CAMS HISTORY

Classic Action Motorcycle Sport Inc. (S.I) club was formed over 25 years ago in Christchurch, NZ, by a group of racers wanting to keep the classic bikes of yesteryear on the South Island racetracks, many of these machines were "SPECIALS", B31's, B50's, etc. running parts that were not completely original to these bikes when they came out of their factories.

 

Some very clever local racers/engineers completely re-engineered the originals to take more modern internal parts, of Japanese manufacture and rebuilt gearboxes with more gears, etc. These machines therefore did not meet the more stringent requirements of the national register of classic racing machines and this breakaway group came into being. Today C.A.M.S has many original classics and specials in its classes.

 

Pre 72 machines entered the class structure earlier on in C.A.M.S history and since then the Pre 82 class and recently the Pre 89 class was incepted.

 

C.A.M.S although based in Christchurch and calling "Ruapuna International Raceway" its home track compete at Teretonga in Invercargill, "Levels" in Timaru and at all the South Island Street Race Circuits, starting at Nelson in January, Methven in April, Greymouth in October, Wyndham in November and in a year or so at a new Street Race meeting being planned for Balclutha. The club is a competitive race club but it's philosophy on racing is about fun, competing and presentation of its machinery.

 

C.A.M.S has 8 meetings of its own over the year but as mentioned competes in the other street races and has classes included in the B.E.A.R.S Winter Series .

 

C.A.M.S also caters to the other classes inside its meetings having a close relationship to the B.M.R.C, the miniature road race class (BUCKETS) and the Street Stock 150 class in Junior Clubmans, where new younger riders are taught the proper way to race motorcycles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE EARLY DAYS

For many decades the classic racing machines of today, raced on public roads in the towns and countryside throughout the South Island.

The New Zealand Grand Prix was one such event, and is today known as the Cust Reunion Meeting. The Canterbury Auto Cycle Club held the NZGP during Easter from 1936 to 1963, alongside the North Canterbury Township from which it took its name.

Pre-war, many competitors rode their machines to the meeting with the expectation of a day's racing. Racing ceased during the war years 1941 - '46 and resumed in 1947. In the decades that followed the NZGP gained Dominion-wide notoriety as a test of rider skill. Hardcore competitors rolled in from all corners of the North and South Islands. On the day riders frequently endured gashes to the face and hands, as the bike in front would flick up stones with gunshot-like ferocity.

 

For spectators the annual pilgrimage to Cust could not be resisted. Entire families would flock to North Canterbury, to cheer on the very finest of NZ's motorcycle racing fraternity. Arriving on road and rail, the crowds could be seen streaming out across the fields, to take up vantage points around the 6.1 mile circuit.

One of the early identities was Christchurch milkman Jim Swarbrick. Jim's big success was winning the 1949 500cc Senior GP on a Norton. From a field of 38 starters Jim ("The Flying Milkman") finally won-out after a titanic scrap with Gordon Haggitt. Swarbrick's exploits continued at Cust in Easter 1955, before a crowd of 25000 he duelled with Leo Simpson of Edgecumbe. It was one of the most thrilling races that year, for laps they tore at each others tails. First Swarbrick hitting the front then Simpson. Once Swarbrick added a neat touch of humour when he held out his hand, to offer Simpson as he passed him on the back straight. Jim, who was riding a 500cc Manx Norton, swept on to his record setting third victory.

 

Gordon Haggitt was a prominent Dunedin rider. In the early 30's Gordon as a friend started a motorcycle business, adding impetus to his illustrious riding career at Cust. Gordon soon became a regular entrant at what was reputed to be one of his favourite venues. He competed in 1939 and 1940 on a 500cc BSA, returning after the war on a Triumph. Gordon finally achieved his ambition at Cust 1950, winning the Senior Event on a Triumph GP machine. Gordan's exploited earned him nomination and acceptance to represent NZ at the Isle of Man in 1952, by which time was working for Mclvor Veitch in Dunedin.

 

The end for Cust cicuit came in 1963, for after 30 years times had changed. Assembling the band of volunteers for the monthlong task of track preparation had become increasingly difficult. Tending the pot-holed rural roads, cutting back gorse,spraying the circuit with oil, and roping in the army of officials and flag-marshals was losing ground to the demands of modern day living. Cust and other public road events had served motorcycling extraordinarily well but their retirement as venues signalled an end to the early racing era. Looming in the background, change was rapidly advancing. During 1963 dozers and graders had been scratching away in the fields of Templeton, south of Christchurch. An artificial track was being built. Sprayed this time with tar and overlayed with bitumen rolled smooth, Ruapuna Park Raceway was opened on the 24th November, 1963. In 1964 The Canterbury Auto Cycle Club moved the NZGP event to Ruapuna and a new chapter in Mainland motorcycle racing commenced.

 

Through the 1960's new twin cylinder machines entered the racing scene. The maintenance and advancing age of the big singles slowly bought their retirement. The lightweights of yester-year were also giving way to highly developed 2-strokes from Europe and soon after Japan. The racing events were also changing and we watched the Marlboro International Series come and go. By the end of the 1960's, man had been to the moon and an obsolete AJS 7R could be readily purchased for a $100.....

 

The Beginnings of Classic Racing in the South.

In 1979 a South Island group of classic racing enthusiasts banded together and established a classic racing class. This was known as the NZ Classic Racing Register (SI), taking its name from the North Island based headquarters. Ultimately the 'Register' origins were from the British classic racing motorcycle scene. During the next 10 years, well known riders of the early racing era returned to the bitumen racing circuits of today. Out of sheds came the lost but not forgotten marques of Manx, GP, Triumph, 7R, KTT and Goldstar. As established in Great Britain, classic racing was for pre 63 machines, therefore excluding the twin cylinder unit construction models.

In 1983 came the highlight of the return to classic racing with a Reunion Meeting on the original Cust circuit. Reunions have been held at Cust about every three years ever since. Meetings have attracted past Isle of Man winners such as Rod Coleman, Hugh Anderson and overseas visitors, including Arthur Wheeler and Ivan Rhodes.

With a growing worldwide interest in the nostalgia of classic racing and machines came unwanted attention. Interests outside the Mainland were steadily collecting up local machines. By 1989 South Island membership had dwindled and the South Island branch of the NZCMRR gave way to the formation of Classic Action Motorcycle Sport.

 

C.A.M.S was formed in 1989 in Christchurch. The founding committee brought the management skills needed to direct racing and club life successfully on a local basis. C.A.M.S managed the Classic Period and extended the eligibility age to 1968, thereby strengthening its membership base. In making these changes the new organisation would not forget its pre'63 roots on which it was founded. Later the two periods of classic and post classic would be individually identified. C.A.M.S membership grew, members age widened and enthusiasm deepened. In 1991 C.A.M.S became affiliated to Motorcycling NZ

 

Classic Action Motorcycle Sport Today

C.A.M.S continues to evolve with new members and machines coming into the club. Substantial focus is placed on the restoration of members' classics, and building period specials in accordance with C.A.M.S eligibility rules.

Classic Class Period - is for machines produced and models introduced up to and including December 1962

Period 72 - is for machines manufactured after January 1963 and before October 30th 1972

Period 82 - is for machines manufactured after the shut off date for the Period 72 class and before December 31st 1982

Period 89 - is for machines manufactured after the shut off date for the Period 82 class and before December 31st 1989

 

PREPARATION and PARTICIPATION is the emphasis of C.A.M.S. racing today. Within the classic and post classic classes, further classifications exist to provide opportunity for all riders and machines to compete.

Within the club an informal network exists to assist members in machine preparation.