Northern Sports Car Club - the early years.

[Roger Dowding]

Tjebbe Bruin, Peter Bruin's younger brother - Peter of Lotus XI and others cars fame.
He was involved in Trialling Hill Climbs and other Motorsport, largely with Auckland Car Club in the 1960's -70's.
He also took or collected a lot of photographs, many from ACC events but some from NSCC, TVCC and other Clubs, and put them in Albums.
Here a set of 4 by John Larry Lawton - the page was 6 photos - 2 from another venue, a TVCC Hill Climb at Maramarua.
14th March 1965 Event.

The photos - from a Peter Bruin Album. Tjebbe Bruin has been posting many images on Old New Zealand Motor Racing with details where known of people and the photographer - if not him.



Results from the Event - from NSCC " Club Torque " Magazine of the time - Graham Woods archive.



Originals of the individual photos were published by John Larry Lawton previously. Thought they were familiar.
Jamie Aislabie Cooper - Jaguar [ ** Bobtail ],
Barry Munro Beach Buggy,
Rod Coppins Zephyr Corvette,
Jack Nazer Lotus Anglia.

** see notes about the Cooper - Jaguar of Jamie Aislabie . the Cooper Jaguar was not a Bobtail rear engined car but a front engined car

The full page from the Album with both the TVCC and NSCC events.



A busy Motoring weekend TVCC 13th and NSCC 14th March 1965

Had a note from John Larry Lawton who corrected me . Tjebbe Bruin is Peter Bruin's younger brother - now changed

[Milan Fistonic]

Quote Jamie Aislabie Cooper - Jaguar [ Bobtail ],

The Cooper Jaguar is not a Bobtail, it's a front-engined sports car and it was driven by Jamie's brother Brian.

[Roger Dowding]

Quote Jamie Aislabie Cooper - Jaguar [ Bobtail ],

The Cooper Jaguar is not a Bobtail, it's a front-engined sports car and it was driven by Jamie's brother Brian.

Thanks Milan - yes, my oops - the " Bobtail " note is on the Album Page - and here is the JLL photo. described as " Cooper Holden ".
seems like I mixed up the cars. - the " Cooper - Jaguar " name is on the results from NSCC Club Torque - confusing



The same photo as in the Peter Bruin Album, now with Tjebbe Bruin

[Roger Dowding]

Entry List and the Official " Club Report " Results and Incident Report on the Race.

Images from Milan Fistonic vast archives - may post on the " Pukekohe " thread too as have similar data from others BNSW events in different [ previous ] years.

Entry List;



The NSCC " Report ".



Father Allan and Son John Woolf both there, Allan had moved to an Escort and John had the Vitesse.
Fastest Lap to Paul Fahey in the 3400cc Capri.

Was there, probably as a Marshall Around that time - was on the Trials sub-committee and supported the Rally Speed and Race Committees.

[Roger Dowding]

Post #489 was about the NSCC November Hill Climb at Cosseys Farm - 10 years earlier " Ostrich Farm Road " was the venue.
Here from Milan Fistonic archives - the report and results from NSCC " Club Torque " Magazine.



FTD to " Sager " in the Cooper, was it Jim or Ken, ?.
** most likely Ken Sager as he appeared at the next Hill Climb in the Cooper.
What capacity as the Class in Entry lists appears to have big gaps up to 750 then 3001 to 5000cc. ?? In December the Sager Cooper was in the 751 to 1100cc Class.

See Morrie and Ken[ny] Smith both in the Cooper Holden, I think that car went later to the Aislabie brothers with mainly Jamie racing.

Met Jim Sager, Kens Dad, at the first NSCC Club night I attended in February 1967 with my father, the night I joined the Car Club having just purchased my first car a few days / couple of weeks before.
NSCC used to have meetings at the Edendale School Hall in Mt Eden / Sandringham, before the the Club Rooms were built in 1972.



Next event on the Road was December 1961 - the Entry - Programme Cover - Results from Richard Bauz [ Sandmandli ].
The Document was Keith Yeats which was with the " Orchid " documents when Richard bought it a few years ago and the car is now in Europe and competing still.

[Roger Dowding]

Having posted details of the November event and copies of the December Programme - these came along.

Thanks again to Milan Fistonic, the NSCC 1960's archive is growing.





Keith Yeats copy of the Entry List / Programme had some times on it too.

[Roger Dowding]

Roger,

Unfortunately no photos of the car exist. At the time, taking photos was a very secondary consideration. The car recorded a class win at a NSCC North Island Hillclimb Championship and I ran it at the Mt Wellington road races.

It was subsequently owned by Ken Harris, who went on to own the Wharton Monza Ferrari. I was surprised when he drove it, along with his wife, on a lengthy road trip. It was necessary for him to visit a family sheep station involved in a legacy, which later enabled him to purchase the Ferrari. He bragged about a "dice" with a sports car on the way home, and how the special won the day. LOL

Came across this comment from Trevor Sheffield back in April 2020 around Post #270 -# 272 about his Fiat 509 Special - he states " no photos of the car exist " Trevor did find some photos later and they appear on this thread.

A photo of the Car upon completion by Trevor.



I subsequently obtained details of the " Mt Wellington road races " from Don Tilsey RIP in 2023 which appear on this thread - now need to find the details.

[Roger Dowding]

The " Auckland Triumph Car Club " which began life in 1975 as the " Triumph Sports Car Club " and later became " Triumph Car Club - Auckland " is having its 50th Anniversary Celebrations.

I received an Email recently from one of the organisers Mike Hayes as follows;

" We are in the throes of organising a reunion of the Triumph Car Club.

Our intention is to have it at the premises of
- "John Morrison on Universal Drive in Henderson on 3rd May from 7pm."

This will also be an opportunity to check out John's great collection of vintage and veteran cars.
The format will be BYO Drinks, bring a plate and any photos or memorabilia you may have.
At this stage we are collecting email addresses and contact details "

There was attached a list of former members they were trying to contact.

If anyone is interested please let me know and I will pass details on to the TCC Committee, or give you the Email addresses.

Mike Hayes
Verena Steele
Jens Fogelberg - who I knew from my days with TCC and the NZ TR Register back in the late 1970's early 1980's
and the Morrison family.

Remember competing in the Triumph TR4A at the Morrisons property on Lincoln Road in 1979 in an Autocross on the back of a large Commercial Section - great fun.

[Roger Dowding]

John Windelburn, just celebrated his 92nd birthday, an NSCC and Auckland CC [ Northland CC and Pukekohe CC too, over the years ] member since the 1950's.

Was at the October 1955 Motorway Sprints with NSCC in his Morris Minor, alongside Bruce McLaren in the Austin Seven, Les Pop McLaren in Austin Healey 100 and Don Tilsley in his " Singford " among others.

Happy Birthday John.

Next car was an Austin A30. Euan Sarginson photo [ excuse spelling on the image ] later had an A35.



1960 and John was in this Lotus XI. Wigram 1960 arch Milan Fistonic



1963 Wills Six Hour Race with Vic Simkin in this Simca - Johns own archive photo



John and Shane Windelburn also raced a Holden Statesman / Calais in one of the Benson and Hedges, one of the biggest cars in the race in the 1980's. the 1981 B and H, actually ;arch Steve Elliott.

[Roger Dowding]

NSCC ran an Closed Club event with one Invitation to another Club ACC, running a Gymkhana at Dunkirk Road Panmure on 19 January 1975.

The article by Rod Peat, event organised by Wayne and Sue Parkin with Rod, from Milan Fistonic cast archives.



Was there in my Sprite and did quite well - 4th in class, beaten by a couple of sisters cars MG Midget and a Datsun.



Another 1975 event was the Pukekohe Round of the Bardahl series - Round one 16 March 1975, where the NSCC Team did rather well as noted in this Club Torque article. From Milan Fistonic archives.
Did not feature in the Club Placings - first 3 drivers only, but made the comments - again in the 1965 Sprite FD8739





Don't actually remember the event, old age - obviously did more events than I can recollect.
I did do the entire Bardahl series [ for Triumph Car Club in ] 1979 - 1980.

See John Windelburn in a Pontiac, remember him in the burnt out one [ that had been refurbished partially and had a big single Roll Bar ] at Bright Road, but thought that was in the 1979 event, maybe I was confused.

THanks to Milan for a bit more NSCC History.

[Roger Dowding]

Jens Fogelberg a Triumph TR6 owner and in his own words " TR6 Pedlar ". wrote this article on the TCC round of the Bardahl series 1979 - 80 which appeared in the TCC's Club Magazine.
Have still not seen detailed results of the event, but they may be forthcoming after TCC held its 50th Anniversary recently [ 3rd May 2025 ].

The article by TR6 Pedlar in 3 pages;

I remember the day well as broke the oil line on the TR4A - the line from the oil filter to the Oil Pressure gauge in the dash. - On a run and suddenly there was oil all over the passenger footwell. The boys from Russ Abbott's " Empire Motors " quickly blocked off the oil gauge so I could continue to run, and gave me some oil to top up.
Monday was a visit to Russ to get the oil line fitted.







Not an NSCC event but NSCC boys were there, whilst I was running for TCC.
NSCC had loaned their Caravan - used by the Timing Crew and Officials.

[Roger Dowding]

NSCC used the Hill Road at Wairamarama - Onewhero for many years in the early mid 1950's.

Don Tilsley had sent to me the Entry List Programme with Times for the " Championship " event.

Recently Graham Woods posted a newspaper / magazine report about an event there -is ii the same one, believe so - the same cars are in both lists.
Heb Gilroy Austin Seven supercharged - the " Rubber Duck ", Bob Crisp Standard Special, Don Tilsley " Singford " , George Smith in the " Gee Cee Ess " and in an Allard J2 - time 57.5 seconds in both list and report

The images together.

Programme - Entry List Cover;



The Competitors notes - the well known ones ;



The Graham Woods - newspaper / magazine cutting;



The Entrants with times written by Don Tilsley.



Maybe there is a story of the event out there.
Arthur Siddall as an Official.
Have his Photo Album of earlier events of NSCC 1942 the start of the Club to 1949.

Bob Crisp in the Standard Special - that went to Bruce McLaren in 1955.

[Roger Dowding]

The Ralph Watson built Lycoming Special, competed in many events, driven by Ralph Watson initially then Bob Gibbons, Malcolm Gill, Forest Carden and Jim Boyd.

Many events were run by NSCC and are included in the archives of Ralph Watson about the Lycoming.

This is from the 1984 edition of the Magazine Sports Car Talk - Special Edition - from Ralph Watson notes.
As mentioned the information also appears in the Book by Trevor Sheffield, Ralphs great mate who looked after Ralphs affairs after he passed away [ Trevor passed away last year aged 95 ].

1956 - 59 with Ralph Watson



1959 - 64 - with Bob Gibbons, Malcolm Gill, Forest Carden to Jim Boyd.



1965 - 67 - on with Jim Boyd.



1967 - 68 Jim Boyd



The details will help with the timeline of events especially when NSCC changed Hill Climb venues, as already listed in this thread [ the NSCC story ].

NCC event at Pupi Pupi Whangarei [ a typo - reading from handwritten notes no doubt ], on 15/10/1966, would have been Puhipuhi Road, South of Whangarei near the main highway to Auckland at Whakapara.

[Roger Dowding]

Timeline for NSCC Hill Climb events and venues has been posted on here several times.
Have recently updated the most detailed posts Post #338 on Page 17 and Post 356 on a later Page.
Other notes on Post #302 #328 and #339.

More information from other sources - the Ralph Watson Book by Trevor Sheffield and Ralphs own notes on where his cars competed the BSA Special and The Lycoming Special even when owned by others has helped.

The Trevor Sheffield book.



Trevor very kindly donated 3 copies to both the Auckland based Car Clubs that he belonged to from the early 1950's, Auckland Car Club, formed originally in 1932, and Northern Sports Car Club, Incorporated in July 1943 after being an unofficial group since mid 1942.

RIP Trevor Sheffield born 1929.