Showing posts with label New Zealand. Show all posts

Described as one of the least used and lowest ownership examples of the D Type Jag - XKD 534



Shipped to Wellington from the Midland’s dealership Attwood’s, it was race-prepared for local enthusiast Sam Gibbons to enter for his son Bob. He drove it in the New Zealand Grand Prix meeting at Ardmore Aerodrome in 1957. During the race leading British driver Ken Wharton fatally crashed, but Gibbons won, beating Jack Brabham into second place.

During the 1957-58 season Gibbons also won the Ken Wharton Memorial Trophy at Ardmore but at Dunedin hit a trackside post. The car was then sold to sheep farmer Angus Hyslop, who raced it in a programme of New Zealand events during the early 1960s and took the car to Europe.

During his ownership a new 3.8 litre D-Type short block engine was imported and installed. Ownership then passed to fellow New Zealander Simon Taylor who won the Ken Wharton Memorial Trophy in 1962. After one other change of ownership, it ended up in 1964 with Noel Foster

Foster didn't use the D-type for competition, savouring it instead for fun driving on high days and holidays on the rural roads of New Zealand's north island. His son - also Noel - recalls that "Dad used to commute in a Brooklands Riley, but said it took him 30 minutes each way. Once he tried the D-type and cut 10 minutes off his time, so he took to using it regularly".  It has 40,000 miles on the clock, and its original leather seat coverings

https://www.antiquestradegazette.com/news/2002/the-ultimate-toys-for-boys-of-all-ages/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/4757708/How-to-jag-a-D-type.html
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/img/Jaguar-D-Type-102402.html

Last November the highway on the coast of New Zealand was buried after an earthquake, by the side of a mountain. This spring, a landslide buried a highway in California by Big Sur. Wouldn't it make sense for the constrcution company in New Zealand to come to California after they finish there?



1000 men and women working to repair the quake-damaged highway and rail route along the Kaikoura coast.

Massive slips, triggered by last November's 7.8 magnitude earthquake, dumped more than 700,000 cubic metres of material – rock, soil and shingle – much of it onto State Highway 1.

Bridges are being built, debris cleared, and whole sections of SH1 and the rail line realigned.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/94487345

Thanks Mark!