The Mike Feisst Collection - Part 5

[Steve Holmes]

A mixed bag in this post, including a couple of dragsters, one of which I think might be Don Prudhome (any help here?), plus a VW wheelstander, and the Waltzing Matilda jet truck. What ever happened to this thing?

[Greg Stokes]

The first dragster is the International powered one of Colin Drysdale, his dad built the Cadillac flathead V8 powered Hillbilly. The Hillbilly is still around but the one shown here is not. The Don Prudhomme dragster toured NZ and was on display at many gas stations and parts outlets throughout New Zealand. I have never heard if it ran or was even started up here though.

[Steve Holmes]

Hey thanks for that Greg. Can you help with the hot rods in the background of the first photo?

[Shano]

A mixed bag in this post, including a couple of dragsters, one of which I think might be Don Prudhome (any help here?), plus a VW wheelstander, and the Waltzing Matilda jet truck. What ever happened to this thing?

That VW wheely car was one of the star attractions at a car show held at Epsom Showgrounds - must have been in the 60s. The engine was set right back as a counterweight and you could pick the front up with one hand. That's how the guys turned it round at the end of its run because the front end was so light it would keep going straight on when the front wheels were turned.

It had rained all week so they built a track for it out of baulks of timber. It was all pretty Michael J Rodent.

I was disappointed with it and thought it was a bit of a rort.

Note the track though - the first stock car race I ever went to was on this track and I wondered if they were still running there, as it is obviously used as a speedway track in this photo.

I would have thought the stockers had moved to Waikaraka Park by then. Note the extensive safety fencing - I recall sitting down the front at the left hand end, having gone against my mother's wishes for my personal safety and sneaking away. A car rolled, came over the single rail wooden fence and landed right beside me.

Mum wouldn't take us to the Epsom track any more after that. The cars had to move from there because it wasn't safe/ They went to Gloucester Park in Onehunga (which my mother also refused to take us to because she said it was "too dirty." It was a former rubbish tip after all.)

The move to Waikaraka was a very good one.

I saw Waltzing Matilda perform at a motor race meeting at Calder in Melbourne. At least I'm pretty sure it was Waltzing Matilda, certainly rings a bell.

Lots of people were sitting on a dirt embankment at the end of the straight (the drag run was done in the opposite direction of the motor racing). When they stoked up the jet engine at the start the backwash just about blew everyone off the bank - there was paper and rubbish, programmes, hats, newspapers, chilly bins (of course they were eskies over there) and all sorts of stuff being blown everywhere. For the second run, the bank was empty. All very entertaining.

[thunder427]

A mixed bag in this post, including a couple of dragsters, one of which I think might be Don Prudhome (any help here?), plus a VW wheelstander, and the Waltzing Matilda jet truck. What ever happened to this thing?

...there is a 'Fastback' Anglia' on a trailer with its back to us in the 'Hot Rod' show photo!!....regards thunder427/MJ

[Greg Stokes]

Hey thanks for that Greg. Can you help with the hot rods in the background of the first photo?

This is from the Waikato Hot Rod Show that was featured in the Feb/Mar 1968 issue of NZHRM (first new four color issue) however, none of the owners were identified in a similar pic from another angle. I do spot the Bill Perriton Crown Jewel in the background to the RH side

[Steve Holmes]

[QUOTE=thunder427;2491]

Any info on the first shot in this post? Art McKee owns the silver Chevy Monza, having just imported it from the US. Roaring Season member aussiemonza now owns this car. Also in this batch is Bill Leckie's very successful Sleepyhead V8 Capri. I posted this car in the Lost race Cars thread, hoping to find out if anyone knows whether the car survived

Attachment 1703

Steve,the Panelvan parked at the rear of Art's/Grant King,Monza belonged to one Richard Podmore/builder of Christchurch,a friend of Art's and Graeme Vautier /'Crown Motor Court',I'm sure they used the "PV' that year as a 'Tow Vehicle',come parts bin, I sprayed the 'Coloured Graphic's down the side at Greg Fitzgibbons Servo/Garage,409 Harewood Road,Christchurch, Fitz's garage was the place where we held the Kustom Car Club meetings for a number of years,strategically located, not far from, the Bishopdale (Pub!) Hotel (most meetings were over by 1/2 past/9!!!)...

I had flown home from Oz for Gregs wedding Oct 23/1974,My Birthday was Oct24/1974,so as you can appreciate the wedding went for two days....'I Think'?????.......Flew back to Oz in nov/1975.......Man!! that was a great Year!!!..I will wait till AMCO72 has run out of stories and I shall bring you up to date with that looooong 'Bourbon Party'........short side Bar,.....Fitz built a Show stopping Morris Minor with a 1600 Ford etc, but everyone will remember it had E.type Headlights 'custom' installed,was on the show scene ,known as 'VOLDKA and ORANGE....NZHRA 'Top Custom'..........durring 1974/75, Fitz finished his second 'Altered' drag racer....."we need a name', was Fitz's 'battle cry'...."something like 'Voldka',everybody remembered that name"!!!.....one evening I ventured around the Back of the workshop to, well!!, you know!!,I suddenly realised that I was confronted by 2/stacks, 6/bottles high,25 to 30 Bottles along the wall (nth & sth)..."Jeeez!!,4x6x25x 2stacks=300 Bourban Bottles!!!...I walked inside an announced to Fitz and the 'Motley' crew.."I've got a name for the drag car'!!!!!...."WHAT"!!!!!!!.......The 'BOURBAN BANDIT" and so it became!..............regards thunder427/MJ

Hey Myles, I don't thing AMCO72 will ever run out of stories, so you'd better start now! Do you have any pics of that panelvan? The '70s look is making a comeback you know. Kidney bean mags, lake pipes, embossed white writing on the tyres, etc,

Heres your Minor. Pretty wild little car for sure.

[Steve Holmes]

This is from the Waikato Hot Rod Show that was featured in the Feb/Mar 1968 issue of NZHRM (first new four color issue) however, none of the owners were identified in a similar pic from another angle. I do spot the Bill Perriton Crown Jewel in the background to the RH side

Hey thanks for that info Greg.

[Steve Holmes]

That VW wheely car was one of the star attractions at a car show held at Epsom Showgrounds - must have been in the 60s. The engine was set right back as a counterweight and you could pick the front up with one hand. That's how the guys turned it round at the end of its run because the front end was so light it would keep going straight on when the front wheels were turned.

It had rained all week so they built a track for it out of baulks of timber. It was all pretty Michael J Rodent.

I was disappointed with it and thought it was a bit of a rort.

Note the track though - the first stock car race I ever went to was on this track and I wondered if they were still running there, as it is obviously used as a speedway track in this photo.

I would have thought the stockers had moved to Waikaraka Park by then. Note the extensive safety fencing - I recall sitting down the front at the left hand end, having gone against my mother's wishes for my personal safety and sneaking away. A car rolled, came over the single rail wooden fence and landed right beside me.

Mum wouldn't take us to the Epsom track any more after that. The cars had to move from there because it wasn't safe/ They went to Gloucester Park in Onehunga (which my mother also refused to take us to because she said it was "too dirty." It was a former rubbish tip after all.)

The move to Waikaraka was a very good one.

I saw Waltzing Matilda perform at a motor race meeting at Calder in Melbourne. At least I'm pretty sure it was Waltzing Matilda, certainly rings a bell.

Lots of people were sitting on a dirt embankment at the end of the straight (the drag run was done in the opposite direction of the motor racing). When they stoked up the jet engine at the start the backwash just about blew everyone off the bank - there was paper and rubbish, programmes, hats, newspapers, chilly bins (of course they were eskies over there) and all sorts of stuff being blown everywhere. For the second run, the bank was empty. All very entertaining.

Hey Shano, great story! What did they use to propel the wheely car? I never did get to see Waltzing Matilda in action, only as a display.

[Steve Holmes]

...there is a 'Fastback' Anglia' on a trailer with its back to us in the 'Hot Rod' show photo!!....regards thunder427/MJ

Thats probably this one.

[Steve Holmes]

OK, moving right along.....

[Steve Holmes]

The XRGT Falcon must have been near new. Would have been quite exiting to see one of these fresh off the assembly line.

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

By the way, nice timing on the last photo there Mike. A few seconds later and the girl in the tiny short shorts would have been out of shot!

[Steve Holmes]

This is the last batch for this part folks. Theres more to come from Mike's collection in a few days.

[Howard Wood]

The second photo "Formula Pacific 1977" in post #35 must be later than 1977. The chicanes were still used in '77 and '78 and that looks suspiciously like a Ralt RT4 to me!

[pallmall]

Re the Epsom Showgrounds and the VW Wheelstander. Stockcars finished at the Epsom track in March 1959 for good. At the time of that show Waikaraka Park had been running for at least one season.

[thunder427]

[QUOTE=Greg Stokes;2507]This is from the Waikato Hot Rod Show that was featured in the Feb/Mar 1968 issue of NZHRM (first new four color issue) however, none of the owners were identified in a similar pic from another angle. I do spot the Bill Perriton Crown Jewel in the background to the RH side[/QUOTE ......the little 'red' pick-up that's parked at the rear of the Anglia on the trailer was built by the very talented 'Kite Bros' from Napier, they built some real clever conversion's,I believe they are now doing great work on the 'GoldCoast/Brisbane' Island these days........regards thunder427/MJ

[Rod Grimwood]

The girl in the white shorts looks a little different now, the Berlinetta Boxer was at that time one of 2 in southern hemisphere, it was owned by Ross Tebbs and he only sold it about 2 years ago (reckoned he would never sell it). This car sat in a air conditioned garage with a Phase 3 on one side and a L34 on the other, so it was not lonely. Ross has had some toys. Think I know the capri in back ground as well, nice car but the boot was small for chilly bins. Had a Mk11 hatch later and that was a bit easier to pack in the chilly bins (we ate alot)

[Shano]

Thanks for the timing on that Pall Mall. Shizen I feel like I'm getting old reading stuff like that.

Steve the VW ran a hot VW motor. When the front wheels were in the air it was steered by individual lever-operated brakes. It was pretty hairy, and good driving, to keep in on that track of boards during the run. It used to get going quite quickly over even that short distance.