SIDE CURTAINS
SIDE CURTAINS The magazine of the
ROTORUA VINTAGE AND VETERAN CAR CLUB
MAY 2022
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SIDE CURTAINS - May 2022 The magazine of the ROTORUA VINTAGE AND VETERAN CAR CLUB
Clubrooms: Neil Hunt Park, Tarawera Rd, Rotorua Postal: PO Box 2014, Rotorua Email: rotorua@vcc.org.nz Website: www.rotoruavintagecarclub.org.nz Vero Insurance: Phone 0800 658 411 and quote your VCC membership number Club Meetings: 2nd Wednesday of month (except January), 7.15pm for 7.30pm start OFFICERS
Chairperson - David Tomlinson Secretary - Dennis Whimp 021 731 678 Treasurer - Terry Fitzpatrick Club Captain Terry Wadsworth Asst. Club Captain Fleur Tomlinson Committee Ronald Mayes Neville Harper Lois Thompson Jenny Cole Dennis Brown Geoff Nitz
CONTENTS Chairman’s Report
2
From The Secretary
4
Down Under Short Tour
6
Car Models
8
April Twilight Run
9
For Sale
10
Coming Events
12
Mid Weekers - Jenny Cole Side Curtains Editor - David Tomlinson rvvcc.editor@gmail.com Beaded Wheels - Ronald Mayes Librarian - Dennis Kenny Librarian - Ronald Mayes Cards/Flowers - Doreen Green
Cover Photos Front - David Tomlinson’s Bedford J1 Back - April events
CLUB CAR PHOTOS
If you want your club car photo on the clubroom wall then get in touch with Doug Green, and he will organise a time and place for a photo shoot. It would be good if we could have all member’s car photos on display. Side Curtains May 2022
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Chairman’s Report
- April 2022 by David Tomlinson
Who noticed that the last issue of Side Curtains had the wrong date on the footer of every page? I think it is correct for this issue. We are at long last slowly returning to normal, but we have had a few hiccups with our events, but nothing we haven’t managed to work through. A reminder our next club night (May) is also our AGM. We are in need of some new faces on the committee, most importantly a Treasurer. The AGM is important, but we will also have a car on display, and it will be an enjoyable evening. It is a good night to bring back any 2021 trophies you hold, and also to put your name down on our Swap Meet volunteers board. I went to the “Oil Down” coffee and cars meet again at Tauriko at the beginning of May, and even though the weather was a bit inclement there was another great turnout, including many cars I had not seen before. At the end of the meet a large number of the cars did a tour around Rotorua. This time I took my 1959 Bedford J1 truck. It is a very good morning out, and only 50km from Rotorua. It is held on the first Sunday of each month. In April I had my 1978 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II as the car in the room. I am puzzled that there was an electric winch on the back seat of my car when I went to go home. I will swear it was not there when I arrived! Does anyone know about this? Please let me know if you do. For our May club night the car in the room will be Ralph Bennett’s 1938 Buick Sedan. Our first “Twilight Run” was successful, and the dinner afterwards was well received. Many thanks to the many people who planned and ran this event, including all the clubroom help, especially from Fleur and her helpers in the kitchen. With Fleur involved in putting on the dinner, I had my 3 children navigate for me, and I think we did it 100% correctly, but I did see lots of cars going in directions we never went during the run! I think the night was successful enough that it will take over from 2
Side Curtains May 2022
the original Night Run on a permanent basis. We did do it as a dawnbreaking breakfast run one year, and that would still be an option for the people lucky enough to “win” the role of organiser for the following year. Our May club run will be our first Club Captain’s Run for some years, and will be a scavenger hunt type run. Please note the early start time! There will be light refreshments at the clubrooms when you return. In June the Chairman’s Run will be a poker run, and conclude with the branch prizegiving. Then in July we have our Swap Meet, and August will see the Sulphur City Rally run for the first time in 3 years. In September we will have a normal club run, then we will have our 10th Anniversary Lakefront Car Show on 30 October. We will probably have a club run in October too. Hopefully we can start to announce plans for our branch’s 50th year celebrations, which promises to be an exciting and important event. Just a reminder that Dennis and Jenny have taken a 6 month break from organising the midweek runs while they travel overseas (remember when we used to do that?), but there will be runs planned each month, and I am sure we will gratefully accept them back as the midweek organisers upon their return. We might even get to see Dennis’ Humber on the road! Please note that the ramp beside the club rooms is showing signs of being in poor condition, and it is not recommended that it be used until further notice. We will investigate how to make this safe again and will keep members informed. There will be some minor disruption to use of the clubrooms late in May as we will be having the old brown carpet replaced with modern carpet tiles. These are very durable and comfortable. The old carpet is starting to come away from the floor, and has already been stretched in the past, and needed to be replaced before someone trips over one of the very big wrinkles that regularly appeared. Just a reminder that we have no Covid related restrictions in place any more, but you are welcome to wear a mask at any time when taking part in club activities. It is also possible that masks will be required on places we might visit when out on our runs, so always bring a mask! Side Curtains May 2022
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FROM THE SECRETARY by Dennis Whimp It is now May and we still have beautiful fine weather to allow the convertible hoods to be down. Long may it last at least until after our swap meet on July 10th. An inspection of the stock car venue revealed that even more concrete pads had been laid. The commentators building and old toilets that were going to be demolished have been deferred for a year, so next year we may be part way through their replacements. Alan and a few of the swap meet organisers decided that this year we will get the early shift to gather at 6am with the object of opening the gates to the sellers at 6.15am to allow them more time to set up before the buyers enter at 7am. The area has had further upgrades to the LED area lighting system so there should be no longer any need for headlamps. The passing of ex-chairman John Lamb. Further to the email that was sent out to members, I would like to record for those without email that it was with sadness we advised that John passed away in late March. John and Adele moved to Rotorua in the 1970s and brought with them their blue 1925 Austin 12/4 “Gumdrop” that was a very regular attendee at most of our rallies. John and Adele became heavily involved in all aspects of the branch with John on the committee and becoming chairman in 1985-87 and 93-94. John was on the building extension group that planned and built the current kitchen, library and storeroom 25 years ago. And Adele was one of the three MAMs that organised the busy 4
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social life of the branch at that time. They moved to Tauranga approximately 20 years ago and transferred to that branch. John and Adele attended all of our January car shows in their classic Mustang. Our Sympathies go out to Adele and family. We will all miss that huge smile. At the last committee meeting, it was decided to accept the quotation from Choices Flooring for replacement Extra Heavy Duty rubber backed carpet tiles that will replace the delaminating brown carpet in the main meeting room. Choices Flooring is owned by one of our new members, Malcolm Pearce. Malcolm very generously offered our branch a $1,000 discount off the normal price which was approximately the difference between his and opposition price for the same tiles. They are programmed to remove the old carpet and lay the tiles on the 23 and 24 May.
WORKING BEE. SUNDAY 22 MAY 1.30pm
We need to remove all the chairs and furniture off the carpet area and store it in the side rooms and hard floored areas. It should only take 4 to 6 people an hour to do this. We can also have a tidy up around the outside rear of the building, cutting back the vegetation and picking up the oak leaves and acorns. I will call for volunteers at the Wednesday night meeting. If you are not at the meeting but willing to help, please phone me on 021 731 678. We will also require a further working bee to put the chairs and furniture back which will be dependent on the tiles being laid as programmed. We are still looking for a replacement treasurer as Terry and Sandra are retiring after 7 years of sterling service. If you can help please let me know. Side Curtains May 2022
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Down Under Short Tour
by David Mayhew
Thanks to Covid most of my regular rallies have been postponed and then postponed again, such a shame as we in New Zealand are coming to the end of a magnificent summer; almost perpetual sunshine. However, for the last weekend in February the motorcycle group of the Waikato branch of the Vintage Car Club in Cambridge were able to organize a three day tour of the Bay of Plenty. I decided that it would not be practical to park my car and trailer in Cambridge for two nights as the group on the tour would be spending those two nights in my home city. Sadly for Clive Hallam his Mk 111 Sports Dougie lost a carburettor banjo bolt and the bike was parked up by a friendly motorist on the opposite side of the lake, half a marathon away from their holiday camp; but me being a “local” I was able to pick it up on my trailer and deliver it back to him. Saturday morning, first bike away about 9am; I thought that I was last and thinking that I was behind everyone, but not having my local knowledge several had gone wrong right at the start and I was in front. We took the road south toward lake Taupo but soon turned left in the direction of Lake Rerewhakaaitu (try to pronounce that one), the only natural lake of fourteen in the area that is not of volcanic origin. We took a sharp right past Waimangu thermal springs with its boiling mud pools and geysers and silica formations etc. then hit the straight road towards Kaiangaroa forest town. Cruising along at 50, half a dozen fast bikes past me and left me all on my own for about half an hour. We then stopped for a “catch up” and chat at the small country town of Murupara before carrying on to, or maybe through, Galatea, which is nothing more, nothing less than millions of hectares of beautiful farm land. Then on to our picnic lunch beside hydro Lake Aniwhenua. Sadly, using Covid as an excuse the authorities had closed the gate preventing us from taking a sightseeing walk over the dam. Nevertheless after having enjoyed a super lunch we carried on along the Galatea road crossing the Matahina dam with its long drop on the left and lake in the right. 6
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Soon we were bypassing the seaside city of Whakatane and wending our way over the winding Rotoma hills, a super ride. Incidentally, the last time that I went over the Rotomas was in a 90 kilometer cycle race to Whakatane when I was a young fella in my late seventies. Coming out of the hills we passed Lake Rotoma, Lake Rotoehu, Lake Rotoiti and so on back to Holdens Bay on Lake Rotorua where we enjoyed our final dinner together. Other riders came from further north; Auckland, Waihi and & Veteran Club Whangarei.Rotorua One goingVintage back to Whangarei wasCar on the end of a three proudly the I only rode for one thousand mile tour of the South present Island, whereas hundred and fifty miles.
The 41st Annual Central North Island
Swap Meet
& Car Show Spectacular Paradise Valley Raceway
7am - 2pm, Sunday, 10th July 2022
FEATURING VINTAGE, CLASSIC, MUSCLE CARS & HOT RODS Hundreds of vendors, with items of interest to all collectors of cars, motorcycles, hot rods, automobilia, automotive books, old toys, model cars and trains. Almost everything antique or collectible.
Hot food and refreshments available SELLER SITE INQUIRIES: Neville Harper 07 348 2412 or 027 494 7249, email daharpers@gmail.com CAR SHOW INQUIRIES: Bob Mackay 07 332 3849, email bob.mackaynz@gmail.com ALL OTHER INQUIRIES: Alan Judd 022 049 5492
Side Curtains May 2022
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Car Models by Ronald Mayes
Does anyone else collect model vehicles, particularly those of their own cars? Browsing in the Taupo model and hobbies shop in Gascoigne St recently I spotted some models which may be of interest to members: a BMW 2002Tii (sorry, not red), 1/43 scale, was $64 and now $35, 1/24 scale MGBs Mark II and III $71, and a large Solido Citroen DS23 for $115. I started collecting the odd Dinky Toy (made by Meccano Limited of Hornby train fame) back in the 1950s. They were then generally unavailable in NZ to protect the local toy industry but occasional models crept in. They, like Matchbox models, were not made to specific scales, but some were suitable for 0 (1/43) or 00 (1/76) model railways. Eventually standardised scales meant models came to range from tiny 1/86 scale for N gauge model railways, to 1/76, 1/64, 1/48 for commercial vehicles, 1/43, 1/36, 1/24 and even 1/18 and 1/12, the last two giving you very large and detailed models indeed. My collection grew in the 1980s and 1990s, a period of great interest in model collecting and many swapmeets to attend to grab that elusive bargain. Many are Dinky Toys but other makes meant I was able to obtain models of most of the cars I have owned, even a Vanden Plas Princess 1100, but no-one seems to make a model of the 1935-1938 Series I or II Morris Eight! I also have a cabinet full of a wide range of Rolls-Royces and Bentleys, but draw the line at models of examples from after the end of the 20th century - current R-Rs do not have the styling appeal for me of “real” R-Rs! Some of the Editor’s models... 8
Side Curtains May 2022
April Twilight Run
by Dennis Whimp
With the Lynmore/Owhata area undergoing a number of changes over the past few years, Dennis and Terry F. decided to show the area off. It was surprising how many crew members of the 16 cars said afterwards that they hadn’t been around those areas. There were lots of simple questions and hopefully simple instructions to keep the speeds down on very low trafficked urban roads which would allow for sightseeing. We even had the club cars approaching on the 4 legs of a roundabout all at the same time. That wasn’t meant to be. There must have been a bit of unintended sightseeing. Bill (not in the Austin 7 this time) with his granddaughter Christina plus Shona and Pat were the two crews who answered the most questions correctly with 15 out of 17. However they were not the winners as that was decided in the celebrity draw. The winners with the privilege of organising next year’s rally were Bob and Pat in the Triumph Vitesse. Second were Bill and Christina and third John and Jenny in the 1973 Triumph Stag. Fleur and helpers had as always prepared a delicious meal to feed the 45 in attendance. And further quizzes prepared by Dave had the grey matter in overdrive. A big thank you to Fleur and the helpers for the meal and the clean up afterwards.
Thought for the Month: Your Garden Circle Garden First plant five rows of peas: Presence, Promptness, Preparation, Pleasure and Participation. Next to these plant three rows of squash: Squash gossip, squash criticism, squash indifference. Then plant five rows of lettuce: Let us be loyal, let us be unselfish, let us be true to obligations, let us show love, let us obey rules. No garden is complete without turnips: Turn up to meetings, turn up with a smile, turn up with new ideas, turn up to make everything count for something good and worthwhile Side Curtains May 2022
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FOR SALE 1965 Rover 95 Saloon 6 cylinder 2.67 litre manual with certified power steering. In pristine condition. $15,000. Phone Doug on 027 274 4861
RAC (Royal Automobile Club) grille-mount badge, plastic (1960s70s), in mint, unused, condition, complete with RAC telephone box key in its envelope. $75. Ronald Mayes Ph 07 347 8490 or email randgmayes@gmail.com
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CLUB NIGHT & AGM - May 11th Neil Hunt Park - 7.30pm Car In The Room: 1938 Buick Sedan Followed by tea and coffee.
Club Captain’s Run Sunday, 15th May This will be our first Club Captain’s Run for some years, and will be a scavenger hunt type run. Be at the club rooms for an early start at 9.30am, with the first car away by 10am.
Midweekers Wednesday, 25th April by Dennis Whimp Meet at the clubrooms at 10.00am. The plan is for a short drive and lunch at a local café. Bring some walking shoes as there may be an opportunity to do a short walk on our travels. Rotorua Vintage & Veteran Car Club
proudly present the
10th Anniversary Annual Rotorua Lakefront Car Show 10am - 2pm, Sunday, 30th October 2022
ALL CARS, BIKES & COMMERCIALS WELCOME! Side Curtains May 2022 Join us for the 10th Anniversary of this fabulous event. Numbers have increased every year with almost 500 vehicles on display in 2020 and again in 2021.
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www.rvvcc.org.nz The branch website aims to meet the needs of our members, to promote our branch nationally, and to potential new members. If you have any suggestions please contact David Tomlinson. Please also make sure you “Like” our Facebook page to keep up to date.
Contributions to Side Curtains This is your magazine! Please feel free to share anything you think might be of interest to the membership by sending it to the editor, preferably by email, and a picture says a thousand words, so include photos where possible. Members taking part in club runs or events hosted by other branches are encouraged to pen a short piece about their experience to include in the next issue going to print. All items to the editor by the end of the month. 12
Side Curtains May 2022
April Midweekers
May “Oil Down” at Tauriko
April Midweekers
April Car In The Room