Another Newbie

[Rex Bentham]

Hello All, I found this site by chance, great stuff, loved the photos of Roycroft Trophy. Well done BMCboy and Nigel
Watts. Found the Dave Silcock Jags thread great reading and wonderful old photos.
I own a 1958 Jaguar XK150 3.4,(824104) Nigel Watts photos of Roycroft #113, thats me one hand on the gutter, photo taken after the chequered flag and after waving to a flaggie. The car was a basket case when I bought it in 2000, but I was after a car I could hillclimb and use in vintage meets, so after a 10 year resto she was ready to go, its virtually standard apart from running 15inch rims and a heavier antiroll bar. Lots of fun, tho' it is a heavy car.
I race an MGB roadster in AES and classic races but the jag on road tyres takes a bit of beating for that fun feel.
I also have a project car, also XK150 3.4, 1957 (824005) the ex Bobby Wong car. I believe ( stand to be corrected )it's the first XK150 to come to NZ. Built August 1957, first registered 14th November 1957 in Auckland to Willie Wong,
Bobby's father. Bobby still lives in Auckland. The car was originally painted Old English White but resprayed red in 1960.
Apparently it raced in the 1958 Ardmore GP meeting, I guess in a sportscar race. Driver was Fred Crowther.
The dash was modified in those early days, so that revcounter and speedo were relocated to either side of the steering
column. During a Northern Sports car 1/4 mile sprint it lost its bonnet ( a fairly common occurance for these cars )
At some stage a supercharger was fitted, with a hole being cut in the bonnet. The result of this modification was not
very successful.
The car must have been in a fairly rough condition in the mid 70s as a restoration was started at that time.
Several owners later a very well documented resto was started by Mark Simpson of Manakau City around 1981.
Panel work done by John Moore. Dont think the job was ever finished as I bought it in 2004 still unpainted with a lot
of panel work to be done. Nearly ready for painting now.
If anyone has any info on this car or my other 150, would be great to hear. Cheers. Rex Bentham

[stubuchanan]

Bobby Wong was a top tennis player of the time - NZ under-19 champion in 1958 and under-17 champ in 1956. I think I remember him racing, maybe at Ardmore club circuit, but he must have been only 18 or 19 at the time. He entered the XK 150 for Crowther (?Frank) in the "Saloon Car" race at the 1959 GP meeting where Crowther was 3rd behind Archibald's XK150 and Gavin Quirk's 3.4 Jag.

Stu

[David McKinney]

I always presumed the driver at the GP meeting was Fred Crowther, veteran midget-car driver and last-minute substitute driver for Dave Caldwell in the 1956 GP

I have wondered for 53 years whether the R A J Wong who reportedly won at the March 1959 Ardmore club meeting (before his bonnet blew off) was only the entrant - programmes often didn't differentiate in those days - or whether on this occasion he took the wheel himself

[Steve Holmes]

Hi there Rex, welcome to The Roaring Season, its really great to have you here. What a wonderful couple of cars you have too! I hope this site can help you plug some of the gaps on the history of your ex-Wong car.

[Rex Bentham]

This is the Bobby Wong car taken at a hillclimb? near Mt Wellington, soon after it was resprayed around 1960.

Rex

[stubuchanan]

This is the Bobby Wong car taken at a hillclimb? near Mt Wellington, soon after it was resprayed around 1960.

Rex

Would that be at Whale's Quarry, off Panama Road, long since dug out and built over?

Stu