Found car!

Well, seeing as we keep on about lost cars..
I have now in my possession/custody a Buckler 90. Research so far has the following suppositions.
It is an English chassis car, so one of the first 5 90s.
It has a red moulded body, according to Bruce Sutcliffe, "Le Patron" of Buckler, there were only 3 of that color.
It is probably the first car which Ferris de Joux owned.
My request to the membership. Does anyone have any programmes for Ardmore which show Ferris as either owner or driver of a Buckler? Or any other documentation relating?
It is my aim to have this in a useable state by the next Roycroft trophy meeting the week after Easter next year.
I suspect it ran an 1172cc motor in period, so help in finding any of that stuff would be appreciated too.
A rebuild diary will be coming!

What year Ardmore roughly to help me look

Had a search through some old cartons of stuff - no details from Ardmore but have found a few details on
Bucklers [NZ] Limited, PO Box 9159 Newmarket, Auckland.
Telephone 26 698 (crossed out) now 54 6698
The specialists in Multi-Tube Sports Car frames and special components for the home constructor.
...... bit more on what they could fabricate...... and then.....

Distributors for
Elva Engineering Limited
Coventry Climax Engines Limited
(Sports/Racing Division)

Thought I should add that the publication of this little 14 page Buckler book was about 1958 so even if you add a 9 to the phone number I doubt if they will still be there!

In the Ultimate-Ekco Handicap at the 1958 GP meeting de Joux was entered in a car called the AWM Buckler. As the entrant was the Australasian Motor Works, I suspect it should really have been an AMW Buckler. The same car had been driven by Gordon Brown, with the same entrant, in the sportscar race earlier in the day

I'm not sure that this is your car, as Buckler expert Kelvin Brown says it was a DD2 rather than a 90

In period the de Joux fibreglass bodies were always known as AMWs, though somewhere along the line people have started calling them De Joux bodies

Used to go around to the Harris's when I was really young in short pants ,bit hard to remember now but I think they were in a street over by Mt Hobson,brought some cycle guards from them for my project ,and ogled at a chassis they had there

A W Harris Ltd have a mention in the booklet I have - same phone number etc.
A brand new AMW Mk2 Glass/Plastic body $260 circa 1958. (130 quid)
One measurement that you can tell between a Mk90 and a MkDD2 is the cockpit width (seats) 39" for the Mk90 and 41.5" for the DD2.
AIAmSTWillOUpACOBWorms.

What a great find for OF, look forward to reading the rebuild diary. Cheers and hope you have a lot of enjoyment with the rebuild.

Thanks for the input guys.
Buckler cars are long gone, as are all their records. Effectively bought by Dennis Marwood for the import licences, and sadly the records were apparently used for scrap paper as no-one realised that silly old buggers like us would be bothered with cars like this some time in the future.
Easy way to tell a DD car from any of the others is that the DD stands for De Dion rear suspension.
David I am guessing re the dates, and it may well be the club meetings that saw the car used, ie no really significant history, but guess says 58 ish?
Kw, any chance of scanning that booklet?

I can be corrected on this one ,but I think the "Buckler " name went to Merv Mayo ,then to Performance Developments (Ray Stone) ,and of course then on to Dennis when he became the sole owner of PD ,I am sure I have a copy of some adds which reflect this
I think a lot of the earlier manifold patterns I have which I brought from Dennis,came through the Buckler line of history and once again I could be corected but I think some of the very early patterns were made by Cliff Judd in Thames

i looked at the cliff judd buckler around 10 years ago. complete with ohv engine.
it needed alot of work.
never heard of it again, but assume someone brought it for resto.

Roger, I believe the Judd car was sold at one time to a person in Nelson, with a buy back to Cliff. Last known back with Cliff in Thames, but anything you can add would be very welcome by the Buckler group. That car originally had an 833cc (probably Ford 8) engine.

Oldfart, I bought my Buckler book off the Judd family. Cliffs car is owned by a previous owner of the Blue Brick who I think resides in TeAroha. I believe it has an Elva Ford in it. I think the right money would buy it.

How about posting some photos of the car Oldfart?

oldfart i do recall a buckler 90 in hands of a guy elwyn cannot recall his last name lived in kaitangata and raced it otago southland area 60 70 s

Kerwyn Taylor?

yes david and quite a enthusatic chap he was too minstral was another kit car around about the same time along with the berkley a motorcycle powered sports car

Attachment 4596

The Buckler name was with Mayo's by Feb 1964,judging by this add

I spoke with Merv Mayo last week, very interesting, but sadly got no further with my car.
It is certain that it's an English built chassis, the body is also a bit different to any other in subtle but distinctive ways. All a bit curious really! It is probably not the car Ferris first had, although that car is still lost.
Does anyone know of an event, possibly the precursor of the Pirelli Mainland, which was known as the "Alpine Run" or something like that? Around 69/70 and I suspect well organised. I am after any info. Organisers, participants, route, anything at all.
Cheers all. Photos are coming!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oldfart

I spoke with Merv Mayo last week, very interesting, but sadly got no further with my car.
It is certain that it's an English built chassis, the body is also a bit different to any other in subtle but distinctive ways. All a bit curious really! It is probably not the car Ferris first had, although that car is still lost.
Does anyone know of an event, possibly the precursor of the Pirelli Mainland, which was known as the "Alpine Run" or something like that? Around 69/70 and I suspect well organised. I am after any info. Organisers, participants, route, anything at all.
Cheers all. Photos are coming!

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Carlo you might be able to answer that one

Attachment 4597

So here it is arriving home with the "wrong stuff" but it's a start!

A trawl through some pictures from the late '50s and early 60s produces a few AMW bodies, not all on Buckler chassis:

Attachment 4623

1. Roy Billington's Elfo Special at Muriwai Hillclimb late 1958 (not a Buckler apparently)

Attachment 4626

2. Vic Simpkin's Buckler at same event. Judging by ill-fitting bodywork probably same car as below,

Attachment 4624

3. Club Circuit meeting January 1958 week after NZIGP. W (Rick) Harris ran #2 Buckler at the GP meeting - looks like same car with a "0" added. Note fit of bonnet.


Attachment 4625

4. Alwyn Marshall at an Ostrich Farm Road hillclimb 1962.

The Billington car appeared at a "GP Show' at the Newmarket Car Park before the 1959 NZGP with Australasian Motor Works advertising around it. I have a dodgy photo of it - flash didn't work or something.

Stu

Back in the day I believed the Elfo Special was really a Buckler but Simpkin's 'Buckler' wasn't a Buckler. According to Buckler guru Kelvin Brown I was right about the Billington car but not about the Simpkin...

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Originally Posted by David McKinney

Back in the day I believed the Elfo Special was really a Buckler but Simpkin's 'Buckler' wasn't a Buckler. According to Buckler guru Kelvin Brown I was right about the Billington car but not about the Simpkin...

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My information came from a very well-known unreliable source and I'm not surprised some of it is wrong! The Elfo Special was a very nice-looking car, though. I must now chase up the more reliable sources for my own satisfaction.

Stu

Stu, thank you very much for posting these photos. They have confirmed a few things for me! Any chance of sending me some direct for my records?
The whole issue of Bucklers in NZ is, and will probably always be, a moving target. There seems to be no absolute record of how many cars were built in NZ and also how many were imported. Add to that that there were a number of "officially approved copies" and it's all very murky.
Lots of the fun is in the research (cheaper too!)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oldfart

Stu, thank you very much for posting these photos. They have confirmed a few things for me! Any chance of sending me some direct for my records?
The whole issue of Bucklers in NZ is, and will probably always be, a moving target. There seems to be no absolute record of how many cars were built in NZ and also how many were imported. Add to that that there were a number of "officially approved copies" and it's all very murky.
Lots of the fun is in the research (cheaper too!)

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Hi Oldfart

Have just sent you a Private Message. More than happy to assist.

Stu Buchanan

When ever I look through all these old photos and try to identify ,cars and drivers ,I wonder how many of you look at the people in the background,officials,mechanics etc and try to identify them as well

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Originally Posted by bob homewood

When ever I look through all these old photos and try to identify ,cars and drivers ,I wonder how many of you look at the people in the background,officials,mechanics etc and try to identify them as well

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The old saying was that every picture tells a story, but sometimes they tell several stories, when you go back and look at them again years later. You see things you didn't notice at the time, or didn't seem important.

Stu

I do, Bob - but the main result is frustration at my failing memory:o

Try Alan Dick at<adnztoday@gmail.com> he is / was a Ferris de Joux fan.

I now have even more questions than answers! Having spent the weekend at Taupo with the VCC my car appears even more of an enigma.
Inside the body appears the correct "cuts" for the doors and and the bonnet bu maybe never used. My doors have somewhat conventional hinges rather than drop down doors, the bonnet is different...
The plot thickens!

Another time to rattle a cage ot two!
I have been working away at the car over the last week, and have got myself fairly convinced over the body. The front half, to the front edge of the doors is de Joux Mark 1, from there back it is Mistral!
Does this ring any bells anywhere?

Another cage rattle!
This Buckler was moulded red, painted gold, then red and gold again. Followed by a few colours. The first gold is the one adhering to the car the best. Any history would be very gratefully accepted. It WILL be at the Roycroft meeting in April.

Attachment 5767

Whats this one

Looks like the red and white car raced by Peter Preston and Dave Mitchell in the early/mid '60s. I think both were from Timaru. Had been built by Rick Harris in Auckland then sold to Barry Brown in Christchurch. Now I believe with Mark Garmey

Mitchell was #35 at Wigram in 1964 - that could be when and where your photo was taken

I think you are right David, previous owners include John Money (and me)

In 1961 the Buckler agent was on the left hand side going up Khyber Pass.I am not sure but Harris I think {I used to know as I bought a a crown wheel and pinion of him .}yes Arther Harris, I took it back to him a few weeks later ,it had turned blue .I dident like to tell him on a friday night I used to park it up by Shorters so it could start by running downhill if needed!!without thinking the speedo bracket was rather important as it stopped the diff oil running out the torque tube driveshaft.for some reason it never had one fitted another ,strange thing that would never pass today the handbrake worked of the footbrake,as fore the name mine was built by Mr Reed so was a Reed Buckler had wheels of a T R 2 I doubt it was any faster than the sidevalve Morrie I traded on it

I have the blue Buckler book if some one needs it more than I

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jim short

I have the blue Buckler book if some one needs it more than I

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PM sent

Sorry not blue ..the Kevin Brown book

Got it, never mind, thanks