Top Car

ATHER LIKEDIPPINGyourhand into Pandora’sBox, every time youdelve into SouthAfrican motoringhistory, somethingexciting pops out. ATopCaroffice coffee break discussion aboutsome old, locally-developed sports carsbrought ab out a ‘where are they now?’challenge, the result of which led to usbringing together the countr y’s most famousroadster, the GSM Dart, with th e similarly-conceived Protea, the ill-starred Caracal anda true rarity , the Duphet.The Glassport Motor Company’s Dart has tobe one of the most renowned cars everproduced in this countr y. GSM was founded bythree talented men, Bob van Niekerk –essentially the trio’s driving forc e – WillieMeissner and Verster de Wit. Bob’srelationsh ip with legendary tuning whizzWillie bega n when they were both atStellenbosch Universi ty studying engineering.Verster beca me involved when he met Willie –and later, Bob – while they were all working inEngland. Verster’s auto design talents wereenlisted to answer all three men’s desire tobuild a South African sports car.R