www.vivaheaven.co.uk

New Zealand Ron
After 40 years he has gone full circle!




\|\|Other peoples cars \|\|

EA4763
Ron Whitson from New Zealand mailed me a while ago, telling me his story of his old white GT after reading the website. He owned it in the mid 70's and recently his boy has wanted a classic car, all be it a Ford! Ron told him that if he wanted a classic it should be a GT. While searching, Ron found out that his original car was still about, so started a serious search, electoral rolls etc. 'Bingo'! A letter was dispatched, which must have been successful because I've just had a mail saying he has been re-united with the car. (Don't you just love a story with a happy ending)! Well it seems the interior has already been redone and is okay, the body needs some work and it will need a re spray but everything is still there. The guy who owned it also has a Mk2 GT. Ron also thinks it now has a set of Cosmic's on it too. I'm getting the impression that his boy won't be seeing much of the car? Ron had sold the car after a bad crash on the way back from the Pall Mall Rally into a drain and stopped, courtesy of a concrete culvert. He took the insurance payout because at the time he didn't have the skills or money for the repair. It was then sold to a panel beater, restored and painted blue. (you can just see the blue on the drivers door photo). Later he'd heard that it had been written off again and assumed that was that. Evidently someone somewhere took pity on it and brought it back to life. Hopefully it will be back home where it belongs, restored and cruising the roads of New Zealand again soon. If I get more pictures later I will update this page.


Before the crash with his freind Chris's Mk2.

Chris's Mk2 GT		Proof that concrete is stronger than metal!

		As she is at the moment.





The last four pictures above are of the homecoming of Ron's GT. Those wheels look familiar!!! He sent a nice note with the photo's which I've copied here. "Well the GT finally arrived home today all safe and sound, you will notice a couple of things from the photos, the rego has been changed because the guy I brought it from could only find one of the old plates so the powers that be would not let him change it from his personalized back to the original, I can however apply to get a remake done on them, I would like to have EA4763 back. It looks not bad in the photos but the paint is not of a good standard so I'll definitely strip it back and start again just haven't decided how far yet. I'm looking forward to the challenge I'm 59 next month (did a typo in my very first email and said I was 59 when only 58) so another 6 years I can retire if I like, but the pension out here won't be enough to restore a car and live on so better get it done before, I'll attach a photo so you can put a face to the name. If possible can you put a little footnote on the page you have my car on, I would just like to thank those who helped track the car down and also you and all the other anoraks on your site who's story's have inspired me to have a go." Consider it done.
22.7.2010.....Slowly getting the GT stripped down ready to paint, somewhere along the line someone has done some weird repairs and funny mods to it. The amp meter has been replaced at sometime and the bracket to hold it made out of cardboard, the loom has been chopped in to in places to add other stuff and the new wire just wrapped around the bare bit and taped with insulation tape. The original switch panel had been replaced with a homemade one and when I removed it the steering column had been spaced down to lower the steering wheel position, the new panel was to accommodate this, fortunately the original panel was in the boot, maybe some time you could give me a list of the switches across the panel as mine has a few addins and I would like to go back to standard, everything that has been done has been in quite a rough manner. Presently I'm trying to get the glass off the headlights so I can get the reflectors rechromed as I have been unable to find new ones, I might have a look at the local wreckers I think a few Toyotas and Nissans have a rectangular light about the same size. We have a place out here called Pick a Part where you pay $2 to get in and just strip what parts you want off the wrecks they have there and pay for them on your way out, the prices are pretty reasonable, I once got an aircon compressor for the daughters Nissan Pulsar for $27 and then got it regassed for $40 better than the $800 quoted to reco and re-gas at the local aircon place. We also have a place out here called Horopito Motors that boasts the biggest collection of wrecks in the southern hemisphere from the 1920s to the 1970s it's way down country so will do a trip down one weekend, I will add a photo I found on the net taken down there, this is just part of acres and acres of cars. The paint has been purchased so moving in the right direction, once the warmer dryer weather arrives we are in to it, unfortunately Auckland is very wet in the winter and too much moisture in the air is not good for painting, basically only have to take the glass out of the doors and all the body is bare, although the engine is still in the hole but all unbolted ready just to lift out (this weekend I hope). You mentioned getting rubbers out of Australia, where was that from please as the ones I have would do, but I would prefer to renew them. Regards Ron
The real Viva Heaven.