Rob & Sonya Jones

1974 Leyland P76 Deluxe 6 cylinder 3 speed column change manual in Am Eye Blue. The H J Jones Motor Co in Masterton sold this car new to Mr Dan Harte. Masterton policeman, George Watt, who was a Club member for many years, then bought it. While George lived in Carterton the car was resident in Masterton almost every week outside the Police Station.

We bought the car from George in October 2001 and took it south to Wainuiomata and guess what, we later moved to Masterton with the car. The car has benefited from continual improvements with all its owners. Dan fitted a Super dash with niceties like vacuum, amp and oil pressure gauges along with an electric fuel pump. George had the head overhauled and added hardened valve seats and a modified oil pressure by pass system. We replaced the by now tatty rubber floor mat with dark blue carpet and new reclining buckets and back seat, all finished in a dark blue fabric to compliment the Casino Blue interior of the car. The original bench seat was no longer ergonomic!

I have just refitted the correct wheels so the car Will sport Deluxe hubcaps with Vidas wheel bands as in the seventies and unlike it appears in the photo. The photo was taken along the beach front at Cape Foulwind on the West Coast of the South Island, near Westport. The gate was open and the terrain looked to interesting to pass up. This old Leyland will go almost anywhere.

(Below Left) The Jones car in the gorge at the end of Ruahine Road, the northern end of Route 54 shortly before you re-join SH1 just north of Mangaweka, July 2015.

(Right) This shows the AEB D6 outside the locally famous Leyland Shed of Frank and Robyn Waghorn in Reefton, just to show the car gets around.

(Bottom) Rob and Sonya negotiate a narrow bridge inland from the Hurunui Pub in a quest to find an historic homestead shown on their map.  They never did find it and the road turned to paddock!

Below Left: Rob and Sonya's P76 at Denniston Incline. Middle: Ron and Rob with their cars at Bluff. Right: Rob and Sonya's P76 at that famous pub. Damn good lunch too.