Found car!

[stubuchanan]

A trawl through some pictures from the late '50s and early 60s produces a few AMW bodies, not all on Buckler chassis:



1. Roy Billington's Elfo Special at Muriwai Hillclimb late 1958 (not a Buckler apparently)



2. Vic Simpkin's Buckler at same event. Judging by ill-fitting bodywork probably same car as below,



3. Club Circuit meeting January 1958 week after NZIGP. W (Rick) Harris ran #2 Buckler at the GP meeting - looks like same car with a "0" added. Note fit of bonnet.




4. Alwyn Marshall at an Ostrich Farm Road hillclimb 1962.

The Billington car appeared at a "GP Show' at the Newmarket Car Park before the 1959 NZGP with Australasian Motor Works advertising around it. I have a dodgy photo of it - flash didn't work or something.

Stu

[David McKinney]

Back in the day I believed the Elfo Special was really a Buckler but Simpkin's 'Buckler' wasn't a Buckler. According to Buckler guru Kelvin Brown I was right about the Billington car but not about the Simpkin...

[stubuchanan]

Back in the day I believed the Elfo Special was really a Buckler but Simpkin's 'Buckler' wasn't a Buckler. According to Buckler guru Kelvin Brown I was right about the Billington car but not about the Simpkin...

My information came from a very well-known unreliable source and I'm not surprised some of it is wrong! The Elfo Special was a very nice-looking car, though. I must now chase up the more reliable sources for my own satisfaction.

Stu

[Oldfart]

Stu, thank you very much for posting these photos. They have confirmed a few things for me! Any chance of sending me some direct for my records?
The whole issue of Bucklers in NZ is, and will probably always be, a moving target. There seems to be no absolute record of how many cars were built in NZ and also how many were imported. Add to that that there were a number of "officially approved copies" and it's all very murky.
Lots of the fun is in the research (cheaper too!)

[stubuchanan]

Stu, thank you very much for posting these photos. They have confirmed a few things for me! Any chance of sending me some direct for my records?
The whole issue of Bucklers in NZ is, and will probably always be, a moving target. There seems to be no absolute record of how many cars were built in NZ and also how many were imported. Add to that that there were a number of "officially approved copies" and it's all very murky.
Lots of the fun is in the research (cheaper too!)

Hi Oldfart

Have just sent you a Private Message. More than happy to assist.

Stu Buchanan

[bob homewood]

When ever I look through all these old photos and try to identify ,cars and drivers ,I wonder how many of you look at the people in the background,officials,mechanics etc and try to identify them as well

[stubuchanan]

When ever I look through all these old photos and try to identify ,cars and drivers ,I wonder how many of you look at the people in the background,officials,mechanics etc and try to identify them as well

The old saying was that every picture tells a story, but sometimes they tell several stories, when you go back and look at them again years later. You see things you didn't notice at the time, or didn't seem important.

Stu

[David McKinney]

I do, Bob - but the main result is frustration at my failing memory

[markec]

Try Alan Dick at<adnztoday@gmail.com> he is / was a Ferris de Joux fan.

[Oldfart]

I now have even more questions than answers! Having spent the weekend at Taupo with the VCC my car appears even more of an enigma.
Inside the body appears the correct "cuts" for the doors and and the bonnet bu maybe never used. My doors have somewhat conventional hinges rather than drop down doors, the bonnet is different...
The plot thickens!

[Oldfart]

Another time to rattle a cage ot two!
I have been working away at the car over the last week, and have got myself fairly convinced over the body. The front half, to the front edge of the doors is de Joux Mark 1, from there back it is Mistral!
Does this ring any bells anywhere?

[Oldfart]

Another cage rattle!
This Buckler was moulded red, painted gold, then red and gold again. Followed by a few colours. The first gold is the one adhering to the car the best. Any history would be very gratefully accepted. It WILL be at the Roycroft meeting in April.

[markec]

Whats this one

[David McKinney]

Looks like the red and white car raced by Peter Preston and Dave Mitchell in the early/mid '60s. I think both were from Timaru. Had been built by Rick Harris in Auckland then sold to Barry Brown in Christchurch. Now I believe with Mark Garmey

Mitchell was #35 at Wigram in 1964 - that could be when and where your photo was taken

[Oldfart]

I think you are right David, previous owners include John Money (and me)

[jim short]

In 1961 the Buckler agent was on the left hand side going up Khyber Pass.I am not sure but Harris I think {I used to know as I bought a a crown wheel and pinion of him .}yes Arther Harris, I took it back to him a few weeks later ,it had turned blue .I dident like to tell him on a friday night I used to park it up by Shorters so it could start by running downhill if needed!!without thinking the speedo bracket was rather important as it stopped the diff oil running out the torque tube driveshaft.for some reason it never had one fitted another ,strange thing that would never pass today the handbrake worked of the footbrake,as fore the name mine was built by Mr Reed so was a Reed Buckler had wheels of a T R 2 I doubt it was any faster than the sidevalve Morrie I traded on it

[jim short]

I have the blue Buckler book if some one needs it more than I

[Oldfart]

I have the blue Buckler book if some one needs it more than I

PM sent

[jim short]

Sorry not blue ..the Kevin Brown book

[Oldfart]

Got it, never mind, thanks