The Roaring Season

by **Bob** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 7:09 am

David McKinney wrote:Apparently built by Sam Mills with body by Bert Fiddymont. Sorry, don't recall where I got that info from

This is how it looked as a sportscar (Horahora hillclimb, 1959)

the vehicle is still in New Zealand (Napier)waiting to be brought back to life regards owner bob

by **PaulieG** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:41 pm

Thanks Stu
Have sent PM, thanks for letting me know in regards to the Buckler.

by **stubuchanan** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:07 pm

A further comment on Mike Bevington's entry at Ardmore GP meeting 1960: he was an entry for the 'Ultimate-Ekco Race Car Feature'
which was a racing and sports car handicap, but he didn't figure in the list of actual starters, and probably wasn't there at all. I don't recall ever seeing a car looking like the Ivy H Bee or Vanguard Special.

Oops, slight error. He ran in the sports car handicap race, run after the Grand Prix, and retired on lap 7 of 10. But I still dont recall the car!

Stu

by **stubuchanan** » Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:57 am

PaulieG wrote:I will have to get a copy of the book or get someone to scan the photos for me. Hopefully David can shed some more light on the situation

Have you found the "The Way We Were" photo yet, Paulie G?
I scanned it a year or two ago in the course of borrowing almost all of the 16 books of the series, looking for motor racing photos. The Ivy H Bee photo and one of George Smith and John McMillan at Muriwai Beach were the only 2 I recall, plus 2 motorcycle racing pictures. Not a very productive exercise at all!

It's presumably somebody's copyright, but if you give me your email address by Personal Message, I will email it to you. Interesting but not very accurate caption as well.

Stu

by **David McKinney** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 10:58 am

Yes, Peter Harrison
The bloke in my photo (well, I didn't take it!) is George Wilson - presumably not the later B&H driver of Simca 1000s etc

by **PaulieG** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 4:43 am

bob homewood wrote:David ,you mentioned Rotorua who had it there ?

Hi Bob. According to Graham Vercoes book Peter Harrison from Rotorua bought it off Keith Roper.

by **PaulieG** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 12:33 am

Thanks for the pics David and Geebee, I think the hardest part will be finding out who had it and a timeline for it before it ended up with Merv Hunt, then found on a farm.

by **bob homewood** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:09 am

David ,you mentioned Rotorua who had it there ?

by **David McKinney** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 10:47 am

PaulieG wrote:Hi David and Nodiff, can you tell me if it was built by or for Keith Roper?

Apparently built by Sam Mills with body by Bert Fiddymont. Sorry, don't recall where I got that info from

This is how it looked as a sportscar (Horahora hillclimb, 1959)

by **GeebeeNZ** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 9:18 am

Not the greatest of copies but does show the car in question.

by **PaulieG** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 8:56 am

Nodiff wrote:I suspect that David is far better informed than I to answer that question, but the book "The Tahunanui Beach Motor Racing Years" lists Roper in his "V8" special racing in 1950 beach race, offering the car for sale at the completion of the days event (was purchased by Fred Sharman) and purchasing the Tutton MG. There is a good photo of the Roper V8 on page 16 of that book
He later raced a Singer Special (Ex Halsey Logan)
The entry list for 1955 event lsits Roper in a Vanguard Special and a photo of that car is on P32 alongside Ronnie Moore in Cooper. This car is almost certainly the vehicle that you have.
However the next para in the book states that the car was sold to Arthur Kennard who after a short time also sold the car. "It was soon to be rolled, written off and dumped" ???????????????????

I will have to get a copy of the book or get someone to scan the photos for me. Hopefully David can shed some more light on the situation

by **Nodiff** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:34 am

I suspect that David is far better informed than I to answer that question, but the book "The Tahunanui Beach Motor Racing Years" lists Roper in his "V8" special racing in 1950 beach race, offering the car for sale at the completion of the days event (was purchased by Fred Sharman) and purchasing the Tutton MG. There is a good photo of the Roper V8 on page 16 of that book
He later raced a Singer Special (Ex Halsey Logan)
The entry list for 1955 event lsits Roper in a Vanguard Special and a photo of that car is on P32 alongside Ronnie Moore in Cooper. This car is almost certainly the vehicle that you have.
However the next para in the book states that the car was sold to Arthur Kennard who after a short time also sold the car. "It was soon to be rolled, written off and dumped" ???????????????????

by **PaulieG** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:30 pm

Hi David and Nodiff, can you tell me if it was built by or for Keith Roper?

by **GeebeeNZ** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 10:21 am

I have checked the HB Car Club publication "Off the Record" and sadly couldnt find any pictures of the "Ivy Bee"

by **David McKinney** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 9:32 am

Yes, originally built for Keith Roper. Later owners in Rotorua and the Waikato before Merv Hunt in Taradale. Until then it was always entered as a Vanguard Special, and still was in Hunt's ownership, but he also used Ivy Bee Special, Ivy HB Special, and Ivy H Bee Special. I think it was still Hunt's when Mike Bevington raced it

by **Nodiff** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:10 am

Paulie
I have a vague recollection that when I located this car in Don Stewart paint shop I did a bit of research and if my memory serves me right discovered that the car was originally built in the South Island, Nelson area I think and perhaps built by Keith Roper?????
Prior to its time in Stewarts, it was driven around the Onekawa industrial area by a couple of young guys, one of whom was Terry Cornish.

by **PaulieG** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:39 pm

No I havent checked "OTR" but I will, and among the library of books Dad has, I am also sure he has "The Way We Were" will have to dig them out. I am just interested on how the car went as the body is beautiful, all hand beaten aluminium, pretty special today.

by **rf84** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:07 pm

Paulie
I am sure that the book "The Way We Were" (HB East Coast edition) has a photo of the Ivy HB.
Author is Valerie Davies. Napier Public Library has a copy, shelved under 993.46. It is out at present but due back on the 26th.
Have you checked "Off The Record" (HB Car Club publication?)

by **rf84** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:57 pm

The car in the photo is the RA Vanguard currently being rebuilt by Richard Anderson.

by **screwdriver** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:02 pm

This one?

The Roaring Season

Merv Hunt & The Ivy H Bee / Vanguard Special

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Owner in Rotorua

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No, not that one

Roycroft