TOPICAL TORQUE DECEMBER 2023–JANUARY2024
On The Cover: MEMBERS CARS AT THE INGLEWOOD CHRISTMAS PARADE
Taranaki Branch Committee TARANAKI BRANCH BRANCH OFFICERS, BRANCH ADDRESS, AND MEETING DETAILS 2023-2024. CHAIRMAN: ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: E-MAIL: SECRETARY/TREASURER: ADDRESS: TELEPHONE: E-MAIL:
COLIN JOHNSTON. 63 BROADWAY, WAITARA. 021 131 6699 / 06 754 6216. cajohnstoncollections@xtra.co.nz ROB THOMSON. 7 LEATHAM AVE, STRANDON, NEW PLYMOUTH, 4312. 027 701 2485 / 06 758 4881. vcc.taranaki@gmail.com
NEWSLETTER EDITOR: JIM LOGAN. TELEPHONE: 027 604 4821 / 06 751 0316. E-MAIL: logandj49@gmail.com BRANCH COMMITTEE:( ( ( ( PARTS SHED:( ( ( (
GRANT BISHOP: 027 295 8492 grantmerrilyn@farmside.co.nz KEVIN FABISH: 06 756 7665 kev.fabish@gmail.com MARK MASTERS: 06 765 7544 rmmasters@xtra.co.nz IAN WILFORD: 06 753 3691 ijdawilford@gmail.com JOHN MUTER: 06 751 5554 CES BUDD: 06 241 0454 NEIL ROOK: 06 758 6737 PAT STIELLER: 06 754 6096
VEHICLE VIN’S / VIC’S: MIKE WILLIAMS: 06 765 4419 annmike21@hotmail.co.nz LES BOGNUDA: 06 755 2810 bognuda73@xtra.co.nz MID WEEK COORDINATOR: BEADED WHEELS: ARCHIVIST/LIBRARIAN: NAME BADGES: ASST. LIBRARIAN: CLUBROOMS CUSTODIAN: GROUNDS CUSTODIANS:( ( BRANCH INFORMATION: CLUBROOMS ADDRESS: POSTAL ADDRESS: E-MAIL:
BRYAN MORRIS: 06 272 8027 COLIN JOHNSTON ROSE COX: 06 752 2525 roselcox7@gmail.com KEVIN FABISH: 06 756 7665 JOHN MUTER: 06 751 5554 ROSE COX: 06 752 2525 LES BOGFNUDA: 06 755 2810 DANNY PATTINSON: 06 756 7735 TARANAKI [19] 1040 MOUTAIN ROAD, SH3A, WAIONGANA, INGLEWOOD. C/o 7 LEATHAM AVE., STRANDON, NEW PLYMOUTH. 4312 taranaki@vcc.org.nz
Chairmans Chatter for Topical Torque Hello Folks As we are getting closer to the end of the year and Christmas is looming, I would like to thank everyone for their support over the year in helping to keep our club running smoothly in attending monthly club events. Also like to thank the committee members for their efforts and all those who have kept our clubrooms and property in a state that we are all very proud of. On behalf of the committee, I wish all members a very merry Christmas and happy New Year. Before the end of the year, we have a couple of events that we are all looking forward to. On Sunday 17th December we have the Fern Run rally starting at the Inglewood Railway Station and ending at the Fern Lodge Hotel for dinner. We have had a very good response to Brian and Julie Evans offer to put this run on with around 50 members participating. Next is our Christmas Noggin and Natter on Thursday. We will have a BBQ starting at 5.00 pm and the club will supply Salads and potatoes. Bring your own meat to cook on the BBQ. . You are also welcome to bring along your own tipple BYO and some Xmas fare for supper. Next year is our Posh picnic in support of the Cancer Society, The Waitara Mini Vin Tour and our Easter Maunga Moana. So we will have a busy time over the next four months Please keep the 21st Jan 2024 clear for the Posh picnic motor car display. Keep the passion…….. get out and about in your vehicles……..keep to the Left…..cheers. Chairman Colin.
BRANCH NEWS
We are intending to run a Silent Auction over the next few months, for a collection of workshop items kindly donated to the Branch by long-time member Des Cornwall. These items will be on display at our clubrooms, so come along to our club nights and register your interest. All funds raised will be going towards the Branch. Thank you, Des, for your support, much appreciated.
SILENT AUCTION. The family of Des Cornwall, in finalising the disposal of his vehicle collec�on, have, very generously, passed on to the Branch workshop tools, vehicle parts, vehicle manuals, and books with the sugges�on they be sold with the proceeds being used to supplement the Branch Funds. The selec�on of automo�ve manuals will be retained for the Branch Library, with the other items being ‘put up for sale’. The Branch Commitee have decided a SILENT AUCTION will be held to dispose of a selec�on of the items, the format of which will be: * To have all auction items on display for the next three Noggin and Natters, that is October, November, and December 2023. * All the items for auction will be numbered. * Bids are to be made on the chit supplied, with final bids to be made by 8.00pm of the evening of our December Noggin and Natter. Rob T, Secretary. We are also making a collection of Des’s books available to members to borrow for a gold coin. These will be on display on the side table in the clubrooms. If there are any that members would like to keep, they can make an appropriate donation to the Branch, see Rob Thomson, Secretary-Treasurer.
Coming Branch Events December 17
Sunday Tour, meet at Inglewood Railway Station at 2.30pm
December 21 January 21
Christmas Nog N Natter this year we are having a b y o BBQ, from 5pm, the branch will provide salads and potatoes. We will carry on with our usual club night after the BBQ. See you there. Posh Picnic at the Wind wand, details to come next month.
February 25
Waitara Mini Vin Rally
March 29-30 We are in the early stages of planning for our 2024 Maunga Moana Rally, but are hoping to hold it over Easter weekend, that is the 29th and 30th of March, pencil that into your diary folks.
OTHER BRANCH EVENTS DECEMBER
17 Car Show, North Shore -
JANUARY
1 Gumboot Rally, Whanganui-6 Taipa 6 Show and Shine, Far North-7 Blue Smoke and Pedals, Waikato-19 Monte Carlo Rally, Wellington-20-22 Vintage
Weekend and Burma Rally, Whanganui27-28 Biennial M/cycle Rally, Wellington FEBRUARY
3 East Coast Rally from Whakatane, entries close 26 January. 10 Annual Veteran Rally, Auckland-11 Veteran Rally, Manawatu-15-17 Art Deco, Hawkes Bay-18 Shannon Car Show, Horowhenua
MARCH
2-11 North Island Club Captains Tour, from Whanganui to Palmerston North, entries close 30 January.
Polo shirts with our Branch logo are still available, $36 each in various colours. NOTE that Rob Thomson is now the go-to person for these.
OLD TRUCKS I’ve always liked old trucks. Not big ones, just ½ to 1 ton. It could be because when I was growing up our family transport was a 1948 Chev with a half cab on the back that we could stand behind on the tray hanging onto the cab with our heads popping up into the wind. Good fun. Not allowed in our PC world today. After a couple of Fordsons and a Willy’s Jeep I bought my first vintage, a 1928 De Soto that had been trucked, as so many were when cream was carted to the factory. I used it in my building work until the brakes started to seize on and bits started falling off, so into the back of the shed it went around 40 years ago. A series of vans and Land Rovers followed until I found a British Bedford well-deck, which after some sorting served me well for many years. Prior to last Christmas I was part way through its repaint when I hauled the De Soto out and started pulling it to bits, making the cardinal sin of not taking photos or making drawings of how things came apart, after all it was obvious how they went back together. Yeah, right! Then I heard of another De Soto for sale from Des Cornwall’s collection so, donning my rosecoloured glasses, I went to John Campbell’s shed in Stratford to take a look. It was nearly ready for the road, just a few parts missing like a roof, a windscreen, motor in pieces, rear seat and mudguards off and only a bit of rust visible. The operative word being visible. The idea was to get it running as it only needed valves fitting and the head bolting on which was a bit out of my league, so I asked Neil Rook if he minded spending a weekend putting it together. Twelve months later he finally managed to get it to fire after a disastrous run of problems with almost every part needing work of some kind or another. We finally A-framed it home this week and apart from an exploding tyre the trip was uneventful. Work progresses on all three vehicles and they all should be on the road in around 20 years or so. Many thanks must go to Neil for his expert knowledge and patience. If he gets bored I can always take the Austin 7 over. Dennis Young
Events Calendar DECEMBER Sun
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
31
Sat
1
2
8
9
3
4
5
6
7
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
7 17 21
30
Committee meet at 7.30pm3 Fern Lodge Run, meet at Inglewood Railway Station at 2.30pm Club Night at 7.30pm
JANUARY
4 18 21
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Committee meet at 7.30pm Club Night at 7.30pm Posh Picnic fundraiser for Cancer Society at the Windwand.
BANANA CAKE TO DIE FOR
EDITORS REPORT
Hello folks and hope you all have a enjoyable Christmas and a happy start to the New Year. Hope that you can make it to the Club night and BBQ on Thursday 21, it would be good to get a good turnout for the last club event for 2023, and don’t forget to get your bids in for the silent auction this month. Coming up in January is our Posh Picnic, at the Wind wand Reserve, polish up your best silver for that one. There will be more details to come on this event, watch this space. Thanks to everyone that sent in articles and photos for Topical Torque this year, makes my job that much easier, keep them coming. Well, that’s all from me, see you Sunday at Brian and Julie’s Run Jim Logan
• •
WANTED TO BUY
1979 Datsun 200B, hubcap, rear bumper, windscreen washer nozzle, sender unit for oil pressure gauge, ph Ces, 062410454(mem) 1955 Matchless, model G9, kickstart lever plus shaft and possibly internal parts to fit B 52 gearbox. Ph John 067587834(mem)
FOR SALE
• •
• •
• •
•
•
1951 Morris Minor low lite, very tidy, WOF & registered $5000 ono. Greg Carter 067648667 or 0220335720 (mem) Willys Overland 93/6 In excellent working order throughout 1925 Willys Overland 93/6 In excellent working order throughout. Some paint bubbling and minor blemishes, some interior trim could be improved easy to drive as pedals are in conven�onal order: c-b-t Noisy �ming gear, but I have new part - just needs fi�ng (some�me - not essen�al). Has 12v indicators with hazard warning func�on, comes with copy of original owner’s manual, sales brochures, and other documenta�on. Will be sold with new WOF, Registra�on expires 09/24. Only selling due to poor health, always draws a crowd! $12,000, ono, Contact: John Apps, 027 264 1015. (mem) 1965 Humber Super Snipe. Rego on hold, current WOF when parked up. As we would like it to remain in Taranaki, we are at first offering to Taranaki VCC Branch members. Offers over $2600.Phone 0274104749(mem) #14 Holden 138 powered midget – last ran 2013 , has spare wheels and engine – complete but will need refresh $5,000, #4 VW powered LTC midget - last ran 2021, complete with spare engine and numerous spares – freshly rebuilt Autocraft engine by the VW shoppe - that has not been run. fresh repaint. $20,000, Both cars are extremely tidy and are being offered to club members before going on Trade me. Contact Philip on 021-275-8096 1986 Subaru Justy. One Owner, Rego on hold, goes well, offers wanted. A great little car to preserve. Contact member Steve on Ph 027 5286032 Clutch pressure plates for Ford Cortina 2000, Vauxhall 3.3, Triumph 2000. New water pumps for Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi 1970 to 1990, most models. Piston rings for many makes, 1920 on, also a set of 24” Dodge wheels,John 7515554(mem) 1958 Mk1 Jaguar 2.4 Very good condi�on; running; registra�on currently on hold. The engine has been recondi�oned and the car repainted some years ago. Always been garaged. Same family ownership since 1984 when purchased from first owners. 0272881105(mem) 1957 Jaguar MkV111 Purchased in 1969; had a colour change and used as family car for years. Motor recondi�oned about 10 years ago and has not driven far beyond town since. Shed stored. Original upholstery (red) in good condi�on. 0272881105