Widowmaker

I have always silently admired a journalist who could write a reasonably accurate account of a race run in the week or two prior to the writing.

To write of a series of events beginning more than half a century ago with any sort of credibility takes a lot of painstaking research, a lot of knowledge about the subject matter and a little of what probably happened — it all came together as a very readable and interesting (for me) account by Gerard Richards, assisted by Stuart Buchanan, Kiwi Home-front CAN-AM story that featured in the last two isuues.

I moved away from the Auld Sod some 40 years since, but old mates and rellies still send me copies of your interesting, well-written magazine, and they have convinced us to return to see out the rest of our lives — my wife Chris is going home for a wedding next week.

Gerard mentioned the fate of some of the cars in the series. A well-known driver of the time, who I will not name, bought my car without his wife’s permission. Two or three weeks after the transaction I received a phone call from his new wife saying he had spent the deposit for a house, and asking if I would return the funds. I then told her that a few days after the completion of the deal someone called me to ask if I would sell it to the Southward Museum, in Wellington. I never heard any more on the matter, apart from a rumour that someone was trying to find the original Elfin body — the aerodynamics of which meant it was known as the ‘Widowmaker’.

Grahame Harvey

Great to hear from you, Grahame, and thanks for your positive comments. AFW