here are a couple of my Mk10. First one outside my home a week of so after I went over the bank with it at Gebbies.
The second one was taken at Oamaru hill climb, and sitting next to Wally Bakers Mk8
here are a couple of my Mk10. First one outside my home a week of so after I went over the bank with it at Gebbies.
The second one was taken at Oamaru hill climb, and sitting next to Wally Bakers Mk8
That looks very much like Ian Burgess in the picture outside the garage, and the car a wee bit more than 500cc
Last edited by Wal Will; 01-29-2012 at 10:26 AM.
Fast forward 40+ years and I am walking through the pits at Ruapuna and there she was. Owned by Craig Pidgeon and by this stage fitted with a J.A.P. I had to have a sit in it for old times sake.
And between those two occasions, when I had it at Whenuapai in 1985
Here's an update on my car now completed and had it's first test run in the weekend. All went well so have entered to go to Hampton Down's for the Roycroft meeting on 14/15 April. Hopefully will see some more 500's there.
At least another New Plymouth JBS?
Laurie, great work! This looks absolutely stunning! A real credit to you. Thanks for sharing.Originally Posted by Laurie Callender
Here's an update on my car now completed and had it's first test run in the weekend. All went well so have entered to go to Hampton Down's for the Roycroft meeting on 14/15 April. Hopefully will see some more 500's there.
Have to thank Max Rutherford for doing the restoration, a fantastic job he has done of both cars. Also thanks to Ces Budd for the aluminum body work, Dave Gifford for rebuilding the JAP motor and Don O'Connor for the rebuilding the Norton Gearbox and clutch. Amazing talent in Taranaki!
Laurie, please feel free to create a dedicated thread to the history and restoration of your car. This would be fascinating, I know many on here would enjoy it.
Some photos from today's racing at the HRSCC meeting at Taupo.
Check the date for next year's Roycroft meeting. The April date clashed with Aussie V8's at Pukekohe and I think the Roycroft is now back at Easter.
I asked on another thread if there was any interest in Vintage running a grid at Hampton Downs April 21st, but haven't had a response.
Great pics!
Great pics! Is that Max Rutherford in the first picture?
Graeme Brayshaw in the last on post 30, I knew he was trying!
Fabulous photo(s) Ray
Yep thats Max in #28. Great event at Taupo, as said, great racing had by all. Had lots of comments regarding the smallest car Single cylinder 500cc against the biggest V12 Lagonda but it was a lot of fun, especially beating him!
Hi, the name is certainly familiar. Gordon Noel Thompson was my brother-in-law, now I cant be sure if it is the same GNT but he certainly was involved in motorsport around that time. He moved to Fielding working for Domett-Fruehauf and then after marrying my sister moved to the USA where he set up his own garage and crewed for the Rahal team. Unfortunately he was killed in a workshop accident in Southern California in 1999
There was a person with the surname Thompson from Wanganui who owned a Begg F5000 (FM2?) and a saloon ("fastback" Anglia?) in the late 70's/early 80's. He was an accountant from memory. I THINK his first name was Colin. He visited me a couple of times in Hastings so that would suggest he was the 500 owner-at that time I owned a Mark 5 Cooper.
Last edited by rf84; 12-13-2012 at 12:27 AM.
I must have missed this thread when it began....RE the first entry, for the record I have had the two Kiefts in my garage for 25 yrs. Photo of them is before they were shipped from the factory in 1952 for Ronnie and Les Moore .Chris Read - Arrowtown
Last edited by Chris Read; 12-16-2012 at 03:19 AM. Reason: cant spell
Hi Guys,In the late 70s and early 80s , my neighbour Merv McDonald, a well known hot-rodder- in Henderson had a 500 Cooper..He said that it was left here after Moss came here to race.He had all the old wheels and everything.He said it was damaged when he got it.He used to hill climb it, and later a young friend Steve was the driver.Later he fitted a high powered VW motor to it.It was called the MiniMax. Anyone in the Auckland Car Club would remember it.There was a guy called Norm, had a Riley Pathfinder who got items from him, and another one called Bruce Sutcliffe. I think they were some of the starters of historic race cars.. Merv has passed away..I can remember this skinny little chassis sitting by his back door as he was considering what to do with it.
Hope this info helps.
Last edited by John McKechnie; 12-16-2012 at 07:56 AM.
John. Just wondering if the 'Cooper' you referred to really was a Cooper?
Firstly, I never heard that Moss brought a 500 here to race. Secondly,as far as I know there were 2 Coopers that had Porsche motors fitted-the Mark6 of Bruce Webster and the Roy Lyme car. The Mini Max was a totally different car built by Ross Hollings. Ross is on The RS so he might shed some more light on that.
The "Norm" you refer to is I suspect Norm Holloway. If that is the case the parts he got off Merv McDonald would have been JBS parts and they have gone into the JBS's built by Max Rutherford and Lawrie Callender that you see in Posts 25, 27 and 30 above.
Last edited by rf84; 12-16-2012 at 08:03 AM.
rf84-I was only 23 and just took in what he told me.Not the first time someone has not told me the truth.
I am glad that Norm Holloway got stuff off Merv and that it found a good home/homes.
If Ross Hollings had MiniMax, did he build it up or buy it?
Or is Mervs chassis a different car and still out there somewhere.
I dont know what happened to the chassis., was it used or stay in some hillclimb car?
Just trying to help you guys with info from the past.
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