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Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2013 8:39 am
by Steve Holmes
Great stuff Milan, many thanks. Some of those cars were no-shows, including the Nazer Victor, Clyde Collins Cortina. Yes, its the same Grant Aitken.
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 12:06 am
by Rod Grimwood
Top article Steve, and yep remember it clearly.
Fullnoise, you know i had a sheltered upbringing and if it was not for me keeping a eye on you lot, imagine the trouble you would have all been in.
What was the 'Oceanside, LOL
No 169 in programme is in my garage.
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 1:23 am
by Murray Maunder
Amazing days, huge crowds, fantastic atmosphere. Nice piece of writing Steve and thanks everyone for the terrific photos from this awesome era of saloon racing. And now Grant Aitken races a beautiful Bud Moore replica Boss Mustang! Bringing on back the good times.....

Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 6:59 am
by kiwi285
Grant is also the proud owner of a Ford GT40 MkII done up in the colours of McLaren and Amon from Le Mans 1966 (black with white stripes). Holman and Moody completed this car for Grant. The car is domiciled at Highlands Park.
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 7:51 am
by Jac Mac
[color="#0000CD"]The Grant Aitken escort @ 3500cc would have been the ex Homewood? car, did Grant actually finish/race that car or move it on for the ex Fahey/Collingwood FVA Escort. Given that meeting was at the height of the fuel crisis there were possibly a few scratchings from the entry list. There are 26 entries in the programme plus Fahey as a late, but I count only 19/20 at most in the grid photos[/color]
Baypark Christmas 1973
Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 8:09 am
by BMCBOY
This event was probably the first time I ever took any motor racing photos.
A crowd of us were staying at the Mount and we went along to Baypark ( I think a chilly bin came also)
and we sat on the sweeper on one of the days.
Here are a few of the results from my first camera and long lens of a few of the big bangers that haven't
featured elsewhere.
[ATTACH]22422[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]22421[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]22417[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]22418[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]22419[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]22420[/ATTACH]
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 8:17 am
by John McKechnie
Thanks BMCBOY- first time I have ever seen pix of Bartley V8 Cortina.
Who built it, running gear-5845 cubic inch-,who also ran it, and I have read it still exists?
Assume thats an Anglia behind Rod?
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 8:36 am
by Frosty5
John McKechnie wrote:Thanks BMCBOY- first time I have ever seen pix of Bartley V8 Cortina.
Who built it, running gear-5845 cubic inch-,who also ran it, and I have read it still exists?
Assume thats an Anglia behind Rod?
Decimal point missing there I think John, otherwise she plenty big motor Kimasabe (LOL)
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 8:42 am
by Jac Mac
[color="#0000CD"]No decimal point missing- 5845cc would be a very new 351 standard bore & stroke, probably cleveland courtesy of Wanganui Ford Dealer. Now the Amco Escort #40, is that the ex Fahey Escort?[/color]
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 8:44 am
by John McKechnie
Frosty- it should read 5845 cc, but maybe it had Dales motors brother in it
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 10:24 am
by Roger Dowding
Milan, Steve, and all of you. went to Bay Park in that era, earlier rather than later, 1972/ 73, gave all the programs away,to Rhys Jones, a motorcyle racer wrote the book "Pukekohe the Circuit " in abouit 2007, my old programs were from 1967 to about 1984 from Puke and quite a few from Baypark. Amazing that those huge V8's , could get around the circuit Baypark.
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2013 6:14 am
by Steve Holmes
BMCBOY wrote:This event was probably the first time I ever took any motor racing photos.
A crowd of us were staying at the Mount and we went along to Baypark ( I think a chilly bin came also)
and we sat on the sweeper on one of the days.
Here are a few of the results from my first camera and long lens of a few of the big bangers that haven't
featured elsewhere.
[ATTACH]22422[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]22421[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]22417[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]22418[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]22419[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]22420[/ATTACH]
Wow, absolutely stunning photos Ross! But that first one of Baker, Moffat, Fahey and Dawson just blows my mind!
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 10:21 am
by Roger Dowding
BMC BOY, taking great photos then complete with Chillybin, [an Eski over the ditch ], I was probably there too !!.. 73, driving my second Mini, before entering the Austin Healey clan..
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2015 1:01 am
by CUSTAXIE50
John McKechnie wrote:Thanks BMCBOY- first time I have ever seen pix of Bartley V8 Cortina.
Who built it, running gear-5845 cubic inch-,who also ran it, and I have read it still exists?
Assume thats an Anglia behind Rod?
Bartley built it and said it is still around in a shed,was also raced by Bruce Robertson last time I saw this car the back end was all pushed in.
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2015 6:09 am
by Marty
I think the #40 Escort may be Peter Sundberg, he had a yellow escort after the Jag.
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2015 7:11 am
by Oldfart
Marty wrote:I think the #40 Escort may be Peter Sundberg, he had a yellow escort after the Jag.
That's what it says on the photo if you hover your cursor over it. Ross has done a damned good labelling job. Don't be antsy, it took me a long time to spot that.
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2015 9:08 am
by seaqnmac27
Rhys you could have taken a short cut by referring to the entry list kindly supplied by Milan in post #17.
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2015 8:05 pm
by Marty
No antsy here Rhys, I followed Sundberg and Alan Boyle back in the day.
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2015 9:15 pm
by Oldfart
Marty wrote:No antsy here Rhys, I followed Sundberg and Alan Boyle back in the day.
They were both great dicers, Peter still is with a bunch of wonderful machinery!
Re: Article: Bay Park Big Bangers: Christmas 1973
Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 12:20 am
by Steve Holmes
Re the Escort, I'm glad you guys figured this out. When I first saw that photo I wondered if it was Rod Collingwood with the ex-Fahey car. But obviously not.