North Shore Vintage Car Club
Your journal
Progress: The monthly journal of the North Shore Vintage Car Club July 2019 Édition Française
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Your stories Your photos
Your cars Your stories Your ideas Your committee
Editorial
Progress
Well, as it says on the front cover, welcome to our first ever French Edition of Progress magazine. We’ve just come back from a couple of weeks in France visiting Helen’s brother. Whilst over there I managed to spend a couple of days at a ‘Retro-Classique’ race meeting that coincided with the French celebrations for the 60th Anniversary of the Austin Mini. Suitably inspired I have included in this edition a short piece and some photos from the race meeting as well as featuring Citroën in our Focus on the Marque.
July 2019
June has been a busy month for the club, with the AGM, appointment of new committee members and a new chairman in Kevin Lord. Our previous chairman Paul Collins now gets to relax a little following three years of hard work and dedication to the management of this club.
This month we have an article submitted by the Ford Knitting Club. Slightly weird, hardly anything to do with cars, but perfect in highlighting the friendship and camaraderie that our club generates. This has been a difficult edition to pull together as contributions from members have been minimal. I don’t get back from Europe until the first week in August. Next week I am off for an 8 day trip from the North of England down to Devon, with the Ford Sidevalve club. I will be taking my camera!! So the only way to avoid yet more pictures of old English Fords is for you to send me some of your photos and articles. Despite my obvious personal preference for European vehicles I may publish photos of cars built in North America. ;-) I’ll leave you now as muggy temperatures in the mid 20s are due to break with thunderstorms in the next few hours. Stuart Battersby: battersby56@sky.com
Chairman’s Message: Kevin Lord.
Can you guess what it is yet? Another set of images of old vehicles from unusual angles. This time all spotted in France, so let’s see how good your international knowledge really is!
Club Captain’s Report: Richard Lloyd.
Focus on the Marque: Citroën: As French as croissants and camembert.
Upcoming Events: Club runs and independent events.
Back in the Saddle: Further tales from Arnold and Merieke.
Workshop Updates: What progress we made over the last month and what are we hoping to achieve over the next. Can you help?
Mech. Eng. 101: Basic technical/historical articles intended for non-engineers or mechanics. Hopefully they’ll be interesting and informative. This time the Wankel Rotary Engine.
Show and Rally Reports: The Auto Retro Classique, La Châtre, France.
NSVCC Garage Raid: July 21st: Event Details.
About Us: Who’s who and where’s where.
Cover Photo - Citroën DS: 1962-1975. Was it all downhill from here for this iconic French marque?
Submit your photos to battersby56@sky.com
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Chairman’s Report
Progress July 2019
Kevin Lord
Hi everyone, Thank you to Paul Collins for being Chairman for the previous three years and a welcome to the incoming committee. After attending the A.G.M. the committee will be addressing some of the concerns and suggestions that were raised. Looking back over my last 35 years plus, that I have been a member, I would like to thank previous committees for their excellent leadership, hard work and decisions that have put our branch in a strong financial position, allowing us to have assets and facilities which we can all enjoy today. It is nice to see our new shed finally progressing after the committee worked their way through numerous Council requirements. Work is progressing well on our various restoration projects and we have started the engine on the B.S.A. ‌‌ and it sounds sweet. I am looking forward to a progressive and happy year so we can all enjoy our favourite pastime. Vintage motoring. Kevin
A nice Rolls to welcome our new chairman!.
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Can you guess what it is yet? Something a little different. Here’s some of the cars photographed by me on my recent trip to France. There’s a few weird ones here.
Progress July 2019
Fill in your answers below: Just for fun: No answers will be given.
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Club Captain’s Report
Progress July 2019
June 2019
Our AGM has been and gone and we have a new committee led by a new chairman, Kevin Lord. Good Luck! Kevin, we are all behind you ready and willing to take on whatever the coming year has in store.
Participation in events in recent months seems to have fallen off so let us hope that everyone will get enthusiastic again and take to the roads. It seems a common complaint from all clubs, so we need to remedy it. Neil Beckenham’s recent survey resulted in an interesting outcome. It appears most of you want shorter runs and more social time. This is understandable and we have taken it on board. It has been relatively quiet during the past few months but this should change now that winter is here and we can look forward to spring. First off the blocks is the combined North Shore/ Auckland Rally on Sunday 30th June when we hope to see a big turnout from North Shore members. The rally starts in Papakura and finishes at the Auckland’s Clubrooms.
There are other interesting rallies in the pipeline and we’ll keep you posted as details are finalised. It is now a good time of year to get those cars out and give them and yourselves an airing. I hope to see many of you at the combined rally on Sunday. Richard Lloyd, NSVCC Club Captain
A rare German Ford… “Lost in France” (Wasn’t that a song in the 70s?)
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Focus on the Marque Citroën
Progress July 2019
The French, in my humble opinion, outshine themselves in outrageous design. With their statement architecture, whether that be ancient edifices like the cathedral at Rheims, the monstrous Eiffel Tower or the Grand Arche at La Defense in Paris they make a statement. They say “don’t just glance at this in passing, but really study this; be shocked and amazed by it. This is FRENCH! Could any other country produce this?” It’s a challenge and statement combined. For many years Citroën brought this attitude to motor car design. Not for them, blind copying and competing with others, no ambitions to build vehicles that were slightly better, but basically similar to their competitors. They built attention grabbing cars, they broke all the conventions of car design and engineering: they ‘Zigged’ when others were ‘Zagging’. In the long term the strategy failed but along the way they made some breathtaking cars and deployed some revolutionary engineering. André Citroën built armaments for France during World War I. During the war he realised that unless he planned ahead, once the war was over he would have a modern factory without a product to build. There was nothing automatic about his decision to become an automobile manufacturer: the automotive business was one that Citroën knew well, thanks to a successful six-year stint working with Mors between 1908 and the outbreak of war. The decision to switch to automobile manufacturing was evidently taken as early as 1916, which is the year when Citroën asked the engineer Louis Dufresne, previously with Panhard, to design a technically sophisticated 18HP automobile for which he could use his factory once peace returned. Long before that happened, however, he had modified his vision and decided, like Henry Ford, that the best post-war opportunities in auto-making would involve a lighter car of good quality, but made in sufficient quantities to be priced enticingly. In February 1917 Citroën contacted another engineer, Jules Salomon, who already had a considerable reputation within the French automotive sector. André Citroën's mandate was characteristically demanding and simple: to produce an all-new design for a 10 HP car that would be better equipped, more robust and less costly to produce than any rival product at the time.
1919 Citroën Type A 8CV Photo by Lars-Göran Lindgren
1923 Citroën Type C 5CV
The result was the Type A, announced to the press in March 1919, just four months after the guns fell silent. On 7 July 1919, the first customer took delivery of a new Citroën 10HP Type A. That same year, André Citroën briefly negotiated with General Motors for a proposed sale of the Citroën company. The deal nearly closed, but General Motors ultimately decided that its management and capital would be too overstretched by the takeover, thus Citroën remained independent until 1935. Between 1921 and 1937, Citroën produced half-track vehicles for off-road and military uses. In the 1920s, the U.S. Army purchased several CitroënKégresse vehicles for evaluation followed by a licence to produce them. This resulted in the Army Ordnance Department building a prototype in 1939. In December 1942, it went into production with the M2 Half-Track Car and M3 Half-Track truck. The U.S. eventually produced more than 41,000 vehicles in over 70 versions between 1940 and 1944. After their 1940 occupation of France, the Nazis captured many of the Citroën half-track vehicles and armoured them for their own use. 6
1933 C4 based Citroën P17 C Kégresse track (Photo by Klaus Nahr)
Progress July 2019
Focus on the Marque (cont.)
Mr Citroën was a keen marketeer: he used the Eiffel Tower as the world's largest advertising sign, as recorded in Guinness World Records. He also sponsored expeditions in Asia, North America and Africa, demonstrating the potential for motor vehicles equipped with the Kégresse track system to cross inhospitable regions. Demonstrating extraordinary toughness, a 1923 Citroën that had already travelled 48,000 km (30,000 mi) was the first car to be driven around Australia. The car, a 1923 Citroën 5CV Type C Torpedo, was driven by Neville Westwood from Perth, Western Australia, on a round trip from August to December 1925. This vehicle is now fully restored and in the collection of the National Museum of Australia. In 1924, Citroën began a business relationship with the American engineer Edward G. Budd. At the Paris Motor Show in October 1924, Citroën introduced the Citroën B10, the first all-steel body in Europe. These automobiles were initially 1924 Citroën B10 successful in the marketplace, but soon competitors (who were still using Photo by Lars-Göran Lindgren a wooden structure for their vehicles) introduced new body designs. Citroën who did not redesign the bodies of his cars, still sold in large quantities nonetheless, the cars' low price being the main selling point. The low pricing, however, caused Citroën to experience heavy losses. In 1927 the bank Lazard helped Citroën by bringing new much-needed funds, as well as by renegotiating its debt André Citroën perceived the need to differentiate his product, to avoid the low price competition surrounding his conventional rear drive models in the late 1920s/early 1930s. In 1933 he introduced the Rosalie, the first commercially available passenger car with a diesel engine, developed with Harry Ricardo. Traction Avant The Traction Avant is a car that pioneered the mass production of three revolutionary features that are still in use today: a unitary body with no separate frame, four wheel independent suspension and front-wheel drive. Whereas for many decades, the vast majority of motor cars were similar in conception to the Ford Model T: i.e. a body bolted onto a ladder frame which held all the mechanical elements of the car, a solid rear axle that rigidly connected the rear wheels and rear wheel drive. The Model T school of automobile engineering proved popular because it was considered cheap to build, although it did pose dynamic defects as automobiles were becoming more capable, and resulted in heavier cars, which is why modern cars are more like the Traction Avant 1956 Traction Avant than the Model T under the skin. (Photo by Rex Gray C.A., USA)
Achieving quick development of the Traction Avant, tearing down and rebuilding the factory (in five months) and the extensive marketing efforts, were investments that resulted too costly for Citroën to do all at once, causing the financial ruin of the company. In December 1934, despite the assistance of the Michelin company, Citroën filed for bankruptcy. Within the month, Michelin, already the car manufacturer's largest creditor, became its principal shareholder. However, the technologically advanced Traction Avant had met with market acceptance, and the basic philosophy of cutting edge technology used as a differentiator continued until the late 1990s. Pierre Michelin became the chairman of Citroën early in 1935. Pierre-Jules Boulanger, his deputy, became the vice-president and chief of the engineering and design departments. In 1935, the founder André Citroën died from stomach cancer. 7
Focus on the Marque (cont.) Progress July 2019
Research breakthroughs Pierre-Jules Boulanger had been a First World War air reconnaissance photography specialist with the French Air Force; he was capable and efficient, finishing the war with the rank of captain. He was also courageous, having been decorated with the Military Cross and the Légion d’Honneur. He started working for Michelin in 1918, reporting directly to Édouard Michelin, co-director and founder of the business. Boulanger joined the Michelin board in 1922 and became president of Citroën in January 1938, after the death in a road accident of his friend Pierre Michelin. Boulanger remained in this position until his own death in 1950. In 1938, he also had become Michelin's joint managing director. During the German occupation of France in World War II Boulanger refused to meet Doctor Ferdinand Porsche or communicate with the German authorities except through intermediaries. He organized a "go slow" on production of trucks for the Wehrmacht, many of which were sabotaged at the factory by putting the notch on the oil dipstick in the wrong place, which resulted in engine seizure. In 1944 when the Gestapo headquarters in Paris was sacked by the French Resistance, his name was prominent on a Nazi blacklist of the most important enemies of the Reich, to be arrested in the event of an allied invasion of France. Citroën researchers, including Paul Magès, continued their work in secret, against the express orders of the Nazis, and developed the concepts that were later brought to market in three remarkable vehicles: a small car (2CV), a delivery van (Type H) and a large, swift family car (DS). These were widely regarded by contemporary journalists as avant-garde, even radical, solutions to automotive design (More Outrageous Design?). Thus began a long period of unusual brand loyalty, normally seen in the automobile industry only in niche brands, like Porsche and Ferrari. The Deux Chevaux Citroën unveiled the 2CV—signifying two fiscal horsepower, initially only 12 hp at the Paris Salon in 1948. The car became a bestseller, achieving the designer's aim of providing rural French people with a motorized alternative to the horse. It was unusually inexpensive to purchase and, with its tiny two cylinder engine, inexpensive to run as well. The 2CV pioneered a very soft, interconnected suspension, but did not have the more complex self-levelling feature. This car remained in production, with only minor changes, until 1990 and was a common sight on French roads until recently; 8.8 Million 2CV variants were produced in the period 1948–1990. 1965 Citroën Deux Chevaux (Photo By PLawrence99cx) The Goddess 1955 saw the introduction of the DS, the first full usage of Citroën's hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension system, tested on the rear suspension of the Traction in 1954, which was also the first production car with modern disc brakes. A single high-pressure hydraulic system was used to activate the power steering, the suspension and brakes; the brakes were power assisted to multiply the force applied by the driver. On the Citromatic (semi-automatic transmission) version, the system also operated the clutch, through a system of pistons in the gearbox cover to shift the gears in the transmission. From 1968, the DS also introduced directional headlights, that moved with the steering, improving visibility 1966 Citroën DS (The Goddess) at night. The streamlined car was remarkable for its era and had a remarkable sounding name (in French, DS is pronounced “day-ess”), which sounds the same as déesse, which means Goddess. It placed third in the 1999 Car of the Century competition.
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Focus on the Marque (cont.) Progress July 2019
Innovation until the end This high-pressure hydraulic system would form the basis of over 9 million Citroën cars, including the DS, SM, GS, CX, BX, XM, Xantia, C5, and C6. Self-levelling suspension is the principal user benefit: the car maintains a constant ride height above the road, regardless of passenger and cargo load, despite the very soft suspension. Hydropneumatic suspension is uniquely able to absorb road irregularities without disturbing the occupants and is often compared to riding on a magic carpet for this reason. These vehicles shared the distinguishing feature of rising to operating ride height when the engine was turned on. A lever (later replaced by an electronic switch) beside the driver's seat allowed the driver to adjust the height of the car; this height adjustability allows for the clearing of obstacles, fording shallow streams and changing tyres. Since Citroën was underfunded, its vehicles had the tendency to be under-developed at launch, with limited distribution and service networks outside France. Consequently the early DS models experienced teething issues with the novel suspension but, eventually, the hydropneumatics were sorted out and became reliable. Licensing such a technological leap forward was pursued to a limited extent. In 1965 the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow used this type of suspension, while the 1963 Mercedes-Benz 600 and Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 6.3 tried to replicate its advantages with a costly, complex and expensive to maintain air suspension that avoided the Citroën-patented technology. By 1975, the Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 was finally produced with this proven system and MercedesBenz continues to offer variations on this technology today. During Citroën's 1968–1975 venture with Maserati, the Citroën high-pressure hydraulic system was used on several Maserati models : for power clutch operation (Bora); power pedal adjustment (Bora); pop-up headlights (Bora, Merak); brakes (Bora, Merak, Khamsin); steering (Khamsin) and the entire Quattroporte II prototype, which was a four-door Citroën SM under the skin. Aerodynamic pioneer Citroën was one of the early pioneers of the now-widespread trend of aerodynamic automobile design, which helps to reduce fuel consumption and to improve high-speed performance, by reducing wind resistance. The DS could happily cruise at 160 km/h (100 mph) without any discomfort for the occupants. The firm began using a wind tunnel in the 1950s, helping them to create highly streamlined cars, such as the DS, that were years ahead of their competitors. So good were the aerodynamics of the CX model, that it took its name from the mathematical term used to measure the drag coefficient.
Expansion and financial challenges In the 1960s, Citroën undertook a series of financial and development decisions, aiming to build on its strength of the 1950s with the successful 2CV, Type H, and DS models. Citroën went bankrupt in 1974, so the effectiveness of these manoeuvres is rather doubtful. From 1974, Citroen limped through various partnerships with Peugeot and then Maserati. They were hit badly by huge disputes with the French Trade Unions from which they struggled to recover. They are now basically owned by the Chinese Dongfeng Motors and many of their vehicles are now built in China. Outrageous design, influential technological developments all but gone now. Another wonderful marque all but disappears from view. Citroën Firsts - Commercial Diesel Car - Monocoque - 4-wheel independent suspension - Commercial front wheel drive - Production 4-wheel disc brakes
Another one bites the dust. There seems to be no room in the modern market for “Outrageous Design”
- Hydro-pneumatic suspension
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Upcoming Events: Progress July 2019
July July 4: American Independence Day Run: Leaves Beaumont Street 7.30pm for St Heliers. July 6: Warkworth and Wellsford Winter Woollies Wander. July 14: Rotorua VCC Swap Meet. July 17: Auckland Branch Midweek Tourers: Drury Service Centre. July 20-21: CRC Speedshow. ABS Showground www.speedshow.co.nz
July 21: NSVCC Garage Raid. Meet at Clubrooms at 10.00am. Cars away 10.30am (see page 23 for details) July 28: Caffeine and Classics: Smales Farm, 9-12.
August August 21: Auckland Branch Midweek Tourers : Starts Westgate Mall. August 25: Daffodil Fund Raising Day. August 25: Caffeine and Classics: Smales Farm, 9-12.
September September 28-29: NSVCC Spring Tour : Starts Mangere. More details to follow. September 29: Caffeine and Classics: Smales Farm: 9-12.
Regular Weekly Timetable •
Every Wednesday Club-Night: coffee, tea and banter
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Every Thursday Morning 9am—Noon : Restoration shed, Spares Shed and Library all open. Coffee, Tea and Cakes at 10.30. Over 40 members now regularly attending at 10.30. We need more sausage rolls please!!
Longer Term •
North Cape to Bluff Tour: 24 September - 18 October 2019: Contact: Paul Collins for further details. Mob: 027 292 2204 or Collins.electronics@xtra.co.nz
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2020 National Easter Rally: Organised by Horewhenua Branch, Levin. Expressions of interest required ASAP
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Back in the saddle: Part 3 Arnold and Marieke reach the USA
Progress July 2019
Our last journal we wrote from Havana, from there we flew to Miami and returned to our bikes to continue the journey along the Atlantic coast of the USA. What an enormous contrast with Cuba, six-lane highways, huge, mostly new cars whizzing by at speed, no visible big black smoke coming out of exhaust pipes, lots of ads, telling one there are supermarkets with endless choices. Northwards along the beaches, lagoons and coves all these flanked by huge condo's, apartment and large homes with beautifully cared for verges, landscaping is big business. When we overnighted in a State Park north of Tequesta our little tent was dwarfed by the enormous RVs with 3 pushouts. We continued in the sunshine in temps of around 30 degrees C with very favourable winds, side on or just on the tail. On the islands and cays, over high bridges, we saw dolphins gliding elegantly through the water, pelicans and ibis flying high above. The beaches are very often private with wooden steps going up the dunes with a locked gate but also fine public access with shaded picnic tables and toilet facilities and not to forget drinking fountains. We made a special ride off the route to the Kennedy Space Centre on Cape Canaveral, one of Arnold’s dearest wishes, while he was immersing himself I watched the scene go by in the shade by the gate to keep an eye on the bikes. I sat amongst thousands of black flying bugs with an orange dot on their backs, how sweet I thought mother bus is carrying baby bus on her back ah but not so.....they are called Lovebugs, they mate whilst in flight, the female is at least a half size larger than the male and he hangs on. After the flying love scene the male dies, Oh dear!!! In the famous town of Daytona (Daytona Beach Speedway) we sat out the most enormous thunder storm, in a café with the most dreadful coffee ever. (Ed: I’ve just spend 10 days in France and found many competitors for “the most dreadful coffee ever” )
On the end of that wet day we rode into Flagler State Park and got a beautiful leafy spot to put the tent up, the sun came out and we dried out! Life is not always that sweet, so there was a day with strong headwinds, waves in the Atlantic Ocean were thumping on the beaches, a wonderful sound nevertheless. We spent an afternoon in Saint Augustin the Nations Oldest City, established in 1565 by the Spaniards, many times fought over and ransacked by the British and the French, a grand fort, Castillo de San Marcos is still standing proudly after centuries on Matanzas Bay. Onwards to Jacksonville along a similar landscape, the summer houses very often empty, many of them almost on the beaches, the sand eroding away leaving the houses very vulnerable. We are almost on the border of the state Georgia (named for the British King George) and say goodbye for now. In NZ may the winter be kind and in Holland may the summer be warm. Marieke and Arnold Van Zon 11
Progress July 2019
Workshop Updates A brie f update on all t he curre nt workshop projects. Achievements last month, plans for coming mont hs .
The Chev : Tony Sparkes: Some progress is being made. “Upholstery” Jim (as opposed to “Engines” Jim) is gluing vinyl to the running boards and very smart they look too. We are still having trouble sourcing the temperature gauge and piping at a reasonable cost. But we are hopeful the coming weeks will be fruitful.
The Bedford AA Truck: Little progress as our bodywork team is enjoying a European summer (Ed: Sorry chaps!).
The Bus: Clive Sandham: Very little progress on Dennis Just fitting seats and preparing to lay the lino with the rear mudguards removed.
The BSA Van: Neil Beckenham: Thanks to Paul Collins, George McGregor and Richard Lloyd for their generous donation of Kauri timber to help rebuild the body of the BSA. We have had the engine running several times and it sounds great, even though the muffler has rusted off: in fact the engine purrs like a kitten. We have checked through the pre-select gearbox and have taken it through the gears and it appears in good working order. The differential has been checked over and all seems quiet.
AGM Awards: Congratulations to the following members who received awards at our AGM last month. Presentation of Awards:
Vintage Post Vintage Post War Post 60s Husband and Wife Team Ralliest Shield Club Captains Cup Posh Picnic Most Enthusiastic Member Points Overall for year Northern Raid Plotters Trophy Ladies Trophy Restoration of the Year Ajax Trophy North Shore Triple Combined
Phillip & Beryl Stenger Paul Collins Mike Garner Peter and Heather Lloyd David Lane Barry and Pam Thompson Owen Sturges (Well deserved for all the clubhouse painting) Denis Martin Paul Collins Richard Bampton Paul Collins
Long Membership Awards:
35 Years
Stephen Raffills Terry and Malcom Dean Bruce Rogers (Wakefield)
25 Years
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Sorting through old boxes Here’s an interesting article from the December 1981 Edition of Old Motor Magazine. Thanks to Tony Sparkes for spotting this, whilst having a clear-out.
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Progress July 2019
Mech.Eng. 101: The Wankel Rotary Motor
Progress July 2019
Hopefully some of you will remember last month’s piece on “The Crank” and the efforts and complexity associated with the efficient transfer of power from the “Up/Down” piston motion to the “Round and Around” Gearbox drive shaft motion. Did you ever think of the simplicity of an engine that went “Round and Around” in the first place? Well German engineer Felix Wankel did and in fact first patented his design way back in 1929. In the Wankel engine, the traditional four strokes occur in the space between each face of a three-sided symmetric rotor and the inside of a housing. The oval-like ‘epitrochoid’ housing surrounds a triangular rotor with bow-shaped faces. The theoretical shape of the rotor between the fixed apexes is the result of a minimization of the volume of the geometric combustion chamber and a maximization of the compression ratio, respectively. The symmetric curve connecting two apexes of the rotor is maximized in the direction of the inner housing shape with the constraint that it not touch the housing at any angle of rotation.
The central drive shaft, called the "eccentric shaft" passes through the centre of the rotor being supported by fixed bearings. The rotors ride on eccentrics (analogous to crankpins in piston engines) integral to the eccentric shaft (analogous to a crankshaft). The rotors both rotate around the eccentrics and make orbital revolutions around the eccentric shaft. Seals at the apexes of the rotor seal against the periphery of the housing, dividing it into three moving combustion chambers. The rotation of each rotor on its own axis is caused and controlled by a pair of synchronizing gears. A fixed gear mounted on one side of the rotor housing engages a ring gear attached to the rotor and ensures the rotor moves exactly 1/3 turn for each turn of the eccentric shaft. The power output of the engine is not transmitted through the synchronizing gears. The rotor moves in its rotating motion guided by the gears and the eccentric shaft, not by being guided by the external chamber. The rotor must not rub against the external engine housing. The force of expanded gas pressure on the rotor exerts pressure to the centre of the eccentric part of the output shaft. It’s pretty tricky to visualise the operation of a Wankel engine but there’s a very good moving graphic here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wankel_Cycle_anim_en.gif (copy and paste this link into your web browser). The easiest way to visualize the action of the engine in the animation is to look not at the rotor itself, but the spaces or cavities created between it and the housing. The Wankel engine is actually a variable-volume progressing-cavity system. As you will see the rotor almost wobbles around in the housing creating vacuums and high pressure areas as it wobbles its way around. As the rotor rotates orbitally revolving, each side of the rotor is brought closer to and then away from the wall of the housing, compressing and expanding the combustion chamber like the strokes of a piston in a reciprocating piston engine. The power vector of the combustion stage goes through the centre of the offset lobe.
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The Wankel Rotary Motor Continued
Progress July 2019
While a four-stroke piston engine completes one combustion stroke per cylinder for every two rotations of the crankshaft, each combustion chamber in the Wankel generates one combustion stroke per driveshaft rotation, i.e. one power stroke per rotor orbital revolution and three power strokes per rotor rotation. Thus, the power output of a Wankel engine is generally higher than that of a four-stroke piston engine of similar engine displacement in a similar state of tune; and higher than that of a four-stroke piston engine of similar physical dimensions and weight. Wankel engines generally are able to reach much higher engine revolutions than reciprocating engines of similar power output. This is due partly to the smoothness inherent in circular motion, and the fact that the "engine" rpm is of the output shaft which is 1.5 times faster than that of the oscillating parts. The eccentric shafts do not have the stress related contours of crankshafts. The maximum revolutions of a rotary engine is limited by tooth load on the synchronizing gears. Hardened steel gears are used for extended operation above 7000 or 8000 rpm. Mazda Wankel engines in auto racing are operated above 10,000 rpm. In aircraft they are used conservatively, up to 6500 or 7500 rpm. However, as gas pressure participates in seal efficiency, racing a Wankel engine at high rpm under no load conditions can destroy the engine. Developments for cars Mazda and NSU signed a study contract to develop the Wankel engine in 1961 and competed to bring the first Wankel-powered automobile to market. Although Mazda produced an experimental Wankel that year, NSU was first with a Wankel automobile for sale, the sporty NSU Spider in 1964; Mazda countered with a display of two- and four-rotor Wankel engines at that year's Tokyo Motor Show. In 1967, NSU began production of a Wankel-powered luxury car, the Ro 80. However, NSU had not produced reliable apex seals on the rotor, unlike Mazda and Curtiss-Wright. NSU had problems with apex seals' wear, poor shaft lubrication, and poor fuel economy, leading to frequent engine failures, not solved until 1972, which led to large warranty costs curtailing further NSU Wankel engine development. This premature market release of the Wankel engine gave a poor reputation for all makes and even when these issues were solved in the last engines produced by NSU in the second half of the '70s, sales did not recover. Audi, after the takeover of NSU, built in 1979 a new KKM 871 engine with side intake ports and 750 cc per chamber, 170 hp (130 kW) at NSU Ro80 6,500 rpm, and 220 Nm at 3,500 rpm. The engine was installed in an Audi 100 hull named ‘Audi 200’, but was not massproduced. Mazda, however, claimed to have solved the apex seal problem operating test engines at high speed for 300 hours without failure. After years of development, Mazda's first Wankel engine car was the 1967 Cosmo 110S. The company followed with a number of Wankel ("rotary" in the company's terminology) vehicles, including a bus and a pickup truck. Customers often cited the cars' smoothness of operation. However, Mazda chose a method to comply with hydrocarbon emission standards that, while less expensive to produce, increased fuel consumption. Unfortunately for Mazda, this was introduced immediately prior to a sharp rise in fuel prices. Curtiss-Wright produced the RC2-60 engine which was comparable to a V8 engine in performance and fuel consumption. Unlike NSU, by 1966 Curtiss-Wright had solved the rotor sealing issue with seals lasting 100,000 miles (160,000 km). 15
The Wankel Rotary Motor Continued
Progress July 2019
Mazda later abandoned the Wankel in most of their automotive designs, continuing to use the engine in their sports car range only, producing the RX-7 until August 2002. The company normally used two-rotor designs. A more advanced twinturbo three-rotor engine was fitted in the 1991 Eunos Cosmo sports car. In 2003, Mazda introduced the Renesis engine fitted in the RX-8. The Renesis engine relocated the ports for exhaust from the periphery of the rotary housing to the sides, allowing for larger overall ports, better airflow, and further power gains. Some early Wankel engines had also side exhaust ports, the concept being abandoned because of carbon build-up in ports and the sides of the rotor. The Renesis engine solved the problem by using a keystone scraper side seal, and approached the thermal distortion difficulties by adding some parts made of ceramics. The Renesis is capable of 238 hp (177 kW) with improved fuel economy, reliability, and lower emissions than previous Mazda rotary engines, all from a nominal 1.3 L displacement.
Mazda RX3
However, this was not enough to Mazda RX7 meet more stringent emissions standards. Mazda ended production of their Wankel engine in 2012 after the engine failed to meet the improved Euro 5 emission standards, leaving no automotive company selling a Wankel-powered vehicle. The company is continuing development of the next generation of Wankel engines, the SkyActiv-R. Mazda states that the SkyActiv-R solves the three key issues with previous rotary engines: fuel economy, emissions and reliability. In October 2018 Mazda confirmed a rotary engine will be in a hybrid car ready for sale in 2020. Please Google “Wikipedia Wankel�, the source of this material for some further information.
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FORD KNITTING CLUB GO ON A GOLD CARD SMOKO (Editor: Warning this item has very little to do with cars. Do NOT read if you are of a nervous disposition)
Progress July 2019
A small group of active Hot Rodders meet for smoko on Mondays, at the Waimauku Village. Smoko consists of either a big breakfast, omelettes or muffins and coffee. Our name Ford derives from “Five Old Rodding Delinquents” One might enquire the need to meet on such a regular basis? Subjects covered include but not limited to, other Hot Rodders choice of wheels, club activities, oil leaks, current market appraisals, NSVCC and the management, upcoming elections. Now and again the odd member may get characterised. Possibly the most discussed topic is what current medications we have been prescribed, more importantly – are these working? A couple of weeks back I managed to somehow turn up a bit late. Four seated souls were either talking with their mouths full or sipping coffee. Each and every one of these Rodders had grins the width of a 58 Cadillac Grill. Combined with this were smirks and eyes the size of tuppenny gobstoppers. I enquired as to why the group looked so ecstatically happy. What is the excitement amongst you guys? What makes this the highlight of the smoko? A new bus route started today from Westgate to the Albany Bus Exchange (the 126). A new bus route has excited a mob of Hot Rodders? Yes, now buses travel from Westgate via Riverhead to Albany. This enables a streamline service to town. Obviously this will be uncharted territory needing complex consultation to persuade an outing. Nah, let’s just “Gold Card” it.
Let’s explore how we can all “Gold Card” from 9am to dark, departing Riverhead to Waiheke Island. Voted, sorted, confirmed. Scheduling indicated 9.15am ex Riverhead to Albany would allow the delinquents free, no cost motoring on the “Looser Cruiser”. The delinquents: – Mike (Purple Rod, Harbour City) Bruce (Red 36 Cabriolet, North Shore VCC) Barry (Brown 32, North Shore VCC) Keith (Blue 34, East Coast Bays) Noel (Silver 32, North Shore VCC). All these cars wear the Ford logo with pride. Monday dawned a bit cooler – 12 degrees. Mike & Noel were to meet at the Shell Bus Stop, the remaining 3 at Riverhead shops. Mike’s Gold Card was only 1 day old, the 126 arrived, proud as punch he swiped his way to free transport as did Noel. The next bus stop Riverhead shops, correct roll call – 3 awaiting the “Looser Cruiser”. Bruce and Keith swiped on trouble free. All hell broke loose when Barry attempted to swipe on - red flashing lights – buzzing. Man, did the machine inside the door go wild. This more than got the driver’s attention. “Sir” the driver said, “Your card is overdrawn”. That is, you have zero credit. “My recommendation, is that on arrival at the Albany Bus Exchange you present yourself and the no value card to the counter”. On arrival at the Albany Bus station all the five delinquents proceeded to the counter, showing solidarity. “Sorry Mister your card is overdrawn by 80 cents”. Barry pleads his case, getting assurances from the four supporters by his shoulder. “Look lady, I had a five dollar credit. Damn near impossible” protests Barry –“ not at all possible” . “Sir you did 2 trips from Herald Island and consumed your $5 credit plus 80c of ours”. Sheepishly Barry dusted off his eftpos card and tendered $5.80. This enabled him to enjoy a $5 credit. “Sir, with this transaction completed, your privileges are reinstated”. Within minutes we were all on the Albany to Town NEX double decker. Mind you we all helped drive. We took up the top level front four seats. Great view. This journey takes about 25 – 30 mins. All we heard for about 21 minutes was the troubled card and the $5.80: Barry was real grumpy. Barry could not understand how the Auckland Transport infrastructure could take all his hard earned money. There was even a mention of speaking with Phil Goff. In town, across the road to the Ferry Terminal incident free. With about a 20 minute wait for the ferry departure, we felt a coffee would be nice from the takeaway man in the entrance hall. “Gullible” Barry hit the jackpot for a second time – We all ordered mediums sized drinks, Barry a large at $1.20 extra. You guessed it – all came out mediums!!
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Ford Knitting Club: Continued Progress July 2019
Staff on the ferry were very nice, they welcomed us aboard in a cordial manner. We tender evidence of a smooth ride on the ferry to the island by way of a photo taken by a fellow passenger. So far we have “Gold Carded” Riverhead to Albany, Albany to town – Viaduct Basin to Waiheke Island. One more leg of the journey to go – Waiheke Ferry Terminal to Oneroa township. On the bus. You got it, it worked. Go the Gold Card. A short walk found us choosing a Thai restaurant for the special of the day. Nice food, lovely view of the water. Time to sort the account, let’s pay separately. All was fine until a commotion at the till - Keith couldn’t believe his beer was $8.00. Turned out his lovely cold lager had used carbon miles to travel from Singapore to Auckland. The consensus confirmed the eight bucks was good value. A short stroll down the hill to the very empty beach. Our feeling was, this would be standing room only at Christmas, just a lovely spot. Now if I can try to explain a situation/incident. We needed to confirm what bus and direction that would transport us back to the ferry. Ask a local, you might say. OK… there are five delinquents, only one carrying a backpack – Mike. The three walled glass bus shelter with a wooden bench seat along the back wall. About 4 or 5 locals standing close by awaiting their local transport. Two local lads sitting in the shelter, one had obviously lost both his shaver and hair brush. “Hey guys – where can we catch the bus back to the ferry please?” Mike asks. The five of us were all leaning on one foot. Awaiting the correct information from the horse’s mouth. As it turned out when he opened his mouth his teeth looked like a piano keyboard – one white, one black. The guy said “look over your right shoulder, just down the hill on the other side of the road”. With that a Police car pulls up, a huge cop gets out. Goes straight to one of the locals – “step this way, I need to inspect your bag.” Well Mike thought – these locals could think this is a drug run from the mainland gone wrong. A six minute ride back to the ferry to catch the 2pm. A comfortable trip to town – bus to Albany and finally the 126 to Riverhead, arriving 4.45pm. Great day – great people and company. A very short manuscript to record events. All because of Hot Rods – what a sport.
Lovely story boys and it just goes to prove that you don’t have to be crazy to be a member of NSVCC…..But it helps!
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Classic Racing in France
Progress July 2019
(What we did on our ‘olidays) Helen’s brother lives in France. Part of our grand trip to visit and see our daughter and new grandson, was to travel to France, where Helen’s brother had organised a weekend family get-together at his place. Our destination was La Châtre: if you were to draw a diagonals across France from top right to bottom left and top left to bottom right, would intersect pretty close to La Châtre. La Châtre has a population of around 4500, but more importantly it has a race circuit. Better still that race circuit was a 10 minute walk down a leafy lane from where we were staying. And the story gets better, for the weekend of our visit coincided with ‘Auto Retro Sport’. Basically two days of classic racing. Even better still, the event included the regional Mini Owners’ Club celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Mini. I was almost in heaven. (Not quite as there was only a single classic Ford around and that was a German one!) Format for the day involved continuous racing at 15 minute intervals (roughly 12 laps) of matched and mixed classes. Open-Wheel racers used the trackside pits (with its own beer tent ...only in France?) and all other cars shared two fields. Everywhere was open to the public. On race days the passing main road is closed and becomes part of the circuit. The main interest for me was the cars themselves and the opportunities to photograph them and indulge my photography hobby.
Open wheel racers: There’s an opportunity here for some detective work by you, trying to identify some of these cars. Most interestingly were the half dozen, twin cylinder, aircooled racers. I think that these were Panhards, but I’m not really sure. Anyone know?
More LHD Minis than I’ve Ever seen before!
Horizontally Opposed Twin Air-Cooled Engines.
Apart from these amazing beasts there were a number of other interesting vehicles, some I suspect were ‘Specials’, but I did recognise the AC Cobra, giving ‘Race Experience’ rides during the racing. Here’s a couple more of the specialist racers:
Brave, Foolhardy or perhaps
Special??
The Pitlane Beer-tent?
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Classic Racing in France (Continued)
Progress July 2019
Circuit La Châtre has a good reputation and apparently Alain Proust, Jackie Ickx and Jacky Stewart all raced there in the early years. Saturday at the track was overcast but on Sunday the sun and crowds arrived. It was harder to find a good trackside spot, but I did manage to get some decent photos. Racing was very competitive. Before the action, in a stroll around the pits, I found some very interesting stuff.
1923 Citroen Type C
Alpine (Pron: Al-Peen)
Renault 4
Alpine A110 Berlinette
The saloon car races were great fun, some real mismatches, some classy drivers, some muppet drivers and some great head to heads with the most unlikely match-ups. In one race a Lotus Elise was neck and neck with an ELVA for the whole race. The ELVA had the corners and the Lotus had the straights. Anyway over this and the next page here are some of my photos taken over a hedge at the hairpin, where the track joins the D943 La Chatre to Chateauroux Road.
The Lotus and the ELVA
Rally Spec Triumph GT6
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Classic Racing in France
Progress July 2019
Continued
Full Rally-Spec Alpine A110
Race prepared Renault R8 Gordini
Alfa Romeo GTA
Alpine Berlinette takes the hairpin
The red Alpine keeps clear of the Rodded Renault
Rip-Snorting, Fire Breathing, Rodded Renault 4 Gordini
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Classic Racing in France
Progress July 2019
Continued
Le Mini
Renault Dauphine
Alfa Romeo Spyder (I want one!!)
Seemingly a match for anything. The ELVA
AC Cobra
The Alpine keeps clear of the Rodded Renault
Genuine AC Cobra on the main straight
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Club Run: Garage Raid: 21st July
Progress July 2019
NORTH SHORE VINTAGE CAR CLUB JULY CLUB RUN
Sunday 21st July Meet at Club Rooms at 10.00 a.m. Cars away at 10.30 a.m.
We are heading north past Matakana to our Garage Raid and Car Collection. Lunch after will be at Sandspit.
Look forward to seeing you all there.
Club Captain: Richard Lloyd 09-420-5048 or 027-483-2898
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Progress July 2019
About Us Club Address: 40 Masons Rd, Albany, 0632 Phone: 09-4792779: email: northshorevcc@gmail.com Website: www.vintagecarclub-northshore.co.nz Club Nights: Every Wed from 7.30pm. Restoration Shed: Every Tuesday & Thursday mornings 9am - 12pm Committee Meetings: Last Monday of the month, 7.30pm Club Runs: Normally 1pm start, 3rd Sun. of month. Always check the ‘Upcoming events’ VERO Branch Reference Number: HO0300144 (Quoting this number when renewing your insurance gives a small commission back to the club)
Main Committee Chairman: Kevin Lord 09-413-9157 or 027-235-0142
Vice Chairman: John Higham 09-478-7973 Immediate Past Chairman: Paul Collins 09-422-0500 or 027-292-2204 Secretary: Maurice Whitham 09-627-0310 or 027-296-9293 Treasurer: Ross Moon 09-426-1508 Club Captain: Richard Lloyd 09-420-5048 or 027-483-2898 Assistant Club Captain: Neil Beckenham 09-426-5831 or 021-588-536 GENERAL COMMITTEE Members:
John Tombs 09-478-5677 or 027-378-5590 Clive Sandham 09-486-6047 or 021-903-548 Tony Sparkes 09-473-5828 or 027-499-5588 Michael Dorbeck 09 415 8339 or 021 998 755 Magazine Editor: Stuart Battersby: Tel: 022 471 2759: Email battersby56@sky.com THE INFORMATION IN THIS MAGAZINE IS SUPPLIED AS A SERVICE TO MEMBERS. ARTICLES OF INTEREST ARE ALWAYS WELCOMED. THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS MAGAZINE ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHORS AND THE CLUB ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OF ANY ARTICLES OR STATEMENTS HEREIN.
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