Renwick New Zealand - Road Racing Footage

[Steve Holmes]

Roaring Season member Graham Wood (woody) alerted me to this great piece of amateur footage (of 4.30 duration) from the Renwick street course race, run through the small town in the upper South island of New Zealand.

The footage is listed on Youtube as being 1965, but actually appears to be snippets from different seasons, from what I can tell, and all earlier than 1965. The Stanton Special appears a couple of times fitted with its full-enveloping bodywork which was created for speed record attempts around 1953, but I believe it retained this body for several years. The Stanton Corvette also appears, in its early open wheel rear-engine format. I would hazard a guess that the footage includes 1960, and 1963, although there is a very brief shot of what appears to be the Roycroft Ferrari 375 (ex-Gonzales) with its Rosier bodywork fitted, or am I mistaken?

I think this one requires some input from you experts of late 50s/early 60s NZ motorsport.

[video=youtube;M3wmJvxoOU8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3wmJvxoOU8&[/video]

[pallmall]

I think that would be Rod Coppins with the Rosier body on the Tec Mec. Am I correct, were there three versions of the Stanton Corvette? The original single seat streamliner, the single seater with close cropped body, and the original version of the sportscar.
Lots of interesting memories from my youth amongst that lot.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Gavin, I could be wrong, but I thought also there were 3 guises of the Stanton Corvette.

[Steve Holmes]

The Tec Mec with the Rosier body fitted and small block Chevy must have been quite a spectacle. Apparently it was later owned by a David Simpson. Could this be the same David Simpson who won the 1966 NZ Saloon Car Championship?

[pallmall]

The car was put back to single seater form, but with an earlier style Maserati body than Mansel had on it, when Rod Coppins still had it. Then it was involved in the fatal accident at Pukekohe, the engine apparently ending up in the Coppins Zephyr Corvette.
I don't know where either the Rosier body nor the chassis went to straight after that. I think the chassis is back as the 250F it once was, but David McKinney is the man to answer those questions.

[bry3500]

that looked like Hec Greens RA as well

[David McKinney]

Posted before viewing the clip (so there may be more to come...)

There were three Stanton-Corvettes:
1. The front-engined single-seater
2. The rear-engined single-seater, later converted to sportscar configuration
3. The replacement sportscar, after Morrie Stanton's 1964(?) Waimate crash

The earlier Stanton Special, built 1953, did not get its streamlined bodywork till 1957. The driver at Renwick will have been Charlie Bensemann, who also ran it with the original open-wheeler bodywork as still used by the Maugers today

I don't think saloon champ Dave Simpson ever owned the Tec-Mec, though he was entered to drive it in the sportscar meeting at the GP one year (when owned by one O'Connell)

The car did go back to England, and was soon racing as a 250F again

[David McKinney]

Great stuff!

Looks like November 1961 meeting at the start, then November 1962, then a bit of November 1961 again at the end

[Steve Holmes]

Fantastic! Thanks David.

[David McKinney]

Revised version -

For the benefit of younger listeners:
Starts with November 1962:
31 Hyslop (Cooper T53), 23 Eade (Maserati 250F), 38 Amon (250F), 57 Cottle (Lola Mk1)

At 26sec sportscars including the one-off Sabre (No.40)
Stewart (Sunbeam Alpine) led Bell (Porsche) until he spun on the last corner, allowing the German car to win, after Cottle struck trouble when well clear

1’05 specials: Ron Rutherford (250M Zephyr Special No.4), Brian Blackburn (46 Maserati 4CLT)
The rear-engined car (74) is the JBM-Ford (not an RA)

1’17 Renwick 50: Hyslop, Shelly (Lotus 18/21), Eade, Cottle
No.17 is the Stanton-Corvette
Bob Smith (Ferrari) at 1’48, then John Histed (No.33 Lola Mk2)

at 2’00 November 1963:
Looks like practice (judging from the mix)
9 Thomasen (Cooper T51), 14 Slocombe (Lotus 18), 41 Palmer (ex-Hyslop Cooper T53). 46 Bremer (D-type Jaguar), 16 Bensemann (Stanton Special), 4 Rutherford, 33 Barry Porter (Lotus 15)

Also seen (from the rear) is the Stanton-Corvette, now sports-bodied

25 Rex Flowers (Lotus 20B), 2 Andrew Buchanan (Brabham BT6), 44 Bryan Thomas (Gemini), 10 Tony Shelly (Lotus 18/21), 45 Dene Hollier (Cooper T52)

at 4’00 November 1961:
Coppins Tec-Mec, 21 Amon 250F, rear view of Pat Hoare’s Ferrari Dino V12 in the pits, 40 Mansel (Cooper T51)

[thunder427]

Davids Good!!!..the 'red' sports car was indeed the 'Sabre', Zephyr Powered, Built in Christchurch by a young Mechanic, that I believe worked at 'Hutchison Ford' /ChCh, the car reside's in a garage, waiting 'restoration', mid Canterbury way!!!!.........this Car was my first introduction to "pretty' when discussing 'Home Built Cars.........

'Fibreglass' was a medium that I was involved with in the 60's, I had the good fortune to work/learn from a Very talented Gentleman, Mr Peter Souter,(who was head of HAYS Ltd 'Display Studio')whom taught me the 'art' of Fibreglass,everything I learnt from this man I use in my every day work building 'Custom Cars and specialising in Corvette Repairs and Restorations........and yes!! I was walking through Christchurch City ( as you could in those days !!!) when I spotted Mr Souter walking with his wife,shot across the Road and stood in his path with my hand out to shake hands,after some 20yrs it was a great moment for me to say 'Thank You For taking the time to teach me the things I know'!!!...Peter was a little taken back ,thinking who the hell is this bloody 'Hippie',then the light went on,"Ahhh Myles, the 'Checky' one"!!!!.....A Special moment in Life!!!.....regards thunder427/MJ

[David McKinney]

the 'red' sports car was indeed the 'Sabre', Zephyr Powered, Built in Christchurch by a young Mechanic, that I believe worked at 'Hutchison Ford' /ChCh

Barry Walker of later Mirage fame, wasn't it?

[RogerH]

Great Renwick link David - I've sent it through to the current owner of the Bryan Thomas #44.

[Shano]

Some very respectable machinery there - doubly impressive when you consider how difficult it must have been to get your hands on that sort of gear back then.

[David McKinney]

Great Renwick link David - I've sent it through to the current owner of the Bryan Thomas #44.

I knew he'd seen it, but he seemed more interested in the 250Fs

Also sent the link to the then owner of the ex-FJ Lotus 18, who was disappointed none of the shots showed the impossible oversteer the car had that day

[Steve Holmes]

Jim Barclay has forwarded an email from Chris Amon who just took a look at the video:

"Certainly looks like the 250F but if that is 1965 it can't be me, I raced
there only in '61 & '62, both times with the Maserati."

David has also confirmed this, as above, and below are the results that either Jim or David has put together. David, can you please confirm who? The level of knowledge on this forum never ceases to amaze!



Go to the 4 minutes .02 secs point on the movie - this is the start of the
Renwick 50 meeting held on 11 Nov 61

#16 is the #16 Rod Coppins Tec Mec centre seat Sports car body

4.07 is #21 Chris Amon 250F

4.11 is the back of Pat Hoare's #19 Ferrari Dino - see him getting into the
car

4.14 is #40 Johnny Mansel in the ex Yeoman Credit/Hulme Cooper T51 2.2 litre

4.24 ends.


Results 11 Nov 61

1 Hoare Ferrari

2 Mansel Cooper

3 Shelly Cooper

4 Stanton Stanton Corvette

5 Eade Maserati 250F

6 Cottle Lola Mk1 sports

7 Amon Maserati 250F

8 Levis Cooper T52 Ford


Now go back to the start of the movie for the 10 Nov 62 Renwick 50 meeting

.08secs - #31 Angus Hyslop Cooper T53 Climax 2495 cc

.12 #23 Bob Eade Maserati 250F 2493cc

.17 #38 Chris Amon Maserati 250F 2493 cc

.24 # 57 Barry Cottle Lola Mk1 sports 1098cc


NZ Special & Racing Cars

1.12 #4 Ron Rutherford Zephyr 260M 2682 cc

1.20 #46 Bob Blackburn Maserati 4 CLT 1492 cc

1.25 # 74 J.L Kingston JBM Ford 1172cc


Renwick 50 cars

1.28 #31 Hyslop, # 1 Shelly Lotus 18/21 2495 cc

1.29 #23 Eade, #57 Cottle, #38 Amon

1.33 #17 Stanton Stanton Corvette

1.39 #31 Hyslop, # 1 Shelly (crashed lap 2 stuck throttle), #17 Stanton #38
Amon

1.42 #23 Eade, # 57 Cottle

1.47 #31 Hyslop,

#34 Bob Smith Ferrari Super Squalo 3431 cc

#33 Histed Lola Mk2 FJ 997cc

1.56 #23 Eade (Rtd - broken half-saft)

1.59 #17 Stanton (retired lap 8 overheating )

2.03 #23 Eade's Maserati 250F cockpit


Results 10 Nov 62

1 Hyslop

2 Amon

3 Cottle

4 Histed

5 Eade

6 Smith


Now for the final race on the movie - Renwick 16 Nov 63 - reduced to 30
miles/20 laps

2.06 #25 Rex Flowers - ex Jim Palmer Lotus 20 1.5

2.08 #45 Dene Hollier - ex Hulme/Levis Cooper T52 1.5

2.08 #2 Andy Buchanan - Brabham BT6 1.5

2.09 #41 Jim Palmer - ex Hyslop Cooper T53

2.11 # 33 Barry Porter - ex Moffat/Palmer Lotus 15 Climax sports
1960cc

2.25 #9 Bill Thomason - ex Mansel/Hulme Cooper T51

2.17 #45 Hollier Cooper

2.20 # 14 Peter Slocombe ex Palmer/Greenville Lotus 18 1500cc

2.25 #41 Palmer


NZ Specials & Sports cars

2.28 #46 Alan Bremner - D Type Jaguar

2.31 # 16 C.E Benseman - Stanton Stanton Special Cropduster
Steamliner

2.33 # 4 Ron Rutherford Zephyr 260M

2.37 #46 Bremner

2.40 #33 Porter

2.53 # 4 Zephyr Ron Rutherford 260M


Renwick 30 cars

3.07 #41 Palmer

3.11 #9 Thomson

3.16 #2 Buchanan

3.20 #46 Bremner

3.24 #14 Slocombe

3.28 #33 Porter

3.30 #44 Bryan Thomas Gemini Mk3 A 1340cc (now Jim Barclay's car
!)

3.34 #14 Solcombe, #10 David Young Cooper T65 1500cc

3.40 #45 Hollier

3.46 #25 Flowers

3.53 Winner Jim Palmer with laurel wreath in Daimler 250SP

3.56 #45 Hollier


Results 16 Nov 63

1 Palmer - Cooper T53

2 Shelly - Lotus 18/21

3 Flowers - Lotus 20

4 Stanton _ Stanton Corvette Streamliner

5 Young - Cooper T65

6 Buchanan - Brabham BT6

[David McKinney]

You should have a copy of my email with a couple of corrections, Steve

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks David, yes I do, here are Davids corrections:


Pretty sure Slocombe's Lotus 18 was still 1340cc at that time

...and it's Gary Bremer, not Alan Bremner.

1961 results: I'm pretty sure Levis was sixth from John Reid (BCM Special)
and Cottle, though some reports have Cottle sixth. Chris didn't start the
race (though he had run in the preliminary).

1962 results: Eade retired. Smith was fifth and Stanton sixth

1962 results: agree, plus Porter 7th, Thomas 8th, Slocombe 9th

[Steve Holmes]

Now there have been a few emails bouncing around in which I've been cc'd in to, and I've slightly lost track of who is putting all this information together, but below is another breakdown for the above video footage. It could be Jim Barclay, but I'll credit the 'owner' of all this work as soon as I can.

See my Gemini car #44 at the 3.30 mark on your Youtube. The red Lotus 20 is
driven by former Gemini owner, Rex Flowers.

David McKinney spotted the Rod Coppins Tec Mec with a sports body in your
Youtube. The chassis & body of the Tec Mec was originally Ross Jensen's 2nd
Maserati 250F chassis 2504 (see photo in Vercoe's book 'The Golden Era of NZ
Motor Racing' page 139 ) - he sent it back to Italy for an update in 1959
and Hans Tanner etc (illegally) fitted a Chev Corvette V8 engine and made it
into the single seater Tec Mec V8. (not the Tec Mec F1 car). Disgruntled
Jensen was instead given another 250F (2501/2523 - the car now owned by
Peter Giddings who brought it to NZ in Jan 2011 for the Chris Amon
Festival.). Jensen sold his car 2501/2523 to Brian Prescott who raced it in
the 1960/61 & 1961/62 seasons. The ex Jensen 2504 car (now the Tec Mec) was
sold to Johnny Mansel who drove it in the 1960/61 NZ season as a single
seater before selling it to Rod Coppins - Coppins drove it as a single
seater at Ohakea in 1961, then put the ex Roycroft Ferrari centre seat
sports car body on it to drive it in sports car races (as in the Youtube
movies of Renwick 11 Nov 61). He later put the single seater body back. He
wrote the car off in the wet at Pukekohe on 30 Mar 63 (see photo of car in
Vercoe's book page 191). The car 2504 has since been rebuilt as a single
seater Maserati 250F 2504

In the Youtube, Chris Amon is driving the red Maserati 250F chassis #2509
that formerly belonged to BRM/Jack Brabham/Gavin Quirk/Lenny Gilbert (it is
now painted green and belongs to Southward Car Museum). Chris Amon appears
twice in the Youtube - one in the Renwick 50 of 11 Nov 61, and again at the
Reniwck 50 on 19 Nov 62.

Bob Eade is driving the ex Stirling Moss/Ross Jensen/Johnny Mansel
black/yellow Maserati 250F chassis 2508 car # 23 in the Renwick 50s held on
11 Nov 61 and 10 Nov 62.

As you can see I am a Maserati 250F nutter - that is why my number plate on
my Commodore is 250F ! Barrie Hobkirk (email below) lives in Canada - he is
the world expert on 250Fs. David McKinney and Barrie are good mates.

[Steve Holmes]

From Jim Barclay, Chairman of the New Zealand Festival of Motor Racing:

"This is Rex Flowers in 'his' old Gemini is wearing his original helmet AND he impressed me
by getting into the Dunlop race overalls he used way back then 50 years ago
- not many guys can do that !!

He did a few laps of the track at the brand new Hampton Downs track with
other Legends who were paired up with their old cars at the NZFMR Bruce
McLaren Festival 2010".

[ATTACH]1904[/ATTACH]

"Chris Amon in his former Maserati 250F chassis 2509 NZFMR Chris Amon Festival 2011"

[ATTACH]1902[/ATTACH]

"Chris Amon driving 1953 Maserati 250F Chassis
2501/2523 now belonging to Peter Giddings. Chris raced against this car at
Levin on 15 April 1961 when it was owned by Brian Prescott and Chris was
driving a Cooper T41 Climax single cam 1500cc. I will send you a photo of
Chris meeting with Brian at the Chris Amon festival".

[ATTACH]1903[/ATTACH]

"Chris Amon and Brian Prescott at Chris Amon Fastival 2011".

[ATTACH]1905[/ATTACH]