VCC HOREWHENUA SPARK JULY 2023

ForsomereasonIfindthatattimestheredoesnotseemtobeanythingthat isworthwritingaboutandyetinthebackgroundtherealwaysseemstobe amessagethatIwanttogetthroughtoasingleperson,orsometimes,a numberofpeople.

Icanseeyounow,“what’shetalkingabout?”youaskyourself.

WellIguessthatIwillhavetoexplainmyselfalittlebetter.Yousee,I lookatwhatishappeningintheclubgenerallyandIwonderjusthow manypeoplereallytakethetimetothinkoftheworkthatgoesintoevery monthbythememberswhoaretheremakingitallhappenforus,the membership,andwhattheygetinreturnforalltheireffort.

Theclubmeetingnumbershavebeengoodrecentlyandseemtobe increasing,thesocialworkingbeeontheSaturdaymorningwaswell attended,andyetwhenitcametotheNightOwl,tomethenumbersseem tobelackingalittle.Ihavetoadmitthattheweatheronthedaywasnot thebest,howeveritwasoneofthoseactivitiesthatdidnotrequiregetting outofthecarforanythingduringthecourseoftheevent.

Therallywasalotoffun,andtheafter-matchgatheringwasalsovery different,anditwasgoodtoseethatJohnandCallumhadputalotof effortintomakingitallfun,buthereisthepointofmydiscussiontoday. Tometherewasashortageofnumbersattending.Itwasgreattosee membersofotherbranchesattendingandsupportingourevent.The winnersasIsawit,turnedouttobeDes,PaulineandBruce,butImustsay Ididnotgetmyheadaroundthemannerinwhichthewinnerwasdecided. Irestmycase.

Whatisitthatwearemissing,notgettingrightorjustnotmaking attractiveenoughtogetyououtandbeingpartofwhatIhavefoundtobe somuchfun?Ilookforwardtothecompanyandenjoythecamaraderie thatisgeneratedbygettingtogetherfortheseevents,andencouragemore clubmemberstojoinin.

BillLaney

Brucie’sBurblings

Whatagreatoccasionitwasrecentlywithseveralmembers receivingwell-earnedserviceawards,anditwasnotedthatthey hadalljustbeenquietlyworkingawaybehindthescenesfor years.Themid-winterdinnerwasthefittingtimetocelebrate theirservice.No,Ihavenotforgottenthe50-yearbadge presentedtoPeterNightingaleattheAGM.Congratulations Peter.

TimeisnearforourannualNightOwlRally.Thistimeit hasbeenorganisedbyCallumfromSpares.Idaresaywewill belookingforoldheadlightsandcrankshaftsinsteadofsilent checks,butthatiswhatmakesourBranchRalliesdifferentand entertaining.Ofcourse,bringyourclubeligiblevehicle,butif thatisnotpossiblebringyourmodern,itismoreimportantthat youarethereratherthanyourcar.Thisclubismadeupof peoplefirstwhohaveacommoninterestinoldvehicles.

Asalways,havefundrivesafe

Improveyourskills

TheManawatuBranchisrunningalectureonstraightline navigationonSunday23Julyattheirclubroom.Startsat2:00pm, andaftersomeinstructionashorttestcoursewillbeset.

BruceLawrie

SpeakerforAugust

GuestspeakerforAugustisTimCostley.AlthoughheistheNationalParty candidatefortheOtakielectorate,hewillnotbecampaigning,buttalking tousabouthiscareerflyingintheRoyalNewZealandAirForce.

NewClubMembers

ChrisFlanagin(lady)hasa1967FordAnglia105E-restored. IanPikehasacollectionofBSAs,onewithasidecar.

MarkBennetthasbeenamemberforawhile,andwasfinallyabletomakeitto aclubmeeting.HehasanMGBingoodrunningconditionandanMGTDunder restoration.

Recovering

TomHayes,PeterBlacklock,DonMcIntyrehaveallbouncedbackfromrecent medicalevents.

Thanks

LindaandPauline,whoruntherafflesatourclubnights,wishtothankthe membersoftheclubwhokeepondonatingtheprizes.

CoverPicture

Feelingcoldlastmonth?MaybeyoushouldtakeaholidayinFlorida.

Becausethecollectionofbooksissovaluable, newsecuritydoorshavebeeninstalled.

Averybigthankstoallwhodroppedoffbooksandmags.It’snicetosee stuffthatwedon’thavealready,andthatgivesusplentyofsortingahead. Wewillgetitdoneasap.Ithasalsobeenaslowtaskgettingridof unwantedbooks.

Ifyouarelookingforsomethingandcannotfindit,ASKUS.Alsoaskfor yourfriends,nextdoorneighbours,family.Theremaybesomethinghere thatmayhelpthem.

RobinandDianeStrachan

MID-WINTERLUNCH

On25thJune,fiftyclubmembersmetattheclubroomsto celebrateMid-Winterbyhavingajollygoodnosh-up,catered byRaewyn’sCafe.

Aswellastheusualsuperbfood,wealsonotedimportant milestonesforseveralofourmembers.

WilfandAlisonMilner,NormMcBreartyandBruceJacobhave allbeenmembersfor35years,andWayneThrowerhasclocked up25years.

Ourclubpatron,TomHayes,presentedtheirbadges.

Theclubroomsalldressedupcafe-style

BruceandAileenJacobwithNormandGailMcBrearty

BruceJacoblooksa bitbemusedwhen receivinghisbadge.

NormMcBrearty andTomHayes allsmiles.

AlisonandWilf Milnerwiththeir badgespresentedby TomHayes.

his25yearbadge.

WayneandDianeThrowerwithAlisonandWilfMilner

WayneThrowergets

Theguestsofhonourfirstuptothebuffet, whiletherestwonderwhat’stakingthemsolong

Isentoffapictureofmyselfalldressedup tomymatesandgotsomecommentsback:

YoushouldhaveborrowedaMason'sapron Areyousellingvacuumcleanersnow?

Looksgreattogoandworkonyourcars!

Dressedlikeacarsharkwaitingforvictims!

Alldresseduplikeapoxdoctor'sassistant!

Idon'thaveanymatesnow!'nuffsaid!

GeorgeMcLean

Dinnerisoverandnowwewaitfordessertandhaveagoodchat.

BusTrip

MoredetailsonatripuptoOhakeaBigginHillMuseum,whereBrendonDeere hasquiteacollectionofwarbirds.Wewillboardthebus(wecannottakeour owncarsontothebase)atourclubroomonSaturday9thSeptemberat10:30 andheaduptoViv’sCafeinSansonforlunch.At2:00wewillbetakentoOhakea. YoumustbookwithJohnWhite-0221601189.Thecostis$20each,cashon theday,forbushire(lunchnotincluded)andyoumustbringphotoIDcard, whichmightberequestedatthegate.

JohnWhite

Speakingofaircraft:

ADC-10hadcomeinalittlehotandthushadanexceedinglylongrollout aftertouchingdown.

SanJoseTowernoted:"American751,makeahardrightturnattheendof therunway,ifyouareable.Ifyouarenotable,taketheGuadalupeexitoff Highway101,makearightatthelightsandreturntotheairport."

JohnWhite

The“National”Car

InNovember1948,thefirstHolden,theModelFX,wasintroducedasthe"NationalCar ofAustralia",sotheadvertisingwentat thetime.

Butwasitreallythe"national"car designedandmanufacturedinAustralia? Therewereseveralpreviousattemptsto produceandbuildAustraliancars.Twoof theseweredesignedinAustralia.Onemet withsomepossiblesuccessbeforeits demiseandtheotherfailedtomeetfull production.

Thefirstattempttobuilda whollyAustraliancarwascalled the"Roo",madebytheRoo MotorCarCompanyinSydney. ItwasdesignedbyRupert JeffkinsandW.B.Foulisandtwo prototypeswereproduced betweenin1917and1919. Theywerepoweredbytwincylinderair-cooledhorizontallyopposedmotorsdesignedand builtbyFoulis.

ArunfromSydneyto

Melbourneandbackwasmadebytheseprototypes,delivering45-50mpg.Itwas expectedtoretailatabout195pounds,comparabletotheFordModelTpriceatthat time.

LandwaspurchasedinSydneyforaproductionfactory,butitwasnevercompleted. Thesolicitorfinancingtheventuredecidedtopullout,collapsingthecompany altogether.

Thesecondcarscheduledtobeproducedwascalledthe"SouthernCross",whichwas manufacturedinaverylimitedquantityofbetweenfourandmaybeten,althoughno recordexistsoftheactualnumbersconstructed.

Thecarwaspoweredbyaflat-fourengineof2340ccdeveloping60bhp.Theenginewas designedbyWilliamFouliswhohaddesignedandbuiltthe"Roo"carmentioned previously.

Thecarrananearlymechanicaltypeofautomatictransmission.

Ithadnochassis,butwasofunitaryconstructionwithcomponentsbolteddirectlyonto thebody.

ThechairmanofthecarcompanywasSirCharlesKingsford-Smithofaeronauticalfame whochampionedthemanufactureofthecar.

ThecarcompanyfounderedwiththedeathofSirCharlesinanaircrashin1935 NoexampleexistsoftheKingsford-SmithSouthernCrossmotorcartoday.

(TriumphalsomarketedacarinAustraliaaroundthistimeandcalledita"Southern Cross".)

NewZealand,too,hashaditsfairshareof nationalcars,themostsuccessfulofthesebeing theTrekka,usingSkodarunninggearmounted ontoaN.Z.designedbody.

OneofthereasonsforintroducingtheTrekka wasthatonethirdofthecostoverseasfunds wasnotrequiredtopurchasealocallyproduced vehicle,whichinturnhelpedtosupportTrekka sales.Oncetheoverseasfundsrequirement lapsed,salesfortheTrekkadwindledafterproductionfrom1966-73

Therewasalsothestrangelooking"Duzgo"that wentintolimitedproductiondowntheWest Coast.Itwasprimarilyafarmvehicle,butwas alsofitforroaduse.

AnothercaroriginallydesignedtogointoN.Z. productionwastheAnzielNova,introducedby theGibbsbrothersinAucklandandbasedona designbytheReliantCarCointheU.K. Productionwasscheduledtostartin1966.

AnimportlicensewasrequiredfortheU.K.runninggear,butthelicensewasdeclinedby theMinisterofTradeatthetime,on thebasisoffallingtradeexportsand thereforeabalanceoftradefunding problemexistedwiththeGovernment. Establishedmotorassemblyplantsalso hadtheirimportlicensesreduced, causingtheAnzielNovaprojectto finallyfail.

Willthereeverbea"national"cardevelopedforN.Z.inthefuture?

Doubtfulnow!

GeorgeMcLean

FordV8-1932

Probablyhasnotretaineditsoriginalflathead.

ClubRun

Ihave(aftercheckingwithVerdon)arrangedacluboutingto visitCarlLutz’stractormuseuminRahuiRd,OtakionSunday 13August.Thiswillbealate-morningjob,withBYOlunchat Carl’sbigshed.Wewilltakesometeaandcoffee,etcsoasnot tobeaburdenonCarl.(Heis97,andalong-standingclub member)

Departfromourclubroomsat10:30am.Membersfromsouth ofOtakimeetusatBPOtakiat11:00andwewillallproceedto Carl’sproperty.

JohnWhite

FISHERMAN'STABLEATPAEKAKARIKI

ReportfromBruceJamieson

AgoodcrowdturnedupforlunchattheFisherman’sTablerestaurant.A commentoftenheardwas“Haven’tbeenhereforages.Alwaysknewit wasgood,andpleasedtofindoutthatitstillis.”

Timetogo,butafterthebiggestdessertseverseen, someofuscouldhardlystandup

Ifyoudon’ttrysomethingnew,youwillneverknowifitwillwork.

WiththatIwishtocongratulateeverymemberoftheHorowhenuaBranch whotookpartintheSpareParts’firsteverWinterSale.Wemaydoitall againnextyear.

Themajorhighlightofthedaywasthereunionofafamilyfromthe Wairarapawiththeirdaughter’sweddingcar,a1938ChevroletSedan, whichhadgonetothefarnorth,butisnowbackinLevin.

WetookdeliveryofatrailerloadofMorrisMinorparts,andwiththese partswere(4)earlyFordV8wheel rims,sizetwoandthreequarterinches, plusanother(3)ofthreeandaquarter inches,alsoearlyFordV8.

Onclubnightwetookdeliveryofaute loadof1929DeSotoparts,alongwith afueltankfromaChrysler66withits topmetalprotection.

PARKING

Toughpeopledrivetheirconvertiblesallthroughthewinter,butthey shouldremembertomovethembeforethesnowploughcomesalong.

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.

SometimeagoIwasafteroldcarpartsorwhatevertomakesomesort ofaoldracer.Sothankstoallwiththeiroffersofparts.Ihave purchasedanAustin7,withquiteafewpartsaswell,butwillbeonthe lookoutformorepartsastimegoesby.

Ifyoucanhelp,givemeacallon06-3646780andwecantalkitover.

RobinStrachan

Early50sMorrisMinor4door.

50,000miles.

Soundbody&wassoundmechanicallywhenputintostorage. Rover95. Goodrunner&hasbeeninstoragewiththeMorris.

Bothhavegoodinteriors.

Opentooffersonboth,whichareinFoxton.

RingJohnGrantfordetails.063638099or02102781332.

AutoElectricianwanted.Doesanyoneknowofagoodonebetween PoriruaandPalmerstonNorth?

RobMcIntyre-0276221275orchout.rider@gmail.com

ANIRISHMOTORISTASKED---------------“Sir,canIinsuremycaragainst lossbyfire?”

INSURANCESALESPERSON-------”Certainlysir,andwhynotconsider insuringagainsttheftaswell?”

MOTORIST--------------”Don’tbesosilly.Whowouldstealaburningcar?”

FromRobinStrachan

Answerto“WhatAmI?”

Bentley1937-41/4

DonaldCampbellboughtthisBentleyinFebruary1949,atwhichtimeit waspaintedsilver,buthavingoriginallybeenblack.Heownedmanycars duringhislifetime,keepingthisoneforonlyoneyear.Manyofhis vehicleswerepaintedblue,andhehadaStChristopherbadgemade,which isstillinpositiononthedashboard.Thenextownerkeptthecarfor37 years,thenitwaskeptinstorageforsomeyearsbeforetheLakeland Museumpurchasedit.Duringitscomprehensiverestorationitwasdecided topainttheBentleyin“BluebirdBlue”andasuitableradiatormascotwas acquired.

FromJackieJob

Doesitreallymatter?

AoccdrnigtorsceearhatanElingshuinervtisy,it deosn’tmttaerinwhatodrertheltteersinawordare; theonlyiprmoetnttihngisthatthefristandlsatlteters areattherghitpclae.

Thersetcanbeataotlmsesandyoucanstillraedit wouthitporbelm.Thisisbcuseaewedonotraedervey lteterbyistelf,butthewrodasawlohe.

Socheckyourcar’sbadgetomorrow.ItmightbeFrod, Himllan,CyrleshrorMragon.OrdoyouhaveaDgode, HmeburorCevlrehot?OrmaybeaMriors,Vxahlaul, Ptumoylh,Astiun,PckraadorevenaCdiallac?

FromBruceJamieson

WanganuiRally

LastmonthwehadareportfromDonMcLarenabouttheWanganui AnnualRally.Nowwehavesomephotos.

Ourteamatthedinneraftertherally. Back:DeniseLiddle,DonMcLaren, JulieRiepen,WinBishop, Front:BillLaney,Ada&ElveryHunt, DaphneWilliams.

JulieRiepenmodellingtheoutfit whichwonhertheprizefor “BestDressedWoman”.

PhotosfromDeniseLiddle

WELLINGTONVINTAGEMACHINERYCLUB--MANGAROA,UPPERHUTT

Ifyouhaven'tbeenherebeforeyou'llbesurprisedhowmuchthereistosee,andhowwell itisalldisplayed.Itisn'tjustbigboys'toys,andit'sallhousedinwhatwasadairyand cheese-makingfactory,itselfclosetoahundredyearsold.Itisusuallyonlyopentothe publiconSundays,buttheyareopeningespeciallyforusonthe26th.Thefollowinggivesa tasteofthewiderangeofequipmentanddisplays,someofwhichwillbestartedupand runforustosee,

Areplicaofakitchenandlaundryroomfromacenturyago

Aroomwithalltheequipmenttypicalofanearlydairy/cheesemakingfactory

Collectionofearlycashregistersandtypewriters

Stationaryengines,theearliestfrom1907,andevenonemadeinPetonebyTwiggandCo AhugeaircompressorfromtheoldDunlopfactory

Dieselgeneratorsets,includingonewhichpoweredagunbatteryinWW2

AshedfullofearlytractorsandaBristolbulldozer

Collectionofearlylawnmowersandchainsaws

PetrolanalysisequipmentfromtheoldShelllaboratories

Steam-poweredsawmillfromOdlinsTimberMill

Steamtractionengine

Ex-MayerandToyestampingpresswhichproducedthemedalsforthe1950EmpireGames

TIMING-theyareopeningforusfrom10amtomidday,soarriveasearlyorlateasyou like.

FACILITIES-therearetoiletsandalsoacomfortablelunchroomwherewecanmake ourselvesacupoftea/coffee(everythingprovided)andhaveasitdown

COST-entryisfreebutasmalldonationwouldbewelcomed

DIRECTIONS-followSH2northbound,continuingpasttheUpperHuttturn-offs.Atthe lasttrafficlightstaketherightturnsignpostedtoMangaroaValley.Immediatelyafterthe trafficlightsturnleftontoMangaroaHillRoadandfollowitfor2-3kmupandoverthehill. TheolddairyfactoryisontheleftjustafterthebridgeovertheMangaroariver.

PARKING-thereisparkingforupto20carsongrassinsidethegate,butifwehaveabig turnoutsomecarsmayneedtoparkonthevergealongsidetheroad.

LUNCH-12:00to12:30pmattheBoulcottFarmCafewhichhasahugecarparkand plentyofchoicetoeat,fromcounterfoodtoafullmenuofhotmealsandsalads.Itisalso

inalovelysettingwithhugewindowslookingoutoverthegolfcourse.Tableswillbe reservedforus.

DIRECTIONSTOLUNCH-FromtheMachineryClub,retraceyourstepsbacktoSH2to headsouth(itisatrickyjunctionexitingMangaroaHillroadsopleasetakeextracare)Stay onSH2pasttheSH58HaywardsHillinterchangeandtakealeftattrafficlightssignposted forAvalon/Seaview/Fairway.CrossovertheHuttRiverandattheroundabouttakethe3rd exitontoHighStreet(signpostedtoHuttHospital).Takethe4throadontheright,Military Road,justbeforereachingtheHospital.TheGolfClub/Cafebuildingisthenaheadofyou withabigcarparktotheright.

WedoneedtoknownumbersforboththeVintageMachineryClubandthecafe,soplease letmeknowifyouarecomingbySunday23rdJuly

PhilipPearceemail:nzpearce87@gmail.commob:0272744084

MidWeekGarage“Raid”

Starting12thJuly

TobeheldWednesdaymorningtheweekafterclubnight2ndWednesdayofthemonth

Meetat14TiroTiroRdLevinonroadside,outsideclubroomsfor915amstart

Visitclubmembersshedsifpossible,all“Raids”tobevehiclerelated.

BYOmorningtea(Nocateringarranged)

Bringalonganon-VCCmatewithavehicleinterestifpossibleFuturemember/clubgrowth Useyourclubvehicleonthedayifpossible

SharedOrganisationThedestinationandhowtogettherewillbeprovidedontheday (nopre-release)

Beforedeparturetheorganisercallsforavolunteertobenextmonth's“Raid”organiser. Ifno-onevolunteersthenthecurrentdayorganiserhastherighttonominateanattendeeasthe followingmonth's“Raid”organiserThefutureofthiseventrequiresparticipationofallthoseattending CurrentdayorganiseristogiveabriefreporttoclubmembersatthenextgeneralClubMeeting Awrittenreportwouldhavetoappearinthenextmonth’sSparkaseditor/printingdeadline willnotbemetforthecurrentmonth

IsuggestinitiallyitberestrictedtothewiderLevinareatokeepitsimpletoattendandreturnhome Astheeventdevelopsthosetakingpartmaydecidebyconsensustotravelfurtherafieldandcar-share

Finishanddepartforhomelatemorning–say11.30am.

Toensure“Raid”sitesecuritywherevisitedandwhatseen NoPostingOnSocialMediaegfacebook,etc

Provisionofafewpictures/writeuptotheSparkEditoroptionalandencouragedallthesame.

Iampreparedtoorganisethefirst“Raid”onthebasisofthesesuggestions Thewholeideaisthatit–

RunsItselfOrganisationally Simple/AgreedFormat

BasilGowenlock063676450email:thegowenlocks@gmailcom

July 12ShedRaid-Horowhenua

July 21-23DecoRally-HawkesBay

July 23Courseonstraightlinenavigation-Manawatu

July 26KapitiMid-WeekRun:VintageMachineryClub,U.H.

July 30Mangatainoka-TuiBrewery-JapaneseCars

August13ClubRuntoCarlLutz’smuseum-Horowhenua

Sept 9 BusTriptoOhakea-Horowhenua

Anyenquiriesto:BruceLawriePhone0274762489