Good question, its MASSIVE! Maybe the rules stated the front spoiler couldn't extend beyond the front bumper, so they just made a larger front bumper?
Good question, its MASSIVE! Maybe the rules stated the front spoiler couldn't extend beyond the front bumper, so they just made a larger front bumper?
USA Bumper with the end pieces removed and new end plates, there used to be a bit of contact in Shellsport
Not too sure of this has been posted elsewhere...but there is some good footage of the Shell Sport cars.
http://beeoneoneoh.com/2011/10/30/shell-sport-nz/
Has anyone got any photos of Eugene child's red and black mk1 Escort shell Sport car? He was a friend of my dads, and my brother and I used to go to Manfeild and watch / help out when we were kids. Not sure where it ended up either.
American style bumper, I guess as a method of getting around the fact of this car using an L series mill , as our models had the A12,s .Originally Posted by Fandatstick
Found these that may be of interest
??
Not so far...
Trying to convert png to jpeg files !
It (Eugene) ended up living in Brisbane, but he comes back to NZ every year to work at the APRC Whangarei Rally. This is happening in 4 weeks by chance
That would bound to be him. I am pretty sure he sold the car before he left. Say hi from Bernard, Bevan and Justin Wright if you see him.
Email them to me if you like, I can convert them: theroaringseason@gmail.com
You will notice Grant Aitken's sponser - Graeme Dyer Auto- in the photo at post #331. Well, Graeme died this week suddenly in the Gold Coast where he was living age 67. Graeme who ran a successful used car yard in Dunedin was an enthusiastic sponsor. I used to help crew for Grant and Graeme was always along with us having a good time and getting the most out of his sponsorship. Chris Read - Arrowtown.
Sad news. All the Shellsport competitors and crews are getting older now! Time waits for no man. I would hate to think how many people I came across in my pretty short racing adventures are no longer with us. Back in the 70's I think we all pretty much thought we were built proof. On the bright side there are many more races to be run. Make the most of them. I had a ball in the 2 seasons I did in Shellsport, and even though I was seriously racing for the championship win, had lots of laughs and fun. Met some amazing people back then. Stuffed up many opportunities also. Regards to all.
Talking about people in the Shellsport era, I wonder if this photo jogs any memories. From the right hand side,
Peter Richardson;
Clever guy and good friend who could make anything out of metal. He even designed and built my Formula Pacific trailer in his spare time.
Neville Bailey;
Fantastic driver in his own right, talented engine man. Also gave me some sound council, and advice on many things. He built the Eastern Tool Co Shellsport car, My GTX B110 coupe, and also my Rally Datsun 1600.
Stewart Coutts:
Very clever guy who designed and built the suspension on my Shellsport car. He completed that work for its 2nd ever meeting at Baypark. New lap record, pole position and the race win. The car never looked back. Stewart also built the Pacific from scratch after my Timaru crash. This was a big feat, as the tub was completely destroyed, as you might expect with the throttles jammed wide open.
Yvonne;
My extremely supportive girlfriend at the time, absolute genius at timing- always exact with official timekeeping and kept my cars clean and polished. The mother of my children, and best wife in the world.
Dad:
Well, everyone who knows Dad will know what a wonderful decent person he is. Widely liked by many people. A very supportive Dad who never really placed any pressure on me, except I think he believed I could win without needing the same equipment of my competitors. Amazing father to have.
John Terry:
My long term sponsor. At times he placed a few demands on me, however his heart and intentions were always correct. He certainly was a big fan of motor racing, and enjoyed the results that we achieved. I think he really enjoyed himself.
Well there you have some of my old team members, there are other important people of course, but are not in the photo that day.
Steve this is a very cool photo, i knew you were good even in re the GTX days , you ether have it or you dont [U HAD IT ] for some reason things happen & at the end of the day its for the best, I often dream of what could have been , must tell you a little story about that one day ...........Grant
Not Shellsport, but another photo of your old Modus not long after rebuild Steve. Couple of young looking fellas there. Spent a little bit of time on it.
2nd is next season with side pods and RT1 wing fitted
Good photos Rod, I quite like it with the Ralt stuff on it.
Just before the crash, we had put a fresh motor in it and found some problems which we sorted out. The meeting before I got 3rd with the balance bar wound to full rears by mistake .( No wonder it wouldn't stop.) At Timaru as soon as I got in it I just knew we were going to be ultra competitive. I remember doing the one lap and it was flying and it suddenly had brakes! I actually said to myself, we are going to kick arse this weekend, when it was all over..............
The really weird thing about that day, was I was so off my face in hospital that night, that I thought I had the BDA engine in bed with me. I was trying to fix it or something, and the nurses we so concerned about me that they stayed up with me all night, as I was having conversations with people who weren't there. that proved to be a long day. The next day when my crew came up to see me, i asked them if the car would be OK for the race! Ha, geez that was wishful thinking! Neville just quietly told me the car was a write off. Amazing what drugs do to you.
Last edited by Steve Emson; 04-28-2013 at 06:32 AM.
Steve, this is such a fantastic photo! I didn't realise you ran both the Atlantic car and ShellSport car all in the same season. I assumed you went from one to the other. Must have been a busy season for you!
Talking about people in the Shellsport era, I wonder if this photo jogs any memories. From the right hand side,
Peter Richardson;
Clever guy and good friend who could make anything out of metal. He even designed and built my Formula Pacific trailer in his spare time.
Neville Bailey;
Fantastic driver in his own right, talented engine man. Also gave me some sound council, and advice on many things. He built the Eastern Tool Co Shellsport car, My GTX B110 coupe, and also my Rally Datsun 1600.
Stewart Coutts:
Very clever guy who designed and built the suspension on my Shellsport car. He completed that work for its 2nd ever meeting at Baypark. New lap record, pole position and the race win. The car never looked back. Stewart also built the Pacific from scratch after my Timaru crash. This was a big feat, as the tub was completely destroyed, as you might expect with the throttles jammed wide open.
Yvonne;
My extremely supportive girlfriend at the time, absolute genius at timing- always exact with official timekeeping and kept my cars clean and polished. The mother of my children, and best wife in the world.
Dad:
Well, everyone who knows Dad will know what a wonderful decent person he is. Widely liked by many people. A very supportive Dad who never really placed any pressure on me, except I think he believed I could win without needing the same equipment of my competitors. Amazing father to have.
John Terry:
My long term sponsor. At times he placed a few demands on me, however his heart and intentions were always correct. He certainly was a big fan of motor racing, and enjoyed the results that we achieved. I think he really enjoyed himself.
Well there you have some of my old team members, there are other important people of course, but are not in the photo that day.
I think this should be on this thread. it certainly is a great looking logo.
"Steve, this is such a fantastic photo! I didn't realise you ran both the Atlantic car and ShellSport car all in the same season. I assumed you went from one to the other. Must have been a busy season for you!"
Hi Steve, Yes that is correct, I was jumping from one to the other. The year before when the Shellsport car was Blue and white,and I was racing Reg Cook & Robbie Francevic for the championship, I was also racing Dennis Marwood in the GTX series in the other white Datsun 1200 coupe. I started late in that championship and we didn,t have a LSD in the first races.
The Shellsport car had a down left 5 speed close ratio box, and the GTX car had a 4 speed close ratio unit. ( Dennis's had a 5 speed- the bugger)
One had 10inch wide slicks and the other formula ford slicks. The lap time difference was Baypark 1m o3 for the Shellsport, 1m 10 for the GTX, Puke 1m 18.0 with the chicanes, GTX 1m 25, Manfield 1m 17 Shellsport, 1m 25 GTX.
Sometimes I would come in from one race and the other car was on the dummy grid. So there you go racing some of the countries top competitors in two different classes,.....good fun.
The very best exponent of this was Jimmy Richards. I don't think many people can do what he did successfully. I have only really raced Jimmy once in similar cars. It was in a long distance race, and our battle went on and on, in what seemed like forever. I was 16 years old and I was racing the best driver in NZ. Geez he made me work for it. That was the only time I was sweating so hard, my sunglasses slid down my nose!!
Last edited by Steve Emson; 04-29-2013 at 09:51 PM.
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