Pleasingtoseesomanybranchmembershelpingtosetuptheclubroomsfor theChristmasLunch.Wehadtotakeourmorningteaoutsidesoasnottoleave crumbsonthecarpet.
Laterinthemorningtheclubflagwasflownfor thefirsttimefromthenewflagpole.
Ournextbigeventisthenaming oftheloungeintheclubroomin honouroftheworkbyPeterand ShonaNightingaleinsettingup theclub.Seeallthedetailslater inthisissue.Wewouldliketo seeamassiveturn-outofclub members,whoshouldbringtheir historiccarstopresentagrand displayinfrontoftheclubroom.
Therewasanothergreatturn-outtotheNovemberclubnight,andwiththe lastclubnightoftheyearDecember’swasevengreater,whichincluded 25-yearand35-yearservicepresentationstoseveralofourmembers. OurlastgarageraidonWednesday13thNovemberwasahugesuccess, andwhatacollectiontoviewatMartinGibbs’placeatHokioBeach. Martins’collectionbeganwithaV12Jaguarmotorhehadbeensearching fortoinstallinhisreplicaSpitfire.Fromtherehiscollectiongrewwith moreJaguars,MitsubishiSigmas,militaryvehiclesincludinga1942Ford JeepandChevPersonelCarrier,andaPiperaircraftthrownin. TheTararuaTrundlewentoffreallywell.Thelightdrizzledidnotdeter the25entrantsandfromallthefeedbackeveryoneenjoyedthemselves experiencingatimedsection,tulipdiagram,straightlinenavigation,and heapsofquestionsandcheckstofind.OverallwinnerwasPatandPhil Pearceintheir1977Saab96.ThanksforalltheassistancefromtheTT Team.
TherearealotofeventscomingupinJanuaryandFebruary2025.
On1stJanuarywillbetheManawatuClubannualNewYear’sDayPicnic atMtLeesReserve,NgaioRoad,beginningat1130am.Bringyourown picnichamper.
18thto20thJanuary.Thereisalotonthisweekend,itbeingWellington AnniversaryWeekend.WehaveWhanganuiVintageWeekend,including thecombinedAnnualWellingtonChallengeMonteCarloRallywhich finishesatWhanganuiintimefortheVintageWeekend.TheBurmaRally isonSunday19thJanuary. AlsoonthesameweekendistheAnnualLevinAP&IShow.Werequire upto12carsandbikesforthegrandparadeonSaturday18th . FromJan25to27thistheNationalMotorCycleRallyinManawatu. Wehavereceivedaninvitationforourladiestoattendapicniclunchon thelawnattheManawatuClubroomsonFeb1st,starting1130am.During thistimethemenwillbeawaycarryingoutinterestingorganizedgarage
raids.Upontheirreturntheyarewelcometojointheladiesforaget together.
Ourfirstclubnightinthenewyearis5thFebruary.Wearecallingfor memberswhowouldliketoentertheirrestoredvehicleintheRestoration oftheYearawardwhichwillbeheldonthisnight.Letmeknowifyou areinterestedinenteringyourcarandIwillemailanentryform.These willalsobeavailableontheclubnight.
Onthe9thFebistheAnnualBritishandEuropeanCarDayatTrentham. Inthepastyears,afewofourmembershavetravelleddownespeciallyfor thisevent.
Onthe12thFebisthekickoffforthe2025seasonofGarageRaids. WearethenintoArtDecofromthe13thto16thFeb25atNapier.Infoon thenoticeboard.
OurTedGreenMemorialMotorCycleRallyisonthe23rdFeb.Entry formsarenowout.Allentryfeeswillgobackintoprizes,andincludea BBQLunchatasetdestination.So,getthatbikepolishedupandreadyto go.
IwanttodoaplugfortheNationalVeroEasterRallywhichisgoingtobe heldintheWaikato,basedinCambridge.EntryformswillbeoutmidJanuarysobesttogetyouraccommodationbookedasap.Ifwecangeta teamof4carsparticipating,thenwecouldentertheTeamTrophy Challenge.Thisisasought-aftertrophywhichmainlythelargerclubs seemtopartakeinwithmoremembersparticipating.Pleaseletmeknowif youareinterestedinattending.
BreakingNews:TheannualDannevirkeCarShowscheduledforJan25 hasbeencancelled. MerryChristmas,anddon’tforgettokeepthatoildripping.
SpeakerforFebruary
Wedon’thaveaguestspeaker,butwewillbevotingforour RestorationoftheYear.Thatison5thFebruary.Therewillbe presentationsoflongservicebadgestosomeofourclubmembers whowerenotabletoattendtheDecemberclubnight.
NewClubMembers
WelcometoKennethandLynRoberts,whohavejustjoined.We havenotheardwhattheydrive,butlookforwardtofindingout.
GraemeandLesleySmythhavetransferredtoourbranchsince settlinginOhau.Wealreadyvisitedthemonagarageraidtoview hislargecollectionofMorriscars,andherRover3500.
Recovering
Goodnews:BillIslesjoinedusforChristmasLunchafteraspellin hospital.
ColinGeangeissportinganewscaronhishead,andhasanother smalloperationcomingup.
Help!!!
WeareholdingtheTedGreenMotorcycleRallyonSunday23rd February.Ifyouareabletocontributetotherunningofthisevent andhelpourpoorfriendswhohavetomanagewithonlytwo wheels,pleasecontactclubcaptainGregOliveron0275703501.
Sinceyouarenowinthemoodforvolunteering,wealsoaskfor helpwithourBIGSUMMERCLEAN-UPOFTHECLUBROOMon Saturday11thJanuary.Thereislikelytobeworkontheinsideas wellasoutside,socomepreparedforanything.
CoverPicture
DearSanta:“AllIwantforChristmasisaBradford.”
Justashortnotethismonth.............
.................Don'tforgetyourcarwindowdisplaycards.Thereare lotsofmotorshowsandothereventscomingupinthenewyear.Itwill lookgreatifallourcarshavethecardsondisplay.
................AbigthankstoDaveBangandMurrayDoreenfortheir helpwiththeflyersfortheswapmeet.
................Averybigthankstoyouallforyourhelpoverthelast year,andaMerryXmastoallourHVCCmembersandtheirfamilies.
RobinandDianeStrachan
TheHorowhenuaBranch(ofVCC)
extendstoallitsmembersaveryheartyinvitation
to:AfunctiontohonourPeter&ShonaNightingale
for:Thenamingoftheclubmeetingroomasthe
Peter&ShonaNightingaleLounge,inrecognitionof theirinitialinvolvementwiththeManawatuBranch,and theformationofandsubsequentinvolvementinthe HorowhenuaBranchforsome48+years.
at:HorowhenuaVintageCarClubrooms 14TiroTiroRoad,Levin
on:SUNDAY9thFEBRUARY2025
from:1.30pm
Formaltieswillcommenceat2.00pm. AfternoonTeawillbeservedaround3.00pm.
Please
Bringyourclubvehicle,tobeparkedwheredirected. Yourmodernwillbewelcome. Again,pleaseparkwheredirected.
RSVP:nolaterthanTuesday4thFebruary2025 (forcateringpurposes)
to:jackiejob73@gmail.com
Pleasenote: Wewillbeaskingforvolunteerstoassistwithparking,andin thekitchen.
SomeoftheJaguarshad todonatetheirenginesto theaircraft.Othershave beenrestored,whilemore arewaitingtheirturn. Andtherearemilitary vehiclestoo!
Around40peoplevisitedtheWellingtonBranchclubroomsinPetoneto havealookatthebranch's1926Dennisfireengineandhearatalkabout itshistoryandrestoration,withmorningteaprovided.
TheDenniscompanywasfoundedbytwobrothersin1895to manufacturebicycles,butin1901itbeganmakingmotorcarsinthevery firstpurpose-builtcarfactoryinBritain.Commercialvehiclessoon followed,thefirstbeingavanforthefamousHarrodsstore.Thefirstbus wasmadein1903andthefirstfireenginein1908.By1913carproduction hadendedinordertoconcentrateoncommercialvehicles.
TwoDennisfireenginescametoNZin1926butonlytheWellington Branchexampleisthoughttohavesurvived.ItsfirstfewyearsinNZare unknown,butby1931itwasservingwithNapierFireBrigadebefore beingtransferredtotheDannevirkeBrigade.However,itwasrushedback toNapierwhentheearthquakehit,itspowerfulwaterpumprunning continuouslyfor36hours,helpingtoextinguishthemanyfires.
The1926Dennisstillhasitsoriginalpetrolengine,manufacturedby WhiteandPoppe,whohadsuppliedenginestoDennissince1906and becamepartoftheDennisgroupin1919.Dennispetrolengines continuedtobeusedinalltheirfireappliancesuntil1951whentheywere finallyreplacedbyRollsRoycedieselengines.
ThefireengineeventuallyservedwiththeStokesValleyVolunteerFire Brigadeuntil1957whenitwassoldtoalocalcontractorandusedmainly forpumpingwateroncivilengineeringprojects.Bythe1970sitwasina sorrystateandwassavedforposteritybySirLenSouthwardwhothen donatedittotheWellingtonVCCwhereagroupofmembersgaveita fullrestoration.Atleastoneofthoserestorers,TerryMathers,wasamong themid-weektourersattheclubrooms.
Forover40yearsthebranchfireenginehasbeenkeptintopcondition andusedinlocalSantaParadesandinvariousothereventstohelp promotetheVCC.
TextbyPhilipPearce,photosbyGeorgeMcLean.
BIGCARS-SMALLPEOPLE
November2024
ThisisthelastSparesreportfor2024,andlikelastmonth,thereisvery littletoreport.
Duringthecourseofthemonth,wepickedupfromtheChairman’shome, aloadofPost-WarMorrisMinorparts.Theseitemswillbeofinterestto members,inviewofthemotorssoldonClubNight.
ItookthetimeinNovembertovisittheWairarapaVintageCarClub SparesDepartment.Theyhavesomeveryinterestingitems,andare lookingforwardtoourvisitinMay,whichbothourClubCaptainsare workingon.
TheFordModelAdoorsthatImentionedlastmonth. Anycolouryoulike…….
Here’swishingyouallaveryMerryChristmasandaHappyNewYear fromtheSparesTeam.
SafeMotoringEveryone
HenryFordhadbeeninverypoorhealthinhis80sandwasconsidered unfittomanagethecompany,sohandedovermanagementtograndson HenryIIin1945.HenryIIhadservedontheboardofmanagementfrom 1943duetoHenry'sfailinghealthsituation.
However,allwasnotwellwiththisarrangement,asHarryBennett,in chargeofthe"FordServiceDept"contestedtheappointment.Hewas namedinHenry'swillasthesuccessor.LegalproceedingsbyHenryII thenreversedthisappointmentandHenryIIassumedthepresidency, subsequentlyfiringHarryBennettandclosingdownthe"FordService Dept"intheprocess.
(The"FordServiceDept"wereagroupofthugsemployedbyHenryfor "securitypurposes"from1921topatrolthevastFordRiverRougeplant, seekingout"troublemakersandslackers"andgettingridofthoseoutthe backdoor.AbonuswasalsoofferedtoFordassemblylineworkerswho gaveinformationtothe"FordServiceDept"aboutotherworkers deemedtobe"troublemakersorslackers."Henrypaidtwiceasmuchas othercarmanufacturersandexpectedtogettwiceasmuchworkoutof hisassemblylineemployees.)
AfterfiringHarryBennett,HenryIIbroughtinateamofaccountantsto lookintothefinancesoftheFordMotorCo,wheretheirreportfoundan alarmingsituation.Henryinhisailing80shadlookedatthepriceof Chevroletcars,hisnearestcompetitor,andhadundercutthepriceof Fordcarstobemoresalescompetitive.Whilethisappearedtobeo.k. thesalespriceofhiscarswerefoundtobelessthanthemanufactured cost!Theaccountants’reportfurtherstatedthatifthesituationhad continueduntil1950,theFordMotorCompanywouldbebankrupt! Somethingurgentneededtobedonetorectifythissituation!
HenryIIfiredmostoftheForddesignteamwhomheconsideredhad becomefossilisedintheirtechnicaldesignthinkingunderoldHenryand broughtinanewgroupgleanedfromtheArmyAirForcesstatisticalteam,
aswellassomeselectedengineersfromStudebaker,todesignthenew 1949carintendedtoout-sellChevrolet.
HenryIIwasimpressedwiththeproposeddesigns,anddecidedona singlespinnerinthefrontgrill asanacknowledgementtothe ex-Studebakerdesigncrew,but changedthetaillightsfrom verticaltoahorizontalposition instead.
Therewasinsufficienttimeto designanewenginehowever, sooldHenry'soriginalflathead V8waspressedintouse,witha modifieddistributorskeweddrivefastenedonthefrontoftheV8blockin placeoftheoriginaldistributor.
Theresultwasalargesell-outofFordvehiclesfrom1949until1953with theirdouble-endedshoe-boxdesign,outsellingChevroletandsavingthe FordMotorCompanyfrombankruptcyintheprocess. In1953,theFord"Y"blockO.H.V.motorcameout,completing replacementofallofHenry'spreviousmechanicaldesigns.
KapitiM-WRuns-thefuture
ItisarealpleasuretoletyouknowthatRichard&GabrielleSalt (HorowhenuaBranch)andMurray&KayHislop(WellingtonBranch)will bejoiningtheorganisingteamfor2025toreplaceRoderickKinghornand KevinBuckwhoarebothretiring.InMurray'scase,itismoreacaseof returningtotheorganisingteam,ashewasoneoftheoriginalfounders ofthemid-weekruns.
ThankstoRichard&GabrielleandMurray&Kay'shelp,themid-week runswillcontinuetobeheldonthelastWednesdayofeachmonth, beginningon26thFebruary2025.ThanksalsotoJohn&JennyJackson whohavebeenpartoftheorganisingteaminrecentyearsandarehappy tocontinuefor2025.
Andfinally,thankyouagaintoRoderickandKevinfortheirmanyyearsof helpingtoorganisemid-weekruns.
WishingyouaverysafeandhappyChristmas,andlookingforwardto meetingupagainin2025.
Phil&PatPearce
TararuaTrundle2024
Ourmainrallyoftheyear,whichwasreportedinlastmonth’sSpark.This timewestartedintherain,withaspecialtestconductedbyBruceLawrie. Thetopofthisappartuswasconnectedtothebackofthecompetitor’scar, andfollowinginstructionsfromtheco-driver,hadtocreepforwardand stopwhenthepointerreachedzeroonthescale.Onlyonedriversucceded (thatmanVerdon)butthefunwasenjoyedbyeveryoneelsefromthe shelteroftheverandah.
AspecialoccasionatourChristmasLunchthisyearwasthepresentation ofa50-yearmembershipbadgeandcertificatetoColinBrooks. ColinjoinedtheWellingtonBranchofVCCin1974afterhavingowneda varietyofoldcars.Theywereprobablynotthoughtofas“vintage”back then,butpeopledrovewhattheycouldafford.Someofthemhestillhas, includingabraceofErskines.Somewereboughtasprojects,another alreadyrestored.In2001,hetransferredtotheHorowhenuaBranchasit waseasiertotraveltofromParaparaumu,wherehelived.HiswifeCheryl becameajointmemberatthistime.By2005,theclubwaslookingfor betterpremisesanddecidedtobuildanewclubroom.Beingabricklayer andalsoaplumber,hisexpertisewasinvaluabletothegroupwho completedtheprojectoveratwo-yearperiod.Sincethenhehashelped withtheadditiontothelibrary,anupstairsstorageloftandtheextension oftheSparesDept,whichalladduptothegreatpropertythattheclubhas today.In2012hewaselectedViceChairman,andthefollowingyearto Chairman,anofficethatheheldforfiveyears.Heoversawtheorganising ofanumberofsuccessfulevents,notablythe40thanniversaryoftheclub in2016andtheannualChristmasLunchbeingheldinourclubrooms insteadofatalocalrestaurant.
CongratulationsColinforattaining50yearsofmembershipandservice whichhasbeenmuchappreciatedbymembersbothpastandpresent.
Theofficialparty:CathyandGlynnClements,Tom
ThecitationbeingreadbyGlynnClements, theNorthIslandrepresentativeofVCC. TomHayespreparingtopresentcertificate.
Colingetsthebadgeandcertificate. Cherylgetstheflowers.
CalendarofEvents-preparedbyClubCaptain
January
1stJan25
ManawatuinvitationNewYearPicnic
16th/19thJan25LevinA&PShowandGrandParade.Wellington AnniversaryWeekend
17th/20thJanWellingtonBranchCombinedMonteCarloRallyto Whanganui
18th/20thJanVintageWeekendWhanganui.
18thJan25
19thFeb25
SaturdayAP&IGrandParade2.00pm.Assemble 1.00pminVictoriaStreetnearparkgates
BurmaRallyWhanganuiSunday
25th/27thJan25NationalMotorcycleRallyManawatu
February
1stFeb25 InvitationtojoinManawatuLadiesPicnicand Men’sGarageRaids
1stFeb25
EastCoast50thAnniversaryRallyWhakatane
5thFeb25 ClubNight
5th/7thFeb25NationalVeteranRallyMarlboroughEntriesClose 6thJan25
9thFeb25
12thFeb25
British&EuropeanCarDisplayTrentham MemorialPark
GarageRaidLevin
13thto16thFebArtDecoHBVCC
16thFeb25
ShannonCarShow
23rd/28thFeb25NationalModelAFordRally
23rdFeb25
TedGreenMemorialMotorcycleRally Horowhenua
March
5thMarch25ClubNight
12thMarch25GarageRaidFoxton
15thMar25
HorowhenuaSwapMeet
21st/22Mar2560thMaungaMoanaRallyNewPlymouth
April
2ndApril25 ClubNight
9thApril25 GarageRaid
12thApril25RymanCharlesFlemingvisitandWaikanaePicnic (tobeconfirmed)
18th/21stApl25NorthIslandEasterRallyWaikato.Basedin Cambridge
25thto27thApril25HighlandFlingManawatu
Answerto“WhatAmI?”
The1956HillmanMinx’sdesigncamefromtheRaymondLoewyStudios intheUSA,whichhadbeenresponsibleforthefinnedStudebakersearlier inthedecade.
SonosurprisethatthenewMinxappearedwithascaled-downversionof theStudebakers’fins,whichweremorelikeraisedwings,butstill bestowedthemid-sizeHillmanwithahintoftransatlanticflair.
VCCBanners
Thesefabricwindscreenbannersinbluewithwhiteletteringare againavailable.
Thesecanbeusedwhendisplayingyourcaratshowsorrallies. Newstocksnowat$15each.OrderfromRobinStrachan.
LibraryMerchandise
MGBGT1973,currentRegoandWOF,84,000km,andhasVCCVIC.
Darkbluetrimandcarpets.Fullyreconditionedautomatictransmission, reconditionedheadwithhardenedvalveseatsforunleadedfuel Inertiaseatbeltsfitted. Newwaterpumpand fuelpump $16500. ContactJohn, 0299024862.
2025
CALENDARofCOMINGEVENTS
January11TheBigClubroomClean-up-Horowhenua
Jaanuary18AP&IShow-GrandParade
January25NationalMotorcycleRally-Manawatu
February5RestorationoftheYear-Horowhenuaclubnight
February9NamingofPeterandShonaNightingaleLounge
February9British&EuropeanCarShow-Trentham
February12GarageRaid-Horowhenua
February16ShannonCarShow
February23TedGreenMotorcycleRally-Horowhenua
TAILLIGHTS
