The Roaring Season

Rod Grimwood wrote:I have heaps of those old videos, just need to get myself a machine to convert to disc and away we go.

Yeah, that would be great. There was quite a lot of this on tv during this time. A few real good races from around 1985/86 when the Algie Alfetta was racing were also featured. I'd love to see those again.

Speaking of Algie's, I see the Barry Algie Monaro appears in the second Puke footage.

Steve Holmes wrote:Yes, Oxton raced single seaters throughout the 70s, including driving George Beggs FM5 that went to Europe, and is now in the Southward museum. He ended up in touring cars in the 80s, briefly racing the Sierra XR4i that won the 1985 BTCC. But I don't think he was ever much of a fan of tin tops, and was quite critical of the sports sedans, and their ability to fall apart.

Not sure where that 5000 motor ended up. Maybe Wayne Huxford still has it. I believe it was a Morand built unit.

Was the Rouse 1985 BTCC winner XR4Ti the one that was turned into a Cossie look-alike Sports Sedan....and was for sale on Trademe a short while ago?

Haga wrote:Was the Rouse 1985 BTCC winner XR4Ti the one that was turned into a Cossie look-alike Sports Sedan....and was for sale on Trademe a short while ago?

No that was the ex crighton eggenberga car. when to petch, made to a cosworth, made to the green francivic sports sedan etc

The oxton car has me stumped. i can only assume it went back overseas (or down the south island where all the good gear ends up
Be keen to know where it went

cheers for that

I noticed an ad for (as described in the ad) Eggenb Pinto turbo motor for sale a short time later.

Hope it was re-united with the car if was an original engine for it.

this clown i have heard that if he fell into a drum of oil he would come out all chromed

rogered wrote:No that was the ex crighton eggenberga car. when to petch, made to a cosworth, made to the green francivic sports sedan etc

The oxton car has me stumped. i can only assume it went back overseas (or down the south island where all the good gear ends up
Be keen to know where it went

I didn't know that. So the white Gary Croft Husqvarna Cosworth, was actually originally the Crichton XR4i? So it must have had the bodywork changes made too, including the conversion to the rear side windows?

Haga is right though, there was a sports sedan that appeared many years ago based on an XR4i body. Wasn't the green Francevic car, it was quite different to that.

It'd be interesting to know what happened to the Rouse car. It did have a celebrated history, having won the '85 BTCC.

Steve Holmes wrote:Thanks Markec, thats what had me scratching my head. I thought Osborne built the car in NZ to replace the outgoing ex-Fahey/Tulloch etc Capri, but then i noticed it was a left hooker. Why was a car sourced from the US? Were RX7s not available in NZ when he built this car?

Ok now I may be mad but here is my memory. Now I sure one of my peers will correct me, but here goes. My memory says that in 1983 or 84, John Osbournes Capri was completely destroyed in a fire, I do not recall the circumstances but I thought it may have been either in a garage or at a circuit, hows that for narrowing it down, but anyway as a result of said fire, the motor sport fraternity of NZ got behind him to help him replace the Capri I thought he initially was loaned a car not sure which one it was but then the RX7 was the end result. Well thats my memory, not sure how valid it is but there you go. I was also unaware the Capri was the ex Tulloch machine. I had vague memories of both Tulloch and Osbourne being on the grid in Capris. indeed the last picture of post #87 of the Modified 70s and 80s Saloons - Picture Thread has both OSbourne and Tulloch starting the reverse grid race of the 82 Grand Prix weekend Sports Saloons race in Capris.
Sean

Was the Xr4 not the one that became the 'Merkur"? Also whos is the White Capri in the Puke races?

seaqnmac27 wrote:Ok now I may be mad but here is my memory. Now I sure one of my peers will correct me, but here goes. My memory says that in 1983 or 84, John Osbournes Capri was completely destroyed in a fire, I do not recall the circumstances but I thought it may have been either in a garage or at a circuit, hows that for narrowing it down, but anyway as a result of said fire, the motor sport fraternity of NZ got behind him to help him replace the Capri I thought he initially was loaned a car not sure which one it was but then the RX7 was the end result. Well thats my memory, not sure how valid it is but there you go. I was also unaware the Capri was the ex Tulloch machine. I had vague memories of both Tulloch and Osbourne being on the grid in Capris. indeed the last picture of post #87 of the Modified 70s and 80s Saloons - Picture Thread has both OSbourne and Tulloch starting the reverse grid race of the 82 Grand Prix weekend Sports Saloons race in Capris.
Sean

I think I can fill in a bit but I was only 5. Johns Cologne Capri caught fire at the second ess at Ruapuna after a fuel line came off and burnt to the ground while testing. He later then purchased the Tulloch Capri after initially Inky was going to loan it to him and therefore was probably maybe the only person who ever owned and raced 2 Cologne Capris. After finishing with the Capris he built the RX7 which was the one he had the big crash in at Puke. Hows that?

always thought the capri that burnt out was the ex halliday car

seaqnmac27 wrote:Ok now I may be mad but here is my memory. Now I sure one of my peers will correct me, but here goes. My memory says that in 1983 or 84, John Osbournes Capri was completely destroyed in a fire, I do not recall the circumstances but I thought it may have been either in a garage or at a circuit, hows that for narrowing it down, but anyway as a result of said fire, the motor sport fraternity of NZ got behind him to help him replace the Capri I thought he initially was loaned a car not sure which one it was but then the RX7 was the end result. Well thats my memory, not sure how valid it is but there you go. I was also unaware the Capri was the ex Tulloch machine. I had vague memories of both Tulloch and Osbourne being on the grid in Capris. indeed the last picture of post #87 of the Modified 70s and 80s Saloons - Picture Thread has both OSbourne and Tulloch starting the reverse grid race of the 82 Grand Prix weekend Sports Saloons race in Capris.
Sean

the merkur was a trans am car ex roush usa driven by scott pruitt etc
the capri, (with out looking) was likely the huxford car painted white

rogered wrote:the merkur was a trans am car ex roush usa driven by scott pruitt etc
the capri, (with out looking) was likely the huxford car painted white

Thanks for that, but the white Capri is definitely not the Huxford car as Huxford is in the race with the Capri painted black, the one I am referring to is a lower middle field runner which in, I think, the second race is almost lapped by the leaders.

Munty wrote:I think I can fill in a bit but I was only 5. Johns Cologne Capri caught fire at the second ess at Ruapuna after a fuel line came off and burnt to the ground while testing. He later then purchased the Tulloch Capri after initially Inky was going to loan it to him and therefore was probably maybe the only person who ever owned and raced 2 Cologne Capris. After finishing with the Capris he built the RX7 which was the one he had the big crash in at Puke. Hows that?

Thats great nice to kn ow my memory still works at least in part. that would have been when I was 10 or 11 so end 82 beginning 84?

sorry I meant end 83 or beginning 84

Yes Jac, you are right. The first Osborne Capri was the ex Halliday car. Osborne bought it off Danie Lupp, by which time it had been painted blue and was fitted with a V12 Jaguar motor, although I think Osborne bought it without an engine. After this car burnt to the ground he bought the ex-Fahey Capri off Tulloch.

seaqnmac27 wrote:Thanks for that, but the white Capri is definitely not the Huxford car as Huxford is in the race with the Capri painted black, the one I am referring to is a lower middle field runner which in, I think, the second race is almost lapped by the leaders.

Haha I think the white Capri was Dad, it was white at front and Dark Charcoal at back. I think this was when he decided to build the Commodore as he quickly realised his Capri was getting outdated especially by the Nth Island cars.

seaqnmac27 wrote:Thanks for that, but the white Capri is definitely not the Huxford car as Huxford is in the race with the Capri painted black, the one I am referring to is a lower middle field runner which in, I think, the second race is almost lapped by the leaders.

yeah just watched the manfield video and as munty says , its his dad.

rogered wrote:yeah just watched the manfield video and as munty says , its his dad.

Yep that's your dad Munty. North island capris were Huxford and other capri from up north island in those days was red and ended up white was a fella from Paeroa named Terry O'Brien, it was a quick and tidy machine as well and ran a 302. The engine ended in a jet boat. And Terry has found a fishing rod handy over the latter years.

Got more info on that car Rod? I'm not familiar with it.