ARTHUR AUTHENTICITY

Iread with great interest the article on the ex– Arthur Kennard black Austin-healey 283ci [cubicinch] V8-powered sports car in the September issue. I didn’t see speedway legend Geoff Mardon with the car … but there was one other outstanding car in the pit paddock at Aranui Speedway in Christchurch during those golden years of speedway in the 1952–’59 period. This was a 1954 Austin A40 Somerset convertible brought back from the UK by another Christchurch-based speedway rider, Barry Briggs.

Anyway, back to the Austin-healey. I do recall this car while [it was] under the ownership of Arthur Kennard. Apart from being re-powered by the small block Chevrolet V8, there was one other redeeming feature. This was the unusual colour scheme. I gather the black

was a factory colour. However, Arthur’s one was different. The Kennard Healey had an unusual blue-green-turquoise colour following the line of swage. Very unusual but rather nice. Perhaps current owner Lindsay O’donnell might like to consider having this colour painted down the sides also to enhance the authentic theme. The unusual colour may have been hand mixed to Arthur’s choice. Perhaps Lindsay could even go a step further and have the original New Zealand number plate 315-733 produced through Personalised Plates [Kiwi Plates], then have them repainted in black, followed by having them milled to highlight the numbers. I personally have done that on several occasions. Present-day plates look completely out of place on a pre-1984 vehicle.

Trevor Stanley-joblin Amberley