New Zealand Historic Muscle Cars Under HRC

[John McKechnie]

Mike-how is your crop of them,were they also rotated and ready for posting?

[John McKechnie]

Shoreboy57-Look at the next installment-March 23-24 Legends of Speed.
Anything at home you would like to run also?

[EType]

Hi John McKechnie - I was there on the second Sunday and I can tell you that the sight of the Anglia and your car three wheeling around that corner had the crowd gasping and then applauding!

Cheers

Stewart

[John McKechnie]

Dennis and I decided that some style was needed to entertain the punters.
We got our moneys worth.
Rapt that you did too.

[Steve Holmes]

After a fantastic fortnight at HD both watching and the wonderful pics people have posted here, I wonder what's next for HMC. Would love to hear what other projects may be underway to make this class even bigger

Lots happening with this class. Dave Sturrocks beautiful '67 Camaro is nearly complete, Mike Rorisons '67 Mustang is ready, but Mike himself wasn't able to attend because of work committments. Murray Browns '70 Camaro could have raced, but Murray himself has been training to do an Ironman triathlon, so couldn't attend, but should be racing at the Legends meeting in a couple of months.

There is also another '68 Camaro in the build stage, and a '70 Camaro in the build stage.

The Aussie teams aren't sure if they'll return in 2014, its a pretty expensive exercise, but there should be another 7 - 10 HMC cars by the end of this year.

[Rod Grimwood]

Just read Herald, good to see the HMC get a mention, but my pick for drive/driver of the meetings was John English, he had the bit between his teeth. All drivers (most) drove clean, fast, and ran very well. You will have occasional mistake, but lets keep this to a minimum. That little brown BMW is becoming a permanent fixture in some mirrors and well driven. Cars from the front grunters to the little Angle Box very well presented along with crews and displays. You guy's and gals, have cracked it, now keep it that way and enjoy.

[Shoreboy57]

Lots happening with this class.

The Aussie teams aren't sure if they'll return in 2014, its a pretty expensive exercise, but there should be another 7 - 10 HMC cars by the end of this year.

Steve, thanks for the update. Great to hear that the local numbers continue to grow.

From a fans perspective if the Aussies aren't back it would be a shame but understandable. We should nonetheless be grateful for what they brought to the show as HMC took off

[Steve Holmes]

Well, if any of you folks fancy taking a holiday in June or July to Queensland, some of the Historic Muscle Cars guys are taking their cars across to race with the Australian Trans-Am guys at Queensland Raceway and Lakeside.

[Steve Holmes]

Just read Herald, good to see the HMC get a mention, but my pick for drive/driver of the meetings was John English, he had the bit between his teeth. All drivers (most) drove clean, fast, and ran very well. You will have occasional mistake, but lets keep this to a minimum. That little brown BMW is becoming a permanent fixture in some mirrors and well driven. Cars from the front grunters to the little Angle Box very well presented along with crews and displays. You guy's and gals, have cracked it, now keep it that way and enjoy.

Yep, you nailed it Rod. Race classes come and go, and only time will tell if HMC has the staying power. But to me the most important thing to the strength and growth of any historic racing class is that everyone in the class is happy and enjoying their racing. If everyone is there to win races, only one person is going to be happy, and to be fair, if people are only in it to win races, then historic racing is probably not the right place for them. But if the guys in the middle of the pack and down the back have someone to race against, and they can have a clean battle that is enjoyable, they'll be at least as happy as the guys at the front.

One of the happiest guys at the end of the event was Glenn Allingham with the beautiful 427 big block Chevy Camaro. Glenn was having a real battle hussling that machine around the challenging Hampton Downs track, its not exactly nimble! But he and Steve Elliott had some great dices, and Glenn was fizzing after each of their races and full of praise for Steve's driving. In fact, after the last (9th!) HMC race on the second Sunday when everyone else was packing up to go home, Glenn wanted to go out and take part in the demonstration laps! Awesome attitude, and a neat guy, and just the sort of person HMC needs to have on board. And fortunately, there are a lot of people like Glenn in HMC.

[BMCBOY]

[QUOTE=John McKechnie;23558]Dennis and I decided that some style was needed to entertain the punters.

I came across this photo taken at a Club Circuit meeting Oct 1976
Rego number is GH2917 - perhaps it is now owned by someone out there

[Kiwiboss]

One of the happiest guys at the end of the event was Glenn Allingham with the beautiful 427 big block Chevy Camaro. Glenn was having a real battle hussling that machine around the challenging Hampton Downs track, its not exactly nimble! But he and Steve Elliott had some great dices, and Glenn was fizzing after each of their races and full of praise for Steve's driving. In fact, after the last (9th!) HMC race on the second Sunday when everyone else was packing up to go home, Glenn wanted to go out and take part in the demonstration laps! Awesome attitude, and a neat guy, and just the sort of person HMC needs to have on board. And fortunately, there are a lot of people like Glenn in HMC.

These two are having FUN. Dale M

[John McKechnie]

BMCBOY- Falcon Coupe does not have GT twin headlamps,guard side scoops, bonnet scoops,bonnet hold down and mouldings top of door, rear quarter.And has Falcon 500 on guard. Could be club day with 302 4speed

[Jac Mac]

Or a 250 2v 6 cyl & 4 speed, was a quite a few of those about

[Kiwiboss]

I have a pile of pics from the meeting (over 1,000) but I am not sure that adding many of them to this thread is of any great value as most cars are covered anyway, however, there are one or two that I'll post, though shrinking them to suit this website seems to be more difficult than from scans and the small camera. I'll certainly add one for John's collection.

Congratulation to all competitors for making the effort to attend, as the colour and variety plus some energetic driving, knocks tier 1 meetings into a cocked hat. Car presentation was also a credit to all concerned. Good to catch up with Steve at long last too. So much knowledge in one so young... It augurs well for the overall future of classic racing that we are now at a stage when some of the keenest supporters are younger than the cars they support.

Next year, the festival celebrates Ferrari, but no doubt the HMC group will be in the programme again, as they are definitely a crowd pleaser.

Yes i agree Ray, i was quite surprised at the number of young people at this event and checking out the cars too, we remember them new but they don't so much and call them "ol Skool" but it goes to show the keen interest in all things "Historic Racing" the smells, the sounds, etc all adds to the flavour for all walks of life. There was even a Indian/Asian guy walking around wearing a turban and taking pictures and he looked so out place, i saw him several times and then Richard Gee the Festival PR manager said he was a motorsport journalist from Singapore covering this event and that there were(13? or 16? can't remember) other overseas journalist as well so great to have such world wide presents and with younger folk along, all very positive for the future and maybe, just maybe we shouldn't be so worried about what the furture holds for Historic and Classic racing

Early days yet but im sure HMC will be back for Ferrari 2014

Dale M

[kiwi285]

[fullnoise68]

Steve Holmes, the top photo with Dale, Mike and Bruce. The five guys to the right are the subjects of your next book: `The Big Banger Years - Looking Back'. Just tell Helen you need to go away for another fortnight!

[Steve Holmes]

Umm, another fortnight might as well be forever, I think the locks will be changed by the time I return!

[Steve Holmes]

Here are some pics John Elliott sent me of his Torana from the HMC races on the first weekend. Unfortunately John couldn't be there the second weekend, but he was a fantastic addition to the group while he was there.

Not sure who the photographer is, but I'll post his name as soon as John tells me.

[Steve Holmes]

Another one John sent me, I like this one!

[Ellis]

[QUOTE=kiwi285;23632]

If Steve is doing a book as requested (lol) there must be some famous faces in this lot.
Would there be any chance of putting a few names to the faces please in this one for those of us
in the colonies.....I know a couple ( the 2 end gentlemen) but there must be a bit of history behind a few of the
others.
Ellis