The Roaring Season

Thanks David.

No, it didn't raced in Australia that year

[quote="David McKinney"]It didn't race in Australia in 1974. It was burnt out in a towing accident at the end of the local season. The remains were supposedly still in Wellington 1987[/quote]

Thanks David. I was trying to recall where I thought I'd read that the car went missing, and was starting to think I'd just imagined it. Then I remembered it was in Graham Vercoe's book, and reads as follows:

"While towing the car to Teretonga the trailer carrying 001 caught fire and the car was badly damaged. It was repaired in time for the Surfers Paradise round, but Dunlop had a disaster of a time in Australia, unplaced in all four races. Then the car disappeared on its way back to New Zealand from Australia.

"Insurance companies on both sides of the Tasman argued for an eternity as to who was responsible for paying up. The car finally turned up in Wellington in 1987 and is now in storage there".

The wording is a little vague, as it makes it sound like the car was lost from 1974 until 1987. But did it never actually leave NZ for Australia for those races?

Did the same thing happen to Regs Escort?

[quote="David McKinney"]... It was burnt out in a towing accident ...[/quote]


Just like Reg Cook's Lola T300.

It didn't race in Australia in 1974. It was burnt out in a towing accident at the end of the local season. The remains were supposedly still in Wellington 1987

[quote="Steve Holmes"]Dexter Dunlops McRae GM1. Is this the car which mysteriously disappeared on its way back to New Zealand after having raced in Australia?

With interest high on both sides of the ditch on 5000's I was intrigued by your comment.
Did it actually disappear? It seems no one responded to your prompt.

What a great looking car this is, Red Dawsons Z28 Camaro. He raced it for four seasons, three of which were in the beautiful gold Kensington Carpets colours, as shown here.

[attachment=0]red dawson camaro.jpg[/attachment]

Over in the Alan Smith Collection is a photo very similar to this, of John Wards Lotus Cortina, pictured at Levin, and the '56 Chevy sedan Ward and Rod Coppins used to haul their race cars.

[attachment=0]Lotus cortina 121.jpg[/attachment]

This photo clearly demonstrates where the term 'Lola limp' came from. With bodywork removed you can see just how little thought was given to the well-being of the driver at this period in time. This was typical of many race cars of the period, they were getting faster and faster, more powerful, but the pedals were in alignment with the front wheels, and there was nothing ahead of the front wheels to protect the drivers feet and legs in the case of a head-on shunt. Amazing!

[attachment=0]lola-manfeild.jpg[/attachment]

Thanks Jac. That makes sense, as the car was originally intended for the B class when first imported.

[b][i][color="#0000FF"]Not 100% sure but I dont think the motor was set back, come to think of it I cannot remember whether it was a Chev or a Holden motor, got a feeling it might have been a 253 to fit in the "B" class of OSCA [ under 4.2 liter?] Paul Kirk or others might remember better than me. Understeered a bit IIRC..[/color][/i][/b]

Thanks Jac, I didn't know it later had a V8 stuffed into it. Did the firewall get cut to make the installation? Ron Harrop built a very successful V8 powered EH Holden in Australia, but the engine sat well back for better weight distribution.

[b][i][color="#0000FF"]I only remember seeing this car[the EH] at Teretonga & after it had been fitted with a V8, I think Peter Kocis might have done the engine swap, V8 sat very 'nose high' in the engine bay which did not do much for the cars handling.
looking at pic car appears to have a sunroof & an offset scoop on hood so I assume car still has 6 cyl at time photo was taken... no idea where car is now.[/color][/i][/b]

Time to reignite this thread. This EH Holden, is, I believe, that raced by Steve Dymand in OSCA from late 1973. Both Steve and his brother John were racing in OSCA at this time, John driving a newly built V8 Capri.

The EH was originally built and raced in Australia by Ron Dickson, and featured a Waggott Engineering 202, with triple 45 Webers, and a 12-port head. By all accounts, the car was said to be absolutely immaculately built and presented. Where is it now?

[attachment=0]Holden 2.jpg[/attachment]

Sounds like a good plan Gerald, although being a speedway car, you might find the wheels on the outside are larger than those on the inside! Will be fantastic through left hand corners, but might struggle a bit through the right handers.

We are just negotiating at the moment with owner of the yellow speedway mini for a loan of his wheels and tyres for the Amco mini for the up and coming Denny Hulme Festival..........may have to put on wider flares.......LOL !!!!!!!!!!

Here is the Grady Thomson HK Monaro, which John McKechnie now owns. This car has a colourful past, having been driven previously by Spinner Black and Rod Coppins, then later by John Riley (though not actually raced?) and George Bunce. Was discovered recently on Trademe and purchased by John, as a stripped down rusty shell, which none of the other bidders, or the seller, had any clue of its history. If not for John, this car would almost certainly now be in the big graveyard in the sky for old race cars, as the other bidders wanted it for the GTS body tags.

[attachment=0]Grady Thomson Monaro.jpg[/attachment]

As per my ??? above, here is the Dave Gilbertson speedway Mini.

[attachment=0]100_1403Quicke-mailview.jpg[/attachment]

OK, some updates. First up, the amazing Tony Gilbertson Minisprint.

Here's a question. There was a Dave Gilbertson who was a very successful speedway racer in the 70s (and possibly 80s?), and ran Mini Clubmans for several years. I think he may have even won the NZ Saloon Car Championship in one. One of his cars has been restored, and makes appearances every now and then doing demonstrations at speedway events. Any relation to Tony?

[attachment=0]min 55.jpg[/attachment]