CHASSIS NO.	5805
OWNER	DES DE NEKKER
ADDRESS	P O BOX 10302 PORT ELIZABETH 6012
TELEPHONE	(041) 581-1113
FAX	(041) 581-1169
ORIGINAL COLOUR	RED
PRESENT COLOUR	GREEN
CONDITION IN %	50%

HISTORY:   

It seems to be a purpose built racer (also the first light weight body made by the factory) with 100E engine and Wilment Overhead intake valve conversion.  According to the log book it was first registered for road-use mid 1959.  The original gel-coat colour was a light-green (zirkon green).  The first owner was a doctor who sold the car to a BP Garage in Hilbrow in Johannesburg.  Ritchi Jute bought the car from the BP garage in Johannesburg in 1960 with Wilment engine for 450 pounds.

Ritchie sprayed the car red with a black top with yellow and black strips from front to back.  He widened the wheels to 5 ½" and sprayed them yellow.  Ritchie raced the car only once with Wilment motor.  Ritchie and Allen Kirkman fitted 105E engine and 4 speed box for its first 9 hour in 1962.  It won its class and was first Dart home.  The registration number was TJ26555. 

In the beginning of 1967 Trevor van Rooyen of Berario Johannesburg bought it from Ritchi.  (Not the racing Trevor van Rooyen).  Towards the end 1967 Pat Townsend from Northcliffe, Johannesburg bought the car.  It was fitted with standers 105E engine with twin SU carbs.  Pat did a serious rebuild, nitride crank and rods, fully balanced, steel bearing caps, bored out to 1098cc with forged Mahle pistons.  Ritchi did a full house porting and big valve job on the head, a Holbay F3 cam with twin Weber 40DCOE's and it went like a bat out of hell!  Pat also fitted a 12 inch quick release steering wheel, originally fitted to a Panard Armed car.  As seen in the photo's, it had air ducts either side of front bumper, to cool drum brakes, there was a roll bar behind the drivers seat which looked as if it was welded to the chassis before body was bonded.  In November 1968 Pat got a job with the Brabham Racing factory in England and his Dad sold the car for R700.00 . 

In 1978 Hansie Els saw a Dart advertised in the February issue of Car Magazine for R225.00 from a person in Alkantrant, a suburb of Pretoria.  Hansie bought the car which was sent to him by train to GTI Motors, Somerset East.  With the help of Bob van Niekerk staying in Paarl at the time, Hansie restored the Dart with 1500 GT engine over a 5 year period. 

In 1996 he sold it to Des de Nekker in Port Elizabeth who still owns it.  Des is now busy restoring the Dart from Scratch.  Ritchie Jute would love to have the Dart back but the closest he will get to that is maybe a drive around the block when it is completed as per Des.