Not sure if this is the appropriate thread but here are some of the cars we had in the Hyndman family as I was growing up.
Number 1 is a photo of little Kenny arriving at his aunties home on Felix St in Te Papapa with mum & dad in their 1948 Ford Prefect E93A four door saloon.
Our next car was a 1951 Standard Vanguard Phase 1 saloon. With a 2 litre engine the same as a Ferguson tractor. 0 to 60 in a really quick 21.5 seconds !
Our car was black and on a hot day and dad smoking I was always car sick, especially on the gravel roads to Waihi Beach through the Karangahake Gorge.
Again at Te Papapa. Note the evidence of the gravel roads !
Went down Felix Street tonight- changed a bit.
Give me the address and I can give her little Kennys regards.....
Last edited by John McKechnie; 12-14-2015 at 08:50 AM.
Thanks John,
My two aunties left Felix St in 1966. I Googled it last night and found the old house is still there. Number 30 across from the entrance to GIB Living. It is a light beige colour and has a garage in front with a blue mural painted on it. I recognized it from the stain glass window which was on the room where I used to sleep when I went to stay and visit the "big city". You can see it best from the driveway to 28A. If you could ever get a chance to photo the house that would be greatly appreciated.
The last car dad drove to Auckland and we had for years was a 1959 Humber Hawk.
Before I go, here are my two aunties arriving at Kiwitahi in their new 1965 Simca 1000. (Not a great aerodynamic design but they were very happy in it )
Humber Hawks were the most sought after cars for "Demolition Derby" races at Waikaraka Park Stock cars - they were so strong that most other cars wrote themselves off trying to take them out!
The little Simcas were very good performers, but evidently a little light in the front. I'm told at higher speeds the nose would try to lift so a good heavy toolbox or similar was always carried under the bonnet.
I had one in 1982, saved it from Demolition Derby. Had the 4 cylinder Commer Truck engine,
A great car with factory heater.
Hey Ken, when you were a wee boy staying at Aunties, any Saturday night noises from Epsom Showgrounds, Glouster Park Stock Cars.........
John,
I remember my dad & brother going to the Epsom Showgrounds and Western Springs. I was not allowed to go.
I also remember I had been an apprentice for one week and thought I knew it all and told mum I was going out to tune the Humber Hawk.
By the time I was finished the valve clearance was so bad and loud and the timing so far off the engine was almost turning backwards.
I think it was towed into town to get set right. I was not allowed to touch it again except to wash and vacuum the old beast !
(Ken Hyndman )
One for you Paul... Can you please confirm the make, so that I can file my pic!!!
Wow. They made them for a few years (probably not surprising given their McLaren-derived styling). I've got a brochure from the Australian agent, Manta Motors, which dates to the mid-70's. At that time they had 1970 VW or late Karmann Ghia suspension listed in the specs. Nett weight with a small block Chev was quoted as 1900lbs. (under 900kg!!)
Yep. The early ones had VW front suspension which always seemed strange to me. They used a (flipped) Corvair rear so why not use the twin-wishbone Corvair front? They also made the VW based Montage which indirectly came to NZ as the Mararn. The founder died in a racing accident (Formula Ford?) and his brother kept it going for some years but I think they overcapitalised on their C1 Corvette replica.
I loved them ever since I saw one being stolen in the original 'Gone in 60 Seconds'
From Wheels 1974:
Not the best pic..sorry. This was my first 'project' car. Bought as bit of a derelict and rebuilt and refurbished ! Believe the Mararn moulds were bought in by the legendry Mr McRae but can't be sure of that. Mine was 100 percent VW based.......but a lot of fun !!!!!!
I swooned after them as a teenager (hence the brochure) I still have that Wheels mag, too. Maybe they went the VW route originally due to parts availability and price, and as a follow-on from the kit-car beach buggy days?
....that should have ended - .....beach buggy days.......
Apologies for quality but my scanner is out of action. The quote for complete kit less engine is $7400, reasonable value for that time.
You're right about the Mararn moulds.
Rather than clog this forum, have a look at: http://mantacarsforum.com/forum.php I've posted a lot of scanned articles, including the popular Mechanics article where Stirling Moss drives a Manta.
Here is my Mararn and my Beach buggy from years gone by:
Last edited by Paul Wilkinson; 12-16-2015 at 03:29 AM.
This was my pride and joy. It was built from the Almac kit and had a warmed 351 Cleveland. Loved driving it through town and blipping the throttle - the lake pipes sounded fantastic. Built it in less than two years - I know of quite a few earlier kits than mine that are still stuck away in sheds. Unfortunately is has now moved on. Last I heard it was down in Whanganui being repaired.
Mike- thats a very tasty bit of kit, easily the best colour scheme I have ever seen on one,
Good to see a Clevo pushing it along.
After all the real deals had Fords back then-like the Tigers........
Yes a grunter - from the early V8 Falcon days and saloon car racing.
I have never seen another in that colour scheme and that was one of the reasons that I picked and I think it looked smart.
And yes I have always fancied a Tiger with a 289 and Minilite wheels.