Photos: The Warwick Clayton Collection - Part 1

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Some of you will be familiar with the work of Warwick Clayton. I've posted several of his superb New Zealand racing photographs on The Roaring Season since its inception.

Warwick is based out of the Manawatu, in NZ, and has been photographing North Island racing events since the early 1970s. His 'home' track is Manfeild, but he has regularly traveled further afield, including to the South Island.

Warwick very kindly sent me a memory stick with hundreds of photos he took at the Wellington Street race, but he also included around 200 photos depicting big-banger ShellSport, OSCA, and Sports Sedan races from the 1970s and '80s. He has also included several modern shots taken at recent South Island historic events, in which these cars were celebrated.

I'll upload all the original photos first, which comprises most of the collection, then add the modern stuff at the end. The majority of the period photos are at Manfeild, and include both pit and track images. Warwick had/has a photographers media pass, allowing him into the infield.

The photos aren't in any particular order, but are based loosely on the cars themselves. I hope you enjoy these, I think they're epic! Thanks to Warwick for kindly sharing them with us.

First up is the wild mid-engined Morris Marina V8 of Graeme Park. I assume the first photo with the white paint is early than that with the black paint. I know it was at one stage fitted with a twin-turbocharged Leyland V8 which was mounted in the rear. Was this the case when it was painted white?

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Next up is the Cortina-Mustang V8 of Clyde Collins. This car was abut the fastest car in OSCA for a few years in the early 1970s when Collins ran it. Clyde Collins always had beautifully turn-out race cars.

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This is the beautiful MkV Cortina V8 of Rob Kennard going up in flames at Manfeild.

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This was the aftermath. The damage was extensive. The Cortina was a beautifully prepared and presented car in its original guise, and included some very intricate custom paint work. Kennard himself came from a hot rodding background. Note that the roof has buckled from the heat. I assume the beautiful Mawer wheels were also destroyed.

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But Kennard and the Cortina returned. The car was rebuilt, and improved. It went on to become one of the fastest modified sedans in New Zealand. I believe this car was powered by a Ford V8, rather than the popular SBC. It was also fuel-injected. Kennard himself is now, or was, a Sherrif in a small town in California.

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This car had an extensive racing career. It was originally built by 19 year old Brent Bullivant, in the Hawkes Bay. It was a very well built car, but Bullivant lacked sufficient funding to fully develop it, or even purchase new tyres! It was first built with a small block 302 Ford V8. The flares are quite impressive.

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Another angle.

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Bullivant then fitted the Capri with a small block Chevy V8, which made it faster. But still the budget was lacking. But Jim Richards was impressed enough he employed Bullivant to prepare his Mustang and later Falcon Sports Sedan.

Note the front spoiler has changed here.

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Eventually Bullivant sold the car, and its next owner was Graham Baker. Baker had the funds to fully exploit the potential of the Capri, and for a season or so when he raced it, it was one of the fastest sedans in New Zealand. Baker also changed the car significantly by lowering it right down, and you can see that he cut away at the flares, which also helped him fit larger wheels and tyres. In this case, the wheels are McLaren M10 F5000. It was still painted yellow when Baker raced it.

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These are just fantastic Steve, keep them coming.

Baker then sold the Capri to Bob Cullinane, who repainted it black with fading red to yellow graphics. This would have been around 1982. Cullinane then sold it to Brian Friend, who painted it a couple more times. Friend raced it for a few seasons, then decided to give the car away in a raffle, charging $200 per ticket. Just after the car went to its new owner, a production company approached Friend wanting to use the car in a movie for a chase scene. He put them on to the new owner, but they asked if he'd oversee the car throughout filming, as they were having trouble driving it. The winner of the raffle sold the car to the production company for $20,000, with the right to purchase it back after filming, which he did, for $8,000.

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Here is the chase scene from Shaker Run, starring the Capri:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jCIWNXHG8c

I could be wrong but I think this is Ralph Mossman's V8 Viva, very early in its Sports Sedan career.

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Mossman V8 Viva again, much later in its career, and pictured battling Rob Kennard.

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Love this era of motorsport. Its the raw "almost anything goes" concept that appeals.
I wonder where all of these cars are now? I know some have been resurrected and are back racing, some are no more, but there must a lot stored away in owners garages...

Thanks Growler, glad you're enjoying them. I love this era too. These are the crazy cars I grew up watching.

Group shot here from Manfeild. I'd say approx 1988? Some great cars shown here, with John Osborne leading in his V8 RX7, chased by Rodger Freeth in the second Trevor Crowe Starlet, then Ian Algie in the Alfetta, Brett Willis in the Commodore, Peter Meadows in the Corvette. Whose are the next two cars? Last two cars in the shot are Grant Brennan in his Chevy V8 powered Escort and Rob Kennard in the Cortina shown earlier.

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Pretty sure this is the same event, showing the mid-pack with Brennan and Kennard.

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Manfield grid shot, circa 1986. On the pole is Trevor Crowe in what must be his last season with his first Oldsmobile V8 Starlet, while Wayne Huxford and Ian Munt share the front row in their Chevy V8 powered Capris. Inside of row 2 is Rod McElrea in his V8 MkIV Cortina. I can't see who is next to him, but possibly John Osborne in the ex-Paul Fahey, Grant Walker, Inky Tulloch Group 2 Capri. Inside of rwo 3 you can just see the nose of Bob Homewood's radical space-frame Escort.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Steve Holmes

Pretty sure this is the same event, showing the mid-pack with Brennan and Kennard.

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Looks like Warwick Mortimer, in the RX7, not sure about the Commodore, then it is the Lancaster Volvo, Keith Weir is in the Consul Capri not sure whose Escort 1600i is last in shot...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Steve Holmes

Group shot here from Manfeild. I'd say approx 1988? Some great cars shown here, with John Osborne leading in his V8 RX7, chased by Rodger Freeth in the second Trevor Crowe Starlet, then Ian Algie in the Alfetta, Brett Willis in the Commodore, Peter Meadows in the Corvette. Whose are the next two cars? Last two cars in the shot are Grant Brennan in his Chevy V8 powered Escort and Rob Kennard in the Cortina shown earlier.

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kerin wills, and maybe harold wooten in rx3

Quote:

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Originally Posted by seaqnmac27

Looks like Warwick Mortimer, in the RX7, not sure about the Commodore, then it is the Lancaster Volvo, Keith Weir is in the Consul Capri not sure whose Escort 1600i is last in shot...

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My Guess
the commodore is the ex group c car, (Lance Johnson ?) The mazda could also be Bob Culinaine, behind the commodore, Volvo, then (in red) is Rex findlay in the ex anderson Mustang, Jennifer Mossman in the consul, Chris Toms in Escort. I think this shot was taken immediately after the previous picture