TOPICAL TORQUE FEBRUARY – MARCH 2024
On The Cover: The Simkin’s Rolls Royce Silver Ghosts and members Brian and Julie Evans with Anthony Wilson enjoying our day out at the Posh Picnic on Sunday the 21st of January
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 Yes, we are into February already and �me seems to be �cking faster every day. What a wonderful �me we had at our Posh Picnic Motor Show in January at the Tasman Prospect grassed area by the Wind Wand in New Plymouth. We had thirty cars turn up with members dressed for the occasion and the Cancer Society collected by way of dona�ons from the public just on one thousand dollars. The majority of that came from the huge commitment given by Jolene and Nyall Simkin giving rides in their 1908 and 1920 Rolls Royce motor cars. The cars were assembled from 11.00pm and made a great display in this very prominent area and the display of posh teacups, silver service and fine eats made the display outstanding. With a very special thanks to Jolene and Nyall Simkin and family for bringing their cars and to all members who atended in their cars and brought along posh picnic ar�cles thank you so much. This was our contribu�on to the Na�onal Rally for Cancer that some branch's held in August, but we decided to hold our event this year for the beter weather in January. The next event to rally is the 51st Waitara Mini Vin Tour being held on the 25th February and hope to see a good turnout to this event. We will meet at the Town and Country car park in Waitara with entrants star�ng at 1.30pm. The run will finish as usual at Colin's Place 63 Broadway Waitara for a�ernoon tea and a social get together. Our Maunga Moana Rally has entries now open, so we are looking forward to another great rally that is being organised this year by Rob Thomson. We are looking forward to hos�ng this rally on the Friday and Saturday of Easter weekend. This will give visi�ng entrants a chance to stay on and enjoy Taranaki. Please send your entries in asap. If you are not able to rally and want to help as a marshal, please see Rob or put your name down on the list at the Noggin and Nater night. We will be organizing a working bee at the Clubrooms on Thursday the 29th of February for those that can atend star�ng at 10.am. We have some trees and hedging to cut back and remove and guters to clean and building to wash down and a general �dy up in the clubrooms. Bring your lunch, tea and coffee provided. Keep the Passion........Get out and about in your vehicles...........Keep to the Le�........ Remember the Waitara Mini Vin Tour........and the Maunga Moana Rally........way to go.... see you soon. Cheers, Chairman Colin
BRANCH NEWS Coming Branch Events
February 25
Waitara Mini Vin Rally
February 29
Working Bee at Clubrooms from 10 am, bring your lunch.
March 29-30
2024 Maunga Moana Rally,
OTHER BRANCH EVENTS FEBRUARY
3 East Coast Rally from Whakatane, entries close 26 January. 10 Annual Veteran Rally, Auckland-10 Three Rivers Rally, Gisborne – 11 British and European Car Show, Horowhenua 15-17 Art Deco, Hawkes Bay-18 Shannon Car Show, 18 Veteran Rally, Manawatu- 24 Swap Meet, Wellsford Warkworth -25 Ted Green M/cycle Rally, Horowhenua.
MARCH
2-11 North Island Club Captains Tour, from Whanganui to Palmerston North, entries close 30 January. 3 Brits and Euro car show, North Shore – 9-10 Irish Woman’s Rally, S’th Waikato – 10 Ruahine Ramble, Manawatu – 16 Country Roads Rally, Taupo – 16-17, Rex Porter Rally, Wairarapa – 6, Mooloo Meander, Waikato – 26-28, Highland Fling, Manawatu – 28, Swap Meet, Northland.
January Midweek Run
A Midweek run organised by Bryan Morris was held on Thursday 25th January and twelve Vintage and other cars atended this Event on a beau�ful fine day which was based on how the Normanby streets received their names.The cars then proceeded from the Normanby Town Hall on a tour of the names of the streets on both sides of the Main road to the Tika restaurant Hawera where Jillian Williams an member of the Genealogy Society gave a talk about the naming off the Normanby streets. A�er a discussion we wound up with a�ernoon tea supplied by the Tika Restaurant. Submitted by Ian Stables
POSH PICNIC TIME AT THE WINDWAND RESERVE
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Committee meet at 7.30pm Club Night at 7.30pm MAUNGA MOANA RALLY
51st WAITARA MINI-VIN TOUR SUNDAY 25th FEBRUARY 2024 Assemble at the Waitara Town and Country Club car park West Quay Waitara. First car away at 1:30pm Rally in true Mini-Vin tradition and enjoy the get-together. Rally finishes at Colin and Alexander Johnston’s residence at 63 Broadway, Waitara for afternoon tea (please help out with a plate) Prizes and trophy will be presented, and the winner’s name will be added to the Honours Board at the club rooms. You are invited to come on your motorbike or motor in your Veteran, Vintage PVV, Post 60, Modern or anything you like. JUST BE THERE TO HAVE A GOOD TIME For any further information contact Colin Johnston on 06 7546216 or 021 1316699 Ian Bleakley 1949 - 2004 (Past Chairman and commitee person) On behalf of our club, we extend to all Ian’s extended family our deepest sympathy. Ian has been a member of our branch for just short of 50 years and while Ian’s health had stopped him from par�cipa�ng in the VCC events in these later years he was a very ac�ve member in those earlier years and always supported the branch in our ac�vi�es with the ownership of his Velocete Motorcycle and the red Morris 8 sports car and other vehicles. Ian was a very capable and willing helper to the organisers of many of our Maunga Moana Rallies, Mid-Week Runs, our annual Rubber Duckie motorcycle rallies and general Noggin and Nater club nights. Many �mes, driving from Hawera to assist in New Plymouth. Ian was our chairman of the branch for two years in 2000 and 2001 and a commitee member through the 1990s. Ians knowledge in the motor industry was very valuable to many of our members who he helped solve many of their problems with their vehicles. Always with a cheerful smile and a great willingness to help that was rewarded when he sought informa�on and help from members as well. Ian always supported the Waitara Mini Vin tour rallies over the years atending in his Morris 8 tourer with his sister Joycelyn as navigator and he was rewarded when he won the event in 2011. If Ian couldn’t atend in his Morris he atended in his modern car. Ian was an entrant in the inaugural Rubber Duckie motorcycle rally in 1977 and an entrant in the first annual Rubber Duckie in 1978 and many others. I am sure if Ian was looking back
over the years of his membership of our club, he would have felt proud being an execu�ve member and member through which he made many friends from all walks of life and enjoyed the camaraderie when atending events with likeminded interests. Ian will be missed by many of our members who had the pleasure of knowing him. The club will miss his perspec�ve and the help he always willingly offered. Rest in Peace Ian. Colin Johnston – Chairman, Taranaki Branch, Vintage Car Club of New Zealand
EDITORS REPORT It is with great sadness that I report the loss of another of our longstanding members, Ian Bleakly. Many thanks to Colin for his informative summary of Ian’s time as a Taranaki Branch member, Ian will certainly be remembered for his willing enthusiasm and support for many of our Branch activities during his membership of the Branch. January has seen a couple of events that were well supported by our members, our Posh picnic as reported in Colin’s column and the Mid Week run organised by Bryan Morris reported elsewhere in this magazine. Thanks to all who contributed to the success of these events, that would not have happened without your support. As noted on our Events Calendar, we have the Mini-Vin on later this month, and on the 29th, Thursday we plan to have a working Bee at the Clubrooms and would like to see you there if you can get along. On Easter weekend we are holding our annual event the Maunga Moana Rally. If you are not going to enter this event, Rally organiser Rob is still looking for some help with marshalling on the day and he would appreciate a hand with this, for a few hours on the day, Saturday the 30th. If you are wanting to obtain a quality Polo shirt displaying the Branch logo, they can still be ordered, there has been a price increase however, new price $50. Hope to see you at an upcoming event, maybe the Waitara Car Show at the Marine Park on Sunday the 11th, that’s all for now, and thanks to Brian Evans for pictures of the Posh Picnic. 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
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Austin-Morris 11-1300 – hundreds of engine, gearbox, diff, suspension parts. Mini 1098-1275cc -engine and gearbox parts. One 1098 engine as new stripped for inspection. One Morris Minor head complete ready to refit to engine, valves and seats all done, ph Albert 0278588072(mem) 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) #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; currently registered and with WOF. 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. We also have the 1940 Sedan Aus�n 8 for sale (reg on hold). Both cars are in Stra�ord at John Campbell's place. John's phone number is 027 288 1105.