Northern Sports Car Club - the early years.

[Trevor Sheffield]

As I correctly reported --- "Early on the NSSC was a true sports car club with restrictions as to membership. Due to import restrictions it became necessary to admit saloon car owners, but only to the extent that there remained a 50/50 distribution of open and saloon cars".

A full article covering Gordon Brown's car appeared in one of the first editions of the very first NZ magazine dedicated towards sports cars. I once had a copy but now am unable to recollect the exact title of the publication. Is there a copy out there somewhere?

The car was/is important as it was is incidental in popularizing the Ford Ten Special within NZ. When I have time to put my thinking cap on I will start a thread covering these cars as they are historically significant.

[Roger Dowding]

As I correctly reported --- "Early on the NSSC was a true sports car club with restrictions as to membership. Due to import restrictions it became necessary to admit saloon car owners, but only to the extent that there remained a 50/50 distribution of open and saloon cars".

A full article covering Gordon Brown's car appeared in one of the first editions of the very first NZ magazine dedicated towards sports cars. I once had a copy but now am unable to recollect the exact title of the publication. Is there a copy out there somewhere?

The car was/is important as it was is incidental in popularizing the Ford Ten Special within NZ. When I have time to put my thinking cap on I will start a thread covering these cars as they are historically significant.

Trevor, again thanks for your input [ Eddie is 95 and memory is not as good as it could be] . cheers

Roger

[Roger Dowding]

As I correctly reported --- "Early on the NSSC was a true sports car club with restrictions as to membership. Due to import restrictions it became necessary to admit saloon car owners, but only to the extent that there remained a 50/50 distribution of open and saloon cars".

A full article covering Gordon Brown's car appeared in one of the first editions of the very first NZ magazine dedicated towards sports cars. I once had a copy but now am unable to recollect the exact title of the publication. Is there a copy out there somewhere?

The car was/is important as it was is incidental in popularizing the Ford Ten Special within NZ. When I have time to put my thinking cap on I will start a thread covering these cars as they are historically significant.

The Ford Ten Specials and others, that would be great to see details,
I know Ed and his brother Mac, while not building a special did modify an Austin 7 tourer, [ around a 1930 model ], with cut down doors, raked windscreen, to make it look MG sports car like. think I have a photo somewhere.

[Roger Dowding]

Correction ; Ken Wharton's BRM in the pits, not the Whitehead Ferrari

[duncan fox]

Hi Roger,
I have a similar collection of photographs in my possession. The car line up in post 5 is according to my copy the clubs very 1st run. Your print is reversed I see , the cars are all lh drive.

Your uncle Eddies Morrie 8 is the 2nd one in on your right. That’s also him in the mud climb. The other two are Ralph Watson (Singer 9 LeMans) and Ken Hemus Sunbeam.
Looked like good clean fun from a great era of NZ motoring.
I see I have several shots of the Brown Ford 10 special at Seagrove Airfield also.

[Roger Dowding]

Hi Roger,
I have a similar collection of photographs in my possession. The car line up in post 5 is according to my copy the clubs very 1st run. Your print is reversed I see , the cars are all lh drive.

Your uncle Eddies Morrie 8 is the 2nd one in on your right. That’s also him in the mud climb. The other two are Ralph Watson (Singer 9 LeMans) and Ken Hemus Sunbeam.
Looked like good clean fun from a great era of NZ motoring.
I see I have several shots of the Brown Ford 10 special at Seagrove Airfield also.

Duncan,yes my copy says first run and oops about the reversed image.

Thanks for your information and Trevor too!!. the Morrie 8 is the one mentioned in the Roycroft book, must dig out and check details.

[Roger Dowding]

The Ford Ten Specials and others, that would be great to see details,
I know Ed and his brother Mac, while not building a special did modify an Austin 7 tourer, [ around a 1930 model ], with cut down doors, raked windscreen, to make it look MG sports car like. think I have a photo somewhere.

Found a photo of the Austin 7, with Mac's [ my father ] dog Kim, Ed Dowding and a friend, name unsure. photo from my Dads ones so think he probably took it, some sort of a gathering as other cars in view including a Morris 8. have sent a copy to Ed, he may recognise the friend.
Photo would be around 1937-38. no concern about same tyres on each axle, looks like 3 different tyres in the view.

[928]

three different tyres fitted probably to balance the cable brakes

[Roger Dowding]

three different tyres fitted probably to balance the cable brakes

928, WHAT BRAKES !!, think that " Lord Austin " had the same idea as Ettoire Bugatti, the car is made to go, not stop. probably right though.
One tyre looks like a Michelin - left front - which would make sense as Mac worked at Briscoe and Company Hardware and Ironmongers in Customs Street, and they had the Michelin Agency..

[928]

you are right roger. we had a 7 and a wooden anchor on a length of rope that we would throw at parking meters to help. got a laugh even from the blue boys

[Roger Dowding]

Found a photo of the Austin 7, with Mac's [ my father ] dog Kim, Ed Dowding and a friend, name unsure. photo from my Dads ones so think he probably took it, some sort of a gathering as other cars in view including a Morris 8. have sent a copy to Ed, he may recognise the friend.
Photo would be around 1937-38. no concern about same tyres on each axle, looks like 3 different tyres in the view.

Found a couple more photo's with a pencil note on the back " 1940 ", so maybe a bit later than 1938, the car looks the same, but with the hood down.. not quite an MG but !! 747cc of absolute power .. maybe.

[Roger Dowding]

Found a photo of the Austin 7, with Mac's [ my father ] dog Kim, Ed Dowding and a friend, name unsure. photo from my Dads ones so think he probably took it, some sort of a gathering as other cars in view including a Morris 8. have sent a copy to Ed, he may recognise the friend.
Photo would be around 1937-38. no concern about same tyres on each axle, looks like 3 different tyres in the view.

Have found out that the other person on the car is Ted [ Edward ] Kippenberger, who was a mate of Ed and Mac's and went on to be Director of Civil Aviation in New Zealand. knew him back in the 1960's .