Northern Sports Car Club - the early years.

[Roger Dowding]

" Autocross at Tom Grace's farm on March 3, 1974 ",

Thanks for the results Milan.

Ross has discovered 3 photos of the Mini at this event at Tom Grace's farm on March 3, 1974, and we have worked out that the Autocross photo of the Mini posted earlier is from an event previous to these three - there is no NSCC sticker on the windscreen now and the number plate has been moved to the bumper.

The 3 Dennis Green photos - raising quite a bit of dust ..

Only had one photo of the car competing, until now. 47 years later I have four !. These things take time.

[Roger Dowding]

" It is a long story, to be told later, but here are a couple of photos of a Ford Fairmont, being driven hard in 1975 ..".

The Dennis Green photos of a Ford Fairmont FW2991, were believed to be of Tom Grace - the event held at his farm in Woodhill, however Robyn Grace, Tom's daughter says no it isn't, - presume she had shown a photo to Tom who is turning 80 about now..

Regardless of who is driving here are a few more of the Fairmont at the same event from the Dennis Green negatives that Ross Cammick is scanning and saving. [ and sharing ].

[Roger Dowding]

A couple of the real Tom Grace in his Falcon GT - when Clerk of the Course for the NSCC Woodhill Rally in 1977

Photo entitled " Building the Yump " - Woodhill Rally 1978 - Tom Grace in the tractor

Tom holding an original copy of a 1977 Woodhill photo ; Mark Parsons archives.

[Roger Dowding]

Photos by Dennis Green, part of a series being posted by Ross Cammick on " Old New Zealand Motor Racing ".
17th March 1974 was a Closed Club event, and at the end of the month was a Bardahl Series [ round 4 ] event.

Photos below appear to be mainly from the the Bardahl event as some cars have their Club banners on the side MGCC and TSCC - [ Triumph Sports Car Club ] which by 1978 when i joined was called Triumph Car Club.

Some cars tie in with the results the Subaru and the Marina and probably the MG Midget - one of several MGCC competitors in the Sports car Class. The Triumph GT6 indicated as Pat Boyer, by the Fb page notes but not in the entry list.
Questions ??
Anyway - the photos Dennis Green, and the results from Milan Fistonic.
any corrections / comments appreciated-

The Results ;

[khyndart in CA]

Roger,
Was that Rod Millen that came 1st in a Buggy in the Sports/ Racing class?
This was a steppingstone on the way to a wonderful career and also helped him master the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in Colorado.

(Ken H)

[Roger Dowding]

aa

[Roger Dowding]

Roger,
Was that Rod Millen that came 1st in a Buggy in the Sports/ Racing class?
This was a steppingstone on the way to a wonderful career and also helped him master the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in Colorado.

(Ken H)

Yes that would be Rod Millen, both he and Steve Millen ran the Buggy [ were there more than one I do not remember.
The Buggy was run at the NSCC Woodhill Rally in the mid 1970's with a steel or aluminium plate as a roof attached to the rollcage to classify the car as closed which made scrutineering and entry easier, and the car safer, i would think.
Have the results for the 1974 Woodhill, must check them out and add here if they mention the Millen's .

watch this space ;

later,
No Millens in a Buggy at the 1974 Woodhill, others were entered but not many ran ..

Page three of the entry / results from John Coker another NSCC guy at the time .He was a DNS too.

Well here are the full results, pages one and two - if seen before then my bad .. oops !!
keeps the story together.

A few well known drivers fell over too !!

[khyndart in CA]

Roger,
Excuse me for drifting off the topic but,,,
Here is a FB photo of a Millen buggy probably at their Mt. Albert home.

In the background is the yellow Hillman Cob which lined up beside my brother John in his Mini Cooper at Pukekohe. Nov. 1970.

(Listing thanks to Milan )

(Ken H)

[Roger Dowding]

" Here is a FB photo of a Millen buggy probably at their Mt. Albert home. "
The Cob beside it ... So !!

Would like to borrow the photos Ken and the writeup from Milan for the Hillman Commer Cob group on Facebook, if that is OK Guys ??

Cheers
Roger.

PS not " drifting off " or " sidetracking ", as we appreciate your " inputs " Ken H - and Milan too, meaning that I do, very much - all adds to the stories.

R

[Roger Dowding]

Getting back on the track - the Rally Track - following on from the Tom Grace posts, and the Full Entry List results form John Coker for the 1974 NSCC Woodhill Rally - here is this from the NSCC magazine " Club Torque ". thanks to Milan Fistonic.

The highlighted results - Overall and Class wins and trophies.
NSCC guys will know that Graham Knight - who put up a bottles of wine from his Pharmacy was part of the Skoda Rally Team, and President of NSCC during the 1970's -80's - have the detail somewhere, and it is back in the thread,many posts ago.

The " Club Torque " page.

[Roger Dowding]

People not cars this time ;

The Starters / Finishers at work;

a couple of photos unearthed from Dennis Green archives by Ross Cammick ;

The photos were in an envelope marked " January 1978 " and thought to be from aAutocross /Sprint at Ridge Road.

Milan Fistonic notes the following ;
" There was a Bent Sprint run by the Pukekohe Car Club on a grass track in Ridge Road advertised in the NSCC's Club Torque for 26 March 1978. A Closed Club Autocross was run at Peter Hildreth's farm on Kiwitahi Road, Woodhill on 5 March 1978."
Milan also noted there was an " Autocross " at Tom Grace Farm on 8 January 1978.

Rod Peat - in the second photo said that " It was the Sunday before he got married ".

With Tom and Rod doing the starting would seem to be an NSCC event and most likely the 8th of January event at Tom's place;

more to come on this story;

The Boys and Girls running the event with the NSCC Caravan at the back ;
Same Day - same shorts same shirts for Tom and Rod..

There are photos of cars too !!.
Some may follow this post later, once gathered together.

[Roger Dowding]

Faily sure this is / was at Tom Grace Farm at Woodhill.

The cars

The Eggelton Brothers Vitesse 6 powered Triumph - in a Herald body/chassis single headlights could just be a Herald bonnet .

thought to be David Thexton Datsun 1200 - great car in its time.

More to come - some of the same cars.

[Roger Dowding]

More from Dennis Green.

[Roger Dowding]

There is a plan for a Celebration by " The Older Guard " of the Club to hold an event at the Clubrooms in Mount Richmond Domain in August 2022 .. Rod Peat, Mal Clark and others are giving advanced notice.
There does not appear to be anything " Official " from the Club.
We shall wait and see !!.

2022 would be the 80th Anniversary of the first gatherings of the group that formed the Club in 1943 - when it was Incorporated in October of 1943 - all this with a War going on..
All sorts of restrictions - petrol and food rationing, etc,

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Plans for the Event are progressing and contributions to Story boards are sought.
Rod Peat has asked for some of my 1940's images and there are others from the Arthur Siddall Album collection now with Duncan Fox, as well as images and comments posted by Milan Fistonic, Bob Homewood, Trevor Sheffield and others.

I would like to add the items from Milan, Bob, Trevor and the others to help Rod Peat and other put a visual story together to celebrate not only 50 years of the Clubrooms but the Club earlier History 1942 to 1972.

[Trevor Sheffield]

It should be emphasized that when first established, membership was restricted to those owning a true sports car. However it was quickly accepted that this was much too restrictive and was amended to cover open cars with a folding hood. Subsequently this restriction was altered such that saloon cars could not exceed open cars.

As time passed this requirement became passed over and somewhat sadly the club lost its original prospectus and identity. At the time when I joined, the club enjoyed a degree of sophistication which unfortunately, quite quickly became lost.

[Roger Dowding]

Trevor, an interesting comment " At the time when I joined, the club enjoyed a degree of sophistication which unfortunately, quite quickly became lost. " which is echoed here in a different way.
An extract from New Zealand Classic Car - Limited Edition Collectors Series #2, a story about Ron Roycroft, in the period 1948.

The Middle paragraph about the NZMRDC and NSCC - a comparison - not too PC in this modern world.

They mention Racing at Seagrove beginning in 1948, but from other reading talks of Racing in 1949 with the " Season Opener " run by the Competitors Car Club in November 1948, and from the Arthur Siddall albums there is a page captioned Seagrove 1947, which may have been Sprints, not Races.

Trevor may know more - Would like to know when you first joined ? , If I may Trevor ?? .
More for the History of the Club .. From 1942 to now 2022

[Trevor Sheffield]

Trevor, an interesting comment " At the time when I joined, the club enjoyed a degree of sophistication which unfortunately, quite quickly became lost. " which is echoed here in a different way.
An extract from New Zealand Classic Car - Limited Edition Collectors Series #2, a story about Ron Roycroft, in the period 1948.

The Middle paragraph about the NZMRDC and NSCC - a comparison - not too PC in this modern world.

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They mention Racing at Seagrove beginning in 1948, but from other reading talks of Racing in 1949 with the " Season Opener " run by the Competitors Car Club in November 1948, and from the Arthur Siddall albums there is a page captioned Seagrove 1947, which may have been Sprints, not Races.

Trevor may know more - Would like to know when you first joined ? , If I may Trevor ?? .
More for the History of the Club .. From 1942 to now 2022

I have no records, but I would say that I joined the NSCC 1948/49. I remember that I was able to quote ownership of a qualifying car in that I was building my Fiat 509 Special. My first NSCC event with the car was the North Island Hill Climb Championship, Wairamara, where as I recall, a ran second to Ralph Watson driving his BSA Special, in the 1100 cc division. I think George Smith gained FTD, with Ron Roycroft close, driving his Bugatti.

I remember being envious of drivers of the faster cars which were sliding round last corner on the sealed surface and thinking, if only I had more power I could have fun doing that. A good crowd of spectators was on hand and an enthusiastic PA announcer set quite a scene.

[Roger Dowding]

Trevor, Thank you for that.

I have just been going through your great book " Ralph Watson - Special Engineer " as has details of many NSCC events that Ralph's cars and the ones he worked on for the Roycrofts competed in.

Another question ?
There is mention in the Scott Thomson book " Up to Speed " the Ron Roycroft story about NSCC holding a gravel Hill Climb at " Mt Shelscott " in May 1947, but no indication of where that might be ??.

Current Maps - " Google " do not recognise the name - maybe it has reverted to it traditional " Maori " name, or is an unofficial name.
Would imagine that it is in the area between Kaukapakapa across to Orewa, in the North and Glen Murray, Onewhero in the Waikato as a Southern point, looking at other events the Club held all those years ago

Thanks again,

Have the article about your Fiat and images suitably saved in my information on Motoring Memorabilia,
Roger

[Milan Fistonic]

The North Island Hill Climb Championship at Wairamarama on 21st March 1953

[Trevor Sheffield]

Thanks Milan,

After so many years, I now appreciate that my Fiat 509 Special, built at a total cost of less than around the then 200 pounds, was faster than Bruce McLarn's Ulster Austin, which was a quite smart piece of kit. I have never considered myself to rate among N Z special builders, but as of now am inclined to have a change of mind. LOL The special was fun to drive having two gear levers operating a two speed rear end and crash three speed gear box.