Kiwi big banger Sports Cars of late 1960s and early 70's

[Gerard Richards]

I have recently finished writing a biography story on West Auckland racing driver Garry Pedersen, of which the first part has currently been published in NZ Classic Car magazine. This brought back many memories of a fearsome array of machinery that appeared through out these years. Sport cars were pretty wild and came in all shapes and sizes. What became of some of these machines is my question. Some have survived like the Russell Greer Stanton Corvette, the ex Tyrell Turtle Continental Special and the ex Jim Boyd, Ralph Smith Lola T70 that was originally owned and raced? by Umberto Maglioli (Italy 1966) has gone back overseas. The Garry Pedersen GEMCO Olds which was based on the Tony Shelly ex Reg Parnell Lotus 18/21 was restored by Gray Mathias, the remains of the GEMCO were last seen at the Bruce McLaren Festival Jan 2010 and apparently were sold to the USA. What has happened to the Grahame Harvey Elfin 400 Chev, the Geoff Mardon/Digby Taylor McBegg Chev and the Jamie Aislabie Sid Mk1, which was originally the Heron Daimler V8 that Norris Miles drove at one stage. Also there are other cars like Danie Lupps Rorstan Climax, Glen McIntyres Wilmac Fiat, does anybody know.

[bob homewood]

Sid MK1 and the Heron Daimler that Norris drove were two different cars,I have some photos of the latter.The Wilmac I owned briefly in the late 70's when I traded it on Rhubarb 3 which I was selling ,the Fiat motor went into Rhubarb 3 ,some parts ,shocks etc went to a friend who was / is restoring a Brabham,the chassis and body were onsold ,I believe unfortunately it has probably been dumped

[David McKinney]

I believe the Rorstan-Climax is alive and well and living in Dunedin.
The McBegg was taken to the tip after an accident at Ruapuna, but I believe has since been "re-created" - someone might know more about this than I do.
The Elfin 400 was still in the Auckland area in the 1980s, but I haven't heard of it since

[Steve Holmes]

Sorry to hi-jack your thread Gerard, but where is this car now? Assuming this is the Scuderia Veloce 250LM that Andy Buchanan raced in NZ during the 1966/67 season, winning the NZ Sports Car Championship? Am quite certain its pictured here in Australia.

83

Photo by Mike Feisst

[David McKinney]

It went back to Oz. Last I heard of it the car was in the US, but that's probably 15 years ago

[Gerard Richards]

Harking back to two other unaccounted sports cars from the 1970-73 era. There was a rear engined 3.5 V8 Oldsmobile sports car, I think driven by Lyn Johnson if I remember and might have been based in Christchurch. This might have had Begg origins and could have been built from some of the remains of the first Begg sports car that Brent Hawes was killed in at Ruapuna in 1969. I think it was initially converted into the Begg spaceframe F5000 car that Leo Leonard drove briefly before being converted into the sports car. Am I correct in this and what might have become of this car? Another car that also comes to mind was the very pretty red Heron Twin Cam driven by Gary Deakon? Thanks Dave McKinney for your update on the Heron Daimler of Norris Miles, the McBegg and the update at least to the 1980s of the ex Grahame Harvey Elfin 400

[David McKinney]

Leo's F5000 Begg contained some parts from the crashed sportscar, but the rest of it was rebuilt as a sportscar raced by Rod McElrea as the Elmac, though later owners reverted to the Begg name. Last I heard (2007) it was with Neville Brumby in Gore

The Heron 1500 was built by Ross Baker in Rotorua: he located the remains in Taupo in 1989 and bought them, though whether the car has been rebuilt I don't know

[Steve Holmes]

More info on the above 250 LM here, thanks to Mike Feisst and Allan Dick:

"The Scuderia Veloce car – chassis #6321 – as far as I know, is part of the Ralph Lauren Collection.

According to Road & Track magazine:

“The 250 LM in the Ralph Lauren collection had an extensive and successful racing career in Australia. Chassis 6321, it had a dozen wins in the highly competitive racing Down Under. Among those wins was one in the Surfers’ Paradise 12 hours in 1966, co-driven by a young driver just beginning a brilliant career: Jackie Stewart.”

The car is also listed on the Ferrari 250LM Register (www.ferrarilife.com/register) – although their entry doesn’t mention Ralph Lauren.

Here’s a photo of the car in the Lauren collection". Allan Dick

86

[Steve Holmes]

Andy Buchanan lives not far form me and is very good friends with my neighbour. He still drives Ferrari's.

[kiwi285]

Any chance of getting Andy's thought on the 250LM and racing at that time??

[kiwi285]

Reverting back to Gerard's original question, I remember most of those cars but in particular I have a coloured photo of the Lola T70 driven by Jim Boyd at Pukekohe when it was painted in the Cambridge colours.

How did we manage to get such an up to date sports car to NZ and what ever happened to it after the two drivers mentioned had finished with it.

I guess that it ended up back in Europe somewhere !!

[David McKinney]

I've got a colour photo of it in Cambridge colours taken at Silverstone two or three years ago:)
It ended its NZ racing days when Grant Bloor crashed it heavily at Timaru in 1972. It then passed through a variety of hands, ending with Rob Boult and then Ralph Smith, and has been with Marshall Bailey here in the UK since about 2005

[Gerard Richards]

Here's my take on this rather fascinating story. My historical knowledge is probably not quite in the Dave McKinney league, but this is my understanding. This Lola T70 was originally sold to Umberto Maglioli of Italy in 1966 with a 5.9 litre Chevrolet engine, which was the same motor that Jim Boyd used to my knowledge. There is no race history that I know of for this early period. The car was then sold to an English guy called Dill Pell who brought the car to N.Z. It was then sold to Jim Boyd in 1969. He used it to win the 1969-70 N.Z. sports car championship painted in Cambridge cigarette colours. The car then to my knowledge didn't appear for a couple of seasons, though I may be wrong in this. Grant Bloore drove the car occasionally in the 1972-73 season and to my knowledge was the last to race it, when he crashed into the fence at Timaru on May 20th 1973 following a long lurid spin after hitting oil during a very wet race. While trying to protect the car's bodywork with loose tyres, John Monehan in the Stanton Corvette spun on the slow down lap and crashed into the Lola with the unfortunate Bloore and Flag Marshall caught between the two cars suffering serious leg fractures. It never raced again. Baron Robertson, then bought it with intention of turning it into a road, which wasn't finished. It then passed through a number of hands including, Travis McGregor, Norm Masters, Brian Middlemass, Rob Boult before being bought by Ralph Smith. He finished the restoration and it appeared at a few classic gatherings, before being put up for sale. The car has apparently returned overseas. This is my understanding of the history of the Cambridge Lola, please let me know if I'm incorrect in any part.

[pallmall]

Here are some photos I scanned from a friends collection last year of some of the cars discussed here.

The big bangers, Boyd Lola and Harvey Elfin.
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Motor%20Racing%20Historic/McIvorscans2033Standarde-mailview.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Motor%20Racing%20Historic/McIvorscans2044Standarde-mailview.jpg

And some not so big bangers, Boyd Lycoming and others, Riley Lotus, and the Daimler V8 Heron.

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Motor%20Racing%20Historic/McIvorscans2067Standarde-mailview.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Motor%20Racing%20Historic/McIvorscans2071Standarde-mailview.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Motor%20Racing%20Historic/McIvorscans2083Standarde-mailview.jpg

And a shot of the Gemco as it was about 12 or so years ago. Taken at the first Domain Hill Climb.

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i275/Checraft/Motor%20Racing%20Historic/gemco001Standarde-mailview.jpg

[kiwi285]

http://i53.tinypic.com/zwmj2e.jpg

Attached is a copy of the coloured photo I took of Jim Boyd's Lola T70 in Cambridge colours. This was taken at Pukekohe in January 1970 I think.

[Gerard Richards]

Great to see these period pictures. The John Riley Lotus Oldsmobile of course, being rebuilt into the fabulous G.E.M.C.O. Olds by Garry Pedersen and team from Glen Eden Motor Bodies, which went on to defeat Graham Harvey's Elfin 400 Chev in a hard fought contest to win the 1971-72 NZ Sports Car Championship. Great to see the photos of the Elfin and Lola to. The full story of this epic encounter coming out in the next issue of NZ Classic Car mag in early June.

[timbo61]

The Gemco is still alive, and was spotted at the 2010 Bruce McLaren Festival at Pukekohe.
It was up for sale, but a big restoration job would be needed to get it running again.

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/3689/scn0001.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/163/scn0001.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[GD66]

Sorry to hi-jack your thread Gerard, but where is this car now? Assuming this is the Scuderia Veloce 250LM that Andy Buchanan raced in NZ during the 1966/67 season, winning the NZ Sports Car Championship? Am quite certain its pictured here in Australia.

83

Photo by Mike Feisst



No doubt that's the car, Steve. Not only is it carrying a set of Scuderia Veloce decals, but I reckon that's Andy Buchanan himself standing behind the green Datsun.

[bob homewood]

Sorry this such a old faded photo,it is from 1967 when I worked on the Heron when Norris Miles raced it I never drove the car in a race but I did get to drive it at Pukekohe at the time I thought it was ok ,but from what I know now from my own later cars it was over tired and under powered ,it really needed a alloy Olds and a decent gearbox in it ,that Citroen box was a shocker,no good on downchanges.You will notice in this photo it has not got those added on alloy bits to cover the wheels,that are in the other photo on here






484

[RogerH]

Another photo of the Heron.
http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/2260/97450731.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/802/97450731.jpg/)

[bob homewood]

Another photo of the Heron.
http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/2260/97450731.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/802/97450731.jpg/)
Roger thanks ,yes no bits of tin over the wheels in that photo,thats how I remember it the first time I ever saw it down in Rotorua and how it was when we got it

[RogerH]

The Lola T70 when Jim Boyd had it and a couple of earlier evocative sports car photos.
http://img849.imageshack.us/img849/428/cc22.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/849/cc22.jpg/)

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/7787/cc91.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/12/cc91.jpg/)

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/3729/cc103.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/822/cc103.jpg/)

[kiwi285]

http://i56.tinypic.com/sm8y12.jpg Here is a period shot of the GEMCO being unloaded off its trailer at Pukekohe

[kiwi285]

http://i53.tinypic.com/j5fk2o.jpg Here is a photo of the Graham Harvey Elfin taken at Pukekohe.

[rf84]

If you do a "Google" search 'Ross Baker+Heron' you will find a website dedicated to "Heron" cars. On the home page there is a 'Links and contacts' in the index. If you look there you can email Ross. He may be able to help re whereaouts of some of the cars.

[kiwi285]

http://i53.tinypic.com/302vw91.jpg

Here another photo of the GEMCO sports car

[Greg Stokes]

How about this?
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/specialist-cars/competition-cars/auction-345538192.htm

[beowulf]

This Lola was competing in the Silverstone Classic meeting three years ago. Still painted in Cambridge colours as it raced in NZ. I chatted with the driver, bemoaning the fact that it had left here. It blew it's motor later at the meeting.

[bob homewood]

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[bob homewood]

1372

[Steve Holmes]

Whats the #18 car Bob?

[stubuchanan]

1431

This next photo is probably not what Gerard was thinking of when he started this thread, but it had a variety of big banger engines in a long career, and was raced at least as late as November 1968.

The HWM-Cadillac was imported in the mid-50's by the Avery brothers. As well as the Averys, it was driven later, mostly at Ardmore and Pukekohe, by Ron Roycroft, Roly Levis and once, I think, by Jim Boyd. Later it was owned by J.Donnelly, seen above in practice at the 1965 GP meeting, and then by George Hallen and John Monehan. It was a fairly reliable car it seems, and sometimes outlasted some of the smaller and faster stuff. A one stage it was painted a delightful purple shade, but I can't find a colour picture.

[nigel watts]

1432

1433

[grelley]

The McBegg is currently being rebuilt in Invercargill by Wally Willmott who built the original chassis at McLarens. I was talking to Wall in the weekend and we were discussing the car. The original chassis is with the McLaren Trust but they have another chassis in Invercargill, and most of the original Begg built parts. Wall told me the story of how the McBegg came into being. I am not sure of the year, but McLaren were building the M1Bs and were also running the F1 car, and had a tyre supply contract with Goodyear for the supply of F1 tyres. Bruce felt that these tyres proved to be better than the tyres they were using on the M1Bs but were only available in 13" wheras the M1Bs ran 15" wheels, so it was decided to build an M1B chassis with altered suspension pickup points to suit the smaller wheels. The car was assembled and raced but did not handle as expected. It was tried again with 15inch rear wheels and 13" fronts, which improved the situation, but was still not as good as had been anticipated. The car was subsequently stripped of all the parts and the chassis thrown into the rubbish bin. Also in the rubbish bin was an M6 front body section (I was told by the original driver of the McBegg that this was from Denny Hulmes Can Am championship car) This was being used by Wally Willmott when they were building the prototype M8. The nose section had been sliced through the air intake ducts horizontally and deepened by 2". Moulds were then taken from this, and it to found its way into the rubbish. George Begg, who was working at McLarens at the time asked Bruce if he could buy both parts and was told to just take them away, which he did, and brought them back to New Zealand when he returned and built the McBegg.

[Steve Holmes]

1431

This next photo is probably not what Gerard was thinking of when he started this thread, but it had a variety of big banger engines in a long career, and was raced at least as late as November 1968.

The HWM-Cadillac was imported in the mid-50's by the Avery brothers. As well as the Averys, it was driven later, mostly at Ardmore and Pukekohe, by Ron Roycroft, Roly Levis and once, I think, by Jim Boyd. Later it was owned by J.Donnelly, seen above in practice at the 1965 GP meeting, and then by George Hallen and John Monehan. It was a fairly reliable car it seems, and sometimes outlasted some of the smaller and faster stuff. A one stage it was painted a delightful purple shade, but I can't find a colour picture.

What a neat car that is. Thanks for the pic Stu. I read that Gavin Bain owned this car in the late 80s/early 90s. Where is it now?

[David McKinney]

I'd like to know the answer to that one, too, Steve

I haven't hard anything of it since that time (or if I have, I didn't make a note of the fact...)

[bob homewood]

Well This Is my old mate Jamie Aislabie at Pukekohe March 1972 ,but can anyone positively ID the two buggy drivers for me9283

[David McKinney]

The obvious answer would be Rod Millen in one of them - was it too early for Paul Swann in the other?

[bob homewood]

Dave ,my own reckoning is
that the rear one is actually Steve Millen in Rods car ,and possibly Paul Swan in the other or Jody McNamara ?

[Habu]

9284
Baypark
9285
Elfin

[rogered]

99% sure the bones of it are still with Gavin Bain
I'd like to know the answer to that one, too, Steve

I haven't hard anything of it since that time (or if I have, I didn't make a note of the fact...)

[Rod Grimwood]

Well This Is my old mate Jamie Aislabie at Pukekohe March 1972 ,but can anyone positively ID the two buggy drivers for me9283


The back one is Rod Millen and the front one I think is Shorty James. Both were V6 powered. 'PJ" Paul Swann had same cage as Rods. Think it was a handycap race if remember. The rear one is definately Rods original Buggy before the big over at Andersons farm and replaced with SanPacer one, I did a couple of events in PJs back then.

[bob homewood]

Thanks Grimmy because the entrants list has Steve as the driver and Rod as the entrant ,the other choices from the list are Paul Swan and Kevin McNamara,also have you any idea what Graeme Henshaw was actually driving at the same meeting ,I am just trying to tie up some loose ends

[David McKinney]

Without checking anything (I'm in the middle of a house shift) the only car I connect with the name Graeme Henshaw was a twin-Mini special called the Gemini which, contrary to popular belief, had nothing to do with the ex-FJ Gemini (now with Jim Barclay)

[Rod Grimwood]

Bob, If thats the entrants then you are right because Kevin (now theres a name/nice fellow) had a buggy also and Rod and Steve used to share the buggy and the "cob", and as said PJs looked similar to Rods with roll cage. Point about rollcage was it ended up with a steel plate above the driver so it could run at Western Springs with then sprintcars/modifieds. Soon got the heavho because it was not cool to have a beach buggy mixing it with the Big V8 boys. (and doing better than it should) Also it was rear engined and did not really look like a real speedway car. In hindsight fair maybe.
Sorry do not know/remember what Graeme Henshaw was driving then.

[jim short]

Hi Rod did Kevin have the dark Escort at BP, if so was not very nice to run me on to the sand at the righthander while was going around him. Perhaps he didnt see me???

[Rod Grimwood]

That is a problem with Escorts Jim, a blind spot in the right rear corner, and they are a very wide car, as you are familiar with in old days. Was that on the slow down lap jim.
Yep he had the dark blue one which i think ended up with gravel rash on roof at one meeting at BP. Kevin was a pretty good little peddlar as well. a dam nice guy with it. Last I talked with him he was in Whangarei with a Liquor outlet.

[jim short]

Yes I slowed a little but fast enough to look at him in the mirror,the coolers were full of sand,, posibly his last race as never met him

[Rod Grimwood]

Found a old (very) scrapbook at mummy's. It has alot of cuttings etc from way back.

[jim short]

Lets hope the Willis car will bring them back!!

[John McKechnie]

Wont bring the Elfin out.

[928]

just reviving this thread
What happened to the Heron Daimler? is it still around ? where is it ?
just wondered. last I saw was a photo at port road sprint

[Steve Holmes]

From the Bill Pottinger Collection, at Wigram. Grahame Harvey in the Elfin 400 leads Scott Wiseman in the E Type Jag.

19288

[rf84]

I looked at the Heron Daimler with a view to buying it. That was when I was at university so must have been 1968,69 or 70. It was in Wellington (I seem to recall with Colin Roberts who I think raced a Mini?). It was a rolling chassis. It was reputed to have had some Lotus 33 bits in it (rear uprights and maybe some other parts) so may have ended up being parted out?

[rf84]

Talking of big banger sports cars and their whereabouts where is the ex Tyrrell Turtill Continental Special?

[GD66]

There is already a thread about it, including hints to its' possible whereabouts.

Type Tyrell Turtill into the search box at top right of the page.

[928]

many thanks for the info. that ties up with a rumour that I heard as well. if that is the case and it was sold in bits does anyone know what happened to the bits? ie engine gear box,(type) wheels, and so on?

[Perry Holland]

I looked at the Heron Daimler with a view to buying it. That was when I was at university so must have been 1968,69 or 70. It was in Wellington (I seem to recall with Colin Roberts who I think raced a Mini?). It was a rolling chassis. It was reputed to have had some Lotus 33 bits in it (rear uprights and maybe some other parts) so may have ended up being parted out?

the Heron Daimler was owned by Bill Robinson...he went to the UK and was working at Nicholson McLaren buildig Cosworth V8 F1 engines

[928]

thanks Perry, that name rings a bell, and the location goes with the photo i mentioned earlier in the thread. any more info out there?

[Oldfart]

Bill comes on here sometimes. Likewise some Friday nights at the Pioneer tavern near Kerikeri. Ironically we were discussing the Heron Daimler not the Friday just gone, but the one before!

[David McKinney]

I looked at the Heron Daimler with a view to buying it. That was when I was at university so must have been 1968,69 or 70. It was in Wellington (I seem to recall with Colin Roberts who I think raced a Mini?). It was a rolling chassis.
Robinson left the car with Colin Roberts (Anglia, Mini and FF Brabham driver) when he went to the UK. Roberts advertised it for sale in 1972, though he may also have done so earlier without my noticing...


It was reputed to have had some Lotus 33 bits in it (rear uprights and maybe some other parts) so may have ended up being parted out?
The car originally had Heron uprights, but Robinson fitted Brabham wheels, so may well have added Lotus 33 uprights at the same time. The story was that the car was dismantled and the parts scattered, but Tony Baker himself believes it still exists in a Wellington garage

Finally, nice to see a one-time Heron owner on here - welcome, Perry!

[928]

thanks old fart. if yo see him could you ask him to confirm what we know please?
thanks david that appears to confirm all that we know
if it was sold off in bits Who had the bits then?

[Oldfart]

No 33 uprights, had McRae uprights. Bill told me that if you look at the Heron website you will find a story on it and photos as submitted by Bill. www.Heroncars.co.nz the specific is Mk2/3

[Perry Holland]

Thanks Dave....only recently found this site....good to see your memory isn't fading with age...more than I can say for some....isn't it amazing how our era has more interest than the current cars....can you imagine in the future trying to be keen on finding 50 or so current v8 supercars that all look alike

[928]

Thanks again old fart.I just had a look at the site and is confirms a lot of what I knew. great to see history of modifications carried out.
shame the car never ran again as a sports car. Now to find the missing bits Does anyone know Colin Roberts or where he lives? I was told that the engine went into a speedboat but?????

[Steve Holmes]

Here is a photo Allan Cameron snapped at Bay Park in 1971. I'm uploading Allan's collection on another thread (http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?1208-Photos-The-Allan-Cameron-Collection-Part-1).

19986

[bob homewood]

Thanks again old fart.I just had a look at the site and is confirms a lot of what I knew. great to see history of modifications carried out.
shame the car never ran again as a sports car. Now to find the missing bits Does anyone know Colin Roberts or where he lives? I was told that the engine went into a speedboat but?????

Just bumping this back up again ,has any more information come to hand ,David is no longer with us sadly ,but information that has come to me to be handed on to him suggests that the car was damaged at the end of a sprint and was then dismantled and parted out ,...anyone ?

[928]

what sprint, when,where

[bob homewood]

what sprint, when,where

I'm not sure ,that is why I asked ,I believe it is being confused with when it got damaged at Levin ,as a point if interest did it ever run again as a complete car after that incident,as the informant may be partly right ?

[928]

I know that robinson won port road sprint in the car with no body fitted. that was after the levin shunt

[bob homewood]

I know that robinson won port road sprint in the car with no body fitted. that was after the levin shunt

OK ,did it get damaged at a later event again ,that is the only trouble with a lot of this information you have to sift through it ,did Colin Roberts race it after that

[928]

do not know if colin roberts raced it

[bob homewood]

Thanks ,Oh well ,we will just keep chipping away ,like a lot of the other multitude of things sitting here waiting for a answer

[Terry S]

I believe the Rorstan-Climax is alive and well and living in Dunedin.
The McBegg was taken to the tip after an accident at Ruapuna, but I believe has since been "re-created" - someone might know more about this than I do.
The Elfin 400 was still in the Auckland area in the 1980s, but I haven't heard of it since

Does anyone know which "Rorstan Climax" Davis was referring to? I wasn't aware any survived.

[GD66]

I think that was the sorely-missed Fountain, David McK responding to an enquiry of mine about the Climax-engined Rorstan sports car that was slowly knocked up behind the showroom at Stanton Motors but I never saw running. I think Danie Lupp had it for a while. Looked to have some potential : last time I glimpsed it the nicely-fashioned body was still awaiting paint.

[jamie]

Hi Gang I am still watching.
Bob More raced the Rorstan with 2lt Vauxhall for a number of years in the seventy's.
And it was sold to the south Island and races occasionally in classic races.
Jamie A

[bry3500]

Hi Gang I am still watching.
Bob More raced the Rorstan with 2lt Vauxhall for a number of years in the seventy's.
And it was sold to the south Island and races occasionally in classic races.
Jamie A

??? from another thread

[jamie]

Hi Gang.
Thanks Bry that is the beast. Still Bob and Josie now and then.
Jamie A.

[Ross Hollings]

Back in the 60's i remember going with Bryan Marshall [who raced a quick A40 ] to behind the Grey Lynn or Ponsonby shops to view a space framed sports car that Robbie Francivics friend and mechanic,Tony Krilitich [Forgive spelling,there is a e missing somewhere there !] was building,could have been going to be 4 wheel drive,but not sure.............any suggestions ?

[GD66]

Was that what wound up being the Katipo ? Seem to recall that was going to be a sports car but ended up being an offset single seater.

[Paul Lindberg]

HI there, I have just joined this site. I was wanting some information on a XK120 Jag a friend and I have just purchased.
The vehicle has been in storage some 50years, it was I believe bought to New Zealand by Jack Tutton who raced the vehicle and then sold it to Sybil Lupp and then she raced it as well.
We are in the process of doing a full restoration on the Jag. The chassis no is 660112, I believe it has some good racing history. If anyone has any information of photos of this vehicle it would be much appreciated as we are wanting to restore to its original state. I have been told there is a book by David McKinney that has some information on it as well.

[Milan Fistonic]

The book you need is Racing Jaguars in New Zealand by Brian Watson. He's been advertising copies on Trade Me.

[Paul Lindberg]

Thank you for that I will try and get the book any help we can is great as we are trying to put the car back to the way it was back in the 1950s when it was raced Thanks again Paul .

[Roger Dowding]

HI there, I have just joined this site. I was wanting some information on a XK120 Jag a friend and I have just purchased.
The vehicle has been in storage some 50years, it was I believe bought to New Zealand by Jack Tutton who raced the vehicle and then sold it to Sybil Lupp and then she raced it as well.
We are in the process of doing a full restoration on the Jag. The chassis no is 660112, I believe it has some good racing history. If anyone has any information of photos of this vehicle it would be much appreciated as we are wanting to restore to its original state. I have been told there is a book by David McKinney that has some information on it as well.

Paul,

Also check out through British Leyland Heritage in the UK, they will probably have its early History, who sold to, etc and when

http://www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk/archive-services/

The centre was originally BL Heritage, but as BL is defunct, try the above link

looking at how the link saved " heritage-motor-centre.co.uk/archive-services/ " after the www.

[stubuchanan]

Thank you for that I will try and get the book any help we can is great as we are trying to put the car back to the way it was back in the 1950s when it was raced Thanks again Paul .

Hi Paul,

My advice would be to try to find the book in a library(assuming you live in NZ) . Without being too unkind to author Brian Watson, it is not a very complete story. He has relied on information supplied by former owners of the various Jaguars, and the only story relating to 660112 is from one Harvey Hingston of (?)Taranaki who bought the car from Arthur Moffat in 1956. Hingston was only about 20 and didn't do much competitive sport with it, maybe a hillclimb and a sprint or so, and seemed to be more interested in out-running the local cop. Eventually he swapped it for a 1956 Ford Customline V8, but doesn't say who the new owner was or when.

I borrowed the book from the Auckland City library system a few years ago) and scanned the pages of interest to me (including the above info).

Good Luck With your search for Info,

Stu Buchanan

[RogerH]

There is quite a bit on this car (including several photos) in the book "The Jaguar XK120 in the Southern Hemisphere". It has a good racing history and most of this is detailed in the book. The first recorded race is with the first owner (Jack Tutton) in February 1951 and he raced it nine time before he sold it in February 1953 to Sybil Lupp who raced it on a number of occasions. By late 1954 it was with John Horton who did a hill climb before passing it onto Arthur Moffat and then to Harvey Hingston in late 1956/early 1957 - sold by Hingston in 1959 (a swap with a 1956 Ford Customline V8).

[Terry S]

I think that was the sorely-missed Fountain, David McK responding to an enquiry of mine about the Climax-engined Rorstan sports car that was slowly knocked up behind the showroom at Stanton Motors but I never saw running. I think Danie Lupp had it for a while. Looked to have some potential : last time I glimpsed it the nicely-fashioned body was still awaiting paint.

Interesting bit in the attached re the origins of the Rorstan Climax sports racer.
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/14261/lot/221/

[Terry S]

Interesting bit in the attached re the origins of the Rorstan Climax sports racer.
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/14261/lot/221/

Interesting to read the auction houses description of how the Cooper was "reborn".

An original Cooper Climax T53 was bought by Rorstan and cannibalised for Rorstan sports racer.
The bits that were not needed then sold and assembled onto "a new Cooper-type T53P chassis" plus a whole series of new parts.
When project complete it has "an up to date FIA Historic Technical Passport".

I don't know about NZ, but I seriously doubt it would be allowed in OZ under our COD process.

[GD66]

Yeah, that's not good compared to some of the shabby reasons they have knocked things back over the years.
Partly explains some of the reasons disgruntled ex-racers have walked away.

[Paul Lindberg]

Many thanks, I will have a look at that link. Kind Regards

[Paul Lindberg]

Thanks very much for that information, appreciated your help. Kind Regards