Corvette Engines and Racingcars

[Steve Holmes]

Admitting it is the first step to recovery David.

[Leo D]

The Charlie Occhipinti Corvette at Calder Park...

[Steve Holmes]

Hey Greg, that is awesome! Looks like its fitted with a set of Mawer wheels? Where is this car now?

[thunder427]

The Charlie Occhipinti Corvette at Calder Park...

...to answer Steve's question,which if you look at the order of 'posts' hasnt been asked yet!!????????????????

....this Corvette was puchased from Charilie by Steve Wherret/Holley Performance/Melbourne in a joint venture with Roger Condon a rigger on building site cranes,'Leo D' will post a photo soon in its Red/White (pearl) and Blue 'Warpaint'

Steve was the local Melbourne Holley 'Guru', asked me to drop in to his shop to discuss the Vette project,when I got there Steve subjested a run up to the lunch shop.."We'll take the 911'!!!......I'm thinking 'Right'...Whats Steve doing mucking around with this 'imported' stuff....so I buckle up,Steve hits the ignition.....Bawwww!!!!.....Thought..."Doesnt sound like a Porsche,sorta v8'ish"...Well Steve pulls ,first gear,then second gear then as he hits third...(we havn't moved forward yet!!)...SMOKE!! cant see for Smoke, we 'hole shot' out from the kirb....S.I.D.E.W.A.Y.S up the street....I think we went past 5 sandwhich shops before we tamed the Beast!!!..."SO, Whats in it "??? trying to appear casual......"I've just dropped a quick little 327 in and given her the 'new' Holley" treatment"!!!....Man I was impressed!!!...then I realised that we still had to get back to the shop!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Steve was a real 'Speedfreak',a very capable mechanic with an ability to get the 'Horse power' from his favourite weapon,the Chev Small Block, especially with one of his 'tweaked' Holley's,sadly, Steve lost his life testing a 'Hydro' race boat around 1980/81.

Will write about the Vette when the picture appears.......regards thunder427/MJ

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Myles, will look forward to learning more about this car.

[Paul Kirk]

About 10-15 years ago John Diamond (I think) appeared at a New Zealand historic racing event with a car he'd brought over from Australia called a Carter Corvette. It was a smallish sports car from memory, in which the rear wheels were partially covered by the bodywork. Does anyone have any info and pics of this car? Was it John Diamond who owned it? And if so, was this the same John Diamond who with brother Steve were active New Zealand racers in the '70s? Steve moved to the US and established a large mineral water company I believe called Koala Mineral Water, or something similar.

Har ha ha, yeah Steve did bring a transam-type car here to race in our NZ summer series that didn't comply to the rules but somhow he managed to get permission to race, he also brought a V12 BMW road car to drive from the motel to the race track and back, (Very impressive!) Funnilly enough he wasn't well recieved here for a few reasons, eg, he couldn't drive, the car didn't comply, he was promoting Austrailian "mineral" water here in NZ, (our's is the best in the world), and he had one silver cup/trophy (dunno where he found it), that he carefully put on the dashboard of the tow truck so everybody could see it. But I think he might have influenced the course of car racing in NZ, because it was the start of the Transam importing boom.
PK.

[Paul Kirk]

About 10-15 years ago John Diamond (I think) appeared at a New Zealand historic racing event with a car he'd brought over from Australia called a Carter Corvette. It was a smallish sports car from memory, in which the rear wheels were partially covered by the bodywork. Does anyone have any info and pics of this car? Was it John Diamond who owned it? And if so, was this the same John Diamond who with brother Steve were active New Zealand racers in the '70s? Steve moved to the US and established a large mineral water company I believe called Koala Mineral Water, or something similar.

Har ha ha, yeah Steve did bring a transam-type car here to race in our NZ summer series that didn't comply to the rules but somhow he managed to get permission to race, he also brought a V12 BMW road car to drive from the motel to the race track and back, (Very impressive!) Funnilly enough he wasn't well recieved here for a few reasons, eg, he couldn't drive, the car didn't comply, he was promoting Austrailian "mineral" water here in NZ, (our's is the best in the world), and he had one silver cup/trophy (dunno where he found it), that he carefully put on the dashboard of the tow truck so everybody could see it. But I think he might have influenced the course of car racing in NZ, because it was the start of the Transam importing boom.
PK.

[Paul Kirk]

John's father had the Diamond Grill in Rattray St. in Dunedin. John e-mail is mailto:?subject=&body=

And Dymonds Steak House in Ch Ch.
PK.

[Rod Grimwood]

There were already some NZ built space frame cars running in Sports Sedans at that stage, and Dymonds car was an IMSA version which was different again. The Trans Am importing thing came down to couple who did this and as has happened in other class's (they have been involved in since) they proceeded to stuff it. The OSCA/Sports Sedan brothers were going along nicely until this happened.

Got a video somewhere from inside the car when it turned left instead of ahead and meet a big tyre sideways.

It was not uncommon for some expats to return with all these claims to fame and trophies from $2 shop back in those days.

[Steve Holmes]

Har ha ha, yeah Steve did bring a transam-type car here to race in our NZ summer series that didn't comply to the rules but somhow he managed to get permission to race, he also brought a V12 BMW road car to drive from the motel to the race track and back, (Very impressive!) Funnilly enough he wasn't well recieved here for a few reasons, eg, he couldn't drive, the car didn't comply, he was promoting Austrailian "mineral" water here in NZ, (our's is the best in the world), and he had one silver cup/trophy (dunno where he found it), that he carefully put on the dashboard of the tow truck so everybody could see it. But I think he might have influenced the course of car racing in NZ, because it was the start of the Transam importing boom.
PK.

There is some race footage from that season on this thread Paul: http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?398-1989-NZ-Sports-Sedans

Yes I agree, I think that car did create a turning point for NZ sports sedans. As Rod has said above, there were a few NZ built space-frame sports sedans already racing, but that car seems to be the first space-frame car from the US and it was very quick. Owners started importing their own versions during the following seasons, and then it was decided that everyone should have one, and that the old traditional production based sports sedans were effectively outlawed. The US space-frame cars were certainly effective, but they lacked the character and uniqueness of the Kiwi machines.

[ged]

1950-1960? austin healy corvette i think i rember one going around south island

[cavvy]

Ferrari 125 fitted with Corvette power at 1962 Aus GP at Caversham, link for a photo.
http://www.oldracephotos.com/shop/product5001

Bruce McLaren won the 1962 AGP
http://www.terrywalkersplace.com/

Apologies for my inability to post a picture, so you need go to galleries to see the winning Bruce McLaren, hang on there is more, the same gallery includes a photo of the Eldred Norman double banger V8 that saw out its days in WA, last driven by Toby Carboni.

[rogered]

There were already some NZ built space frame cars running in Sports Sedans at that stage, and Dymonds car was an IMSA version which was different again. The Trans Am importing thing came down to couple who did this and as has happened in other class's (they have been involved in since) they proceeded to stuff it. The OSCA/Sports Sedan brothers were going along nicely until this happened.

Got a video somewhere from inside the car when it turned left instead of ahead and meet a big tyre sideways.

It was not uncommon for some expats to return with all these claims to fame and trophies from $2 shop back in those days.

I see that jim short refers to this chap as "the clown".in another thread.
never quite worked out how this one chap had so much "say" and "influence" for so long, at my count 40+ years.
and some day, i would not be suprised to see the name on the new years honours list.
One day you can explain it to me Rod

[woody]

Gwyn, Ed Candy ( Timaru) had a Healey Corvette & G Smith (Chch) had a Healey Corvette.

[markec]

Regarding space frames, PDL2 was not what you could call being a monocoque construction.

[David McKinney]

Gwyn, Ed Candy ( Timaru) had a Healey Corvette & G Smith (Chch) had a Healey Corvette.

Originally raced by Arthur Kennard, then to the Candys and later still Graham Smith. Don't think I've heard of it since about 1966

[mac]

Good question Gavin, what did happen to that engine?

Hi Guys, Sorry I'm way late in this reply. I purchasesd the car off Rod. The engine threw a rod at the grand prix at Pukekohe. The engine was toast but saved the cam and hilborn injection. Fitted a new corvette engine We continued to race the car including Rod who drove it again at a couple of races. The old block and heads were given to the Stone boys in lieu of balancing the new motor. They then cut it down to a four banger to be used for speed way, i never saw the thing completed but was told it was some task! Cheers, Colin Macbeth

[mid-year]

Hey Greg, that is awesome! Looks like its fitted with a set of Mawer wheels? Where is this car now?

Alive and well,prowling the streets of S.E. QLD,now RHD and back to Big-Block power as a road car.

[Rod Grimwood]

It's worth more like it is know, as those split window models are the ones everyone wants.
Don't quote, but think the split window was only made in 68. They sure had the humps and bumps and shark front.

[markec]

I see the Astronaut Armstrong car seems to be going to fetch huge money and its a rust bucket.