Photos: The Sprague Family Collection

[PaulieG]

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[kiwi285]

Here are a few more photos from Grant's photo album.

A young Grant with Mk II Escort taken at Teretonga in February 1981


Teaming up with Aaron Harris at Pukekohe in November 1999


A couple more taken at Pukekohe in Nov 99


Another shot of that great Mustang at the NZ Trans Tasman 1999

[Grant Sprague]

Thank you Mike for adding these, Aaron Harris {BMW} is a good young man & was good to team up with him as we were same build & weight, he had just won the mazda series & his Dad Rex & him got this car [ex Craig Baird] off Lyall what they did not know was the shocks were screwed up to hard & was a damn hand full through the right hander [turn one ]it would skip out to the grass one photo here does not show it that well but two wheel in the air an other with four with air under them I will see if I can locate it , had the shocks been tuned more I recon we would have had an easier drive , I tested the car at manfield the car was good through flat turns & no bumps my job was to co drive & not get involved in set up made that easy for me as left that to Aaron & Rex , we entered the car at Puke under my sponsors name Supply Services ......was a big field , I think by memory we finished 5th or 6th out right no match for Craig & Jas in the later newer spec BMWs half way through the race it rained hard only to catch out the quicker v 8s.....which helped us up the leader board..we had this car booked to do the 2000cc 2500cc class at bathurst [not the big bathurst race] the organizer pulled the pin with a month to go........

[Grant Sprague]

The pre 65 Mustang was a gem of a car I was blessed to have had the full package ...it did not start out that way though , hard work like most of you know get you results , it was a mid field car pretty basic from the SI I bought it after I was prodded in the neck from Tim Prentice [supply services] to up my anti promised by support..we rebuilt the car to make it work better re stopping , turning ,weight horse power etc etc BUT ... I felt bad after we blew up our first new roller engine at manfeild while leading race two all of a sudden I thought s....t now what ..most of you have been there done that but in those days a good 289 with pre historic rules mods to get hp cost between 25 & 40k.was ridiculous .. with the Mallory metal used to do an internal crank balance etc could have bought a steel crank , solving issues the v8s were having [not to mention the feeble 289 block [casting ].. we were reving the poor little thing to 7800 in all gears .to get speed & lap times needed for champion ships & keep sponsors happy .....but the block & cranks were not up to speed , NOW they have seen the light and use different cranks & blocks .......in the day I ran[ the then committee] were not interested in listening ...to the problem thank god for the mustangs etc to day they run different blocks & cranks .a bit late at waking up.......the car after a few years went back to the south island ..........

[kiwi285]

Here are some more photos from the Sprague family albums

Grant and Albi in close formation at Manfield


Ernie in the Mk III replica at Levels 1988


Ernie in the original Mk III with Kerry Grant at Levin


Ray Archibald, Ernie and Ian Dow (?) at Ruapuna


Ernie and Ray hard at it - hairpin Ruapuna


Ernie at Teretonga 1967

[Grant Sprague]

Thank you Mike.... you can see the early developement of the rep MK3 with a big lean on .......I am sure the car is in the north island , does any one know of its where abouts please.... I think it would be great to see it at H D in Jan

[Spgeti]

Hi Grant, It is in the ownership of Keith Tunnicliffe here in Feilding. Not sure of his plans but I can wander down to his favourite watering hole on Friday night and ask if he is planning to go to HD. Cheers, Bruce

[Grant Sprague]

Thank you Bruce ........ Dale was wanting a few of us with connections to a bit of history on old prominent cars [they dont need to be driven just displayed is ok ] & some history of family to do a bit of a draw card to connect this with the public ....... I will keep you posted thank again ... Grant

[Spgeti]

I will have a chat with him on Friday night and come back to you Grant. That sounds like a good idea of Dale's.....anything to interest the punters and display history is good for the cause. Cheers..

[kiwi285]

Here are a couple more photos. I have some more to scan yet.

Ernie and Leo at Levels.


Erne in the 4 CLT at Wigram

[Grant Sprague]

Thank you Mike ........... these old racing cars [2 of Ernies the P3 & 4CLT] are now worth muilty Millions ........ some one asked Dad , "how do you feel knowing what you had are worth a fortune" Dad,s reply with a grin said; "if you keep looking back you get a sore neck".....[dont live in the past ]....good message in this ...... for a wise man to ponder .......in my view these are just cars [THINGS] just enjoy the ride & have fun .......no roof racks or tow balls on the hearse
.

[kiwi285]

Some more for the collection.

Grant hill climbing the Anglia


Grant in his Escort Sports


Jamie, Grant and Lester at Taupo 1987


Gary in a Fiat 125T at Levin - really got some attitude going


Ernie and Gary with the Mk IV Zodiac - race winners

[Grant Sprague]

The Anglia was at a south island hill climb my car was called the road runner.....had alloy panels for this climb , I was 17 & just bought new webbers off Dennis Marwood , the car was a little rocket.. [well seemed like it lol]

Escort Sport series........started off MMmmm a learning curve.......but learnt quick as the guys in front were more street wise ....soon got my s..t to gether
& joined the ranks they called this series the $10,000 stock car series.....if you did not give a hit back you were doomed ..I was not doomed lol

Scanz .... following the master of sports cars...Jamie the man

Gary doing what he does best ........I think this was a long distance race at Levin teamed with Barry Cottle & won this race ..in those days with [nz homolagted] cars it was pretty big time was part of the B&H series

Dad & big Brother at Puke .........with a grin ..was not easy fronting up to the big boys like Giltrap etc ..Ernie was never phased .......money is an illusion [maya] ?? but it helps to balance the package ....... I often recall people saying oh "they win because they have more money" lol , I thought geeeeee wake up........the tall poppy word became a house hold name & the green eyed monster was looking up lol

[hilstwist]

Love that pic of the Zephyr at Levin Grant! Looks like a Jack Inwood job.? I have a large photo of it at Levin on my den wall.I'm sure the same race and and about the same place on the track, as the same dent on the rear panel is there.I have also always wondered if the car had the same gear set up as the road car ie steering column or floor change.The engine must have been modified somewhat too?

[kiwi285]

A few more photos.

Molly modelling the latest Citroen


Grant after a session behind the wheel.


The Saker Tull built by Bruce Turnbull


Pre-65 field at Taupo


Grant being hounded by Dean Perkins at Taupo


Grant and Albi in close formation at Taupo

[Grant Sprague]

Hilstwist.....I would say the steering in those days were hit & miss....more of a hit ...heavy oil in shocks cut down springs & double sway bars .. I was only 10 here re this pik , Jack's photo is very sharp a very clean one at that ....... if you look close Kerrie had a little over steer ...the Hillman way back is going side ways as it is entering this corner .... Ernie,s car has got the right attitude like 100% for those days .....as for the steering ... I recall very basic .......but floor change jag gear box 4 speed floor change I recall engine had plenty of hp for it,s day

[kiwi285]

some more from the albums

Grant leading Angus at Wellington


Grant hill climbing the XU-1 at Craigmore


Grant in the XU-1


Racing the Fiat in the GTX Championship 1974


Another shot of the Fiat

[Grant Sprague]

These were great little cars ....Steve Emson being the North Island man me the South ....only probs were the odd head gasket [over heating] or syncros due to fast changing ....... nothing has really changed ..same rules still apply ............the trick was to have lose seat belts ....move over the other side [automatic corner weights]....I see some piks of Steve leaning same way lol

[Grant Sprague]

If you you did not lean over the other side....the car would fall over as mine did & Steve,s just about did.........

[Rod Grimwood]

If you you did not lean over the other side....the car would fall over as mine did & Steve,s just about did.........

Designed for right hand tracks Grant, be good at Manfield, Puke, gee amazing how many left hand track when you get into them.