The Roaring Season

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What I love about this monthly meet is that there is zero snobbery, unlike the many stories we hear about overseas meets where some jobsworth on the gate denies access to cars he believes don't belong.

ERC agree ; quote.

" What I love about this monthly meet is that there is zero snobbery, unlike the many stories we hear about overseas meets where some jobsworth on the gate denies access to cars he believes don't belong. "

Have been made to park around the back once, only because they were getting full, so went further round and parked with other MX5's, created our own group !!

You now have to get there early to park in the main area, but fantastic that it overflows every month. Just got a WoF for the Magnette which made a public appearance last year in February, towing the Marcos, but STILL working on the fibreglass bonnet and bootlid...

So my LHD 1962 Austin Mini Cooper would not be banned from this event ?

Ken H

It would if it got flagged by Customs entering the country with rust issues, undesirable foreign bugs, plant matter or salami

Then I guess I won't be showing up as I could not pass the salami test !
KH

Half eaten Maccas is OK as there is no known food content..............

Bad enough trying to get an original plywood chassis car into NZ even without woodworm - or salami...
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[quote="Roger Dowding"]
Ray just realised you were typing as I was, Understand that HD is For Sale again, as Mr Quinn needs a sum of money for personal reasons./QUOTE]

You sure about that? He's just sold his Darrell Lea business for $200 million, so that should see him right for a while and buy a few more cars.

Andrew Metford wrote:

Roger Dowding wrote:Ray just realised you were typing as I was, Understand that HD is For Sale again, as Mr Quinn needs a sum of money for personal reasons./QUOTE]

You sure about that? He's just sold his Darrell Lea business for $200 million, so that should see him right for a while and buy a few more cars.

Andrew, that would help with the Finances, and around the amount needed,will say no more !! It is not about cars though !!

Nothing on Google about the reason either Roger, even though we know. Andrew, if you need more info, email me! I enjoyed reading Tony Quinn's book and it gives a reasonably good insight. Apparently, he made money out of it too, which was a surprise to him as he didn't think it would sell as well as it did.

I love autobiographies and biographies and recently managed to track down a copy of Bob McMurray's book in excellent condition, via Trade Me. Another good read is Di Spiers book, "I Only made The Tea". Good friends of the McMurrays.

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You could never call the British saloon cars of that era flash, based on this rather nice Wolseley 6/80. I wonder what it would have looked like painted bright red?


...like the Studebaker.



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Non-original V8 in a Daimler Sovereign


Ford V8 Cortina


In sharp contrast - Morgan 3 wheeler



Family resemblance?

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Without trying to hijack Rays` thread too much...the Bathurst Festival was crap! Very little effort invested I felt. My dream would be a Touring Car themed event with separate grids for Group C, Group A and Super Touring. There are a number of groups world wide that could be contacted to sound out likely support. Cost would be the killer unfortunately. Imagine themes along the lines of Formula One, Group C Sports Cars, Group B Rally etc. One can dream Imagine if HRC and TACCOC could pull these off! Have the cars and charge reasonable ticket prices and watch the crowds arrive.

Anthony

Unfortunately Anthony, NZ being so far from Europe and the USA, it is always going to be almost impossible to attract enough support to make a fully viable international meeting. Judging by Tony Quinn's comments as published, Bathurst is going to be the ongoing theme. Oh deep joy...

If that is going to be the case, then they are going to have to lift the game considerably to attract paying spectators.

I'm pretty sure that Jim Barclay spent a lot of time and effort trying to attract overseas competitors and no doubt where he and his team were successful, it wouldn't necessarily have swelled the coffers.

The Festival certainly needs one or two groups that are more attractive than just a couple of iconic touring cars - and at least 300+ competition cars - not to mention a far more varied and interesting display of show cars. We certainly deserve more than 5 grids too, especially over a two day event.

Where were all the Heritage Touring Cars from Australia? What would that have cost? Jim Barclay may well have succeeded where Tony Quinn failed. And what about display laps? There are cars out there that would be ideal candidates. They might not be racing but they invoke memories and those memories create passion! The Sampson clan went to Muscle Car Masters last year and one of the best features was Heritage Hot Laps...a handful of cars made me tear up every time they went out on track...don`t mind admitting it. This event HAS to be better next time Ray or I won`t be there.

Anthony

Taken from Wikkipedia-
Mount Panorama began as a dirt-track/tourist-drive carved out of the bald hills around the bustling city of Bathurst in the mid 1930s. The Council of the time, specifically Mayor Martin Griffin, had a vision for a premier motor racing circuit with the sharp hills, hairpin bends and a fast downhill straight that would inspire awe and demand respect from all who took up the challenge for years to come. Strong support from the New South Wales Light Car Club, Auto Cycle Union and the Federal Government, through a national employment relief scheme, saw this vision become a reality. On 17 March 1938 Mayor Martin Griffin declared the Mount Panorama Scenic Drive open. He always knew that the road was going to be used for motor racing but Depression Era funds weren't easy to come by, so he had to create a ruse. At Easter 1938 the first races were held and except for the war (WWII), have been run ever since.

Mount Panorama is indisputably a Mecca for motor racing fans all over Australia and around the world. On 16 April 1938, Mount Panorama attracted an overwhelming 20,000 spectators to its first race, The Australian Tourist Trophy.

My point.....So there is a lot of variety and themes possible on a yearly basis if imagination and planning was used properly

Remember the first festival, cars from all over the world there in the huge marque. would have been 90 to 100 million bucks worth just in the big marque. Juniors, F1, Can Am, F5000, sports cars, and out the back HMC, Sports Sedans, your groups. huge, and people loved it.

John McKechnie wrote:Taken from Wikkipedia-
Mount Panorama began as a dirt-track/tourist-drive carved out of the bald hills around the bustling city of Bathurst in the mid 1930s. The Council of the time, specifically Mayor Martin Griffin, had a vision for a premier motor racing circuit with the sharp hills, hairpin bends and a fast downhill straight that would inspire awe and demand respect from all who took up the challenge for years to come. Strong support from the New South Wales Light Car Club, Auto Cycle Union and the Federal Government, through a national employment relief scheme, saw this vision become a reality. On 17 March 1938 Mayor Martin Griffin declared the Mount Panorama Scenic Drive open. He always knew that the road was going to be used for motor racing but Depression Era funds weren't easy to come by, so he had to create a ruse. At Easter 1938 the first races were held and except for the war (WWII), have been run ever since.

Mount Panorama is indisputably a Mecca for motor racing fans all over Australia and around the world. On 16 April 1938, Mount Panorama attracted an overwhelming 20,000 spectators to its first race, The Australian Tourist Trophy.

My point.....So there is a lot of variety and themes possible on a yearly basis if imagination and planning was used properly

And I would volunteer to help you guys create something of our own

Anthony

The first Festival in 2010 was a huge success in terms of the competitor turnout and we not only saw a lot of cars from overseas, but also from the South Island - most we haven't seen since. Despite that, I believe it was a huge financial loss, but the Hampton Downs owners probably saw it as putting HD on the map and therefore money well spent to get the ball rolling.

As we are in the northern hemisphere off season, and given the huge costs to enter high profile meetings and minimal track time there, I believe that the costs of freighting cars to NZ and doing several events would be surprisingly attractive to many racers if they were more aware.

When I say 'minimal track time', think on this. Having attended the Monaco Historics in 2012, over the three days, cars had maybe three track sessions only and the entry fee was $5,000NZD. As is usual, a 15 minute race followed by 30 minutes of hanging around for spectators. NZ events are run to a much better format. Apart from start time, they do not rigidly adhere to the clock and as long as there are enough groups, spectators see far more track action.

Goodwood Revival, one practice/qualifying on Friday (and a 1 hour race at dusk!) and 1 x 20 minute race on Saturday OR Sunday for most groups. Some two driver groups such as the TT might have been 1 hour, but it was still only 9 races a day. Cars had just two track sessions over a 3 day period - and a total spectator sell out with all Saturday tickets sold out in April for a September meeting!

I have no idea what the entry fee is and it is by invitation only but from my perspective, ALL grids are full and it is a photographic nirvana, so well worth the effort. The Pre 1966 public car park alone is worth a visit.

We can't compete with Goodwood, but there is no excuse whatever for a miserably small turnout of competing cars or display cars.

NZ/Australia has a very rich heritage and I agree with Anthony, there is a huge number of cars that the public would like to see, even if they are only doing demonstration laps. I'd even go as far as to say that from behind a camera, I really don't care whether they are racing, qualifying or demonstrating, just as long as they don't all look the same.

Caffeine and Classics managed an estimated 1,300 display cars February last year - and that is without any race or track cars. My guess is that with hangers on and spectators, the crowd would have been far larger than at HD - and no one paid a cent. Motorsport must be one of the few places where the competitor's provide the entertainment - and pay huge money for the privilege...

Blasted images have disappeared again... Getting a bit fed up with posts and/or attachments disappearing. Re posted 12:45

Back to what the thread is about, but I don't mind the diversions! A real mix of cars. It isn't always easy getting an unobstructed shot, so most of these are indeed 'snapshots'!

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Some of the detail touches on customised cars are what makes them so interesting. For a non-engineer/mechanic, is this attaching bodywork to the engine and wouldn't it need rubber bushes? Just curious as I work on the fibreglass bonnet of my own car...






TVR


For Spgeti of course...


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