Thanks John and Bob
Thanks John and Bob
The Peter Sunberg of big bore Twin Cam Escort fame pictured here and Alan Boyle's red "Coke" Viva, were the main competition to Don Halliday's 4.2 litre title winning BDA Escort in the summer of 1972-73Originally Posted by Steve Holmes
This photo had extra interest for me, as apart from the Allan Woolf? Truimph Vitesse, to the far right is Bill Sample's 1293ccc Cooper S, running in the same class. Bill who I hear you ask? Bill was in the army at the time and his younger brother Peter was in my class at Rangitoto College and was also a serious petrol head. Linked to royalty?, not exactly. Bill's Cooper S ran a 5 port Ardun head, sourced from the same Peter Sunberg, that reportedly was not at the sharp edge of health... Another character in my 6th form class Dave? during that era of early 1973 had the huge privledge of riding with Rod Coppin's on a couple of hot laps in his Trans Am Pontiac Firebird, now that was cause for serious envy!
Gerard, because of my fathers involvement with Rod Coppins during that time, I can remember as a 7 year old doing half a dozen laps with Rod around Baypark in the Camaro when it was in the gold Winfield colours. He was a top bloke and a bloody good driver.
Steve, that would have been awesome! I guess thats why you love 1st gen Camaros now. Its the stuff you experience as a kid that stays with you.
Riley's 38 Chev at Chamberlain Road Bombay, February 1962, but not in colour.
There's a colour photo in Classic Driver Issue 25 (page 41) sort of pastel shades, like paper table napkins.
Also at Bombay that day was Ivan Cranch's Maserati-Jaguar.
This mid 30's 6CM 1.5 litre Maserati was imported in 1955 by George Zambucka along with the 2 1950 8CLT 3-litre supercharged cars.
None of them were in any way successful and the 6CM ended up in Cranch's hands with a remodelled nose. He inserted a 3.4 Jaguar engine and had a useful club event car for a few years.
As true club race supporters both Riley and Cranch raced their cars a few weeks later at Muriwai Beach. Riley and George Dixon had a good battle in their Chevy Coupes and there is a photo of the two of them, with Riley hanging the tail out in typical style, in the NZ Classic Car Limited Edition #2 (Classic Kiwi Motorsport) in a story on John Riley (by Gerard Richards).
Riley also ran the Monza Ferrari-Chevrolet at Muriwai - I think I may already have put my photo up on another thread.
Stu
Ivan was at the Chelsea hillclimb a week back, he is a man who should be written about as he did a lot of interesting stuff. Sadly had a pretty serious stroke a while back and speech does not come easily. Lovely man
The Lola T300 was such a radical looking race car when it first appeared. Its wedge shape, pointed nose, and hip-mounted radiators were a complete contrast to the more traditional tube shape F5000 cars, with their round noses containing the radiator. The T300 first appeared in late 1971, initially named the T242, as it was based on the T240 F2 car, but quickly re-named the T300. This is Warwick Browns T300, which Gerard photographed in early 1973.
Ivan was wearing 2 hats on this day in March 1962. He finished second to Bill Thomasen's Cooper after the other serious opposition fell out in the 10-lap race and then, as President, presented the winner's Cup. Bill has had time to light up a cigarette, while Ivan hasn't even taken his driving gloves off.
There is scope for stories to be written on a number of the figures of 1950's to 1970's NZ motor sport, a number have been featured in NZ Classic Car and Classic Driver, a few in actual biographies, but many more haven't been recognised.
Stu
Thanks for posting that Stu, and for the beautiful photos you posted above. And yes you are right, definitely scope for stories on many of these people. I personally think the personalities are often more interesting than their race results.
He missed his chance there Maybe he should have signed up for a cigarete add ,Half a century ago that is now ,I was there with WJ (Bill Thomasen ) that day
Ivan was wearing 2 hats on this day in March 1962. He finished second to Bill Thomasen's Cooper after the other serious opposition fell out in the 10-lap race and then, as President, presented the winner's Cup. Bill has had time to light up a cigarette, while Ivan hasn't even taken his driving gloves off.
There is scope for stories to be written on a number of the figures of 1950's to 1970's NZ motor sport, a number have been featured in NZ Classic Car and Classic Driver, a few in actual biographies, but many more haven't been recognised.
Stu
Last edited by bob homewood; 11-23-2012 at 12:08 AM.
I must assume this to be Jan 73. Here are, not clear shots but both Sundberg and Woolf in action
The Triumph Herald Coupe is a mad bugger named Peter Hoare, a tuning genius from down in newmarket those days, not Woolfie, his was a Vitesse.
Thanks Rod, always thought it was Woolf, but can see now the roof line does not support that.
Rod-you are 100% correct I was in the Triumph car club in the early 70s, Peter hillclimbed and club raced a Herald Coupe. He also A-framed it with a Herald Coupe. The spelling of his name was more like Haugh. And I used to think I was an enthusiast till I met him. He redefined this word to mad bugger
Last edited by John McKechnie; 11-24-2012 at 08:03 PM.
Last edited by BMCBOY; 11-26-2012 at 01:11 AM.
This is very early on, possibly the first lap of the 1975 NZGP, with Amon in the Talon treading gingerly on the damp surface.
Same place, but a few years earlier, and under sunny skies. McRae leads eventual race winner Neil Allen in the opening laps of the 1971 NZGP.
And Frank Matich looming in the Rothmans M10B. Jeez I must have been right at Gerard's left elbow when he took that, I reckon.
Its amazing how many times different photos by different people taken on the same day, in the same spot on the track or in the pits have appeared on this site. To think there are several members on here who probably bumped into each other as they were capturing their photos, without ever knowing each other. And this site has brought them back together.
Not to mention the outstanding photos of those magnificent cars. This site has dragged them out of boxes and bottom drawers everywhere. Good value.
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