In addition to the historic NZ racing cars book I'm currently working on, I've also been asked to put together a book on Toyotas in NZ.
Can anyone recommend people who own an interesting Toyota? Can be a road or race car. New or old. Anything with character, and including cars with really high mileage.
I'd love to hear from you. I can be contacted at: theroaringseason@gmail.com
Must include the Crowe/Freeth Starlet!
Last edited by ERC; 11-20-2017 at 09:09 PM.
The AE86 is also worth a mention
Here is a great link
https://oldschool.co.nz/index.php?/t...-ae86-racecar/
Starlet's , plural :Originally Posted by ERC
Must include the Crowe/Freeth Starlet!
Sorry, yes!
And a Corolla before that!
Of course something in there about the Amon involvement with Toyota.
And this one also?
There were 3 Celica's and 1 Trueno in B&H in the early 80's don't know who owned them, however you had the Blue; Baigent Bowkett Tellus one, Yellow; Rod Coppins Bruce Bellis and the White; Warwick Mortimer. The Trueno, initially raced by Frank Radisich. Then you have Dick Sellens who raced Corollas in GTX and built one for the North Island OSCA series. Then theres Allen Brough who rallied a Trueno as well as a Corolla, the Trueno IIRC became Rod Collingwoods Shellsport car, which was being restored to rally condition by someone, then you have Paul Adams rallying the Starlet and racing the Corolla with Allan Woolf to 5th in the first Wellington Street race, the Hallidays built a Corolla for 2litre Shellsport in about 77, Bob Homewood had hs 1300 Corolla which started as a GTX car, then as a Shellsport 1300 car, Warren Burt had an OSCA Corolla and the Shellsport/OSCA Starlet, Ray Wilson, 3rd overall, which year? in the Rally NZ
Yes indeed Ray, I've already made contact with Trevor.Must include the Crowe/Freeth Starlet!
I am so super excited about featuring this car Duncan! By the way, thats an amazing photo.And this one also?
Am still after subjects for this book folks. Can anyone help? Also need old sales brochures, old photos of road cars, anything Toyota.
The first racing Toyota I can recall was a Corolla driven by Dick Sellens - I think Sellens but might have been Sellars.
As I recall he was from Wellington. My guess is that was late 60s or early 70s. Before the Starlet, Trevor Crowe put a Chev in the front of a Corolla - I guess for OSCA racing.
The Starlet that Paul Adams rallied in the early 80's should be included. For a 1300cc car it was a giant-killer.
Thanks guys much appreciated. Yes that car needs to be included Milan. Many thanks.
I'm also after road cars for the book, including old photos, plus classic Toyotas, modified, high mileage, oddball, etc. Does anyone have old photos of Toyotas they or friends/family owned?
Its essentially going to be a big scrapbook of the roles Toyotas have played in the lives of Kiwis.
Before the Starlet, the Toyota Corolla was a front-runner in the small class of rallying.
Obviously the Chris Amon connection needs to be there Steve.
Have lovely red 1991 celica convertible
Phil Pacey rallying his Land Cruiser at Maramarua in 1975
Other Toyotas worth mentioning. The 3 Corollas that were entered by Toyota NZ in the 73 Heatway Rally ( at least 2 of these cars have survived. Also to mention is Ross Meekings a , very successful rally driver in the 80s and 90s . Ross had class wins and several top 10 finishes in National and international rallies.
I agree that Ross Meekings should be included. He was always spectacular.
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