1982 Street Machine Nationals - Canberra

[customFC]

I have posted a few of these pics before on the old board, but thought some of the newer members might like to see 'em and the older members might like to see all the pics I took.

























Regards
Alex

[Paul In Ireland]

I remember having shorts like those!

I wonder how many of those cars still exist? So much work went into them yet they could have been scrap 10 years later if they were sold to someone without the passion to keep em going etc. Have you seen many of them around? I would think a lot of that sandman artwork was probably resprayed which is a pity as there was some really great art on the roads at one time - still see it on some trucks though I suppose.

[NosFEratu]

So what I can remember off the top of my head -

Maroon chopped FE  (SA) - Marino Gregoric.  Rino still has it and is currently seeing about getting it back on the road - might need a new paint job though from what I've been told

Red FC (SA) - Jim Wolf.  I'm pretty sure Jim sold it a couple of years.  He was also the National Director of the ASMF at one stage.

Black & Silver FC "Gunna's Dunnit" (Vic) - Lindsay Gunston.  I believe Gunna sold it a number of years later

Black Monaro (Qld) - Wayne Pagel.  I think he may still have this - I seem to recall coming across a web site about the cars that he and his son were building a little while ago.

The Van with the Murals (SA) - mmm now where do I know that one from?  Given to the Birdwood Motor Museum - now part of their collection and still looks exactly the same.

Kathi

[Glenn 'Stinky' Stankevicius]

FC225 was at the Philip Island Nationals.

For those interested in how the Nationals went from being a Club/Association Event to a full-on Promoter run money making venture there's some interesting reading here - http://eventmechanics.net.au/?p=563

[CraigA]

This one was a very high profile car in its day - Midnight Express.

The paint finish was amazing and in acrylic. Lots of work in that one.

And here is a recent picture of the FJ Ute, still in the hands of the same owner and looking exactly the same as it did in '82. Even the same tyres!!!



Great pictures Alex.

[Paul In Ireland]

So who owned midnight express? 

Was it someone who now posts here?


 

[NosFEratu]

So who owned midnight express? 

Was it someone who now posts here?

um.... someone who posts here now was very closely associated with it at one stage    And that person used to spend a lot of time polishing it! Need any more hints Paul? 

[EffCee]

Wow that takes me back, I remember going to the show, I was still an apprentice and totally amazed at the quality of some of the cars, particularly how some of them the paint looked like it was 10 feet thick. I was stoked when I saw FC 225 that was owned by Alan Hale IIRC, I remember following the build of it for several years in magazines. The Train was amazing, and I remember the Red Monza with the new NSW personalised plates with MONZTA as the registration number.

Also if I recall correctly there was a black Zephyr that absolutely fried the tyres in the burnout comp, first time I had seen a car of show quality be driven like someone hates it, John Peterson was his name I think.

No wonder someone has a crook shoulder from all that polishing you used to do, (or that you don't do enough of now?)

[FC427]

Is there any info on FC 0001 look like my brothers old FC painted in Imperial Burgundy any one know about this car  .......FC427........

[ratbox]

Great pictures Alex.

how recent is this pic does he still live in Mt Druitt still looks like the same shed, me and some mates were talking about this car when we were at canberra this year

[NosFEratu]

FC 0001 was Jim Wolf's car (SA) - and it was definitely red!  I think he sold it around the late 80's.

You are absolutely correct Keith - John Peterson and his black Mk3 Zephyr (Vic car).  Saw it a couple of years ago out the front of the Melbourne Hot Rod Show - had passed hands long before but it still looked pretty nice. John was given a set of tyres so he could fry them the length of the Melbourne Moomba street parade! You can just see the rear quarter of his Mk3 in the photo of Alex Grambau's EH (I pretty sure that was Alex's - Vic car) . John was one of the most gentlest loving family men you would ever meet - but if you upset him by picking on someone he liked - start running!

For the life of me I can't remember the last name of Mick (but it did start with a V) who owned the HR wagon (Victorian Car).  Really nice car - had fine gold pin striping on the black and it looked really nice.

You can also just see the rear quarter of Paul Atkin's HR (SA) alongside the train and Paul with his faithful feather duster! Got sold on - passed through a number of hands - Paul found it and bought it back a year or so ago. It is currently being rebuilt too.

Kathi

[Paul In Ireland]

I got the hints.

So why give it to a museum? Or is there a connection there too? 

Would it still get started now and then or would the engine need an overhaul?


 

[NosFEratu]

Short story - he tried to sell it a number of times to no avail.  He got transferred to WA and didn't want to transport it over there so he tried to sell it to the Birdwood Museum - they wouldn't buy it and in the end he gave it to them.  Yes, it should still run but I don't think it has ever been driven anywhere by the Museum - it was quite difficult to drive unless you knew it's idiosyncrasies (especially how to get around it boggin down off the line cos of the tunnel ram)

[EffCee]

I believe that it is on loan from the Birdwood Museum to the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. I have put in a link to the Powerhouse site below.

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/previous/cars_panelvan.asp

[ratbox]

For the life of me I can't remember the last name of Mick (but it did start with a V) who owned the HR wagon (Victorian Car).  Really nice car - had fine gold pin striping on the black and it looked really nice.

would the name be vorse (not sure of spelling) for some reason that name came straight to me when i saw the car

[NosFEratu]

I believe that it is on loan from the Birdwood Museum to the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney. I have put in a link to the Powerhouse site below.

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/previous/cars_panelvan.asp

Hi Keith  - it was in Sydney at one stage for an exhibition but it was definitely at the Birdwood Museum the last time we were up there.

Hi Ratbox - I honestly can't remember his name but that does sound familiar.  I do remember distinctly that he was a very nice and gently spoken guy - not dissimilar to you I would imagine!    

[customFC]

Thanks for the info everyone and that pic of the green FJ as it is now is super cool, thanks Craig. If I remember correctly, the FJ ute has a Jag rear end under it.
Regards
Alex

[RET]

If the fashions don't date the photos enough, one of them (the white Chev) has a Mazda Bongo Van in the background. When was the last time you saw one of those?

Great collection of pics and some terrific history and memories of these cars in this thread.

RET

[NosFEratu]

Just a little update - spoke to John Peterson on the weekend and he tells me that Alan Hale and Alex Grambau definitely still have their cars (FC225 & MY064).  Alex Garrard's pale green EH Wagon was also out the front of the Vic Rod Show and still looking very nice for a car that was a top winner in the 80's.

Kathi
 

[2brite]

Arhh the good ol days of

Centre mounted roof ariels

Sunroofs with gallons of silicone around the edges

12 Slotters on Holdens

Round headlights converted to square

Deleted grill bars

Side murals

Velour interiors

and best of all tight huggin adidas t shirts that cuts of circulation to your arms