"Production Supercars" of the late 70's/early 80's

[Rellum]

Hi all. I have been following many interesting discussions for many months on this site but have only recently become a member. An era of particular interest to me is the ‘Production Supercars’ of the late 70’s /early 80’s. Post GTX days there was, I guess, a bit of a void in what we would call now Muscle Cars and Production Supercars had splendid fields and great racing – this was my initial exposure to motorsport and my interest grew from there. However I have seen very little written about these cars and drivers.
The current “Historic Muscle Cars’ are very similar in spec. and intent of those cars, although like any motorsport the cars evolved and got faster. In the earlier years I remember Trevor McLean in his E49 being quite dominant (his brothers raced as well –Bruce in a blue XB Fairmont and Steve also in a Charger). In latter years Peter Meadows in his L34 (ex Jim Richards) was a front runner along with Mick Quinn in a late 70’s Camaro. Other stalwarts of the class include George Shewiery in his Falcons, Gary Bromley also in a Falcon. Bob Cullinane raced a black HQ Monaro. Paul Burnet (still racing today) in a Charger. MacDonald in a V8 Charger. There were a couple of XU1’s. I remember fields of 20-30 cars at Baypark, but a lot of names escape me now.

[Steve Holmes]

Hey these are brilliant photos, got any more? I assume the silver L34 is Peter Meadows in the ex-Coppins/Richards car as you mentioned? I don't think I've seen a colour photo of this car when it was silver. Whose is the XB GT Falcon?

[Rellum]

The XBGT is Gary Bromleys (I think the colour is called mullberry(?)) - I believe this car got destroyed in a crash on the road many years later. Gary went on to race a XD Falcon - I have a picture of that somewhere. The Torana is Peter Meadows, pretty much in its last guise as a "Production Supercar" - I believe that someone is restoring it, I saw it for sale in Otahuhu in the mid/late 80's for about $10K! and turned it down as I thought the body was a bit rough - another one of those 'the one that got away' stories.

[Steve Holmes]

Ahh, thanks for that. There is a photo somewhere on here, I think in Nigel Watts large collection of photos, that shows Bromleys XD.

The Coppins L34 was restored a few years ago to how it looked when it finished 3rd at Bathurst in 1974, its still in NZ. Definitely sounds like one of those "The one that got away" stories. Most of us have at least one of those. If only we had a time machine!

[Rellum]

Gary Bromleys XD

[TonyG]

I remember Gary Bromley in his dark purple XA in the wet at Puke. Was good to watch.
Some of these photos are pretty bad but here goes.
Bob Cullinane


Bruce Anderson with Falcon in ANZ guise


Veen Smith


Paul Burnett


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[TonyG]

Another Charger, this one was a Magenta colour though.


Derek McDonald E55 Charger - something went wrong with the passenger rear wheel.






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[TonyG]

I know it is not quite the same as the topic of this thread but what happened to this car? I only ever remember seeing it run the once at Pukekohe.


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[TonyG]

Also this one I never saw again. The Leo Leonard Falcon.

[Steve Holmes]

These are great guys, keep them coming! Re the Morton/Francevic XD Group A Falcon, George Shewiery has owned that car for many years. Its now white, and doesn't have the rollcage. Back when he bought it there wasn't really anywhere to race it so he converted it for road use, and repainted it white.

I have a feeling one of the Leonard Falcon/Fairmonts was bought by Tim Buxton, and eventually it became a Sports Sedan with box flares etc.

[seaqnmac27]

[quote="TonyG"]I remember Gary Bromley in his dark purple XA in the wet at Puke. Was good to watch.
Some of these photos are pretty bad but here goes.
Bob Cullinane

Tony, I think the Monaro is actually John Arkley from the 82 GP meet, he is car 2 referrenced from the entry list from this thread http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?444-New-Zealand-Sports-Sedans-Database-Histories-And-Whereabouts&highlight=lists.

[seaqnmac27]

Cullinane had by that stage the ex Bullivant Capri

[TonyG]

Oops my mistake. I remembered he had a black one at one stage.

[Rellum]

Now that I've spent a few more hours on the roaring season I have found a good picture on the bottom of this page http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?444-New-Zealand-Sports-Sedans-Database-Histories-And-Whereabouts&highlight=lists which shows Trevor McLeans E49, Mick Quins Camaro, Cullinanes Monaro and Gary Bromleys XBGT

[Rod Grimwood]

Also this one I never saw again. The Leo Leonard Falcon.
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It was actually entered as a Fairmont (to get around some Homoginized problems to run different back end) and later there was a hassle with the rear end and brakes etc with officialdom and it went to pasture.

[seaqnmac27]

Wasn't there a while there that there were no "Falcons" in NZ, weren't they all badged as Fairmonts for some reason?

[Steve Holmes]

Re the Falcons/Fairmonts, in the early 80s when the ANZ and B&H rules required the cars be NZ assembled, the only real option was the Fairmont Ghia, as this was the only NZ assembled V8 Falcon available, complete with 302 and auto. The Holden alternative was the SL/E, also a luxury car. Then GM-NZ built those 30 SS Commodores, which completely wiped the floor with everything. Even the driving talents and set-up skills of Leo Leonard weren't a match for the SS Commodores. Eventually the series became basically a one-make series, so the rules were tweaked for a season or so to make the Fords competitive again, until eventually Group A was adopted in NZ in 1984.

Gary Sprague also raced a very successful XD Falcon during the 1983/84 season.

[Steve Holmes]

It'd be interesting to know what happened to a lot of these cars that did the early Supercar events. Obviously the Coppins L34 has been restored, but where are the others? There were a bunch of E49 Chargers, the Cullinane HQ Monaro, the Falcon hardtops.

Vern Muller has been racing an XA GS Falcon hardtop since the early 80s and competed with several of the cars pictured above. Its now fitted with all XC front sheetmetal and painted up like a Falcon Cobra.

[Rod Grimwood]

I know it is not quite the same as the topic of this thread but what happened to this car? I only ever remember seeing it run the once at Pukekohe.


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Have a look in Steves magic new book "Petrolheads In Sheds" and it is in the company of the Sidchrome Mustang, the Masterton Homes Falcon, Plus a heap of other classic muscle cars under the care of a fella called "George"
Hint, he also races a Comet and Cobra Falcon.

[mid-year]

If the E-49 was a factory Magenta colour from new it would be a rare bird indeed as only the 1971 cars were seen in this colour in Aus.