Old Programmes, movies and memories from the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies.

[khyndart in CA]

I found another box of "stuff" that I had dragged back from Kiwitahi to California and although some of it has been presented before I feel one can never get too much of the racing history from the 50s and 60s etc. Some of the old Ardmore programmes give a wonderful insight to who,what and where some of the drivers and cars came from.
I used to cut out pictures from the NZ Herald and Weekly News and put them in scrapbooks and I wanted to share some of that also and encourage anyone else to share what they may have "tucked away" from this era.
I remember well helping my Dad as he sheared the sheep and listening to the 1961 NZGP on the radio and cheering on Bruce McLaren as he got close to Jack Brabham but wily Jack would not let him pass. That is why I started with that race first in this thread. What a magnificent lineup of drivers.

[khyndart in CA]

1961 New Zealand Grand Prix at Ardmore.
The driver lineup could not get any better. We were very fortunate back then to see such a great field.
I think we just took it for granted that it would always be like this.
Note in the movie how well all the drivers got along with each other. Even John Cooper is having fun !
( I know this has been shown before but what beach area are they at ?)
(Also note Bruce McLaren is listed as from Great Britain. This was because he was to be an international driver and could not win the First New Zealander home prize again ! )

A wonderful movie of the 1961 NZGP plus Dunedin road races. (Note the crowd size !)

[video=youtube;RmaIdYmWmiA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=RmaIdYmWmiA[/video]

[Rex Bentham]

Wow, what a lineup of drivers. Little wonder they drew such huge crowds.
I am wondering if there is any mention of a car I own, being entered in the sportscar races. Maybe 1958 or later.
White Jaguar XK150 FHC driven by Fred Crowther. Owner Bobby Wong.

[khyndart in CA]

Rex,
I am sorry I do not have a copy of the 1959 NZGP programme from Ardmore. I have the 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964 and 1969 Grand Prix programmes and I could not find your XK150 in any of those. It seems it was at the 1959 meet as you found out from Stu Buchanan.
"
("stubuchanan

05-24-2012, 10:44 AM

Bobby Wong was a top tennis player of the time - NZ under-19 champion in 1958 and under-17 champ in 1956. I think I remember him racing, maybe at Ardmore club circuit, but he must have been only 18 or 19 at the time. He entered the XK 150 for Crowther (?Frank) in the "Saloon Car" race at the 1959 GP meeting where Crowther was 3rd behind Archibald's XK150 and Gavin Quirk's 3.4 Jag.

Stu." )

So Rex, if anyone has the 1959 Ardmore programme out there it would neat to see your car on the entry list.
The 1959 programme cover would look like this ;

(Ken Hyndman)

[Rex Bentham]

Thanks Ken,
Apparently the car lost it's bonnet at a NSSC 1/4 mile sprint at Ardmore.
In an attempt to gain more power they tried to supercharge the engine, a Bill Sheilds worked
on the car. Bobby Wong sold it to Nado Dean July 1962.
BTW Bobby still lives in Auckland and I believe still plays the odd game of tennis.
Any more info on this car would be greatly appreciated.

[khyndart in CA]

Can someone tell me the beach / harbour that the drivers are enjoying themselves at in the movie, before the 1961 NZGP .

( Thanks, Ken Hyndman )

[Powder]

Wow, what a lineup of drivers. Little wonder they drew such huge crowds.
I am wondering if there is any mention of a car I own, being entered in the sportscar races. Maybe 1958 or later.
White Jaguar XK150 FHC driven by Fred Crowther. Owner Bobby Wong.

Hi Rex, Your car was entered in the 1959 Ardmore Saloon Car Race, not the Sports Car Race (just XK120's on that list).

Malcolm

[Oldfart]

Isn't that a classic list? (Post #7)

[Rex Bentham]

Malcolm,
Many thanks for that. Pure gold!!
Rhys,
Imagine getting even half that entry for Roycroft. Let it serve as an inspiration to anyone who has or
knows of any of those cars to get them ready for next year.
Just got to hang in there.

Rex

[ERC]

With double this year from 2014, hopefully, the impetus will be maintained. Interesting to see that it was a handicap race back then. Some interesting cars - Armstrong Siddeley and a Rover 90 for example, neither being known as front runners! Knock about a ton out of the Rover - would that be allowed Rhys?

[Oldfart]

Ray, read the last sentence in the header of the programme

[khyndart in CA]

1961 NZGP. Ardmore. January 7 th.
Some photos from my scrapbook. Thanks to the NZ Herald and Weekly News.
Start of the race.

Front row; Stirling Moss # 7, Bruce McLaren # 47, Jack Brabham # 4, Graham Hill, # 8,
Second row : Ron Flockhart # 3, Innes Ireland # 1, Roy Salvadori # 5, John Surtees # 2
Row 3 ; Dan Gurney (Not in picture) # 9, Denis Hulme # 20, Jim Clark # 6, Bib Stillwell
Row 4 ; visible is Arnold Glass # 10 and Angus Hyslop # 38
(Some great names in this lineup )

First corner photo. (College Corner ) 1961.
I liked this picture as it shows a talented driver,# 25 Joe Bonnier, he only lasted 1/2 a lap before his gearbox blew apart ! A week later Jo learned his father died back in Sweden and he went out and drove well and dedicated his win at Levin in honour of his father. (Ironically when I first travelled to Europe in June 1972, we landed in San Francisco and the newspaper headline was that Jo Bonnier had died while driving in the 1972 LeMans 24 hour race.)
It also shows how narrow the tires are and also the complete lack of roll bars.
Brave men indeed !

Compare that to a modern day Grand Prix first corner photo ! ( 2014)

(Ken Hyndman )

[khyndart in CA]

Stirling Moss at Ardmore in 1961. Lotus 18 (Chassis 376 ) Note the complete lack of roll bar and blunt styling.

Stirling Moss at Ardmore in 1962. Lotus 21 (Chassis 935 ) Note the much improved styling and roll bar. A major improvement in 12 months.

(Photo thanks to Bruce McLaren Trust 2003)

[khyndart in CA]

Dad had stopped the shearing and we were glued to the radio. Bruce McLaren was in the lead of the 1961 NZGP !

But it was not to last as Jack Brabham passed him and held him off for a close finish.

These photos bring back fond memories of time with my father as he did not live too much longer.
He died way too young.

( Ken Hyndman )

[khyndart in CA]

Ardmore. 1961. After the NZGP has finished. I think this is the last time that Brabham and McLaren finished 1st & 2nd in a major race together for the same team. Note in the background the amazing Lycoming Special that just kept going and going !

John Cooper proudly marches his "men" across the track after the race along with Denis Hulme and Tony Shelly.

(Photos from Weekly News )
Ken Hyndman's scrapbook.

[khyndart in CA]

Denis Hulme had a good battle with Scotch driver, Ron Flockhart during this NZGP and they became good friends after that. When Denis saw my Four Square pamphlet he mentioned this friendship as he signed it. This was at Laguna Seca in August 1992. Just a few weeks before Denis died at Bathurst.
Ron Flockhart had stayed at the Hulmes during the 1962 international series before he went to Australia and was also flying a P51 Mustang to try win the fastest flight for a prop driven plane from Sydney to London. Unfortunately he lost his life when the Mustang crashed in stormy weather near Kallista, Victoria,Australia in April 1962.

(Also note Bruce McLaren is listed as from Great Britain. This was because he was to be an international driver and could not win the First New Zealander home prize again ! )

[Grant Sprague]

Denis Hulme had a good battle with Scotch driver, Ron Flockhart during this NZGP and they became good friends after that. When Denis saw my Four Square pamphlet he mentioned this friendship as he signed it. This was at Laguna Seca in August 1992. Just a few weeks before Denis died at Bathurst.
Ron Flockhart had stayed at the Hulmes during the 1962 international series before he went to Australia and was also flying a P51 Mustang to try win the fastest flight for a prop driven plane from Sydney to London. Unfortunately he lost his life when the Mustang crashed in stormy weather near Kallista, Victoria,Australia in April 1962.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]27935[/ATTACH]

(Also note Bruce McLaren is listed as from Great Britain. This was because he was to be an international driver and could not win the First New Zealander home prize again ! )

Thank you Ken damn great photos , I never saw that race circuit was too young & lived in the SI........ hope you all good over there mate .. Kind regards Grant

[khyndart in CA]

Grant, I really appreciate your input. I kept entering memories from 1961 and no one entered any comments so to get a reply from you gives me a boost. (I thought you had given up on me !)
I have a special programme coming next from 1958 and I need you to work along with me on this one. OK ?
Cheers Ken.

[khyndart in CA]

Here is a map of the original Ardmore circuit. ( 2.0 mile lap )

[Grant Sprague]

Will do what I can brother ........but please know I do not have much history around that year as I was young =4 yrs old ........Nope I did not give up on you Ken you & a few others put photos up I have never ever seen before of past time as a kid Johnny Mansell was always in my mind it is just fantastic .... by the way I would like to find photos for family link of Gary he did 4 Bathursts & the cars were very cool in the mid 80s , Gary said he never had any of those so would be great if some one could drag them off the net I am not that good in that dept also a Wellington race he did with Greame Croz in one of the Nissan turbos, he did lots more racing than me , one of him & Dick Johnston in the telsar at Puke would be an other good one to add might be asking for too much but no harm in asking ...... Ken, Autumn setting in lovely time of year in Tauranga, we got to the beach a few times over at the mount just love the warm salt water my girls yell out "come back dad: I go way out lol ...ok we keep in touch mate ...... Grant .......