New Zealand Historic Muscle Cars Under HRC

[AMCO72]

Howard, you are right. With all these 'PIRANHA's coming on stream, we will be swamped with them, almost like the E30's. I can see Dales HMC class being able to fill a full grid at the Festival in January, so us 'little' guys will be out in the cold. I think a few fellas out there have done their sums on this one, and decided the old Capri is the way to go in HMC. I would honestly not want to see dozens of them on the track together. That is one of the things that is so good about HMC......the variety of machinery. But isn't that orange car a ripper!!!! AND, if even our 'Great Helmsman', Chairman Holmes can get it wrong,[or was that just a carefully contrived piece of journalism to draw attention to the issue], what hope is there for others who don't read this forum to get all the ideas being knocked about here. What happens Dale, if 40+ cars are entered....dont laugh, it could happen if this momentum carries on. In other words, if people put their money where their mouth is, this is going to be the ALPHA, or should that be ALFA [oldfart] class of the racing at the Festival. Might just have to take up flag marshalling.

[jim short]

As great as it all is I understand The Beach Hop has cut back on Mustangs just to many make for boring watching,I guess I am a little one eyed just a little but to say a jag is not a muscle car ,only an old saloon and I understand how it hurts when driving your muscle car real fast and this saloon goes past with a cherry wave,

[Steve Holmes]

Howard, you are right. With all these 'PIRANHA's coming on stream, we will be swamped with them, almost like the E30's. I can see Dales HMC class being able to fill a full grid at the Festival in January, so us 'little' guys will be out in the cold. I think a few fellas out there have done their sums on this one, and decided the old Capri is the way to go in HMC. I would honestly not want to see dozens of them on the track together. That is one of the things that is so good about HMC......the variety of machinery. But isn't that orange car a ripper!!!! AND, if even our 'Great Helmsman', Chairman Holmes can get it wrong,[or was that just a carefully contrived piece of journalism to draw attention to the issue], what hope is there for others who don't read this forum to get all the ideas being knocked about here. What happens Dale, if 40+ cars are entered....dont laugh, it could happen if this momentum carries on. In other words, if people put their money where their mouth is, this is going to be the ALPHA, or should that be ALFA [oldfart] class of the racing at the Festival. Might just have to take up flag marshalling.

I was just posting that pic because Grant was talking about building a replica of the Team Gunston Perana that raced in SA. This car is a good example of a car thats a couple of steps too far for HMC, with those wheel flares. But I'm with you, I think its a great looking car, but it couldn't race in HMC like that.

I guess the way HMC has to be viewed is that every car in the field needs to have an achilles heel, be that its too heavy, too big, or too small, or has medieval suspension. Thats what makes a muscle car a muscle car. It goes like stink in a straight line, but everything else is a little questionable. Thats why the punters love them. In the case of the Perana, its achilles heel is that wide wheels can't be fit within the confines of the guards, so 8" is about the limit. So, while lighter and possibly more nimble, getting power to the ground will be the challenge. Same too with the Chevrolet Firenza Can-Am.

[Howard Wood]

While I agree with everyone that a Perana would make a great HMC car I also think a Rover P6 V8 also fits the spirit of the class especially as it would also suffer from the same problem of limited tyre width (which Gerald, Angus and I need).

For what its worth, given their race history, a Mk2 Jag fits well too although there is no way you could get enough horse power to seriously bother Dale and his mates.

[AMCO72]

I think I will reserve my judgement on the MkII Jaguar until I have seen, heard, and driven Dave's 'Blue Car' If Dave is saying it is way better than he had hoped, I believe him. He is not the sort of Guy to make idle boasts without backing them up with action, and 400+ hp is getting up there.
I have a solution to the tyre width inequality problem. Howard, you I, Angus and other cars that cant fit BIG rubber under their arches, should be able to run on slicks, which are still not very wide, but might grip a little bit better for a more level playing field. Yes????. I'm serious.......as the tyre thing seems to be one of the big issues in this class. Does Neil Tollich run a P6?....that thing can go.

[jim short]

Another real top secret what about the 1976 ex Tullias E Type that swamped the Camaros thats on the water .roll on next yr.

[Steve Holmes]

While I agree with everyone that a Perana would make a great HMC car I also think a Rover P6 V8 also fits the spirit of the class especially as it would also suffer from the same problem of limited tyre width (which Gerald, Angus and I need).

For what its worth, given their race history, a Mk2 Jag fits well too although there is no way you could get enough horse power to seriously bother Dale and his mates.

Yeah you're right about both cars Howard, but if they were included in that list, do you think anyone would actually build one for HMC?