The Roaring Season

Pic #5 Roger = NZ! DG 6090 taken at Western Springs February 2014.

ERC wrote:Pic #5 Roger - NZ! DG 6090 taken at Western Springs.

ERC and John, thanks,
Presume the Car is still around the " Dove GT ",must watch out for it. I was a member of the New Zealand Triumph TR Register from 1978 to around 1985/86.. they had a good spare parts import service, would either import for you as happened with front Guards for my TR, or help with the Import Licence process to do it yourself.

There is a Brit & Euro car Day at Lloyd Elsmore Park, Pakuranga Sunday 4th March 10am - 4pm. it migt well be there.

There is a Brit & Euro car Day at Lloyd Elsmore Park, Pakuranga Sunday 4th March 10am - 4pm. it might well be there!

http://www.briteurocarshow.nz/

Then and now (well, almost now...). Black and white's taken by dad of course.

ERA R1A - Silverstone 1948


ERA R1a - Monaco 2012


ERA R2A - Donington 1939


ERA R3A - Goodwood 2000


ERA R4A - Donington 1938


ERA R4a - Goodwood 2009

....continuing a theme.
One of the two most famous ERAs of all - R4D at Donington. Raymond Mays at the helm.


R4D


The other famous car - R5B driven here by Tony Rolt in 1938


R5B at Monaco 2012 - Remus. One of the most successful race cars of all time, especially in the hands of the late Hon Pat Lindsay. I suspect that either some of the other front running ERA's have been further developed - or Remus has been pegged back a wee bit.


R6B - Donington 1939


R6B - Monaco 2012

Ray, there has been quite a bit of discussion over here on the "modified" performance of , in particular, the ERAs. The tyre size has been mentioned, titanium con rods and a whole lot more. Of course totally new blocks etc. Personally I would like to see the performance "as it was" and I can comprehend the desire to increase the longevity of expensive components. Almost harks back to another thread on TRS
Bigger, stickier tyres Hmmmm.

A desire to win Rhys. A desire to win... I have always stuck with the mechanically standard spec of my own car other than for brakes (safety reasons) and 1" bigger wheels - necessary to clear the brakes. On another thread here, there is mention of an 820bhp Falcon. I wonder what they produced in period?

I had one racer (who shall be nameless) wanting a class for standard cars, claiming his car was standard. The engine builder said that it may well look standard, but that was as far as it went.

Does the average spectator care? I just want to see cars on the track. The more merrier and the greater the variety the better. It's a bit like Donald Trump (and many others I suspect), cheating at golf. The only person you are kidding as to your talent is yourself.

Retaining original parts for longevity and originality is fair enough, but the replacements shouldn't give a performance increase and maybe revs need to be limited to original?

Given the age of the ERA's particularly, I'm stoked that I can still see cars that my dad enjoyed, 80+ years ago - yes, 80 years ago. I can't see my great grand children lusting after TRS cars (Toyota, not this thread!).

ERA R7B - Donington - of course


R7B at the Richard Seaman Oulton Park races, 1975


R7B back in its original colours - Goodwood 2016


R8B - Donington - Earl Howe


R8B - Cuth Harrison - note the 'streamlined' nose - Silverstone 1948. Later rebodied back to original by Bruce Spollon and painted deep blue.

ERA R9B - Silverstone 1948 - Ansell


ERA R9B - Goodwood 2016


ERA R10B - Donington 1939


ERA R10B - Monaco 2012


ERA R11B - Donington 1939. One of my favourite photographs of Dad's.


R11B - Goodwood 2009

Hi Ray, great selection of your Dad’s photos and the modern photos of the cars today.
What a lucky man to of been able to witness that era.

I just love the ERA’s and the MG’s from that time.

Retaining original parts for longevity and originality is fair enough, but the replacements shouldn't give a performance increase and maybe revs need to be limited to original? ( Quote from Ray above)

There is a great solution. Organiser to supply the limiter, sealed. Damn another cost ! But it really is a solution, and might stop the spending. Then again I actually think a lot of these folks LIKE to be able to tell everybody how much it costs!

Quick diversion - back to the last of the ERA's tomorrow.

Leadfoot Sunday. Admittedly, we weren't there by 8am, but somewhat ruined by so many stoppages, from cars going foraging in the undergrowth, to a major diesel spill. Somewhat ironic as the programme stated that the errant diesel (1990 Nissan Safari) has an injector pump that puts out three times as much as the standard issue. Having liberally coated much of the track, not that long after the lunch break, I missed several cars I really wanted to see, as we were due to leave at 3pm.

One of my favourite spots for photographs, the right side of the track at the start, was blocked off (according to one official, on safety grounds, as the event is now run under a MSNZ permit...). Shame. The backdrop of caged camper vans somewhat ruins the shots from the other side of the track.

Just a taster - starting with a TRS regular:
Almac Cobra


This tribute car (not really a replica) was one I was really looking forward to seeing and hearing. Alas, I never saw it on track nor did I hear it run.


An ex-ERC driver car combination. Bert Dove reunited with his Triumph TR3A.

However, this stunning Bugatti replica was just fantastic.


Greg Murphy was very impressed with it too.

Ray, some time back you asked about Donington Collection. We went today. When you go in it's now largely German military vehicles in the first 3 halls, with a fair bit of the multitude of US military too. You then get into the F1 stuff. Many of the Williams thrugh to 2011, several McLaren, more the obtuse ones, loads of Force India, then the very last hall has the Vanwalls, and BRM. Then you have to turn round and come all the way back. Worth a visit. For me never again, but it's a maybe. Good to see the last hall and some good video presentations.

Looks as though they have painted the Donington floors light grey Rhys, which may make it a lot lighter. It appears as though the really interesting stuff to me (ie 1930's to 1970's) is now down to just one hall, as the more recent F1 stuff is just very samey. I might go again in September, but not too sure that I'd get any real value from it. Just imagine how good it was without the military vehicles and with more interesting single seaters, especially the one offs, instead.

I just don't see any synergy between WW2 Military and F1, but hey, it's now Kevin's collection and he can display what he wants. I just don't see it being worth $25NZ of my money having been so many times previously. The only advantage would be getting better quality photographs of a few cars.

Last of the ERAs.

R12B - Whenuapai 1984! Sadly, due to family commitments, I never got to hear it run.


R12B - Goodwood 2000


R12C - Donington 1939


R12C - Goodwood 2016


R14B - Silverstone 1948 - Bob Gerard.

I should add the two ERA E-types

ERA GP1 - Duncan Ricketts has made an excellent job of making this car go well and now has a couple of race wins to his credit. Sadly, it failed at Goodwood 2016. Fingers crossed for 2018.


ERA GP2 - ex Donington collection... Goodwood 2009.

Ray, the R12B at Whenuapai in 1984, Presume this car at Dunedin in 1984.

Saw it in a Motor Cycle Shop on display, then at the Racing





In the Pit Area


Racing with the 260M My photo


Racing with the 260M "Otago Daily Times "photo -a better camera and operator I think ??

Interesting Russian sign behind.

I think you might find the Russian writing is the name on a ship John.

Thanks Allen, also explains why it is on a slant.
Dont know the layout of Otago, so didnt know wharves were so close