The Eastern Bay of Plenty Branch of The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand
PO Box 2168, Whakatane 3159
Email: easternbayofplenty@vcc.org.nz
December 2024 Running Board
Mid-week Run Wednesday 13th November Cars parked at Maketu
Club Night: Last Thursday of the Month (except December) at Whakatane Athletic Clubrooms, Short Street, Whakatane 7.00 pm Social get-together Branch Meeting starts at 7.30 pm Followed by Supper
Chairmans message Nov/Dec 2024
It’s that time of year when everything and everyone seems to be going mad, including me…..
Every year it seems like I wake up one morning and realise that there aren’t all that many sleeps before Christmas. I also realise that I haven’t done half of the jobs I should have done. I have a car in the shed that I had very good intentions of putting back together well before Santa visits and it is still in pieces all over the garage floor. So now begins a few weeks of running around like a crazy man trying to get stuff finished off before the summer holidays begin.
I hope all our club members are looking forward to the festive season and hopefully planning on getting out on the road in an old car or two (or maybe even three). Gail and Les have very kindly offered to host the Christmas get together following the Kawerau Christmas parade this year so I hope the weather will treat us well. It’s always a nice way to finish off the year and I’m sure this year will be no exception.
There is plenty to look forward to in the new year including our annual East Coast Rally. I know a lot of work is going into next year’s event and I am sure it will be a great day out. The entry forms have been sent so please show your support for our rally organisers and get you entries in. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of our branch giving us all another good reason to support the rally and celebrate a significant milestone.
Merry Christmas
Bevan
Club Captain’s Report:
What we did in November Mid-week Run
On Wednesday 13th Harry and Gay arranged a run to Maketu for a picnic lunch, it was a nice warm day with a picnic under the trees with 13 cars and 25 Members and some of us called into Blueberry Corner on the way home for an ice-cream. A very pleasant day out.
Inter-branch visit to Gisborne and beyond 21st – 26th
7 of our Branch cars with 2 other cars joining us, 1 from Waikato Branch and 1 from BOP Branch, travelled to Gisborne for our Annual Inter-branch Weekend
This year Gisborne planned the weekend around Mahia and we all stayed at the Mahia Motel and motor camp.
But to get there we had to rally through the back roads to Wairoa, a testing run with great scenery and interesting sights along the way. At the Te Reinga Bailey Bridge we stopped for a comfort break. What a huge undertaking to replace the damaged bridge with the Bailey bridge.
Then on to Wairoa for lunch, then we travelled to Mahia camp to settle into our accommodation. In the evening Gisborne supplied us with a gold coin BBQ dinner followed by a couple of rounds of Bingo.
Saturday morning we were off again on a rally around Mahia and the countryside, up in the hills and around the coast, more great scenery and great rallying roads. After lunch back at the camp, was a very interesting gymkhana, which was great fun to participate in and to watch.
Then it was off to the local pub for dinner and prize-giving and raffles, an entertaining evening with Gisborne Branch winning the inter-club Trophy (well it was their turn) and Deanne and Gavin winning the most entertaining Trophy with Steve and Joy 3rd overall.
On Sunday morning Gisborne Members competed for a local trophy, while 3 of our cars travelled home, the rest of our group went to the Tahaenui fete near Nuhaka, although we didn’t buy much (maybe a hamburger or 2) but what a great place a couple of kilometres up from the main road at a station with a grand park like setting, a huge area with near perfect lawns and beneath old trees and if you looked carefully 3 giraffes could be seen.
From there Bruce and Lorraine took the lead (a much appreciated break for Gail and I ) and we travelled to Kennedy Park in Napier for the night.
On Monday Bruce lead again, up the Gentle Annie with lunch at the Springvale Suspension Bridge and on to Taihape for petrol and supplies and more to eat if your lunch wasn’t enough.
We then travelled to Ohakune for the night. Then it was homeward bound on Tuesday morning with lunch and goodbye’s at Whakamaru, as our friends from Waikato and BOP turned toward Tokoroa and home.
A great time away, a great Rally and Road Trip, great company. Thanks to Steve and Joy, Harry and Gay, Bruce and Lorraine, Graham and Thelma from BOP and Dave & Jill from Waikato, also Phil & Margaret, Lytle, John and Magz, who couldn’t continue with us from Mahia.
Also to Gavin and Deanne and the Gisborne Branch for hosting us.
Now for events coming up
December:
Sunday 1st Classic and Vintage Breakfast
Saturday 14th Kawerau Christmas Parade followed by BBQ Picnic Lunch
No Club Night in December
January:
Wednesday 15th Mid-week Run
Sunday 26th Rotorua Lakefront Car Show
February:
Saturday 1st Our Annual East Coast Rally and 50th Anniversary Celebrations and Service Badge Presentations
A MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your families have a safe and happy festive season Les.
The trip to Gisborne and Beyond Thursday 21st – Tuesday 26th November
The 8 cars that travelled together to Gisborne at the lunch stop at the Monument – Waioeka Gorge
The line-up at Gisborne Clubrooms before we set off on the competitive run to
Mahia
Pedro waiting patiently for Gavin & Deanne
Some of the group taking a break at the Pit stop at the Te Reinga Bailey Bridge on the back road around Tiniroto as part of our rally instructions. Great work being done after the damage of Cyclone Gabrielle
Over the fence from the Mahia camp ground
Some of the cars parked near their motel units
And below
Harry and Gay’s Wolseley outside one of the self contained units
Harry & Gay Sutcliffe
Members who attended our November Events
Mid-week Run Wednesday 13th
Wolseley 1800
Peter & Helen Gaudion Vauxhall
Steve & Joy Growden
Trevor & Odell Sutton
Triumph 2.5
Triumph 2.5
Simon & Annie Cherrington Jaguar XJ6
Barry & Marianne Spry ’48 Ford Coupe
Steve & Lesley McCann Landrover
Phil & Lesley Watts Holden Kingswood
Barry & Tessa Keene MGB Roadster
John Taggart Cadillac Eldorado
Clive & Louise Woods Morris Minor
Les & Gail Costar Ford Capri
Noel & Lois Davies Ford Falcon
Inter-branch visit with Gisborne to Mahia
Bruce & Lorraine Seddon Triumph 2500S Steve & Joy Growden Ford Cortina
Harry & Gay Sutcliffe Wolseley 1800
Phil & Margaret Leaming Zephyr Mk2
John Lamont & Magz Daimler
Les & Gail Costar Ford Capri
Lytle Hall Holden Premier
And guest’s from Bay of Plenty and Waikato Branches
Graham & Thelma Jack Ford Capri
David & Jill Philps Mini Cooper S
Those who carried on to Napier on Sunday and on Monday to Taihape via the Gentle Annie and on to Ohakune returning home Tuesday 26th
Steve & Joy, Bruce & Lorraine, Harry & Gay, Les & Gail,Graham & Thelma, David & Jill
Phil & Margaret Leaming
Steve & Joy Growden
Trevor Marshall
Bevan & Elliot Lange
Neville Allwright
Bruce Belcher
Ben & Marion Vermeulen
Pizza Dinner Thursday 28th
Trevor & Odell Sutton
John & Jacqui Taggart
Les & Gail Costar
Lytle Hall
Sandy Wilson
John & Jean Mackintosh
Harry & Gay Sutcliffe
John & Sharon Burton
Karen Spackman
Harry & Gay Sutcliffe
Lorraine Stock
Noel & Lois Davies
A warm welcome to New Member
Stephen Simpson
Stephen has a Landrover Series 1
December
Sunday 1st
Saturday 14th
Club Calendar of Events commencing December 2024
Classic Car Breakfast
Kawerau Christmas Parade & BBQ Picnic Lunch Meet at Ron Hardie Centre Kawerau at 10am
To decorate cars before the parade starts. After the parade a BBQ lunch - Sausages provided - Bring salad or something to share No Club Night in December
January
Sat 18th - Mon 20th
Wednesday 15th Sunday 26th
Thursday 30th
February
Saturday 1st
Sunday 2nd
Wanganui Burma Rally (Wellington Anniversary weekend) Mid week Run (details closer to time via email) 12th Annual Rotorua Lakefront Car Show 10am – 2pm
Club Night, Athletic Clubrooms, Short St, Whakatane from 7.00pm with the Meeting starting at 7.30pm Those Members wishing to have dinner prior to the meeting, we meet at the RSA from 5.00pm for pre-dinner drinks & dinner at 6.00pm
Our Annual East Coast Rally along with our 50th Anniversary Celebrations & Service Badge Presentations
Classic Car Breakfast
Further out a visit to Aniwhenua Power Station Organized by Lytle Date and details etc yet to be confirmed
If you don’t have a Vintage or Classic Vehicle, come along to events in your modern
Our Annual East Coast Rally & 50th Anniversary Celebrations Saturday 1st February 2025
An Entry Form needs to be filled out for whatever part of the Rally or 50th Celebrations you will be attending for catering etc Please support our East Coast Rally Sponsors
REPCO Nicholson Autos Commerce Street Autos Whakatane Printers
Mid-week Run – Lunch at Maketu Photo’s by Clive Woods
Locals ‘helping’ Clive to check fluid levels
South Waikato VCC TTT Rally 2024 Words and photos by
Barry Keene
Tessa and I along with John and Jacqui Taggart represented our club at the South Waikato VCC TTT Rally. The first challenge was getting to their clubrooms at Lichfield as SH1 between Putaruru and Tokoroa was closed. We finally found the start venue and met up with John and Jacqui who were already there in their 1993 Cadillac Eldorado. We were in our 1973 MGB.
Because of the SH1 closure the organisers had to change the rally route which went from the original 120kms up to 175kms. The weather was fine and the forestry roads were open for us. After a quick morning tea the first cars were away at 10.00am.
The route took us through Putaruru then north into Whites road and then right into Leslie road (no exit). At the end of this we went onto forestry roads. These roads varied from lovely and smooth to rough to very rough and the dust varied from none to heaps. About an hour and a half or so later we came out onto the Rotorua-Atiamuri Highway. We turned right then soon turned left and back onto a forest road to climb a steep hill where we stopped to look at a fabulous view. Back down the hill and we all stopped at the Bull Ring Café, which is on SH1, for a head count and food and drink.
After this we headed north on SH1 for a few miles then went left and back into the forest. These forest roads were all tarseal. After a while we ended up going behind the Kinleith Mill and carried on to end up at the Clubrooms at Lichfield for the BBQ and prize giving. This took until about 4.30pm which was a bit later than their usual finish time. But hopefully by next November the roadworks and road closures will be over.
They had put out 40 silent checks and had four questions. At the Rally briefing they forgot to mention that answers were on both sides of the road so our score was not nearly good enough to get a mention. But John and Jacqui did very well with first place in the Post 80 Class. They got 37 of the silent checks some of which they said needed a quick eye to see.
A smooth bit of the forest roads
A stop to look at the view
South Waikato TTT Rally Sunday 24th November
Photo’s by John & Jacqui Taggart
Congratulations to John and Jacqui who came 1st in Post 80 class at the TTT Rally in the 1993 Cadillac Eldorado as noted in Barry’s write-up on the Rally
Joy took these photos of our trip to Gisborne then up the Gentle Annie to Taihape
Road works traffic lights near Matawai
The Gentle Annie Road from Napier to Taihape with Mt Ruapehu faintly in the distance Then turning into the car park for lunch
Bruce Seddon’s Report
Gisborne Hawkes Bay Taihape Round Up November 2024 Including the Annual Gisborne/EBOP Interbranch Rally
Here is a different twist on a report on our travels around the country – a report in statistical form. Nine cars travelled together to Gisborne and Mahia, with three returning directly to Whakatane and the others continuing on to enjoy the spectacular Hawkes Bay and Central North Island scenery via Napier, Taihape, Ohakune and Whakamaru. One of the cars had its distance and fuel consumption recorded, so instead of photos and stories here is its tale of distance travelled and fuel swallowed. Look at how the day spent crawling around on wet metal roads in low gears hunting for hidden silent checks signs nearly doubled the fuel consumption on day 2 (22/11/2024). The easy cruising on days 5 & 6 gave the best fuel economy – and economy is not usually a word used in conjunction with our cars or method of travel.
The car – 1978 Triumph 2500S – manual with overdrive.
Routes travelled
Day 1 Pikowai – Whakatane – Opotiki – Matawai – Gisborne (cruising)
Day 2 Gisborne – Tiniroto – Wairoa - Nuhaka – Mahia – included 134 rally km with 29 km of metal road in 2nd gear looking for silent check signs (rally)
Day 3 Mahia – Mahia East Coast – Mahanga – 9 km gravel in low gear – Morere – Nuhaka –Mahia (rally)
Day 4 Mahia – Nuhaka – Tahaenui fete – Wairoa – Napier – Hastings – Napier (cruising)
Day 5 Napier – Fernhill – Taihape – Ohakune (cruising)
Day 6 Ohakune – National Park – Tokaanu – Kurutau – Whakamaru – Atiamuri – Rotorua –Pikowai (cruising)
FOR SALE
1971 MG B GT
1800 Manual with overdrive New W O F and 12 months Registration after appropriate recent repairs following some 20 years in dry storage. The car is in reasonably original condition with body and paint work back then. The interior is quite good and it runs well. It will require some T.L.C. and paint again in due course. It is dark metalic grey with period alloys, very good tyres and Webasto sunroof. It has 1971MG personalized plates. $10,000 ono. The car is currently in Whakatane.
Please phone John or Margaret McKerras 07 307 0407 or 027 436 9013 jandm.mckerras@gmail.com
And to fill a couple of spare pages
Some more photo’s Les took of our trip to Gisborne Mahia and beyond
Tahaenui - spot the 3 giraffes under the trees
The old farm machinery in the garden displays
Gentle Annie from Napier to Taihape lunch stop at the Springfield Suspension Bridge
Bruce and Steve returning from a walk over the Suspension Bridge
The last day homeward bound at the lookout overlooking Lake Taupo
And finally a
Deanne presenting Steve & Joy with 3rd placing for the inter-branch rally at Mahia
photo from last year’s Kawerau Santa Parade of Barry & Marianne Spry’s Ford Coupe all dressed up in Christmas decoration
THE VINTAGE CAR CLUB of NEW ZEALAND
Eastern Bay of Plenty Branch
Postal Address: PO Box 2168, Whakatane 3159
Branch Officers: 2024/2025
Chairman:
Honorary Branch Member: Lorolei Pollard
Bevan Lange 027 460 3466 bevanlange@gmail.com
Vice Chairman: Clive Wood 027 276 9806 cjwclockmaster@gmail.com
Secretary: Margaret Leaming 027 351 0432 phil.leaming@xtra.co.nz
Treasurer: Joy Growden 07 304 9777 growden@xtra.co.nz
Club Captain: Les Costar 027 271 7022 les.gail.costar@gmail.com
Committee: Steve Growden 07 304 9777 growden@xtra.co.nz
Lorraine Stock 07 307 1965 alanlorraine.stock@gmail.com
Alan Stock 07 307 1965 alanlorraine.stock@gmail.com
John Burton 021 02501138 wairakael@hotmail.com
Lytle Hall 027 703 4539 lytlehall.hall@gmail.com
Trevor Marshall 07 308 7957
Running Board: Interim Editor Gail Costar 027 271 7022 les.gail.costar@gmail.com
Beaded Wheels Reporter: Bruce Seddon 07 322 2137 bruce.seddon@xtra.co.nz
Almoner: Lorraine Stock 07 307 1965 alanlorraine.stock@gmail.com
Name Badge Sales: Margaret Leaming 027 351 0432
VIC Collators: Bevan Lange 027 460 3466 bevanlange@gmail.com Bruce Seddon 07 322 2137 bruce.seddon@xtra.co.nz
Parts Shed Supervisors: Phil Leaming 07 304 8415 phil.leaming@xtra.co.nz
Steve Growden 07 304 9777 growden@xtra.co.nz
John Burton 021 02501138 wairakael@hotmail.com
Branch Delegate: Bevan Lange 027 460 3466 bevanlange@gmail.com
Raffles: Lorraine Stock 07 307 1965 alanlorraine.stock@gmail.com
Supper Supervisor: Lorraine Stock
Archivists: Les & Gail Costar 027 271 7022 les.gail.costar@gmail.com
Community Liaison: Lytle Hall 027 703 4539 lytlehall.hall@gmail.com
Saleable Items: Barry Spry 07 312 4737 basa.mi@xtra.co.nz
Available to purchase at Club Night
EBOP Cloth Jacket Badges $7.50
EBOP Car Window Stickers $1.00
EBOP Lapel Badges $6.00
EBOP Cloth Caps $15.00
EBOP Cloth Jacket Patches $10.00
EBOP Car Bumper Badges $20.00
EBOP VCC Windscreen Stickers $2.00
Rally Number Holders s/s $15.00
NZVCC Winged Lapel Badges $7.50 VCC Cloth Winged Badges $13.00
EBOP Name Badges $23.00 (orders to be placed with Secretary)
Please wear your name badge to VCC functions.
Club Night: Last Thursday of the month (except December) At: Whakatane Athletic Clubrooms, Short Street, Whakatane 7.00pm Social Get-together Branch Meeting starting at 7.30pm