September 2024
Murray & Christine Squire’s 1947 Humber 10
Who’s Who for 2024/2025
Hospital regulations require a wheelchair for patients being discharged.
Chairman Keith Lyndsell keithlyndsell@gmail.com 09 405 5500
Vice Chairman Tom Deverall tadmadinparadise@gmail.com 0274735389
Secretary Naomi Mason vinomi88@gmail.com 09 408 1376
Treasurer Margaret Ilton
Northern
Southern
Beaded Wheels Rep Murray Cormack m.g.cormack@xtra.co.nz 09 407 7255
Communications Officer Margaret Ilton 4ed.focus@gmail.com 0221008119
Editor Margaret Ilton 4ed.focus@gmail.com 09 4068565
Committee: Winston Matthews, Murray Cormack, Keith Lyndsell, Tom Deverall, Naomi Mason, Steve Edwards, Margaret Deverall, Margaret Ilton.
The full list of the elected officers is circulated with the minutes of the 2024 Annual General Meeting
If you notice any required maintenance at any stage for the Clubrooms, please let Steve know about it.
Steve Edwards 09 401 6239
Next Club Meeting
Saturday 14th September 1 pm
Caffeine & Classics
3rd Sunday every month 9.30 to 12
Next date: Sunday 15th September
Ka Uri Awanui
Working Bee at Clubrooms 10 am 21st September
While working as a student nurse, I found one elderly gentleman already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet, who insisted he didn’t need my help to leave the hospital.
After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let me wheel him to the elevator.
On the way down I asked him if his wife was meeting him.
‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘She’s still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown.’
Calendar of Club Events 2024-2025
September
1st Father’s Day Run
14th Saturday 1.00 Monthly Meeting with Parts shed open at 2 pm.
15th Repco Caffeine & Classics
21st Working Bee @ Clubrooms 10 am
October
12th Saturday Monthly Meeting 1.00 pm with Parts shed open at 2 pm.
19th Dunny Run
20th Repco Caffeine & Classics
November
1-3 Nov Far North Tour [Northland]
9th Monthly meeting 1 pm with Parts shed open at 2 pm.
9th? November Wheels of Mayhem
17th Repco Caffeine & Classics
December
14th Saturday 10 am Morning tea & monthly meeting starting at 10.30. Potluck Xmas lunch to follow the meeting.
January 2025
4 th ? Jan Taipa Show and Shine
18th Saturday Picnic
19th Repco Caffeine & Classics
February
8th Saturday Monthly Meeting 1 pm with Parts shed open at 2 pm.
16th Repco Caffeine & Classics
22nd Saturday Northern Captain’s Run
March
8th Saturday Monthly Meeting 1 pm with Parts shed open at 2 pm.
Southern Captain’s Run
16th Repco Caffeine & Classics
April
12th Saturday Monthly Meeting 1.00 pm Parts shed open at 2 pm.
19th Saturday Brian Parker Rally
20th Repco Caffeine & Classics
May
11th Saturday 1.00 AGM Meeting with monthly meeting following AGM with Parts shed open at 2 pm.
12th Mother’s Day run
18th Repco Caffeine & Classics
Monthly - 2nd Saturday 1.00 pm
Club Meeting @ Aurere Clubrooms
Monthly - 3rd Sunday Repco Caffeine & Classics @ Ka Uri Awanui
Rememberwhen…
“Limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.” Michael Jordan
Club Notices
Father’s Day Rally
It is today!!
It is a 10 am meet-up at Mangonui South, in the carpark, just at the south entry to Mangonui township. We will meet there for a chat and morning tea for those who want it, before moving off to Hihi.
Details of the day have been emailed.
Far North Tour
A heads up for this tour.
The tour will take place on Saturday, November 2 and the night away will be in Paihia.
The meal on Saturday night will be at the Scenic Hotel and they are also offering accommodation at $175 for those who wish to stay there.
Breakfast is available at $25pp if required.
As an incentive to stay, the Scenic Hotel offers free accommodation to the lucky winner of the best car (their choice) for those who stay the night. If you wish to book you should do that directly by phoning 09 402 7826 or emailing boi@scenichotels.co.nz. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Working Bee
The Club’s annual working bee is taking place on Saturday, 21st Sept, starting at 10 am.
Bring something for morning tea, please.
Many hands will make light work.
Second Thing to Go
“They tell me that memory is the second thing to go.
I don’t remember the first. ”
Parts Shed
The parts shed will be open from 2 pm to 3.30 the day of our monthly meeting. For any ‘needs’ between meetings, please get in touch with Peter Mason.
Library Books
Malcolm has been working his way through the many books we have at the Clubrooms and he is logging them all digitally.
After the recording is completed, he is preparing to shelve them in a readily identifiable manner.
Thanks for doing this for the Club, Malcolm.
It is no small job.
Chairman’s Report
First, a big thank you to those who attended the surprise 80th birthday lunch Lyn organised for me!
Murray's Midweek Run around Okaihau was a great success. An excellent turn out and an interesting destination, although like others, we were in a “modern” giving rise to the comment, “where are all the vintage cars?” from our host. Despite this, he did express an interest in joining the club. A very pleasant destination, with lots of interesting stuff to look at.
I would love to see midweek runs become a regular feature again, a few years ago we had some really good ones and our latest ones have been interesting and produced a good attendance. Any volunteers to organise such runs?
I missed the August meeting as Tom and I were in Tauranga for the National AGM. Brief notes on the business side have been circulated.
Our committee is working on our branch's response to the proposed new constitution and by-laws, and our thoughts will be presented to the branch,
in due course before the October deadline, for reporting to the National Committee.
If anyone has anything specific to bring up for consideration, please contact me.
The unofficial side of the AGM weekend was excellent.
At the venue were a few interesting vintage cars and in the conference room were a number of beautifully constructed, working model engines.
At the dinner there was a display of model cars.
The entertainment consisted of a film of an early local rally, 1969 National Rally. After this 3 members, Rodney Clague (Gisborne), and Alan and Shaaran Price (Auckland) said they had taken part in that Rally.
Following dinner we had a guest speaker, Stephen Partridge who showed a film of the Peking to Paris Rally, and gave a very entertaining talk of this and other such major International rallies he had competed in using a 1200cc Morris Oxford which he still has. The cost of competing in these (over a dozen in all) is frightening – entry fees alone being over a million a time!
On Sunday morning we gathered at the clubroom for morning tea and a display of vehicles.
The spares shed was open, but I was limited by the airline luggage limit! As I and others were booked on late flights a few of us visited the Classic Aircraft museum at the Airport (which nonpaticipants had visited while we were at the AGM).
Our potluck lunch for Daffodil Day was most enjoyable, with an excellent attendance of people and vehicles (ancient and modern), and we raised $300 for Cancer Research.
It seems we are getting summer levels of attendance at this winter's events! Keep it up!
Keith
Northern Club Captain’s Report
August was a very busy month.
Murray and Gloria’s midweek run to and around Okaihau drew in a good crowd30 members in all. Lots of history around the rail which was completed in 1923, having been delayed by the war years. Passenger services were discontinued in 1967.
The final destination point was Snow Harrison’s farm. What a beautiful spot it was along with displays of trucks, tractors, cars and machinery from bygone eras.
Thanks, Murray and Gloria - we love these midweek runs.
If anyone knows of any ‘hidden gem’ in our club area, get in touch with us. A mid-week run can be organised.
Tom enjoyed his weekend in Tauranga as an observer at the National AGM. He met up with one or two friends from way back that are in the Tauranga VCC which added to the weekend's activities.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t attend the Potluck dinner on 10th but I believe it was well attended with amazing food again!
Our Daffodil Potluck lunch at Ian Macgregor’s, was also very well attended. 31 people and 8 vintage vehicles. Thanks Ian, once again the great host, along with his daughter Clare who came from Whangarei to support him.
Margaret D.
Enjoy the Father’s Day Rally.
Warmest thoughts to all working daily with health challenges and getting through each day still able to make someone else smile.
You are special.
A catch-up from Margaret & Graeme in Rangiora, who send their best wishes to Club members and remind us of the lifestyle they swapped the Far North for. Autumn in the South and winter in Tekapo. Beautiful!
Remembering Neville Hunt and sending our sincerest thoughts to the Hunt Whanau. His car collection was a keen interest of his.
Mindset is what sets the best from the rest.
FNVCC OKAIHAU MID WEEK RUN
Dave DUIRS
We hadn’t had a mid-week run for some time and with the destination being Okaihau and the day dawning shitty together with an early start and the Peugeot 203 stored elsewhere, I was trying to wriggle out of going even though I was the one pushing to go all week.
BUT my” naviguessor”, ever trying to advance on our new garden development, quipped “if we take the 504 Pick Up we can come home via the Kerikeri nurseries with some more plants”. Deal done, but of course, I have had a belly full of digging plant holes just now but knew that Cormacks would have a choice run for us.
The run to Okaihau from Cable Bay covers some interesting farming country on the high plateau between Kerikeri and Okaihau before eventually crossing the Maungamukas, which of course are still closed.
Okaihau town is often just a toilet stop next to a tunnel which once served the railway, but actually it still serves a community with a college, rugby club, bowls, golf, Lions and Fire Brigade and food services.
On our day the St Johns folk had a health caravan parked near us and we were invited to have a “free WOF”.
Our hosts, the Cormacks, gave us a history of the town with particular emphasis on the fact that this was once the rail head in the 1920s with the plan to eventually get to Kaitaia which did not happen after the 30s depression. Early Canadian settlers failed to set up a wheat growing industry and forestry and
pastoral farming kept things ticking with a bit of a recent tourist resurgence with the advent of a cycle trail to nearby Horeke.
Up on the ridge we visited the old railway station now just the concrete remains of the loco servicing pits and some bunkers.
The area is being tidied up and features some very good information boards. Its amazing that railcars serviced the area until 1967 and freight until 1987.
Further along we checked out the WW1 Memorial gates which are large and quite stark as beyond is now just pasture. They are probably unique too in that on one side they remind us of those who went to war and on the other those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
A little further on we visited a church with an interesting representation of earlier settlers and soldiers from conflicts with the locals.
We then wended our way further towards Horeke down a twisty road (ideal for a hill climb) our destination being Snow Harrisons farm on the river with the cycle way alongside.
WELL, this place was just PARADISE for some of us. Over only nine years our host has gathered all sorts of early settlement memorabilia from old cars and trucks to many tractors and farm machinery to many collections of tools and household gadgets.
A lot of these were timber related as much totara was harvested here in contrast to kauri in the Hokianga.
I think my naviguessor enjoyed the collection bringing memories of the old copper, hot irons, butter makers etc of earlier days.
Some of us, corralled in our camper chairs by the sheds for a thermos cuppa, and reminisced about the “old days” which many reckoned were the good days, the real days.
That was one great day, well worth the effort to get cracking early.
Yes, the Pickup was put to good use on the way back via Kerikeri with a load of plants and stuff.
Funny though how nobody sells plant holes which I desperately need as I am over all the digging I am directed to do, on this new chapter in our journey.
AND THEN a few days later, following our monthly meeting, we enjoyed a mid-
winter potluck luncheon with a delicious variety of dishes.
For the first time Malcolm brought along his recently acquired Austin A60 ute which looked pretty cool and must be one of very few about anywhere.
Keep the wheels turning.
Dave DUIRS
For Sale
1954 Daimler Conquest Roadster
NZ new & first registered in early 1955 and has been with its present owner since 1982.
Interior- all new leather seats, dashboard burr elm, doors capped with the same.
Stainless steel exhaust as per original design.
Beautiful new original Lucas spotlights.
Mechanical condition: fully reconditioned engine 3 years ago.
Automatic gearbox replaced with triumph 2500 manual overdrive reconditioned.
5 years ago- new clutch plate, brakes and steering reconditioned. Drives great. Car just rewired with new coil.
Generator replaced with new lucas alternator. Plus much more.
Car has 2 canvas hoods, 1 tonneau cover, rain cover, side screens and a separate hardtop.
Price offers over 55k will be considered. Looking for a car that is easier to get in & out of …anything like a Morrie convertible, Rover or similar.
Reason for selling …at 82 years of age & with 2 hip operations, the car is too low and difficult to get my 1.9mtrs frame into. Once in, it is no problem.
Personal no plate and badges not included with exception of large centre Daimler badge.
For more info contact John at 09 4087478 Email johkeekee@gmail.com
The First Motor Trip to the Far North
By G E Alderton
….The work took us from twelve o’clock one day to two the next- working all night- to effect the necessary repairs, and nothing but the solid determination of A.C. would have seen the job through. A dozen times the machine was tried, and every time the boiler leaked: and just as often A.C. turned her up again, and tap, tap, tap, went on all through the long night under the light of the forge. Eventually, at about two o’clock the following day, we got going again, and it was a very pleasant relief to feel on the move once more- on this record-breaking trip. But we had to go mighty slow and take no liberties, for the boiler would not carry a full head of steam. and as we had to sit just over the top of that boiler, it did not seem altogether discreet to risk too great a pressure, as we were making for Waipapakauri and not for the realms of the moon.
The road between Peria and Kaitaia which we were now on, was very hilly and was rough on the machine but coming into Kaitaia we found a beautiful bit of road, as even as cinder track, sloping down to the river and in a moment A.A. let her right out, and we went flying down that hill at fully 30 miles an hour. That machine could go downhill!
Coming over a bridge at the bottom of the hill I saw a man on horseback. He got over that bridge and turned into the bush like a flash as if he had seen the devil. Months after, I heard this was a Maori man who on seeing a taniwha flying down the hill, made straight for the bush and plunged right into a swamp.
Through having made some calls at Kaitaia and Awanui, we were late getting through to Waipapakauri, our destination, and after leaving Awanui we had a very bad piece of road to negotiate. The night had closed in and we had to tackle this road in the dark, and we had the bad luck to ram a clay bank, which we mistook for the road. We struck it pretty hard and snapped one of the main sidebars of the undercarriage. This we repaired with battens pulled out of a fence. We put the broken joint in splints and roped it up.
We were getting so used to accidents by this time that it became monotonous unless something happened. We again went ahead – slowly. We kept a sharp lookout for bridges, which in this part of the country usually stand about a foot above the road. We had bumped into one already, but we did the bridge no harm. It showed us though, that the car was evidently not intended to jump walls.
We reached Waipapakauri some time after nine p.m. and of course, the two commercials we left at Mangonui the day before were there to greet us.
“We told Joe Evans you were coming.”
Mr Evans was surprised to see us come in at night. He could not understand how we had got over the swamp road in the dark, and when we looked at it ourselves the next day we, too, marveled at how we got over it.
The machine itself was a prodigy, we informed Mr Evans. He thought it was: as did we.
I think that night we felt like the village blacksmith: something attempted, something done, had earned a night’s repose.
To be continued
FNVCC DAFFODIL DAY
Dave DUIRS
We’ve been to Kerikeri three times in one week recently, so know extra well where the resident and ghost potholes are.
Our first day was to Bev and Matt Sharpe’s home overlooking the Bay of Islands. The occasion was to catch up with folks who had lunched together some time back and Kae and Paul, previous hosts reckoned a regrouping would be cool. We hadn’t visited Sharpes for some time so had to confirm their address as Google insisted they were somewhere else. As we were checking out driveways we spotted a vehicle which looked like Cormack’s, so when we turned off and they followed, we reckoned we were on the money.
Sure enough at Sharpe’s beautiful spot, we chatted away on all subjects two of which always seem to be cars and us oldies’ various ailments. A few beverages and a sumptuous potluck lunch later and cars were definitely top of the list. On this particular day the star was the Wynne’s recently restored Austin A35 “ute”. A huge amount of work and heaps of frustration with LTSA vinning has produced a stunning little vehicle only 400+ of which were made and not many have survived.
Our next run was at short notice with Winston, Vince and Naomi to celebrate the death of an earlier member, May Gibbons who with her late husband were the Ford agents in Kaikohe. Winston had rallied with them way back so was able to catch up with family amongst a very big sendoff and celebration at the Waimate church. And then on Daffodil Day, Kerikeri was the destination again! An early start was in order but that didn’t make an early arrival.
Right outside the Whangaroa Golf Club was one “Damie” looking sad with her bonnet up and one John Rademaker insisting that although he had no electrical power all would eventually be OK. We established that his battery was totally flat, an alternator wire had been off but that he could not switch off the lights so a short of some sort was suspected. We were in our 504 Pick Up with a passenger so the quick fix of “ push your car into a driveway and come with us was NBG.” I didn’t have a jumper lead and neither did John. SO, I shot over to the Golf course where a big tournament was in progress and the likelihood of getting a jumper was getting hard even with the help of the club guy. I didn’t think there was much chance of one in a modern car, but an unlocked Chinese ute, we reckoned, was bound to need one. Hey presto it did.
Back with John it transpired that his battery was under the seat so the lead would be too short and there was no way to park next to him with cars tearing past in some hurry of their own. “We’ll have to tow you off the road and get the AA”. John had a tow rope and with it, hey, there was the jump lead he didn’t have. With some acts of contortion by John in his cab and my “stretching” the lead to my battery, Damie did fire up but she didn’t like it and died once the umbilical cord was disconnected……those lights would not go out, so confirmed something wrong wiring wise.
The decision was made to get the AA and John would return home……he had enough potluck lunch on board, if the wait was lengthy.
I was able to phone Gloria to tell her our tale and asked her not to eat all the grub before we arrived.
At Ian Macgregor’s, our host for the day with his daughter, was a healthy collection of car club vehicles and folks were debating them and no doubt had already caught up on any fellow ailments as well.
Our home cooking potluck dinner was a beauty and with the purpose of the trip being a Daffodil Day Cancer fundraiser, folks generously contributed to that cause.
It was great to catch up and reminisce, check out the cars from Ian’s Mini (how a big guy like him gets in and out I know not) to Sharpes’ big straight 8 Snipe.
In our little group under the shade when chat was flowing, suddenly Bev (her real name) asked Paul (his real name) if he had managed to remove the stain from
his trousers last week…….well by the time the serious question had turned to banter we were wondering what had happened and Paul reckoned it was time for desert.
Steph, our famed bird saver, related how she had sent a recovered dove to Whangarei but had to re rescue it because it was bashing itself on walls. Back home again it was perfectly normal. It must have had the sulks like Ian’s huge, fully fruited mandarin tree. He had two of them together with no fruit. One was chopped down and we saw the result of the wake-up message for the other.
No doubt other yarns bounced around the house, showing these gatherings are not only about ancient hunks of metal but also of refreshing memories and camaraderie.
The venue was perfect and the cause worthy of support.
Many thanks to all for a great day out.
Mid Winter Xmas Lunch
