The Roaring Season

khyndart in CA wrote:Hello Kevin,
Yes, that is where I grew up. I spent a lot of time in the quarry with my Dad listening to a lot of the farmers telling stories of what
they went through during WW2 etc. Dad always worked hard but he always found time to time to take us to motor racing from Waharoa
Airport, Matamata, Mount Maunganui,Raglan, Ardmore, Western Springs and Pukekohe etc. Great memories.
Thanks for saying hello.

(Ken Hyndman )

Great to hear Ken, much the same scenario at Walton many years ago, The old airshows at Whaharoa etc, I also raced the grasstracks there & raglan Keripehi etc. also a few times at Puke, but more recently built a Lotus seven copy &raced allover the place with that, great times, great days, love the stuff you are seng into TRS, Cheers.

Thanks JM

Great photos Ken ,did the dummy and main grids at Pukekohe for many years in late 60's and early 70's ,put most of the famous names on grids there,wished i had had a digital camera then,remember once when my wife Cushla who used contact lenses,the old hard type,which flicked out on the dummy grid just before race start,here were all the top line saloon drivers ,Paul Fahey etc,crawling around on their hands and knees trying to find the lens [which we didnt],it was like a family in those days everyone new everyone else grand old days.Raced at Keripehi also and Te Awamutu in my Mini 850 !!

rogered wrote:Thanks JM

Rodger- just a little taster from autoNEWS vol 3 number 5 18 Sept 1969-

"I personally tossed up between a sports car and a Formula F5000, but after a discussion with my sponsors, we leased the T70."

Will have this article for you, also several on the Elfin 400.
Also if Grant Sprague wants to show up- can have the articles on Garry and Ernie

John, had chat with Grant yesterday, and reckons he will be at HD, be great to catch up.

October 1969.
Jim Boyd's opposition came mainly from this car. Grahame Harvey's well prepared Elfin Chevrolet.




(Ken Hyndman )

Pukekohe. Nov 1970.

Garry Pedersen drove this stunning looking sports car. The Gemco Olds.
This car originally started out as a Lotus 18/21 and driven by Tony Shelly, later by Johnny Riley.
It had a 3.5 litre Olds engine with Traco parts.
In all its history it never looked better than this.



(Ken Hyndman )

Real Canam styling- right down to the kiwi

Nov. 1970. Pukekohe.
Paul Fahey,s Cambridge Racing Team Mustang.
Later to be the PDL Mustang. Was there ever a better Mustang anywhere ?
The number 104 remained on this car over many seasons.

"This car is a genuine KK Boss 429 mustang that was imported to NZ by Paul Fahey in late 1970 without its motor and transmission, and was fitted with a 351C HO motor. It was initially campaigned in Cambridge Racing Team colours, but with only mixed success at first. "
Quote from NZMustang.com





(My young nephew showing me what a cool car this was. Amen to that ! )

(Ken Hyndman )

Here is a small example of the Cambridge Racing Team colours that I could not show in the B&W photos. (Thanks to NZ Classic Car article)



Ken Hyndman.

(Soon I will be off to Oz ...Feb. 1970 )

1970
I went to Sydney in Feb. 1970 and worked in a Holden dealership in Woolloomoolo which was quite a change from Morrinsville and living at home with my Mum !
I went to the Warwick Farm track a couple of times. I was having trouble with this camera but I thought I would share some of these photos anyway. (Please excuse the quality )
My first impression was of how wide the track was as compared to Bay Park and I thought this must be like being at Indianapolis !
A course worker warned me to get out of the way as I photographed this first corner and thought of all the great drivers that had passed through here.



(Ken Hyndman )

Hi John & Rod, I will come up to the Feb meet............ Mike Fiest will be there to collect some piks from Steve at ice breaker to restart the Sprague piks ..[which is much appreciated...... Thanks Steve for the starting of it & Mike for continuation ........... as Steve has bigger work load now than ever writing books etc .... Thanks keep cool .. Grant

Hey Grant
I think you hit the wrong key !
Talk to me Big Guy !

Ken

Rod Grimwood wrote:John, had chat with Grant yesterday, and reckons he will be at HD, be great to catch up.

opppps replied to this but scroll down lol sorry

khyndart in CA wrote:Hey Grant
I think you hit the wrong key !
Talk to me Big Guy !

Ken

Hi Ken hope you all good over there ........ kind regards Grant

Warwick Farm. 1970
Pete/ Ian Geoghegan's 1967 GTA Mustang with 302 engine is prepared in the pit area.
In the background Leo Geoghegan is working on getting his Lotus 59 prepared also.



(Ken Hyndman )

Warwick Farm. 1970.
Geoghegan brothers preparing their cars before entering the battle fields.
I think that is Pete with the tie on. (Correct me if I am wrong please )
Leo is on the ground sorting gear ratios for his Lotus 59.



(Ken Hyndman )

Warwick Farm. 1970
Leo Geoghegan in his Lotus 59B. Having adjustments made in the pits.
This car had a Waggot TC4V motor. 2 Litres based on a Cortina block. Twin OHC with 4 valves per cylinder.
It was a good enough combination to win the Australian Championship in 1970.



(Ken Hyndman )

Warwick Farm. 1970
Allan Moffat's 1969 Mach 1 302 Mustang sits in the paddock waiting to do battle with the 1967 Mustang of Pete Geoghegan.



(Ken Hyndman )

Warwick Farm. 1970.
I tried to capture one of the great races between Geoghegan and Moffat. They went at it like this lap after lap. Note the corner is coming up and I wonder who braked first ! (great stuff )

(Apparently another spectator at this race was a "Des Wall, who successfully bid $ 322,000
for the Geoghegan Mustang at the Shannons Sydney Motor Show 3 years ago and is enjoying every moment with it.") (Uniquecarsmag.com.au )
I think it is great these cars are kept in their former glory. They were wonderful times for racing.



(Ken Hyndman )