Words: Penn McKay
Photos: Jared Clark
“A driver’s car pure and simple ... Everything about it is quality ... predictable and sure-footed … awesomely quick … breathtaking … a style and distinction all its own … acceleration figures that will leave you boggle–minded.” Sports Car World, 1969
Sporadically I make missionary forays to the West Island – that large lump of land that completes the triangle of North Island, South Island and West Island. Recently, I made one of these trips, and drove from Melbourne to Adelaide along the Great Ocean Road – a very distinctive route because, unlike most Australian highways, it has a whole series of interesting twists and turns, allowing Aussies to practice proper driving skills.
To illustrate my point, on the return trip via an Australian transworld highway, we easily averaged 100kph for well over 600 kilometres. Whenever there was a little curve there would be a plethora of signs emphasising the fact that the road was no longer perfectly straight, and it was time to slowly turn the steering wheel.
But the Great Ocean Road is a real drivers’ thoroughfare. I gather that local car enthusiasts frequently have club runs along this road, stopping overnight at a motel where we also stopped. Consequently, we found ourselves joining a party of friendly West Islanders who were enjoying driving a group of very attractive sports cars which were totally new to me.
A mixture of coupés and convertibles from the same marque, Australian-designed and built and badged as ‘Bolwell’ – the collection included variations on the theme, illustrating how Bolwell Cars had developed its line of cars.
I’d never heard of them, let alone ever seen one, but I must say I was very impressed – not just with the looks but also with the specifiications. Clearly, Bolwells progressively became more beautiful – to my Italian-biased eye – but all came equipped at the very least with a large maroon Holden six or a chrome-topped Ford V8. Both are engines I have a lot of respect for. Heaps of potential, simple, strong and totally reliable just how I like my motors.
Respect
I’m not one to idealise Australians, but since they are close relatives we have to give them the cognisance that that status deserves, and that includes admiring their toys. – made clear that this car deserves lots of respect. I’m very inclined to the thought that the only real limitation to the marque’s reputation concerns the smallness of total production – less than 1000 Bolwells all up and a mere 130 or so Nagaris were produced.
But, as you’ll read elsewhere, Bolwell is returning this year and very much as a The particular toy featured in this article – a MkVIII Bolwell Nagari – is something that excites my very considerable jealousy, and I’d look at one of them, no matter what the condition, if it came up for grabs. Style, looks, simplicity and performance all combine to give cause to envy our younger brothers for a change.
Indeed, I would even marry one of their (Nagari-owning) women. When it comes to naming a marque of car, I get the feeling that Bolwell is one of those names that doesn’t stir up much in the way of male testosterone – not like emotively loaded blasts from the past such as Jaguar, Ferrari, or even MG. However, Bolwell never made a car that didn’t have sporting aspirations.
Consequently, a morning spent with our featured Nagari – owned by Simon Peryer swept-up reincarnation of the classic Nagari. In any case, even with the older versions it wouldn’t take long to get emotionally tangled up with this Australian beauty and want to own one. Simon Peryer’s Nagari is believed to be the only example in New Zealand, and it’s presented in a prime Concours condition – exciting seriously lustful interest. It’s not a putdown to term Simon’s Nagari as a poor man’s Ferrari – mind you, Simon also uses a ’65 Mustang as an everyday car, so he must have a V8 fixation – and the economics to indulge it.
History behind the marque
Campbell Bolwell was an enthusiast from early on, and spent his youth in the ’50s putting together cars and helping his brother, Graeme, build up a Jaguar-Healey special. A third brother, Winston, was also into making cars when in 1960, the brothers produced in succession a Bolwell MkI, MkII and MkIII, leading to their fi rst production kit.
This kit – the MkIV of 1963 – was for a Clubman-type racer made to take a Cortina or Peugeot 1.6-litre engine, or even a Zephyr or (grey) Holden six. The Bolwells made about 220 cars from 1961-’65, selling more than 50 kits for enthusiasts to build up at home. Some of these early cars are still out there – it’s believed that some are still unfinished. These were not your everyday models – a dozen hardtop variations had gullwing doors, As a footnote, it appears that the car experience built up the Bolwells’ business as specialists in glass fi bre construction, a medium in which they would become very big, and still are – many of the giant truck units in Australia are equipped with Bolwell-made cabs. Today, the firm is substantial, successful, and currently behind the proposed re-launch of a new version of the Nagari.
Click through to the next page to read more. Or, if you'd like to see what else is in issue 196, or purchase it, click here.
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