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BUCKLERS LEAD -- OTHERS FOLLOW
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The History of J
Hissey’s Buckler Part II (CJK 132)
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The Buckler took some time to arrive and in the meantime
I co-drove the 1955 RAC rally with a Kenya friend who
was on leave and had just taken delivery of a new MG
saloon. We fought through thick snow all night in Wales
and found the last two checkpoints deserted and it would
seem that even the marshals had failed to get to their
posts! We arrived at the final point very late having
completed the full course only to be told the whole
stage had been cancelled. Being an early starter
(No.20), we were one of the very few cars that had got
right through and had a road book with all the stamps to
prove it. The later starters didn’t even have to try as
the stage by then had been dropped so they spent the
night in the comfort of a warm hotel and we were allowed
no credit for our efforts. To add insult to injury we
were informed that we were too late to continue and
would be retired. We were not impressed with the
organisation of this, the main British rally.
RAC Rally Feb 1955. At the Hastings start The Buckler
with better headlights, hood & UK Number
It was March before the Buckler arrived at Gravesend
Docks and once more I had to pay import duty! It was
quite undamaged although a bit dusty but the battery was
flat. My father had given me a lift and we had to use
jump leads and it was not easy to fix them to half
father’s battery to get 6 volts. I drove it home to
Eastbourne without trouble but there was much to be done
to make it suitable for home use. I fitted a windscreen,
electric wipers and even a hood. This last gave some
amusement, especially with female passengers, as being
no door on the driver’s side, they had to open the
side-screen then climb out. Once on arrival at the
Dorchester in Park Lane for a grand dance, we joined the
queue of posh cars and the doorman was baffled by the
absence of a door to open was astonished to see my
future wife in full evening attire exit through what
appeared to be the window! On my side I had a door of
half height opening downwards so I could get my knee out
from under the steering wheel. We no longer had to worry
about rough roads but we did need better lights so I
went over to the much superior sealed beam units which
gave us a great advantage in night rallies. Later we
added map reading lights and were perhaps one of the
first cars to have windscreen washers (milk bottle,
cork, rubber pipe and a spring plunger from a useless
plant watering device that someone gave my mother for
Christmas). Also novel at the time was a belt for the
navigator to keep him in his seat in view of the G
forces that the car enabled me to use.
For the next couple of years I ran the car in road
tests, races at Goodwood and rallies. Without my letters
home I have only my memory, my trophies and some press
cuttings to go by. Below are some pictures of the test
part of the BARC (British Automobile Racing Club)
Eastbourne Rallies which were mostly driven on the sea
front. The three speed box was a great advantage when a
speedy reverse was wanted such as the usual reverse into
a box and out again. The trick was to lock the rear
brakes before stopping, simply push the gear lever
straight forward, rev up and let out the clutch. The car
hardly halted and was out of the box again like a jack
rabbit! The four speed cars had their reverses via some
form of gate that was not nearly so fast to operate.
Thus I had many class wins and always finished well up.
The BARC was always rather an up market club and so were
the trophies which were rather grand for these rallies
which did seem a bit tame after Kenya.
Forward on the Eastbourne sea front-- and reverse using
rear view mirror. Note the drivers door.
The photo says "Shepherd’s hill----- and Felbridge. The
radiator blanking plate indicates winter
Eastbourne 1st June 1957 – my last drive A reversing
test up the Downs at Willingdon
The BARC also held "Concourse d’Elegance" at the
Eastbourne Winter Gardens. This was a Ball where halfway
through each car entered, would process across the dance
floor, stop in front of the judges, the passenger
(normally female) would alight with delicacy and return
and the car would glide off. Of course much spit and
polish was required and there were stories of cars being
re-sprayed for the occasion and arriving on trailers and
expensive ball gowns ordered from some exclusive London
fashion house to match. Whilst I enjoyed the odd Rolls
and a vintage Bentley or two, I did find the appearance
of all the new showroom cars went on for rather a long
time. One year we thought we would enter the Buckler
but, being more utilitarian than elegant, it would be as
rallied or, even better, just after having been rallied.
We were going to cover it in mud and us the same in our
usual flying suits, crash hats and goggles with our
latest cup won prominently displayed. Of course we would
have our dinner jackets on underneath to join in the
festivities thereafter. At least we thought it would be
something different and liven up the show but the
Buckler was getting known and someone got wind of the
plan and we were warned off as "not being within the
spirit of the event". Some people have no sense of
humour!
The BARC also held "Members Meetings" at Goodwood. These
were 5 lap events for each class followed by further 5
lap races for those making similar times in the first
events. Off came anything heavy and the windscreen was
replaced by a perspex windshield that I made myself,
heating a flat sheet of it in a giant saucepan on our
kitchen stove to bend into the right shape.
At Magwick showing my good ground clearance Not much
body roll in spite of the sharp chicane
By this time Colin Chapman was building his aerodynamic
Coventry Climax engined sports racing Lotus cars which
were in my class and often arrived on trailers. I and
other 1172cc sidevalvers, together with the sprinkling
of MGs and similar proper sports cars, would see them
disappear at the start and we would be lucky not to get
overtaken before finishing our 4th lap! Still it was fun
and from the various numbers on the Buckler it seems
that I took part in three of these events. I think
carrying number 89 must have been my first effort as
there is no support across the front of the radiator
that I later found necessary to improve the headlamp and
mudguard mountings.
In my second effort I carried number 53 and I am seen at
the start wearing a borrowed, overlarge crash hat as I
had left mine behind. I gather the other photo shows me
leading another Buckler of later make. ( 1955 Buckler 90
driven by the late Derek Godfrey Reg. JPN 295 wearing
the number 55. Ed. )
Goodwood. Ready to go. On the straight
With number 23 I did my last Goodwood race on 17th March
1956. The photo shows that I was using a "four wheel
drift" through Magwick as there is simply not sufficient
opposite lock to account for the angle. Normally such
things were only available to such as Farina or Fangio
in their grand prix Alfas which had the power. Mine I
regret was no power slide, it was simply that the tyres
had very little grip so slipped at quite moderate speeds
on the smooth surface but the excellent roadholding made
it easy to control.
Full bore at Goodwood in a "four wheel drift". Note the
radiator plate for the heater take off
Click here to see the final instalment !
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