#0134 2022 2022
November 2023
PO Box 458, LEVIN 14 Tiro Tiro Road, LEVIN
Patron Chair Deputy Chair Secretary Treasurer Co-Treasurer Club Captains Committee
Welfare Officer Custodian & Maintenance Spares Team
Library Archives Branch Delegate Spark Editor Spark Distribution VIC Team
Tom Hayes Bill Laney w.a.laney@xtra.co.nz Robin Strachan Sharon Meredith horowhenua@vcc.org.nz Jackie Job jackiejob73@gmail.com Daphne Williams dh.dub@xtra.co.nz Bruce Lawrie
06 367 9445 027 4512408 06 364 6780 021 08543434 027 2011806 06 364 0061 021 02792199 04 293 6803 (W) 04 293 4943 (H) 06 368 3824 022 1601189 027 4509636 06 3647238 06 367 2046 06 368 6891 021 02792199 06 367 2046 027 5674431 027 4509636 06 364 7238
Verdon Heath John White Bill Cottle Callum Farmer Nigel Wheeler Andrew Judd Daphne Williams Nigel Wheeler nigelgwheeler@gmail.com Bill Cottle Callum Farmer callumfarmer77@hotmail.com Rex Williams 022 5114084 Mike Khull 06 363 5633 Jeff Fox 027 4486888 Colin Brooks 04 298 5458 Robert Cammish 027 4441333 Don Macdonald 06 364 8305 George McLean 027 2121705 Robin Strachan 06 364 6780 Diane Strachan 021 468763 John White 022 1601189 Bruce Jamieson 027 6357336 brucejamieson48@hotmail.com 06 825 9102 Murray Tinsley 021 02625971 Verdon Heath, Ivan Horn and Mike Khull
Meeting Branch Night - 1st Wednesday of the month at 7 30 pm Committee Meeting - Last Wednesday of the month at 7 30 pm Working Bee - Saturday following Branch Night at 9 00 am Spare Parts - Open Saturday following Branch Night Club Bank Account No - 03 0667 0269227 00 (Westpac)
Well it’s back to this again. It only seems like yesterday that I did the last one, but of course there has been a thing or two on since. The month highlight was the trip to Feilding, arranged by Colin Geange, and what an experience it was. It does not matter where we go there is always something about the visit that makes it a little bit special, or at least a little different than the last one. I take it that I am no different to anybody else when it comes to visiting someone’s “collection”. I always come away with the thought of “What ever made them start to collect or keep the things they do?” The collection that Colin took us to was absolutely amazing and included a number of ‘mystery things’ for us to scratch the old heads and try to identify. Of course, I had to go a little further than most, (“trouble maker” I hear some saying) and I wanted to hear the Ford Model T going, as it was supposed to be a good runner for a 1917 model. There is no electric starter and although they had tried to crank it, it would not oblige them. I was keen enough to have a go to get it running, and with their permission, after a little bit of this and a bit of that, set up the spark and the throttle right, then a quick whip on the crank handle, and it was away. I then got carried away a little more and demonstrated to those who were still there the principles and system that a Model T uses to get mobile, so down the yard, turn and return, and reverse into the garage where it had been. A great day. Thanks Colin for your effort. The November general meeting was the next activity, and even though there was no speaker, the turn-out was up once again and everybody enjoyed the natter after the meeting, I am sure. I take this opportunity to remind members of the up-coming Tararua Trundle on the 26th November and that entry forms are held by Verdon if required. This is our number-one rally for the year and I can only suggest that it will be worth the effort to take part. To follow this is the Christmas Dinner on the 10th December, which I am sure will be another top event. This event also gives members the opportunity to display any restorations
that may have been completed during the year, so don’t be shy, put it out there. Just a little catch-up from the visit to Biggin Hill recently. They have run up the motor for the first time on the P51 Mustang, so that could soon be in the air. Sounded just perfect!!!!!!!!! That’s it for November. Take care out there.
Bill Laney Swap Meet 2024 Hi there all, The swap meet is not too far away, so we need to start things moving along so we can avoid a last minute rush, and to make sure we have enough people in the correct areas on the day. Therefore, at the next club meeting on 6th Dec, could all of the people who helped out at this year’s swap meet please come along so we can have a get together after the meeting? It will take only a short time: 10 to 15 min. This is very important, as it is our major event for fund raising, and has now become one of the best swap meets in the lower North Island.
Robin Strachan
Paper or Email? I have received about 60 replies from members regarding how they would like to receive Spark. Many of us are happy to have the magazine sent by email as a pdf file. Of course, some members don’t have access to email, and many simply prefer a paper copy, so we will always have the paper version made available by post or hand delivery. Please let the editor know in which format you wish to get your Spark. Phone or text to 027 6357336, or email to brucejamieson48@hotmail.com. Or you can let me know at a club night or club event. Bruce Jamieson
Brucie’s Burblings Events coming up: Sunday 26 November Tararua Trundle by Horowhenua VCC. Our annual motoring event that caters for all members and vehicles. 10 am start from clubrooms. 60 -70 miles in length. Lunch and finish at a SPECIAL PLACE OF INTEREST, somewhere very few will have been to. No passage/silent checks, use of private roads and a range of countryside and roads less travelled on. Participation makes the journey so much more enjoyable. Entry form in this edition of Spark. We require one marshall as a helping hand for this rally. Please contact Verdon. Sunday 10 December Our club Christmas Dinner at the clubrooms. Cost to you: $30 each. Please pay to club account by Friday 1st December. 19 to 22 January, 2024 Wellington Anniversary Weekend events at Wanganui. On Friday 19th is the Monte Carlo Rally , where you select your own start point and route to end up at Wanganui. This time there is a new organiser, there will be no going over the hill to the Wairarapa, lunch stop will be in Feilding. A popular event to enjoy the drive to Wanganui for the fun over the rest of the weekend. No entry fee. All we need is your name and email address. Wellington VCC members will be participating as well. Entry details in December edition of Spark, or contact Verdon. Sunday 25 February, 2024 Ted Green Memorial Motorcycle Rally. Our only annual motorcycle rally for our two-wheeled enthusiasts. Some different roads this time for you to enjoy. Entry forms in Spark November issue. Again, we will require several helping hands on the day, please contact Verdon.
Bruce Lawrie & Verdon Heath
Speaker for December
We don’t have a speaker for next month, so it’s up to you to enjoy a night of sparkling repartee (or b…s…) among yourselves. There was plenty of this at the last two club nights, with big numbers of members attending.
New Club Members
Kevin and Louise Fleming came to our October club night. They have a Rover P6 which they have just finished restoring.
Recovering
We have had no reports of any new accidents or illnesses, so good news. Of course, there are still a few members waiting for their operations or next treatment, and we know that this happens too much these days. Hang in there.
Sadly Missed
It is with sadness we record the passing of two long time members of the club, although for health reasons had not been current members. Bernie Ramlose joined the club in its very early days, and as a practical and self-taught man, learned panel beating, motor rebuilding, painting, electrical work and upholstery. With these skills he restored many cars, including a 1928 Reo, 1929 Plymouth coupe, three Jaguar E-Types, Tom Hayes’ Harley Davidson motorcycle, several Austin 7s and built a replica Mercedes Benz SS roadster. Neil Bowater, another member from way back, had a Citroen Light 15 which was well known around Levin for many years. We pass our condolences to their surviving wives and families.
Cover Picture Reflections.
If you remember in the last mag I was asking for information regarding transferring data from VHS tapes to DVDs. Well a big thank-you to all who came with information regarding this. However, we don’t need to do this now, as our new and wonderful TV has it all built in. GREAT STUFF. Don’t forget, we still have workshop manuals to give away. Don’t miss out. Come in and ask, we may have what you are looking for. At present we have no stock of the blue and yellow windscreen banners for shows. They are on order and should be here soon. JOKE: Customer asked .…”Excuse me sir, but I need a new dipstick for my car please.” Sales person asked.…”Whats wrong with the old one that you have?” Customer.…”The one that I have does not reach the oil any more.”
Robin and Diane Strachan
Club Run to a museum in the Manawatu.
Chairman Bill Laney wrote about this trip in his column. Here are some photos:
Fascinating! You really should have been here.
Photos by George McLean and Bruce Jamieson
MEREDITH ELECTRICAL LIMITED For all your electrical requirements including: New Homes, Dairy farms, Maintenance, Repairs and all general electrical work.
Give Richard a ring on 027 4415464
Answer later in this issue of Spark
Our Club Patron, Tom Hayes, recently visited his ancestral home in Ireland. “Have that timber up on the top floor by lunchtime, Tom. There will be a bottle of Jameson in it.”
Sent to us by Peter Nightingale
Garage Raid on 11 October We visited Robin Strachan’s garage. He is working on several projects including an Austin Farina race car and an Austin 7 special. He also has a Reliant Scimitar to restore. He went to demonstrate the Reliant engine running but couldn't get it to start. This was traced down to a loose battery connection.
“Leave it to us, Robin. We’ll sort it out.”
Story and photos by George McLean
KAPITI MID-WEEK RUN TO PANHEAD BREWERY 25th OCTOBER 17 members spent an interesting few hours at the "Home of hot-rods and Harleys", part of the Brewtown complex in Upper Hutt. After having lunch and tasting a few Panhead products (it would have been rude not to), we were given a talk by Panhead's "Innovation Brewer". He is the man responsible for brewing small batches of new recipes to be judged by Panhead's in-house tasting panel. And before you ask, yes, members of the panel do get paid for this arduous job, and no, they are not recruiting. We were shown the pilot brewery where these new recipes are brewed in 100 litre batches. If a new recipe is approved by the in-house tasting panel, the rest of the batch is then sold in Panhead's Tasting Room to judge its popularity with craft-beer drinkers. Only a very small percentage make it to large-scale production to become one of Panhead's core range. Total production of the core range is now around 2 million litres per year -- not bad for a craft brewery started up by a hot-rod and Harley fanatic just 10 years ago.
October 2023 It’s with deep sadness that I must mark the passing of Bill Butters in his 95th year. Bill joined the Horowhenua Vintage Car Club Spares Department in 2005, with the recruitment of a new team ahead of the new clubrooms and Spares Area. He would go on to become a very well respected member of the Spares Team for many years, not only for his knowledge of all things automotive, but for his handling of difficult customers on Swap Meet days as well, before his retirement. The Working Bees have been quiet over the last three months, which has been a good thing in some ways, as it has allowed us to tidy the place up a bit. The only thing of serious interest coming across the doorway in the last month has been a small trailer load of Ford Anglia 105E parts from Shannon. Safe Motoring Everyone
Callum
The Sunbeam Club in Wellington recently completed a Garage Raid Day to various garages of interest. One garage was Mission Hall. This is a company specialising in various media, including branding, design, publication, print and digital media. More importantly one of the company founders has a collection of extremely interesting motor vehicles. These are outstanding Volkswagen and Porsche cars all of which had been tastefully modernised or modified! Beautiful examples of aesthetically pleasing restored cars. And fast!! Toward the conclusion the fella offered several copies of a publication they had professionally produced. The book is titled ‘The Trekka Dynasty’. These were quietly handed out should anyone be interested. An introduction about the book sounded just like something that ought to be in the Library of a Vintage Car Club, I thought. The soft cover book told the intricate story in fine detail of the emergence of Trekka in New Zealand. It encompasses the entire story and eventual demise of the marque. Any enthusiast will be aware of the Skoda based utility vehicle, New Zealand’s only mass-produced vehicle. One copy has found its way into the possession of our Librarian Robin Strachan. It will forever be available to members from our branch library. Sunbeam members who have read ‘The Trekka Dynasty’ rate the book as a must read. An easy read and a real memory jogger from our recent past motoring history.
It covers specific detail on the establishment of a concept, the foundation of a company, the lobbying of Government and eventual production of the vehicle and its trials and tribulations. It is the interweaving of the wheeling and dealing fortunes of the Turner family, New Zealand’s industrial ambitions, and the paranoia of the Cold War Era, in which even car manufacturers became ‘subjects of interest’ for spies! A great read full stop! The book is immaculately presented along with a specially made dust cover illustrating the chassis and lubrication chart. The book is brand new. Also included were two other books in the same condition. These are available to purchase from Robin, and you could if cheeky enough, negotiate a price and purchase one of the two examples for yourself or someone you know, deserving of an informative read. Be in before these go, they could well be an excellent gift for the Trekka nutter you know!
From Mark Gibson
FOXTON FLING The Foxton Fling is an annual event featuring a wide range of entertainment and displays. Returning after a two-year layoff, a crowd reckoned to be in excess of 5000 people attended. Our club had been invited to show some of our cars, and we were allocated a site near the windmill.
Photos by George McLean
VCC Banners These fabric windscreen banners in blue with gold lettering are still available. These can be used when displaying your car at shows or rallies. Limited stocks left at $10 each. Order from Des StClare. Library Merchandise
HVCC Dashboard Stickers Iron on fabric badges HVCC blue and white caps Name Badges (fill out form)
$4 $3 $10 $12.50
SOUTHWARDS COFFEE AND CARS FIRST DAY OF THE 23 / 24 SEASON WHAT A DAY! Weather perfect for the opening day of the season on 8th October. At 9am there were around 30 cars here, but by 10am the gates had to be closed due to the grounds being full, with cars still arriving at the Otaihanga venue, and the queue of cars winding back down to Paraparaumu.
We just loved these two Minis. Brent and Susan James
Answer to “What Am I?” Crowds gather to marvel at the new Ford Model Y at a London dealer in 1932..
PARKING
KAPITI MID-WEEK RUN – WEDNESDAY 29 NOVEMBER VILLA CANDOTTI ITALIANATE GARDENS - COLYTON On Wednesday 29 November we are visiting Villa Candotti gardens in Colyton, Manawatu. The owners of Villa Candotti created a spectacular garden in the Italian style. Previously the land had been sheep paddocks. The large grounds have many varieties of trees and flowering shrubs. All the flowers will be in abundance in November. The cost is $10 per person.
The itinerary is:
Arrive 10.30am:
Parking is available on the property in an adjacent paddock. There is assistance available for motorised wheel chairs.
Morning tea (optional at $10 per person).
Guided tour of the gardens.
BYO picnic lunch in the gardens (under cover if necessary).
Depart at your leisure.
Route instructions will be forwarded to participants prior to 29 November. Please let Phil Pearce know if you are coming by Friday 24 November. Phil’s contact details are 027-274-4084 and nzpearce87@gmail.com.
From Mark Gibson
Monte Carlo Rally 2024
If club members are travelling to the Annual Whanganui Rally on the long weekend, 20 -22 January 2024 please consider entering the Annual Monte Carlo Rally. Date: Friday 19 January 2024 Time: 9 am at one of the Destination on the sheet which will be provided to you closer the time. Lunch: 12 noon Manawatu VCC Rooms, 684 Kelvin Grove, Palmerston North. Finish: 4 pm, 151 London Motel, 151 London Street, Whanganui. Entries Close: Saturday 13 January 2024. Should you have any questions please contact Verdon Heath Phone 06 3683824 Entry Form Name: Mobile Phone: Email Address: Vehicle Make: Model: Year: Reg No: Class:
Email to: 2cv2stroke@gmail.com
BIG CARS - SMALL PEOPLE
Last month we saw an advertisement for a 1960s Pontiac making the car look larger than life. Here the Morris appears absolutely grand when scaled against the rather elegant woman driver.
CALENDAR of COMING EVENTS Nov 26 Tararua Trundle - Horowhenua Dec 10 Christmas Dinner - Horowhenua 2024 January 19-22 Rally Weekend - Wanganui February 17 Auction (proposed) - Horowhenua February 18 Shannon Car Show February 25 Ted Green Motorcycle Rally - Horowhenua Any enquiries to: Bruce Lawrie Phone 027 4762489
TAIL LIGHTS
ISSN
the print bureau 06 367 9330