Bucklers!

[Oldfart]

Remi, that car was last owned in NZ by Steve Day, first NZ owner/builder Arthur Harris.

[Roger Dowding]

Remi, that car was last owned in NZ by Steve Day, first NZ owner/builder Arthur Harris.

Car looks great, modernised but brilliant, Thanks Remi and Rhys for the post and details.

[Autopia]

Chassis 90/8.First owner Kerwyn Taylor who built it on UK chassis 1956-58 with de Joux mk. 1 body. Raced at Teretonga and Dunedin. Subsequent owners Trevor Dunning, Gordon Pringle, Graeme Currie, Ken White, Bruce Sutcliffe, Dewar Thomas (who restored the car), Garry Price, Dallas Crampton, and Steve Day.

[Roger Dowding]

Chassis 90/8.First owner Kerwyn Taylor who built it on UK chassis 1956-58 with de Joux mk. 1 body. Raced at Teretonga and Dunedin. Subsequent owners Trevor Dunning, Gordon Pringle, Graeme Currie, Ken White, Bruce Sutcliffe, Dewar Thomas (who restored the car), Garry Price, Dallas Crampton, and Steve Day.

This car - in recent times


Here with Dallas Crampton at Ngawhini Hill Climb. Date not stated



A article - from an event at Ngawhini -

[Roger Dowding]

Wally Bower in Buckler 6/2 in the early 1970's at Pukekohe - photo by Kevin Lancaster.



Entry List from Milan Fistonic for a 1970 meeting.
Milan wrote " This could be the race shown above. It was held on March 8, 1970 at Pukekohe. "
I was probably there too !! - but no photos of the car !



Kelvin Brown writes ;
" Good to see that photo of Wally Bower in the Buckler Mk.6/2 car, by then the original Arnott blower and 100E had been removed and replaced with a Cortina engine of 1340 cc. ?, was repainted yellow. "

Photo from " Geebeez " the car in Yellow.



Graeme Banks " Geebeez " also wrote
" Yes that was NZs second Buckler probably in its final form before being almost destroyed in a road accident and reincarnated as the Blue Brick. "

Here in a Ray Green " ERC " photo is the Blue Brick along with the now Bart Jonkers car Buckler 90/8 KA6377 Yellow over Green and behind is the Ivy Stephenson / Bruce Sutcliffe Blue over White 90 - they both have De Joux bodies.
Photo from around 1985-86 I believe at Pukekohe in the old Paddock area by the Tote building



Would appreciate any corrections / comments to pass on to Kevin Lancaster - who in retirement n the Coromandel is now posting many of his 100's or 1000's of photos.

Cheers
Roger

[Oldfart]

All seems correct to me, except I note from the entry list that the Bowers car has capacity as 1250 cc
Yes that's the paddock at Pukekohe, and what looks like the tail of another de Joux body just almost out of shot. The door opening looks a bit more like Mistral than de Joux though.

[ERC]

Just come across your mention in last year's Classic & Sports car Rhys! Didn't realise the Alan Staniforth connection - or maybe I just missed it.

I'm a year behind, as the cruising habit since 2011 has meant the pile of magazines kept growing whilst we were away - every year. Cut back from 5 a month to 3, but still not exactly gaining, though having this year's travel cancelled may make a difference.

Referring back to the 1985/86 photo at Pukekohe, note the crowd was pretty good. How times have changed.

[Oldfart]

Sad to say, but the person most responsible for the marque being a known thing, Bruce Sutcliffe passed away this last weekend.
Without Bruce very few would know what the cars were, or meant in the NZ racing scene.
RIP Mr Buckler NZ.

[Roger Dowding]

Sad to say, but the person most responsible for the marque being a known thing, Bruce Sutcliffe passed away this last weekend.
Without Bruce very few would know what the cars were, or meant in the NZ racing scene.
RIP Mr Buckler NZ.

Thanks, Rhys, had just read it on a post by Kelvin Brown.
Bruce's contribution to the marque was huge.

Kelvin posted this photo of team Buckler after the 1982 Perrier Le Mans relay race at Pukekohe.
Bruce Sutcliffe left, Center Q, right Ian Hallett, and another Gent.


Bruce in one of his cars .. leave it Oldfart to say which one



Bruce in the ex Ivy Stephenson car -1982 Ross Cammick photo

[Roger Dowding]

A Special Edition of New Zealand Classic Driver - entitled " ROAD, RACE & RALLY " was published in late 2021.
Six bucklers were gathered together for the article;
Peter Benbrook, 1950 Buckler MKVI. NZ Registration PL7307
Graeme Brayshaw, 1954 Buckler MKVI. NZ Registration 1964 BD7989
Mark Garmey. 1957 Buckler 90. NZ Registration GHH417 Reg 30 April 2012 **
Grant Bowring, 1957 Buckler DD2 (UK) 90. NZ Registration PL8061 Reg 31 October 1990.
Craig Laing, 1958 Buckler DD2,. NZ Registration IP3842
Roger Munns, 1959 Buckler 90. NZ Registration 1964 CY2945

** The Mark Garmey car has had several plates in New Zealand 352,325 - pre 1964, AI6477 issued in 1964 and DJ5264 was on the car in 1975 but plate issued around 1965.
The first two pages of the article



A couple of photos taken at the time.





The Mark Garmey car was owned by the creator of this thread on TRS, back in 1970.
Recently photos of the car under an earlier owner have been appearing on Old New Zealand Motor Racing, Facebook page posted by the owner at the time Peter Preston.

A few Bucklers in New Zealand, have gone overseas, so it is good to know these ones are still here and being used as intended with some Motorsport.

[Roger Dowding]

Peter Preston in Buckler 90-3.
Photos from Peters own archives.

One taking a spin, at Renwick in 1962.

Attachment 72380

The other stated to be Teretonga - helmet seems different but car has same 1961 - 64 number plate.

Attachment 72381

Peter was a successful racer as seen in the article [ advert ] from Motorman that Milan Fistonic has Posted -well back in this thread.

Attachment 72382

Posted before other photos of the car around the same time early 1960's.

Teretonga again. next to a Healey



On track



The car has a distinctive bonnet scoop and the stripes, which Mark Garmey has recreated on the car in its current state.

Sometimes all photos are there, the next time not !!

[Oldfart]

The bonnet scoop went when the overhead valve 1470 cc engine was fitted. The mesh stone guards on the lights were on it when I had it, they came in a box of spares.

[Roger Dowding]

The bonnet scoop went when the overhead valve 1470 cc engine was fitted. The mesh stone guards on the lights were on it when I had it, they came in a box of spares.

Thanks OF, RN,
Another photo from Peter Preston - his first meeting after he bought the car from Barry Cottle - Wigram 1961 ?-trying to read the number plate and see the ' colours " used - White on Deep Red, 1956 -61 or Black on Yellow 1961 - 64..
Looks like the 1961 - 64 plates - the last of the " Old " style Black on Yellow



Ignore the " Renwick " note - forgot to Edit the photo name. Peter stated it was Wigram. Not sure how many times a year they used the Air Force Base - the Lady Wigram Trophy Race was during the " season " January - March,when the Overseas Drivers visited - the off season for Grand Prix and major Sports Car races in UK and Europe.

The plates ;



As on the car :

[GregT]

I'd doubt if that's 61 at Wigram. No rain. It was wet Friday practise and Saturday race day.
It was only late 70's that the track got used more than once a year. University CC and a couple of others managed to talk their way onto it - but no spectator admission. Club members only.

[Roger Dowding]

I'd doubt if that's 61 at Wigram. No rain. It was wet Friday practise and Saturday race day.
It was only late 70's that the track got used more than once a year. University CC and a couple of others managed to talk their way onto it - but no spectator admission. Club members only.

Thanks GregT, I was picking 1962 by the number plate,
Cheers
Roger

[Milan Fistonic]

Peter Preston's Buckler was number 1 at Wigram in 1962 and 1963.

[Roger Dowding]

From Classic Autonews archives - Allan Dick collection.

Hillclimb in Northland - Number Plates are the 1956 - 61 issue.
Northland Car Clubs main Hillclimb venue was Puhipuhi Road, :" North " of Whangarei - near SH1.
Was this there ? - Thanks " Oldfart " for clarification of directions and venue - had my compass upside down - now corrected above " North ";



Pre June 1956 - At Dunedin in 1955 for the Festival Road Races.
from a magazine article. On two wheels



An old print of the same photo ;



At Levin in 1956

[Oldfart]

The top photo I think looks like Puhi puhi which is actually North of Whangarei, a bit beyond Whakapara where the road to Russell branches off.
Jim Boyd did have the use of both of the Mk 6 cars in succeeding years.

[Milan Fistonic]

The top photo I think looks like Puhi puhi which is actually North of Whangarei, a bit beyond Whakapara where the road to Russell branches off.
Jim Boyd did have the use of both of the Mk 6 cars in succeeding years.

I believe Puhi Puhi was Northland Car Club's first hill climb venue. Jim Boyd drove a Buckler there on September 16, 1956 and October 28, 1956.

[Oldfart]

I believe Puhi Puhi was Northland Car Club's first hill climb venue. Jim Boyd drove a Buckler there on September 16, 1956 and October 28, 1956.

It went on for several years, the Northland Special competed there under many of its' names and drivers.