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

Geplaatst door Maximum Mini op 13:38
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4 comments:

  1. Adrians13 July 2025 at 20:51

    What an incredible story of resilience—seeing the New Zealand Minisprint rise from a crash to a full rebuild is truly inspiring. It shows the passion and dedication that classic car lovers pour into their projects. For those who decide not to restore but to move on, services like Cash for Cars Gold Coast offer a smart and simple way to part with vehicles while still getting something valuable in return. Great post with a strong sense of car culture and commitment!

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  2. Ella Stevens20 July 2025 at 23:22

    Wow, what an incredible story of resilience and skill! It's amazing how much work went into rebuilding the Mini Sprint after the crash—definitely a testament to the passion for motorsport. It’s always impressive to see a project like this come together. On a side note, if you’re ever looking to recycle any old parts or scrap metal from these types of projects, Metal Biz Recyclers does a great job at responsibly handling materials like that. Keep up the fantastic work!
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  3. Alec Johnson22 July 2025 at 00:15

    ChatGPT said:
    What an incredible journey for the New Zealand Minisprint—seeing it rebuilt after a crash shows real dedication and passion for classic motoring. Stories like this highlight the love people have for preserving automotive history. At Cash for Cars Sydney, we sometimes come across unique vehicles with their own backstories, and it is always inspiring to see one brought back to life like this. Great read!
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  4. Charlie Lix24 July 2025 at 22:38

    What an incredible journey this Minisprint has been through—it's amazing to see such dedication to restoring a piece of motoring history! The level of craftsmanship and attention to detail in the rebuild is seriously impressive. At Canberra Cash 4 Cars, we often see vehicles at the end of their road, so it's refreshing to witness a story where a classic car is brought back to life instead of scrapped. Thanks for sharing this inspiring restoration!
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