Owner researching origins of 111-year-old car

Two cars bought by Wanganui people early last century are the focus of some detective work by car collector Roy Sharman.

Mr Sharman, from Waiuku, is taking part in the 2012 International Vintage Car Club Rally in Wanganui in one of those vehicles, a rare 1915 two-seater Perry. His other precious vehicle - a 1901 Oldsmobile - is back at his home.

The Perry is the sole surviving model in New Zealand and was first bought by Wanganui identity Charles Georgetti from a local car dealer in 1915. The family retained ownership for 50 years and there were a handful of owners before it ended up with Mr Sharman.

"Five of these cars came to Wanganui. There were only 55 Perrys imported to New Zealand," Mr Sharman said.

The car is one of only two left in the world; the other is in England.

With the gear and brake levers all on the driver's right-hand side and the spare wheel on that running board, there's no driver's side door. Instead the driver has to clamber through the passenger's side door to get behind the wheel.

"This car has huge historical relevance to Wanganui and the same goes for the 1901 Oldsmobile," Mr Sharman said.

That car was dug out of a rubbish tip at Putiki in 1975 by Bruce Ardell. It's been fully restored and is part of the Sharman collection.

"It was No64 off the production line and was bought by someone in Wanganui that year. Obviously they were a person of substance because motoring was in its infancy then," Mr Sharman said.

He said the car was "very fragile" and essentially was a buggy with a motor attached.

"By 1905, it would have been obsolete because car development had made great huge advances even in that short space of time."

Mr Sharman said his research established the Oldsmobile was traded at some stage for other goods.

"We don't know what at this stage or when but they couldn't get the car going so it was pushed into a pit at Putiki," he said.

The vehicle is the oldest surviving Oldsmobile of its type in the world and the only other one is in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC.

"The answer to its first owners has to be in Wanganui archives somewhere. It's just a matter of more research. But someone around here may know something about it and if they could contact me, that would be a bonus," he said. Anyone with information about the Perry or Oldsmobile can call Mr Sharman on 027 459 7725.