May 2022 Issue 381
Puff ‘n Stuff Vintage Car Club of NZ Inc. – Central Otago Branch
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Front Cover: (Tarras Church & ’54 Armstrong Siddeley – Bernice Hassed)
Editorial Recently I asked my aunt what vehicle my paternal grandfather had. “Oh”, she said, “a truck, a Tin Lizzie”, by that I presume she meant a Ford Model T truck, but then I wondered why the term ‘Tin Lizzie’? The dictionaries suggest that it means “A dilapidated or cheap car. [Originally a nickname for the Model T Ford, perhaps from Lizzie, name commonly given to horses, nickname for Elizabeth.]” Jennifer Rosenberg goes further to explain: “Many also may know Henry Ford's Model T by its nickname, the ‘Tin Lizzie,’ but you may not know why the Model T is called the Tin Lizzie and how it got its nickname. “In the early 1900s, car dealers would try to create publicity for their new automobiles by hosting car races. In 1922 a championship race was held in Pikes Peak, Colorado. Entered as one of the contestants was Noel Bullock and his Model T, named ‘Old Liz’. Since Old Liz looked the worse for wear, as it was unpainted and lacked a hood, many spectators compared Old Liz to a tin can. By the start of the race, the car had the new nickname of ‘Tin Lizzie’. But to everyone's surprise, Tin Lizzie won the race. Having beaten even the most expensive other cars available at the time, Tin Lizzie proved both the durability and speed of the Model T. Tin Lizzie's surprise win was reported in newspapers across the country, leading to the use of the nickname ‘Tin Lizzie’ for all Model T cars.” "Why the Model T Is Called the Tin Lizzie." ThoughtCo, Feb. 16, 2021, thoughtco.com/nickname-tin-lizzie-3976121
Gerry Spencer editorCOVCC@gmail.com Copy deadline for next edition by the 15th of each month
Circulation: 228
© 2022 The opinions and information presented here are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the club or its officers. No responsibility is accepted for the accuracy of information or opinions expressed. E&OE.
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BRANCH OFFICERS 2021-2022
Committee
Patron:
John Loudon
Phone: E-Mail: 448 7192 -
Chairman: Vice Chairman: Secretary: Treasurer: Club Captain:
Noel Hassed John Martin Graham Taylor Karelan Doran Bert Turnbull
442 3908 445 0598 443 1416 027 274 3361 027 434 2339
Editor: Committee:
Gerry Spencer Chris Miller Gaynor Miller John Wilson
027 3696 880 021 977 946 ditto 027 533 5626
Greg Doran Ewen Duthie
Club Rooms / Yard:
Parts Convener:
John Wilson Don & Lynne Yeaman John Martin Alf O'Sullivan Steve Reynolds Don Yeaman Don Yeaman Alf O'Sullivan
Idle Torque: Librarian: Area Reps: Wakatipu Bill Crooks Alexandra Barry Walker Cromwell John Martin Wanaka Graham Taylor HSE: Steve Reynolds Rally Conveners: Blossom Festival: National Daffodil Day Co-Ordinator: Golden Times: Moped Rally:
Partner: Sheila
noel.hassed@gmail.com martin_jw@xtra.co.nz gtml@xtra.co.nz karelandoran@gmail.com bert.turnbull1940 @gmail.com editorCOVCC@gmail.com rosdowns@farmside.co.nz ditto saddle.hill@xtra.co.nz
Aya lino Gaynor Chris Mel
027 221 6105 027 838 8324 445 1973 027 533 5626 443 2730
gfdoran@gmail.com duthie.e@xtra.co.nz
Karelan Arlene
stagdriver98@gmail.com yeaperson@xtra.co.nz
Mel
445 0598 021 110 7707 022 167 0872 443 2730 ditto 021 110 7707
martin_jw@xtra.co.nz glenda.alf@gmail.com stevesfordv8@gmail.com yeaperson@xtra.co.nz ditto glenda.alf@gmail.com
Wendy Glenda Bev Lynne ditto Glenda
021 915 188 bill@arrowauto.co.nz 448 6508 445 0598 martin_jw@xtra.co.nz 443 1416 gtml@xtra.co.nz 022 167 0872 stevesfordv8@gmail.com Ewen Duthie, Allan Porter, Bryan Anderson Graham Taylor, Wendy Martin Alan Sutton, Greg Doran John Martin, Lindsay Wilkie
Bernice Wendy Cheryl Greg Jenny
Jill Sharron Wendy Cheryl Bev
Central Otago Vintage Car Club (including Queenstown & Wanaka)
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CLUB EVENTS CALENDAR Please take care to read and copy to your diary! Tue 31 May 7:30pm Committee Meeting, Clubroom. (Jun) Note no Club Night or Sunday Run this month Sun 12 Jun 12/2pm AGM at Clubroom 2pm, preceded by a potluck lunch, for those who want to, from 12ish. Please consider attending if at all possible to support the Club (you will NOT be forced to take on a rôle!) (Jul) Note no Sunday Run this month. Too cold! Wed 13 Jul 7/8pm Club Night. Speaker; Lee Martin from Rods and Restos who restored the Duncans’ Duesenberg and Packards Wed 10 Aug 7/8pm Club Night. Speaker; Allen Hogan who along with his wife sailed around the world in their Yacht. Should be very interesting Sun 21 Aug noon Monte Targo (Daffodil Day). Refer to scoresheet on pages following. It’s not too early to start planning! Graham Taylor Wed 14 Sep 7/8pm Club Night Sat 24 Sep Blossom Festival, Alexandra Wed 12 Oct 7/8pm Club Night. Speaker; Hayden Paddon, WRC rally driver Sun 16 Oct Sunday Run Wed 9 Nov 7/8pm Club Night Sun 13 Nov Sunday Run Wed 14 Dec 5pm Christmas Dinner, Clubroom
The Clubroom & Parts Sheds are located at Litany Street, Cromwell
Club Nights – doors open from 7pm on 2nd Wednesday of the month (except Jun & Dec)
Midweek Muster - each Wed morning from 8:30am at the Parts Shed …however… we will close over winter, so the last Wednesday will be on the 25th May, as it starts to become too cold
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OTHER EVENTS, NATIONALS &c. VCC Branches that would like any of their events noted in our magazine, please contact us with the details at editorCOVCC@gmail.com For more information on these and other events in Beaded Wheels, check branch newsletters which may be found at http://vcc.org.nz/news-from-our-branches/ Sat-Sun 4-5 Jun Fri-Sun 7-9 Oct Sat-Sun 29-30 Oct
Fri-Sun 3-6 Feb 2023 Sun 12 Feb 2023
Sat-Sun 8-9 Apr 2023
Irishman Rally, Canterbury branch Canterbury Swap Meet, McLeans Island VCC 2 Day Time Trial, Nelson Rod Corbett rod.corbett88@gmail.com 027 4338772 https://targa.nz/targa-newsletters/ * * * National Motorcycle Rally, Invercargill, Southland branch. Precedes the Burt Munro Challenge. National Model T Rally. 100 year anniversary reenactment of F R Dennison’s trip of 1913. 6 day tour starting and finishing in Oamaru, 9th - 15th Feb. COVCC will be hosting a BBQ ($20) even of the 12th Wheels @ Wanaka
Welcome to New Members! John & Bronwyn Stewart, who have a Ford 1929 A tudor
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Chair’s Report There was a little bit of feedback from club members at the May club night on the “events” part of our review. There was some support for a change to the club night format and changes to the Golden Times and Blossom Festival rallies to allow for a longer run. A night trial and rest-home visits also generated some discussion. These points will be discussed at our committee meeting on 31st May. The Promotion/Membership, Funding, Management, and Facilities parts of the review will probably be presented in July, here in PnS and at the July club night (to allow for the AGM in June). Once again I have to appeal to you to get involved in running your club. While we have a core group of members who fill both committee and non committee positions, many of these people have helped run the branch for a number of years. Some of these stalwarts feel they have done their bit and will be moving on in the next year or so and we need new people to take their place. In spite of numerous appeals there have been few volunteers to help with these roles. We would welcome some fresh faces and ideas to keep the branch moving forward. Of immediate concern is the Treasurer’s position that Karelan is vacating at the AGM and we also need someone to take the minutes at our Committee meetings to reduce the load on the Secretary. Neither of these roles are too demanding as we only have six scheduled meetings a year and Karelan is available to help anyone willing to take on the Treasurer role. We have written up brief position descriptions so that people know what is involved. I have discussed these with the current position holders where possible and the descriptions will be available at the AGM. Once again thanks to John Loudon who has donated many more trailer loads of parts. John has also donated a printer/scanner which will be useful in the branch library. The Wednesday morning crew have done a great job sorting out the parts at John’s and getting them back to the clubrooms.
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The Sunday run from Tarras to the old Lindis Pass Hotel was once again well attended. Beau Trevathan had arranged a local identity to give us some history at the hotel as well as access to the old Tarras Church. The Church is now owned by the local community and has been beautifully restored. I took the model A and it loved the gravel roads, real Model A country! I went along to the start of the “Not the Golden Times Rally” organised by Alan Sutton, another great turnout with a variety of cars. I understand the weekend went well and they did get into Glenorchy in spite of the road being washed out earlier in the week. Noel Hassed
FOR SALE FOR SALE 4 Chev rims and tyres as per pic They are 575 - 600 x 16 x 5 ply $150 Contact John Martin at the Parts Shed
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Notice of
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING To be held at the Clubrooms Litany Street Cromwell on Sunday 12th June 2022 Beginning 2 PM Agenda Welcome Attendance Apologies Minutes of previous AGM Matters Arising Correspondence Chairpersons Report Financial Reports Any others Election of Committee Appointment of Non Committee positions Notices of motion General Business Meeting closed Followed by a Committee Meeting
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Branch Committee Nomination Form I wish to nominate: __________________________________________________________ For the position of: __________________________________________________________ On the Central Otago Branch Committee for the 2022/2023 year. Signed:____________________________________________Proposer Membership # ____________________________________________ Signed:____________________________________________Seconder Membership # ____________________________________________ I hereby accept nomination for the above position. Signed:___________________________________________Candidate Membership # ____________________________________________ Nominations are to be in the hands of the Secretary by: 4th June 2022
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Sunday Run – Lindis Pass Hotel (24th Apr) Well another, excellent run, special thanks to Beau Trevathan for arranging everything. We met at Tarras for coffee - 14 cars - then proceeded to the Tarras Community Church. What a job the local community have done in restoration work, along with earthquake strengthening, and the kneeler cushions are a joy to behold. From there via backroads to the old Lindis Pass Hotel for a picnic lunch. Beau had arranged for Gerald Goodger to talk to us about life in the Lindis; he has lived his whole life there. You could have heard a pin drop on the grass: he had every ones attention. We had a good look at the remnants of the old Hotel, all the walls are still there, and some restoration has been done to help retain the remains. We came away and I am confident that everyone enjoyed. Cheers Bert Turnbull Great Autumn Colours too! Photos – Bernice Hassed
Getting the ‘good oil’ from Gerald Goodger (Ed. great name that!)
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Ruins…no, not Noel’s Model A!
“Al Was Here”
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Sunday Run – Cardrona Hotel (15th May)
photo – Bernice Hassed *
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Columnist Peter Egan on Adventure Riding in Mexico: “We were in the greatest place in the world, but what did it take to get here? “Quite a bit. “Learning to ride, getting a driver’s licence in high school. Acquiring tools, learning to change flat tyres and clutch cables. Gaining dirt experience and going to dealerships to shop for the right bike. Installing knobblies and handguards and a skidplate. After years of youthful indulgence, moving through a series of jobs that finally allowed to afford a truck or a bike trailer. Learning to read maps and cross rivers in deep water. Finding helmets and enduro jackets and motocross boots that fit. Getting a passport, paying your bike registration, learning a smattering of useful Spanish…”
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My First Car Alan Baker My “First Car” story harks back to 1966 when I was a young 15/16 year-old member of the Otago junior (U-18) water polo team selected to play at the national championships to be held in the Christchurch Centennial Pool, which was demolished, sadly, in 2014.
Christchurch Centennial Pool circa 1966
Billets had been arranged but we had to make our own way from Dunedin to Christchurch. So, in order to address the transport conundrum and with a somewhat juvenile sense of adventure, one of the team members, Bill Robertson, and another member, Gordie Brown, suggested that we jointly purchase a black Austin-8 of 1940s vintage which was up for sale by an elderly lady, Freda, living in a rather steep street overlooking the Otago Harbour in Ravensbourne. So, a three-way deal was quickly struck following an evening visit and brief test drive up and down the steep Ravensbourne Street and the new acquisition was appropriately named Freda. Needless to say, I left the short-term custody of Freda to my two team colleagues, as the purchase had been made unbeknownst to my unsuspecting parents.
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1940s Austin-8 in Somewhat Better Condition than Freda
We duly set out on the Saturday before the commencement of the competition and safely made it as far as the Glenavy motor camp just north of the Waitaki River that night. We completed the journey up the Canterbury plains on the following hot Sunday which turned into somewhat of a dispersed convoy of Otago water polo players. Leader of the convoy was senior team member Jack Willis in his black 1940s Ford coupe.
The week-long water polo competition was fairly intensive but the Otago juniors came out as well deserved winners. I have vague but pleasant memories of the victorious return journey in Freda which I recall involved a modest amount of celebratory under-age drinking and associated high jinks. Freda was promptly sold upon return to Dunedin and the proceeds divvied-up. Perhaps we should have kept her as a memento?
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‘Veteran’ & ‘Vintage’ – what of their usage? Every time I sit down to write a few words, without necessarily any idea of what I am going to write about, something just flows out (more about that in my AGM report). This is another of those times… Personally I feel that the Club missed a trick back in its formation by fostering terms such as ‘veteran’ and ‘vintage’. Actually these terms came from Britain (whereas America referred to them as antique), and were adopted here too. A parallel example would be how ‘modern’ has been used, to describe for instance ‘modern art’ that apparently ranges from the 1860s to 1970s (note ‘contemporary art’ is from the 1940s). How disingenuous! As if the world was going to end. So then everything after modern must be termed “post-modern” until the end of time! As you know distinct classes are recognised in the old car world. Vehicles built before 31 December 1918, are the veterans, according to international agreement; those built between that date and 31 December 1931, are styled vintage. Anyway I thought I would investigate when the term ‘veteran car’ was first used in the newspapers in NZ, and then I got carried away as you will see. This analysis is only up to 1954 – when the VCC was formed – as after that the associated use was much increased due to the Club. I’ll start with the easiest one first. VINTAGE CAR This was hardly used at all until 1950s. It was used in passing or in a story (and then in a couple of those used as “ancient vintage car”, just to make sure of the point), once or twice in the years 1914, 1933, 1937, 1938, 1940. In 1948 a noteworthy entry: VINTAGE CAR AUTOMOTIVE RIP VAN WINKLE REVIVED AFTER 34 YEARS ALEXANDRA, May 17.
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A total mileage of 5000 still entitles a car to be regarded as new, but one vehicle in Alexandra which has completed only this modest mileage is actually 34 years old. This unique car is a 1914 model Ford, and when it changed owners last week it was taken from the garage after several decades and found to be as good as new. Although a few of the rubber fittings had perished, the tyres held when they were blown up and a garageman told the Daily Times that “it just flew out of here laughing all over." VETERAN CAR Again the term is used very little before the ‘50s, and almost a complete listing is provided below. The first mention of ‘Veteran Car’ was an advertorial in the 1918 Te Aroha News, by Willis Bros., an agent for Buick, extolling the 1909 model Valve-inHead Buick that had accrued 275,000 miles. It also mentioned that more than twenty-five different employed drivers had driven it; in addition to the members of Mr Slason's family who live in Kansas (Ed. I think I would be more worried about his turnover of employees, rather than the durability of the car). ‘Veteran’ of course means ‘a person or thing that has given long service’ and this was most often applied to soldiers that had fought. Wars were frequent back then. In 1921 a columnist ‘Focus’ opined in the New Zealand Herald that, “Old age in automobiles, as in humans, possesses a dignity all its own. The Panhard ‘ancestor’ for 30 years the faithful servant of the Abbe Gavois of Rainueville, near Amiens, has been sold by the Abbe in order to provide foods for its parishioners who are victims of the war. Rainneville was for years on the battle front, and saw much of the war, but not more than the veteran car which kept on through every vicissitude, seeming to realise the call to action.” 1923: “DUNEDIN'S VETERAN CAR owned by Dr Fulton, of that city. The car was still running. It was an old single-cylinder Rover, the first car to come to Dunedin. It had the old style of steering, something like a traction engine, two wires being attached to pins on the steering column.” The term was casually mentioned a couple of times in 1926/7, then in 1928:
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“What the dealer in second-hand cars hates is to sell to a purchaser who has paid a ‘bargain’ price, but expects to receive the equivalent of a brand new vehicle. What he loves be of all is to sell to a man with the true mechanical, mind and hands, which are ready and willing to work, and to give the ‘veteran’ a new lease of active life by judicious repair and kindly treatment.” Amen. [1932] Much was influenced from the Old Country, and so it was with motoring, and the reporting of it, for example: “It might almost be said, in fact, that old cars, like old Soldiers, never die! As evidence, the Veteran Car Run from. London to Brighton, arranged by the Royal Automobile Club, may be adduced. The oldest car entered was manufactured in 1894; and nothing later than 1904 models had a claim to participate in this run.” (A little about the London-Brighton Run: In commemoration of The Emancipation Day Run in 1896, 1927 was the first re-enactment, and was called "RUN TO BRIGHTON” with 51 entries. The following two years the name changed to "OLD CROCKS' RUN TO BRIGHTON". Checking the popularity over the decades, for instance, 1950 had 163 entries, 1960 (264), 1970 (302), 1980 (320), 1990 (477), peaking at the 100th anniversary in 1996 with 680 entries.) Also in 1932, perhaps because of things happening in England, a Veteran CAR RUN PROPOSED in New Zealand. “Inquiries are being made by the Auckland branch of the British (U.K.) Manufacturers Association (Motor Section) to ascertain
ASIDE From The Veteran Car Club of Great Britain website: Veteran - Vehicles built upto and including December 1904. Edwardian - Vehicles built from January 1905 and upto and including December 1918. The Club up to the '50s accepted only veteran cars, i.e. up to the end of 1904. Sometime in the 50s the closing date was moved to 1916. In the 60s or 70s the date was again changed, to the one we have now (up to and inc. 1918). Only a few national motoring Clubs, like The Veteran Car Club of Great Britain, covered cars built before 1919. The Veteran Car Club (of Great Britain) was founded in 1930 after the London to Brighton Run of that year. From one of their reports in 1934 of a hill climb on Tilburstow Hill; “The results were worked out on a formula used in the early days of motoring. It is time of the ascent in seconds, multiplied by the horse power (worked out carefully also) and divided by the weight.”
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whether there are in Auckland sufficient British motor-vehicles manufactured in or before 1912 (Ed. note the year) to hold a British veteran car run. In many of the garages in Auckland there are to be found very old cars which, although out of use for years past, are still capable of taking part in a run. There are also several old Austins, Wolseleys, Daimlers and machines of other makes which are still in daily use not as passenger vehicles but chiefly on farms where they perform well as general utility trucks, and it would be extremely interesting to see them on the road again. A similar trial was held recently with great success in the South Island, and an ‘old crocks' race’ is now an annual affair at Brooklands.” 1938 in Napier, “Thackeray Street and the Owen Street intersection was also the scene of second collision in which three youths who occupied a car of popular make and ancient vintage had a narrow escape. When the crash took place the back wheel of the veteran car broke and the vehicle somersaulted. Although it was thoroughly wrecked all three youth escaped unscathed. The other car was not seriously damaged and was driven away.” In 1939 it was reported that “A movement has started in America to seek out and renovate veteran cars, on the lines of the Veteran Car Club in England. It is thought this may lead to the establishing once and for all of who built the first American automobile.” Then a gap until 1946 where is noted, “A 1910 10 horse-power, four-cylinder Austin car, owned by Mr Douglas E. Wood, of Auckland, will shortly attempt a non-stop engine run from Auckland to Wellington as part of the New Zealand celebration of the jubilee of the United Kingdom motor car industry, on November 16. The industry will hold a veteran car run from London to Brighton, but because there are few veteran cars in New Zealand, it has not been possible to arrange a similar event here.” There are only a couple more mentions in the intervening years, and then this summary is brought to a close with the year 1954 where: “Big Crowd Enjoys Veteran Car Rally at Riccarton (Christchurch) About 3000 spectators at the rally of the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand Christchurch – (New) Brighton Run Directed by Mr A. A. Anderson in a Clement-Talbot (1911) a spectacular convoy of some two dozen old-timers rolled away from the Canterbury Museum yesterday morning on a tour to New Brighton.”
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WANTED Hillman Hunter 1725 motor (alloy head) Also any body parts, mouldings, etc. for series 3A Sunbeam Alpine (1962) Phone 021 2113183 (member)
WANTED For 1974 Hillman Hunter Station Wagon: A working differential, or rebuild parts/kit. Kath Moore ph 03 448 9599
Puff ‘n Stuff DISPLAY ADVERTISEMENT RATES (a member’s car may be advertised free for 3 months) Full Page $300 (for 12 months) Half Page $150 “ Quarter Page $80 “ → Contact the Ed for info
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These stickers are now available to COVCC members
Let others know which Branch you belong to at events away from home. These are produced locally and are made of high quality vinyl. They are external stickers and go on the outside of the windscreen or on the body-work. (They are easily removed with a hair-dryer.) Cost $2 each. (A small profit goes to our club.) To order contact David Brewer 021 280 3307 david@thebrewers.co.nz
Graham Taylor Mechanical Ltd 114 Shortcut Road, Luggate. gtml@xtra.co.nz 443 1416 027 248 9942 MAXXIS TYRES -- MIXTECH BATTERIES — SPAREX AG PARTS
THE REAR END:
Return Address: C/-114 Shortcut Road Luggate RD2 Wanaka 9382