On Saturday 16th November CHB Branch held their Annual Veteran Rally. The Rally was based in Waipukurau, Central Hawkes Bay and any VCC member with non-veteran vehicles were invited to join in on this event, but were participating as non-competitive. The evening of Friday 15th a gathering took place for a noggin”n”natter to catch up with friends and a short briefing.
Saturday started out as a beautiful day, unfortunately, the weather turned very wet but not cold, so the Veterans were left safely tucked up in their sheds or their covered trailers and the more modern cars replaced them for the Rally. We met in Tavistock Place, Waipukurau at 10.00am for a quick rally briefing and were given our instructions. First car away was at 10.30am. Although raining, we all had a good first section run through the Waipukurau Streets viewing a new subdivision and a gated community. We then moved on to visit George and Beth Winloves homestead. They very kindly showed us around, and talked us through its long and interesting history.
CHB country roads are great to travel and very scenic countryside. Next stop was at the Takapu RSA for lunch. A very nice lunch it was too. Good to be in-indoors out of the weather. After a very relaxed lunch we headed off and travelled through more scenic CHB Roads. Dinner and prizegiving was held at the Waipukarau Club. The contestant who had travelled from afar, received a bottle of wine. Considering the weather, it was a very good day. Thank you to Bruce Poole, Ken Lyons, John Foot, Gary Weaver for organizing the day.
December Sat 7th
Sun 15th
CHB Branch Christmas function will be held at the Oruawharo Homestead in Takapau.
Reliability Trial organised by Seton and Judy Thomsen
Tues 31st Gumboot Rally Taihape
Wed 1st
January Gumboot Rally Taihape
January 2025
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Wed 15th Club Dinner and Meeting venue TBA
Sat 18th
February Sun 9th
Beach run organised by Paul and Judy Jensen
Club Run to be organised by Iain and Eva Gollan Sat 1st
MANAWATU BRANCH VCC LADIES FRIENDSHIP GROUP INTER-BRANCH “PICNIC LUNCH ON THE LAWN” Time From 11.30 am
Wed 19th Club Dinner and Meeting venue TBA 13th to 16th Napier Art Deco Festival
March Sun 16th Club Run Still to be finalized
Wed 19th Club Dinner and Meeting venue TBA
April
Wed 16th Club Dinner and Meeting venue TBA
May
June
Christmas Party and Dinner to be held at Oruawharo Homestead
St Vincents Restaurant—Takapau
Saturday 7th December
Arrive 5.00pm
Dinner at 6.30pm
Celebrate Christmas in Style, with “Formal Dress”
$45.00per head—Eftpos available
Please reply to Eva with numbers by the evening of Wednesday 27th November 2024 06 858 9105 021 170 9978 nga-oki@xtra.co.nz
No late bookings please
If you have any dietary needs, please advise when you book your meal.
PLEASE NOTE: The CHBVCC branch will make payment for any late dinner cancellations or no shows, then an invoice will be sent to the member/members concerned.
CHB Branch Chairman GaryWeaverQSM CHB Vintage Car Club Christmas Party
15th December
Reliability trial over Pukeora hill, Waipukarau. Meeting at the bottom of the Pukeora hill at 10.30am for a cup of tea or coffee. After morning tea the first car will be sent off on their first circuit. After lunch the second round of circuit runs will begin. When all the cars have finished both runs, Seton and Judy will check all the times. The driver with the closets times for both runs is the winner. NO Phones or Watches allowed. Please bring a picnic lunch, water, chairs, and a sun umbrella.
THERE'S NOTHING NOVEL IN EV’s—By Brian
Connor
In 1884 the first production standard electric car in the world capable of being reproduced and sold to the public was revealed. Ferdinand Porsche produced an electric vehicle named the 'P' in 1898, then created the world’s first hybrid. By early 1900 1/3 of all vehicles on the road were electric. Mercedes-Benz also offered an electric model called the Mercedes Mixte, in 1906. This car was adopted as a taxi in the cities and even became a race car in 1907. However, gasoline fired engines killed EVs around 1920!
Tuesday 31st December 2024—40th Gumboot Rally Taihape—Organised by Bruce Poole
As usual all who are going from CHB will meet at Windmill Café Woodville at 10.00am on Tuesday 31st December 2024. We will then go to our North Island Club captains home Glyn and Kathy Clements for lunch. After lunch we will head off to Taihape where we will have a two night stay at the Coachman's Motel just north of Taihape. As usual we will have a meal at a Chinese restaurant on the night of 31st December.
On Wednesday 1st January 2025 ”Happy New Year” —the 40th Gumboot Rally will begin. We will all meet at the Park for a Rally briefing and an instruction sheet will be handed out to participants before the Rally begins
After a full day on the Rally, we will have a BBQ dinner and prizegiving. On Thursday 2nd January 2025. We will travel home.
GROUP
When Saturday 1st February 2025
Time From 11.30 am onwards
Location Manawatu Branch VCC
“The Grove” 684 Kelvin Grove Road, Palmerston North.
Ladies, Pack Your Picnic Baskets and come along and join in with visiting members from neighbouring VCC branches for a great networking opportunity, a few wines, and a relaxing “Lunch on the Lawn”.
Bring your chairs, picnic baskets, drinks (Some refreshments will be available).
For those who require husbands/partners to drive them. Shed Raids and Lunch at a Country Pub will be arranged for the Men folk!
Please RSVP to:
Cathy: cathyclements5@gmail.com by Monday 27th January 2025. Please also advise if husband/partner are coming.
Janet and I would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas Family and Friends—and a Healthy Happy and prosperous New Year.
See you all at the our Christmas Party
Gary Weaver QSM Club Chairman
From National Office
Club Captains Report—Laurie's Lot—November—2024
In November our Annual Veteran was held. Unfortunately the weather was not so nice for the veteran cars so where left in their sheds, the later models had a good run instead. The day went well, thank you to the organisers Bruce Poole, Gary Weaver and John Foot Ken Lyons.
The week before there was an invitation to visit Vern Jensen's property in Apiti to view his wooden wheel making process. Twelve visitor took this opportunity.
Events coming up are our Christmas function at Oruawharo on Saturday 7th December 2024. Look forward to seeing you all there for a festive evening.
On Sunday 15th December 2024, Seton and Judy are putting on the reliability trial at Pukeora. This will start at 10.30am with a cup of tea, then the first round of the circuit will start. The second circuit run will begin after lunch. This is a popular event so hope to see many of you there.
Saturday 18th January 2025, is the Beach run and will again be put on by Paul and Judy Jensen. A big thank you to Paul and Judy for allowing us to meet at your place again.
Further out there will be a run of some sort on Sunday 9th February2025 organised by Iain Gollan. As yet it hasn't been decided what it will be?
A club run is also on the cards for Sunday 16th March 2025
The segment we had at the November meeting where four members gave a talk on something that is or was part their lives. This was quite successful and we are doing it again in January's with speakers Sandra Cross, Iain Gollan, Bruce Poole, and Ella Domper.
Have a Happy Christmas, and a Happy New Year
Safe Motoring
Laurie Malcolmson Club Captain.
When insuring your valuable items (property, cars etc) with Vero, please quote YOUR CENTRAL HAWKES BAY BRANCH MEMBERSHIP NUMBER, this will result in a commission being paid to our Branch.
Thank you for your support
Saturday 9th November 2024
—Car run to Apiti—by Brian Conn0r
The CHB branch, along with other local VCC branches, were invited to demonstrations by Vern Jensen who makes the wooden spokes etc for the wheels of vintage cars. Twelve visitor took this great opportunity to visit Vern's family farm where he has for about 40 years made these wheels.
The process he demonstrated was only the first stage of making the wooden sections that go into the rim called ‘fellows’, the spokes being added later. The demo started with imported hickory planks, each cut to approximately 50x25x1000mm.
These were immersed in boiling water for about 5 minutes, not to steam or wet them, but simply to heat them up.
When ready, one was transferred from the water bath onto a round former where it was curved by two strong guys and a wire strainer! It was locked in place for about 5 minutes, with cold water being poured over it.
When it was released it was quickly transferred to an old steel car wheel rim of the required diameter (Ford Model A for one of the batches we saw). It was clamped into this rim and put aside about ½ an hour. By this time it was set and cool enough to be taken out of the rim and placed in a wooden storage frame to hold its curvature.
He is never going to run out of the old rims he uses as moulds, he has hundreds of them on their farm where the demo took place!
For the second demonstration Vern showed how some preprepared spokes (12) were fitted into an actual rim for a customer. The production of the spokes and all other woodwork is carried out at his home workshop. A very well worth while trip to see such great skills still being used.
Ford in New Zealand—Driving Ahead
The story of Ford in New Zealand had never been told before John Stokes’ book Driving Ahead was released by New Holland Publishing. The thorough research is evident in this comprehensive history of the Ford marque in New Zealand, which begins with the arrival of the very first Ford in New Zealand in 1904 (photo included), through to the 20’s and the 30’s, when the Ford Motor Company of New Zealand was founded. The motor industry became huge business for New Zealand and Driving Ahead considers all the influences, and in plain English. What the “No Remittance” scheme was all about; why the need for overseas funds to buy a car or a truck or a tractor? Why New Zealand switched allegiance from American cars to British ones and then the Japanese invaded! This book is essential reading for anyone interested in our once vibrant motor industry and in New Zealand history.
Beaded Wheels said: “an excellent example of what a marque history should be. Thoroughly researched, well written”. This book is suitable for anyone interested in New Zealand’s motoring history and, of course, any Ford fan. The book shops are out of stock, but I still have some to sell.
Contact John Stokes on 027 5379491 or email tourist.times@xtra.co.nz Or order online at www.fordnewzealand.co.nz Pack and Post: $8.50 to any urban address, add $5 for rural delivery Can deliver in the Wellington region. WAS $60 NOW $40
Vintage Automobilia Auction
STEVE TROTT IS DOWNSIZING HIS COLLECTION
Get ready for a thrilling auction experience! Explore an exciting collection of vintage automobilia and petroliana, featuring enamel signs, petrol pumps, hubcaps, radiator badges, AA badges, pedal cars, money boxes and so much more. There will be in excess of 100 quality lots. Register your interest now: vintageautomobiliaauction2025@gmail.com
Once you register your interest we will be in contact to give you event information and catalogue details. Floor bidding and online bidding will be available on the day. The photos show examples of items that will be for sale at the auction. Once the catalogue is finalised in December, there will be no sales of catalogue items before the auction.
Auction Date—14th February 2025—Location—Napier City
Viewing from midday auction starting at 2.00pm (Other viewing times will be confirmed)
Email any enquiries: vintageautomobiliaauction2025@gmail.com
For Sale
1917 MODEL T FORD—ROADSTER TURTLE DECK
Full restoration
Has current WOF and Rego, and is mobile.
Spare engine and many good spare parts.
Comes with New Trailer to suit Model T.
Asking price—$41,250
Enquiries to Neil Cox—021-0233-3948
Central Hawkes Bay Branch oftheVCC— Directory
Chairman Gary Weaver 027 442 8920 weave@xtra.co.nz
For more details: Email: angela@searletravel.co.nz
Phone: 06 858 9082 Cell: 027 281 1306
Website: www.angelas-travel.co.nz
Free Advertising available for members OR non members for PRIVATE SALE Vehicles, parts, machinery etc, please contact Gary Weaver, Kaye Carswell or “The Bleat” Editor joycecalder@gmail.com to place your advertisement.
Four luxurious units available to hire
Contact us now so we can show you how to add luxury to your event
06 857 8757 or 027 235 5996 karen@premierloos.co.nz www.premierloos.co.nz
We now have CHB VCC windscreen stickers available Contact TREASURER accounts@wpkmotors.co.nz
