Buckler pix are all clickable

 
free hit counter

Much of the information found on this site is under copyright please click here for more info.

I-Spy for 25 points ! You too can earn points if you spy a Buckler in a shed near you, more here


800KBH taken in 1960
Where is Derek Smith??

UJB393 Silverstone 1961 with the late Creighton Brown.

Ron Flockart driving a
Buckler Class IV 1961

99 NKN an exciting
find previously unknown to the register, see more like this here and now more about the
history!

WARNING. USING THE WRONG OILS CAN DAMAGE YOUR TRANSMISSION.
For more see Ken Green's update in 'Bucklering'

Reinhard Gnann is now the owner of the MKVI rolling chassis 94 GVX. This is the "Beacon Special" once owned by Tony Byford.
Restoration will start soon.

The new Buckler Cars Forum is here at last!! Please click this link

Please email me if you would like to join...it's free!!
We have disabled the registration form as email is easier, thanks

Please can everyone send in details of events for this year....Thanks

FGV has just been sold on ebay. The Register holds history and has links with past owners of this famous car, shown here being driven by the original owner Bill Marriot about to devour a Lotus 6 at Silverstone

The 1961 Racing Car Show Buckler Backbone
What was it's registration when with Smith in Reading?
If anyone knows Mr Smith...Could you ask him to get in touch!

Not Sure how to ask permission to show this one on this website...but I'm sure Car Magazine Japan have copyright!
the real car doesn't have a crease (so we're told!)

New photo of Norm Norrington in 99NKN
Can Norm's son please get in touch

We thought we were having fun!
Keith Thomas had a fantastic day at Prescott  and Mike Simon and Keith had a beautiful day at Dyrham Park last weekend!!
  

Bucklers on youtube!

What's This above...it's not a Petty!
DD2 PMO220 in the background!

Can anyone help with this identification...please
Which 90 is this? Bought at Dunkerswell some years ago.
Thought someone might remember the dash  (or remains of )

I know she looks a bit rough but someone attached orange Dymo labels and someone made this steering wheel!!  Thanks Simon

Some recent emails!

A new find! well almost... just in from Donald McKenzie click here for more
Thanks Don... where did this car get to?

and MORE from Bristol.... who remembers this car....a DD2 built in a sitting room in Hampton Park, Redland. Just off Whiteladies Road.  He was co-founder of the Bristol Special Builders Club (or some such title) he was hoping that minus it's body it would fit through the bay window!
A younger chap sharing the same flat owned a very rare Lester MG triple M special. anyone out there in Bristol during 59-62 who remembers this?

(many thanks to the fantastic memory banks of John Cobett Maddy )
there will be more later!!
More on this inc the colour engine etc
Join the Forum for more info

DD1 in action at Wigram October 2010 with her new owner Bruce Ellwood....

The National Restoration Show was great. The Buckler stand was brilliant. The centre piece was Simon Isle's DD2 with a beautiful new aluminium body designed by Simon. Thanks to all the volunteers who manned the stand and answered untold numbers of questions!!! 

Mike Totman seen driving MOR with Keith Ambrose as passenger at Silverstone.
 

NEWS... SBW100 is for sale

email for more details

See the new events calendar plenty to do this year!
Kart owners. V important date here

Recent emails...

Another mystery car....It was last advertised for sale in Glasgow in 1977
a Mistral fitted to an AC chassis...or is it a Tojero? any ideas....please

Peel cars in the IOM made fibreglass bodies some were fitted to Buckler chassis, how many? See this new peel cars site for more info

Jim Walker used to own PJT98 and has some great pix posted here (just scroll down to find the Buckler). Jim bought it from Curwen in c56/57, the car is now back with the Curwen family! more to follow... thanks Jim.

Pete Cresswell has written a very interesting letter re H M Barron's Buckler MKV HBC508 more here

Alastair Barker has written in about GDP1, The famous Buckler Jaguara and the HK Special. more here

 

More exciting Kart stuff as well!! click here

Peter Ramella has written about his friend Malcolm Best and his Buckler...read more here

Yet another Buckler surfaces. This time in Canada! More soon
See the latest in What and Where


The Canadaire Buckler MKXV


 A brief history...

In 1947 Derek Buckler designed his own chassis to take the engine and running gear from his Ford 1172cc sidevalve E93a.
He won over 200 awards in this car, competing in trials, hillclimbs, circuit racing, sprints and even won an economy rally achieving just under 100mpg.
 

The success of this car naturally demanded a replica. This was the first true spaceframe car to be offered for sale anywhere in the world. Buckler pioneered the 'kit car' to avoid the crippling purchase tax. More cars soon followed. ERD96 appeared left hand drive in photographs, using reversed negatives, to fool the tax man into believing the car was destined for export! odd that this car now lives in France. ed.

Many chassis were tailored to suit customers requests. Engines fitted came from Coventry Climax, Ford, MG, Triumph, BMC, Daimler, Jaguar and many more, even a Lincoln V12 was built.
Early bodies were of aluminium, a Buckler Special was one of the first cars in Europe to be fitted with a fibreglass body. Buckler's also designed very successful Karts and were famous for their tuning accessories from 1172 to full formula Junior screamers and anything in-between !
Buckler's also manufactured close ratio gear sets that were fitted to most early Lotus', TVR's and many Ford Specials of the 1950's
Peter Hilton became managing director in the mid 50s and continued running the company after Buckler was told to rest by his doctor. Derek's last car design was the first true Backbone space frame.
Buckler Cars Ltd was first advertised for sale in '62 and eventually sold to Mike Luff and Frank Fletcher who continued to build cars and Karts until c1965.
Derek Buckler died in 1964.

Who's Driving PBH1 at Goodwood in 1955?

Smith Buckler500. Ken seems very interested in Bill Whitehouse's antics. Silverstone 10th May 1952

Mystery Car! any ideas?? note Aprilias were right hand drive

Here's one to tax the braincells...
Hello Buckler Car Register.

Having (a) recently discovered the internet -- better late than never -- and (b) come across your very clear and usable website, I am wondering if you can shed any light at all on the following:

On 9th June 1955, while passing a small used-car business and filling-station, 'Motorlands', in Stretford, Manchester on the bus, I spotted a little car which I didn't recognise. A visit by bike that afternoon showed it to be a pale greenish-grey saloon (2-door 4-seater, I seem to recall) which looked quite like a Singer Bantam of 1937-ish, though it definitely wasn't one of these -- a bit smaller, I thought. No radiator badge, so a look at the tax-disc. It said, quite clearly, 'BUCKLER'. There seemed to be no-one around to ask (and questioning little boys on bikes tended to be told to b****r off in those days) so I was left in ignorance. I never saw it again, nor its like. Nothing listed on your Archive lists seems to match it.

Does this make any sense to you?

If you can cast any light, I shall be most grateful. It's been niggling for fifty-four years, after all!

In anticipation, thanks and best wishes,

John Humphreys.

The prize for the most intriguing email goes to...

Ean from the IOM with this amazing observation...Spotted a Buckler??  on YouTube  have a look at Kenn Imhoff 01 - Basement Lamborghini.   Picture shown of rolling chassis outside an old church at 6.39 mins into film fitted with a body at 6.50 mins - might be worth a look - possibly DD1/DD2?. Can anyone shed more light.. see the vid here it's a DD2 with a Falcon body...where and when?

More Buckler news and photos have been sent in... more here

News of the Bristol MK 15  to follow soon

Brian has had a fantastic year with the Karts...he has drummed up a fantastic following with large numbers of classic karts appearing regularly...Quite a few Buckler Karts are doing well!

Frank Noble used to own NOX149 and asks...where is she now?
if anyone can answer this teaser...please let me know here

Charles Crawley's MK 10 with works Taylor body is for sale in Ohio...more details to follow

Carl Talbot has been having fun trialling...see the video here

Keith Thomas found this amazing footage of the first Buckler with Derek Buckler pedalling at the Rest and Be Thankful here

Wayne Eastman tells me Scott Coy's Mk 15 in Ohio is nearly back on the road

Graeme Banks has news of the 'Blue Brick'. Imported by Arthur Harris in 1955 the Buckler Mk V was raced regularly by Jim Boyd in 1956 and occasionally by Phil Kerr. It was powered by a 1172cc supercharged side valve Ford 100E. Now with Elva head is still capable of 100 mph at at Pukekohe

Wiscombe meet May 09 more here

Craig Laing sent this...anyone want to go? brilliant weekend with loads of Bucklers racing!

Photo of Craig has been spotted in 'Classic and Sportscar' getting FTD in his DD2!!Check out the next bulletin for more!

Sad news just in from Liz Evans. Neville Evans left the RAF in 62/63 and joined Bucklers shortly afterwards. Neville died this year, and a friend is putting together a memorial lecture to give at the Model Engineering Exhibition at Sandown Park on December 9th and 10th. He went from Bucklers to teaching to building the Manxman motorcycle, updated from the Manx Norton, then for the last 10 years to writing articles on building live steam models for Model Engineer, and the design work he did for Buckler's was part of the progression. It's good to see there is still an interest in the karts.

photo ©Alex Gilfillans Keith Thomas at Bo'ness 2010
Keith also attended Prescott

KFE 45 Bill Holmes MK5 lowered hoops F Rochdale shell green gelcote NSCC sprint Mallory 15inch wheels c1956 Thanks to James Farringdon for sending this photo of Buckler Mk5 Rochdale

and thanks to James for this photo of NPO307 listed as once owned by the Earl of Northesk!

Dr. Wynne Carter used to own this Buckler AKS in Dundee...where is she now?

Nic Ayre is restoring his late father's MEL925

Arthur Harris NZ taking delivery of OAA now owned by Bruce Ellwood


De Joux 90 at Mt Cook

Jack Barlow more

Beautifully restored Supercharged Buckler/Climax DD2 in NZ owned by Dewar Thomas more here

Subs time is here again. click here for more

Marc Autret  and
Malcolm Buckler at Goodwood 2008 in Johan's ERD96
See more photos here

Keith Thomas wrote.

The late Doug Hyde.  He was a former owner of my car and a founder member of the Buckler register at the Bristol first meeting. He is pictured here at our house just after taking early retirement in April sitting in my car about 40 years after owning it.

A recent find... pic of
DD2 PMO528 at
Les Hall's house

Thanks to David Montgomery.

The 1950 Mk V Buckler
V/2 known in New
Zealand as “the blue brick” with Graeme Banks and family, the new owner. this car is fitted with a very fast Elva O.H.I.V. head and handles beautifully. This car was raced by Jim Boyd in the mid 50s

 
GTX247 with Dr Don Kiff. This car had and accident on the road and looks a bit battered but still going strong... Where is she now?