VCC CENTRAL OTAGO PnS AUGUST 2023

Puff ‘n’ Stuff

Vintage Car Club of NZ Inc. – Central Otago Branch

Another motorsport photo. Editorial bias. Feel free to contribute alternatives. One of my hero cars, possibly the model. A 70 ½ Z28 Camaro at Wigram. There was a drain there that launched the cars skywards (photo credit Laurie Brensell)

At the last committee meeting we talked about the lack of new members.

I have been reflecting on this, and have concluded that it is:

a/ not a big problem at present, and

b/ not where we should be focussing our attention.

Let me explain.

a/ 60% of our membership is passive. Our greatest unrealised opportunity is simply to convert a passive member to active.

b/ We live in a region where medium to higher value retirees or near retirees are moving to (it is not cheap to move here), so we are gaining members from this sector.

c/ We are less than exciting to most younger members.

d/ The cost of entry (pre 93 useable car) is generally ridiculous, compared to modern.

So, our easiest opportunity is to:

a/ Focus on converting passive members to active

b/ Be grateful we have new members coming in and embrace them

c/ Accept what we are, or we provide more exciting events to attract younger people

d/ Broaden our membership criteria to include post-93 classic cars.

I don’t have solutions to a-c but I think we should have an agenda item each committee meeting to focus on this.

With respect to membership criteria, as a new member I don’t feel qualified to comment. But I make the observation that while I have been looking for 8 months and haven’t found anything to push my buy-now button, there have been opportunities in the 93-2000 era that have been particularly attractive.

But not eligible, so I have so far resisted. However, the Grindley fleet has dropped from 6 to 5 in the last month (target 3 or 4) but understand there could be the odd hiccup on the way.

Update. For one hour the Grindley fleet crept back to 6, but then I made a phone call and sold my old Aurion to a mate, saying “Boy, have I got a deal for you.”. He hasn’t picked it up yet, so Rose is telling me I am back to 6 but my reasoning is “no” because the new one hasn’t been delivered yet. I might be right but that doesn’t mean I won the argument.

So what is an Aurion? It is pretty much an Aussie Camry but with a 3.5 litre 200kw v6 with a 6speed auto. Various trim levels, ours with full leather and all the fruit, is the equivalent to Fords XR6 or a Commodore SV6 but in my opinion, has better reliability, smoothness, and economy (better than 10 litres /100k) and I have owned all three As an Aussie car fan from way back it pains me to say that it is a better car, and while I prefer RWD, it isn’t a deal breaker.

A 2016 model with less than 70k on the clock for $15k, with Toyota reliability I think they are excellent value. Hard to find better

What can I buy COVCC eligible that compares? I am still looking.

Garry Grindley editorCOVCC@gmail.com Please note I do not necessarily check this email address daily so if you want an urgent reply or action please also phone me on 021 279 5064.

Copy deadline for next edition by the 25thof each month

Circulation: 250

© 2023 The opinions and information presented here are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the club or its officers. No responsibility is accepted for the accuracy of information or opinions expressed. E&OE.

BRANCHOFFICERS2023-2024

CLUBEVENTSCALENDAR

Please take care to read and copy to your diary!

August 9th Guest speaker, Tim Jones, CEO 45 South Cherry Orchard.

Thursday 17th Aug, Run to Vulcan Hotel St Bathans. Meet there at 10am for morning tea, onto Ranfurly Lion Hotel for a light lunch, where we will be met by the Deep South TR Group from Dunedin, a guaranteed enjoyable gathering will be had by all. Lunch will be a set menu, quiche, with salad, and two soups. RSVP please week before event to John Martin. Trip may be cancelled due to weather.

August 20th Daffodil Day. Details to be advised.

September 13th SHPG, Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds, Pisa Range. Car and tyre testing. Speaker, to be confirmed. If someone from Wanaka can pick up speaker, please let John know!!! 03 4430344.

Call Graham

Club Nights – doors open from 7pm on 2nd Wednesday of the month (except June & Dec)

Midweek Muster at the Parts Shed – Wednesday mornings from 8:30am, except for Club Night Wednesdays

OTHEREVENTS,NATIONALS

Central Otago Branch – “Blossom Festival Rally”

Saturday 23rd September 2023

ENTRY FORM

Entrant’s Name(s): …………………………………………………&……………………………………………………………

Address: ………..…….……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. …………………….………………………………………………………………………………….……………………………….

Phone (mobile preferably): …….…………………………………………………………….………………………………

Email: ………………………………….…………………………………………………………….…………………….………

Membership Number: ……………….………………………………………………………….…………………………

Vehicle Make & Model: ………………………….………………………………………………………….………………….

Year: ………………….. Registration Number: ………….………………………………………………….………………

Vehicle Class: (circle one)

Veteran Vintage PV PWV P60 P80 Motorcycle Commercial

I will join the Blossom Festival Procession (circle one) Yes / No

Costs:

Rally Entry (per vehicle) @ $30 $…………… Total $..............

Entries Close: 15th September

Payable by online banking to the Central Otago Vintage Car Club a/c 06 0921 0035742 01 with your name as reference

All correspondence to Rally Organiser: Ewen Duthie phone: 0278388324

email: Duthie.e@xtra.co.nz address: 120 Barry Ave, Cromwell 9310

Central Otago Branch – “Blossom Festival Rally” Saturday 23rd September 2023

We have built on the format from last year to hopefully simplify and increase the interest of the event!

Entrants are asked to park in and around the main street area of Clyde (Sunderland St) from 8.30 am onward as a “show and shine” to let the public have a closer look at our cars. You can enjoy a breakfast or coffee at the many cafes in the area before moving on at your own time after say 10 am. The day is yours to organise as you wish.

The rally packs will be able to be picked up in front of the Lodge on the corner of Sunderland St (the main street of Clyde) and Lodge Lane with the rally briefing being held there also.

Those who want to go in the Blossom Festival Procession will need to park up at our usual spot in Enterprise Street (turn left at the top of the hill into Royal Terrace then next left into Enterprise St). The rally marshals will guide you. The procession starts at 11.45am. Parking is available at Bantry Street after the procession handy to the festival in Pioneer Park.

The Rally format will be:

Before the event, you will be sent a list of places of interest to visit (including directions of how to get to each) including the points each destination is worth. You will choose which you want to visit to accrue the right number of points. This is so you can work out your route prior to the event.

The questions to answer at these destinations will be in your rally pack handed out on the Saturday morning. You will choose which you want to visit to accrue the right number of points.

Points will be given to those who go in the procession and so that those who choose not to are not disadvantaged and can gain points in visiting more or further afield places of interest on the list. Older, slower cars will also be given points so as they are not disadvantaged.

The event will end at the COVCC Litany St Clubrooms in Cromwell for a light afternoon tea, catch up and prize-giving later in the day and the opportunity to have a look through the parts sheds. We are not providing an evening meal this year but will have the clubrooms open for those who want to join with takeaways. BYO food and refreshments.

Sunday 24th at 10am meet at the Clubrooms in Litany St for a garage raid in the local area. Bring your lunch to the clubrooms before heading home.

Come and join us.

VCC Branches that would like any of their events noted in our magazine, please contact us with the details at editorCOVCC@gmail.com

SATURDAY 18th NOVEMBER 2023 MMXXIII RALLYE AUTOMOBILE ANCIENNE MONTE-CARLO. See Graham Taylor for info/entry form.

NewMembers

For more information on these and other events in Beaded Wheels, check branch newsletters which may be found at http://vcc.org.nz/news-from-our-branches/

Julymid-weekrun

The July mid-week run to Arrowtown had 16 PAX and 7 vehicles, an enjoyable day, coffee at Kinross, a warm welcome for lunch at New Orleans Hotel Arrowtown, followed by a tour of museum. No photos sorry

Chairman’sReport

I mentioned at the last meeting that if you had any ideas on where the Thursday or Sunday runs should go and visit, please let John Wilson know.

Members have had interesting lives also and we would love to hear what you have to say. If you would like to tell the members your interesting life story as a guest Speaker for the club night, then please let John Wilson know and he will give you a date when you can entertain us.

Daffodil day is fast approaching on the 20th August and we require a few helpers on the gate, parking, collecting the donations selling parts and choosing the winners or just turning up with your vehicle to maybe win a prize. Please let me know if you can help.

I’m looking forward to heading up to the AGM in Nelson on 12 th August and will forward your views on the Beaded wheels discussion at the last meeting

For those who have not seen the new Vinyl that was laid in the toilets and kitchen do come and look sometime. I think it is a well-chosen colour and professionally installed.

I know sometimes it is hard to come to meeting nights but it is beneficial to everyone as member get to know you and you them so muster a car pool and make an evening of it.

We are trying to put on entertainment for you and I do hope it meets your needs but if not please let us know what may interest you and we will attend to it

The new format of Blossom Festival is fast approaching so do try to attend for an outing in your favourite car We now start in the main street of Clyde so start the day with either a full breakfast or just a coffee and cake at the local cafes

See you at the next meeting cheers

John M

MeetthenewCommitteemembers.

VCC History, JOHN GRAY

I first joined the VCC Otago Branch as a nineteen-year-old in 1975. I became quite involved in the club, very quickly, being elected to the committee, becoming bar manager in charge of “The Birthday Club” which was the method of getting around the licencing laws of the time; and arranging catering for the supper food. Soon after I was promoted to News Letter Editor, in the days before computers, which was quite a challenge, never to be repeated. My interests at that time were veteran Model T Fords, which was all I could afford. I seemed to collect every Model T Ford part that I could find in Central Otago at that time, including an extensive haul from Northburn Station.

Study at University in Auckland curtailed VCC activity for a few years, but upon my return to Dunedin in 1981, I was again fully immersed into designing and project managing the rebuild of the old Park Street Club rooms.

The subsequent fallout of a branch coup by a group of disgruntled Motorcycle section members in 1982, saw me resign my membership of the VCC completely, which was disappointing considering I had been so involved in the branch. My interest in Model T Fords continued during my time away from the VCC.

Fast forward to 1998, following having been heavily involved in the recreation of the AFS organisations, Model T Ford 1917 Ambulance, I decided I should rejoin the VCC Otago Branch. In 1999, I purchase our restored 1914 Model T Ford Tourer and this was followed by an unrestored but complete 1938 MG VA Tourer in 2003.

I was again involved in several committee positions, especially with the Dunedin – Brighton Veteran Car Run, before relocating and transferring to the Marlborough Branch in 2009.

Soon after arriving in Blenheim, my long-term interest in Jaguar sports cars resulted in the discovery and purchase of a newly restored 1958 XK 150 roadster, ownership of which had been an ambition since 1975, and was followed in 2015 by the purchase of a nearly completed restoration of a Series 1 Jaguar E-Type Roadster.

Subdivision of our Blenheim section resulted in downsizing of my shed space and a decision was made to sell the 1914 Model T in late 2020, as we had motored this car extensively throughout the country and had done most journeys, I needed to do in a Ford T.

Retirement and building of my new workshop was the stimulus to start restoration of the MG VA Tourer in mid-2021, and with the assistance of a friend, disassembly happened at an accelerated pace and the restoration of the parts was commenced immediately, following a written schedule of the processes required. This car is now substantially mechanically complete; looks like a car again; and is ready to start the engine. This accelerated process was

necessary due to our somewhat unscheduled relocation to Cromwell, which was only decided in October last year.

Eighteen months ago, a 1968 Jaguar 340, which is the last year of the MK2, came up for sale by a friend in Blenheim. This is a very nice car with a high-powered engine, wire wheels, overdrive, factory power steering and power assisted brakes. It is a car I have admired for many years, so Wendy’s Jag XK8 convertible became the garage space sacrifice to purchase the MK2. This was somewhat symbolic for us, as this was the first closed VCC eligible saloon car we had ever owned. We call it our “Old Folks” car.

Our XK 150 roadster is presently for sale, which is part of the big plan towards downsizing and retirement. I have enjoyed my VCC involvement and journey so far, and look forward to this new chapter of our lives in Cromwell and involvement with the Central Otago Branch.

1912EMFModel30drivenbyMrJamesWatt

Near Cromwell. Hopefully more info next month.

The E-M-F Company was an early American automobile manufacturer that produced automobiles from 1909 to 1912. The name E-M-F was gleaned from the initials of the three company founders Barney Everitt (a custom auto-body builder from Detroit), William Metzger (formerly of Cadillac), and Walter Flanders (who had served as Henry Ford's production manager)

HeroCars

Hero cars. The ones you lusted after. Were unobtainable.

Mine was Kevin Haig’s Z28.In the mid to late 70’s in Dunedin this was the holy grail. It was the fastest thing around. When it drove past, the windows shook.

My Cortina GTE blew up at around 40k. Probably due to me but British engineering was not great. At 18 or maybe 19 I had no money.

Fortunately, I had two mechanically minded friends, one of whom lived in Barr St in Mornington Dunedin. They rebuilt it for me. Further down the street Kevin was modifying the Z28. I remember the night it started it up. It was a cool quiet night and the sound reverberated around the valley like a Formula 5000 racing car.

Entirely by coincidence Allan Dick posted this story on Facebook this week. He graciously allowed me to include it the mag. He also supplied the photos.

SMOKESCREEN!

Does anyone from the Oamaru car culture remember this? In the seventies Dunedin heavy machinery expert Kevin Haig worked for John Bishop at J.R. Bishop Contractors spending his time at both Oamaru and on the Upper Waitaki power scheme. Kevin's "firm's vehicle" was a Holden ute but his private transport was an immaculate 70 ½ Z-28 Camaro in Hugger Orange. It was superbly modified and f-a-s-t!

The locals were fascinated by the car and issued Kevin a challenge how long would it take you to pop those back tyres? Kevin rose to the challenge and an event was held. The crowd gathered, Kevin fired it up, held one foot hard on the brake and booted it. The engine roared, the rear wheels spun, a dense cloud of smoke ensued and both back tyres went "BOOOM!". I think the Oamaru Mail may have covered the event.

That was the post I put on Oamaru Today. Mike Keen responded thusly:“OK how this come about there was a bet between Bill Taylor (owner of an Oamaru tyre shop) and Kevin in short Bill said if you can burn the tyres out in a given time they’re free if not you pay for them.

The staff, Steve and myself only found out about this that afternoon. Well Kevin rocks up in the Z28 towards the end of the day and Bill brings out two F78x14s which came standard on one tonne Utes back then with 11mm of tread as opposed to a car tyre standard with 8mm tread, and I am thinking you crafty bugger Bill.

So we fit the tyres up, bang them on the rear. Round this stage word was out some and people were parking up to come watch. Meanwhile Kevin is giving instructions to me and Steve to hold the car steady as such so it wouldn’t drift left or right. Kevin put a ball bearing in the rear brake line to lock it out and by now there is a fair crowd gathering on the street.

Well, it was time to get the show on the road, Kevin fired it up, got smoking as in photo. But this was the early stage, when he cranked it up the workshop filled with smoke and filled the hall way and went out back out the back workshop.

By now smoke is pouring out the front of the building onto Humber St and drifting. If you didn’t know you would swear Oamaru Tyre Services was on fire as it could be seen for some distance. Then “bang” went a tyre, Kevin eases off and stops.

The fire brigade go past, see what’s going on, think they may have even stopped for quick chat. Police came by and a few laughs from mem. If my memory serves me right Kevin had 2.00 min to pop a tyre and popped at 1.32min with 2.5miles on the clock.”

That report from Mike Keen. Now Kevin was remarkably free with this fabulous car and once he wanted to take his Mum and Dad and two sisters to Queenstown for a week’s holiday. I swapped him a 3.0 litre Rover I had for the Z28 for a week.

It was immaculate, very special and the best Z28 in the country. Kevin had built the engine and transmission, fitted a shifter kit and it had a low diff. To get the most out of it he ran it on racing fuel and, with the low diff, it would “only” do 128mph, but man, it got there quickly. I had a fun week in that car on pump gas. It was before the “extended breaking of traction rule” which meant you got away with quite a bit. Fun days.

NowonderIlustedafterit.

UFOsinthenews!believable?Myexperience.

In1996,IhadtheopportunityofatriptoCanadaandtheUSAwithIanBrodieoftheNew ZealandFighterPilotsMuseum,whereIsharedaparttimeweekendjob,lookingafterit. WewereattendingtheInternationalAviationMuseums conferenceinSeattle,thenwe didaquickroundtripofCanadaandtheUSA.

On the way out we visited the Edwards Airforce base and were having a good look around, there was quite a lot of flying going on, one noteworthy aircraft was an SR71 “Blackbird”takingoff.Thesefirstflewin1963andarestillthehighestflying,fastestair breathing aircraft made. Interesting, because they were supposedly out of service by then.

ThatnightIanandIwereinahotelatPalmdaleandgotintoconversationwithagroup 0fyoungguyswhoturnedouttobetestpilots,theyonlyflewatnightsotheaircrafthat couldnotbeobserved.TheLocalnewsletterquiteopenlydiscussedsomeoftheircraft” beingtestedincluding‘liftingbodies’i.e.aircraftwithminimalwingorcontrolarea,as wellasotherflyingmachinerythatseemedonlypossibleinfiction.Thefollowingday wevisitedtheLockheed-Martin“Skunkworks”inotherwordsoneofthemosttop secretplacesonearth,butthesecurityguysknew Ianfromearliervisitsandwehadaprettyfree reign.

Wemadeforthefactoryshopnearthecentreofthe complexwheretheyhadagreatselectionof clothingandotheritems.Onthewayoutwe stoppedattheonlyplacewecouldtakephotosand thiswasofadisplayofLockheedSR71Blackbirds

AtthatmomentaStealthFighterwasapproachinguptheRunwayatapprox.150knots say200kphwhendirectlyaboveitPIVOTED90degandspedaway.

IcouldnotbelievewhatIsaw,Iansimplydidn’tunderstandwhatIwastryingtoexplain thatitwasphysicallyimpossibleforany“flying”objecttodothat,theforceswouldhave brokenthecraftup.(Iwasflyingatthistimeandhada Kitfox,whichwascapableofa steeptightbankingturn,butcertainlycouldnotpivotontheverticalCofGaxis).

SomyconclusionwasthatAmericanmilitaryaviationismuchmoreadvancedtechnically thanwerealise,andIwould not besurprisedif out ofthisworld technologyhas been adopted.

GrahamTaylor

Furthertolastmonth’smag

1/ LVVTA Letter Update on the Low Volume Vehicle Technical Authority (LVVTA)

Bill Crooks copied me into an Email exchange with the LVVTA querying the time taken to action his August 2021 application to become a certifier. As a result of the unsatisfactory reply and after checking the availability of certifiers on the LVVTA website (which proved to be the out of date) I wrote to Diane Quarry regarding the apparent lack of certifiers in the lower south island. VCCNZ supports LVVTA and Diane is our representative, here is her response.

Hi Noel

I had a chat with Brendan Norling on Thursday.

In regard to your question regarding a lack of certifiers in your region, he gave me an update of where LVVTA are at for certifiers in the lower South Island (Otago and Southland).

Currently they have two certifiers in Otago. Roy Macdonald who is based in Dunedin and holds 1A, 1B and 1C categories, and Steve Grant who is based in Middlemarch and holds the same as Roy with the addition of 1D and 4 (Electric vehicles). Apparently, Roy doesn’t travel much, if at all but Steve is mobile and is covering all of the lower South Island including Queenstown.

In addition, they have a person in Invercargill who has completed all the assessments and mentoring required to be a certifier and is currently waiting for NZTA to appoint him. His appointment is expected within the next week. Once appointed he will be able to inspect any vehicle within his 1A and 1B categories. It is expected that he will add 1C and 1D categories in the future.

LVVTA are also working with NZTA on appointing another certifier in the Southland region.

Brendan is also booked to meet with two prospective certifiers in July, both of whom are based in Dunedin itself. All going well one of them will work out and in about twelve months another certifier can be added to the list. Apparently, the whole process to appoint a certifier takes about 12 months and is always dependent on NZTA approval.

Brendan also told me that he has another two prospective certifiers based in Invercargill and as part of his regular trips to see current certifiers he will keep in touch with them and work towards potentially bringing them on in the future.

Brendan is LVVTA’s sole Certifier Support Officer and as set out in his response to Bill, he covers the whole of New Zealand. As well as identifying potential new certifiers and carrying out the very involved process to appoint them, he supports existing certifiers and physically visits every one of them at least once a year. I make the point that the delay that Bill Crooks has experienced is not specific to Bill, it is because of Brendan’s workload and the apparent long process to get certifiers appointed.

I would have to be honest and say that while I can understand that Bill is frustrated by the lack of contact, I don’t think his email to Brendan dated 23 May 2023 was helpful.

Kind regards

Diane Quarrie

Noel Hassed

sale the E38 Charger of Jim Little

Described incorrectly as an E49 last month.

Buysellwantedexchange.

Name badges

Graham is preparing an order for these. He gets them done in batches of 10 or so. If you need one, please talk to him.

Wanted

Wanted: MG VA Tachometer Drive Reduction Box (similar to photo below). This is a 2.66 : 1 ratio and is the same as the one fitted to the MG TA. I have the gears and drive parts; therefore, I would also consider the 2.25 : 1 ratio box as fitted to the MG TC/TD models. I need a box with good front and back castings thank you. John Gray, Ph 0274345621, jbgray@xtra.co.nz

Photos and some notes on events

I can’t get to every event and my knowledge of VCC is limited. This month, I had very few contributions to the mag and as a result, it is heavily biased to my motoring interests. If you could make some contributions, you will end up with a better mag that is well-rounded, and better targeted to the wider membership interests.

Puff ‘n Stuff DISPLAY ADVERTISEMENT RATES

(Members wanted/sell adverts free for 3 months)

Full Page $300 (for 12 months)

Half Page $150 “

Quarter Page $80 “

→ Contact the Ed for info

Let others know which branch you belong to at events away from home. These are produced locally and are made of high-quality vinyl. They are external stickers and go on the outside of the windscreen or on the bodywork. (They are easily removed with a hairdryer.) Cost $3 each. (A small profit goes to our club.)

To order contact The Secretary gtml@xtra.co.nz

Graham Taylor Mechanical Ltd

114 Shortcut Road, Luggate. gtml@xtra.co.nz 443 1416

027 248 9942

MAXXIS TYRES -- MIXTECH BATTERIES — SPAREX AG PARTS