W.J. ‘Bill’ Last is best known for manufacturing Trident cars in Ipswich, However during the very early 1950’s he raced a Buckler. One of the races he entered was the “8 Clubs" event at Silverstone on 7th June 1952. Please…would anyone have a photo that shows the cars registration number!
W.J. 'Bill' Last in the '8 Clubs' event at Silverstone, 1952
Started by
Leigh Trevail
, Feb 10 2008 19:03
22 replies to this topic
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#2
Gregor Marshall
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Posted 13 February 2008 - 19:04
Leigh
I'd be surprised if there were many Bucklers with registrations; from what I know they were mainly specialist built hillclimb cars and I have one in my workshop - another story!!
There is a Buckler web-site but for some reason I cannot find it. I will keep looking and post again.
I'd be surprised if there were many Bucklers with registrations; from what I know they were mainly specialist built hillclimb cars and I have one in my workshop - another story!!
There is a Buckler web-site but for some reason I cannot find it. I will keep looking and post again.
#3
David McKinney
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Posted 13 February 2008 - 20:49
Not quite true, Gregor
Loads raced - I checked numerous racing photos when this question was raised, and found plenty with reg numbers. But none belonging to W J Last
Loads raced - I checked numerous racing photos when this question was raised, and found plenty with reg numbers. But none belonging to W J Last
#4
D-Type
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#5
Leigh Trevail
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Posted 14 February 2008 - 08:18
Thanks for your help, I thought the thread was sinking without a trace. I have been liasing with Malcolm Buckler on this and he has come up with a photo of ONG 3; which still exists. However this number was registered in January 1953 at Norwich, it is believed that this car was built at The Grove Works, Ipswich and it is more than likely that the Bill Last was built by the same people, Bill Last was racing his car in June 1951, it is possible that he never registered it and then sold it to Norfolk man Simon Mitchell who then registered the vehicle, this is only theory!!
Gregor …. Does Malcolm know about your car??????
David ..... These photographs that you checked, may I ask if there were any from an obscure airfield in South Norfolk in 1951!!!!!!!!!!
Gregor …. Does Malcolm know about your car??????
David ..... These photographs that you checked, may I ask if there were any from an obscure airfield in South Norfolk in 1951!!!!!!!!!!
#6
David McKinney
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Posted 14 February 2008 - 10:39
Sorry Leigh, no
Silverstone, Ibsley, Brands Hatch, Prescott, Brunton and several mud-plugging trials. Also a few not identified (mainly in advertisements) though the racing shots among them also seem to be from Silverstone
Silverstone, Ibsley, Brands Hatch, Prescott, Brunton and several mud-plugging trials. Also a few not identified (mainly in advertisements) though the racing shots among them also seem to be from Silverstone
#7
Gregor Marshall
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Posted 14 February 2008 - 18:58
Originally posted by David McKinney
Not quite true, Gregor
Loads raced - I checked numerous racing photos when this question was raised, and found plenty with reg numbers. But none belonging to W J Last
You're correct, sorry, my knowledge of Bucklers isn;t very good but I think I'm right in saying Hillclimb is what they are best known for?
#8
Gregor Marshall
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Posted 14 February 2008 - 18:59
Originally posted by D-Type
The Buckler cars website says "posibly ONG 3"
Thanks, that was exactly the web-site I couldn't find!!
#9
Gregor Marshall
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Posted 14 February 2008 - 19:02
Originally posted by Leigh Trevail
Gregor …. Does Malcolm know about your car??????
I thought he did but it is still on the web-site as missing when it very definitely isn't.
It's not my car but belongs to one of my closest and best friends and he has had for 50 years after it's very famous owner gave it to him. He has just retired and is in the process of restoring it, so hopefully it'll be out soon, think it's too small for me unfortunately!!
#10
David McKinney
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Posted 14 February 2008 - 20:25
Not to me - I would have thought club race cars first, trials secondOriginally posted by Gregor Marshall
I think I'm right in saying Hillclimb is what they are best known for?
#11
Gregor Marshall
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Posted 14 February 2008 - 20:53
Originally posted by David McKinney
Not to me - I would have thought club race cars first, trials second
Apologies, my mistake.
#12
Leigh Trevail
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Posted 15 February 2008 - 07:00
http://[IMG]http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/2941/ong3sideeoy8.th.jpg[/IMG]
David , re photos ..Never mind…. It was a long shot anyway.
Here is a picture of ONG 3 in the 1950’s when Simon Mitchell owned it. Bill Lasts car looked very similar. The car was saved from a pond some time back, if anyone fancies a restoration project.
David , re photos ..Never mind…. It was a long shot anyway.
Here is a picture of ONG 3 in the 1950’s when Simon Mitchell owned it. Bill Lasts car looked very similar. The car was saved from a pond some time back, if anyone fancies a restoration project.
#13
Gregor Marshall
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Posted 15 February 2008 - 12:06
This is the one I know of; doesn't look like this anymore unfortunately!!
#14
David McKinney
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Posted 15 February 2008 - 17:22
That certainly looks like a hillclimb car
Is it really a Buckler?
Is it really a Buckler?
#15
Gregor Marshall
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Posted 15 February 2008 - 17:57
Yeah, it's on the register.
#16
Leigh Trevail
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Posted 15 February 2008 - 18:04
Gregor ....................What sort of engine does it have????
#18
David McKinney
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Posted 15 February 2008 - 19:33
Not a Buckler then, but the BB ;)
#19
Gregor Marshall
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Posted 15 February 2008 - 19:38
No comment...(still a Buckler though!!).
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Leigh Trevail
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Posted 16 February 2008 - 07:34
I had a letter in Friday’s East Anglian Daily Times which is Ipswich based, basically it was a picture of ONG 3 and asking about The Grove Works.
A gentleman named Bryan Southgate very kindly rang me to say that the works belonged to his family, (no relation to the racing car designer). There was a lock up around the side of the main building where a chap named Charlie Carr worked, he had done his apprenticeship with at a Coventry body builders, probably Mulliner’s. He built three or four racing cars here, this being one of them, another was for Bert Gosling, although that one had a wider sports car body. Goslings ran a garage just south of Ipswich on the Hadleigh Road junction, it is now a supermarket, the Grove works is now a housing estate.
A gentleman named Bryan Southgate very kindly rang me to say that the works belonged to his family, (no relation to the racing car designer). There was a lock up around the side of the main building where a chap named Charlie Carr worked, he had done his apprenticeship with at a Coventry body builders, probably Mulliner’s. He built three or four racing cars here, this being one of them, another was for Bert Gosling, although that one had a wider sports car body. Goslings ran a garage just south of Ipswich on the Hadleigh Road junction, it is now a supermarket, the Grove works is now a housing estate.
#21
Gregor Marshall
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Posted 16 February 2008 - 14:53
Originally posted by Leigh Trevail
Gregor ....................What sort of engine does it have????
A Triumph 650 Bonneville engine. I've just been with the owner and I knew it was a 650 but he has confirmed the above definitely.
#22
Leigh Trevail
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Posted 16 February 2008 - 18:43
Gregor …. A 650 Bonneville motor would make it pretty quick!
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One of the problems with identifying Bucklers if the fact that many were not registered as such. One example is ‘The Rayner Special’, this was a successful car built around a Buckler space frame by Dick Rayner and Dallas Smith, it was also listed as a Ford Sports but not as a Buckler
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One of the problems with identifying Bucklers if the fact that many were not registered as such. One example is ‘The Rayner Special’, this was a successful car built around a Buckler space frame by Dick Rayner and Dallas Smith, it was also listed as a Ford Sports but not as a Buckler
#23
Leigh Trevail
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Posted 08 November 2008 - 17:34
In a previous thread I mentioned that back in May I had a letter in the Ipswich based East Anglian Daily Times about the Bucklers built in that area. I was surprised by the response to the letter, and from it soon I realised why there was some confusion with the cars. The story involves Bill Last who lived at Grove Farm, Dallinghoe and ran the Grove Road Garage on the A12 near Woodbridge. At least two other cars were built at the Grove Works in Ipswich, this establishment was totally unconnected with the other two! ..Hence the confusion.
Speaking to the papers editor it was suggested that I write an article on the cars in question, I have included it here as it may help some else in their research.
________________________________________________________
EADT Bucklers
If in the 1950’s you wished to purchase a new car you had a problem to overcome… finding one! The government of the day had a policy known as ‘Export or Die’, basically motor manufactures had to sell their products abroad to earn foreign currency or go out of business, and as the government was in control of steel allocation that could be a very real possibility
However in this country there was an air of optimism, the Second World War was gradually fading into the past, although food was still rationed, petrol was not! Motoring as a pastime was returning, and around the country clubs were being formed to cater for these enthusiasts, (the Eastern Counties Motor Club being one of them), and within a short time these clubs were organising low key racing events. A few competitors who were fortunate enough to own them entered new cars, most resurrected pre war sports cars, whilst others built their own, and these were known as ‘Specials’.
One such man was Derek Buckler from Berkshire, who had been having success racing his own special, but unlike others who built their cars on an existing chassis, Buckler made a frame (a multi tubular steel space frame) and fixed a light weight body around it. This formed a reasonably light but strong structure that was ideal for racing. He really wanted to manufacture his own racing cars, but although he could obtain the steel, the major motor manufactures were prevented by Government regulations to provide him with the mechanical components. However; his way around this problem started a whole new back street industry of its own. He made available to the public Buckler Space Frames, the first being the Mk. V, onto this the customers would fit their own components. In theory each Buckler would be different, unless one person built a batch of them, some were never registered as a Buckler, being known instead by the name of the builder. The most common engine to be fitted was the Ford 1172cc side valve, these were plentiful and in time companies such as Aquaplane of Oulton Broad would produce tuning kits for these engines, however the choice of running gear was up to the customer. Also by building a car in this way the customer avoided paying the hefty 33% Purchase Tax levied on new cars.
One customer was E.C.M .C. member W.J. ‘Bill’ Last of Grove Farm, Dallinghoo, he raced his Buckler at Fersfield near Diss during June of 1951. Last’s car was powered by the ubiquitous 1172 cc Ford engine, as was an identical car raced by Simon Mitchell of Norwich, this carried the registration ONG 3. It is possible that a third car was built, there are photographs of J.D. Read racing a Buckler registered LRT 509, but this may have been Last’s original car, and it is feasible that he built more. Last owned Grove Road Garage on the A12 at Woodbridge and later in the 1960’s manufactured Trident Cars in Turrett Lane, Ipswich, obviously he was more than capable of building small batch of racing cars.
Here the story gets confusing, around about the same time two more cars were being built in Ipswich, it is confusing because they were built at the Grove Works in the town, and as far as it is known this had no connection with Bill Last.
This was on the site of a former mansion owned by the Cobbold family. In a wooden lock up garage down the side of the main building operated a father and son business fabricating commercial vehicle bodies, these gentlemen were ex Daimler employee; Charlie Carr and his son Gerald, both originally from Coventry. Between them they bodied two more cars, probably Bucklers; one for Bert Gosling who ran a garage on the London Road and the other for the Manager of Mann Egerton’s (Ipswich) Ltd., Geoff Hennessy. Along the A45 (now A14) towards Bury St. Edmunds at Woolpit; garage owner Dick Rayner built the ‘Rayner Special’, again using a Buckler frame as his starting point, All three of these men were members of the E.C.M.C. and raced their cars at club level.
Derek Buckler died in 1964 and his company ceased trading, unfortunately the records of who purchased what and when were destroyed, luckily his son Malcolm kept the photos that the pleased customers had sent in. These are now invaluable to the owners of the surviving cars. In all Buckler was responsible for between 300 - 400 cars; which would have given countless owners a chance to go racing.
Thank you to all those who replied to my original letter on this subject.
Speaking to the papers editor it was suggested that I write an article on the cars in question, I have included it here as it may help some else in their research.
________________________________________________________
EADT Bucklers
If in the 1950’s you wished to purchase a new car you had a problem to overcome… finding one! The government of the day had a policy known as ‘Export or Die’, basically motor manufactures had to sell their products abroad to earn foreign currency or go out of business, and as the government was in control of steel allocation that could be a very real possibility
However in this country there was an air of optimism, the Second World War was gradually fading into the past, although food was still rationed, petrol was not! Motoring as a pastime was returning, and around the country clubs were being formed to cater for these enthusiasts, (the Eastern Counties Motor Club being one of them), and within a short time these clubs were organising low key racing events. A few competitors who were fortunate enough to own them entered new cars, most resurrected pre war sports cars, whilst others built their own, and these were known as ‘Specials’.
One such man was Derek Buckler from Berkshire, who had been having success racing his own special, but unlike others who built their cars on an existing chassis, Buckler made a frame (a multi tubular steel space frame) and fixed a light weight body around it. This formed a reasonably light but strong structure that was ideal for racing. He really wanted to manufacture his own racing cars, but although he could obtain the steel, the major motor manufactures were prevented by Government regulations to provide him with the mechanical components. However; his way around this problem started a whole new back street industry of its own. He made available to the public Buckler Space Frames, the first being the Mk. V, onto this the customers would fit their own components. In theory each Buckler would be different, unless one person built a batch of them, some were never registered as a Buckler, being known instead by the name of the builder. The most common engine to be fitted was the Ford 1172cc side valve, these were plentiful and in time companies such as Aquaplane of Oulton Broad would produce tuning kits for these engines, however the choice of running gear was up to the customer. Also by building a car in this way the customer avoided paying the hefty 33% Purchase Tax levied on new cars.
One customer was E.C.M .C. member W.J. ‘Bill’ Last of Grove Farm, Dallinghoo, he raced his Buckler at Fersfield near Diss during June of 1951. Last’s car was powered by the ubiquitous 1172 cc Ford engine, as was an identical car raced by Simon Mitchell of Norwich, this carried the registration ONG 3. It is possible that a third car was built, there are photographs of J.D. Read racing a Buckler registered LRT 509, but this may have been Last’s original car, and it is feasible that he built more. Last owned Grove Road Garage on the A12 at Woodbridge and later in the 1960’s manufactured Trident Cars in Turrett Lane, Ipswich, obviously he was more than capable of building small batch of racing cars.
Here the story gets confusing, around about the same time two more cars were being built in Ipswich, it is confusing because they were built at the Grove Works in the town, and as far as it is known this had no connection with Bill Last.
This was on the site of a former mansion owned by the Cobbold family. In a wooden lock up garage down the side of the main building operated a father and son business fabricating commercial vehicle bodies, these gentlemen were ex Daimler employee; Charlie Carr and his son Gerald, both originally from Coventry. Between them they bodied two more cars, probably Bucklers; one for Bert Gosling who ran a garage on the London Road and the other for the Manager of Mann Egerton’s (Ipswich) Ltd., Geoff Hennessy. Along the A45 (now A14) towards Bury St. Edmunds at Woolpit; garage owner Dick Rayner built the ‘Rayner Special’, again using a Buckler frame as his starting point, All three of these men were members of the E.C.M.C. and raced their cars at club level.
Derek Buckler died in 1964 and his company ceased trading, unfortunately the records of who purchased what and when were destroyed, luckily his son Malcolm kept the photos that the pleased customers had sent in. These are now invaluable to the owners of the surviving cars. In all Buckler was responsible for between 300 - 400 cars; which would have given countless owners a chance to go racing.
Thank you to all those who replied to my original letter on this subject.
