VCC SOUTHLAND RUMOUR JUNE 2024

25th August 2024 Daffodil Day Run

12th October 2024 PV & PW Rally

25-28th October 2024 National Commercial Rally

2nd November 2024 Commercial Rally

9th November 2024 Arrowtown Motorcycle Rally

Rumour

Wednesday Run: 3rd July June 2024

June

Southland Vintage Car Club

Chairman’s Report

I would like to thank the 36 members that took the time to attend our AGM. The 320 who didn’t or couldn’t make the effort obviously think the club is running very well and we don’t need their input.

Welcome back Olly onto the Executive and all the other people that put their hands up to fill the roles that needed filling. If you would like to help with the running of the club from assisting with rallies, bar help or any other role please get in touch with me or any of the executive committee.

Our editor is going to the Isle of Man for the Manx GP and is looking for somebody to fill in for the August and September Rumour editions, if you are interested contact Stu Francis or myself.

It’s a bit quiet on the rally front for a while (August 25 Daffodil day Rally) so now is a good time to do those jobs on your vehicle that have been put of for a while so when summer comes they will be ready to go.

Brendon Sparks has kindly donated a Burt Munro collectable ring to the club. We are raffling it off at $5 ticket limited to 100 tickets. He will draw the winner at his talk after the July meeting.

Stuart has agreed to put together one of his quizzes for the forthcoming meeting, they are always good fun and occasionally controversial.

Donald

Next run is Wednesday - 3rd July

Start from Racecourse at 10.30am. Ring Angus or Elaine on 03 212 8956 or 0273104239 by Sunday night prior.

Wednesday Run - 5th June

What a great day. We left the Racecourse and ventured out through Makarewa, Lochiel, Grove Bush, Morton Mains, Rimu, and Kennington and back to the Eastern Suburbs Tavern as the Glen is now called. We were served a very good meal, with most people choosing the Roast Lamb. There were 50 people on the run, who obviously enjoyed the outing with some not leaving until around 3.00 pm. It was very nice to see some of the old mainstays on the run. Blacks, Wilsons, and Craigs. A very nice day out. Thanks.

Bar Roster

29/06

06/07

Kenny Officer

Dave Birss

13/07 Tommo

20/07 Michael Burt

27/07 Ron Irwin

Office Bearers 2023/2024

Patron Wayne Nicoll 215 7136

Chairman Donald Ward 027 294 7692

Secretary Carol McGarry 027 277 6878.... southland@vcc.org.nz

Treasurer Sheryn Warren 021 712 198

Club Captain Gerry Pethick 0210 298 5620

Howard Kingsford-Smith 027 232 3464

Bulletin Editor Stuart Francis 03 213 0529 stuartfrancis9@gmail.com

Welfare Officer Barry Hayman 03 216 3639

Southland VCC website sporty.co.nz/southlandvintagecar VCC website www.vcc.org.nz VCC forum www.trash.co.nz/vccbb

46 Ariki Avenue, Otatara, Postal: PO Box 1240, Invercargill 9840

Parts Shed

The parts shed will be open the afternoon of meeting nights between 1 & 4 p.m. The following people can be contacted at anytime if requiring parts or information on parts in our Parts Shed.

John Burke 217 8177 & 027 226 0067 or Ray McCulloch 03 217 9667

Library

The library will be open on general meeting nights between 7&9 p.m. Other times by appointment - phone 021 159 8319

Rumour Notices

Copyright of the contents of the “Rumour” magazine rests with the VCC of NZ (Southland Branch) unless otherwise stated. The Rumour is available by e-mail as a PDF file, contact the secretary if you wish to receive it this way. Pictures are usually in colour! It also comes earlier. Views and opinions expressed in the Rumour are those of the authors of the articles and are not necessarily those of the Southland Branch of the VCC of NZ, the Branch Executive or the Editor. Mistakes will be corrected if possible if they are pointed out to the Editor.

Apology to David North

In the April Rumour I incorrectly attributed the Discussion Paper on March Exec meeting 2024 to David North the editor of the Gore branch. I further compounded this error by forgetting to correct my mistake in the May Rumour as I promised David I would do. So sorry David.

Stuart’s Quiz Night at the next meeting

The Quiz will follow the same format as previous events with a series of images of motoring personalities and vehicles to identify, followed by some motoring trivia questions. The bulk of the questions will not be that difficult, but with a couple of more testing ones to sort out the experts. Small teams, of say 4 people, would be ideal. No entry fee but the club will donate 2 bottles of wine for the winners. Come and have some fun.

We need your help

Walmsley House 15th August

6 to 8 cars required to transport to transport senior citizens around the town for 1.5hrs starting 13:30 - contact Gerry Pethick if you can help.

70th Rally Committee

The management board have decided to make next years Southland Rally a special event to celebrate the branch’s 70th anniversary. A rally committee is being established to organise the event, if you can contribute or have some ideas for this important event contact Gerry Pethick.

Aparima College 25th and 26th January 2025.

Aparima College at Riverton is celebrating its 50th Anniversary Reunion, since changing the name from The Riverton District High School on Saturday and Sunday 25th and 26th January 2025.

The main activity and event is on the Saturday, and they are holding an open picnic at the rugby club grounds for the entire community on the Sunday. They are asking if the Southland VCC would be interested in showing their cars off, say from noon till 3pm on the Sunday. If you are able to help, we are looking for a member/s to co-ordinate this event. It is two weeks prior to our 70th Anniversary Rally and therefore our Executive Committee are not able to organise this.

Contact club Secretary – Carol McGarry on 027 277 6878 or email southland@vcc.org.nz

Cleaning Roster

The cleaning roster is on the noticeboard. Please add your name to the list and assist in the running of your club. We need all members to keep our club running.

25th July 2024 Meeting Guest Speaker

Brendon Sparks from B & W Manufacturing Ltd.

Brendon will be speaking from his perspective as a manufacturing jeweller. He will also be providing a Limited-Edition Burt Munro Ring to be raffled at the meeting.

A limited edition ring only 184 have been produced Approx. 27gms of Sterling silver It comes in its own ring box embossed with Burt’s race number 35 A Certificate of authenticity will be issued Sized to fit winner.

We look forward to seeing you and your wife/partner/guest at the meeting, to hear Brendon’s talk and be in to win this limited-edition Burt Munro Ring.

$5 Raffle tickets for this prestigious and attractive ring will be available on the night and the preceding Saturday nights.

Proceeds go to the club - a very generous donation by the company

Forthcoming Events

Daffodil Day Run - 25 August 2024

Post Vintage & Post War - 12 October 2024

Christchurch Swap-meet - 12 October 2024

National Commercial Rally - 25 28 October 2024

Entries Close 27th September 2024

Commercial Rally - 2nd November 2024

Arrowtown Motorcycle Rally – 9th November 2024

70th Southland Anniversary Rally - 8 February 2025

Veteran and Vintage Rally - 1 March 2025

Waimea Motorcycle Rally - 10 May 2025

P60/P80 Rally - 17 May

National South Island Easter Rally - Plus 18 to 21 April 2025

Vintage Car Club of New Zealand

Southland Branch Inc. Celebrates 70 years.

Southland Vintage Car Club 70th Anniversary Rally 8 February 2025 in Invercargill

Email interest to southland@vcc.org.nz

National Commercial Rally - 25 28 October 2024

The North Otago Branch of the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc.) cordially welcomes all members of the VCC and affiliated overseas Clubs to participate in the 2024 National 7th Commercial Rally. The Rally will be based in Oamaru, rally packs will be picked up on Friday, from 5.30pm to 8pm at the North Otago Branch Clubrooms, Stoke St, Oamaru. Saturday and Sunday morning rally will start from the Park at the bottom of Wansbeck Street, in the Precinct, Oamaru. Saturday and Sunday evenings will be held at the Brydone Hotel, 115 Thames Street, Oamaru. The Saturday run will be approximately 70 miles long and Sundays run will be approximately 45 miles long and including visits to the limestone quarry and Clarks Mill, one of the only flour mills still in a working condition.

Rally Secretary: Wanda Kent 027 440 1621, Rally Email: commercialrally2024@gmail.com, Register Online: https://forms.gle/9U1CHFpui1mAXt7h7 , Entries Close 27th September 2024

Round The Takis

Ray McCulloch has started organising this years “Round the Takis” planned for late August/early September, he hopes to add a novel twist to this years event. If you are interested please contact him on (03) 217 9667.

Annual General Meeting 30th May 2024 - Minutes

Present: Chairman Donald Ward, Secretary Carol McGarry, Treasurer Sheryn Warren and 33 members.

Apologies: Kevin Brown, Don Carter, Paul Hamilton, Stevie Randall, Peter Pryde, Peter Shanks, Peter Hardy, Rae Wilson, Alan Black and Louisa Black.

Moved the apologies as read be received. (Tony Warren / Janet McCulloch – Carried)

Minutes: The minutes of the 25 May 2023 Annual General meeting were read.

Moved that the minutes of the 25 May 2023 Annual General Meeting of the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand Southland Branch Inc. were a true and accurate record. (Dave Birss / John Burke – Carried)

Chairman’s Report: - Donald Ward read his report for 2023 - 2024

Welcome to the 2024 AGM and thank you all for attending.

It has been a fairly quiet year for rally attendance in spite of Gerry and his team’s best efforts to increase numbers. I don’t know if the economy is at fault for the low attendance at rallies, but the numbers are certainly down. The Saturday night drinks have been very well attended which is good news for the club. Unfortunately, we have lost some club members this year but on the flip side we have also gained some new members. We are currently the fourth largest branch behind Canterbury, Auckland and Waikato.

It has been my pleasure to present our patron Wayne Nicol and Roger Dickson with their 60-year service awards.

We have been having some good results with our timing system and that will make the rally organizers’ job a lot easier with less people needed to get results.

As with any club it’s the people in the background that make the club run smoothly. I would especially like to thank the executive for helping me get through this year, Brian in particular for staying in the chairman’s role till Carol could get here. Carol and Sheryn for all their work to make things run seamlessly. Ken Officer and his team have done a good job with the food at rallies this year. All the wives / husbands that have been willing to let their partners spend time helping run our club.

I would like to thank all the people that are stepping down this year including Dave Calvert in the parts shed and Dave Anderson who has mowed the lawns for most of this century and only stopped when we employed a contractor to take over. This was done because it was cheaper to employ a contractor than buy a new lawn mower.

As we move forward it’s good to see our club is in a good financial position helped by all the hard work put in by current and previous members.

I would especially like to thank Gerry Pethick and his team for trying a new format for rallies this year. Please be patient with trophies as we need time to sort these out. It is good to have a bulletin editor again. I would like to thank Errol Sherman for removing the stump and Laurie Henry for cleaning years of built-up crud at the back of the parts shed to get the foundation back above ground level.

Donald

Moved that the Chairmans report for 2024 be received. (Donald Ward / Brian Dunick –Carried)

Annual Accounts: Sheryn Warren presented the Annual Accounts as prepared by McCulloch and Partners Accountants.

Moved that the Annual Accounts of the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand Southland Branch Inc. be adopted. (Sheryn Warren / Geoff Ellis – Carried) Matters Arising: None

Signatories: To be remain the same – Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer.

Moved that the signatories for the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand Southland Branch Inc. remain the same – Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. (Dave Birss / John Burke –Carried)

Election of Officers:

The following Officers were elected as there were no other nominations.

Position Nominated Proposer

Chairman: Donald Ward

Secretary: Carol McGarry

Treasurer: Sheryn Warren

Social Convenor: Ken Officer

Club Captain: Gerry Pethick

Rumour Editor: Stuart Francis

Brian Dunick

Seconded

Mac McGarry

Brian Dunick Ferg McDowell

Donald Ward

Carol McGarry

John Burke

Brian Dunick

Brian Dunick

Brian Dunick

Carol McGarry Ann-Marie Francis

The following people were voted on to the Executive/Management Board:

Nominated Proposer

John Burke

Brian Dunick

Dave Birss

Howard Kingsford-Smith

Olly Olsson

Ray McCulloch

Appointments

Patron: Wayne Nicoll

Brian Dunick

Seconded

Mac McGarry

Dave Birss Ferg McDowell

Carol McGarry

Carol McGarry

Dave Birss

John Burke

Howard Kingsford-Smith

Dave Birss

Ken Officer

Janet McCulloch

Social Committee: Peter Pryde, Tony Warren, Wayne Calderwood

Additional Bar volunteers: Paul Hamilton and Mac McGarry

70th Anniversary Rally Committee: no appointments made.

Parts Committee: John Burke, Brockie Pearce, Graham Denny, Ray McCulloch

Vehicle Identity Cards: Ferg McDowell and Aiden Weaver

Grounds Committee: Dave Anderson, Olly Olsson, Steven Randle & Geoff Ellis

Rumour Dispatch: Ferg McDowell

Librarian: Roy Shanks & Geoff Ellis

Assistant Librarian: Angus Petrie

Trophies Custodian: Gerry Pethick

Presentation of Trophies:

Bill Henderson Memorial Best Mechanical Restoration of the year: John Burke – 1974

Austin 1100

Best all-round Competitor of the Year: Wayne Calderwood

Jim Laurie Tray for Services to the Club: Dave Anderson for lawn mowing services

At the conclusion of the meeting there was a minute silence in remembrance of members who had passed away during the year.

Meeting closed at 8.54pm.

Saga of a Flat Tyre

While on the Post 60 and 80 run I came across a friend in trouble with a flat tyre, he was reversing back to find a flat spot to change the tyre. Being a responsible and helpful friend I wound down the window asked if they were ok? There were 4 of them and they said we will be fine so on we went. They found a flat spot and opened the boot to find there was no spare wheel or jack! Sitting there wondering what to do when Barry came along in his XJ6 Jaguar, he asked if they needed any help, he said he would look in the boot for a jack. Barry had a jack but no handle, now Bob came to the rescue, finding a crescent spanner that worked. So Bob lying on the ground started winding up the jack, after 15 minutes the wheel was removed and now what should they do, find a spare wheel. Barry said try the Jaguar wheel it may fit, everybody thought what a waste of time. Barry dug out the spare wheel out and guess what it was flat, so they tried it on and the damn thing fitted, then they had to pump it up with a hand pump. Where the hand pump came from I don't know, but pumping a flat tyre, by hand, is no mean feat, well done Mike. Now the car with the flatty was a 60,s Chev and the wheel was off a 70,s Jaguar, the sad part is I was there first and had all the right bits including a pumped up tire in my XJ6 Jaguar, go figure!

Yamazuma

For Sale

52 Plymouth, 2doors,bootlid and bumpers $300 the lot. Bradford engine $400. Vanguard g/ box, diff, susp, engine, gauges etc,etc. enquire 83 Corolla engine and manual g/box.$50. Bruce Edginton ph 032140426

Surplus 1956 to 1960s Chev pickup parts, windscreen, brake parts, trim, etc. Some new some used. Howard 0272323464.

DA Dodge De-Lux ex Milton car Very original in concours condition with original upholstery twin wire spare wheels $28000 dollars phone Russell McIvor 2178481

VCC early edition surplus library books for the June sales table.

Wanted

Suitable old vintage era objects for the sale table (sold $40 of items last month)

1958 Austin A95 Countryman – restoration project

My father bought the car in 1969, it was our family car at the weekend and the work car through the week. The back seats folded down and a canvas cover lined the inside to carry all the plumbing gear. The roof rack carried the ladders. I have many happy memories as a passenger in the car and later driving. When I returned to New Zealand in 1987 the gearbox was needing attention and Dad had retired her to the recently expanded to fit, henhouse. She was always a favourite with me, easy to drive and plenty of go when you put your foot down, however she needed a lot of work. We drove her to Alexandra and a few years later put her into storage. We later trailered her back to Invercargill and the restoration project began in 2021. I cannot thank Donald Ward enough for all the work and hours he has put into getting the Austin on the road. He arranged for Malcolm Hodgkinson to look at the spare gearboxes we had and make a good one out of the parts. Once that was done, we thought it would be an easy fix swapping the gearboxes over, but once the motor was out, the head needed work and then the block needed work. Once again Donald managed this for us, taking the parts to Probuild and storing them until we were able to get back to Invercargill and make progress. Two years later and we were back to Invercargill and the Austin was in Donald’s garage on his hoist. Mac and Donald worked continually stripping out everything under the bonnet and making repairs. As the photos show there was a lot to be done.

Finally, the day came when we could put the engine and gearbox back in. All went well until we found the shaft off the gearbox was a different size to the prop shaft. It was out by an eighth of an inch and all work stopped and once again the Austin came home on a trailer. I was starting to

think she would never get going. Obviously, the gearboxes we had that my father had collected over the years were slightly different and we had no idea what the good gearbox was off. Austin made cars but not gearboxes and it could have been from any model of British car made around that time or later in the 1950’s. We tried everywhere including the Austin Healey shop in England and an Alvis enthusiast in Scotland, but not knowing what we were looking for made it difficult. Russell McIvor came to our rescue in a round about way by giving us a 3-litre engine. I was not impressed when it arrived in the driveway, but it allowed us to make further enquiries and led us to the Wolseley Club in Christchurch and Colin Hey came to our rescue. Colin provided us with a prop shaft with the correct yoke, a new universal joint and an oil seal. It all went together and we were finally ready to road test. Lyndsay Troon helped out on occasions during this process as he had been there when Dad had worked on the car and was very familiar with its peculiarities. We are now in the process of running it in and making minor adjustments. There is still a long way to go on the restoration project but thanks to Donald our A95 is roadworthy again.

Carol McGarry