#0137 March2024 POBox458,LEVIN 14TiroTiroRoad,LEVIN
Patron TomHayes 063679445 Chair BillLaney 0274512408 w.a.laney@xtra.co.nz DeputyChair RobinStrachan 063646780 Secretary SharonMeredith 02108543434 horowhenua@vcc.org.nz Treasurer JackieJob 0272011806 jackiejob73@gmail.com Co-Treasurer DaphneWilliams 063640061 dh.dub@xtra.co.nz 02102792199 ClubCaptains BruceLawrie 042936803(W) 042934943(H) VerdonHeath 063683824 Committee JohnWhite 0221601189 BillCottle 0274509636 CallumFarmer 063647238 NigelWheeler 063672046 AndrewJudd 063686891 DaphneWilliams 02102792199 WelfareOfficer NigelWheeler 063672046 nigelgwheeler@gmail.com 0275674431 Custodian&Maintenance BillCottle 0274509636 SparesTeam CallumFarmer 063647238 callumfarmer77@hotmail.com RexWilliams 0225114084 MikeKhull 063635633 JeffFox 0274486888 ColinBrooks 042985458 RobertCammish 0274441333 DonMacdonald 063648305 GeorgeMcLean 0272121705 LibraryArchives RobinStrachan 063646780 DianeStrachan 021468763 BranchDelegate JohnWhite 0221601189 SparkEditor BruceJamieson 0276357336 brucejamieson48@hotmail.com 068259102 SparkDistribution MurrayTinsley 02102625971 VICTeam VerdonHeath,IvanHornandMikeKhull MeetingBranchNight-1stWednesdayofthemonthat730pm CommitteeMeeting-LastWednesdayofthemonthat730pm WorkingBee-SaturdayfollowingBranchNightat900am SpareParts-OpenSaturdayfollowingBranchNight ClubBankAccountNo-030667026922700(Westpac)
Anothermonth,anothermeetingandnowtheconcentrationisonourmain targetoftheyear,theSWAPMEET.Yesthat’stheone,onlyonceayear andweaskthatyoudoyourbesttogivetheorganisersofthedayalittle bitofyourtime,nomatterhowsmall.Itallcountsintheend.Wecanall thenlookbackandsay“Thatwasworththeeffort.”
Apartfromthattherehasbeenlittlehappeningonmypart.Imadethe annoyingerrorof‘forgetting’Sundaythe25thofFebruary,fortheTed GreenMemorialRally.ThiswassomethingthatIpartookinlastyearand enjoyedtherideandtheaftermathcompany.WhathappenedIamnot surebutwhenIfinallycaughtupwiththecalendar,itwasTuesday.I realisethatweseniorcitizenshavetospendalittlemoretimeworking thingsoutonceweadopttheseniors’week:sixSaturdaysanda Sunday!!!!!
WehavetheSHINYSTUFFAuctioncomingupinafewmonths,andthat couldbringoutquiteanassortmentofthingsthatwillsurpriseeverybody. Anotherannualeventwhichisinthenearfuture,theAGMoftheClub. HaveyougivenanythoughtastowhatyoucoulddofortheClub,evenif itwasforjustoneyear?Idon’tthinkIhavetotellyouthattheClubonly operateswiththeassistanceofavolunteerarmyandyoucouldbepartof thatandenjoyayearof‘involvement’.
IamlookingforwardtotheShedRaidthismonthhavingmissedthelast couple.
Brucie’sBurblings
Whatatremendouseffortandwhatanamazingresult!
Yes,Iamtalkingaboutthetimeandeffortthatwentinto runningandorganizingourannualSwapMeet.Theteameffort wasbrilliantandallIsawonSaturday16thMarchwasaseaof smileyfaces,peoplecatchingupwitheachotherandwheeling anddealingoverpreciousparts.Thankyouforworkingassuch acohesiveteam.
TheRuahineRamblehostedbytheManawatubranchwas anothergreateventwhichseveralofourmembersenjoyed, motoringthevalleysnorthofAshhurstingoodweather.
VerdonrecentlycompetedinthestretchedGymkhanaoverthe hillandIamtoldbyareliablesourcethathecamehomewith somesilverware.WelldoneVerdoninrepresentingourbranch. ComingeventsarelistedlaterinSpark
Onanothernote,inmyviewthesoonerRUCscomeinfor electricvehiclesthebettersothatcostsaresharedbyall motorists.
Newtyresalesnowattracta“Tirewise”levytodealwiththeir endofuserecycling.UpuntilSeptemberyouwillalsobe chargedadisposalfeetogetridofthetyresthatwillcomeoff vehiclesinthenext6months.Afterthatonlythe“Tirewise”fee willbechargedwhenanewtyreispurchased.
Happymotoring
BruceLawrie&VerdonHeath
SpeakerforApril
Wedon’thaveaspeakerforclubnightinApril,socomealongandget updatedwithallthatclubmembershavebeendoing.
Ifyouwerenotatlastmonth’smeeting,youmissedamostinteresting talkandslideshowbyBillIslesaboutatripthatheandwifeLynnmadein the1970stotheoldBrooklandsracetrackandmuseuminEngland.
NewClubMembers
DavidAndersonhasbeenthroughthesigninginprocesswithVCCHead Office,soisofficiallyanewmember.
DarrylMcCownwasatclubnightandintroducedhimself.Heisinthe processofcrossingthe“t”sanddottingthe“i”swithVCC. Welookforwardtoyoujoiningoureventsinfuture.
Recovering
PeterandBevKellyhadadoseofpneumonia,buthavenowrecovered.
CoverPicture
Stainedglasswindow.Howaboutthisforyourfrontdoor?Thepanel depictsaBugattibyAmericanartistPaulMarioni,andincludesareal headlamplens.
Event
ClubRunandPicnic:ClubCaptain,Verdon,isplanninganoutingforuson Sunday14thApril.Departfromclubroomsat10:30forashorttourwith “someinterestingbits”tomeetatFoxtonforapicniclunch(BYOfood anddrink.)MoredetailsatclubnightonWednesday3rdApril,sothere’s yourreasonnottomissit,andafterthatbywordofmouthandbush telegraph.
Withtheswapmeet cominguponthe 16thwehaveputout agreatdisplayof booksforpurchase. Thesearedouble andtripleupsthat arenolonger required.
Pricesare$1.00and$2.00each. Don’tmissout.
Also,thelibrarywillbeclosedonthe16thtoall.Itwillbeusedfor otherthingsontheday.
Joke:
Statisticshaveprovedthatittakesapproximatelythreethousandbolts, nutsandscrewstobuildamoderncartoday, butonlyonenuttoscatterthemallovertheroad.
RobinandDianeStrachan
TedGreenMemorialMotorcycleRally
Theeventwasverywellsupportedthisyear,with28riders arrivingforthestart.
Bikeslinedupfora
Verdon,theorganiser,laysdownthelawattheriders’briefing...
cloudystart
...andtheriderswere soonunderway...
...well,mostwere.
Theweatherturnedoutfine,andaftera coupleofhourstouringaroundtherural roadstothenorthofLevin,everyone arrivedbackattheclubroomsforthe usual“Ibeatyou”and“whatifs?”
Viviennehadpreparedasplendid lunch,andwithhelpfromJackie, serveditupbeforeprize-giving.
PhotosbyJackieJobandGeorgeMcLean
WinneroftheVeteranclass,Bob McIntyre.Wedon’thaveatrophy forthisclass;theconsolationprize isabigphotoofhimselfonhis Excelsiordepartingontherally.
JeffFoxreceivesthetrophyfor Vintageclass.
PostVintageclasswaswonby SteveBarker,seenhere remarkingtoVerdonthathe lostasteeringdamperknob exactlyliketheoneonthe trophyduringtherally.
P
RobertYounglookspleasedto havewonthePostWarclass.
WinnerofthePost60classwas DaveHenwood,whoseemstobe thinking“therearenopartslike thisonmyHonda.”
TheVisitor’strophysafelyinthe handsofShaneKenelley.
Lookingevenmorepleased now,RobertYoungwiththe TedGreenMemorialShield foroverallwinner.
Verdonhasafirmgriponit though.
AnswerlaterinthisissueofSpark
ATTENTIONLADIES’:
HOROWHENUAVCCLADIES’MORNINGTEA/COFFEEGET TOGETHER
Iwouldliketoputitoutthereandsuggest,toalltheladies’inour club,theideaofgettingtogetherforamorningteaatalocalcafé firstlyand/orperhapsatamember’shomeonceamonthataround 10ish.Wewillneedtodiscusswhatsuitseveryone,dependingon theresponseIreceive.
OtherVCCcarclubshavestartedthispracticeanditisvery successful.Sowhynotgivethisago….
Ilookforwardtohearingfromyou.PleasecontactChrisFlanagin on0221827252or 062629102
Henry'sXmaspresent.
WalterChryslerusedtosendHenryFordaXmaspresentinthe formofabrand-newDodge,Chrysler,PlymouthorDeSotocar. AsWaltersaid:"Isenthimthosecars,toshowHenrywhata decentcarlookedlike!"
FromGeorgeMcLean
MEREDITHELECTRICALLIMITED
Forallyourelectricalrequirementsincluding:
NewHomes,Dairyfarms,Maintenance,Repairs andallgeneralelectricalwork.
GiveRichardaringon0274415464
AtthebackoftheFord assemblyplantatSeaview, LowerHuttinmid1960s.
GarageRaidon14thFebruary
WeraidedJeffFox’sproperty,andwerestunnedbythelineupofveteran andvintagemotorcyclesthathehasrestored.Notallarehisown:severalare waitingforfurtherworkforcustomers,orarebeingstoredforthem.
ThereisalsoaFordModelTwellonthewaytobeingfinishedinhis workshop,andinashedaFordModelTfireenginewhichcamefromthe OtakiFireBrigade,anda1946Buickwhichwasoriginallyaministerialcar forthegovernment.
Butwhatkeepshimupuntil“stupido’clock”(hisdescription)isthe constructionofwoodenpropellersforvintageaircraft.Thesearefabricated onmachinesthathefirsthadtobuildhimself.Likethecarsandmotorcycles, thequalityoftheworkisamazingandhehasbuiltsuchareputationthathe receivesmanyordersfromoverseas.
BasilGowenlockwaits forhishearingto returnafteroperating thehand-drivensiren ontheexOtakiFire BrigadeFordModelT.
PhotosbyGeorgeMcLean andBruceJamieson
AFordModelT underrestoration.
Jeffexplaining someofthefiner pointsofmaking woodenpropellers.
Wow!Asfaras theeyecansee.
Girderforksrule,ok?
February2024
Recently,Spareshaspickedup,fromalocalscrapmetaldealer (whoisalsoaclubmember),apalletloadofMorrisSeriesE andpost-warMorrisMinorparts,soHorowhenuamembers withanyoftheabovevehicleswhoarelookingforanyparts willneedtogetinquick astheymaysoonbe gone.
TheManawatuClassic MotorcycleSwapMeet wentaheadwithouta dropofrainfalling duringthemorning,with someveryinteresting itemsbeingonhand,one beingan incomprehensible shotgunmarriageofa WM20engineand gearbox,intoaweird motorcycleset-upwhichhadbeenimportedintoNewZealand fromBelgium,butwhichsoldonthedayfor$1500.Another highlightwasaveteranArielenginewhichsoldfor$80.
SafeMotoringEveryone
Supershopkeeper
Calluminhiselement. Sellingsomethingto someonewhodoesn’t wantitatapricehe can’tafford.
Callum
SpottedbyDeniseLiddleduringatripintheSouthIsland.
Answerto“WhatAmI?”
EverythingyoueverwantedtoknowaboutthehistoryofSaab isattheSaabMuseuminTrollhattan,nearGothenburgin Sweden.OneofthestarexhibitsisSaab’sveryfirstcar,the prototypeSaabUrsaab,alsoknownasthe92001,designedin thelate1940s.
Followthe“straightahead“ ruleinournextclubrally.
PicturesentbyGeorgeMcLean
VCCBanners
Thesefabricwindscreenbannersinbluewithgoldletteringare againavailable.
Thesecanbeusedwhendisplayingyourcaratshowsorrallies. Newstocksnowat$15each.OrderfromRobinStrachan.
LibraryMerchandise HVCCDashboardStickers $4 Irononfabricbadges $3 HVCCblueandwhitecaps$10 NameBadges(filloutform)$12.50
PARKING
WhenIlivedinBrisbane,IparkedmyPontiaconthestreetoutsidethe house.AfriendlikedtoparkhisFiatonthefootpath.(DentsintheFiat werenotmadebythePontiac.)Itwasaquietstreetwithverylittle traffic,theneighboursthoughtitwascoolandnobodyever complained.
BruceJamieson
PLEASENOTE--Forthismonthonly,therunisonaTUESDAY(becausethe lunch-timecafeclosesonWednesdays).
Foxtonhastobethemostunder-ratedtowninNewZealand,andwehave severalreallyinterestingactivitieslinedup,allwithin50metresofthewindmill.
DeMolen(TheWindmill)--thisisaworkingreplicaofatraditional17th centuryDutchwindmill,builtonly25yearsagoItwillbeoperatedespeciallyfor usprovidedthatthewindconditionsareOK.Andforthosewhocanmanagethe steepstairstotheupperlevels,therewillbetheoptionofa$5guidedtourto takeacloserlookatthemillinoperation.
FlaxStripperMuseum--ahundredyearsagotherewere26flaxmillsaround Foxton,withmorethan100strippingmachinesbetweenthem,capableof processingcloseto1000tonsperday.Mostoftheresultingfibrewasexported toAustralia,BritainorNorthAmericaonsea-goingshipsfromwharvesonthe FoxtonloopoftheManawatuRiverortakenforfurtherprocessinginNZbythe railwaywhichranfromthewharvesatFoxtontoPalmerstonNorth.Today,there isjustoneoperationalflaxstrippingmachineremaining,anditwillberunforus bythemuseumvolunteerstoshowhowthefibresarestrippedfromtheflax leaves.Thereisnoentrycharge,butthemuseumneedsdonationstokeepgoing, sopleasecontributeafewdollarsperperson.
FoxtonMuseumandi-centre--hassomeexcellentdisplaysaboutthelivesof theearlyMaoriintheregion;aboutthedayswhenFoxtonwastheflaxgrowing andstrippingcapitalofNZ,includingsomefascinatingphotosofthebusyseaportandrailhead;andaboutthemanyDutchsettlerswhocametoNZforanew lifeafterthehorrorsoflivingunderNazioccupationduringWW2.Thereisalsoa dedicatedgalleryareawithanartdisplaywhichchangesregularly.
LunchatDeMolenCafe--withplentyofchoicefromlightcounterfoodtoa menuwhichincludesseveralDutchspecialitiessuchasuitsmijter,pannenkoeken, andstamppot,aswellastheusualrangeofburgers,eggsbenedictetcHollandis famousforitsloveofchips,andthereisarangeofDutchfries,includingpatat oorlogwhichisbilledas,"onlyfortheverybrave,ortheveryDutch"!!
Timing--thefunstartsat11amwhenthewindmillwillbeginoperatingand givingustheoptionalguidedtour.So,aimtoarriveby11am,oralittleearlierif youwanttohaveacoffeefirstDependingonnumbers,wewillneedtosplitinto twoorthreeseparategroupsfortheFlaxStripperMuseum,andthereforethe timesforthatandforlunchwillbeadvisedacoupleofdaysbeforehand.
th
KAPITIMID-WEEKRUNTUESDAY26
MARCH
Parking--thereisplentyofparkingonbothsidesofthemainstreetnearthe windmill,ordowntheroadalongsidetheFoxtonMuseumandi-centre. Exceptfortheoptionalguidedtourupthewindmill,everywhereelsehasgood accessforthosewithlimitedmobilityTherearealsogoodtoiletfacilitiesintheicentreandthecafe
PleaseletmeknowbySunday26thMarchifyouarecoming,andalsowhether youplantodothewindmillguidedtour(whichinvolvesseveralsteepflightsof stairs)
PhilipPearceemail:nzpearce87@gmail.comMob:0272744084
BIGCARS-SMALLPEOPLE
Thisillustrationfroma1964brochuremakestheHoldenEHlookas bigasaCadillacorLincolnofthesameera.
WaipukurauandBeyond
CHBVCCAfternoon/TwilightRallySaturday6thAPRIL,2024
RallyOrganiser
Neil&PatMalcolm
Waipukurau4200.
Phone:068585099
Mobile0274578945Neil:0276374001Pat
Email:pat.neil2016@gmail.com
EntriesClose29thMARCH2024
LATEENTRIESWILLNOTBEACCEPTED.
TheCHBVCCTwilightRallybriefingstartsat2.30pmatRussellParkentranceat theendofStJosephsSt(nexttoHockeyTurf)Waipukurau.Thefirstcaraway willleaveat2.45pm.Routemapwillbehandedoutfollowingsafetybriefing. Therewillbeavisittoalicensedvenueforsoupandbunsduringtheevent.
Dinnerandprizegivingwillbeheldattheendoftheruninalicensedvenuein CentralHawke’sBay.Youareadvisedtofuelupbeforethestart.Thedistanceis approximately120kms.
DuetostillbeinginDaylightSaving, wewillbearrivingatourdinner destinationattwilight.
Howeveryouareadvisedtobringa torchincaseyouhaveaproblemon route.
RegulationsfortheEvent:
1.EntrantsmustbecurrentfinancialmembersoftheVintageCarClubofNewZealand orguestsofafinancialmemberoftheVCC.
2.Theeventisopentoallvehiclesasrecognizedbytheclub,whichmustbeuptothe club’sacceptedstandardsregardingcleanliness,generalandmechanicalcondition.The organisermayrefusetostartanyvehicle,whichinhisopinionfailstomeetthat standard.Modernnon-competitivevehicleswillbeacceptedasentries.
3.Therallyorganiserreservestherighttodisqualifyanyentrantwhoseconductinhis opinionislikelytobringdiscredittotheeventortotheclub.Therulingregardingany mattersinrespectoftherunningoftheeventwillbefinalandnocorrespondencewill beenteredinto.
4.TheNewZealandRoadCodeRulesmustbeobeyedatalltimes.
5.Theorganiserreservestherighttoaddsupplementaryregulationsorinstructionsat anytimeduringtherunningoftheevent.
CALENDARofCOMINGEVENTS
April 6 TwilightRally-Waipukurau-detailsinthisissue.
April 10GarageRaid-Horowhenua
April 14ClubRunandPicnic-Horowhenua future ShinyThingsAuction-Horowhenua
Anyenquiriesto:BruceLawriePhone0274762489
TAILLIGHTS
theprintbureau063679330 ISSN
