READERS’ WRITES
Iwas looking through your December 2019 edition of New Zealand Classic Car magazine [Issue No. 348] and was surprised when I saw the story about Colin Waite’s little Cooper 500.
Some time ago, I had a number of photo film-reels developed and when uplifting them, the person who developed the films asked me if another wallet of photos they had belonged to me.
They were not my photos, so they said they were going to dispose of them. I couldn’t let them do that after seeing the photos were of cars at the Dunedin Street Race and at Teretonga Raceway going back some years.
Several of the photos are of Colin’s Cooper, along with other well-known vintage racing cars.
We have tried several avenues including Facebook to find the owner of the photos, without success. It would be helpful if you could publish the selection which I have included with this email and hopefully find the owner to return them.
Terry Inder, Gore
Thanks for the opportunity to share the photos and maybe find the right owner.
As usual a great selection of classics on the fantastic Classic Car calendar for 2020. The December 2019 one (magazine [Issue No. 348]) was of particular interest, especially [for the article on] the 1965 Volkswagen Westfalia camper van. Enclosed is a painting I have done the way I remember the van.
My brother, in 1966, won a million pounds on the football pools. He and his wife decided to visit her sister who lived in the USA. They sold up their hairdressing salon and bought a new 1966 Volkswagen camper van, split windscreen, opening side doors and roof opening — the same as the calendar one. It never failed, just had the routine servicing according to the service manual.
At a service station in Iowa, a young apprentice mechanic asked if VW were paying a commission for the trip which my brother’s wife was filming everywhere they went. At that stage, there was no agreement but VW was immediately keen on their return to the dealers they had bought the camper van from.
Just about the best recommendation from a very well-respected vehicle maker. The gearbox was reviewed, tyres, brakes, steering serviced or replaced as you would expect of any high mileage used vehicle but the engine itself needed very little attention. No wonder there are still so many fantastic examples still in use. Long may they continue to travel the roads wherever they are used. New Zealand Classic Car is still a great magazine.
Ken Braddon
Thanks Ken, that must have been some camper van trip.