New Zealand Hillclimbs

[stubuchanan]

Stu- I ran at Ridge Rd in 1974/74 and it was at Bombay Hills- last over bridge at the top as you head down the other side
Louie the leopard was there in a huge Galaxie, it felt intimidating in a Mini Cooper S.

Would like to know more on Mt Wellington.

Obviously must be a different Ridge Road - 1950's one I went to was at Riverhead and Johnny Mansel was fastest in the Ardun Special I think. I can think of several other Ridge Roads in the Auck area.

1960 Mt Wellington climb(s?) would have been at Ivan Whale's Quarry off Panama Road, a bit South of Sylvia Park. This was in an old volcanic scoria hill called McLennan's Mountain which was eventually quarried away to just a big hole, near the Motorway. There is a photo on this Forum somewhere of (?) Harvey driving the A40 Special there. While there was a proper road around the side of the actual Mt Wellington up to a soccer field at the top, I think there would have been a grave danger of people going off into orbit from it! There are roads up some of the other volcanic cones, but Council has now put the block on anyone driving up .

Stu

[Kevin Hirst]

Obviously must be a different Ridge Road - 1950's one I went to was at Riverhead and Johnny Mansel was fastest in the Ardun Special I think. I can think of several other Ridge Roads in the Auck area.

1960 Mt Wellington climb(s?) would have been at Ivan Whale's Quarry off Panama Road, a bit South of Sylvia Park. This was in an old volcanic scoria hill called McLennan's Mountain which was eventually quarried away to just a big hole, near the Motorway. There is a photo on this Forum somewhere of (?) Harvey driving the A40 Special there. While there was a proper road around the side of the actual Mt Wellington up to a soccer field at the top, I think there would have been a grave danger of people going off into orbit from it! There are roads up some of the other volcanic cones, but Council has now put the block on anyone driving up .

Stu

Doctor's Hill. Waipu