The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

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Expand view Topic review: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by Rascal » Wed Apr 17, 2013 4:49 am

Sorry that Its been a long time coming For this pic as requested By seaqmac, but Yes, that's the car in Duckhams livery.
OSCA "A" class, Ruapuna & that would be 1973.
my Sincere oppologies regarding the quality.

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by Steve Holmes » Wed Apr 17, 2013 4:36 am

Wow, thats cool. Is that the old Paul Fahey car?

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by Rascal » Wed Apr 17, 2013 4:30 am

PC100492.JPG
seaqnmac27 wrote:Is there a piuc somewhere of the Mustang in Duckhams colours, doesn't readily come to mind

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by Steve Holmes » Tue Feb 19, 2013 12:09 am

Hi Grant, yep there sure are plenty of pics on this site of Ernie. If you look on the right side of this page, towards the top but just beneath the main header banner, you'll see a blank white box with the words 'Advanced Search' just beneath it. If you type 'Sprague', or Ernie Sprague, into that white box, it'll find for you various threads that have photos of both Ernie and Gary.

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by Grant Sprague » Mon Feb 18, 2013 11:05 pm

Steve Holmes wrote:Thanks Grant, its really great to have your input here. Glad you're enjoying the pics.


Steve , Im not sure how to find my way around your neat sight , just learning ,do you have a link to any pics of Ernie , odd that he is in my dreams often & its car racing lol, things we should have done more of to gether [timing was not right ], but moved to the NI by that time I had others on board helping along the way .............................Thanks Steve

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by Steve Holmes » Mon Feb 18, 2013 9:39 pm

Thanks Grant, its really great to have your input here. Glad you're enjoying the pics.

Brother Gary [LEVIN }??

by Grant Sprague » Mon Feb 18, 2013 9:18 pm

Steve Holmes wrote:This photo gets its own post, because its just so right, for so many reasons. Gary Sprague celebrates victory on the hood of his twin-cam Escort. This one photo sums up an era long since gone. A young guy who funds his own racing, does his own tuning, and his own preparation, and he and his buddies do all-nighters driving all over the country to get to the races, most probably with an old tow vehicle on its last legs, at a time when it was still possible to do this. And no sign of Health & Safety as he celebrates on the hood of his car being driven around the track! I know several of our own Roaring Season members have enjoyed a similar past. My, how times have changed!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]9765[/ATTACH]


Yes I remember , Gary borrowed a 3 speed HR Holden Wagon to tow this twin Cam around the North Island , I [Grant] was still at secondary school & working at Dads Garage sweeping floors etc. The Guy driving the Escort is Don [Fat Jack] John;s [NZV8's] Dad....Gary is now up in Western Aussie sorting out the hydraulic & gas connections in the big mines & getting very well looked after ... Thanks Steve for these pics etc just fantastic ..... Grant

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by Oldfart » Mon Aug 27, 2012 8:12 am

Competing at Taupo...as was Alan Crocker with his Renault thingy!

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by bob homewood » Mon Aug 27, 2012 6:47 am

garry simkin wrote:The 1969 New Zealand Motor Racing Shell annual by Peter Greenslade and Euan Sarginson has quite an article about the Fahey Mustang.Quote: Fahey visited Carroll Shelby's Los Angeles headquarters in 1966,tried out a 7 litre prototype but opted in favourof the works Mustang,as raced by Jerry Titus.Unquote.
Re the Chev Coupe and green mini at the Taupo sprint, early 70s, maybe Jamie A recalls them, as, if my own memory serves me right he was there running a Cooper Jaguar.
Garry Simkin.

Gary , I was there competing as well and I still have the result and entry sheets
Bob

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by Steve Holmes » Mon Aug 27, 2012 4:09 am

I'm guessing the 7 litre prototype was a Ford MKII? I wonder if he was just given a few laps just to keep him sweet. It must have worked, he returned home with a Mustang race car.

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by garry simkin » Sun Aug 26, 2012 11:05 pm

The 1969 New Zealand Motor Racing Shell annual by Peter Greenslade and Euan Sarginson has quite an article about the Fahey Mustang.Quote: Fahey visited Carroll Shelby's Los Angeles headquarters in 1966,tried out a 7 litre prototype but opted in favourof the works Mustang,as raced by Jerry Titus.Unquote.
Re the Chev Coupe and green mini at the Taupo sprint, early 70s, maybe Jamie A recalls them, as, if my own memory serves me right he was there running a Cooper Jaguar.
Garry Simkin.

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by Steve Holmes » Thu Aug 23, 2012 10:42 pm

Motorman put together a story of the Mustang when it first arrived in NZ in '66. I'll try and unearth it, but I don't think it delves too deeply into how Fahey came to acquire it.

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by Rod Grimwood » Mon Aug 20, 2012 10:08 am

Pretty sure Fahey just happened to walk in at the right time and he bought the reserve car from Shelby.

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by Steve Holmes » Sun Aug 19, 2012 9:04 am

It arrived in NZ in mid 1966 for the 1967 season. It was built up in the US as a race car by Shelbys and was one of a small number they built for Trans-Am and A Sedan racing. David, I'm sure you're correct re Donohue. He did race a Shelby GT350 in 1965 and '66 in B Production sports car racing, but this was one of the fastback GT350 Shelbys. The notchbacks such as Faheys were built for the Trans-Am and A Sedan.

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by Rod Grimwood » Sun Aug 19, 2012 8:55 am

David McKinney wrote:My recollection is that the (first) Fahey Mustang was developed in NZ from a non-racer. Certainly there was no mention at the time of any connection with either Donohue or Trans-Am. In fact I don't think Donohue raced a Mustang in Trans-Am, at least not that early


Correct Mr Donohue had nothing to do with Fahey Mustang (or others) I am away at moment but have the story on car at home, so will sort when back.

GD66 pretty sure you are on the money.

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by GD66 » Sun Aug 19, 2012 8:41 am

Gulp ! I thought for sure the Fahey car was a Shelby build. How will we find out ?

Edit : I just checked out the NZMustang.com site and it suggests the car is a '66 Shelby imported in '67.

I don't recall Donohue racing a Mustang in the Trans-Am either.

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by David McKinney » Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:54 am

My recollection is that the (first) Fahey Mustang was developed in NZ from a non-racer. Certainly there was no mention at the time of any connection with either Donohue or Trans-Am. In fact I don't think Donohue raced a Mustang in Trans-Am, at least not that early

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by Steve Holmes » Sun Aug 19, 2012 1:03 am

Rascal wrote:The Green 222 mustang in the near to top pic is the John Riley car. this had Previously been the Paul Fahey car & may have been an X mark Donahue trans am car.
some were built in Spartenburg SC, by Bud Moore enginnering but this one, if i recall was a Shelby or car craft Build.



Boy, thats an interesting one I'd not heard before. There is no mention of this Donohues book "The Unfair Advantage", but I guess anything is possible?

Rods Mustang

by KiWinUS » Fri Aug 17, 2012 12:23 am

I also worked on this car for Rod around 1976 77 , originally an Ashburton native , but live in US for 30 years & nascar since 1985 . Work for jack Roush today. be back this christmas , 5th time in 30 years
Cheers
Tony
Rascal wrote:The Green 222 mustang in the near to top pic is the John Riley car. this had Previously been the Paul Fahey car & may have been an X mark Donahue trans am car.
some were built in Spartenburg SC, by Bud Moore enginnering but this one, if i recall was a Shelby or car craft Build.
After Riley, the car was driven by John Armstrong, dunedin , then later changing hands To Rod McElrea ,ashburton.
I Rebuilt the Body work For Rod on a couple of occassions & re-finished the car , Firstly To Duckhams yellow & blue -white colours about 1973-4 .
later , while i was away in Europe ; it was painted Orange by another guy .
then, in about 1976, after returning to NZ, i fitted Cologne style Flares & painted it White with blue stripes over the top.

An offer to me , by Rod ; in about mid 1974, to drive a few laps in the car on a test day at levels was Gratefully accepted and often comes to mind as having been quite an experience for a 19 yr old.

Re: The Garry Simkin Collection - Part 3

by seaqnmac27 » Mon Aug 13, 2012 4:20 am

Chris Read wrote:Not sure if Ron is hiding under a nick name on TRS but last address for Ron is:
Ron McPhail
P O Box 1332
Southport Post Office
Gold Coast
Queensland
Australia

Mobile (0) 408 539 848

I have a mean DVD that Ron produced on Mairehau, Ruapuna,Wigram and Dunedin with a colour 8mm of many of the cars and specials of the 1951-1955 era
He makes it available on request. My last contact was 2007. Chris Read - Arrowtown


I just spoke to Mr McPhail, can't say he seemed happy to hear from me, however he said he does not recall the McElrea Mustang in Duckhams colours.

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