Gisborne Photo News
Home

×

52

Grand Prix de Soap Box

Thrill-tensed spectators crowded the roadsides....drivers gripped steering wheels with grim determination...they're off! shouted someone as the starter's flag cut the air..... and the annual soap box derby on Barker's Hill was away to another good start.

Why soap box we are at a loss to explain. The home-made hot-rods hurtling down the hill looked nothing like boxes, soap or otherwise. They were reasonable facsimiles of racing cars powered with units of about 1500 A.G.D, (Automatic Gravity Drive to you).

Scouts from Gisborne and district competed, and the Jack Brabham of the day was Robert, alias Fred, Preddey, of the Warneford Troop.

×

A.S.M. Intemann (left) flags speed-hog Preddey over championship finish line

×

"Look mum...no hands": Billy Cairns coming down the straight.

×

Blurred by terrific speed, Nigel Barnett leads David Peach round top corner

×

53

×

On the starting ramp: Terry Sheldrake, Rex Webby and David Peach.

×

Bob Sheldrake rounds the bend

×

Some day we might see them at Holden's Hill, or even at Ardmore: John Upton and Nigel Barnett ready for the road

×

A good start

×

Keith Clare provides motive power to take cars up to starting ramp.

×

54

×

Champion Preddey (left) has designs on Michael Richardson's handy lead.

×

District Commissioner Fred Swindell presents trophy to Robert Preddey, open and junior champ, fastest time

×

David Peach got cup for best-built car

×

Keith Mullooly and Russ Wilcox inspecting one of the cars

×

Blurred spectators retreat behind sand bags as David Peach flashes into final straight.

Previous article Issue contents Next article

All images and text on this website are made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 New Zealand (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/nz/).