Merv Hunt & The Ivy H Bee / Vanguard Special

[PaulieG]

Looking for info or photos on the man or machine. Anyone out there remember it and have any photos of the car or the man, or any of his other specials? Only record I can find is at Ardmore GP sports car race in 1960. Assuming it was known as the Vanguard Special as well. (cc rating matches as does driver 2088cc Vanguard motor and M J Bevington.)

[Nodiff]

Looking for info or photos on the man or machine. Anyone out there remember it and have any photos of the car or the man, or any of his other specials? Only record I can find is at Ardmore GP sports car race in 1960. Assuming it was known as the Vanguard Special as well. (cc rating matches as does driver 2088cc Vanguard motor and M J Bevington.)

Also ran in the Port Ahuriri road races

[rf84]

Paulie
Ring Richard Anderson 8366222 Bayview, Napier. He saw the remains of the car at Puketapu some years ago. There was a good picture in a book called "The Way We Were" which was a collection of photos from old HB Photo News.
Think it may have also been called the Acme Special in which case it lived at Acme Panel Beaters in Onekawa, just around the corner from your Dad's panel shop.

[PaulieG]

Hi rf84, sent you a private message. Interesting about Acme Special. Will have to ask Dad if he knows that!

[Nodiff]

While there may have been more than one Acme special, I think that the car rf84 refers to would have been the Acme special prepared by Chas & Doug Black at their Acme garage on napiers marine parade, it was v8 powered and based on the Thomas special. This car is now being restored back to its original Thomas configuration by Terry Roycroft, a very significant car that I believe had a Brooklands history

[screwdriver]

This one?

[rf84]

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

[rf84]

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?)

[PaulieG]

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.

[Nodiff]

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.

[David McKinney]

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

[GeebeeNZ]

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

[PaulieG]

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

[Nodiff]

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" ???????????????????

[PaulieG]

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

[GeebeeNZ]

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

[David McKinney]

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)

[bob homewood]

David ,you mentioned Rotorua who had it there ?

[PaulieG]

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.

[PaulieG]

David ,you mentioned Rotorua who had it there ?

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