ANAWATU RANCH EWSLETTER
RANCH NFORMATION
BRANCH DETAILS CLUBROOMS ‘The Grove’ - 681 Kelvin Grove Road, Palmerston North POSTAL ADDRESS P.O. Box 385, Palmerston North 4440 EMAIL manawatu@vcc.org.nz COMMITTEE MEETING Second Wednesday of each month - 7.00 pm at ‘The Grove’. CLUB NIGHT Third Wednesday of each month (except January) - meet from 7.15 pm at ‘The Grove’. Meetings start at 7.30 pm. PARTS SHED Open from 2 pm on the first Sunday of each month or by arrangement. - contact Gary Millar. LIBRARY Open by arrangement - contact Gary Millar. BOOKINGS FOR ‘THE GROVE’ VENUE Can be made through Creative Catering, Awapuni Racecourse. Phone (06) 354 2780 or Email : info@creativecatering.co.nz
S A RESULT OF ACCESS TO THE
ALL ARTS
RANCH
HED AND THE
CTIVITIES INCLUDING
IBRARY HAVE BEEN EITHER
CANCELLED OR POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
COVER PHOTOGRAPH : Manawatu VCC Branch Clubrooms - Kelvin Grove Road, Palmerston North. THE TOURER : New Zealand Registered Magazine. The Official Newsletter of the Manawatu Branch of the Vintage Car Club of NZ (Inc).
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HIS SSUE
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– VOLUME 1812
Coming Events Chairman’s Chat Secretary’s Scribble Club Captain’s Corner The Ruahine Ramble Lunch Stop History of the Ruggles Motor Truck Bits and Pieces from Bygone Days Photographs – A Glimpse from Past Club Activities Tourer Trivia Patricia Moss - British Rally Driver / Younger sister of Stirling Moss Notice Board and Messages to Members Branch Committee and Appointed Positions - 2019/2020
Photographs in this issue have been contributed by Lyn James and Bryan Abraham
CLOSING DATE FOR THE NEXT TOURER – 20TH MAY 2020
Please send your contributions on rally reports, your motoring stories, restorations, technical reports, articles, photos etc., to : The Editor – 81 Apollo Parade, Palmerston North 4414 Email : bryana@xtra.co.nz - or phone : (06) 358 4014 MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS FROM ALL VCC BRANCHES ARE ONLINE To see the Newsletters online and in colour go to www.vcc.org.nz then go to News from our Branches.
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OMING
VENTS
Five Targa Rally documents are available: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Time Trial Itinerary and Accommodation Suggestions. Entrants Scrutineering and Documentation Checklist. Targa Road Book Example. Targa Road Book Symbols. Explanation of the Route Book, Tulips and Layout.
If you would like any of this additional information forwarded to you, please contact the Tourer Editor - bryana@xtra.co.nz Page 4
HAIRMAN S
HAT
STAN GARMONSWAY
With the Club virtually in hibernation due to the Level 4 lockdown imposed by the Government, there does not seem to be much to write about. I suppose the enforced departure from normal living has resulted in many jobs large and small brought forward from the back burner. On my walks around the neighborhood I have seen gardens tidied and houses and fences painted. No doubt many cars have been groomed and polished and overdue servicing and repairs accomplished. However, one matter stands out, and that is the sad loss of Sir Stirling Moss who recently died after a long illness at the age of 90. He claimed, not to be a driver but a racer, and held the view that if he was not driving to win, there was no point in being in the race. I have two distinct memories of Stirling Moss. The first being his masterful driving in a wet New Zealand Grand Prix at Ardmore in 1959. I was spectating at the corner at the end of the start finish straight and checked him on my stopwatch as he took the corner. He was one tenth of a second faster than everyone else in the wet. With technique like that it’s no wonder he was so successful. The second memory of him was at Goodwood in 2012. He always joined in the fun troubled as he was with his mobility which presumably was due to his fall down his home lift shaft some years ago. He delighted in being starter, and waving home with the checkered flag, the participants in the Settringham Cup race for children in Austin J40 pedal cars. He won many races, but I suppose the standout race of his career was the 1955 Mille Miglia in which he and Denis Jenkinson, with meticulous preparation, brought home the Mercedes 300SLR first in a record time which was never beaten. 1000 miles in just over 10 hours. A great sportsman to the end, he was content with his good and active life. Motorsport will not be the same without him. RIP Sir Stirling. It is not yet clear when we will be able to hold our Annual General Meeting. It all depends on when it will be possible to meet as a group. This cannot be possible until the “social distancing” rules are relaxed. It has been suggested this may not happen until a vaccine is found and we are vaccinated. Meanwhile AGM documents will be emailed to all those of us who have email addresses on file. Those who don’t will receive theirs’ by post. Meanwhile, stay safe. Cheers, Stan Page 5
ECRETARY S
CRIBBLES
PETER ROBINSON
This nasty virus continues to plague the country, but something good is sure to come out of it as far as our hobby is concerned. I feel there will be a lot of restorations completed if the lockdown continues on. And all those little maintenance jobs that have been hanging around will finally get done; not to mention the many applications of Meguiars or Mothers that will have been placed upon the sheet metal. The first outing we have after the lockdown is certain to have a great collection of gleaming vehicles. A little about Vero Insurance, mainly for those newer members who may not be aware of the association our movement has with them. Vero has for over 30 years been a valued supporter of the Vintage Car Club, having sponsored several International events for example. Vero treats each Branch of the Club as a commission agent of theirs. This means that for every premium paid by a Club member, the particular Branch that member belongs to is paid a commission. This is actually a very valued income stream for Manawatu Branch. Last financial year, the amount we received from Vero was $3038. For the two months so far in this financial year, we have received $610. Extrapolated, this gives an annual figure of $3661. Not bad eh? And I have never heard of a bad report from any member who has had to make a claim on their insurance. Cover is not limited to your club eligible vehicle either. You can also insure your house, contents, daily driver, all of which will result in a payment to us. For further details, consult the back page of Beaded Wheels. Just remember to have your membership number handy. National President Dianne Quarrie recently attempted to email each and every member of the Club with information concerning Covid 19, and was horrified to have in excess of 500 returned due to incorrect addesses. At her request, a group of your committee worked on updating details, so we now have a comprehensive current list of those members of our Branch who consent to receipt of email communications. Both Club Captain Esther and I will be using this avenue from time to time to keep you updated with news & events. So it is important that if you change your email address, you notify either myself and/or National Office. That's all folks; remember that many of us are in the danger zone as far as Covid is concerned, so stay safe. Don't want you parking up before your time!! Cheers, Peter.
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LUB
APTAIN S
ORNER
ESTHER WILLIAMS
I hope this finds you are all safe and well. Really looking forward to the day when we all can get out and about in our cars again and also catching up with everyone. Hope all the different crafts and projects are coming along good. We would love to hear from anyone about what you have been doing while in lock down. It would be a good time to do an article for tourer. If you are needing help or feel like a talk just give a call or email to one of the committee members. Dave says to keep the exercise up that is just not drinking and eating. Esther.
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HE
UAHINE
AMBLE
UNCH
TOP
BRYAN ABRAHAM
The April issue of The Tourer included a report and some photographs covering the 2020 Ruahine Ramble and the lunch stop at the Junction Winery - owned by former All Black front row forward John Ashworth and his family. This small, boutique vineyard enjoys the long cool Central Hawkes Bay growing seasons, allowing son and winemaker Leith to produce award-winning, intense, aromatic wines. While looking for a new farm, John had had his eye out for a suitable spot to grow grapes. In 1986 they purchased their Central Hawke's Bay property. It was at this property that the Ruahine Ramble stopped for lunch followed by Wine Tasting. As well as speaking on their range of wines, John gave an overview of his career where he played 24 tests in the front row for the All Blacks. John played from 1977 through till his final tour with the famous 1986 New Zealand Cavaliers, retiring one year before the 1987 Rugby World Cup. His passion for wine was born during an All Black tour to France where he was given a Pinot Noir which he describes as having “gone to his toes”. In 1985 John and his wife Jo sold their farm in Canterbury to move north to Hawke's Bay. John also spoke about the vintage truck which was parked up in the yard where we sat for lunch. The truck is a Ruggles Motor Truck which was originally purchased in Masterton by Jo Ashworth’s grandfather. Page 8
ISTORY OF THE
UGGLES
OTOR
RUCK
The Ruggles Motor Truck Company was the most successful vehicle manufacturer in Saginaw Michigan. Frank Ruggles started the company in 1921 after managing the Republic Truck Co. in Alma for several years. He had originally purchased the old Union Park Racecourse and surrounding property in north Saginaw. Before he started building his plant, the Saginaw Shipbuilding company struck a deal with him to use their facility. The shipyard did not have any contracts to build new ships, so they sold the factory to Frank Ruggles in exchange for $500,000 in stock of the newly formed company. It was an excellent site for building trucks, and being along the Saginaw river supplies could be brought in by ship. Frank Ruggles was the president and the company had a sales office in a bank building and would display one of their trucks out front. Interestingly Frank Ruggles never lived in Saginaw. He had a beautiful mansion in Alma, and continued to live there commuting to Saginaw in his Paige motor car. Ruggles built several different models of business trucks, from a ¾ ton “go getter”, laundry trucks, light delivery trucks, cartage trucks, dump trucks, all the way up to 29 seater passenger buses. They sold trucks to several municipalities throughout the country and to the U.S. Navy. Page 9
Sales were doing well up until 1926 when the market was flooded with trucks returning from WWI and after this the company started to struggle. It was re-organized and Frank Ruggles was forced out. The final blow that ultimately doomed the company was the 1928 hurricane in Florida. The company had over 200 trucks in inventory that were destroyed and the company was never able to recover from the loss.
There are very few Ruggles trucks remaining to this day. Dixieline Lumber donated a meticulously restored 1922 Ruggles lumber truck to the San Diego Auto Museum which has become part of the museum’s permanent collection - a picture of which is shown above.
“My car’s so old it doesn’t even have a speedometer.” “How do you tell how fast you’re going?” “Easy - at 20 mph the wheels rattle, at 30 mph the doors rattle. And if I go any faster I rattle.” Page 10
ITS AND
IECES FROM
YGONE
AYS
ABRIDGED FROM ARTICLE BY PETER LAMPP COLUMNIST FROM STUFF
Ninety years have elapsed since speedway had its grand opening in Palmerston North on Boxing Day 1930. The stockcars of today are a far cry from what the solo motorbike racing when it all began on a track lit by 57 lights each of 2000 "candlepower". It hasn't all been continuous because speedway lapsed from the mid 1930s until 1938 and in 1953 it went broke and didn't resurface again until 1959. As with today, natural disasters intervened. After five weeks of that opening season, racing was abandoned because the grandstand was housing refugees from the February 1931 Napier earthquake. In 1937 a tornado blew the roof off the grandstand and re-roofing it ate up the Manawatu A and P Association's funds.
Motorised chariot racing was briefly introduced to draw crowds to the speedway in the 1930s.
So to draw the punters, the A&P people built and raced horse-drawn chariots, Ben-Hur fashion, and a year later built motorised chariots by welding Harley Davidson motorbikes together. They vibrated terribly and without brakes crashes were inevitable. In the first season the first objections about the noise came after only a few meetings. Page 11
The city council then decided bikes had to be fitted with silencers and sent an inspector to check them out before each race.
Photograph : Manawatu Heritage
Imagine that with the stockcars of today. When it all began in 1930 there was a different noise, only from dirt-track racing, which was also known as "broad-siding" and was promoted as the "world's most thrilling sport". The riders were known as cinder-shifters. The speedway was all bikes until after World War II, racing on the track made from cinders from the Palmerston North Gas Works. Crashes were commonplace and the riders wore flimsy helmets. In 1931, Wellington's Howard Tolley, a member of the Hodder and Tolley company, somersaulted over fallen bikes, was thrown "senseless" on to the grass and carried off. In 1947, he and Jack Woods (Wanganui) were killed racing at Palmerston North when both were hit by following bikes.
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HOTOGRAPHS
LIMPSE FROM
AST
LUB
CTIVITIES
With currently no branch activities there are of course no photographs - and most people like to browse at the photographs, so reminiscing might just about be the next best thing. For the next few Tourers, photographs in this section of the magazine will come from some of our past activities serving to remind members of what they can look forward to again at hopefully some stage in the not too distant future.
2016 – A couple of the branch cars which took part in the Feilding Christmas Parade.
2014 – Two cars parked up under a large tree - sheltering from the rain at the lunch stop at the Eketahuna Camping Ground on the annual Vintage Rally.
2013 – Veterans lined up on Himatangi Beach for the start of the Veteran Coast to Coast.
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2016 – Some of the members’ cars parked up at the Austin Mews Collection (Museum) near Feilding.
2018 – Enjoying fine January weather at the Heritage Park Kimbolton.
2012 – Probably not breaking any speed records, but Laurie Cocker enjoyed the Manfeild section of the Vero Rally.
2018 – Manawatu VCC branch members met up with members from the Wellington and Horowhenua branches for lunch at Viv’s Kitchen and then proceeded onto the Biggin Hill Hanger at Ohakea to see the Spitfire and other aircraft which were on display. Page 15
2015 – Meeting outside Memorial Park for the July Sunday Run to the Robert Harris Café in Feilding.
2017 – After completing the PV rally and a short afternoon section from Pahiatua, participants stopped for afternoon tea at the Bridge Café at Ballance.
2016 – Meeting in Tremaine
Avenue for the September Sunday Run to the County Fayre Café in Pohangina.
2018 – Members appreciating fine weather for the March picnic at Lees Reserve.
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OURER
RIVIA
CONTRIBUTED BY PETER ROBINSON
Where did white sidewall (whitewall) tyres originate? (A, B, or C ?) A.
B.
C.
The first car tyres in the early 1900s were made of natural white coloured rubber. Around 1910, to increase durability, tyre manufacturers added a strip of carbon black to only the tyre's tread surface, leaving the white rubber sidewalls still exposed. The 1929 Cord L-29 debuted at the 1928 Chicago Auto Show with gleaming "white pearl" paint and custom tyres with large whitewalls. The whitewalls were a fashion sensation but were not mass produced and widely used on production cars until after World War II. White painted sidewalls were common on luxury coaches and buggies, predating cars by at least 80 years. The first whitewalls may have been the ivory inlaid wheels installed on the royal coach used by the monarch of the kingdom of Kozhikode (Calicut) on the Malabar Coast of India.
- You have a month to think about it - the answer will be in the June Tourer.
A husband and his wife were sitting in their living room when the husband suddenly said, “Honey, just so you know, I never want to live in a vegetable state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug.� She got up, unplugged the television and threw out all his beer. Page 18
ATRICIA
OSS
BRITISH RALLY DRIVER
1934 - 2008
In the Chairman’s Chat, Stan has paid a tribute to the late Stirling Moss. Not as well known was his younger sister who was a fiercely competitive British Rally Driver. Pat shared her brother’s competitiveness and determination to win as she carved herself a reputation as the world’s leading woman rally driver through the 1950s and 60s. Motor sport was certainly in the family genes on both sides. Her father Alfred, competed in the 1924 Indianapolis 500 race and her mother, Aileen, achieved an impressive record of success in trial events driving both Singer and Marendaz sports cars. It was Stirling’s business manager who fanned the flames of Pat’s enthusiasm when he took her on a treasure hunt. She was immediately bitten by the motoring bug and set out on a career that probably did more for woman in this traditionally male-dominated pastime than any other. Pat initially competed in her Morris Minor convertible in national rallies throughout the UK. Like her brother, she was financially astute and in 1954 used the proceeds of her equestrian activities to purchase a Triumph TR2 sports car, which enabled her to rally with a greater chance of success. In 1955 Pat was invited to drive an MG TF on the RAC rally, then an epic event that took in much of Great Britain, rather than the truncated, muted event it later became. On this occasion she had to settle for third in the Ladies' class, but her name and achievements were noted by the British Motoring Corporation's competition manager, Marcus Chambers, who arranged for her to contest her first overseas event, the 1955 Tulip Rally, in an MG Magnette. Over the next couple of years she drove a variety of cars, including an Austin A90 on the 1956 Monte Carlo rally, an MGA on that year's RAC rally and a Minor 1000 on the gruelling Liège-Sofia-Liège epic, a legendary car-breaking event, which sorely taxed the physical and mental endurance of all its competitors and on which Pat rose to the challenge over the years in dramatic style. In 1958 she drove an Austin Healey 100/6 to fourth place on the Liège event; it was the first time that a woman had finished in the top 10 on this endurance rally and the points she gained by doing so clinched her the Ladies' European championship. That year she met the famous Swedish rally driver Erik Carlsson, whom she would marry five years later. Page 19
In 1960 Pat drove the so-called "Big Healeys" again, coming eighth on both the Geneva and Tulip rallies, second on the Coupe des Alpes, followed almost at once by an outright win on the Liège. This was an amazing result, regardless of her gender, guaranteeing her iconic status in the rallying community, for the Healey was a big, heavy, front-engined, sixcylinder sports car and not the most obvious or easy-to-drive rally machine. In 1963 she accepted a lucrative offer to join Ford to compete at the wheel of their Pat Moss (left) with co-driver Ann Wisdom then recently launched Cortina saloon, but left to join her husband in the Saab team the following year. Throughout the remainder of the decade she was a consistent front runner. When Erik retired to become head of Saab's public relations, Pat briefly switched to Lancia, but after the birth of her daughter, Suzy, in 1969, she made fewer appearances, and by the mid-1970s she was driving for Toyota in the Monte Carlo. It was when she was with that team that she finally decided, in 1974, to retire. Although Pat kept horses she still found room at the back of her garage for a Morris Minor in its original green livery. Shortly before her death, she collected a speeding ticket while towing a horse-box.
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OTICE
OARD
NAME BADGES NEW MEMBERS should contact the branch Secretary, Peter Robinson, to organise to collect their free name badge. EXISTING MEMBERS should contact the branch Secretary, Peter Robinson, to arrange a replacement for a lost or damaged badge - at cost.
CONTRIBUTIONS FOR ‘THE TOURER’ Because the Tourer is the Magazine for your branch – it is your magazine. Should you come across anything that you think could interest your fellow members - or if you wish to contribute an article on any of your motoring projects (past or present) - or your recent participation in runs or events with other branches, please do not hesitate to send it along with any photographs which you may have, to the editor.
Make money by getting rid of those unwanted parts or vehicles that you no longer want. Forward your advertisements to the Editor. Advertising in the Tourer is at no cost to VCC members. Remember that these adverts are not only read by local branch members but by VCC members in other VCC branches and members of other car clubs.
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ANAWATU
RANCH
IRECTORY
BRANCH COMMITTEE Chair
Stan Garmonsway (Kate) stan-kate@outlook.com 06 323 0553
APPOINTED POSITIONS Swapmeet Sarah Howell (Ian) Coordinator iansarahhowell@gmail.com 06 374 6645
Immediate Sarah Howell (Ian) Past Chair iansarahhowell@gmail.com 06 374 6645
Swapmeet John Ireland (Anne) Coordinator ireland.clan@inspire.net.nz 06 323 4170
Vice Chair
Ron Persson (Josie) ron.persson@gmail.com 06 354 5266
Editor
Secretary
Peter Robinson (Ann) bestlife@xtra.co.nz 06 356 7404
Bldg Supervisor, Gary Millar (Marion) Custodian & gw.millar@hotmail.com Librarian 06 354 8298
Treasurer
Ian Howell (Sarah) iansarahhowell@gmail.com 06 374 6645
Delegate
Sarah Howell (Ian) iansarahhowell@gmail.com 06 374 6645
Club Captain
Esther Williams (Dave) e_williams@xtra.co.nz 06 358 5155 : 027 243 7275
Beaded Wheels Scribe
Ian Howell (Sarah) iansarahhowell@gmail.com 06 374 6645
Vice Club Captain
Vacant Position
Parts Shed
Gary Millar (Marion) gw.millar@hotmail.com 06 354 8298
Committee Cliff Bennett (Jenny) Member cliffbennett@xtra.co.nz 06 356 3383 : 021 2837 088
ID Card Advisor
Dave Williams (Esther) e_williams@xtra.co.nz 06 358 5155
Committee Trevor Hardy (Sandra) Member ts.hardy@xtra.co.nz 06 323 4040 : 027 4770 255
ID Card Advisor
John Ireland (Anne) ireland.clan@inspire.net.nz 06 323 4170
Committee John Ireland (Anne) Member ireland.clan@inspire.net.nz 06 323 4170
Privacy Officer
Peter Robinson (Ann) bestlife@xtra.co.nz 06 356 7404
Committee Dave Williams (Esther) Member e_williams@xtra.co.nz 06 358 5155 : 027 243 7275
Welfare Officer
Ron Persson (Josie) ron.persson@gmail.com 06 354 5266
Bryan Abraham (Catherine) bryana@xtra.co.nz 06 358 4014
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