Northern Sports Car Club - the early years.

[Roger Dowding]

These photos were put on the NSCC Facebook page back in 2017 - I had seen them and with the new information coming to light the should be here
The notes on the photos from the NSCC page

#1 photo NSCC 1951 #231
1951 Seagrove
“ Singford Special at NSCC Club Championship meeting at Seagrove 18 Nov 1951.
Up to 1500 cc 1st. MGTD 2nd Jowett Jupiter 3rd. General Handicap up to 1500 cc 1st. McHugh Special 2nd. Standard Special (Bob Crisp) 3rd. Byce Tye Cup for Sports cars. 3rd. 1st.Allard J2 (George Smith) 2nd. Jaguar 120 (Peter Harrison) “

#2 photo NSCC 1953 #232
1953 Ohakea
“ Ohakea Trophy Race 14 March 1953. D.N.F. for Don on the 24th lap (of 25) while holding 2nd place broke steering arm. Could have finished 3rd or 4th. Don received 10 pounds for completing 23 laps! “

#3 photo NSCC 1953 #233
1953 Muriwai ACC event
“ Singford Special 1st place won by Don at the NZ Hillclimb Championship Class F at Muriwai 18 April 1953 run by Auckland Car Club. “

#4 photo NSCC 1954 #234
1954 Wairamarama
“ Picture of Don's car Singford Special 1st Class F 1101-1500cc North Island Hill Climb Championship at Wairamarama -16th Jan 1954 run by NSCC. “

#5 photo NSCC 1955 #235.
1955 Muriwai Beach
“NSCC meeting at Muriwai beach, June 1955. Herb Gilroy A40 special and Don Tilsley Singford Special Mk 3 (Ecurie Drambuie) Dead heat 1st. “

The first 4 photos are the original Singford - details of which have been commented on **-on this thread.
Last photo is the Singford Mark 3 as noted on the photo.
** specific comment from Trevor Sheffield - who was racing at the time !
" There were only three Tilsley cars built i.e. two sports type specials and one single seater racing car. However there was a project car built by the Tilsleys which was completed and bodied by others. "

Thanks Trevor - always good information from your great memory and archives - Cheers ..

Must check the Hill Climb dates for the Timeline in the previous post. #338.
Another date also from Milan as noted in post #339 - Thanks.

[Roger Dowding]

Here is confirmation of the dates of two Wairamarama hillclimbs.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]67195[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]67196[/ATTACH]

Thanks for that Milan- a date I didn't know about and have found another one from the Don Tilsley photos .
Great thank you.

Roger

[Roger Dowding]

Early in the thread I posted the names of the Presidents from 1943 - 1974 - the first 30 years - repeated below

" 1943-45 Verne Clarke
1945-46 Eddie Dowding
1946-47 Ces Hodge
1947-48 John Wilson
1948-49 Colin McGregor
1950-51 Jock Aitken
1951-52 Phil Ornstein
1952-55 Laurie Powell
1955-56 Roger Brown **
1955-56 Peter Ayson **
1956-60 Dudley Badham
1960-62 Lloyd Gerrard
1962-64 Jim Lockley
1964-66 Ian Runnerstrum
1966-70 Owen Thomas
1970-74 Morrie Chandler "

** Note two names for the 1955-56 year
These were the later Presidents
1974 on - including Bob Kidd, who gave me some early information recently.

" 1974-78 Grahame Knight
1978-81 Robert Kidd
1981-82 David Smith
1982-83 Brett Norager
1983-88 Bob Mitchell
1988-89 John Sinclair
1989-90 John De Vere-Ellery
1990-92 Bill Johnston
1992-98 Joe Smith
1998-99 Rod Peat
2000-01 David Armour
2001-08 John De Vere-Ellery
2009-current Vicki Burnitt "

The Clubs Logo seems to have only changed twice -
The 1943 Members Cards had the image of an MG T series and just the words ;
" Northern Sports Car Club
Incorporated "
The " Members Card " [ courtesy of Bob Kidd - President 1978 - 81 ]

The original logo from the 1950's as shown on the recent pages posted by Milan Fistonic
here cropped from his post of the 1953 Wairamarama Hill Climb.

Trevor Sheffield may know if this was also a badge for members - either lapel or a larger car badge ?

The later logo from the 1960's Had a sticker like this on the windscreen of my first car in 1967.

[Roger Dowding]

John Coker an NSCC Member for many years,Trials and later Rally Driver, ran a Skoda 120 at one stage - an ex-works car is now a keen cyclist and took photos recently.
He noted that his time up the Hill [ even though a better track and slightly different layout ] was his slowest ever.

- photos won't load - will try later ..
Photos will not load to this post #343.
Something is NOT right.

Managed to load this photo though from Cosseys Farm.

Scenic views of Drury, has changed a lot ;

26/12/20- photos still won't load must be the format -
26/08/20 Photos will not load to this post #343.
Something is NOT right.


The Road in 1967 ..

[Roger Dowding]

These images came from Richard Bauz of Switzerland [ has the Fb name Sand Mandli ] He owns the " Orchid Special " that Keith Yeates / Yeats ** built around 1969-61 [ a bit of a story there ] and raced in the 1960's
Keith's surname spelt both as Yeats and YeatEs ..

Programme Cover NSCC meeting December 1966 and some entry lists which show Keith was an NSCC member and entered under that club.

Think this is the entry list from the December 1966 programme

Other entry lists with the Orchid under NSCC entry by Keith Yeates / Yeats. **

See Trevor Sheffield and his Daimler SP250 #215 in the last three entry lists - appear to be from the same meeting.

[Roger Dowding]

Entry Cover and list from the NSCC Hiilclimb at Ostrich Farm Road - Gold Star event in 1961 with Keith Yeats entered - from his archives which Richard now has.
Must have been one of the earliest events for the " Orchid ".

The full entry list - with some times for the cars

A Certificate for Keith Yeates in the Orchid at an NSCC Race meeting in 1962

Great to know this information has been kept.
Richard Bauz * is looking for more information on the car

* I have attributed the archives to Richard Sandman [ his Fb name is " Sandmandli " - correct surname is Bauz ]

[Roger Dowding]

Motorman Magazine front cover, article and a Castrol Advert about the results - all from Milan Fistonic.
A series pf photos from a competitor John " Larry " Lawton will follow :

The Cover ; Motorman July 1965

The article

The Advert

[Roger Dowding]

John Larry Lawton photos of the cars at rthe start - Farmers Carpark in Hobson Street - when it was a two way road.

Double photo John Larry Lawton at the exit and on the street

Driver names and Placing details on the photos thanks to J L Lawton.

[Roger Dowding]

More John Larry Lawton photos
Farmers Carpark - the start

Control at Ngatea ;

Wayne Jones in the Imp = didn't he run a Simca 1000 at some time - again a rear engined 1000cc car ??

More from Ngatea and at the finish at Pukekohe to follow

[Roger Dowding]

John Larry Lawton photos

Control at Ngatea - including the Marshall and his car.

After the finish - a lap or two at Pukekohe - numbers are off for the drive home.

Won by a Standard 10 - the Advert again - to finish the set.

[Roger Dowding]

Historic Times coming up for NSCC .. 1971 the Clubrooms at Mt Richmond Domain were first actively promoted and then constructed in 1972 so 50 years ago it started.
1942 the first gatherings of the "social club " began.

2021/2022 will be therefore 50th and 80th Anniversary's of major events in the clubs history.
2023 would be the Clubs " Official " 80th year as incorporated in October 1943.

There is some chatter about a function for the clubrooms which hopefully leads into 80th Anniversary Celebrations.
Rod Peat, Mal Clark [ formely of Bygone Autos ] and Bob Homewood all competitors from the 1960's ,Bob, 1970's, Rod and Mal and on, are sounding the idea out.
Hopefully it will develop into some great functions and events.

[Roger Dowding]

Ross Haldane was an NSCC member from the early 1960's and a serious Triallist winning many Club and Gold Star Trials - He was Trials Gold Star Champion in 1972.
Bob Kidd a former NSCC President, who called into visit me a few months ago,advised that Bob had passed away in the last week.

[Roger Dowding]

Graeme Staples who is writing a book on Motorcycle Circuits and Racing in New Zealand has sent me an artcile on Seagrove in 1949 - Had already posted page one back in April 2020 on this thread.
There were two pages that were published in a booklet called Motor Sport Nostalgia - published in 1989 by Graham Vercoe. There were several events at Seagrove and there is mention of the " Competitors Car Club " and Northern Sports Car Club " [ NSCC ]. What the CCC was I do not know and hadn't heard of it before the article I saw in April 2020.

Cover of the booklet
1949

Here is the full article [ repeating the first page - page 21 ] - the magazine covers many events from 1949, and there was a 1950 edition too -also published by Graham Vercoe in 1989.

Cover of the 1950 edition

[Roger Dowding]

The following picture was posted by O J McLean on the Facebook page " NZ Car related street scenes 1950-1980's "
- with the comment ;
" 18-year-old Jim Richards of Manurewa in his "extremely rapid" Ford Anglia at a northern sports car club meeting in Pukekohe on Saturday December 9th 1967 he was placed first, second and fourth respectively in the three races he entered. "
Would have been there, probably on crowd control with one of those " white coats " was 20 at the time- always Jim was a tad older..** see post #354 regarding the event.

NSCC meeting Dec 1967.
O J McLean archives. Photographer not stated - could be own photo.

[Roger Dowding]

Previous post - the extract " quoted above " said that the Jim Richards photo of the Anglia was from an NSCC meeting in December 1967.

It would seem it was either the incorrect date or was an Auckland Car Club meeting, as NSCC's National Meeting near the end of the year would be this one.
The first of the Gold Star meetings for the season.
NZ Herald advertisement from 30th October 1967 for the NSCC meeting " Next Saturday ".

a straightened version of the photo. Entry 80 cents

[Roger Dowding]

Thanks to Milan Fistonic for this interesting magazine article - the Auckland Car Club 24 Hour " Hepolite " Trial from 1954.
Run 24th and 25th July 1954.
Article appeared in the " The Autocar " 27th August 1954. As noted by Milan.
Some interesting names in the results.
Phil Ornstein was President of NSCC in 1951 - 52
K Orr is Dr Ken Orr who was well known for loaning his cars to others to Race - seems he did the Trials though.
J Boyd - is that Jim Boyd ?, would be an early event for him, I think.
Interesting that a 1929 Studebaker was the oldest car [ at 26 years old ] in the event driven by Phil Neil

[Roger Dowding]

NSCC Hill Climb Events and venues
Re - writing and amending the list from earlier posts ;

The list so far - a bit more added - 1962 event.

1940's
- late in the decade. First Hill Climb appears to be in 1946
1946 - 47.

" Taylors Bay, Hillsborough " - unsure which road was used.
1946

" Pokeno " - again no details on which road was used.
1946

" Ostrich Farm Road, Pukekohe " - late 1940's - an NSCC venue and later used in the 1960's

" Whitford " - un-named road
1948 near Whitford - report appears on the thread

1949 Riverhead - road not stated ; 20th March 1949 -report in Post #358

1950's

" Don Buck Road, Massey "
24/09/1950 Hill Climb, Don Buck Road, Massey
**
" Wairamarama Onewhero Road, Onewhero "

described as Wairamarama Road, Glen Murray in some details about an early Hill Climb - near Ron Roycrofts place - used definitely in 1956.
Thanks to Trevor for the correction of spelling - makes it easier to find on a map !!
The Hill was used on the following dates

[ information from Trevor Sheffields book about Ralph Watson - thanks again Trevor ]
23/03/1953 - information from Milan Fistonic and cover of programme - Post #339
29/09/1953

16/01/1954 as noted in Don Tilsley photos
19/09/1954

15/01/1955 - copy of the cover - Programme for this event now added Post #339
later in 1955 - exact date not detailed

later in 1956 **- exact date not detailed " ----/1956 NSCC Hill Climb - Ron Roycroft ran the Bugatti - Jaguar
**presume this is still using Wairamarama Road

1960's

" Ostrich Farm Road, Pukekohe, Franklin County "

11/10/1961 Ostrich Farm Road
November 1961 **
17/12/1961 Ostrich Farm Road, Pukekohe - the NSCC's Gold Star Championship Hill Climb

October 1962 Ostrich Farm Road
As noted ; ** Used in 1961 as have some results from an event there in November 1961 posted in previous thread post #327

" Wharepapa Road, Helensville " - used early 1960's ** maybe 1964 - now seems likely this was after Birdwood Road - see dates now added.

" Birdwood Road, Massey "

14/03/1965 Birdwood Road Massey - results appear in a previous post

Birdwood Road, Massey - area now called Birdwood as Massey is a large area. used 1964 - 65, did they keep using it until Cosseys was first used in March 1967 ?.
Then we have Wharepapa -both roads used in 1965.

" Wharepapa Road, Helensville "

-/12/1965 Wharepapa Road

" Kiwitahi Road, Helensville " near Tom Grace farm Woodhill, near Helensville - noted by Bob Homewood.
" Wright Road, Brookby " - 1966
In use after Wharepapa Road - have a report from an event in 1966 - this is a new location / event in the timeline. with Wharepapa Road used in December 1965

By March 1967 NSCC had " built " " Cosseys Farm Road " into a Hill Climb venue - cowpats and all.

A recently unearthed advert for Ostrich Farm Road HillClimb in 1962 - the event was in October as in the same paper was an advert for a Motor Cycle race meeting in Te Aroha.

The NSCC advert ; thanks to Graham Woods again for this archive item.

.

[Roger Dowding]

Photo of Cars at Mount Eden for the Kidston Cup Hill Climb has been posted before but now more information has been gathered ' Cars in the photo - notes by Graham Woods;
" Des Herrick in Hudson midget. (239.185) Bill Massey in a Rugby midget behind Des. Ron Roycroft beside Des in the Austin 7 and Laurie Powell in the V8 roadster."

The photo again -enhanced - a small version

Extract of the results

Not known if the event was organised by NSCC, but both Ron Roycroft and Laurie Powell were NSCC members and feature in many early NSCC events - as posted on this thread.

The Austin 7 is " Rubber Duck " which had been in New Zealand since before WW2.

bigger copy of the photo from Graham Vercoe book " Historic Racing Cars of New Zealand.
Also details the cars and drivers.

[Roger Dowding]

1949 Events, racing at Seagrove and a Hillclimb at Riverhead.

Amongst the cars competing were Gordon Brown in his Ford 10 Special;
Here is a comment about Gordon and his cars.
Note the description of the Axle as a Ruxley - I understand the correct name was Ruxtall and the axle / differential was a dual ratio one - giving the Three speed gearbox and effective Six speeds.

Another car mentioned is the Laurie Powell Ford B4 V8 Roadster.

A Hillclimb at Riverhead on 20th March 1946, featuring both the above cars and others;
Of interest to me is the name Wyn Bristow who was a great mate and in the 1950's a neighbour of my Uncle Eddie Dowding. Winton Bristow [ correct spelling ] was a club member and was also the artist who did a series of sketches of cars at Ardmore in the mid 1950's [ 1956 ].
Gordon Brown, Laurie Powell and Ralph Watson feature, as do others mentioned in the Seagrove report.

Thanks to Graham Woods for these little snippets of NSCC History which were posted on Old New Zealand Motor racing following the piece on the 1948 Kidston Cup which features Laurie Powell in the previous post.

[Roger Dowding]

Photos from Barry Sexton archives - think the event was a stage in a Rally as in one photo they are going down the Hill.
Event was a " Rallysprint " as noted by Milan Fistonic in post #360

- That photo is of Barry Sexton, and note 1984-ish.
Maurice Wright

Rodney Dixon

Bruce Farley ?

All at the same corner - through the gate.

A view of the service area full of trailers and service vans and cars.

Barry Sexton heading downhill at Cosseys in his BDA.