21-02-2021, 09:10 AM
In the late 1960s I was transferred from one end of NZ to the other. I made several 360 mile trips in the Seven to my home town. The main road then included in the middle a few winding miles i with mild grades (as characteristic of old roads descended from coach days. The Mangawekas, later bypassed.) I was intrigued that then moderns instead of hounding seemed content to follow at a considerable distance. Later when I did the trip many times in my Javelin I realised the pace of the Austin was quite comparable with reasonably driven cars of the time. With narrow tracks, marked roll, many on crossplies, and without power steering any spirited driving required considerable effort and discomfort. With the Austin just minor twitches of the wrist. Of course the moderns may just have been staying back to avoid involvement in a rollover.....
Incidentally some years earlier with my parents in their car we stopped at a roadside picnic spot on the road. NZ was a quiet place at the time and people drove great distances for entertainment. It was the day after the NZ Grand Prix and all the young bloods were returning in their V8s, Mk1 Zephyrs, A30s, Anglias, Minxes etc. Observed close up the cornering was more spectacular than the GP.
(Air Force dispaly days at Ohakea drew such crowds from Wellington 100 miles away that cars were parked on the roadside over a mile distant from the rurrl airfield and others were stuck in the carpark past midnight. Similarly night stock car racing at Palmerston drew many from Wellington 100 miles away. Many stock cars and wrecks after were A framed the distance! The V8s used to near disentergrate in clouds of steam. It was the most exciting sport of any sort I have ever seen! Now cannot tow a car without a w.o.f!
Incidentally some years earlier with my parents in their car we stopped at a roadside picnic spot on the road. NZ was a quiet place at the time and people drove great distances for entertainment. It was the day after the NZ Grand Prix and all the young bloods were returning in their V8s, Mk1 Zephyrs, A30s, Anglias, Minxes etc. Observed close up the cornering was more spectacular than the GP.
(Air Force dispaly days at Ohakea drew such crowds from Wellington 100 miles away that cars were parked on the roadside over a mile distant from the rurrl airfield and others were stuck in the carpark past midnight. Similarly night stock car racing at Palmerston drew many from Wellington 100 miles away. Many stock cars and wrecks after were A framed the distance! The V8s used to near disentergrate in clouds of steam. It was the most exciting sport of any sort I have ever seen! Now cannot tow a car without a w.o.f!