Red Dawson Willys Coupe Tribute

[markson]

Hi
Many many years ago, back in the mid sixties a chap by the name,(I think Mike Walker), had either a
Fiat 500 or a Renault 750 with a 1500cc escort motor in it,he used to play the piano at one of the night clubs back then, in town up stair's behind the Embassy threate
I think it was called the Montmark
I think I have a photo of a Renault 750 somewhere that I took at Reo Motors in Mt Eden a few years ago, and I believe its still around,I am am not sure if it the same car? also I have many memories of trips to Bathurst and Phillip Island with a mate of mine from Bendigo, who had a Renault 750 with a Gordini conversion on it, and it was quick!!!
also one of my mates who was killed in an accident at 19 years had a Renault Dalphene that was also pretty quick and handled like a go kart, it used to blow the doors off another one of my mates, oldman's 1956 Ford Mainline ute .Markson

[Oldfart]

Markson, the car you pictured which still survives had a turbo Renault 16 motor (and still does). Built in New Plymouth

[markson]

Hi Oldfart
I never knew what that particul car had in it
but going by the rear wheels, knew it wasn't a 750
I alway's like the little 750,as I have said,
I had a lot of fun in my mates. Markson

[markson]

Hi Kevin
What are you giving away ???.Markson

[Kevin Hirst]

Hi Kevin
What are you giving away ???.Markson

Hi, one only 4CV/750 as in picture, see cars for sale on TRS, come take away, no cost, cheers.

[Gerard Richards]

What an amazing job he has done. Years ago I heard that the original car was somewhere in the Wellington region but have never been able to prove it. Owned by a hotrodder. I saw a beaten up coupe at the Palmy Swap Meet 2013 and wondered if it was the car. Garry Price has a very nice 4 door for sale on TM at the moment.
Look forward to more pics, Cheers, Bruce

Around 2005 I wrote a story on Red Dawson that got published in Classic Kiwi Motorsport, a limited edition publication put out by NZ Classic Car Magazine. I interviewed Nita Dawson as part of the research for this article. She told me that the Willy's Coupe was sold to someone in the South Island but couldn't remember who it was.

Fast forward a year to 2006 and an article appeared in NZ Hot Rod magazine in the October edition featuring historic Willy's Coupe's both operational and derelict. There was a photo there that I spotted that looked suspicously like a battered relic of the Dawson Willy's and so it proved. I contaced Paul Grace editor of NZ Hot Rod Mag and he contacted their Christchurch people to check it out. Long story shortened, Craig Stare one of their long time hot rod correspondents in that city verifyed from one of the previous owners a certain Joe Madson now living in Perth had bought the original Red Dawson Corvette powered Willy's Coupe from a well known circuit racer and car dealer Lin Neilson (Fairmonte Motor Court) from Dunedin. Lin had bought the car directly from Red at the end of the 1964-65 season and taken it back to Dunedin. He removed the Chev V8 engine and four speed gearbox and installed them in a Mk 3 Zephyr for Allcomer racing in the 1965-66 season. The car proved a disaster, hardly ever finishing and Lin quit it at the end of the season for a very fast Mini. He later bought the very famous ex Jim Richard Williment Twin Cam Escort and had considerable success in the Osca Championship from 1972 to 1974. The Zephyr though had a further life in the hands of Brent Thorpe, who drag raced it, still with the Dawson running gear, and also raced in the OSCA championship from 1971-73

Joe Madson didn't get the Willy's going minus the engine and gearbox, and it was on sold to someone else in Christchurch who he couldn't remember. The amazing thing though is in the November 2006 issue of NZ Hot Rod Magazine there are photos taken at that time of the surviving Dawson Willy's Coupe. Check it out on pages 34 and 35 if you have a copy. Apparently the car was to far gone to revive, but the pics clearly indicate this was the famous Dawson Willy's Coupe....

[GeebeeNZ]

I don't know how we got from this fantastic Willys tribute car to Renault 750s but amongst my old Hot rod mags is a picture of Johns VW powered 750. I believe it did mid 16s at MereMere which is not too bad for a small car. I owned one in 1966 but it wasn't that quick

Kevin, Think John Windleburn had one with a VW in it, Tony Rutherford had it in his workshop years back, do not know what happened to it. Now there you go Kevin, you can build a copy, but you will have to grow a flash new well trimmed grey beard to make it period correct.

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Oldfart]

Pure dedication and artistry!

[markson]

I will second that Oldfart
There are not to many people these days with that sort of talent
,let alone the dedication. Markson

[kiwi285]

You really have to admire such talent - a great job.

[Steve Holmes]

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There are a lot of true enthusiasts around OLDFART
I have come home with cars in sugar bags myself and never considered that I had a pile of crap
Alway looked at it as gold. Markson

Wow, this is pretty special, and very rare. Where did you find it, and what are your plans for it?

[Trevor Benton]

Wow, this is pretty special, and very rare. Where did you find it, and what are your plans for it?

A brilliantly executed project, real talent.

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]

[Steve Holmes]