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A photo and an entry list ..
Attachment 75111
Entry List for the Sports Specials and Racing Car Race - with two Austin Healey's running a 100 [ 4 cylinder 2660 cc ] and a 100 - Six [ 2639 cc The Maserati - supercharged, C - Type Jaguar and Cooper. are listed
Attachment 75112
Renwick 1962 meeting.
The start of the " Renwick 50 " - Graham Woods archives - from a newspaper or Magazine
Angus Hyslop - Cooper - Climax 2.5 L, Morrie Stanton - Stanton Corvette - 4.9 L front row,
Tony Shelley - Lotus - Climax 2.5 L, behind with Barry Cottle in the Lola - Climax - 1098 cc - Sports Car.
Then other older Racing Cars 250F Maserati and the Ferrari of R H Smith 3.4 litre
Chris Amon in the Entry too !!
A typical Entry for the time an NZ Specials, Sports Cars and Racing Cars all in the same field.
Attachment 75118
The Entry List - Graham Woods archives
Attachment 75119
Posted a couple of photos of the Ex Bira ERA - the Blue one with yellow stripes [ yellow on the chassis ] on a facebook page and Allan Dick responded with the attached information.
" It is Romulus, the famous ex Bira ERA which came to NZ with it's proud and enthusiastic owner Bill Morris who drove the car like fury and had an awesome reputation in the UK. One of the Dunedin motor racing crew — Greg McKenzie — went to the UK in the late sixties or early seventies for his OE and ended up staying four or five years and became great mates with Morris. When Morris brought the ERA to NZ he stayed for the summer and competed in classic racing up and down the country. He stayed with Greg in Dunedin for several weeks when he did the southern races. Greg brought him to the pub every night and Bill became part of the Downtown Tavern "think tank" who met nightly to talk motor racing and solve the world's problems. Bill was great and easy company - no airs and graces. Sadly, his health went down and he died in 2018. " ***.
The photo - posted before under the Dunedin 1984 part of the thread when I first wrote it ..
Attachment 75224
On the track
Attachment 75225
Otago Daily Times photo of the ERA and the 260M - as in the above colour photo..
Attachment 75226
** Have found out a bit more about the ERA .. It was one of several that were in the stable of Prince Chula of Siam and his brother Prince Bira used to race them .. more to come on this.
Details from John Newell ..about the ERA. this was a reply to Allan Dick's comment posted above
***
" actually the E.R.A. that Bill Morris brought out in 1984 is Hanuman II. Chassis R12B, and always a 1500cc engined car.
It was one of Prince Chula's White Mouse Garage E.R.A.s, and was raced by his cousin Prince B. Bira.
There were two other Siamese Prince owned cars. These are Remus (R5B), and Romulus (R2B).
I was priviledged to help Bill push start Hanuman II that year in Dunedin, as a teenager. It is a memory I won't forget!
When in the UK on my OE playing with Vintage racing cars for 6 years in the 90s, I got to know several E.R.A. owners, and worked on one of these cars.
R12B is actually now back in Thailand.
R2B spent most of its life there but is now back racing in the UK. "
An ERA was in Dunedin in 1989 as well.. an article by Mark Holman for Classic and Sports Car Magazine from the UK - who also writes for NZ Classic Driver.
This on Ardmore and Dunedin in 1989..
Attachment 75243
Bill Morris at Whenuapai in 1984
Attachment 75227
Attachment 75228
Not sure if posted before - went back over the thread recently. the images was scanned in 2019.
This was the centre-spread in the " Dunedin Midweek " - the Weekly published on the Wednesday following the event on 29th January 1984.
Attachment 75239
Mark D posted a couple of photos recently from his own and also the Bramwell collection of cars at the events - including the Newell Vauxhall 30/98 having a slide on Bethune's Gully - the Hill Climb ..
Attachment 75240
The 1930's Alta that was in the Entry Lists of the Pre-war vehicles - actually Vintage and up to 1954. It included Sports and Racing cars from the 1930's to 1954.
Behind the Honda tow car ..
Attachment 75241
A crowd around the Alta with the Engine cover off - location not stated - from the archives of Mark Dawber.
Attachment 75242
A story from Allan Dick of Autonews and now Classic Autonews.
" Dunedin 1962 and the last what were called the Oval Meetings because the circuit included the Oval sports ground — which isn't anything like Oval in shape!
It rained on and off and there were lots of spins, crashes and John Mansel died from injuries. It was a very unhappy meeting in a lot of ways.
This is the intersection of King Edward Street, Bridgeman Street and, Wilkie Road. It was a tricky, bumpy corner with lots of camber changes and a service station at each corner!
Here Stan Prestige [ S Prestridge in the Entry List as shown in post #368 below -thanks Milan Fistonic ] in his 1946 Ford takes the corner and chases after Peter Elsey in his pink and black VW while Ken Berry in his VW and an unknown Morris minor driver both spin. Photo taken, I think, by Bob Woodford who was one of thousands of spectators upon the railway embankment.
This was the corner where Rod Copppins spun the Tec Mec (as a sports car) and reversed it through the brick wall of the small flour mill to the right of the image and Chris Amon found the gap between the flour mill and the railway embankment with no damage to the Maserati. "
Note from Graham Woods " No.7 is W. Hayes from Invercargill " ...
Photo - posted before without all the detail.
Attachment 75341
The entry list for the 1962 Saloon Car Race.
Attachment 75342
Saw this car at Dunedin in 1984 - the Street Races that started this thread..
Recently some photos have emerged of the car at the Lyttleton Street Races in the 1980's.
I need to research the actual date or dates. *** See note below in this post
The car has been rebuilt by Mark and his son in the last couple of years and has been to some VCC events around Christchurch.
Photos from both events ;
Lyttleton ..
This from a John Wards who took a number of photos at the event.
Attachment 75360
Photo from H Dawber archives - his own photo I believe.
Attachment 75361
Moving on around 40 years - the car had been off the road for around 30 years so since early 1990's.
The VCC Grasskhana event, raking up, and taking up, a lot of the track.
Mark Dawber's own photos.
Attachment 75362
Attachment 75363
Attachment 75364
Attachment 75365
The car showing some primer paint as was not finished at the time.
Have seen a number of photos of the rebuild - mainly of the bodywork.
The car was known as the " Aircraft Carrier " when Mark raced it in the 1980's
Have just found this on an early thread on TRS where there was a question about the Races.
There were three events
This about the first two - from Chris Read.
" The first meeting was SUNDAY 13 11 88 and was a very hot day which played havoc with cars on the grid without starters as the race was new and getting the races away was taking 5 minutes after formation. I cooked the motor! The Cooper Bristols of Jim Boult and Wayne Marsh were there I think and too fast for me. The BCM, ACE111 and 260M were evenly matched and we had great racing.
Times were 59 seconds. There is a great photo in the following weeks Press of Graeme Hamilton in the ACE and me in the BCM cutting the corner at the top under a verandah. Not sure if this meeting or the next but over the bridge the Stanton dropped its rear diff drive chain with me 1 foot behind and it sure made me pucker until I saw it lay itself on the ground and I passed over it and round the Stanton as it came to a stop.
THE SECOND MEETING WAS 12 11 89. It was a hot fine and sunny day. I was racing the BCM Special. Times were about 60 sec for the classic single seaters. Both the Coopers were absent. Russell Greer had the Stanton and once in front he was too wide to pass. I had pole but the Stanton got in front and stayed there. The ACE111 had broken its drive train so I had no one to play with except a bothersome anklebiting FF which was lots of fun. Getting the corner right onto the straight after the down hill bit gave you some straight speed to pass. I really enjoy street racing and this was all of that so it was a pity this was the last meeting. I think I was awarded the PDL trophy for best effort by a NZ built special. All I was trying to do was get past Russell.
A Porsche came to grief but not sure if that was why it did not happen next year. I think it was a matter of logistics. Great wee circuit and part of NZ history of street circuits. Chris Read "
" jellywrestler " states that there was a third event 11th November 1990 - Armistice Day WW1 Anniversary
Events were held at Ryal Bush, Southland in early 1956 and again in 1957, in February of that year.
This is before the opening of Teretonga, a dedicated Racing Track in November 1957.
A series of photos from the " Eric Rillstone Studio " have been shared by Graham Woods on Old New Zealand Motor Racing Facebook page - Graham mentions that he has discovered 24 photos from Ryal Bush mainly 1956 with some 1957 and also photos from Teretonga in later 1957, when the Track opened.
Cars in the Southland Centennial Race.
Note some cars also ran in the " Sports Car Race ",
The Entry list Lap Chart - posted before ;
Attachment 75648
Grand Prix cars - Ferrari's
Peter Whitehead in the pits
Attachment 75649
Whitehead on track
Attachment 75650
Reg Parnell - in his Aston Martin ** - should have read the entry list and had a good look at the car.
Attachment 75651
Ron Roycroft Bugatti - Jaguar leads Peter Whitehead followed by Frank Shuter in the Edelbrock Special
Attachment 75652
Ron Roycroft in the Bug-Jag
Attachment 75653
More action to come - the Sports Cars
there was another meeting in 1990 tooQuote:
Originally Posted by Roger Dowding
Ryal Bush 1956 - The Sports Cars - as noted some cars competed in the Sports Car Race and the Southland Centennial Race.
Entry List for the Sports Cars ;
Attachment 75666
Mrs June Monk in her TR2 in the lead an Allard behind
Attachment 75667
Attachment 75668
Ray Archibald in the XK120 and Tom Killkelly MG Special
Attachment 75669
HWM Jaguar - photo was posted with the note who is the driver ? #44
will be in the Entry List for one of the Races. F A O Tony Gaze in the Sports Car Race he had a Ferrari GP Car in the main race or is it John Horton in the main race, but he was #7 ..
Attachment 75670
Tom Sulman in the Aston Martin DB3S
Attachment 75671
Another from 1956 of Mrs June Monk leading a couple of others with a car off in the grass.
Titles were used for females back in these days.
Attachment 75672
The NZ Road Race Championship - Entry List for the 1957 Event.
Attachment 75673
Some of the Entrants on track.
A group with Tucker in the Ransley Riley [ RR 2 ].
Attachment 75674
Reg Parnell and Peter Whitehead
Attachment 75675
Jack Brabham in a Bobtail Cooper - Climax
Attachment 75676
Horace Gould of Cooper Bristol fame in a Maserati 250F
Attachment 75677
Some details on the photos including an error H Gould Maserati. not Ferrari
That is all for the moment.
Do have the Saloon Car Entry List for one years events but no images
" New Zealand Championship Road Race ". 1949 at Wigram RNZAF Base.
In the 1950 Programme for the same event it states
The event was "Run jointly by the Canterbury Car Club (Inc.) and the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand, - Held under the auspices and rules of the ' Association of New Zealand Car Clubs ' and Supplementary Regulations.".
The Association had been formed in 1948.
Entry List and Lap Chart for the " Main " Race. up to lap 21.
Attachment 75763
The entrants on the startline from a Newspaper or Magazine of the Day.
Attachment 75764
Notes on the Drivers.
Attachment 75765
Attachment 75766
Attachment 75767
Other notes - unsure where from - a Club newsletter perhaps - not serious enough to be in the Programme.
Attachment 75768
All from Graham Woods vast archives
A Tribute from Allan Dick - Classic Autonews
" VALE CHARLIE STANTON.
103 is a pretty fair age but that’s the milestone Charlie Stanton reached before he quietly slipped away earlier this week.
As the famous Stanton Brothers, Charlie was the thinker and the engineer, Morrie was the courage and the driving skills as well as also an engineer.
Charlie let Morrie do all of the public racing driving, he was content to create, to contemplate and take the proverbial back seat.
Together they ran a garage in Sydenham in Christchurch.
In the mid-sixties, Charlie went overseas and spent 1967 working for Jack Brabham on his Formula One team, building the engines for Denis Hulme to win the F1 title with.
Charlie served in the Middle East in WW2 fighting mainly in Italy, returned home in peacetime and bought a 1927 Speed Bentley.
The Christchurch-based brothers were early on the motor racing scene when they took a three wheel BSA sports car, gave it two wheels at the rear and then went racing.
That was followed by the legendary “Cropduster” with its rear-engined Gypsy Major aero engine and crudely styled body.
It had an impact on motor racing circuits, but they fitted a more aerodynamic modified Mistral body to set a NZ Land Speed record for cars at circa 174mph.
Importantly for Stanton tradition — it was chain driven.
Their next car was a mistake. It was the first Stanton Corvette — a front engined, V8 powered single seater that looked like an enlarged speedway midget or modified Indycar. It was a design that was outdated even before they began building it.
They realised it, scrapped it and built a chain driven, rear engined car with extraordinarily homely looks.
But it was fast and Morrie drove it bravely while Charlie continued to stand in the background watching.
In the mid sixties the Stanton Corvette was reconfigured as a sports car. The chassis had outriggers and a widened body and the centre steering was offset by chain drive to the new driving position.
At first it had a huge open maw of a mouth, but then it was given a streamlined nose.
Morrie had a serious accident at Waimate and retired from driving, his role being taken over by Geoff Mardon who was fantastically sucessful in the car — still called “the Stanton Corvette”.
The Stantons retired, the “Corvette” was sold to Jim Boyd, then John Monehan and it’s been in the ownership of Russell Greer for many years.
Charlie Stanton switched direction, designed, built and flew a glider which is in the wonderful Ashburton Aircraft Museum.
Morrie died several years back but Charlie lived in a retirement village in Nelson, for many years.
He has a street named after him in Christchurch. "
Saw the Stanton Corvette raced many times in the 1960's into the 1970's and Stanton Special - Cropduster at Dunedin in 1984.
My own photos of the two famous cars, built by the Stanton Brothers.
Attachment 75816
Attachment 75817
Borrowed this image - " Chaindrive " Tony Lucas " small tributes " to the Stanton Brothers.
Attachment 75818
Just had another look at the Photo from Ken H.Quote:
Originally Posted by khyndart in CA
behind the Lola is an Austin Healey 100S and hard left looks like the Graeme McRae special the Maserarri.
now to find out whose AH and which chassis number number plate the 1961 -64 series and looks like " 75.602 ".
My thoughts on the photo posted by Ken H
Attachment 76233
The way the cars are lined up looks like the Dummy Grid at Levin.
In the list of entrants at the January 1964 Levin meeting Ken Smith is listed as driving the Lola number 20. His father Morrie is also listed as driving the car with the number 120.
Strangely neither Ken or Morrie are listed in any of the races in the programme but there is a race with the Massarari (H. Crawford), an MGA number 31 (R.Grace) and an Austin Healey 2400 (G. [Grady] Thomson) which could fit in with the photo.
Having acted as entries secretary several times, Kenny Smith often wouldn't appear in the programme, as he rarely put an entry in on time. Maybe a trait he inherited?Quote:
Originally Posted by Milan Fistonic
It's not only very frustrating for race organisers who, in pre computer times, had to not only arrange for the programme to be printed, be that a stapled properly produced item or a photo-copied sheet, but also issue specific entry list check sheets for the scrutineer, time keepers and so on, but it also frustrates photographers and historians.
NZ is very bad for people not entering on time, be that race meetings, sports meetings, industry meetings, conferences awards dinners etc. If we'd canned race meetings where at the closing date, there were insufficient entries to make the meeting viable, we'd have cancelled over half - but we'd still be up for paying circuit hire fees.
Milan,Quote:
Originally Posted by Milan Fistonic
Thanks for the details and yes Grady Thomson did run a 100S at one time - not sure which car, probably AHS3601, that was originally Black and as the recreation AHS 3601R is again.
Need to check my notes and the AH thread.
Strangely neither Ken or Morrie are listed in any of the races in the programme
But in this case they were included in the list of entrants at the meeting published in the programme.
I totally agree with your comments about late entries. Another gripe is result sheets that only give the driver's name and the time and/or placing without listing the type of car.
The second running of the NZ CRR at Dunedin in 1954,
1951 and 1952 was at Mairehau, near Christchurch. then in 1953 it went to Dunedin.
Notes on the Competitors Are in the programme, which Bruce Dyer sent to me many years ago, but these images are from Graham Woods
Cover from Bruce's copy
Attachment 76265
The Notes;
Attachment 76266
Attachment 76267
Attachment 76268
Attachment 76269
Godfrey Paape in the Austin A90 " Atlantic " was also the chairman of the Organising Committee and an ANZCC member [ the President ] as well as a senior member [ the President ] of the organising Club the Otago Sports Car Club.
Page 2 and 3 of the programme with the list of Officials. A very Motor racing oriented guy.
ANZCC - the " Association of New Zealand Car Clubs " was started in 1947, the forerunner of Motorsport New Zealand, previously Motorsport Association of New Zealand MANZ,
image from the Bruce Dyer copy of the programme
Attachment 76270
April 2024 - Photos of the LIP of Dave Hotham, with the Escort Flares, and other mods, under the bonnet bigger carbs and a Hurst inline shifter on the gearbox.Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Dowding
Attachment 76321
Attachment 76322
The above Written by John Mckecknie on the 11th January 2018 [ 01-11-2018 in US speak ].Quote:
Originally Posted by John McKechnie
Never got see Ken then or even at later events, but we did meet last year when Ken H was back in NZ, for his brothers funeral, sadly.
Interestingly my next door neighbour John Mitchinson [ not on TRS ] was in the same class as Ken's brother, also John, at Kiwitahi School around 1960.
A South Island Racer, a couple of photos from 1963.
Practice at Renwick 1963, with Andy Buchanan in the Brabham and Dennis Marwood Humber [ probably posted before ]
Attachment 76357
The Renwick Saloon Car race Entry List.
Attachment 76358
Teretonga - also believed to be 1963 - same 1961 - 64 plate " 683,012 " on the Chev, here with an Anglia.
archive Graham Woods who stated " not my picture ".
Attachment 76359
A busy start - all 6 cylinder cars, Waimate 1964. Event 8 at 4;00 pm - photo Euan Sarginson. [ from Allan Dick -Terry Marshall archives ].
** The start of Heat Two the over two litre cars Race. - note from Milan Fistonic next post.
Heat one was " The Publicans Race " - for the under 2 litre cars.
Ron Sylvester Chev Coupe, J K Laney FJ Holden, Ernie Sprague Mk3 Zephyr, #5 Mk2 Zephyr John Armstrong, Ray Archibald and Ian Dow 4th - 1st in over 2000cc class Jaguar Mk2's, Mk2 Zephyr Norman Masters from Balclutha, Chev Coupe at back Doug Algie #41 Chev Coupe is P Gillum
Attachment 76384
The Entry list.
Attachment 76385
Details to be checked.
Did the under 2 litre class start a few seconds later. two separate heats ** notes Milan Fistonic,
Another photo - same race 1964 Heat Two - originally thought 1963 but the same cars as top photo. Chevs Holden Jags and Zephyrs.
Attachment 76386
This is the Race in which Ernie Sprague had the big off and finished behind the Haybales - photo posted before; Mk2 Zephyr John Armstrong Chev Coupe either Sylvester or Gillum - both two tone white over Q.. what colour, think Sylvester later used Red and Silver.
Attachment 76387
.
The Saloon Races at the 1964 Waimate meeting were run as two heats and a final. Heat 1 was the Waimate Publicans event for cars up to and including 2000cc while Heat 2 was the D.R. Filter race for cars 2001cc and over.
The first photo in post no 385 is the start of Heat 2. Ian Dow was the winner of that race followed by Norm Masters, Gillum and Armstrong.
Attachment 76388
Heat 1 was won by Kerry Grant from Paul Fahey, Jim Mullins and Arthur Moffatt
Attachment 76389
The result of the final shown above differs from other reports that have Moffatt fourth and Dow fifth followed by Lawrence, Brian Millett (Austin Cooper), Silvester and Armstrong.
Attachment 76390
Attachment 76391
Milan, Thanks for that, and also the note about the Fleetwood Mustang and the " One Lap ".
Your archives are great - have added the above images to my Waimate archive.
I have the " Waimate 50 " Book too - that Bruce Dyer " Spgeti " sent me when still living in Australia.
Need to read up again.
Makes more sense being two races. I did wonder about not seeing the smaller capacity cars.
Have noted on my post - and have changed details on the photo's in the / my archive.
Graham Woods has great stuff but sometimes details need to clarified/checked.
Cheers
Roger
Notes by Allan Dick - of AutoNews and Classic Autonews
" Front engined days. Start of the Renwick 50 and 62/63 season opener. Amon is waiting on his Scuderia Veloce Cooper to arrive, so he gives the 250F Maserati a run. Amon is just ahead of Eade in the ex Moss, Jensen, Mansel 250 and behind is the Lola FJ (with 1.5 Ford engine) of JCN (John) Histed. Race was won by Angus Hyslop in his 2.5 Cooper Climax and Amon was second. A bit of an opportunity here to see the differences between the two 250Fs — Amon's being the "BRM" modified car. "
Attachment 76441
A newspaper photo of the same event. The same Race Barry Cottle Lola and the Stanton as well as another Racing car ahead of the Amon Maserati 250 Angus Hyslop in the Cooper Climax - Notes in the caption of the drivers.
Attachment 76442
The entry list which shows Amon but not in the Maserati - as explained by Allan Dick.
The " Renwick 50 " - Renwick Road Races ..
Attachment 76445
The " BRM modified car " - it was at Ardmore 1989 - the Reunion Meeting. my own photos.
Attachment 76443
Attachment 76444
John Windelburn took his Lotus South for the series of races in the South Island.
He was entered in the " Motor Racing Cup " - for Sports and Racing Cars and the " Sports Car Race ".
- Both events over 20 Laps - 42 Miles
Photo and details from Milan Fistonic.
I see that Fred Losee in his Austin Healey 100S and E [ Joss ] Tims in his AH 100 were competing too !.
The Lotus
Attachment 76519
The Entry Lists
The Motor Racing Club Trophy Race - Scratch Race
Attachment 76520
The Sports Car Race
Attachment 76521
The Times Fastest Lap Times and Results.
John was 2nd Overall and 1st in Class in the Motor Racing Club Trophy Race
The event was for open cars not competing in the Main Race - the Lady Wigram Trophy.
- He was also 7th Overall and 2nd in Class in the Sports Car Race.
Attachment 76522
Attachment 76523
I have been having a look at the fastest lap times, it makes interesting reading. eg Johnnie Windelburn's time in the Sports Car race would have been fastest of all in the Championship race by1.8 seconds. For the entire race he would have been on the podium based on overall time. Seems a bit odd to me.
In the MRC Championship race Windelburn started from the rear of the grid after problems in practice and still finished second. Judging by the photo maybe the weather had something to do with difference in times.Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldfart