| Production ceased early in 1960 with the introduction
of the Bug Eye Austin Healy Sprite, which was marginally cheaper and
faster. The business was taken over by J&S Fiberglass sales in
1960 or 61 and they completed the remaining bodies already commenced by
Nat Buchanan.
The history is a little vague at this stage as the N.H. Buchanan
Motor Co Pty. Ltd. closed down in about 1960/61 and was bought out by J&S
Fiberglass in NSW. Nat Buchanan had finished
at least 2 cobras and J&S continued to complete the remaining cobras to
make 8 in all completed.
Four of the seven Cobras have also been identified as remaining, one
is in New Zealand and was recently sold on E-Bay for $3000.00 NZ in bits
and having been converted at some time to Jaguar XJ6 mechanicals, at the
time of writing this car is still in bits and very unlikely to proceed
much further.
Another Cobra is in NSW in the hands of a “collector” of Aussie
fibreglass production sportscars and planned to begin restoration work on
the chassis in 2008.
A third is in pieces in Victoria and about to undergo a full
restoration while #3 has been restored as a historic race car.
Research disclosed the J&S Fibreglass completed the remainder of
Cobras with the 1147 Triumph Herald motors and twin S.U. carburetors.
A letter from the Factory Manager Richard Maryland indicated the
later fitment of the 1147cc Triumph Herald motors and twin S.U.
carburetors.
Nat Buchanan provided one completed Cobra, registration number NSW
BMG-000, for road testing in September of 1958 by Modern Motor magazine He
later went on to provide another car, registered number BMG-111, for road
test by Sports Car World in May of 1959.
Another road test was conducted by the Great Australian Sports Cars
and Specials magazine on the same car registered number BMG111 and this
article makes mention of the fitting of the larger Triumph Herald engine
to the Buchanan Cobra. It is not clear when this article was written but
it is clear that it was written after the fitment of the larger 1147
motors. |
