Kerry Grant Lotus Cortina.

[fastback]

Was this a genuine lotus cortina Reg plate number 479.092 equipped with a willment pushrod motor in place of the lotus twin cam. Was it imported new by lesco or did it have previous race history? And who were the previous owners?

[David McKinney]

From memory (underlined!)
It was imported as a new Cortina GT, run in the Wills 6hr at Pukekohe and Renwick with the pushrod engine, at Levin later in November with a twincam, and then with the pushrod again from then on

Somewhere in the back of my mind however is a sneaking feeling that the car used from Levin on may not have been the Pukekohe/Renwick one

Some picture research required if I get a chance tomorrow

[Steve Holmes]

I don't even know how you can lift your head off the pillow each morning David, with all the knowledge you have stored in there. Truly impressive!

[beowulf]

David lives in England so our morning is his evening which makes it easier. Seriously though, the story I was told was that Kerry took the Cortina to Bruce Wilson in Hunterville where AndrewBuchanan had his Brabham, and they found that the GTmotor was doing very similar horsepower to Andy's twin cam in the Brabham, but was more drivable in the heavier car. I think it was the same car right through.
Kerry was a very good driver, unfortunately badly burned in a crash in a Tasman car at Levin (?). Wasn't he the Grant of Grant/Day motors? He was a Levin specialist and went really well on that little track.

[pallmall]

From what I have managed to find in a couple of publications today is that David is spot on regarding the engine except that the pushrod engine put back into the car after the one off with the TC may have been putting out more horses than the original.
It seems the car was a GT painted to look like a Lotus. (Main reference Peter Greenslade, Shell NZ Motor Racing 1964)

The accident in the Brabham was at Pukekohe, practice for the NZGP.

[David McKinney]

Yes, PM, I'm sure the 'second' pushrod was more powerful. It was certainly bigger - at least 1650 against the 1500 for a pukka Cortina GT

The stripe on the side was black, incidentally, not Lotus green. And, for what it's worth, Paul Fahey's stripe was blue

Checking my two-car theory is on my list for today (or tonight if you're in NZ)

[David McKinney]

And, true to his word...

At Pukekohe (Wills 6hr) and Renwick Grant’s mount was plain white, with reg. plate 478.088. From the November Levin it was white with a black stripe and reg. 479.092. It was reportedly running a 1650cc engine from that time, so my theory about the twin-cam might be wrong. But it looks as if the first car was a Cortina GT and the second a Lotus-Cortina (without the Lotus engine)

[Grant Sprague]

If you guys would like all the facts about the lotus Cortina's etc .... Kerry is very approachable

[Allan]

[rf84]

Apparently Kerry is living in Foxton or Foxton Beach.

[Kiwiboss]

Kerry Grant will be at our HMC/HSC legends marque both weekends of the festival, Jan 15-17 and 22-24, 2016 so anyone will be able to ask him questions.

[45DCOE]

Kerry Grant will be at our HMC/HSC legends marque both weekends of the festival, Jan 15-17 and 22-24, 2016 so anyone will be able to ask him questions.

Read somewhere that the Lotus Twin Cam engine that Tom Donovan used in his Sprite then Odlins sports car was sitting in a corner of Lesco Engineering in Seaview. Maybe this was the engine out of the Cortina. Didn't the rolling she'll then go to Arthur Moffat and then fitted with a Climax engine ?

[Grant Ellwood]

Apparently Kerry is living in Foxton or Foxton Beach.

Foxton Beach, where I spent my youth, the riviera of the west coast ( the fishing was good).

[Grant Ellwood]

I met with Kerry last Feb, had photos of his black A40 which were shot by Steve Twist back in the '60s, Kerry kindly autographed most of the pics for Steve and me ( Steve and I live not far from each other on the U.S. East coast). But some of the photos were of an identical looking A40, apparently a copy built by Graham Watson. All the details were perfect except Graham's car had a different competition number.

[4dnut]

As far as I knew Kerry had a GT and a Lotus, pushrod engine was fitted to the lotus for some reason. My father owned the lotus till about 20 years ago.He sold it to guy in Auckland. It was restored by the previous owner. It had a-frame alloy panels etc and the twin can back in it.

[Grant Sprague]

Yep Kerry had a GT & the other push rod lotus , first Time I met Kerry was when him & Dad went head to head yrs approx. 63,64,65...When Kerry travelled south in those summers Dad tried to give him a few too many beers I think Kerry was well awake to the plan . I supported Kerry as Ernie seemed to have the upper hand , as much as I love Dad I wanted to see the smaller car fighting with the big MK3...... but Dad was my real hero of course...with out a doubt