Thank you Mike.... you can see the early developement of the rep MK3 with a big lean on .......I am sure the car is in the north island , does any one know of its where abouts please.... I think it would be great to see it at H D in Jan
Thank you Mike.... you can see the early developement of the rep MK3 with a big lean on .......I am sure the car is in the north island , does any one know of its where abouts please.... I think it would be great to see it at H D in Jan
Hi Grant, It is in the ownership of Keith Tunnicliffe here in Feilding. Not sure of his plans but I can wander down to his favourite watering hole on Friday night and ask if he is planning to go to HD. Cheers, Bruce
Thank you Bruce ........ Dale was wanting a few of us with connections to a bit of history on old prominent cars [they dont need to be driven just displayed is ok ] & some history of family to do a bit of a draw card to connect this with the public ....... I will keep you posted thank again ... Grant
I will have a chat with him on Friday night and come back to you Grant. That sounds like a good idea of Dale's.....anything to interest the punters and display history is good for the cause. Cheers..
Here are a couple more photos. I have some more to scan yet.
Ernie and Leo at Levels.
Erne in the 4 CLT at Wigram
Last edited by kiwi285; 12-04-2014 at 05:36 AM.
Thank you Mike ........... these old racing cars [2 of Ernies the P3 & 4CLT] are now worth muilty Millions ........ some one asked Dad , "how do you feel knowing what you had are worth a fortune" Dad,s reply with a grin said; "if you keep looking back you get a sore neck".....[dont live in the past ]....good message in this ...... for a wise man to ponder .......in my view these are just cars [THINGS] just enjoy the ride & have fun .......no roof racks or tow balls on the hearse
.
Some more for the collection.
Grant hill climbing the Anglia
Grant in his Escort Sports
Jamie, Grant and Lester at Taupo 1987
Gary in a Fiat 125T at Levin - really got some attitude going
Ernie and Gary with the Mk IV Zodiac - race winners
The Anglia was at a south island hill climb my car was called the road runner.....had alloy panels for this climb , I was 17 & just bought new webbers off Dennis Marwood , the car was a little rocket.. [well seemed like it lol]
Escort Sport series........started off MMmmm a learning curve.......but learnt quick as the guys in front were more street wise ....soon got my s..t to gether
& joined the ranks they called this series the $10,000 stock car series.....if you did not give a hit back you were doomed ..I was not doomed lol
Scanz .... following the master of sports cars...Jamie the man
Gary doing what he does best ........I think this was a long distance race at Levin teamed with Barry Cottle & won this race ..in those days with [nz homolagted] cars it was pretty big time was part of the B&H series
Dad & big Brother at Puke .........with a grin ..was not easy fronting up to the big boys like Giltrap etc ..Ernie was never phased .......money is an illusion [maya] ?? but it helps to balance the package ....... I often recall people saying oh "they win because they have more money" lol , I thought geeeeee wake up........the tall poppy word became a house hold name & the green eyed monster was looking up lol
Love that pic of the Zephyr at Levin Grant! Looks like a Jack Inwood job.? I have a large photo of it at Levin on my den wall.I'm sure the same race and and about the same place on the track, as the same dent on the rear panel is there.I have also always wondered if the car had the same gear set up as the road car ie steering column or floor change.The engine must have been modified somewhat too?
A few more photos.
Molly modelling the latest Citroen
Grant after a session behind the wheel.
The Saker Tull built by Bruce Turnbull
Pre-65 field at Taupo
Grant being hounded by Dean Perkins at Taupo
Grant and Albi in close formation at Taupo
Hilstwist.....I would say the steering in those days were hit & miss....more of a hit ...heavy oil in shocks cut down springs & double sway bars .. I was only 10 here re this pik , Jack's photo is very sharp a very clean one at that ....... if you look close Kerrie had a little over steer ...the Hillman way back is going side ways as it is entering this corner .... Ernie,s car has got the right attitude like 100% for those days .....as for the steering ... I recall very basic .......but floor change jag gear box 4 speed floor change I recall engine had plenty of hp for it,s day
some more from the albums
Grant leading Angus at Wellington
Grant hill climbing the XU-1 at Craigmore
Grant in the XU-1
Racing the Fiat in the GTX Championship 1974
Another shot of the Fiat
Last edited by kiwi285; 12-10-2014 at 04:51 AM.
These were great little cars ....Steve Emson being the North Island man me the South ....only probs were the odd head gasket [over heating] or syncros due to fast changing ....... nothing has really changed ..same rules still apply ............the trick was to have lose seat belts ....move over the other side [automatic corner weights]....I see some piks of Steve leaning same way lol
Last edited by Grant Sprague; 12-10-2014 at 09:34 AM.
If you you did not lean over the other side....the car would fall over as mine did & Steve,s just about did.........
Designed for right hand tracks Grant, be good at Manfield, Puke, gee amazing how many left hand track when you get into them.Originally Posted by Grant Sprague
If you you did not lean over the other side....the car would fall over as mine did & Steve,s just about did.........
Probably being driven not quite as designed
I guess you mean these photos.If you you did not lean over the other side....the car would fall over as mine did & Steve,s just about did.........
I think it is fair to say that you and me Grant were the two quickest drivers in these cars. With all the lap records we held between us that kind of backs that up.
I put that down to our extremely quick fathers we both hung around as kids. Monkey see monkey do!
Oh,................we never had any head gasket problems, you must have planned the s&^% out of yours
Ha Ha!
Last edited by Steve Emson; 12-16-2014 at 04:23 AM.
yet some more photos
Gary in an E49 Charger
Gary in the Twincam Escort
Gary in the Matich workshop
Grants eulogy to Ernie
A couple of Ernie's great cars
lol Steve.... I do recall an issue of over heating at Teretonga.......... a head gasket was replaced & off to Levin we went ....only to find out after we practiced & raced [dnf,s] Ernie was not happy , the temp gauge went off the dial only to find out it was a radiator , that's probably the reason ....ummmm did you blow a head gasket at Manfeild ....might have been the Datsun 1600 but did read that some where hehehheheeh....... was over at the mount last week what did I see parked out side a wrecking yard on display A FIAT128 lol , I thought of you right away....they look so pre historic but yes we extracted the best out of them they just reved & never really broke .....golden years eh Steve..............., I have a couple of friends in historic muscle cars trying to entice me back in ,me like you had support from friends etc those have now moved on so would find it very testing to find the time to do it properly not to mention finding the other support $$ the only way to do it is to do it properly ....
Last edited by Grant Sprague; 12-16-2014 at 08:59 AM.
I read that somewhere also, however do not remember it. It would have been a Datsun 1200 coupe which was 1300cc and racing against Dennis Marwood who had a 120Y. Those were very quick cars, you would have enjoyed them. A very Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Regards to all,
Steve
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