“Dripfeed” NEWSLETTER OF THE BANKS PENINSULA BRANCH OF THE VINTAGE CAR CLUB OF New Zealand (INC) VOLUME 43, No 7 august 2020. 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 August. We look forward to seeing you there. Supper is provided.
From the Editor: I attended the celebration of Mollie Anderson’s life recently. A majority of the national executive of the VCC were there to pay their respects, and John Coomber spoke on behalf of the VCC. Many VCC members were present, and a celebration it was, as we were entertained by a variety of speakers who spoke about Mollie’s involvement in many different areas. Mollie and Andrew’s son Julian spoke, and then sang movingly about his mother, and then Andrew spoke superbly about Mollie’s full and varied life. This was accompanied by wonderful photos from her early childhood to her final years. A highlight for many were the interesting cars that they owned and drove: Panhard, Humber, Alvis, Napier, Rolls Royce, Bentley and Sunbeam were some of the marques, and it was marvellous to see Mollie’s first car, a 1914 Humber, parked outside the chapel in full view during the service. Current owner Gavin Bain drove it from Governors Bay to Rangiora, a gesture greatly appreciated by Andrew and Julian. One of Mollie’s many achievements was her editorship of Beaded Wheels from 1955 to 1969, and founding Banks Peninsula member Richard Foster has very generously donated his collection of Beaded Wheels, from when it was published in magazine format, from 1956 through to 1987. Along with his collection of Dripfeeds from day one that Richard donated recently, we now have a real archive of material. Many thanks again to Richard for his generosity and thoughtfulness. We will have to think about how to store them. In 1995, secretary James Palmer reported to the AGM that “the clubroom acquisition fund is back on track with a small but significant profit for the year. With careful
budgeting we should be able to acquire facilities worthy of our club in another 150 years”. In the interim, I’ll store our archival material in my study until our building fund reaches double figures. At the Annual Generals Meeting a new member was elected to the committee. Don Gerrard had shown some Initiative, with the Old Racing Car Register and some New Ideas, so it was inevitable that he would be headhunted on our behalf by the team of international employment consultants that we retain for such top level positions. Observant members will have noticed that he has begun to contribute branch notes to Idle Torque in Beaded Wheels, the first time for years our branch has bothered. This role is ideal training for the role of Dripfeed editor, a position I hope that Don covets. The Banks Peninsula Branch is embracing technology!. Now there’s a phrase that strikes fear into the hearts of some of us, but at the AGM Peter Leversedge offered to set up the page, and has already done so. Many thanks, Peter. The site is VCC of NZ Banks Peninsula Branch. Talking of Beaded Wheels, good to see our very own ace, Avon Hyde gracing the cover, with number one grandson. Remarkably, Avon is smiling, is still on the course, and isn’t trying to run over an organiser. John Newell who first suggested the idea of a Welsh trial sort of thing for the BP branch when he was young and beardless, also graces the cover of Beaded Wheels. So he could perhaps be blamed for the flood of Austin 7 specials that Balcairn has spawned, a burden he will have to live with. And from the light at the end of tunnel department, John told me that the family Vauxhall 30/98, that has been resting for some years, is get a new block from the UK. About 20 have been successfully manufactured, so the mighty Thirsty will live again. Great news. A reasonably reliable source recently saw that well known fashion icon and Rolls Royce owner Ramon Farmer lurking with intent in the Fairlie Bakery, home of fabulous pies. Some would say that he was filling in time while waiting for the Ghost’s vast petrol tank to be filled, but Ramon maintained that he was with the Rolls Royce Club on “a fine dining excursion”. Given that the reasonably reliable source is a Morgan owner, and given that Morgans come from Malvern Link in Worcestershire, can it be safely assumed that this scoop comes from a Worcestershire source? There’s an excellent article about club doyen Leon Witte in the latest edition of NZ Classic Driver.. Well worth reading, and with some great photos from Leon’s collection. Welcome to new members, father and daughter Paul and Josie Morrison, with a 28 Chev, a 29 Austin 7 , (the last of the Ross Haynes hotrods), as seen at Balcairn, and a 71 VW 1500, as seen at Hadstock. Clearly they are going to be active members. Long time member Merv Rowe died recently. The branch extends its sympathy to his family. In the 1996 Pomeroy Trophy the winner was Pothunter John Newell, in an MG Maestro, with the Class B winner being Craig Pidgeon in his Hillman Avenger. In the December 1956 edition of Beaded Wheels, the first in a magazine format, Mollie Anderson wrote, “The future of the publication is unknown.” Sixty four years later it’s still going strong. In the same 1956 edition, Gordon Sharpe (Mollie’s brother), did a road test of a 1922 Beardmore, with a photo of it in action at the Pigeon Bay hillclimb. And Weltex Plastics Ltd, advertised that they had been appointed sole NZ licencees Ltd of Microplas Ltd of England and had started to manufacture Mistral fibreglass sports car bodies at their Christchurch factory, 452 St Asaph Street.
Future Events: .
Night Trial Saturday 15th of August. Organised as always by well known NZeta and Clyno owner Michael Pidgeon, and the Hon Ed, this event is always fun, as brave owners of Britain’s finest live dangerously as they put those Prince of Darkness electrics to the test. Assemble at the New World Supermarket carpark on the corner of Marshlands and Prestons Roads at 7.00pm.
Awards Lunch, 23rd of August, 12.30 pm Tai Tapu Hotel. In a remarkable and uncharacteristic display of lateral thinking, the committee decided that instead of having a dinner this year we should have a lunch, which should encourage more members to attend, and of course drive their old cars to said event. This year we are giving 50 year awards to Tom Cloudsley, John Ferguson and Clint Inns. Richard Foster will receive a 60 year award. These distinguished recipients now have quite some time to write their acceptance speeches, in which they sum up their motoring over the years, their favourite car, worst car, car I wish I’d never sold and so on and so on. Clint Inns is well known as a very impressive orator, but will need to limit himself to 30 minutes. Richard will arrive in the lovely Humber he bought all those years ago, Clint in his amazing Alfa Recreation, we hope, and John in one of his vast mobile barges from Crewe. Tom is in hospital, and Craig and Ron went to see him last month to present him with his badge. Tom was most appreciative. Get in touch with Ron by the 17th if you will be going.
Brooklands meeting, Levels, 5th of September. Opening Run, 27th of September. Pomeroy Trophy. We hope to hold this event in October. Negotiations are proceeding, and we will keep you updated.
Ruapuna meeting, 31st October – 1st of November. Hawkswood Sprint, 8th of November. Past Events. The Balcairn Trial. In the spirit of looking back, I have before me the results of the 1997 Balcairn Trial. There were thirty one entrants, and only one Austin 7 Special! . The winner was George Calder in a Fiat 501, with Peter Croft in an MG J2 2nd and Warner Mauger in the dreaded A7 3rd, closely followed by a flock of Pidgeons in a Bugatti Brescia and a Fiat 509. The Good Old Days. This year history repeated itself, albeit in a somewhat modified form, as there were four Covid Specials competing. A Covid Special is a vehicle/thing that has been cobbled together by a bored vintagent from bits and pieces found lurking in dark corners of the garage. One of them was an MG Special, put together by George Kear. It had bits of a PA, of a J2, a Morris 10 and lots of George Kear
innovation, and it looked great. So it’s a distant cousin of the J2 of Peter Croft, although I’m sure Peter the purist will deny any family connection. But aren’t all MGs Morris Specials? The other Covid Specials were Warwick Marshall’s Mostly Ford, and the two minimalistic Model As of Bob and Dave Molyneux. They looked great, they sounded great, the crowd loved them, but with no weight over the back wheels. their progress was minimal. The course this year was ideal, not too wet, not too dry, and the organisers aimed for stages that required minimum towing, so for the first time in some years we were able to complete six stages. The winner from last year did not compete, so the perennial favourites, Messers, Hyde, Govan, Rose, Dacombe and Co were feeling confident, and there were more spectators than usual to offer advice. In general terms, all stages were similar in that if you were an early runner you scored well. On very wet or very dry years it’s usually too easy or too hard, but this year was, like little bear’s porridge, just right. So on Stage One, when the first two entrants got maximum points, the organisers were slightly concerned, but as the course got cut up the scores went down, and many didn’t make the first hill, let alone the dreaded final right hander. Stage two suited the lighter cars and became nicely muddy at the top, but varying lines and some judicious bouncing meant high scores for many. Giles Gill in the Morgan Three wheeler, and thus one wheel drive, got to 17 and was overcome with joy, while Mike Ludeke, in his Ford Special, who tends to treat the white pegs with a lordly disdain, actually stayed on the course and scored 19. Stage three was a new one, with a judicious mixture of muddy swamp, A7 high reeds , a nasty turn and then a Stop Start on a steep shingly climb. The organisers presumed most would get to the shingly climb, thus the Stop Start, but the nasty turn turned very nasty and slippery indeed, and very few got beyond that, and if they did, met their demise at the Stop Start. A low scoring stage especially for those that started at the end of the field, with the muddy swamp claiming many victims. So going into stage 4, Jelfs Shelf, many competitors were muddy but unbowed, to misquote Invictus, not a state of mind the organisers were aiming for, but a bit of thinking and strategy is always needed on this time honoured stage, and proved to be the undoing of many. With steep ascents and descents, some mud and a tricky hairpin, this stage has it all, but the old campaigners did well, and quite a few scored 20. It’s great stage for spectators and hecklers, but not for those with a wide turning circle or a sensitive nature. Lunch time meant repair time for some and then it was down to the far end for Newells Nemisis, and once again, the old hands tended to get 20 far too easily. The first turn claimed a few victims, and lots of bouncing was needed for the track, but the final hill was far too dry and next year, guess where a Stop Start will be? However, quiet confidence quickly turned to gloom as competitors walked or perhaps waded the course on Stage 6, and after the first car sank up to its hocks at 16, the organisers and the crowd settled down to enjoy a classic mudplug type stage. The competitors were very sporting and charged at the morass at maximum rpm, and it became quickly apparent that standing behind a car meant a substantial drycleaning bill. Remarkably no engines were completely destroyed, but George Kear did regret removing his front mudguards at lunchtime. I have seldom seen a muddier person. No one got too stuck getting back to terra firma, and the warmth of the Anglers Arms at Sefton was a welcome refuge for all. The highly desirable Old Boot Trophy is to be shared this year, as Gordon Dacombe from Nelson in his Morris Sports and Lance Braid from Hokitika shared first prize, with posterboy Avon Hyde only three points behind, in third place. One of the Molyneux brothers, in his Covid Special Model A won a bottle of wine for embodying the Spirit of the Day, which means he was
grinning all day in a not very competitive car, and having the time of his life. And that’s what Balcairn is all about.
Altirora Peto
X Rated : Banned from Beaded Wheels.....Parental advice advised
Neale the Elder, Morris the Minor
Hawk ascending (slowly)
Study in concentration: Mike Ludicrous attacks the hill
Old Number One?
Economy motoring: All this for 19 cents
Darby and Joan looking for the lost Thermos
They go well downhill
Photography by John MacDonald