The Race Replica Debate

[AMCO72]

......and the #50 is in the wrong place. Maybe, but a blind man on a galloping horse wouldn't notice the difference. AND, there will never be the real thing to park alongside to compare....will there. It's pretty damn close with the time-frame between the two builds, considering the work necessary, and only memories and photos to go on. I doubt that Kriletitch and Co had any plans.....L.A.R.....'looks about right', and the fact that the new front is now fibre-glass rather than ply-wood, chicken-wire and papier-mache [or what ever it was] and the colours aren't quite the same, I still think they have done pretty well. Instead of having a nice round of golf, Robbie was slaving away getting this thing built, and he would not have been thinking that a lot of 'anoraks' would be coming out of the woodwork to measure up his new creation!!!..... Robbie himself, leaning on the car in black cap, and my old mate Jim Short with his bum parked on the front guard. Woops, hope I havent strayed too far from the main thread!!

[bry3500]

Gee AMCO , that's opening up another can of worms...If you make a Replica of an iconic car, is a she'll be right. measure it by the thumb approach good enough in the recreation process..hmmmm

[AMCO72]

Well, as I said, I doubt that the team had plans for the #1 build, and if there is nothing left to copy, then the reconstruction will be from photos, memories and 'common sense'. Do you not think that comparing the two photos of the car, #1 and #2, that they are as close as humanely possible. Yes there are slight differences to the inside and instruments, but they haven't shortened it, or widened it, or put mags on it ,though I think there was some talk of doing that. I dont quite know why I am continuing to defend this car, as it seems that everyone else on here, with about one exception, is not at all supportive of my stand. I have nothing whatever to gain from all this, except that having done a few restorations on old sports cars, I can appreciate the time and effort that goes into these things. I know what you are going to say.......why didn't he get it EXACTLY right from the start. I suggest to you, that if anyone else had attempted the rebuild, they wouldn't have got it nearly so correct, and unless you are over 60, you were not there to see it performing in 1967. So I rest my case.I shall just enjoy watching the car on the track, thats if it is still allowed to run, and will stick to my knitting!!!!!

[Rod Grimwood]

You stick with it Amco. A point worth considering is. Robbie and friends built the first car. Robbie raced it. No one else raced it or owned it as a race car. Robbie and friends built (rebuilt) this car. Robbie raced it.
Who really cares if the front guard is 30ml longer (easy fix, just extend/cut wheel arch a fraction) It is THE CUSTAXIE in what form you want to accept it or not accept it. There is no other Custaxie built or raced by Robbie Francevic, wether it was 1967 or 2009/2010.
Agree it is not the "original" but closer than some "originals" i have noticed. Remember my garandma saying "don't throw stones in glasshouse's"

[Rod Grimwood]

Now Amco, talking about "original" there is one in Mr Short

[AMCO72]

Thanks for that Rod.....I appreciate your comments more than you can imagine. And Grandmas are a great source of wisdom aren't they. As for Jim, yep, when he signed up for the forum I thought we were going to get chapter and verse on the race car scene. Unfortunately, as I said somewhere in yards and yarns, he didn't spend any more years at high school than were necessary or legal, so his literary skills are not great, BUT if someone could sit down with him with a tape recorder and get him talking, there would be some gems of insight and information to ponder on. On second thoughts Rod, are you telling me to 'stick with my knitting' or 'stick to my guns' ????????

[ged]

one from left outfield Silcock/millen jag, this is not the car that saved i from oblivian, out of hastings some years ago. wheels eng/g/box etc etc. i still have some parts from millen car does this mean i can now build the Millen car. Mr Johns has done a superb job in retaining a part of nz history. there is quite a story on this car after it was brought from A Dick and co,up and until i sold the car to Clive Gott. will post some photos at later date regards ged

[Rod Grimwood]

Ged, what wheels were on it (the Jaguar) when you had it, do you have photos. As in here lies another little story.

Amco, Stick to your guns fella, and regards Mr Short, as mentioned in other thread, spent many an afternoon in a certain mower and bicycle shop chatting. He has some amazing history and knowledge, and as you mentioned he is not bad for someone whos 3 years in third form were his best. A top guy.

[ged]

rod the wheels were off one of the trans am mustangs i was told. they were magnesium and caused me a little grief. but i had agood welder [barry morgan] who repaired them, we had no trouble after we addresed the problem of hairline cracks ged

[CUSTAXIE50]

mmm-hi mr amco72,i know the old car very well,i am not robbie at all.i do have some parts from the old car,the good bits were removed after they had stopped racing it . the parts they removed were the 427 and the gearbox and radiator ,and put it up for sale you are wrong about the rear half of the custaxie i did not offer the parts to them at all. in what way am i winding you up i could build up a car that would look like the old car,there would be a lot of car builders in nz that could make up a car to look like the old car .just take a look in nz petrolhead ,i did talk to robbie at manfeild a number of years back that i was thinking of building a new car.OK IF WE LOOK AT THE BRUCE MCLAREN TRUST, one told me also at manfeild that i would not be allowed to build one, and would not be allowed to race it.the trust has a 1968 m8a restoration project in the hands of a duncan fox i understand. i understand a small piece of original fibreglass was put into the body moulds of the new car, and the rear bulkhead is repaired and most of the chassis and all the alloy skins are new. so if you go by there rules, all someone has to have is a small part from the old custaxie. in 1993 at pukekohe i gave robbie a small part from the first custaxie, so what do we call the new car--a replica--recreation--rebuild--restoration you tell me so we all know what to do. all most forgot--i understand the 427 went into a hotrod ,and the t10 gearbox was rebuilt and put into a muscle car for racing,so you could say there are a lot of parts out there from the old car.

[Rod Grimwood]

Ged, the wheels were off Mr Faheys original Mustang and I was talking to Clive not long after he got the car. I believe Mr Chapman got them back for the Mustang when he had it in restoration mode.

I would appreciate any photos you have of the car as i sepnt a few hours on it way back then when Steve had it.

[Rod Grimwood]

I am fortunate enough to have seen the Custaxie a few times over an extended time lapse. Each time on the track it has been Mr Francevic, and as below on the road someone else, so if another appears let it be, but they are not the ORIGINAL driver/owner (of either so far seen).

Heres another for you, The ORIGINAL Custaxie I believe when Robbie sold it was on the North Shore of Auckland and driven around by a hot rod fella for awhile with a flathead ford in it. It then graduated to a 272.I beleive it remand in hot rod circles for along time. Now let the researching begin. I think i know the said owner or someone who does.

[Oldfart]

I find this whole discussion re the Custaxie really interesting, and having posted a photo which I took myself of the original, obviously I saw it race in period.
When I saw the new one somthing did not click. It just seemed less intimidating or something. Perhaps it was just too good/shiney? It certainly went like a rocket.
I am left wondering why the current owners don't get the paperwork sorted. Gerald has done it for his car, and intimated it was not as bad as he thought it might be. My memories of Robbie were that a finger in the air to the authorities was not unusual, and most of us at the time knew that, might not like it, but understood his position. Is the non-finalisation another example?
In a way it's sad, as the "authorities" are being painted into a corner. If they let this car/owner get away with it the floodgates open. If they don't then they are the "big bad boys" for not letting the car run in some eyes.
I am sure most would like to see such cars running, but if my memory is OK then most of them were very rough. My first memory of the McBegg was the amount of baling twine. (1960s cable ties?)

[Jac Mac]

Stuff the paperwork, lets just build the cars & race them, the 'Paperwork' just creates another area for the revenue gatherers to skim money from, thats all..wont make the car go any better!! After reading Geralds posts about the build of his car it would appear that one of the more stressful times was 'waiting' for the paperwork on his car, the rest of the build was enjoyable..

[Rod Grimwood]

Jac Mac we sing from the same sheet. I was not the biggest supporter of all the paper work (revenue generating) years ago and still feel there is too much. As you say, build them and run them, good for everyone.

I think it is great that "A" Custaxie, "A' Chev Dauphine" Etc appeared a couple of years ago, as younger fellas than us got a chance to see what it was like when there dads were starting to grow wiskers and were only interested in birds on Friday night to fill in time until the weekend.

[bry3500]

Back in 1967 the Custaxie was the Bee's knees..I remember heading off to the car show at the Addington Showgrounds with my school mates with one purpose in mind,,,,Get as close to the beast as possible and marvel at this homegrown Mustang Killer.. One thing that has intrigued me however, is that I can't recall it as being refered to as 'The Custaxie'...We all called it "The Monster". Was I too young back then to remember the details correctly , or was the term Custaxie something that came along after the 67 season?
My comment regarding the accuracy of the rebuild was not meant as a slight against Robbie or the Guys who helped, I am absolutely delighted to see it in the flesh again....it was more of a generalized comment, can you Imagine the Tifosi if the 156 recreation appeared with a different nose shape for example,
On a final note, I would love to see the Custaxie, Dauphine - Chev and other Allcomers barreling down the front straight at the International meeting at Philip Island,,they would cause quite a stir I'm sure...

[Rod Grimwood]

Bry3500, they sure do look and sound great, the ground moves and a different thunder to todays roar/screams. But any V8 sounds pretty good to me. And nothing wrong with a neat little 4 Ford singing either.

[Jac Mac]

CUSTAXI was made up from CUSTomline & galAXIe, the two major parts of the car, Body & engine source

[AMCO72]

Bry3500.......you are correct in the name of the 'Custaxie'. It was christened 'the Monster' by Kriletitch and team, and some times referred to as 'colour me gone'....the logo across the boot-lid. Was only a bit later that the name 'Custaxie' came into use, not sure exactly when, as it was 'the Monster' thru 1967........Source..1967 NZ Motoracing, where incidentally there are lots of pictures of it and the Doyle/Dickie Anglia and others. Also a good interior shot for the anoraks. And Oldfart is right concerning it's 'presentation'....rough would be an apt description....mind you it had done a few HARD racing miles by then and was showing it. Most of those machines...Doyle/Dickie Anglia etc, were scruffy to say the least, but that is how it was......no beautiful restorations/reconstructions/rehashes then.....they came 45 years down the track.

[ged]

would somebody plse build a replicar of robbies fairlane big block and all. Like you say jac lets build listen and enjoy.Ibelive the young guys today love the look and sound. so lets pass on the skills and the enthusim that we have. i have heard Garry Rodgers make a comment that the fans like the historic cars almost more than the supercars. Its about having fun gedwould somebody plse build a replicar of robbies fairlane big block and all. Like you say jac lets build listen and enjoy.Ibelive the young guys today love the look and sound. so lets pass on the skills and the enthusim that we have. i have heard Garry Rodgers make a comment that the fans like the historic cars almost more than the supercars. Its about having fun gedwould somebody plse build a replicar of robbies fairlane big block and all. Like you say jac lets build listen and enjoy.Ibelive the young guys today love the look and sound. so lets pass on the skills and the enthusim that we have. i have heard Garry Rodgers make a comment that the fans like the historic cars almost more than the supercars. Its about having fun gedwould somebody plse build a replicar of robbies fairlane big block and all. Like you say jac lets build listen and enjoy.Ibelive the young guys today love the look and sound. so lets pass on the skills and the enthusim that we have. i have heard Garry Rodgers make a comment that the fans like the historic cars almost more than the supercars. Its about having fun gedwould somebody plse build a replicar of robbies fairlane big block and all. Like you say jac lets build listen and enjoy.Ibelive the young guys today love the look and sound. so lets pass on the skills and the enthusim that we have. i have heard Garry Rodgers make a comment that the fans like the historic cars almost more than the supercars. Its about having fun gedwould somebody plse build a replicar of robbies fairlane big block and all. Like you say jac lets build listen and enjoy.Ibelive the young guys today love the look and sound. so lets pass on the skills and the enthusim that we have. i have heard Garry Rodgers make a comment that the fans like the historic cars almost more than the supercars. Its about having fun gedwould somebody plse build a replicar of robbies fairlane big block and all. Like you say jac lets build listen and enjoy.Ibelive the young guys today love the look and sound. so lets pass on the skills and the enthusim that we have. i have heard Garry Rodgers make a comment that the fans like the historic cars almost more than the supercars. Its about having fun gedwould somebody plse build a replicar of robbies fairlane big block and all. Like you say jac lets build listen and enjoy.Ibelive the young guys today love the look and sound. so lets pass on the skills and the enthusim that we have. i have heard Garry Rodgers make a comment that the fans like the historic cars almost more than the supercars. Its about having fun gedwould somebody plse build a replicar of robbies fairlane big block and all. Like you say jac lets build listen and enjoy.Ibelive the young guys today love the look and sound. so lets pass on the skills and the enthusim that we have. i have heard Garry Rodgers make a comment that the fans like the historic cars almost more than the supercars. Its about having fun gedwould somebody plse build a replicar of robbies fairlane big block and all. Like you say jac lets build listen and enjoy.Ibelive the young guys today love the look and sound. so lets pass on the skills and the enthusim that we have. i have heard Garry Rodgers make a comment that the fans like the historic cars almost more than the supercars. Its about having fun ged