NZ GTHO Phase 3's that raced in Production Series....

[John McKechnie]

Steve H- Glad I done something for you for a change and made your day.
I know that Rodgerd has been waiting for me to post these.
I have quite a few pics from then and will start posting once I find a suitable thread

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks John, we have a Random Photos thread on here somewhere for anything you can't otherwise find a home for. Would be great to see more.

[Ellis]

Attachment 22055Attachment 22056
This is a very young Bruce Anderson. He had been pedalling a MK 1V Zephyr and stepped up to the big game. This was a wet day at Puke, could be the same day Richards rodgered Brocklehurst.
Bruce had had a BIG spin and this photographer snapped part of the moment.
Note the roundel for the number looks jagged.
Thats because Anderson and Oleary were sawmillers and the roundal is painted to look like a circular saw.
This car is now fully restored and still lives in NZ., registration number is very clear.
Also note the car never ran a rear spoiler and petrol over flow down the rear quarter from its 1074 degree spin

This ones for Ellis and Rodgerd.

John..
Thanks for Anderson pics...I only have ever seen one other pic of the car

[BMCBOY]

Here's a few great photos taken by Kevin Lancaster that will interest you

[Ellis]

Thanks BMCBoy...nice pics

[darren]

Excellent pics!!

[Phranc]

In a previous life I went with a client who was going to deal his tweaked purple XYGT on the ex Richards/Bowater? HO.
I was a pleasant summer’s day and we had driven the GT for a bit over an hour to find the lair of the HO.
Parked next to the HO was a metallic green “Bathurst” Monaro HG? Packing a 350 and with the roll bar correctly present under the pillar trims.
Onto the HO, it was a pale blue and had obviously been “driven”. On the plus side it seemed to have most of the correct HO bits (extra spring leaves, XA front suspension etc).
After examining the HO we went for an extensive “evaluation” drive.
The GT and the HO were fired up and nose to tail growled down the long gravel drive.
In the HO the suspension crashed and banged as we idled over the potholes. The well fed 351 proved to be surprisingly well mannered when driven in this manner. Just a mild shake from the air intake hinting that this engine would prefer to be turning a lot more revs.
In the GT the HO’s owner led us in convoy out into the nearby country side.
We had been pottering through the peaceful and largely deserted farmland for a time, I was listening for any untoward noises and generally evaluating the car, suddenly I heard the GT bark watched the rump squat and the nose lift as it roared out its challenge.
Game on; I smacked the top loader down a cog or 2 and let the Cleveland roar, 7000 or so through the gears as we launched off after the GT.
The road was typical of that area; straight narrow coarse chip with no centre line. Soon we had these 2 great cars side by side with well over 7000 showing on the HO’s fun indicator. We stayed in parallel for a distance just revelling in what was a very special motoring moment.
All too soon the country road ran out and I pulled back behind the GT. The speed bug was now satiated as we let the cars bluff aerodynamics wash off some of the speed. We motored slightly more sedately back to the lair of the HO only pausing to ensure the HO LSD was fully operational.
Yes side by side at that speed on a narrow road does focus ones attention. And as I relaxed shrugging my shoulders and realising how incongruous it seemed that the only spectators to our automotive indulgence was a hand full of disinterested sheep.
Even at the time it was apparent that this drive was something special and to be savoured and remembered.
By modern standards the HO is a hard riding and flocused implement but that is not the point, they were built to run and run long and hard. This they do superbly. Along the way and as an incidental bonus they provide a very special type of thrill.
The supercharged Boss I drove a few days ago was rapid but far more sanitary and uninvolving as it shook its IRS half to death when patching up the track.
If you have never dropped the clutch on a well fed 351 dialled on the required wrist or so of left lock to keep the beast on the road while banging it up through the gears you have missed a very special experience. On the other hand there is something very focusing about trying to stop a standard braked XY GT or HO from 150 or so when a car pulls out in front of you.

Yes I really miss driving those cars and I owe a heart felt thanks to those who provided the opportunity.
Cheers Guys; James Stewart

[Shano]

Fantastic story.

[John McKechnie]

How about this for a wild ride- Bruce had had the car only for several days.
getting ready for the biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig 1070

[Rod Grimwood]

Thanks seaqnmac for pik of the pacer & ho etc I might add I do remember the deal between Pat & Ernie , Ernie & Pete [pumpkin] went down to Gore to deliver the ho & came back with the Pacer , coming home to [Timaru] doing the usual 100 mph plus flat to the floor , in thie middle of the night raining !!!!! , I saw the Pacer in the morn with both sides completely dented the story goes as they were going through those S bends north of Wiamate, they found wondering across the road a mob of sheep .... bang , Ernie of Peter took the ear tags off some sheep [with ears???] as proof for ins ,a bit off the track any way Ernie wanted desperately to beat Pat at levels in the changed cars I think he did as the ho was a bitch for over steer & more suited for the pacer etc , could have been a good road trip story , later Pat sold the car to John Gillard , John runs the twin towers over at the Mount [ Tga]...

Grant, talking with fella last night who was saying that years ago he had bought Ernie Spragues HO (green) and had run it at Bay Park and also dragged it against Bowater at MereMere back then. Can you remember who Pat sold it too.
Believe this guy as he has done a bit in old days but just wondering about history of car.

[Grant Sprague]

Grimmy , my understanding .... there was a guy in Tauranga [Not John Gillard] the guy was a car painter or a postman , he owned it & crashed it before I moved to Tga , & the car ended up in a garage for years in Auck, That is how the story went , Cedie might know more as he knew the foot steps of most of Ernie,s fords........ You do know it was put back to gether ??? Well the numbers are on the fire wall tag ???????????????? . Was on TV a couple yrs back claiming to be Ernies car .........

[Rod Grimwood]

Yea sounds all in place Grant. this guy owned Cedrics green 429 cobra jet and would have had HO before biff because he told me he sold it to Tauranga.

Will catch up soon Grant.

[RacerT]

Driving home from a Bay Park meeting in my 3.8 E Type, I went to pass Pat Smith in second gear on one of those slow Ngatea right angle corners that lead into a long straight. Pat looked over, saw it was an E type and floored it in second gear as well. There was a hell of a noise because he had side pipes. The two cars ran side by side through 2nd and 3rd (about 118mph), perfectly matchedd in acceleration, but when we got to 4th gear there was a one way bridge approaching and I had to tuck in behind him. We ran for many miles at high speed while being constantly being badgered by a car from behind. In the end I let him pass and then Pat did the same. It was an MGB - God now's what it was powered by, but he sure proved a point!

[Grant Sprague]

Driving home from a Bay Park meeting in my 3.8 E Type, I went to pass Pat Smith in second gear on one of those slow Ngatea right angle corners that lead into a long straight. Pat looked over, saw it was an E type and floored it in second gear as well. There was a hell of a noise because he had side pipes. The two cars ran side by side through 2nd and 3rd (about 118mph), perfectly matchedd in acceleration, but when we got to 4th gear there was a one way bridge approaching and I had to tuck in behind him. We ran for many miles at high speed while being constantly being badgered by a car from behind. In the end I let him pass and then Pat did the same. It was an MGB - God now's what it was powered by, but he sure proved a point!

Racer T what year was this .... I know of a guy living in Tga an ex car salesman from Wellington he had a powerful V8 in either a midget or MGB , might be wrong though depending on the year ??

[ERC]

Could it have been Andy Lowe, red MGB V8?

[Grant Sprague]

Or Tony Edwards...... a maori chap nick named Benson

[RacerT]

Racer T what year was this .... I know of a guy living in Tga an ex car salesman from Wellington he had a powerful V8 in either a midget or MGB , might be wrong though depending on the year ??

Hi Grant. I would think around 1972, as I sold the E Type to Dave Silcock at about that time. Tony R

[Jizim]

Here's a few great photos taken by Kevin Lancaster that will interest you

Would love to know what meeting the top photo of Bruce Anderson was......could this have been at an Auck Car Club Spring meeting and could he have been chasing a very fast (non turbo at the time) green Mazda RX2? I remember looking in the mirror at Bruce totally sideways onto the back straight of Pukekohe ..... Great days in the 70's/80's.
Same day a Gold V8 Chrysler Charger (MacDonald?) blew his motor chasing me down the back straight.........then next run Racing Ray Williams blew his motor chasing me in his Shellsport Hillman Avenger? Hunter? (Rootes Group)........But Kev can you remember?? Kind Regards, Tony Rutherford.

[225sloper]

Not sure who took this photo,but its a good one. . Bruce Robertson GTHO

[Rod Grimwood]

Ruppie (Jizim-Tony), sounds like the space shuttle, one blew here and another blew there, or K-Rd on a Sat night.