The Roaring Season

Time now for another installment from the Allan Porter Collection of early New Zealand drag racing photos.

We've already seen the evolution of both the early drag strips, from gravel surface, through closed off roads, circuit racing tracks, and airbase runways, through the opening couple of years at Meremere, New Zealands first purpose built drag racing facility.

Now we continue our way through the 1970s, as race cars themselves evolve. While the top-end cars are becoming more like those racing in the US, there is still a very strong club level to the sport, with hobby racers driving their cars to the track, or racing cars that are essentially modified road cars.

For those of you who were in this scene during this time, keep a look out. You just might spot yourself in the crowd.

Kicking things off, these were the types of cars typically driven by young Kiwis wanting to go fast in the '70s; Falcon hardtop, Capri, Torana, etc.

Sorry, no details on this one. Maybe someone here can help? Check out the competition in the other lane!

This cool 1964 Ford Fairlane was a New Zealand Hot Rod Magazine project car of the time. Awesome Keystone mags on the back. Where is it now?

Apparently the cows didn't mind the noise.

Dave Green's '56 Chevy. Is this the same Dave Green who these days races a wild Corvette Top Doorslammer?

These shoebox Fords were a common sight in NZ, as they were available new. They also made pretty cool custom and drag cars. I don't know if this was a factory 2 door or if someone converted it.

Rosies Roost. Paul Rose has been involved in NZ dag racing all his life. He was my boss for a short time at Appco Autoparts in Lower Hutt for a short time back about 2002. He used to spend half his day swearing and cursing at the computer system. He hated it!

Check out the cool cars in the background.

Rosie again, from another angle.

Shadwick brothers V8 Jeep.

Alan Edwards Corvette.

Dave Loose and his '57 Chevy 2 door hardtop. I featured Dave in one of my books, and visited him at his house in Auckland where he had a cool car collection and some neat automobilia. He told me the story about this Chevy, and how he bought it in the US in the late '60s/early '70s for about $200. He was living there at the time and these old cars weren't worth anything.

Clever overlay image from Allan of the Peter Lodge Topolino.

Graham Christison's Ford Pop.

Dave Chung's T Bucket.

Bill Ward in T Roadster. He was trialling the small block Chevy that would be fitted to his Bonneville racer.

Butch Reid and his Ford Pop. Note driver seating position.

Another Ford Pop. Guy Lim.

Lou Wymer and the Donovan powered Clarkson/Wymer dragster.

Battle of the 6-banger T Buckets. Warren Anderson versus Fred Harrop.