Modified 70s and 80s Saloons - Picture Thread

[Graeme Park]

Hi Jim and Rod, some photos of the Marina

Easter 1984 Baypark - Jim Short and myself

Christmas 1984 - Baypark - Warwick Grey and myself

Pukekohe Grand Prix 1986 Ian Algie and myself (Jim your car come off in the grass just behind us)

Baypark with Harold Wooten and myself

Christmas Baypark Start

The Marina wheel base was extended by 4 inches, the motor, gear box and diff were all as one unit and had Jag independent rear suspension with splined half shafts with a top wish bone added. Front suspension had Jag XJ6 suspension which I made up top rocker arms with inboard mounted adjustable shocks. The Motor was a P76 turbo charged.

Does anyone know where this car is now?

Cheers,

Graeme (Black Park)

[Paul Kirk]

I did, I built the car literally from the ground up starting in 77 or whenever the MKIV Cortina was introduced. I borrowed the W/Shop manuals off Dennis Latty @ Latty Ford , Gore. & compared the floorpan info for MK3/MKIV, they are/were both the same, then obtained a MK3 shell & removed all that was not compatible with MKIV from it, around the same time a local Vet rolled his new MKIV which was written off due to excessive panel damage & I got most of what was good of the shell & bought new roof, rear guards etc to make up balance of shell, the guards/flares you mention were made by bringing out the original arch & filling in the gaps etc then pulling a set of molds off that... molds were made in such manner that the LF could be adapted & used on RR & vice versa so I only needed two molds. Doors were made from alloy & I must confess to a minor stuff up in that dept, I did not look closely enough @ the MKIV & ended up with a bit of a 'dip' @ the B pillar rather than the straight thru of the MKIV. made mold for hood/bonnet with scoop & rolled up alloy boot lid. Same Boss 302/trans/diff from my earlier MK2 Cortina was used in this car as well.

Ahar, so it must have been YOU, Jac, that fitted that big brake limiting valve (that worked on all 4wheels) and the oversized master cylinder that required both feet on the pedal!
Poor old Rod couldn't figure out why other cars could outbrake him.
The plot is thickening!
PK.

[jim short]

Hi Graeme I think the car on grass is Shack Manon green Escort, Bruce and I were on the gully side,1984???

[Munty]

The ex McElrea Cortina is being restored as we speak and should be out next summer

[Jac Mac]

Ahar, so it must have been YOU, Jac, that fitted that big brake limiting valve (that worked on all 4wheels) and the oversized master cylinder that required both feet on the pedal!
Poor old Rod couldn't figure out why other cars could outbrake him.
The plot is thickening!
PK.

[color="#0000FF"]And it might continue to thicken!!! I built the car with two seperate master cyls & balance bar along with the Mustang pressure valve in the rear brake line, BUT in the pics that Anthony Prendergast has sent me of the car as purchased from Rod last year there is a photo of the empty engine bay with an extra bracket with three bolt holes that has been added in front of the original Master Cyl positions presumably for the Large master cylinder you mention. The steering column also was modified by removing the upper u-joint & replacing with an angle gear box that used a couple of mini diff side gears, I presume these mods were done to clear the space for the Chev Swap at the time. From what you describe it would appear that when the large single master cyl was fitted the brake lines got re-plumbed in the manner you describe where it worked on all four wheels, that would have made life exciting for Rodney!!![/color]

[Graeme Park]

Hi Graeme I think the car on grass is Shack Manon green Escort, Bruce and I were on the gully side,1984???

Hi Jim Great to here from you. You are right about the year and and your car in the gully such a long time ago one tends to forget. Jim i would like to catch up with you soom time i will be raceing down at taupo on the 26 & 27th of jan & then hampton downs in early feb not shore of the dates yet. My Porsche is a 944 s2 what a fantastic car to race the motor is still standerd but have fully worked the suspension & brakes over. The car handels great and putting up some good times. Have you still got your Porsche and compete?. I wish you a merry xmas & a happy new year & hope to catch up with you soon. Cheers Graeme Park.

[Grant Ellwood]

Graeme, compliments of the season to you. Years ago when I lived in Tauranga, I visited your place and had a good look at the Marina, think we discussed some alterations for the rear suspension. Sorry, can't remember the details, my memory is pretty dodgy these days!
Good luck with your Porsche racing, glad to see you are keeping your hand in.

[Rod Grimwood]

Hi Jim Great to here from you. You are right about the year and and your car in the gully such a long time ago one tends to forget. Jim i would like to catch up with you soom time i will be raceing down at taupo on the 26 & 27th of jan & then hampton downs in early feb not shore of the dates yet. My Porsche is a 944 s2 what a fantastic car to race the motor is still standerd but have fully worked the suspension & brakes over. The car handels great and putting up some good times. Have you still got your Porsche and compete?. I wish you a merry xmas & a happy new year & hope to catch up with you soon. Cheers Graeme Park.

Green Escort was Gary Lathrope
Must catch up Graeme, will be at HD Hulme Festival with Brett Willis if you are around, good to hear you are keeping your hand in with the Porsche.

[Rod Grimwood]

Correct Jim got it mixed up with later on signs that boys raced

Evercool was Johns company.

Parksy was a neat fella and always chirpy. Handy he was my size (fraction Thinner) when at Bay Park one day i went to ute and bag gone, no driving suit, helmet or boots, so he shot off and got me his spares. Remember it as they were black and i had him on about everything being black in middle of summer, and could he get a Red one so iI could go faster.

Red Helmet, white/blue suit who some one else has.

Black helmet, suit borrowed.

[jim short]

Red Helmet, white/blue suit who some one else has.

Black helmet, suit borrowed.

Rod are you shure not Manon green Escort as he hit the bank ,will check vidio as on there thanks for call must be nearly here by now

[Rod Grimwood]

Rod are you shure not Manon green Escort as he hit the bank ,will check vidio as on there thanks for call must be nearly here by now

Manon was alight fawn colour and MK11 Lathrope was a dark forest green and Mk1
call is on the way, must be caught up in hi-tech immigration and interogation unit at Tokoroa
I been calling but number i have goes to answer phone with some strange noise.

[Barrie]

Great to see the Addis Charger. Brings back memories of an encounter on the Auckland motorway. I was heading home to Thames when the Charger went past me at a great rate of knots. A wonderful sight and glorious sound.

[Graeme Park]

Graeme, compliments of the season to you. Years ago when I lived in Tauranga, I visited your place and had a good look at the Marina, think we discussed some alterations for the rear suspension. Sorry, can't remember the details, my memory is pretty dodgy these days!
Good luck with your Porsche racing, glad to see you are keeping your hand in.

Hi Grant , good to here from you.Yes, I remember you comimg up to my workshop in Tauranga you helped me with re designing the rear suspension. If you remember right, drive shafts acted as the top link which in turn made erratical camber change. So I had the drive shafts splined and made upper top links. Many hours later using a spirit level, I managed to achieve, with your help a proper set up. Wishing you all the best for the season. Looking forward to catching up with you sometime. Cheers, Graeme.

[Graeme Park]

Green Escort was Gary Lathrope
Must catch up Graeme, will be at HD Hulme Festival with Brett Willis if you are around, good to hear you are keeping your hand in with the Porsche.

Hi Rod. Great to hear from you . Yes, I will be at HD Hulme festival with the porsche. Be good to catch up with you and Brett. Do you still have the Escourt? How about any of the other Sport Sedan drivers like Ralph Mosman, Tony Rutherford, John Learmouth, the Algie boys, the list goes on ..do you ever see any of them ?? See you soon Cheers Graeme.

[ERC]

Isn't Tony Rutherford a regular safety car driver or have I got it wrong - again?

[Rod Grimwood]

Isn't Tony Rutherford a regular safety car driver or have I got it wrong - again?

Correct, this is one of of the few times he has lead a field, except handicap races at end of day. He has got very good at it though, cheerful chap waving to all and sundry.
Notice the finger signal is not as prevalent as old days.

[Rod Grimwood]

Look forward to catching up Graeme.
The Algie boys pop up some times with Gordon Burr and the Alfetta, Ralph is the main go to man with Brett, I think John Learmonth may be rebuilding a car, John Windleburn can be seen pushing young Shanes 5000 around. See a few of them around. Yes the little car is still tucked away in my messy room out back.
I have some nice photos of Ralphs New (old) toy, it is neat. will ask if i can show them.

[John McKechnie]

Was with Barry Algie the other night at his place.Says he will never let the Monaro go, and wants a good set of tyres as the existing have got too old. Brother Ian is in the USA , and has been there for years involved with racing.

[jim short]

Correct, this is one of of the few times he has lead a field, except handicap races at end of day. He has got very good at it though, cheerful chap waving to all and sundry.
Notice the finger signal is not as prevalent as old days.

Thank you Rod,, good to start the day with a smile {laugh}

[ERC]

When I first came to NZ, I remember well going to the Pukekohe Club circuit and noting the crowd response to Tony's car. Obviously a crowd favourite at the time.

As to him leading the field I had to smile, as at the first classic meet at Hampton Downs, Andy Culpin let me drive the Marcos LM500 in the parade to mark 50 years of Marcos, but the oil pressure warning came on and scared of wrecking an engine built out of "unobtainium", I parked it. Subsequent investigation showed that we were just travelling too slowly, stuck behind the safety car, as the warning came up at a relatively high oil pressure...