Central Hawkes Bay VCC - May 2020 by Vintage Car Club of New Zealand

May 2020

CENTRAL HAWKE’S BAY BRANCH of the VINTAGE CAR CLUB of NZ (Inc) Lamb Country Branch Email: centralhawkesbay@vcc.org.nz

Contributions to the BLEAT should be emailed to the Editor no later than (25th of each month) joycecalder@gmail.com

Club Nights

7.30pm 3rd Wednesday of every Month

The Reitwagen—The First Motorcycle built in 1885—by David Goran

Postal Address C/-73 Porangahau Road Waipukurau, 4200 NOMINATED POSITIONS CHAIRMAN Lynn Cross secross@xtra.co.nz 06 858 9814 SECRETARY Ken Lyons Ken.lyons@xtra.co.nz 06 858 8093 TREASURER Kaye Carswell wpkmotors@gmail.com 021 124 3620 CLUB CAPTAIN Rod McKenzie rod.mckenzie.wpk@xtra.co.nz 06 858 9562

COMMITTEE Bruce Poole The first motorcycle was built in 1885 and it was called Reitwagen or riding car. brucepoole1930@gmail.com 06 858 9940

A Reitwagen replica at the Mercedes-Benz Museum

The Daimler Reitwagen (“single track”) was a motor vehicle made by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in 1885 and is widely recognized as the first motorcycle. Daimler is often called “the father of the motorcycle” because of this invention. Even when the three steam powered two wheelers that preceded the Reitwagen, the Michaux-Perreaux and Roper of 1867–1869, and the 1884 Copeland, are considered motorcycles, it remains nonetheless the first gasoline internal combustion motorcycle, and the forerunner of all vehicles, land, sea and air, that use this common engine type.

The Reitwagen’s status as the first motorcycle rests on whether the definition of motorcycle includes having an internal combustion engine. The Oxford English Dictionary uses this criterion. Even by that definition, the use of four wheels instead of two raises doubts. If the outriggers are accepted as auxiliary stabilizers, they point to a deeper issue in bicycle and motorcycle dynamics, in that Daimler’s invention needed the training wheels because it did not employ the then well-understood principles of rake and trail. For this and other reasons motoring author David Burgess-Wise called the Daimler-Maybach “a crude makeshift”, saying that “as a bicycle it was 20 years out of date “ ..........

Gary Weaver janetmweaver@gmail.com 06 858 9908 Iain and Eva Gollan nga-oki@xtra.co.nz 06 858 9105 Ruth Parker brparkrz@xtra.co.nz 06 858 5411 John Foot V.I.C. (I.D. Card) Coordinator jsfoot@xtra.co.nz 06 858 8301 PUBLICITY/WELFARE OFFICER Sandra Cross secross@xtra.co.nz 06 858 9814 EDITOR: joycecalder@gmail.com 022 166 1403

The Reitwagen—The First Motorcycle built in 1885—by David Goran Cycle World’s Technical Editor Kevin Cameron, however, maintains that steam power was a dead end and the Reitwagen was the first motorcycle because it hit upon the successful engine type, saying, “History follows things that succeed, not things that fail.” The first motorcycle looks like an instrument of torture”, wrote Melissa Holbrook Pierson, describing a vehicle that was created along the way to Daimler’s real goal, a four-wheeled car and earning him credit as the inventor of the motorcycle “malgré lui,” in spite of himself. Daimler had founded an experimental workshop in the garden shed behind his house in Cannstatt district of Stuttgart in 1882. Together with his employee Maybach they developed a compact, high-speed singlecylinder engine, patented on April 3, 1885, and called "grandfather clock engine.” It had a float metered carburettor, used mushroom intake valves which were opened by the suction of the piston’s intake stroke, and instead of an electrical ignition system, it used hot tube ignition, a platinum tube running into the combustion chamber, heated by an external open flame. It could also run on coal gas. It used twin flywheels and had an aluminium crankcase. Drawings from 1884 showed a twist grip belt tensioner, complex steering linkage and used a belt drive. The working model had a simple handlebar and used a pinion gear drive.

The Reitwagen—The First Motorcycle built in 1885—by David Goran Daimler’s and Maybach’s next step was to install the engine in a test bed to prove the viability of their engine in a vehicle. Their goal was to learn what the engine could do, and not to create a motorcycle; it was just that the engine prototype was not yet powerful enough for a full-size carriage. The original design of 1884 used a belt drive, and twist grip on the handlebars which applied the brake when turned one way and tensioned the drive belt, applying power to the wheel, when turned the other way. Roper’s velocipede of the late 1860s used a similar two-way twist grip handlebar control. The plans also called for steering linkage shafts that made two right angle bends connected with gears, but the actual working model used a simple handlebar without the twist grip or gear linkage. The design was patented on August 29, 1885. It had a 264-cubic-centimetre (16.1 cu in) single-cylinder Otto cycle four-stroke engine mounted on rubber blocks, with two iron tread wooden wheels and a pair of spring-loaded outrigger wheels to help it remain upright. Its engine output of 0.5 horsepower (0.37 kW) at 600 rpm gave it a speed of about 7 miles per hour (11 km/h). Daimler’s 17-year-old son, Paul, rode it first on November 18, 1885, going 5–12 kilometres (3.1– 7.5 mi), from Cannstatt to Untertürkheim in Stuttgart, Germany. The seat caught fire on that excursion, the engine’s hot tube ignition being located directly underneath. Over the winter of 1885–1886, the belt drive was upgraded to a two-stage, two-speed transmission with a belt primary drive and the final drive using a ring gear on the back wheel. By 1886 the Reitwagen had served its purpose and was abandoned in favour of further development of four-wheeled vehicles. The original Reitwagen was destroyed in the Cannstatt fire that razed the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft Seelberg-Cannstatt plant in 1903, but several replicas exist in collections at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, the Deutsches Museum in Munich, the Honda Collection Hall at the Twin Ring Motegi facility in Japan, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Ohio, and in Melbourne, Australia. The Deutsches Museum lent their replica to the Guggenheim Las Vegas for the Art of the Motorcycle exhibition in 2001. The replicas vary as to which version they follow. The one at the AMA Hall of Fame is larger than the original and uses the complex belt tensioner and steering linkage seen in the 1884 plans while the Deutsches Museum’s replica has the simple handlebar, as well as the ring gear on the rear wheel.

Replica of the 1885 Daimler-Maybach Reitwagen.

The Daimler-Maybach grandfather clock engine of 1886.

CHB VCC

Events Calendar Date

May

June

July

Other District's Events Date

Sat 9th

Twilight Run? Organisers Bruce Poole and Mya Wairau 10th

Mon 18th

Committee meeting

Sat 15th— Sun 16th

VCC National AGM at Wanganui

Wed 19th

Branch Dinner and Meeting: Venue TBA

Sun 23rd

VCC National Day/Daffodil Day

10th 11th 12th 13th

Vintage Only Rally being hosted jointly by CHB and HB

Wed 16th

Branch Dinner and Meeting: Venue TBA

Back-to-Basics" Swap meeting Meeanee

oned p t s o p r lled o reak e b c t n u a o c s e u r TBA Wed 20th Branch Dinner and Meeting: -19 vir ents aVenue v D I e V b O u l C Car C o the t e g e a u t d n i get e fe” r meeting. VenueeeTBA V 17th BranchleAGM. o a u Dinner, t t S e AllWed u l p f b eeab e are a and K s e w e r n m o f e o h e h John and tay Foot, Run tooPongaroa “SShirley ll on w into thTBA a u y pdate again. uand s o r t a c h c r Wed 15th -tBranch Dinner Meeting TBA u u o in Mid-winter joy@oDannevirke: n e e b l o l i t Christmas Run t w u We Sun 26th Gloria &oLaurie

August

September

October

November

14-15-16th Mid-week adventure

HB VCC Safari @Labour weekend

Wed 21st

Branch Dinner and Meeting: Venue TBA

Wed 18th

Branch Dinner and Meeting: Venue TBA

Sat 21st

Veteran Rally

December

Targa NZ & the Vintage Car Club invite you to

“The Ultimate Time Trial 2020” 13th - 18th October 2020

North Island — starting & finishing in the Auckland area An outstanding opportunity for some spirited driving while matching set times for Special Stages. Not a race, but rather a test of precise driving & time keeping. Open to all road legal cars 30 years or older, street or race car alike. No special car modifications are required. vcc.org.nz Rod Corbett 0274 338 772 rod.corbett88@gmail.com

targa.nz Peter Martin 0274 525 643 peter@urg.co.nz

Chairman's Report—May 2020 The old saying “it’ll take a month of Sundays” has never been so true. Of course in the days that that expression was in vogue, Sundays were like every day of our last month. When we were young (I’m speaking for the over 70’s) there wasn’t much one could do - Church and Sunday school, or rugby league). At least on the West Coast league was played on Sundays. Little else happened – no supermarkets, grocery stores or pubs open. No retailers, hardware stores or petrol stations. Maybe the odd milk bar but no picture theatres or trains outside the cities. What is more, television hadn’t arrived and we didn’t have all the devices and connectivity as now. Think manual telephones with frequently ten subscribers on a party line and at times as many as fourteen, each identified by Morse code rings. Entertainment in the home could be cards, board games or a sing song around the piano and, if the wireless could pick it up “Dad and Dave” of Snake Gully at 8.30 on a Sunday night. So we have had our month and a bit of Sundays and things are starting to pick up. We won’t of course be out of the woods for some time yet. After a week or so in Level 3 we should know a bit about our next step and, by mid-May, we might know what is ahead. We have been particularly fortunate in Central Hawke’s Bay and Tararua to have had no known cases of the dreaded virus despite reports of invaders from further north raiding our supermarkets and our own near miss with members at Silky Oak virtually rubbing shoulders with busloads of tourist off the Ruby Princess. Long may that last. Our Annual General Meeting is due in June but it is unlikely to happen then. It is a matter of “wait and see”. Meantime keep smiling, keep your batteries charged and attend to any necessary lubrication while you have the chance.

LYNN CROSS CHB Branch Chairman

Rod’s Rattling's—May 2020 Many of us don’t know how lucky we are and how close we came to something of a disaster when we stopped for lunch at the “Silky Oak Chocolate Factory” on the run Joyce and Gary had organised for the branch on 15th March. As we were leaving a couple of bus-loads of tourists from the “Ruby Princess” cruise ship arrived for a look round and some food. We are so glad we were departing for Kelvin Taylor’s place at the same time as they arrived, as subsequently, the ship was found to be a major carrier of the Corona virus and we could have all been infected by those passengers. Whew!! What’s been done in the shed at your place? I have done a bit of polishing and vacuuming on the cars along with a couple of small tinkering jobs. I changed the starter motor on the Model A as I thought it was dragging too much current [seems I may have been right] and took it for a drive. Out of the shed, back onto the lawn and back into the shed, nothing naughty and not breaking “the bubble”. Sudoku and crosswords seem to take up a lot of time too. We cleaned the outside of the house and got the paintwork presentable for another season, along with getting the dust and grime from the windows. It looks much like we have done a new paint job on it. Scarlett has cleaned all the cupboards and wardrobes and generally had a good spring-clean, and surprisingly hasn’t tossed too much stuff out. There are no weeds in the garden! Mice have become a problem now with colder autumn nights bringing them inside. I don’t know where or how the little blighters find their way in, but we have caught six so far. Our cat is useless at catching them as she seems to prefer her food in a saucer, but nevertheless, is a good receptacle for the carcases. Flat batteries seem to be something of a problem for everybody at the moment as our cars are sitting in the shed or carport and not being used. The worst car of ours for this problem is the most modern one as it doesn’t like sitting about and not going for a run. I have charged the battery twice so far during “lockdown”. I have been told that if it is locked whilst in the garage, then everything closes down and there is little or no current draw so the battery doesn’t go flat. And worse, once the battery does go flat, a light comes on in the dashboard to tell us the transmission no longer functions in the way it is supposed to, so the car has to go into the garage for a re-boot. So much for modern cars! I hear of numbers of the branch membership doing jobs around their homes too, with paint being applied, some major and minor carpentry and joinery work, tidying up in their sheds and so on. We will all be ready for some major motoring excursions when the rules are relaxed and we get back to some sort of normal I am sure.

Rod McKenzie. CHB Branch Club Captain

Remembering - Kurt Ziebart - the rust proofing pioneer By Robert Tate — Automotive Historian and Researcher When I was young kid growing up in Detroit during the early 1960s, I was always fascinated with the styling of the automobiles parked on our street. In 1964, a neighbour's son, a high school senior at the time, had purchased a used 1955 Dodge. I remember walking over to take a closer look at this car and admire its great styling, however, I was not paying attention to the amount of corrosion that the Dodge had. I was wearing shorts and unfortunately cut my leg very badly. My mother had warned me several times not to stand too close to parked vehicles on the street. So, after a lengthy conversation with Mrs. Tate and a bandaged leg, I learned my lesson. I remember many 1950s automobiles that were still in use or parked on city streets presented a great deal of corrosion, making the vehicle’s appearance very unattractive. This is a story about Kurt Ziebart (July 27th 1920 - September 12th 2011), who was known as the pioneer of rust proofing. He started the company that bears his name. Ziebart was born in West Prussia, Germany before it became part of Poland and was an automotive mechanic in his early years. In 1953 Ziebart and his wife Edith immigrated to the United States and settled in Detroit. Working on automobiles continued to be Ziebart's passion, and he developed the idea for rust proofing protection for automobiles. The idea originated when a friend visited from Germany and noticed that many vehicles in Detroit and a number of other states were totally rusted out. How could people drive automobiles that look like that? Ziebart also noticed the problem when he worked at a Packard dealership body shop as well. Ziebart began to experiment with a process to protect new vehicles from the corrosion of water and road salt, which became a huge problem during the 1950s and 1960s. According to his wife Edith, he developed the process and found it to be successful. This was an aftermarket automotive procedure, featuring a rust proofing sealant Ziebart had perfected that proved effective on vehicles. His first store front opened in 1961 in Detroit at 14700 Harper Avenue. In 1963, Ziebart sold the business to a group of investors with greater resources for advertising and promotion, and the company became known as Ziebart International Corporation. For many years, American consumers have taken their new vehicles to Ziebart for rustproofing. I remember my mother taking her new 1966 Ford to Ziebart. In 1994 Ziebart International Corporation was purchased by its talented and hard-working employees, using an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). They continue to serve the driving community for automotive rust proofing and other maintenance needs. In the beginning, many people criticized Kurt Ziebart for trying to start a rust proofing business for automobiles. However, it turned into a very profitable company. Ziebart continued his automotive career after selling his original company, owning a Mercedes-Benz dealership near Traverse City which he later sold. In conclusion, Ziebart became a worldwide automotive pioneer and a successful Detroit-area based business, providing complete car care services for many Americans and drivers all over the world. Today Ziebart International Corporation operates over 400 locations, with 1200 service centres, in 37 countries, generating over $170 million in revenue. Kurt Ziebart 7 The late—Kurt Ziebart—Rust Proofing Pioneer will always be a part of our automotive history.

Norman Hayes Engine—as displayed at—E Hayes hardware store Invercargill Built by the late Norman Hayes in 1980. The fuel tank is a pressure cooker, float bowl is a preserving jar and carburettor is a half inch brass garden tap. The ignition comes from a trip magneto, muffler is a bed pan, brass toilet cistern is the water tank, and a stirrup pump provides water cooler. The engine concept is unique to Norman. He would have had great difficulty with the rough finish, because he was a self taught engineer and a perfectionist.

VEHICLE IDENTITY CARDS As there have been changes made to the application forms that you fill in for the VEHICLE IDENTITY CARD could you all PLEASE MAKE SURE that the forms you fill in have the DATE OF 09/2019 IN THE TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER of each page underneath the page number. If you need a set of papers please contact me on (06)858-8301 or email jsfoot@xtra.co.nz or download a set from the Club website.

John Foot—Branch Vehicle Identity Card Coordinator International Rally—Taranaki—January 21st—2021 8 see www.historicmotoring.co.nz for details

Wairarapa Car Rally 2020—by Sandra Cross The Wairarapa car rally was attended by John and Shirley Foot driving their (Nissan). Rod and Scarlett MacKenzie drove their (Model T). Michael and Vicky Harding drove their (Studebaker Hawk) and Lynn and Sandra Cross drove their (Triumph Herald). It was a fun weekend, and a very successful run around the Carterton-Masterton-Eketahuna area, despite inclement and cold weather on the Saturday. The Wairarapa Vintage Car Club people were great hosts, forcing their guests to partake of enormous morning and afternoon teas, and then sitting us down to a well-catered dinner at the Solway Hotel. Here we were all allocated particular tables, the Foots and the Harding's being at the “Auburn” table, while the Crosses were at the “Ford” table. At the prizegiving following the meal, John and Shirley were awarded second prize in the post 80’s section. On Sunday morning the Vintage Car Club members braved the frost (and then rain) to take part in a car show at Solway Park in Masterton and then – even more bravely – some participated in a gymkhana. Events included the navigator pegging, six items of washing on a clothes line and the driver spearing quoits – both while the car was moving. This particular navigator managed to just put three items on the line before one dropped off. Although unplaced, Vicky and Michael Harding looked really smart and “just the part” when they dressed up for their car’s vintage and Rod and Scarlett were truly stoic taking part in the Sunday’s events. Well done guys!

Lovely line up of vehicles at the

Michael and Vicky Harding in period outfits looking very nice

2020 Wairarapa car rally

1948—Was a good year—by Rod McKenzie The year of 1948 was something of a milestone in the automotive industries of the world when the Second World War had been over for three years and the industries were getting back on their feet. Many men had returned from their duties overseas, and sadly many also didn’t come home to their families and loved ones. Once those returned servicemen came back, they got on with their lives doing things that they hadn’t been able to for several years. One of those things was the siring of the group of children, now known as the “Baby Boomers”, a group of the population born between about 1945 and 1960. The first of the very successful and popular Morris Minors designed by renowned designer ,Alec Issigonis, came onto the market in 1948. This of course was the “low-light” version. The manufacturers got into some strife with the authorities in some of the foreign markets because the lights were regarded as too close to the ground, and from about 1948 Morris Minor 1951 the headlamps were fitted into the mudguards where they stayed for the rest of the production lasting into the early 1970’s. His new design allowed for better suspension systems such as long torsion bars at the front, and rack and pinion steering. He also allowed for 14 inch wheels when the norm of the time was a 17 inch wheel. Many of the VCC members will have travelled in or owned one of these delightful wee cars during their lives and there are two or three owned by our branch members today. Well over a million were made in their production lifetime and included vans, pick-ups, convertibles, station wagons [travellers] and two and four door saloons. The early engines were a four cylinder side-valve of 803cc, and the last of the cars were fitted with a 1098cc version with a four speed gear-box. Also coming to the market in 1948 was the very successful and powerful Jaguar XK120 sports car with its magnificent 3.8 litre six cylinder over-head cam engine. The car won praise and many races around the world and was piloted on occasion by such people as Stirling Moss [who sadly died quite recently aged 90 years]. The engine went on to power Jaguars of all types for around 30 years in one guise or another in both sports and saloon cars. Another car to make it to the market in the Australasia region was the first Holden, which was designed and built in Australia for their conditions. This FX model became available on 29 th November 1948 and was marketed at 675 pounds, which was considerably cheaper than an American car of the time. It had a six cylinder engine of a little over two litres and would regularly achieve well over 30 mpg according to owners of the time. In October of 2017, the last Holden to be produced came off the production line at Fisherman’s Bend in South Australia. Very few of the FX model made it to New Zealand, and it wasn’t until the mid 1950’s that we started to see the Holden FJ and later the FE model turn up here. 1948 Jaguar XK120 sports car

1948 FX Holden

Also appearing in 1948 for the first time were such CHB VCC luminaries as Neil Malcolm and Rod McKenzie, and several other members as well. They would be difficult to restore to any good purpose, but there are many models of the above vehicles that are popular to own and restore and10use on the roads of the nation.

Austin Flying A Enthusiasts Car Clubâ€”11th Bi Annual National Rally 23rdâ€”26th October 2020 (Labour Weekend) The Austin Flying A Enthusiasts Car Club is holding its National Rally in Rotorua and would like to invite any Austin Owners to join us. The agenda for the weekend is: Friday Night: Registration from 4.00pm onwards. We will also be having a small BBQ for anyone who would like to join us. Cost per person to be advised (starting 6.30pm). Please note that this is a basic BBQ (does not include dessert). BYO Drinks. Saturday: Car Display Afternoon activity BBQ Dinner cost per person to be advised (starting 6.30pm) BYO Drinks Sunday: Group Photo Car run to a point of interest Afternoon at your own leisure Dinner and Prize giving If you wish to attend without an Austin, you may join in the car display in a Classic or Vintage Car, all moderns will need to be parked on the road. The photo shoot will be for Austin cars then a group photo with all cars attending. All cars must have a current WOF and Registration if taking part in this Rally. Registration forms are available now. If you are interested in attending or have any questions please contact our 11 th Bi Annual National Rally Organisers via E-mail or Phone listed below E-mails: Phone:

Eventscoordinator@austinflyinga.co.nz Secretary@austinflyinga.co.nz 0274810000 William (Club Captain / Events Coordinator) 09 2967 554 Lorraine (Secretary please leave a message)

GISBORNE 2021—15th NATIONAL MODEL A RALLY—Sunday 28th March—Sunday 4th April

Early Bird Registration is open for the 15th National Model A Ford Rally 2021. This will be held from Sunday 28 March to Sunday 04 April 2021 (Easter Weekend) in Gisborne at the A & P Showground's and Events Centre. Come along and join other Model A enthusiasts for a relaxed but entertaining time in Gisborne. Enjoy the friendly people and experience the ‘Real New Zealand’ driving your Model A. Gisborne is situated on the North Island’s East Coast and is known for its beautiful beaches, vineyards, orchards and good Model A roads. Sometimes referred to as the ‘City of Rivers’, Gisborne is the first City on earth to see the new day’s sun rise. ‘Early Bird’ indicates to the organisers you have chosen to receive your rally information early and avoid missing out on the news as it comes to hand, or tours that may have limited numbers. Don’t wait too long to register as we are limited to 300 entrants.

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION FEE $20.00 To obtain your Early Bird Registration Form, email the organising team at:

gisbornemodelafordrally@gmail.com or phone one of the organising team member

David Mossman 0272 350 444 Rob Brown 0274 745 726 Karen Thomas 0274 190 191 Karen Thomas Secretary

Tony Bartlett 0272 725 648 Errol McAlpine 0274 543 983 Kristina Rarere 022 367 5776 12

For Sale 1974 Triumph Toledo 1500 I have only had her a year. I brought her up from Geraldine. Sadly, an old tennis injury to my left ankle flared up from driving a manual car again. It's done 10955k, rear wheel drive, warrant expires April, Rego Sept. She drives well and has no rust, has good tyres, new carpets and sheepskin car seat covers. She is a classic car and deserves to go to someone who will love her.

$3,500 for her â€” No Offers Carole Lindsay Ph 075789579 carn@kinect.co.nz

Austin 7 Ruby 1937 with lots of parts. Offers Contact Ian Bayliss on 027 555 8368 13

For Sale

Wanted Wanted, a front bumper for a 1946 Vauxhall J 14. Please phone Jim Spicer 027 2468 715 or email rustypatch.wpk@xtra.co.nz

1972 Hillman Hunter Excellent original condition Only 47300 miles Polar white with red upholstery. Automatic transmission. Been used on a number of VCC events for a number of years $5500.00 Contact Ray Freemantle 06 858 865.

For Sale

Competing in the CHB Veteran Rally, February 2016

1966 Mercedes Benz 250s 1914 Overland Model 79T Touring

A comfortable reliable touring car, well maintained and comes with a selection of spare parts.

Fully Restored A great motoring vehicle, Spare parts and information Won best restoration award in 2008 at the Willys Overland Club Victoria, Australia.

Interested parties Please Contact Bryan Malcolm, Phone: 06-8585-005 or Email: malcolm-b-j@xtra.co.nz 14

Phone: Neil Cox 021 023 33948