Thanks Ray. Did I read somewhere Mason has sold his?Originally Posted by ERC
Thanks Ray. Did I read somewhere Mason has sold his?
Nick Mason has sold his to V16 someone called Ecclestone, who has a massive collection by all accounts... I suppose that if you are in a position to extract billions over the years from F1, you may as well invest in iconic race cars.
Last edited by ERC; 12-07-2012 at 01:05 AM.
Ahh, thanks Ray. I thought that was who owned it now, thanks for confirming. He also owns the Mercedes W125 formerly owned by Neil Corner. My understanding is he doesn't care much for publicly displaying or demonstrating them?
On to 1966. Would you really believe 2 x Ford GT40s and David Piper's famous green Ferrari 250LM at a tiny 1.35 mile track? A good crowd of paying spectators as was usual in those days.
Same day - what was I saying about Lotus? Note the leading car? I think it was a Shapecraft (fastback) Elan
Ex wife professes an interest in a Piper at Thruxton 1969. (I thought it might have been 1968 but the rego plate is a give away.)
First time I ever saw a Healey Silverstone. The car park at Prescott I think, May 1970. As an aside, I found that many of the British cars I lusted after were in the private John Ferynhough collection in Auckland. The Healey Silverstone was one of several where I couldn't insinuate my 6ft 2" frame into the driving seat with any degree of comfort, even with the seat as far back as it would go. Given the overall size of many of those cars, it seemed odd to only cater for legless dwarves.
Last edited by ERC; 12-07-2012 at 04:00 AM.
Not a very good pic I am afraid, but the Costin Nathan about 1970 at Mallory.
Wridgeway Horton (what a name!) in the potent Jag that I think might have been destroyed at a Silverstone Sprint a year or three later. He then moved on to a Vauxhall Firenza.
Just a MIni. But this time, it is well known UK motorsport Photographer John Colley. Curborough start line again in the days when the course was only 900 yards. in recent years, they have made it so that you roar out of the hairpin but then turn right into the first corner and repeat the latter two thirds again. Curborough is a very busy little course with a meet most Sundays of the year from about March to November. Situated just off the A38 near Lichfield/Stafford.
We were talking about this gentleman the other night. Mike Westall at Whenuapai, February 1991.
Last edited by ERC; 12-07-2012 at 01:02 AM.
Might it be the Victoria-Climax?
Sorry David. No. The name is relatively well known though!
It was a great era for sports and sports racing cars, most, like this one, were road registered. The registration plate shows this to be a local (Nottingham) car and as it was an NSCC event, that is no surprise. NSCC ran many meetings at Mallory in the early days (from 1956) whilst still also running many Silverstone meetings, so there was a meeting on most weekends during the season.
An amazing workload in pre computer times, so no wonder that they eventally had a full time secretary, the very competent Betty Shaw. NSCC in its prime, would have been one of the largest clubs in the UK. They ran the opening meetings at Mallory, possibly the club circuit at Silverstone, the opening meeting at Donington, plus meetings at Croft, Cadwell and even a foray to Aintree (Liverpool) and Thruxton, plus of course the Gamston meetings in 1950/51.
As circuits got stronger, they realised that they should be getting the profits as well as the track hire income and clubs without their own track, such as NSCC, were eventually frozen out. Although they did actively search for their own venue, they almost had it sorted for a circuit at the Southwell (horse) Racecourse and looked hard at the Newark Showgrounds, but sadly, they came to nothing.
Betty retired (to Spain) and the secretary was then a part time post but once the club racing side finished - the last meetings were at Croft, the club almost folded as it had nothing left to offer. I took over as Competition Secretary and newsletter editor (and printer!) when it was at its lowest ebb. I devised and built up the Sprint Championship, which had a far fairer points system than the ones usually based on class records.
As part of the AMMC (Association of Midland Motor Clubs) sprint championship mainly at Curborough, NSCC points were concurrent and it wasn't too long before numbers rose from one (me!) regular sprinter to about 60 and the club has maintained and increased that strong sprint involvement to this day.
Sorry if this appears to me blowing my own trumpet a wee bit, but minnows in the sport, even with a proud heritage, can be wiped out so easily, when venues aren't available or circuit owners get too greedy.
Thankfully, NZ is more like the UK used to be, with clubs having a very strong role in the sport, each with their own slant on things.
Last edited by ERC; 12-07-2012 at 09:45 PM.
Goodwood 2009 - digital of course... This was the pre 1966 public car park.
The famous "Outspan Orange" that I first saw at the National Motor Museum. it is probably still there, but it took part in the "50 years of Mini" parade. It is one of the many things that impresses me about Goodwood, that even the Friday (practice day) still has the parades, so we had the Mini parade and also the Stirling Moss tribute parade.
As mentioned before, I have always liked these half cab coaches.
Last edited by ERC; 12-07-2012 at 09:55 PM.
Post #145 the Jaguar in 1991 at Whenuapai, Mike Westnell
I take it this is the same car at Lady Wigram Revival this year. It is a beatiful bit of work.
Note different roll cage, why I ask the Question.
Last edited by Rod Grimwood; 12-07-2012 at 10:23 PM.
Roll cages are a dirty word with me at the moment...
Nice pics and although metallic brown wouldn't be my first choice of colour, it is at least quite subtley distinctive. I do have other pics somewhere, so could probably confirm it is the same car but not running a numberplate - or changing to personalised plates - does make it a bit more difficult to track cars. It certainly does look to be the same car and great that it is still out there. It looks to have had a fresh coat of paint too as it never looked that good up here!
Yes it is a smart car, looks great and goes as good as it looks.
Hi gang I think I built A quick motor for that car back in the mid 80s Jamie A
That was indeed a neat car, and BIG Mike was not affraid to push it along. Raced against him quite a lot in the mid 80's at Taupo.
It somehow looks different though......a subtle change in the colour maybe. Changing registrations doesnt help.
Jamie could well have built the engine as it was indecently fast.......and reliable.
Cant find a pic of Mike at Taupo, but here we are with another of the 3.8's that used to race at the time......Danie Lupp.
I am in the MG 1300 S. This photo taken at the sweeper leading into the front straight.......Im sure Danie just blasted past a second or two later. Good fun then.
Have to say I prefered Mikes driving style!!!!!!!
Me too Ray! Really elegant and with graceful lines. Just fantastic.
As mentioned before, I have always liked these half cab coaches.
Ah ha........ got it. The ex Mike Westall car has different wheels. Bigger diameter, I think, certainly more spokes......makes it look quite different. Better tyre choice with the bigger wheels, and as we all know......its all about tyres. Can make or break a car. Also it was lower in the old days....a really aggressive looking machine. I'm sure was better set up than Danies car. If you look at the attitude of his following the MG in the sweeper, it looks a bit out of control.
The MG was quite stiff.....lowered till it was riding on the bump-stops.....not the best thing to do, but didnt know any better. The lad wasnt old enough to put me right!!
OK. A total guess here. Did the Westall car go to Uhlenberg and the blue one above could well be the Norm Agnew car? Maybe it was always lower with Mike at the wheel as I don't think he was exactly skinny...
As for the brown repaint. I agree, it looks a shade or so lighter now, but some film and digital cameras, plus some computer screens can warp things a bit, not to mention addled memories....
Last edited by ERC; 12-08-2012 at 05:05 AM.
Dad's again. I have absolutely no idea about this as it appears to be taken at Donington, but not at a race meeting, so I have no date or details. Maserati, yes, Donington, yes. That's it!
Slightly easier... R4D Raymond Mays 10th June 1939, Donington, taken on glass plate, not film.
What price this collection of BRM autographs? Albert Powell is on there as I mistook him for someone else, but as he was a noted racer anyway, it doesn't really matter. I may indeed be selling this as I clear out some of my memorabilia.
"Monzanapolis" Lister Jaguar single seater. This has since been restored and was at Goodwood 2009.
Whenuapai 1984. I put my recently arrived (now ex) wife and son first and missed the race meeting - but called in on the way back from the Hot Pools. Drat. I should have gone to Whenuapai as she went back to the UK anyway...
Last edited by ERC; 12-10-2012 at 09:02 PM.
Bill Morrice ERA he and Dave Silcock {Jilly}had a great time, and if I remember he took Dave back to England for a spellDad's again. I have absolutely no idea about this as it appears to be taken at Donington, but not at a race meeting, so I have no date or details. Maserati, yes, Donington, yes. That's it!
Slightly easier... R4D Raymond Mays 10th June 1939, Donington, taken on glass plate, not film.
What price this collection of BRM autographs? Albert Powell is on there as I mistook him for someone else, but as he was a noted racer anyway, it doesn't really matter. I may indeed be selling this as I clear out some of my memorabilia.
"Monzanapolis" Lister Jaguar single seater. THis has since ben restored and was at Goodwood 2009.
Whenuapai 1984. I put my recently arrived (now ex) wife and son first and missed the race meeting - but called in on the way back from the Hot Pools. Drat. I should have gone to Whenuapai as she went back to the UK anyway...
A 6CM with 1100cc engineDad's again. I have absolutely no idea about this as it appears to be taken at Donington, but not at a race meeting, so I have no date or details. Maserati, yes, Donington, yes. That's it!
I think the driver is C J P 'Charlie' Dodson (the second man to win TTs on two wheels and four)
Reply With Quote
