VCC HOREWHENUA SEPTEMBER 2023

Ithasoftenbeensaid“When’sthatguygoingtogrowup?”or“It’sabouttimeheacted hisage.”Thereisanotherone:“Youcantakethemanoutoftheboybutyoucan’ttake theboyoutoftheman”

It’sastrangething,butitseemstomethateachtimeIhaveheardthesewords,it’sas thoughtheyarebeingpointedatorreferringtome.“Why”,Iaskmyself,“amIdifferent tootherpeopletothedegreethatthisiswhatisaskedofme?”

SoIwassixty,plusabit,whenatlastIwasinapositiontostarttocollectanderectan electrictrainset,somethingthathadbeenonmyback-burnerallmylife.Mindyou,I neverdidadmittothisfactIhaditcoveredinthat“Inowhaveafouryearoldgrandson andweneedsomethingtodowhenhecomestovisit.”Yeahright.

Andsoitwasthatonthe9thofSeptember,2023,wewenttovisitBigginHillaircraft museumatOhakea.BigginHillwasthenameofoneoftheR.A.F.FighterSquadron basesinthesecondworldwar.

Mymindnowdriftsbackintimetowhen,asayoungboy,Ireadoftheheroesofthose longpastbutnotforgottendayswhenwehadyoungmenlikeDouglasBaderandourown AlDeere,alongwithmanyothers,whodayafterdaywereputtingtheirlivesintheir handsdefendingtheworldofthefreefromHitlerandtheNazis.Butthestrongest memoryofthosedaysandactionswasreadingandlearningabouttheSupermarine Spitfire,sometimesreferredtoas“theaircraftthatwontheBattleofBritain”Nottobe forgottenwastheHawkerHurricane,whichinfactout-numberedtheSpitfirebyfar becauseoftheeaseofconstruction,beingfabricoverwood,comparedtotheSpitfire whichwasmainlyaluminiumbased

Formanyyears,andprobablyeventoday,IstillconsidertheSpitfiretobetheultimate fighteraircrafteverbuiltoverthatperiod,eventakingintoaccountthearrivallaterofthe MustangfighterfromAmericaTolistentoaRollsRoyceV12Merlinengineatfull speedwasalwaysadreamthatIheld.ItwasnotuntilaMustang,thatwasrestoredinthe late60sdownCanterburyway,flewintoWellingtonAirportwhileonatouraroundNew Zealand,thatmydreamwasfulfilled

Irememberitwell.ThereIwaswithmylittle8mmmoviecamera,readytocatchthe perfectshotofthisplaneasitmadeitswayontotheairport.IwasoverbytheFlying Schoolonthetaxiway(incrediblewhereapolicecarcouldgetyou)waitingforittocome infromthenorth.Acoupleofpracticeswingswiththecamera,thenthewait.Yes,that’s it,Icanhearit,upwiththecamera,andwooooooosh,ithadcome,beenandgonebeforeI couldpushthetrigger.Ihadnoideauntilthatmomentwhatafighterwouldbelikeatfull speed(480mph).AllIrememberwasitwasoutoverLyallBaydoingagracefulclimb andturnandthenbackintolandingonthesouthernendoftherunwaybeforeIgotmyself backtogether.

Thencamethelastpartofthedream.IwouldneverbeabletoflyaSpitfire,orevenbea passengerinone,mainlybecauseIdonotlikeflying.Yesthatlastpartofthisdreamwas tobeabletositinthecockpit, andimaginethatIwasinthe positionofalltheheroesthatI hadreadaboutallthoseyears ago,intotalcontrolofaSpitfire. Atlastithappened,atBiggin Hill.

Thedreamisnowcomplete, manythankstoJoeDeere,our hostfortheday.Youmademy day.

Somewhereinthelater conversationsIoverheard somethingabout“Icanlivewith himcollectingmodeltrains,even withhimcollectingmotorcars andbikes,butIdrawthelineat himcollectingaeroplanes”

BillLaney

Brucie’sBurblings

TheclubcaptainshavebeenabitbusyinAugust.

Notimeforaliterarymasterpiecethismonth.

TheimportantdatesareshownintheUPCOMINGEVENTS calendaronthelastpageofSpark.

SAFEMOTORINGANDSTAYWARM

SpeakerforOctober

Wedon’thaveaspeakerfornextmonth,soit’suptoyoutoenjoyanight ofsparklingrepartee(orb…s…)amongyourselves.

NewClubMembers

NonewmembersshowedupatourSeptemberclubnight.

Recovering

JohnWhitehadafallwhileinNelsonfortheVCCconference.Thismatcheda similarinjurytohiswife,Merryl.Hopetheydidn’tneedtodoanywallpapering.

DianeStrachan,ourarchivist,hadasetbackwhilehavinganoperationonher alreadydamagedknee.Bestwishesforrecoverysoon.

CoverPicture

“Goodshot,Jonathan.Yougotitrightonthebonnet,nextto thelittleaeroplane.”

Wehavejustreceivedsomeveryinterestingmagsforourcollection. Youwillbeabletoviewtheseinthenextcoupleofweeksorso.

Anddon’tforgettolookthroughthegive-awaybooks.Theremayjustthe bookthatyouneedWeareslowlygettingthesereducedtomakespaceforanew display.Goodthingstaketime.

Onclubnightitwasnicetoseequiteafewmembersinthelibrary. Comeonin,haveachataboutanythingyoulike.

WehavequiteafewVHStapesthatIwouldliketogetcopiedontoCDs. Ifyouknowanyonewhocandothisforuspleasegivemeacallwith theircontactdetails.

JOKE…

CLAIRasked---”Whatdidyourboyfriendsaywhenyou wreckedhisnewcar?”

SARAH’sreply---"ShallIleaveoutthefour-letterwords?"

CLAIR---"Pleasedo."

SARAH---"Hedidn'tsayaword."

RobinandDianeStrachan

ClubruntoCarlLutz’stractormuseum

WehadaverygoodturnoutofclubmembersvisitingCarlLutz’sfarm shedtolookathiscollectionoftractors.HeusedFordsontractorsfor decadesonhisfarminthehillsbehindOtaki,andhascollectedand restoredalargenumberofthem.Hewassomewhatsurprisedbythe numberofuswhoarrived,andsatusdowntogiveaninteresting backgroundtohislifewithhisfavouritebrand.Theoldestofthem,from 1918andstillinitsoriginalunrestored(anduncleaned)condition,he startedupforus,andwithnosuchthingasa mufflerwasprettyloud,butstillrunningwell. Someofourclubmemberscomefromfarming backgroundsandappreciatedthefinerdetails ofallthetractorsonshow.Othersjustliked theshinyblueones.

Wewerealsoinvitedtolookthroughhis workshopwheretheworkiscarriedout, alongsideofwhichinapaddockliemanyother rustingtractors,butwewerenotsureifthis wasagraveyardorasparepartssupply. ManythankstoCarlforentertainingusinhis splendidfacility.

Carlgivingusthelow-downon hishistoryofrestorationbefore lettinguslooseintheshed.

Carlatthecontrolsofthe oldestinhiscollection,and below,aphotoofthesame tractorinitsworkingheyday.

Thistractorwasusedfordecadesinthe forestasalocomotiveforpullinglogging trainsonthetimbertracksasshown.

Blueandshiny

Blueandshiny

PhotofromDeniseLiddle.

Herdaughterandson-in-lawwereonacyclingtourintheSouthIsland andcameacrossthisinabarn.

ClubmemberWayneThrowermadethewholefrontpageofthe Levinlocalnewspaper,HorowhenuaChronicle,inAugustwhenhe offeredhisMorrisMinorforauctiontoraisefundsfortheCancer

Society.Localbusinessesdonatedservicestogetthecarintip-top condition.KerrysUpholsterydidtheseatsandinterior,Dittmer CollisionRepairrepaintedtheroof,bonnetandbootandSmiths Automotivegotthecarcertified.

ThecarwasmarketedonTradeMe,andtheCancerSocietywere thrilledwiththewinningbidofover$30,000.

GarageRaidon9August

Wehadabusymorning,visitingtwogarages,bothfullofinteresting motorcycles.

ThefirstwasatPeterWaddington’splacewhereweweremostimpressed byhisthreebeautifullyrestoredBSABantams,andanearlyfinishedBSA C10.TwootherBantamsarecurrentlybeingworkedon.

Peter(centre)discussingthe 1962D1inoriginalcolours.

Below:this1962 BantamD1isfinished inthecoloursofthe EnglishGPO.

Above:1959BantamD7 gettingthefinaltouches. Left:1951BSAC10 admiredbyBillLaney.

AfteranhourofoglingwemovedontoWarwickLaing’sgarage.Upon raisedworkstandswereaVelocetteMACandanArielSquareFour,each havingworkdoneonitsengine.NearbywereafinishedVelocetteMAC 350andtwoNortons:a1969Mercury650anda1969Dominator600.

VelocetteonleftandAriel SquareFourbehind,both exposingtheirinnermost secrets.

Above:the500ccVelocette nearingcompletion

Above:Warwickexplaining theworkingsoftheoverhead camcylinderheadforthe ArielSquareFour(right).

MembershipListand25,35and50YearBadges.

Attherequestofourchairman,BillLaney,Iamcurrentlycompilingalist ofallourHorowhenuaBranchmemberswiththeiraddressesandphone numbers,emailaddresses,phonenumbersanddateofjoiningtheclub.We areparticularlyinterestedthatmemberswhohavebeenintheVCCandare eligiblefor25,35or50yearmembershipbadgescompletetheapplication processtoVCCheadoffice.Wehavetheapplicationformsonhand. Wehaveinformationaboutwhenmembershavejoinedourbranch,butif youhavetransferredfromanotherbranchpleaseletusknowthedetails, becauseitisthecumulativetotalyearsofcontinuousmembershipofany branchesofVCCthatisrelevant.

Ifyouareduetoreceiveamembershipaward,orifyouhavenewcontact numbersoraddress,pleasecontactme,DaphneWilliams. Mycontactdetailsareonpage2ofSpark.

TheWorkingBeeinAugustonthe5th,theso-calledcancelledone, becauseofaclashwiththeHotRodSwapMeetatManfeild,wentahead withmembersturningupwhodidn’tknowithadbeencancelled.Justas welltheSparesTeamwasthereinfull.

Infuture,ifmemberswishtohaveanythingcancelled,theyhavetoletthe committeeknowwellaheadoftime,thusallowingtimetoemailmembers tellingthemthatithasbeencancelled.Twotothreedaysnoticeisnoton. Thesecondhalfofthemonthwasspentdealingwithapairoftyrekickers fromMastertonandOamaru.

Thefirstwasaguywhopurchasedthefirstlotofthreewire-spokedFord V8wheels,(whichthechairmangavetheclub)onlytobackoutofthedeal twodayslater,havingnotreadthatthewheelsizewas17inch,not16.

AsfortheguyfromdownsouthwantingthecompleteWhippet4motor, alongwithgearboxandelectrics,westillhaveit.Youjustneedtolearnto answeryourphoneandmessages,asyouneedthisforthatnear-complete 26WhippetRoadster.Afterall,wherewouldyoufindanother?

Theworkingbeewentoffwell,withDontheapprenticeshowingmehow toletoffsteam,orfrustration,byspendingthemorningremovingoldtyres withthetyreremovingmachine.

ThelastthingtoreportisSparespickedupatrailerloadofblocks, crankshafts,headsandamanifoldforaChrysler70duringthecourseof themonth.

OhakeaVisit

Saturday9thdawnedclearandsunnyandpromisedtobeagreatspringday. Wetrickledintotheclubroomstoawaitourbustransportandenjoythat essentialmorningcupofcoffee.

At11am,designatedbustime,wewerelookingforit,whenwespottedit200 yardsdowntheroad—ourdriver,Des,couldnotfindourclubrooms.Aquick sprint,andbuswasparkedoutside.Wehadabigbatterywheelchairwithus, andourdriverhadtherampdown,andSusanloadedinnotime!Most impressed,thosebatteryscootersaresuper-heavy.Allloaded,wepickedupa fewmoreclubmembersatFoxtonandtrundledofftoourlunchspot,Viv’s KitcheninSanson.Wewereactuallyhalfanhourearly,butViv’screwwereup forthis,andIhaveneverseenwaitstaffmovesofast!.Agreatlunch. Nextdoortothelunchvenueisthenewly-openedAmericanashop,selling 1950sAmericanmemorabilia.Worthalook,members,ifyouareupthatway.

Allherdedbackonboardour bus(baabaa),wehadtodoaroll call,astheOhakeagatesecurity peoplearerealfussyonwhogoes in,andwehadtohandthema writtenlistofnamesofthose present,includingourdriver,in additiontothelistIhadsubmitted afewdaysprior.Justaswellwe werealittleearly,ittook20 minutestoprocessusthroughthe gate,includingaphotoI.D.check (driverslicenses).Thenwehadto awaitourescort!Yes,theydon’t letyoudrivearoundbyyourselfin there!

Finally,wearrivedattheevent oftheday:BrendonDeere’s hangars,whereJoeDeere,hisson,wasourhostfortheafternoon.Joeproudly showedustheprivateairplanecollection,givingusadetailedhistoryofeach, includingtheefforts(huge)thatwentintorebuildingeachone.

FirstwastheHarvard,aWW2trainer.Joetoldusthecostsindoinganew engineforthisasithasjustbeenfinished.Youdon’twanttoknow!

Theconductorclippingthetickets

Ourchairman,Bill “Biggles”Laney,gotasit inthetinycockpit,and tellsmethatwasalife’s ambitionfilled!

Next,Joe’sprideandjoy, thefamousSpitfire.This tookfiveyearsto reconstructandthatisa sagainitself.

Imaginebuyingpetrolfor the27litreRollsRoyce Merlinengine!

Nearbyis anex-RNZAF Aermacchijet trainer,just gatheringdust rightnow,and willtakeabit ofworktogetairworthy,asithasbeenparkedupeversinceHelenClarke’s governmentshutdownthejetpartoftheRNZAFbackintheearly2000s.

Ontothebig‘un,anAmericanAvengertorpedobomberfromWW2.These hadacrewofthree,andourRNZAFusedtooperatethem.Thisonewasflyinga fewyearsback,butis nowsansgiantmotor, whichisunderoverhaul. Wewereallfascinated bythewingfolding mechanismonthisplane, alllockpinsandhinges, quiteanengineering feat!Thefoldingwings werenecessaryasthese planeswereflownfrom aircraftcarriers.

Joetookusintothe secondhangar,where hecurrentlyworksrestoringaWW2MustangP51fighter,againex-RNZAF.Now ifyouthinkcarrestorationsareaneffort,justimaginethisjob!Thousandsof rivetsandparts!Allhavetobejustrighttogetcertifiedtofly.Thisplaneispartly finished,motor(Merlin) insitu,alotofopenskin andpanels.Itwasjust backfromtheRNZAF paintshopandJoeand crewshouldhaveitback intheairinaboutayear.

Thishangaralso containsaDeHavillandDovetwin-enginednavigationaltrainerandtransport fromtheearly1950s.ThisoneisnotpartofBrendon’scollection,andisjust usinghangarspace.

Tuckedawayintheback,isanow-surplusex-RNZAFIroquoishelicopter.These wereusedformanyyearsbyourairforce,anddatebacktotheVietnamwarera.

Allinallaveryworthwhilevisit.Wehadtocajolethemoutofthehangarand backonthebusforthehomewardtrip.Everybodyreallyenjoyedthemselves judgingbythebanterandchatteronboard,anditwasreallyquiterelaxingjust sittingbackinthebusbeingchauffeuredaround!

It’samazingjustwhatisouttheretovisit.Wejusthavetofindoutwherethese treasuresarehiding!

ArticlebyJohnWhite,photosbyDeniseLiddle&CallumFarmer

VCCBanners

Thesefabricwindscreenbannersinbluewithgoldletteringare stillavailable.

Thesecanbeusedwhendisplayingyourcaratshowsorrallies. Limitedstocksleftat$10each.OrderfromDesStClare.

LibraryMerchandise

HVCCDashboardStickers-$4

Irononfabricbadges -$3

HVCCblueandwhitecaps-$10

NameBadges(filloutform)-$12

MorrisMinorconvertible,1952,restorationstarted.Needsan enthusiasttofinishthejob.Phone0274512408

JaguarMkVII

Forsalefromdeceasedestate:aJaguarMkVII,1956inmintcondition afterhavingbeenunder restorationfor40years.

Newpanels,upholstery, carpets,seats,bootlining andfivenewtyres.Thecar runswellandisreadyfor COF,althoughthe registrationlapsedyears ago,butownershippapers areavailable.

EnquiriestoBryan

Wellson0212965665.

Early50sMorrisMinor4door. 50,000miles.

Soundbody&wassoundmechanicallywhenputintostorage. Rover95.

Goodrunner&hasbeeninstoragewiththeMorris. Bothhavegoodinteriors.

Opentooffersonboth,whichareinFoxton. RingJohnGrantfordetails.063638099or02102781332.

VWBeetleforsale

1970model,1500cc,27000milesbyonefamily.

Immaculatecondition,stillonoriginaltyres.

Regonhold.$30,000.

ViewinPalmerstonNorth.

Phone0221013988or063579296

WantedforMGTD:

Sparewheelcarrier,speedoandrevcounterset,fueltankcap. CallMarkBennetton0210874416.

Answerto“WhatAmI?”

Stationwagonsbecamepopularfortheirload-carryingabilities.Asthe forestshadnotallbeencutdown,timberwasreadilyavailableanditwas probablyquitecheaptoconstructa“woody”ratherthantooluptoproduce steelbodies,especiallyforthosevehiclesproducedinlowernumbers. ThisoneisaDodgefrom1931andhada6-cylinder,3.5litreenginegiving 74bhp.

RoderickKinghornhasorganisedanaction-packedrunwithsomething tosuitalltastes,

10am Meetforacoffee/morningteaatRedsCafe,5ArthurStreet, Otaki.

ArthurStreetcrossestheoldSH1inthemiddleofOtakineartothe traffic-lightcontrolledpedestriancrossing.ParkingisonArthur StreetorDunstanStreet(whichalsocrossesArthurStreetandruns paralleltotheoldSH1)

10:45am Achoiceofeitheranhourbrowsing Otaki'sfamousoutletshopsORavisittoSWG(Specialised Washers&Gaskets,whoarespecialistsinone-offmanufactureof washersandautomotivegaskets)at28RiverbankRoad,Otaki.

RiverbankRoadrunsofftheoldSH1atthesouthernendofOtakijust beforecrossingtheOtakiRiverbridge.ParkingforSWGison RiverbankRoad.

Afterrememberingtopickupanyoutletshopbrowsers,headsouthto Waikanae.AftercrossingtheOtakiRiverbridgethereisachoiceof usingtheoldSH1viaTeHoro,orjumpingontheExpresswayuntilthe firstoff-rampatPekaPeka.

12:15pm LunchattheOliveGroveCafe,16MaharaPlace,Waikanae, whichhasagoodrangeofcounterfoodormoresubstantialmeals.

EnteringWaikanaeontheoldSH1,taketherightturnintoNgaioRoad atthenewtrafficlightsjustafterpassingNewWorld.ParkonNgaio RoadortakethefirstleftintoMaraeLanewhichleadstoseveral carparks.MaharaPlaceisinthepedestrian-onlyshoppingmallin betweenMaraeLaneandtheoldSH1.

Afterlunch,continuesouthontheoldSH1toParaparaumu.Continue pasttheCoastlandsShoppingCentre,pastWendysandKFC,thenafter about800mturnrightatthenewroundaboutintoRaumatiRoad.Then takethefirstleftintoLorienCourt.

1:30pmVisittotheKapitiChocolateFactoryat5LorienCourt, whichhasitsowncarparkandiswheelchairfriendly.Thereisa chargeof$5perpersonwhichincludesademonstrationofchocolate

making,atalkonthehistoryofchocolate,andthebityouhavebeen waitingfor--thechocolatetasting.Also,thereisafactoryshop whichwecanlookaroundatourleisure.

Allofthevenuesneedadvancenoticeofnumbers,sopleaseletPhil PearceknowbySunday24thSeptemberifyouareinterested injoininginsomeoralloftheabove.

PhilipPearce email: nzpearce87@gmail.com

PaperorEmail?

WiththerecentclosingdownofourprinterinLevin,weareagainlooking atwaystoreducethecostofprintinganddistributingSpark.Currently,all membersreceiveaprintedpapercopy,eitherbyhanddeliverybyvarious clubmembersorbypost.Manyofuswouldprefertohavethemagazine sentbyemailasapdffile.Ofcourse,somemembersdon’thaveaccessto email,andwewillalwayshavethepaperversionmadeavailable. Wemaywellbefed-upwithpollsatthemoment,buthere’sanotherone: Pleaselettheeditorknowinwhichformatyouwishtogetyour Spark.

Phoneortextto0276357336, oremailtobrucejamieson48@hotmail.com. Oryoucanletmeknowataclubnightorclubevent.

BruceJamieson

MidWeekGarage“Raid”

Tobeheldonthe2ndWednesdayofeachmonth(theweekafterclubnight).

MeetoutsideclubroomsonTiroTiroRoadfor9:15amstart.

Thedestinationandinstructionsabouthowtogettherewillbeprovided ontheday

Wewantvolunteerstohostfutureraids.Pleasecontact:

BasilGowenlock063676450email:thegowenlocks@gmailcom orVerdonHeath063683824email:2cv2stroke@gmailcom

Sept 13GarageRaid-Horowhenua

Sept 17ClubruntoHalcombe-Horowhenua

Oct 14MotorcycleRally-Manawatu

Oct 29ClubruntoFeilding-Horowhenua

Nov 26TararuaTrundle-Horowhenua

Dec 10ChristmasDinner-Horowhenua

2024

February17Auction(proposed)-Horowhenua

February18ShannonCarShow

Anyenquiriesto:BruceLawriePhone0274762489