Northern Sports Car Club - the early years.

[bob homewood]

Just a mention that probably belongs in this thread ,Bevan Cossey of the Cosseys Farm Hillclimb connection ,passed away a couple of days ago ,sadly another long time friend gone miles before his time

[Roger Dowding]

Just a mention that probably belongs in this thread ,Bevan Cossey of the Cosseys Farm Hillclimb connection ,passed away a couple of days ago ,sadly another long time friend gone miles before his time

Bob, thank you for the news, NSCC had a lot of events at Cosseys, including an afternoon event, that finished with a BBQ at the top of the Hill after, the Club was very lucky to get to use it all those years ago, 1967 onwards..

[Roger Dowding]

This is from one of the yearbooks about NZ Motor Racing. from 1964 and then the GP in 1973, both NSCC and ACC helped to support the NZIGP with Marshalls, flag and crowd control.

[John McKechnie]

Great to see the V8 Daimlers being called Darts...thats the name I always knew them by.
Especially after driving an anaemic 6 cylinder convertible Dodge Dart around Bribie Island and Brisbane 1994
(not enough power to pull the skin off a rice pudding )

[Roger Dowding]

Allan, I remember another incident at the club circuit for the quickfire meeting that was run and televised around 1970.
A Triumph 2000 or 2500 broke a halfshaft coming past the stables on the right hand bend the halfshaft and wheel left the car and speared down the track. the errant part hit / was hit by a Mini in the front and looked like this afterwards [ no pic of the Triumph but here is the Mini ].

Attachment 32572

Hand drawn plan of the club circuit - from the NSCC Motorsport Day 1978 Regulations and Route Book.

Attachment 32573

The Mike ..... ?? mentioned above was a good mate of Wayne McMath, who also ran a Cooper 'S' in various meetings in the 1970's, he was quite a quick peddler, lived in Herne bay for a time, and was I think a member of both NSCC and ACC .. as were many guys ' back in the day ', made it easy to enter lots of closed club events.

[Trevor Sheffield]

The Mike ..... ?? mentioned above was a good mate of Wayne McMath, who also ran a Cooper 'S' in various meetings in the 1970's, he was quite a quick peddler, lived in Herne bay for a time, and was I think a member of both NSCC and ACC .. as were many guys ' back in the day ', made it easy to lots of closed club events.

"Back in the day", when motor racing constituted a true sport, most of those from the Auckland area competing, belonged to both clubs and many also to Pukekohe CC for good measure. Even without a cheque book, one could then compete on most weekends. Club fees were not too expensive in spite of the governing body even then being greedy. LOL

[Roger Dowding]

A couple of newpaper pages - an article on NSCC races at Western Springs, seqnmac27 Sean posted them on the " Old Speedway Photos " thread, have put them here as the thread is linked to NSCC's facebook page and website.
some well known names.
Remember races at Western Springs as part of a Heatway Rally one year, they ran races between the arrival of the Rally cars for a Special Stage around the track, unsure if the same event

Attachment 33746

Attachment 33747

thanks Sean

Finally got my copy of the NZ Classic Driver Magazine from May - June issue 66, with the article about Alan Boyle, stalwart of both NSCC and ACC back in 60's / 70's and later. A good read.
Alan features in this article and also some Club Torque articles from Bob Homewood about the early Hill Climbs at Cossey's Farm, Drury. in 1967.

Here is another well known driver at Cosseys in 1975, Ross Cammick photo.



Rob Wiiliams in " Brutus ", Rob recently competed in his Elva FJ at Hampton Downs, still doing it !!

[Roger Dowding]

Bob Homewood posted this on Facebook [ another piece of History ].
Written by James Ganley.. must be a relation of Howden and Dennis, surely !!


Note the teams ratings at the bottom, for the relay race, and the range of cars from Austin Seven to Grand Prix cars and of course Specials
J Scurrah in the JBS, which according to Graham Vercoe's book was a rear engined 500 class single seater, not known what engine it is running here. There were a series JBS cars made in the early 1950's some still racing in the mid 1960's in NZ.

another Historic shot from Milan Fistonic, Roy Harrington in an Anglia, Birdwood Road, Massey NSCC Hillclimb, early 1960's [ 1963 ? ].

[Roger Dowding]

A few pics from an old " autoNews ", 23 March 1970. Posted on the 70's 80's photo thread
This was the NSCC run event, the end of the season nothing of the 1.6 litre National Formula Series but other cars

Dave Silcock's mighty Jaguar MK 2, 3.8 saloon


The grid for the Formula Vee race


Fahey and Coppins battle it out in the wet


Photos by Gavin Evitt, magazine by Allan Dick.

[Roger Dowding]

NSCC, was formed during the second world war - believe or not and from what I have gleaned from my Uncle Albert Edward " Eddie " Dowding, initial discussions took place on the Ferries bewteen, Auckland City and the North Shore jetty's, Devonport, Northcote and Birkenhead. Eddie lived at the time in Herne Bay and caught the Ferry to Northcote to visit his girlfrend. amongst the group initially involved were, Phil Seabrook, Alan Pybus, Laurie Powell and others, Ron Roycroft was a member in the late 1940's too !!. Eddie Dowding and his brother-in-law Jack Boot both belonged, Eddie was Club Captain in the early days / years.

Eddie is still alive and well at 95, and many years ago gave me a few photos on NSCC and some events.
Here are a few to start

Attachment 29131
NSCC Concours 1947 -

Attachment 29132
NSCC Helensville Mud Trial 1949

Attachment 29133
Jack Boot Riley Special - raced at a Cinder Track in Huntly - year not known but late 1940's.

As I find more will post them.

Please add to the thread.

The Riley Special, was known as the " Riley - Bugatti " owned for a time by Jack Boot, raced by Ron Roycroft was also known as the " Bugley " believed to have been built originally by A J Roycroft in the 1930's.
I would like more information on the car Please.. PM me or post on the thread as NSCC related

[Roger Dowding]

A Couple of newspaper articles regarding the Club setting up at Mt Richmond Domain back in 1972.
Don't think I did many of the working bees, but did become one of the barmen after it opened. the said social activities.
Remember they passed a resolution at one meeting that the bar could not open until the Official business was conducted, think that got relaxed over time.. [ not a lot of time .. thirsty work meetings !! ]

[Roger Dowding]

From Eddie Dowding's collection a photo of one of his several Riley's a Monaco, at Russell, Bay of Islands.
As mentioned Eddie was an early member Club Captain 1944-45 ish and then President 1946-47



Found out where the photos was taken from posting it on Facebook, and what model the car was.

Here is another of Eddie's Rileys a Riley 9, in 1949 ** [ now confirmed as 1945 or 46 ] . posted before - at Helensville the Mud trial
Eddie with his Pipe, other car believed to be Ken Hemus' Singer

[Roger Dowding]

Rob Williams, the panelbeater in Glen Eden when I first met him, still at school from memory, has had many cars over the years. " Brutus " the K1/2 Allard, apparently had K1 and K2 parts in it, The car I first remember in the late 60's early 70's was the Ford V8 Coupe. i have a couple of photos of the V8, and recently found a great one on Facebook - courtesy Stephen Meares. shows Rob in action at a grass sprint, probably either Tom Grace or Peter Hildreths farms in and around Woodhill West Auckland.
Rob did exhaust work on several of my cars, including my first Mini in 1967, with Agricultural Muffler [ Massy Ferguson Tractor one, - no sales tax as farming equipment ], and later when the Sprite boys in AH Car Club used modified Mini Cooper exhaust manifolds, to replace those cast iron things that came with the cars; cut of the bottom section turn it 90 degrees and sleeve and weld it so suitable for an in line engine;



Robs car in the carpark at Pukekohe in 1966 at an NSCC meeting, my pictures.





I last saw Rob at " The Gables Tavern " in Herne Bay around 2007, with his wife, having dinner with Allan Woolf [ my neighbour in New Lynn in the late 1950's ] and Colleen, and Colin Waite and his wife, three great NSCC competitors, who are still involved in cars and racing.

Rob and " Brutus " shared the NSCC Sports Car Trophy with me in about 1975, when I had an Austin Healey Sprite.
Rob did all the Speed events Hill Climbs and Club Circuit and Grass Sprints, I did Hill Climbs, Grass Sprints and Trials

[Roger Dowding]

May not be an NSCC event but a few Club members in the field here ; put on my " Pukekohe early pictures " thread but worth being here too !!. Picture from a book published in the early 1970's by reading the notes ..



Here is another NSCC member, a very early one mid late 1940's , Ron Roycroft on a metal hill road near his home in Glen Murray, about 1979. Ross Cammick photos.



and after an oops.. right through the wire fence ..



That is Ron on the left in the red shirt..
the car was Jaguar powered 6, and called the RJR Special .. Trevor Sheffield will know the car

[Oldfart]

RJR is currently being restored by Peter Benbrook.

[Roger Dowding]

RJR is currently being restored by Peter Benbrook.

Yes, and Ross Cammick has sent me a photo of it, and one with Peter and Ron from a few years ago.
Must post them here.

[Roger Dowding]

Oldfart, these are for you and others ; some photos that Ross Cammick sent to me just recently..


Ron Roycroft Peter Benbrook, and Terry Roycroft ** new info


The RJR being rebuilt


The Jaguar engine in the Bugatti ..


Ross understands that Terry Roycroft has the Bugatti engine and also the actual Jaguar engine used in the RJR, the the rebuilt car will have a different Jaguar engine..

[Kwaussie]

Is the blue car to the right of this photo a version of the RJR special?

[Milan Fistonic]

May not be an NSCC event but a few Club members in the field here ; put on my " Pukekohe early pictures " thread but worth being here too !!. Picture from a book published in the early 1970's by reading the notes ..

That was taken at the Auckland Car Club meeting on April 4 1964.

Motorman used a photo that must have been taken a few seconds before the one posted above.



And the caption appears to be wrong. From this entry list the Zephyr looks like Frank Radisich's number 144.

[Oldfart]

Oldfart, these are for you and others ; some photos that Ross Cammick sent to me just recently..


Roycroft and Peter Benbrook, unsure of the third person


The RJR being rebuilt


The Jaguar engine in the Bugatti ..


Ross understands that Terry Roycroft has the Bugatti engine and also the actual Jaguar engine used in the RJR, the the rebuilt car will have a different Jaguar engine..

That is correct, at one time the RJR had that engine on site to go in, but it went back to Terry.