“Dripfeed” NEWSLETTER OF THE BANKS PENINSULA BRANCH OF THE VINTAGE CAR CLUB OF New Zealand (INC) VOLUME 42, No 3 april 2019 Editor: Michael Williams 10 Selwyn Parade Lyttelton Ph 328 8043, email mimiandmichael@yahoo.co.nz
Chairman: Secretary:
Club Officers: Craig Keenan 322 1006 Ron Hasell 942 1105
Branch Address: 27 Showgate Ave, ChCh 8042 E-mail: bankspeninsula@vcc.org.nz Noggin & Natter: 2nd Thursday of the Month • •
Noggin 7.30 pm at the Papanui RSA. Upham Room – enter either from 55 Bellvue Ave or the first entrance on the left on Harewood Road (Papanui / Main North Road) Thursday 11th of April We looked forward to seeing you there. Supper was provided. Hope you all enjoyed it!
From the Editor: My apologies for this very late and very short edition as I’ve been in the North Island for two weeks. The main purpose of the trip was to attend the National Citroen Rally in Cambridge, which celebrated the centennial of the Citroen marque. There were 140 cars covering a wide range of models. Highlights for me were the 1926 B series Kegresse half track model, a 1956 Belgian assembled 2CV that had been in Southwards for many years, two pre war Traction Avant Roadsters, a pre war Traction Avant Coupe ( the same as the car that lived on the corner of Fendalton and Straven roads), and a very rare Traction Avant 6H. This 1954 car is similar to a Big 6, the 6 cylinder version of the Big 15, and has hydropneumatic suspension on the rear. Citroen successfully tried out their revolutionary system on these models to see if it would work. There were only a few made in RHD, and this particular car came to NZ in 1970 and has been owned by two generations of the same family. Unrestored and original, it’s a remarkable car. Other marques have also been going for 100 years, and Bruce McIlroy was quick to tell me that Bentley is also celebrating its centennial. Quite an achievement for the fast lorries from Cricklewood, but Foden were produced well before 1919. Better than Bedford though which didn’t start until 1931. The great man W.O. Bentley bought a Citroen almost as soon as the Traction Avant models came out. Must have been such a relief for him to drive a car with independent suspension, proper brakes and a decent gear change. Apart from Citroen, there can’t be many other marques in New Zealand