The Roaring Season

Steve Emson wrote:I remember looking at an Imp with a datsun engine at Baypark, maybe 1976? It was in the 0-1300 Shellsport race that i was racing in also.

That wasn't Ian McEwen (Sp?) with the blue Imp, now owned by Reeceracer? It used to race in SS2000 as well.

Roger Dowding wrote:Bruce, would love to but geography is in the way ' Feilding to Bellara ' wouldn't like it posted and then back again. will have to think about it. thanks for the offer

Yes I can do that for you Roger. I will dig it out and send you a PM

Roger Dowding wrote:Not quite a Mini but one Hell of a Minor -

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Roger, Mr Hirst has a history with this beast and its components.

This one is for Spgeti .. and I got your PM thanks, Bruce



Minis at Pukekohe 1967 or '68, small camera but an Elf at the front of the group

Two more photos - another of Frank Hamlins " sprint " type one [ rear view ].
and what happens when you are hit by the wheel of a Triumph 2000, at the club circuit Sept 1968, the whole half shaft and wheel came off and bounced down the track as the Triumph slid towards the stables .. next car was this mini driven by a Michael ???, cannot remember his surname.

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Donington September 1977 - The driver later bought the ex Gerry Marshall Baby Bertha - and later still, I saw he was selling the Lola GT, the forerunner of the GT40.


Whenuapai 1990


Bernie Hines 'Minisprint' denied a CoD so converted to the Broadspeed Replica...


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Dunedin Revival Street Racing January 1984. Otago Daily Times photo.



and from 1967 Pukekohe, watched by the boys in blue - very close to the track.

Pukekohe again, under the Dunlop bridge 1967.

A racing Imp, at a 1/8th mile Drag race meeting at Wiri in 1971,[ Anzac Day 25/4 ] the slowdown / runoff area was curved, which made it a bit exciting. Dr Zhivago - A Ford Popular and Baloo A Fiat Topolino both 8 powered also ran.
Imagine Drag Racing in an industrial road today !!.

I was there in this crowd- great atmosphere.
Brian Patricks Imp
My favourite run-
Kawasaki Mach 3 doing a run in sub13 seconds dusting Ed Lamont and other Falcon GTHOs.

John McKechnie wrote:I was there in this crowd- great atmosphere.
Brian Patricks Imp
My favourite run-
Kawasaki Mach 3 doing a run in sub13 seconds dusting Ed Lamont and other Falcon GTHOs.

John M, no action shots but do have returns by "Dr Z" and " Baloo ", maybe not on this thread but yards and yarn, .. yet they were originally Mini type cars.. !! Do you have any pics. ??.

The Road was called Dalgety Drive, see the name on the building and believe they helped pay for the whole development.

This was back in Wiri, and Dalgety Wool store days.
Now its all Manukau City.
Pretty sure Council and Hot Rod clubs were the driving force.
As you say-here are pics from these couple of events on other threads.
Dennis Marwood was there with the Camaro, John Windleburn , other circuit cars
After this strong interest in drag racing, Meremere land was developed into a permanent dragstrip.
Cant remember any other Imps there- memory tells me the gearbox got broken after the big rev and dropped clutch on the startline. Sure there was a Mini also

From memory John the drags were held there from 1967.

Baloo, the Fiat Tipolino was owned by Pete Lodge in those day and still is around today and fully restored.

The Pop, Dr Zihvago I think was Butch Reid and I believe it exist but is just the body

Bruce- In 1967 they were at Kopuku I remember Baloo was there , also Spinner Blacks partner Jon Patton winning in his GMC Dragster described as 'a tatty wolf in sheeps clothing" in NZ Hot Rod Mag- I was a member of Papakura Rodders. Jon still has the dragster.
I remember seeing Butch do a wheel stand with it at Hastings.
In 1970 Manukau Council, nZHRA and Pukekohe Rodders had 6 meetings there.
There was a dragster made by B&N Engineering with a flat 12...2x MK1 Zephyr engines joined at the hip.
How long will it be before it is bought to our attention this is not on the subject............

John M and Bruce ;
How long will it be before it is bought to our attention this is not on the subject............ I thought so too !, but surely it is about motorsport, and small cars - and now I will post the Zhivago and Baloo photos, just give me a little time - should I put them under yards and yarns.

Rodger-Keep them here- we can always say the good Doctor had a Mini steering rack, or Baloo had an Imp steering wheel.
After all Graeme Addis was seen on TV saying his highly modified Charge had an 1100 gearlever.............

Best part of that day was watching Jim Richards and Jim Palmer power sliding around the bend at end of run, no lift off until through bend.

John M, Bruce and others .
here are two other Mini's - well small cars with huge supercharged V8's..





Interesting to see a number of TRS members were there and a good number of the Circuit racing drivers of the day. thanks for the details guys, anyone else got photos ??

From probably 1976 I used to trip down to Meremere to watch these things. Last saw Baloo run at Thunder Park with the old man of drag racing Mike Gearing doing the spanner work. Garth Hogan had just run 5.3 seconds that day in the rail. Pete lodge said Baloo had never run so straight....

I am sure these things had Mini or Imp parts...