Far North Focus
November 2020
Winston’s visitors sure brought a dash of colour to the Open Day.
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The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand
Far North Focus Who’s Who for 2020/21 Chairman
Winston Matthews
win@matthewsvintage .com
09 4060203
Vice Chairman
Dave Duirs
dave.duirs@xtra.co.nz
09 4061288
Secretary
Gloria Cormack
m.g.cormack@xtra.co.nz
09 4077255
Treasurer
Robyn Mackay
wmackay116@gmail .com
09 406 1955
Club Captain
Warren Mackay
wmackay116@gmail.com
09 4061955
Editor
Peg Hills
comstockdowns@gmail.com
09 406 1077
Communications Officer
Ruth Reid
r.t.reid@xtra.co.nz
09 4060 392
Beaded Wheels Scribe
Dave Duirs
dave.duirs@xtra.co.nz
09 406 1288
Area Rep North
Ruth Reid
r.t.reid@xtra.co.nz
09 406 0392
m.g.cormack@xtra.com
09 4077 255
Southern Area Club Captain Murray Cormack Committee
Murray Cormack, Robyn Mackay, Winston Matthews, Graeme Moore, Vince Mason, Mike Pooley, Gloria Cormack, Warwick Woollams, Warren Mackay, Dave Duirs, Keith Lyndsell
Building Officer
Warren Mackay
09 406 1955
A full list of elected officers is circulated with the minutes of the 2020 Annual General Meeting
Club meetings on the second Tuesday of the month at the Aurere Clubrooms at 7.30pm.
CLUB CLEANING ROSTER 2019-2020 During the month, and preferably before the main calendar event, please give the clubrooms a thorough check over, as in:
Clean the toilets and hand basins, check kitchen, window ledges etc, and sweep the floors. Window cleaning, washing walls etc will be done at working bees.
Note any required maintenance and pass on to the Building Officer– Warren Mackay, ph 09 4061955 If your date doesn’t suit you, please swap with someone else. For any other enquiries please contact the Club Captain.
November R & W Mackay July
C Brownlie
January
D & P Hills
August
D & D Duirs
February
Graeme & Margaret
September
Graeme Moore
March
N & V Mason
October
Everyone– working bee
April
R & W Mackay
November
R & W Mackay
May
M & T Deverell
December
Graeme & Margaret
June
P O’Dell
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Calendar of Events 2020 / 2021 November 7th
Far North Tour
Northland Branch
November 28th
Dunny Run
Dave & Dorothy
December 12th
Christmas Event
Robyn & Warren
January 16th
Summer Picnic
TBA
February 20th
Run/Event North
Margaret & Tom
March
Mangonui Waterfront Festival
Club Captain/ Vice
April 17th
Brian Parker Rally
Murray & Gloria
May 9th
Mother’s Day Run/Lunch
Terry & Sue
May 11th
Club AGM
Everyone
June 26th
Molloy Trophy Run
Rex & Sandra & Team
Monthly 3rd Sunday
Taipa Bay Caffeine & Classics
Rosco
Ramada Resort, Taipa Monthly 2nd Tuesday
Club Meeting Aurere Clubrooms 7.30pm.
CHRISTMAS EVENT Saturday December 12th Meet at Mackay’s place, Taipa View Road at 10.30 for morning tea, then a short scenic drive to the Clubrooms for Christmas pot luck lunch.
We were all new members oncePlease extend the hand of friendship to all who come along after you.
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The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand From the Chair…….
It was great to see a good turnout for the open day sausage sizzle on the 3rd. My thanks to all those members who came and helped to make it a success, and good to see a lot of happy visitors as well.
coming events as there is plenty on in November, starting with our Working Bee on the 31st Oct. at the Clubrooms.
It was a pity it clashed with George’s memorial service and my thanks to Vince for speaking on our behalf, and to other members who attended.
It is good to hear that Raewyn is back home recuperating after her op and we wish them all the best for their rocky road ahead.
A reminder to any one with recently purchased vehicles, it is a good idea to get vehicle ID cards as you cannot enter events such as the 2022 Vero International Rally without them. Please contact me or one of our ID officers to learn more. All for now, Happy Motoring,
It has been a quiet month but please look at
Win
KEITH THOMAS
It was sad to hear of Keith’s severe stroke a present Clubrooms. He also spent a lot of time day after his 88th Birthday, and his final journey on the restoration of the Club Plymouth. 8 weeks later. Ava was Branch Secretary 1990-1991when we Our sub-Branch was formed in November 1975 were negotiating to obtain full Branch status and Keith and Ava joined 6 months later, so and Keith did a lot of canvassing and work were 2 of our foundation members. Keith was towards obtaining this end. elected Club Captain a year later, a position he Another vehicle he purchased and restored, held for the next 4 years. was a 1939 Straight 8 Hudson Sedan. He purchased a local 1930 Straight 8 De Soto Cabriolet Convertible, which needed a full restoration, which he completed in time to attend the first Pan Pacific National Rally in Rotorua in 1980 and then all the National Rallies held every 5 years from Cambridge, Palmerston North, Christchurch twice, and Invercargill.
He was always willing at Working Bees and catering events when for example for the Far North Tour we catered for up to 250 people.
After a very active participation in all Branch events, they were sadly missed when they moved to Whangarei in 1997. However they continued to assist and take part in any Club In 1984 while he was Branch President we were events when they were in the area. offered the school prefab owned by Hans Ording, provided it was removed within 5 days, Win Matthews. which was done, and over the next 2 or 3 years he was heavily involved in the rebuild into our
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Northern Club Captain’s Report….. Great to have Murray on board as Southern Club Captain; he is already doing a fantastic job and keeping everybody informed of events and gatherings.
mingling around. We would like to try something similar say March/April next year; could be a type of open boot sale.
The open day held on 3rd October went extremely well I am now including a Coming Events item in the Focus and good support from club members and the Rod and which you may find helpful. Custom Club. The parts shed had a great day and Peter Happy motoring Mason did an excellent job selling many a shiny item. Warren Having Sausages and Chips available kept the people
COMING EVENTS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
6th November Friday
Noggin and Natter at Club Rooms
14th November Saturday
Wheels of Mayhem A & P Show Grounds Kaitaia 9 am to 3pm
15th November Sunday
Caffeine & Classics Ramada Taipa (Repco Sponsored)
10am to noon. Spot prize 10.30am 15th to 17th November
Kaipara Tour Contact Murray Cormack for details
28th November Saturday
Dunny Run Start at new Hundertvasser Centre in Kawakawa
10.30am meet for 11am Start 4th December Friday 12th December Saturday
Scheduled Noggin and Natter Xmas Event. Meet Mackay’s Taipa View Road morning tea and short scenic run to Clubrooms for Christmas lunch.
Southern Club Captain’s Report At the last monthly club meeting, the newly created position of Southern Club Captain was discussed. Two factors stood out. First the position is in tandem with the Northern Club Captain Warren Mackay, and together we will endeavour to give all members the best of vintage motoring. Second was a request for a monthly report in our Focus magazine. What’s on? By the time you read this we will have had the October potluck lunch at Pauline and Murray Taylor’s home. It is always a great get-together and the Taylors have a record of being great hosts. Please let me know if you are able to host one of these lunches. I have borrowed from the clubrooms spare tables, chairs and other sundries, hoping it could help.
good support to Northland Branch for this event. See you there. 15-17th Nov Kaipara Tour. W e h ave 17 star te r s for this event. Thanks to Kae and Paul Bond. An interesting program has been prepared. 28th Nov Dunny Run in th e capable h ands of Dorothy and Dave Duirs. This will start in Kawakawa, and is in conjunction with Northland Branch. Forget the 10-hour flights and all that goes with them, and enjoy your own country, in particular Northland. What better way to do this than in a vintage car on roads less travelled. Between Warren and myself we have some great surprises for you. Drive safely, Murray
7th Nov Far North Tour. W e alw ays pr o vide
We wish all participants a fantastic day on the FAR NORTH TOUR 5
THANK YOU The family of Keith Thomas wish to thank all members of the Far North VCC Branch for the many messages of care and support during the time of Keith’s passing.
We feel really blessed to have so many friends. Thank you,
Seen at Caffeine & Classics
Ava.
FAR NORTH DUNNY RUN 28 NOVEMBER. UPDATE TO KEEP YOU INFORMED PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING: * DATE: 28 NOVEMBER 2020
START: MEET AT NEW HUNDERTVASSER CENTRE IN KAWAKAWA {Behind Hundertvasser toilets} At 10.30 for an 11.00 START Hopefully we can have a good look at this new complex before heading off.
* We will head East on gravel / sealed roads with our lunch stop planned for a winery/ restaurant. * We have been offered a $30 PER PERSON PLATTER AND WINE TASTING at a special venue. * I will need CONFIRMATION OF INTENTION TO PARTICIPATE FOR CATERING PURPOSES BY 23 N0VEMBER PLEASE I will keep you informed re final plans, but would appreciate expressions of interest . Regards, Dave DUIRS FNVCC 2020 Dunny Run organiser 09 406 1288, 0274068812, dave.duirs@xtra.co.nz
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OPEN DAY: 03 OCTOBER Club Captain Warren MacKay’s idea to engage with others interested in vehicles not necessarily of the vintage kind, resulted in an “OPEN DAY” at the Club Rooms.
Although the numbers weren’t large, nine members’ and a similar number of visitors’ cars attended. ALL vehicles represented their clubs, so the variety was great. Many of the visitor vehicles, while not all of standard specification, were of a high standard of presentation. It’s always interesting to hear the different views on model differences and equally intriguing to listen to yarns from bygone times…….yes,
some of us now span quite a big era of motoring development which, in the VCC group, just edges on to the high tec which drives today’s transport. Distributors, carburettors and even hub caps are in our lingo but, no doubt, once home most of us dive in to computers, you tube etc to solve or share our maintenance of the older gear. On a sunny day, our ladies organised a cuppa in the Club while Warren, Robyn and Peter O’dell manned the BBQ…..five bucks scored you a lovingly turned sausage, bread and cup of chips. The parts shed had a roaring trade. Warren had predicted the Classic guys would be after the shiny bits and they were! One lady reckoned it had been her best day out for
ages as she scratched through the parts department acquiring “important” bits, presumably for a restoration and not for garden ornaments. It’s not only guys who get in to the car stuff you see!
Garden Safari
Winston brought the ancient Tangye stationary engine over which took three of us to turn the flywheel at start up. There
The Far North garden Safari is in the Doubtless Bay area this year, and includes Cecelia and Peter O’Dell’s garden at Hihi.
was a time when he could do all that on his own. That old thing still puffs a way like new while we puff away like old. Of interest to members: this engine is on loan to the Branch from the Adamsons of Taipa and is stored at Matthews’ Mu-
seum. These beasts saw service for water pumping and saw mills.
Members are welcome to take their vintage cars along there on Saturday 7th to add another interest, say around 11.00am.
We had a great day of socialising with plenty of time to have
a good look over some interesting cars. There wasn’t a modern in site. Extended talking time also established a few interesting connections for some with their motoring and personal past!
There could be no better time to see this lovely garden at its best.
Well done to those who participated. The idea was great and hopefully we can repeat it. All good and positive. Thankyou. Dave DUIRS
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Sabrina, A Mini Princess Classic car enthusiast Paul Howard tells the story of a unique British car. SABRINA is a unique British car, built from scratch, based on sketches on the back of bits of paper. She was designed and made by David Hawkins who unfortunately had to sell her in 2018. I have been her proud owner since then. David, a retired engineer, used to work for Morgan Motor Company in Malvern, not far from where he still lives. Back in 1993, many of David’s friends had made kit cars. Every weekend during the summer they would drive around the Malvern Hills. But David decided to make his own unique car, from scratch. The nearest thing to an ‘inspiration’ for Sabrina is an old three wheeler Morgan. Although she started out as a three wheeler, she ended up a four wheeler.
out for a trial run round the streets of Malvern. Sabrina was not firing well. David explained it could be dirt in the carburettor. It didn’t put me off. The appropriate sale documents were filled out. But as I got into the car, Rebecca could see that David was visibly upset at having to say good bye to his beloved Sabrina. With a hug, she said that I would look after her. I promised I would be in touch to let him know how Sabrina was getting on. All was going well, with Rebecca following me in our modern car along the M40 motorway– until we pulled off the motorway near Banbury. Suddenly, there was a bang, and the car stopped dead, rolling into a farmer’s gateway. The battery was as flat as a pancake, and I was just as deflated.
Fortunately, we had a small tow rope stored in the back of the family car, and towed Sabrina to a garage about three David purchased an old 1972 Mini. He used the sub frame for miles from home that I had used for my other classic cars. Explaining what had happened to the garage owner, we left the front of the car, and an old Morris Metro engine. The Sabrina overnight and came back the next morning. The garback suspension of the car is from a Morris Marina van and the back axle is a shortened piece from a Ford Fiesta. Anyone age owner said he couldn’t find anything wrong but he had charged the battery. Puzzlingly, the car started straight away. who has owned a Morris Traveller or a Morris Minor might recognise some of the panels that David used on his little car. The next day I stuck my head under the bonnet and fiddled All the other panels were hand crafted. Anything that looks around. Taking the distributor cap off, and looking inside, I like chrome is actually stainless steel, which was hand fettled could see that there wasn’t any carbon! Purchasing a new or hand machined by David. When you look at the front of distributor cap and re-fixing it to the distributor with a the car you will see ‘Sabrina’ attached to the radiator grille. charged up battery, I turned the key and started the engine When asked why, David says that the car was named after no problem. the River Severn which flows through Malvern. Sabrina is a I polished the bodywork, and bought new seats from a comfolkloric figure, perhaps a nymph or princess, who was pany in Dunstable. I fixed an old telephone, bought from a drowned in the river, house sale, to the dashboard of the car, along with an old Once she was complete, David had a car to go out in at week- brass fire extinguisher. ends with his friends. Wherever he parked up he would alAt the age of 62, I’ve sold my other cars, but I could never sell ways get interested onlookers approach and ask him the car’s Sabrina. We take her to classic car shows and, when the history. weather is fine, drive out at the weekend to go on picnics. I When the time came to sell Sabrina, David placed an advert am so grateful to David, and remain a proud as a peacock to for her on an internet auction site. I spotted the advert the be her owner. next day, and got in touch straight away. My wife Rebecca From ‘Evergreen’. and I drove over to David’s house. When we arrived the little car was sitting on the drive, looking resplendent in its British Racing Green panels and stainless steel trim. David took me
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