Historic Sport Sedans

Shooting the bull on historic motor racing and motorsport history.
Peter Nelson
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by Peter Nelson »

Hi Yes no problem, found a couple more too so feel free to post ( otherwise have to get my son to show me how LOL )
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Steve Holmes
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by Steve Holmes »

Peter Nelson wrote:Hi Yes no problem, found a couple more too so feel free to post ( otherwise have to get my son to show me how LOL )


Thanks Peter, much appreciated.
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Steve Holmes
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by Steve Holmes »

This video and those to follow courtesy Peter Nelson from his Youtube page.

[video=youtube;WiYmYrCCffU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiYmYrCCffU[/video]
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Steve Holmes
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by Steve Holmes »

[video=youtube;joFBUNxRKtM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joFBUNxRKtM[/video]
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Steve Holmes
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by Steve Holmes »

[video=youtube;Rt5MUDeMrmw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt5MUDeMrmw[/video]
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Steve Holmes
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by Steve Holmes »

[video=youtube;iC-6OfEOgZI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC-6OfEOgZI[/video]
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Steve Holmes
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by Steve Holmes »

[video=youtube;wv3bYbY40bQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv3bYbY40bQ[/video]
John McKechnie
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by John McKechnie »

The Taupo meeting mid March has changed its date and is now not the Classic Festival.
Update below.


October 8- TACCOC. ...........................Hampton Downs

November 12, 13-MG. Classic...........Manfield

January 14,15 -Ken Smith Festival...Hampton Downs- National Track

January 21, 21- Ken Smith Festival...Hampton Downs- International Track (Longer)

March 27,28 - Legends of Speed- Hampton Downs

April 8,9 - Hooters Vintage Series.....Taupo.
John McKechnie
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by John McKechnie »

How Adrian Dobbe found the Warwick Gray Viva as a "barn find", this car was first raced in 1974.

"it all started with a race down the middle of Avondale in 2002.
I was driving around in my 1973 GTR Torana -had a Holden V6 in it, other car was a Torana XU1.
We stopped and got talking, turned out he was Chris, the son of Warwick Gray.
He started talking about his fathers old race car- a 1969 HB Viva, and that it could be for sale and that Warwick had built it up himself..
I thought to myself-who the hell wants to have a Viva ?
Nothing more happened for a couple of months until I bumped into Chris again, and we ended up at Warwicks place.
After a cup of coffee , , he took me down to the old shed where it took a good 10 minutes just to get the garage door open.
The car had been locked up there since 1984.....18 years !!!!!!!!!!!
Well, I looked at it and just fell inlove with the damn thing..
Warwick must have liked me, took my money and I came home with a Viva.
After all those years in the shed, we had it going within one hour.
One year later I had finished restoring it.
I didnt have to do anything to the engine except paint it.
Took it to Pukekohe , had a really neat, fun day and did a 1.06 after just 3 laps.
I have owned the car for 14 years now and still enjoy driving the damn thing.
I did Hampton Downs in 1.14 last year as it is so light and has great steering.
This is more there, but as I want to live longer, i am not the guy..
I had a video camera with me when I met the car for the first time in the barn, and John will put it on youtube and post the link here.
John McKechnie
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by John McKechnie »

[video=youtube;hbg1KK7a45w]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbg1KK7a45w&feature=youtu.be[/video]
Oldfart
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by Oldfart »

How cool is that?
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Spgeti
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by Spgeti »

Yes it is cool Rhys, and after pushing it in the pits at Legends it is light..!
Nice car and a great story.
John McKechnie
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by John McKechnie »

Yep, every car has a story- another Barn Find would be Grimmies Escort.............
Oldfart
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by Oldfart »

John McKechnie wrote:Yep, every car has a story- another Barn Find would be Grimmies Escort.............


In a sort of a barn, not sure whether you would call it a barn as so many have known where it has been for years.
Rod Grimwood
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by Rod Grimwood »

Oldfart wrote:In a sort of a barn, not sure whether you would call it a barn as so many have known where it has been for years.



Even I remembered last week end.
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Steve Emson
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by Steve Emson »

I have a photo of me following this car at Baypark in my shellsport Datsun. Unfortunately you can only see the rear mudguard of this car. So you might say I know first hand how this car went.
John McKechnie wrote:How Adrian Dobbe found the Warwick Gray Viva as a "barn find", this car was first raced in 1974.

"it all started with a race down the middle of Avondale in 2002.
I was driving around in my 1973 GTR Torana -had a Holden V6 in it, other car was a Torana XU1.
We stopped and got talking, turned out he was Chris, the son of Warwick Gray.
He started talking about his fathers old race car- a 1969 HB Viva, and that it could be for sale and that Warwick had built it up himself..
I thought to myself-who the hell wants to have a Viva ?
Nothing more happened for a couple of months until I bumped into Chris again, and we ended up at Warwicks place.
After a cup of coffee , , he took me down to the old shed where it took a good 10 minutes just to get the garage door open.
The car had been locked up there since 1984.....18 years !!!!!!!!!!!
Well, I looked at it and just fell inlove with the damn thing..
Warwick must have liked me, took my money and I came home with a Viva.
After all those yearsin the shed, we had it going within one hour.
One year later I had finished restoring it.
I didnt have to do anything to the engine except paint it.
Took it to Pukekohe , had a really neat, fun day and did a 1.06 after just 3 laps.
I have owned the car for 14 years now and still enjoy driving the damn thing.
I did Hampton Downs in 1.14 last year as it is so light and has great steering.
This is more there, but as I want to live longer, i am not the guy..
I had a video camera with me when I met the car for the first time in the barn, and John will put it on youtube and post the link here.
seaqnmac27
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by seaqnmac27 »

Or the front of it here Steve.

DSC_0277.JPG
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BMCBOY
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Gray Viva

Post by BMCBOY »

Viva-V8-Club-Circuit-1977.jpg


V8-Viva-Club-Circuit-1977.jpg
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BMCBOY
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by BMCBOY »

Rex-Findlay-Club-Circuit-19.jpg
John McKechnie
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Re: Historic Sport Sedans

Post by John McKechnie »

The Viva received its Schedule K COD yesterday.
Your pics of these are so neat BMC boy.
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