The Roaring Season

225sloper wrote:Only info i could get was guys name was Richard Moon and Cortina had a Ford 289 power

Sign on Cortina's door reads "Winter Garden Motors". Can't make out bottom line but doesn't look like Christchurch. ? Ring a bell anwhere around NZ??

Stu

stubuchanan wrote:Sign on Cortina's door reads "Winter Garden Motors". Can't make out bottom line but doesn't look like Christchurch. ? Ring a bell anwhere around NZ??

Stu

Pretty sure that Cortina wasnt a circuit racing car,sponsership on door suggests it was built for some drag action.It just so happens to be there the same day as these circuit cars turned up at a real drag meet.

225sloper wrote:Only info i could get was guys name was Richard Moon and Cortina had a Ford 289 power

Richard was a regular campaigner at Ruapuna back then . I remember being told that it was based on a real Lotus shell .

So was Richard Moon a regular campaigner at Ruapuna dragstrip just drag racing or was he a regular campaigner at Ruapuna circuit.

Not a " Roundy " racer as such .

Thats what i thought to,thanks shellsport

Heres a shot of Brent Bullivant's Capri photo by Tim Burns in NZ Hot Rod Magazine Feb 77.

Photo here of the Rob McElrea in his Cortina at Ruapuna drags in NZ Hot Rod Mag August 82 issue,photo taken by John Daley

Looks like he's lined up beside john Osborne in his Capri

The ex John Goss McLeod Ford GTHO was a regular at Meremere when my brother was running his E49. They used to travel down together. That HO was the car that scared the c..p out of me when Brian Bowater took me for a ride in it down the Puni straight. I swear the power poles were like fence posts. Still had the cage in it at that stage. Was taken out shortly after.

Yes it is quite amazing how many racecars have had a play on the dragstrip at some time.Not so much now days.A couple of years ago i did see the Glenn Allingham 68 Camaro Big Block turn up at the Fathers Day Drags at Meremere.

Here is a few more from the south drag racing at Ruapuna.NZ Hot Rod Magazine feb 85,photos by John Daley.

Steve this is the car you asked about if still arround in another thread not that long ago.Steve Vigurs Celeste and Ian Munts Capri.NZ Hot Rod Magazine June 85.

paul lancaster wrote:Looks like he's lined up beside john Osborne in his Capri

Yep, that be right Paul

Good photos

I posted these on the Christchurch Drag Racing thread. Good to insert again here. Ian Munt in the blue Capri..

bry3500 wrote:I posted these on the Christchurch Drag Racing thread. Good to insert again here. Ian Munt in the blue Capri..

The blue (was later black) Capri was Graham Clark, powered initially with a Leyland P76 4.4 litre V8 and later a Chrysler 340 (5.6 litre) V8. It ran in a number of classes, sometimes OSCA, mostly Clubmans Saloons. Ian Munt is of course in the black/green Waterbed World Capri Chev in the the foreground.

bigbanger wrote:The blue (was later black) Capri was Graham Clark, powered initially with a Leyland P76 4.4 litre V8 and later a Chrysler 340 (5.6 litre) V8. It ran in a number of classes, sometimes OSCA, mostly Clubmans Saloons. Ian Munt is of course in the black/green Waterbed World Capri Chev in the the foreground.

oops , sorry of course - should have double checked.. Anyone know who/what the red and white car is?

bry3500 wrote:oops , sorry of course - should have double checked.. Anyone know who/what the red and white car is?

Steve Vigurs, Mitsubishi Celeste which initially had a Buick V6 turbo, before reverting to a 355 Chev V8.

Clarky shifted up Mount way later on, remember going for play in Capri one night at Matamata when he came over the hill with us for a decompression session in the bar of a well known establishmnet in Matamata after a meeting. It had the Chrysler in it then and was quick, he ran a few times at Bay Park. It was a blue with yellow colour then. He was a real smart mechanic and a good bugger but also a bit of a wag, not like us quiet types.
Now there could be another story for another thread.

Jigger Jones in his Commodore Sports Sedan racing at the Whangarei 3/16 street drags.NZ Hot Rod Magazine July 1989.[ATTACH]20832[/ATTACH]