VCC STH CANTERBURY TRI CAR AUGUST 2023

DrivingourHistory

“For all Vehicles over 30 years old”

AORANGI - TRICAR

NEWSLETTER OF THE SOUTH CANTERBURY BRANCH OF THE VINTAGE CAR CLUB OF NEW ZEALAND INC.

CLUB ROOMS

19-25 REDRUTH ST. TIMARU SOUTH

Replica Timaru’s First Car

NOGGIN AND NATTER First Thursday of the Month

Some of the cars at the Motel in Oamaru for the June Ashburton / South Canterbury Rally

( Note the frost on the Cars)

Well by the time you are reading this we will have had our 50 Year presentation Luncheon. Around 60 people attended which was very rewarding for those that organised it, but disappointing when you think that we have over 300 members. Where were the rest of you?

My sincere thanks to all those who helped get the rooms set up for this important occasion. Without the people receiving these honours, our branch wouldn’t exist. We owe a lot to those who came before us. Don’t forget it.

A huge thanks to Sandy for the magnificent effort he has put into the Bar area. He has made more shelving and has tidied things up considerably. You will also see that we have items for sale over the bar. Have a look. There might be something of interest for you.

No rallies to speak of in July apart for the Night Trial, but as I was away I can’t make comment on that.

Our season starts off with 12th August Garage Raid in Ashburton. I suggest you get your car loads organised as Colin and myself will be at the AGM in Nelson on your behalf. You need to be in Ashburton Clubrooms by 9-30am.

A reminder that we have our Opening Run, combining with Ashburton on the 3rd September. See further information in this Tri-Car.

11,12,13 August Colin and myself will be at the AGM in Nelson

19th AUGUST our branch is planning a bus trip to Christchurch ( 2 Visits) and I need numbers by 10th August. Read further through the TriCar for more information.

You’ve had time to get your maintenance jobs done on your vehicles, so hopefully we will see many more of you on future rallies. Happy motoring and look forward to seeing lots of you on the next rally day.

Cheers Alistair

Garage Raid 2023

Hi all.

The Ashburton Branch are holding the Garage Raid on the Saturday 12th August 2023 starting with a cuppa from 9.00am at the Club Rooms on Maronan Road and leaving at 9.30am, The cost will be $10.00 per head for Pea Pie Pud as normal , we look forward to seeing you all on the day.

Thanks a lot

Peter Jacob Chairman Ashburton Branch

Deadline for September Tri Car

20thAugust

NOGGIN & NATTER,

ThursdayAugust 3rd

7.30 pm at Clubrooms, Redruth St Timaru.

SPEAKER :- Bob Mehrtens - N.Z. Ploughing Champion

KITCHEN DUTY :- Wayne & Pauline Young

BAR :- Sandy McMillan

MID WEEK RUN – THURSDAY 10thAugust 2023

Meet at the clubrooms at 1.15pm for a 1.30 p.m. start, bring your afternoon tea and a chair.

Organiser – Clive & Penny

Parts Department July Report.

Another busy month gone and hopefully some better weather for our outside work.

The two Hillman Hunters have gone to their new home and maybe one day may see one of them on a rally.. (won't we Rosco)

The entire stock of Bedford truck parts have been taken away with thanks to Bob Mehrtens for purchasing them and Bill Weir for transporting them.

Now that the Hillmans are gone we have a little more space in our yard. The plan is to do a cleanup and remove the items off the top of the Gearbox Container so as to carry out remedial work to the roof to prevent any more leakage during any rain.

Visitors have been steady throughout the month with interest shown in our extensive range of parts.

We are open every Wednesday Morning from 9am through till 12 noon.

Barry Smith Parts Manager

SCVCC Website Updates www.southcanterburyvintagecarclub.co.nz

To access other club newsletters go to www.vcc.org.nz scroll to News from our Branches as hard copy newsletters are not mailed out now.

SCVCC Website - July 2023

-

July newsletter placed up

- All American content provided by Grant Stewart updated across website

- Behind the scenes word press updates

Upcoming - More stories of various runs, online version of newsletter, information about upcoming events, members vehicles in gallery, Stories and photos from members are ENCOURAGED and can be sent through to website.scvcc@gmail.com

SCVCC MIDWEEK CAR RUN

THURSDAY 13 July 2023

It was after a welcoming get together and meeting up with John’s family that we, 13 cars set off on our way out of town.. The weather cold but bearable in our cars. We then commenced travelling via Beaconsfield Road working our way through to Fairview Road then eventually Kellands Hill Road finally ending up in Temuka via Levels Plain Road . Still no sun but quite green and picturesque countryside leading to the hills. After Factory Road we cruised along Muff Road taking in the now winding road to HW1, then headed for Geraldine but continuing on Orari Back Road, Bennett Rd into Woodbury Road to the Woodbury Domain. It was there over our cuppa (sun shining) that several mentioned an enjoyable run saying “not getting lost, “it was a pretty part of our countryside” and John’s driver remarked “was allowed to drive the Father-in-laws car but with three of us in the one seat proved tricky although we easily managed to get to our destination??” Afterwards several viewed the lovely village before homeward bound.

Thank you, we enjoyed it too...Rodger

Stick Campbell

The night we had the discussion on whether the club should purchase a defibrillator or not, Stick made a few more comments about shovels that were not mentioned at his funeral. After Stick had suggested the club purchase a shovel & bury the unfortunate person on the spot, someone else asked how much did a defibrillator cost?, when Stick heard the price, he said "that will buy a lot of shovels, in fact you could put one in every car" this brought the house down & ended the discussion.

Twin SU Carbs

My neighbour Darren Gelsen, is restoring a VW Beetle, 1200cc. He asked me if there was anyone in our club who could recondition & set up twin su carbs? If anyone can help Darren, can you please contact him on 021 2348955, or call into his bike shop Bike Inc, on Elizabeth St, between Zest & the Dry Cleaners.

Thanks, Grant Mehrtens

If you own a 1933 or 1934 Ford, you’ll want to be a part of the Model 40 Convention to be held March 8-10 next year. Celebrating 90 years of this beautiful model Ford, the event is open to both original & modified examples, but is limited to 100 entries. Having hosted past vintage and hot rod events, including Deuce Days for the 1932 Fords, the venue at Solway Park at Masterton is perfect for this sort of event. Trust House & JRI Insurance have come on board as major sponsors, and registration is open now. For more information follow the event on the 1933/34 Ford New Zealand Facebook page. Expressions of interest and requests for registration form to magoos@xtra.co.nz.

Enquiries to the convenor; Lloyd Wilson 021-436-432

PS: Whether or not they can attend we would still be interested in hearing from owners, as we have established a register of 33/34 Fords in New Zealand. Also, we will be producing special anniversary plaques which will be available to Model 40 owners.

Notes from the Library August 2023

Since my last report, activity in the Library has focused on pressing on with getting the loose newspaper clippings spanning from the 1950s to the early 2000s tidied up and placed in scrapbooks. Still a work in progress but they are at least now all in approximately chronological order and a good number mounted on backing paper and installed in the book. An activity I pursued at home was copying of a quantity of colour slides I located in the safe. These are now digitally copied and placed on the USB drive that holds a number of folders of digital copies of all the slides copied so far, plus some folders of my own I thought could possibly have some historic value. The ones most recently copied are ex Bill Piddington and seem to mostly relate to an overseas trip in 1959 which took in among other events the London to Brighton Rally. Also, there are some New Zealand slides that date from the same period and include the Dunedin to Brighton Rally.

Our worthy Chairman organized for an old notice board to be modified and fitted to the end of one row of the bookcases so I have sorted out some items and put them up for display. The aim is to periodically update or completely change the items on display.

Over the last wee while I have been working my way through my copy of 100 Years of Motoring in New Zealand which I have owned for a number of years but never more than glanced at. I have found it most interesting especially in relation to the very early years of motoring in New Zealand and there are some excellent photos.

Given the quality of the text I was surprised to see a number of photos incorrectly captioned. For example one labelled as showing cars taking part in the arduous 1917 Parliamentary Tour which showed the politicians what terrible bogs and other hazards passed for roads in the North, portrayed a number of Model A Fords, which of course did not make their appearance for a full ten years later. Roading development and the fuel industry in New Zealand over the years are particularly well covered. We have a copy in the Library and I recommend it.

As mentioned in my last report, I shall be away overseas for 2months so someone from the Committee will open the Library on Club Nights in August and September or on request on a Wednesday morning. Members are still able to borrow items as long as they make sure they record in and out the items they take on loan. The book will be on the table. Please feel free to take a look around the Library Resource room on any Club night.

Don’t forget our duplicate magazines table, please help yourself, and there are also lots of good titles, manuals etc. available cheap within the Library.

Barry Barnes Librarian

A few more Pics from the Rally to Oamaru in June

50 Year Badge Presentation

July 23rd 2023

Despite the rather inclement weather just over 60 Club members of the SCVCC gathered for a luncheon to celebrate the presentation of 50 year badges to Esme Jones and Jeff Henderson. The Badges, citations and framed certificates were presented by Kevin Clarkson, Editor of the

Both recipients also shared some funny moments that have happened

Esme Jones and Jeff Henderson with Kevin Clarkson

Other SCVCC 50 year Badge Holders and new recipients at the Luncheon

Calendar of Events 2023

for the South Canterbury Branch of the VCC

10th August Mid-week Run

12th August Garage Raid - Ashburton

August ( Date TBA) Quiz? - Ashburton

21st August (Monday) Flower Delivery Cancer Society

27th August

Daffodil Run ( Cancer Run)

3rd September Opening Run (Ashburton organising)

14th September Mid-week Run

September (Date TBA)

October 21/22/23

November 3/4/5

November 11th / 12th

Continental Run

Mount Cook Rally

Safari Weekend

All American

November 19th Veteran / Vintage / Commercial Run

December 10th Christmas Party & 50 year Badge Presentations

Opening Run

Sunday 3rd of September

Ashburton Branch will meet our Branch at the Hinds Community Hall at 9.30am.

Please bring your own morning tea and lunch.

We will have morning tea at Hinds then depart for the run. Enquiries to Graeme Stevens (Club Captain)

Stick Campbell

The night we had the discussion on whether the club should purchase a defibrillator or not, Stick made a few more comments about shovels that were not mentioned at his funeral.

After Stick had suggested the club purchase a shovel & bury the unfortunate person on the spot, someone else asked how much did a defibrillator cost?, when Stick heard the price, he said "that will buy a lot of shovels, in fact you could put one in every car" this brought the house down & ended the discussion.

Twin SU Carbs

My neighbour Darren Gelsen, is restoring a VW Beetle, 1200cc. He asked me if there was anyone in our club who could recondition & set up twin su carbs? If anyone can help Darren, can you please contact him on 021 2348955, or call into his bike shop Bike Inc, on Elizabeth St, between Zest & the Dry Cleaners.

Grant Mehrtens

Wanted.

Model ‘A’ Ford gear cluster in good condition. No repro gears please. Contact

Les Pearson 027 2245 045 or lespearson@xtra.co.nz

Wanted to Buy.

Morris Eight engine. Contact Tony McGillen (03) 6158755 or 027 373 5055.

HI EVERYONE,

This is just a heads up that our Branch will once again be holding a

CAR RALLY FOR CANCER on August 27th

I know this is an early notice, but just to say I am once again starting to collect prizes for raffles. Any gifts or monetary donations would be appreciated. If you have Flyby Points or such like going spare, then maybe you might consider donating a raffle prize from that source.

We will also be delivering Daffodils again this year, Monday 21st August, so keep that in your minds.

Any donations can be dropped to me at 9 Wellington St, or given to myself or Alistair at a Noggin or on a Wednesday morning at the Parts Shed.

Many thanks.

Nola

If you can spare a couple of hours with your car or as a runner on Monday afternoon 21st August that would be great in supporting the Cancer Society. If you can please get in touch with me, John Foster 6159066 or

menorlue@gmail.com

For Sale - 1931 Dodge DD sedan (Chrysler Canada built, Budd Body)housed in shed for 50 years, partially assembled, straight body, engine packed with oil would make a great restoration

For expressions of interest, contact

Murray Hines 03 612 6870 or

027 221 4553

Electric Cars.............Are they affordable True or not ?

At a neighbourhood BBQ a guy was talking to a neighbour, a BC Hydro executive. I asked him how that renewable thing was doing. He laughed, then got serious. If you really intend to adopt electric vehicles, he pointed out, you had to face certain realities. For example, a home charging system for a Tesla requires 75 amp service. The average house is equipped with 100 amp service. On their small street (approximately 25 homes), the electrical infrastructure would be unable to carry more than 3 houses with a single Tesla, each. For even half the homes to have electric vehicles, the system would be wildly over-loaded. This is the elephant in the room with electric vehicles ... Our residential infrastructure cannot bear the load. So as our genius elected officials promote this nonsense, not only are we being urged to buy the darnn things and replace our reliable, cheap generating systems with expensive, new windmills and solar cells, but we will also have to renovate our entire delivery system! This latter "investment" will not be revealed until we're so far down this dead-end road that it will be presented with an oops and a shrug. If you want to argue with a green person over cars that are Eco-friendly, just read the following:

Note: If you ARE a green person, read it anyway. Enlightening.

A guy test drove the Chevy Volt at the invitation of General Motors...and he writes...For four days in a row, the fully charged battery lasted only 25 miles before the Volt switched to the reserve gasoline engine. Eric calculated the car got 30 mpg including the 25 miles it ran on the battery. So, the range including the 9-gallon gas tank and the 16 kwh battery is approximately 270 miles. It will take you 4 1/2 hours to drive 270 miles at 60 mph. Then add 10 hours to charge the battery and you have a total trip time of 14.5 hours. In a typical road trip your average speed (including charging time) would be 20 mph. According to General Motors, the Volt battery holds 16 kwh of electricity. It takes a full 10 hours to charge a drained battery. The cost for the electricity to charge the Volt is never mentioned so I looked up what I pay for electricity. I pay approximately (it varies with amount used and the seasons) $1.16 per kwh. 16 kwh x $1.16 per kwh = $18.56 to charge the battery. $18.56 per charge divided by 25 miles = $0.74 per mile to operate the Volt using the battery. Compare this to a similar size car with a gasoline engine that gets only 32 mpg. $3.19 per gallon divided by 32 mpg = $0.10 per mile.

The gasoline powered car costs about $15,000 while the Volt costs $46,000........ So the American Government and Canadian Government wants loyal citizens not to do the math, but simply pay 3 times as much for a car, that costs more than 7 times as much to run, and takes 3 times longer to drive across the country. ....Duuuuuh!

Note: With the issue with batteries who would want to buy a used electric vehicle! (

ONE THING LEADS TOANOTHER by Barry B

Back in February 1960, I was invited by another newish member of the Southland Vintage Car Club, Warren Jordan, to travel with him on the annual Riverton Rally in his Bull Nosed Morris Cowley. It was a sweet running wee car and looked shiny and tidy enough from the other side of the road, though the body finish left something to be desired. Warren had brush painted it himself exhibiting commendable enthusiasm but close to zero skill! One local member, a foundation member of the local Club, was moved to observe it was the first example he had seen of a car painted with a knife and fork! It was all water off a ducks back to Warren who said they were all brush painted back in the day and he wanted to do it authentically. Indeed he later brush painted his Sunbeam 14/40 that he took on the 1965 “Haast” Rally but he must have bought a new brush or rubbed down the undercoat properly because it turned out markedly better. Anyway I digress somewhat because that event led to Warren inviting me to join him on a weekend trip to Balclutha where the local car club was putting on a display, that was also attended by 3 South Canterbury cars, Terry Wilson with 1913 Fiat, John Preen with vintage Bean circa 1925, and a flat nose Morris Cowley tourer in very nice restored condition owned I think by a Mr. Hay. We stayed with Bob Scott, a member of the organising Club who Warren knew as a member of the Southland Sports Car Club. Bob had a Ford V8 special which he had raced at Teretonga. He was most hospitable and on our asking, as you did, if he knew of any old cars around, he told us of some chaps in Kaitangata who had gathered up some old cars and motorbikes. A visit was made to Kaitangata and the vehicles were revealed to be a 1910 2cylinder Humber in chassis form minus the gearbox and a mechanically complete 1907 De Dion Bouton bereft of bodywork, a relatively complete 1913 BSA 557cc model K (chain drive to gearbox and belt final drive) a 1912 BSA in dismantled condition and a 1912 Matchless v twin again in dismantled condition but moderately complete but with serious corrosion issues with the crankcase. The de Dion was not for sale but Warren did a deal for the Humber and a price of $15 was put on all the motorbike stuff.

Veteran car expert, a then very youthful Alan Meredith, followed up on the de Dion and was able to purchase it and make an excellent restoration. Both it and the Humber today are part of the Southward Collection

When I got home my 17yearold brother Robin was as keen as mustard to get the bikes despite the maternal prohibition on possession of such devices of the devil as motorbikes.

Oh Mum they’re only old slow things and only get used for rallies” etc. etc. and finally she relented and the deal was done. I remember stuffing the ’13 BSA with front wheel removed in the family Citroen Big 15 and I suppose we put the rest of the bikes in the boot and inside the car which had an unusually large gap between the seats.

The bike actually had a late model Velocette front wheel fitted and an old rear tyre that held air plus the original front wheel with a tyre that may as well have been solid. The guys who sold it claimed to have had it going and shortly after arrival home we were pushing it down the road and away it went. Robin could not believe how much tow it had - it was certainly not the slow old thing we had promised Mum. Robin immediately got stuck into it and almost succeeded in getting it finished for the Riverton Rally, February 1961, but did get it going for that rally season and at the end of the year rode it to Oamaru for the in augural Windsor Rally. I accompanied him in my Dad’s 1915 Humber and I have written that up for Beaded Wheels a few years ago so won’t repeat that here.

The next thing that led to was the purchase of a 1923 Douglas that had been widely rallied in the very early years of the Club but had been dismantled for re restoration which had stalled. This arrived as a 14th birthday present for my brother Trevor. This was repainted and reassembled and before he was 15 Trevor was trying it out after school around the roads around the back of the Southland Kew Hospital which was our little test track close to home. Unfortunately, a Transport Dept officer had seen him coming back home with the bike and his attention was drawn to Trevor fiddling about with the carby as he was riding. Oh dear, no drivers license, no registration no warrant of fitness. Trevor’s face was as long as a fiddle.

Dad knew Harry Little the local Chief Traffic Officer quite well and went to see him hoping we might be able to receive some concession on the tickets issued.

To our surprise, Harry agreed to wipe all the tickets as long as Dad undertook to make sure Trevor kept off the road, got his license as soon as he turned 15 and the bike was registered and warranted forthwith. This was done and Trevor duly went for his learner license on the wee Duggie. Then Trevor acquired and restored a 1927 Triumph and purchased his 1930 Sunbeam Model 8 which I refurbed for him and sent up to Wellington after he transferred there. He has been a motorcyclist ever since with bikes owned including a BSA C10 a Ducati 250 an International Norton, a Sunbeam S7 and sidecar, a Honda 350/4, a Honda 750, a Honda CB400, Suzuki GS850 and side car plus some modern bikes and no doubt others I have forgotten about. He still has the Douglas (In bits for about 50 years) the Triumph, the Sunbeam model 8, the Honda 400

and the Suzuki sidecar outfit.

Robin still has the 1913 BSA some of the 1912 BSA parts while the Matchless was swapped for a 1929 Model 9 Sunbeam and both bikes have been restored by their respective owners.

Not long after he got the 1913 on the road another Southland member picked up a 1912 BSA in complete but very rusty condition. It had been in a shed beside the Tokomairiro stream that runs through Milton which periodically flooded the shed. This member was not really a motorbike guy and Robin ended up with it. I seem to recall a brass 1912 Model T Ford taillight in shiny condition playing a part in the deal.

Over the years Robin has gathered up a shed full of motorbikes many of them Montessas and other motor-cross bikes while the BSA languished for many years. After owning it for over 50 years he started restoration on it and recently finished it, a superb job, but regrettably physical ailments mean he has yet to ride it and likely never will.

And what about me?

Back in about 1967, Robin was already an old married man and had his wings clipped with a house and mortgage while Trevor and I had no such encumbrance and started talking about going to the International Rally in Australia in 1970.

I had at that time a 1914 Studebaker which was a major restoration job which I had envisaged as a delivery van, to take to that event. I inquired at the shipping office what freight would be and winced at the cost which was based on cubic footage. I had estimated the height at 7 foot 6 inches. I asked if putting 2 motorcycles inside the van would add to the cost thinking about a cost share arrangement. “No but why would you do that” was his reply? “Motorbikes are only 15 quid each flat rate”. “What about a bike with sidecar?” “We would treat that as 2 motorcycles so 30 pounds”.

Well of course that led to abandoning the Studebaker restoration and acquisition and restoration of the 1927 BSA and sidecar which duly went to Australia, as did Trevor’s Triumph’ and again I have written about that fabulous adventure in Beaded Wheels.

And so it goes on:

The experience with Robin’s BSA and my sidecar outfit led me to acquire and restore a 1915 BSA model K and sidecar, which at a later time when funds were short I sold off, a move I regret being necessary, but at least still have the 27 BSA which is with our eldest son in Blenheim.

Many years later our son Darren, now living in Canada, had a Honda VT 250 and wanted to do a road trip with me. So I bought a 1987 Honda NV 400 and we did that trip. I canned off that bike a couple of times over on the Coast and did not do my shoulder a lot of good. That led ultimately to my brother Trevor deciding I was better off on 3 wheels than 2 and buying

for me the 1979 Suzuki GS850G and sidecar I currently enjoy very much on the too few occasions I get out with it. I could go on with many other cases of one thing leading to another, having not really mentioned the cars yet. I am sure dear reader you get the picture and have your own stories, too. I am sure, too, Les would love to hear some of them.

From the Treasurer.

Hi everyone.

For those of you who receive your Tri-Car by post, The year has rolled around again and the postage fee needs to be paid for you to continue receiving your Tri-Car in the Post. $30.00 for this year because of the increase in postage, If you could please deposit the payment into the SCVCC account at SBS Bank 03-1355-00647203-00 using your name as the reference please. If this could be paid ASAP I would appreciate it. Many thanks. For those who receive the Tri-Car by email but would like to change to post please let me know by email - nola,day@xtra,co,nz - or by text 027 2035007 and I will make the changes, you can get it by email as well if you want, but I understand some want to also receive it by post but I need to know so that we can get more magazines printed. Thanks for reading and don’t forget to make the payment ASAP.

Nola Day– Treasurer

Mystery Bus Trip to Christchurch

19th August 2023

Cost -$70 -(Includes Bus price and entry fees to venues) Please pay into Bank Account 03 1355 0647203 00 with your name as reference.

Bus leaves our Clubrooms at 7.30am SHARP

Temuka Pickup at Tea Pot Inn at 8.00am SHARP

Winchester pick up at Hotel 8.15am SHARP

Orari pick up at Café 8.30am SHARP

Food and drink will be available at one of the venues, with prices Starting at $20.00. If you prefer to take your own lunch you can. We have a 50 seater coach organised so PLEASE make the most of your day out and enjoy a day of fun and friendship.

Any enquiries to Chairman Alistair 027 2025007

Other Coming Events Elsewhere

(Check our Web Page for further details on events listed below)

New Plymouth Rubber Duckie Motor Cycle Rally

Central Otago Blossom Festival Rally

Wanganui 6th National Commercial Rally

Dunedin 2024 National Veteran Rally

Dunedin Prince Henry Tour

Masterton Ford Model 40 Convention

New Members

September 16th

September 23rd

October 20th 23rd

January 25th -28th 2024

January 29th –31st 2024

March 8th-10th 2024

Trevor Parmenter

Office Bearers 2023-2024

Chairperson: Alistair Day (Nola) 027 2025007

Vice Chairperson: Colin Hawke (Glenys) 6889955

Secretary: Pauline Young (Wayne)

6861833

Treasurer: Nola Day (Alistair) 027 2035007

Club Captains: Gavin and Michelle Munro 6864824

News Letter Editor: Les Rzepecky (Helen) 021 1220011

Clubroom Convener: Sandy McMillan 027 6155150

Parts Shed Manager: Barry Smith (Lynette) 6847405

Librarian: Barry Barnes (Carla) 6885105

IT Officer: Shannon Stevenson 6863263

Committee: All of the above

Identification and Certificate: Alistair Day, John Lester, Colin Hawke.

Swap Meet:

Chairman: Colin Johnstone (Trish) 36939093

Secretary / Site convenor: Michelle Munro (Gavin) 6864824

Treasurer: Nola Day (Alistair) 027 2035007

Ground Convenor Barry Smith ( Lynette) 6847405

Committee: Gavin Munro (Michelle) 6864824

(Plus all above) Krystal Munro 027 8567940

John Lester (Mary) 6158135

Sandy McMillan 027 6155150

Alan Patrick 6158803

Glen Hawkins 027 2076625