CLASSIC, VINTAGE AND VETERAN MOTORING FOR 77 YEARS
No. 382 June/July 2023
New Zealand’s Foremost Historical Motoring Magazine $8.95
GEORGE BEGG FESTIVAL CONJURING UP A BIT OF SOUTHERN NOSTALGIA
WE GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A
9 418979 000012
‘54 FORD ZEPHYR CONVERTIBLE MARKETPLACE
VEHICLES FOR SALE AND WANTED DRIVING OUR HISTORY
This image was sent to Beaded Wheels by our Auckland correspondent John Stokes. The photo was provided by Mrs Anne Paton of Epsom, it shows a new 1912 Cadillac four cylinder, probably owned by Mr Alexander Wiseman, a prominent Auckland architect, who designed the Auckland Ferry Building and the early Auckland YMCA building among others. The photo could have been taken outside a Wiseman relation’s property, Marama, which in those days bordered Epsom Avenue. Photographs Required: Submissions of suitable prints and information are welcome. Post or email original photographs or high resolution digital files of historical interest with any available information to: beadedwheels@vcc.org.nz or Beaded Wheels, PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140. Laserprints/photocopies are not suitable. Photos will be returned as soon as practicable.
NATIONAL OFFICE
The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc.) PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140 Phone 03 366 4461 Email admin@vcc.org.nz
VCCNZ LIFE MEMBERS Andrew Anderson Roger White Norm Dewhurst Rod Brayshaw John Coomber
VCCNZ MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
PRESIDENT Diane Quarrie 06 876 4009 president@vcc.org.nz SECRETARY/ TREASURER
CLUB CAPTAIN NORTHERN REGION Kaaren Smylie 021 664 341 nicc@vcc.org.nz CLUB CAPTAIN SOUTHERN REGION Alon Mayhew 027 202 9491 sicc@vcc.org.nz
REGISTRAR Neil Beckenham 09 426 5831 registrar@vcc.org.nz SPEED STEWARD Tony Haycock 021 662 441 speedsteward@vcc.org.nz EDITOR, BEADED WHEELS Kevin Clarkson 021 0270 6525 kevin@vcc.org.nz Tony Bartlett 06 867 9850
mgmt1@vcc.org.nz
George Kear 027 221 4332
mgmt2@vcc.org.nz
COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING comms@vcc.org.nz ARCHIVIST Don Muller 03 385 6850
archivist@vcc.org.nz
Murray Trounson 03 339 8830 mgmt3@vcc.org.nz
Please note this information changes annually - these details are valid until the next AGM
VCCNZ BRANCHES A full list of branch addresses and contact details can also be found on the VCCNZ website at www.vcc.org.nz ASHBURTON PO Box 382, Ashburton 7740 ashburton@vcc.org.nz AUCKLAND PO Box 12-138, Penrose, Auckland 1642 auckland@vcc.org.nz BANKS PENINSULA 27 Showgate Ave, Riccarton Park, Christchurch 8042 bankspeninsula@vcc.org.nz BAY OF PLENTY PO Box 660, Tauranga 3144 bayofplenty@vcc.org.nz CANTERBURY PO Box 11-082, Sockburn Christchurch 8443 canterbury@vcc.org.nz CENTRAL OTAGO C/-114 Shortcut Road, Luggate, RD2, Wanaka 9382 centralotago@vcc.org.nz CENTRAL HAWKE’S BAY C/- 448 Tukituki Road, RD1, Takapau 4286 centralhawkesbay@vcc.org.nz EASTERN BAY OF PLENTY PO Box 2168, Kopeopeo Whakatane 3159 easternbayofplenty@vcc.org.nz
2 Beaded Wheels
FAR NORTH C/– PO Box 312 Kaitaia 0441 farnorth@vcc.org.nz GISBORNE PO Box 307, Gisborne 4040 gisborne@vcc.org.nz GORE PO Box 329, Gore 9740 gore@vcc.org.nz HAWKE’S BAY PO Box 3406, Napier 4142 hawkesbay@vcc.org.nz HOROWHENUA PO Box 458, Levin 5540 horowhenua@vcc.org.nz KING COUNTRY C/- 923 Taringamotu Road, Taumarunui 3994 kingcountry@vcc.org.nz MANAWATU PO Box 385 Palmerston North 4440 manawatu@vcc.org.nz MARLBOROUGH PO Box 422, Blenheim 7240 marlborough@vcc.org.nz NELSON PO Box 3531, Richmond 7050 nelson@vcc.org.nz
NORTHLAND PO Box 17, Whangarei 0140 northland@vcc.org.nz NORTH OTAGO PO Box 360, Oamaru 9444 northotago@vcc.org.nz NORTH SHORE C/- 7 Godwit Place, Lynfield Auckland 1042 northshore@vcc.org.nz OTAGO C/- 125 Forbury Road, Saint Clair, Dunedin 9012 otago@vcc.org.nz ROTORUA PO Box 2014, Rotorua 3040 rotorua@vcc.org.nz SOUTH CANTERBURY 19 Redruth St, Timaru 7910 southcanterbury@vcc.org.nz SOUTHLAND PO Box 1240, Invercargill 9840 southand@vcc.org.nz SOUTH OTAGO C/- 1931 Breakneck Rd, RD 4, Balclutha 9274 southotago@vcc.org.nz SOUTH WAIKATO PO Box 403 Tokoroa 3420 southwaikato@vcc.org.nz
TARANAKI C/- 7 Leatham Ave, Strandon, New Plymouth 4312 taranaki@vcc.org.nz TAUPO PO Box 907, Taupo 3351 taupo@vcc.org.nz WAIKATO PO Box 924, Hamilton 3240 waikato@vcc.org.nz WAIMATE 4 Harris St, Waimate 7924 waimate@vcc.org.nz WAIRARAPA PO Box 7, Masterton 5840 wairarapa@vcc.org.nz WAITEMATA C/- 8 Jean Place, Stanmore Bay, Whangaparoa 0932 waitemata@vcc.org.nz WANGANUI PO Box 726, Whanganui 4541 wanganui@vcc.org.nz WELLINGTON PO Box 38418, Wellington Mail Centre, Lower Hutt 5045 wellington@vcc.org.nz WELLSFORD/WARKWORTH PO Box 547, Warkworth 0941 wellsfordwarkworth@vcc.org.nz WEST COAST C/- 143 Ward Street, Cobden Greymouth 7802, westcoast@vcc.org.nz
CONTENTS
Beaded Wheels Publisher
The Vintage Car Club of NZ (Inc.) The Historic Vehicle Authority of New Zealand ISSN 0113-7506 Vol LXXIV No. 382
Issue 382 June/July 2023
Typesetting and Design:
RGB Design & Print Ltd, Christchurch
FEATURES
Editor: Kevin Clarkson Sub Editors:
Judith Bain Rosalie Brown Mark Dawber John McDonald Greg Price Charles Rushbrook
Material for Publication
Reports of restorations, events, road tests, historical and technical articles should be submitted to beadedwheels@vcc.org.nz. Email of text and photos is preferred, digital photographs should be high resolution eg 300dpi. Alternatively mail your contribution to PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140, typed or neatly printed. No payment is made to contributors. The opinions or statements expressed in letters or articles in Beaded Wheels are the author’s own views and do not necessarily express the policy or views of The Vintage Car Club of NZ (Inc).
Email beadedwheels@vcc.org.nz Advertising Enquiries
Classified and Display Advertising to: PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140. Email beadedwheels@vcc.org.nz Phone 64 3 332 3531 Rate schedule available on request.
Back Issues Available on request to
10
Behind The Wheel – 1954 Ford Zephyr Mark One Convertible
16
The Enamelled Badge
19
1929 MG M-Type Midget
20
The Bentley and the Minesweeper
32
1923 Mercer Series 6 Raceabout
36
PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140.
Correspondence & Editorial Contributions
Phone 64 3 332 3531, Fax 64 3 366 0273 PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140. Email beadedwheels@vcc.org.nz
Subscriptions
Beaded Wheels subscribers change of address to: PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140. Phone 03 366 4461, Fax 03 366 0273 Annual subscription (6 issues) $52* inc GST Australian subscription (6 issues) NZ$112* Other countries (6 issues) NZ$185* Digital subscription (6 issues) NZ$39 available from vcc.org.nz or issuu.com. *Payment by credit card incurs additional bank fee processing charge of 3%
Closing Date for August/September: Editorial Copy Advertisements
28 June 2023 10 July 2023
The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc.) National Office Phone 03 366 4461 Email admin@vcc.org.nz
Address: 12 Aberdeen St, Christchurch, New Zealand.
George Begg Festival
20
The Bentley and the Minesweeper
26
Highland Fling
34
Market Place
48
Highland Fling A stunning weekend of motoring adventures. Rally Snippets 36 2023 Veteran and Vintage Tour – Wellington Branch 37 Gerald Lynch-Blosse Memorial Rally – North Otago Branch 38 Scenicland Rally – West Coast Branch 39 Three Rivers Rally – Gisborne Branch 40 Manunu Coast Hillclimb – Waitemata Branch 43 South Island Tour – Manawatu Branch 45 Highlands Festival of Speed 46 Maunga Moana Rally – Taranaki Branch
COLUMNS 4
President’s Message
31
The Way We Were
4
Editorial Viewpoint
47
Archivist News
5
VCC Branch Events
48
Marketplace
6
National Office News
53
Swap Meets & Rallies
7
Mailbag
54
Trade Directory
8
Soapbox
55
Branch News
9
Timelines
66
Passing Lane
31
Book Review
Postal Address: PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
10
George Begg Festival Highlights from a superb festival of motoring in the deep south.
26 34
1954 Zephyr Convertible
COVER
Website: www.vcc.org.nz Copyright Information
The contents are copyright. Articles may be reproduced complete or in part provided that acknowledgement is made to “Beaded Wheels, the magazine of The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc)” as the source. Reproduction of articles must be at least 12 months after original Beaded Wheels publication date. Beaded Wheels reserves the right to digitally store all published material for archival purposes.
Like us on facebook Beaded Wheels
Southland member Howard Kingsford-Smith, 1964 Morris Mini Cooper S, at this year’s Begg Festival of Motoring roaring to victory. Howard finished the event with two seconds and a first. Photo courtesy Bill Richardson Transport World.
20 The Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA) is the worldwide organisation dedicated to the preservation, protection and promotion of historic vehicles and related culture. The Vintage Car Club of NZ (Inc) is a founding member of FIVA. VCC Life Member Rod Brayshaw is the New Zealand delegate to FIVA and also a member of the FIVA Technical Commission.
DRIVING OUR HISTORY
Beaded Wheels 3
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE This is my penultimate President’s Column as I stand down from the position in August. The Club’s financial statements are currently being prepared for reporting to all members and you will see that there is an operating deficit this year but when the Vero payment and interest from bank investments is taken into account, there is a modest surplus. At our last Management Committee meeting, we have had to seriously review our budget for the 2023/2024 year as well as looking towards the 2024/2025 budget. We anticipate that the cost of producing our Club’s flagship Beaded Wheels magazine will increase by at least 20% more than the 2022/2023 actual cost, which was higher than the originally budgeted 2023/2024 cost. This is because there are substantial increases in the printing, production, paper costs and postage. We anticipate that postage costs alone will increase by 37% more than that for the 2022/2023 financial year. We have endeavoured to trim costs where we can, but our revised budget shows a substantial shortfall which can only be funded by a subscription increase. I am giving a heads-up that the Management Committee will be recommending to the Executive that the subscription
EDITORIAL VIEWPOINT I continue to get positive feedback from members about the value to them of Beaded Wheels. That’s important, it lets us know we are on the right track, and we can continue to provide more of what members want (mostly anyway – Branch News will continue to be part of the mix!). Our Marketplace section may well be the most read and/or first read by members as many tell me this is what they turn to first. Feedback also tells me that an advert placed in Classified will very often end with a positive result.
4 Beaded Wheels
be increased. Draft budgets will be sent out to Branches for discussion prior to the Executive meeting in August. Please make sure that your branch committee discuss these with you so that your delegate can take an active part in the discussions on this. The last time the subscription was increased was in 2018, when it went from $50 to $55. While the Club has nearly $1.5 million on term deposit ($425,000 of which is from the insurance payout due to the Christchurch earthquake), the purchase of replacement premises will likely use up a great portion of those funds along with what we get for the land. The deadline when we have to be out of the building is looming quickly. I am delighted to announce that Vero and the Vintage Car Club have formally signed-off on the sponsorship arrangement for the next Vero Festival of Historic Motoring. We are extremely grateful to Vero for their major sponsorship which allows this event to happen. Vero (and its previous entities) have supported the Vintage Car Club for nearly 60 years and they have a lengthy history of sponsoring our international rallies since 1996. As a result of the flood damage to our members’ vehicles due to Cyclone Gabrielle, I became aware that the NZTA rules about flood damage in the VIRM Light Vehicle Repair Certification When a sale price is included in the advert contact from a potential buyer is more likely, and sooner than may otherwise be the case. Other sales avenues should, of course, be explored and used, but including Beaded Wheels classifieds in the mix may just help that sale. The electric vehicle debate continues. There is no doubt that there are many EVs on the road now and I imagine the number will explode in coming years as the technology improves and “range anxiety” becomes a term that is despatched to the past. Cheaper motoring and less emissions during use are
Water Damage table were inappropriate for older vehicles. The flood damage rules were not written with older vehicles in mind and were totally inappropriate. For instance, the rules require many components to be replaced (not repaired) when it is unnecessary to do so. In addition, some of these parts are not critical to a vintage vehicle’s safety system as a result of exposure to water. The water damage is not structural for the age of our type of vehicle and for these reasons, if they were deregistered, we understand that it would be impossible or unreasonably expensive to get them back on the road. I wrote to NZTA and asked that new rules be urgently written specifically for these older vehicles so that our members can get some certainty around the write-off or repair of their vehicles. NZTA responded immediately and as a result, NZTA staff and RepairCert NZ (LVVTA) worked to find a solution. A new table has been developed (of which we have seen the draft) and it is hoped that this will issue very shortly. This has been a good example of NZTA, LVVTA and VCC working together to get a solution to an issue that is affecting our members. Unfortunately, the 12-month WoF scheme is still no closer to a decision. Harry Duynhoven from the Federation of Motoring Clubs has advised also very positive outcomes. However, it seems there are conflicting views on some issues such as “how clean are they really?” and “ultimately, will we ever have enough electricity to re-charge the batteries?” for example. There may be two ways to look at this. I favour a science-based view, generally based on facts and testing that gains replicable results and when new information is discovered, applying that to the known science and testing again and again. The other view is one of ideology where a desired result is required and to get this sometimes lightly rose-tinted specs may be required. Putting
that because of restructuring within NZTA, this matter has now been moved from the Regulatory Safer Vehicles team (who we had been dealing with) to the Regulatory Systems Design team. Harry continues to advance this on our behalf. While on the subject of NZTA and the 12 month WoF proposal, I have become aware that some VCC members have taken it upon themselves to write directly to NZTA to give them a ‘hurry up’ (and I use that term loosely). This is not at all helpful and in fact could impede or stall negotiations and it shows a complete lack of understanding of how collaborating with a government body to achieve a goal works. In April I sent out to branches a document compiling the comments to the various questions which were discussed at the workshops on governance at the March Executive meeting. From those comments, three options for a new Board/Management Committee structure were also sent. If your branch has not made these documents available and given you the opportunity to discuss, then I urge you to contact them.
Diane Quarrie VCCNZ National President
it another way – it is generally accepted and supported by science that our Earth is round, a globe, yet we have a Flat Earth Society which is alive and well. Yes, really! (google it, it makes interesting reading, and the “science” is quite breath-taking). Anyway, I have an E bike and really enjoy it but I should get out on it more often!
Kevin Clarkson Editor Beaded Wheels
VINTAGE CAR CLUB BRANCH EVENTS
DRIVING OUR HISTORY
Bay of Plenty branch hosted a highly successful High Fling Rally in April. Plenty of back country motoring is fast making this event a favourite. Photo Jacqui Goldingham.
JUNE
1 South Canterbury 1 Waitemata 2-4 Canterbury 3 Gore 4 South Canterbury 4 Wanganui 4 Wellington 7 Horowhenua 7 Wanganui 8 South Canterbury 9 Rotorua 10 Waikato 10-11 Ashburton 11 Canterbury 11 Hawke’s Bay 11 Manawatu 11 Nelson 11 Northland 11 North Otago 12 Bay of Plenty 12 Central Otago 13 Gore 14 Hawke’s Bay 14 North Shore 14 Waikato 17 Manawatu 18 Canterbury 18 Nelson 18 North Shore 18 Otago
AGM AGM Irishman Rally End of Season Run All British Annual Rally Sunday Run AGM AGM Mid-week Run Swap meet Double 50 Rally Overnight Run to Oamaru Restoration of the Year Club Run Sunday Jaunt Club Run AGM AGM AGM AGM AGM AGM AGM AGM Night Trial AGM AGM & Restoration of the Year Club Run AGM
18 Rotorua 18 Taupo 18 Wairarapa 18 West Coast 20 C. Hawke’s Bay 20 Wellington 21 Auckland 21 Gisborne 21 Waikato 24 Auckland 24 Banks Peninsula 24 C. Hawke’s Bay 24 E. Bay of Plenty 24 South Canterbury 25 Bay of Plenty 25 Gisborne 29 Otago
JULY
1 Waimate
1-2 Wellsford/Wkwth 2 Manawatu 2 Waikato 2 Wellington 8 Gore 8 Waitemata 9 Banks Peninsula 9 Rotorua 9 Wairarapa 15 Waimate 16 Marlborough 16 Nelson
Prize Giving Run Club Run Winter Wander Rosco Sporting Trials AGM AGM Mid-week Tourers AGM Wednesday Wander AGM Night Trial Shed Visit Night Owl Rally Night Trial End of Month Run Club Run Midweek Run
16 Wanganui 19 Auckland 19 Waikato 22-23 Hawke’s Bay 23 Canterbury 27 Otago 30 Waikato
Car Display Waimate Winter Show Winter Woollies Wander Sunday Jaunt Venturers Raid Sunday Run Annual Dinner & Prizegiving R’oil Can Balcairn Trial Swap Meet Gravel Challenge Rock & Roll Snow Run Snow Run
SEPTEMBER
AUGUST
5 Wellington 6 Manawatu 11-13 Nelson 12 South Canterbury 16 Waikato 17 Auckland 20 National 26 Rotorua 31 Otago
2 Waimate 3 Manawatu 9 Manawatu 10 Auckland 20 Northland 20 Waikato 21 Auckland 23-24 Marlborough /Nelson 28 Otago 30 Manawatu 30-1 Otago
Sunday Run Mid-week Tourers Run Wednesday Wander Winter Art Deco Winter Run Mid-week Run Motorcycle Visit Sunday Run Sunday Jaunt National VCC AGM Garage Raid Wednesday Wander Mid-week Tourers Run Daffodil Rally for Cancer Sulphur City Rally Midweek Run Swap Meet Sunday Jaunt Vintage Run PV, PW, P60 & P80 Rally Dargaville Birthday Run Wednesday Wander Mid-week Tourers Run Biennial Rally Midweek Run Swap Meet Dunvegan Motorcycle Rally
NATIONAL EVENTS 20 August VCC Daffodil Rally for Cancer 20-23 October National Commercial Rally
This list does not contain all branch events – Check branch newsletters for up-to-date details of smaller events. This column is compiled from the VCCNZ National Calendar of Events, and events as listed in each branch newsletter. Any deletions, additions, alterations need to be notified to Beaded Wheels by the Branch Secretary before 10th of the month prior to magazine publication.
While Beaded Wheels makes every attempt to check the accuracy of the dates published in this column we advise readers to confirm all dates with the individual branch concerned.
A valid Vehicle ID card (VIC) is required for any vehicle entered in a National VCC event. Visit www.vcc.org.nz for more information on how to obtain a VIC for your vehicle.
Beaded Wheels 5
NATIONAL OFFICE NEWS Contact National Office for all queries regarding VICs, historic race licences, logbooks, registration of vehicles, lighting endorsement, address changes, subscriptions, membership cards, speed events.
VCC VERO INSURANCE SCHEME
Please note: Financial membership of the Vintage Car Club of NZ Incorporated is a requirement to be insured under the VCC/Vero Insurance Scheme. VEHICLE IDENTITY CARD AND DATE OF MANUFACTURE AND AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT APPLICATIONS
Did you know that a change of licence plate triggers the requirement for a replacement Vehicle Identity Card? Please notify National Office if you change the licence plate of a vehicle that has previously had a VIC issued and provide a new photo of the vehicle with the new licence plate. Please be sure you have completed the application form properly and completely, and that your Branch Vehicle ID Card signatory has signed the form as having authorised and/ or inspected the vehicle. The photographs required must be attached or emailed to National Office, as part of the application, before the processing is started. Kindly note that our processing times are generally 2-6 weeks from the point the application is received at National Office. There has been an increase in applications over the past year which has meant that we often are running closer to the 6-week processing time. We thank you for your patience.
6 Beaded Wheels
FOR ACHIEVEMENT
VCC SPEED EVENTS
It is compulsory for any member entering a VCC Speed Event to hold a current VCC Historic Racing Licence (or Motorsport NZ Licence), and VCC Logbook (or Motorsport NZ Logbook), for the vehicle concerned, which must have a current VCC ID Card. If you currently hold a VCC Historic Racing Licence, please keep an eye on the expiry date and if it needs renewing, please complete the Historic Race Licence Renewal Form and forward it, along with the payment and a new one will be issued.
FINAL CALL FOR NOMINATIONS Members of the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand are invited to nominate a fellow member for this annual award. The nomination should be for any member who they regard as having been involved in a significant achievement. It may be a particularly significant restoration, a memorable motoring journey or an important historical article or series of articles published in Beaded Wheels or some special service to the Club. Nominations should be forwarded to: John L Goddard Award, Vintage Car Club of NZ Incorporated, PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140 or emailed to admin@vcc.org.nz
NOMINATIONS CLOSE 7 JULY 2023
CHANGE OF ADDRESS/ DETAILS
Please advise the National Office if you have changed address, phone number, email address or vehicle ownership. Please include your membership number in your communication with National Office. BOUGHT A VEHICLE THAT HAS A VINTAGE CAR CLUB OF NZ VEHICLE ID CARD?
Upon a change of ownership, the Vehicle ID Card is no longer valid. It is easy to transfer this into your name. Complete the VCC Change of Ownership form (found on the Club Website, through your branch, or direct from National Office) and return it to National Office for processing.
DRIVING OUR HISTORY
COMMUNICATIONS WITH NATIONAL OFFICE MUST INCLUDE MEMBERSHIP NUMBER
Please include your membership number in all communications with National Office including payments to the National Office bank account. This can be found
who appreciate the fascination of age, the individuality and the functional elegance of vehicles from a bygone era, that this magazine is dedicated.
Beaded Wheels – Our long established title may have readers wondering about its
on your membership card in the top right-hand corner. NATIONAL OFFICE HOURS
Please note that the National Office hours are Mon-Fri 9.30am to 1.30pm.
National Office Hours Linda Duffell Office Administrator
Beaded Wheels Beaded Wheels is the voice of The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc.) and its 36 branches covering the length and breadth of the country. The efforts of our members continue to foster and ever widen the interest in this segment of our country’s history. It is to these people,
JOHN L GODDARD TROPHY
Karen Proctor Mgmt Committee Liaison Officer
origin. By way of explanation beaded edge wheels use beaded edge tyres that are kept in place by reinforced rubber beads, which fit into the rolled edges of the wheel rim. This style of wheel was a distinctive feature of early motoring, being used on early bicycles, many pre-1924 cars and
Monday to Friday 9.30am to 1.30pm. admin@vcc.org.nz
most motorcycles until 1927. In March 1955 The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand adopted the title Beaded Wheels for their club magazine which was the successor to the monthly Guff Sheet.
MAILBAG The editorial committee reserve the right to publish, edit or refuse publication of any item submitted as comment. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily express the policy or views of the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc.) or the publishers. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.
DISAPPOINTING ARTICLE
I was disappointed to see your normally wonderful magazine printing an out of date article containing several inaccuracies and myths and not applicable to New Zealand conditions.
Lithium has been found to make a superior battery when the battery is made from recycled Lithium. Yes- it’s 100% recyclable. Alan Jonkers
The photographs- did you verify their authenticity? There has been an aerial photograph of a Rio Tinto copper mine floating about the internet for several years now, dressed as a “Lithium” or ‘rare earth’ mine.
ARTICLES ABOUT ELECTRIC CARS
Having worked around the world on petrochemical sites and refineries, I can tell you that there are just as bad sights to behold in those places.
Here are three links amongst many that should be watched by any thinking person.
No mention of overall efficiency from energy source to vehiclepetrol/diesel vehicles maximum of 35% vs EVs at 85% Cobalt: while battery manufacturers are working to phase cobalt out of their product or find ethical sources, oil refineries still use it in their processes, at 3% of global consumption. Interesting to note that Aerospace and Gas Turbine manufacture have a combined use of 57%. And there is a ‘space race’ happening at the moment regarding battery technology: we will see an end to lithium-based batteries in the near future. If readers are interested in seeing any of the other myths busted, Chargenet have a useful page that is worth a look: https://charge.net.nz/media/evmyths/ And this article from the BBC reinforces why we need to be moving away from petrochemicals: https://www.bbc.com/news/ science-environment-63560279 As a final thought, what about that end of life smartphone or battery drill with the Lithium battery? Plenty go in the bin and ended up in landfill.
Those vociferously criticising Kevin Clarkson’s editorial view, need to look into their so called facts, that they are using to berate him.
These videos are presented by two people who are highly qualified physicists and engineers, people who have alot of knowledge in the ‘game’. Is California’s Mission to Reach Zero-Emissions Possible? | Mark Mills https://youtu.be/4sa5JkeerRo Rare Earth Metals for the Energy Transition| Sabine Hossenfelder https://youtu.be/ fWH8ZP1AHC8?t=653 The energy transition delusion: inescapable mineral realities | Mark Mills https://youtu.be/ sgOEGKDVvsg?t=917 Neville Williams Auckland
SWASTIKA EMBLEMS
I have just finished reading an Aug/Sept edition, in which mention is made on p31 re the above symbol being on a certain brand of American car. The writer refers to it as the same gentle symbol adopted by the nazis, which while based in fact is not the same symbol. What Hitler did was to take the symbol for Taoism, pronounced with a D, and rotated it 90 degrees anti clockwise, hence his being designated the anti Christ along with his longing for the legionaires spear that pierced the side of Christ, while on
the cross, and his hunt for the Jewish Ark of the Covenant. Trusting that might clarify the writer’s comments, albeit 16 years late. Great timeless magazine to read anytime. Chris Davies
‘27 CHRYSLER PHOTOS
After reading the February issue article in Beaded Wheels on page 16, Ardmore, I was wondering if anyone has a photo of the 1927 Chrysler driven by Noel McCutcheon. I’m restoring a Chrysler that has a lot of advertising under the old paint, and “hotstuff” on the bottom of doors. It’s a long shot, but it may be the Chrysler in that article. John Durry Hawke’s Bay
MOTORCYCLES IN BEADED WHEELS
Great to see motorcycles featuring lately (BW 381), however I was dismayed to see almost a total lack of helmets in pictures of one of the events pp38-41. Whilst a risk assessment might have been undertaken, in my experience it really is worth it to “wear all the gear, all the time”. Anyway it is not a good look to display lack of basic safety equipment. On another subject I wonder what the definition of “commercial” is, e.g. for the National Commercial Rally. Can one take along a Mack juggernaut for example, provided it is old enough, and VIC-ed etc. or is there some restriction on size or other parameter? Gerry Spencer Central Otago
MAGAZINE SPARKS MEMORIES
Today I purchased a copy of Beaded Wheels having seen a copy in Wellington Hospital while waiting for my appointment. I grew up with cars and Dad did a lot of mudplugging back in England where we were before and after WWII.
An M & L Trials special.
Just last week, I was able to donate to Southwards Car Museum an unused cigarette lighter, still in its box, that a my father received as a special prize from Alfred Moss back in 1950. I often emailed Alfred’s son Stirling for information on one thing or another. He was a friend of the family. He said “Adele, my father Alfred would have presented it to your father, Gerard Pentony.” Dad worked for some of the family. Alfred’s sister married Michael Lawson, and both Alfred and Michael started up a business in Thornton Heath. Surrey, on the outskirts of London, Moss & Lawson. Sadly it has folded now, but I have fond memories of visiting my father there and he would often run into Stirling if he was visiting Michael. Dad at one time had a MG J2, bought from a firm in Chichester, Sussex before WWII. When he enlisted with RAF and RCAF his best friend, Leslie Stone, took care of the car in Greenwich. A bomb fell close by, and I remember Leslie saying to me that the car was okay. I said “imagine Dad hearing his lovely car was damaged!” I traced this actual car to a person in Leatherhead, Surrey, but sadly Dad had passed by that time. Dad bought an old grey car and had it painted yellow and black, a Rolls-Royce, I think it was about a 1926 model. He used it twice, for both daughters weddings, then promptly sold it. Dad received so many silver and pewter trophies while doing what he loved. A car down at Beaulieu Car Museum was made by friends of my parents, for Alfred Moss, M & L. Back in 2014 I was invited home to listen to the story of the couple who built this special car for Alfred Moss. I was saddened when Stirling died. My sister ran into him and his wife on a cruise, and when I was home in 2014 I had planned Continued on page 9
Beaded Wheels 7
SOAPBOX
A column for those who like to stir the pot … just a little.
PLAN AHEAD
OR WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR STUFF AFTER YOU’RE GONE? Words and photos Paul Herron
Back on 8 April 2019 I was shocked and saddened to learn that my friend Robin Dickson had unexpectedly passed away. Robin had a strong interest in the old car disease and a vast knowledge. We spent a lot of time discussing veteran and vintage cars. We had also done several deals with early T parts and helped each other with getting castings done in multiples. I visited Robin’s large shed at Pukerau to see the changes and additions and was always amazed at the size of his collection but a little concerned at what would eventually happen to it all. I spoke to Robin’s wife Susan after his death and I could see she was stressing about the collection and how was it going to be disposed of. Having a reasonable knowledge of his collection I offered to handle the organising and compiling of the cars and projects and also to deal with the hopefuls wanting to get in early.
This article represents the opinion of the author and in no way reflects the position of the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand. Contributions up to 800 words are very welcome to soapbox. Email beaded wheels@ vcc.org.nz
8 Beaded Wheels
For those who never had the pleasure of a visit to view the collection there are in fact two sheds with 63 vehicles inside and no room for more or to move. A plan was needed and I decided to split the collection into two. The later era cars in most cases were rolling cars of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s with one 1984 car and the oldest an Austin 7 of 1937. In total the first auction was of 32 cars including parts from this era as well. Believe me – Robin threw nothing away! The next issue I had was where to hold it, as Robin’s shed location wasn’t ideal for large numbers attending. The Southern Field Days site with an incredibly large shed, parking, toilets, cooking facilities and security, all of which Robin’s shed lacked, seemed well suited. Negotiations were completed favorably along with our local VCC branch assisting with catering and moving each car 25km to the Waimumu site. Then the 2020 Covid lock down with the restrictions that followed made holding auctions impossible until all mandates were lifted. Eventually in September 2022, with renegotiations, reorganizing, and advertising, a successful auction was held with everything selling. So now my most asked question is, ‘When is the next one?’. With the first auction the cars mostly
rolled onto trailers and even though Robin had shoehorned them into some tight spots, 32 were moved in approximately three days with a great band of willing helpers. This next one is definitely going to require more time to organise parts. Of the remaining 29 vehicles, approximately 17 are in project form with multiple parts to gather, identify, compile and stack on to pallets. Model T cars and parts are no problem to me, however Reo, Cadillac, Overland, Oakland, Buick, Hudson are more of a challenge, requiring more research and time to ensure items are with the correct car. Believe me there are a lot of parts and luckily Robin had certain things in areas and in some instances had written on the make. Nothing will be sold out of auction so everyone gets a chance and all the better items don’t get picked through leaving the less desirable. As I am mostly doing this on my own time, along with running my business, it is impossible to estimate a date for completion. We will have it well advertised when it is due to happen. I have thought long and hard for the best method for favourable results and can only see an auction working most effectively. A note from WM Todd and Co, the auctioneers, is that they will not be doing online
bidding so it will be a case of be there or arrange an absentia bidder or phone bidding. Based on previous auctions it is still an entertaining event even if you have no intentions of buying. List of cars involved either restored, original or projects: • 1902 Rambler/Jeffery • 1909 Maxwell 2cyl • 1911 Overland • 1912 Overland • 1914 Overland • 1910 Ford T x2 • 1911 Ford T x3 • 1912 Ford T • 1914 Ford T • 1917 Ford T • 1922? Ford T coupes x3 • 1922? Ford T • 1916/17 Chevrolet 490 • 1926 Ford T • 1924 Buick • 1930 Hudson 8 • 1924/25 Oakland • 1915 Cadillac V8 x2 • 1916/17? Dodge • 1908 Cadillac 4cyl • Vintage Fordson tractor • Vintage McCormick tractor • And many, many, many parts brass or otherwise. If any one has questions or want photos I am taking a lot of each car as I process them, or if you can help with identification, do not hesitate to call. Paul Herron 027 210 4131 paulandlynne@xtra.co.nz
to visit Stirling. I think it was about the time he fell down his lift shaft and was hurt... history. I used to follow the veteran cars from London to Brighton annually! Starting at Streatham where we were living. Adele Pentony-Graham Carterton
A MEMBER OF MANKIND
To prove that I read Beaded Wheels cover to cover I am alarmed about chatbots and the debate about electric cars versus the internal combustion equivalent. I think I’m already down a rabbit hole without realising it. You see I don’t have a mobile phone or a computer. So what to do? Well I’m definitely a member of mankind and I realise you can’t stop progress, but is it? I don’t know enough about the mining of precious metals but I read about what appears to be conflicting percentages and so called facts. Also I like old cars and motorcycles and like reading stories about them written by fellow members of mankind without being interrupted by a quacking duck or some form of artificial music eminating from a mobile phone. As for the banks doing away with cheques, well don’t talk to me about that one. Basil McCoy
6TH NATIONAL COMMERCIAL RALLY – LABOUR WEEKEND OCTOBER 2023
One definition of commercial is “The application is a vehicle that has been used by an entity as part of the commercial business”. It could be a motorcycle with a parcel box or sidecar carrier, any utility or truck (from small size up to large machines used by the mining industry), fire engine or ambulance, there are many types and we look forward to seeing a great representation at the October 2023 National Commercial Rally in Wanganui. In the early 1900s many vehicles came to New Zealand as a chassis, engine and sometimes part of a cab. Local firms built colonial bodies to suit their
business use. There are many advertisements in the early newspapers, there were even ads in our Wanganui Chronicle. To quote one from May 1916: “Wanted to Sell - English Rover motor car, 20 horse power would make make a good lorry or delivery van - Andrew Ltd , Taupo Quay “ That is why so many veteran and vintage vehicles were converted – often by cutting off the rear passenger seats and installing a flat bed with sides. Farmers often cut down older cars to use on the farm. As time went by many vehicles were imported as utes or trucks or especially built into service cars and/or buses. We have a rich history of commercial vehicles some original and a lot restored. In the Vintage Car Club database there are over 1000 vehicles listed as commercial, some are complete and registered , others are being restored, others are donor vehicles for parts. In our Wanganui Branch there are over 25 members with commercial vehicles of all ages from veteran (pre WWI) up to 1993. We plan for all types of vehicles and over the three days of Labour weekend hope to see them driving around our district. A public display is also planned for the weekend. The event is being led by a team of four Wanganui Branch members; Rob and Linda O’Keefe, Neil Farrer and Bruce Ardell. We have a number of local firms contributing to our costs, especially Barracks Sports Bar where we will hold functions on Friday and Saturday nights. The main rally dinner will be at the Racecourse. Saturday there will be a rally route around Wanganui East and Okoia, plus time for entrants to enjoy our city. Sunday will be the main rally run on the western side of Wanganui and on Monday there will be a short run. Plan now to join us in Wanganui for Labour Weekend Oct 2023. Neil Farrer nfarrer@xtra.co.nz
historics.co.uk
TIMELINES
MAILBAG CONTINUED
This 1996 Brooklands Bentley realised £13,400 at auction in the UK in 2020.
1903
120 YEARS AGO
1923
100 YEARS AGO
1948
75 YEARS AGO
1973
50 YEARS AGO
1993
30 YEARS AGO
VETERAN VEHICLES
Kaiapoi’s enterprising councillor, Cr Knight, suggested the council might like to purchase a motor car from which the Mayor and Councillors could make frequent inspections through the length and breadth of the borough to ascertain the needs of streets, drains and lighting. After a hearty laugh at the idea, the subject was allowed to drop. Not everyone took the advent of the car seriously.
VINTAGE VEHICLES
Triumph would celebrate a centenary this year, if the name hadn’t been rendered moribund by its current owners, BMW. Their first car, the 10/20, was basically a Lea-Francis design. It was a fairly orthodox four cylinder, 1393cc, side valve model with a centrally mounted four speed gearbox. Hydraulic brakes were an innovation – not entirely trusted at the time. Never mind, they’d sell 2500 by 1926.
PW VEHICLES
Henry Ford II and his “whizz kids” came through with a winner in the form of the new generation Ford introduced in June 1948. A radical departure after 48 years, replacing the transverse leaf front suspension with an independent coil spring design, and of course, the obligatory rocket nacelle, known as a spinner in New Zealand, centrally mounted in the grille. This car put Ford back on top with 1,118,203 sales for 1949, 100,000 more than Chevrolet.
P60 VEHICLES
Unforgivable to some, given how successful the Land Rover was in all types of terrain in many countries, but Motorsport’s writers felt a re-think was overdue. They suggested a higher top gear for 70mph cruising, a better lock, more direct steering, comfortable seats, a more positive gearchange and improved interior layout with new mod cons fitted.
P80 VEHICLES
As we emerged from the 1990s recession, the market for cars over $100,000 grew 35% in 12 months from July 1992. Priciest was the Brooklands Bentley selling for $365,000 for younger buyers. For $100,000 the Rover 2.7 litre V6 800 Sterling saloon and Sterling coupe offered the traditional English upper crust wood and leather furnishings. For half the price of the Rover buyers could opt for the Ford Tickford S-XR6 or the Limited Edition Holden Commodore GTS. Both well finished offerings with anti-lock brakes, alloy rims, air dams and spoilers.
Developments in the motoring world this month in history compiled by Graeme Rice QSM
Beaded Wheels 9
HIN BE
D THE WHE EL
Malcolm & Glenis Edgar’s 1954 Ford Zephyr Mark One Convertible
PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES Words and photos Greg Price
When the men at Carbodies Ltd in Coventry were putting these cars together, I bet none of them envisaged that one day, nearly 70 years later, one would be seen hurtling around the back roads of Wanganui in the 2022 Targa Rally!
10 Beaded Wheels
Normally when I tackle these Behind the Wheel write-ups, I get to see and photograph the car, drive it for a bit, and interrogate the owner. This time around though, as the owner is located in Auckland, a different format was required, so phone calls and emails became the order of the day. The overriding factor for me was that Malcolm’s car is a Zephyr convertible, and as many readers will know, I’ve got one of those too, hence the increased interest. I’d previously been in contact with Malcolm about the history of his car, as it was yet another to emerge from ‘storage’ after many years (25, in fact) out of the public eye. While the old Post Office Motor Registration records indicate that the bulk of these Zephyr convertibles ‘went off the road’ in the late 1960s – early 1970s, many of those went into storage, or were simply locked away for another day. It would seem that this car was one of them, as the only record I can establish is that Malcom’s car was in or around Timaru in 1964-65 when it was changed to the permanent black and silver plates.
SO, WHO MADE THESE ZEPHYR CONVERTIBLES? The Ford Motor Company in Dagenham, England, turned out the standard Zephyr and Consul sedan models, with Zodiacs being tarted up at Briggs Motor Bodies, and Estate models were converted by E D Abbot, of Farnham. The convertibles were, by and large, manufactured by Carbodies Ltd in Coventry. Essentially, Carbodies Ltd was supplied with a firewall and floor of the Zephyr and Consul sedans and they produced a completed body shell, with longer doors, added floor strengthening, and a convertible top, whereupon the completed bodies were returned to Dagenham for the mechanical bits to be fitted. If you want to know more about that, then check out the excellent book, Carbodies, The Complete Story, by Bill Munro. ISBN 1 86126 127 6 (1998). So, where did this one come from? Getting on a bit in years, and having had a Mark 1 Consul as his first car, Malcolm had lusted after a convertible for a long time, and as you do when you are seeking another project, you go looking on the auction site TradeMe. His patience was eventually rewarded when a convertible was listed which looked quite reasonable in the photos, so after the usual bidding war, he parted company with $15K for what he’d hoped would be ‘an easy restoration’ with seemingly most of the parts required to do the job, however this was far from the truth. Upon delivery, the car was completely dismantled and then shown to several people who had carried out restorations of Ford Zephyrs in the past, yet not one of them believed restoration was an option such was the condition of this car, so it sat in the garage for two more years while he struggled deciding whether the car in fact could be restored and the likely cost. He knew that the project was beyond his limited
talents. Then several members of the Auckland Zephyr & Zodiac Car Club viewed the car in its dismantled state, and again their collective view was to sell the wreck and what parts came with it and go looking for another project. But Malcolm had other ideas.
THE RESTORATION He struck it lucky when he met a local North Shore lad, Chopper Kean, who was working by himself in his workshop in Birkenhead Point – possibly the last place one would expect to find this sort of activity. Chopper built modified street cars - small cars with V8 engines, a huge differential, with wide rear wheels and tires. These cars were suitably strengthened to cope with the modifications and when completed, were properly certified for use on the road with a current Warrant of Fitness. His customers were all young enthusiasts and hardly a match for Malcolm’s 70 years. Chopper crawled all over the Zephyr, and confirmed that the real situation was a lot worse than Malcolm had thought. So the project began with a new chassis. This is interesting because Zephyr convertibles did not have a separate chassis as they were monoque construction, and the ‘chassis’ as such was simply a reinforcing triangle welded to the underneath of the car’s floor, linking the front and rear sub-frames. This reinforcing was necessitated because the prototype introduced at the Earls Court Motor Show in October 1951, was simply a sedan with the roof removed, albeit with longer doors, but the lack of strengthening caused the floor pans to crack. It took Carbodies Ltd (who, as mentioned earlier were subcontracted to Dagenham Ford to make the convertibles) nearly two years before they came up with the reinforced chassis brace
Beaded Wheels 11
modification. So it was that Malcolm’s car got new floor pans, new door skins and the door frames were rebuilt. Two new hinge pillars were manufactured as well. Interestingly, the car was about 50mm shorter than it was originally due to previous accidents, so the front required total replacement and, to make matters worse, the whole rear section was severely corroded. While Chopper had come up with a price and a time table of two years to rebuild the car, it subsequently took five years and the final cost was three times the estimate. (Think telephone numbers here!) This was not Chopper’s fault however as the job itself grew as time passed. Essentially starting with the completely new separate chassis that he’d built, panels were removed from the wreck, copied, and then fitted to the new chassis. What was able to be reused was the bonnet and boot lid, the rear side panels and the front guards, which were restored using parts of two mudguards on each side from the Auckland Zephyr Club’s parts shed. Malcolm makes the point that not once did he and Chopper have cross words, and the relationship remained sound, although at times over the five years they both became frustrated over progress. Not once did Chopper take shortcuts for the sake of progress and Malcolm was always amazed at what Chopper could achieve with his rolling machine and hand tools. The panels were painted separately by Eurotec Paint and Panel. The car was delivered to them assembled and then they removed
all the panels. Malcolm said that he was lucky in that two of the preparation enthusiasts took a fancy at the project and their diligence left a great finish. He chose black because this was the colour of his first car, which was a Mk1 Consul that he drove for six years, and as most Mk1 Zephyr convertibles that he’d seen were either red, white or both, he wanted something different and black and chrome are a great combination. In addition, the Five Stars Mark One Owners Club in the UK sent Malcolm a small photo of a then new, black Mk 1 convertible showing the upholstery colour for him to copy for authenticity. Chopper’s amazing talents contributed to final appearance without fault. The final assembly was carried out by Ted at Henderson Restorations. Ted had the difficult job of making things fit. It was essentially a brand new car and not everything quite fitted as well as it was supposed to. Again, no short cuts were taken. It was the small bits that kept Malcolm busy, going to and from the chrome platers, getting parts rebuilt or finding new ones from all over the world. Finding the right bolts – Ted would have a list for him each time Malcolm visited. It was at this point he realized just how many specialized parts were missing, parts that were unique to a convertible, but in the end, and often through the kindness of others he manged to complete the restoration. Gradually the car took shape and to push it out into the sunlight for a wash and chamois after almost seven years inside was a thrill. This final assembly was under the guidance of one John Reeves, who offered to project manage the completion of the car in his wellequipped workshop. John is a long-term member of the Auckland Zephyr Club. The motor that came with the car was just a block with seized pistons, and it did not match the body plate. There was no starter, generator, fuel pump, electrics, nor all the necessary bits to make the motor go. Malcolm managed through TradeMe to get two Mk 1 engines in pieces from a farm in Wairarapa, with enough parts to complete a full rebuild as well as a gear box to which he fitted an overdrive. The final touch was a Mk 2 differential and axles, which are a stronger option than the original components. Malcolm said that for the first six months it was on the road he practically lived under the car, doing heaps of little things. Some two years on he has now completed a lot of trips, including one to one of the North Island Zephyr Conventions in Rotorua, and has clocked up over 950km in the Targa Rally during which it never missed a beat. He regularly drives it to their beach house in Pauanui. He says it has become a real head turner and is fun to drive. The final touch, he reckons, was using Mother’s ceramic wax on the black paint on the recommendation of a number of Mustang owners he knew and it looks stunning.
THE 2022 TARGA RALLY I’ll let Malcolm tell you in his own words about the Targa Rally: “After following up on an advert in New Zealand Classic Car, I decided to participate in the Targa Rally under the section managed by Rod Corbett of the Vintage Car Club. There were lots of compliance issues to sort out, the first being my almost 70-yearold Mk 1 Zephyr convertible gaining a VCC Vehicle Identity Card. Seven pages of documents to complete as well as photographic and documentary evidence that the car was in fact a 1954 Mk 1 Zephyr convertible. I also became a member of the Auckland Branch of the Vintage Car Club. I was very grateful for the help that Rod gave me to complete everything required in the tight deadline. The hardest job was to get a co-driver and fortunately John Reeve
12 Beaded Wheels
from the Auckland Consul Zephyr Zodiac Car Club (ACZZCC) volunteered. I was amazed, he was the steady hand that kept me on track throughout the event – thanks John. Then there were a heap of items that were really about compliance. We were required to order and, when received, fit a supply that would connect the car to a RallySafe unit that did many things regarding the position of the vehicle, speed of travel, time between points, and many other things that the rally required. We also had to get a breakdown reflective triangle for emergencies, and fit a fire extinguisher that was accessible to both the driver and co-driver. Motorcycle crash helmets were required to be worn during events for both the driver and co-driver complete with a phone speaker system. Our event was over two days starting in Wanganui. It was part of a longer event of five days which started three days earlier. There were six stages each day of roughly 30 minutes on a closed sealed road averaging 70km/hr - 75km/hr. The corners were tight, and the whole road was used. The scary part was coming to a rise in the road flat out not knowing which way the road would go once we were over the top. There were three classes of cars entered in the Targa Rally; the proper rally cars with a limit of 200km/hr; the bambina class late model high-performance vehicles that followed a lead car over the course and were limited to 165 km/hr and the Vintage Car Club cars that were limited to 135km/hr and were at least 30 years old. Driving a 70- year-old Zephyr with drum brakes, 3 speed column gear shift and a turning radius of 41 feet 6 inches was a challenge. There was a 1935 Bentley 3.5 that performed very well, obviously its racing breed still showed and it was a real competitor to the other ‘60s and ‘70s cars in the event. Our stages were all time trials with the winner matching a fixed time. Points were lost if one was too fast or too slow. The winning car, an MG Midget, lost 30 points meaning they were within three seconds of the specified time for all 12 stages. To keep all cars honest there was a speed/time detector at some position of a stage. Points were lost if a car was early or late which made the winning car’s achievement even more amazing. This prevented cars from going flat out and then 100 metres from the finish stopping until the correct time was due and then restarting the engine and crossing the finish line. The organisation was excellent. Sure they have had a long time doing these events but everything went smoothly with safety being the priority. We improved as time went by, we got a couple of seconds and thirds but usually we were in the bottom quartile, especially the first day. We gradually got better as I learnt to trust the car. Driving round a tight corner at what was to me maximum speed seeing the world go past over a 100 m drop was terrifying at times and occasionally John would remark when it was really tight “well done.” I had no idea what he was thinking. The car never missed a beat. We drove 972 kilometres to and from Auckland, 450 kilometres between stages which was a struggle to keep up with the other cars that cruised at 100 km/ hr and 420 kilometres during event stages. Would I do it again? The answer is yes but not in the Mk1 Zephyr. If anyone has a Mk 3 Zephyr, preferably with triple carbs and a Raymond Mays’ head that they would loan me for a week next year I would really appreciate it. Finally a special thanks to John. The floor boards on the left hand side may well be now about three inches lower but not once was there any sign of panic and for a mate over those four days one could not have asked for anyone better” (Yeah, good luck with that Raymond Mays’ head, Malcolm. There’s a long list of Zephyr owners out here who lust after one!)
Malcolm Edgar.
Over the years, here in New Zealand, a few Mark One Zephyr convertibles have been seen participating in a handful of racing events of one kind or another, and some had suffered damage as a result. Some of the cars that I have in my photo collection have subsequently been restored again (the cars, not the photos!) Where would we be without enthusiasts like Malcolm? When Rod Corbett of the Banks Peninsula Branch of the VCC put forward his proposal to the VCC Management Committee, that VCC eligible cars should be able to compete in the Targa Rally, I never envisaged that a Mark 1 Zephyr would ever be seen competing, never mind actually coming third overall in the Stage Classification SS31 – Tod/Middle Road category! Well done them!
Beaded Wheels 13
“I’ve never been a fan of power brakes on cars … suffice to say that they worked well for the couple of sudden stops I had to make.” I’ll not mention here that National President Dianne Quarrie in her Triumph Spitfire only managed seventh! Eagle-eyed readers will have spotted that Malcolm’s car still sports its original Black and Silver plates. Being able to re-use the original plates is in itself is a story on its own as anyone who has had anything to do with restoring an old vehicle, and then trying to register it with its original plates can attest to, but well done Malcolm for persevering with the NZTA! The caption under the photo of Malcolm and navigator John Reeves, taking a left-hander at speed, and ‘pushing the boundaries’ in BW #378, says it all, really!
THE ROAD TEST Given that it was a bit impractical for Malcolm to bring the car down from Auckland to Christchurch, just so that I could take it for a 15-20 minute hoon down McLeans Island Road and back to Cutler Park, I think we can safely rely on Malcolm’s driving efforts in the recent Targa event to amply demonstrate that it drives and handles PGR (Pretty good, really). That was surely an adequate test of the soundness of the restoration rebuild work. Given that Malcolm intends driving it down to the next Zephyr & Zodiac Convention in Twizel at Easter 2023, maybe I’ll get to have a quick hoon then? Fingers crossed! And to close, I apologise for not previously mentioning that it has the customary white-wall tyres, albeit the narrow type, but they’re still white-walls! I mean, can you envisage a Mark 1 Zephyr convertible without them?
Zephyr convertibles, unlike their sedan counterparts, were designed to flex somewhat, and the tolerances could be as much as a quarter of an inch in some places. It has been my experience that restored convertibles lose some of their ‘tightness’ – having driven many over the years. However maybe it was the complete new chassis that made this convertible drive like a sedan? That’s not a criticism, of course, as the tightness makes for a far more pleasant ride I would think. As the Edgars were due in Twizel that evening, I limited my hoon to a quick round the block. Halfway up one of the lengthy roads I noticed the motor wasn’t revving as much as I had expected. “You’re in overdrive” said Malcolm. With the Laycock de Normanville engaged, it slips into overdrive in 2nd or 3rd gear as soon as you lift your foot off the accelerator! The kick down (planting your foot to the floor) pops it out of overdrive! I’ve never been a fan of power brakes on cars that never had them as original equipment, so it took a bit of getting used to here, but suffice to say that they worked well for the couple of sudden stops I had to make. (The sooner they ban cell phone use in cars, the better it will be for us classic car owners!) Acceleration was smooth, and the armstrong power steering took a bit of effort to change direction, but then, I’m used to cross ply tyres, not radials! All in all, I’d be quite happy to cruise all day in this! Once safely back at my place, it was goodbyes all round, and the two Zephyrs motored off down the lane in the direction of Twizel. Malcolm later reported that their car had won Best Convertible at the convention, which I believe was a fitting acknowledgment to the amount of work and time (not to mention the money) that went into putting this particular convertible back on the road after an absence of over at the very least, 50 years. In closing, I must say that I was really impressed that Malcolm and Glenis had driven all that way from Auckland just to facilitate my test drive! The fact that they were actually headed for the Twizel Zephyr Convention, and a tour around the South Island, was just a coincidence!
SPECIFICATIONS
UPDATE Just prior to Easter weekend, and despite the best efforts of both Cook Strait ferry operators, and the weather, Malcolm and Glenis made it across Cook Strait en route to the Zephyr Convention being held at Twizel. Fortunately they were able to call in to enable me to go for a hoon as is customary in these Behind the Wheel writeups! Actually they really called in for a coffee, along with Rod and Bobby Rugg, another Auckland Zephyr Club couple in their really nice Mk 2 sedan. There were supposed to be four Zephyrs in total in this convoy south, but the other Mk 1 convertible (belonging to John Reeves, Malcolm’s co-driver in the Targa) only made it as far as Wellington, and the Mk 3 had a rendezvous elsewhere in Christchurch that morning. So without further encouragement, I slid behind the wheel. First thing I noticed was how clean it was. On departing the lane, I looked for a trailer, as the car couldn’t possibly be that clean after several days on the roads, could it? But Malcom’s reliance on Mother’s Ceramic Wax had paid off.
14 Beaded Wheels
Engine: Gearbox:
6 cylinder, in line, OHV Three-speed, (non-synchromesh on 1st) with Laycock de Normanville overdrive on 2nd and 3rd gears Differential: Mk II and Mk II axles Clutch: Dry single plate Brakes: Hydraulic, power assisted Wheels: Four 13 inch – with the pre-requisite white-walls, albeit only the narrow ones! Suspension: McPherson Struts at the front (pioneered on this model!), longitudinal, semi-eliptic leaf springs at the rear Roof: Smiths Jacking Systems power-operated to deville position Weight: 2,555 Ibs (probably a lot more now, with the full chassis?) Turning circle: 41ft 6 ins approximately! (this effectively eliminates doing u-turns in Auckland’s Queen Street!) Overall rating: RCE (real cool, eh?)
F ROM
E RS K I N E TO E T Y P E
WHATEVER YOUR PASSION Award Winning Restorations
Mechanical repair and rebuilding. Panel repair and creation. Premium Spray Painting. Precision Engineering. Vehicle Servicing WOF. Vintage/Classic Cars and Motor Cycles.
Breaded Wheels half page 2023_1.pdf 1 17/01/2023 10:42:24 AM
Contact George Kear: +64 3 366 9988 e: george@autorestorations.co.nz w: www.autorestorations.co.nz 10 Kennedy Place, Christchurch, New Zealand.
*Shipping out of COKER USA monthly
HALF PAGE FOR COKER
18 Parkwood Place, East Tamaki, Auckland
Minimal spacing makes this fire engine badge very difficult to enamel – circa 1916.
Circa 1915.
THE ENAMELLED BADGE Words and photos Kevin Casey
In the short period of time from approximately 1905 – 1935 there happened a mass flowering of multicoloured jewels that adorned many millions of cars, a flowering that withered by 1935 and died by 1950; a world war, recessions, depressions, and intense competition seeing off thousands of vehicle makers. This three-part series will discuss their history and quirks, ending with restoration technique. Before we go any further, the terminology needs to be defined. Enamel, more correctly vitreous enamel, is essentially glass, with additions of metal oxides for colour – cobalt oxides give blue, gold salts achieve (expensive) reds, for example. Americans call it porcelain, which it isn’t, but no point arguing with them. These enamelled badges are often called cloisonné, an enamelling technique, but also wrong. Cloisonné (close zon ā’ is rough enough in English) is a method where a pattern is created by fusing fine metal, often silver, divisions with flux to the base metal before infilling with the various colours. These divisions frequently end in space. Car badges are made by stamping the base metal with dies, often both positive and negative dies required, or (rarely) acid etching. This enamelling method means the divisions (die lines or dams) are already fixed, the sunken spaces for enamel defined. The term for this type of enamelling is champlevé (sham’pleve). ▼ Die and stamping for Otago Motor Club. Note the die is reversed.
16 Beaded Wheels
▼ An abandoned Dodge became a handy target for a .303 rifle.
Briefly, to make a die the badge pattern is engraved on soft steel which is then hardened by heating to about 1400˚C and quenching in liquid. Although now hard it is brittle so must be tempered at around 450˚C in an oven. Viewers like to identify a vehicle, automatically going to the front to sight the maker’s badge affixed to the radiator. That colourful little emblem catches the viewer’s eye as surely as a budgie in a flock of sparrows, but it wasn’t always that way. At the dawn of the motoring age cars were unmarked but it was soon apparent that this new mode of transport was practical, here to stay and grow swiftly. Large brass scripts across the radiator trumpeted the maker’s name, soon added to by impressing that name into the top tank or soldering on a brass badge, often quite ornate in the current Art Nouveau style. The first claimed use of an enamelled radiator badge, an oak leaf design, was on the 1903 Premier (USA). It was also the first emblem design to be trademarked. In 1904 the Richard-Brasier (France) car carried an enamelled green four-leaf clover, guaranteed to get the pioneer motorist home in one piece. In December 1905 Rolls-Royce introduced their famous badge in red enamel, a badge still current today, 118 years not out. Incidentally, the story that Rolls-Royce changed their badge colour from red to black after Henry Royce’s death in 1933 is just that, a story. It was changed a few months before, Royce’s personal car among them. Company records reveal the reason was red clashed with Rolls-Royce body colours, like wearing blue suede shoes with evening dress. The virtually neutral black is more dignified, has more gravitas than a flashy red. Success breeds imitation, the Straker-Squire company copying the Rolls badge layout exactly, just changing RR to SS. I do not
▲ Straker-Squire’s brazen theft.
▲ Unusual bonnet of the Sizaire-Naudin maximises badge impact.
ackard and Vanguard P hubcap emblems. The Guilloché decorative technique makes the transparent red glow on this very expensive badge - up to six required per car. ▼
know if there was court action. When the upmarket SizaireBerwick car presented a facsimile of the famous Rolls-Royce radiator they were promptly sued only to find, to Rolls-Royce’s extreme embarrassment, that Sizaire-Berwick had registered their design, but Rolls-Royce had neglected to do so. It cost them a lot of money to persuade S-B to alter their trademarked design to a slight V-shape that was leaning towards Mercedes territory. Yet another company, Beverley-Barnes, copied the entire Rolls-Royce car look for their 1925 straight 8. What is it with all these hyphenated makes? Was the actual secret plan to copy the hyphen, which does suggest upper-class? Napier, Rolls-Royce’s great rival in the early years, chose to eschew a “common” badge. In the early years their name and address were hand engraved in flowing script into the brass radiator. Sunbeam (died 1934) always used a simple oval brass badge carrying their name, an understated style that indicated class – no vulgar colour clash for them. It is a safe bet that most badge designs would be registered or patented. Straker-Squire’s plagiaristic theft aside, I have not seen any similar efforts from other car manufacturers. Hugh Chalmers made quality cars with a racing pedigree before merging with Maxwell in 1921, an enterprise that Walter Chrysler rescued from looming bankruptcy, his now eponymous company rapidly growing into one of the big three. The early, large Chalmers badge, mounted on the radiator core, proclaimed ©1910, the only badge I have seen that displays its copyright – and I have handled or observed in print or form thousands of them. The practice of mounting an identifying badge probably started with the 1898 Opel in the form of an enormous oval brass plaque, which would help counteract the rear engine weight, I suppose. In 1903 both the curved-dash Oldsmobile and Cadillac displayed colourful transfers on the sides of the body, Oldsmobile’s small and discreet, Cadillac’s coat-of-arms less so. Fiat, in this same year, attached their brass ID to the radiator and the scuttle. It was clear that if the maker was going to advertise their brand by way of a badge, then a splash of colour would readily attract the eye. Many that used the script on the radiator core kept using it alongside the enamelled badge, just a little bit reluctant to let go. Gradually, enamelled badge use increased in the early 1900s: 1904 – Siddeley, 1906 – Peugeot and De Dion, 1907 – Hispano-Suiza, 1908 - Standard, 1909 – Hudson, 1911 – Vauxhall are just a few. By the early 1910s the trickle gained momentum, becoming a torrent, virtually de rigueur by 1914 as WWI exploded on a hapless world. There were some who chose to swim against the tide, most notably Austin and Ford. Austin at least used a metal, winged badge. The famously parsimonious Henry Ford, who strove for a low-cost car for the masses by forcing down the price of every part, did not bother with a badge for the Model T. He did not need to. Anyone could easily identify the ubiquitous Ford, its name impressed at no cost into the radiator tank. ▼ Large core-mounted Chalmers Early cars featured extended reads ©1910. swoops to the script, suggesting vestigial wings, but not for long. For sheer effrontery the outsize 1907 Sizaire et Naudin setup has no peer, SN on the enamelled flag rather obscure to the uninitiated. The usual location for a badge is where it will have
the most effect, centre stage, but there are always exceptions. American La France, Kissel Kar and Chalmers chose the radiator core, Kissel and Chalmers at 10 to 10, American La France at 20 to 8. Just to be different? Who knows, but it did sidestep the risky process of soldering directly to the top tank. The badges had to be big to carry it off, and at 90mm diameter they were larger than most. Chalmers, using a smaller version, and American La France eventually moved upstairs but Kissel Kar never did, apart from their outstanding White Eagle model that was adorned by a very large eagle stretched right across the top tank. Some makers opted to drop the badge to the headlamp bar in the late ‘20s and early ’30s, Chrysler, De Soto and Lincoln among them. Others went still lower to the crank hole cover, ignoring the heightened risk from stone damage. Packard, Pierce-Arrow, Dodge (1938), Cord on the front wheel drive transmission housing were some that flirted with this position, but most eventually went topside. Perhaps it dawned on them that it was difficult to read down there. Brasier, Mercedes, and Alfa Romeo were three that doubled up during the period that they used V-shaped radiators - it would look rather strange with one badge I suppose. But why stop at two? Makes such as Vanguard, Sunbeam (Rootes Group), Triumph, Bristol, Packard, and Lincoln chose to use them on the hubcaps as well, a position where damage is guaranteed. It’s hard to understand why the English makers would add unnecessary cost in this way, whereas buyers of the two American luxury brands could well
Beaded Wheels 17
▲ This attractive badge for the 1931 DeSoto is mounted on the headlight bar – wings and eagle suggest speed.
▲ This lovely badge has the (separate) head of Diana in German silver on black enamel, enhanced by laurel and a gilded finish.
▲ Two approaches by Chandler. The lower badge, with a nod to Art Nouveau, may be classier than the enamelled one.
▲ This classical design by D L Auld Co is closely linked to American patriotism.
afford the extra bling. Lincoln and Packard were often equipped with dual side-mounts, making eight badges in all on some models (one on the luggage rack), costly to make and enamel – but they look stunning. The great majority of badges carried the maker’s name, so they had an advertising purpose through their jewel-like beauty. But some expensive, exclusive cars, particularly in the late teens and early ‘20s had no badge, Packard, Daniels, Doble, Marmon V16, Pierce Arrow among them. The Cadillac name never appeared on their badge, just their signature coat of arms. If the hoi-polloi desired to know the make, the trick was to scan the hubcap while doffing the cap to its exalted owner. There have been many brands that had no name on their badge but only for a brief period until their maker realised it was an own goal, Rickenbacker, Roosevelt, Wills St Claire, and Chandler for example. Badge size varies considerably, the early veterans tending to be larger than later designs. The biggest I have seen on a veteran or vintage car are the early Minerva and the Crossley, both at 90mm diameter. Why did Crossley adopt the Maltese Cross, finished in a beautiful transparent green enamel? The brothers were committed Christians, teetotal to the extent that they would not sell to breweries so maybe that was part of it, added to the obvious play on their name. Many badges have a backstory to their design, such as the meaning of coats of arms, Berliet’s locomotive, Hillman’s cathedral spires and so on. More intriguing than most are a group of three that reference mythology… St. Christopher has been used as the patron saint of travellers from the early history of wheeled transport. Given the carnage on the roads today he needs to sharpen his act. A few car manufacturers turned to mythology for good fortune, depicting a goddess on their badges but curiously, no gods were considered. Maybe because the female god nurtures and protects while the
18 Beaded Wheels
male version is more likely to cause mayhem. The ancient Greeks bestowed laurel wreaths on winners of the Olympics and lyrical contests. The wreath, made up of laurel branches and leaves, was worn around the neck or on the head, a custom imitated by the Romans, who frequently adopted and adapted Greek culture. Minerva Motors (1902-1938) took their name from the Roman goddess, Minerva. She was a jack of all trades, but her main roles were related to wisdom, trade, science, skilled professions, and a lot more, so a powerful talisman to choose as a figurehead. Diana was an upmarket Straight 8 car manufactured by Joseph Moon’s Moon Motor Co from 1925 – 28. She was another versatile goddess, principal attributes being goddess of the moon, and hunters. Her head is of German Silver mounted on a black enamel and gilded background with appropriate laurel wreath. The entire radiator is made of German Silver which, handily, does not readily tarnish. The Diana 8 was primarily marketed to women – “the easiest steering car in America” and “a car for women drivers”, so a benign goddess was appropriate, her role as a moon goddess a bonus. It is a moot point whether any buyers ever made the connection. In the collector’s world the cognoscenti regard this Diana badge, and companion huntress mascot, as among the most beautiful ever made, certainly in the top ten. The Columbia car (1916-24) was named after the popular female personification of the United States, often seen clothed in the Stars and Stripes, particularly in the time of WWI, hence the red, white, and blue coloured badge. The US was very nearly called Columbia, after Christopher himself. Columbia, a symbol of the new world, is usually depicted as a west-facing Roman goddess or queen, her place in folklore now supplanted by Lady Liberty, of statue fame. This modern goddess Columbia was “born” before the American Revolution but is really another incarnation of the ancient Egyptian goddess, Isis – her name later borrowed for the Morris Isis. The puzzling oddity of using V instead of U in her name copies ancient Roman spelling, adding authenticity to the image. This quirky conceit was popular enough in the early 1900s, Tiffany Stvdios (sic), for a time, being the most famous example. It is interesting to get an indication of the size of enamelled badge production from a few relevant American statistics. Consider that by 1924, 11 million vehicles were registered in America. In 1929 Americans purchased more than 5.3 million cars. They scrapped 2.2 million cars in 1928, 2.75 million in 1929 when 80% of the world’s cars were in the USA. Add the rest of the world’s output, deduct a few million Model Ts, enlarge this two-year snapshot to cover 1905 to 1950 and you have a colossal number, all enamelled by hand. Royalty with its nose out of joint is just one story that will surface as we delve into more badge history and intrigue in Part two. ▼ One of the very few badges featuring transparent green. Its distinctive design and large size make it stand out..
▼ This elegant circa 1925 Art Deco design adorns bodies built by Thomas Hibbard and “Dutch” Darrin, with best wishes from St Christopher.
From a trailer load of bits and pieces to this
1929 MG M-TYPE MIDGET Supplied by Ronald Mayes, Rotorua Branch Beaded Wheels reporter.
Rotorua Branch member Dennis Kenny had his 1929 MG M-Type as the Car in the Room at the February 2023 meeting and supplied the attached story of its restoration. No stranger to MGs, he has also owned a TD and an MGA twin-cam coupe. This MG M was purchased in Auckland in March 1979. It was a trailer load of bits and pieces but appeared to be about 75% complete. It was bought as a retirement project hence the long restoration period. The person I purchased the car from had started a wooden frame build but apart from being a pattern it was in very poor condition. Items included: chassis (M1502), complete engine (29592A) and the name plate stamped Abingdon M1009. All panels were included - guards, valances, original old metal panel doors, the radiator and shell (both only suitable for patterns), headlamps, finned brake drums, road springs, wheels, three speed gearbox, plus diff and many small important components were all there. There were no MG bonnet catches, door handles or windscreen frame. The MG Car Club, UK, advised me that the car was sold by University Motors on 20 February 1930 to a woman in London. No other history of the car is known. I carried out the restoration including the chassis, springs, brakes and a greater part of the of the woodwork. It was fortunate that a fair amount of the original woodwork was available for patterns. I managed to get hold of a very good drawing of the wooden frame which was very helpful.
The engine, gearbox and diff were rebuilt and checked over where necessary. These projects were carried out by old school tradesmen, as were all the metal guards and panels. Club members who worked on the car were the late Bill Clouston and Stan Everson, with other personalities – Kevin Saunders (upholstery and vinyl) Dean Longhurst (electrical), Peter Bjarnesen (woodwork) and Te Ngae Panel beaters and painters. Initially it was intended that the car would be an all-metal panel body. However this proved to be too costly so I decided to have a fabric body from the firewall back as were the very early M Types. This consisted of the wooden frame being covered by 3mm ply and then covered in vinyl.
Several missing small parts were sourced from the UK, while the radiator, radiator surround and wheels were fabricated in New Zealand. As some of the parts were not available the car is not an exact reproduction of an M Type. I have fitted Brookland screens in place of the original M Type screen. Bonnet and door catches are an alternative compromise. The front guards are of a cycle pattern and the car has no hood. After what was a long restoration, I finally took the car to VTNZ in November 2011. It came through with a few minor problems. The main concern from their point of view was the lack of a high stop light. This problem was overcome by an exemption from the Vintage Car Club . It is a great little car and quite interesting to drive. However, I cannot see myself driving it at 60mph as was their original tested top speed.
Specifications Four cylinder non-cross flow head SOHC 847cc Power 20bhp Single SU Carb 3 speed manual transmission Rear wheel drive: Brakes – drum all-round Number produced approx. 3200
Beaded Wheels 19
GEORGE BEGG FESTIVAL 30 MARCH – 2 APRIL 2023
Words Stuart Francis Photos courtesy Bill Richardson Transport World
George Begg played a pivotal role in New Zealand’s Golden Age of motor racing, creating 18 very successful racing cars between 1963 and 1974, which competed nationally and internationally.
Jim Murdoch indicating finer points to watch out for to a young enthusiast.
20 Beaded Wheels
Bill Richardson Transport World and the Southland Sports Car club, created the George Begg Classic Speedfest back in 2020, to honour the memory of George Begg. The second meeting, now renamed the George Begg Festival, carried on where the previous event left off. Scott O’Donnell (sidebar) and the Transport World team, put a huge amount of time, money and effort into creating a festival atmosphere in the manner of the Goodwood Revival, held in England. A major coup was recruiting Greg Murphy, Paul Radisich, Kayne Scott, John Bowe and Jonny Reid to compete and, supported by an extensive publicity and media campaign, considerably raised the national and international profile of the event. The festival kicked off on Thursday at the Classic Motorcycle Mecca, with “The George Begg Long Lunch” for VIP guests. Followed that evening by the Begg’s Barmy Rally, a mystery scavenger hunt around Southland, with the proceeds going to Cure Kids charity. The evening was wrapped up with a retro disco party Studio GB at the Bill Richardson Transport World. The Begg’s Barmy Rally support of Cure Kids was a nice way to honour George’s love for his family, and the incredible work he did to support other families around New Zealand. Cure Kids ambassador, actor Will Hall, was on hand during the festival to support the children’s events including the vintage pedal car race. The race festival atmosphere started at the entrance with a giant poster of George on the side of the control tower, the welcoming scaffold sign, officials wearing white dust coats, and the circuit and pits dressed, where possible, to look like a period venue. Spectators and competitors were encouraged to attend in period costume, plenty of flat caps, tweed jackets, posh frocks
and period mechanics overalls were on display. There was a light hearted feel about the whole event, with the competitors definitely enjoying the event. The organisers went out of their way to make the event family friendly with live entertainment, including festival headliners The Beat Girls and the Trends on the Track best dressed competition and a retail precinct with a variety of food stalls. A Kids’ Zone with a man-made beach and full of arts, crafts, fun and games for the little ones, and Begg’s Bar (complete with a Pimms cart) for the weary parents! During the lunch breaks there were a series of demonstration laps and events. Greg Murphy took the McLaren F1 M23 for a blast around the circuit. With past stars (who all drove for George Begg): Barry Keen, David Oxton, Jim Murdoch and Leo Leonard, demonstrating four of the seven Begg racing machines. The crowd’s favourite was the FM5 F5000 (#21), the sound of the 5 litre V8s powering up the main straight would make even Greta Thunberg smile. Another on-track highlight was watching some of the country’s fastest drivers trying to race geriatric tractors along the main straight. To remind those that George was really a motorcyclist at heart there was a demonstration of classic racing motorcycles. To celebrate their 75th year Porsche had a number of historic machines and a Le Mans Porsche DMG MORI 919 hybrid, on display in their dedicated pavilion.
Lycoming 22 driven by Sam Smith
Beaded Wheels 21
GEORGE BEGG FESTIVAL RACES Friday was allocated to practice and qualifying. It also set a weather pattern for the weekend, light rain in the morning, damp track followed by fine weather and a drying track, with perfect conditions by mid-afternoon. With nine different racing classes it was a packed and varied programme. All of the races were administered by different branches of Motorsport New Zealand, except the Pre 1965 Vintage races which were controlled by the VCC.
HVRA FIA SCCA HISTORIC CARS 1964-1975 Four rounds - 19 entries Angus Fogg (Morris Cooper S) shot through the field to take the lead by the end of the first lap. A red flag stoppage allowed Leon Hallett (Mustang) to catch Fogg and win, with Howard KingsfordSmith (Morris Cooper S), third. Leon Hallett was then penalised moving Fogg and Kingsford-Smith to first and second and Dennis McConnell (Ford Escort) to third. The second race was a handicap contest with Howard Kingsford-Smith taking the win, with Luke Richardson (MG B GT) and Steve Pauling (Ford Escort) taking second and third. Angus Fogg took advantage of the wet conditions on Sunday morning taking a comfortable 16 second win from Mark McGuinness (Ford Falcon Sprint) and Leon Hallett (Mustang). Later in the day, in the dry, Barry Fairbrass (Mustang) just caught Howard Kingsford-Smith to win, with Shaun Turner (MG B) third.
VINTAGE CAR CLUB Pre 65 Sports & Racing Cars Four rounds - 14 entries Paul Coghill (Jaguar Special) won the first race in the wet conditions with Neil Longman (Mallock U2 MK8) second and early leader Mark Barrett (Lotus 23B Replica) taking third. In the second race Mark Barrett led all the way on a dry track to leave his wife, Tracey ( Lotus 23B Replica) in second place with Paul Coghill third. Paul Coghill and Mark Barrett both took wins on Sunday repeating the previous day’s performances. Paul Coghill won the first race after passing early leader Barrett who finished second with Grant Clearwater (Capella Special) in third. Mark Barrett took the second win with Grant Clearwater with Paul Coghill third.
22 Beaded Wheels
Driver Chris Read
Driver Matt McLeary
HISTORIC TOURING CAR CLASS 1982-2000 - Four rounds - 31 entries With Greg Murphy (Nissan Primera), Paul Radisich (Ford Mondeo), Kayne Scott (Ford Sierra), and John Bowe (Ford Sierra) all sitting on the grid you know the racing is going to be close and exciting. Kayne Scott took an early lead in the damp first race but dropped down the field as others found the grip, James Penrose (BMW 318i) took the win with Greg Murphy second, Arron Black (BMW E30 M3) third Kayne Scott finished fourth, Paul Radisich fifth and John Bowe was eighth. Greg Murphy led most of the second race but Kayne Scott passed him late in the race to win with Aaron Black third. Sunday morning’s saw Kayne Scott and John Bowe fighting for the lead, Kayne Scott won by less than a second from John Bowe with Paul Radisich third and Greg
Murphy fourth. The final race was won by Greg Murphy, after Kayne Scott’s early retirement, with John Bowe second and Nigel Arkell (Honda Accord) third.
PRE-1978 -Four rounds - 20 entries. In the Pre 78 Saloons Bruce Farley (Vauxhall Viva GT) made a fantastic start on the still damp track, shooting into the lead, which he never relinquished. It was too good, copping a 10 second penalty which dropped him to third behind Ewan MacPherson (Ford Anglia) and fastest qualifier Rodger Cunninghame (Mustang). Harrison O’Donnell (Ford Capri) won the afternoon’s handicap race from Steve Pauling (Escort) and Matthew McLeary (Triumph 2.5 PI). Rodger Cunninghame won the Sunday morning race from Harrison O’Donnell with
Bruce Farley third. The afternoon handicap race seemed to favour the smaller cars. Steve Pauling held off Howard KingsfordSmith on the line to win with Matthew McLeary third.
ALLCOMERS SALOONS/POST 2000 TOURING CAR Four rounds - 11 entries. In the first race Brayden Phillips (Ford Falcon) shot from the outside of the front row to take an early lead only to go off the track late in the race leaving pole sitter Brad Rule (Commodore) to win from Jason Scott (Commodore) and Harry Wilson (Ford Falcon). Brad Rule won the second race from Brayden Phillips with Steve Ross of Dunedin (Ford Mustang) third. Brad Rule and Brayden Phillips were first and second in both races on Sunday, with Jason Scott third in the first race and Steve Ross third in the second race.
HISTORIC & PRE-2012 FIA GT Four rounds - 14 entries The starting grid was dominated by Porsches, with only a Lamborghini Gallardo and a Triumph TR7 breaking up the field. Brian Scott (Porsche 997.2) won the first race, with Australian based Kiwi Ryan Wood (Porsche 997 GT3 R ), in second place (he started from the back of the grid) and Jonny Reid (Porsche 997 GT3 RSR) third. Ryan Wood took the second race with a substantial lead over Brian Scott and Jonny Reid. The third race was a rerun of the second. The fourth race was an extended 20-minutes contest, Ryan Wood took an early lead and held his nerve crossing the line ahead of
Ross Graham (Lamborghini Callardo GT3) and Brian Scott.
TOURING CAR RACERS 2014-current vs Supertourer (1993-2000) promoted as the Grudge Match Two rounds - 12 entries.
Canterbury Branch member Gary Johnstone with his Jaguar.
The racing was extremely close, with the professional drivers in the supertourers and amateur drivers in the TCRs. The TCR took the first round with Scott O’Donnell (Hyundai i30N) winning by just .04 of a second from two Supertourers, Paul Radisich (Mondeo) and Jonny Reid (Nissan Primera). Sunday the tables were turned with the TCRs handicapped after the previous day’s victory. Rowan Shepherd (BMW 318i) crossed the line .004 of a second ahead of Scott O’Donnell with Greg Murphy (Nissan Primera) third.
PORSCHE INVITATIONAL RACE Two rounds - 12 entries The closely matched Porsches led to some very tight racing, with Allan Dippie (991 GT3 R) winning by the barest of margins from Brian Scott (Porsche 997.2 GT3 Cup) and Scott O’Donnell (Porsche 997 GT3). Scott O’Donnell won a closely fought second round from Allan Dippie and Brian Scott.
FORD SALOON - ONLY Two rounds - 23 entries Ford saloon-only race drew a large, and highly competitive field with entries ranging from 100E and 105E Anglias through Escorts, Capris, Sierras, Telstars, Falcons and Mondeos to a swathe of Mustang variants.
Harry Wilson (Falcon) took a good win on Saturday from the Mustangs of Rodger Cunninghame and Leon Hallett. Nineteen Fords lined up on the grid for Sunday’s race with the Sierras of Kayne Scott and Bowe at the back of the grid. Kayne Scott, driving his socks off, nearly made it to the front but finished just behind Angus Fogg (PDL Mustang), with Kevin Underwood, (Falcon) taking third.
GEORGE BEGG FESTIVAL FUTURE The long-term vision is to create a carnivallike atmosphere similar to Goodwood in the UK with a Kiwi twist. George Begg took on the world from Southland, and the plan is to run a world-class event here in Southland. The organisers want it to be a real highlight on the calendar, not just for visitors to our region but for Southlanders too. The TW team already have a number of ideas for the next festival, one addition being considered is an invitational motorcycle race for classic machines. The 2025 George Begg Festival set is set for 10 – 13 April, put it in your diaries now!
SCOTT O’DONNELL is the driving
Garth Hogan seated in Rob Boult’s Edelbrock Special with pit crew, wife Marjorie (left) and Steve (not pictured) and Sue Tilby.
force behind the George Begg Festival. A successful business man, champion of the Invercargill CBD rebuild, director of the HW Richardson Group and joint owner of Transport World with his wife Jocelyn (Bill Richardson’s daughter). Scott is an accomplished racing driver competing nationally and internationally, with a passion for Porsche endurance racing. Scott entered five different classes over the weekend, taking a first and second in the two rounds of the Touring Class races and third and first in the hotly contested Porsche Invitational.
Beaded Wheels 23
Begg FM3 (27), driver Dave McKenzie.
GEORGE BEGG George Begg grew up on a farm in Drummond near Winton in Southland, however he realised early on that he was more suited to engineering than farming. Moving to Dunedin to be an apprentice fitter and turner he became interested in motorcycle racing. Initially racing a 1938 Royal Enfield Silver Bullet 500cc he progressed into serious racing machines, a 500cc Triumph GP twin, and then a Velocette KTT, followed by a 1953 Manx Norton 500cc. George always dreamt of competing at the Isle of Man and in 1955 he and his friend Bob Cook left for Britain. On a brand new AJS 7R 350cc racer George gained finisher’s medals in the Junior and Senior 1955 Manx Grand Prix. George and Bob enjoyed some modest success competing in British club events. They competed in the 1956 Manx GP, George received a finisher’s medal, while Bob Cook won a silver replica for 25th place. After Bob died in a racing accident George’s heart was no longer in motorcycle racing; returning to New Zealand in 1957 with his bride, from the Isle of Man, Freda. George established an agricultural engineering business on the family farm in Drummond. After a shaky start he developed a device to treat sheep for foot rot, they sold like hot cakes. After further success with tractor attachments,
24 Beaded Wheels
G.N.Begg Engineer was on a firm footing. Looking around for a hobby he found a copy of Racing and Sports Car Chassis Design by Mike Costin and David Phipps. Here was a challenge, could he build a racing car? George built a total of 18 racing cars starting with the Begg 650. George built Formula Ford, Can Am, and a series of increasingly sophisticated F5000 cars that stood up against those being produced in Europe. (For the definitive information on each of the cars consult Michael Clark’s excellent book A Tribute to George Begg – The man and his Cars.) The first car, the Begg 650, was built using whatever parts were available and powered by a BSA A10 650cc motorcycle engine. Built in the Drummond workshop dubbed “George’s Toyshop” and tested along the straight highway in front of the workshop. The car looked sophisticated compared to most other home-builts and soon proved very effective at hillclimbs and small race meetings. As the agricultural business improved George joined forces with Auckland business man Spencer Allen forming a new company, Begg & Allen, giving him a stronger foundation for his motor racing activities. George always wanted to build cars in Europe and a chance conversation with Bruce McLaren led to him working for McLaren in England. George worked on
the M6 Can-Am cars then the M8. After the deaths of McLaren and his business partner, Spencer Allen, George returned to New Zealand. George became interested in Formula 5000, embarking on a two year racing programme contesting as many rounds of the European F5000 Championship as possible. Initially taking the FM5/01 to Europe it was replaced by George’s final car, the 018 design F5000, a simple design based on the experience gained in Britain. A ground breaking car that was clearly a match for the European designs, it did however have some niggling problems. With escalating costs and Formula 5000 finishing at the end of the 1975/76 season, the Begg team decided to retire. The classic motorcycles movement had changed out of all recognition while George was racing cars. He was re-introduced to motorcycles at the inaugural meeting of the NZ Classic Racing Register at Pukekohe in 1979. The upshot was the formation of a South Island branch of the Register by George and Maurice Wear. The register organised meetings at the Timaru circuit and a return to the historic Cust circuit – the site of the original New Zealand Grand Prix in 1936. George, with Hugh Anderson, returned to the Isle of Man in 1985, forty years after his first visit, entering in the Manx Senior Classic Race (however, an engine
changed at the last minute, seized on the second lap). George returned to the IoM in 1987 to take part in the Classic parade at the TT but this was rained off. However he did compete in the Classic Dutch TT, as well as several British races. George, now 58, created an open-cradle frame for his short-stroke Manx engine for the 1988 Classic Manx, completing the race without incident. The Manx engine was later replaced by a Matchless G50 engine, competing in a number of races in New Zealand and Australia before hanging up his leathers. George retired to Queensland, where he became involved in a number of charity projects, raising $640,000 for a Cot Death Fellowship appeal. George also wrote. His first book was Bruce McLaren’s biography Bruce McLaren Racing Car Constructor, the second book, his autobiography A Classic World, the third a restoration book When the Engine Roars, and the fourth book was a biography of Burt Munro – Burt Munro: Legend of Speed. George also restored the “World Fastest Indian” now on display at E Hayes & sons. George died of cancer on 1 April 2007. He left behind a rich legacy of automotive engineering. George’s cars, motorcycles and racing achievements continue to enthral Australasian petrol heads.
For motorsport enthusiasts the chance to get up close and personal with the Begg display was a huge plus at this year’s festival.
½
–
Beaded Wheels 25
Indianapolis style start at the NZ Grand Prix, Pukekohe, 1963, Dad at the wheel, with the starter and other GP officials
THE BENTLEY AND THE MINESWEEPER Words and photos David Adams
In the December 2022 edition of Beaded Wheels Andy Anderson suggested other readers could reminisce about their memorable drives. When I was 19 one such drive, in 1964, seemed momentous and remains so clear in my memory even now. As I started to write about it there was much more to the story than just a drive; there were other wonderful interrelated experiences. The following is about the brief moment in time when the stories of a Bentley and a minesweeper intertwined.
THE BENTLEY The Bentley was a 1924 three litre, short chassis Speed Model (Red Label) BM794. It was not fitted with the usual abbreviated Vanden Plas fabric covered body; rather it had comfortable Park Ward coachwork, an aluminium panelled five-seater tourer which had the major pluses of a driver’s door and inside handbrake. The standard Bentley Five Year Guarantee was issued on 11/10/1924. It had a works rebuilt engine fitted in 1929. After six owners it was
26 Beaded Wheels
imported to New Zealand in the late ‘30s. My father (Norm) bought this car in 1959 from Peter de Roo. It was in sad condition having suffered a strange makeover by an earlier owner. The beaded edge tyres had been replaced with 20” well base tyres on split rims, the spare wheel wells in the front guards had been filled in, the head and side lights were those from those of a late 30s Vauxhall and the original dashboard and some of the instruments and switchgear had gone. Fortunately the lovely AT speedometer and rev-counter were still present. The car was very badly worn in
Dad adjusting the valve clearances on the bench.
Bentley on the lawn after refurbishment under the house.
In NZ in the 1940s, on beaded edge wheels, owner unknown.
every mechanical aspect yet these issues had not been addressed. Somehow Peter managed to use it every day for a couple of years until it became unlicensed and without a WoF. I was dismayed by the extent of the problems but Dad was not fazed. We used it only once, in the Queen Street parade celebrating the opening of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. A major restoration followed and the Bentley was recommissioned in 1961 with period lights and correct instruments. The engine had four cylinders and a five-bearing crankshaft. A vertical shaft at the front drove an overhead camshaft operating four valves per cylinder in a fixed head. Bore and stroke of 80mm x 149mm gave a capacity of 2996cc. There were twin ML magnetos and twin sloper SU carbs which fed a large manifold giving good breathing with 80bhp being developed at 3,500rpm and the almost flat torque curve torque peaked at 140 lbs.ft which gave very flexible driving characteristics. A cone clutch with clutch stop connected to the gearbox by a short cardan shaft. The position of the A series gearbox brought the right hand gear lever close to hand and at 1:1, 1.33:1, 1.63:1 and 2.64:1 the gear ratios were some of the closest I have ever used. The speeds in the gears at the maximum revs were 35mph in first, 55 in second and nearly 70 in third. The final drive ratio of 3.78:1 gave the car long legs but the gearbox had to be used freely if the full potential was to be exploited. The 16 inch drum brakes were fully compensated using little balance beams. The 1966 National Rally in Wellington was another of those special drives for me. We had just installed my own engine which Malcolm Dickens had found in England. It had the stronger two bolt con rods and the more sporting BM1800 camshaft so I was keen to see how the car went. There were 81 contestants for the optional speed tests. All the vehicles were put on the weighbridge and the Bentley with myself, my brother Martin and Warwick
The memorable 1966 drive.
Dickens as crew and quite a bit of gear scaled at 1,693kg (33.25cwt). The hill climb section was up the old Paekakariki hill and the Bentley was fifth fastest. In the second section, despite the high bottom gear and the slow-to-engage cone clutch we covered the standing start quarter mile in 24.14 seconds which was fourth fastest behind Hall in his blown 2.3 Alfa Romeo, Anderson in a 4½ litre Bentley and Beetham in a 3½ Derby Bentley.
THE MINESWEEPER The Bird Class minesweeper HMNZS Tui was one of three minesweepers (more like corvettes in performance) built for New Zealand’s Navy as some of their first proper warships that were owned rather than borrowed. They were built by Henry Robb of Leith, Scotland and commissioned in 1941. Tui displaced nearly 1,000 tonnes, was 51m in length and was powered by an 1,100 indicated horse power steam triple expansion reciprocating engine giving her 13 knots. The Scotch boiler was oil fired. She was fitted with a 4-inch main gun turret, machine guns aft, depth charges and radar. She saw active service in Guadalcanal and was responsible for the sinking of a Japanese submarine which she forced to the surface with depth charges and she also dealt with Japanese landing barges. When she returned in 1945 she helped clear the Auckland harbour of the mines that had been laid to frustrate an invasion. In 1956 she was recommissioned as a research vessel to carry out work for the DSIR and the Naval Research Laboratory. Her armament was removed, and her superstructure extended aft, to provide space for laboratories, offices and additional accommodation. She undertook survey work around and off the coast of New Zealand and towed hydrophones as well as taking on classified activities.
Beaded Wheels 27
HMNZS TUI returning commission abroad. Rangitoto channel, 1944. Provided by the National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy. ABJ 0043. H
THE NAVAL BASE To gain an Engineering Intermediate qualification, 1,200 hours practical work was required. I elected to do the first 600 hours at the Devonport Naval Base over the 1963/1964 summer vacation. Dad had his Mini to go to work in and Mum had her Austin Seven Ruby which I used when it was free but I would often use the Bentley for work. There were several other students with me and I teamed up with Lindsay. Our first job was to lift two steam turbines out of the engine room of a Loch Class frigate HMNZS Pukaki. The turbines drove the main power alternators for the ship. Somehow at sea one of the main boilers had been allowed to prime and water at 600 psi had damaged every turbine stage. After opening up the turbines in the fitting shop we left the rest to the fitters and we were transferred to HMNZS Tui which was undergoing maintenance alongside the inner wharf. As it happened the Skipper of Tui, John Harrison, owned a little Fiat 509A Spyder and our family knew him well. He had navigated for Warren Johansen (AV&VCC founder member) with my Dad as co-driver, in a Hepolite 24 hour trial in Warren’s 14/40 Sunbeam. While I was at the Base, I would go down to Tui regularly and have morning tea with John in his cosy little stateroom. We would have hot buttered toast provided by his administrative assistant, Chivers. John ran a good ship. It was so different from the base. We soon discovered that the base was a hot bed of gossip and loudly expressed opinions. Productivity was an unknown concept. At one point Lindsay and I were admonished for working too hard as it could make it difficult for others. We had cleaned out the engine room of a Fisheries Protection Harbour Defence motor launch in two days when two weeks were allotted to the job. People’s homers (or “rabbits” as they were called) seemed to take up a lot of time as well. There was even a device called a “giggle stick”. It was an old hack saw blade with the teeth ground off except for a few at one end. This was kept on top of the time clock the fitters used. Often on Fridays when we were queued waiting for 4.00pm a fitter would reach it down and insert it behind the locked glass front door of the clock case and advance the minute hand by three or four minutes. I’m sure the clerk winding the clock up must have been in on the gag. Students were fair game for practical jokes too. Compared with this Tui was all very civilised and a break from the constant joking of the old hands. Among other jobs we were assigned work on the high pressure cylinder. We had the engine room to ourselves and practically no one looked in to see what we were doing. We had to take the head
28 Beaded Wheels
off and extract the piston. This involved disconnecting the cross head and the big end, the bronzes of which were to be remetalled. The piston was about 18 inches in diameter and needed a chain block to lift it out with its own rod. A large eyebolt was screwed into the piston crown to give a lifting point. Later we helped with the survey of the smoke tube boiler which had been inspected internally. It was now ready for testing. The working capacity was about 45 tonnes of water but the test required that it be filled completely to about 50 tonnes. It took hours to fill from empty. Then a massive hand pump was connected and six of us worked a long lever to build up to the 400 psi test pressure. This all took nearly a day. (Normal working pressure was 200 psi.) After this we returned to the engine room and had to hand scrape the steam seals for the piston rod. This was hard work as the bronze encasing the white metal had to be relieved below the white metal surface and we ended up with blisters on our hands. Then the newly white metalled big end bearings came back from the foundry. We had a tube of engineering blue and bearing scrapers the size of small shovels to finish fit the bored bearings to the 11 inch crankshaft big end journal. It was heavy work lifting the halves on and off but we got a good mark pattern. The piston had passed the fitters’ inspection so we put it back finding compressing rings of that size quite a challenge. Connecting it to the cross head allowed us to replace the steam seals and to move the piston rod and connecting rod up with the chain block before placing the upper bearing half on the crank and lowering the connecting rod onto it. Then we had to lift up the other bearing half and
HMNZS Tui after conversion to a research vessel in 1956 (Naval Archives photo – unclassified)
its heavy bearing cap and replace the bolts. It was exhausting for the two of us but we wanted to turn over the crankshaft a full revolution to see how the mark was. There was a large spur gear at the after end of the crankshaft and to turn the engine by hand a worm gear was installed vertically in mesh with the gear and with a three-foot ratchet lever to turn it. We put our backs into it and initially everything turned easily but then got harder and harder before there was an almighty bang and suddenly the crankshaft became easy to turn. I couldn’t figure out what had happened and climbed up a deck to get on top of the engine. Oh my God! I had forgotten to disconnect the chain block and the big shackle to the ring bolt had shattered. I called Lindsay to come up and after removing the ring bolt we replaced the cylinder head as quickly as possible hoping there was no damage to the engine! Fortunately, the big end mark was okay. By now it was Christmas and early in the new year we were transferred to the ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) shop. When the time came for Tui’s sea trials I got permission to join her crew and we went out into the channel beyond Rangitoto. I spent the first part in the engine room. With steam up the noisy Cumminspowered generator was shut down and a silent steam generator took over. It was surprisingly quiet down there and I anxiously watched the steam seals and the big end on the high pressure cylinder. When all checks were complete and things had settled down there was about an hour at full power which went well and things were pronounced all fine by the First Engineer, so I joined John on the bridge. A little while later he asked the helmsman to let me take the wheel. I had been warned earlier of what a pig Tui could be to steer. How true. At 13 knots I zig-zagged all across the shipping channel. Goodness knows what it looked like from the shore but slowly I adapted to the leisurely response of the little steam donkey engine mounted in an after compartment which changed the position of the rudder. A ship this size took time to alter course; I was used to sailing yachts.
THE DRIVE Two of the key events in the vintage calendar in those days were the Maunga Moana in the Taranaki District and the Burma Trial in the Whanganui area. We had competed in the Maunga Moana Rally in 1963 so Dad decided to enter the 1964 Burma Trail. John Harrison joined us a navigator. Preparation included calibration of the Bentley odometer against an AA ten mile test section and the acquisition of detailed maps of the Whanganui district. John was a skilled maritime navigator as well as having had senior commands in the Royal Navy. On this occasion he brought his slide rule and a little chronometer. The trial was on a Sunday. Both John and I had to be back at work on the Monday so we decided that this
was feasible as long as we left as quickly as possible after the trial ended. The other factor was that in those days there was no petrol available after about 9.00pm in provincial New Zealand. The Bentley had an 11 gallon tank with two gallons of that as a reserve available by switching a tap next to the filler. With a distance of around 300 miles to get home and at 16 mpg we knew a fill-up was necessary about half way back. Back then, petrol was three shillings and four pence a gallon. The octane rating was a poor 83 on which the Bentley would pink at 800 rpm on full throttle even when fully retarded We travelled down on the Saturday with other Auckland club members; Ron Moses in his 1½ litre Riley Kestrel, Earle Gill in his 1923 23/60 Vauxhall and Dave Lane in the 1930 Studebaker President 8. The Sunday dawned a perfect summer’s day. We checked in at the start with Dad driving and me studying the route instructions. We set off at our allotted time. The instructions were not difficult but the average speed decreed changed at several points on the route. John was calculating the required mileage every couple of minutes and comparing it to the odometer reading. We found that we were mostly keeping within a mile of the correct distance. The route took us inland through wonderful scenery. We got to the lunch stop right on the dot according to John. The officials took our route card for the morning section and waved us on to lunch. My navigational prowess deserted me at this point and we missed a right hand turn into the parking area. After about 20 minutes as we approached Karioi near Oakune we knew we were well truly bushed so turned around to figure out what had happened. Shortly after one of the rally officials drove up. They realised soon after that we had missed the lunch stop and thought that we were lost and sent out a search party! We got back to the car park with minutes to spare before our allotted departure time for the afternoon section. Oh well, that was lunch, that was. The afternoon section went well with no navigational problems and at the finish John again pronounced that we were right on time. After refuelling we travelled to the evening destination to clean up a bit (there were many dusty roads in those days) and to have something to eat and drink. However the rally officials begged us to delay a bit and have some proper food. Then they said we had to be at the prize giving. We looked at one another and thought something must be up, so we decided to risk a late getaway and hope that petrol could be found somehow. Of course the prize giving took place after the evening meal! The delay was rather stressful but worth it as it was announced that we had won the vintage section and were presented with the winner’s pewter tankard. When we finally got away, it was after 9.00pm. We put the hood and side curtains up so whoever was in the back was better protected. John fell asleep in the front almost immediately. Dad drove for a short distance before he too succumbed to tiredness and bedded down in the back. Halfway through the Paraparas I took over. There was a moon, I had the road to myself and I was in the car that I adored driving. I was in seventh heaven. I had the clutch stop (a disc brake on the cardan shaft worked by the clutch pedal) adjusted to give pretty rapid up changes but still allowing almost instantaneous full throttle down changes. These were fun when coming to steep main road climbs. The intermediate gears whined like banshees. Music to my ears as the note frequencies from the constant mesh gears and the gears that were engaged combined to give a chord rather than a harsh noise. About 18
Beaded Wheels 29
months earlier the open road speed limit had been raised from 50mph to 55 mph so I felt comfortable travelling at 55 mph mostly but increasing to 60 mph where the road allowed. My everyday rev limit was 2,800 rpm as there was a very audible vibrational period at 3,000rpm. In practice 2,500 was more than enough for most eventualities. At night I had to be cautious on the really winding bits and not use the full cornering capability because although the headlights had excellent range there was little to no spread. On high-speed curves the Bentley was a joy as it was so well balanced as well as remaining comfortable. The spring leaves had been covered in graphite grease and Dad had sewn on waterproof gaiters to keep the weather out. This gave remarkably compliant springing, even over rougher surfaces. I drove much of the time with the instrument lights off to help the dynamo balance the headlights discharge, just flicking them on from time to time to check the water temperature and oil pressure. After Raetihi I could see the moonlight gleaming off Ruapehu, a magical experience. There was simply no one else on the road at that time of night yet it never occurred to me that if we had had a breakdown help would be difficult to get. I just had complete faith in the Bentley as having worked with Dad on the restoration I thought I knew every nut and bolt inside out and couldn’t envisage anything going wrong. I also thought that I would have no problem staying awake; all that fresh air and noise and vibration would keep me alert. The unhurried beat of the four cylinders was quite relaxing. Then it happened! On a straight near Owhango, before Taumaranui, I dozed off. I was instantly brought to by the sounds of the left wheels going off the seal. What a fright, the sheer shock kept me completely awake after that. Unbelievably, the other two never even stirred, they were out for the count. As we approached Eight Mile Junction on the New Plymouth-Hamilton road, I expected the main fuel to run out but we made it into Te Kuiti at about 1.00am. We found a service station which had living quarters attached and Dad woke the proprietor up. God knows what he thought but in good humour he unlocked the pump and supplied the fuel. Maybe Dad gave him extra, I never asked! The rest of the drive was uneventful. However it was a strange experience driving along Victoria Steet, (SH1 in those days) in the centre of Hamilton, with not a sign of any other activity. We dropped John off at his Forrest Hill House and got back to our Albany home just after 4.00am. What a drive, what a weekend! I managed to get up at 6.30 and jumped into the Bentley, which was still warm, and got to the main gate at the base at exactly at 7.30, clocking in a minute later. With my eyes half closed I continued with my job of assembling up a Foden two stroke diesel but when smoko time came I shot off to Tui to see if John had made it to work. He had, and moreover he had earlier checked in the time office to see if my card had been stamped. I dropped into a comfy chair and Chivers served up a double helping of his generously buttered toast. Then I fell asleep; Tui was my bolt hole and sanctuary of peace and calm!
tricks of the trade Alternative clutch repair.
1.0 The clutch in my wife’s Austin 10 had developed clutch slip. 2.0 Solution 1: Remove gearbox, rectify gearbox input shaft leak and replace clutch. This worked great for a couple of weeks but then the clutch developed a snatch problem. I called it a mousetrap clutch not unlike some Austin sevens can be. The clutch was either on or off with no ability for a smooth take off. 3.0 Solution 2: One of my old mechanic friends suggested I do the kerosene fix. All I had to do was remove the inspection cover on the bell housing and use a kerosene gun to spray about a ¼ litre of kerosene in at an angle with the engine running. I worked the clutch at the same time. Eureka problem solved and a happy wife. Would I do it again? You bet. It’s easy and effective. Andrew Dittmer
Beaded Wheels is always looking for hints of a technical nature. If you have a top tip that deserves a wider audience email us today and we can help spread the word.
The newest Online Hub for Classic, Vintage, Retro and Antique enthusiasts all over New Zealand
Come together with like-minded individuals, associations and companies
POSTSCRIPT: The Bentley appeared on the cover of the April 1964 issue of Beaded Wheels: A little while later John took up the position of Harbour Master at Suva: Tui was sold to Pacific Scrap in 1969: In 1971 the Bentley was sold to Lewis Townshend and is still owned by him: The pewter tankard sits on the dresser in our lounge.
30 Beaded Wheels
who share your interest in the Classic World. Focus on your own genre of interest within patinaclassics or delve into other realms, all within the one site at the touch of your fingertips !
www.patinaclassics.co.nz
BOOK REVIEW
THE LEGEND OF AMERICAN MOTORS Marc Cranswick. Published 2022 by Veloce (www.veloce.co.uk). ISBN 978-1-787118-03-4 RRP $95 Review by Mark Holman Having recently enjoyed Marc Cranswick’s books on the Ford Maverick and Chevrolet Camaro, I was looking forward to reading this new one. I was not disappointed! In fact, it’s one of the most comprehensive marque histories I’ve read. It’s full of detail but is never dry or dull. In fact, Cranswick has a delightful turn of phrase: he summarised Chrysler’s 1979 approach to the Federal Government when the company was $US1.7 billion dollars in the red as “we don’t know how to run our company but we’re too big to fail, so give us money!” It worked for them, but not for American Motors. I’m getting ahead of myself… This 352 page hardback really covers the story of American Motors (AM) from the Nash/ Hudson/Studebaker/Packard days of the mid-1950s right up to the rather sudden Chrysler buyout of Renault’s investment in AMC in 1987. It’s not told in a strictly chronological order, but model-by-model so there are some overlaps but it seems to work well. So, what does the book contain? I was surprised just how many AMC models there were over the years and how often the Kenosha-based company was ahead of the ball, eg in promoting smaller,
more economical cars than the Detroit Big Three. In the late 1950s, AM was even in a position to consider buying BMW- how things changed in the subsequent years! And the brand was in the top three US sales more than once. But the buying public is fickle; AM would have two or three good years when high fuel costs, a depressed US economy or high insurance costs hit the Big Three’s less efficient products but consumers would switch back to larger less economical cars as soon as they felt the economy had improved! But the marque never stopped trying: as well as the reasonably conventional vehicles like the Ramblers, Matadors and Ambassadors, American Motors was capable of producing cars that were different, particularly the Gremlin and the goldfish bowl-like Pacer (wouldn’t it be nice if modern cars had such panoramic vision rather than the claustrophobic hunchedup windows so many of them feature?). The Javelin did well up against other muscle cars and on the racetrack. But the real success was in the development and marketing of Jeep in its various and increasingly luxurious forms, though AM didn’t benefit as much as it should have done from such a profitable product because they sold that arm of the business at what turned out to be just the wrong time. Renault taking a share in the company looked like a good way to expand both companies’ offerings in the US market but it was a fairly shortlived partnership. There are extracts from road tests, hundreds of photos and period advertisements. The various overseas assembly arrangements are included, from Argentina to South Africa and Australia and New Zealand. And plenty more… The subtitle of the book is ‘The full history of America’s most innovative automaker’. A full history it certainly is, but it’s a very enjoyable read. Highly recommended.
THE WAY WE WERE Remembering the origins and very early events of the Vintage Car Club as recalled by Andrew Anderson
Great OE (overseas experiences) must necessarily come to an end, or they become an overseas life - a horse of a very different colour. So, Mollie and I set about getting a berth home. We found that anything direct to New Zealand would involve a wait of some four years. We wangled a very low deck cabin on the huge P&O Orcades bound for Sydney and a billet with Moll’s Aunt and Uncle there till we could get a much more obtainable transTasman voyage home. Our pile of kit bags and gear in the “not wanted on voyage” hold was increased disproportionately by a vast Hyde Park pram that Rob Shand had acquired for his first-born daughter. We made contact in Sydney with my vintage friends, and we were at once involved in an airfield race meeting and a hill climb before getting the Monowai back to Wellington and finally home to Christchurch where Frank Blandford’s meeting called for 26 November 1953 duly resolved that the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand was no longer in recess even though I as guest of honour was absent, sick in bed. Many meetings
on Rob and I were duly back as President and Secretary/ Treasurer again. Moll and I had bought 20 Hackthorne Road with two garages into one of which my 40/50 Napier was placed for the TLC that two years in the open made very necessary and the other housed the 1914 Humber that Moll had bought from Paddy O’Connor who had discovered it carefully stored by the wife after the death of its first owner with just over 4,000 miles on its odometer. It was decided that no major events would be held until everyone had been contacted and the club brought really back to life. On April 9 1954 the already well-established West Canterbury Rally was duly held with an excellent entry of both old and new members and using the old pub building that we had used before. Old members Dunc Purse, Rob, me and Spud Jackson and new ones like Les Reid (10.2 Riley) and Trevor Smith with a Rhode. Regularity trials, a hill climb, and various driving tests contributed to a very satisfactory opening event. Pictured is Moll with Ian Hunt in the Humber as I was marshalling.
Andrew Anderson VCCNZ Founding and Life Member
Beaded Wheels 31
1923 MERCER SERIES 6 RACEABOUT Owners: Kevin & Ruth Mercer Rolleston
Specifications Mercer Series 6 Engine 6 cylinder Capacity 350 cu in Bore 3 7 ⁄ 8 inch Stroke 5 inch Wheelbase 132 inch
MERCER MOTOR COMPANY 1909-1925 Trenton, in the Mercer County of New Jersey, USA, was the birthplace of the Mercer Automobile Company in 1909. Previously the Walter Automobile Company, which made Walter and Roebling-Plance cars, Roebling took over the company from Walter and installed his son Ferdinand Roebling as president. His nephew Washington A Roebling II became the general manager. The secretary/treasurer was John L Kuser, also a founding member of the company. Thus the first link to our family is achieved, The name of Mercer County was given to land in honour of General Hugh Mercer, a Revolutionary General who fell at the Battle of Princeton. Trenton once again became a seat of power, this time as the county seat. Hugh Mercer appears in my family tree. In 1910 Mercer’s first cars were announced. Design work was done by E T George and C G Roebling and cars were available as a speedster, toy tonneau or touring car. All were powered by fourcylinder L-head Beaver engines. Late in 1910 Mercer announced the T-head raceabout and this motor, design by Finley Robinson Porter, would now power all Mercers until 1914. A Mercer
32 Beaded Wheels
Raceabout won five out of six races in 1911 and won a championship endurance race in 1914. Mercers were relatively expensive cars with a median price in 1914 of $2,500, equivalent to $67,633 in 2021. Advertisements by Mercer in 1914 included “The Mercer is the Steinway of the automobile world” and “It is possible to thread a needle while travelling 60 mph.” In 1912 Washington Roebling II died in the Titanic disaster and Roebling’s father, Charles, and his uncle Ferdinand gradually lost interest in the car business. In 1914 Porter resigned and his place was taken by Eric Delling, who designed a new L-head engine. Like the T-head, the Mercer L-head was of four cylinders and developed at least 70hp. Delling updated designs so that even sporting Mercers had windshields and bench seats. Enclosed coachwork, as well as Houdaille shock absorbers were added. Delling departed in 1916 and in 1917 Ferdinand Roebling died, followed the year after by C G Roebling. In 1919 a Wall Street syndicate calling itself the Mercer Motors Company acquired control and former Packard vice-president, Emlen Hare became President. The new Mercer organization acquired a substantial interest in Locomobile and Crane-Simplex marques. Hare’s Motors resulted from this, but by August of 1921 Hare’s Motors collapsed, and
control of Mercer passed back to original Mercer people including John L. Kuser. For 1923 an overhead valve six-cylinder (Rochester engine) was introduced with a three-speed Brown & Lipe gearbox. This joined the four-speed Mercer four-cylinder. Mercers were fitted with front brakes in 1924.
OUR SERIES 6 For us it all started with a challenge by an Australian motoring journalist, Pedr Davis, while he was visiting New Zealand to photograph the cars and the scenery on the 25th anniversary of the 1965 Haast Tour International Rally in 1990. “Why should someone with the surname of Mercer be driving a Model A Ford? You should have a Mercer”. The research started the following week. By talking with many of the older members in South Canterbury Branch and using the Club’s membership list to track down a previous owner, the late Russell Cross recalled seeing the remains of a Mercer on a garage raid many years earlier. It wasn’t easy but finally in 1996 he came up with the name of Bruce Catchpole. Following a long discussion with Bruce on the history of the car, he told me the car was purchased by Rob Mercer from Christchurch in 1989. The challenges of the privacy laws then impeded the search and finally, again with the assistance of Russell Cross, a picture of Rob’s friend, who assisted with the collection of the car, was recognised and as he had a listed number he was able to give me Rob’s number. After some discussions we were able to visit and view the remains which were a fairly sad sight and represented a great challenge. We purchased them later that month. Research into the car and its history started only to find that the rear of the chassis had been replaced by another, possibly from a Hudson, which was nothing like the original. Also lost was the identifying marks on the rear spring hanger which gives both body style and year of manufacture. The history points to the remains being the Nattrass car which won the New Zealand Motor Cup in 1924. Information to date shows that there have been three 6 cylinder Mercer cars imported to New Zealand. The Nattrass car, the Carter car (ex Australia and also competed in the New Zealand Motor Cup) and a donor car that we imported from Australia. Our remains were linked to the Nattrass car by being the only left hand drive. The Nattrass car was purchased from Walter Haines, a racing driver from Trenton, circa 1923. The prior history of the car is difficult to ascertain, however a visit to the Penrose Museum clarified that the Haines car came fourth in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in 1922 and was in fact powered by a Rochester 6 engine as used in production from 1923 on. Included with the car was a plaque from the AAA that was a prerequisite for racing at Pikes Peak, unfortunately some of the critical information has been removed including the date and the cubic capacity. We believe that this may have been done after the 1928 New Zealand Motor Cup race where catastrophic engine failure occurred in the Nattrass car and an Ansaldo 6 engine was fitted changing both these details. As with many race cars from the era, accidents required body replacement and car bodies appeared with different styles. If the car was the one that that raced at Pikes Peak it had a shortened chassis of 87 inch wheel base (standard was either 132 inch or 115 inch for raceabout) and a square fuel tank. When arriving in New Zealand it had a round tank and then a boat tail body was added.
his car is built from the remains of the car which was purportedly driven to T Victory in the NZ Motor Cup in 1924 by Howard Nattrass.
he round exposed fuel tank is visible in this early picture, in photo above this T appears to have been covered by a boat tail body.
Originally prepared by Walter Haines, Engineer and Race driver to Participate at Pikes Peak Hill Climb.
The AAA racing plaque indicates it is car #1 and a pre-production 6 cylinder Mercer #1 gained 4th place in 1922 driven by Haines.
The car again appeared in the 1928 Motor Cup but did not finish as it suffered a problem common with the Rochester engines. A big end bolt stretched and broke throwing a conrod out of the right side of the block. The repair of this is still visible. At this time, we believe that the distinctive radiator cowl had been removed, possibly to prevent overheating with better air flow. After 1928 the car was only seen at minor events then vanished completely. When found by Bruce Catchpole the car had been used as a tractor in the Rotorua area and the rear of the chassis was sitting on the ground severely rusted, hence the replacement of the rear section. Mercer manufactured about 3-5,000 cars between 1909 and 1926, the most famous being the type 35J which succeeded in many important races in the USA. The Type 35J now achieves prices of around US$2,500,000 and they rarely appear on the market. There are currently less than 100 known surviving Mercers in the world, only 16 (and five drivable) of these Series 6 models, manufactured from 1923 to 1926. From extensive research we believe that only three Mercers have been imported to New Zealand and this one was the first. The second car came here 1928 (from Australia) and was raced in the NZ Motor Cup driven by Hugh Carter. The remains of this car were owned by the late Ron Roycroft. The third car, again from Australia, was bought in by us in 1996 to provide the balance of original parts to complete this car. The remains of that car are now in Canada to assist in completing another car.
Beaded Wheels 33
HIGHLAND FLING Compiled by Kaaren Smylie photos Jacqui Goldingham, Debbie Smith
With its challenging stages and breathtaking scenery, the 2023 Highland Fling promised to test the skill and courage of even the most experienced drivers of pre-1932 vehicles. This event is fast becoming a beloved tradition among adventurous motorists from around New Zealand (despite the best attempts of the ferries to halt those travelling from the South Island). THE GATHERING OF THE CLAN Words Mark Smith The scene at the Gretna Hotel, Taihape, on the evening of Friday 21 April 2023 was not normal. The locals at the bar had trouble parking because the surrounding streets were packed with cars reminiscent of a big night at the Gretna in the 1930s. Inside the pub was no different. A bedragglEd bunch of senior larrikins agog with eager anticipation for the start of the 2023 Highland Fling.
SATURDAY – A TOUCH OF MUD AND A WEE CLIMB Shortly after the break of dawn, the top end of Hautapu Street in Taihape outside the Gretna Hotel was littered with pre-1930 cars. There were British, European, and American cars parked on both sides of the street and scattered untidily down the middle. Anticipation was in the air. Suddenly from amongst the crowd a mighty leader appeared. Clad in a tartan he strode through the crowd and mounted the
s
“Best Driving Weekend Ever” was the description from Nigel and Michelle Fraser. With all the mud they were certainly dressed for the occasion. Photo Colin Johnson.
34 Beaded Wheels
running board of a magnificent 1917 Dodge to share his wisdom before letting the motorists head off on their 145 mile journey. The long line of cars snaked off into the damp countryside as we began our weekend adventure. Starting with a downhill stretch we went up and down and up and down (and that was just the corrugations) and yet more downs and ups with lots of double declutching. We crossed some short bridges over incredibly deep canyons, saw an array of curious small hummocks, and plastered our cars with mud from the 1930s style shingle roads winding along the sharp ridges and deep valleys of the back-blocks of Taihape. We all enjoyed the promised views and appropriate period carriageways, before suddenly bursting out on to SH1 for a short, civilised drive to Mangaweka Hall for morning tea. Locals and participants enjoyed the spectacle of the mud-spattered cars, especially those with limited or no mudguards. Next was a short burst along the highway before dropping down the long lumpy steep drive into River Valley Lodge for lunch. The mighty leader popped up again and reminded us all of our manners on the road and described the cross country section to be met in the afternoon. After another 20 miles of corrugated Rangitikei rural roads, we joined the Napier to Taihape Road before swinging right into Erewhon Station. Here we encountered a magnificent gravel farm track and went through many gates which the farmer had helpfully opened for us. Each gatepost had been adorned with a hi-viz rock to keep us on course. We drove cross country over grass paddocks which had dried out but were still damp enough to cause rear wheel slippage. This grassy section led us on to Ohinewairua Station’s metalled tracks. At this point the long steep climb out to the road was the nemesis for a number of participants. Some found they had insufficient fuel to feed their carburettors, some clutches ran out of grip after starting and stopping behind breakdowns on the hill, and others simply failed the climb. Most survived however. It is always good to practice your hill stops and test your handbrake when you are in the middle of nowhere.
Once the cross-country jaunt was over, we enjoyed a smooth sealed run back towards Taihape. We were just starting to relax when the organisers sent us off the main road again for a final boneshaking unsealed section back to the Gretna. It was later disclosed that the tail end Charlies were busy until about 7.30pm assisting and recovering those who had failed to finish. It was a fantastic day of vintage motoring and a great test of the vehicles. The organisation, route planning and instructions were all superb.
Bonny North Island country motoring. Nigel Fraser and navigator Michelle Fraser - Taranaki Branch
MORE MOTORING AND A CÈILIDH Words Alistair Robinson Sunday morning, 7am, our feet hit the floor running. Our leader had warned us to have quick breakfast and get to the briefing on time. Alastair Jones’ main message was “you have many miles to cover so don’t go wasting time or you’ll find you’ll miss out on the Anzac biscuits at morning tea”. You would think the flag had been dropped at Le Mans as the drivers and crews started running for their vehicles to be the first away! Meanwhile in our 1929 fabric bodied Austin 7 the decision was made to do the day’s run without a spare as a tube had been destroyed the day before. Being probably the slowest vehicle on the hills I was happy to let the speed crazed masses away first. We fuelled up and with the security of Les and Helen as tail end Charlie we headed through the fog north of Taihape and took a turn to the west, heading for the highlands. The climb was gradual at first, second gear stuff, but as we headed for what looked like the peaks we were down into first gear and it was unrelenting. The mists started clearing near the tops revealing roads unchanged over the last half century or longer. Twisting, turning, down and up we made our way across a remarkable landscape of molar teeth shaped hills.
Eventually we dropped down out of the hill tops and headed towards Hunterville. The road surfaces changed from the delightful smooth gravel, through rougher forestry roads and eventually to tar seal, passing miles of grassland valleys and rolling hills. We emerged on SHI just a couple of kilometres north of Hunterville and headed for morning tea at the school. A quick cuppa and we were back on the road while others were still telling lies and swapping yarns by their vehicles. Heading nor-west this time we head towards Otairi, then turned off the Turakina Valley Rd and headed up the less-used Pohonui Road into the hills along gentle climbing valley sides through many twists and turns. A steeper climb at the head of the valley had us over the saddle heading to lunch at Mataroa school. The street was lined with vintage vehicles, very impressive with around 80 machines which I had not seen all in one place before. Some drivers gave the local school kids a vintage experience with a blat up the road, while others headed for the driving tests in a farm paddock five minutes away. Most seemed content to stand at the side of the paddock yarning while a few enthusiasts sent the turf flying. The Austin 7 put up a very creditable performance due to lack of wheel spin and the bite of the narrow 3.50 x 19 tyres. Seventy-two miles had been covered as we returned to Gretna. Happy hour was followed by presentation of prizes with four litre oil packs being handed out in many directions. A memorable presentation went to Oliver Midgley with his Model A coupe that just weeks before had been under several meters of water and mud in the Hawke’s Bay catastrophe. Next up the pipers arrived, loud and fabulous. I remember VCC founding member, the late Rob Shand, saying to me how he loved it when the pipes would get right inside his head, well Rob would have enjoyed this performance! The evening romped along with a birthday being piped and sung, the fuel receipt raffle being drawn and National President Dianne Quarrie taking the floor. After dinner whiskey was poured, the Haggis piped in and the stirring Address to the Haggis was recited with fitting flair and gestures by one of the pipers. Those of Scottish descent then filed to the front of the room for their portion. I did notice some interlopers amongst the waiting hoards. Beaded Wheels 35
RALLY SNIPPETS
A round up of notable rallies and events from around our branches
2023 VETERAN AND VINTAGE TOUR Wellington Branch Words and photos Raewyn and Graeme Fenn
This year the rally was organised and run by Phil and Coral Kidd from Upper Hutt and around 5pm on Sunday 12 March we gathered at Phil and Coral’s home for a barbecue and social evening. Monday morning and we went from Hutt Valley over the Rimutakas. We stopped at the top to view the memorial to soldiers who marched from Featherston to Wellington on their way to fight in WWI. By now the rain was coming down steadily and it was cold! Just before Featherston we turned right and travelled around the Moana Wetlands, Lake Wairarapa, Wairongomai and Ruakokopatuna, to reach Martinborough. Stunning wide, deep valleys gave way to farm land and wineries. A sign for Patuna Chasm interested me and it sounds an amazing place to visit. After lunch and a look around Martinborough, we headed off through Gladstone, Carterton and on into Masterton for the next two nights. At Gladstone we stopped to view the Fisher Monoplane which flew 12 short flights over Wairarapa in June 1913. On Tuesday our first stop was at Francis Pointon’s Museum just out of Masterton and, my word, has he got some serious “stuff” in those sheds Beautifully dressed mannequins in some of his late wife’s collection, greeted us at the door and each car had a selection of mannequins, dolls or toys dressed in the era of the car. Cars – lots of them, various makes and models, were admired as we made our way through Sheds 1,2, 3 and 4. As well there was a well-stocked Parts Department, plus many, many boxes of parts. A Collectors Heaven! From here we headed off to Riversdale, passing beautiful oak-tree lined driveways to immaculate old homes and farm buildings. This really is a very old area of New Zealand. On one long downhill slope, the Tauweru Lime Quarry appeared in front of us, and it was huge. The road to Riversdale had suffered a huge amount of storm damage and we were stopped many times by roadworks as diggers and trucks worked to repair the worst of the slips and washouts on the road. After lunch we headed back to Masterton via unsealed forestry roads.
36 Beaded Wheels
Wednesday and our destination was Dannevirke, but first we went through Bideford, onto Route 52, through Alfredton and on to Pongaroa for a picnic lunch and regroup. There was much Scottish influence in this area with names like Glendonald Station and Burnside Station. After lunch we passed Knucklebone Lodge as we headed to Waihi Falls. After viewing the falls and stretching our legs, we headed up Towai Road to the very top of the Wairarapa. This long, uphill, winding, narrow road took a fair while to traverse, with many washouts and much damage. The view from the top was well worth the journey and was nothing less than spectacular. Towai Road is a real must if you get the opportunity. Over the top, we headed downhill, and the road went directly through a lime works before continuing slowly down for many miles and finally arriving in Dannevirke. Thursday and our first destination was Woodville. As we drove through the back country roads, the Ruahine Range looked amazing in the early morning sun. After a stop for coffee we headed for the hills, up and over the Saddle Road and taking in the many wind turbines adjacent to the road. They were spectacular – as was the new road being built across the Ranges. On through Colyton, Vinegar Hill and into Hunterville for lunch before heading down the Turakina Valley Road. Lots of tight, twisty and up and downhill corners, slips and washouts, with the last section full of corrugations. A very long road that ended near the Tangiwai Disaster Memorial before we headed into Ohakune. Very windy that night. Friday and the strong wind and heavy rain saw us deviate from the plan to travel through Pureora Forest. We went directly to Turangi from National Park, then over the big hill and on into Taumarunui – and still the rain continued. As we were early into Taumarunui a visit to the TRACS Museum was hastily arranged with Ivan Stevens from Taumarunui Branch. Saturday was a free day with several trip options. Some took a loop drive ending by coming down Opotiki Road. On this beautiful day it was a very scenic trip on an awesome road. Sunday, and our last full day, we headed for Wanganui leaving Taumaranui in thick fog which didn’t lift until we had almost reached Raetihi. Hikumutu Road was very narrow and winding
Ralph, daughter, grandson and son of Ralph Weir.
2023 GERALD LYNCH-BLOSSE MEMORIAL RALLY North Otago Words and photos Clive Blunden
It was certainly a Memorial Day for the Weir family as past member Ralph Weir who we lost in October last year was represented in the rally by his daughter Rose riding his 1936 Velocette, grandson Harrison on his 350 BSA, and son Harvey on a 1959 650 BSA. All participating in the North Otago 2023 Gerald Lynch-Blosse Memorial Rally Entrants came from as far away as Kaikoura, Te Anau, Dunedin, Woodend, Timaru and Waimate. The oldest bike was a 1924 Harley and the most modern a 1991 BMW. The oldest rider was 84 and the youngest 17. One of the North Otago Branch oldest riders, having recently broken his left ankle, was relieved to get shot of his moon boot two days before so he could more easily manage changing gears! Yes, he was a bit sore, but very elated that he had completed the ride. Determination, or was it willpower and sheer bloodymindedness, got him through! New member Murray Hayes was overall winner on the day with his PW BSA B31 with stalwart Bruce Watt taking out Vintage and Riders’ Choice on his AJS. Another very successful annual event run by Robert and Mandy Hutton.
and even more interesting in the fog, but very enjoyable motoring with very little other traffic. After lunch we headed for our trip down the Wanganui River Road, through Pipiriki, Jerusalem, and Ranana. Phil had arranged a bus tour around Wanganui for us in a double-decker bus, which was great fun with the destination being our dinner venue where we all said farewell. The Wooden Spoon was accepted by our fellow travellers from Gore, in the hope that they or their branch will plan the next V & V Tour in the South Island. It doesn’t matter what our background is, where we live or how many vehicles we own, be it truck, car or motorcycle, our passion is the same and friendships are just that – friendships – and all being out and enjoying our hobby of Vintage Motoring!
Trevor Chalmers, Norton.
Ralph Weir’s 1936 Velocette.
Beaded Wheels 37
40TH SCENICLAND ANNUAL RALLY
The domain outside the Nelson Creek pub.
Words Zoe Gough, photos Zoe Gough and Stewart Nimmo
After a slow start we ended up with 70 entries, with members from other branches taking part, some have come to the West Coast for several years to take part in these rallies. After a “bit of a hitch” and quick thinking at the start, the cars set off armed with the route sheet complete with questions to be answered on the way. The route taking in a bit of shingle on the way took us through very interesting areas and back blocks, which many on the rally were not aware of. The questions made us stop, get out and find the answers on many local sites which kept entrants on their toes. Stops included the wheel outside Dobson and the school at the small settlement of Kotuku (off the main Moana road going inland to Nelson Creek) built in 1909. In 1935 Edward Draycott became headmaster with his new approach to teaching by encouraging pupils to have a hands on approach to teach them practical skills applicable in adult life. Once the garden was completed the 10-12 year old students were involved in all aspects of construction of a small bungalow on the school site even sourcing interior appliances. When finished the bungalow had electricity and water and was used as the home economics room. It was purchased by the Department of Conservation in 2004. Leaving Kotuku we headed to Nelson Creek for lunch and in the afternoon drove towards Ngahere then Reefton. Around Totara Flat there were a couple of very interesting and head scratching questions regarding disused old buildings. On to Ikamatua, and the rally ended at Blackball. The evening event was held at Shantytown with a great atmosphere and efficient prize giving. Two service awards were presented, a 35 years service medal for David Campbell, and 25 years service for Robin Ross.
Leading the pack Roger & Irene Devlin’s 1930 Model A Ford.
38 Beaded Wheels
It was good to have Mike Bryan (a regular attendee in his 1965 Fiat 1500) the Nelson Chairman who gave his compliments regarding the rally and gave his thanks to David Campbell for his work at Nelson Branch. Phew what a day, the weather was better than it could have been, many friends must have been made, many old friends met, a very varied range of scenery seen and history learned. We welcome visitors from other branches to join us on the ‘coast next year for another crack at our branch’s most popular event.
▲ A new generation of enthusiasts in the 100 year old 1923 Buick which was one of the cars on our first rally in 1983 which was then owned and driven by Lindsay Nimmo the great grandfather of these children (the young lady in the pink hat was named after him). The car today is owned and driven by his son Stewart Nimmo.
David and June Campbell in their 1924 Essex tourer.
The Firths from Auckland in their 1950 Riley on the Panikau Road
▲ 1938 BMW motorcycle combination of Phill Dodds with Chris exiting the side car. ▼ Graeme and Raewyn Fenn’s 1934 Graham Blue Streak coupe.
THREE RIVERS RALLY Words & photos Brian Williams, photos Graeme Revell 10 –12 February 2023 Gisborne Branch
Another year and another Three Rivers Rally. With the events over the last three years we have been lucky to be able to hold our annual event every year, unlike some. This our 13th Rally, titled ‘Six Sisters Safari’, the route touted to take in scenic roads and emerald hills ambling to places unknown. While I’m not superstitious they say “13 is unlucky for some” and yes, the gremlins did get in. Entrants gathered for a barbeque and a Noggin ‘n’ natter on Friday night. It was a chance to catch up with old friends or make new ones from those who attended from visiting branches. We were again blessed to have several entrants venture to Gisborne even with the possible threat of a cyclone later in the week. Murry and Penny Firth travelled all the way down from Auckland in their 1950 Riley RMB, travelling around the East Coast to Gisborne, and Graeme and Raewyn Fenn in their 1934 Graham Blue Streak from Tauranga along with our usual patronage from the Eastern Bay of Plenty. Saturday dawned a sunny day, but with a few clouds in the distance looked to promise rain. Fifteen entrants gathered at the Gisborne Clubrooms for the 9am start. At the rally briefing historic photos were handed out for the entrants to match up with places of interest along the way. The rally took the cars through the outskirts of the city and onto six lookouts with stunning views of Gisborne and environs – (hence the name of the Six Sisters Safari). We also took in some new subdivisions that have sprung up with their multi-milliondollar homes. It was then up the coast past Wainui, Makorori and Pouawa beaches. Here we were diverted inland via the gravel of
WRITERS WANTED Alas we are not in the position to provide financial recompense for services rendered but we are sure you will be compensated by the satisfaction of seeing your words and photos in print.
the Waiomoko Road and over the Panikau Road before travelling back down to Tatapouri Bay to the Gather Stay Café right on the beach front. Here you can also entertain yourself with feeding the stingrays or enjoy a stay glamping or in a tiny house in the camping grounds. By now the rain had settled in. Here the entrants spent a relaxing hour discussing events of the morning. Unfortunately, the rally was marred by a few road signs being stolen or missing or in one case turned around to face the wrong way. It is regrettable that the actions of a few can have such an effect on the enjoyment of others. After lunch it was a short run back to Gisborne. Winners were: Vintage, Ray and Prim Stevenson (Gisborne), 1936 Morris 8; P60, Ron and Dorothy Hopps (Gisborne), 1974 MG B; First out of branch car was Steve and Joy Growden in a 1982 Ford Cortina. The overall winners were Ron and Dorothy Hopps in their 1974 MG B.
Line up of cars at rally start.
The Beaded Wheels team is always on the lookout for a good article for future issues. To encourage you to put pen to paper two lucky authors or photographers per issue will win a limited edition Beaded Wheels cap. Email your articles and ideas to: beadedwheels@vcc.org.nz High resolution digital photos are preferred. Or contact our Editor, Kevin Clarkson, if you wish to discuss an idea for an
article. Phone 021 0270 6525, kevin@vcc.org.nz Our winners of the Beaded Wheels caps for this issue are: David Adams and Trevor Begg.
Beaded Wheels 39
They might be under-reported in Beaded Wheels, or at least not given the prominence they deserve, but serious motor sport events for the vintage and classic cars under the Vintage Car Club’s protective wing do take place. Those branches that have led the charge in the past seem to have quietened somewhat, but others have stepped in to promote their own events.
CLIMBING A COASTAL Words and photos John King
Waitemata Branch, born more than 40 years ago out of North Shore, itself celebrating a half-century this year, has always promoted the more sporting side of vintage motoring. As its members’ average age and cranial reflectivity increase, however, there’s a discernable slowing down, and even the R’Oil Can Rally, Waitemata’s flagship hairy-chested winter weekend motoring event with hoods compulsorily furled, is rumoured to be weakening in terms of mileage and pre-dawn start times. That might also help explain reduced vintage numbers competing in Waitemata’s annual hillclimb. For years the branch held the event on the private driveway leading to the Chelsea Sugar Refinery in Auckland’s suburban Birkenhead, but the establishment of a public café in the works and the resulting increase in pedestrian and vehicle traffic led to a search for another private sealed road where unregistered historic racing cars, as well as the more normal sporting vintage types, could be let loose. Dean Salter seems to have a keen nose for such things and in 2019 found an upmarket real estate project overlooking Pakiri, north of Cape Rodney which marks the northern edge of the
40 Beaded Wheels
Hauraki Gulf. Manunui Road, the access to the privately developed Manunui Coastal Estate, has an interesting and challenging variety of gradients and corners, and its total of 27 building sites, still in the process of being occupied, would suggest minimal interfering domestic traffic. Add to that the stunning views northwards to Pakiri Beach and beyond to the Hen and Chickens Islands and Bream Head, and you have arguably the most superb hillclimb venue in the country. The success of the first Manunui Coastal Hillclimb in February 2020, just before the world changed, naturally led to thoughts of a repeat. Covid delayed things somewhat, as did the North Island’s abominable summer, but a rerun on 2 April 2023 attracted an entry of 25 to tackle the hill in pleasant conditions with the road drying after overnight rain. Gone are the days of cheerful informality, and it now costs a great deal to run a motorsport event with attendant safety and comfort measures, even on a private road. Waitemata is one of the smaller VCC branches, but it enjoys good relations—and some mutual membership—with the Historic Racing and Sports Car
With only two seconds covering his five competitive climbs, Paul Walbran is the most consistent and fastest MG, third FTD at 66.76 seconds.
Scrutineer Ryan McDonald, left, scrutinises Mike Courtney’s Model A Fordpowered special while the owner looks for something to adjust.
HILL Club and so the costs were able to be shared. The MG Car Club was invited to help make up a shortfall in numbers (its well-proven electronic timing system might have had some influence in the decision), and so a good variety of sporting vehicles lined up to tackle Manunui with a maximum of five runs each in addition to practice. At the back of every organiser’s mind is the worry that somebody’s enthusiasm will exceed his or her ability or the handling or adhesion of the vehicle. With a benchmark time of a whisker under a minute—59.07 seconds—set three years ago, the edict went out that any time of less than 59 seconds this year would be ignored. They needn’t have worried. FTD once again went to Chris Fraser in his Lola T342 Formula Ford, but his time of 60.92 was almost two seconds slower than in 2020. Other drivers had the same experience—nobody came closer than a couple of seconds to his previous time, with one exception. That was Mike Courtney who cheated only slightly by swapping his MG TA for a 1936 Model A Ford-powered single-seater, shaving a full 13 seconds off his 2020 time of 94.17.
Taranga Island of the Hen and Chickens provides a scenic backdrop for Berne Wood in his MG TD. Bob Maddox’s attractive Austin Seven special is a sole reminder of the days when Chelsea swarmed with the little beasts.
Beaded Wheels 41
At 98, Les Harris still enjoys competitive motor sport on his BSA Bantam.
▲ Clerk of Course Jacqui Goldingham gives a comprehensive pre-start briefing flanked by Hamish Andrew, left, and Waitemata Branch chairman Robert Chapman who at this early stage still has an undamaged car.
▲ Bill Hohepa, right, producer of a series of blogs Dad’s Old Car, chats to 98-year-old Les Harris before the start.
▲ Morley Faulkner in his Spitfire Macau GP replica was awarded the John Simpson Memorial Trophy as the driver having the most fun.
The only other pre-war entry was the Austin Seven special of Bob Maddox, a lonely but rather neater looking reminder of the days of multiple examples of ‘Erbert’s finest swarming up Chelsea. At 99.24 seconds he wasn’t the slowest, either. Family groups are not unknown in VCC circles, and Manunui featured three. Brothers Peter (Gemini FJ, 66.80) and Stan Benbrook (Bagby Special, 80.27) were among the single-seaters, while the husband-and-wife team of Michael and Mary Fitzpatrick fielded MG CGT (68.70) and outwardly bog standard Morris Mini (39 seconds slower) respectively. Hamish Andrew might have bettered his dad Kevin’s 70.33 seconds had the Speedex Silverstone not suffered an immobilising mechanical malady. No fewer than 73 years separated the oldest and youngest competitors, albeit each with only one run. Local phenomenon Les Harris, 98, tackled the hill strongly on his BSA Bantam while Hamish Andrew, 25, lacked the chance to better his 73.57 time. Half-a-dozen cars managed better than 70 seconds. Three were MGs, led by Paul Walbrand’s MG B in both time (66.76 on his final run) and noise. The latter is only one reason for indulging in motor sport far from the critical ears of suburbia; another is the
42 Beaded Wheels
▲ Peter Benbrook managed only one run at 66.80 seconds before his Gemini Mk 2 suffered a broken clutch cable.
sheer beauty of the landscape, doubtless better appreciated by the spectators than those concentrating on staying on the ribbon of grey meandering about in front. Waitemata Branch is not noted for any profusion of silverware, but the John Simpson Memorial Trophy for the competitor having the most fun on the day went to Morley Faulkner in his Triumph Spitfire Macau GP replica (79.67 seconds on his fifth and final run). A persistent rumour suggests that vintage motor sport is dangerous and hard on machinery, but during the holding of Manunui Coastal Hillclimb 2023 nobody explored the increasingly dense shrubbery lining the road. There were, however, two instances of mechanical breakage—one half-shaft and one clutch cable—and one of bodywork damage, when a professional motor sport safety marshal backed his truck into the Waitemata Branch chairman’s innocently parked modern Renault! We look forward to next year’s event at this magnificent venue, and the organisers would like to see more entries, please.
TACKLING THE SOUTH ISLAND Manawatu Branch Club Captain, Glyn Clements, give us a decidedly North Island perspective of the 2023 South Island Club Captain’s Tour Words Glyn Clements, photos Caryl Simpson and Cathy Clements
A lot of water has gone under the bridge, or should I say our car, in a short space of time. Straight after our last club night Cath and I headed south in our 1959 Rover 90 to partake in the South Island Club Captain’s Tour which started in Ashburton on Saturday 18 March. We, along with friends from Carterton and Blenheim, arranged to do the Molesworth on the Friday on the way south, so left Blenheim and headed through Taylors Pass and on through Molesworth Station to end up in Christchurch that night. Molesworth was great but with extremely rough corrugations in places, especially the last 20-25 miles into Hanmer. Saturday was a meet and greet at the Ashburton Branch clubrooms. Forty people (19 cars) entered. We only knew a couple of people but by day three knew everybody. Next day was Rally Day around the Canterbury Plains. A day in my life I’ll never get back. Straight roads with no corners and no hills made for a pretty boring day’s motoring before ending up in Rangiora for the night. The following day saw a little bit of the same, first up in the North Canterbury District before getting into some nice undulating countryside. Cath and I decided to detour to Culverden for lunch and visit a little craft shop we had been to in the past. Our overnight stop was Cheviot so while having lunch I got out my trusty 1995 AA Road Map Book and saw a fairly direct looking route from Culverden to Cheviot. This road was through a farm and was badly scoured out in places. So bad that I had to stop and move the car in such a way as to only have one wheel at a time in the ruts. When we got to the first ford there was a distinctive gasp from Cath. The second ford was “I’m not liking this very much now” and by the time we approached the 3rd ford, total silence! It was deeper than the other two and had a steeper entry and exit. I was not sure how firm the base was so there were two options; ask Cath to get out and walk through it or, select low gear and cross fingers. One look at Cath and it was obvious that Option 2 had to happen. The road continued, narrow in places and climbing to a reasonable altitude before cresting the summit where the wind was blowing the tussock horizontally. It was about then that Cath
clearly informed me that my trusty map book may just fly out the window if she got her hands on it. Dropping down to the Cheviot side I saw an improvement in the road and Cath’s demeanour as a few farmhouses were spotted and finally tar seal. A good meal and a catch up with the others at the local pub finished what had been an exciting day. The following day was Cheviot to Hanmer Springs and Cath decided she would navigate in the 1968 Volvo Amazon for Caryl Simpson, and Grant could navigate in the Rover. A great blokes day out, especially when we arrived at a ford just out of Hanmer. (I could hear Cath in my ears as I stopped to survey the scene.) This ford came onto the road from the right, covered the road for about 30 metres before exiting to the left. One good thing was that it did have a concrete base. “We Can Do It” said Grant, so we did. It was deep enough to come over the bottom of the Rover’s doors and let water onto the step plates. Any deeper and the carpet would have been wet. Out of the 19 cars only two others attempted it. The 1930 Model A and the 1955 Austin A95. Both chose to avoid the concrete base centre and keep to the left in rougher but shallower terrain. Day 3 was from Hanmer to Murchison. The highlight being the Maruia Saddle. We all went though in convoy. A narrow winding, climbing road with six small fords. A great day’s motoring, finishing with happy hour in the carpark at the motel. Day 4 - Murchison to Hokitika via Punakaiki Rocks. Another glorious day weather wise and the view along the coast road of a flat Tasman Sea was brilliant. Another great happy hour on the beach front topped off a big day’s motoring. Day 5 - Hokitika to Haast. More brilliant sunshine for the day with a couple of interesting visits planned. The Ross Hotel with the owner’s collection of early motorcycles and V8 Fords, we also visited an Indian motorcycle collection in Franz Josef which included a few cars. It started to rain during the night and we woke up to more rain in the morning. Our only wet day’s travel was this day as we motored through Haast Pass heading for Cromwell, our final destination on tour. The rain cleared by midday and the
Beaded Wheels 43
sun was shining when we arrived in Wanaka to view an amazing collection of tractors plus some pretty desirable vintage thoroughbred cars. Onto Cromwell for happy hour at one of the motels before going to the Central Otago Branch clubrooms. This was the official end of the tour but we still had five days motoring to get home. We left Cromwell, went through to Alexandra to catch up with Christine and Nevelle Ridd (also VCC members) and the plan was to stay in Timaru for the night. However, it was such a glorious day and with time on our side we decided to head to Naseby for lunch and drive through Danseys Pass. From Duntroon it was up to Kurow, cross the bridge and head east down the other side. We got into Waimate at around 6pm and decided this would be our overnight stop after covering 280 miles for the day. Next morning I had to get the tool kit out, the only time on the whole trip. It took longer to extract it from the very full boot than it did to do the job required. After all the back roads, passes, fords and corrugations, I had lost an exhaust flange nut and the remaining two had worked loose. A quick couple of turns and a replacement nut - job done. Headed north into Geraldine and while there, I produced my trusty map book once again. I got “the look” but assured Cath this would be an easy run on tarseal today, not a repeat of Culverden to Cheviot. We continued north on the inland route and it wasn’t until we got to the intersection with SH73 that we thought “why not” we had done so many other passes in the last couple of weeks, why not add Arthurs’ Pass to the list. So we swung westward and onto Greymouth for the night after a 300 mile drive. Next day we decided to visit friends in Nelson, so rather than do the Coast Road north which we had done the previous week, we opted to go via Reefton. I’m glad we did – what a lovely colourful town it is, not a grey and gloomy mining town as I had wrongly perceived. The traffic in Nelson was bumper to bumper and not very inviting at all for an
44 Beaded Wheels
older car. We caught up with our friends and had a good night. The following morning we headed towards Blenheim for our final night with tour entrants Grant and Caryl Simpson, before crossing on 30 March on the Bluebridge ferry - or so we thought. We stopped for brunch at Havelock and when Cath checked our emails we found our crossing had been cancelled. A quick check on flights from Blenheim to Wellington, at $184 each. Not wanting to book on the mobile Cath decided to wait until we got to the Simpsons and book from their computer. By the time we got to Blenheim (45 mins later) the flights were $295 each and there were five seats left. We booked, then couldn’t get a rental car at Wellington Airport. A couple of phone calls and friends from Levin met us at Wellington Airport, and friends from Linton met us at Levin to take us home to Kimbolton. The first available sailing we could get to collect the Rover was 4 May. Despite the ferry issue, everything else was absolutely brilliant. We met some great people, travelled through some beautiful countryside and did more fords in a week than we have done in the last 10 years. We travelled 2,200 miles on the trip, used 92 gallons of fuel, averaged 24 mpg which worked out at 47 cents/mile. Roll on the next tour.
Dummy Grid.
HIGHLANDS FESTIVAL OF SPEED SERIES Words and photos Graham Taylor Two years ago I was asked by Greg Doran to do the scrutineering for the VCC Historic Race Cars. This involved having a look over the cars checking seat belts and attachments, fire extinguishers, helmets (really need to have the neck restraints) fire resistant clothing, fuel / oil lines any obvious oil / brake fluid leaks, a check of the steering for excess play loose joints, and a general look over. The driver must fill out a self declaration that all is okay. The VIC and logbook are checked and filled in. Then as the VCC Clerk of the Course, couldn’t make it, I had to fill in for that too, another learning curve, and that involved me being up in the tower for our races. Greg and Karelan Doran were there to give some guidance. In the first practice a wheel came off a vehicle whose front suspension was based on a Triumph Herald, fortunately no one was hurt and damage was minimal but boy, did the tower guys take that seriously. The rest of the practice went fairly well with some minor repairs required, two cars blew head gaskets and there was a panic when it was thought that it was oil leaking on to the track, we investigated and fortunately it was just water. One car that amused me is the Smith family’s 1951 Citroën Spyder special, sheer kiwi ingenuity, run the front drive around to the rear add twin carburettors, a free flow exhaust, some clever engineering and an up and coming young driver Ethan Kemp (Ralph Smith’s grandson) and his confidence improved
Citroën Spyder.
measurably, maybe the Lycoming Special in the future? I would note that Ethan was definitely the youngest in age competing with noted grey haired gentlemen, seemingly not many days older! Friday was scrutineering and practice, Saturday also had two practice sessions of six laps, Sunday morning a practice and the race that afternoon for the Ralph Smith Memorial Trophy won by Tracey Barrett after an honest tussle with her husband Mark. They had identical cars, Lotus 23s and this was their third race season. The VCC historic race cars were the smallest entry but even in the tower where race-hardened controllers lived there were smiles all round. These cars showed new Zealand’s pioneering spirit at its best, also for me it was a privilege to see the very high standards of the Highlands race track in action.
Tracey Barret receiving the Ralph Smith Memorial Trophy.
Beaded Wheels 45
Bob Ballantyne’s beautifully restored 1935 Auburn at the start of the 58th Maunga Moana rally in New Plymouth.
CLASSIC, VINTAGE AND VETERAN MOTORING FOR 77 YEARS
CLASSIC, VINTAGE AND VETERAN MOTORING FOR 77 YEARS
CLASSIC, VINTAGE AND VETERAN MOTORING FOR 77 YEARS
Beaded Wheels
No. 382 June/July 2023
Beaded Wheels
No. 380 February/March 2023
New Zealand’s Foremost Historical Motoring Magazine $8.95
New Zealand’s Foremost Historical Motoring Magazine $8.95
No. 381 April/May 2023
New Zealand’s Foremost Historical Motoring Magazine $8.95
SUMMER OF MOTORING NATIONAL AND LOCAL RALLY ACTION BEHIND THE
WHEEL
1900 WOLSELEY
GEORGE BEGG FESTIVAL CONJURING UP A BIT OF SOUTHERN NOSTALGIA
9 418979 000012
FIAT RESTORATION MARKETPLACE VEHICLES FOR SALE AND WANTED
BEHIND THE WHEEL RILEY KESTREL DRIVING OUR HISTORY
9 418979 000012
WE GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A
9 418979 000012
‘54 FORD ZEPHYR CONVERTIBLE
MAUNGA MOANA RALLY Words and photos by Colin Johnston Taranaki Branch With 34 entries this year the 58th Maunga Moana rally, held at the end of March, was missing some local and usual visitors from other branches. Everyone enjoyed the rally which took them out of the city and onto roads that gave great views of farming areas in the North/ Eastern Tarata and Tikorangi areas. The route took entrants along the top of ridges with views of deep green valleys stretching out into the distance showing sea views and Mt Taranaki with its dominating and inspiring height which is why our rally is called Maunga Moana (mountain sea). The navigated course had two timed sections with speed changes to allow for the winding hills and one lane bridges and of course there had to be a road tunnel to drive through on the Otaraoa Road that added to the excellent and enjoyable terrain. These road tunnels were carved out of the papa hills by hand during the late 1800s. The route finished at the clubrooms. The overall winner of the Castle Cup and first Taranaki entrant winning the Findlay Cup was Robert Tudor driving a 1951 Citroen Light 15 with Heather Tudor overall navigator. They also won the Colleen Moore Cup for first two person team, the Bowman/Bognuda Trophy for highest placed Taranaki navigator and the Kikby Trophy for first ▲ Robert Tudor, overall Post War vehicle. winner of the Taranaki
MARKETPLACE
VEHICLES FOR SALE AND WANTED
DRIVING OUR HISTORY
MARKETPLACE
VEHICLES FOR SALE AND WANTED DRIVING OUR HISTORY
Subscribe today and don’t miss an issue! A subscription to Beaded Wheels will save on the newstand price and guarantee you don’t miss a single issue at the same time. Please send a subscription for 6 Issues - New Zealand $52* (inc p&p) 6 Issues - Australia NZ$112* 6 Issues - Elsewhere NZ$185* Visa/Mastercard only (Processing by credit card will incur additional bank fee processing charge of 3%. NZ Post money orders not accepted.
Magazine Recipients Name:
Telephone:
Email:
Address:
Postcode
Payment by
Credit Card
Expiry Date: ____ /____
Card Number
Maunga Moana Annual Rally.
Name on Card:
Cardholder Signature:
Or join the Vintage Car Club today and get every issue of Beaded Wheels as part of your club membership.
Stephen and Tracey Winterbottom’s 1925 Sunbeam and Steven and Veronica Oliver’s 1915 Model T at the clubrooms.
46 Beaded Wheels
How to subscribe Join the club or order online at our website vcc.org.nz
DRIVING OUR HISTORY
Email this form to: beadedwheels@ vcc.org.nz
Post this form to Beaded Wheels, PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8141.
ARCHIVIST NEWS
CHARLES BEKEN
Early Christchurch photographer and motoring enthusiast 1859-1944
Our club archive is located at the VCCNZ National Office in Christchurch and is open to visitors on Friday mornings. It contains a wealth of historic material, a lot of which has been digitised. It is well worth a visit or if you have any queries do get in contact with our archivist Don Muller phone 03 385 6850 or archivist@vcc.org.nz. ▼ Neil and Trish Beken 2022 Irishman.
▲ Charles J Beken with Douglas motorbike.
It is always interesting having new members visiting the Archive, you never know what they are searching for, or what they are going to bring with them. One Friday morning at the Archive in November 2022, I had a visit from VCC North Shore branch members, Neil and Trish Beken. They came to donate a collection of early 1900s photos taken by Neil’s great grandfather Charles Beken. These great negative photos have been digitally converted from Charles Beken’s original glass plates. There are 60 (circa 1910) Christchurch motoring photos featuring local car shows, motoring events, various car agencies as well as 15 personal photos. Once converted to a positive photo, they revealed the quality of the various subjects. It is hard to believe that the photos were over 110 years old. During our conversation, Neil mentioned how his great grandfather was well known for photographing motoring events and sometimes used his stamp to identify his photo. On investigation we found that a large framed photo on the wall of the Archive showing the Minerva cars that competed in the 1912 C.A.A (A.A.C later) reliability trial, in the righthand corner of the photo was the round embossed stamp of Charles Beken. This new information was well received by Neil and Trish. As yet I haven’t
found any additional photos at the Archive that had been taken by Charles. Charles Beken was a cabinet maker at A J Whites in Christchurch but he always had a keen interest in photography. After many years as a cabinet maker, he decided to pursue photography. Dr Barker and Charles Beken were both early Canterbury photographers and shared their work. Charles’ work involved many interesting events; he was commissioned to develop the photos from Captain Scott’s 1901-04 Antarctic expedition, he paid £25 for the photographic Talbot in Bealey Ave, Christchurch.
Scott Motors displays Argylls at King Edward Barracks ChCh.
rights for the Christchurch Exhibition in North Hagley Park that ran from November 1906 to April 1907 that nearly two million people attended. He did work for the Government Tourist Department, as well as specialising in local natural history. His son Albert Charles Beken donated 160 boxes (2000 photos) of his photos that are now held at Te Papa, The National Library and the Canterbury Museum. Charles’ career as a photographer lasted 60 years. Charles was also a keen motorist. It was quoted in a newspaper article in 1935 “he
knew more about the transport history in Canterbury than any other man”. He owned a welltravelled Austin 7 which was one of the earliest registered in Christchurch, as well as a Douglas motorcycle. The reason Neil and Trish were in Christchurch was to drive their Austin 7 back to Auckland. In June 2022 they had driven the Austin 7 down to attend the Irishman rally at Queen’s birthday which they really enjoyed. Being an open car and in the middle of winter, the trip down and the rally was extremely cold, so they decided to return at a later date when the weather was warmer. The Austin 7 that made this arduous trip, was bought by Neil’s father in 1938. I think it is a credit to them both for driving that distance in today’s traffic in the small open Austin 7, Neil’s dad would be proud.
Don Muller Archivist archivist@ vcc.org.nz
Beaded Wheels 47
MARKET PLACE FOR SALE Terms and conditions CLASSIFIED RATES Due to space limitation, classified advertisers should refrain from the use of dashes, spaces, blank lines and formatting. All classified rates include GST. The 45 word limit includes contact details. Advertisers requiring ads longer than the standard 45 words, or who require typography or space, must apply display rates. The advertising department reserves the right to edit or return classifieds not meeting the criteria Member of Vintage Car Club: No charge for text or photo classified advertising. Members must be financial and identify their Branch. Limited to one free advert per issue, maximum of three insertions per advertisement. Non Member: $21 for first 45 words or part thereof. Text in a Boxed Ad : $24 non-members* Colour Photo Ad in Box: $56 non-members, enclose a clear photo and an SAE if return required.* Advertisements should be typed or clearly printed or submitted through vcc.org.nz/beadedwheels. Advertising Email address: beadedwheels@vcc.org.nz Advert and Payment: to arrive not later than 10th of month preceding publication. Payment by Credit card or Internet banking (for Internet banking details email beadedwheels@vcc.org.nz). DISPLAY RATES* (gst exclusive) Casual (per issue) 3 Issues (per issue) Full Page $900 $720 Half Page $530 $390 Horizontal ¼ Page $270 $216 All display rates quoted exclude GST and are for finished digital artwork supplied. Artwork can be arranged at an extra charge. Deadline for copy 10th of month preceding publication. Beaded Wheels will consider articles of a technical nature for inclusion in its editorial space. Beaded Wheels however regrets that it is not able to offer editorial space for advertisements nor for the promotion of products. Marketplace advertising cancellations received in writing prior to advertising deadline will be refunded in full. Where possible Beaded Wheels will refund 70% of the advertisement cost for any cancellations received after the booking deadline. *Payment by credit card will incur additional bank fee processing charge of 4% Beaded Wheels makes every effort to ensure no misleading claims are made by advertisers, responsibility cannot be accepted by Beaded Wheels or the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc.) for the failure of any product or service to give satisfaction. Inclusion of a product or service should not be construed as endorsement of it by Beaded Wheels or by the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc.). No liability can be accepted for non-appearance of advertisements and the text of all advertisements is subject to the approval of the editor who reserves the right to refuse any advertisements which are not compatible with the aims, objectives, and standards of Beaded Wheels or the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc.) In accordance with the provisions of the Human Rights Commission Act 1977 Beaded Wheels will not publish any advertisement which indicates or could reasonably be understood as indicating an intention to discriminate by reason of sex, marital status, religious or ethical beliefs. Advertisers should take all care in drafting advertisements as they could be held liable, as well as Beaded Wheels and the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc.).
48 Beaded Wheels
1923 JEWETT TOURER. O lder restoration. Reg. on hold. WoF on sale. Location Auckland. No pictures as yet, but can be supplied. POA. Contact Rushmore Motors 0272245045 inc a/h. 1928/29 OLDSMOBILE FRONT AXLE c omplete minus the brake drums. 1929 Olds radiator good original core. Veteran honeycomb core out of 1918 Olds, damaged. Water pump parts and other ‘29 parts. Take the lot for $200. Ph Len Harvey 021 768 554 MEM 1928 CHEV WELLSIDE UTE Soft/collapsible hood. Good reconditioned motor, plenty of spare parts. Will be sold with WoF and rego. New tyres. Ph Russell 022 636 9961. 1929 CHRYSLER 77 ROYAL SEDAN RESTORATION PROJECT, fully reconditioned motor. Chassis sandblasted and painted. Eight new tyres, wire wheels, radiator, fuel tank, gauges all reconditioned. Spare chassis. Vehicle purchased in a dismantled state with all remaining parts. Vehicle in Winton, Ph Doug 027 477 0847. MEM SOUTHLAND CARBURETTOR RECONDITIONING including classic and performance makes. 40 plus years trade experience. Free advice. Contact Graeme Tulloch, Tulmac Carburettor Specialists on 027 612 2312 or (Levin) 06 368 2202 COACHWORK F or all your coachwork, woodwork and timber rim steering wheels for your veteran, vintage or commercial vehicles contact Designs N Wood, John Martin, 11 Bell Avenue, Cromwell. Phone/fax 03 445 0598, 021 109 1309 or email martin_jw@xtra.co.nz MEM CENTRAL OTAGO 1937 – 1939 DODGE Body and mechanical parts for sale. Gasket sets, water pumps and fuel pumps, also blocks from ’35-’57. Ph Peter 027 526 9170. MEM GORE BOP VCC PARTS: BMC 1622cc reconditioned short block with new pistons etc. Offers to Jack 07 5766346 or min.jack@kinect.co.nz DUNLOP TUBES 700 x 21 unused still in packing boxes. 4 @ $20 ea please phone Graham Somervaille on 027 472 707. MEM AUCKLAND INDIAN SCOUT 1927 GEARBOX. New Amal Concentric carb. Willys Knight 1927/8 instrument set, oil, amp, gas, speedo. Email bernie@ centralsilosystems.co.nz, mobile 027 275 6575. LANDROVER – 2x 6 cyl engines, suit recond or parts. Morris 8 series E engine. Vanguard 4 cyl engine. Ph Gavin 03 308 2297. ASHBURTON BRANCH
GOT VIBRATION PROBLEMS?
T he crankshaft pulley/balancer/damper may be the cause. Rubber perishes over time. John at Harmonic Damper Rebuilds can rebuild your pulley like new. He has a proven system to re-rubber and re-sleeve dampers. Most can be rebuilt as good as new and save you money and engine repairs. 027 666 3350 or 07 863 3350 damperdude@gmail.com
BALANCING BALANCING BALANCING, e can balance most vintage and single W cylinder engines, fans, driveshafts etc. Work is carried out on a modern digital machine. M S Coombes Ltd, 344 St Asaph Street, Christchurch 8011, Ph 03 366 7463, email: info@mscoombes.co.nz DRIVESHAFTS DRIVESHAFTS DRIVESHAFTS We can alter or make driveshafts with fabric components to take modern universal joints and yokes, as well as performing dynamic balancing. We also carry a large range of driveshaft components for car, trucks, industrial and marine. M S Coombes Ltd, 344 St Asaph Street, Christchurch 8011, Ph 03 366 7463, email: info@mscoombes.co.nz MORRIS MINOR 1000 1956-1971 BONNET , virtually ready for painting, no decorative stuff. $50. Ph 07 576 1124. MEM BOP
OCTANE MAGAZINES, 2015 to 2022 excellent condition, collection available or freight at cost. Phone or text Alan 027 493 8729. MEM WAITEMATA PISTONS PISTONS PISTONS PISTONS FOR VETERAN, VINTAGE, CLASSIC & ODDBALL ENGINES. We can supply piston sets for most makes and models. All piston sets come complete with rings and gudgeons. We have over 700 listings at competitive prices. M S COOMBES LTD 344 ST ASAPH ST, CHRISTCHURCH Ph: 03 366 7463 E: info@mscoombes.co.nz PENRITE ENGINE COOLANT A colourless hybrid-organic non glycol based corrosion inhibitor designed specifically for use in Veteran, Edwardian, Vintage and Classic Car cooling systems. M S Coombes Ltd, 344 St Asaph Street, Christchurch 8011, Ph 03 366 7463, email: info@mscoombes.co.nz
WINTER SALE
Horowhenua Branch Vintage Car Club Spares Department is having its first ever winter sale on Saturday 17 June from 9am to 3pm. So come along and see if you can find that car or motorcycle part to finish your restoration.
ROVER ENGINES: 1 935-40 6-cyl OHV 14hp dry stored 50 years, dismantled, complete (?). Also 1963-64 P4 110 model, turns over, complete front to clutch, head, genny, carby, starter. Both need understanding homes. $ — nearly free. Stored Tokoroa. North Island delivery possible. Text/ph Richard Chelley 021 106 9999 MEM BOP PENRITE OILS W e carry a large range from vintage to modern engines. Gearbox, diff, SU dashpot and water pump grease. M S Coombes Ltd, 344 St Asaph Street, Christchurch 8011, Ph 03 366 7463, email: info@mscoombes.co.nz
MARKET PLACE
MAGNETO AND COIL WINDING SERVICES Magneto repairs, coil rewinding, work guaranteed. We buy and sell magnetos of all types except aircraft. 728 Waimutu Road, RD2 Marton 4788. Phone Warwick 06 327 3849, 027 281 8066, walandlynn@farmside.co.nz MEM RUSHMORE MOTORS LTD can market your Veteran, Vintage or Classic car immediately. We have great success with most makes and listing a vehicle it is completely free. We hold a huge database of prospective buyers and we endeavour to match sellers with buyers. If you have an unused vehicle sitting in your garage and would like your bank balance considerably enhanced, give us a call on 027 2245 045 inc a/h. rushmoremotors@xtra.co.nz
1947 HUMBER SUPER SNIPE MK1 Reg on 1952 MORRIS COMMERCIAL. S tripped to chassis hold. Hasn’t been used for some time but and sandblasted including cab. Brake system starts and drives. No WoF. Complete and overhauled. Wheel bearings as needed. Parts to original. Comes with parts car. Must go complete asssembly on hand. Runs well. Offers. together. Losing storage. Offers over $5,000. Mbl: 027 432 2154, goughspraying@xtra.co.nz 027 681 9646, alan.raywyn@xtra.co.nz MEM CANTERBURY MEM SOUTH CANTERBURY
VINTAGE CAR REPAIRS
All Classic and Vintage Car restoration. • Panel making • Wooden body repairs, • Bumpers and moulding repair • Competitive hourly rate. Unit 1 11 Penn Place, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch
Phone Grant 341 5100 or 027 223 9474 granttvin@gmail.com VALVES exhaust quality stainless for vintage engines. Supplied semi finished with a range of stem and head sizes for machining to dimensions required. Contact George Calder, phone 03 338 5372 or email gandkcalder@gmail.com
RILEY RMB SALOON 2.5L 1948. Very tidy condition body and mechanically. Current rego and WoF. Insurance valuation $18,000. Price negotiable. Contact David 03 579 4716 david. bool@xtra.co.nz MEM MARLBOROUGH
1920 FORD MODEL T COUPE. NZ new. In excellent condition. Right hand drive. 2 Spare wheels + many other spare parts. Coil ignition, Stewart speedo. More photos available on request. $33,000. ono. Located in Nelson. Contact Roy 021 0271 0374
VELOSOLEX N ew and used parts for your Solex Phone Gary 0274 342 934, garymt1941@gmail.com MEM CANTERBURY VINTAGE BRASS BUGLE SHAPED CAR-HORN complete with rubber bulb. Works well and bulb has no perishing. Offers. Phone 021 101 0119 and I can send a picture via email. MEM BANKS PENINSULA WHEELS/TYRES 2 new Firestone 450/ 475/ 500 x 20”. 2 Olympic 500x18” balloon tyres on 18” 3 stud wire wheels. 1 Firestone 400x18” tyre. 2 Singer 18” wheels with 1 Singer Coventry hubcap. 2 Dodge 19” wood spoke wheels on front axle. Email bernie@ centralsilosystems.co.nz, mobile 027 275 6575.
HILLMAN 10 AXLES 1935-38 X 3 . $100 For all three. (Good condition) surface rust only. Enquiries to Terry Richards 021 047 4670. MEM CANTERBURY VINTAGE ENGINE SHORT BLOCKS We can in most cases rebuild your short block using modern shell bearings, new pistons and rebuilt oil pump. Please contact us for more information. M S Coombes Ltd, 344 St Asaph Street, Christchurch 8011, Ph 03 366 7463, email: info@mscoombes.co.nz
VETERAN CLASSIC PARTS, Lucas klaxon horns, TRIPPE SAFETY LIGHT NOS Some shelf wear speedo drive, oil tail light, mc exhaust whistle and to paint on bowl $300 plus postage or pick Jones speedo. Fiat 124 steel wheels with mint hub up, in Auckland. More pictures available. caps, 124 ID tag and tools in case. Ph 07 348 4227. Ph Peter 0272 816 050. peter.wood@aries.net.nz MEM AUCKLAND MEM ROTORUA
TWO 1928 HUPMOBILE CENTURY A SEDANS, disassembled but complete, plus numerous additional parts. In a container located in Hawke’s Bay. Some reno already done. Great project. Container may be purchased or borrowed to get the cars to your place. Offers. Geoff 021 245 9014 the8020co@hotmail.com
1928 MODEL A SPORTS COUPE Very good condition bodywise. Runs ok. Rego on hold. 19 inch wheels. Good rubber and new upholstery. $35,000. Can be viewed in Whangarei. Ph 021 411 601 or email jubert@xtra.co.nz MEM NORTHLAND
Beaded Wheels 49
MARKET PLACE
Looking for Vehicle Parts ?
JAGUAR MKVII 1956 F ully restored over many years. Body, mechanicals, interior all mint condition. Five new tyres. Reg lapsed, but ownership papers there. Runs well and ready for certification. Ph Bryan 021 296 5665. MEM HOROWHENUA
18MM TO 14MM SPARK PLUG reducers and 7/8” to 14mm spark plug reducers now available $16.10 each. Spark plug washers also available. Ph 03 359 0565 or 021 128 9252 or www. vintagefordparts.co.nz
Motors, gearboxes, carbs, panels, wheels, accessories, miscellaneous & more What do you need for your restoration ? Contact Marlborough VCC We have sheds full of used parts email: tandhwin@xtra.co.nz
FUEL TANK LINER, s tops and protects against leaks and weeps. Contact: peter.alderdice@ me.com 021 743 906. MEM AUCKLAND 1969 FIAT 850 SPORT COUPE My tidy rust-free example (VIC P60V3197) is for sale here in New 1986 ROVER 3500 VDP WoF: Last inspection Plymouth. It has had recent mechanical work 13 February 2023. Expiry 27 August 2023. done and has a new WoF and rego. Comes with Registration: Expiry 9 September 2023. This is spare windscreen. Looking for offers over $13,000. a tidy example of an SD1. Asking Price: $18,000. Lloyd Gleeson email only: lloydgleeson@gmail.com Phone 021 128 8927 to arrange an inspection. MEM TARANAKI.
1933 DOORLESS BODIED SUPERCHARGED MG J2 ROADSTER. J3446 for sale on behalf. In very good condition. Recent mechanical work carried out. New tyres and wheels. Original bonnet top, doors plus some mechanical spares included. VCC sporting history. Ph Peter Croft 03 3849 534 bovett.croft@gmail.com MEM BANKS PENINSULA
BSA ZB32 1951. Extensive engine work completed 7000 miles ago. Full service history recorded during my ownership of 35 years. Most excellent condition and runs very well. Recent trip Warkworth to Invercargill and return. Viewing welcome. Can supply more pics. Contact Dave 0274438046. ollie. d10@gmail.com 50 Beaded Wheels
VINTAGE & CLASSIC QUARTZ halogen bulbs. Replace your existing bulbs without rewiring the headlamp assemblies. Up to 100% brighter than your existing Tungsten bulbs. Will fit most reflectors fitted to Pre & Post war cars and motorbikes. Also available in single filament 55 watt P22 & BA15 bases for use in spotlamps and mechanical dip reflectors. Most bases and configurations available in 6v & 12v. Further info: Norm & Jan Sisson, sole NZ Agent. Phone 027 311 6563, Amuri Motorcycles, 2C Birmingham Drive, Christchurch. Email modelboatsupplies@snap.net.nz
1922 WILLYS KNIGHT MODEL 20A Brought into NZ as a tourer, the sedan body was built in 1924 by Nielsons of Dannevirke. Magneto completely overhauled in 2022. Reg, WoF & VIC. Lots of mechanical parts in bins. $20,000. Ph Brian 06 753 3313, aliebolly@hotmail.com. MEM TARANAKI
VINTAGE TRUNKS made to order or stock sizes. Dust proof and waterproof. Phone Allan 06 844 3959 or 0274 469 331 Napier, acjones760@gmail.com MEM
1951 VAUXHALL VELOX SIX CYLINDER 2275cc, column gear change, 3 speed, syncromesh on 2 & 3. Current WoF and insurance. Runs beautifully, very good condition inside and out. Ph Kevin 021 560 905. MEM HAWKE’S BAY
1990 PEUGEOT 405 SR INJECTED. Good general condition, registration is on hold. Needs tyres and cooling system hoses $2,500. ono. Ph 03 472 8998. MEM OTAGO
MARKET PLACE
CHEVROLET 1939 MASTER 85 NZ new car registered continuously since Mar 1940. Numbers matching car. External and internal rebuild approx. 30 years ago incl full leather interior. Have some history of car, ex South Island vehicle. 12 volt with elec wipers, Stromberg carb fitted. In Auck $40,000 ono. roger@twohoots.co.nz 021 221 6530.
STUDEBAKER COMMANDER 1939: New WoF & 12 month reg. Original motor with overdrive, runs very well. Body unrestored, in good condition. Interior roof-lining, upholstery and carpets renewed recently. Original 1939 service manual and Certificate of Registration from April ‘39. Phone 022 625 3656 MEM NORTH SHORE
1947 MORRIS 8 SERIES E. GOOD WORKING CONDITION. WoF & Rego till November 2023. Regularly serviced. $6,400 ono. Enough spare part (chassis, panels, wheels, windows, axles, lights) to built another Morris 8 for an additional $500 if wanted. Contact Martyn 027 370 1751 for more information. LOCATED GISBORNE
1972 HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPORTSTER XLCH 1000. 1931 DODGE DD SEDAN ( Chrysler Canada built, This is a restored beautiful bike, kick start only. Budd body) Housed in shed for 50 years, partially assembled, straight body, reconditioned 6-cylinder Legal, WoF and Rego. Under number plate 72HOG. engine packed with oil. Would make a suitable 20k ONO. Email mario_gregor@hotmail.com restoration project. Car is not being separated MEM WAIRARAPA for parts, buyer to collect. Offers over $5,000. Ph 03 612 6870 or 027 221 4553. MEM STH CANTY
1911 CALTHORPE 12/15 ROADSTER. F ully restored rare round radiator car, mechanically overhauled, runs well, as seen at NZ veteran events. Owned since 1970s. Purpose built enclosed trailer for housing and transporting with WoF & Rego. POA. Contact Theo de Leeuw, 027 490 3248 or tdeleeuw@xtra.co.nz MEM WAIKATO
MEM NORTH SHORE
MAZDA MX5 ROADSTER. 1 990 well maintained original condition. Auto with manual overdrive, 150,000km. New hood. Excellent and economical touring car. Asking $9,850. Phone Alan 027 656 4632 or 03 928 5474. M EM BANKS PENINSULA
WOODEN WHEELS m ade for your metal work. Steam-bent felloes, any shape spokes. New beaded rims available in some sizes. Ph Vern Jensen 06 323 3868, 16 Osborne Terrace, Feilding, sandvo@callsouth.net.nz MEM MANAWATU
A GREAT PROJECT WITH NO RUST, 1977 Escort 1926 MODEL T RACEABOUT. Lengthened 6”. 1.6 sport, complete but stripped down, 1.6 cross Lowered 6”. Higher compression head with a Model flow engine, all interior carpets / fittings, all glass A crankshaft. Larger bearings by 1⁄ 8 ” and wider big with rubber, 3 gearboxes, spare dif, 2 bumper sets, ends by ½”. Crankshaft is bored, pressurized and numerous parts. Also 1936 Vauxhall/Bedford ute, filtered. Front wheel brakes fitted. Approx. 1500 1780cc light six. WoF and reg. Reasonable offers. miles. Reg. on hold. Ford wire wheels. Ruckstell two Contact blunden@slingshot.co.nz, 03 439 5207. speed diff. Location New Plymouth area. Rushmore MEM NORTH OTAGO Motors 027 224 5045 inc a/h.
1929 DA DODGE. 6 cylinder. Brakes rebuilt. 2 pages of written info available. Stored 60 years, Not restored. Quite a lot of work to do. Needs complete upholstery and electrical. Body excellent. Minor rust under rear seat. Up and running. Needs tyres. Clutch shudder. Master cylinder restored. Some spares. $22,000. Contact Rushmore Motors 027 2245 045 inc a/h.
1931 MODEL A FORD RACEABOUT. A seriously good car. Ex. body & mech. Engine part ‘A’ and ‘B’. Higher compression, pressurized 3 main bearings, gearbox synchro 4 speed. Stainless steel ‘clip together’ hood frame, hood, side curtains. High ratio diff. Reg on hold. $65,000. Contact Rushmore Motors 027 2245 045 inc a/h. Beaded Wheels 51
MARKET PLACE PANTHER M75 (350CC) o r M65 (250cc) 1949 to 1962. Rigid frame or swing arm model. Complete bike dead or alive, project or parts considered. Ph 03 732 7060, gen4use@gmail.com MEM WEST COAST MGTC 2 X 19” WHEELS WANTED. M GTC Lacus C45YV 12 v generator wanted. Contact: Glen Watt, glen_watt@icloud.com or phone 021 226 8870 MEM BAY OF PLENTY MODEL A FORD SHOCK ABSORBERS New Zealand made, new as original. If your old shock can be rebuilt, cost is $240. Postal Delivery extra. Arms and all connecting parts available. Phone Jack 03 352 6672, 0274 322 041 Christchurch. M EM CANTERBURY
USEABLE CYLINDER HEAD WANTED for a 1926 Austin Heavy 12/4. Ph Paul Hicks, 09 425 7015, hicks.family@xtra.co.nz MEM WELLSFORD/WARKWORTH
HOLDEN 14 INCH RIM & HUB CAP w anted ph David 027 431 8078 MEM BANKS PENINSULA
WANTED NEW OR USED TUBES t o fit 23” rims. Don’t mind if they have had patches - just need them so I can fit to some old tyres I have, to give me a mobile chassis on my restoration project. Contact John 027 448 1430. MEM CANTERBURY 1927 HARLEY-DAVIDSON MODEL J PARTS. I have bought a basket case and would like to restore so anything considered. Need forks, tanks, engine parts, guards, wheels etc. Not too worried about condition. Ph Geoff 027 958 9736, samgedy4@ hotmail.com MEM WEST COAST
EXTRA LONG TRAILER ideal for big loads. Length 3.4m, width 1.8m. Phone Tom 06 875 8055, 027 232 3225. MEM HAWKE’S BAY
SET OF SEATS FOR A GRAHAM PAIGE 4 door sedan 1928-30 in usable condition. Upholstery does not matter as long as frames ok, or front seat only. Ph Doug 021 1332193. MEM ROTORUA
WANTED
7” HALF HUB BRAKE PLATE w ith speedo gearbox I have found a 7” half hub with speedo drive gear, but the gear itself (LH thread) is pretty tired. Looking for a better drive gear 5/16” wide, 7 threads, 2 1/8” ID, 2 7/8” OD, 44T. Also brake plate complete with speedo gearbox and pick up drive gear (14T). And anything else – frame, lighting set, levers etc. Any parts or leads appreciated. David Broadhead 021 324 762 dbroadhe@xtra.co.nz MEM AUCKLAND
1968 TRIUMPH TIGER CUB PARTS WANTED , Rocker oil feed line and domed nuts. Blanking plug for distributor hole. Clutch sprocket and housing. WANTED TRIUMPH FRAME OR PARTS Oil pump mounting bolts. Crankcase filter. of as pictured. Also rear fork parts email Screws for crankcase covers. Email mickeyrat@ veterantriumph@gmail.com. MEM WELLINGTON windowslive.com Phone/ Txt 021 177 3328. MEM BAY OF PLENTY. 1922 OVERLAND 21 INCH SPLIT RIMS NEEDED . Also any other parts. Ph Mike 027 259 3335. M EM CANTERBURY
WHEEL SPINNERS FOR RUDGE WHITWORTH Wire wheels. I am looking for some knock on spinners for wire wheels. These are the type 52 with flat wings and slightly bigger than usual, the thread measuring about 67mm internal. Ph Kevin 03 318 1454. kevinandjulia@gmail.com MEM CANTERBURY
AUDI QUATTRO COUPE OR SEDAN 1 980s. Interested in any condition for restoration or parts. Contact Andrew on 0274 20 60 90, andrew@hrsconstruction.co.nz. MEM CANTERBURY BRITISH MOTORCYCLE for restoration project wanted (or already restored), age and condition unimportant. Anything considered. Ph 021 960 194, matt@techlight.co.nz GIG RIMS WHEELS and hubs with rotted wood spokes or complete. Contact Bevan 027 617 6521 or bevanconsult@gmail.com MEM WARKWORTH
INLET MANIFOLDS FOR 1950-53 A40 SPORTS. Please check your shed so I can get my A40 sports back to original. Carbs (SU) are sorted just need manifold. Ph George Tier 09 439 8911.
HALIBRAND q uick change centre section diff V8 6 spline model 201. Ph Rob Boult 027 432 0308. MEM NELSON LUCAS SCREENWASHER PUMP AND LID ASSY. f or the glass or plastic reservoir as fitted to Damler 2.5 saloons and Jaguar 2.4,3.4 and 3.8 saloons anted as per photo. Contact Murray as well as S1 and S2 E Types. Phone Alan 09 424 BRASS HINGE w Sutton 021 134 2675, mbsutton1949@gmail.com 1290, 027 493 8729, email: ralankerrnz@gmail.com MEM BAY OF PLENTY MEM WAITEMATA 52 Beaded Wheels
PETROL CAN HOLDER which screws to the running board – inner aperture approximately 255 x 159mm. Can be either base frame type which totally surrounds the base or “A” frame type with screw clamp. Phone Paul 0274 463 908 or e-mail p.anderson1@xtra.co.nz
SWAP MEETS & RALLIES
All vehicles entered in National And International Rallies must hold a current VehicIe Identity Card (VIC).
Rotorua Vintage & Veteran Car Club
proudly present the
The 42nd Annual Central North Island
Swap Meet
EARLY BIRD
SAVING
$25
AUTOMOBILE ANCIENNE
DISCOUNT OFF YOUR ENTRY IF BOOKED BY JULY 31ST
& Car Show Spectacular Paradise Valley Raceway
7am - 2pm, Sunday, 9th July 2023
FEATURING VINTAGE, CLASSIC, MUSCLE CARS & HOT RODS Hundreds of vendors, with items of interest to all collectors of cars, motorcycles, hot rods, automobilia, automotive books, old toys, model cars and trains. Almost everything antique or collectible.
Hot food and refreshments available
INQUIRIES
SELLERS: Neville Harper 07 348 2412 or 027 494 7249, email daharpers@gmail.com CAR SHOW: Bob Mackay 07 332 3849, email bob.mackaynz@gmail.com
Organised by the Banks Peninsula Branch, and capturing the spirit of the orginal Rallye, the 8th southern Monte will occur on the
BP branch have booked 3 x 1/4 page for monte carlo at $177 each in april/june and august issues Plan your own start point/time/route to achieve maximum points for your particular vehicle/crew/equipe. You may choose to motor from or after the stroke of midnight on Friday 17th to a late afternoon checkpoint on the 18th. Start point – anywhere south of Mangatainoka Brewery. Finish – the French enclave of Akaroa, Banks Peninsula. Competitive motoring is restricted to the day of the 18th. Individual and Equipe Awards are again at stake. Saturday evening function in Akaroa is part of the event.
GENERAL: Alan Judd 022 049 5492, email judd21a@gmail.com
ENTRY FORMS & ADVICE Email: bankspeninsula@vcc.org.nz Phone: 021 212 3074 www.bpvcc.org.nz
Admission Seller’s vehicle and driver $10 per site
www.rvvcc.org.nz
All others $5 per person (Accompanied children FREE)
CLOSING DATE FOR ALL ENTRIES 20TH OCTOBER 2023
2024 National Veteran Rally DRIVING OUR HISTORY
Hosted by
WANGANUI BRANCH
6th National Commercial Rally 2023 Friday 20th to 23rd October Labour Weekend REGISTER YOUR INTEREST: Rally Secretary - Linda O’Keeffe 0274 733 767 Treasurer - Neil Farrer 027 457 9634 Email: natcomrally2023@gmail.com
BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION EARLY!!
Incorporating the 70th Dunedin-Brighton Veteran Rally and Prince Henry Tour to be based at the Dunedin Rugby Football Club, Moana Rua Road, St Clair, Dunedin Weekend programme Thursday 25th January: registration plus noggin and natter Friday 26th: National Veteran Rally Saturday 27th: 70th Dunedin - Brighton Rally followed by prize-giving dinner for both events Sunday 28th: BBQ lunch and farewell Monday 29th: Start of the Prince Henry Tour Entry forms will be available from branch secretaries following the National AGM in August.
Contacts: Rally Director Nicola Wilkinson 021 180 3225 Rally Secretary Trevor Kempton 027 221 5208 or email natvet2024@gmail.com Beaded Wheels 53
TRADE DIRECTORY
MARLBOROUGH MAGNETOS
CARBURETTOR SPECIALISTS
Hard-to-get parts manufactured
Coil Only service for DIY assembly
Magdyno and Maglita units restored
Curiosities investigated
☎ 027 577 8328
Contact Paul Radmall at paul@magnetos.co.nz
▼
Exchange armatures available
▼
Magneto repair and restoration undertaken
▼
Magnetos Rewound in New Zealand using the best available materials
Full reconditioning service Carburettor body, re-bushing and shafts supplied. Specialising in Weber, Holley, SU, Stormberg, etc
40 YEARS TRADE EXPERIENCE Contact: GRAEME TULLOCH Ph: 027 612 2312 or 06 368 2202 Email: tullochfamily@xtra.co.nz ı tulmac.co.nz
FREE ADVICE
Done the old way – the right way COPPER – NICKEL – CHROME
Specialist in restoration of Vintage and Classic cars and motorcycles EMAIL stephen_winteringham@hotmail.com
FREEPHONE 0800 862 476
www.classicchrome.co.nz
Repairers and Restorers of Vintage and Classic Instruments Speedo Cables repaired or made new to order 13 Fleming Street, Onehunga, Auckland
UPPER CLASSICS
INSTRUMENT REPAIRS
NEW ZEALAND
INDUSTRIES
54 Beaded Wheels
Experienced expert technician Bruce Chaytor ph 021 631 700 Nicolette Prangley 021 166 8374 FOR THE REPAIR & RESTORATION OF ALL CLASSIC OR VINTAGE CARS & MOTORCYCLES
54 Beaded Wheels
Hamco
nap.chaytor@gmail.com 5 Gibbs Place, Kinloch, RD1, Taupo 3377
Motorcycle & Car a Wire Wheel Repairs & Restorations
We Specialise In • Custom Made Spokes • Speedway Wheels Rim and Frame Lining • Wheel Building & Truing • Complete Wheel Restoration
Vintage – Classic – Modern Craig & Debbie Hambling
Phone 06 324 8345
Mobile 027 231 7864 410 Green Road, RD 6, Palmerston North Day or Night
BRANCH NEWS
ASHBURTON
TREVOR BEGG
We welcome new member Grant Porter with a 1956 Ford Customline and a 1965 Ford Zodiac. With regret we advise the passing of John Lovett, a long serving member. The South Island Club Captain’s Tour started from our clubrooms on 18 March, and they had the opportunity to explore our highly regarded motor museum prior to departure. On 23 April we had six cars on display at the Plains Heritage Park. The Fire Museum along with Fire and Emergency New Zealand had a Blaze display with 27 old and vintage, through to modern, firefighting equipment on display. The oldest was an 1850s hand operated fire pump, where six people on each side operated the handles. The pump was hauled to the site of the fire by horse. The pump was working for the first time since being fully restored by six members of the Fire Museum. It was quite a sight to see it in action during a display for the public.
Bay of Plenty: Paul Fahey racing his Ford Mustang at Baypark Raceways in 1968. The other drivers are Aussie driver Norm Beechy in the Chev Nova, Red Dawson in another Ford Mustang and Rod Coppins in a Chev Camaro.
AUCKLAND
JOCELYN MCALPINE
Our clubrooms continue to hum along, with many different groups, including spare parts, charabanc maintenance, library, vintage, veteran, and motorcycle gatherings, together with our Thursday club night and Saturday afternoon noggin and natters. All making the most of sharing knowledge, camaraderie and keeping the historic vehicle ethos alive. Club nights have seen discussions on the new Incorporated Society rules, and on Service Awards. We enjoyed guest speaker Todd Niall on “The Trekka Dynasty”, and our intrepid motorcyclists on their adventure down south, including the Burt Munro Challenge. Other members enjoyed their vehicles in events around the country – Ford Model As, the Prices in their Jowett Javelin made it across the Cook Strait and the Firth’s Bedford went on the Veteran and Vintage Tour, to name a few. It was great to have Diane Quarrie at our clubrooms to present service awards, including four 50 year badges to Tony
Auckland: Firth’s 1931 Bedford W Turakina Valley.
Forster, Doug Pinker, Monty Scarborough and Richard Webb. Our branch flew the club flags at the Brits and Euro Show held at Lloyd Elsmore Park, Pakuranga, handing out leaflets and promoting the club. Recent acquisitions by members include a purchase by Russell Vincent of a 1908 Cadillac single cylinder, ex Taranaki. Mike Courtney now has George Urquhart’s 1913 Model T Ford. I have a feeling it’s going to Kirsten his daughter who seems to have a passion for old Fords.
BANKS PENINSULA
DON GERRARD
We welcome new members Chris England, Andrew McLenaghan, Gary Prescott, Courtney Chamberlain, and Logan Brown, We sadly report the untimely passing of Stu Moore, a stalwart of the MG marque. In April, the George Begg Festival attracted many of our members to Teretonga. The weekend highlight was Paul Coghill’s Jaguar Special battling Tracey Barrett receives the inaugural Ralph Smith Memorial Trophy from Josie Spillane and Tony Quinn, Highlands Festival of Speed.
Ashburton member Nells’ 1927 Leyland engine. Auckland: Model As of McAlpine,Ball, Morris at Hakataramea.
Ashburton Chairman Peter Jacob on pump.
Beaded Wheels 55 ▲
Banks Peninsula: Competitors relax after the battle for the Ralph Smith Memorial Trophy, Highlands Festival of Speed. Photo Tess Gerrard.
Canterbury: Veteran cars at OCBC 12 March.
Central Hawke’s Bay Rod McKenzie giving rally briefing.
against the Lotus 23 Reps of Mark and Tracey Barrett. Grant Clearwater in the Capella II made his presence felt as did Neil Longman in the Mallock U2, both gaining a podium position. The Lycoming Special made a welcome return to the track as did the Healey Corvette of Eric Swinborn. Three weeks later Highlands at Cromwell hosted the Festival of Speed. The VCC Class was well represented with again the Coghill Jaguar and the Barrett’s Lotus 23s always at the sharp end. The BCM Special of Chris Read, the Bello of Royce Bayer and the Citroën Spider of Ethan Kemp had some great tussles, with Murray Frew superbly piloting his fearsome ‘29 Chrysler Special. Fittingly it was Tracey Barrett in her Lotus 23C Rep that took out the last race and was awarded the Ralph Smith Memorial Trophy. On Sunday 23 April our members traversed the Canterbury plains, heading for the Ashburton Railway and Historical Museum. On the way we visited Bruce McIlroy’s emporium to see the impressive line-up of Bentleys and Rolls-Royces of all ages and conditions. We then proceeded to the Museum in Tinwald to spend an afternoon viewing the lovely array of old buildings, fire engines, farm equipment and machinery, with a shunting diesel pulling two carriages.
BAY OF PLENTY
DONN WHITE
The fact that summer sunshine arrived late this year in the Bay of Plenty was highlighted by the beautiful fine weather which encouraged a good turnout for our March Mid-Week Run to Lake Tarawera. At our April club night we enjoyed a talk by five times New Zealand saloon car champion Paul Fahey, and this proved to
56 Beaded Wheels
Canterbury: Old Cobbers´ V8 lineup at Sunday morning OCBC
Central Hawke’s Bay: afternoon twilight rally.
Canterbury: Sunday morning OCBC
be a big drawcard with many members present. Formerly an Auckland resident, Paul has recently retired to Tauranga, and is starting to mix readily with the local motor racing and motoring community. Paul turned 90 just recently, but his memory remains sharp. Our members along with other invited guests thoroughly enjoyed hearing stories concerning his national and international exploits with racing motorcycles in the 1950s, a fact not commonly known. Many in our audience could recall his dominance with racing saloon cars in the 1960s and ‘70s. He generously donated one of his books, which we will raffle as a fundraiser for the VCC 2023 Daffodil Day. Speaking of which, we are fortunate to have new local coordinators – Trevor and Raewyn Hughes who will assist long term toiler Kaaren Smylie with regard to making sure that locally VCC 2023 Daffodil Day will be another huge help for the Cancer Society. Many of our members participated in the 2023 Highland Fling, and returned with big smiles on their faces. A comprehensive report on this year’s Fling will appear elsewhere in this issue.
CANTERBURY
TONY BECKER
Autumn colours encourage travel, and so it was for members who turned out for the Annual Autumn Run, albeit in the wet. Prior to that however, the well supported P Group Annual Rally terminated at leafy Waipara on a much nicer day. Growing numbers of later VCC eligible vehicles are showing up even on these shorter one-day events, with easier motoring in modern motorway traffic being an obvious bonus. Noticeably, several
longstanding members are opting for the comfort, pride and collectible value of some more recent desirables. This contributes to our hobby´s interest for younger VCC recruits of course. OCBC (Old Cars, Bikes and Coffee) mornings increasingly attract younger enthusiasts to present their personal treasures up to 1990s and beyond. Canterbury Branch membership as well as Parts Shed shopping benefit from this Cutler Park monthly. Countering the modern trend at March’s OCBC event were veterans and Two Wheel Brake Rally entrants. Twenty-two entries, including eight veterans, rolled onto nearby country roads. Our Commercial Annual Rally rates highly on the heavier enthusiasts’ calendar. This year a return to field tests provided challenges for the healthy turnout at Cust Domain. Our 2023 Branch Annual Rally appropriately terminated at Ferrymead Heritage Park. Visiting and riding history was a lot of extra fun for entrants, and, visitors got to view authentic vehicles. More VCC togetherness occurred the following weekend with representatives and guests present for the executive meeting. Some 800 plus vehicles turned out for March´s Annual Twin Rivers Charitable Classic and Vintage vehicle event at Canterbury Showgrounds. Easily the largest display of its type seen in Canterbury for many years, and strongly supported by our VCC members.
CENTRAL HAWKE’S BAY JOHN FOOT Saturday 1 April was our Branch Annual Twilight/Night Rally. However this year it was an afternoon/ twilight rally due to the damage to some of our roads. There was a good turnout of 41 of our members, and we were joined by Mike and Jane D’Alton
from Wairarapa Branch in their 1934 Bentley. The road condition overall was good, considering the damage inflicted by Cyclone Gabrielle. About halfway through the rally we stopped at Takapau for lunch supplied by the Takapau RSA. Rebel Roundup group held a fundraiser at the Waipukurau Show Grounds on Easter Sunday to support the volunteer contractors who are giving their time and machines to help with the clean-up from the cyclone. The event was well supported by one make and Hot Rod clubs, and fourteen of our members cars were displayed. Our next event took 18 cars to a collection of David Brown and Ford tractors, all in very good as-found condition, and all running. From here we travelled to Ongaonga to have a look through the historic Coles Brothers factory, which was built in 1878 for use by builders, joinery factory, undertakers, coffin makers and ironmongers The building is now being restored by the Ongaonga Historic Society.
CENTRAL OTAGO
DON YEAMAN
The March Sunday Run was a picnic lunch at Kidds Bush Reserve in the Hunter Valley, at Lake Hawea. A great little out of the way spot about six km in from The Neck. Our March mid-week run was to the historic Cardrona Hotel, about 23km from Wanaka. We had some 10 cars attending, two from the mid-1920s. It being a usual
Central Otago: Lining up on Main Street,Arrowtown for the Golden Times Rally.
bright sunny Central Otago day, lunch was in the gardens behind the Hotel. April saw about 14 cars from our branch heading over the Lindis Pass enroute to Mount Cook. We had a brief stop for morning coffee at the Pink Glider in Omarama, then to a brilliant sunny day at Mount Cook. After a roadside picnic most of the group went to have a look at the Tasman Glacier, and then dispersed on a leisurely trip home. Next was the Arrowtown Golden Times Rally with about 35 cars attending, including a group from Christchurch. We had our usual park up for about 1½ hours on the main street for the tourists, then off on our selected rally routes. Part of the route was through a retirement village, where all the residents lined the streets to cheer us on. After lunch about half the cars went in the festival parade, after which we all gathered near the historic Chinese Village for presentations. The autumn colours were beautiful, and the weather was brilliant. Our Wednesday morning group, though small in number, are slowly working their way through organising the parts sheds.
EBOP
BRUCE SEDDON
Our March club run took us to the Pukehina Surf and Sand Car Show, which was switched from a beach location to the local school which is more inland, due to a soggy paddock. This was fortunate as
EBOP: Ford jailbar ute at Pukehina.
the turnout of cars was far greater than the organisers expected, and the school location was larger with better facilities. A wide variety of cars and motorbikes were on display, and the tree lined fields made for a picturesque picnic location. Our mid-monthly café-fix runs were successful, sunny and dry drives in both March and April. The first was a drive to Tokoroa for a refreshment stop, and then to the Timber Museum at Putaruru. Apart from the comprehensive display of early timber related equipment, the museum has a miniature train room, a taxidermy display, and photographs and historical records of the area. Located with easy access off SH1 it is well worth a visit. The second mid-month run covered lake territory around Rotorua, through scenic roads to Lake Okareka and then on as far around Lake Tarawera as we could get before returning to Whakatane and Kawerau. The Farming like Grandad event, run by The Waterwheel Historic Trust, took place in April at a new venue, and was very successful. It was a club event, and was well supported with the branch adding nearly 20 cars to the display. Farm activities and tractor demonstrations with equipment common nearly 100 years ago attracts young and old. There were axe and sawing displays by Rotorua based axemen, as well as old style ploughing and shearing demonstrations.
Central Otago: Main Street,Arrowtown, Golden Times Rally.
EBOP: Waterwheel Trust’s completed Bradford project at Farming Like Grandad show.
EBOP: Daimler SP250 at Pukehina Car Show.
Beaded Wheels 57
FAR NORTH
MURRAY CORMACK
We were recently saddened by the death of Raewyn Pennell, a long-standing, vibrant and enthusiastic member. She will be sorely missed by all our members. Our March rally took us to the Aupouri Peninsula. We assembled at Awanui, then drove to Waiharara, where a well-known local farmer has been restoring a series of large trucks. It was great to see these big trucks in splendid condition. A waterside destination at Pukenui for a barbecue lunch made for a most enjoyable day. April saw the running of our trophy event, the Brian Parker Memorial Rally. We were delighted to see the particularly good support by a large contingent of cars from the Dargaville area. Rawene was the start location, which meant many from up north arrived by ferry. We headed off down the Hokianga Harbour via State Highway 12, looping through Koutu Point, before turning on to Waiotemarama Gorge Road, once the main route through to the Waipoua Forest and Dargaville. Our first stop was the Waimamaku Garage, where the proprietor showed his vintage cars and machinery, recounting a lively tale of the history of the garage, and the service vehicles and trucking associated with the business. This was followed by mechanical aptitude tests, and amazing views of Omapere and beyond from above South Head on our drive to Opononi. Lunch and interesting quiz questions led to a winner on the day from Dargaville.
GISBORNE
RODNEY CLAGUE
After a number of years, the motor for our Carlton car has been reassembled and run briefly to ensure everything is doing what it should do. In late January the car was taken from our clubrooms to Trevor Jukes’ workshop, where he and Barry Fraser put the motor back into the chassis and reinstalled many of the ancillaries that were removed when the motor was taken out. Gavin Bartlett has overhauled the starter motor, using some new old stock parts, then dismantling the old fields and rewinding and revarnishing them as they were 100 years ago. We look forward to the day when the car hits the road again after a 20-year hiatus. At Waitangi Weekend Gisborne members Gordon and Daniel O’Neill, Cindy Boyd and Luke, in their 1962 Morris 1000, and John Griffen and me in a 2006 Hyundai Sonata, took part in the East Coast Rally in Whakatane. An interesting rally traversing the back blocks of Whakatane out as far as Kawerau before returning to the clubroom. Our Three Rivers Rally in February had 13 entries on a run climbing the suburban hills, then up the Coast to Whangara and around the Waiomoko Road, heading back to the city for the evening dinner and prizegiving. Winners were: Vintage and Post-Vintage, Ray and Prim Stevenson (Gisborne, 1936 Morris 8); Post-60, Ron and Dorothy Hopps (Gisborne, 1965 MGB); Overall Winners, Ron and Dorothy Hopps.
First visitors home were Steve and Joy Growden (Whakatane, 1982 Cortina).
GORE
Branch functions continue to be well supported, helped to a large extent by our continuing fine weather. This is in contrast to our weather-ravaged northern members, who have lost much, including collector cars. Our thoughts are with you. The Branch Swap Meet, organized by Gerry Kennedy and helpers in mid-March, was well attended, with more than 50 stalls, and with the public attending from near and far. The Gore RSA continue to appreciate the branch’s annual Diggers’ Run, where our members take RSA members on a Saturday outing in our older cars, this time to Fortrose Cafe. Understandably the RSA member numbers are dwindling, with only six cars required this year, down from 20 or more required many years ago. The combined Frank Robson and Clearwater Capers Run, organised this year by Greg Elder, had us high up on gravel roads overlooking the Otama Valley, culminating on the lawn in front of Greg’s extensive collection at Riversdale. Katy Parish won the Frank Robson Rally, and Bill Sheddan won the Clearwater section, both receiving a large pack of whitebait thanks to Greg. The almost completed new bridge at Beaumont was our destination for this month’s Tuesday Ramble. Gerry Kennedy had 46 members with 19 cars parked outside the nearby Beaumont Pub where we had lunch. Later we had a good look over the spectacular curved bridge which crosses the mighty Clutha River. This new bridge replaces the old single lane wroughtiron bridge which was opened in 1887.
HAWKE’S BAY
Far North: Waimamaku Garage.
58 Beaded Wheels
Gore: Bruce Price (retired builder) admiring the new Beaumont Bridge with the old bridge in the background.
Far North: Rawene Foreshore rally start
Gore: Liam, Toby and Duncan Welsh enjoying afternoon tea after the Frank Robson Run.
BILL SHEDDAN
ESTHER SMITH
At the end of March we had a dinner to celebrate five of our members been presented with their 50 year membership badges, they were Lyn Gentry, Digby Young, Alistair Aldridge, Fred Payne, and Ernest Start, with National President Diane Quarrie presenting the awards. We have put together an extended program for the Winter Art Deco event to be held in mid-July, usually this is a low-key affair, but the Art Deco Trust have decided to expand their program as they seek to
Horowhenua: You know you need one!
Hawke’s Bay: Pete Johns. 1951 Jowett Jupiter.
awke’s Bay: 50 year Membership awards –Esther Smith Hawke’s Bay H Branch Chair, Digby Young, Lyn Gentry, Fred Payne, Alistair Aldridge, and Ernest Start with VCC National President Diane Quarrie.
support those communities in Hawke’s Bay affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. As a result, we will join them in a street parade that echoes a similar event held following the 1931 earthquake, when then, as now, people rolled up their sleeves and committed to the task of rebuilding homes and livelihoods. Our last couple of club runs have taken us on a bit of a road trip as we ventured further afield. In April we visited the Dannevirke area to view Nick Boblea’s and Owen Morgan’s collections, both well worth the trip. Then a hardy few ventured across a weather damaged Napier/Taihape Road to attend the Highland Fling. In March we said goodbye to Mark Jenkinson. Mark served as Branch Chairman from 2006 to 2010, and then went on to project manage the building of our clubrooms. It was his drive and determination that made the build a success.
HOROWHENUA
BRUCE JAMIESON
We held our swap meet on 18 March, and many members turned out to help, even from before dawn. The
Marlborough: Fish and chip run.
Manawatu: April club night - members studying Roger Broadbent’s 1987 Lancia 4WD HF.
Horowhenua: Busy spares dept.
A, P & I showgrounds were packed with vendors, and the event was a great success. The Spares Dept did a roaring trade with dozens of visitors. Despite not having our own club runs or rallies, many of our members have participated in events in the nearby areas of Manawatu, Wanganui, Wairarapa and Wellington.
MANAWATU
BRYAN ABRAHAM
Members were spoilt for choice for activities over summer. The Ruahine Ramble drew a good number of participants from neighbouring branches - to the extent that members from the Horowhenua Branch took 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. Retribution came when two Manawatu Branch members attended the Horowhenua Branch Ted Green Memorial Motorcycle Rally, and our Club Captain (Glyn Clements) came away as the Post 1980 class winner on his Honda, and took the Ted Green Plate for best overall performance. Roger Broadbent brought his 1987 Lancia 4WD HF along to the March club night, which was appreciated by those who attended. Members got behind the Cornerstone School later in March providing them with several vintage cars to display at their Gala. In early April members attended the Kimbolton Sculpture Festival, which provided organisers with an array of vintage cars for the public to view.
Manawatu: Branch member Vern Jensen (Wheelwright) demonstrating his skills at the Coach House Museum ‘Old Skills in Action’ day.
For members who wanted something a bit different there was the one-day Coast to Coast run - starting at Foxton Beach and finishing at Castlepoint. Mid-April drew members to the Lions Club Rongotea Car Show Day to display their cars, and later in the day some members moved to Feilding and created their own car display at the Coach House Museum ‘Old Skills in Action’ Day. At this event one of our members, wheelwright Vern Jensen, was demonstrating wooden wheel manufacture.
MARLBOROUGH
CARROLL WIBLIN
Members travelled to Picton for our fish and chip run. It is always well attended, and the weather was good, if a little cool. Some of our members headed off for the Model A Rally in Methven. Another good turnout was for the Scenicland Rally. Marlborough was well represented, with about 18 members making the journey. As usual, the rally went through some very beautiful countryside. The MG Car Club Pre 1956 National Rally was held in Blenheim and used our facilities. Some of our members offered to help out with their various events, which was very much appreciated. Once again our members turned out in force for the Hospice Car Show. It is a great day out with something for everyone, and the cars are amazing. They are not only local, but also from the various Nelson Clubs, which adds to the display. We are Beaded Wheels 59
Northland: Swapmeet.
Northland: Swapmeet.
fortunate to have the support of so many car clubs for this event. Our motorcycle members change their usual Sunday run to Saturday, so they could combine with the Canterbury Branch, which was up here for their annual Jim Toohey Rally. Twenty of our members as well as 21 riders from Canterbury made for a great day. Winter is once again closing in on us and makes for limited motoring for some of our ancient bodies. However, looking at
On a local branch run to Marahau for lunch, we took a side diversion to the Tractor Museum at Motueka. A significant collection of tractors, and of old valve radios. The “Fat Tui” at Marahau is famous for its gourmet burgers – a great lunch. The branch is hosting National President Dianne Quarrie, NICC Kaaren Smylie, and George Kear as part of our bid to host the next International Festival of Motoring, and to review the arrangements of the National AGM to be held in Nelson
from the rear end of another Healey. I think it contained all the spare parts for the run. Later in the month we attended the Festival of Speed at Highlands, and were privileged to see some great historic racing, including a number of VCC cars. I love the well-driven 1929 Chrysler 6 special, and its ability to keep up with cars 30 years younger. Did I mention that the weather in the South Island was virtually perfect for the whole month? I guess that is just taken for
our calendar of events, it looks as if Club Captain Catherine has some interesting events in mind. We just have to hope that the weather plays ball.
on 11-13 August. Sandy Bay Hill Climb is on 7 May, and attracts competitors from around the country.
granted on the mainland.
NELSON
RAY ROBERTSON
Our Swap Meet is now behind us. The branch has had a number of enthusiastic members attending the George Begg at Teretonga, and Wheels at Wanaka. Rob Boult took his Edelbrock Special down for a fling around Teretonga, his favourite track, but after a couple of practice laps the differential decided to destroy itself. A consolation was that Garth Hogan (of Go Fast or Go home fame) honoured the Edelbrock by having his pic taken sitting in the car. Another couple of our members had the pleasure of enjoying a conversation with the legendary Barry Keen who drove most of the George Begg cars. A small group attended the West Coast 40th Anniversary Rally – and the Coast did not disappoint, with 70 entries for the rally around the back blocks of Nelson Creek and Blackball
60 Beaded Wheels
NORTHLAND
RAY SANDERS
April saw the branch host its annual swap meet, and in spite of inclement weather there was an excellent turnout with plenty of people coming to browse and buy, and to enjoy viewing the great selection of cars brought along by the participating clubs. My wife, Gill, and I decided to make the annual pilgrimage to the mainland for Wheels at Wanaka, and we were excited to attend this incredible event, which of course has plenty of VCC participation in the mix. Rod Corbett was there to give commentary on 200 Land Rovers as a part of the Land Rover 75-year celebration, and there were plenty of Austin Healeys from their 50 year celebratory tour. This included Northland members Grant and Pat McKenzie in their amazing Valiant powered Healey towing a trailer fashioned
Nelson Club Captain Rob Thompson Tries out Burt’s Bike at Hayes Hardware
NORTH SHORE RICHARD BAMPTON March is the Brit and Euro Car Show – allegedly the largest free car show in the Southern Hemisphere. We were well represented on the North Shore Branch stand, and several members had their vehicles in other areas. The theme this year was microcars, with Jim Masson’s Fiat 850 Sport coupé being among the featured cars. The clubrooms, sheds and grounds were opened on Sunday 19 March to celebrate our 50th anniversary and to show the public what we get up to. On the same day a competitive morning rally was held. The outright winners were John and Janice Gardiner, while Ross and Linda Moon were the top North Shore team. We estimate that well over 200 club eligible vehicles were parked on the lower paddock (post 1993 vehicles were segregated in the top paddock). The cars were not necessarily the stars, as a team of members in the Spares, Storage, Restoration and Members’ sheds, and the newly refurbished and very smart
Nelson: Barry Keen, legendary driver of many of George Begg’s cars, gin wags with Nelson members Nick Marwick and Dale Shattock at Teratonga
North Shore: Colin Austen shows off the 100-year-old Dennis Bus.
North Shore: Jim Masson’s Fiat 850 Sport coupe.
South Canterbury: The new swap meet venue at Levels proved a winner with several thousand attendees.
Clubroom, were on hand to explain to our visitors what we get up to. Some folks were impressed, as the number of new members joining since testifies. April saw a well-attended navigational run to a restaurant in Waimuku. David Lane has achieved 60 years as a member, still owning the Studebaker that he started with, although others have been added to his stable. Marathon running Ray Urbahn received his 50-year badge, told us that he has owned 68 cars starting with an Austin 7, and is currently driving a Daimler V8 MkII.
ROTORUA
RONALD MAYES
A “Car in the Room” is presented at almost every monthly meeting, and the year has started well with Dennis Kenny’s 1929 MG M type, which he built to a very high standard from a box of bits, see page 19. In March we had John Newson’s latest acquisition, a 1961 Rover 100 with a
Rotorua: Bentleys in Rotorua.
difference - with an engine from a 3 litre installed it will be a lively performer. But the April offering was something even more different: from the photograph it looks like a typical Morgan from the 1970s but is in fact only a few months old. Alan Judd has sold his Jaguar E-Type and bought a new Plus Four. Participants in the Bentley Drivers’ Club tour of New Zealand arrived in Rotorua in February and were outside their hotel to enthusiastically talk with us about their cars, most of which were WO Bentleys from the 1920s Sunday runs continue, as do midweek ones, and in March the Bay of Plenty Branch came to Rotorua. It was great to see so many different cars. After morning tea and much chat at our clubrooms we all headed out to The Landing at Lake Tarawera for lunch and more chat and checking out each other’s cars.
Our next big event is our annual swap meet, with a 7am start at the Paradise Valley Raceway site on Sunday 9 July.
Rotorua: Dennis Kenny’s MG M-type.
Rotorua: Tarawera lakefront line-up.
SOUTH CANTERBURY
SHANNON STEVENSON
Our motorcycle rally, organised by Neil Manchester, took place in early March and started with a time trial. Some of our members travelled down to Invercargill to attend the National Motorcycle Rally. The Mid-Island rally attracted 46 vehicles. The run, plotted by Ashley Milliken, took participants out north of Timaru, the end venue being the Woodbury Domain. At our April Noggin and Natter Grant Mitchell showed us films of rallies from yesteryear. Our swap meet, held on 1 April, had a change of venue – with Orari Racecourse and Winchester A&P showgrounds unavailable a new venue was found at Timaru
Beaded Wheels 61
Wairarapa: John Kennedy (helmet) with his three RR and Bentley Club entries.
South Otago: Motorcycle Rally entrants at the Clubrooms.
South Otago: Phil Sell at the lunch stop Beaumont Hotel.
International Motor Raceway at Levels. Several thousand people came through the gates, with few walking away empty handed. The first of the winter mid-week runs took place in inclement weather on 13 April, the route taking participants on a round trip to Taiko, Cave and Cannington areas.
SOUTH OTAGO We farewelled dedicated member Barrie Delaney, who rallied several of his vehicles including Austin, Ford and Riley with wife Lorraine and family members. Barrie assisted with many events and was always willing to help when asked. Club members enjoyed the Wednesday Run to Central Otago at the beginning of February for a picnic at Roxburgh with fruit stalls to support and a stop at Millers Flat for refreshments. Allison Ollerenshaw organised the March run south from Balclutha, with the 16 participants travelling through Te Houka, Clifton, and Waipahi then via the Clinton Mataura Highway to arrive at the Crossroads Cafe for refreshments. Our Motorcycle Rally was organised by Roger Smaill and attracted 24 participants. Les Sherer on a 1972 Triumph being the Overall Winner. From the clubrooms they journeyed to Clutha Valley, Tuapeka Mouth, then over the hills on the Tuapeka
62 Beaded Wheels
Taranaki: Off for a fling in the highlands.
Lawrence Road to the junction with Highway 8 just outside Lawrence, and to Beaumont for lunch. The timed section for the rally was just over 47 kilometres. Paul and Kaye McNabb took part in the 16th National Model A Rally at Methven in their 1929 Fordor sedan, with interesting places visited. The car performed well with no problems tackling the hills. 850 miles travelled at 20 mpg. It was disappointing the rain cancelled the Public Show Day. Members have supported events including the Gore, Wallaby, and the Scenicland Rally.
TARANAKI
COLIN JOHNSTON
There was a very good attendance at our April Noggin and Natter night where we had two guest speakers. Kevin Richards from a locally owned and operated agency called X-Span spoke to us about the new range of sheds that are uniquely engineered. We also heard from the President of New Zealand Federation of Motoring Clubs Mr Harry Duynhoven, who brought us all up to date with the position of the long awaited 12-month interval for WoF for our 40 year and older vehicles. Harry Duynhoven also spoke on the Federation’s important role, and reminded us about the enjoyment of the ownership and use of our prized vehicles that can be curtailed at any time by changes to the law, or by increasing
Taranaki: Seven branch members joined the Highland Fling. Photo Deb Smith.
charges and fees, and by other commercial decisions. Special interest vehicles and heritage motoring enthusiasts must work together to ensure our rights are not compromised. The Federation represents 131 Clubs with over 120,000 members who collectively own well over 150,000 vehicles and the VCC is the second largest member. Seven Members from Taranaki attended the Highland Fling Rally held at Taihape in April, and what a wonderful time we all had driving through the back country roads and farm tracks of Taihape’s unique landscape. Member Nigel and Michelle Fraser drove their 1927 Chevrolet speedster all the way from Opunake and completed the rally through all the mud tracks. They described the rally as the “Best Driving Weekend ever”.
TAUPO BRANCH
NEIL CHAVE
With the cancellation of the March Country Roads Rally the club enjoyed a big night out at the local 10-Pin bowling facility, where Club Captain Owen Duncan apparently took the honours for the highest score. During the month the petrol heads drove to some places of interest for the mid-week run and coffee, and the monthly breakfast at the Hub in Wairakei Drive continues to prove very popular. In April the Branch Quiz / Fish and Chip night was a sell out, with a good turnout of members
Wairarapa Bike Night: John Shields with his Indian
Wairarapa Bike Night: Jim Philps aboard the Triumph
Wairarapa: Richard and Sara Mason (centre) with Jim Laird and Simon O’Hara
to enjoy a simple meal and some interesting questions, this time set by one of our members masquerading as Dame Edna Everage. The winners were treated to Easter eggs as an acknowledgement of their efforts. In April we had a navigation run, and took the group of participants to various places around the district looking for answers to clues. After the run we were treated to a club members’ BYO lunch, with the winners being Peter Lockie and family.
WAIKATO
GRAHAM PATE
We welcome new members, Jude Lee with a 1952 Morris Minor, and Alan Eason with a 1932 Austin. A very warm welcome to our branch and the VCC of New Zealand. The branch’s 29th Mooloo Meander Rally was held on 1 April. This was well supported with nearly 50 entries including sidecar units. This year the rally started at the clubrooms in Cambridge and the riders meandered their way to Matamata for lunch at the Pepper St Café. The icing on the cake was a tour of the of the purposebuilt Swaps facility which maintains and services their huge range of trucks, earth moving, and quarrying machinery. The overall winner was Rory King from Auckland, and the first Waikato placing was shared by Jillian Hayton and Maggie Bryce. Well done ladies. The Venturers group had a run to the Heritage Centre and Café at Manawaru. This complex is set up in the old Manawaru Dairy Factory, and has a very interesting heritage centre covering the history of the local area. Unfortunately our Vintage Venture Rally was cancelled due to lack of entries, but Greg Terrill came to the rescue, and at short notice organised a social run for those members who were looking for something to do. Our workshop is still being well used with the Studebaker project steadily moving ahead. The parts shed extension
is nearly finished thanks to Les King and his helpers. The April club night was a games night, a great variety of board and card games, as well as the popular game of Corn Hole, which is an American game, were laid out. Lots of laughs and fun was had by all.
WAIRARAPA
KEVIN BALL
A highlight recently was the arrival in Masterton of 47 Rolls Royce and Bentley cars on their 50th anniversary tour and AGM. Wairarapa members’ cars were a standout, headed by John and Rae Kennedy’s 1905 Light 20 (it can still do 60mph I’m told), and a pair of Silver Ghosts (1913 and 1922). Mike D’Alton kept the Bentley flag flying with his 1938 Bentley 3½ litre tourer special. The cars ranged in age from the Light 20 to a 2021 Bentley Bentayga. They converged in Masterton from as far away as Cape Reinga and Bluff, arriving during a torrential downpour on Saturday. Thankfully there was sunshine for the public display and concours judging on the Sunday. The Club Captain’s Run was a gentle follow-the-leader cruise, starting in Featherston, continuing to a lunch stop, then finishing at Cobblestones Museum in Greytown. A very sociable and friendly outing. Our major event of the year, the Rex Porter Memorial, was affected by the twin afflictions of the past few months. Cyclone damage to roads caused problems setting a course, and then organiser Chris Giles went down with Covid a day or so before the event. That caused some confusion, but most reached our destination, Riversdale Beach, without problems. The winners were Malcolm Fleming and Gina Jones, who earned themselves the privilege of running the event next year. An unexpected event was the arrival of a group of Wellington-based cars on a four-day tour of the lower North Island.
WAITEMATA
ROBERT CHAPMAN
This month we were able to fit two events in. The Manunui Hill climb was well attended, with the Historic Racing and Sports Car Club being co-host, and the MG Car Club providing the timing equipment. A couple of notable absentees at the event this year were Harold and Raewyn Booth, as they were attending a Riley Rally in Tasmania, while Ray Ferner is still working on the repair of his rotary valve on his BSA. Anyone with experience with rotary valve repair please contact the Branch this may help with the repair. It was an uneventful meeting, with only one car being written off - my own. A truck backed into my day car, at speed, while parked. Being French and aluminium, parts are expensive so it is a write-off. Foolish me replaced it with a Citroen. Full review of the event in this mag. The Ellerslie Classic Car Show is an event we have been part of for many years. Kevin Anderson, with the support of our Club Caption Stan Smith, arranged our stand. Ray Ferner (DB2/4), Stan Smith (Riley 9), Mike Greig (Riley 9), Mike HopeCross (Singer 9), Harold Booth (Riley Kestrel) and David Adams (Sunbeam). As the team were the first stand inside the gate, they attracted a lot of interest. Other members of the branch attended the Highland Fling in Taihape over the same weekend, and first reports say they had a great time.
Wanganui: Tom Clouston’s Darracq.
Beaded Wheels 63
Wanganui: Chris White with his immaculate and rare 1967 Honda S800.
WANGANUI
IAN HIGGINS
Much-respected member Keith Turner passed away after suffering a heart attack and crashing his stock car at Wanganui Speedway. Three of our members recently received their 25-year badges. Recipients were Mike Marshall, Sue Dittmer and her husband (our current chairman), Andrew Dittmer. Two of our members, Tom Clouston and Chris White, have recently showcased their vehicles for our Rivet newsletter. Tom and Chrissy have amassed a breathtaking collection of vehicles and memorabilia. Several items were handed down by Tom’s late father Jock Clouston. Their favourite car is a superb 1906 Darracq. A 1908 Holsman High Wheeler is one that both Tom and his late father worked on restoring, but sadly Jock passed away before completion. At present Tom is restoring a 1909 AX Renault and a 1914 Overland roadster. In other sheds there are vehicles just left as they are and filled with history. Other roadworthy vehicles, including hot rods, add to this impressive collection. The next collection visited belong to club stalwart, Chris White. He has restored his whole collection himself, with little if any outside help. Obviously an
64 Beaded Wheels
Wellington: Angelica and Alastair and Jag.
exceptionally talented tradesman, Chris developed a love for restoring vehicles from an early age with his late grandfather. He proudly displayed a Morris 1000 which he and his grandfather restored. Chis learned how to drive in this car. Three stunning Austin Healeys have a commanding presence, along with two Mini Coopers and a 1967 Honda S800. Chris is currently restoring a Mini van. April 15 saw a successful Motorcycle Trial organised by Bill James. Brother Frank won the event. Treasurer Neil Farrer organised a day trip to Smash Palace (Horopito Motors), and the Waiouru Army Museum. Sietse and Pierre Zeilstra set a run around the city and surrounding countryside. Both were well attended.
WELLINGTON
JOHN STOKES
Wellington Branch has again been up to lots, ranging from a grasskhana through the cow patties on Chairman Kidd’s paddocks, to an illustrated talk at the clubrooms from Robin Barnes, telling us about the restoration of his 1912 BSA motorcycle. To stop any Japanese invasion happening in 1942, the sand dunes at Makara were bulldozed so the Japanese troops couldn’t use them as cover when
Wellington: Kevin Buck and 1954 Zephyr Zodiac, Foxton.
Wanganui: Frank James on the left receives the Coleman Cup from brother Bill. Frank scooped the pool at the recent Wanganui VCC Motorcycle Trial.
they landed, uninvited. But that also destroyed the local ecosystem, which is now being restored by local volunteers, collectively known as the Makaracarpas. We in Wellington know all this because 18 club vehicles went there on Sunday 23 April (Makara is in the countryside between Johnsonville and Karori) for the treats at the café, the wind farm and the majestic views over Cook Strait. Days later, 35 members travelled to Foxton and the Audio-Visual Museum. As we know, the Japanese never invaded during WWII. When Britain joined the European Economic Community she turned her back on trade with New Zealand, so we were forced to look elsewhere. The Japanese wanted to sell us their cars, so we switched from Britishmade to Japanese-made. To pay for them, we’d sell lamb and tourism to Japan. To publicise our offerings, the National Film Unit produced the magnificent 3-screen 20-minute production This is New Zealand, inviting the Japanese to visit us. This coincided with Expo 70 in Japan, and kick-started mass tourism in this country. We know all this because the Museum folk played us that movie on their big screen. What an incredible place – the loud Can Can music boomed from the 1925
Wellington: Robin Barnes’ 1912 BSA.
Wellsford/Warkworth: A&P Show.
Wellsford/Warkworth: Are We There Yet Rally took us to Valhalla for Mk I Zephyrs and Zodiacs.
Wellsford/Warkworth: Are We There Yet Rally
Wellsford/Warkworth: Zodiac.
West Coast: Image supplied by Federation Mining. Main Decline 3.26km.
West Coast: Members on the Federation Mining trip.
pianola, tempting the ladies to dance, but what happens on tour stays on tour.
WELLSFORD/WARKWORTH
CHRIS HARVEY
The March equinox brought with it a fine day for the Warkworth A&P show where 15 vehicles were displayed. Last year the show was cancelled, so it was good to strut our stuff again. The star of the line-up was Dave Coop’s 1950 Riley RMD DHC, which he found in Australia and has spent the last four years restoring. Only 502 were built and not many survive, so it is a rare model. The two-tone colour scheme really enhances its curvaceous lines. At the other end of the line-up was John Garea’s imposing 1981 Lincoln Continental Mk VI you couldn’t find a bigger contrast of styles. Our March run was the Are We There Yet? Rally on the 26th, which started at the wharf in Warkworth and ended at Steve Paddison’s property at Leigh. It must be Valhalla for Zephyrs and Zodiacs Mk I and II especially, as there are several saloons, convertibles and utes in differing stages of restoration, from bare body to pristine condition. Twelve vehicles, including one motorcycle, took part in the rally and the Mike Brown Memorial Trophy was won by Leon and Brendda Salt. Our Sunday run on 23 April was to the Kaipara Coast Plant Centre and Sculpture Gardens on SH16. Most of the sculptures have changed since our last visit some five years ago. The vegetation has flourished
with all the rain we have had but the storms did cause a lot of damage along West Coast Road. Our next event will be the Winter Woollies Wander on 1-2 July, starting in Warkworth, and we welcome entrants from near and far.
WESTCOAST
ZOE GOUGH
Federated Mining trip 16 April 2023 A visit was organised for our April Sunday run to the Federated Mining Snowy River Project, Ikamatua. Federated Mining are an Australian company established by experienced underground mining engineers Mark Le Messurier and Jim Askew with the purpose of building a new gold/copper mining company. Its key project is the Snowy River Mine Project on the West Coast of the South Island. This run was of particular interest to the West Coasters, many of whom live and work amongst mining of all types. We met
at Ikamatua then drove in convoy up the Snowy River Road to the mine site, noting that the mine has already done improvements to the roading, and have kept the mine site as unobtrusive as possible. This is a working site even on a Sunday, so clothing, health and safety and site regulations were adhered to. We were greeted by our guide, Mel Caddie, the project admin officer. The Portal (mine opening) is set in bush up a slight graded incline and the area has been cleared to minimise disturbance to the bush. Trees edge the portal and roadway. Even though there is the sound of the shaft air fans working you can still hear the bird song from the bellbirds and other species. Mel was an excellent guide, clear to hear and understand, knowledgeable, very patient answering our questions with openness and obvious passion for the project. Members learned a great deal about the mine and they really enjoyed this visit.
RESTORED CARS MAGAZINE AUSTRALIA First published in 1973. Most back issues are available. All vehicles featured are restored or in original condition. Events, How To’s and Australian motoring history are a specialty. Subscription Rates
Australia 6 Issues $69 or 12 issues $135 New Zealand 6 Issues AUD$117 or 12 issues AUD$231 Overseas 6 Issues AUD$150 or 12 issues AUD$297 VISA – MASTERCARD AVAILABLE EDDIE FORD PUBLICATIONS P/L 29 LYONS ST, NEWSTEAD VIC 3462, AUSTRALIA.
PH 61 3 5476 2212 RESTOREDCARSMAGAZINE.COM
Notice of Motion – Club Name and Affiliations CURRENT CLAUSE WORDING
EXPLANATION
1. Name 1.1 The name of the organisation shall be “The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand Incorporated” referred to in this Constitution as the “Club”.
The majority consensus from discussion at the Club’s 2021 Annual General Meeting was to retain and protect the current Club name, being “The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand Incorporated”.
4. Powers 4.2 The Club may liaise with any organisation whose aims are similar to, or compatible with, those of the Club.
ALTER CLAUSE WORDING TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL CLAUSES AND AMENDED CLAUSES AS FOLLOWS (Note: The wording of clause 1.1, although unchanged, is included here for the purpose of completeness and so as to avoid any misinterpretation that this clause is to be deleted.) 1. Name 1.1 The name of the organisation shall be “The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand Incorporated” referred to in this Constitution as the “Club”. 1.2 The Club is acknowledged in New Zealand statutes as being “The Historic Vehicle Authority of New Zealand”, and may, when dealing with and supplying services to other bodies, refer to itself by such name with the Club’s registered name shown as a supplementary reference. 4. Powers 4.2 The Club may liaise with any organisation whose aims are similar to, or compatible with, those of the Club, and did exercise this power by becoming a founder member of both the worldwide body named the Federation Internationale Vehicules Anciens (FIVA), of which the Club is the authorised New Zealand representative; and also a founder member of the New Zealand Federation of Motoring Clubs Incorporated, (NZ FoMC).
Meanwhile, it was pointed out at this 2021 AGM that, for a considerable number of years now, the national body of the Club has effectively adopted and used the name “The Historic Vehicle Authority of New Zealand” when liaising with and providing its services and advice to other bodies and agencies. This has been done without desire or need to change the registered name of the Club, and acknowledges the fact that the term “The Historic Vehicle Authority of New Zealand” has been written into New Zealand statutes and has importance to the Club and to matters concerning our vehicles. Furthermore, the Club is a founder member of the worldwide Federation Internationale Vehicules Anciens (FIVA), of which it is the appointed New Zealand representative for all clubs with interests in historic Vehicles; and the Club is also a founder member of the registered New Zealand Federation of Motoring Clubs (NZFOMC), currently with 136 member clubs with around 140,000 members in total; all having an interest in vehicle preservation and motoring enjoyment. These affiliations are particularly worthy of being recorded in our Club Constitution, as by embracing our shared interests and endeavours we are enhancing and furthering our aims and objects and are able to enjoy the reciprocal benefits that we can jointly achieve. Such shared advocacy for our rights and privileges are considered to be as important as ever in the foreseeable future, especially here in New Zealand. Proposer: Tony Bartlett Seconder: Rodney Clague
(06/01474) (06/01480)
DRIVING OUR HISTORY
PASSING LANE In this column we acknowledge the recent passing of club members. Information is supplied to Beaded Wheels by VCCNZ Branch Secretaries.
Ball, Peter Hawke’s Bay Eason, Ken Central Hawke’s Bay Fergusson, Donald Gore Frew, Mervyn Gore Gordon, David Wairarapa
66 Beaded Wheels
Henderson, Noel Jenkinson, Mark Katon, Angus Lovett, John Arthur, McCully, Stuart
Taupo Hawke’s Bay Central Otago Ashburton Northland
Newport, Charlie Pennell, Raewyn Turner, Keith Wallace, Lloyd
Central Hawke’s Bay Far North Wanganui South Canterbury
www.basisnz.co.nz Supplying new parts for Vintage, Classic and Modern Vehicles for over 34 years, BASIS is your established and trusted parts supplier. Classic Accessories incl. badge bars, goggles and mirrors Door windlaces, push on & tack on, most types and colours Rubber bushes, gaskets, mounts, pedal pads, seals etc.
Shop: 31 High St, Renwick. Marlborough (SI) Address: PO Box 20, Renwick 7243 Phone: +64 3 572 8880 Email: sales@basisnz.co.nz
Stockists of new AUTOMOTIVE PARTS CAR, TRUCK & TRACTOR 1912–1997 (85 year span)
Kingpin sets Suspension parts Spark plugs Engine bearings Master cylinders & kits Rear axles Clutch covers Brake & clutch cables Valves, springs, guides Timing gears & chains
ENGLISH AMERICAN CONTINENTAL AUSTRALIAN JAPANESE
Engine gaskets Steering joints Electrical fittings Shock absorbers Shackles (pins & bushes) Water pumps & kits Carburettors Pistons Speedo cables Lenses
Gearbox gears Crownwheel & pinions Wiper motors (vac) Wheel cylinders & kits Ring gears & pinions Clutch plates Fuel pumps & kits Steering box parts Ignition parts Engine mounts
MECHANICAL RESTORATIONS VINTAGE & CLASSIC SPARES (1980) RD 7 • Fordell • Wanganui • Phone/Fax 06 342 7713
CAST IRON WELDING Powder Spray Process, Cylinder Heads, Manifolds, Cooling Fins, Castings, Mechanical Repairs & Rebuilds Thomas Rowe Motoring Engineer ltd 6 RD Palmerston North
PHONE
06 324 8707 Beaded Wheels 67
DRIVING OUR HISTORY
Vero and VCC. Together we go way back. At Vero we’ve been supporting the Vintage Car Club for over 30 years. For a quote on house, contents, vehicle (every-day and vintage) and boat insurance, please contact us and provide your VCC membership number.
Call for a quote on 0800 658 411 and select option 2, or email veropersonallines@vero.co.nz Excesses, terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply to these policies. The provision of cover is subject to the underwriting criteria that apply at the time.