Nigel. You will have noticed that the 1956 programme you posted does not have a list of competitors for the NZ Grand Prix. That's because it was printed on a separate sheet that was included with the programme. Unfortunately most of the programmes one sees these days do not have the entry list.
If I can find my copy I'll post it here.
Gordon Brown, is that the same man who built the GB Special, Ford 10 based with sportscar body, Hillman Gearbox and a 2 speed back axle ??. It is featured in the " NSCC the early years " postOriginally Posted by nigel watts
John McKechnie,
I hope next time we can meet up and we will have time to go out in the Monaro.
I wish I had kept the 1968 photo I took of Spinner unloading his yellow Camaro at a house in Morrinsville with Terry Scott and his wife holding baby Kayne. The Camaro came off a pretty sorry looking trailer considering the load it was carrying. I think it was the same trailer as shown in these photos. I just remember laughing at the antics and comments of these guys. Like I mentioned a year ago, growing up in the Morrinsville area at the time was really special. Our rugby club (Kereone ) had 4 All Blacks on it at one time.(Don & Ian Clarke, Ponty Reid and Ron Hemi.) Plus all the motor racing connections in the Morrinsville area .e.g. Spencer (Spinner ) Black went to Kiwitahi school with my sister, Bryan Innes's family brought property from my grandfather, Dennis Marwood married the sister of a neighboring farmer, a relative owned the Motordrome Service Station in Te Rapa, Terry Marshall was at Morrinsville College when I was there, John Paton (Paton & Black ) engines was a friend,Terry Scott, Ross Greenville had a really sweet niece etc. etc. ( We were like a big family )
Plus we had Nigel Watts father as our family doctor. Life was good but I think I just took it for granted but I am grateful for those times now when I look back.
Again you can see the standard of trailer Spinner used to move this fine machine around ! "she'll be right mate, no worries "
(Camaro parked outside Spinner Black's home in Morrinsville. Freshly painted in Cambridge colours for Terry Scott to drive. )
Thanks again John,
Also Nigel thanks for carrying this site on. (I never realized how young Bruce McLaren looked until I saw .that 1956 programme !)
(Ken Hyndman )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 08-03-2015 at 07:54 AM. Reason: ***
Yes the same Gordon Brown. As I understand it still living in Herne Bay.
Ken- AB said he same thing about the same trailer- it was always working hard, especially in the South Island.
Lifes wheel will certainly have turned the full circle for you when you can use the Monaro radiator panel as a bar table again.
Warren said he would like to catch up for a drink at the same bar.....and it looks like from the views here, it will be crowded bar.
Last edited by John McKechnie; 08-03-2015 at 09:32 AM.
These could be small, A huge Pontiac amongst the small stuff, Mini's etc and the Lycoming 1966/67 not sure .. from my " Box Brownie " type camera days Ken ..
In #305- the Veteran Grand Prix field looks amazing, does anyone have anymore info or pix on this, or has it been covered in another thread?
The White Steamer for example, does that still live on?
Hardy Motor Wreckers certainly look well represented, have they had any mention previously?
How long did it take for the 1907 Cadillac to travel the 10 miles?
Twombly and Zedel are very rare names, were they genuine race cars?
Last edited by John McKechnie; 08-16-2015 at 08:55 PM.
Google tells me the Zedel was a real car Company and they did make a racer or two..
The Zedel Motor Company, or otherwise known as Automobiles Zedel, was first an outfit that built engines for bikes, motorcycles and three wheelers around the turn of the 20th century. They were located in St Aubin, Switzerland on the southwestern end of Neuchatel Lake.
In 1902 they moved their headquarters due west over the boarder into Pontarlier, France. This was done in an effort to limit import duties since the majority of their customers were french companies. It wasn’t until 1906 that they started building their first motorcars.
Zedel cars were small and, in the beginning, had room for only two people. The first engines were 4-cylinder powerplants with 1128 cc. Later on those numbers would grow to 3563 cc by 1912. Automobiles Zedel was a well-known make for the time. Leading up to World War I they were averaging more than a vehicle a day in production. It was’nt quite the assembly line production made famous by Henry Ford.
In 1908 Zedel came out with a four-seater and then in 1912 they introduced a vehicle that was a little more upscale.
Hardy Motor Wreckers.--- Merv. Hardy was a wonderful old long term enthusiast, a gentleman and quite special. I have been trying to attach a document of interest, but three pages of A4 will not be accepted.
Just reading Merv Hardy won the first Midget race , Newmarket Park at the bottom of Sarawia St in 1949. I assume its the same man?
Reference here is-http://www.historicspeedway.co.nz/Olympic%20Park-Newmarket.htm
Last edited by John McKechnie; 08-17-2015 at 09:24 AM.
John Mck.. have found a little on the Twombly too!!, an American Cyclecar
The Twombly was a cyclecar manufactured in the US by Driggs-Seabury between 1913 and 1915. The cars had water-cooled, four-cylinder engines, two seats in tandem, and an underslung body. Few of them are still in existence.
The designer was Willard Irving Twombly (1873-1953), inventor and aviator. His largest investor, Reverend David Stuart Dodge petitioned for bankruptcy in 1915 claiming he was owed $428,238 by the Twombly group of companies for loans and interest.[1] Shortly after this, Twombly became involved in an expensive divorce case and was eventually jailed following accusations of bigamy and misconduct.[2]
Wow, it seems that this race back then certainly had some very unique cars.
Any body remember it at all?
Twoomby sounds likes like a real character- half a mill in 1915
Oldfart- you know quite a bit on cyclecars-have you come across this one ?
After reading the very well researched Rorstan thread I was reminded that somewhere I had an old B&W photo from the 1964 NZGP at Pukekohe. I took this photo at the Elbow Corner and Tony Shelly had just gone past the left side and Jim Palmer is coming under attack from Bruce McLaren in his Cooper as he comes out of the corner and on the right is Jack Brabham slowing for the corner in his BT 7 A.
On the very next lap Brabham crashed into Shelly at this spot and was lucky to escape unhurt as his car just missed the horse stable building after being launched in the air. The next lap McLaren slowed to check on Jack and Tony and then gave Jack the "finger" as he accelerated away. The crowd roared at all the excitement.
( Ken Hyndman photo )
Last edited by khyndart in CA; 08-20-2015 at 07:18 PM.
According to another Forum, the Pontiac is being peddled by either John Windleburn or maybe Colin Prast .. if anyone has 1966 67 Pukekohe Race proegarms, like the ones I gave away in 2008, will have the answer, can't quite make out the Race number.
These could be small, A huge Pontiac amongst the small stuff, Mini's etc and the Lycoming 1966/67 not sure .. from my " Box Brownie " type camera days Ken ..
The Lycoming should be Jimmy Boyd
In my garage again and found another piece of Motoring history " The History of the Dunedin Festival Road Races 1953 - 65 ", entitled " Racing Round the Houses " by Scott Thomson [ who wrote the Ron Roycroft History " Up to Speed " ], published in 1983 by the Vintage Car Club of N Z Otago branch, I purchased my copy at the 1984, Dunedin Street Race Revival meeting. Also found newspaper clipping and some photos both mine and ones from the Otago Daily Times.
here are the front and back covers of the book [ booklet really ]
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