HISTORIC RACING and SPORTS CAR CLUB
Annual Luncheon.
Moxie Restaurant: It’s that time again. The annual HRSCC event. Come and celebrate with family and friends. NZFJR, NZHFF and Waitemata branch VCC members are cordially invited to share the occasion. Sunday, 13th August 2023
From 12 noon at 82 HINEMOA STEET Birkenhead Point. $69 per head however, if you are a financial member of the HRSCC then your meal is subsidised by the club to the tune of $5. Enjoy a main and dessert. PLEASE confirm your attendance by paying to HRSCC bank a/c before 26 July - 38-9016-0855290-00
When you pay into the bank, please use your name as a reference and email Nigel nigel@ecpltd.co.nz to know you will be attending. If your membership has lapsed get your subs in immediately. To keep things clear for the treasure please pay the membership subscription and lunch separately
An invitation from the Daimler SP250 club.
SUNDAY 17th SEPTEMBER
RUM RUN
MEET at KING GEORGE CORONATION HALL CARPARK 1 LIBRARY LANE, ALBANY
1.15pm for 1.30pm depart time
Note that there will be about a 1 hour run from Albany through Greenhithe and Glenfield on back residential roads followed an interesting talk and tour of a boutique rum distillery. This will be followed with rum tasting, coffee and biscuits.
Tour cost is $20-00 per person with $10 off any purchases
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The Cooper of Morley
By Morley Faulkner. (A Triumph-ant Person)
I chap called Dick Soames owned the Cooper and had fitted a Buick V8 (now Rover V8) but due to an engine blow up during the Tourist Trophy meeting at Silverstone , had decided to sell the rolling chassis. The history of the car was unknown to me at the time of purchase.
I bought the car less engine and gearbox. Now to find a V8 engine, which were as rare as hen’s teeth in UK during the 1960’s. My mind turned to the stock car racers who seem to have their sources. I went to my local stock car race meeting and later went to the pits, to approach a guy who had the fastest V8 powered car there. Johnny Pratt. I was also set on getting a Chev engine. A talk with Johnny revealed he had a spare engine. So, I arranged to go and meet him that week.
At his farm he showed me an engine from a Chev Bel-Air. Whilst discussing payments I noticed he had a brand-new Triumph Herald. I told him I worked for Triumph. He said if I could get him a set of disc brakes the engine was mine. Next day the deal was done.
I now had my engine. I stripped down and began to replace piston rings and bearings. In the meantime, one of the lads in experimental turned the flywheel down from about 18” dia. to 10” a massive weight saving. The boys at Lockheed made me up a 10” double plate clutch. Seeking to improve the performance I thought it a good idea to fit solid lifters. I asked Dennis Barbett (designer and developer of the Stromberg Carburettor) if he could help. He said, leave it to me. A couple of days later he bought my lifters back and said all done. He had filled them with Araldite and cured them in an oven. (They worked perfectly and never gave any trouble). Next a gearbox was required. I answered an advert in Autocar for an
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Silverstone in the wet.
Ersa box. (a Citroen box used upside down, built by Jack Knight.) I eventually took it to Jack Knight for a rebuild. Again, it never gave trouble. A Triumph 2000 radiator was squeezed into the nose cone.
By now I was beginning to learn more of the history of the car, not knowing how legendary it would become. Engine built, gearbox fitted, and all slotted into chassis, time to start it.
We lived in a cul-de-sac with an ash covered entry at the back which gave access to our garage. The big day we pushed the car out of the garage and pointed it down the entry. The lads gave me a good push, and low and behold it fired up. What a noise with just 8 stack pipes. My car was probably pushing about 200hp against other Cooper-Chev’s 375hp. My hero was Chris Summers Cooper-Chev.
I teamed up with my Mate Bob Walton who had bought the ex- Mike Hailwood Lotus 24, as he worked for Rootes experimental, he could source Ford V8’s. We bought a 1947 Bedford transporter and spent most weekends toing and froing to various race meetings. Needless to say, we had a ball.
Bob and I left to go to South Africa. I left my car with a mate for the next 6 years. I then sold it. It then passed through various hands until it was acquired by the Miles-Collier Museum in Florida. Now fitted with its original Coventry-Climax motor. It was the First rear engine F1 car to win a GP. Begs the question how much it is worth today. I sold it for BP 250 in 1972.
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Extract from Arthur Owens book, “The Racing Coopers”.
Ask the computer to make the print larger, or the assistance of a young one/person.
Allan, a motorsport competitor for over 65 years first competed in the Auckland Car Club hillclimb series at Muriwai driving a 1933 Ford Y, 8 hp. Allan also ran this car in the
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When owned by Robert Keeghan.
Farewell to Alan Woolf
Indianapolis and Hepolite car trials. This little rocket had run in the Ardmore Grand Prix meeting in 1956 and also at the Ohakea airfield race. Many saloon car races followed e.g., the GTX series driving a Holden GTR.
In 1972 daughter Sue (later married to Paul Adams) was Allan’s co-driver in the Heatway Rally. A Triumph Vitesse was built up and Allan and this successful car travelled the length of New Zealand competing. Allan drove in many long-distance races including the Benson & Hedges series with co-drivers Joe Hayes, Bill Beasley, Robbie Booth, Garry Pedersen. He also competed in a Toyota Sprinter in the Wellington Street series, Manfeild, and Pukekohe.
Allan also raced the Production class in a Fiat 124 at Baypark and Manfeild and Pukekohe. The successful car of the Halliday Bros, a Ford Escort was bought by Allan, and with this vehicle he won the NZ Saloon Car Championship in 1975.
In 1983, Rod Millen kindly made available an RX7 Mazda for Allan to drive at the Pikes
Peak hillclimb event with Allan winning the Rooky of the Year in the rally car class. Allan returned to the event in 1984 and 1986 driving Rod’s 4wd
In 1989 Allan purchased the Brabham BT9 F3/FJ from the Simpkin Bros in Sydney and so started another era. Allan ran the Brabham at the pointy end of the Historic and Formula Junior grids, up and down the length of New Zealand, for many years. The purchase of a Volpini FJ in 2005 was added to the collection.
Allan will be sadly missed by all in the club and all those who knew him.
Nigel Russell.
Only a year or so ago, Allan and Colleen purchased an SP250 from Graham Walker, (possibly their last purchase) joined the club and attended some of our events. His great grandchildren expressed their delight at being taken for a drive in Grandad’s Dart. Always a popular couple in their nineties, Allan will be missed by his many friends in the motoring world.
It was his collection that we were going to visit for our next event, cancelled due to his need to go into hospital for an operation, that with subsequent complications resulted in his death.
We attended Allan’s funeral as representatives of the SP250 Club, along with a very large number of motorsport and business-related friends including a number from the Waitemata Branch. (He was Woolfys Mufflers) The City Impact Church near Northcross in the East Coast Bays was an eye opener in itself. A very large cluster of buildings with a church/auditorium capable of seating 2000, that any school would be proud to have, and I believe that it also includes a school. Paul Adams, former race/rally car driver appears to be a pastor there and was Allan and Colleen’s first son-in-law. The whole family, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and one great great grandchild, appear to be involved with the church. (Slightly controversial as it aligned itself with Brian Tamaki's Destiny Church. In 2004 they jointly organised the first of the “Enough Is Enough” rallies protesting against the legalisation of civil unions in New Zealand and promoting "traditional family values.”) The very large car park was virtually full of race, rally and classic cars, and at the completion of the lengthy service at which only family members spoke, the coffin was carried out to the sound of his Formula Junior being revved up, leading the coffin out, and Tina Turner singing, “Simply the Best”.
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Later as the hearse left, the many cars were asked to rev their motors and blow their horns. Quite a send-off!
It was clear that he was a greatly loved and admired man. K.S.H.
The Ennoblement Speech of Ian Goldingham on his attainment of his 50-year badge in recognition of his diligent and in many ways unrewarded service to the Vintage Car Movement and the Waitemata and North Shore Branches.
50 Years, it feels like 70!
All though we are here tonight to present several of us with our 50-year badges, I can’t help feeling that mine comes with much longer strands of memory! Whilst the little white card in Christchurch HQ may say that I joined Auckland Branch on the 22nd of April 1972 fails to record that I actually attended my first VCC and Auckland Club’s inaugural rally event on the of February 1955 at the tender young age of three & three quarters! My father, Rodney Goldingham was a founding member and whilst ill health limited his activity, he heartly supported the club where and when he could. An early example was placing ½ page advertising space for Wilton Motor Bodies and his own Steam cleaning & Proof-coating firm in the newly created “Beaded Wheels” magazine.
Dad’s Model A at the 1957 Rotorua Rally - Big brother and me atop the running board.
Dad’s 1930 Model A Fordor was used for everything, family transport, towing Kerrick Cleaners from Kinleth to Whangarei. We also managed to fit in club events like the one at the Kumeu Showgrounds
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in Oct 56, the 1st Rotorua Rally in 1957 which we came in 2nd overall! We did our first Hunua 100 in about 1960 with a young George Mihaljevich skilfully preventing me from falling into the hang pit with anticipation! Next year, Dad purchased a barnfind 1928 Model A factory pickup. Dad being one of the co-directors of Gardner Motors & Wilton Motor Bodies, meant we always had an interesting selection of cars in the driveway. This included our 1934 Vauxhall 14hp which lived out on Gt Barrier!
Unfortunately, my real fascination was with Dads other passion, vintage aircraft and so I became involved via the ATC and IPMS with the Aviation Section at Motat! My father passed away in January 1967 at the early age of 61 and my mother had to let our vintage cars go to new homes.
After completing my education at Takapuna Grammar, I was off to North Shore Teachers Training College astride my 90cc Vespa Scooter! 18 months later in the middle of winter the appeal of two wheels and two stroke motors had worn rather thin. I was offered a 1931 Austin 7 Saloon by one of Dad’s mates and couldn’t sell my Vespa fast enough! That’s when the bug bit, I had something of my own choosing that I was totally responsible for and had to maintain to a motoring standard. With the help of local garage proprietor Arthur Benton, we had the rear body skin replaced and the car’s mechanical woes sorted out enough for me to be confident enough in April 1972 to ask to join the Auckland Branch. This was quickly followed by a recommendation from Doug Wood to take up membership in the newly formed Vintage Austin Register.
Co incidentally, I had developed a semi-professional interest in movie making which led to me covering some Auckland events with my pair of Canon 8mm cameras. Soon afterwards I was offered a junior lecturer’s role at the Auckland Teachers College’s Audio-Visual Section. This meant the Austin had to be replaced with a 1952 Citroen Light Fifteen as my daily driver. I was also involved with the movers and shakers of the proposed North Shore Branch. Harold Kidd, John Hearne and Dick Stanley were all my mentors, and it wasn’t long before I realised that I should be aspiring to something
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Dad and the Vauxhall ASX Saloon – My 1931 Austin 7 Saloon as purchased
more sporty and long legged! Well, I couldn’t find or afford an Alvis 12/50 Ducks back, so in Dec of 1972, I ended up with a 1927 Lea Francis M type from the Hearne stable of potential winners! Sorting just what I had bought and what had been done to it, took me the next couple of years of researching and collecting.
This was the same time that the North Shore Branch was formed and life evolved round cleaning up the Bus Barn in Clarence St, Devonport. We built club rooms out of packing cases, installed a pot belly stove and rescued a Dennis bus suitable for restoration! Serendipitously in 1975 I scored a job with the incoming second TV channel, South Pacific Television, and moved to Christchurch ready for the start up in August. Joining Canterbury Branch was certainly an eye opener for a young lad. Everything was done with a dash of elan, the love of sports cars, the long-distance driving on real country roads and the drinking! They used to call any form of alcohol, brewed or distilled, ”anti-freeze”! I managed to survive a pair of Irishman Rallies, Stone Age Rugby and all.
The next year I was recalled to Auckland and started to move up the production ladder of Channel Two. I had upgraded my Movie camera to a Super 8mm, and the quality of club movies looked a whole lot better. I bought a Berkeley sports car which didn’t need restoration but reconfirmed my thoughts on the non-desirability of two stokes!
Following my interest in NZ motor racing history, in August 76 I had bought a 1930 Singer Junior 8hp ex Henning’s racer, that Ron Roycroft and Sid Allen had rescued from Port Waikato. It was quickly refurbished and entered in the first Chelsea Hillclimb event. Next year at Pebblebrook, an off-road excursion into a Punga tree meant a new body was required.
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Lea
Francis M type as found in Runanga, near Greytown, 1962.
Ian’s ex Henning’s 1930 Singer
Junior 8hp refurbished for the 1st
Chelsea Hill Climb.
At the beginning of 1978 Mr Hearne and I had rescued a 1947 Lea Francis 14hp which had been chopped down to make a beach racer! Stored at the family home, I soon ended up buying the other ½ share. One lunch time downstairs at the Shortland St Studio Cafeteria, I was distracted between the Steak & Cheese Pies and a new blonde telecine trainee at table 3! Fortunately, I made the right choice and Jacqui (who had already owned a Model A) became my partner in all things good and bad!
She continues the saga!
So, the Singer’s new body restoration kicked in at about the same time as North Shore Branch embarked on its major project “The Clubrooms”! Never has such a bold idea been embraced wholeheartedly by a small band of willing helpers. It soaked up all our time, energy and financial commitment to the max.
Meanwhile Ian and I finished restoring the Singer in time for the 1980 Rotorua International Rally, got married and bought a house in Devonport, all before the end of the year! From that point on we were tied up with our own villa restoration which included rescuing a genuine 1920’s Billiard Room which became Goldies Motor House.
Soon after, whilst continuing to restore the Lea Francis, we ended up rescuing a 1924 Vulcan 12hp basket case which needed someone to stitch it back together! As we1l as being Branch Scribe for Beaded Wheels, Ian continued to produce a reasonably good movie of our Chelsea Hillclimb each year which the troops seem to enjoy.
Ian and I took on the role of Newsletter Editors for the North Shore’s “Progress” magazine at a time that the very act of co-operation that produced an amazing club asset, was the catalyst that spat out a disillusioned “Old Guard” of formative North Shore members who re-established themselves as the Waitemata Branch. We struck a firmly neutral stance as editors and refused to let rhetoric fan the flames of debate. A year later having done the job we signed up too, we resigned the editorship and quietly transferred to Waitemata Branch and got on with our own lives.
At the end of 1984, Ian did a straight swap with the 1947 Lea Francis 14hp project for an equally dilapidated 1926 Lea Francis J type tourer. It made sense, better restore the devil you know than the devil you don’t!
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We had, on a couple of occasions had the option to purchase the ex-Richard Stanley Sunbeam 14/40 but house and family priorities had come first. So, at the end of 1987 when in Diane Humphreys put it back on the market, I didn’t waste the chance, put on my best dress and makeup, bailed up the bank manager with an overly organised portfolio and walked out the door with the money!
A similar scenario happened a year or so later when Ian was offered a genuine 1936 Singer Le Mans by John Lye, his old Christchurch TV friend. His comment that “You’re the only silly bugger in NZ driving a Singer in anger. I want you to have a go & buy my car!” This time round there was no nice man at the bank, so he had to bite the bullet and sell three cars to buy one! Scratch one 1924 Vulcan, 1930 Singer 8hp, and a Morrie Traveller! March 1989, and Singer Le Mans #5231 duly arrived by rail cart to join the family fleet.
The next few years work wise were intense with the 1990 Commonwealth Games, Whitbread races and promotion meant that now Ian was guiding his staff through restructuring which also resulted in my leaving TVNZ. The one good thing was after years we were no longer tied to doing long hours, enforced overtime and shift work!
This freed us up to take holidays together and travel overseas. We were able to see and meet all those Lea Francis and Sunbeam contacts that had only been via letter & aerogramme before. So, in June 1995 we went to the UK for the Lea Francis Centenary Celebrations.
In 1996 we took both the Singer Le Mans and the Sunbeam on the VCCNZ 50th Anniversary Rally. Meet Penn Scannell, the original owner of the 14/40 Sunbeam, abandoned the Singer at Mangaweka after it blew a big end, the whole family spent the next month enjoying touring the South Island compressed into the “Baby Beam”.
The M type restoration surged ahead with Ron Coleman’s help and by 2000 we had her on the road, followed by some serious de bugging with on-going improvements.
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Jacqui test driving the Singer Le Mans on the mainland!
Ian had always been fascinated in the historical side of our cars and naturally had researched and written many articles for the Lea Francis, Singer and Sunbeam owners clubs. A lot of these stories have happily spilled over into our own Phoenix and Beaded Wheels magazines. The Lea Francis Owners Club kindly awarded Ian the Bill Boddy Trophy for best article in the Leaflet Magazine, two years running in 2021 and 2022! His final restoration is going to be a 1928 six-cylinder Lea Francis Sports Coupe, this project started out as a result of our 2003 visit to the 50th Lea Francis Owners Club celebrations. Ian realised that he needed a Leaf project that was going to be significantly better than his 1927 M type. He had the early J Type Lea Francis tourer at home but restoring that would be going backwards for the same time, effort and cost. Ian realised reluctantly that he would have to sell the Singer Le Mans to fund the restoration of the 1928 six-cylinder Lea Francis Sports Coupe,
In September 2004, we went over to Australia to visit Neville Webb and his LeaF collection in Queensland. Neville and Ian talked about several possibilities and quickly realised that all the components were there in his workshop but had come from different parts of the country. A year later and we were in Melbourne to recover a 1928 Sports Coupe body from the rafters of Richard Stanley’s workshop and the project was on!
Timelines.
2009 - 2010 Ian was Club captain and organised the Chelsea Hillclimbs
June 2009 - 2012 Jacqui is elected Chairman
2010 July we won the R’Oil Can Rally
2011 July we organised R’Oil Can Rally
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The 1928 Lea Francis T type Sport Coupe project.
2011 –2013 helped with many others to set up and run the Roycroft Trophy event
2017 to present set up and facilitated the Lochinver Rally in the Kaimanawha Ranges
2018 to present Jacqui is elected Treasurer.
2012, 2021, 2022, 2023 assisted in ensuring that year’s R’Oil Can Rally really happened!
We have spent 50 years researching, documenting and recording Vintage Cars and their owners at events throughout NZ, many of our articles have been published for others to enjoy.
For 50 years the NZ vintage Car Club has always been a big part of our everyday lives. Even our everyday cars over the years The Morrie Minor AY7400, the Morris Traveller, the Spitfires, the GT6, the Avengers, The Triumph Estate and even Ian’s Mums Sentra are all club eligible now. The best times of our lives have been spent at vintage car events, International Rallies, Touring NZ, Rallies, Hill Climbs Track racing, Art Deco in Napier all with old vehicles and friends. Our Kids grew up in the back of old cars in all-weather to every corner of NZ. A special thanks to all those that have helped over the years, too many to mention, many no longer here, you still travel with us. Time spent with special cars and special people.
Ian and Jacqui Goldingham Feb 2023.
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Saturday, 8 July.
Waitemata Branch’s premier annual event, the R’Oilcan, is a brand that needs no further elaboration.
It promises a lengthy and vigorous tour on backcountry byways, lots of metal, farm tracks, maybe forestry roads. It promises you’ll be cold, enervated, possibly wet, but not hungry. Generous food stops take care of that.
This year, though, it was named the ‘Roycroft R’Oilcan’ in honour of Terry Roycroft who, as last year’s winner was, as the rules require, this year’s organiser. Terry set all the basics in place but, sadly, health issues intervened, and he was unable to complete the exercise, so up stepped that dynamic duo Jacqui and Ian Goldingham, who picked up and completed the organising from where Terry had had to leave off.
Proceedings commenced with breakfast at The Red Shed, Drury, 7.30 am on a bleak Saturday morning and the entrants began getting away about 45 minutes later.
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____________________________________________________________________
Presentation of the Certificate of 50 years Membership by the Venerable Norm Dewhurst.
The 2023 ‘Roycroft’ R’Oilcan
The number of vintage vehicles was reduced in that the Jamieson DI Delage failed to make it to the start so Max and granddaughter Saskia completed the run in a modern. The Greig Riley 9 WD failed to start so he and Ryan Winterbottom travelled in Mike’s convertible 350Z Nissan. Repairs to the Winterbottom Talbot AO70 weren’t completed in time so they used Tracy’s topless MG and whilst Eddie and Shelley Simpson’s 20.9 Sunbeam was fine, they weren’t, so they flagged the run and came along in modern warmth and comfort to join in for the evening.
The route extended over 227 miles, taking us by circuitous means through central and western Waikato to finish within 18 miles from where we started. Morning tea was served by The Bush Tramway Club at Pukemiro Junction Station, which we reached via Tuakau and Te Kauwhata.
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From there a loop down through Whatawhata and Karamu, then up to Ohautira and through to lunch at Te Akau, laid on for us by Te Akau school but served at the local footy club due to soggy ground conditions
Although it hadn’t been too bad until then the weather forecast for the afternoon was so dire that Ian invoked rule 22(B) iii and allowed hoods to be erected. Laughing in the face of adversity Keith Humphreys, my navigator in the Talbot 90 and I chose not to. Within minutes of leaving the lunch stop it bucketed down and continued to do so at regular intervals thereafter. The roads ran like rivers, the potholes (and there were many) filled to form lakes, the corrugations resembled rapids, the water pooled in my seat, seeping slowly into my nether regions. Hah, we said through gritted teeth, it’s only water!
We made our way northwards on scenic, sometimes rough, roads less travelled back through Tuakau then west to Otaua and up the coast to Karioitahi and our overnight accommodation at Castaways Resort. The sun breaking through and reflecting off wet roads was a trial for bleary eyes over the last stretch.
A great run faithfully maintaining Terry’s vision for the event and upholding R’Oilcan tradition.
And the lucky winners were … tah dah! …. Peter and Julie Benbrook in an old Kermit green Honda convertible they purchased specifically for the run. Commiserations.
Thank you, Jacqui and Ian Goldingham.
Kevin Beesley
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R’Oil Can Rally 2023
As observed by Alastair Jones
Some idle thoughts from a not so idle fellow. Our connection with the “Can” goes back to the ‘90’s when we were back seat passengers in the Gairdner Sunbeam with a start from Bombay after John had finally finished fiddling under the bonnet which is something he was habitually fond of doing at the last minute according to his chortling fellow club-mates. We were late getting away as a result so the “Beam was getting pushed rather too hard on a gravel road around the back of Lake Waikare and it got rather tail happy, and we had a somewhat gut-wrenching moment looking over the hood-bag down at the lake. A little while late Marg. asked John to stop at a servo and she disappeared into the toilets. Nothing was said until an hour or two later at lunch she told me to have a look under the dash; she had fixed a bit of string there and her smalls were toasting in the engine heat after the quick change and rinse out at the servo. She obviously got a bigger fright than we did.
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The Invincible Talbot 90
Anyway, I digress, so when Gwen said the “2023” was starting with a breakfast at the “Red Shed” I needed no second bidding. I wanted to see what might be possible in Tauranga sometime in the future with a cafe to frequent while Gwen was looking for a “Bargain”. Little did I know!
The organisers suggested our choice of Friday night accommodation might be a bit “Dreary”, not Drury, but I can say it was perfectly acceptable, but the old “Jolly Farmer” over the road was jolly busy so Uber pizzas had to suffice. The interlopers comprised 3 cars from HB and two from BOP.
Well, the “Red Shed” was a surprise and the variety and quantity of food left me wondering whether morning tea would need to be partaken of. Folded hoods were the order of the day and having left the hood-bag at home we ended up with a “shipwreck” that Ollie Midgley tried to help us tidy up with the old ubiquitous bungy cords; well, sort of. Some veiled overheard comments that the evening accommodation involved chalets triggered a light bulb moment that we must be ending up down in the alpine area which would account for the lengthy mileage. Good detective work, my man!
Some motoring around the back of Lake Waikare left me wondering whether water buffalo or rice growing might be more appropriate and then we motored through Te Kauwhata, a place we have heard mentioned umpteen times but have never visited and I still don’t know what the reason for its existence is, but very interesting all the same.
Gwen says morning tea will be at Pukemiro, a place visited a number of times to play trains and we are not disappointed when the cheerful hostesses dish out a fabulous choice of delectable food to chase the weather gremlins away that have been following our “topless” velocipede.
Ian has said we can have an “erection” of the most appropriate kind due to an inclement weather forecast for the next little while and the comment at the briefing about a chainsaw being in the front-runner was probably not a joke as the damage to roads and vegetation from here on introduced us to what we were going to have to manage for the rest of the day.
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Not surprisingly we are diverted to the Te Akau Rugby Club & Community Hall, a place we have had lunch at on previous “Cans”, and a bit of an overstay with extra cups of tea and plenty of cream and raspberry scones has us almost behind “tail-end Charlie” resulting in probably travelling a tad too fast for the conditions and we cannot avoid the many potholes and transverse ruts that left me fearing for the integrity of the front springs.
An hour or two later the sun did actually come out and the benefit was definitely doubtful because the sunstrike on the long black bonnet was worse than I have ever encountered previously. Trying to steer with one hand while shielding one’s eyes with the other is adrenaline pumping stuff on roads that are littered with washouts, subsidence’s and …….
potholes like craters.
Gwen says we have pages of instructions still to tick off and the day is fast drawing to a close with lack of light making the instructions difficult to decipher under the feeble dash lamp only intended to illuminate its companion gauges. A Riley we passed earlier overtakes us and a MG following him seem to know where to go, so unashamedly we make it third time lucky and tag along behind. Eventually we end up on the shores of the Tasman somewhere south of Auckland and not a snowy peak to be seen and there’s Ian happy to tell us the search party has been stood down.
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Our “Smiley” crew sharing the chalet produce a very welcome glass of red “upper cyl. lubricant” while we recount an extremely challenging day’s motoring which is the norm for every “Can” that we have participated in.
Getting wet under the shower was a whole lot more fun than dealing with the showers that the wind blew around the vestigial side-curtains.
We find friends from years gone bye to enjoy the food and drinks with and Norm Dewhurst had been asked by Nat. Pres. to present Ian with his 50 Year Badge. Asking Jacqui to stand beside him while the citation was read out before asking Ian to attend beside her was a novel touch. Methinks, they looked like a duet of Salt and Pepper shakers and then I had a better idea, they looked like ‘Bookends”, rather more appropriate for the volumes and volumes of things they have done for the Branch and Club. And so endeth yet another memorable weekend.
Oh, not quite, because at breakfast next morning we parked right in the middle of the very large carpark well away from everyone else and after breakfast we come out to find someone has nosed right up to the front of “Bagheera”. Why would they do that? At home and while washing the car I find they have actually hit one of the protruding horns bending the trumpet. That kept me awake until late cogitating over how to repair it. One night later I showed it off at Club-night and St Christopher must have been sitting on my shoulder because Ron Elton asked if he could take it home and see what could be done. One day later he has affected a miraculous repair and we can sleep sound again.
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Our loyal and far travelled supporters for the R’oil Can.
We interlopers are very fortunate to be able to exercise our mounts in the of wonderful likeminded fellow motorists.
Picture on that day, were provided with much skill from Alaistairs, Robinson and Jones, Jacqui Goldingham, Team Andrews, Keith Humphreys, Kevin Beesley and Dean Salter. Much appreciated.
Food from the Bush Railway and the lunch,( there was request for cooking recipes from readers.)
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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Alistair Jones, Railton F.O.B.
The little green car, all by its little self, almost abandoned in the empty carpark, winner on the weekend Below the cars converse, ‘Is my rear looking a bit large?’
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The perfect Buckler exponent.
The Editors Fairlady Roadster revelled in the metal roads
and a proper vintage Chev unfussed by road and weather.
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The Cranch Riley, elegant.
Stan’s new Riley 12/4
The Chapman Riley 9
Still time for sightseeing.
Two sides of the same coin considering the effect of winning the R’oil Can.
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The Adams Sunbeam, a consistent entrant and excellent driver enthusiast.
Sinners that had moderns at the event being castigated.
Edward and Mrs. Simpson, attended late, without a car and were awarded a breakdown trophy. Both very thrilled.
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Discussion Paper – 2023/2024 Revised Budget and Subscription Increase options
For discussion at the Executive Meeting 11th/12th August 2023, Nelson
As a result of the 31st of March 2023 financial results, and our understanding and expectationsofcostincreasesthat the Clubisencounteringinthecurrentfinancial climate, the Management Committee has revised the budget for this financial year (1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024).
As reported, the Club experienced an Operating Deficit of $26,597 during the 2023 financial year, finishing with a Final Surplus of $25,048 once the Vero Agency Agreement and interest were accounted for.
The report attached shows the 2022/2023 actual financial performance result (Last Year 2023 Actual A), along with the original budget, prepared in 2021 (BUD column B) and three other budget scenarios.
The Club has always endeavored to budget for a break-even situation before the Vero Profit Share/Agency Agreement and Interest. The purchase of a replacement National Office building will likely use up a great portion of the invested monies in the next few years, so that will take away the income received from interest currently being enjoyed.
Until 2023, the nature of the Vero Profit Share was a variable amount. The recently renegotiated contract (now called the Vero Agency Agreement) is for a fixed amount of $25,000 for the next 3 years, so from now on, we will treat this as income. We also receive sponsorship from Vero for National Rallies of $8,000 for 4 years, which is also now shown as income. The Vero sponsorship for our International Festival of Historic Motoring is a separate matter and is not included in the national club budgets.
The 2024 Original Budget (BUD column B), approved by the Executive in 2021, forecasts an Operating Deficit of $797 and a Final Surplus of $20,797 once the term deposit interest is considered. However as stated above, this budget is not reflective of the costs the Club is experiencing right now, and soon, so it is no longer effective as a financial performance metric (Its now about as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike).
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The adjusted budget for the 2024 financial year (ADJBUD column C) shows an Operating Deficit of $73628 before interest, and a final Deficit of $43,628 This is an unacceptable result, so the Club needs to consider options to solve this.
The main reasons for the revised budget deficit are principally cost increases in relation to our Beaded Wheels magazine. The printing (including paper cost), production and postage costs have all increased significantly, and are about to increase more, expected to be $40,658 higher than last year. The actual costs in 2023 (Column A) were already $30000 higher than the original 2024 budget (the one prepared in 2021 - Column B). The revised budgeted 2024 costs are $237,245 which equates to around $5.90 per issue supplied to members and subscribers, ($35.41 pa), which when compared to other magazines, still represents excellent value.
Insurance is expected to increase by at least 20% ($3,328), normal club postage by 34% ($8,398), travel expenses by 28% ($6,954), and several other expenses have modest increases expected.
Subscriptions are the only significant income aspect that the Executive can influence. It is not sound financial practice to use the Club’s capital to subsidise its annual operating costs.
At the Executive Meeting in August, a revised 2024 budget will need to be approved and the amount of the primary member’s subscription decided.
The Management Committee has looked at all areas and trimmed costs where it can. On a positive note, administration costs (including staff costs) were $75,000 in 2023, compared to $94,000 in 2022, $114,000 in 2021 and $130,000 in 2020. A large part of this is due to the modernization and efficiency gained withthenewNationalOfficesystems, andthesubsequentreductioninstaffhours.
One of the options that the Management Committee has considered is to increase the primary member annual subscription. The Management Committee has considered subscription increases of either$18 or $25 and calculated new budgets with those numbers.
The budget scenarios are:
• ADJBUD (2024 Column C) – a revised budget for the 2024 financial year, which shows an operating deficit of $73,628. This budget retains the current membership subscription rates.
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• BUD18 (2024 Column D) – this is the same budget as ADJBUD but with a $18 subscription fee increase for the primary members.
• BUD25 (2024 Column E) – this is the same budget as ADJBUD but with a $25 subscription fee increase for the primary members.
It is important to note that any subscription increase applies from the 1st of November, meaning that we will receive only 5/12ths of any increase in the 2023/2024 year.
The Management Committee arrived at the $18 and $25 values by carrying out detailed projections, and calculated that if the $18 option is selected, it is expected we will show an operating loss for 2024. However, once a full 12 months of subscriptions at the increased rates are included in the 2025 year, we expect to achieve a surplus, to (hopefully) offset the 2024 deficit,(assuming no othersignificant cost increases occurred in the next 2 years). A $25 increase would provide some buffer for other additional costs not yet foreseen, in the current year (2024) and for future years.
The $18 subscription increase does not provide for any financial buffer in the 2024 year, whereas the $25 subscription increase does.
Per BUD18 (2024 Column D), a $18 subscription increase would produce an Operating Loss of $26,618 and a Final Surplus of $3,382.
Per BUD 25 (2024 Column E), a $25 subscription increase would produce an Operating Loss of $8,336 and a Final Surplus of $21,664.
Another option that the Management Committee has considered is to reduce our annual production of the Beaded Wheels magazine from 6 issues to 4, becoming a quarterly magazine (as it apparently was in the distant past). We estimate that cost savings form this option could be $48,000-50,000 (net of an expected advertising income reduction and non-member Beaded Wheels subscription reductions). This would still leave an operating loss of $23,628, and a modest Final Surplus of $6,372.
[Note for your information, there are 491 non-member Beaded Wheels subscribers. The cost of their subscription has gone from $45 pa, to $52 in August 2022, and another price rise is imminent to cover the increasing cost of postage. Approximately 750-800 copies per issue are sold via magazine shops, and the Club receives $4.58 per issue from those sales].
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The purpose of this Discussion Paper is for Branch’s members to discuss the above options at their branch meetings, in order to gauge their preference, so that their delegate can represent the view of their Branch and partake in a robust discussion at the Executive Meeting on 11th/12th of August 2023, as to which option the Club should proceed with.
To clarify, the Club’s options are to:
1. Increase annual primary member subs by $18 to $73 (Excl GST)
2. Increase annual primary member subs by $25 to $80 (Excl GST)
Likely 2024 result –Operating Loss $26,618, Final Surplus $3382
Likely 2024 result –Operating Loss $8,336, Final Surplus $21,664.
3. Reduce Beaded Wheels to 4 times a year, from 6. Cost Savings say $50000 – Operating Loss
$23,628, Final Surplus
$6,372
4. Do Nothing - no subs increase etc Operating Loss $73,628, Final Loss $43,628.
Note that with approximately 6200 primary members, an increase of subs of $1, will generate $6,200 in a full 12-month year, and $2,583 from 1 November to 31 March.
The last time the primary membership subscription was increased was in 2018, when it went from $50 to $55.
We are aware that some Branches are facing similar increases in costs with the result that they have increased their branch levies.
27 June 2023
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