#0108
July 2021
PO Box 458, LEVIN 14 Tiro Tiro Road, LEVIN
Patron Chair Deputy Chair Secretary Treasurer Club Captains Branch Delegate Committee
Welfare Officer Custodian & Maintenance Grounds People Spares Team
Library Archives Spark Editor Spark Distribution VIC Team
Tom Hayes John White j.mwhite@xtra.co.nz Glenn Peach gpeach@xtra.co.nz Bill Laney and Denise Liddle horowhenua@vcc.org.nz Jackie Job jackiejob73@gmail.com Bruce Lawrie
06 367 9445 06 368 3299 027 4863517 027 4512408 027 4427306 06 368 2565 04 293 6803 (W) 04 293 4943 (H) 06 368 3824 04 293 3369 027 4191412 06 367 8216 06 362 6156 04 298 5458 04 293 3369 06 368 6891 06 367 2046 027 5674431 06 367 9964 06 368 5611 06 362 6156 06 364 7238
Verdon Heath Winton Cleal Des St Clare Bob Barton Warren MacMillan Colin Brooks Winton Cleal Andrew Judd Nigel Wheeler nigelgwheeler@gmail.com Bill Cottle Wayne Thrower Julia MacMillan Callum Farmer callumfarmer77@hotmail.com Rex Williams 06 367 0613 Mike Khull 06 363 5633 Bob Barton 06 367 8216 Jeff Fox 06 362 6013 Colin Brooks 04 298 5458 Robert Cammish 04 905 0772 Don McLaren 021 1172418 Heather Carter 021 504087 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
OK, Guys and Gals,the shortest day has come and gone, so enjoy your extra one minute per day of daylight increase! Still quite wintry, rained like Noah’s ark on Sunday of the midwinter dinner. All our clubroom gutters were overflowing, and our southern members had a 2 hour delay getting home due to flooding at Ohau. Raewyn put on her usual great spread. Some members couldn’t make it due to the Wellington lockdown, but never fear, Callum took care of their share of the food! A big well done to Bob & Linda Barton plus helpers for organizing all this. It only took us 40 minutes for the set up! Amazing what many hands do! Another great night last Wednesday club night. Welcome to Rob Strachan, new member, and it was good to have Levin Car club join us for the evening, and the speaker Wayne Moore is truly a man who loves his motorsports. He held our interest well! I think he would have to be super keen to put up with 2 weeks solitary in MIQ on his return to Kiwiland. Our August speaker is Tony Haycock from the VCC office. Tony is going to explain all this re-branding logo exercise. I’m sure there will be heaps of questions for him on this one. I intend to call for a branch vote on the night, yea or nay, so our club delegate Winton can head off to the VCC AGM in Christchurch in August in no doubt of how we feel on this subject. A special welcome to our re-elected committee and officers after the club AGM. New Welfare Officer Nigel Wheeler is already into his new role, while new Vice Chairman Glenn Peach is working on how to retain new members joining us. The two Lindas have stepped up to take on running the annual Cancer/Daffodil Day event. Well done you two! Our new building custodian Bill Cottle has taken over from Andrew Judd and has expanded this role to include all building maintenance issues as well. Now I don’t want Bill doing the maintenance, but rather organizing what needs to be done, then “press ganging” volunteers. So if something needs attending to, see Bill.
After a long wait we have a new library archivist! Welcome Heather Carter. You will be a great addition to our library team, plus you are much better looking than Don! And lastly, Derek Ransom, who has not stood for committee this time around, after many years of great work, a big thanks Derek! Now you may have noticed our two trophy cabinets? We are looking at replacing them with a modern glass lockable secure display cabinet to fill that whole short side wall. They will have LED lighting and should smarten up our clubrooms no end. Your committee is still working on costs etc, so watch this space! That’s it from me, folks. Keep warm, don’t forget your Covid shots, you have to do this, they won’t come to you, stay healthy so we get to see you all at the next events!
John White
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Des St Clare
Roster for August 2021 Brian Wilton, Michael Wintringham, Chris Archer, Doug Ashwell, Ian Bade. If you are unable to make it for either kitchen duties on Club Night 4th August, or for the Working Bee on Saturday 7th August, 9 am till 12 noon, PLEASE let me know on 06 368 3299 or j.mwhite@xtra.co.nz
Speaker for August Our August speaker is Tony Haycock from the VCC office. 2021
Tony is going to explain all this re-branding logo exercise.
New club members Robin Strachan. Noted in the May edition has become officially a member. He drives a Reliant Scimitar.
Cover Photo
Sunbeam Rapier owned by Rex and Brigid Williams.
Brucie’s Burblings A few members did a trek to Wanganui during Queens Birthday Weekend and participated in the Annual Rally hosted by the Wanganui Branch. A well planned and organised event over some interesting countryside. The prize giving dinner at the Grand Hotel was also up to the usual high standard. The mid winter luncheon was a great success even though some of us from the Wellington Covid area elected not to attend as we felt we could not comply with the social distancing requirements at the luncheon. (We had to take our Covid restrictions with us). At our July meeting I had the pleasure of presenting Wayne Thrower with the Laurie Jensen trophy (club captain’s choice). Wayne is one of those members who works tirelessly in the background without fanfare who takes care of those jobs we take for granted. Thank you Wayne. Coming Events 16th July Sunday Night Owl Rally Be at the clubrooms at 12.30 pm. More info in July Spark. 13-14th Aug VCC 75th AGM Christchurch. Anyone can attend. 22nd Aug Cancer Society Car Show Levin. Run by Linda and Linda. Verdon has put together a short fun programme to take some of the mystique out of driving and navigating in rallies. He plans to cover instructions, the different types and some basic timekeeping to make rallying a bit more fun and not so daunting.
SAFE DRIVING STAY WARM
Bruce Lawrie
I am sorry to have lost the help from Pauline St Clare as our archivist, after all the splendid work that she did. However, the good news is that Heather Carter has stepped up to take over. Don McLaren
Ford dealership in Levin. To my knowledge, the Ford Motor Company dealership in Levin was first with J.C. Milne and Co, followed by McMinn Motors on the site where Mitre 10 used to be in Queen Street. In the days of international motor racing at the Levin circuit, the cars were all scrutineered at McMinn Motors prior to race day. Next, Hillview Motors took over the Ford dealership. After that Ken McBrearty and Denis Hanratty formed Kendon Ford and later moved to Oxford Street in Levin. They sold out to Gordon Powley of Courtesy Ford, which continued trading until the end of May 2021. For a while Kendon Ford also had a branch in Paraparaumu. My family and I have been associated with Ford vehicles for many years in the form of cars, trucks and tractors since the 1950s in Levin. My parents started with a Model T truck and in later years a Ford Trader truck. My brother Murray had a Ford D750 truck and a Ford New Holland TS100 tractor. In regard to Ford Falcons, my family had models EA, EB, XD, a Fairmont XE and a Ford Fairlane. I had a Ford Cortina Mark 2 and later a Mark 4. My first Ford car was an English Model Y. As for Ford tractors, my parents had a Ford 1200, followed by a Ford 1210 . I have several Ford Dextra diesel tractors, a Super Dextra Trader and a Ford 2000 tractor. So it is the end of an era of the Ford Dealership in Levin and it will be sadly missed. Warwick Doreen
GM v Microsoft
At a computer expo, sometime in the 1990s, Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, “If General Motors had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving twenty-five dollar cars that got 1000 miles to the gallon.” In response, the CEO of General Motors issued the following press release. “If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would be driving cars with the following characteristics: 1. For no reason whatsoever your car would crash twice daily. 2. Every time they repainted the lines on the road, you would have to buy a new car. 3. Occasionally, executing a manoeuvre such as a left turn, would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine. 4. Only one person at a time could use the car unless you bought “Car95” or “Car NT” , but then you would have to buy more seats. 5. MacIntosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive. 6. The oil pressure, water temperature and alternator warning lights would be replaced by one “general care default” warning light. 7. New seats would force everyone to have the same sized bottom. 8. The airbag system would say “Are you sure?” before going off. 9. From time to time, for no reason, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna. 10. GM would require all car buyers to also purchase a deluxe set of Rand McNally road maps, even though they neither need nor want them. Attempting to delete this option would immediately cause the car’s performance to diminish by 50% or more. Moreover, GM would become a target for investigation by the Justice Department. 11. Every time GM introduced a new model car, drivers would have to learn to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car. 12. You would press the “start” button to shut off the engine.”
______________________________________ Riding on my motorbike, Ruth sat on behind. I hit a bump at ninety-five and rode on ruthlessly.
SPEED In 1825 when George Stephenson demonstrated the first steam locomotive, called the "Locomotive No1", the British SurgeonGeneral stated that such a device should be restricted in speed to no faster than a galloping horse, approximately 30mph (50kph). The reason stated was that: "No human being would be able to breathe at any speed faster than that!" The world land speed record in 1899 was.....63 kph! (50 mph.) When you consider the type of vehicle used to achieve that speed, the driver must have taken his life in his hands! George McLean
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Jaguar makes handy ute
MIDWINTER LUNCH Forty seven members turned out on one of the worst wetweather days that we have had. We settled down to another one of Raewyn's (the caterers from Levin) finest meals, which was enjoyed by all, including Callum, who went back for four or five more platefulls. We were yet again subjected to the restraints of the dreaded Covid interference, with Wellington to Otaki being subject to a Stage Two lockdown which meant that some of our members could not attend, but those who did had a good time. Outside, the weather continued to get worse, and the trip home took some of our friends more than two and a half hours. I hope our Christmas Meal has better weather and that more of our members can attend it. Bob Barton.
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Answer later in this issue of Spark
Kapiti Coast Mid-week Run Wednesday 28 July Visit to Shipwreck Trading This month we are visiting Shipwreck Trading located at Seaview, Lower Hutt. Shipwreck Trading offers a small museum as well as an array of shipwreck salvage items such as copper and brass lighting, flag covered cushions, cannon balls etc. We plan to arrive at Shipwreck Trading at 1.30pm after lunch. Shipwreck Trading’s address is Seaview Marina 100 Port Road Seaview Lower Hutt Prior to this visit we will lunch at The Pavillion at Days Bay from 11.30 am. Important: Please let Ann or Hal know that you’re coming by text, email or phone before Saturday 24 July as catering numbers are needed by then. Ann 027-473-1136, Hal 027-411-8162 or 04-565-1162, or email annviscount@gmail.com
Brake adjustment on early Fords, by George McLean.
The braking system installed on Ford Models A, B, Y, C and early V8s would have to be one of the most complex ever devised, with a total of 12 brake adjustments! They have a notorious reputation for poor braking, caused mainly by the designers’ lack of operational brake knowledge and poor mechanical design. This article covers a major brake adjustment, with illustrations of my own Model Y. I am assuming the brake linings have been checked for wear prior to adjusting the brakes and the tapered roller front wheel bearings are o.k. and adjusted correctly. Firstly, ensure that the brake pedal is backed off against the pedal stop when all the brake rods are disconnected.
Front Brake Operation.
There are two brake rods, each attached to a brake lever on top of a front kingpin (Fig 1) .
Fig 2 Fig 1 When the brakes are operated, the lever rotates, operating a cam inside the top of the kingpin which depresses a rod that goes down through the kingpin, through the brake back plate and bears down on a floating wedge mounted on the bottom of the brake back plate. The wedge in turn rubs against rollers located on the bottom of the brake shoes, forcing them out against the brake drum (Fig 2). The floating wedge allows the brake shoes to centralize against the brake drum.
Front Brake Adjustment.
With all the brake rods disconnected front and rear, the shoe adjuster on top of the backing plate is tightened until the brakes start to bind by the upper ends of the shoes, then backed off two clicks of the adjuster. The front brake rod is connected and adjusted by means of a threaded end to set up the binding of the lower ends of the shoes. It may be necessary to re-set the brake shoe adjuster on the top of the backing plate once again, due to the change of the brake shoe alignment.
Rear Brake Operation.
There are four brake rods going to the rear. One on each side to operate the footbrake and one each side for the handbrake. All rods have a slotted connection at the brake end to enable the footbrake or the handbrake to operate independently of each other (Fig 3). When either brake rod is operated, it pulls on a brake lever at the bottom of the backing plate which turns a shaft with a cupped lever attached, which bears down on top of a floating wedge (Fig 4), rubbing against rollers in the brake shoes in the same manner as for the front brakes.
Fig 4 Fig 3 Rear Brake Adjustment.
With all brake rods disconnected, first adjust the upper ends of the brake shoes with the adjuster located up at the top of the backing plate. Connect up one of the brake rods and adjust the tension with the threaded end. Disconnect that brake rod, connect the second rod and adjust the same way. Re-set the shoe adjuster once more.
Brake Pedal Adjustment.
Wedge the brake pedal down 1 inch (2.5cm) and check by hand if the brakes are actuating on all four wheels. If not, then take up the brake rod adjustment where necessary and wedge the brake pedal down again to the same position. Next, using a spring balance hooked into the wheel spokes (Fig 5), check that a pull of about 8-10lbs (5-8kg) is necessary to move each of the wheels. There are NO brake equalisers fitted so each brake rod MUST be synchronised with the others!
Fig 5
As well as the normal brake pedal free play adjustment, there is another brake pedal setting in the form of two holes at the end of the brake pedal arm. These provide alternative attachments for the primary brake rod which connects to the crosshead where the brake rods to all the brakes are connected. One hole is located at the end of the brake pedal arm and another closer to the brake pedal pivot. The outermost hole provides less pedal movement to operate the brakes, but requires more pressure, and the innermost hole requires less brake pedal pressure, but gives more movement to operate the brakes. One of these holes is selected to suit driver preference. A brake road test on a gravel road is next used. At about 5mph (8kph) take hands off the steering wheel and apply the brakes hard. Check the length of gravel skid on each wheel which should be of equal length, with no movement of the steering wheel indicating no pulling to one side or the other. A final tweak of the brake rods may be necessary to achieve this result. Remember that adjusting one rod could affect the operation of any of the other three as well!
Brake Design Problems: Front Brakes.
With wear, the front stub axles can move up and down vertically, increasing and decreasing braking pressure when the brakes are applied and could require shims fitted between the top of the front axle and the bottom of the top bush of the stub axle. Lubricating the brake rollers causes the rollers to jam up by attracting brake dust. DO NOT LUBRICATE! Rough handling removing the brake shoes can cause the guides on the bottom of the brake shoes to be misaligned or twisted causing the brake shoes to bind in operation, either with the guide post or against the floating wedge. Brake shoes must be checked independently to ensure this doesn't happen and checked again with both brake shoes mounted, but without the brake shoe return springs installed.
Brake Design Problems: Rear Brakes.
There is a grease nipple on the brake lever housing which with successive greasing allows grease to emerge around the brake arm, but also allows some grease to ooze past the actuating cup arm, down onto the floating wedge and drip onto the inside of the brake drum, lubricating the brakes in the process! Those who were aware of this problem did not use this grease nipple, but this resulted in excessive wear. The only way to apply grease to obviate this problem, would entail removing the rear wheel, brake drum and brake shoes, greasing the shaft manually and wiping away any grease that is forced past the actuating cup arm, then reassemble everything once again!
Many thanks to Michael Gaffaney and his undated version of “Mr Punch Goes Motoring” Vol XI ‘Mr Punch Goes Motoring’ Volume XI.
June 2021 Unfortunately due to severe and atrocious weather conditions for the Wairarapa region over the weekend of the 19th/20th June, the run to the Wairarapa VCC Club Spares Shed was cancelled. However moving on, we now plan to do this run on Sunday 15th August, members from the cancelled run and any members who wish to join the 15th of August run will need to touch base with me, so I can write up a contact list, should we unfortunately have to cancel a second time. As with previous months the final details will come out in early August. The June Working Bee was a quiet affair, with spares being able to catch up with sorting and maintenance jobs, which had been waiting in the wings over the busy summer and autumn months. Safe Travelling Everyone.
Callum
Answer to “What Am I?” Lancia Lambda V4 motor of 1922. Most vee motors had a 60 or 90 degree vee-angle, but using a configuration like this, Lancia worked to angles between 13 and 24 degrees. Advantages were a short and rigid crankshaft, a square box-shaped cylinder head with better water circulation and simpler valve gear using a single overhead cam.
From: Jill Harvey <gerryandjill@gmail.com> I'm wondering if anyone within our club or any other club has an old pedal car they would like to sell . Kind Regards Jill Harvey (Gerry Harvey's wife)
______________________________________ _________________ FOR SALE Morris Minor 1957. Excellent condition WoF and Reg. $6500 ono. Margaret & Graham Lawton Phone 04 902 3622
Library Merchandise
HVCC Dashboard Stickers Iron on fabric badges HVCC blue and white caps Name Badges (fill out form)
-$ 4 -$ 3 - $10 - $12
______________________________________ The 2020 National North Island Easter Rally, that never was! Entrants that paid for their rally plaque received an unusually collectable plaque for a rally that was cancelled and would never be run again. There are a small number of these collectable quality made plaques with 11 coloured enamels still available for purchase. $30.00 each. Please contact Jackie (Horowhenua Treasurer) at jackiejob73@gmail.com or on 06 3682565 and 027 2011806
Night Owl Rally 2021 This year’s Night Owl is being held on Sunday afternoon 18th July, starting at the Club Rooms, Tiro Tiro Road, Levin. Meet at Club Rooms by 12.30pm. First car away at 12.45pm.
Numbers of people attending are required by 10th July. (NO late entries - sorry but we need to know in advance). Approximately 41 miles (66km) 1 hour. Ending at another location. Andrew Judd
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Dear Club Member, You are invited to attend the National AGM and celebrate the Club’s 75th Anniversary in Christchurch, hosted by Canterbury Branch. We have a full programme of events planned and a special function to mark this milestone in our Club history on the Saturday evening. Register now to join us for part or all of the weekend – we look forward to celebrating 75 years of the Vintage Car Club’s motoring history with you. Programme Friday 13 August 75th Anniversary Run (9.30am from Rydges) 7.30pm Executive Meeting Saturday 14 August 9.00am AGM Executive Meeting to follow 1.30pm Supporters Bus Tour of Christchurch City Sights 6.30pm 75th Anniversary Dinner and Function Sunday 15 August From 9.30am Old Cars, Bikes and Coffee morning at Canterbury Branch Clubrooms, Cutler Park, McLeans Island, Christchurch 11.30am Barbecue Lunch Click here for information about the full programme for the weekend. VCCNZ National Office PO Box 13140, 12 Aberdeen St, Christchurch, 8140
As editor of Spark, I must apologise, but I cannot untangle this document that arrived by email from VCC Head Office.
Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc.) Annual General Meeting and Executive Meeting Rydges Latimer, Christchurch 13, 14, 15 August 2021
Three ways to register
1. Online registration is open. Click here to register on line 2. Download the registration form from our club site. vcc.org.nz 3. Contact your local branch secretary for a copy of the registration form. Completed registration forms can be posted/emailed to Katryna Shaw, 129B Paparoa St, Christchurch 8053, email katryna.shaw@pacificradiology.com Registrations close 31 July 2021
CALENDAR of COMING EVENTS
July August August August August September October October November November January 2022
18 7 13-14 15 22 11 17 29-31 13 21 16th to 21st
Night Owl Rally. See info in this issue. Swap Meet at Manfeild, Manawatu Branch. VCC National AGM in Christchurch. Club Run to Wairarapa Club Spares. Daffodil Rally for Cancer. Rally Workshop at clubrooms. Manawatu Classic Motorcycle Swap Meet National Veteran Rally - Cromwell, Otago. Monte Carlo Rally. Banks Peninsula Branch. Tararua Trundle. Vero International Festival of Historic Motoring in Taranaki. Register on VCC website NOW. The organising committee recommend booking accommodation now. Any enquiries to: Bruce Lawrie Phone 027 4762489
ISSN
the print bureau 06 367 9330