annie Swain on Facebook - now Carnerd Mark ] on the South Island Motorsports Facebook page where I posted some of the photos ; Front Cover came from GD66 Steve Nisbett

45789

Race 1
45790

Race 2
45791

Race 3
45794

Race 4
45792

Race 5
45793

Thanks to both GD66 Steve and Annie for the information. has helped identify cars,including the Jaguar powered Special, the Furi which I had a photo of and its supercharged engine !!

Roger Dowding

08-28-2017, 05:51 AM

From the programme - Sports Car race - Race 2 #76 Crowe Special.
Correction ;
This not the Crowe Special It is a FURI with Jaguar power, Furi 2 - as confirmed by Warren Bennett, son of the builder Jim Bennett. was raced a bit in the South Island by Jim and Thelma Bennett raced a different model of the Furi with a V6 engine

45795

45796

Some information from Jim Bennett and his son Warren - copied below from South Island Motorsports Facebook page
Jim Bennett ;
" I had this car road legal by 1979. At that stage it was powered by a Mk 7 Jag engine bored to 3.8 and fitted with Chrysler Valiant pistons to keep the compression low enough to supercharge. I later fitted a 3.8 block when the Mk7 split a bore. In this image it is still running with the MK 7 cylinder head and 1 3/4 SUs. The car did a low 15 sec run from memory. I was using the Moss gearbox and started in 2nd gear. Buzzed the tyres too much on the fastest run. Some years later I ran it in a flying 1/4 with a short run up and was a little quicker than Norman Masters Lister Jag replica and at a Bethunes Gully hillclimb piped Alistair Gilmore's Lister Jag replica. I drove it to most events and towed my wife Thelma's Furi 6 on an A bar on several occasions. It fullflled my ambitions in my attempt to build a "poor mans" Ferrari. On an engine dyno it was putting out 200 BHP at 3000 rpm and at 4500 RPM the needle on the Dyno was off the end of the scale which would have been somewhere around 300HP. About then detonation set in and although the ignition was cut the engine continued to diesel until the throttle and fuel were cut. Needless to say the engine was not in a happy state.

More notes from Warren Bennett, Jim’s son

Original motor was 3.8 jag yes. A 4.2 was fitted later in its life. Supercharger off Commer 2 stroke diesel Truck...

And more about the Commer TS2, that provided the supercharger ;
Jim Bennett
They were a 2 stroke diesel with the supercharger used to force air into the cylinders in a similar way to GM 2 stroke diesels. I think the design was of German origin with 6 pistons opposing in 3 cylinders working through rockers and 12 conrods to a crankshaft under the cylinders, a design also used in some heavy diesel ship engnes I believe."

Thanks to for the information on the Crowe Special on the thread.

John McKechnie

08-28-2017, 06:10 AM

Looks like Jag 3.8 camshaft covers. 4.2 are different

Roger Dowding

08-28-2017, 06:27 AM

Looks like Jag 3.8 camshaft covers. 4.2 are different

Thanks John, probably is the Crowe Special .. don't see it in any of my race photos though !!
Change of information, the Car is a Furi built by Jim Bennett part of a long line of Furi's using all sorts of engines. Warren Bennett, Jim son think that it took part in the Sprints only hence not in the programme, so now do not know what the Crowe Special is / was.

Paul B

08-30-2017, 09:53 AM

I think this might be it? but on the race entry sheet it said the engine capacity was 3.8L - found this on the net
1960 MGV Crowe Special
Driven by Geoff Townshend - 2015
45911

Oldfart

08-30-2017, 12:57 PM

That's a great photo of what we knew as the MGV8, which he entered as V8 special at Tahunanui.

Paul B

08-30-2017, 08:22 PM

I guess he may have been running a 3.8L Rover/Buick v8?. Sure would be a quick car with that set up.
Sounds like the car is still about... somewhere in the South Island

Oldfart

08-31-2017, 03:08 AM

I guess he may have been running a 3.8L Rover/Buick v8?. Sure would be a quick car with that set up.
Sounds like the car is still about... somewhere in the South Island

Which car are you referring to Paul? If it's the Crowe "MG" I thought it was a side valve V8, but as usual could be wrong. Trevor built that car and was running in the late 60s and early 70s. A bit too soon for the Rover/Buick.

Paul B

08-31-2017, 08:24 AM

Yes the Crowe MG. Of course it would be a sidey V8 would be the 3.8 capacity. I did not think of that. It would still get along well, and have that great side valve V8 noise.
Cheers

Roger Dowding

09-22-2017, 06:15 AM

These photos were posted on a Facebook site called OLD NEW ZEALAND MOTOR RACING about NZ Historic Motor Racing photos by by Norman Agnew ; site is run by TRS member " seaqnmac ",
Sean hope you don't mind that I borrowed them.
there are another 7 or so in two groups will play with them too !!
Have asked Norm if he could scan them individually..

46467

have split the photos but could not make them bigger without losing quality !!

46468

46469

46470

46471

Roger Dowding

09-22-2017, 06:22 AM

This was a two day event.
Saturday, with straight sprints in the Port Area by the storage warehouses, and the local car clubs, not just the Classic Historics were allowed to run.
Sunday, the Classic Historic races.
My set of photos I will break into, types, NZ Specials and Open Wheelers, Sports Car saloon, and there is even a couple of Motorcycle shots.
Unfortunately have lost or given away the programme, probably the latter, so again any help identifying the cars would be appreciated.
Reshowing the photos from the Otago Daily Times to start with - posted on Yards and Yarns and Minis and Imps threads.
The Allard J2.
30862
thanks for identifying it as Rob Boult's.

30863
The Minis and Jaguars, plus something large in the back of the pack..

The ERA, and a single seater..

30864

The Lycoming Special, built by Ralph Watson - powered by, yes I remembered a Lycoming Engine - turned upside down. Trevor Sheffield's article " Ralph Watson - Special Engineer " can tell you much more.

30865

And the book that was on sale at the time about the original races; Racing Around the Houses, by Scott Thomson, 1983.
30866

30867

Have photos from other Reunion / Revival meetings and Wings and Wheels meetings, only a few photos so will post as a continuation of this thread, First Ohakea 1982

Have been given some old Programmes by Bruce Dyer " Spgeti " which will post here progressively from Dunedin,Wigram,Ohakea and others ..

Bruce Dyer has now [ January 2017 ] sent me photos from around Manfield of various sports cars, Bucklers, Fiat Targa, Mallock U2, and others Ralph Watson BSA Special and a Kieft single seater, have posted the Bucklers on the Oldfart Buckler thread.. will post a lot of the others here :

Have added some photos from Napier in the early 1960's by Norman Agnew .. maybe the thread need a new name .. " Old Racing Circuits as so far has Dunedin Revival 1984, Ohakea 1982, and some other shots plus now Napier 1960's .. will ask Steve !!
What do you Guys think .. ?? or does it need a new thread !!..

See my note about the Old Racing Circuits !!

Roger Dowding

09-23-2017, 02:11 AM

More photos from the same event - just as they have been scanned - will separate later.
Norm has indicated he will scan them separately when he has time !!.

46487

46488

Article and map of the track from Graham Woods - Graham has a large number of programmes and articles on 1960's motor racing - he had the George Lawton 100/6 and Cooper photo posted on the Austin Healey thread among others I have " borrowed ".
Allan Dick of Autonews and Classic Driver and other publications noted that he had only ever seen 3 or 4 photos from the Napier Races.
According to a comment the road used are much the same today.

46489

Roger Dowding

10-09-2017, 06:05 AM

Don't want to start another thread, but have recently been seeing a lot of photos and parts of programmes, entry list etc, for tracks no longer used !!

Ryal Bush
Napier
New Plymouth - Paritutu
Mairehu ??
Matamata
Waimate
Seagrove
and others ..

Graham Woods, Bob Homewood Milan Fistonic and others have a wealth of information on these events.

So the Question is Start a New Thread ???
or,
Add to an old one - this started with Dunedin and expanded - may need a new Title ..

Ideas Guys.
I am happy to add the information that has come from the above Guys plus others

This is from Graham Woods - posted on South Island Motorsport,in response to a photo of racing at Ryal Bush in 1957
46734

Roger Dowding

11-01-2017, 05:49 AM

Seems to have two titles the " NZ Road Racing Championship " or " NZ Championship Road Race "
These both state Championship Road Race ..
The front pages of;
1953
from Allan Dick - Classic Autonews

47446

1954 from Bruce Dyer "Spgeti "

47447

error seem to have 3 copies of the 1953 one and cannot delete - driver error !!

Milan Fistonic

11-01-2017, 08:16 AM

This is the actual programme for the 1953 event. Allan's could be a newspaper advert.

47448

Roger Dowding

11-19-2017, 05:50 AM

Not Dunedin but some of the cars would have come South during the "Summer of Racing " that was NZ in the 1950's/60's

These are photos by John Sheppard who drove a rather quick Morris Minor in the Saloon Car Race.
Pictures are small but some good shots.

47933

47934

47935

47936

The entry list NZIGP from Graham Woods
47937

The Saloon Cars from Graham Woods
47938

Roger Dowding

11-27-2017, 06:27 AM

Rather than start another thread, as I have been taking a few more photos of Chelsea Walsh Hill Climb, Greerton Vintage Fayre Car Show and Caffeine and Classics at Smales Farm, Auckland - yes a bit of travelling, have decided to put recent photos here;
Will ask Steve to rename the thread - actual name to be decided.

a couple to start with ; make that a few !!

48007

48008

48009

48010

Roger Dowding

11-29-2017, 04:58 AM

A few shots and some details ;

48043

De Joux Mini [ Coupe ] and Donn Whites Clubman - Donn bought the Clubman NEW in 1973 and bought it back again around 1990 and had it fully rebuilt - have now seen it at Greerton Fayre a couple of time November 2017 and again in April 2019
48044

De Joux ; the engine
48045

Triumph GT6 and 2001 Beattie Clubman
48046

The GT6
48047

A DKW 3 cylinder two stroke -
48048

Roger Dowding

11-29-2017, 05:04 AM

The compulsory Austin - Healey !!
48049

VW's
48050

48051

48052

The English guard the entrance, 60's Humber Super Snipe and 70's SD1 Rover 2600
48053

a Trio of Nations
48054

Roger Dowding

12-05-2017, 05:16 AM

A " Splittie " Kombi Camper
48147

'55 Chevvy, that had a Classic Caravan in tow, and lots of Retro things in the Caravan,
Old Matchbox cars and all
48149

Riley Elf and Fordson
48151

Norton
48152

Parting shot as I was leaving;
Prefect, Vitesse, Plymouth, Riley Elf, Fordson and Fiat
48153

Roger Dowding

12-06-2017, 05:46 AM

The Moggy three wheeler, Red Baron watch out !!

48168

The US Army were there ..

48169

Chev Pickup Truck - as the Americans would say !!

48170

Well patina'd Type 3 VW

48171

The French legion

48172

48173

a few more to follow

Italians and some English, a smattering of Americans

Roger Dowding

12-06-2017, 05:52 AM

Italians
48174

48175

48176

48177
Scottish / English
48178

A.C. Bristol the car featured in a recent NZ Classic Driver magazine
48179

There were quite a few MX5's have put them on the Mazda MX5 thread

Roger Dowding

12-26-2017, 05:41 AM

Have posted some photos from the Cliff Bennett collection by Jim Bennett, on my " Austin Healey " thread.
Graham Woods had the entry lists for the Main Race Single Seaters and Sports Cars, and the Le Mans start Sports Car Race.
Other photos show the Tojeiro Jaguar of Frank Cantwell and the RA Vanguard as well as the Lister Jaguar and others.
here are the entry lists - thanks Graham Woods.

48701

48704

R J [ Bob ] Blackburn's Mistral, Bob owned Weltex at the time and was making the Mistral bodies - have an advert of that - Later Emslie and Flockton in Dunedin had the licence to manufacture the bodies.

Roger Dowding

01-04-2018, 05:41 AM

3 shots from the Mount by Alan Boyle of Coca Cola Mini and Viva fame

Alistair McBeath Jaguar,Glen "Jigger " Jones Green Ford V8, Jack Nazer yellow Ford V8

49036

Dennis Marwood Humber 80

49037

Garth Souness Ford and Dennis Marwood - dancing !!

49038

and as has been mentioned the Garth Souness Ford B4 V8 is to be restored.

John H

01-04-2018, 08:03 AM

Roger Dowding

01-09-2018, 08:20 PM

The Street Races were held in 1964 and 1965 and as Alan Boyle mentioned the track passed 6 Churches and then the Lord intervened. [ Races were on the Saturday ].

Races results from Graham Woods
1964
49292

1965
49293

1964 Programme from Keiron Guiness who was originally a Matamata Boy.

49294

Entry list from Bob Homewood - seem to be 1965 races
49295

Map of the course and some photos to follow

Roger Dowding

01-09-2018, 09:47 PM

These Alan believes are 1964 and he was sitting inside the Car dealers on the corner, quote " having a few beverages "

Names of drivers may not be totally correct

Coupe P Clarkson #54 Zephyr J Armstrong #144

49296

Plymouth Coupe G C Parke !

49297

Coupes on a corner

49298

Sports Cars Daimler W Bern, Healey R Smith, The TR unsure as a couple were racing according to the results.
Believed to be Kerry Grant in the Spitfire - the only Sports Car to run Top up. Have seen another photo of the Spitfire at that meeting

49299

Thanks to Alan Boyle and his post on the Facebook page ; Old New Zealand Motor Racing ".

https://www.facebook.com/groups/429302310781897/permalink/535181070194020/?comment_id=535328400179287

included in the comments is some footage of Hamilton Car Clubs " Ngutunui Hill Climb 2009 " which I understand is the same road [ Pekanui Road ] that the Bardahl series used in 1979 the course is 8.7 km long - drove the road a few months ago but at a very sedate pace.

John McKechnie

01-09-2018, 10:02 PM

Graeme Park in his Plymouth Coupe,,,will be racing his Marina Coupe Taupo 20, 21.
Hes been in it for the long haul.
Also would P Clarkson #54 Coupe be a misspell and be Bob Clarkson, long time Hot Rodder, Stock Car man ?

Roger Dowding

01-10-2018, 03:45 AM

Just had a look at " The Motorhood " a website from the publishers of NZ Classic Car, about the history of track in New Zealand.

It is worth a read, and I am sure some corrections will be prof-erred ;

http://www.themotorhood.com/themotorhood/2014/11/27/racing-through-the-historic-tracks-in-new-zealand

a quiet afternoon and " Her Indoors " is outdoors at the hairdressers so at someone else's place " indoors ".

Oldfart

01-10-2018, 08:37 AM

Yes that's a good precis. My "proferring" the photo of the large grid has "Ardmore" above it and then goes on t talk about Ohakea, which is where the photo comes from? The caption underneath says Ohakea, just may lead to future discussion.

Bruce302

01-10-2018, 06:29 PM

Can I see a 141 through the smoke ? Could that be Rod Coppins ?
Coupes on a corner

49298

Milan Fistonic

01-10-2018, 08:51 PM

Rod was there with his Chevrolet in 1964. He finished fourth in the Saloon Car Scratch Race behind Segedin, Dawson and Hogan. John Riley was fifth in a Ford so that could be him behind Coppins.

John McKechnie

01-10-2018, 09:10 PM

Bruce--#75 shows the grid at the start and program.

http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?598-New-Zealand-Allcomer-Saloons/page4.

Rod was entered ,in program 141, John Riley 60.
maybe someone can transfer the entry list over to here?

Roger Dowding

01-11-2018, 05:26 AM

Roger Dowding

01-11-2018, 05:32 AM

Some details from another thread as mentioned By John Mck..

Saloons at the start 1964; from DC4503 -local Newspaper
#13
49328

Entry list Saloon Scratch race from Milan Fistonic
Heat one

49331

Heat 2
#12
49329

A Zephyr wallowing through the corner at Cleaver Motors, Matamata - Alan Boyle's location on the day 1964
#11
49330

khyndart in CA

01-11-2018, 05:38 AM

John McKechnie

01-11-2018, 05:43 AM

Ken, he will be at Taupo, will make sure you two catch up again....we can ask him then. Sounds good ???

Milan Fistonic

01-11-2018, 08:50 AM

This is a wild guess and I need help as usual but I think I remember Spinner Black drove a Triumph Spitfire at Matamata one year.
Could that be his Spitfire cutting through on the inside against the bales in post # 111 ?

(Ken H)

In 1964 there was only one Spitfire entered and that was driven by Kerry Grant. There was a late entry but I don't have any details of driver or car.

Roger Dowding

02-25-2018, 06:11 AM

Austin Healey - Des Spillane from Timaru not Chris White from Wanganui - one of many Healeys owned and raced by Chris, in 2000'/10's he ran a Jensen Healey - believe he still does.
*** corrections see below
30880

30881
***
Neil Ferguson Blue Healey, from Waiau ,
I have been in and drove Des's Healey 100, with Des at an AHCCNZ National Rally.
30882

30883
Neil's car in the pit area
30884

Des Neil and others around a Morgan and Des Spillane's *** Healey;
30885

[Chris raced a Healey 3000 at the Telecom Motorfest in 1994 - seen on that thread, his first Healey was a Bugeye Sprite in the late 1970's]

The venue, don't you love the safety features Haybales around pole, road cones to show a side street is closed off and how close you could get to the track.

Next up is Saloons Minis Jaguars and A40 and a Pontiac amongst others

*** Correction to my comments above : " Spinaway " contacted to advise I had the names wrong for the Healey's.. The White 100 is not Chris White's but belongs to Des Spillane, who I thought had the Blue one.. The Blue 100 is Neal Ferguson's from Waiau, South Island.. will correct on the Healey Post as well

The Morgan is a well known car, as I have found out from Graham Kyle, a Morgan racer at the time ;
" The Morgan 4 / 4 was Peter Gendall, he drove Ron Roycrofts Bugatti Jaguar in a 50's Ardmore New Zealand Grand Prix. "
The car was quite modified over its life - more to follow

Roger Dowding

08-15-2018, 04:00 AM

Got there again, was back in Auckland for 6 weeks,met up with ERC and Kevin H and his wife, missed seeing GeebeeNZ Gra3m3 .. have posted some photos on the MX5 thread
Here are other cars :

Americans
56146

56147

56149

56150

American Military - had a Dinky Jeep as a youngster
56151

American style English engineering - !!
56148

More to follow English and some Europeans

Roger Dowding

08-15-2018, 04:04 AM

Mini's

56153

56154

56155

and MG's
56152

56156

" Who let the Frogs Out " !!
56157

977 was a popular number 977ARX and MG977.

Roger Dowding

08-15-2018, 04:11 AM

Rays MGF now sold -am told only 6 more cars to go - according to " Her indoors " - then they will both be walking - better keep a couple !!
56158

A C Ace - have seen it before here
56159

An English JEEP General Purpose as G P became JEEP.. or in this case an early Landie !!
56160

The UK branch of the General - Vauxhall .
56161

56162

Roger Dowding

08-15-2018, 04:20 AM

McRae Porsche Spyder replica
56163

an Alfa for Bruce !!
56164

Some American Muscle !!
56165

More from the US of A..
56166

The MX5 that got away - somehow the name of a previous photo carried through !!
56167

Number plate says it all
56168

and that is all !! - 'til next time !! -November I hope, can't do Aug - Sep - Oct

Roger Dowding

08-16-2018, 06:08 AM

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1954 - Keith Roper in his 100 at speed on Winters Road.

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and a group of cars at Dunedin in 1960 the Special is one of Ferris De Joux's creations -either Vanguard or Holden powered !! This one would seem to be Vanguard powered - see the entry list

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The entry list for the Race - thanks Graham Woods

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Credits are on the photo's

Oldfart

08-16-2018, 04:26 PM

The number 6 Standard 10 is Cliff Knight of Northland (Far North really) he did a tour of every event available for 2 years with that car. Lovely man, rcent years he was running an E type Jag as a "Saloon" at Speedway events (or was it a stock car?) I note with interest, every saloon that completes 5 laps gets half what the winner does. That's a great gesture, and £10 back then was quite a bit of money!

Roger Dowding

09-23-2018, 05:55 AM

Steve's second book in the series of Cars in New Zealand from 1950 to 1970's.
Uses pictures from brochures with contributions from various people, I managed to sneak into the book, as did quite a few other people;

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Ken H -that photo!! Slideways Roger ..
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Not sure if on Bookshop shelves yet as mine arrived in the post this week.

Roger Dowding

09-27-2018, 04:24 AM

Remi purchased the Tony Herbert car and was seeking information on it.
The car photos appeared in an article in " Sports Car Talk " magazine issue #3 in 1989 written by Richard Gray who was detailing the restoration of a Ginetta G15 a well known NZ car with Rego HL7470 now G15, the car fully restored and remains in new Zealand.
Here is a bit of Ginetta History from Richard's article. from issue 3 the 1989 Edition.
The magazine was an annual publication by the " Sports Car Club of New Zealand inc ".
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P82
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P83
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Close-up of photos from the magazine pages above;
The G4 chassis
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Tony Herbert at speed - track not known, Photographer not stated ; assume from Richard Gray - archives.
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The article is 9 pages and then a further 11 pages on the G15 rebuild.

Would be good to see photos from Remi of the car as it is now and any work being done to it.

ERC

09-29-2018, 10:38 AM

As an aside, my ex-lodger in the UK, bought one of the Ginetta single seaters (G8?), formerly raced by Stuart Graham.

He also picked up the Lola T212 (minus engine and gearbox), now owned by Billy Apple, on behalf of a Kiwi. Towed it behind his 1116cc Mini, from Cheshire to Nottingham... Fitted a Lotus Twin Cam and at Loton Park (I think), knocked a corner off!

Roger Dowding

12-17-2018, 05:04 AM

Expansion of the topics of this thread ; Dunedin, Ardmore, Ohakea, Napier and now onto other events more recent, Chelsea Hill Climb, Caffeine and Classics, and recently Greerton Vintage Fayre and Car Show ;

Have added some photos from Napier in the early 1960's by Norman Agnew .. maybe the thread need a new name as covers.. " Old Racing Circuits as so far has Dunedin Revival 1984, Ohakea 1982, and some other shots plus now Napier 1960's and have added photos by others and more modern events....

Adding more photos and details, recently Mount Manganui and Matamata in the early 1960's the items are borrowed though, as wasn't there, almost too young and didn't have a drivers licence or car.

Dunedin January 1984 This was a two day event.
Saturday, with straight sprints in the Port Area by the storage warehouses, and the local car clubs, not just the Classic Historics were allowed to run.
Sunday, the Classic Historic races.
There was also a Hill Climb at Bethunes Gully, which I was not aware of at the time, and didn't have a
" Ride " to get there.
My set of photos I will break into, types, NZ Specials and Open Wheelers, Sports Car saloon, and there is even a couple of Motorcycle shots.

Unfortunately have lost or given away the programme, probably the latter, so again any help identifying the cars would be appreciated.

Reshowing the photos from the Otago Daily Times to start with - posted on Yards and Yarns and Minis and Imps threads.
The Allard J2.
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thanks for identifying it as Rob Boult's.

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The Minis and Jaguars, plus something large in the back of the pack..

The ERA, and a single seater..

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The Lycoming Special, built by Ralph Watson - powered by, yes I remembered a Lycoming Engine - turned upside down. Trevor Sheffield's article " Ralph Watson - Special Engineer " can tell you much more.

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And the book that was on sale at the time about the original races; Racing Around the Houses, by Scott Thomson, 1983.
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Have photos from other Reunion / Revival meetings and Wings and Wheels meetings, only a few photos so will post as a continuation of this thread, First Ohakea 1982

Have been given some old Programmes by Bruce Dyer " Spgeti " which will post here progressively from Dunedin,Wigram,Ohakea and others ..

Bruce Dyer has now [ January 2017 ] sent me photos from around Manfield of various sports cars, Bucklers, Fiat Targa, Mallock U2, and others Ralph Watson BSA Special and a Kieft single seater, have posted the Bucklers on the Oldfart Buckler thread.. will post a lot of the others here :

[B]Have added some photos from Napier in the early 1960's by Norman Agnew .. maybe the thread need a new name .. " Old Racing Circuits as so far has Dunedin Revival 1984, Ohakea 1982, and some other shots plus now Napier 1960's .. Have tried to rename it [ first entry re-titled ] so it will be more like ;
" Images from my Past " - by Nigel Watts,
or
" Just a mix of Pics " -by ' ERC ' Ray Green - will include photos from others !!
Cheers
Roger
edited 25 September 2018

[I]Further to September 2018 - Am going to use this thread for photos and news that doesn't fit into the Austin Healey or Northern Sports Car Club thread- will cover Specials and other events I come across that should be shared..
Roger 17th December 2018

Bringing the thread to the fore - as currently collecting information on " Specials " - starting with the previously featured " Bugley ", then The " De Soto ", " Mistrals " [ as they are not Bucklers and David Montgomery from the UK would not approve !! ]. Then others as I find things [ stuff ].

Roger Dowding

12-24-2018, 01:49 AM

Lloyd Gleeson is a Classic car guy originally from Thames, still has a 1969 Morgan that he raced in 70's and 80's in NZ - Car originally purchased new in the UK, then exported.
The De Soto Special. the early 1950's one.
Question by Lloyd Gleeson; and some comments by others.

“Anyone know this car’s origins, or where it ended up? It’s the De Soto Special raced by Bill Culver in the ‘50s – shown here spinning out of the 1955 Ardmore GP and nearly being clobbered by Tony Gaze (Ferrari) who was lapping him. Bill owned the Kopu Service Station south of Thames and the Special was often to be seen parked on the forecourt (a magnet for car–mad passers-by!) When the Service Station was sold in the ‘60s, the racer was towed to Tararu (on the coast just north of Thames) to a rented lock-up, but when that property was up for sale some years later, the car was no longer there. About 20 years ago I bumped into to Jock Hill (who had been Bill’s mechanic) and asked him if he knew the fate of the old racer and all I got from him was a somewhat cryptic “Not a clue”, and unfortunately didn’t have time to press him further” .

Merv Hanna commented

“Zambucka,s first race was Wigram 1950, qual. 8th finished 4th. Ron Sutherland drove the car in 1953, did well in sprints. Geo Palmer bought the car in 1954, FTD standing quarter at Rotorua.
Bill Culver raced it in 1955 including the Ardmore spin. As of 1991 the car was reported to be in storage at Thames. “
- as an aside Ron Sutherland and brother Merv ran a Midget type car which will be the subject of another article - was raced against the Roycroft / Jack Boot " Bugley " - the Riley Bugatti mentioned on the NSCC thread.

Details from Graham Vercoe book “ Historic Racing Cars of New Zealand “ pages 107 – 108
Published in 1991.

There is a photo of the car on the third [ back ] row of the Ohakea showing race #21
Edited ; [ Italics mine ]
" Fred Zambucka ivory two-seat open [De] de Soto Special appeared at Wigram in 1950, and it proved quite a handful. I was powered by a 4099 cc de Soto six engine, and Zambucka had considerable success with it, especially after lengthening the chassis and fitting triple carburettors for 1951.
Zambucka was fourth in the Wigram race. At Ohakea a cotter-pin shook loose and dropped into the sump. Leaving a valve wide open and causing an inevitable breakdown after just six laps.
He shared FTD with George Smith at the Don Bucks Road Hillclimb [ Massey, West Auckland ] in April that year and won the North Island Champion Beach race in 1952.
Ron Sutherland drove the car in some races for Zambucka, and took FTD at the Port Waikato Road sprintin December 1953 with a standing quarter [ mile ] of 16.3 a and flying equivalent in 9.3 s.
The next owner, George Palmer,did 15.2 for the standing mark at Rotorua in 1954 taking FTD.
Bill Culver had a nightmare moment in the car at Ardmore in 1955 [ where the photo’s are from ] after spinning in front of a considerably faster Ferrari driven by Tony Gaze.
The car is believed to be still in storage in Thames. "

Engine shown as 4099 cc 6 in 1954 but 3368 cc 6 in 1955 Chassis was Z1 [ Zambucka One ] Presume there may have been and engine change, maybe because of capacity rules.

Photos of the car ; from the 1955 Ardmore Race and loaded up for the trip home

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Cover of the Graham Vercoe book ;

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Roger Dowding

12-28-2018, 05:35 AM

The car was in an entry list posted on the Austin Healey thread.
Have several photos and a couple of entry lists - showing the car - photos from various people some TRS members as are the entry lists.

November 1964 meeting from Milan Fistonic.
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On the grid with an Anglia - large rear wheels -unsure if the twin wheels
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In the pits - caption says twin rear wheels
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Racing with #112 as are some of the other photos yet entry lists are #148 April and #151 November
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In colour - lots of Chrome and good paint must be an early meeting - on Wire Wheels - Alan Boyle photo
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ACC meeting their " Winter Meeting "last of the season April 1964 - entry list from John Hatton TRS member - was in his Mark One Zephyr
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Ray Bell - hope this helps a 5 litre V8 - presume a " Firedome " de Soto engine

From Wikipaedia - not always reliable

" Firedome production ended at the end of the 1959 model year.

For the 1960 model year DeSoto offered two models, the Fireflite and the Adventurer. For model year 1961, a model named only "DeSoto" was sold as a two-door hardtop and four-door hardtop. The end of the DeSoto marque came on November 30, 1960, 48 days after the 1961 models were introduced, ending 32 years of production. "
Firedome engine " 361 cu in (5.9 L) V8 " in 1959 prior to that a 4.8 litre 291 cu in " So not sure what Colins Motor was.

Milan Fistonic

12-28-2018, 08:04 AM

These are the numbers the De Soto raced with. All at Pukekohe.

7/12/63 -143
22/2/64 - 148
4/4/64 - 148
7/11/64 - 151
12/12/64 - 112
27/2/65 - 174

It also raced at Matamata in 1964 with 61 and 1965 with 63.

John McKechnie

12-28-2018, 11:03 AM

Ray Bell

12-28-2018, 02:23 PM

As I mentioned in the A-H thread, the Diplomat had a Plymouth body from the firewall back, the front was, it seems, largely Dodge panels while the grille was a mixture of whatever they had lurking around by the looks of things.

Most Canadian production was based on the Plymouth body in that era. Dodges with Plymouth's distinctively different fins abound in Canada. The last Diplomats sold in Australia were the '54 models, which sold here through to '56. After that they were morphed (as were the similar Plymouths) into the Chrysler Royal, an Australia-only model.

Any De Sotos marketed in Australia from that point were locally assembled by Buckle Motors (yes, Bill Buckle) from US-derived CKD kits and were nothing like the Diplomats. Simultaneously the Chrysler Australia plants assembled US-derived Dodge Custom Royals and Plymouth Belvederes, all three makes being sold at high prices as premium marques. Canada, meantime, produced Dodge Mayfairs and other models with names differing from US models. Some rationalising seems to have taken place in 1960 and Canadian Dodge Phoenixes were assembled here to set the pattern for Chrysler's big car marketing for the next dozen or so years.

Thanks for the information on this particular car...

John McKechnie

12-28-2018, 08:06 PM

Ray-My Dad had one of these Aussie assembled Chrysler Royal, brand new in early 1960s, push button auto, 6 cylinder.
Never see any of them on the roads now.
All this Aussie involvement with Chrysler, Plymouth info is new to me, so thank you for posting this.
I worked at GM franchise so we had continued rhd Chevs and Pontiacs -Canadian -cars available in our showroom till 1968
So after this information, would the Lumsden car-right hand drive- be a Canadian or Australian car ?

Roger Dowding

12-28-2018, 10:02 PM

Milan Fistonic, Ray Bell and John McKechnie - Guys -thanks so much for all the extra information - now gathered on one thread too !!.

Milan - interesting that Colin didn't venture too far, Pukekohe, Matamata [ Alan Boyle may have more photo's of it as he went there to watch around that time from a showroom on a corner ]
Race number 112 appears on all the photo's I have so must be from the same meeting in December 1964.

*** October 2019 The Austin Healey 4000 of P A T [ Peter ]McLoughlin a Healey 3000 with the Austin 4 litre A125/A135 Six installed was raced at that meeting - more on this car on the Austin Healey thread - a story in progress at the moment.

What will the next car be that we look at ?? -

Roger Dowding

12-28-2018, 10:07 PM

Roger- the wikipedia probably covers only the American market.- thus left hand drive
All right hand drive were Canadian assembled, usually base models- different specs to USA.
Safe to say I remember Diplomats, but not many of these shapes.

Agree John Mck, and I also know it is only as good as guys like us who contribute information which gets picked up by Wiki .... !!
as you mention NZ had a lot of US cars that were actually assembled or CKD packed in Canada - unlike Australia where many were chassis and front boywork - to scuttle then local coach builders [ like Holden ] finished them off with there own but similar bodywork.

Ray Bell

12-28-2018, 10:13 PM

John McKechnie

12-28-2018, 10:52 PM

Adding some more NZ content about Aussie cars., I hope no one minds-
I am a Motor Trimmer-40 years at it-, so I get to see details about different country cars that most wouldnt-.
1-1936 Austin 8 sedan...had Holden plate where Austin usually is on firewall
2-LIP and EIP Vauxhall , were only available as Roadster in Aus.
3- Have trimmed 1937, 1938, 1939 Ford V8 and Chevrolet Roadsters...not convertible. Aus only model.
A roadster has side curtains, a convertible has wind up windows

Spgeti

12-28-2018, 11:06 PM

John I think Vauxhall also made in Aussie a Ute ....Vagabond ?

John McKechnie

12-28-2018, 11:54 PM

Vagabond Utes are the support class at Bathurst 1955..
Late night Vagabond drifting Parramatta road Saturday nights.
Duna derbies with Vagabond utes with the trays full of yahoos at Bribie Island sunday afternoons?

Long live Utes.

Roger Dowding

12-29-2018, 05:38 AM

John I think Vauxhall also made in Aussie a Ute ....Vagabond ?

Bruce, I thought the Vagabond was an EI series Vauxhall Convertible 53-57 [ two door ] Holden also did a LI series 47 - 52 ?? Ragtop too !!

a 1953 Vagabond - P.S. - Vauxhall EI series was also built in Switzerland !! as a Van ..??

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The comment re the LI series - think they may have been coachbuilt - not by Holden ??
Could be the start of some other thoughts -
Not a Vagabond but the Australia only Vauxhall Caleche ..

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John Mck - could just imagine drifting an EI Ute .. a mate had an LIP, he was in Northern Sports car club, had wide rear wheels under grafted on Escort Mk 1 round flares, an inline Hurst shifter for the Vauxhall gearbox - took the tree of the column.. had twin carbs - went well in a straight line and sounded good 2262 cc of sheer power ..

Roger Dowding

12-29-2018, 06:07 AM

John, this De Soto is one never seen in Australia...

And Roger, I doubt that GM pressed panels for any US models after Holden production started. All CKD stuff in Chevs and Pontiacs, with Pontiacs having Chev running gear in the latter stages, probably from about 1961 onwards.

Pommy Fords (Prefects, Anglias) might have been pressed in Broadmeadow or Geelong. Likewise Vauxhalls at Fishermens Bend.

Ray, would agree the built bodies would have been pre - 1948 when the 48-215, later FJ came along .. although look at the Vauxhall stuff, was that Holden bodies or another " Coach Builder " .. Caleche and Vagabond ..

Ray Bell

12-29-2018, 12:09 PM

To be honest, I am only guessing about these things. I know some strange things happened, particularly pre-war. Willys bodies became Vauxhall bodies and so on. But by mid-1949 the demand for Holdens would have stopped anything much happening with body pressing other than for the home-grown cars. All the same, I seriously doubt that any GM car had a body made in Australia other than one made by GM-H.

The Vagabonds existed in the earlier shape as well, like the Caleche body, I'm pretty sure. There certainly were utes in the Vauxhall range, but mostly labelled as Bedfords IIRC, at least until the later shape came on the scene (like the cream car above). A lot of that stuff would have come from England as CKD packs and been assembled in Australia.

I am pretty familiar with the Chrysler stuff in the fifties because of contacts I've made over the years and stories I've written for Australian Classic Car magazine which required some research.

Roger Dowding

01-02-2019, 06:01 AM

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Roger Dowding

01-26-2019, 11:43 PM

January 2019, Good turnout but the overflow carpark was not full, there were two other events on though ; at Orewa and Hampton Downs, plus the 30 year rule - didn't seem to be imposed strictly.. UN7284 was there as a young 28 year old !!

Here from a previous event; August 2017 ;

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No photo's downloaded yet, ERC [ in a modern ] and Kevin H [ in the 80's Celica ] were there and I think I saw Geebeez too in the distance.

Photo's will follow in a few days as away from home and using other peoples Wifi and data.

Milan Fistonic

01-27-2019, 11:09 PM

Seeing you have been discussing utes I thought I should post shots of this Ford Prefect Ute that was at the Thames Wings and Wheels on Saturday.

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Roger Dowding

04-09-2019, 10:43 PM

Jim Bennett a well known car builder and racer from Dunedin has kindly sent me his story of the Furi cars and their racing.
I am in the process of converting the document so it can be shown here ;

As a start - here is a photo from Jim of his cars at Dunedin Autospectacular in 2010 ;

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The idea of a story all started when I published photos of a " Jaguar powered - supercharged Special " I had seen in Dunedin in January 1984 at the Fryatt Street Sprints ; from that the Bennett Family commented on what the cars was, the fact that Furi 2 only did the Otago Sports car Club Sprints on the Saturday - The Vinatge Car Club Races were on the Sunday in January 1984.
- posting the photos again. [ must correctly rename the " Special "ones

Scene of the Sprints

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The Car - Furi 2 apparently ;

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The Jaguar engine - Supercharger - from one those wierd horizontally opposed Commer engines TS3 2 stroke Truck engines.

Jim Bennett wrote of the engine in Furi 2 well one of them as both GMC 6 and Zephyr were consdiered.
" Parts were being gathered for this car when I was offered a cheap Mk 7 Jaguar engine and about the same time was given a big supercharger off a Commer TS3 2 stroke diesel. These unusual engines had 6 pistons horizontally opposed in 3 cylinders operating through a series of connecting rods and levers to a crankshaft under the cylinders "

61409

More to follow once I have printed and scanned the article - which has photo's inserted - I have some of the same photo's separately from the Bennett Family.

Roger Dowding

04-28-2019, 06:26 AM

Working on the story - which not only includes cars called FURI - the Specials but includes a couple of modified Wolseley's
a 6/80 that became a BMC / GMC and a 4/44 too !!.

6/80 " 6/80 used a 2215 cc 72 hp (54 kW; 73 PS) straight-6 single overhead cam. "
GMC 6 advert - the car for sale - says " 276 ci GMC 6 " - think that it was actually a 270 ci - which is 4520 cc so twice the capacity of the Wolseley "

The BMC / GMC Wolseley 6/80 - that must have been a 6 / 100 something
The GMC 6 engine had been used by Gerald Hoare in a dragster [ rail ] before Jim decided use one - they were readily available.

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Jim wrote about the car
" GMC engine was fitted with one of Gerald’s milder cams, I did a bit of work on the head including planing of 4mm off the face to bring the compression ratio up to 9:1. Two borrowed SU carbs, from a Mk7 Jaguar, and a free flow exhaust completed the engine modifications while a "bullet proof" Packard 3 speed gearbox was adapted "

just part of the story
The car was listed for sale after Jim owned it for a time ; Graham Woods archives

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More to come - have read the whole story from Jim Bennett - just having fun with the photos.
- " Watch this Thread / Space "as they say

Roger Dowding

05-05-2019, 03:19 AM

A couple of photos from Jim's collection.
of the BMV - Built from " Bits of Many Vehicles " - Furi 14.
The car is well used

2019 a tour
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2011 an earlier tour
both in the South Island.
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Article from a recent issue of " DriveSouth. " - Jim shared the article on his Facebook page.

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Still working on a bigger article on all the Furi's #1 to 14 and beyond.

Roger Dowding

05-05-2019, 03:39 AM

The Marlborough Car Club have ' digitized ' and posted much of their archives - including lots of photos of the Renwick Road Races of the 1960's -including the Renwick 50.

a couple of photos one from MCC archives and some programme details.
These are of the Saloon Races.
Mixed field as this was practice
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This from Floyd Dini ; 1963 Austin Prattley in the Herald - the Mini must check that out.
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Race 5 from 1963 -Graham Woods archives Allcomer Saloons Scratch Race

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Race 7 from 1963 Graham Woods archives Allcomer Saloons again Handicap Race

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Front cover of the programme - the 3rd National Renwick Races - Ron McPhail archives

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Map of the track - there were apparently 3 variations - this is 1962 - Ron McPhail archives

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There is a Video recently uploaded from U -tube of the 1965 Renwick 50.
Will try and post it here - in a future post.

Roger Dowding

05-06-2019, 12:40 AM

Two sets of photos of the Allcomer Races. from the Marlborough car Club archives.

" Renwick Road Races Saturday 16 November 1963
The start of Wellington driver Wayne Fuller's action on lap 4 during the all-comers race in which he finished 9th in his Humber 80 1592cc, after his spin
Thanks to John Penny for scanning, Marlborough Car Club historian Barry Voss and John Pierson for these images and notes "

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" Timaru driver Ernie Sprague, MK3 Ford Zephyr, 2553cc has a moment coming off the West Coast Highway into Alma street on lap 4 of the all-comers scratch race. Sprague went on to win this race. Also in the action is Wellington driver Wayne Fuller having a spin. He recovered to finish 9th in his Humber 80 1592cc.
Thanks to John Penny for scanning, Marlborough Car Club historian Barry Voss and John Pierson for these images and notes. "

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" Renwick Road Races Saturday 16 November 1963.
Coming into Alma St off the West Coast Highway, Timaru driver Ernie Sprague, Ford Zephyr MK3, 2553cc holds a slender lead over Christchurch’s Ray Archibald, Jaguar 3.8, 3718cc.
Sprague went on to win this all-comers Saloon scratch race with Archibald 2nd. Archibald had won the earlier over 1300cc saloon car scratch race with Sprague 2nd.
Thanks to John Penny for scanning, Marlborough Car Club historian Barry Voss and John Pierson for these images and notes. "

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Race 3 the First Allcomer Race - entry list - Graham Woods archives;

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Not a big field but many well known Drivers.

Roger Dowding

05-06-2019, 12:46 AM

Humber faces Chev - Giff Tait in the Chev Coupe, after Wayne had Spun the Humber. see previous post - tried to have 7 photos.

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Story from the archives - which are being posted on Facebook and shared to "South Island Motorsport" and Old New Zealand Motor Racing ".

" Nelson driver Giff Tait in his 4640cc Corvette V8 powered 1938 Chevrolet Coupe arrives on the scene of Wellington driver Wayne Fuller’s spinning Humber 80 on lap 4 of the all-comers race.
Tait went on to finish 4th and Fuller recovered to finish 9th.
Thanks to John Penny for scanning, Marlborough Car Club historian Barry Voss and John Pierson for these images and notes. "

The link to the Renwick 50 video - 4;30 minutes long.

" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3wmJvxoOU8&fbclid=IwAR1HJXmUKaP-RcHhDxN8zAuvAhoq3gSYZ6BkILIDm4BU_l7hJpOcEX8kyQM&app=desktop "

Roger Dowding

05-06-2019, 01:57 AM

" Renwick Road Races Saturday 10 November 1962
Barry Cottle (Dunedin) in his Lola Climax 1098cc takes a look at the photographer as he passes.
He was placed 3rd overall in a sports car race early in the day and first in Class A up to 1500cc.
In the “Renwick 50” race Cottle finished 3rd behind 2nd placed Chris Amon (Bulls) driving a Maserati 250F 2495cc, second (Amon’s Cooper Climax did not arrive in time for the meeting) and the race was won by Angus Hyslop (Hastings) driving a Cooper Climax 2495cc.
Thanks to John Penny for scanning, Marlborough Car Club historian Barry Voss and John Pierson for these images and notes "

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John McKechnie

05-06-2019, 03:16 AM

#147- Giffs Coupe....Nice Coupe, lovely Coupe..Great Coupe...283 small block.We need to breed these and get more on the track

Roger Dowding

05-06-2019, 04:54 AM

#147- Giffs Coupe....Nice Coupe, lovely Coupe..Great Coupe...283 small block.We need to breed these and get more on the track

Chev Coupe's yes yes yes John Mck.
Would love to see them again. I once as a young 20 something looked at buying a 1938 Four Door sedan, in the early 1970's.
Closest I actually got to owning a Chev was this one in 1;24 scale - needs a bit of rebuilding, orginally put together in 1969/70 still have it. As I have told Chaindrive and others - on my list of things to do, a winter job. Glue and Paint and a lot of care required.
Kits by AMT -made in New Zealand by Tonka - have an unmade too!! - hence the two boxes in the photos - another task.

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I built it with the Six and twin carburettors, made the V8 motor - just for display on a stand - or in another car.

Roger Dowding

05-07-2019, 04:50 AM

Renwick Road Races Saturday 16 November 1963. another Marlborough Car Club archive

"Sports Cars and Specials scratch race of 6 laps, 9 miles, class A up to 1800cc and class B over 1800cc. No.4 is Ron Rutherford from Christchurch 260m Zephyr 2742cc, here leading Kelvin Brown from Nelson, Buckler 90 1172cc, with Charlie Bensemann from Motueka watching from the hay bales in his Stanton Special 6124cc.
John Riley from Manurewa won in his Lola-Ford Sports 1498cc in 8 minutes 35.6 seconds. Rutherford was 3rd in class B and Bensemann 5th. Brown was 5th in class A.
Thanks to John Penny for scanning, Marlborough Car Club historian Barry Voss and John Pierson for these images and notes."

61785

The Stanton is the " Cropduster " wearing a Mistral Sports Car style body and Kelvin Browns Buckler has a Jarvie /Hawke body - they were " made concurrently with " the De Joux bodies that a number of Buckler had in the 1960's.

Think the Buckler is in this photo too - not at Renwick.
It is behind Josh Timms in the Austin Healey 100S, with the Ransley Riley - Don Stewart, ACE111 - Wally Darrell and Bill Harris in the Alfa P3, from the Harris family archives- I think the Healey Corvette is behind the Alfa P3.

61786

Hoping that Kelvin Brown *** can confirm about the Jarvie bodied Buckler in this second photo - colour scheme "similar " - as Milan states stripe is different
** Kelvin believes it is Fred Mclean in the ex Doc Langley Mark 10 Buckler - he adds "car is missing

Oldfart

05-07-2019, 02:12 PM

Minor comment re the 'glass bodies. Jarvie was not before the de Joux became available. They were produced concurrently, although maybe AMW (de Joux) was in more demand and as Ferris had a full time job as a window dresser so were not readily available on a short time scale?

Milan Fistonic

05-07-2019, 05:49 PM

Quote - colour scheme looks right.

They look different to me. The white stripe in the top photo is straight, whereas the other one slopes from front to back.

Roger Dowding

05-07-2019, 09:12 PM

Roger Dowding

05-07-2019, 09:14 PM

Quote - colour scheme looks right.

They look different to me. The white stripe in the top photo is straight, whereas the other one slopes from front to back.

Thanks Milan - I found out it is a different car the ex Doc Langley car - believed to be driven by Fred McLean - car is missing according to " Buckler " sources Kelvin Brown and others.

Good to know the thread is followed - all corrections welcome.
Cheers Roger D

Roger Dowding

05-08-2019, 05:08 AM

Before Furi Cars ;

“I became interested in car racing when I was quite young. My older Brothers Ivan and Cliff both purchased Morgan sports cars in the late 1950’s and joining the Otago Sports Car Club participated in motorsport all over the South Island.

A little before this I had witnessed the first two motor racing events I had seen which probably had me hooked. Beach racing at Nelson 57/58 and the Dunedin Road race several weeks later.

My strongest recollections of this event are of Ross Jenson, who won the main race, in the ex Stirling Moss 250F Maserati. This was a four year old formula one car! [ Photo to come in post #167 ].

Also : Archie Scott-Brown driving spectacularly in a Lister Jaguar, in the Sports Car race. "

- Photo's 1, 2, and 3 Start of the Sports car Race Dunedin 1958

61793

61794

61795

Photo 4 during the race
61796

Oops by the Morgan - while the single seaters go past- my comment
61797

Furi Cars to follow with Furi 1.

Roger Dowding

05-10-2019, 02:11 AM

The story is in Jim Bennett's own words, most of the photos from the Bennett Family archives Jim and son Warren Bennett - a couple of Jim's photo's I have now managed to download,

From the previous part of the story ; The photo's

Bill Harris at Nelson beach Races 1957

61845

Dunedin 1958 - the Racing Cars and Specials
Ross Jensen in the Maserati
RA Vanguard, Jensen in the Maserati 250F Bruce McLaren in the Cooper behind Jensen and Ron Roycroft in the Ferrari far right.

61846

The Story ;
" FURI – The beginning

Cliff , had collected enough bits to start to build what was intended to be an Austin 7 special. The engine had already been upgraded to a Ford 8 as these could be obtained for the same price as an Austin and were more durable. However shortly after, car dealer. Sid Cottle had acquired a Ford 10 single seat speedway type midget and Cliff purchased this with only the minimum of encouragement from his kid brother. The only condition was that I would buy the Ford 8 motor for what it cost him and he would throw in all the other bits and help with construction and fabricate an aluminium body for me.

The Midget Special ; Finally uploaded - had to convert from png file *******47

61900

Pre Furi One ;
This was when I was 14 and many of my high school exercise book covers testified to early body styling attempts.
It was agreed that I would pay off these parts with money from my after school job at Dunedin Electroplaters.

Toolmaking Apprentice.
Cliff had been getting some replacement thrust washers made for the Model T differential in his Midget. This work was done by the engineering firm of Wilson and Wilson who had recently been bought by Doug Ross and Gerald Hoare (ex employees of J & AP Scott Ltd respected engineers in the city). I had visited Scott’s, previously, with a few others from my class at Tech and was quite impressed with the range of machinery and variety of work being done. Cliff mentioned to me that one of the staff at Wilson & Wilson had told him they may be looking for an apprentice in the new year. Doug Ross was a car trials competitor of note and one time Otago Sports Car Club President. Gerald Hoare had a very quick Chev Coupe which he fitted a modified powerful GMC truck engine and had also built what was one of the first “dragsters" in NZ (11.8sec 1/4 mile in 1961) while a staff member rode a very quick Triumph "drag" motorbike that he had made. What better place for a budding car constructer to serve an apprenticeship?

I was on their doorstep on my way to High School the following Monday with my school reports to hand. This was something of a surprise to Doug and Gerald as they said that they hadn’t really discussed this position to any degree. However they gave me an interview and at my suggestion permitted me to start work part time after school and during the August holidays as a trial. I never mentioned to them that the Electroplaters were reducing part time staff and I was still paying off Cliff for the Ford 8 engine so there may have been some ulterior motive in my apparent enthusiasm for starting at the engineering works.

A few years after completing my apprenticeship I had the opportunity of acquiring the shareholding of Doug Ross when he decided to quit the business and became co director with Gerald Hoare.

Gerald Hoare
I first became aware of Gerald at the first Otago Sports Car Club standing ¼ mile sprint, that I saw (1958). He had 1939 Chev Delux Coupe which he had repowered it with a 4.5 litre ex army truck engine. As a confessed “hot rod” enthusiast he had done significant modifications to the engine to increase the performance. He sourced performance camshafts and other parts from the USA.

This was difficult in those days as one could only purchase US$1.00 postal note per day from a post office. He used to leave work as soon as the bell rang at 4:30 and try and visit as many Post Offices as possible before they shut at 5:00pm.

I recall also a ¼ mile sprint around 1959 or 60 where there was a good selection of “modern” high performance cars. Jaguars Xk120 & XK140, Aston Martin DB4, Austin Healey 100S of Fred Losee and a C Type Jaguar sports racer driven by David Young from Timaru. The Chev coupe had fastest time of the day beating the C Type Jaguar by about 1/10th of a second doing a low 15 second time. He also drove the Chev to Tramway Road near Rangiora (and back) where the NZ speed records for cars and motorbikes were set. The Chev was officially timed over a flying ¼ mile at in excess of 200KPH - 126MPH as I recall. Fast in those days for a road legal saloon
"

Roger Dowding

05-12-2019, 03:19 AM

Moving on from Jim's early motoring memories to his first car - that he built
Furi 1.
Made from FoRd and aUstIn parts - hence the name.

" FURI (registered 1964)

I had run the car more or less in chassis form at a Hillclimb and later when most of the body was near complete it was duly entered in a grass circuit race near Kaitangata. A name was needed to register the car. As it was made of mainly Ford and Austin parts, it seemed appropriate that some letters from these names be combined to create the name of F.U.R.I.

A bit later I participated at a Waitati hill-climb where enthusiasm exceeded ability to the detriment of the Austin 7 front axle. The FURI performed a “wall of death" emulation on bank of the tight corner near the top. As the Austin axle assembly seemed insufficient to stand up to this abuse a split Ford 10 axle was fitted which improved handling immeasurably.

While the body was being completed, by Cliff, I persuaded him to allow me to borrow his ex aircraft cabin supercharger. With a larger bore Ford 10 block this gave the car somewhere around 65-70hp with a weight of around 500kg.

After a 4 year gestation the completed FURI was painted in an unusual shade of light purple. The paint was obtained from a painter who had incorrectly programmed his colour mixer. At the first major event for the car, the Nelson Beach Racing Championships, 1965, it performed creditably. The car was able to head off a young fellow named Trevor Crowe in a surprisingly quick elderly MG fitted with an overhead head inlet-valve Ford Prefect engine.

I had qualified for the race for the fifteen fastest cars. I made a good start but was being overtaken on a regular basis by the really quick cars. Attempting to re-pass, under braking, Wally Darrell driving his disc braked Zephyr powered ACE 111, was not a good idea with the FURI ending among the hay-bales.

Racing was curtailed for the car when a rear radius arm broke during the main race because it was hitting on the battery which seemed to be doing double duty as a bump stop. An independent rear end was created and this is the way the car competed for the next few years.

The engine was OK for short events such as hill-climbs and grass circuits but was marginal on longer sealed tracks. Running costs were low but a lot of time was required to keep the motor reasonably reliable. In 1967 a Teretonga, after setting an unofficial lap record, in practice, for specials up to 1200cc the crankshaft succumbed.

A contributing factor may have been the motor running way beyond 6000 RPM in top while slip-streaming Eddie Lipparts fastback Daimler Dart. On removing the engine from the gearbox the flywheel fell off. The crankshaft was broken into 4 pieces. A bit of the crank was still in the front and rear mains and the rest a mangled heap in the sump.

I later re-powered this with a 1500cc 4 cylinder LIP Vauxhall engine with MGB Cam grind, head work and a pair of SU carbs. The performance felt similar to the supercharged Ford 10 and was a reliable road car loaned to brother Cliff and a cousin on occasion for their work commute. "

Furi 1 seen here at Hoopers Inlet Hill Climb in 1964 think this is Hill Climb mentioned at the beginning.

61893

The car appears in the article from " DriveSouth "- posted again
Have another photo of a young Jim sitting in the car when painted a purple colour but it will not upload [ operator error perhaps ] It is the same photo as in the article below;

61894

Roger Dowding

05-23-2019, 05:56 AM

A photo provided by Kwaussie [ Patrick ] who knew the Bennett brothers and sent me this ;

Cliff and Ivan were Jim Bennett's older brothers and were into racing cars in the 1950's they both had Morgans and were as mentioned members of the Otago Sports Car Club.

Photo not dated but I have asked Jim Bennett if he knows when [ 2008 ] and where [ Dunedin ] he did so edited
[ and excuse the spelling of Lorraine D.... -my bad ]
Cliff Bennett and the Lotus based Special,Jim and Furi 14, Ivan and the 1922 Lorraine Dietrich which has been in NZ since 1922. It will have a great story too !!
The Good Oil on the photo by Gerald O'Brien - it featured [ cropped ] in an article on the Bennett Boys in the Otago Daily Times back in July 2008 with notation " The retired Bennett brothers helped each other building this trio of vehicles. Photo by Gerard O'Brien "

Details of Cliff's car from Jim also ;
" Cliff’s car is a Lotus Europa that he bought as a write off. It had been in a collision and went on fire burning everything non metal. Cliff fabricated an aluminium body.

I helped Cliff fit a Fuego 1600? hemi pushrod engine & 5 speed gearbox with twin dellortos and a mild cam grind it was much nicer and quicker than the original 1400 Renault engine & 4 speed. More powerful on a rolling road than a good Lotus Elan.

He did much of the body work on all three cars, Ivan’s Lorraine only had scuttle forward, one door and the mudguards. "

62003

Coming soon Furi 2,the Story - The Jaguar powered and supercharged car with a Commer TS3 supercharger
[ Roots type blower ].
That Commer TS3 could be a side story.

Another photo that I have found from a guy who owned Furi 5 at some stage Russ Cunningham from Bay of Plenty

62004

This car story will be later on.
Also more photo's from the Bennett Boys early years ..

Roger Dowding

05-24-2019, 12:11 AM

A link to the story from the " Otago Daily Times ".

This is where the photo was used ; photo by Gerald O'Brien ;

62013

The story '

" https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/brothers-share-driving-force " .

Roger Dowding

05-25-2019, 05:39 AM

" Every male likes looking at a sexy rear end, right? "
not my words but agree. - written by Warren Bennett - his Dad's car..

62036

Furi 9 the car called Impulse ; story will follow !!

Roger Dowding

05-26-2019, 11:59 PM

As has been mentioned I first saw this car in 1984 and just knew it as a " Jaguar powered Special " until one of my photos was followed up with information from the Bennett's, Jim and Warren.

This is Jim's story of Furi 2 .

" FURI 2 (registered 1979)

I had acquired a Raymond Mays cylinder head but didn’t have enough courage to cut two cylinders off to make it fit one of the Consul engines in the Wolseleys.

When the Wolseleys were sold the image of a GMC powered sports car remained and morphed into a Zephyr powered car with a Raymond Mays cylinder head instead. Parts were being gathered for this car when I was offered a cheap Mk 7 Jaguar engine and about the same time was given a big supercharger off a Commer TS3 2 stroke diesel. These unusual engines had 6 pistons horizontally opposed in 3 cylinders operating through a series of connecting rods and levers to a crankshaft under the cylinders.

In a short time the GMC then Zephyr became a supercharged Jaguar powered device. A "simple" clubman body style was envisaged. As I had only a single phase electric welder the chassis was made out of heavy wall 40mm square tube. This was also reasoned as being more durable for long term road car use.

After the rolling chassis was finished it was found that "power bulges" would be everywhere to cover the tall engine and supercharger. It had been hoped that brother Cliff might be prevailed upon to do an alloy body, again. However he was assisting Ivan in the complete restoration of a 1923 Lorraine Dietrich for which the only bits of body were not much more than a door and a bonnet.
Cliff had also acquired the remains of a Lotus Europa which had been run over by a Chev Impala. The body was destroyed in the ensuing conflagration. It was obvious that my project would be a fair way down the body-builder’s list so the decision was made to try my hand at making a fibreglass body.

The chassis was built one Easter. Three months were needed to build the buck from which the body would be moulded. Three days to lay up the glass. Three years to grind out the buck, fill and sand the body and finish the thing off.

Just after it was finished Lin Neilson suggested that I take it to a "Country Gents" meeting at Levels. Approval would have to be sought from the organiser. He said that because it had a Jag engine it was OK so we were allowed to participate.

Furi 2 continued – a couple of my own photos follow;

Practice was spent trying to come to grips with the performance which was more than 200 hp greater than anything else I had raced. As well I was somewhat rusty having not been on a track for over 10 years.

Raced over the next ten years some improvements were made to the handling and braking but greed for horsepower and increased boost made the car less reliable. Even with this it was driven to and from many events. The car has always been driveable after an event..

The car was re-chassied in 1991 with “Frank Costin Lister” type spaceframe in light gauge tube. Falcon limited slip diff, Mk4 Cortina front suspension, Falcon front discs with Mazda RX7 Series 4 - 4 pot calipers, Turbo Commodore rears. SD1 Rover 5 speed gearbox. More room inside the car plus better routing of the exhaust has made this car much more pleasant for touring. "

Photos of Furi 2 ..

Chasing Thelma Bennett in Furi 6

62043

My photos Dunedin 1984 Festival Meeting.

62044

The engine and supercharger

62045

Details of the Commer TS3 Motor and twin roller supercharger.

62046

Have a couple more photos of the car but need to be changed to Jpg file for posting - a work in progress

Roger Dowding

05-27-2019, 11:32 PM

There is more to come on the FURI cars 3 to 9 [ The Impulse ] and on to 19 these stories willfollow.
In the meantime getting back to Dunedin in 1984 There was a visitor from Australia Racing - Bruce Polain in this car - well this is my photo of the engine ;

The guy working on it has been identified as Graham Snape

62053

The car is the " Wylie Javelin " built by Arthur Wylie in 1950. a very advanced car for its time - a bit like Hec Green's RA Vanguard.
A small photo - will try to get a bigger version of this photo and the SCW story

62054

The field getting ready for the single seater and specials race ; The Wylie Javelin in the third row

62055

The entry list for the event - thanks to " Annie Swain " Fb name - the real person [ TRS member Mark D - Mark Dawber ] was racing a huge Pontiac saloon.

62056

This Pontiac - posted before - still have the car.
62057

The Saloon entry list posting again
see the great Doug Algie was racing too !!
62058

There are a couple of articles from 1951 Australian Motorsport and another from 1966 Sports Car World on this car I which will publish here once resized.

Milan Fistonic

05-28-2019, 12:29 AM

You could have bought the Wylie Javelin in 1954 for 1150 Australian Pounds. The advert was in the magazine Australian Motor Sports that was edited and published by Arthur Wylie.

62059

Roger Dowding

05-29-2019, 05:41 AM

You could have bought the Wylie Javelin in 1954 for 1150 Australian Pounds. The advert was in the magazine Australian Motor Sports that was edited and published by Arthur Wylie.

62059

Must send that to Bruce Polain [ with your permission ] who raced the car here in NZ in 1984 - he has sent me a link to an article on the car.
Cheers, Milan

Roger Dowding

05-29-2019, 06:03 AM

Furi 2 photos - Jim Bennett's

62063

62064

The Midgets Jim Bennett's own photo 1964.

62066

Furi 9,The Impulse - an entry list photo Southern Festival of Speed 1993- car was not quite finished according to Jim

62065

Roger Dowding

06-01-2019, 04:35 AM

From South Island Motorsport Fb page.
Photo1 from Allan Dick -front of the field with the DR Promotion Vauxhall PA at the side.

62088

Photo 2 from Kelvin Brown archives - Kelvin is in the green Ford 8 Special Saloon far right at the back.
The cars further back in the field - the DR [ De Reske Cigarettes ] Car has moved

62089

The entry list for the Races from Graham Woods. Four Hotels putting up the prize money and Cigarette sponsorship too - when you could !!

62090

A full set - except I don't have the results .. will keep looking as Graham Woods may well have the " Motorman " comments on the meeting.

Amendment the first Four placing for the Saloon Races - posted #178 by Milan Fistonic - copied below.
" 1st 108 Paul Fahey, 2nd 30 John Ward, 3rd 7 Warner Collins, 4th 44 Tony Lawrence. ".

The final Race ; read Milan's story regarding the events and incidents ;
" won by Fahey ahead of Ward, Bill Norrish (in Nazer's Anglia) and Innes. "

Milan Fistonic

06-01-2019, 06:11 AM

The results for that race were: 1st 108 Paul Fahey, 2nd 30 John Ward, 3rd 7 Warner Collins, 4th 44 Tony Lawrence. The reason Ward doesn't appear on that entry list is there were two saloon car heats and the organisers moved some cars from one heat to the other to even up the fields. Bryan Innes and Jim Mullins were moved to what was supposed to be the over 2000cc race where they finished first and second ahead of Rod Coppins in the Zephyr-Corvette and I. Dow in his 3.8 Jaguar. Coppins was leading but had to pit but was black-flagged as a radius-arm had come adrift. After a brief check he resumed the race and still managed third place. The final was won by Fahey ahead of Ward, Bill Norrish (in Nazer's Anglia) and Innes.

Roger Dowding

06-05-2019, 02:02 AM

The brothers Ivan and Cliff in their Morgans, Fred Losee in AHS3802 the 100S that was with Josh Timms and Fred in the early 1960's.
[ More on that 100S in the Austin Healey thread

62126

Some of the Boys in their own cars ; in this Jim is in Cliff's Car from a newspaper cutting

62127

Roger Dowding

06-11-2019, 06:29 AM

Furi 1 at Hoopers Inlet in 1966 - has a different nose and grille to the earlier photo.

62166

Another shot of the car in 1966 guise
62167

Jim Racing at Nelson in 1964 in Cliff's Midget, Jims notes
" The Nelson one where I am driving brother Cliff’s Midget he is following back a bit in his GT Cortina powered Morgan. We were in the handicap race for Sports & Specials up to 1700cc. Cliff started last and I was 5 seconds ahead. The pic was taken about a lap from the end and I passed the rest of the field. Cliff overtook me in the same place a lap later to win. "

62168

Then again in Nelson 1965 in Furi 1. - Jim's notes;
as on the photo - " Nelson 1965 Jim in Furi 1, Rob Christie Singer Austin Trevor Crowe MG T "

62169

Both photos from Nelson Mail- archives The Nelson Mail spread of photos from this meeting has been posted on South Island Motorsport Facebook page - it includes this photo and many others !

Finally a Warren Bennett photo from Skope 2009
Furi 2 and Furi 6 both feature and the C Type Replica with others.

62170

Roger Dowding

06-23-2019, 02:14 AM

"
FURI 3
This car was given a FURI number as the rolling chassis design and construction was supervised by me. A friend had acquired a burnt out Mazda 929 (rear drive) and a Mistral body. I sketched up a proposal for a backbone tube chassis similar to that used by TVR. For ease of construction the owner was encouraged to use a Vauxhall Viva front suspension as this has a lightweight sub-frame with good geometry and the steering rack is already mounted. He constructed a mock up wooden spaceframe around the mechanicals and had me approve this before duplicating it in steel tube.

A short test drive in this car showed it had a stiff chassis with no scuttle shake, reasonable ride and neutral handling.

FURI 4
A stillborn project. (rolling chassis)

The intention was to produce two similar cars along the lines of a Fiat X19. One car was to be fitted with an Austin 1800 engine and gearbox, mounted in the rear, the other with a 1750 Alfa Romeo engine grafted onto an 1800 gearbox. One monocoque chassis was constructed to my design by my brother Ivan in 10mm plywood. This was fitted with Herald front suspension and Honda Civic front struts in the rear. This project proceeded no further because of proposed Land Transport regulations for home made cars which gave some concern.

FURI 5 (registered1988)
Built for our Son, Warren, who had misfortune to write off his Mk2 Cortina.

After selling only the engine and gearbox enough "handy bits" had been accumulated so that it was decided that a simple "clubman" style sports car could be built using these.
A space frame chassis of light gauge tube was fabricated. At the front a Triumph Herald suspension was adapted, fitted with the Cortina hubs and brakes. At the rear the Cortina diff with a 5 link setup was used. An OHC Vauxhall Victor 2000 engine, which had been lying under the bench, was adapted to a Mustang 2 gearbox, also surplus to requirements from another road car. This was clothed in an alloy body with a forward hinged one piece bonnet and mudguards of fibreglass.
This car raced at several Classic Motor Racing Club events where it performed well and proved to have good handling. This was a satisfactory way of using up some of the parts around the place."

62268

** New Photo of Furi 5 by David Clearwater with the Elin and Graeme Sausage Curries Buckler
Jim Bennett noted " FURI 5 built for son Warren. 2 Liter OHC Vauxhall " added 9 Aug 2019

62666

This is Furi 5 - when owned by Russ Cunningham - now yellow like Furi 6 but not as different Rego number.

62270

FURI 6. (registered1988)

" With the reduction in local content of the car industry D.C.Ross's toolmaking work had reduced. While plans were being put into place to diversify, the company decided, with my prodding, to introduce a make-work scheme to investigate the viability of a kitset sports car.

A prototype would be completed built along with a second - chassis kit. The prototype was intended as a demonstrator that would show how far this kit could be taken. The chassis, similar to a modern Lotus, were fabricated from folded sheet metal and mig welded in a jig. Simple form tools were made to press out suspension arms to allow various Ford running gear to be fitted.

Ford parts being chosen for the availability. The prototype was fitted with Sierra front uprights and brakes, Sierra differential with a purpose made multi link rear end. The 2.8 V6 engine left over from my Sierra wagon was adapted to a five speed Toyota Celica gearbox and squeezed into the chassis. Because this motor is so compact it is mounted a long way back in the chassis giving even weight distribution which undoubtedly assists in the handling.

Budget constraints led to the company using the moulds from FURI 5. This may not have been the best choice as I had always considered this body style to be something of a compromise.

The car has performed on the race track better than anticipated, being very competitive in South Island classic racing.

When Thelma left D.C.Ross in 1989 she was allowed to uplift the prototype as a redundancy settlement from which she has derived 10 years of pleasure giving a number of the guys a run for their money on the race track and improving her skills as a driver in the process..

FURI 6 was sold in 2001 and the new owner replaced the supercharged Ford engine with a Rover V8. Performance is about the same."

Some photos of Furi 6.
from Bennett family archives Jim Bennett and Warren Bennett

62269

Here Furi 6 race #10 in a group with the single seater midget style racer of Jim Bennett - Furi 9 [ Impulse ] more about that car soon - and the model being made of it by " Chaindrive ".
Furi 6 has been modified as detailed by Jim in the notes;
This is a recent [ 2019 ] photo.

62271

Roger Dowding

06-30-2019, 11:49 PM

Next two cars Furi 7 and 8.
Not a long story, but the next one on Furi 9 " Impulse " will be.

Jim Bennett's own words ;

" 1990 FURI - 7

After leaving D.C.Ross in 1990 I completed the other chassis built by them but changed the body to a hopefully a more attractive style. This chassis was similar to the V6 but had more basic running gear. Escort front suspension components, steering and live rear axle were fitted along with a Fiat 1600 twin cam and 1600 Toyota Celica 5 speed gearbox. The body was made primarily of fibreglass in a more traditional sports car style with separate long flowing mudguards and running boards. Lessons learnt with the prototype have meant that the cockpit was a little wider to allow more elbow room.

The car has been raced by myself and others while in my ownership participating in the Southern Festival of Speed and other Classic Club events from 1990 to 1994.It was often driven to meetings. The car was subsequently sold to a Wellington owner in 1994.

1991 FURI 8

This car was built complete for a client. It is similar but simpler than F7 using a Fiat 132 as a donor vehicle using as much as possible from this car including engine, transmission, suspension etc. Fitted with 1800 Lancia engine 1997.
"

No photo of Furi 8, but this one of Furi 7 - by Euan Cameron.

62353

Another photo from Warren Bennett of Seven ..

62354

Furi 7 - This is how it is on Carjam ;

" Year: 1990
Make: CUSTOMBUILT
Model: MK 7 FURI
Colour: Green
Body Style: Sports Car
Plate: PM314
Engine No: 533105
Chassis: 906701P "
Vehicle Type: Passenger Car/Van
Seats: 5
CC rating: 1,608cc
Fuel Type: Petrol
Assembly Type: Unknown
Country of Origin: New Zealand '

Those Rego Plate numbers ;

Only this one shows up

" Plates History

Plate Effective Date
PM314 29-Oct-1990 "

Am now confused as Rego JH5215 shows this on Carjam. ***

Thought it the same car but with the larger motor is it Furi 8 ?? Rego Plate dates from 1979. Furi 7 is 1990 ?? " PM314 "

*** Mystery solved as looking at other photos JH5215 was the number plate for Furi 2 the Supercharged Jaguar Sports car that I photographed back in 1984 at Dunedin - must have done a " Frank Karl " and swapped plates around. Jim says he did - can only drive one car at a time,my Uncle had the same view - Revenue gathering by " The Gumment " as Jim Knox President of the FOL called our Government

62394

" Year: 1979
Make: CUSTOMBUILT
Model: FURI
Colour: Blue
Body Style: Sports Car
Plate: JH5215
Engine No: D46507
Chassis: 002
Vehicle Type: Passenger Car/Van
Seats: 5
CC rating: 3,740cc
Fuel Type: Petrol
Assembly Type: Unknown "
Plates History

Plate Effective Date
JH5215 04-Oct-1979
Registration

Registration Status: Get Full CarJam Report
Plate: JH5215
Plate Type: Standard
Origin: Import from
Used as: Private Passenger vehicle
Cause of Latest Registration: New
NZ First Registration: 04-Oct-1979 "

Furi 9 story to follow - and a bit more on the " Chaindrive " tribute to the Car - thanks Tony

Roger Dowding

07-05-2019, 01:04 AM

Some posted on other threads thought I would group them here.

The Lowline Cooper - comment from Allan Dick Classic Autonews " That is the Angus Hyslop, Jim Palmer, Red Dawson, Pat McLaughlin car owned here by Charlie Conway - who may still own it. "

[ Sir ] Stirling Moss about to take it for a run - Sheepskin Seat Cover for extra comfort - or to pack the seat out

62393

Other cars
Austin Healey's of course.
Mark Donaldson 1956 BN2 and Steve Hill AN5, Tony Van de Water AN5 behind

62389

Maserati 250F the one owned by Owen organisation at one stage [ BRM ]

62390

62392

The Ron Roycroft Ferrari
62391

Roger Dowding

07-14-2019, 05:59 AM

Received some information from Steve Day who now owns the Briggs Mercury V8 Special as owned and raced by Peter Leversedge in the 1960's

Steve is looking for ' period ' photos of the car raced under #33 by Peter Leversedge.
If people have any photos - please let me know by PM or post on here and I will pass on to Steve, by Email.

On this montage Peter and Wally Darrell ACE 3 are shown together. Nelson Photo News article from the 1965 Tahuna Beach Races

62462

Here are some more of the Tahuna Beach Races - 1961 - Have now downloaded years 1961 - 1967.
Nelson Photo News archives which are now Digitized

1961
62463

62464

62465

Roger Dowding

07-16-2019, 03:40 AM

Steve Day - current owner and restorer of the car in 2014/15 sent me this picture of the car as it is now.
He commented that some people don't like the colour scheme but " Mr Briggs " the creator does, so Steve is pleased.

The car in Colour

62475

More of the period look in Monchrome [ my edit of the photo ];

62476

Any photos of the car would be appreciated.
As mentioned on the thread about Steve Holmes new Book " Historic New Zealand Racing Cars " - which I now have
[ an early birthday present to myself ] not to be confused with the book mentioned below
It gets only a brief mention in Graham Vercoe's 1991 book " Historic Racing Cars of New Zealand ".
Would like to know more about the Car.

Roger Dowding

07-16-2019, 03:47 AM

Maserati 250F the one owned by Owen organisation at one stage [ BRM ].

Reposting a photo and some of the story - from Jim Bennett [ Mr F.U.R.I. ]

62477

Jim Bennett wrote ;
" Images of 250F Maserati ex Amon etc. Owen Organisation. You may be aware , but, in the book by Tony Rudd who was employed by BRM at this time they had purchased an early model 250F to use to assist with development the 4 cylinder 2.5 F1 car.
From memory it had been entered in a UK event but had not been delivered in time. Prince Bira - who had an earlier (the first 250F ?) was not entered for the event and was prevailed upon to loan his car to BRM.
In the event it was driven by Ken Wharton who managed to crash it heavily so that BRM took over Bira's car and gave him the newer 250F. This would have been the car he raced in NZ. Rudd set out the modifications that BRM made to the Bira car, Dunlop disc brakes and wheels and significant stiffening of the chassis.
So that the car that Amon raced was probably one of the better developed 250F Maseratis. "

Roger Dowding

07-19-2019, 02:46 AM

Been finding more on this car and also the Tahuna Beach Races - this time from - where sadly Giff Tait was killed in his Valiant.
Giff had driven various cars over the years including a late 1930's Chev Coupe - I love Chev Coupe;s as does John Mck.
Where have they all gone ?? only a couple / few racing these days.

The January 1968 Tahuna Beach Races - " Nelson Photo News " archives Issue #87 10021968;
One of those Ford 10 Specials again going past the rolling Valiant.

62504

62505

Close up of one photo the top one second page above - Is it the Briggs on the left ?
62502

Any details on the others cars and Entry Lists would be appreciated !

Photo of the Briggs in 2011 from Gary Talbot

62503

chaindrive

07-19-2019, 03:00 AM

Nelson line up. Last Stuart Special at left grid

Roger Dowding

07-19-2019, 05:08 AM

Nelson line up. Last Stuart Special at left grid

Tony thanks -so not the Briggs oh well have to keep looking.
Connection of course with Peter Leversedge involved with the Briggs and a Stuart car too !!

Roger Dowding

07-29-2019, 05:48 AM

The Furi 9 [ Impulse ] the Imp powered car - the story to come soon.

In the meantime a couple of photos of the car - one of which shows the engine - from a display in Dunedin - photo form Jim Bennett.

62596

The Cute rear end - as seen on the " Motorsport in Miniature " thread; Photo by Warren Bennett

62597

A better photo of where it started with Furi 1 in 1964 - this is taken in Nelson in 1965-66 - Jim Bennett archives.
Have Monochromed the photo. More of the Era.

62598

Roger Dowding

07-30-2019, 04:59 AM

1992 FURI (9) IMPULSE

The first part of the story [ about 2/3rds of Jim's words on the car ]

" After building Furi 7 and 8 over subsequent years I also did some soul searching about the kitcar business and not knowing where the Land Transport regulations would end up I came to the conclusion that if it was successful I would end up with another engineering business and if not I would be pouring money down a black hole. So that a little self indulgence seemed in order.

A proper old type single seater like the midget raced in the 60's always held some appeal. Having always liked the appearance of the Jamieson twin-cam Austin 750 of 1934 I decided to create a look-a-like. I would have preferred to use a water cooled 4 cylinder motorcycle engine but the rules of the Classic movement meant using oldish components. A Hillman Imp seemed the only really suitable engine that I could think of that would have a similar specification and similar power to the original Austin which had a very special 750 alloy twin-cam putting out around 112 BHP at 7000rpm in 1934!

A boot load of bits were acquired from a long time friend. As design progressed on the Austin Look-a-like it was decided to utilise Imp parts for most of the car including the front hubs and kingpins, attached to a piece of tube for an axle, rear mounted gearbox inverted got the drive the right way and conveniently lowered the propeller shaft 100mm allowing a low seating position like the Austin. As the Imp steering rack was used this meant that the engine had to be leaned a bit to the left for the steering column to clear the distributor. A Shorrock supercharger from my squirrel like collection was fitted behind the motor, above the foot-well, and driven by a shaft running alongside the cylinder head. To tidy the appearance up another Imp cam cover was fitted over this tipped over at the opposite angle to the engine. This gave the appearance of a twin-cam a bit like the Austin and has provided as much fun listening to comments as driving the car does.

Words and Photo's Jim Bennett;

The Engine - photo as posted the other day from Dunedin ;

62602

another photo with the The late Ralph Watson looking on. Showing the Engine

62603

The Car at " Levels " April 2019. Again showing the Engine

62604

The Car in action Warren Bennett photo - [ small ].

62607

Tony Lucas tribute to the car.
Photo Tony Lucas.
Under construction;

62605

The car now completed ;
Photo Tony Lucas

62606

More to follow : soon

Roger Dowding

08-03-2019, 11:57 PM

Jim Bennett is still racing Furi 9.

Some more of his story - plus some other notes on the car from Jim.

First from his story ;

" Furi 9 Impulse – continued
Various troubles persisted for a while with head joint sealing but these have been overcome with the performance of this little car is quite outstanding. It is often able to keep up with much larger engined cars particularly on "handling" circuits.

In 2017 I upgraded the engine and transmission to a carefully built Rally Imp specification using a block fitted with wet cylinder liners.

We had a very successful Southern Classic series in Feb 2019. Competing in the Vintage Car Class at Ruapuna, Levels and Teretonga, on subsequent weekends, the car managed to start and finish 13 races with 10 being in one of the top 3 finishing places, including five wins "

Notes from an event in 2014.

" I ran the Impulse at the Gore V.C.C. Hill-climb at Josephville (near Lumsden) again yesterday (16th), Second place again! Beaten by 0.06 seconds on the last run by Grant Clearwater in the Capella. This car is Zephyr engined (with Raymond Mays head). The Capella was built in the mid 1960's in Southland originally fitted with a supercharged Vanguard engine. The first time I raced at on Teretonga, in 1966, I competed against this car. It was quicker than my car then too. In the Photo Stewart Quertier is presenting Grant the winner's trophy. Alex McLennan, standing behind Stewart, also one of the organisers, competed as well. His Vauxhall Special that he built in the 1950s is in the background. "

Ref #61 photo Gore VCC Hill Climb– 16 November 2014.

62623

Ref #48 - VCC Hill Climb at Sandy Bay, Motueka 2014

62624

Ref #72 Highlands Park 2015

Notes from Warren Bennett, Jim's son about the photo; [ below ]

" that's nephew Gareth Bennett sitting on the wheel. Oldest brother, Ivan's son. Jim as usual in the pilot seat. I look forward to reading your story. Fyi, when you get to it, Furi 5 was mine, i raced it 3 times I think, Ruapuna once, Teretonga once and Levels was its debut and it broke the exhaust upon launch of it's first race, and the whole thing from manifold to end shot out under the back wheel and into the front of Keith McIvor's Fiat Dino. "

[ It should be mentioned that Warren Bennett is a model builder of some note as well - more modern cars than Chaindrive ]

62625

Re #53 Levels 2019 - with the Lycoming - event as mentioned above by Jim Bennett.

62626

Ref #52 Another photo of the car in 2019 - someone will know which track and who is in the Red car - on the grid.

62627

Finally a Tony Lucas photo of the the Jim Bennett Furi 9 Impulse with Peter Leversedge's Special.
[ In miniature of course as Chaindrive does ].

62628

Roger Dowding

08-04-2019, 02:56 AM

Furi 9 ;
Jim Bennett has posted today on the Facebook group " New Zealand Built Racing Cars " a longer version of the Furi 9 story and the photo of the car at Dunedin in the foyer of the " Dunedin Art Gallery " - in 1990.

I will relay the story here - together with a couple more photos ;
The story is more detailed on the " Why - build the car " and the " How - the construction details.

Story to follow soon ;

Roger Dowding

08-09-2019, 04:43 AM

More on the Impulse to build the Imp powered Special that is Furi 9;

Jim Bennetts own words as posted recently - borrowed with his permission;

" Background to the basis of the car;

The Impulse Story
Denis Jenkinson’s Racing Car Pocketbook, which I have had since a teenager, has a car in it which caught my imagination. More so when once during a visit to the Donnington Collection. Jenk’s book describes the Austin 750cc twin cam racing car as “like a Grand Prix Mercedes Benz in miniature”.
The original three cars and two spare engines were built in the Austin motors toolroom for the 1936 season at a cost reported in excess of 300,000 pounds. Running on alcohol fuel these specially designed twin cam engines produced, for that time, an amazing 116 BHP at 7500 RPM – the maximum safe speed for the Austin Co’s dynamometer. In competition the engines were limited to 9000rpm. This little jewel of an engine was fitted into a small single seater chassis. On tight circuits such as Crystal Palace, Donnington and the Shelsey Walsh and Prescott hill climb these cars were competitive, often winning against contemporary opposition of more than double the engine size. At Brooklands, among a number of records, they set the 750cc 10 mile record 122 mph.
The cars also competed successfully in Europe with many class wins at hillclimbs as well as racing at the Nurburgring winning the up to 1100cc class.
As only two cars remain, the possibility of my being able to obtain one seemed remote in the extreme. The next best option seemed to me to make a car which would look and perform like the original. An accurate replica was dismissed as everything on the originals was purpose made at great cost. Whilst I had some access to good engineering facilities such use is limited. "

Building the Car

" “A car using Austin 7 parts was not even considered as the ”Twin Cam” used few if any parts from these cars. Here in the South Island it is acceptable to race at classic events with a retrospective vehicle. That is, a car of older design, using old parts but being recently constructed. I would have preferred a late model water cooled motorcycle engine but the chances of acceptability by the classic fraternity was deemed remote. The decision was made to use Hillman Imp donor parts on the basis that the engine was a similar lightweight design. With the addition of a Shorrock supercharger, which I had squirreled away, it was hoped that similar power to the original would be obtained.
The garage of a friend was raided for Imp spares whilst and advertisement in the local newspaper supplied the remainder. “No picking and choosing you take everything or nothing”.
A rudimentary channel section chassis with tubular cross members and a tubular front axle were constructed by closely studying and scaling photos and articles of the original. The front axle is sprung with a transverse leaf spring whilst two quarter elliptic rear springs mount a De Dion tube rear axle. The Imp engine attaches rigidly to the chassis in front of the driver with a short drive-shaft from the clutch passing beneath the seat to a reversed, inverted Imp gearbox to provide a low seating position.
A shaft alongside the engine drives a water-pump and the supercharger mounted behind the engine. This is prettied up somewhat by being hidden under a spare Imp cam cover. A by product of this is that bystanders invariably think the engine is actually a twin cam.
The engine has been modified to Rally Imp specifications. That is it has been converted to wet cylinder liners with slightly larger forged pistons raising the engine size to 998cc. All high strength bolts and studs of higher quality material than original. The Imp Sport cylinder head has enlarged inlet valves and some gas flowing. Double valve springs and a billet camshaft are fitted. The block and head clamp the gasket with the aid of metal “O” rings to keep compression in and water out. A stronger diaphragm clutch is mounted on a light weight flywheel. An oil/water heat exchanger is used to keep both temperatures near the same.
The body is mainly aluminium with a fiberglass nose and tail. Simple oil and water gauges are mounted each side of a large rev. counter, cut from a Fiat 850 instrument cluster. The dark green body is offset by MGB wire wheels fitted with approved historic race tyres.

The result is a Hillman Imp special based on a 1930’s design with similar appearance, performance and handling to the Austin 750 Twin Cam. A weight of 400 KG and around 100hp provides rapid acceleration. Top speed is around 175 KPH. It recorded a standing ¼ mile time of 14.02 seconds in 2019.
Raced since 1993 the performance of the car has exceeded my expectations. It took several meetings to gain enough confidence to start chucking it around but it is really quite easy to drive and is enormous fun. While only occasionally being a winner it generally runs with the quicker old style front engined cars. For me the biggest buzz is sliding through a turn in close company with other competitors and seeing them on the limit – working their steering in and effort to stay ahead. Something you can’t see with moderns.
The car is FURI design number 9 and is called Impulse. I’m informed it is like the nature of the constructor. "
- Jim's own words.

Potential driver of the car in about 7 -10 years time ? Jim's Grandson

62667

The young drivers might currently enjoy this Furi - model by Chaindrive -not sure if would approve though !!

62668

Jim has built a car for his Grandchildren but the Young Fellow above has outgrown it I think ; more to follow on Furi above Number 9 - up to 19.

Roger Dowding

08-09-2019, 06:33 AM

Cover courtesy of Steve Nesbitt :cool:
31242

Have just uncovered - rediscovered a series of photos in a montage from a newspaper called " Dunedin Midweek " It has the montage of photos of cars at the event and also a lot of the local car dealers adverts - a bit of scanning to do !!

Roger Dowding

08-22-2019, 04:01 AM

Photo from Peters own archives - a " framed " portrait of the Car at Tahuna[nui] 1960's - undated.

62820

Must get back to the " Nelson Photo News " for more of the Beach Races..

Roger Dowding

10-14-2019, 01:12 AM

Dunedin 1984 - the first time I saw this car race .

Have posted photos for Mark D and the " Aircraft Carrier " Pontiac Bonneville, and Mark had added other photos of the car.

There were Sprint Meetings in Queenstown in 1986 and 1987, Mark D attended them.
This set of photos from Gary Talbot - part of the Bramwell Family collection and some of Mark D's own collection - showing that Pontiac.
The car being attended of to the right, with Mark's wife holding the Umbrella

63513

Some of the competitors - including the Lister Jaguar - of Paul Leuch !!.

63508

The Lister an XK140 and the nose of the Pontiac
63509

Waiting behind another " Aircraft carrier " a Chrysler / Mopar Product a big Plymouth
63510

Pontiac- starting off
63511

The Car this time at Wigram - Bramwell Collection Mark D aka Annie Swain, noted that had not seen this photo.

63512

Roger Dowding

10-15-2019, 05:13 AM

A good read of Allan Dick's story of the Impulse and Jim Bennett and his Furi Cars.
Front cover of the Magazine

63536

Furi 9 .. first page of the article..

63537

Roger Dowding

10-16-2019, 11:47 PM

Back to where the thread started Dunedin Street Races ' 84
Cutting from the " Dunedin Midweek " Wednesday 1st February 1984
This was the Centrespread of the issue - the only pages I kept.

63555

The notes are incorrect Car in Photo #9 Top centre is not the " Clark 1952 Cooper Bristol " but the Haig Citroen Special, which was driven by Ralph Smith - who also had the Lycoming there !
Have looked up some of the cars History - story to follow.

The newspaper cutting is interesting as has Cars for Sale on the back of the spread.

63556

63557

Buy of the week a 3.0 litre Ford Capri Ghia Mark 11 for $14,999.

Roger Dowding

10-17-2019, 12:08 AM

Haig Citroen Special
a bit of the History

" “ It gave up its front assembly, gearbox diff driveshafts and the 1991 ** typo [ 1911 ] cc 4 cylinder Citroen Motor
With the Traction avant [ front wheel drive ] working behind the driver in reverse.
The little car also contained many lightweight aircraft parts “ GV
“ It was built during 1952 in Timaru. “ GV
Car painted Blue – indications from a 1950 Light 15
Car is a rear engine single seater Racing Car.
History of Ownership and Competition
Doug Haig Race Number 18
1953 Dunedin - the NZ Championship Road Race [ NZ CRR ] placed 6th
Details confirmed in the Vintage Car Club of N Z Otago Branch Book “ Racing Round the Houses “by Scott Thomson – published in 1983
1953 Mairehau - placed 5th
1953 Lady Wigram placed 5th
1953 C W F Hamilton Trophy Race – Handicap placed 1st on Handicap

1954 C W F Hamilton Trophy Race – Handicap placed 1st on Handicap

1956 “ saw the little blue rear-engined special sold to Vic Blackburn from Waipara in 1956.
He painted it green “ GV
1956 South Island Championship Road Race [ SI CRR ] no details --

1957 Wigram placed 2nd
1957 SI CRR no details --

1958 Wigram placed 5th

1959 Waimate “ Specials Race “ placed 1st
No mention of this in the Book “ The Racing Years 1959 – 1966 The History of the Waimate 50 “
1960 The Waimate 50 book mentions lap times for Specials
“ Citreon [ Citroen ] 1 min 21.5 ( Blackburn, ’60 ) “

In all these events engine described as a 1911 cc 4 [1911/4 ] so the Citroen Light 15, later DS and ID 19 Motor.

Graham Vercoe states “ Ralph Smith owned it for a time. He had a spectacular finish at Invermay Hillclimb when the car became airborne on a hump just after the finish line and demolished three fence posts, a few standards and a few metres of number eight “ GV

Car owned /driven by Ralph Smith in 1984
1984 Dunedin Road Race “84 “ car entered by Ralph Smith – painted Green Race number 18
Listed as 1950 model with 2088 cc engine [ a Standard Vanguard or Triumph TR motor ].
***see note below - Car now back with a Citroen Motor..
A photo of the car appears in a Montage of the Competitors from the “Dunedin Weekly News “
1st February 1984

1991 – In his book ” Historic Racing Cars of New Zealand “Graham Vercoe states that “ The bright yellow car is presently owned and raced by Les Marshall. “ GV

Main History – Graham Vercoe Books,
- the car history from “ Historic racing Cars of New Zealand.
- race entry’s –results from that book but mainly “ The Golden Era of New Zealand Motor Racing “

Word in Italics are mine.

Some photos of the car from 1953 to 1984 and more recent

C W F Hamilton Trophy 1953. 1st place on Handicap - Photo Graham Vercoe Book - Christchurch Star

63558

Placing at Waimate - 6th 1959

63559

The car at Dunedin 1984 - from the Montage on the "Dunedin Midweek ".

63560

On the Grid with other Single Seaters [ Racing cars ] and Specials -my own photo Dunedin 1984 [ posted before ].
Another car in the photo at the back is the Wylie Javelin which came to New Zealand in 1954 but did not start at the NZ GP meeting that year - was driven by its creator Brian Wylie .in 1984 driven by Bruce Polain - the recent [ 1980's on ]- owner.

63563

More recent photos of the car

Brian Bonisch recent photo at a South Island meeting - in the paddock.

63562

Car at Ruapuna 2010 [Skope meeting ] with Peter Leversedge in close company- photo John MacDonald.

63561

New comment *** from Ralph Smith " The Citroen did have a vanguard motor for a short period of time while the Citroen motor was being rebuilt and was fitted about six years ago. "

Roger Dowding

10-18-2019, 06:16 AM

Interesting field of cars in 1956 .. NZ Championship Beach Race ..Pines Beach Thanks to John McDonald for the archive photo.

The Haig Citroen, driven by Vic Blackburn - also seen here the Ransley Riley, and a couple of Austin Healey's
- I think Arthur Kennard ** in the front row - this would be before the V8 was fitted, but the bonnett has been fitted with louvres.
Back row the Duncan Rutherford Lycoming left next to the famous #77 Special now owned [ since 1965 ] by Peter Leversedge - would have been driven by Bill Harris at this time [ note from Peter L ] and a Midget style car,another Special, and a Healey
Front row the Haig Citroen, ** Arthur Kennard Healey, Ransley Riley, another Midget style car - not sure about the " single seater " on the right - front row - looks familiar .. with the white painted snout !

some notes are from Peter Leversedge John McDonald and others.. from the South Island Motorsport and Old New Zealand Motor racing facebook pages.

63577

jellywrestler

06-02-2020, 10:33 AM

I gather the circuit changed a lot over time, here are three variations.
1954 the Initial NZ Championship Road Race, Easter Monday April 1954.

32257
Start / Finish on Fryatt St, left into Halsey, right into Jutland left Wickliffe over the bridge onto Ward then kink into Burns left into Willis then right onto Fish left into Rattray and to the Start Finish.

1961 Festival Road Races Saturday January 28th 1961. a very different course.

32258
Not much detail just names for the corners from the start ascent to the kink then descent to the Glen - hairpin, then curve around to kink at Service Station another kink at Kensington School the Railway to a sharp left at Tramshed corner, back to Start / Finish

1965 The Final Road Races - prior to the Revival meeting in 1984 from Scott Thomson's book " Racing Round the Houses "

32259

A better map the course runs around the Railway Yards.

Here is a description of the course from Scott's book.
1965
32262

Hope this is some use ;, and good to put the information here on the thread.

I've just read through this book which is interesting although it shows three tracks one 54-56 one 1960-62 and one from 1960. the book starts at 1953 also shows results from 1957 1958 but doesn't tell us what circuits were used which is a little confusing.

Oldfart

06-02-2020, 12:53 PM

Jelly, I can't be bothered going back through the 11 pages here, but I am pretty confident the answer to what you have posed is in this thread.

Roger Dowding

06-02-2020, 10:22 PM

I've just read through this book which is interesting although it shows three tracks one 54-56 one 1960-62 and one from 1960. the book starts at 1953 also shows results from 1957 1958 but doesn't tell us what circuits were used which is a little confusing.

I have a couple of Dunedin Programmes, mentioned in the thread but think that they are 1954 and 1961 so probably the maps shown already. Will have a look later, cheers.

Oldfart - thanks for the comment, I can't remember what I have posted - have a fine day here so no time today cheers to you too !!.
PS thanks for the info on Ivy Stephenson - via PM ..
Roger

Milan Fistonic

06-02-2020, 11:36 PM

Roger Dowding

06-03-2020, 05:21 AM

Jellywrestler. These are the maps from the programmes I have.

This is the circuit used in 1955 and 1956
66566

A new circuit was used in 1960 and used again in 1961
66567
66568

This circuit was used in 1984
66569

Milan - Thank you for that - had not seen the 1984 circuit for some time, well somehow lost or gave away my programme. have the Cover and Entry lists for most races [ gained from others ] but not the full programme

I have another version of the circuit I think - as mentioned before will have to go back through my stuff - they are probably on this thread though back a few pages ..

Roger Dowding

06-03-2020, 05:35 AM

I gather the circuit changed a lot over time, here are three variations.
1954 the Initial NZ Championship Road Race, Easter Monday April 1954.

32257
Start / Finish on Fryatt St, left into Halsey, right into Jutland left Wickliffe over the bridge onto Ward then kink into Burns left into Willis then right onto Fish left into Rattray and to the Start Finish.

1961 Festival Road Races Saturday January 28th 1961. a very different course.

32258
Not much detail just names for the corners from the start ascent to the kink then descent to the Glen - hairpin, then curve around to kink at Service Station another kink at Kensington School the Railway to a sharp left at Tramshed corner, back to Start / Finish

1965 The Final Road Races - prior to the Revival meeting in 1984 from Scott Thomson's book " Racing Round the Houses "

32259

A better map the course runs around the Railway Yards.

Here is a description of the course from Scott's book.
1965
32262

Hope this is some use ;, and good to put the information here on the thread.

The 1965 circuit again - this is from the Vintage Car Club Otago Branch book written /edited by Scott Thomson
The image above added again - brings them to the same Page.

66570

Jw - hope it helps, and I am pleased the thread is being used.

jellywrestler

06-04-2020, 09:07 AM

Jelly, I can't be bothered going back through the 11 pages here, but I am pretty confident the answer to what you have posed is in this thread.

have been through and it's not clarified mr Oldfart. There's a missing link with a shortened fryatt street circuit that i know was used in 1958 as i have the program. It was an observation, rather than a critiscism, a history book with some very well researched stuff but gaps as i saw it. I've found this too with the Levin circuit book, there were two tracks, it was lengthened to meet trans tasman series requirements and clearly the author had all the programs on hand, yet there was only the latter circuit diagram in there. I'm currently writing a book on motorcyle road racings circuits in new zealand, looking at approx 130 different circuits including variations. I'm only covering bike years and luckily I have got the data i need.

jellywrestler

06-18-2020, 05:36 AM

what year were these as it seems this circuit ran two different directions?

jellywrestler

06-18-2020, 05:40 AM

interesting corner at dunedin late 1960's, railway lines a meter from the curb terrible on a bike, not much fun on a car either i'd expect

Roger Dowding

06-18-2020, 05:48 AM

Roger Dowding

06-19-2020, 05:42 AM

Those Railway lines through the middle of a corner of the track in 1969 - caused some problems.

Graeme Staples photo of the corner.

66701

Graham Stoot and another rider on the corner - the lines causing a problem.
Graeme Staples archives photo

66702

Roger Dowding

06-21-2020, 02:31 AM

Jw - Graeme - thanks for that image - have seen a couple of photos of the 1950's /60's version of the Street Circuit where the surface changes dramatically and is rather bumpy.. must see if I can find them .. and repost !!

Not the Railway lines but the exit from a bridge in 1958 - The Sports Car Race with change of camber

66704

another corner with a Morgan in the sandbank while a couple of 500cc single seaters and a Cooper go past.

66705

Both photos from Jim Bennett archives - his brothers were racing Morgans at the time.
one photo appear in the Scott Thomson book " Racing Round the Houses "
- published by the Vintage Car Club of N. Z. Otago branch in 1983.
It credits the photo entitled " down we come " of the three sports cars of R J Blackburn ( Mistral ) Lawrence in the middle car and Edmiston in the #44 Morgan to the " Star 1958 "

The second photo is the Edmiston Morgan #44

Entry List for the Sports Car race

66706
Car #50 must have been a late entry - as not shown.
A good collection of Healey's in the Race George Lawton in his 100/6, Graham Pierce in the ex Seabrook Fowlds Ross Jensen 100S that is still in New Zealand, Arthur Kennard in the recently [ 1957 ] repowered Healey 100 - now the Healey Corvette R B Langley in a Healey 100 - is that Doc Langley ?. M Stewart in another 100/6 the 100 Six cars would have been quite new then- introduced in 1957.

Have put Jim Bennett and Graham Woods as credit for the entry list- part of both Guys archives.

There was another part of the track in the 1950's where the road was for a few yards [in old money ] metal then back to seal which caught a few out -now to find the photo !

jellywrestler

07-11-2020, 11:11 PM

so was this a one off meeting in 1984 or part of a new wave of meetings please folks?

Milan Fistonic

07-12-2020, 12:04 AM

so was this a one off meeting in 1984 or part of a new wave of meetings please folks?

I have programmes for meetings in 1992,1995, 1996 and 1998.

stubuchanan

07-29-2020, 04:33 AM

[QUOTE=Roger Dowding;73138]

another corner with a Morgan in the sandbank while a couple of 500cc single seaters and a Cooper go past.

66705(QUOTE)

Unusual to see Railway Station Tower in Dunedin road race photos. The sandbank seems to have been a fixture at all Wharf Circuit races; probably the only place on the track where cars were likely to hit a building. The building by the Morgan perched on the sandbank looks like a former pub on Google Street View - has a door exactly on the corner of Tewsley St where the cars turned right and back towards start/finish. Maybe that's one of the patrons leaning on the upstairs window sill.
Other years the track turned right towards railway and then left along Thomas Burns St.

Could car 14 be Merv Neil in the Cooper Climax he had just bought from Brabham?

Stu

Roger Dowding

08-06-2020, 03:28 AM

This from " Dunedin Photo Review " - which must be like the Town Photo News publications like " Nelson Photo News ".

Graham Woods found this piece and the source led me to a Website on Museums of New Zealand.
I could not find the actual Magazine on the site.

67169

Map of the Track 1959 and details of the event. from OSCC Wheelspin Magazine - courtesy Graham Woods.

67170

Must get back to the Jim Bennett story and his FURI cars. its been a while.

Roger Dowding

08-09-2020, 05:55 AM

Watched a Doco on TV3 CRC Motorsport about the 60th Anniversay meeting at Waimate - for the Waimate 50,the programme from 2019 was a replay but had been edited with a Tribute to Clark Proctor at the end.
The cars were great - a few favourites -
- the Lycoming Special,the Stanton Corvette, the recreation of the John Miler Dauphine Corvette and one of the Guys they interviewed was Joss Timms who raced there in 1959, and in an Austin Healey too - Joss later had the ex Fred Lossee Austin Healey 100S.
Well worth another look ..

Roger Dowding

08-17-2020, 05:59 AM

wrote this comment a couple of years ago on this thread;
" Further to September 2018 - Am going to use this thread for photos and news that doesn't fit into the Austin Healey or Northern Sports Car Club thread- will cover Specials and other events I come across that should be shared..
Roger 17th December 2018 ".

Have gathered more photos from Matamata, Waharoa Mt Maunganui, Northland events and was thinking of a new thread but -perhaps I should get this one renamed and used for " Lost Events " " Specials " that as mentioned don't fit with the AH or NSCC stories.
Also somewhere to put photos from Caffeine and Classics, Greerton Vintage Fayre and other shows I get to

Best get Steve Holmes or his Admin guys to retitle the thread - the photos don't really fit with lost race tracks !

--- " Dunedin 1984, other events, Lost Events and Specials and Shows "

perhaps.

Have started to post the Matamata photos on this thread and will follow with the Waharoa Grass Track races too !!

Roger Dowding

08-20-2020, 05:10 AM

The Scott - Given archive photo's - apparently the negatives were with Kenny Smith who gave them to Myles Hicks as he has the " Ruddspeed 3000 " Austin Healey, which was the Austin 4000 Healey by the time of the Matamata events. Car #34 in an entry list I have and #28 in the photographs

Here are the first set. #31 - #37 [ #34 missing ? ]

Saloon Cars - the Start
Front row - Anglia #44, #71 Mini, #85 Anglia
Second row - Mini and Mini
Then Anglia Mini A40 and at the back, Mini and A40 ?
67275

Sports cars - the Start - under the Bardahl Banner.
67276

Ford Consul 315 - Classic #36 D Jurie
67277

Zephyr, De Soto Colin Lumsden and a couple of Anglias - Cleaver Motors corner - where Alan Boyle took his photos - photos to follow
67278

Small capacity Saloons the start A40 Devon and VW in front - under the Bardahl Banner - 1965 as look like new plates Aluminium letters Black background !
67279

Humber 80, Fiat 1500, Anglia and Mini - Cleaver Motors corner [ says Hillman on the photo now corrected on the original scan ].
67280

Photos may be from different years as Start Line is different - see first two photos.
The Daimler in photo 2 stated as Trevor Sheffield - I need to verify this.

Will add details later as cars are identified from entry lists and note the year of the race(s) - have added some detail today 22/08/2020

More to come [ around another dozen - plus a couple more pages of entry lists from Keiron Guinness - who still lives in Matamata. He and his family were neighbours of my nephew who now lives in Brisbane - that small world again.

Reposting the Alan Boyle photos too - Alan was in the Showroom of Cleaver Motors.

Details added from comments recently by Rhys " Oldfart " and Kevin Hirst - whose Uncle took the photos as we have now discovered.

Oldfart

08-20-2020, 08:06 AM

My memory is playing games, the first photo is in Broadway, and I don't remember a start line there at all. As usual could be wrong, but perhaps a dummy grid, as it's not too far from the pits exit?
Colin Lumsden in the often mentioned De Soto behind the #35 Zephyr?

Milan Fistonic

08-20-2020, 08:51 AM

Kwaussie

08-20-2020, 12:13 PM

WOW Great new photos!

Oldfart

08-20-2020, 01:48 PM

The photo with a front row of Anglia, Mini, Anglia is absolutely Broadway, the 2 story building showing above the 4 men on the right is the "Wesley Building" where most Friday nights was what would later be a disco. It was where most teenagers in town spent Friday evenings. Being Wesley, it was obviously non drinking. The building is on the corner of Tainui and Broadway.
Obviously Broadway didn't have the median centre islands which were already in the middle of town as far as Tainui St intersection.
Likewise my memory says that going to the start was along the "non track" part of Meura Street while finished cars returned via the driveway about where the tennis courts are now. As always, memory caveat.

Roger Dowding

08-21-2020, 01:22 AM

" Oldfart " - Rhys and Milan,
- Thanks for your notes. It helps with identifying the locations, the cars and their drivers. It will enable me to better date the photos.
I put " 1964 " on many of them - which may be incorrect.

Programme Covers from 1964 - Keiron Guinness archives, and 1965 Myle Hicks [ from the McLaughlin brothers ] archives.

1964
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1965
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More photos to come later - they were initially posted by Ross Cammick in three sets of 5 or 6 photos on " Old New Zealand Motor Racing " Facebook page - Have been in touch with Ross about " borrowing " them.

Will be repeating some photos that have been on other threads.
This will get them together in a group fairly close to each other.

Roger

Roger Dowding

08-21-2020, 02:28 AM

The start finish line in 1964 was in Hohaia Street just before the Tawa Street intersection. In 1965 it was still in Hohaia Street but was moved to just past Tawa Street.

In 1964 the pits were in a corner of the Domain opposite the Brethren Church in Meura Street. In 1965 they were moved to the opposite corner of the Domain bordered by Hohaia and Huia Streets.

Milan, Thanks for this information - you had previously posted this Map which will help with locations - this show the pits in Huia Street so 1965.
From your previous comments track was the same layout and direction

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Angled for North
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Current Map [ per Google 2020 ] angled for North

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Roger Dowding

08-21-2020, 03:39 AM

More photos from the Scott - Given archives - thanks to Ross Cammick - via Myles Hicks and Ken Smith.

Again date may be incorrect - having issues definatively sorting out Race Numbers and Cars with events.
Need the full programmes from all years - Can anyone assist with that.
Jaguar 3.8 MK II C Keegan #55 , Chev Coupe, Ford B V8 Garth Souness, De Soto Colin Lumsden [ had race #61 and #63 according to entry lists - different years ? ]
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Kato Special Race #18
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Sports cars Daimlers and a Lotus 7 style car others ;
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Willys Corvette I W "Red Dawson #59, and Humber 80 - followed Ford Zephyr and Ford Consul 315 D Jurie has Race #36 in another photo.
- Alan Boyle and Ron Brown with others are in the Car Dealers Building - the big window - you can just see the people.
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Sports Car R Smith Austin Healey 100 Race #27
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Sports cars Steve Oxton Daimler #24, AH Pat McLaughlin #28, TR3 M Lucas #94 and a Daimler #26 ! [ T Sheffield ]
The McLaughlin AH 4000 has Race #34 in the entry lists I have
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More to come - including a couple of extras from Bob Homewood and Ross Cammick that were not part of the original post.

Roger Dowding

08-21-2020, 03:54 AM

More of the Scott - Given archives - They were a photographic Studio in Matamata at the time.

Steve Oxton in the Daimler
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1964 Saloons Fiat 1500 #34 and Mini Cooper #109 - 1961 - 64 Number Plates
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1964 Saloons - Souness Ford B V8 Coupe #155, Humber 80 [ not Hillman] Zephyr and Fiat 1500 - 1961 - 64 Number Plates.
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Mistral !
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1964 Saloons - Ford Zephyr Mk2 #30, Anglia #33, Humber 80 , Mini - 1961 -64 Number Plates
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Sports cars TR3, Daimler
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That is the rest of the sets of photos - a couple of the late Kerry Grant in a Triumph to follow

Roger Dowding

08-21-2020, 04:03 AM

Ross Cammick archives from the Scott - Given photos.
Kerry Grant #31 Triumph Spitfire - features in an Alan Boyle photo in a group 1964 races
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A Bob Homewood photo of the Spitfire #31 - 1961 -64 Number Plates

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The 1964 Report - results from Graham Woods archives - probably from Motorman.

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The 1965 Report - again results from Graham Woods archives.

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To follow - The Alan Boyle photos - taken from that Car Dealers Showroom - some from inside some from outside.

Roger Dowding

08-21-2020, 04:12 AM

Posted before [ I think ] - puts them all together.

Zephyr MK1 2553cc #144 J Armstrong and Chev 6 Coupe 3700cc #54 P Clarkson
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Plymouth Coupe
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Sports cars - Kerry Grant Spitfire, an Austin Healey, Daimler and TR3
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Coupes having an..Oops ! Ford Coupe #141 Chev Coupe Rod Coppins
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Ford Zephyr that #30 Mark 2
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Reposting the first photo as have lightened it - enabled me to see the car Race numbers

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Roger Dowding

08-21-2020, 04:23 AM

The Single Seaters - These from Keiron Guinness archives - unsure who was the photographer !.

Race #7
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Race #4
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Race #18
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Front engined - an older car can't see the Race number
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Keiron also had this a handwritten list of entries for race #13 The Matamata Festival Road Race;

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Unsure if the same event /year
Experts on the single seaters - please comment

Oldfart

08-21-2020, 06:01 AM

The front engine car is, I believe, the Lola FJ car, according to Keiron Spencer Black (Spinner), although I thought it was Histed at the time. I have no documents to confirm or deny.
I would say these photos of Keiron's are taken from a little further down Tui St from where Alan Boyle's ones were taken, the building opposite almost on the corner, was originally a car sales, according to Google Earth now the Pancake House.
Now I'll make a guess, I know Milan will correct me.
18 Dawson? 7 is a Lotus, maybe 4 is a Lola?
If Boyd is in the Lycoming, that list is 65, the previous year the results in post 230 say he was in the Valour.

Kevin Hirst

08-21-2020, 08:21 PM

More of the Scott - Given archives - They were a photographic Studio in Matamata at the time.

Steve Oxton in the Daimler
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Saloons Fiat 1500 and Mini
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Saloons - Souness Ford Coupe, Humber 80 [ not Hillman] and others
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Mistral !
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Saloons Zephyr Mk2, Anglia, Hillman/Humber, Mini
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Sports cars TR3, Daimler
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That is the rest of the sets of photos - a couple of the late Kerry Grant in a Triumph to follow
Morrie Given photographer was my uncle

Roger Dowding

08-22-2020, 05:31 AM

Kevin Hirst - what a small world mate. Good you get to see the photos
" Oldfart " Thanks for the information on the streets, and helping with the year.
I am actually at Te Poi at the moment only 15 minutes from Town - may have to visit tomorrow and take photos of the streets and corners.
Staying on a farm that was owned by Cyril Tuffey, now with his son Jeff, Cyril has lived around Matamata for many years and now lives in " Town ". As well as dairy farming, Cyril was also a Spraying Contractor in the Hauraki Plains [ Kerepehi ] and Matamata area.
He may well remember the Races.

Roger Dowding

08-22-2020, 06:34 AM

Small Saloons Race 1,
and Sports Cars Race 2,
March 1965 - same field of Sports Cars as Race 10 below
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Saloons Heats 1 and 2
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Saloons heat 1 - The same entry lists from Milan Fistonic
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Saloons heat 2 - The same entry lists from Milan Fistonic again.
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Sports Cars - Race 10
The Austin Healey 4000 #34 1965 I believe as the number is in the following Lap Charts
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Lap Charts 1965 meeting Race 10
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1st R McNair, 2nd W " Bill " Dunster AH 3000 #28 3rd B. C. " Charlie " Conway AH 100 #40 ? , 4th Pat McLaughlin #34 AH 4000
Can't see McNair in the entry list 1965 - late entry perhaps ?

Roger Dowding

08-24-2020, 05:30 AM

Had a bit of a drive today coming from the West - Kaimai - Tauranga Road, along Broadway, past Hohaia Street, Meura Street and Tanui Street - used in the course before turning into Arawa Street and heading North-ish.
No photos as the Navigator was in the car and it was raining.

At the time of the Race Meetings the "Town " was a " borough " - as noted in this Wiki.. post

" In 1865 Josiah Firth negotiated with Ngāti Hauā leader Wiremu Tamihana and leased a large area of land, including the future site of the town which he named after the pā.
Firth constructed a dray road to Cambridge and cleared the Waihou River so that it was navigable by his (small) boats.
Peria, on the outskirts of Matamata, was the scene of the Kīngitanga meeting of 1863.
Firth's estate later failed and by 1904 had been wholly obtained by the Crown and was subdivided into dairy farm units to take advantage of the new technology of refrigeration.
It became a dependent Town District in 1917, an independent Town District in 1919 and was constituted a borough in 1935. With the re-organisation of territorial authorities in New Zealand in 1989, Matamata became part of the Matamata-Piako District.
"

I notice in the photos by Alan Boyle of the Ford Zephyr Mark 2 Race #30 which is on the corner by the Library and Memorial Hall building [ must have been just across from Cleaver Motors as can see the Morris sign reflecting in the window ] - in the background is the Regent Theatre which is / was on Broadway on the North Side.

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The Regent Theatre and the AA Direction signs from this circa 1950 of Broadway shows a central median with the signs.

Photo from Richard Armstrong archives - Richard is a Motoring guy who took many photos in the 1960's 70's 80's of Rally and Racing meetings particularly in the Waikato area.
Checked and the image is Photo Stock when you Google " Matamata " - there are many images of the town in the 1950's 60's.

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Based on the current map the Regent Theatre building is still there, but not as a Theatre at Number 90 Broadway.
It closed in 1988.

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Another photo of the Theatre and a photo of the Memorial Hall which I first thought was the Council Chamber being next to the Library and where the current Matamata Piako Council Building is in Tainui Street.

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Looking for any more photos and information on the Matamata Race Meetings, Programme pages - entry lists, Newspaper cuttings etc..
Please post on here or PM me
Thanks

Roger

Roger Dowding

08-24-2020, 05:35 AM

Newspaper or magazine article from the 1965 meeting Glen Ducey archives.
Head Photo - Johnny Riley #17 2.5 Lotus #17 Graeme Park Plymouth Coupe #92 spinning
Middle photos - D Jeffries Cooper Norton #6, Brian Innes Morris Cooper #85 and a Zephyr
Bottom Row - Jim Boyd Lycoming #41, Andy Buchanan 1.4 Cooper #8, Cortina GT spinning R Elmiger [ spelling ] Cortina GT #76

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A photo of Johnny Riley #17 Lotus at Matamata from Graham Woods archives

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khyndart in CA

08-24-2020, 07:38 AM

Spinner stated that the Lola he drove at Matamata was one that he got from Johnny Riley in a deal for a boat !
The car a (Lola Mk2 / Ford) was first brought into the country by John Histed so it could be ready for the 1962 NZGP at Ardmore meet.
The car was then sold to Ken Smith and then onto John Riley before reaching Spinner.

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Ken Smith about 1963 in the Lola that S. Black drove at Matamata in 1965.

(Ken H)

Oldfart

08-24-2020, 01:33 PM

Kevin Hirst

08-24-2020, 09:26 PM

Grant Ellwood

08-24-2020, 11:28 PM

I started my apprenticeship at Cowling Bros, ford dealer's on broadway in 1957 Maurice Cowling,of speedway fame was the bosses son who had just started primary school about the same time. bradford truck was shop hack. parts guy had brough superior 100 commute bike.

Maurice Cowling was a great speedway driver, the King of Bay Park!

Roger Dowding

08-25-2020, 03:56 AM

Roger, my Dad was the Town Clerk of the Borough Council when the races were run. He was appointed the day the DC3 crashed on the Kaimais.
In the pic you have in post #231 of the coupes in a cloud of dust, you can see the Council offices (where locals booked their appointments for driver licence tests etc). Dad's office was right on the corner diagonally across from Cleaver motors. Next building following the race course was the little Public library, clad in fibrolite, then the Memorial Hall.
Ivan Toomey, one of the organising committee was on the council and perhaps Doug Turner too. Ken Gouk was the Mayor (Owner of Gouk Motors which were on Broadway.

Oldfart, Kevin H Ken H and others - thanks for the information - have just spent some time re examining the photos and will add comments.

I note in some of the photos the 1961 -64 Number Plates
[ Black Letters on Yellow background - last of the Old style 5 yearly plates ]
- which helps date the photos plus then with the race numbers for the cars can relate to the Entry Lists I have. " Borrowed " of course.

Will go back and edit the posts from the first on Matamata - Pages 11 and 12 [ Posts # 221 and #228 - #232 - adding Car Race numbers, Drivers where Identified and confirming / correcting the Date(s).

Appreciate all the notes and comments - Pleased that the events bring back good memories.
I know too, that " Oldfart " " Ken H " " Kevin Hirst " lived around the Matamata Piako / Waikato area at the time. Thanks to Milan as well, he is almost a local, living in Paeroa - just across the County border

Have also rediscovered this photo - which have now renamed so it sits with others on the Matamata story within my filing system { system - a complicated one } ..

Saloons " Allcomers " on the Start line [ ** Confirmed as 1964 ]
Ford Corvette #60 Johnny Riley, Ford Anglia #37 Ivan Segedin, Holden FJ G Harvey #48
Second Row - Willys Corvette I W " Red "Dawson #59 - The Jennings Spcl Fiat further back
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