Story added follow but this is 90/1 in 1974 when owned briefly by Peter Hill [ Peter now lives in Australia ].
Bart who now owns the car would like to know more !
The photo - given to Bart Jonkers - the current owner..
More to come !! " Oldfart " and Kelvin Brown both know a bit about the car - its early history is needed.
Bart wrote " Buckler 90 photo (90/1, 1974/1975)
Please comment if you recognize this car.
I am trying to trace the early history of my NZ Buckler 90/1 back to 1950s/1960s ownerships. I was able to contact the oldest confirmed NZ owner for my car, Peter Hill. Peter lives in Australia now and still writes about motoring as well as fiction. He gave me the attached photo of the car as he had it around 1974/1975 before selling it to Bruce Sutcliffe.
Peter tells me he was living in Auckland at the time and bought the car from a guy owning a repair garage. He confirms the car had a 100E Elva engine and the body colour was red. He does not remember a name for the repair garage owner.
As you see, the car has some distinctive features:
- A windshield with metal surround.
- A 'raised' hood scoop. The intake opening looks elevated above the hood plane.
- Widened wheels, but still E93A hubs.
- Chromed door hinges on the outside (so far only known only known on Ray Tyler and Dennis Lyndsey cars).
- Front indicators placed close to headlight buckets.
- Clearly visible pivot points for the front section.
- The front wheel arch looks very wide where it folds inwards.
It looks very similar to the Reed Buckler (but other wheels) and to the Ray Tyler car (but i believe that's accounted for).
Does this newly discovered 1974/1975 photo help in linking 90/1 to an early history?
"
and some more comment- Bruce Sutcliffe bought the car - paid for in kind .. he worked of the cost.
It saved the Car.
" The car was purchased for 400$ by Peter around 1974/1975. It was still running. He never got around to using it and a while later, Bruce Sutcliffe paid for it with new carpenting for Peter’s house! “
My own comment
" Which indicates Bruce Sutcliffe owned it 1975 on "..
"
A note by Kelvin Brown - a recognised expert of New Zealand owned Bucklers
" Bart great to see that early photo from Peter Hill. It has some distinctive features. One of the missing cars Mk.90/15 does have some compatible detail. It was raced by Doug Smythe in the 1960's era, out of Taranaki Car Club, but I have limited details so far. "
Looks like this now - photo from Bart Jonkers in Europe ..