teams, mechanics and crews

[Oldfart]

Oldfart. Next time you are talking to Alex Bell ask him what happened to the U2 and Lotus 41 he once owned.

I have just spoken with him, and he gave me a run down on the 41 which was actually a 41Bbrought out here as a test car. Alex bought it from MacLean(?) in Napier (who had crashed a Tiger Moth) and then turned into a Formula Ford. Alex put a new body on it after a biff or two, put the side rads on (and a new chassis) sold it to Kevin Ingram who won the Champs in it, Bruce Turnbull helped him rebuild it into the car which is around. Probably the only bit still around from the original car is the (illegal) gearbox.
Bruce Turnbull also got the U2 and it wound up with someone in broadcasting who apparently still has it.

[rf84]

Thanks for that Oldfart. It confirms what I suspected. The Lotus 41 was imported by Roger and Dale Porteous after their first stint at Team Lotus. It had a standard 1500 pre-crossflow Ford in it. It sat in the Ford dealership in Hastings for years before going into storage in a fertiliser factory. Glen McLeod (one of the McLeods of DePelichet McLeod a big stock and station company) bought it but before he could drive it he was very seriously injured when a Tiger Moth he was a passenger in crashed while practising for an air show. He was crippled and from then on he only ever drove an MGB automatic. I looked him up in Vancouver in 1988 where he was a minister in a Baptist church. Glen sold it to Alex who converted it into a Formula Ford. It got pretty punch drunk and the final straw came when Alex "lost it" coming over the hill at Puke and was T-boned. The remains went to Kevin who built a new car using the bits. If I am right it formed the basis of the Keram (currently for sale on Trademe).
Wonder who it is that has the U2? Any ideas Jamie?

[Oldfart]

Thanks for that Oldfart. It confirms what I suspected. The Lotus 41 was imported by Roger and Dale Porteous after their first stint at Team Lotus. It had a standard 1500 pre-crossflow Ford in it. It sat in the Ford dealership in Hastings for years before going into storage in a fertiliser factory. Glen McLeod (one of the McLeods of DePelichet McLeod a big stock and station company) bought it but before he could drive it he was very seriously injured when a Tiger Moth he was a passenger in crashed while practising for an air show. He was crippled and from then on he only ever drove an MGB automatic. I looked him up in Vancouver in 1988 where he was a minister in a Baptist church. Glen sold it to Alex who converted it into a Formula Ford. It got pretty punch drunk and the final straw came when Alex "lost it" coming over the hill at Puke and was T-boned. The remains went to Kevin who built a new car using the bits. If I am right it formed the basis of the Keram Currently for sale on Trademe).
Wonder who it is that has the U2? Any ideas Jamie?

Alex told me that when he bought it for $10K, it had a twincam, which he sold off to a friend with a rally car. I believe you are right on the button with the Keram (if that's what it's called). 10 was a fair bit in that time, he let go of a pristine Viva GT to get it. Alex did the deal with the wife while Glen was still in hospital, the story is a long but good one.

[fullnoise68]

Not taking anything away from any of the guys mentioned already, those that were fortunate enough to listen to Denny Hulmes' mechanic Carey Taylor ( not sure if spelt correctly) at this years NZFMR in the paviliion, I`m sure were as impressed as I was at his vivid memory and being able to hear just some of the very interesting times with Denny through all the highs and lows of his peak years. Very much a number 8 wire kiwi mentality against the odds scenario, and it`d be great to hear more from him.

[John A]

Pretty good Howard. From left 2nd Ian Griffiths, 4th Peter Bruin 5th Phil Sharp 7th Alistair Caldwell 14th Graeme Cook and 15th JA.
The car on the left is an M23 F1 and on the right an M16 Indy car. The photo was taken for some press shots on a weekend and shows about half of the staff employed by McLaren at that time

[shellsport]

A great shot indeed when mechanics were just that and actually had dirt beneath there fingernails and on there overalls , real " Hands on " blokes !

[Michael Clark]

Welcome to TRS John A - I have just forwarded that photo to Cookie - it might encourage him...

[John A]

Welcome to TRS John A - I have just forwarded that photo to Cookie - it might encourage him...

Thanks Michael. Here is another that he might like. That is Cookie in the middle at the back and another Kiwi Warwick Orr third from right and JA front left.This was the Ibec Hesketh LeMans team.

[jamie]

Rf84 will try and find A name for you Jamie A

[Howard Wood]

Thanks Michael. Here is another that he might like. That is Cookie in the middle at the back and another Kiwi Warwick Orr third from right and JA front left.This was the Ibec Hesketh LeMans team.

John, Martin (Lyncar) Slater 4th from left and Norman Hossack to his left in front of Graeme?

[John A]

John, Martin (Lyncar) Slater 4th from left and Norman Hossack to his left in front of Graeme?

Correct Howard and Dave Shaw far left, Ray Stokoe back left, Ian Grob front 2nd from left, Ant Brown centre, Ian Bracey far right. Sorry can't recall the other two. Photo was taken after the race where it did not finish thanks to a blown engine after about 19 hours. Note the simulated NZ flag on the front right.

[Howard Wood]

Note the simulated NZ flag on the front right.

A little JA trade mark!

[paul lancaster]

Can't forget Gareth Heywood, another local lad.worked for Lyell Williamson on the gt3s and of late, Toyota racing series, working on Alex Lynn's car.
But, as a commentator, you take notice of teams, crews etc, and one of the cool story's I think sticks in my mind, is the team that was behind Brent'bones' Collins in the first year of the Toyota racing series.
Here was bones, never raced a wings andcslicks car before, his crew was Paul sheddan, a rotary specialist, and john Palmer, who raced pre65s, none of whom had had anything to do with an open wheeler before, and bones put the car on pole, going on to win the first ever trs championship.
A small town team who took on and beat seasoned engineers and crews with heaps of experience.

[paul lancaster]

Matt Jackson is another local that has worked all over, and a young guy Anderson, who built cars for haydn Mckenzie, and worked on Paul manuels cars.
Don McGregor drove the transporter for Paul morris motorsports, Ashburtons Andy Mcelrea, now a team owner.

[ged]

tony rioeden gore worked on inkys Camaro/ capri jac mac would know. went to usa

[Jody Wilson]

Yes Tony did go to the USA to Hendrick's, still up there but has been fighting a battle with cancer. Haven't spoken to him for a while but I do know that Paul Andrews goes up and stays with him a few times a year.

[Grant Sprague]

Jody , good to see you here, Tony is ok ....... bounced back & put on weight ..... Paul & Liz got back from North C L .. usa a few days ago [week] reports are [Kiwi] Tony is holding his own........ Talk soon Grant ............

[paul lancaster]

Hi Jody, glad to see you found the site.I bet you have a few stories about different crews and teams you have worked with.hope you enjoy the site

[paul lancaster]

Dave lovegrove was another ex pre 65 driver who went on to work in f1, not too sure if he still is, Nigel Barclay is another ex pre 65 er, who worked for Paul morris for years, now running a supertourer team in nz, his old man stu, works for Leo Leonard in timaru

[Grant Ellwood]

Dick Bennetts himself
The Schollum brothers
Steve Horne
Roger Hill
Kevin Ingram
The Porteous brothers (Dale and Roger) and Leo Wybrott (all from Hastings). All 3 worked for both Lotus and Dale and Leo also worked for McLaren.
Alan McCall (builder of the Tui cars and designer of at least 1 Tecno F1 car)
John Nicholson (along with Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon designed, built and raced their own F1 cars).

Regarding Alan McCall, I have one of his Formula Supervee Tuis in my shop now, originally designed for Formula Atlantic then adapted for Supervee which was really taking off in USA back in the early '70s. The monocoque is beautifully built and I'm hoping this car ends up in New Zealand. Haven't much more info as the Tui has just arrived and I'm just starting to research its history.