Rod Coppins

[Kiwiboss]

I spoke with Ken Bailey today, Ken lives in Tauranga and i worked with him for a couple of years in the early 80's, he said he'd crewed for Rod back in the Zepyhr/Corvette days and did in fact buy this vehicle from Rod and continued to race it a few times, he said Rod also drove while under his ownership, he then sold it to a Chinese guy in Wellington and never saw it again. I have invited Ken to come to the Denny Hulme Festival as im sure he'll have a few good "Rod Coppins" stories to tell, he was chuffed i'd asked.

The other guy that always had a few good stories about Rod and really spoke highly of him was that character "Cedric Price" from Matamata.

Dale M

[Steve Holmes]

I spoke with Ken Bailey today, Ken lives in Tauranga and i worked with him for a couple of years in the early 80's, he said he'd crewed for Rod back in the Zepyhr/Corvette days and did in fact buy this vehicle from Rod and continued to race it a few times, he said Rod also drove while under his ownership, he then sold it to a Chinese guy in Wellington and never saw it again. I have invited Ken to come to the Denny Hulme Festival as im sure he'll have a few good "Rod Coppins" stories to tell, he was chuffed i'd asked.

The other guy that always had a few good stories about Rod and really spoke highly of him was that character "Cedric Price" from Matamata.

Dale M

Dale, this is a very rare shot of Ken in the ex-Coppins Zephyr at Levin during the 1967 season. Photo is by Steve Twist.

[45DCOE]

Dale, this is a very rare shot of Ken in the ex-Coppins Zephyr at Levin during the 1967 season. Photo is by Steve Twist.

The "Chinese Guy" from Wellington was probably my brother who owned a service station. The car ended up there but was not brought by him. One of his workers brought the rolling shell from Graham Anderson (Mantel Motors who raced ex Kocis Torana) for $1.50 who used it painted orange in I think the first OSCA race in Levin. Gilbert Mallia of stock car fame expressed an interest to convert to saloon on for Te Marua. Remember him crawling around underneath talking about "mounts for Jag Gearbox". Remember the strut towers poking thru the bonnet. Not sure if jag gearbox was fitted at some stage, there is an article in an old Motorman that may confirm this. Do not know what happened to the roller after that. Elcoyote use to hang around the service station -he might know more.