1989 NZ Sports Sedans

[bry3500]

[video=youtube;uAEoBZjOa7Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAEoBZjOa7Y&list=PLDC955323F748047F[/video] R1 Pukekohe

[bry3500]

[video=youtube;VvFpVcjJLWk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvFpVcjJLWk&feature=related[/video]

[seaqnmac27]

Some great cars, one or two not so. What happened to the Learmonth Monaro? what became of it after the accident?

[Steve Holmes]

Wow! Those are fantastic. Thanks for finding them Bry. The Puke coverage in particular is really enjoyable, and the build-up to the rolling start is actually pretty intense. Those guys are really working for their money. I love David Oxtons comments about them being hand grenades. The Manfeild coverage must have been done on a tiny budget. Looks like they had just two cameras to cover the entire track.

I see the John Osborne RX7 is left hand drive. Where did this car come from?

Also, what was the history on the Lancaster turbo Volvo?

[bry3500]

Always a pleasure to un-earth this stuff Steve.. Yes. the Puke footage is great. that Volvo looks really interesting. Did the 5000 engine in the Capri end up in a single seater again? Good to hear David Oxton calling the race, I remember watching him racing a Lola ( I think) at Wigram 67 or 68 and wondered what happened to him . You tube is a Gold mine for this kind of footage , I'm always on the hunt!!

[Steve Holmes]

Yes, Oxton raced single seaters throughout the 70s, including driving George Beggs FM5 that went to Europe, and is now in the Southward museum. He ended up in touring cars in the 80s, briefly racing the Sierra XR4i that won the 1985 BTCC. But I don't think he was ever much of a fan of tin tops, and was quite critical of the sports sedans, and their ability to fall apart.

Not sure where that 5000 motor ended up. Maybe Wayne Huxford still has it. I believe it was a Morand built unit.

[bry3500]

Thanks Steve..I disappeared off to Europe playing music in the 1970s and 80s lost track of a lot of things..

[Munty]

John Osborne built the RX7 which is the one he totalled at Pukekohe a year or so later. The Lancaster Volvo I think was a works car from Sweden/Finland? (somewhere like that).

[rogered]

John Osborne built the RX7 which is the one he totalled at Pukekohe a year or so later. The Lancaster Volvo I think was a works car from Sweden/Finland? (somewhere like that).

yeah pretty sure he was with tangled up with volvo through mollors or similar around that time.
think it was a works car from sweden

from memory he had to weld a floor plan into it to bring it into line with the thundersaloon rules
what happend to that car?

[markec]

The Ozzo RX7 body was sourced in the USA by Bob Slade and sent over for John to build up, the rear quarter light windows are different on the USA cars to add strength to comply with the American deconstruction rules.I was speaking to John earlier this evening, I called in on my way past, he is about to pull the engine out of his 84 300zx and freshen it up for the Scope meeting.

[Carlo]

The volvo is still seen around OSCA races today, much modified of course. Don't forget Ping Oxton had a bit of success driving Commodores with Peter Brock

[jim short]

Hi do you have any 86 87 yrs at bay park i have some but anable at the moment to show was great class of cars untill some clown wanted trans ams at the moment history is been repeated super v8s????

[Munty]

Hi I have some baypark from around 85-87 of sport sedan races which will be on the 40 years of OSCA DVD. I'm planning on finally getting the DVD's done while I have a week off early jan. I'll let you all know when I finally get off my arse!

[bry3500]

Can anyone put a date to this one?
[video=youtube;awZRHgj60uE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awZRHgj60uE&feature=related[/video]

[Rod Grimwood]

Couple of Volvo, it had a pretty hard life before it arrived. Went alright.

[Carlo]

was great class of cars untill some clown wanted trans ams at the moment history is been repeated super v8s????

You are right on there Jim.

[Rod Grimwood]

You are right on there Jim.

Same clowns Isn't it

[Rod Grimwood]

In video 1 Puke. White Escort that is up Oz's bum is the 2ltr Turbo of Bruce Manon, he actually passed Oz on last lap. It was QUICK for 2ltr home built car. Poor Tony and Oxcart were not really supplied good info on any of the cars, so did a good job.

[Rod Grimwood]

Some great cars, one or two not so. What happened to the Learmonth Monaro? what became of it after the accident?

I beleive John has the car back and is rebuilding it for classics

[Steve Holmes]

The Ozzo RX7 body was sourced in the USA by Bob Slade and sent over for John to build up, the rear quarter light windows are different on the USA cars to add strength to comply with the American deconstruction rules.I was speaking to John earlier this evening, I called in on my way past, he is about to pull the engine out of his 84 300zx and freshen it up for the Scope meeting.

Thanks Markec, thats what had me scratching my head. I thought Osborne built the car in NZ to replace the outgoing ex-Fahey/Tulloch etc Capri, but then i noticed it was a left hooker. Why was a car sourced from the US? Were RX7s not available in NZ when he built this car?