Where Are All The '70s And '80s Photos?

[Steve Holmes]

When I created this website, one of my goals was to coax peoples old personal motor racing photo collections out of their closets and basements. And already I've been completely amazed by what has emerged. But I think the thing that has surprised me the most is that most of the collections centre around the mid-1960s through to 1971 period. Very little has emerged from the mid and late 1970s, or the 1980s.

Photography equipment during the 1960s was much more basic and expensive, yet most of the photo collections that have emerged have been from this period. I know there were many more people taking photos in the mid-70s through 1980s, but where have all these collections got to?

So this is my own personal quest to coax some of those '70s and '80s collections out of peoples garages that haven't seen the light of day for many years. You guys on here who were taking photos during this period, post what you have here, just so we can enjoy it. Its all gold to us, and we appreciate whatever we can get!

[neale]

The 70's - 80's is a grey area for me. I've been through dads collection which is from the late 60's to early 70's (I just have to get some gear to scan slides) then he lost interest in racing beause of family commitments (my fault, lol) then it wasnt till I got old enough to get into cars that we started to get back to the race tracks around the late 90's.

If anyones interested in stuff from that era I can scan some of the pics in & post them up

[Steve Holmes]

Hell yeah! Please do post them up, folk on here would absolutely love to see them. But when you do, please create a dedicated thread for them so they can be fully appreciated.

[hilstwist]

Steve, I think you have a dvd I sent with pics of a early mid 80s B&H. The next one i have to send you is of 1980 ish Formula Pacific GP at Puke. Millen/Oxton etc

[Carlo]

Sorry just about all my ones along with my magazine collection were damaged beyond salvation during the Pleasant Point flood so I am who is enjoying what I see displayed on these pages too

[Steve Holmes]

Ahh, thats a shame Carlo, sorry to hear that.

[Steve Holmes]

Steve, I think you have a dvd I sent with pics of a early mid 80s B&H. The next one i have to send you is of 1980 ish Formula Pacific GP at Puke. Millen/Oxton etc

I do indeed Steve, thanks. I'll be posting those in the coming weeks. Looking forward to the next instalment!

[ERC]

Simple Steve. When I look at my drawers full of slides and piles of negatives, many were taken before family commitments effectively wiped out a lot of late 1970 & 1980's regular spectating, but also when competing, few pics were taken.

The other issue is that at Pukekohe over the years, photo opportunities disappeared when access was denied to the outside of the hairpin and the inside of Jennian. Unless you had a camera with a good long lens, it wasn't worth wasting film. The same applied to many other tracks. Spectators were pushed further back and/or behind wire fences.

[hilstwist]

You know what, thats right I took photos from inside the track in the 60s and early 70s at puke. at the 67 or 68 gp meeting i was positioned at that fast left hander after the hairpin at the end of the back straight, I now remember not too many years after that I couldn"t get there. Good point.

[GD66]

In those days, and upon discovering I was at best an ordinary photographer, I packed it in. I soon spotted the likes of Jack Inwood and Terry Marshall getting right in there for their excellent images, knew I'd see their best in the mags, and concentrated on the race, the cars, the thrill, the sounds. That's why this forum is like a goldmine to me, as these gems from the distant past continue to be unearthed. Thank you, all.

[stubuchanan]

Like some others, my 1970's and 1980's were a time of bringing up family, trying to get ahead in the work arena, and while I still bought the usual motor magazines/papers I didn't attend so many race meetings. Also, there was more local motor sport on TV so I could still get my 'fix' from the armchair.

Another development over that period was in the rally scene, and I probably went to plenty of special stages on the NZ Rally from late 70's on. Maramarua, Woodhill, Riverhead Forests, and the various stages around the Kaipara and Paparoa-Waipu areas were favourites, and maybe I had got disenchanted with photography for a while - don't seem to have taken many shots at all. Certainly no memorable ones.

Stu

[neale]

Hell yeah! Please do post them up, folk on here would absolutely love to see them. But when you do, please create a dedicated thread for them so they can be fully appreciated.

will do then. Let the scanning begin!!

[Steve Holmes]

Neale, how are those pics coming along?

[Steve Emson]

Sorry just about all my ones along with my magazine collection were damaged beyond salvation during the Pleasant Point flood so I am who is enjoying what I see displayed on these pages too

Talk about floods!, somewhere in the 1970's, don't know where, or when.

[Grant Sprague]

Hi Stev , re you & I GTX series , I hunted for the Fait 128s I found the 3 wheeling south island car [some photos 70s & 80s] also of us at Bay park I know I have it [ yet to go through more photos ] & will wait til i get that & compile them to gether & add here or on GTX thread, I have some others re hill climbs of my cars before & after we meet .Hey meet up with Kerry {Grant] to day we had a coffee & some good catch up times we go back a long time when your dad & Kerry were racing 186 xu1;s against Ernie in ghto , in fact I was a fan of Kerry as a boy, Ernie seemed ok with that lol [But our Dads are our real heros ] Talk soon .. Grant

[Steve Emson]

Re Kerry Grant, Dad has always spoken very highly of Kerry. I think it goes back to the A40?? days. Of course my Dad was my hero as you would expect, as I know just how good he was and could be if he applied himself, but Dad being Dad, he just bought a car , never did anything much to it, maybe knock the hubcaps off, and race it. He never did any development to any of his cars, that did annoy me as a boy a little. In equal cars, he was very fast........................, just seat of the pants talent. The interesting thing is he highly respected several drivers. I always listened very carefully to what he said.

[Oldfart]

As you should Steve. Your Dad was a hell of a talent, and Mr Nice Guy to go with it. Real gentleman.

[Grant Sprague]

Re Kerry Grant, Dad has always spoken very highly of Kerry. I think it goes back to the A40?? days. Of course my Dad was my hero as you would expect, as I know just how good he was and could be if he applied himself, but Dad being Dad, he just bought a car , never did anything much to it, maybe knock the hubcaps off, and race it. He never did any development to any of his cars, that did annoy me as a boy a little. In equal cars, he was very fast........................, just seat of the pants talent. The interesting thing is he highly respected several drivers. I always listened very carefully to what he said.

Steve, the main thing is yr Dad did well what he did & I would say enjoyed it to boot, today as we know its a different ball game even at club level the fun has drifted away as egos get high.I have a news paper cutting of [pic] Ralf , Ernie & JR at Levels the 3 standing on podium.
Yes Kerry raced two A 40s one had Denny Hulmes 1000cc formular junior engine I only found that out yesterday, i only really got to know Kerry when he raced the ex UK lotus cortina owned by len southward I would have been about 10 yrs old , later he did some puke long distance races, plus the xu1 gtx only to get punted by Leo at Bay Park when sitting side ways on the track with Leo know where to go was not a good day & also a brabham he raced here & an other single seater that turned into nothing , & a few races in aussie he lost nerve when a friend got killed in an other brabham [I think] in front of him, Roly told me the same story, would not be easy but can see Roly forging a head in same meeting if memory correct warrick farm was the track, gee we are drifting back now in time but hey its all good .
Have you meet up with Steve Hammond [ex kiwi Tauranga] over there he is right into Realestate,cars , boats etc , always nice to catch up with you Steve , take it easy .....Grant .....ps tell me a bit more about yr Falcon you [raced]
You mentioned you could have bought Jims Mustang some years ago , a fellow pre 65 Competitor restored ithere know doubt you know the story, I meet up with Jim [as him & Gary were good friends on & off the track ] at Dennys funeral we went into town [Tauranga] him my self & Brian [the syndney based ford wrecker] it was a BIG Night still talked about if you do see him give him my hello. ok mate this time.............. Grant

[Carlo]

As you should Steve. Your Dad was a hell of a talent, and Mr Nice Guy to go with it. Real gentleman.

He still is

[Rascal]

Ruapuna Park chch, around 1970 71 Ernie Sprague & Ron Mcphail on the front row
2nd pic is Levels Raceway Timaru around 1970-71, Gerald Hargreaves 38 Chev with 272 "Y" block.