The Roaring Season

Peter and Maggie Blankstone's GT40 at Prescott Hillclimb.



Willie Green in the GP Delage at the reopening of Donington May 28th 1977. Yes, the sun does shine in the UK now and again...



There is a very tenuous NZ connnection here. Curborough sprint course and Arthur Nash in the 1293cc Turner. Arthur is I think a distant relative of one Walter Nash. Arthur also built the 1293cc Mini engine I have under my work bench.



For Austin Healey fans.



As I was flagging at this event, I didn't get a programme so can anyone please supply a date? Richard Pilkington's glorious Lago-Talbot or is it Talbot-Lago...

ERC wrote:For Austin Healey fans.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]13464[/ATTACH]

From the 2011 Australian GP

As I was flagging at this event, I didn't get a programme so can anyone please supply a date? Clive Pilkington's glorious Lago-Talbot or is it Talbot-Lago...


He's Richard Pilkington in the programme and the car is a Talbot Lago.

The Pukekohe meeting was held on February 1, 1987.

Milan Fistonic wrote:He's Richard Pilkington in the programme and the car is a Talbot Lago.

Yes, recognisably Richard Pilkington

Lago-Talbot is a common (though incorrect) description. Guess it just sounds better (like D-type Jaguar or 250F Maserati)

Thanks for the above - both posts. Milan, that helps me a great deal as I managed several pics that day as they have been sitting in a folder "TBD" (to be dated), for far too long.

Nice pics of the Healey now in Australia. Amazing how these cars pop up so far from home!

Another of Dad's of course. The wonderfully named Bluebelle Gibbs, with her HRG. Husband Len was also a keen racer.






Paul Leuch in his Lister Jaguar - Pukekohe before ripple strips replaced the earth bank. Was this car destroyed by fire in East Tamaki or was it rescued and shipped off to the UK?




This was Lotus state of the art motorhome at the time. Fortunately it has now gone to a good home on the south coast of England and it is in very original condition, being sympathetically restored -and used. Compared to today's luxury F1 motorhomes, it is surprisingly basic.

This was taken at a Silverstone test session, probably 1976, but I am really not sure, as I do have a pic taken in 1977 at the British F1 GP, so it might even be early 1977. Accurately dating pics from sessions like this is almost impossible as I wasn't keeping a diary from 1970 to 1990!



There was a very successful MGA (and also an MG T series) championship running in the late 1970s and although I know this is Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire, once again, no date.



Nicky Ellis in the very successful Cowgate sponsored Lotus Elan. The stars on the side reflect the race wins. Apparently this very potent car was eventually shipped to the USA.



A more recent pic (2012). This very rare Q type MG is undergoing a full restoration in Sydney. The quality of the restoration, in what is effectively a private workshop, is just stunning. The figures spoken of the cost of purchase and the cost of restoration (for a paying customer) made my eyes water...

Shame they don't have the (noisy) racers any more...

I remember seeing that green D-Type OKV 3 at Manfeild. It was magnificent - a reminder of the days when Angus Hyslop used to drive his white one from the Hawkes Bay to Levin, race it and then drive home again.

Hey come on ERC surely Oldfart could have a photo? You would have had plenty of time!

Oldfart wrote:Hey come on ERC surely Oldfart could have a photo? You would have had plenty of time!

If I understood the post and the meaning, maybe you could!!!

ERC wrote:If I understood the post and the meaning, maybe you could!!!

Sorry, Oldfart was competing, #91 (and slow)

Happy now?!!! I do have another that shows you sans helmet, but thought I'd better respect your privacy, ditto #7.

Thanks I sincerely appreciate it!

PM sent ERC

Barrie wrote:...a reminder of the days when Angus Hyslop used to drive his white one from the Hawkes Bay to Levin, race it and then drive home again.

And much further - he even drove it to the South Island circuits, usually with mechanic Bill Hanna squashed into the passenger seat. I think all the car's owners drove it to circuits - certainly Simon Taylor (next owner after Hyslop) did

ERC wrote:Paul Leuch in his Lister Jaguar - Pukekohe before ripple strips replaced the earth bank. Was this car destroyed by fire in East Tamaki or was it rescued and shipped off to the UK? [ATTACH=CONFIG]13470[/ATTACH]

It can't have been as badly damaged as reported, becuase PL raced it again a year or two later. And yes, it's now back in the UK

I am shure Dave will tell us about just how bad it was along with the toothpaste car when he recovers from his trip to Canada, I think it was close to a write off ,he may explane how its a replicar as well!!

I don't know how badly damaged either car was. They were reportedly destroyed in the fire, but the Lister seems to have been rebuilt in NZ. The Connaught was salvable, apart from the body. The streamliner bodywork which Paul sometimes used was somewhere else, so undamaged, and the car was rebuilt in England with that body. I was told by the owner that he was going to have it racing in 2012, but it didn't happen

(Or were you referring to Dave Silcock?)

I just love cars from the front engined era. They all looked different and had heaps of character. They make a far better pic than any of today's today's single seaters and these days they are presented so superbly. Donington, possibly 1979 - Connaught of course...



Part of the brilliant Connaught display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.



Tony Vandervell's Thinwall Special - Donington Museum. Acquired because Vandervell had lost patience with the BRM V16. I think a lot of people have lost patience with the V16 as even Nick Mason has passed his on to Bernie Ecclestone. Bernie must have the most amazing collection of race cars anywhere, but as far as I am aware, it is definitely not open to the public.



I don't care how flawed it was/is, it still has a magic that no other car could possibly generate. Today's rice burner buyers couldn't possibly comprehend 500bhp from 1500cc, 60 years ago...



Sadly, these icons occasionally get dinged but we are so grateful that the owners even allow them into the public arena at all.