Hi Steve , ............ * Emson * , a very famous name from the past indeed in motor racing circles ! . l too have done lots of miles in XU1's over the years , the green LC XU1 in the above picture was actually our family car from 1986 till about 1996 .........l still can't believe looking back that during the later years of it's life as a family wagon l used to cart my wife and 4 kids around in it ....the things we did back then . l bought that car from the late Don and Joan Blackbourne of New Plymouth ...... Don had bought the car in the early 70's when they had sold their dairy farm and retired to town . He was a bit of a legend in Taranaki and gold star hillclimbs and North Island circuits and could show much younger guys in better machinery a clean pair of heels , an awesome driver and a very well liked and respected gentleman indeed .
l still race an XU1 myself when l get myself motivated but it seems to be getting harder to do these days the older l get . l've also just recently bought back my old Cooper S replica racecar l'd built in the early 90's and then sold about 5 years ago too . It's fitted with arden crossflow head and engine is in bits ........like l really NEED another project but anyway , was probably more of a sentimental thing .....like buying back an old family heirloom maybe ? lol

Cheers John A