Admitting it is the first step to recovery David.
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Admitting it is the first step to recovery David.
The Charlie Occhipinti Corvette at Calder Park...
http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/1162/95407899.jpg
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/214/co1h.jpg
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/6369/co2k.jpg
Hey Greg, that is awesome! Looks like its fitted with a set of Mawer wheels? Where is this car now?
...to answer Steve's question,which if you look at the order of 'posts' hasnt been asked yet!!????????????????Quote:
Originally Posted by Leo D
....this Corvette was puchased from Charilie by Steve Wherret/Holley Performance/Melbourne in a joint venture with Roger Condon a rigger on building site cranes,'Leo D' will post a photo soon in its Red/White (pearl) and Blue 'Warpaint'
Steve was the local Melbourne Holley 'Guru', asked me to drop in to his shop to discuss the Vette project,when I got there Steve subjested a run up to the lunch shop.."We'll take the 911'!!!......I'm thinking 'Right'...Whats Steve doing mucking around with this 'imported' stuff....so I buckle up,Steve hits the ignition.....Bawwww!!!!.....Thought..."Doesnt sound like a Porsche,sorta v8'ish"...Well Steve pulls ,first gear,then second gear then as he hits third...(we havn't moved forward yet!!)...SMOKE!! cant see for Smoke, we 'hole shot' out from the kirb....S.I.D.E.W.A.Y.S up the street....I think we went past 5 sandwhich shops before we tamed the Beast!!!..."SO, Whats in it "??? trying to appear casual......"I've just dropped a quick little 327 in and given her the 'new' Holley" treatment"!!!....Man I was impressed!!!...then I realised that we still had to get back to the shop!!!!!!!!!!!!!:p
Steve was a real 'Speedfreak',a very capable mechanic with an ability to get the 'Horse power' from his favourite weapon,the Chev Small Block, especially with one of his 'tweaked' Holley's,sadly, Steve lost his life testing a 'Hydro' race boat around 1980/81.
Will write about the Vette when the picture appears.......regards thunder427/MJ
Thanks Myles, will look forward to learning more about this car.
Har ha ha, yeah Steve did bring a transam-type car here to race in our NZ summer series that didn't comply to the rules but somhow he managed to get permission to race, he also brought a V12 BMW road car to drive from the motel to the race track and back, (Very impressive!) Funnilly enough he wasn't well recieved here for a few reasons, eg, he couldn't drive, the car didn't comply, he was promoting Austrailian "mineral" water here in NZ, (our's is the best in the world), and he had one silver cup/trophy (dunno where he found it), that he carefully put on the dashboard of the tow truck so everybody could see it. But I think he might have influenced the course of car racing in NZ, because it was the start of the Transam importing boom.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Holmes
PK.
Har ha ha, yeah Steve did bring a transam-type car here to race in our NZ summer series that didn't comply to the rules but somhow he managed to get permission to race, he also brought a V12 BMW road car to drive from the motel to the race track and back, (Very impressive!) Funnilly enough he wasn't well recieved here for a few reasons, eg, he couldn't drive, the car didn't comply, he was promoting Austrailian "mineral" water here in NZ, (our's is the best in the world), and he had one silver cup/trophy (dunno where he found it), that he carefully put on the dashboard of the tow truck so everybody could see it. But I think he might have influenced the course of car racing in NZ, because it was the start of the Transam importing boom.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Holmes
PK.
And Dymonds Steak House in Ch Ch.Quote:
Originally Posted by woody
PK.
There were already some NZ built space frame cars running in Sports Sedans at that stage, and Dymonds car was an IMSA version which was different again. The Trans Am importing thing came down to couple who did this and as has happened in other class's (they have been involved in since) they proceeded to stuff it. The OSCA/Sports Sedan brothers were going along nicely until this happened.
Got a video somewhere from inside the car when it turned left instead of ahead and meet a big tyre sideways.
It was not uncommon for some expats to return with all these claims to fame and trophies from $2 shop back in those days.
There is some race footage from that season on this thread Paul: http://www.theroaringseason.com/show...-Sports-SedansQuote:
Originally Posted by Paul Kirk
Yes I agree, I think that car did create a turning point for NZ sports sedans. As Rod has said above, there were a few NZ built space-frame sports sedans already racing, but that car seems to be the first space-frame car from the US and it was very quick. Owners started importing their own versions during the following seasons, and then it was decided that everyone should have one, and that the old traditional production based sports sedans were effectively outlawed. The US space-frame cars were certainly effective, but they lacked the character and uniqueness of the Kiwi machines.
1950-1960? austin healy corvette i think i rember one going around south island
Ferrari 125 fitted with Corvette power at 1962 Aus GP at Caversham, link for a photo.
http://www.oldracephotos.com/shop/product5001
Bruce McLaren won the 1962 AGP
http://www.terrywalkersplace.com/
Apologies for my inability to post a picture, so you need go to galleries to see the winning Bruce McLaren, hang on there is more, the same gallery includes a photo of the Eldred Norman double banger V8 that saw out its days in WA, last driven by Toby Carboni.
I see that jim short refers to this chap as "the clown".in another thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rod Grimwood
never quite worked out how this one chap had so much "say" and "influence" for so long, at my count 40+ years.
and some day, i would not be suprised to see the name on the new years honours list.
One day you can explain it to me Rod :confused::confused:
Gwyn, Ed Candy ( Timaru) had a Healey Corvette & G Smith (Chch) had a Healey Corvette.
Regarding space frames, PDL2 was not what you could call being a monocoque construction.
Originally raced by Arthur Kennard, then to the Candys and later still Graham Smith. Don't think I've heard of it since about 1966Quote:
Originally Posted by woody
Hi Guys, Sorry I'm way late in this reply. I purchasesd the car off Rod. The engine threw a rod at the grand prix at Pukekohe. The engine was toast but saved the cam and hilborn injection. Fitted a new corvette engine We continued to race the car including Rod who drove it again at a couple of races. The old block and heads were given to the Stone boys in lieu of balancing the new motor. They then cut it down to a four banger to be used for speed way, i never saw the thing completed but was told it was some task! Cheers, Colin MacbethQuote:
Originally Posted by Steve Holmes
Attachment 8281Alive and well,prowling the streets of S.E. QLD,now RHD and back to Big-Block power as a road car.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Holmes
It's worth more like it is know, as those split window models are the ones everyone wants.
Don't quote, but think the split window was only made in 68. They sure had the humps and bumps and shark front.
I see the Astronaut Armstrong car seems to be going to fetch huge money and its a rust bucket.
Give me a ring at the same time Rod need another laugh,and by the way and I may be wrong but I think the Dymonds are two different familys. The Steve Dymond hit the wall at Levals was not the Penrite oil man from Aussie.Steve took of with the McLaren coupe a friend of mine in Denver bought it Harry Mathews,.Told about some not very nice dealings ,and if I was hiding like behind mr xxrrxed I would print it As to the Queens medal if you were up with the play you would know I turned it down and as you mentioned it some time back I must say sorry if I keep you awake at night
Steve , John and Brian are brothers, Steve was in Aussie for a while then went to the states, brought that illegal Camaro over for the Transam series one year.
So was John and Mark father and son they had the Carter corvette ???? both now dead???
Two Different men, John Diamond ran Penrite oil, and raced here in NZ at Historic events with his family for a number of years, his son and daughter ran cars here two, his son died of cancer and John passed away a few years ago, he was a mighty guy with a passion for racing and oil, Barry Leitch did a lot of work on their cars and I think his daughter still races in Australia.
Roger
Yes I agree , he offered to sponsor my Short Spyder in the early 90s to a trip right around Aussie as it was all sealed I had told him I had driven it from the top to the bottom of NZ and would love to drive melb. to Perth .They had the Carter at the last Wigram along with Spencer Martin in the 300s Maser and XK220,have some great vidio shots of Spencer and Jim Palmer in the 300s along side the Chev coupe and PDLect
Going back a few post to help out rogered with his maths one thing I am good at from 1955 to 2000 is 45 add on 12 and it comes to 57 Rogerd wish you would be man enough to use you name when you slack anyone off 57 years and I dont make a big deal out of it just some of us are born this way!!!
John Dymond is on Trade Me/old friends/Otago Sports Car Club member.
Image as posted in another thread on this website. Although im not a "bowtie" kind of guy, this is a fantastic car :)
Attachment 8349
In 1958 Ardmore .I always watched practise at College corner then sat as high up as possible in the grandstand opp. the pits this day an Austin Healey with a chev v8 E Kennards arrived at the corner way to fast and did five high speed loops I have never seen anyone do better, certanly had some of the spectaters running,not certan but think it was two tone blue and grey??
Hi Guys,the "split-window'' Coupe was a one year only body style in 1963 and is consided quite collectable yet not as valuable as an 1967 (last year for this body shape) 427/435hp Convertible........$100,000+ US.
Thanks, new there was something around the split window being a collectors item.Quote:
Originally Posted by mid-year
PS Jim got dvds thanks. Now leave our mate Rogered alone, you saw him in mirror a few times too in days gone past. Think he was extracting the urine. (now that will have you thinking, don't loose any sleep though) Got your phone number now so will help you with amnessia, because i do care about you.
Gee thanks Rod ,Steve David Amco now you what more can a man ask for ..Did I lap him?? how many times??
Thats the same car? Wow, I'm shocked. Thats really had a big resto done, its stunning. As much as I love the way it looks now, I think I prefer it as a race car.Quote:
Originally Posted by mid-year
There is some good tv footage on another thread on here from when he raced that Corvette in NZ. To be fair to Steve, he never actually wanted to race for points or the championship, he just wanted to get some racing under his belt for a full campaign in the IMSA series.Quote:
Originally Posted by markec
I am trying to find information about the double banger. I am Toby Carboni's son and compiling a book about his life including his racing days. I would appreciate any information, images or any contacts you give to help me. Thanks in advance
Took this photo at Chris Amon meeting Hampton Downs 2011.He did this every time he came past,looks cool,put a smile on alot of peoples faces who witnessed this.Attachment 10535
Corvette racing cars? Ah yes the Chev Corvette Production Sports Car raced by Warwick Henderson in the Aust Sports car Champ springs to mind. This was a huge beast of a car.Had a huge cowl on the bonnet over the quad DD webbers which caused a few visibility problems. At Calder one day Hendo starts from the back of the grid having missed practice the day before. First lap, up the back straight,hauling them in, tucked in behind a Bolwell Nagari he pulls out to pass it and wham!!! fibreglass everywhere, cars going in all directions. He had rammed the back of a tiny Nota Fang and obliterated it."Never even saw it " he said, just this bang and the fibreglass bodywork of the Fang flying in all directions. Hardly any damage to the Vette,must have had the heavyweight body fitted that day.... In future races I ALWAYS made sure he knew where I was in my little Lotus 7!
Will try and find some photos and post em.
W154, is this the same Corvette he ran in the 1980s, with the Greenwood-style wide body? It ran in Sports Sedan/GT races. Looked fantastic! I understand the Henderson family still own this car? Would love to see photos if you have them.
Corvette Engines [CHEV] I have a contact from Hendrick racing that can supply nascar crate engines in various stages eg hours run , & from different stages of HP. If any one is interested let me know & I can do some fishing re costs etc etc ........
I found this image I captured of Warwick Henderson in his Corvette at Amaroo Park in May 1977. Photo is a bit grainy but you can get the general idea of what the car was like.
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