Wanganui car history needed. (Read 2,586 times)

[pallmall]

Not missing in action because I know where it is, what I would like to know is its early history in Wanganui.
A familiar car to many, the 2/86 of Garth Hodgetts that ran out of Forest Lake, Huntly, Auckland, etc. until 1997. Now in the Historic Stockcar Club.
It now has a plastic Model A body, originally an Essex body as in the #2 photos below and was painted red back in the mid seventies.

Anybody remember this car at Wanganui in, I guess the early seventies maybe late sixties, who owned/drove it and better still a photograph of it. The current owner would like to paint it up in its Wanganui livery for display at the 2008 Superstock NZ Champs.

1985





2002




All help appreciated, thankyou.

[Tony]

Given that I'm old enough to remember the early days at Wanganui, my memory isn't what it used to be ;D, but wasn't that the car that Jim Rison drove?

[kale]

Would tend to agree with you Inventory .. it looks like the car Jim Risson raced way back when Adam was a cowboy... there was a good write-up about him in an early speedway mag (prior to NZDTR) .. have seen a black version in the Historic Club

[pallmall]

Yes, Jim Rison rings a bell. I will check through my old speedway magazines.

Now to find some photos.


The 'black version' is a different car, it was probably the ex Bill Game 16A now with a 34 Chev Coupe body, car is currently red and running as 16 with Hisconz.

Thanks.

[Racerman]

1 of the former Jim Rison "WOFTAM" coupe bodys ended up with Dave Coxhead 85S during the '80's not sure what happened to it after that, scant memories is that it had some origins with Ian Taylor and Gilbert Mallia before coming north/west,

[FlyingTheV]

I'm pretty sure Jim Rison built that car himself for the 1973/74 season with a Valiant motor. Jim had previously been a mechanic for Ted Matthews.

Kale is right about the Speedway magazine that I believe may have a photo or two of the car which raced with the very 1st Warriors Team along with Charlie Berntsen, Allan Pryce, Ian Davidson and Ormy Andrews.

[Tony]

That would be the old "Stockcar and Speedway Sport" magazine - light years ahead of its time. I'm sure Tim S could help here. I vaguely remember a feature about Wanganui shortly after it opened (1972-73??) with quite a bit of detail about the track's history, and the leading lights of the time.

[FlyingTheV]

I still have copies of that old magazine & as you say it was light year's ahead of it's time. I know that I used the articles from around that time to compile the history for Ocean View Speedway on the website.
It seems like I'll have to dig around to see if I can find a photo of that Jim Rison car!!!

[goldcoastsam]

Been bugging me all day, but I'm pretty sure you're all on the money about Jim Rison if that Stockcar &SpeedwaySport article is the one I'm thinkin of. I'm sure it said he had dredged the Essex body out of the Wanganui river if my shabby memory serves me right!

[wal86]

[pallmall]

Thanks guys, I haven't had a chance to go through my magazine stack yet.

Cool photo Wal, keep looking.

[kale]

More trivia .. lol .. I think the article was titled "Our Boy Jim" and featured a similar pic to the above one of him sitting on the car.

[FlyingTheV]

Wal's photo looks like it is from the January 1974 issue of Stockcar & Speedway Sport from an article about the Wanganui Warriors.

At that stage Jim Rison was 21 & in his 2nd season of racing, having raced Ted Matthews car the previous year. And yes, the Essex body was dredged up from the river bed!! The article covers off the individual members of the team at that stage & talks about how the car was put together to form no. 91 :-)

[pallmall]

Thankyou all. I have found the article "Rison Fast Our Boy Jim" in the February 74 edition, and the photo in the Warriors article in the January 74 edition.

All or any photos still required if they are out there, and can anybody confirm the car was red when Jim had it?

Thanks, Gavin.

[YankeeClipper10H]

Hi Pall Mall - wasn't it pink?? ;D