#0118 2022 2022
June 2022
PO Box 458, LEVIN 14 Tiro Tiro Road, LEVIN
Patron Chair Deputy Chair Secretary Treasurer Club Captains Committee
Welfare Officer Custodian & Maintenance Grounds People Spares Team
Library Archives Branch Delegate Spark Editor Spark Distribution VIC Team
Tom Hayes Bill Laney w.a.laney@xtra.co.nz John White j.mwhite@xtra.co.nz Heather Carter horowhenua@vcc.org.nz Jackie Job jackiejob73@gmail.com Bruce Lawrie Verdon Heath Des St Clare Bill Cottle Callum Farmer Nigel Wheeler Andrew Judd Bruce Jamieson Nigel Wheeler nigelgwheeler@gmail.com Bill Cottle Wayne Thrower
06 367 9445 027 4512408 06 368 3299 04 298 2044 06 368 2565 04 293 6803 (W) 04 293 4943 (H) 06 368 3824 027 4191412 027 4509636 06 3647238 06 367 2046 06 368 6891 027 6357336 06 367 2046 027 5674431 027 4509636 06 368 5611 020 4440098 06 362 6156 06 364 7238
Julia MacMillan Callum Farmer callumfarmer77@hotmail.com Rex Williams 06 367 0613 Mike Khull 06 363 5633 Bob Barton 06 367 8216 Jeff Fox 027 4486888 Colin Brooks 04 298 5458 Robert Cammish 04 905 0772 Don McLaren 021 1172418 Pauline St Clare 027 6506914 John White 06 368 3299 Bruce Jamieson 027 6357336 brucejamieson48@hotmail.com 06 825 9102 Bob Barton 06 367 8216 Verdon Heath, Ivan Horn and Mike Khull
Meeting Branch Night - 1st Wednesday of the month at 7 30 pm Committee Meeting - Last Wednesday of the month at 7 30 pm Working Bee - Saturday following Branch Night at 9 00 am Spare Parts - Open Saturday following Branch Night Club Bank Account No - 03 0667 0269227 00
Well, being your chairman has been an interesting experience, to say the least! But in spite of all the Covid problems (some of them Government induced) we are still alive and kicking. Our coming year’s event calendar is starting to shape up, and even our club finances are better than I thought they would be given our March swap meet cancellation. This is in no small measure thanks to Treasurer Jackie. Take a bow, Jackie! I had great pleasure on AGM night in presenting awards. The Chairman’s Cup to Callum Farmer for all his many years hard work in running our Spares department. This has provided a steady stream of income for us and Callum puts in a lot of hours ferreting out parts treasures and also at home on “trade me” selling them. The Tillson Trophy to Bob Barton for outstanding work effort in organising events. Bob was our club captain for a few years, he still handles our Spark magazine distribution, and is retiring from committee for a bit of a break. Well done Callum and Bob! Well deserved! One long-standing committee glitch was that several club officers, like spares, welfare, editor, library & club delegate, have been attending committee meetings, giving reports on their areas of expertise and responsibility, but being outside committee, they had no official vote on club affairs. These are the workhorses of the club, and we looked at changing our club constitution to accommodate this, but it was (and is) simply not practical. This has now been largely rectified by inviting these valuable people to stand for committee this AGM. So we now have a more streamlined committee for the coming year. I am sure the average club member has little idea of what goes on behind the scenes, and the amount of effort it takes a few to put on events for us all. Therefore, I would like to extend a standing invitation to every member to sit in on committee meetings to see the “inner workings” of our club.
The second and more urgent invitation is for ANY member to come forward with ideas for outings, events and suggestions for club night speakers. No kidding, we really do need some input here! I would like to close by thanking you all for your support, and wishing new Chairman, Bill Laney and his team, every success. May the force be with you, Bill! Ex Chairman
John White
The new boy on the block with his bit……………….. It is with a good deal of pride that I accept the office of Chairman of our Club. I must stress that it was not a job that I set out to attain, but now that it has happened, that you have expressed your desire to have me there, I will endeavour to fulfil the position as best I can. At this point in time there is not a great deal I can say in relation to the direction that we as a Club will be taking, but I do stress that this is one thing that is very high on my agenda, with the main concentration being on membership involvement and participation. At this time I would like to express our thanks to the members of the previous committee who have decided to stand down after having served us well in their respective rolls, namely Winton Cleal, Bob Barton, Warren MacMillan and Colin Brooks. Although they may have stood down from office, I am sure that we have not seen the last of any one of them, which is pleasing to expect. It does not matter what I am doing or participating in relating to the Club, I can never get member involvement out of my mind. There are so many ways that they can get involved, the main one being part of any activity that is organised and put together for them. I want to see a lot more of the members and their vehicles out there, which in turn will give me the opportunity to meet them and put names to a faces. I stress once again, I will be doing my best to have the committee provide the most enjoyable situations for all members to participate in. My phone is always there if you have any reason to call. After all, it is your Club, we are just looking after it for you. In the meantime, be aware and take care out there!
Bill Laney
Brucie’s Burblings We are finally learning to live with Covid and get on with our lives, albeit slightly differently. Feel free to contact Verdon or myself if you have an interesting venue that you may wish to visit. Please keep in mind that our ladies would also like to be entertained on these visits and to some of them one tractor or motorbike is just the same as another. Let's see if we can build in a bit of variety. Our next big event is our own daylight Night Owl Rally on Sunday 3rd July which I encourage everyone to attend. No tricky stuff, no straight-line navigation or tulip diagrams. A simple run that should be a lot of fun away from the main roads. And for the second time we are running in the day time to let everyone get home safely in the daylight. Coming events June 26th Mid-winter Lunch at the Masonic Village Restaurant. Meet there at 11.30.....roast $30 /head to club account by 18th June. No limit on numbers. June 18th Manawatu night run starts 4.00pm at their clubrooms. th June 25 Wellington Branch Monte Carlo. rd July 3 Daytime Night Owl Rally. st August 21 National VCC Daffodil Day Car display in Levin. Welcome to our new committee and officers, let's have a great year.
Roster for July 2022
Tony Haythornthwaite, Andrew Heffey, David & Jenny Hercock, David & Debbie Hobbs, Ivan Horn. Rostered kitchen crew please come early on Club Night to be briefed by Linda B on Covid and food handling rules. If you are unable to make it for either kitchen duties on Club Night, July 6th, or for the Working Bee on Saturday 9th July, 9 am till 12 noon, PLEASE let me know on 027 4512408 or w.a.laney@xtra.co.nz
Speaker for July
John Orr, a member of our club, is also a keen pilot. He will talk to us about aerobatics.
New Club Members
Nicki and Frank Renwick who have transferred from Blenheim.
Cover Picture
Breaking News. The restoration of Mike Khull’s Morris Minor Traveller is proceeding well. More photos inside.
After-Library Life Report
Just prior to declaring my non-availability for nomination for the Librarian position I found myself volunteering to assist Gibbo to serve supper at club night. Now I know how to make a cup of tea, but not where to find the makings. Then had to learn whether to add coffee to cups, and teabags the same, and how much or how many. Whoops, teaspoons needed, and somewhere to put them after the stir has been done. For the grumpy old buggers, find the sugar, let them decide one or two. Now a customer, name known but haven’t spoken for ages, “Gidday, coffee or tea?” “There you go.” “Hi, coffee or tea?” “Ok just hot water, no probs.” Next, “Hi.” “Coffee, half cold water.” “There ya go.” On and on the faces appear: young, old, new, chairman, names to remember, some unknown but greeting all the same. Finally the rush is over. “Here Don, saved you a savoury.” “Thanks mate.” Now the cleanup, all to the right places ready for next time. Thank God for the Zip turner-on, supper would have been a disaster without hot water.
Don McLaren
AP&I showgrounds
We have had a request from the management of the showgrounds to keep to a minimum the amount of driving on the grass during winter and spring. In particular they have asked that we don’t enter by the Victoria Street entrance and drive right across the paddock to our clubrooms.
Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.
AGM June 2022
There have been a few changes to our elected Branch Officers: Chair is now Bill Laney after John White stepped aside. Deputy Chair is John White. Secretary is Heather Carter. Committee Members are: Des St Clare, Callum Farmer, Andrew Judd, Bill Cottle, Nigel Wheeler and Bruce Jamieson. Branch Delegate is John White. Librarian is still Don McLaren, although he would like someone else to take over this position. Pauline St Clare has accepted the position as archivist temporarily, again until someone else will do this job. All other posts are the same as last year. Refer the updated list on inside cover of this issue of Spark. The incoming officers recognise the work of those who have stepped down, and express their thanks for their work, often over a period of many years. The following trophies were presented: Chairman’s Cup to Callum Farmer. Tillson Trophy to Bob Barton. Raewyn Lawrie Memorial Ladies’ Trophy to Cheryl Brooks.
Club Captain’s Trophy to Rex Williams.
All worthy winners for years of contributions to the club.
Many thanks to Paul Ireland for donating a load of topsoil. Club members were on hand to fill in a lowlying area of ground behind the club-rooms.
Mother's Day / Ladies Run and lunch A jovial bunch of 28 members turned up at the clubrooms at 11.30 on Sunday morning 15th May anticipating a fun event in great company. This run was set and checked by Heather Carter and a non-member friend from Levin a couple of weeks earlier, and meandered through the streets of Levin and surrounding countryside for about an hour before arriving at our lunch destination. The ladies were encouraged to drive and put the normal driver (a bloke) in the passenger's seat with a set of instructions to follow. Just to add to the fun some of the men dressed as women; wigs, dresses and all. If the ladies felt uncomfortable driving the old man's pride and joy, they could come in a modern, for which many of them took the opportunity. A great outing and a lot of fun ready for a repeat next year. Bruce Lawrie
Would you let your son go out with any of these?
Lady drivers. A Brockbank cartoon from the 1960s
Club members ready to order lunch
YUM, YUM!
Mid-winter lunch on June 26th. Masonic Village café, Queen Street, Levin. (Near Highway 57 intersection). Meet at 11:30 for kick-off at 12:00. No number limits, fixed menu, roast dinner + dessert + coffee at $30 pp. Pay to club account by June 18th. 03-0667-0269227-00 ref: name - mid winter lunch.
Ivan Benge. A tribute to a Life Member. My first contact with Ivan was in about 1962 when, as a young carpenter, I was working on the Para Rubber Co. building in Upper Hutt. We were using the section behind Benges’ Garage, where Ivan worked, as a working area & for several months we saw each other every working day & he was always friendly & happy in his work. Then in the early 1980s I started visiting the Wellington V.C.C. meetings & had a lot more contact with him. A few years later, just before Ivan retired, I added a conservatory to his bach at Foxton Beach, & then built him a 1200 sq. ft. garage for his cars & workshop. Neither of us would have imagined this was the start of a friendship that would last for over 30 years of working & motoring together. We joined the Horowhenua Branch together in 1989 & started rallying & getting to know the members. We attended many car shows, local, national & international rallies each year together & have toured both islands on Club Captains’ tours. Ivan was well known & it did not matter where we were in N.Z. people would stop him & start talking about cars & rallies they had attended. Ivan & Rita were active members in our branch, working the BBQ & kitchen at the swap meet, & were heavily involved with the running of the branch. When Bob Disher donated a huge supply of parts to the spares, we spent many months picking up a trailer load each week & he was amazing with identifying the parts & helping at the working bees with the other parts guys. Swap meets were a big interest & many a good part came home with us, then later he would have a stall himself & quickly became known for the quality of what he was selling.
There were always 5 or 6 cars in the shed being restored, or he was fixing problems for a club member, so a visit to Ivan's was always interesting as you could guarantee he would be out there working. His vehicles were always restored to a very high standard & I learned a lot just watching & helping him work on the cars. As Rita started having a few health problems he was not able to spend as much time on his hobby but accepted this as part of life as we get older & did not complain. His son Robbie would buy another car & it would be delivered to Ivan’s for him to store, & of course he would be out there helping Robbie to get it in order. He was very proud of the 38 Chev Coupe he restored, as he did a lot of work making patch panels & working in with Murray the panel beater during the painting & finishing process. This car is still in the family today. Two of his cars are in the U.S.A. with a family member & one is in a truck collection in England. As Ivan’s health began to fail in his late 80s he found it very frustrating not being able to work in the shed, but realized he had to sell up & go into a rest home, & donated several trailer loads of spares to the branch. He never lost his interest in the club & was proud to be a foundation member of the Wellington Branch for the first 30-odd years before joining our branch & putting in another 30 + years, a record not many can claim.
Sadly, the lock-down made it difficult to see Ivan in the last couple of years, but my last meeting with him was at the panel-beaters a few months ago when Robbie called in with Ivan in the 38 Coupe & we caught up with everything going on. He was his usual self, smiling & happy & in his element. To summarize we have lost one of life’s good guys & I was privileged to call him a friend. Rest easy Ivan. You will be missed & not forgotten. Mike Khull 60 Years Membership of VCC. Presented by VCCNZ President Diane Quarrie.
Life Membership of Horowhenua VCC. Award presented by Club Chairman at the time Colin Brooks.
Always happy in a crowd of vintage car enthusiasts.
Presented with sketch drawing by artist Doug Curtiss of his Chevrolet Coupe .
PARKING
Night Owl Rally - 2022 Date: Sunday 3rd July, 2022. Starts at the clubrooms. Assemble at 9:30 am. First car away at 10:00 am. The rally course is about 75 km long, but with no timed sections, all on tar-sealed roads. There are some stretches on State Highway 1, but these are kept to a minimum, with left turns where possible. There is a competitive element included, as a club trophy is awarded to the winner. Being a winter event, we expect the rally and lunch to be concluded by 2:30 pm, which leaves plenty of daylight hours for participants to return home. There will be approximately 45 minutes to view places of interest if you wish.
Read the “Things You Need to Know” sheet before you leave. These will be available prior to the start. Entry fee is $10 per person. This fee includes lunch, and is to be paid to the club account (03-0667-0269227-00) before 25th June for catering purposes and entry confirmation. Use “Night Owl” as reference. Bring a pen with you at the lunch break. Ample parking is available at the lunch venue. If you have any dietary requirements, or any other questions, call the organiser, Win Bishop, on 06 362 6039. Leave a message on answerphone if he doesn’t answer.
Answer later in this issue of Spark
May 2022 This last month would have to go down as one of the most active months that Spares has had in a seriously long time, because we have taken delivery from a high school mate of Bruce Lawrie two loads of Brand New Old Stock BMC Parts with a third load still to come. This has led to three Saturdays Working Bees in a row so far, and things are not going to quieten down any time soon. So if you know your BMC Part Numbers of parts you are looking for, come and see us. It was excellent to see a great turnout of Horowhenua Branch motorcycle owners at the recent Manawatu Classic Motorcycle Swap Meet. This Swap Meet year on year is slowly getting bigger, and it is always good to catch up with people you haven’t seen for ages. Word on the grapevine from the Manawatu PV, PW, P60, P80 Rally has it that one of the Horowhenua Members in the Rally had a go at the Famous and Unbeaten Seafood Platter or Mixed Grill at the Eketahuna Commercial Hotel. I can report that the record is still unbeaten. Safe Travelling Everyone
Callum
Kapiti Mid-Week Run: Wednesday 25 May 2022 Did you know that whenever the police use a taser, the incident is automatically recorded by a video camera built into the handle of the Taser? Or that the Armed Offenders Squad was formed almost 60 years ago after 4 police officers were shot dead in the space of a month in 1963?
40 members from both Wellington and Horowhenua branches learned about tasers and a whole lot more when they visited the Police Museum at Porirua. The museum is well worth a visit in its own right, but the highlight of our trip was undoubtedly the talk by a senior member of the Armed Offenders Squad for over an hour. He showed us their "command vehicle" which must surely hold the record for the most number of communications aerials on one van. This was followed by a look at some of the equipment each member of the AOS carries, including a taser, stun grenades, and a 40mm cannon which can fire gas canisters, smoke bombs or foam rounds. Each officer also wears body armour and a helmet with built-in communications and clip-on night-vision glasses. Our AOS officer was not allowed to show us his Glock pistol and semi-automatic rifle, but they would bring the total weight of equipment carried to more than 25Kg. A very clever piece of kit is a sturdy little remote-control robot camera which can be thrown into a building and then move around from room to room. But the AOS also carry first-aid kits including pressure dressings and a tourniquet, and they are rightly proud of having saved many lives at the Christchurch mosque shooting by stopping the severe bleeding from gunshot wounds long before specialist medical treatment was on the scene. It was also a surprise to learn that there is only one full-time AOS member in the Wellington region. The other 30-plus Wellington members are all front-line police officers who are AOS trained, but only called out when needed. Last year they had 28 emergency call-outs in the region, but every week they carry out several scheduled operations to execute arrest warrants and search premises for firearms, drugs, etc. The run also included an excellent lunch at the Gear Homestead which, on a beautiful autumn day, gave us stunning views over Porirua Harbour and across the Titahi Peninsula to the Tasman Ocean. From Philip Pearce, Wellington VCC
WHAT HAS FOUR LETTERS, OCCASIONALLY HAS TWELVE LETTERS, ALWAYS HAS SIX LETTERS, BUT NEVER HAS FIVE LETTERS? Answers to be taken at next club night, bring your dunces caps! From John White
1929 Morris Cowley, export model. This is an original and unrestored car which attracts attention wherever it goes. WOF, rego, some spares including motor and gearbox. Has completed numerous rallies. Reluctantly selling after 30 years. $15 000 Contact Chris 0274 421 639, cmclarke@xtra.co.nz Library Merchandise
HVCC Dashboard Stickers Iron on fabric badges HVCC blue and white caps Name Badges (fill out form)
-$ 4 -$ 3 - $10 - $12
Answer to “What Am I?” Austin Healey 100 was first displayed in 1952 at the Earls Court motor show. It had a 2.6 litre four cylinder engine, the same as used in the Austin Atlantic. In 1956 the six cylinder BMC Series C engine from the Austin Westminster was fitted into a stretched version of the body. This version was the 100/6, but was not as successful because performance was down compared to the torquey old four.
Some more pictures of Mike Khull’s Morris Minor Traveller.
Kapiti Coast Mid Week Run Wednesday 29 June 2022 Annual Mid-Winter Christmas Lunch On Wednesday 29 June 2022 we’re going to The Front Room, 42 Tutere Street, Waikanae Beach for our annual mid-winter Christmas lunch. The Front Room’s phone number is 04-905-4142. We arrive at The Front Room around 11.30 am for lunch at 12.00 noon. The menu is Main: Chicken Ballotine with pistachio and cranberry stuffing Roast vegetables, broccoli, gravy and white sauce Dessert Cocktail trifle, steam pudding, berry compote and creme patissier Cost is $45.00 per person. Directions: Take the Waikanae exits (north or south) from the Kapiti Expressway and follow Te Moana Road to Waikanae Beach. Turn right into Tutere Street. The Front Room is near the roundabout at Tutere Street and Rauparaha Street. There is plenty of parking near The Front Room, on both Tutere Street and Rauparaha Street. Important: Please let Phil Pearce know that you are coming by Friday 24 June as the restaurant requires catering numbers by that date. Phil’s email is nzpearce87@gmail.com
To Vintage Car Clubs of New Zealand
Please find enclosed a supply of order forms for the new ‘Classic Jaguars in New Zealand’ book. We are pleased to invite you to inform your members of the special introductory price offer of $65 plus packaging and postage. The retail shop price is $79.99. See purchase instructions on the order form. This Kiwi book has been researched and written for the 100 years of Jaguar origins. It was in 1922 that William Lyons and business partner William Walmsley, began their humble sidecar business in Blackpool, England. Eventually they produced their own attractively styled bodies with their S.S. marque and later changed the name to ‘Jaguar Cars’ at the end of World War II. The book is a not-for-profit project and published by a charitable trust. It has been a significant team effort, supported by clubs and many generous people donating much time, effort and finance, to produce one of New Zealand’s most comprehensive and high-quality motoring books. Jaguar certainly has a distinctive place in our motoring heritage, past and present, and with many cars active within the network of the many vintage car clubs of New Zealand. Contact Brian (09 5341638) or Richard (09 5339400) Rev Dr Richard Waugh QSM Registrar Mk IV, V, VII, VIIM, VIII, IX Jaguar Drivers Club (Auckland) Inc 80 Highland Park Drive Howick PO Box 82-363 Highland Park Auckland 2143 New Zealand Ph: 09 5339400 022 5339400 www.jaguardriversclub.co.nz
MANAWATU BRANCH - NIGHT TRIAL SATURDAY 18 JUNE 2022 The Rally will cover 60 miles and there are no fuel stops enroute. There will be a mix of sealed and gravel roads, with the finish being at the Cheltenham Hotel for a Buffet Dinner. FORMAT 4.00 pm onwards, meet at Clubrooms for a tea/coffee before the Rally 4.30 pm Rally Briefing 5.00 pm First car away 7.30 pm Dinner - Cheltenham Hotel ENTRANT NAME _______________________________________________ TELEPHONE ( ___ ) ___________ EMAIL _________________________ ADDRESS _____________________________________________________ VEHICLE MAKE / MODEL / YEAR __________________________________ REGISTRATION PLATE __________________________________________ RALLY ENTRY @ $10.00 / Per Vehicle DINNER NO. ___ @ $35.50 / Per head = $_______ TOTAL $ _________ PAYMENT DETAILS Please make payment via Internet Banking Manawatu Branch VCC 03 0718 0027253 00 Ref: Name, Reg No., Night Trial Please send entries to Glyn Clements PO Box 232, Feilding 4740 Or Email to cbz1@xtra.co.nz (Note: No. 1 not L in email address)
Land Cruiser: you will think of these . . .
But did you know that Studebaker had the name from 1948 to 1953?
From George McLean
CALENDAR of COMING EVENTS June June July August
25 Monte Carlo Rally - Wellington 26 Mid-winter Lunch - Horowhenua 3 Night Owl Rally - Horowhenua 21 Daffodil Day - car display in Levin Any enquiries to: Bruce Lawrie Phone 027 4762489
TAIL LIGHTS
ISSN
the print bureau 06 367 9330