Coppins on pole , Fahey FVA Escort, John Riley, Jim Richards, Red Dawson, Roger Anderson, and more
Correction thanks to John - #42 last pic-Would be pole if it was smaller track. Fahey would have pole if it was the long track April 5 1970, which he did-1.37.3, Coppins next-1.37.5
Hi Tony, this picture had very special memories for me as I am there with my father and younger brother in the photo leaning on the fence. I am 6th from left in yellow (aged 14) and my younger brother is next to me with father in check shorts and knee socks 4th from left. Wonderful to see. Was wondering if you might be able to send me a more high resolution scan of this image to my e-mail address at mailto:?subject=&body= so I could make an enlarged print. I'd really appreciate that if you were able to, thanks Gerard Richards
The Lemon and Paeroa Escort at the end of post#69 was owned by my father in law Barry Pointon, as Jim Richards was working for him at the time, and still was when he got the drive in Jim Carneys Escort later on.
Cool to see yourself and family Gerard, I was at the flag marshall post at the top of Rothmans! I soon moved to the South Island, posted there by the Education Dept. My first meeting at Ruapuna where I was helping out with the dummy grid, the driver of that Escort on the front row signalled me over and asked "What the hell are you doing down here?" Who said he did not take note of who was around? JR also had a bit of a chat as Speedway in Manurewa did a bit of work on family cars, as did P & R.
In post #69, mini #90 is the Rorstan car of Gordon Edwards, ahead of Rodger Anderson in the Lexington mini. #165 is Peter Levett and #42 is Clyde Collins in the PDL mini. In post #70, the McLaren-painted sports car #37 is the Lotus 23B of Ross West. In post #72, #59 Garry Pedersen in the Gemco and #60 Bob Hyslop in the JRM. I think the #91 Aussie mini is Lynn Brown.
Also, in that pic of Jim Palmer he is piloting the Rorstan Brabham, a pairing that promised much but never really fired up. Also the ex-Sager Brabham of Oxton that I referred to was a BT16 in the two pics below Graeme Lawrence's McLaren M4A. I think his Lexington Brabham was a BT18.
The ex Ken Sager Brabham that the Oxton family purchased was a BT16 although it was generally referred to as being a BT16 in period. The Oxtons only ever had the one Brabham.
There are some great memories amongst these shots - I was at many of the races, certainly just about everything I can see from Pukekohe and some of the Bay Park stuff too. As for the Rorstan Brabham - I have an idea Jimmy P got involved because of the prospect of a Repco V8 fro the chassis. Jim was already aware of the power from a FVA and after many years with FPF Climax motors behind him, I can't imagine that would have been a 'way forward' at all.
And isn't it great seeing those big sportscars - there were never more than three or four front running V8 powered cars at any one time, but they sure were impressive to a 10 year old!
Cheers for that,Michael. I had the impression Feo signed Paul Bolton when it became evident that Jimmy P wasn't going to proceed, he showed flashes of speed but seemed to fly off the road a lot and had few results. Then we all sparked up with the promise of Bryan Faloon coming onboard...what might have been... Re the disappearing Terry Allan Camaro, a bloke called Garry Treloar who was an ex-speedway sidecar racer turned up a few years ago in Historic Touring Cars in Aussie with a dark blue Camaro on silver minilites, I always wondered if that may have been the Terry Allan car.
Gerard Richards wrote:Hi Tony, this picture had very special memories for me as I am there with my father and younger brother in the photo leaning on the fence. I am 6th from left in yellow (aged 14) and my younger brother is next to me with father in check shorts and knee socks 4th from left. Wonderful to see. Was wondering if you might be able to send me a more high resolution scan of this image to my e-mail address at mailto:?subject=&body= so I could make an enlarged print. I'd really appreciate that if you were able to, thanks Gerard Richards
Hi Gerard;
Keith just alerted me to your request as I have been offline all day. A copy should be no problem but if you are ok with a short wait we will try to get you a decent copy as I had to do a fair bit to that one to get it to that stage. Keith is going to purchase a new scanner to do the rest of his photos and will be able to grant your request in better quality. In the mean time I will forward you a copy of what I have uploaded so you have a copy to look at in the short term.
Regards
Tony
Hi Tony I really appreciate, you going to the trouble, to get me a higher quality scan of your pic of the grid at crowd with my father and brother at the April 1970 NZ Saloon championship round. Your photo captures the scene so well. You may be interested, on the first thread of my photos "Gerard Richards Collection Part 1", I have three pics from that meeting, all taken by my father from a similar place to yours. The April weather was so beautiful and warm. The big saloon race was spectacular and one of the powerful memories I have from our spectating spot in front of the stand by the fence on pit straight, was the bucking and back firing V8's under heavy brakes for the tight elbow bend a short distance down the road. A great day for young impressionable adolescents!
Hi Tony
I really appreciate, you going to the trouble, to get me a higher quality scan of your pic of the grid at crowd with my father and brother at the April 1970 NZ Saloon championship round. Your photo captures the scene so well. You may be interested, on the first thread of my photos "Gerard Richards Collection Part 1", I have three pics from that meeting, all taken by my father from a similar place to yours. The April weather was so beautiful and warm. The big saloon race was spectacular and one of the powerful memories I have from our spectating spot in front of the stand by the fence on pit straight, was the bucking and back firing V8's under heavy brakes for the tight elbow bend a short distance down the road. A great day for young impressionable adolescents!
GD66 wrote:In post #69, mini #90 is the Rorstan car of Gordon Edwards, ahead of Rodger Anderson in the Lexington mini. #165 is Peter Levett and #42 is Clyde Collins in the PDL mini. In post #70, the McLaren-painted sports car #37 is the Lotus 23B of Ross West. In post #72, #59 Garry Pedersen in the Gemco and #60 Bob Hyslop in the JRM. I think the #91 Aussie mini is Lynn Brown.
Also, in that pic of Jim Palmer he is piloting the Rorstan Brabham, a pairing that promised much but never really fired up. Also the ex-Sager Brabham of Oxton that I referred to was a BT16 in the two pics below Graeme Lawrence's McLaren M4A. I think his Lexington Brabham was a BT18.
Ooops, thanks for clarifying that. Will adjust names now.
Regards
Tony
GD66 wrote:Cheers for that,Michael. I had the impression Feo signed Paul Bolton when it became evident that Jimmy P wasn't going to proceed, he showed flashes of speed but seemed to fly off the road a lot and had few results. Then we all sparked up with the promise of Bryan Faloon coming onboard...what might have been... Re the disappearing Terry Allan Camaro, a bloke called Garry Treloar who was an ex-speedway sidecar racer turned up a few years ago in Historic Touring Cars in Aussie with a dark blue Camaro on silver minilites, I always wondered if that may have been the Terry Allan car.
Re the Treloar Camaro, it was scratched off the list of possibilities quite quickly by all accounts. There was a couple of possibilities in the drag racing and Speedway fraternity but they either dried up or the people did not want to talk about the old days so no info came forward. In the mean time his Nephew I believe still hunts.
Nazer Escort is in Far South Island. Got photos from couple years back somewhere.
John, way back saw the sports car and F5000's often in 'shed' in Porana Rd. It was in front of 'Lyalls' paint shop and across road from North Shore Automatics where a 'Monaro' sat for ages. Thought It had Elfin body then and mentioned in another thread. Fridays we used to have couple beers in paint shop or 'the shed' and Bill always tried to get me into it.
Inregard to the GEMCO body, wasn't the GEMCO a modified lotus frame. Apparently gone to States.
Rod- when you saw it, it would still have had the GEMCO body on it. He still has that body. Yes, you are right- the GEMCO was a Lotus that John Riley had. Did the motor in at Bay Park.. Was at Hampton Downs a few years ago for sale, now in USA.
The Gemco started as a Lotus single seater, 18 I believe, that Johnny then turned into a 19, had the Olds alloy engine, then some more transformations with Gary Pedersen, Glen Eden Motors to become the GEMCO.
This is John Haszard. This car was built up for Rex Findlay in 1975. John Haszard sold it to Don Grindley who raced it from late 1980 to at a guess 83 or 84.
spinner32 wrote:Does anyone know who was driving the RX3 in the above photos? I suspect I have the body shell in my garage, and would like to find out some history.
This is John Haszard. This car was built up for Rex Findlay in 1975. John Haszard sold it to Don Grindley who raced it from late 1980 to at a guess 83 or 84.
Somewhere I have the build story. Will have a look and try and scan it.
