The Roaring Season

The Tec Mec Maserati Corvette was one of those racing cars that had so much hype about it before it arrived in NZ that it has had a certain mistique about it ever since. The newspapers of the day got quite excited that Mansel was getting the latest Maserati fitted with a powerful Corvette engine and he was going to be able to blow the opposition into the weeds. Reality was quite different sadly.
When Rod Coppins refitted the single seat body, apparently after damaging the Rosier sports car body badly at Dunedin, I always thought it looked like a much earlier style 250F body, looking at photos that, from some angles, appears to be the case, but it is probably just the change in colour and the different fuel injection bulge.
I post these Sarginson and Inwood photos for reference purposes.

Steve Holmes wrote:The ex Jensen 2504 car (now the Tec Mec) wassold to Johnny Mansel who drove it in the 1960/61 NZ season as a singleseater before selling it to Rod Coppins - Coppins drove it as a singleseater at Ohakea in 1961, then put the ex Roycroft Ferrari centre seat
sports car body on it to drive it in sports car races (as in the Youtubemovies of Renwick 11 Nov 61). He later put the single seater body back. He wrote the car off in the wet at Pukekohe on 30 Mar 63 (see photo of car inVercoe's book page 191). The car 2504 has since been rebuilt as a single-seater Maserati 250F 2504

Slight correction -
Coppins raced his XK120 at Ohakea in 1961. His first race in the Tec-Mec was with the sportscar body, at Renwick at the end of that year. He didn't use it with the single-seater body until Ohakea Feb 1962, still in red, but then grey for the following season until the Pukekohe accident

Hi,
Just registered to let you know a Stanton Corvette chain driven red sports car body just competed at our Waimate 50 GT series event piloted by Russell Greer. There was also a 105E Anglia Fastback and several other Historically important vehicles. for links please google the website for the series and for results visit chrissport.co.nz I am trying to research the history of the similar Renwick races. Can you guess why I wonder??
regards Roger
Roger

How many years was racing actually held at Renwick? And did the course remain the same for each event held?

Seven years (always in November) on at least three completely different circuits

David McKinney wrote:Seven years (always in November) on at least three completely different circuits

Somewhere, and I will probably find as soon as I post this reply, there is a newspaper clipping of an aerial photo of the three circuits used at Renwick. I couldn't find it so I sketched this layout on a tracing from an online map.



Circuit No 1 was used only in 1960 and was about 1.08 miles long, at the western end of Renwick township.

Circuit No 2 was used only in 1961, about 1.25 miles to the lap (a 50 lap race)

Circuit No 3 was used for the remaining 5 races, 1962 to 1966, and was 1.5 miles to the lap.

I believe there was a chicane in Havelock St(which was part of both circuits 2 and 3) and the State Highway 6/63 intersection may have been different over the years.

Probably someone who actually went there can tell me how much of this is wrong!

Stu

OOPS : Long way to Nelson via State Hwy 63! Better via Havelock on S.H. 6.

David, Stu, thanks heaps. Stu, great work! Thats impressive! So November 1966 was the final event? I've just been researching the 1966/67 Allcomers season, and I can now see why the Custaxie was as fast as it was around Renwick, having seen the layout for Circuit #3.

WOW,what a great bit of film,I was a RNZAF Boy Entrant based at Woodbourne Air Force Base in 1961 and actually went to that meting,did not realise at the time [i was 161/2 ] that it was the first meeting there.Took some photos but they have been lost over time.Remember the noise and dust and was quite hot on the day,yes the 250F is a favourite of mine also.Cant remember paying to get in!! How lucky we were in those days to see such great cars and in situations totally unique to NZ,imagine trying to get approval to run that meeting now.
Several years later I was based at Wigram for a while and went to the Lady Wigram Trophy race,[as being in the Air Force,you just put your uniform and you could go anywhere.]
Remember during practice that Jim Boyd stopped right in front of us with a blown spark plug ,little did i know then I would be competing against him one to one on hillclimbs 3 years down the track.!!!

Great recollections there Ross. Isn't it amazing how the stuff from when you're younger influences you for the rest of your life. I bet you've loved 250F's ever since.

stubuchanan wrote:Somewhere, and I will probably find as soon as I post this reply, there is a newspaper clipping of an aerial photo of the three circuits used at Renwick. I couldn't find it so I sketched this layout on a tracing from an online map.

I eventually found aerial news clipping online, and when I went to download it, my computer asked me if I wanted to replace the copy I already held!!! Damn. Actually relates to 1960 and 1961 circuits only.





Pits and paddock for the 1961 circuit were in a side-street, possibly the entrance to school, this is why people are doing u-turns on the film/video. Also interesting to see cars almost(?) airborne over humps on 1962 circuit!

There were plenty of Euan Sarginson photos from Renwick in the Shell Annuals and Rod Grimwood has already put some up on-site and I recall a Jack Inwood shot of the tea and scones and cream (on a silver tea service) that a local served up for him while he was photographing near her place. Them wus the days!

Stu

Great work Stu, those are fantastic.

The Sabre is now in my garage being restored. Aiming to get it back on the road to take to a few classic car and hot rod shows, will be as close to original as possible

stubuchanan wrote:I eventually found aerial news clipping online, and when I went to download it, my computer asked me if I wanted to replace the copy I already held!!! Damn. Actually relates to 1960 and 1961 circuits only.





Pits and paddock for the 1961 circuit were in a side-street, possibly the entrance to school, this is why people are doing u-turns on the film/video. Also interesting to see cars almost(?) airborne over humps on 1962 circuit!

There were plenty of Euan Sarginson photos from Renwick in the Shell Annuals and Rod Grimwood has already put some up on-site and I recall a Jack Inwood shot of the tea and scones and cream (on a silver tea service) that a local served up for him while he was photographing near her place. Them wus the days!

Stu

does anyone know what publication these aerial shota are from please?

stubuchanan wrote:Somewhere, and I will probably find as soon as I post this reply, there is a newspaper clipping of an aerial photo of the three circuits used at Renwick. I couldn't find it so I sketched this layout on a tracing from an online map.



Circuit No 1 was used only in 1960 and was about 1.08 miles long, at the western end of Renwick township.

Circuit No 2 was used only in 1961, about 1.25 miles to the lap (a 50 lap race)

Circuit No 3 was used for the remaining 5 races, 1962 to 1966, and was 1.5 miles to the lap.

I believe there was a chicane in Havelock St(which was part of both circuits 2 and 3) and the State Highway 6/63 intersection may have been different over the years.

Probably someone who actually went there can tell me how much of this is wrong!

Stu

OOPS : Long way to Nelson via State Hwy 63! Better via Havelock on S.H. 6.

Had seen that sketch elswhere Stu, not realising it was yours - Allan Dick posted on a Facebook Motor Sport page. I must now edit my copy of it
Here from Ron McPhail the 3rd version of the circuit 1962 - 66
P.S. Have only just come across this Thread
I have a few entry lists for Renwick over the years - all " borrowed " as never went myself too young at the start and too far away by the time I first took photos at Pukekohe in late 1965 while still at school.
Have collected some photos too [ from others ] of events at Renwick - will add them here over time

I have also been searching the " Nelson Photo News " archives for the Pig Valley Hill Climbs and the Tahuna
[ Tahunanui ] Beach Races - both Nelson events so will see if any Renwick Races are there too !! .

1961 the " 50 " understand that at first it was 50 laps - then 50 miles as the track got longer,
Graham Woods archives 1962 the " 50 " with lap chart.
John Manhire archives from " South Island Motorsport " Facebook page . 1963 a selection of the races.
Sports Cars and Specials - Saloons Saloons again - later Race; Handicap All three from Graham Woods archives.

To follow some from 1966 and the Custaxie as mentioned in the comments

Graham Woods archives again the entry lists.
Race 6 Saloons Race 7 The "50 " Second Qualifying. A couple of photos
Custaxie Mustang and a hidden car 1966 Allan Dick archives 1963 Practice all classes - names on photo - unsure whose photo though - OOps !!

any of those programs have motorcycles in them by any chance please Roger?

jellywrestler wrote:any of those programs have motorcycles in them by any chance please Roger?

Most of the entry lists have come from Graham Woods or Ron McPhail and have been posted on either of these two Facebook pages.
" South Island Motorsport "
or
" Old New Zealand Motor Racing ".
The pages are well worth a look and joining the two groups so you can post any photos etc.
I haven't tended to copy the Motor Cycle races as not my main interest.

I do have other programmes from various events - Dunedin in the 1950's and 60, Ohakea in the 1950's that were given to me by Spgeti mainly.
Can look them up for any Motorcycle Races - I know many events featured Bikes and Cars.

This is the Motor Cycles entries from the 1984 Dunedin "Reunion" meeting.
A couple of photos too !!.

Excuse me if this has been shown on TRS before but I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this wonderful old footage of 'the good old days' in New Zealand motor racing. Thanks to Rosalie Stuart and family.
I would also like to know some of the identities of some of the drivers etc.
I had to smile at seeing Stirling Moss drive off in a Triumph Herald plus Andy Buchanan bouncing across the grass in what is now a multi million Ferrari 250 LM !.. Great stuff from a great time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOO6ji9Yuzo


(Ken H)
p.s. Can we load movie clips like we used to or has that format been changed ?