The chequer roof was the year earlier. Seem to recall the car may have lost a wheel with axle failure hence the flip. Must catch up with Leo and refresh the memeory. Think Gary Sprague and Barry Cottle won the race with a Fiat 125
The chequer roof was the year earlier. Seem to recall the car may have lost a wheel with axle failure hence the flip. Must catch up with Leo and refresh the memeory. Think Gary Sprague and Barry Cottle won the race with a Fiat 125
#34 Background to BMW, looks like McMillan Motors Falcon GT (Richards ?) and not sure of the Monaro, think Thomsons was a brown colour.
The Ernie Sprague / Leo Leonard car lost a wheel and crashed on lap 166
There are a couple of photos that are out of sequence for the details I have but I will try to sort them later,you can sort out the numbers yourselves to the photos
This is what I have
1972
1 Coppins
13 George Wilson
Then !969
8 Baron Robertson /Tim Bailey
17 Collingwood / Boyle
1 Ernie Sprague / Leo Leonard
25 Jim Richards / Brian Patrick
9 Gary Sprague /Barry Cottle (They were the winners )
19 Dennis Hamill / John Riley
23 Jones / Wilson
36 ?????????????????????????
6 Jim Kennedy / Ron Rutherford
3 Harvey / Davie
5 Hyslop / Langley
7 Don Dawson / Haggett
24 Robertson / Holland
The others I will try to place with a name and a year later
Last edited by bob homewood; 04-30-2012 at 09:21 AM.
The BMW no 85 I would believe is Doc Langley ,which could possibly make that photo from 1973
The 19 Hamill/Riley Simca is the one my mother bought. Ended its days rotten with rust, but not before having and losing a huge argument with a powerpole in Papatoetoe with yours truly at the wheel. They were a popular cheap car back then (and they had a heater that worked, which is something most British cars lacked).
Gerald - I stand corrected. In my defence yer 'onna, I clearly recall the car being billed as a Kestrel at the Pukekohe meeting where it proved competitive with the Chrysler Chargers in the production series. Mind you, that was probably due to the nut holding the steering wheel.
The Sprague/Leonard black/white chequered Victor - shot taken at the B&H 500 in 1969 according to my photo album (which has proven to be less than 100% reliable in these matters).
Last edited by Shano; 04-30-2012 at 10:00 PM.
I believe it was definitely a Riley Kestrel, check out the chrome trim below the indicator on the front guard and compare with the one in the picture from the link belowOriginally Posted by Shano
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ri...tober_1968.JPG
Last edited by Lurker; 04-30-2012 at 10:17 PM.
Lurker, these things were always called 'Kestrels' by all and sundry The plain fact of the matter is that only the 1100 version was called a Kestrel by the factory, all the 1300's were officially just '1300's'. Had an 'almost' 1275cc Cooper 'S' engine, nitrided crank etc etc, just over 70bhp, and a full instrument panel, including rev counter. The 1100 Kestrel had a strip speedo with fuel and water gauge at each end. The trim I think was the same on both models so you wouldn't know by looking outside what the car was except maybe for a 1300 badge on the boot lid. The one shown in your link was exactly the colour of the 'Rusty Riley', only ours didnt have a different colour roof. The wheels on the 1100 version may have been plain ie no holes, but in fact these got swapped quite regularly with the 1300 variety. Allan Dick did an article in NZ Classic Driver some time ago on Rod Collingwood, and the racing with the 1300 was mentioned. Rod would have liked to buy the 1300 back, so impressed was he by it, but it has probably rusted away like ours.
I spoke with Rod today and he tells me the Riley was a Mark11 GT,one of 72 made, 1275 block, different head with larger valves,also with a close ratio gearbox.They had leather trim and covered steering wheel. Not a Kestrel.
Rod onsold this car to an Auckland Car Club member complete3, the new owner used it in club events.
Thanks for clarification Amco and markec. I, too, was always under the illusion that all Riley 1100/1300 were branded Kestrel but now stand corrected.
My younger brother, who is real sharp with driver/car recognition from this era, reckons this is more likely to be Neil Doyle than Geoff Marden. Neil also had a yellow Begg and wore a full face helmet, whereas Marden wore an open face.
It was the yellow Begg that convinced me it was Geoff Mardon, I can't remember the Doyle car in works Begg Agricultural Yellow. But if it was, certainly more likely to be Doyle.
Yes it looks like the back left, you can see the wheel in the third image in the foreground and a noticeably absent back left in the second image of the accident.
The 1971 yellow Begg FM2s were driven by Graham McRae, Geoff Mardon, Pierre Phillips and I think once by Leo Leonard
One of the cars was sold to Neil Doyle, who ran it in blue the following season
Well, of that list I'd say Leo Leonard's your best shot, as I can only ever recall Geoff Mardon using an open-face helmet.
And I think I can also recall Graham McRae driving an FM2 in unpainted alloy, a good look. Maybe a season-opener at Levin...
I think 1970 David, not 1971.
Pukekohe late 1969, and may also have run unpainted at BayPark and Levin.Well, of that list I'd say Leo Leonard's your best shot, as I can only ever recall Geoff Mardon using an open-face helmet.
And I think I can also recall Graham McRae driving an FM2 in unpainted alloy, a good look. Maybe a season-opener at Levin...
Thanks Gvain. You're quite right of course
Sorry for the confusion
Although McRae's mount was unpainted when he first raced it, it was in works yellow when he raced it later in the season, at Timaru f'rinstance
[QUOTE=Steve Holmes;13167]I love this group of photos, that capture some of the drivers either about to do battle, or following a race. Look at the crowd surrounding Chris Amon here (and, I'm guessing, McRae and Niel Allen???). A top flight F1 driver, and yet completely accessible. I figure this is possibly either just before or just after the driver awards at the Levin International, in 1971, given that looks like a podium just behind Chris.
Next photo captures John Cannon getting set to do battle at Levin, as well as Amon again, in the same race. The last shot has me stumped. I want to say Leo Leonard in a Begg FM2. Can someone put me straight here?
the fm2s never had that colour scheme while,george owned it. Just a note leo leonard never drove a fm2.
the year cannon was here pierre phillips and jeff mardon drove the fm2s .mcraes only drive was the one timaru drive
McRae had also driven an FM2 in a couple of races before the Tasman series
And Leo did race an FM2, at Ruapuna in March 1970
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