3 replies to this topic

[PaulieG]

Hi there I am Paul Greaney. I currently live in Tauranga NZ but hail from the sunny Hawkes Bay. I am in my late 20's and have been around historic cars since I was knee high to a grass hopper. While I currently don't participate in the sport I have a huge interest passed onto me from my father, who currently races a 1956 Buckler DDII and we are restoring the ex Tony Shaw/Graham Baker/Bill McCabe Lotus 20b. So in a nutshell I have come on this forum to curb my enthusiasm and to glean some info outbid some very knowledgable folk who can hopefully help me in my research. I look forward to my stay on here.

Edited by PaulieG, 22 March 2012 - 08:29.

[David McKinney]

Welcome to you, too, Paul

Is the Buckler the car we used to know as the Elfo Special?

I remember the Lotus from South Island races - there was always some confusion about whether it was a 20 or a 22. I'm pretty sure it didn't enter the country as a 20B, though it might have been modified to that spec later

[PaulieG]

Welcome to you, too, Paul

Is the Buckler the car we used to know as the Elfo Special?

I remember the Lotus from South Island races - there was always some confusion about whether it was a 20 or a 22. I'm pretty sure it didn't enter the country as a 20B, though it might have been modified to that spec later

Thanks David
Haven't heard the buckler called an elfo special. The car has been in it's current condition for the past 17 years since my father came home with the plans the moulds and the chassis from one of Vic Simkins buckler. When we bought the car we took Bruce sutcliffe along to authenticate it and we have photos of Vic racing it in various hillclimbs. It ran an 1100 back then and currently runs a 1500 sunbeam 3 main bearing crank and all wheel drum brakes and still manages to get round Hampton downs in 1.24m. I can't remember the last owners name but I have a funny feeling it was an Owen somebody. Will look into it.
As for the 20 we have the ownership papers and it was registered as a 20b when it came in but whether they intended to upgrade it all along remains to be seen. The hardest part is the chassis number has been removed so we are finding it hard to trace it back to europe

[David McKinney]

OK - Vic Simpkin's Buckler went to Owen Cullen. Both drivers were from Northland, as was Roy Billington of Elfo Special (and later Brabham works) fame. Hence my confusion

Interesting the Lotus entered NZ as a 20B - I come down on the side of it being a 22...