Back to grass roots low key motorsport

[Steve Emson]

Remember the days of people turning up with a car, knocking off the hubcaps and away you go? As a kid i watched my Dad do this countless times. Grass track racing, and national circuit racing & Rallying. Back then Dad thought anyone using a car trailer, mag wheels, little steering wheels or racing tyres to be a bit strange.

Of course he changed over the years, mainly because i started to use said items in my racing.
Well, we have come full circle.
I have aquired a one little old lady owner TF Holden Gemini, done 53,000km from new. (Yes we did meet her) This is a case study in ultra low budget motorsport.
In Queensland we have an autocross track which runs events monthly. My son Brett and daughter Krystal are going to be driving this car along with a legend of NZ motorsport, my Dad Ralph.(now 83)

This will be great fun with almost no money involved. I have removed the hubcaps, fitted the little steering wheel, and changed the radiator. I had to remove 30 years of water and crap from the fuel tank and we put a new exhaust on the thing. New plugs, leads, points, cap, coil and the removal of all the pollution crap have also been completed. Oh and i threw out the radio and speaker for good measure. You have to save weight as we all know.

It is actually starting to go OK (for a gemini) now! I have also put in a rev counter to identify when max power is available (5400rpm) as we cannot leave anything on the table.

I have a good friend who will lend me some low racing springs, konis and maybe a slippery unit for the rear end. We shall see if we bother fitting these.

I have bought a sun shade fold out thingy and ground sheet, and special chair for my grandson. My wife will make the bacon and egg pie and coffee etc. It is going to be a family picinic with a dash of motorsport.

Of course most of the people there will never know this old guy (Dad) was one of NZ's best rally drivers.

We have used cars out here before and it is a great day.

Maybe we should all remember you do not need to spend mega to have a little family fun. Just saying.......

Regards to all,
Steve