ANAWATU RANCH EWSLETTER
RANCH NFORMATION BRANCH DETAILS CLUBROOMS ‘The Grove’ - 684 Kelvin Grove Road, Palmerston North POSTAL ADDRESS P.O. Box 385, Palmerston North 4440 EMAIL manawatu@vcc.org.nz COMMITTEE MEETING Second Wednesday of each month - 7.00 pm at ‘The Grove’. CLUB NIGHT Third Wednesday of each month (except January) LIBRARY Open by arrangement - contact Gary Millar. NOGGIN & NATTER 1st Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm at Murray’s Irish Bar - Feilding. PARTS SHED Open from 2 pm on the first Sunday of each month or by arrangement. - contact Gary Millar. SUNDAY TEA 1st Sunday of each month from 5.00pm at the clubrooms. BOOKINGS FOR ‘THE GROVE’ VENUE Can be made through Creative Catering, Awapuni Racecourse. Phone (06) 354 2780 or Email : info@creativecatering.co.nz
COVER PHOTOGRAPHS: Front Cover: Members’ Cars on display at Caccia Birch House - Palm Nth Back Cover: Members’ Cars on display at Caccia Birch House - Palm Nth
MANAWATU BRANCH LIFE MEMBER
Murray Martin
THE TOURER : New Zealand Registered Magazine. The Official Newsletter of the Manawatu Branch of the Vintage Car Club of NZ Inc.
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N
– VOLUME 1819
HIS SSUE
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Coming Events Chairmen’s Chat
10
Retiring Secretary’s Quibbles
11
Club Captain’s Corner
12
Branch Mailbox
13
Photographs - Members’ cars provided for the Heritage Rose Society
14
Founders of the Motor Industry - Lycoming Engines & Madame Ellen Curtis Demorest
17
Manawatu Branch Veteran Rally Entry Form
21
Photographs - Members’ cars displayed at Caccia Birch House
25
Bits and Pieces from Bygone Days
26
Tourer Trader
27
Notice Board and Messages to Members
27
Parts Shed
28
Hidden Word Puzzle
31
Branch Committee and Appointed Positions - 2020/2021
Photographs in this issue of the Tourer have been contributed by Stan Garmonsway, Lyn James and Esther Williams.
CLOSING DATE FOR THE FEBRUARY TOURER – 20TH JANUARY 2021 OTE
O ANUARY
OURER
Please send your contributions on rally reports, your motoring stories, restorations, technical reports, articles, photos etc., to : The Editor – 81 Apollo Parade, Palmerston North 4414 Email : bryana@xtra.co.nz - or phone : (06) 358 4014 The opinions or statements expressed in letters, articles, trip reports etc. which appear in this magazine are the views of the author of that letter / article / report and are not necessarily those of the Committee or Members of the Manawatu Branch of the Vintage Car Club of NZ Inc. The Committee reserves the right to refuse material it does not consider suitable for publication. Page 3
OMING
VENTS
REGULAR MONTHLY CLUB ACTIVITIES
1st Sunday
Tea at Clubrooms - from 5.00pm - bring your own drinks, nibbles & tea
st
1 Sunday
Parts Shed - open between 2.00pm and 5.00pm
1st Tuesday
Noggin & Natter - 7.30pm at Murray’s Irish Pub Bar, Feilding
3rd Wednesday Club Night (monthly except January) DECEMBER 2020 TH
(Sun)
Branch Christmas Lunch - see next page & Club Captain’s Corner on p 11
13
TH
(Sun)
Feilding Christmas Parade - see details in Club Captain’s Corner - page11
16
TH
(Wed)
Club Night - Christmas Noggin & Natter at the Clubrooms at 7.00pm
6
20TH (Sun)
Shannon Christmas Parade - see details in Club Captain’s Corner on p11 and Branch Mailbox on p12
JANUARY 2021 1
ST
(Fri)
New Year Day Picnic - organised by Len Haycock - see details on p11
FEBRUARY 2021 7
TH
(Sun)
OMING
Manawatu Branch Veteran Rally - entry form on page 17 of this Tourer
VENTS
THER
RANCHES
LUBS
JANUARY 2021 24
TH
(Sun)
Rotorua Lakefront Car Show - off Whakaue St - see details on page 6
MARCH 2021 28
TH
20TH
>4
TH
APR
(Sat)
15th National Model A Rally - Gisborne - see page 22 of the June Tourer Horowhenua Branch Annual Swap Meet - see details on page 7
APRIL 2021 23RD
>25
TH
Highland Fling Rally - for Veteran & Vintage category vehicles - see p 8
OCTOBER 2021 25
TH
>30
TH
Targa VCC Time Trials 2021 - see p 26 of the November Tourer
JANUARY 2022 16
TH
>21
ST
Vero International Festival of Historic Motoring - New Plymouth.
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CONTACT THE TOURER EDITOR (BRYAN ABRAHAM) bryana@xtra.co.nz IF YOU WOULD LIKE A COPY OF THE ENTRY FORM AND/OR INFORMATION ON THE MERCHANDISE WHICH IS AVAILABLE AND/OR THE MERCHANDISE ORDER FORM Page 8
HAIRMEN S
HAT
ANAWATU
ALLAN HARDACRE & BRUCE DYER
No, that is not a mistake as this chat is written by two chairmen. The tour down to the veteran rally in Gore was a great success. Both the Cadillac and the Dodge ran perfectly over the 2600 or so miles that we covered. This included some pretty inclement weather at Reefton and Hokitika, perfect conditions as we crossed over Arthurs and Porters passes but very cold over Danseys pass and not much better in Gore for the rally. This was compensated by the warm hospitality offered by members of the Gore branch, organizers of the rally. The motion to sell the clubrooms was passed by 2 votes at the SGM but the committee decided that the slim margin was insufficient to act on for such an important decision. Consequently, the chairman and 4 other members sought to resign from the committee and the 5 positions were filled from the floor. All credit to those club members that put themselves forward to serve the club. The immediate past chairman and resigning committee members congratulate the incoming members and wish them every success during their time in office. Allan Hardacre, November 2020
As the new chairman I would like to thank Allan and the previous committee members for taking on the vacant positions following the AGM and for their time and efforts in keeping the club operating. Thank you. Thank you to the members who have taken up the vacant committee positions and also a big thank you to all the members who have volunteered their time as and when required throughout the year. Due to Covid, 2020 has been an unusual year with so many activities restricted or cancelled so hopefully 2021 will be better for us all. Finally Christmas is nearly upon us so I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and New Year. Bruce Dyer, November 2020
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ETIRING
ECRETARY S
UIBBLES
IAN ROWDEN
I don’t have any quibbles but I find it hard to maintain my rhyming headings – but perhaps you never noticed them. Certainly no one has commented on them! My profound respect to Bruce and Diana Dyer and Sarah Howell for picking up the reins and providing continued leadership of the Branch. Our Club Captain Esther does an excellent job so that motoring is well catered for; but if there were no new Chair, Secretary and Treasurer then the future of the Branch would be grim right now. I challenge those who voted to retain The Grove to provide active support to the committee. And I await with interest their Action Plan. They have the funds. I have reflected on the recent voting whether to sell or keep The Grove. We have over 150 paid up members – 10 are non-financial. When the existence of our Branch was threatened, I wonder why only 58 members attended the November SGM. That is about 39% of our members. There were only three apologies, all from pro-sellers. They would have raised the attendance to 41%. I wonder why 59% of our members showed no interest, not even an apology. I wonder why they still belong; of course we all benefit from their subscriptions. I wonder how it is that of the 19% who voted to keep the clubrooms, about half I would guess have not attended any Branch activity in the last year. ( I presume they continue to think that Someone Else will keep the Branch running.) And I wonder why most, if not all, of these displayed no interest until the night, questioning none of the information provided in advance and making no submissions, though urged to do so. Never mind what the reasons, I wonder whether 19% of the Branch should determine the Branch’s future. In November 2015, in a survey by the Branch, there were 52 SELL and 33 KEEP responses. This is 61% in favour of selling. It is pointless to wonder whether active lobbying by sellers would have raised attendance and achieved a similar result. Mostly I wonder if the Branch can survive when it takes three General Meetings and a controversial proposal to get enough volunteers to form a permanent committee. A satisfactory outcome depends on goodwill and support and preferably the active participation of us all. I wonder…. Happy Motoring Ian Rowden Ex-Secretary Page 10
LUB
APTAIN S
ORNER
ESTHER WILLIAMS
I wish to thank those that supplied cars for Caccia Birch on the 1st November. We were thanked very much for the cars from Caccia Birch. I would like to thank Rob Eason and Brian James for the work they did for me at Caccia Birch. Thank you to those that supplied cars for the Heritage Rose Society on the 14th November. It was great to have a good number turnout. The Heritage Rose members really enjoyed their rides in the cars. We have been asked by Feilding and Shannon for cars for their Christmas Parades see the Calendar of Events for details. We are getting more and more requests from the public to supply cars for display or taking people places. It is great publicity for the club and a great opportunity to show off our cars. It would be great if we had more cars to come along to these events.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS 6th December 2020
Branch Christmas lunch. Meet at Coach House in Feilding at 10.00am for a cuppa of coffee or tea. We will have short run to our lunch stop. See the ad (page 5) in this Tourer. 13th December 2020
We will be requiring cars for the Feilding Christmas Parade. Please decorate your cars and yourself if you wish. Meet at Manfield at 10.00am with the parade to start at 2.00pm. 20th December 2020
We are requiring cars for Shannon Country Christmas Carnival. The parade commencing at 11.00am SHARP. To be there around 10.00am. Come with your cars decorated. We are to line up for the parade from the Southern end of Stout Street, that all vehicles will have a left turn into the domain at the southern end of the stand. Can you please let me know if you are thinking for going to Shannon by the 13th December. 1st January 2021
New Years Day Run. Meet at 11.00am in Bulls Main Street. Bring a picnic lunch and the run is done by Len Haycock. If there is any picnic runs in January, I will send out an email letting you all know. Page 11
RANCH
AILBOX
Email from Chris Butler - Secretary, Shannon Country Christmas Carnival Hi Horowhenua, Manawatu & Whanganui Vintage Car Club friends, Chris Butler here from the Shannon Country Christmas Carnival and we would love to see you at Shannon parade this year on Sunday Dec 20 with the parade commencing at 11 AM sharp. This year, we will line up the parade from the Southern end of Stout Street, so that vehicles turn left into the domain at the southern end of the stand. The Horowhenua branch vehicles were on brilliant display again last year! Can you please advertise with your members and provide vehicle estimates by 13 Dec. We are planning to have the event as per normal on the basis that we are at COVID-19 alert level 1. All level 1 rules will be followed, including our own QR code poster. If we are at alert level 2 or higher, then the event will be cancelled, and we will arrange for presents to be delivered directly to all children via couriers or some other method. Kind Regards, -----Chris Butler Secretary, Shannon Country Christmas Carnival E: buttles@me.com M: 021 506 199
Email from Sylvio Rigartso – (sender was advised that the request would be conveyed to members in our monthly newsletter)
From: "rigartso" <rigartso@gmail.com> Sent: Monday, October 26, 2020 4:06 PM To: manawatu@vcc.org.nz Subject: hi there Hi there ..My name is Sylvio Rigartso ..My wife is World Class .. Prima Donna Olga Shanina from St Petersburhg .. now residiing in the Manawatu-Rangitikei District. I tried to write on Facebook ..and the function center gave me this email. I was wanting to touch base with Vintage car owners .. In particular I was wondering if someone would like to showcase their car at the entrance of opera Venues. I'm guessing maybe a caddillac or similar... but many car tupes could be suitable ... If someone is interested We have a concert in Marton next Sunday. I would be pleased to hear from you .. or interested members .. Regards Sylvio 027 544 7454 rigartso@gmail.com
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HOTOGRAPHS - CARS MADE AVAILABLE FOR THE HERITAGE ROSE SOCIETY 14TH NOV 2020
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FOUNDERS OF THE MOTOR INDUSTRY YCOMING
NGINES
In the article on the History of the Graham-Paige in the October Tourer, and in the article on the History of the Locomobile in the November Tourer, reference was made to the use of Lycoming Engines. For those interested in a bit of background on the Lycoming Engine the following pages may be of interest. – ED Lycoming Engines is a major American manufacturer of aircraft engines with a factory in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Lycoming produces a line of horizontally opposed, air-cooled, four, six and eight-cylinder engines including the only FAAcertified aerobatic and helicopter piston engines on the market. The company has built more than 325,000 piston aircraft engines and powers more than half the world's general aviation fleet, both rotary and fixed wing. Lycoming is an operating division of Avco Corporation, itself a subsidiary of Textron. Lycoming dates its founding to 1845 by "Madame Ellen Curtis Demorest". The early history of the company (especially prior to 1860) is unclear but between approximately 1860 and 1887, the Demorests published fashion magazines and operated the Demorest Fashion and Sewing-Machine Company (sometimes known as the Demorest Manufacturing Company). They produced "Madame Demorest" and "Bartlett & Demorest" sewing machines and sold Ellen Demorest's innovative paper patterns for dressmaking. During this period, Ellen Demorest patented several fashion accessories, while her husband patented improvements to sewing machines and an apparatus for the vulcanization of rubber.
Demorest Manufacturing Company Machine
A Demorest print advertisement
Around 1883, Gerrit & Frank Scofield (advertising agents from New York) bought the Demorest brand and the sewing machine business. The Demorests retained the magazine business, and constructed a factory in Williamsport, Pennsylvania (in Lycoming County). At the urging of the newly Page 14
Lycoming Engines Continued
established Williamsport Board of Trade, citizens invested US$100, 000 in the new manufacturing facility, which employed 250 people. The factory produced 50 to 60 sewing machines per day. With the development of the "New York Bicycle" in 1891 (designed by employee S. H. Ellis), the company diversified its product offerings. Until the early 1900s, the factory produced sewing machines, bicycles, typewriters, opera chairs and other products. By 1907, the manufacture of sewing machines had become unprofitable for Demorest, and the company was sold and restructured as the Lycoming Foundry and Machine Company, shifting its focus toward automobile engine manufacture. In 1910, the company supplied its first automobile engine to Velie, and during the early post World War I era, the company was a major supplier to Auburn (which produced the Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg lines). By 1920, Lycoming was producing 60,000 engines a year, with a 2,000-strong workforce. To handle the capacity, a new foundry complex was built in Williamsport that year. Eventually Lycoming became Auburn's principal supplier, and in 1927 Errett Lobban Cord bought the company, placing it under his Auburn Manufacturing umbrella group. Among the engines Lycoming produced for Cord was an L-head straight-eight engine of 298.5 cu. in. displacement that produced 125 horsepower. This was used in the Cord L-29. Lycoming also produced a double overhead cam straight 8 used in the legendary Duesenberg J series. This power plant produced 265 horsepower, six times the power of a contemporary Model A Ford. A supercharged version, generating 325 horsepower, was installed in the Duesenberg SJ and SSJ models. In 1929, Lycoming produced its first aviation engine, the nine-cylinder R-680 radial. This was a fairly successful design, and was used widely in light aircraft, including Cord's Travel Air. In the 1930s, Lycoming made a number of attempts to develop successful highpower aircraft engines. The 1200 hp (895 kW) O-1230 was Lycoming's attempt to produce an engine based on the United States Army Air Corps hyper engine concept, and used a variety of features to produce nearly 1 hp/in3 (46 kW/L) of engine displacement. However, by the O-1230's entry into service, it had been surpassed by other designs and the US$500 000 investment was not recouped. Another attempt was made to rescue the design by stacking two O-1230s to make the 2300 hp (1700 kW) H engine H-2470 but the only design to use it, the Vultee XP-54, never entered production. The Curtiss XF14C was originally intended to be powered by the H-2470, but the engine's poor performance led to the adoption of an alternative radial engine on the prototype. (The XF14C did not enter production.) Undeterred by the O-1230/H-2470's failure, Lycoming turned to an even larger design, the 36-cylinder XR-7755, the largest aviation piston engine ever built. This design also experienced problems, and was only ready for use at the very end Page 15
Lycoming Engines Continued
of World War II, when the aviation world was turning to turbojets and turboprop engines to power future large aircraft. There was apparently some interest in using it on the Convair B-36 Peacemaker bomber, but the 28-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R4360 Wasp Major four-bank radial was used instead. Through the 1920s and 1930s, Lycoming had still been supplying automotive manufacturers with engines. However, these clients each slowly went out of business or switched to Continental engines for their vehicles. By 1931, the company was supplying automotive engines to only three companies: Auburn, Cord and Duesenburg, still all under the control of Cord. These companies closed their doors in 1937, after which Lycoming switched to exclusively designing and producing engines for aviation. In 1939 Cord re-organized all of his aviation holdings into the AVCO group, at which point the engine manufacturing company became "AVCO Lycoming". By 1961, Lycoming was producing 600 to 700 engines per month. Their most successful post-war products were a series of air-cooled flat-4 and flat-6 general aviation engines. Most famous among these are the O-235 and O-360 four-cylinder engines, and the O-540 six-cylinder engine. Many light aircraft are powered by versions of these engines, with power ratings in the 100-360 hp (75-270 kW) range. Engines in this series also include the O-320 four-, O-580 six- and O-720 eightcylinder engines, and the advanced turbocharged and fuel-injected 450 hp (340 kW) TIGO-541 variant of the venerable (carburetted) O-540. In the early 1980s, the general aviation market suddenly diminished and Lycoming's piston engine business was significantly impacted. Attempts were made to move some of the turbine production to Williamsport, but this led to a series of quality control problems and eventually it was abandoned. Another attempt to rescue Williamsport was made in introducing the "radical" SCORE engine, a Wankel engine originally developed through a joint venture between Curtiss-Wright and John Deere. Curtiss-Wright lost interest in the design just as it was maturing and sold its interests in the project to Deere, who brought in Lycoming to sell the developed engine into the aviation markets. They were guaranteed a start-up run by Cessna, also owned by Textron. Just as production was ready to start, Cessna announced they were halting their small-aircraft business for an indefinite period, and SCORE was cancelled. The remains of the Deere licenses were later purchased by Rotary Power International, which briefly produced a 340 hp (254 kW) version. Textron purchased the company in 1985. In 1994, Textron sold the Lycoming Turbine Engine Division, located in Stratford, Connecticut to AlliedSignal, who merged it with the Garrett Engine Division of AlliedSignal as part of AlliedSignal Aerospace, later becoming part of Honeywell Aerospace in 1999. Textron retained piston engine production in Williamsport. Page 16
Starting from the Clubrooms Sunday 7th February 2021
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COPY FOR THE ENTRANT TO RETAIN
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cut along here
COPY TO FORWARD TO THE RALLY ORGANISER
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HOTOGRAPHS - MEMBERS’ CARS ON DISPLAY AT CACCIA BIRCH HOUSE Palmerston North Local History Week commenced on Sunday 1st November, with festivities in the grounds of Caccia Birch House coinciding with the celebration of the historic house’s 125th jubilee. The Manawatu Branch of the Vintage Car Club was invited to park up in the grounds, display their vehicles, and be part of the festivities.
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ITS
IECES FROM
YGONE
AYS
Popular Mechanics – May 1953
Popular Mechanics – 1902
from the Hawkes Bay Today
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OURER WANTED :
RADER
BUY, SELL & EXCHANGE
(Email sent to all VCC Branches 31Oct 2020)
Subject: hello there Hello there, I have a Chevrolet National 1928 2 door light truck that has been involved in a light nose to tail. I need the following parts" Both front guards, radiator and radiator surround. Is there anyone out there in your membership who might like to sell these parts? Needed urgently here in Auckland. I am struggling to find these basic parts. Hopefully there is someone out there? Regards Bruce Roorda Ph 021 947649
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OTICE
OARD
- ARE YOU FULLY PAID UP WITH VCCNZ? - ARE YOU INSURED WITH VERO? Members who have not paid all of their dues will be contacted by a committee member on behalf of the Manawatu Branch to see if they wish to remain as members and whether there is a problem the Branch can help with. All members are reminded that if they have vehicles insured with Vero, through the VCC scheme, a requirement of the scheme is that they must be financial members of VCC.
MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS FROM ALL VCC BRANCHES ARE ONLINE To see the Newsletters online and in colour go to www.vcc.org.nz then go to News from our Branches.
ARTS
HED
GARY MILLAR
The Manawatu Branch of the VCC is committed to helping you with the restoration and ongoing maintenance of your valued vintage & classic vehicle, endeavouring to maintain a supply of quality second hand tools and parts covering all ages and types of early vehicles. At the Parts Shed all parts are priced to move off the shelves. Gary looks forward to assisting you with finding that unusual, rare and valuable part or tool which will help you restore and maintain your pride and joy. Contact Gary on (06) 354 8298 - or email gw.millar@hotmail.com
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IDDEN
ORD
UZZLE
SUMMER THEME
Find the following HIDDEN WORDS in the puzzle: BACKPACK BEER BREEZY CAMP CLIMATE DRY FAN FIREWORKS FISHING FLAG FRISBEE GROWING HAT HIKINGTAIL HOT HUMID HUMIDITY ICEDDRINK JOURNEY JOY KITE LAWN LAWNMOWER MOIST MUGGY PITCH POOL RELAX SEA SEASON SHADE SHIP STAR SUMMER SUN SUNHAT SWEATY SWIM SWIMMINGCAP TRIP WARM WARMWEATHER WASP WET Page 28
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ANAWATU
RANCH
IRECTORY
BRANCH COMMITTEE
APPOINTED POSITIONS
Chair
Bruce Dyer (Diana) b.dyer@xtra.co.nz 027 871 3536
Custodian & Librarian
Gary Millar (Marion) gw.millar@hotmail.com 06 354 8298
Immediate Past Chair
Allan Hardacre (Suzanne) akhardacre@gmail.com 06 356 8322
Delegate
Sarah Howell (Ian) iansarahhowell@gmail.com 06 374 6645
Vice Chair
Brian Halcox (Patricia) dazaway51@gmail.com) 06 353 3756
Editor (Tourer)
Bryan Abraham (Catherine) bryana@xtra.co.nz 06 358 4014
Secretary
Diana Dyer (Bruce) b.dyer@xtra.co.nz 027 727 3371
ID Card Advisor
John Ireland (Anne) ireland.clan@inspire.net.nz 06 323 4170
Treasurer
Sarah Howell (Ian) iansarahhowell@gmail.com 06 374 6645
ID Card Advisor
Derek Haycock (Becky) derek.and.beck@inspire.net.nz 06 356 1056
Club Captain
Esther Williams e_williams@xtra.co.nz 06 358 5155 : 027 243 7275
Idle Torque
Vice Cliff Bennett (Jenny) Club Captain cliffbennett@xtra.co.nz 06 356 3383 : 021 2837 088
Parts Shed
Gary Millar (Marion) gw.millar@hotmail.com 06 354 8298
Committee Member
David Murray
Privacy Officer
Diana Dyer (Bruce) b.dyer@xtra.co.nz 027 727 3371
Committee Member
Rob Eason r.eason@xtra.co.nz 06 355 4204
Swapmeet Coordinator
Sarah Howell (Ian) iansarahhowell@gmail.com 06 374 6645
Committee Member
John Ireland (Anne) ireland.clan@inspire.net.nz 06 323 4170
Assistant Swapmeet Coordinator
John Ireland (Anne) ireland.clan@inspire.net.nz 06 323 4170
Committee Member
Brian Worboys (Merrel) bworvoys@slingshot.co.nz 06 328 7849
Welfare
Committee Members
Bryan Abraham (Catherine) (Beaded Wheels) bryana@xtra.co.nz Scribe 06 358 4014
06 323 8340
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HOTOGRAPHS
- MEMBERS’ CARS ON DISPLAY AT CACCIA BIRCH HOUSE