Photos: The Gerard Richards Collection - Part 2

[Steve Holmes]

Late last year I created a fascinating thread here containing the photos of New Zealand motorsport enthusiast and journalist Gerard Richards. The majority of pics included in the thread were taken by Gerard himself, but right at the end included a small number of additional photos he'd collected from other photographers, such as Jack Inwood.

Part 2 of Gerard's collection is largely made up of photos he has either purchased over the years, or been gifted by other enthusiasts, and include more from Jack Inwood, along with John Miller (of Renault Dauphine Corvette fame), and Martin Bearda.

I've not seen most of these photos before, so am really excited Gerard has allowed me to share them here. So many of these old collections have been destroyed over the years, as owners think they'll be of little interest to future generations, so its important we grasp the opportunity to share those that do exist when we can. As Gerard told me, "Martin Bearda's elder brother Gerrit was more well known as a photographer, though when I tried to contact him a few years ago, trying to get pictures to illustrate the Spinner Black story (for NZ Classic Car mag), he told be his whole archive had been destroyed. So as ever I think its always good to ensure pictures get made available".

Hope you enjoy them folks.

[Steve Holmes]

Kicking things off is a magic photo of Rod Coppins in his famous Zephyr Corvette, at Levin during the 1966 season. With this car, Coppins finished 2nd in the 1965 NZ Saloon Car Championship, and 3rd in 1966, but he'd have to wait until 1970 before finally claiming the title that had thus far eluded him. This photo is by Jack Inwood.

[Steve Holmes]

This is Digby Taylor in the McBegg sports car, complete with interesting tall wing partially mounted to the rollbar. Much of this car was collected up and beautifully restored by Wal Willmott back to its original Begg team guise.

Photo by Martin Bearda

[Steve Holmes]

I love this one. This is an angle of Allan Moffats Mustang I've not seen many times. This is Moffat chasing Frank Gardners '67 Camaro at Pukekohe at the 1973 NZIGP event, through one of the temporary chicanes, constructed following the Lawrence/Faloon crash from the previous year. Photo is by Martin Bearda.

[Steve Holmes]

Quite a widely published photo this one by Martin Bearda, and showing Rod Coppins in the Firebird leading what I think must be Rex Hart in the Escort, at Pukekohe during the 1973/74 season. Further back are Greg Lancaster in the Chevy V8 Victor leading Red Dawson in the Camaro.

[Milan Fistonic]

Quite a widely published photo this one by Martin Bearda, and showing Rod Coppins in the Firebird leading what I think must be Rex Hart in the Escort, at Pukekohe during the 1973/74 season. Further back are Greg Lancaster in the Chevy V8 Victor leading Red Dawson in the Camaro.

As Gerard has noted in the photo ID, the Escort is that of Don Halliday.

[Roger Dowding]

The Norm Beechey Monaro did exhibition laps at Lakeside Queensland in 2012, along with the John French Falcon and a few other well known cars, 2013 is looking to be a good year for Lakeside, now my local track, with 4 classic / historics meetings, will keep you all posted, used to get my racing fix at Pukekohe, now at Lakeside, guess I must be an across the ditch Kiwi.

[Rod Grimwood]

Quite a widely published photo this one by Martin Bearda, and showing Rod Coppins in the Firebird leading what I think must be Rex Hart in the Escort, at Pukekohe during the 1973/74 season. Further back are Greg Lancaster in the Chevy V8 Victor leading Red Dawson in the Camaro.

Is that not Nazers Victor in its early guise.

[GD66]

I wondered that too, Rodders, but early pics of Nazer's car show a matt black bonnet, a wide, flattish airbox over the inlets, and a gaping, oblong intake hole in the front air dam, whereas the Victor in the pic has a skinny, high airbox and circular holes in the air dam, so it may be the Lancaster car.
I zoomed it up pretty close to take a peek, by holding down the ctrl button and hitting the + button to zoom in.
And of course the - button to zoom out.

[Steve Holmes]

As Gerard has noted in the photo ID, the Escort is that of Don Halliday.

Thanks for clarifying that Milan, I had it in my head that Don was no longer racing the Escort by 1974.

[Steve Holmes]

Is that not Nazers Victor in its early guise.

Nah Rod, its Lancaster. Nazers Victor didn't appear until late 1974.

[Steve Holmes]

OK, something a little more modern (1986!). Barry Algie's wild Monaro Sports Sedan. Was built with some pretty good gear, fuel-injected Chevy, fitted with McLaren wheels and (I assume?) brakes (and suspension?). It wasn't as well known as Ian's Alfetta, and didn't seem to travel much beyond Pukekohe and Bay Park, but definitely just as wild and interesting.

[Steve Holmes]

Another interesting '80s creation, Shane Windleburn's Camaro Sports Sedan. This photo is marked 1983, so this was quite a forward-thinking car for the time, as most Sports Sedans were heavily modified road cars. But this appears to have been built from the ground up as a race car. I'd love to know more about it. Was it space-framed? The bodywork looks a combination of SCCA Trans-Am style panelling, with the nose looking like its from an American Late Model speedway car.

Interesting too is that the front wheels look like Australian Mawer wheels. Paul Urquhart built a Falcon XA hardtop a few years ago and had some Mawer wheels made for it, as he'd built it as a replica of the Moffat/Geoghegan 1973 Bathurst winning car. He said he'd got hold of an original Mawer wheel from which the molds were made. Coventry Motors is, I believe, across the road from the Windleburns shop NS Automatics. The Windleburns and Urquharts go way back. Paul got Fraser Windleburn to build the rollcage for the Falcon. So did Paul get the Mawer wheel from this Camaro?

Where is the Camaro now? Do the Windleburns still own it?

[Rod Grimwood]

It was John Windleburn "Poppa smurf" (thats him steering) and it was called a Trans Am Firebird. Built in North Shore Automatics, Porana Rd on the North Shore and the Algie boy's were seen coming and going alot.
Space Frame with good gear.



Shanes SLR Torana is in background.

[Rod Grimwood]

This is fairly new, note front dam and intake, colour, as you say mat black bonnet and stance. This did change as progress was made with car.

Sorry I thought Lancaster Victor came along later. Silver then black I think.

[Steve Holmes]

The Lancaster Victor first appeared in the 1973/74 season to the best of my knowledge, and was painted yellow. This Brett Young photo show some of its early detail.

[Steve Holmes]

It was John Windleburn "Poppa smurf" (thats him steering) and it was called a Trans Am Firebird. Built in North Shore Automatics, Porana Rd on the North Shore and the Algie boy's were seen coming and going alot.
Space Frame with good gear.

Shanes SLR Torana is in background.

Thanks Rod. I only called it a Camaro because it has the wrap-around tail lights. But Shane has confirmed what you have already said in that it was a Trans-Am.

[Steve Holmes]

These two photos are from Bay Park during the 1968/69 season, when Norm Beechey returned with his Chevy Nova. He first appeared at the Xmas meeting the previous year, not long after the track had opened, and had the speed on the local drivers who were just coming to grips with their new machinery, having just switched to Group 5 rules.

However, by the time he returned for both the Labour Weekend and Xmas meetings in late 1968, the top Kiwi cars had upped their game and really took the battle to him. The first shot shows Norm chasing Spinner Blacks Camaro, with fresh coat of paint in Lexington colours, while the second shot has Dawson applying the blow-torch to the rear of the big Chevy. Note in the background John Riley has spun in the ex-Pete Geoghegan/Rod Coppins Mustang, exiting the hairpin.

[John McKechnie]

Is Red in the ex Ivan Segedin Mustang? Ivan was at Hampton Downs in the weekend.

[Steve Holmes]

No John, he is in the '67 Shelby. You were racing against the Shelby at the NZFMR. Nigel MacDonald owns it now.