Roger...amazing photos. Thanks and keep them coming. Cheers, Bruce D
Roger...amazing photos. Thanks and keep them coming. Cheers, Bruce D
Originally Posted by Spgeti
This will be really small, but there is a note on NSCC website that the car has been found and the current owner [ unkown ] wants some information, described as the G B Special, built by a Gordon Brown, Ford 10 Motor, Hillman gearbox and the photo was at a beach race NSCC meeting, at Muriwai. in 1948.
Here it is a little larger Roger.
This will be really small, but there is a note on NSCC website that the car has been found and the current owner [ unkown ] wants some information, described as the G B Special, built by a Gordon Brown, Ford 10 Motor, Hillman gearbox and the photo was at a beach race NSCC meeting, at Muriwai. in 1948.
John B,thanks, I was with Eddie Dowding today and he remembers Gordon and the car, but could not tell me anymore about it.Here it is a little larger Roger.
Trevor Sheffield's s comment about the membership, Eddie recollects that you had to have a Tourer, not specifically a sports car, and then the 50/50 rule with sports-open / saloons.
As I correctly reported --- "Early on the NSSC was a true sports car club with restrictions as to membership. Due to import restrictions it became necessary to admit saloon car owners, but only to the extent that there remained a 50/50 distribution of open and saloon cars".
A full article covering Gordon Brown's car appeared in one of the first editions of the very first NZ magazine dedicated towards sports cars. I once had a copy but now am unable to recollect the exact title of the publication. Is there a copy out there somewhere?
The car was/is important as it was is incidental in popularizing the Ford Ten Special within NZ. When I have time to put my thinking cap on I will start a thread covering these cars as they are historically significant.
Trevor, again thanks for your input [ Eddie is 95 and memory is not as good as it could be] . cheers
Roger
The Ford Ten Specials and others, that would be great to see details,
I know Ed and his brother Mac, while not building a special did modify an Austin 7 tourer, [ around a 1930 model ], with cut down doors, raked windscreen, to make it look MG sports car like. think I have a photo somewhere.
Correction ; Ken Wharton's BRM in the pits, not the Whitehead Ferrari
Last edited by Roger Dowding; 08-12-2015 at 05:20 AM. Reason: poor eyesight.
Found a photo of the Austin 7, with Mac's [ my father ] dog Kim, Ed Dowding and a friend, name unsure. photo from my Dads ones so think he probably took it, some sort of a gathering as other cars in view including a Morris 8. have sent a copy to Ed, he may recognise the friend.
Photo would be around 1937-38. no concern about same tyres on each axle, looks like 3 different tyres in the view.
Last edited by Roger Dowding; 07-09-2015 at 06:55 AM. Reason: retouch photo
Article in the Western Leader, the Suburban Newspapers West Auckland Edition is the following article.
there was previously a call by a someone through the NSCC website some months ago for information on the car, now Gordon who is 100 years old and still driving is looking for it.
Would suggest contacting the Western Leader, to get in contact with Gordon if anyone has information.
Western Leader, their phone number New Zealand 09 8370340
The Graham Vercoe Book " Historic Racing cars of New Zealand ", published in 1991 had this to say about GBS, Gordon brown and his " Specials ".
Last edited by Roger Dowding; 01-31-2016 at 02:40 AM. Reason: car article added #### 47
The Western Leader article was advised to me by my sister who lives in Massey, and new I was interested in the Cars of Gordon Brown, yesterday she took the article to Eddie Dowding, as he knew Gordon at the time of its construction, Gordon also lived in Herne Bay for a time as did Eddie, not at the same time though. Eddie was there from around 1929 to 1955.
Any information one the car please pass on to the Western Leader, or to me and I will contact them. either PM me or post on this thread. Am putting the picture, Western Leader Article and the Extract from Graham Vercoes book, on Facebook, to hopefully get some interest, and locate the car.
thanks
a bit more NSCC information ;
their list of Past Presidents: some errors perhaps, Eddie always talked about being Club Captain, and in a Boat Club, that is the Top Guy.
Interestingly Jock Aitken, was a mechanic and he used to look after my first car in 1967, a 1960 Austin Seven - Mini, at his tiny workshop, two single garages down below Auckland University in Grafton Gulley.
When I first joined NSCC, 1967, buy a Car , join a Car Club, they held meetings at Edendale School Hall, and for the first one my Dad Mac took me, met Jim Sager, Ken Sager's father and a few others, they showed movie clips 8mm from the 50's .. where are they now ?, of Hillclimbs and Sprints,
The later Presidents, will be right as I remember Owen Thomas, Morrie Chandler, then Bob Kidd and others, including Rod Peat,
1943-45 Verne Clarke
1945-46 Eddie Downing .. Eddie Dowding
1946-47 Ces Hodge
1947-48 John Wilson
1948-49 Colin McGregor
1950-51 Jock Aitken
1951-52 Phil Ornstein
1952-55 Laurie Powell
1955-56 Roger Brown
1955-56 Peter Ayson
1956-60 Dudley Badham
1960-62 Lloyd Gerrard
1962-64 Jim Lockley
1964-66 Ian Runnerstrum
1966-70 Owen Thomas
1970-74 Morrie Chandler
** New information;
Eddie's name has been corrected on the NSCC Facebook Page and their Website page.
Have established that the intial gatherings were in the summer of 1942/43 and the Club was formally established in October 1943 - date of Incorporation..
Their Logo - from the Facebook page.
Logo from " Club Torque " - this from the May 1967 Edition. the word " Auckland " is not showing.
Last edited by Roger Dowding; 02-11-2023 at 04:55 AM. Reason: more info #### 47
And some more ;
Mud Climb, Macky's Rest, off the Scenic Drive, Titirangi - Swanson area about 1946.
[ details from the backs of the photo's.]
Believed to be Ken Hemus in the Singer .. now known to be Ralph Watson.
My Uncle Ed [ Eddie ] Dowding [ 1919 -2018 ] steering and his wife Una [ 1920 - visited her recently in Auckland ] pushing the car described in the Ron Roycroft Book as a Morris 8, It is in fact a Morris Minor - manufactured from 1928 - 1933, with either Wolseley OHC 4, 1928 -30 or Morris Sidevalve 1930 on.. I mentioned the Car to Ed several years ago as I was surprised him owning one when he had usually owned Austin Sevens or various Rileys ..[ additional notes 4 March 2019 ]
Ken Hemus in the Sunbeam, Ken had a Singer in a different years trial
Have now April 2020 obtained more photos of these events from the Arthur Siddall albums - found by Duncan Fox at the Whitford Tip.
Last edited by Roger Dowding; 05-18-2020 at 03:00 AM. Reason: more info #### 47
Have found some information from Scott Thomson's book " Up to Speed " about Ron Roycroft, on the Mud Trial, a couple of the photos appears there.And some more ;
Mud Climb, Macky's Rest, off the Scenic Drive, Titirangi - Swanson area about 1946.
[ details from the backs of the photo's.]
The car back view on is a 1922 Sunbeam, with Ken Hemus, Arthur Small and Tom Palmer.
the location is described as Mackies Rest [ not Macky's - as on the back of my photos ], the year 1946, apparently it was a hare and Hounds type Paper chase, with Ron Roycroft in a Riley , as the Hare, but he used sawdust, 17 cars entered, actual date 18th August 1946.
O'Callahan in a Ford 10 won, with Ron second and a B Tappenden in a Pontiac third.
The book describes the May winter trial, the next one as harder than the 1946 one. the 1947 Trial was won by Herb Gilroy in an Austin Ulster, that later became Bruce McLaren's first competition car.
Last edited by Roger Dowding; 08-16-2015 at 07:40 AM. Reason: misread the " Up to Speed "- information correct authors name again.
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