Kiwi big banger Sports Cars of late 1960s and early 70's

[David McKinney]

I looked at the Heron Daimler with a view to buying it. That was when I was at university so must have been 1968,69 or 70. It was in Wellington (I seem to recall with Colin Roberts who I think raced a Mini?). It was a rolling chassis.

Robinson left the car with Colin Roberts (Anglia, Mini and FF Brabham driver) when he went to the UK. Roberts advertised it for sale in 1972, though he may also have done so earlier without my noticing...

It was reputed to have had some Lotus 33 bits in it (rear uprights and maybe some other parts) so may have ended up being parted out?

The car originally had Heron uprights, but Robinson fitted Brabham wheels, so may well have added Lotus 33 uprights at the same time. The story was that the car was dismantled and the parts scattered, but Tony Baker himself believes it still exists in a Wellington garage

Finally, nice to see a one-time Heron owner on here - welcome, Perry!

[928]

thanks old fart. if yo see him could you ask him to confirm what we know please?
thanks david that appears to confirm all that we know
if it was sold off in bits Who had the bits then?

[Oldfart]

No 33 uprights, had McRae uprights. Bill told me that if you look at the Heron website you will find a story on it and photos as submitted by Bill. www.Heroncars.co.nz the specific is Mk2/3

[Perry Holland]

Thanks Dave....only recently found this site....good to see your memory isn't fading with age...more than I can say for some....isn't it amazing how our era has more interest than the current cars....can you imagine in the future trying to be keen on finding 50 or so current v8 supercars that all look alike

[928]

Thanks again old fart.I just had a look at the site and is confirms a lot of what I knew. great to see history of modifications carried out.
shame the car never ran again as a sports car. Now to find the missing bits Does anyone know Colin Roberts or where he lives? I was told that the engine went into a speedboat but?????

[Steve Holmes]

Here is a photo Allan Cameron snapped at Bay Park in 1971. I'm uploading Allan's collection on another thread.

[bob homewood]

Thanks again old fart.I just had a look at the site and is confirms a lot of what I knew. great to see history of modifications carried out.
shame the car never ran again as a sports car. Now to find the missing bits Does anyone know Colin Roberts or where he lives? I was told that the engine went into a speedboat but?????

Just bumping this back up again ,has any more information come to hand ,David is no longer with us sadly ,but information that has come to me to be handed on to him suggests that the car was damaged at the end of a sprint and was then dismantled and parted out ,...anyone ?

[928]

what sprint, when,where

[bob homewood]

what sprint, when,where

I'm not sure ,that is why I asked ,I believe it is being confused with when it got damaged at Levin ,as a point if interest did it ever run again as a complete car after that incident,as the informant may be partly right ?

[928]

I know that robinson won port road sprint in the car with no body fitted. that was after the levin shunt

[bob homewood]

I know that robinson won port road sprint in the car with no body fitted. that was after the levin shunt

OK ,did it get damaged at a later event again ,that is the only trouble with a lot of this information you have to sift through it ,did Colin Roberts race it after that

[928]

do not know if colin roberts raced it

[bob homewood]

Thanks ,Oh well ,we will just keep chipping away ,like a lot of the other multitude of things sitting here waiting for a answer

[Terry S]

I believe the Rorstan-Climax is alive and well and living in Dunedin.
The McBegg was taken to the tip after an accident at Ruapuna, but I believe has since been "re-created" - someone might know more about this than I do.
The Elfin 400 was still in the Auckland area in the 1980s, but I haven't heard of it since

Does anyone know which "Rorstan Climax" Davis was referring to? I wasn't aware any survived.

[GD66]

I think that was the sorely-missed Fountain, David McK responding to an enquiry of mine about the Climax-engined Rorstan sports car that was slowly knocked up behind the showroom at Stanton Motors but I never saw running. I think Danie Lupp had it for a while. Looked to have some potential : last time I glimpsed it the nicely-fashioned body was still awaiting paint.

[jamie]

Hi Gang I am still watching.
Bob More raced the Rorstan with 2lt Vauxhall for a number of years in the seventy's.
And it was sold to the south Island and races occasionally in classic races.
Jamie A

[bry3500]

Hi Gang I am still watching.
Bob More raced the Rorstan with 2lt Vauxhall for a number of years in the seventy's.
And it was sold to the south Island and races occasionally in classic races.
Jamie A

??? from another thread

[jamie]

Hi Gang.
Thanks Bry that is the beast. Still Bob and Josie now and then.
Jamie A.

[Ross Hollings]

Back in the 60's i remember going with Bryan Marshall [who raced a quick A40 ] to behind the Grey Lynn or Ponsonby shops to view a space framed sports car that Robbie Francivics friend and mechanic,Tony Krilitich [Forgive spelling,there is a e missing somewhere there !] was building,could have been going to be 4 wheel drive,but not sure.............any suggestions ?

[GD66]

Was that what wound up being the Katipo ? Seem to recall that was going to be a sports car but ended up being an offset single seater.