New Zealand Historic Saloon Cars Under HRC

[Paul B]

This is a absolutely fine example of the Possum Cortina, powered by a Buick V8 and owned by Don Fenwick

Taupo Historic GP meeting 21 January 2018

[Spgeti]

The Cortina is “Possum” Bourne’s rally Mk1 that he built years ago.
It has been beautifully restored by Don Fenwick and after calling in on Saturday to chat to us Dale asked him to bring it down on Sunday to display.
We also along with the Cortina displayed on Sunday Pat Excell’s Anglia 1500GT and Poul Christie’s Mk2 Lotus Cortina just to add flavour to Paul selling his book.
Guests were Paul Fahey, Kerry Grant and Ray Stone.

[Paul B]

Pat's Anglia, a beautifully preserved vehicle

[Paul B]

Poul Christie’s Mk2 Lotus Cortina very nicely restored and detailed

[Milan Fistonic]

The Possum Cortina in 1980.

[John McKechnie]

Milan....was he running the V8 in it back then,do you know?

[Paul B]

Natalie Campbell with her hero Paul Fahey.
Natalie races a Capri V6 in HSC and she was rapt to meet Paul Fahey, buy the book and get it and posters signed.
Photo also shows HMC/HSC shop which was run by the Allingham girls

[Spgeti]

Our next event is quickly looming up on us...

Legends of Speed at Hampton Downs, 17/18th March.

Please get you entries in via the MotorSport Entry website as per normal.

I know that Rayden Smith will be bringing the Willment Escort along to celebrate 50 years since Mike Crabtree debuted the car in 1968 in the UK.
Rayden will have the car as close as possible to the livery in the day and sporting #10 as it was in the day.

Cheers
Bruce

[Spgeti]

We have a great line up for the Legends of Speed Meeting at Hampton Downs this weekend.

Apart from the Willment Escort there to celebrate 50 years since its debut in the UK supporting Rayden this weekend will be Nigel McDonald in the Dawson Shelby Mustang, Dennis McConnell in his Mk1 Escort Twin Cam, David Thompson Snr in the Autotrader Escort, Hillsy in his ex rally Mk2 Escort RS2000, Colin Campbell in his genuine Mk1 Escort RS2000, Kevin Mills in his Mk1 Escort RS1600 and Arthur Vowles in the ex Jim Crystall Worlsely 1500.

Total combined grid of HMC/HSC is 18 cars and I wish to thank the guys and girls for their support and let’s see some good racing.

Our grid will be this weekend be under the control of Tony Roberts due to my recovery from knee surgery and Dale having prior engagements for this weekend.

Cheers
Bruce

[Spgeti]

Our last race meeting for the season was held at BMMP Taupo, being the Great Lakes Meeting put on by HRC Event.
Thank you Chris and Tim for your hard work over the season and again great weather as well.
As on the HMC Thread we had 3 new cars appear, the 1971 XY Falcon GTHO of Sean McCaughan, 1972 Ford Escort RS1600 Gp4 of Greg Goudie and the 1970 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray of Tony Roberts.
A really good couple of days racing with a small grid of 14 and no damage.
Honours to 2 races to HSC and 1 race to HMC....go the little guys.

Saturday night was our end of the year function which was well attended and most enjoyable.
Special thanks to our sponsors, BNT, Jak’s Trucks, Repco, New World Kumeu, Kumeu Cellars, Falcon Print and Extreme Automotive Parts Distributors, Hamilton.


As we head of for the winter break we have a Directors Meeting to plan next season.

We would like to thank all those who supported us this season.

Cheers
Bruce, Dale, Tony and Steve

[kiwi285]

The Auto Traders Mk I Escort

The car was built by Ross & Jim Stone for the Bank of New South Wales series in 1976 ?, It ran a 1300cc fuel injected Twin Cam built by Jim, that used to rev to 12,000rpm.

It was sold to someone in Wellington, but I don't know what happened to the 1300cc motor.

The car was next in the hands of Roy Harrington who has some success with the car. I bought it from Roy Harrington in 2004 it was a complete car, with spares, nothing had been robbed from it, even had a rats nest in the boot.

We stripped it to bare shell, removing many kilos of bog, and rebuilt it with as many original parts as were allowed. It still has same brake rotors (Mk4 Zephyr) on rear and APs on front.
The only new items fitted were, roll cage (original was alloy) seat, dry sump tank, and for safety all fluid lines and wiring. It still runs the original magnesium wheels - 13 x 10 rear and 13 x 9 front. We rebuilt the engine into a Brian Hart 416 B twin cam with the original 4 speed Rocket box, and running the same diff and axles. We have made a few cosmetic changes, putting windows in rubber instead of pop rivets to body work.

The first event after rebuild was at Taupo 2013. Roy Harrington has seen the car, but has not seen it racing. We took the car to Timaru in January this year for shell sport event / Timaru 50th Anniversary

Dave Thompson

[kiwi285]

Jim Stone in the 1300 Escort by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

Jim Stone at Pukekohe by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

1983 at Pukekohe by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

Roy Harrington at the speed show by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

Recent photo by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

At Hampton Downs by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

[kiwi285]

Roy with the car in the 1980'2 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

Roy Harrington Escort TC Pukekohe Jan 71 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

[Spgeti]

Thanks for posting Mike, great history and well done to Dave Thompson Snr for all the info.

Cheers
Bruce

[Milan Fistonic]

If this is the same car it's looking well-used at this time. Roy Harrington at Pukekohe March 1980.

[kiwi285]

If this is the same car it's looking well-used at this time. Roy Harrington at Pukekohe March 1980.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]54125[/ATTACH]

Thanks for the photo Milan - I haven't seen that one before. In my recent searching I hace come across these additional photos on the car in its earliest guise. A big thank you to the original photographers too for sharing these.

Jim Stone's Escort by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

Jimmy Stone in the twin cam Escort by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

Auto Traders Escort with Frank Radisich (2) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

Auto Traders Escort with Frank Radisich (1) by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

GR%20Scans_23 by Mike Feisst, on Flickr

[Spgeti]

Mike the Mk1 RS1600 (#9 & #82)driven by Frank Radisich did not become the Auto Trader Escort. The car went on to have a long rally career after being sold before being bought and restored by the Thompson family and today is owned and driven by David Thompson Jnr and is what we refer to as the Radisich Escort.

Cheers
Bruce

[Steve Holmes]

[Spgeti]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]54284[/ATTACH]

This is the refurbished engine bay of Todd Gower’s Mk3 Cortina.
New UK built race 2 Litre Pinto, complete with 48 DCOE Dellortos, dry sump system and reputed to be 225HP.
That should wake the Mk3 up !

[Andrew Metford]

DHLA's then. DCOE is the Weber version.

Very nice looking engine bay, all nicely painted and shiny. Top marks for presentation!!