The 1965 and 1966 Wills 6Hr Race

[GeebeeNZ]

[video=youtube;PQt-tV-cYQo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQt-tV-cYQo&feature=youtu.be[/video]

In 1965 Evelyn Hadfield and Margaret Hough completed the Wills 6hr race in a Fiat 500. Many years later I located it in a carport with a broken windscreen and managed to buy a piece of NZ racing history. It moved on to a car collection at Karaka for many years and when I last heard of it it was in Hamilton. This Youtube clip shows the wide diversity of cars that used to appear in the Pukekohe long distance races.

[GeebeeNZ]

[video=youtube;q0i16XAOZbc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0i16XAOZbc&feature=youtu.be[/video]I believe this is the 1966 race but it could be the 1967 one. Perhaps Milan or Stu can help. Gerald you will notice a dark coloured MG 1100/1300 in there.

[fullnoise68]

I believe this is the 1966 race but it could be the 1967 one. Perhaps Milan or Stu can help. Gerald you will notice a dark coloured MG 1100/1300 in there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0i16XAOZbc&feature=youtu.be

GeeBee, if you look on the Rod Coppins thread, page 4, there is a photo of Rod and John Ward when they won the 1966 Wills race in a Jag. Bruce302 has one of my Shell Yearbooks from that year so he may be able to help you.

[seaqnmac27]

There seems to be a problem with the links to these videos when I go to access them they say they are private.

[GeebeeNZ]

There seems to be a problem with the links to these videos when I go to access them they say they are private.

Please try again I have changed them.

Graeme

[Milan Fistonic]

I believe this is the 1966 race but it could be the 1967 one. Perhaps Milan or Stu can help. Gerald you will notice a dark coloured MG 1100/1300 in there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0i16XAOZbc&feature=youtu.be

The MG 1100 in the 1966 race was entered by A. R. Johns Ltd and driven by Denis Marwood and Brian Innes.

[seaqnmac27]

Thanks Graeme, what magnificent foootage, absolutely brilliant, loved the shot of the Fiat 500 getting away at the back of the field.

[Bruce302]

Here is a very good shot from the 1965 Wills 6 Hour, as included in the "The Shell Book Of New Zealand Motor Racing 1966"
from Steve Elliott's collection.

[GeebeeNZ]

Bruce302 thanks for that shot, its a good one. Although the winning Jag would have had a top speed of nearly twice the Fiats the difference in their average speed for the entire race was less than 20mph. It was not the first Fiat 500 to race. It may come as a surprise to many that Roy Harrington drove one in the 1963 race. Richard Sisler drove one in the 1964 race.

[Bruce302]

GeeBee, Glad you like it. It is as good as you can expect from most race coverage. Anything outside the top 5 get virtually no coverage.

According to the write up another Hadfield rolled his Datsun in the same race, a husband I guess.
Bruce.

[Bruce Blacklock]

Don Hadfield was Evelyn Hadfields husband and a well known competitor in many forms of motorsport. He had a roll over during night practice for the 1967 race. The car was a Datsun Bluebird and rolled when the left rear wheel dropped off the edge of the tarmac and dug into the dirt exiting the loop. Nearly all the cars were stopped at the scene as there was debris all over the track. I was asked to continue and let the flag points know there would be a delay. Arriving back at pit lane Bob Newson who owned the car, asked me had I seen Don as he was missing. The strangest thing was almost every pit crew were worried about their car, few had realised that no cars were circulating.

[David McKinney]

That'll be Bob Newson...

[Ost]

Thank you for these short films.

[SPman]

Here's some 8mm movie I took in 1966 of the 6 hr and preceding 1hr race. Quality's not great, as film was starting to get damaged due to heat.
JonL.


[video=youtube;YWN_2W96ULE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWN_2W96ULE[/video]

[GeebeeNZ]

Thanks for that SPman. Its great to see it in colour
Graeme

[Steve Holmes]

What an amazing thread, its staggering to see this old footage. Great work guys.

[BMCBOY]

I have these three photos in my collection of the start of the race.
The two colour shots are from Peter Bruin and the B&W photographer is unknown.
I have collected these photos as I have owned the red Healey 3000 for 40 years.
It was owned/driven by Bill Dunster at this meeting.
I believe the race was won by Jim Mullins in a Mini Cooper and was the first outing
for the Fleetwood Mustang hence the problems with reliability.

[Ost]

GeeBee, if you look on the Rod Coppins thread, page 4, there is a photo of Rod and John Ward when they won the 1966 Wills race in a Jag. Bruce302 has one of my Shell Yearbooks from that year so he may be able to help you.

Does anyone have a photo of that Jag, as well as details of the 2nd and 3rd finishers in the '66 race? I have the details of the '65 race.

[macpac]

Does anyone have a photo of that Jag, as well as details of the 2nd and 3rd finishers in the '66 race? I have the details of the '65 race.

It would be great if you could post what details you have on the 65 race? I am wondering weather my dad Bruce McLean was driving one of the Lotus Cortina's in either of those years.

[Steve Holmes]

I have these three photos in my collection of the start of the race.
The two colour shots are from Peter Bruin and the B&W photographer is unknown.
I have collected these photos as I have owned the red Healey 3000 for 40 years.
It was owned/driven by Bill Dunster at this meeting.
I believe the race was won by Jim Mullins in a Mini Cooper and was the first outing
for the Fleetwood Mustang hence the problems with reliability.

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Wow! These photos are completely stunning, particularly the two colour ones. Thanks for posting these.