Post by Go Slideways on Jan 9, 2011 23:52:27 GMT 12
On my way back from a BombsAway job in Wellington recently, I had the privilage and pleasure of meeting former Palmerston North Panther, Paul Ireland.
Paul runs a very successful digger/drain business in Levin and it was there that I had a couple of cold ones with him in his site office. The office walls are covered with memories of Pauls racing and of his interest in bikes and hot rods.
Paul and his wife are both active members of their local Hot Rod Club.
The car Paul campained during the 80's was the very fast & reliable 14p Clifford Six, built by Russel Harvey.
I still remember Pauls car in Palmy from the early 80's - it had quite a different sound.
The truck Paul used to get his car to the track was the same one which was used by former PN Stockcar racer Betty White.
I asked Paul what was his most memorble moment of his speedway career, and whithout any hesitation he said "getting asked by Dave Evans to drive in the Panthers team, I'll never forget it." Paul considers Dave to be a man of principles, values and respect with great courage "I'd do anything for that guy" is what Paul said to me.
On the night of his selection for the Panthers Paul had travelled to Meeanee to race but the meeting was rained off early, so he decided to boot it down to Te Marua and race there for the night. A pretty uneventful start to the night until Panther Gary Parkes gearbox disintergrated just before the Palmerston North teams race against the Wellington Wildcats.
The General Dave Evans approached Paul and asked him to join the team, he was honoured and more than a bit nervous.
Paul's race instructions were simple, just destroy the opposition.
By the end of Paul's very first lap he had rolled a Wildcat car...
By the end of Paul's 2nd lap he had eliminated another Wildcat car with a hard hitting roll.
With Paul's help the Panthers went on to win.
Paul drove for the Panthers 4 times and he also drove for the Pumas 4 times as well.
The Legend Dave Evans 6p outside Paul Ireland 14p.
Wicked exhaust which sounded raspy and loud.
sorry about the quality of the next pic, it's a photo of a photo which has been sitting in pride of place in Pauls office hut for a few years.
I shall return to the Horowhenua soon in the hope of capturing a quality copy of this image to post here.
1987/88 Panthers from left to right 45p Marty Jones,14p Paul Ireland,22p Bernie Shorthall(spelling?)and 51p Paul Grant
I asked Paul what advice he could offer to someone about to go Stockcar racing, he said "be familiar with your car".
I asked Paul why he stoped racing and he said to me that he copped a good hit from a guy call Baxter from Wanganui at Palmy one night which hurt the fluid in his spine and he was laid up for a few weeks.
After that Paul decided to concentrate on putting 100% into growing his new business.
Paul has a very large series of sheds and he likes to collect things that he likes or that are just interesting.
He took me on a brief tour of his shed and here are just some of the cool things I saw;
1938 Chev truck about to be hot rodded. Bet it turns out mean.
1960 Fairlaine State Trooper
Paul built this car himself over 3 weeks using parts, panels and pieces from 3 different cars. Runs a worked 351
Ennis never had his ears on in this car, far too loud.
Bourbon County - this car was Pauls Beach Hopp staff car last year
Paul has also been a keen competitor and follower of modifieds midgets and solo's over the years.
He raced a midget with a worked Triumph Speed Twin motor for a while.
Paul has just returned from the Burt Munrow bike week held down near Invercargil, and he had a ball. There are various events on over the week but one that impressed Paul was the running of 55 solo races at one meeting and still finishing on time.
Paul usually gets around the country on his 1942 Indian 500 (bored out to 600), it's not that fast or comfortable, so a local business ,Roxannes, sponsored Paul the use of a motorised arm chair in the form of a 1450 Harley Davidson Heritage for the trip.
Another cycle in Pauls collection is the first ever mobility scooter in New Zealand for "Invalid & Disabled" veterens of war who had their legs blown off.
It is powered by a Villiers motor and starts while seated by a hand crank.
Through another room I spied the cool Mustang caravan that Paul built
Then I saw the Bad One
The motor is a very blown 302 which has been stroked to 337
Big Bad Bug catcher
Complete with old school shifter, Paul drives this one like it should be driven, hard out.
Bad 66
Paul also collects bikes, one of them was the one that I spent most of the 4th & 5th form dreaming of owning - the mighty 1978 Yamaha TT 500.
This one is complete original and mint.
In 1978 this was the king pin 4 stroke dirt bike for the time, but there was just 18 months to go before Honda launched the first XR 500's
From my pics... 1978 SP 370 Yamaha, photo taken at Feilding racecourse during the 1980 Manfeild open day.
Paul also has a number of Zenith motorcycles awaiting restoration.
In another corner lies a complete classic Escort Rally Car
Another wall behind the back bar had some cool old grilles
Betty Boop's flamed bonnet behind the bar is off a '60 Fairlane
The ceiling above the main bar is adorned with many very old bicycles, and other things.
In another corner was NZ's first farm bike, called a GNAT, doesn't look to be much of a handler over the hills - I guess that's why you don't see them these days. That, plus their weird name.
In yet another part of the complex I spotted this V8 Ford Pick Up awaiting a tune up and I made several hints to my sponsor that it'd make a great BombsAway work ute (or staff car)....a bit later on in our tour Paul explained to us that the reason he's got so much stuff in his shed is cause he hardly ever gets rid of anything.
I spose the Pick Up will be staying put for a wee while yet
Cheers Paul, it was a privilege & pleasure for me to meet you and your family, thank you for letting me see some of your treasures and allowing me to share them with others here on MacGors.
GO SLIDEWAYS
Panthers Forever
Paul runs a very successful digger/drain business in Levin and it was there that I had a couple of cold ones with him in his site office. The office walls are covered with memories of Pauls racing and of his interest in bikes and hot rods.
Paul and his wife are both active members of their local Hot Rod Club.
The car Paul campained during the 80's was the very fast & reliable 14p Clifford Six, built by Russel Harvey.
I still remember Pauls car in Palmy from the early 80's - it had quite a different sound.
The truck Paul used to get his car to the track was the same one which was used by former PN Stockcar racer Betty White.
I asked Paul what was his most memorble moment of his speedway career, and whithout any hesitation he said "getting asked by Dave Evans to drive in the Panthers team, I'll never forget it." Paul considers Dave to be a man of principles, values and respect with great courage "I'd do anything for that guy" is what Paul said to me.
On the night of his selection for the Panthers Paul had travelled to Meeanee to race but the meeting was rained off early, so he decided to boot it down to Te Marua and race there for the night. A pretty uneventful start to the night until Panther Gary Parkes gearbox disintergrated just before the Palmerston North teams race against the Wellington Wildcats.
The General Dave Evans approached Paul and asked him to join the team, he was honoured and more than a bit nervous.
Paul's race instructions were simple, just destroy the opposition.
By the end of Paul's very first lap he had rolled a Wildcat car...
By the end of Paul's 2nd lap he had eliminated another Wildcat car with a hard hitting roll.
With Paul's help the Panthers went on to win.
Paul drove for the Panthers 4 times and he also drove for the Pumas 4 times as well.
The Legend Dave Evans 6p outside Paul Ireland 14p.
Wicked exhaust which sounded raspy and loud.
sorry about the quality of the next pic, it's a photo of a photo which has been sitting in pride of place in Pauls office hut for a few years.
I shall return to the Horowhenua soon in the hope of capturing a quality copy of this image to post here.
1987/88 Panthers from left to right 45p Marty Jones,14p Paul Ireland,22p Bernie Shorthall(spelling?)and 51p Paul Grant
I asked Paul what advice he could offer to someone about to go Stockcar racing, he said "be familiar with your car".
I asked Paul why he stoped racing and he said to me that he copped a good hit from a guy call Baxter from Wanganui at Palmy one night which hurt the fluid in his spine and he was laid up for a few weeks.
After that Paul decided to concentrate on putting 100% into growing his new business.
Paul has a very large series of sheds and he likes to collect things that he likes or that are just interesting.
He took me on a brief tour of his shed and here are just some of the cool things I saw;
1938 Chev truck about to be hot rodded. Bet it turns out mean.
1960 Fairlaine State Trooper
Paul built this car himself over 3 weeks using parts, panels and pieces from 3 different cars. Runs a worked 351
Ennis never had his ears on in this car, far too loud.
Bourbon County - this car was Pauls Beach Hopp staff car last year
Paul has also been a keen competitor and follower of modifieds midgets and solo's over the years.
He raced a midget with a worked Triumph Speed Twin motor for a while.
Paul has just returned from the Burt Munrow bike week held down near Invercargil, and he had a ball. There are various events on over the week but one that impressed Paul was the running of 55 solo races at one meeting and still finishing on time.
Paul usually gets around the country on his 1942 Indian 500 (bored out to 600), it's not that fast or comfortable, so a local business ,Roxannes, sponsored Paul the use of a motorised arm chair in the form of a 1450 Harley Davidson Heritage for the trip.
Another cycle in Pauls collection is the first ever mobility scooter in New Zealand for "Invalid & Disabled" veterens of war who had their legs blown off.
It is powered by a Villiers motor and starts while seated by a hand crank.
Through another room I spied the cool Mustang caravan that Paul built
Then I saw the Bad One
The motor is a very blown 302 which has been stroked to 337
Big Bad Bug catcher
Complete with old school shifter, Paul drives this one like it should be driven, hard out.
Bad 66
Paul also collects bikes, one of them was the one that I spent most of the 4th & 5th form dreaming of owning - the mighty 1978 Yamaha TT 500.
This one is complete original and mint.
In 1978 this was the king pin 4 stroke dirt bike for the time, but there was just 18 months to go before Honda launched the first XR 500's
From my pics... 1978 SP 370 Yamaha, photo taken at Feilding racecourse during the 1980 Manfeild open day.
Paul also has a number of Zenith motorcycles awaiting restoration.
In another corner lies a complete classic Escort Rally Car
Another wall behind the back bar had some cool old grilles
Betty Boop's flamed bonnet behind the bar is off a '60 Fairlane
The ceiling above the main bar is adorned with many very old bicycles, and other things.
In another corner was NZ's first farm bike, called a GNAT, doesn't look to be much of a handler over the hills - I guess that's why you don't see them these days. That, plus their weird name.
In yet another part of the complex I spotted this V8 Ford Pick Up awaiting a tune up and I made several hints to my sponsor that it'd make a great BombsAway work ute (or staff car)....a bit later on in our tour Paul explained to us that the reason he's got so much stuff in his shed is cause he hardly ever gets rid of anything.
I spose the Pick Up will be staying put for a wee while yet
Cheers Paul, it was a privilege & pleasure for me to meet you and your family, thank you for letting me see some of your treasures and allowing me to share them with others here on MacGors.
GO SLIDEWAYS
Panthers Forever
