Yes thanks. RH
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Yes thanks. RH
I do have his contact details Ross if you want them. Cheers, Bruce
Alan Watson of Auckland built the original Ching during the early 50s. Later starting with this body style he and three friends would mass produce a car, which is clearly an evolution, called the F10 special. (See NZ Cars – A Cottage Industry and previous page) Alan sold this car which was just called a special to Noel Ching of Nelson in 1955. It is believed that a further four or five cars were made by Noel over the next three years.
Unfortunately I was not able to unearth enough information to include it in my book but your car may be the third or fourth that is still in existence. Pretty amazing for such a rare car.
Below I have attached pictures I have of others.
Attachment 23411Attachment 23412Attachment 23413
Hello Patrick,
I have been reading this informative thread and I'm interested in the Cantwell Puma and the Tiki as I believe that they both are derived from Ashley 750 bodyshells.
I have the built up the "Ashley Laminates Sports Car online Vehicle Registry and Vehicle Archive" website: http://ashleylaminatessportscar.weebly.com
One of the webpages features the "Cantwell Puma" that's in the USA and I am wondering if you have details on any others that may still exist in New Zealand or anywhere else and do you have any details about Frank Cantwell, the builder.
Also the Tiki appears to be constructed on the same bodyshell, maybe Ashley 750 or Falcon Mk1, do you have any details on this car other than what appears in this thread.
Have you come across any other Ashley cars, 750's, 1172's or Sportiva's whilst researching for your book, if so I would be very interested to hear about them.
Hope you can help me with some news about Ashley's in New Zealand, Thanks.
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I am pretty sure that you are correct with the Puma and the Tiki being derived from the Falcon Mk1. After leaving Ashley Laminates Peter Pellandine took with him the Ashley that became the Falcon Mk1. When Peter moved to New Zealand I am pretty sure that he bought a Falcon Mk1 body with him to use to gain some capital to settle in New Zealand. I believe that Peter sold a mould to Tiki and at a later date Frank Cantwell got hold of one of these bodies and took a mould off it. However this is just rumour and I have no evidence to support it.
As far as other Ashleys go I have yet to come across one and the couple that I have I believe are derivatives of the Falcon Mk1. Still if I can help you out in anyway let me know.
To my great surprise I have seen both the red and yellow Chings in person .
I have been in the passengers seat for a ride in the yellow car in the late 70s early 80s
I understand the grey primer pic may be a car that was or still is in Puke Auckland .
I have had a ching since the midd 70s and still do .
I didn't know about the Watson connection or how to tell one from Noels cars .
Mine has a tubular chassis with Ford 10 cross members solid beam front no sign of the swing axle conversion .
I have pics if anyone is interested and would very much like to hear from anyone who has info or cars .
Many thanks
Mark
Hi Mark, I have sent you a pm which you will find under notifications.
Cheers, Bruce
Can anybody help me with any information about this car. Apparently it is one of two. Possibly built on a Triumph Herald chassis.
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Attachment 25882
Could it be this car? The shape of the windows certainly fit.
Attachment 33797
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This looks a little like the Duzgo in post 185
I wonder who copied who ?? Markson
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Attachment 33810
Anyone know what make this body shell is ???Markson
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attached is post from forgotten fibreglass about brian fords sonata car/s in chch . wondering if he has found this site or if this site knows of his cars .
http://www.forgottenfiberglass.com/f...comment-168747
Have been advised by Ross Osborne from Dunedin who is a member of Austin Healey Car Club that this is a Furi - Jaguar powered. built by the Bennett Brothers ..
The Car
Attachment 45837
The engine - Supercharged Jaguar
Attachment 45838
Is anything else known about the vehicle above.??
Also can someone enlighten me what this car is - from the programme of the 1984 Dunedin Street Races.
The " Crowe Special " Race #76 Driver R Shand year 1960 and engine 3800 cc, so could be a Jaguar
Attachment 45839
An interesting article on the NZ car industry in the late 70's. The deJoux Mini GT, Steel Brothers S4 and Buckler all make an appearance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUwg5zEjIQE
Hi Paul
Did you say somewhere on here you had a tiki car or part of ?
I am interested in any and all information
Cheers Joe
Hi Joe,
There was someone on here who had part of a Tiki but it wasn't me. My only connection is that I spotted one on the roof of a building in Lyttleton and posted it here although the Photobucket debacle has made the picture-link invalid. If you trawl back through this thread you should find them. Otherwise contact Patrick Harlow, he'll likely know.
Cheers,
Paul.
Does anybody have any information on the 1 of the 3 Dejoux GTs that were built in the very early 60s?
I know Ferris built: (feel free to correct me if I am wrong)
The Holden Special of which there are pic's of this car here (now red with Holden V8 and sunroof)
Attachment 48465
Vanguard Special - Which sold a couple of years back now in Nelson- (was in black and red oxide primer)
Attachment 48466
The 3rd car is what I am interested in and what the history was , does anyone have photos or any information about this machine?
There was what looked to be a deJoux GT body being disposed of on the Facebook group 'Race Cars in Sheds' about six months ago. They were giving it away but someone had cut the roof off for kicks....
https://www.facebook.com/groups/6261.../?query=dejoux
Thanks Paul,
Its a shame these cars get chopped up
Cheers
Attachment 48565
My old Maran sold years ago....................wish I hadn't
Would anyone know the origins of this car :
https://www.racecarsdirect.com/Adver...6/ford-special
It was meant to have been built in New Zealand in 1961.
A Jarvie body Roger. Oldfart May have the goods on it.
From doing some subsequent research I presume it could be the Jarvie bodied Buckler 90 built by Merv Mayo around 1956 and later run by Malcolm Gill?
Update ; Mar 2019;
Have been sent a detailed History of the Jim Bennett Cars the Furi's - name originally by taking letters from the main components of the first one " F " o " R " d and A " U" st " I " n.. but not quite in order.
Question?? Do I post it here ? or on my Dunedin thread - as using that for a lot of random articles - probably there but will highlight it here - have a lots of scanning and editing to do..
May take a while but " Watch This Space "..
The reason the Furi is not in that entry list is because Jim only ran in the Standing Start Sprints on the Saturday run by the Otago Sports Car Club - he didn't run it in the Sunday races. More to follow.
Meanwhile looking for the information on the Car Reg No " 341968 " - The " 1960 LVVTA F10 " Sports Car photoed recently by Nigel Watts on his new thread. -
Well it is a damp Saturday afternoon and a bit early for my evening Beer[s] or two ..
Cheers
Roger
Does anyone know was the book published - I agree with Russ Cunningham, that these things are hard to do and when done " bound to attract criticism as did Vercoes's book " That of course was two books, have both and while inaccurate in places - give you somewhere to start from and gather correct information, and have proved useful over the years .. especially with all the photos provide in Graham Vercoe's book ..
As mentioned have been given a lot of information on the Jim Bennett Specials which I will put together in the coming weeks [ maybe months - as have to scan and print a lot of " stuff " ..
I agree Roger and the book has been published. Like the Vercoe books a valuable reference and starting point on research.
I use this thread as well and my favourite it the Ching.....I should have bought it.
I have found the book to be very useful.
Attachment 60887
Frank Cantwell's Puma at Levin in 1959
Attachment 64295
Really? The original was Ford 10 based. Minilite type wheels are nothing like what it would, or could have had in period. The widened arches are nothing like what it had.
A restorer has choices to make before they start, like original, or using the shell to create something "sort of new". If it was you Puma, who did the rebuild you made a choice, keep the shape and use newer components. That does almost automatically mean that you had almost no period components as per my comment, which even Patrick Harlow, the author agreed with.
I have been working on a Buckler here in the UK, originally built by Allan Staniforth, author, and suspension guru. i have chosen to build it just as he did. That means rough, gutless and skinny Ford 10 wheels. It's as it was. I could have gone for crossflow Ford, or MX5, and more sophistication. That would have killed it's originality. Neither of us is right, nor wrong, but we must accept whatever others say.
Actually the car original was on a space frame with Austin A35 running gear.
I found all this out about the car after It had been built into what it is today. Original or not. Who cares. I built it to use & have fun with.
If you really want to get technical it should have been on an Austin Seven chassis Considering the body was Ashley.