Photos: The Allan Porter Collection - Part 2

[Steve Holmes]

Those just look like stripes on the front bumper to me. Bit hard to tell from this angle.

[928]

more you chair off to one side Steve, changes the perspective

[Jac Mac]

No need to move the chair, just have to get used to it, the last big quake might have tilted you guys a bit further than you were before

XW/XY Bumper over-riders.

[Steve Holmes]

This is Roger Murray warming up the rear tyres in his T Bucket.

[Steve Holmes]

The Hogan/Larsen rail. Geoff Larsen is doing the burn-out. Garth Hogan is running alongside. What a cool shot!

[Steve Holmes]

Same car in colour, now with Hogan at the wheel.

[Steve Holmes]

Bruce Dow. That thing looks a handful!

[Steve Holmes]

Robin Unkovich. Now THATS a burnout!

[Steve Holmes]

Jim Walton. Great looking car, note the wings mounted above the rollcage and on the sides. Real cool.

[Steve Holmes]

I love this one. The Shadwick brothers blown Jeep. What a beast! Someone may recall better than me, but didn't this car feature in the second Weetbix card series?

I wonder where it is now.

[Steve Holmes]

Cub Roberts and Hooker 2.

[Steve Holmes]

This is Aussie drag racer Bill Croft's wicked T Bucket. Just look at those headers!

[Steve Holmes]

I want to finish off Part 2 of the Allan Porter collection with some neat multi-shot images of/from the Berry & Wilson rail.

First up is this flame burnout.

[Steve Holmes]

Next, both Allan and TVNZ attached cameras to the car. The TVNZ camera was attached to the rollcage and filmed the car heading down the track. Meanwhile, Allan attached his camera to the front axle, and set the shutter to take multiple images facing back towards the driver as it went down the track.

[Steve Holmes]

Finally, this is the series of photos taken by Allan's camera during the run, which includes the burnout. This is obviously a different run to the photos shown above, as the car is now missing its rear wing, but I assume its the same day.

Check these out, just awesome.

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

My thanks again to Allan Porter for allowing me to share this beautiful collection. Part 3 coming soon.....

[ap-photo]

I could have this all back to front, but would that land off the in the distance be where Hampton Downs is now?

Attachment 37692

Yes it is....

[Growler]

...but didn't this car feature in the second Weetbix card series?

Yes it does...which I have the full set!

[Greg Stokes]

Attachment 37626

In Part 1 of the Allan Porter Collection, we featured an amazing mix of early New Zealand drag racing photos from the early years of the sport, when organizing groups set up events at the unpaved Kopuku Dragway, on closed roads, or at circuit racing tracks.

In 1973, New Zealands first purpose built drag strip opened for business. Champion Dragway at Meremere is situated roughly halfway between Auckland and Hamilton, and just up the road from the relatively new Hampton Downs circuit racing venue.

With the opening of Meremere, the sport of drag racing enjoyed a sharp rise in popularity, with New Zealands second purpose built facility, Thunderpark, near Napier, hosting its first event three years later.

The images from Part 2 of the Allan Porter Collection center around the early years of Meremere. The professionalism of the sport also increases greatly in this part, along with speeds, and competition. As in Part 1, many of the cars and drivers racing during this time are likely familiar to many of you. You may even see yourselves in some of them, if this was your scene during the 1970s.

The Bill Ward C-Cab now owned by Doug Bell of The Hot Rod Show

Ivan Jujnovich's '56 Chevy hardtop. With a different paint job, I think this is the same car that appeared in the Weetbix Hot Rod card collection in the late '70s. Remember those?

Attachment 37646

Now owned by Nick Boblea

From the control tower. Note that the two cars are driving back to the pits via the race track.

Attachment 37693

Eye in the sky weather reporter the late Bill Mudgeway on announcing duty

Not sure who either of these are. Any thoughts people?

Attachment 37819

Tony Kidd in the bucket

Nick Liefting.

Attachment 38475

Body is in North Shore Rod & Custom Club rooms

Tony Ward's famous 3 window coupe.

Attachment 38762

Now owned by Bryan Kilsby

Robin Unkovich with chute open. What a beautiful car!

Attachment 38899

Owned now by Chris Piaggi and Malcolm Turner