The Roaring Season

by **Rod Grimwood** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 11:43 pm

Dropped in to a friend up north the other day, he has this (Monaro) sitting in shed, sat there for about 17 years. Engine has been freshened. Runs it, Has no urgency to use it at moment. Straight and original. Used to tow the Capri around with it.
Makes you wonder just how many different cars are sitting snoozing in garages around the country.

by **Chris Read** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 1:51 am

Dave Silcock wrote:Hi Chris. The motor is a long stroke Manx Norton, looks like it is in a Cooper. Thats a brave man on the Vincent, in my and Allan Bramwell's experience those motors spend more time blown up than running. Although they seem all right in a bike. Mine had about 120 BHP Man it was a blast to drive! I was a mate of Middle's,as we all knew him, from my teenage vintage car days, and yes his 120 was the first one I owned .
Cheers Dave.
PS Dave Mills could find virtue in any car no matter how bad it was, this was a cause of great amusement among the Dunedin boys.

Tell me about it - He still thought Hillman Hunters were the best car in the world and I helped with his estate which included disposing of a Marina Ute that he had RESTORED. But he had some taste in his Fiat coupes which he loved. There are lots of stories including how he lost his money in Thailand, his many wives, driving across America and how for many years he would ring A and B's or Repco in town and ask them to put the parts 'on the bus' to Macandrew Bay even tho the bus had not run for many years. He was in wonder how that man in the yellow van used to come all the way down the Bay to collect the parcel from the local store bus drop-off and drive it the 100m to Dave's garage - great service! As you know Dave M was easily distracted and would talk to anyone. One day at the WN street races I was under the car holding an overflow tank with a few minutes to go to line up and Dave was on top to do it up. Next thing was "gidday Jim good to see ya again - you remember Chris down there from last year - have to say ya doing a great job keeping this race in WN." ME: "For Christ's sake Dave stop yapping to whoever it is and do the ....... bracket up". With Dave still engaged in conversation I came out from under the car to look up to the Prime Minister and say "good to see you again Mr Bolger"......That was our Dave!
Thanks for the steer on the motor - Regards Chris R

by **Chris Read** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 1:03 am

woody wrote:Chris, That would be Gary Kane. I will think of the name of his boats later.

Quite right and was it 'Miss something' . Did it have a lightening bolt and were they called 'Cracker Jacks'? I used to follow the boats as my father Darcy had several. Sit at the back and motor up front. He converted one into a harbour boat and we had a seat in front of the motor and used to go out on the harbour most weekends from the jetty on Portobello road with the big crane. I have some 16mm film of races in the harbour Basin. During the early Dunedin Wharf circuit we used to boat across the harbour and climb up the ladders and sit on the cranes to see the cars. That's what started it all for me! Chris.
Ps wasn't "O'Kane" was it.

by **Dave Silcock** » Thu Aug 16, 2012 12:11 am

Hi Chris. The motor is a long stroke Manx Norton, looks like it is in a Cooper. Thats a brave man on the Vincent, in my and Allan Bramwell's experience those motors spend more time blown up than running. Although they seem all right in a bike. Mine had about 120 BHP Man it was a blast to drive! I was a mate of Middle's,as we all knew him, from my teenage vintage car days, and yes his 120 was the first one I owned .
Cheers Dave.
PS Dave Mills could find virtue in any car no matter how bad it was, this was a cause of great amusement among the Dunedin boys.

by **Imp Wagon** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 11:00 pm

Rod Grimwood wrote:There you are Habu, before it was painted the ugly red & orange.

Very nice Rod. I've always loved the look of the Mk1 Escorts with factory arches.
Cheers, Simon.

by **Imp Wagon** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 10:59 pm

Rod Grimwood wrote:There you are Habu, before it was painted the ugly red & orange.

Very nice Rod. I've always loved the look of the Mk1 Escort with factory arches.
Cheers, Simon.

by **woody** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:22 am

Chris, That would be Gary Kane. I will think of the name of his boats later.

by **Chris Read** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 4:57 am

Bob, wish I had known about your t/c fetish (Post #20) . Gave away a t/c head with cams and valves to a young guy who was just starting out so you missed out on giving it a good home. Motor came from a a racing boat in Dunedin belonging to a chap Kane and the garage was Brian Middlemass's - now perhaps we should start a thread as his Jaguars were legendary and you will remember he co owned the Queenstown Motor Museum. Before he died of cancer he had an XK120 (correct Dave Silcock?) with lots of modern bits in it. He had just fitted an XJ o/d box to it and wanted me to go for a squirt and hold something - think it was a petrol pressure gauage. Off we went along the straight at the base of Coronet Peak and as most will know 'Middle' was a vigorous peddler so we were doing 100mph before we entered the straight. I know the speedo was showing 150mph with the o/d 'in' as the corner at the end was coming up. I remember him saying 'this will bed those new pads in'. He worked on the 4CLT that Rob Boult later owned and did some work on my BCM. - but I digress again as the t/c boat motor as was told to me came from an important NZ racing car and cost a lot of money - I have no recollection what its history was but it is now in Wellington on an escort rebuild.

Real reason for this reply is can anyone tell me what this motor is. I am dislexic when it comes to two wheels and their motors even tho I own two of the earliest racers in NZ in the Moore Kiefts complete with Vincents. It will be obvious to most so make and approx year please.

Just in case you are bored with all of this have a look at this YouTube (acknowledgement) clip that features a 180hp Vincent. Even Dave Silcocks 'Jilly' didn't have this much even tho it used to sail past me with Dave's knuckles dragging on the ground as he hung on round the corners.
[video=youtube;NQIhqazUHg8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQIhqazUHg8&feature=player_detailpage[/video]

by **John McKechnie** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:51 am

Hi Roddy, always at home, just call.If Dale can find me here, you will..Love looking at the action pix of your Escort powering out of the corners.

by **Habu** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:22 am

Rod Grimwood wrote:There you are Habu, before it was painted the ugly red & orange.

DROOL!!! Awesome, keep em coming

by **kiwi285** » Wed Aug 15, 2012 12:41 am

Rod Grimwood wrote:Funny you should mention that Nigel as it was discussed and thats what may happen. Any photos of Bryces Fountain paint would be appreciated.

Flares all been tidied up. Looked at dry sump system. Doing bits.

Thats a neat looking car Rod. Hopefully we will see it on track sometime soon.

by **Rod Grimwood** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:43 pm

There you are Habu, before it was painted the ugly red & orange.

by **Rod Grimwood** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:30 pm

Might see you this weekend John if you are home.

by **John McKechnie** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:10 pm

Hi Rod, this is your garage isnt it, are you planning on getting back into it again? So thats why you didnt come round-a better offer. Great stuff, especially your Escort.

by **Habu** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 7:52 pm

Rod, Please keep the photos coming - especially of the Escort - you've made my week

by **Rod Grimwood** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:35 am

There is a couple of classics parked away in there behind the empties. They reckon mum likes a beer after dinner.

by **Rod Grimwood** » Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:28 am

Dropped into see a friend today, and the brothers were just playing around putting bits together. Their mother is so happy to have them home again. Amazing whats going on in little sheds, garages around the place.

by **Rod Grimwood** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:26 am

Funny you should mention that Nigel as it was discussed and thats what may happen. Any photos of Bryces Fountain paint would be appreciated.

Roger, notice the round wheel marks on both doors, that was from its 2nd last demon start, RX7 right hand and V8 Viva left in first race and we chopped the broken bit of right hand back flare and ran 100mph tape around it for next run.

Flares all been tidied up. Looked at dry sump system. Doing bits.

by **Nigel Barclay** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:17 am

Rod,

if this is the x Platt car please put it back in Fountain stereo colours !

cheers
Nigel

by **Rod Grimwood** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 4:59 am

88 same meet. A couple more from Taupo, yes it is facing the wrong way but it soon came back around and on we went with out loosing a spot (lucky) Slicks and rain, good fun. front spoiler has special angle for the hairpin. It did not like clipping that inside kerb.
This was the last time i raced her. Liked the white and blue better i think. Will just leave it white now. If you have any other photos Roger email them to me if you can Ta.

The Roaring Season

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