Motor Racing pics - my early years, 1964-71 ; Pukekohe Racetrack ;by - Roger Dowdingl

[Roger Dowding]

The " Orchid Special " has been in Switzerland for a number of years owned by Michael Rohrmoser and now owned by Richard ....

The car is mentioned in the Graham Vercoe book " Historic Racing Cars of New Zealand " having been built by Keith Yeats in ** 1962/63.
: " Keith Yeats, of Auckland, built up this Ford 10 -based sports car with a Buckler [ read De Joux ] fibreglass body in 1962. **
It was based on an even earlier Ford 10 Special going back to 1953 with Bruce Lawrence. It had twin SUs and an 8hp head with 7.5;1 compression ratio.
Yeats scored a number of class wins around 1963 including the Chamberlain Road Hillclimb and the Bombay Hillclimb ** Des Windsor later raced the car and it is now with Barry Suckling ".

Car raced at Pukekohe - specifically in the ACC April 1964 meeting and at the April 1966 [ reverse track ] meeting as evidenced by these Entry Lists and a photo of mine.

April 1964 Race 3 [ and 4 ] Entry list from John Hatton



April 1966 Entry list from Milan Fistonic
Keith Yeats still racing the car as in the photo



The car left of picture with Bucklers a Daimler and others in the paddock.


Richard is looking for more information and photos of the car to fully track its history.
Car has been restored /rebuilt and has it NZ Numbers CY6331 as NZ - CV6331 its Swiss registration.

An old photo of the car showing it was built in 1959-61 not 1962/63 as mentioned above.



Later 13 September 2020.

A lot more information has come to light about the car and its History from the current owner - Worth a story under the heading " NZ Specials " - will probably go onto the " Dunedin 1984 ... "thread

A more recent photo of the car - with previous owners / drivers on the side [ hard to read though ].
NZ American and European names and flags on the car.

[Kevin Hirst]

The " Orchid Special " has been in Switzerland for a number of years owned by Michael Rohrmoser and now owned by Richard ....

The car is mentioned in the Graham Vercoe book " Historic Racing Cars of New Zealand " having been built by Keith Yeats in ** 1962/63.
: " Keith Yeats, of Auckland, built up this Ford 10 -based sports car with a Buckler [ read De Joux ] fibreglass body in 1962. **
It was based on an even earlier Ford 10 Special going back to 1953 with Bruce Lawrence. It had twin SUs and an 8hp head with 7.5;1 compression ratio.
Yeats scored a number of class wins around 1963 including the Chamberlain Road Hillclimb and the Bombay Hillclimb ** Des Windsor later raced the car and it is now with Barry Suckling ".

Car raced at Pukekohe - specifically in the ACC April 1964 meeting and at the April 1966 [ reverse track ] meeting as evidenced by these Entry Lists and a photo of mine.

April 1964 Race 3 [ and 4 ] Entry list from John Hatton



April 1966 Entry list from Milan Fistonic
Keith Yeats still racing the car as in the photo



The car left of picture with Bucklers a Daimler and others in the paddock.


Richard is looking for more information and photos of the car to fully track its history.
Car has been restored /rebuilt and has it NZ Numbers CY6331 as NZ - CV6331 its Swiss registration.

An old photo of the car showing it was built in 1959-61 not 1962/63 as mentioned above.



A more recent photo of the car - with previous owners / drivers on the side [ hard to read though ].
NZ American and European names and flags on the car.

We competed against the orchid special when owned by Doug St George in the mid 90's gymkhana's & sprint's etc. I presume it was the same car

[Milan Fistonic]

We competed against the orchid special when owned by Doug St George in the mid 90's gymkhana's & sprint's etc. I presume it was the same car

Yes it was the same car. Doug St George owned the car some time after after Barry Suckling had it.