Wednesday 20 January 2021

New Zealand MiniSprint: Crashed, rebuilt and... disappeared

Graeme Farr's messages always bring a smile on my face, and the one he sent recently did so, too. He wrote: "Did I ever send you this cool period photo of Tony Gilbertson's car after he crashed it in '67? It was rebuilt as good as new. Still hunting for the car... It's the genuine Trickett built car Tony imported to New Zealand in 1966. Best, Graeme"

As always with Graeme he had more to show, adding later: "The two photos of it in blue but without the racing livery is the rebuilt car."

That is indeed an amazing photo and it looks like the smash was one easily forgotten also and I was amazed to hear that Gilbertson walked out with only minor injuries. Who knows what happened to the rebuilt car..?

Original 1966 MiniSprint imported from the UK was crashed heavily in NZ in 1967
Picture via Graeme Farr

Crumpled up seriously - amazingly driver Gilbertson suffered minor injuries
Picture via Graeme Farr

This must have been before the race - the 1967 NZ Grand Prix at Pukekohe circuit
Picture via Graeme Farr

And another period colour photograph. Venue unknown
Picture via Graeme Farr

And again at a NZ racing venue. The car was rebuilt after the crash but where is it now? 
Picture via Graeme Farr

More from Graeme's scrapbooks. Top two pics show the car as he last saw it
Picture via Graeme Farr

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