New Zealand Hillclimbs

[Roger Dowding]

Ken thanks for the list and I know some hills were used more often than on the list, as an example - Bethunes Gully was used in 1984 the day before the Dunedin Street Races.
from the list ;
" Cosseys Farm
Used in 1971, 1973-1978, and 1980. "
Cosseys was first used in February / March 1967 and continuously until 1980 at least.
I ran there in 1973 - 74 in my second Mini,
1975 - 76 in the first Sprite
1977 - 78 in my Triumph GT6,
1979 in the TR4A.
the car is seen below at Bald Hill,Ken H actually enhanced the photo for me, thanks Ken.

That information will be good for me as I try to put the Bardahl Series together as an article, It will repeat some stuff shown on this thread and others .cheers.

[khyndart in CA]

Roger,
I still rate that as one of the best amateur action photos placed on TRS.
Yes I know there is room for corrections for that hill climb list but I thought it was pretty good considering it was put together by Australians !
For instance I remember going to the Otorohanga Hill Climb in 1969 and the same for the Horahora Hill Climb near Lake Karapiro in 1969.

Cheers,
Ken

[Roger Dowding]

Roger,
I still rate that as one of the best amateur action photos placed on TRS.
Yes I know there is room for corrections for that hill climb list but I thought it was pretty good considering it was put together by Australians !
For instance I remember going to the Otorohanga Hill Climb in 1969 and the same for the Horahora Hill Climb near Lake Karapiro in 1969.

Cheers,
Ken

Ken H,

the great thing about TRS is the adding of information, didn't realise it was an "Australians List " ..
Just been going back over the thread, some interesting cars there, a pity that Photobucket has blocked some photos .. on my computer anyway !!

[Roger Dowding]

Posted elsewhere but should be here !!

The V8 Coupe is Rob Williams who also ran an Allard a K1/K2 as seemed to have bits from both models.Ross Cammick has a few photos of both cars.

and Michael Clark now lives on what became a new road that caries a bit from the original farm road as shown in the article

[Milan Fistonic]

Thames Valley Car Club's hillclimb at Fishers Road Maramarua on 19 November 1966. Four members of the Bjerring family competing. Don Brunt and John Murphy are still competing today.

[Oldfart]

Graham "Pipe" Robertson was who took me to that event. Later on was a speed steward.

[Kevin Hirst]

Graham "Pipe" Robertson was who took me to that event. Later on was a speed steward.

And still living in TeAroha, & still working for the council, or was when I last had a chat with him earlier this year.

[Oldfart]

Hi Kev, I was surprised to not find your name on that list to be honest. Must have been about the time of the A90

[Kevin Hirst]

Hi Kev, I was surprised to not find your name on that list to be honest. Must have been about the time of the A90

Hi, Rhys, yes was about that time, may have been off road for repair's , memory shot down. suffering from C.R.A.F.T.

[Oldfart]

Hi, Rhys, yes was about that time, may have been off road for repair's , memory shot down. suffering from C.R.A.F.T.

[khyndart in CA]

On the way to Taupo recently with the "Lads" and after Karapiro noticing the sign to Horahora across the Waikato River reminded me of those early days of watching Jim Palmer, Ross Greenville, Red Dawson, John Riley etc. gather together across the river before powering up the Horahora Hillclimb. I think I went twice in 1960 and 1961. I think Nigel and Rhys must have been there also. Even though it was paved as Nigel states it was a narrow seal and mostly gravel. The cars would park under the trees by the river and I remember wandering through and seeing all these famous drivers up close. (Wish I had had a camera back then.)
I came across some photos that reminded me of those fun days and the smell of racing fuel etc..!

The Horahora gathering area was across this causeway now Maungatautari Road as it looks today.

Jim Palmer. April 1961. Waiting to start in the Horahora Hillclimb in his 1960 Lotus FJ.

This is how the start area looks today. The cars and crews would gather off to the left and there were a lot more trees back then on the left of the first right hand corner as the cars raced away.
Then when things got slow you could relax and just take a swim in the river..fun memories.

(Ken H )

[John McKechnie]

OK,Ken, youve got me excited, lets do it again, take swimmers..............

[nigel watts]

Yes I remember these hillclimbs well. I remember in '64, when I was still at school, borrowing my dads landrover & flogging it over to Horahora. Ivan Sedgenin was there with his Anglia. He couldn't get it going. They opened the bonnet to see what was wrong - and the ping pong balls were still sitting in the carbs!!

[Oldfart]

I didn't get to a Horahora one (at that time we still lived in Dannevirke), but did you to pretty much every later one which wasn't too far away at what I think may have been Head Rd, trying to look at Google St view to confirm!

[khyndart in CA]

Looking at these photos of the Hora Hora Hillclimb you just put a number on the right rear side window, perhaps take the hub caps off and away you'd go !

[khyndart in CA]

Some more photos from the Hora Hora Hillclimb which was held until about 1965.

I need help naming this vehicle.

The Motordrome Team from the Motordrome service centre in Te Rapa.(1962 race season.)
Dennis Marwood, Ross Greenville, Howden Ganley and Bryan Innes,
I think all competed at some time at Hora Hora




(KH)

[Roger Dowding]

The car has a Hawke '/ Jarvie body, and could be on a Buckler chassis
The Car when owned by the Ganleys -run by Howden and Dennis's Dad - was described as a Jarvie Ford 10 Special ..

***[ see *** below, it looks like the one that the Ganley family had and was driven by Howden at some stage. Denise Ganley, who is the daughter of Dennis and Phil Ganley were serious Club Motorsport competitors, they both entered the 1983 Le Mans relay race at Pukekohe, Phil in her Sprite with Team Healey and Dennis for Club Lotus, Dennis did a few of the AHCCNZ Hill Climbs too !!
Howden along with Denise and Co were at Hampton Downs just recently at the Legends of Bathurst meeting,unfortunately didn't get to meet them.

another photo of the car, courtesy Denise Ganley *** described as a Jarvie Ford so maybe on a Ford 10, not Buckler Chassis. seems like Howden driving in the Matamata photo featured in NZ Classic Driver issue 70,an article about a Hawke / Jarvie car

Hows that Ken H .. only took a few hours Mate !! Make that about 40 minutes.. first time on TRS today

PS did the *** thing as wasn't going to retype the page,lazy B***er ..or USA style B***ga

[Roger Dowding]

Ken,the 1961 Horahora pics, behind Jim Palmer, looks like a Buckler, gonna steal that one also," Oldfart " said it is OK. !! cheers Mate

[khyndart in CA]

Roger,
You can do whatever you want with the photos.
( That was a good find about the Hawke. Isn't that Howden in the car at Matamata ? or did they mean it was Howden in his father's car ?)

(that old shoe box is definitely getting barren this year ! )

Ken H

[Roger Dowding]

Roger,
You can do whatever you want with the photos.
( That was a good find about the Hawke. Isn't that Howden in the car at Matamata ? or did they mean it was Howden in his father's car ?)

(that old shoe box is definitely getting barren this year ! )

Ken H

Ken you are correct it is a Ganley but have just found out not Howden, Denise Ganley said that her grandfather [her Uncle Howdens Dad ], had a bad arm, !! Could be the grandfather owned the Car
Howden told Denise that he never drove Horahora and that is Denis [ Denise' father driving, would be Howden at Matamata though, and seems like they used similar or even the same helmet .
Someone as in " Steve Sharp " has the Helmet or indeed a photo of it. I put the photo of Jim Palmer Lotus with a Buckler behind it on "Buckler cars and Karts " Fb page and got more info.

The Helmet