Matamata Round the houses.

Photos from J L Lawton's vast archives as mentioned in the previous post.

All from 1965. the 20th March event, and the Last One.

A pair of Minis led by Tony Gilbertson, not sure of 3rd and 4th cars.

Attachment 72855

Humber Zephyr * [ see note ] of Frank Radisich leads a mixed bunch in including the Zephyr Corvette and the Morrari, an Anglia and Chev Coupe in the middle
Attachment 72856

Humbers of Ross McCallum and G Harvey [ Graeme Harvey ? - thought he had a Holden that raced there ? ]

Attachment 72857

Anglia of Warren Reid - where is he heading ? he has spun !! - and Mini T Parker

Attachment 72858

The Big Boys,
Colin Lumsden De Soto, Jennings in the 6 litre Fiat, Chev Coupe and Garth Souness in the Morrari - Corvette powered
- in 1964 Garth ran the early 1930's Ford Coupe - with Chev OHV V8 power.

Attachment 72859

The 1965 Programme Cover.

Looking for the entry lists for many of the races - especially Saloons,- have the Sports Cars and a handwritten list from the programme as the page Event - race 13 was blank apart from listing the name of the Race - The Festival Feature race for " Formula Libre Racing Cars and Sports Racing Cars ".


Attachment 72860

* Note ; Had Humber Jaguar in the notes but according to the entry list the Radisich Humber 80 had a cc rating of 2553 - the size of a Mark 2 and Mark 3 Zephyr engine. The Humber was Zephyr powered prior to the Jaguar Motor.

From distant memory, the Feature Race entry was made on the day from the fastest cars from previous races, and those that were still running, hat being sorted by the organisers..

Post #80, top photo is coming off Broadway. The Anglican Church Hall visible, and the house to the right was the one in which the Minister lived. Richards was the surname, his son in my 5th form class at the time of this pic.
The lower photo certainly looks like Matamata, and maybe the sign says Hohaia St?, however it looks as though he is either lining up for a left hand turn or just exiting, and the only left was from Meura onto Tui, and Hohaia isn't close.
From another post, Farmers was where the motorcycle dealer (Phils) is now. Corner of Tainui and Tui Streets.

Another photo has emerged from Matamata 1965. A Terry Marshall photo - this seems to be a copy of a copy.

Rod Coppins in the Team Molyslip colours - the Zephyr Corvette - with stack pipes, being chased by Brian Innes in his Morris Cooper S a 1275/1293 cc machine.

Attachment 73016

Another photo of the Brian Innes Cooper S and a Zephyr - light colour but is it the Zephyr Corvette.??
The wheels look right, and in one race Innes beat Rod Coppins coming third to Coppins 4th place.

- this from a montage of photos that appeared in a Newspaper at the time - a double page spread.

Attachment 73017

Results from the Days Racing - posted before. Brian Innes gets a couple of mentions ;

Attachment 73018

A few more of J L Lawtons pictures from Matamata 1965.

I inadvertently lost some of the details and do not have the entry lists for Races 3 and 4 which should be of the Saloon Allcomers 1000 cc to 2100 cc. Have the 0 - 1000 Race 1, and 2100 and over Race 6

Chevrolet in the bales - hard to see.
Attachment 73657

Jim Boyd, Lycoming leading a single seater, could be the " Formula Libre Racing and Sports Car race - Race 5, or a later event.
Attachment 73658

Humber 80 #98 - or is it a Hillman Minx ?
Attachment 73659

Rod Coppins Zephyr Corvette, leads Brian Innes - Mini Cooper S..
Attachment 73660

Does anyone have the Races 3 and 4 Entry Lists that they could post here or PM with details,

Cheers

Roger

Another 3 photos to come from this set..

Humber 80 - a 3 wheeler and a 44 gallon drum takes a hit !!. Can't quite read the Race Number.

Attachment 73661

This looks like a full view of the same photo !! complete with spectator heads
Attachment 73662

Anglia - Jack Nazer ? ahead of Garth Souness in the Morrari [ spelling ]
Attachment 73663

Frank Radisich was entered in his Humber 80 -Zephyr Race #90 at 2553 cc - before it became the Humber - Jaguar..

That is all for the moment.
Will see if I can find the details.

Thanks to " Oldfart " for asking the question and starting this thread..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Steve Holmes

How many years did they run it for Rhys? I don't think it was on the championship trail so didn't get the media coverage that other events did. There are a couple of great photos floating about of Red Dawson in his Willys coupe and Garth Souness in the Morrari from Matamata.

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" I believe it ran for 2 years. The old man was Town Clerk there. There were plenty of articles and photos in Motorman, Almost all the "names" took part with every class imaginable. "

Continuing the story. I noted that some photos of Matamata had appeared on others thread some time ago.

At the risk of " repeating " the photos, thought I would bring a couple together that came from Milan Fistonic vast collection.
One from 1965 and one more recent.
The Events were as is now well known held in 1964 and 1965 ..

Milan notes with the photo ;- as written in 2016 on the Rhys Nolan photos thread ..
" This is from 1965 and was taken at the corner of Tamihana and Rata Streets. "

" John Richards in the locally built Lotus 15 replica followed by Bill Caldwell's Lola which is being monstered by Donelly's HWM- Thunderbird.

Well if all the Chev-engined cars were powered by Corvettes then the Ford engine must have been a Thunderbird! "

Tui - Yeah Right ..


Was Donnelly trying to merge #14 with #114 .. The HWM was looking pretty scruffy even before this " Accident " ..

Attachment 73682

The more recent photo - 2016 Matamata - the same location. Same house in the background, has had some shutters added to the windows ..

Attachment 73683

nothing to do with Matamata just like rogers after shot here. I picked up some original late 20's early 30's piccies a few weeks back, here's Kilbirnie speedway and I reckoned I could find the old houses, not even three minutes work as I knew where the speedway was, pretty cool that sort of thing to play with

This image from Milan Fistonic vast archives was on the Morrari thread -

The Motorman report on the event with the results and a photo of two young men who had written a Free Plug for Motorman in the ice on the roof of a Morris Minor - the two lads are in the bottom picture;

Attachment 73969

A TRS member had asked for the image to be posted .. go to the Morrari thread to find out more.

Fantastic to see the Morarri in these pics

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Greg Stokes

Fantastic to see the Morarri in these pics

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It was even more fantastic to see it in person just around the corner from home !
I distinctly remember the frost in the "Motorman" post too. Thankfully being just round the corner meant we could go home between first getting there at the crack of dawn and first practice to get warm.
Another thing that happened while we were at home was that a certain road going D type was looking for a place to park, so I suggested he park in our garage. The only time my family will have one in our garage :)

does anyone know anything about car 26 in the second piccie here please? I beleive it had an Edward Turner designed engine , he also designed the triumph speed twin and Ariel Square Four

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jellywrestler

does anyone know anything about car 26 in the second piccie here please? I beleive it had an Edward Turner designed engine , he also designed the triumph speed twin and Ariel Square Four

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Car 26 is B. Merrett's Daimler SP250, powered by a 2.5-litre V8 designed by Edward Turner. The car was released in 1959 and was originally to called the Daimler Dart but Chrysler objected to them using that name so it was changed to SP250.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Milan Fistonic

Car 26 is B. Merrett's Daimler SP250, powered by a 2.5-litre V8 designed by Edward Turner. The car was released in 1959 and was originally to called the Daimler Dart but Chrysler objected to them using that name so it was changed to SP250.

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I was talking to the guy wh owns and races in in chch at the weekend, he's had it 35 years.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jellywrestler

I was talking to the guy wh owns and races in in chch at the weekend, he's had it 35 years.

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The red car was the latest imported and was displayed by the agents as quite special, having chrome wire wheels. It was purchased as a replacement for the car restored and raced by Steve and David Oxton being written off. Steve's head mechanic looked after the car, which strangely had a significant advantage in respect of performance, much to Steve's annoyance.

A batch of SP250's became imported as a result of the agent's desire to use up import license on hand with there being a delay in the delivery of saloon models.

The V8 engine proved troublesome in the SP250 due to a significant defect.. The oil-way in the crankshaft, opened up in diameter at each crank pin, thus creating a chamber, which became blocked with lead, deposited due to this becoming what amounts to a centrifugal filter. It was presumed that the saloon models with automatic transmission did not suffer due to the engines running at higher average RPM and therefore temperature.

The Man in the middle Dene Hollier in the Lotus is smiling before the start.

Front row of the grid with John(ny) Riley Lotus Climax, Dene Hollier Lotus and Graeme Lawrence Brabham Twincam [ Ford ]. photo from Allan Dick - Classic Autonews archives.

Attachment 74335

Riley won both the Festival Road Race - the feature race and the Formula Libre Race.
In the latter race they finished Riley, Hollier, Lawrence - as they are in the picture

Attachment 74336

The Standard of Mike Miers is an 8 no back door aand no opening boot I owned the car from 1962-1964 the 800cc motor replaced with 950cc I raced it at the first race meeting at Pukekohe and the 64 round the houses at matamata Waikato time had photo of car cornering with inside front wheel 6-8inches of ground. In about May or June I was at a dance at The Starlight ballroom in Hamilton and some one ran into side of car, the insurance paid out and gave me the car and that's when Mike bought the car he got an engine from an engine builder from Kumue named Ted Thompson we used to go up there quite often very cleaver man as he was very deaf but could he tune a motor, I helped Mike fit motor Ted had done some work on it so it was very quick in its day. Mike won his class in a lot of hill climbs etc.

Desard, I am curious, I can find no record of Standard ever having made the Standard 8 with no rear doors. Lack of a bootlid yes. Can you please confirm? Or was it that the rear doors had been modified to not open?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oldfart

Desard, I am curious, I can find no record of Standard ever having made the Standard 8 with no rear doors. Lack of a bootlid yes. Can you please confirm? Or was it that the rear doors had been modified to not open?

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Oldfart,

This photo from Jenny Lucey archives is of the Mike Miers [ Meir ] Standard 8 at Waharoa Sprints in the early 1960's .. Bit hard to tell from the quality of the photo..

Attachment 75152

Yes you are correct must be my grey hair thanks for the correct details. The day I raced at Puke near the end of back straight an Austin A90 or A110 come passed me on its roof.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Desard

Yes you are correct must be my grey hair thanks for the correct details. The day I raced at Puke near the end of back straight an Austin A90 or A110 come passed me on its roof.

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Desard,

sent you a private message - through the - Private Message function on your profile on TRS,
Cheers
Roger

Roger Dowding, I had seen the pic before, but was curious about the comment of no rear doors, and how it was achieved.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oldfart

Roger Dowding, I had seen the pic before, but was curious about the comment of no rear doors, and how it was achieved.

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Rhys, I had posted the photo on the thread about Grasstrack racing in the Waikato.. car seems to have backdoors, but maybe welded shut like some cars were in the day..
Seems " Desard " was confused though from a comment.
Would like to see more of the car, photos that is !!.

Cheers

Interestingly
My cousin when in the UK late 1960;s had the luxury Standard, from the 8 and 10 range - the Pennant with " Standrive ", some very basic type of semi-automatic transmission. Said it wasn't that good - the transmission, later he got a Triumph Herald,

My first car in 1966 was a Standard 8, later sold in 1967 to a person in Hamilton who repowered it with a Herald unit. Then I built one for the VCC saloon class that I tried to get going.Attachment 75170 Photo Keith Humphreys.

Posted by Graham Woods on the " Old New Zealand Motor Racing " group page on Facebook - It appears to be from the Morrie Given photos in the Scott-Given Studio collection - they were photographers in Matamata at the time and Morrie is Kevin Hirst Uncle, I understand.
Ross Cammick had previously been given, and scanned, the set of photos by Myles Hicks - who as mentioned has been restoring the car. The process started by his father the late Gavin Hicks after being purchased many years ago

P A T McLaughlin in the Austin Healey " Ruddspeed " 3000, unsure if still with that motor in the 1964 Event, had Race #28.
** Edit ; see note from Milan Fistonic Post #106 car shown as 4000cc in the 1964 Programme.

- It had the 3993cc Austin A125 Motor by the time of the 1965 Event Race #34 - later out to 4200.

Attachment 76486

The car is running with a protective cover over the muffler under the door sill.

In the 1964 Matamata programme Pat McLoughlin's Healey is entered as 4000cc.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Milan Fistonic

In the 1964 Matamata programme Pat McLoughlin's Healey is entered as 4000cc.

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Thanks Milan, Would like to see the Entry List - the one I have is from Myles Hicks who is restoring the car and is the 1965 event.
- Have some of the 1965 Race Entry Lists and only a couple of pages from 1964.
- Looking for them all -

Myles has posted a couple of photos of how the car looks now - it is being done as raced at Ardmore, the Grand Prix meeting as car #122 in 1961 - its First Event

Steve Taylor has recently uncovered some photo of his partners family archives.
He had no idea of the location but the Church in Hohaia St helped.

The Mark 2 Jaguar of Chris Keehan Race #55 in the 1964 meeting by the Church.
Chris was from the Hawkes Bay and it is stated that he raced at Mount Maunganui - but can find no details.

Attachment 77591


Entry List for the Heats for Saloons.

Attachment 77594

I had the name as Keegan on this Scott - Given photo that Ross Cammick scanned.

Attachment 77592

The Daimler SP250 " Dart " was Race #23 driven by Wally Bern [ Burn ]

Attachment 77593

Entry List for a Sports Car Race has Wally Bern as #32, in what I thought was 1964 [ actually Race 6 1965 and he also had Race #32 in 1965 Race 10. in the entry list - **see Milan's note - next post, I was very confused Photo of #23 is 1964.
I am confused. Are these from the same meeting, in which case which year 1964 or 1965.

Attachment 77595

The 1965 Sports car entry. Car #32

Attachment 77596

Quote:I am confused. Are these from the same meeting, in which case which year 1964 or 1965.

The two races are both from the 1965 meeting.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Milan Fistonic

Quote:I am confused. Are these from the same meeting, in which case which year 1964 or 1965.

The two races are both from the 1965 meeting.

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Milan.
- Thanks, somewhere I mixed up the details and lost images when I got my new laptop - will go through and relabel the images - some of which are yours,
Cheers,
Roger