THE VOICE OF THE VINTAGE CAR JULY 2018
MID WEEK RUN
TOUR OF THE TAURANGA WHARVES BAY OF PLENTY VINTAGE CAR CLUB (INC) Email bop@vcc.org.nz WEB SITE: www.bayofplentyvintagecarclub.com
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COMMITTEE CONTACTS
CHAIRMAN
JIM SMYLIE
07 5764180
CLUB CAPTAIN
KAAREN SMYLIE
SECRETARY
JOHN PAYNE
TREASURER
KEITH PERKINS (JANE)
07 5781231
PAST PRESIDENT
JIM SMYLIE (KAAREN)
07 5764180
COMMITTEE
021 664341 or 07 5764180 07 5769497
BRIAN PRATT (CINDY)
07 5447952
COMMITTEE
STEVE TITMUSS (MARION)
COMMITTEE
LINDA DOWNEY (DOUG)
021 02777931
07 5520794
COMMITTEE
DOUG BROWN (LINDA)
021 668117
COMMITTEE
KEN FREW (DIANE)
07 5764263
OTHER ELECTED OFFICERS HALL HIRE
KAAREN SMYLIE (JIM)
021 664341
LIBRARIAN
YVONNE BECK (PAUL)
07 5748482
PARTS SHED
JACK ANDERSON (MERILYN)
07 5766346
PROPERTY MANAGER
JACK ANDERSON (MERILYN)
07 5766346
NAME BADGES
DAVID JOBLIN (NOLA)
07 5441690
MID WEEK RUN
ALAN PRAM (JUDY)
07 5738428
NEW MEMBERS
JULIAN WEBB
07 5792441
NEW MEMBERS
ALASTAIR JONES (GWEN)
07 5761124
SWAPMEET
KEN FREW
07 5764263
VIC CERTIFICATION
ALASTAIR JONES (GWEN)
07 5761124
VIC CERTIFICATION
IVAN ALLEN (YVONNE)
07 5432629
APPAREL
LINDA DOWNEY (DOUG)
02 102777931
WELFARE
LINDA DOWNEY (DOUG)
02 102777931
CLUB REGALIA
OWEN SMITH (JAN)
07 5702000
HONORARY SOLICITOR PETER BUTLER (MARION)
07 5756892
KLAXON MAILING
GARTH AND MARCIA REED
07 5764086
WEBSITE
PAUL BECK (YVONNE)
07 5748482
KLAXON EDITOR
PAUL BECK (YVONNE)
07 5748482
KLAXON EMAIL:
klaxoninfo@gmail.com Fax 07 5746482
CLUB WEBSITE: www.bayofplentyvintagecarclub.com SECRETARY EMAIL: bayofplenty@vcc.org.nz For anytime Club enquires: Kaaren Smylie (Committee) 07 576 4180 or 021-66-43-41
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Bay of Plenty Vintage Car Club
The Club Rooms are located at 29 Cliff Road Tauranga. P O Box 660, Tauranga, 3140. Key contacts are— Club Captain– Kaaren Smylie (Jim) Ph 021 664341 or 07 5764180 Secretary— John Payne Email bayofplenty@vcc.org.nz Monthly events— Club night (except January) 2nd Monday Start time 7-30pm Mid week run. Wednesday following the club night End of the month run. 4th Sunday Committee Meeting. Last Monday of the month Noggin ‘n’ Natter 4th Tuesday at 6:00pm Location Sequence of Noggin ‘n’ Natters 1, Tauranga- Tauranga Citz Club. Cameron Road. Organiser Jim Smylie 2. Te Puke- at Te Puke Hotel. Contact Martin Carey 573 7136 Paul McIndoe 5733328 3. Tauranga - Tauranga Citz Club. Cameron Road. Organiser Jim Smylie 4. Katikati- at “Forta Leza Café”, SH 2 Katikati. Contact Owen Smith, phone 07 570 2000. If your birthday falls in this month please remember it is your turn to provide a plate for supper. Our thanks go to last months birthday people for the food provided. PLEASE remember to wear your name badges to all events. They can be ordered from David Joblin phone 544 1690 LIBRARY HOURS— The library will be open on club nights from 7pm. Also on most Monday mornings until midday Yvonne & Paul work in the library and members are welcome to call in to search for or return books. If making a special trip please phone home beforehand to ensure they will be there, phone at home on (07 574 8482 or 027 6098510)
HELP US HIRE OUT THE CLUBROOMS! CONTACT KAAREN SMYLIE 07 5764180
OR
021 664341
Hall Cleaning Roster Volunteers We all use the hall and love to see it sparkling clean. If you have forgotten to add your name just email the Klaxon or contact Kaaren or Jack and they will do it for you. July: Sandy Binyon & Paul Lett August: Jack & Merilyn Anderson
Please enter you name on the notice board list if you are able to help.
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July Local Events
Mon 9th July
Club night. Quiz night. Quizmaster to be Ron Elton
Wed 11th July
Midweek run: Organizer Chris Railton
Tue 24th July
Noggin and Natter. Held at Te Puke Hotel
Fri 27th July
Movie night at clubrooms. The Bridge on the River Kwai
Sun 29th July
End of the month run
Mon 30th July
Committee meeting at clubrooms. Note: 7pm starting time
Wed 1st August
Close off for Klaxon articles
Sun 26th August National Daffodil Day. Organisers Ken Frew, Linda Downey
Midweek Run July 11th - Organizer Chris Railton We will be visiting Sanctuary Mountain an ecological island at 99 Tari Road Pukeatua which is just off the Arapuni Road. There is lots to see and do with tracks and native flora and fauna. The Trust that runs the sanctuary has a large area in the reception building where we can have lunch, they can provide hot water and a few cold drinks but do not have catering facilities so do the VCC thing and bring your lunch and thermos. Entrance fee is $20 for adults up to 65, $14 over 65 and 10% discount for groups over 10. There is 5 kilometres of easy going metal tracks and the whole area is surrounded by a pest proof boundary fence encircling Sanctuary Mountain and they have eradicated all pests within this area. You should see tui, kereru, kaka, hihi, pitoitoi, popokatea, tieke, and kokako. We will meet at the clubrooms at 9.00 leaving at 9.30 for Putaruru via Rapurapu Road where we can purchase lunch for those that haven’t brought any. I understand that “Bev’s Delight” on the right as you go through Putaruru have particularly good food. Leave Putaruru via the Arapuni Road to the Dam and cross this and stay on the Arapuni Road until you see the large signpost at Tari Road and turn right with care. Sensible footwear and umbrella recommended. Chris Railton
End of the month run: No details are available for this run at the time of publication. Watch for details on Email “THE BUZZ”
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Other Club Events 7th July: Winter Woollies Wander. Wellsford Warkworth 8th July: Rotorua Swapmeet 13th July: R’Oil Can Rally. Waitemata VCC 25th Aug: Sulphur City Rally. Rotorua VCC 29th Aug: North Island Model A Club. Steel N Wheels Show 12-14th Oct: Canterbury Swapmeet 16-18th Nov: Nelson National Veteran Rally 15-17th Feb: National Motorcycle Rally, Marlborough VCC.
Details for many of the above events may be found on our notice board and cloud site
BOPVCC Movie Night Friday July 27th Hall open at 6pm movie starts 7.15 pm
Bring along your meal and favourite tipple. Then sit down and enjoy a real Classic Movie
Movie:
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Starring: William Holden and Alec Guinness
NEW ZEALAND POST INCREASED POSTAGE TO $1.20 If you are happy to receive your Klaxon on line only and do not require a printed version posted to you, please advise Klaxoninfo@gmail.com. You will still be able to pick up a printed version on club night at the front table if required. THANKYOU TO THOSE THAT RESPONDED TO THE CALL AFTER OUR LAST MEETING 5
Chairman’s Chat
We are most fortunate this year that we have a full, and capable, complement of officers to complete our management team. We have already held our first committee meeting, where everyone contributed positively to issues the Club faces. I look forward to working with them this year. Vice Chairperson: In addition to a full committee, we have a senior committee person, Ken Frew, offering to assist me in the chairperson’s role and hoping to put his name forward for election as chairperson at our next AGM. Effectively, Ken is offering himself to act as vice chairperson for the Club this year. Unfortunately, our constitution does not allow for such an office, which your committee considers a big omission. Such an office would allow a member aspiring to hold the office of chairperson an avenue where he/she could be promoted in an orderly way. It would also assist the Club with continuity of a chairperson. I say this knowing the difficulty our Club has experienced in recent years finding someone to fill this role. A problem also faced by many other branches. Accordingly, your committee resolved that we should have a special general meeting with the view of discussing with the wider membership this problem, and then voting on whether we should amend our constitution to establish a formal office of vice chairperson. Notice of this special general meeting, and the proposed remit, is set out elsewhere in this issue of Klaxon. Klaxon: You may recall at our last AGM the discussion regarding the cost of printing and posting our monthly magazine, the Klaxon. The cost to the Club for this printing and postage is approximately $5,000 a year, effectively a third of our income. This is a cost we have to address sooner rather than later. The Klaxon is currently available in two formats, electronic and a hard copy sent via post. The vast majority of members receive the magazine in both formats. To date we have endeavoured to encourage members to voluntarily opt for receiving the magazine electronically only, and not via post, but few members have taken up this option.
Since the AGM the committee have received two substantial submissions expressing concern as to the cost involved with our distribution, which resulted in a significant discussion within the committee. The result being that the committee has resolved to cease distributing the Klaxon as from our December 2018 issue. This lead in time will allow members to resolve how they will receive the magazine, a most valuable communication tool for our Club. Most of our members are able to receive the magazine electronically, so for those members the proposed change that should not be a problem. In addition, a hard copy of the magazine will be available for members to collect at Club Night. These two measures should allow uninterrupted delivery of the Klaxon to most. But I ask any members unable to receive the magazine electronically, nor are able to regularly attend Club Nights, to contact either me, or our editor Paul Beck, to explore a way to receive the magazine regularly by some other method. I am sure we will find a way. Wishing happy and safe motoring. Kind regards, Jim Smylie. (Chairperson)
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“The ills, chills, and thrills of Winter Motoring topless."
Kaaren Smylie Most folks love nothing better than to rug up with a ‘hot toddy’ in front of the fire reading a good book or two during our coldest time of the year. However, many of us choose to rise to the occasion and embrace the chills and thrills of ‘topless’ motoring in the cold and rain. I have heard being bandied around many a time (and been called) the title ‘nutter’ to describe such lunacy, but oh how we do love the thrill of the chase. Until of course when reality sets in, and you end up with the cold from hell and hence dare I say this is precisely what happened to Jim and I after returning home from the fantastic Irishman Creek Rally. Still feeling rather poorly while writing this column one is weighing up and deciding if the journey to the South was all worth it, in a word I would say YES and I look forward to next year’s Irishman! The Irishman Creek would have to be in my humble opinion one of, if not, the finest Rally on the annual VCC calendar of events. I do appreciate while it might not be everybody's cup of tea or ‘tipple’ of Port depending on your poison, nevertheless the number of young people and women that turn up year after year to compete, is a credit to the Canterbury branch who organize it.
Guys, you are doing something right to attract youth and a touch of glamour to your event, even though we did all resemble something similar to a Yeti rugged up in our many layers of thermals top to toe, an unrecognizable bunch really. Alastair Jones, Jim and I were amongst that group of Yeti’s gathering at the early start on the Saturday morning of Queen’s Birthday weekend, in the historic district in Oamaru with about 440 other such like people associated with this event. The Mayor gave 163 pre-1931 historic vehicles and their drivers and navigators a mighty farewell before they made their way down the coast of Kakanui heading in the general direction of Fairlie. Superb motoring conditions for this hardy bunch to drive in; backcountry turf they would never likely get the privilege to drive on, while taking on the numerous river crossings with great enthusiasm. Even getting to experience a teeth shattering hoar frost, the latter many people commented they had never seen before. As cold as the journey was, what an incredible sight to witness. The Smylies had a ball, and I am confident Alastair had just as much fun; every time we caught up together he greeted me with a big grin on his face from ear-toear. I am thrilled to report back the old Model A never disgraced herself over the weekend amongst the seventy other odd Model A's that had entered; she kept up there with the best of them. Jim is currently fine-tuning her for our next winter challenge in mid-July, the R’Oilcan Rally organised by the Waitemata branch. Another excellent Rally that the Waitemata branch put together, perhaps not for the faint-hearted, but regardless of the weather conditions on the day no excuses are accepted, its compulsory for all motorists to drive the route ‘topless’. This year is the third time we have entered the infamous R’Oilcan. As entrants, you always report for duty and depart from the Autobahn Bombay at some ungodly hour of the Saturday morning, and alternate years the instructions will point you either North or South on a magical mystery tour.
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You have no idea until late afternoon on the Saturday, what exclusive little hideaway you are going to end up at, but it's always a tremendous amount of fun and laughter shared over several wines by everyone at the finish. July for our branch is not too hectic with our usual calendar of regular events happening, however, brace yourself members for August we are going to be busy! I strongly suggest you keep an eye out for your weekly email from me The Buzz to keep you updated on what's happening. A couple of significant dates to circle on your social calendar is 17th& 18thAugust when we will be celebrating our 60th, our organizer and mastermind Alastair and his right hand man Paul Beck would like to see as many members there as possible over the weekend to share, view and chin-wag about the memorabilia of days gone by. Diane Quarrie, our National President and her husband Geoff, have also confirmed they can join us in the celebrations. This year our 60th party will replace our annual Mid-Winter Christmas Dinner. (See advert for details, or please get in touch with Alastair) Moving on to Sunday 26thAugust we will be joining all the other branches in the country for the VCC ‘National Daffodil Day’ our goal for the day as an organization is to raise as much as we can for the Cancer Society. Last year’s contribution to the Cancer Society was a huge success, and Ken and Linda our organizers have put a great deal of time and energy again into the planning of this Rally for our branch, thank you both. Folks please note this Rally will also be our End of Month run for August. (See details) Tuesday 28thAugust is the day the local branch of the Cancer Society will be having their annual delivery of fresh daffodils to the businesses in Tauranga. I have been contacted to inquire if our Club can assist them again this year and supply 35 drivers to help them with their deliveries. The last several years members of our Club have been most generous with offering to give up a few hours of their day to support this worthy cause that has affected us all, in one way or another. Should any members be able to drive but don’t have a navigator to help them, the Cancer Society will provide runners. Closer to the time I will send you out further details. Jumping a little bit ahead of myself here, but girls I haven’t forgotten you – we will repeating the ‘Best Lady Navigator Run’ later in the year. Last year I did make my annual branch Club Captains Run, the ‘Best Lady Navigators Run’ and the lucky winner of the event Raewyn Fenn, ended up taking home a rather fancy looking trophy to show off to her family and friends. I was delighted how many girls made the effort to participate in that afternoon of fun.
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As well in the Spring, I plan to have another ‘Boobs and Bubbles’ evening (ladies only) we had a couple of years ago, so keep an eye out ladies in the Klaxon for further details. In closing, I would like to remind you of not only our branch Facebook group that you can join but the National VCC have their own Facebook page as well. Both pages regularly have some exciting and informative articles and photos posted on them from members all over the country who have participated in rallies.
So in the words of Richard Branson, "If happiness is the goal – and it should be, then adventures should be top priority.'' Safe Motoring, Kaaren
Mid Week Run -
Port of Tauranga Tour: by Deidre Rennie
June saw us repeat a previously popular tour around the ever expanding Port of Tauranga which is the largest port in the country both in terms of total cargo volume and in terms of container throughput. For the year ended 30 June 2017 Port of Tauranga had 22,194,014 tonnes of cargo moved across the wharf. Included in that were 1,085,987 TEUs (twenty foot equivalent unit). The port is able to handle the largest container and cruise ships that are unable to either enter or dock in
other NZ ports. The first port was officially established in 1873. The Mount Maunganui wharves were officially opened in 1954 with the Tauranga wharves completed in April 1992. Commodities have helped the port to grow rapidly since the 1950s to become this country’s largest export port. Forestry, kiwifruit and dairy exports account for almost 80% of exports. Much of this cargo is destined for customers in Japan, China, South Korea, South East Asia, Australia and the Pacific Islands and logs and other forestry products comprise around half of what we export. Imports are also an important and expanding sector of the port’s business. These include petroleum, fertilizer, coal, dry and liquid bulk, palm kernel and a range of other products. Imports of containerized cargo have grown rapidly over the past eight years, and through the development of the port’s integrated inland port, MetroPort Auckland.
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The morning started with morning tea at the club rooms and we then piled onto a
coach driven by one of our members Alan Webb to commence the trip to the port gates over at the Mount side. It was here that we had the first (and only fortunately) challenge of the day. Health and Safety. The port require all people driving on the port to have completed a Health and Safety Induction and to hold a certificate. After a hasty conference a very helpful Port Security Officer, who was to accompany and guide us around the port, assisted Alan Webb and Deidre Rennie to complete the H&S Induction using a smartphone. What we would do without technology. I’m sure people passing by wondered what 3 people huddled intensely out-
side the steps of the bus were doing. Induction now completed (and with Alan now holding a certificate valid for 2 years) our patient passengers started our tour. The port is a very busy and dangerous place to visit with loads of machine operating all around us - Log loaders, graders, trucks, grabs. The roads around the port are clearly marked and with very strict 20 to 30m limits everywhere and we were limited in where we could go.
We started viewing the logging and general goods op-
erations (including Champion Flour Mills and Fonterra premises) before moving through the log barcoding and scanning area. Logs and forestry products account for over 50% of the products exported and storage of the logs takes up quite a large amount of space in the Mt Maunganui side of the port.
We were also lucky
enough to see one of our Navy Patrol boats in port - apparently sheltering from the weather outside. It was then off to the Sulphur Point side of the wharf where all the container operations are undertaken. Lots of trucks, usually with single containers, were seen moving between the Sulphur Point and Mt Maunganui parts of the port. Those of you who travel over the bridge and along Hewletts Road and Totara Road will attest to the huge increase of trucking movements and traffic congestion - the price of progress I suppose. As the container operations area was so busy unfortunately we were very restricted as to where we could go and what we could see but we did get a good glimpse of the 8 large container cranes that the port owns as well as seeing the straddle cranes running around the port moving containers and loading trucks. Imagine the logistics involved in moving and correctly loading those containers onto the ships.
Very quickly our hour was up and it was time to return to the Clubrooms where we had a very convivial lunch and talked over what we had seen. Thanks to all who attended and for Alan who capably drove the bus for us.
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Interesting facts: The port has 15 berths in total Maximum draught high water: 14.5m Maximum draught low water: 13.2m Length of stay: Log vessels approximately 3 days. Container vessels approximately 10-16 hours. General vessels approximately 2 days Operates eight cranes based at Sulphur Point which is the container part of the
port operations. Has 113.4 hectares at Mount Maunganui and 74.7 hectares at Sulphur Point. This includes the land currently used for wharf activities and the surrounding land used by industries supporting the port. Deidre Rennie
Tauranga Wharf Tour Left: Loading up Below Left: Stradler loading a truck Below Centre: Port Gateway Below Right: Logs to be loaded Bottom: Aerial view of port
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Your Klaxon Editor is Paul Beck
Contact Paul at
klaxoninfo@gmail.com or 07 5748482
All articles must be in writing and received PREFERABLY early in the month, the close off date being Wednesday following the committee meeting. Hi All, I have been putting off a job for a while on the Snipe so as it was a fine day, decided to get on with it. I was then sharply reminded that it is now winter and that fine days quite often mean it takes a while to warm up. I was under the car when Yvonne came around and asked if I was cold. “VERY” came my reply. It was during my spell of freezing that my thoughts went to last months presentation of photos of the Smylie's and Jones’s at our meeting of the Irishman Rally held last month. Photos of ice looking like a plastic covering on a netting fence and landscapes that would do justice to a Christmas card. Beautiful photos but not in my backyard please. I was cold enough in what could have passed as a cool summer day in comparison to that lot. This month our mid week run to the wharf was enjoyed by many, but as Yvonne and I have recently done a tour, we stayed and got the hall ready for their return for lunch. A nice way to finish it all off and a big thankyou to Deidre Rennie for your effort. This was followed by the end of the month run put on by Alastair and Gwen Jones. This was their 3rd attempt at it, as previously the weather did not meet requirements and the runs were cancelled. Obviously a lot of thought had gone into this. The object was to look at photos and identify where and what the photo was about. All of historic items around Tauranga City. While I realized that there was a lot of history around town, I was unaware of several sites and I do not think I was alone in that. A very interesting day and well done Alastair and Gwen for putting on an imaginative run. Discussion arose at our AGM about the cost it takes to produce the Klaxon every year. While I have always been aware of that and have introduced measures to reduce the cost, it is really a waste when the whole lot can be done at no charge. However a letter was written to the committee and I followed with a report on the costings. While this has always been my aim I was heartened by getting support on the matter. The committee have now taken it on board and I am sure Jim will enlighten us at our next meeting. While on the subject of Jim. I am sure that many of our members are thankful he has taken on chairmanship for another year and has a plan for the future. We all I am sure appreciate his careful attention to make our meetings interesting with guest speakers etc. and I cannot recall any meetings of controversy so that fact alone must say a lot about his management. Thanks Jim. Kaaren also has quietly indicated that her days may also be numbered. What a job she has and still is doing. Talk about a workaholic. Her ideas and thoughts introduced over the years have given us all a shake up. What an entertaining few years we have had. I do hope someone will step up when she does call it a day and that we don’t just slip back into the old humdrum and lack of enthusiasm of the past. So as we are now approaching our 60th anniversary next month, it is pleasing to see a little information being released and at last the committee are now getting involved in finalizing details. Here's hoping that it all is well supported and doesn't just pass as a non event. Paul
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End of Month Run – An Historic Tour of Tauranga by Cathie Barker
Having lost the quiz despite a generous 50 points from Alastair for doing this write up. Some fellow members at our after-cruise table joked I might have a case of sour grapes. Sour Grapes? Me? Never? I had the best time ever! What a fantastic afternoon we had! Despite ominous black skies Rotorua way, we bundled our dinner into our 38 Desoto and cruised from our Pyes Pa home to the club rooms, stopping briefly at the Lakes to give her a drop of 91. When we got to the club rooms it was great to see such a good turn-out of approximately 25 cars and 50 odd members, including our youngest four-year-old member Nomie. Here we were given our 6-page cruise sheet of 18 photos of Tauranga landmarks. We were told we had to find the landmarks and then answer questions at each landmark. It was at this point we heard Paul and Sandy from Pukehina way, say they weren’t confident with Tauranga, and didn’t recognize any of the photos, so we said, “follow us”. I’m so glad they did in their bright yellow V Dub, because we got to know them, which was fantastic, and truly made our day. It was great to see vintage cars going back and forth and all over town as everyone mapped out their own route, and what they thought was the best and quickest way to each landmark, instead of us driving in single file. We got to wave out to each other on a regular basis, see other cars in motion, see where others had been, catch up and chat at various landmark stops and some hilariously were slip streaming others because it was clear that they didn’t know where to go next. The tour took us to familiar landmarks and some surprisingly we didn’t know existed, and we learnt more about Tauranga than when we started. The tour covered a huge area, but the two hours went so fast! It encompassed the Taioma or Empire Jane propeller at Sulphur Point, the Pou at Pyes Pa, meeting the historic guide Elaine Hollins at The Elms, the Sir William Herries Archway and the Seven Sister Stars - Te Kahui Matariki on the Strand, the Galatas Grove that commemorates the Battle of Crete in Greerton, the statue dedicated to Reverend Canon Charles Jordan on Cameron Road, and Chief Rawiri Puhirake Tuaia’s memorial at Mission Cemetery. We were told we had to be back at the club rooms by 4, otherwise points would be deducted, just as well, as we could have easily gone for another hour or two. Everyone gathered at the club rooms, in high spirits, and shared their cruise experiences, and their answers and what they struggled with. While we waited for everyone to arrive members enjoyed a dessert of cheesecake and fruit salad generously made and bought by Paul and Sandy. Alastair then took us through the answers and that’s when I learnt what a competitive bunch this club can be. I thought I was in with a chance at 290, but that quickly paled by comparison when we had members easily in the 300’s, and the points were out of 395. There were some funny answers like; What is the “Radiator Plants” Latin name? “le coolant” or “de an ty frez”. But at the end of the day the worthy winners who made it look so easy, were Murray and Jan Burt who were awarded a bottle of Stables red wine. So, a big thank you to Alastair and Gwen Jones for organizing this end of month run the Historic Tour of Tauranga, and to Paul Lett and Sandy Binyon for the dessert and to everyone else involved in making this run a huge amount of fun, Dennis and I look forward to the next one. Cathi Barker P.S. thanks for the pen Joe
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Allan Lloyd Watson – ‘Wattie’ to all his family and friends 13th March 1934 – 13th June 2018 Wattie’s early life began in and around Auckland. By the time he was 13 years old he had a natural aptitude for things mechanical, playing with engines and driving the combined harvester and tractors on the farm. When in his teens the family moved to Whitianga and in time Wattie set up his business called Marlin Motors at the old Shell station (now a Z station) working on any agricultural equipment that need servicing or repairs. His talents extended to boats and also jet engined power boats. He ran a service across the bay and this became a fulltime job and he started to recruit staff to help out. During this period, Wattie married Helen and they had three children Nikki, Tonia and Stuart, with now, an extended family of seven grandchildren and their offspring as well. He also learnt to fly and used a Cessna aeroplane for many activities, including flying over to Ardmore in 30 minutes to collect parts for customer’s orders to complete the job quickly and checking on his ‘patch’ for duck shooting. Everyone in town knew if they had a mechanical problem to go and see Wattie. Some years later a decision later was made to sell the business and move to Tauranga, settling in Bethlehem and his brother-in-law Rod McCullum in Whakamarama followed on. Wattie and Helen joined the BOP branch of the VCC and soon afterwards Rod joined as well. In time they both soon became a Committee Members and Helen helped to set up the kitchen operation in our new clubrooms at Cliff Road. He involved himself with the annual hill-climb events and acquired a Triumph 2500 saloon, saving it from the wrecker’s yard and set about ‘restoring’ it to a stage where he could compete in it at the Trig Road North Hill-climb event. He was very successful, setting times usually within one second to Rod McCullum in his Ford Zephyr. We nicknamed the car the ’Works’ Triumph. One his party pieces was to set off a smoke rail at the START, usually obliterating the START Line area, to huge applause from the spectators and other competitors. His other passion was to ride motorcycles, some modern, but his favourite was his 1948 Ariel Red Hunter 350 c.c. with rigid frame and upswept exhaust pipes. He joined the Tauranga Classic Motorcycle Club, and soon afterwards, he was elected the President and later made a Life Member. He was demon on the bike, and hard to keep up with on the metal let alone on sealed roads. He said it was the only way to ride, with his famous grin. He loved originality and would always repair something in preference to the option of replacement. He set up and became famous for the monthly TCMC Midweek runs, finding obscure and rural locations for the runs to go to and the support for them grew to very large proportions. The annual ‘Mail Run’ organized by the Hawkes Bay Classic Motorcycle Club, every March was huge favourite for Wattie, attending many years
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in succession. His last ride was this March, from Tauranga to Taupo for the start onto Napier, on the first day, where the Hawkes Bay Club organized a surprise Birthday Party for him, staying overnight and returning the next day. A great ride and feat achieved for him in his condition. Very soon afterwards he even attended the New Plymouth Rally later that month with grit and determination. In the last two weeks, Waipuna Hospice and Healthcare New Zealand gave their exemplary support to Wattie and the family, but he slipped away on the 13th March. A celebration of his life had been organized at the Tauranga Citizens Club, and the TCMC planned a Police escort for Wattie’s ashes to be taken from his home to the Club in the company of twenty-seven bike riders and several cars. Wattie was carried on his Ariel, ridden by Sam Langdon to the Citz Club. Over 300 people attended the celebration, from all different walks of life and areas in New Zealand including the clan from Whitianga, where they relayed many humorous stories, some new to Helen, which illustrated his love for Earth, Sea and Sky and his fellow man. Rest in Peace Wattie. Clive Taylor
OUR CLUB ELECTRONIC SITES Klaxon: Klaxon is available on email. If you are not receiving Klaxon by email then we do not have your email address. To correct this send a request to: klaxoninfo@gmail.com Klaxon Posting: Klaxon is emailed to all available email addresses. If you are happy with the email version you may cancel the posted version which is a considerable saving to the club in postage. Alternatively you may cancel the postage version and pick up a printed copy on club night at the front table. To do either please advise klaxoninfo@gmail.com BOP VCC Cloud Site: This site is a google cloud document site for our club members to access. It contains other club magazines and run information sent to us and stored in one convenient place for you to access and read. To get access to the site send a request to klaxoninfo@gmail.com BOP VCC Facebook: The club has a Facebook page, however it is a private page only accessible to our members and approved people. A request to be friended to the page must be sent to Kaaren who will do that for you. If you are not a friend you cannot access it. Send request to: Kaaren@smylie.co.nz BOP VCC Website: Search bay of plenty vintage car club in your browser. The site contains our magazine and other information of interest pertaining to our club.
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Bay of Plenty Vintage Car Club
60th Birthday Celebrations 17 - 18th August. Programme: Friday evening: 17th August A Noggin and Natter from 6pm onwards at Club Rooms. There will be pizzas, tea and coffee and fruit-juice provided by the club. Beer or wine over to you. Paul Beck has assembled a great cavalcade of old images to show on the big screen to keep an eye on while the reminiscing is going on. It will be a fun, relaxed evening. Saturday morning: 18th August. Depart from Club Rooms at 9.00am for a run to our brunch venue with a choice of two routes. You will enjoy a lovely meal in comfortable surroundings for $5 per person.
Saturday evening: 18th August. Club Rooms at 5pm for pre-dinner drinks then at 6pm we sit down to a great 2 course meal complete with a 60th Anniversary cake and some bottles of table wine. Cost per person is $20. Bookings are advised Please email or ring Alastair Jones--gandajones@kinect.co.nz, or 07 5761124 no later than Friday 10th August. Early responses would greatly assist planning.
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Notice of Special General Meeting To be held at 8 PM. on the 13th August 2018 at 29 Cliff Road, Tauranga Pursuant to Clause 12 of the constitution and rules (the “Rules”) of The Bay of Plenty Vintage Car Club Incorporated (the “Club”) the Club’s committee call a special general meeting of the members of the Club to discuss and vote on the remit, (set out below) to change rule 9(a)(i) of the Rules, Remit: To change the wording of the first sentence of rule 9(a) (i) to read; Chairperson, Immediate Past Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Club Captain, Assistant Club Captain, Secretary, Treasurer and a committee of not less than four and not more than six general members. The immediate Past Chairperson shall stay on the committee for one year immediately following his/her term as chairperson....
The only change to this rule is to include the underlined word Vice Chairperson. URGENT FOR SALE NOTICE
Anne and Ray Nitschke are moving house and downsizing and unable to keep their stock of period clothing, Art Deco to 1970s. Available are:
Ladies dresses, matching hats and handbags
Mens Waistcoats.
Please phone Anne Nitschke 07 5739264 for further details 17
Cecil Wood, First NZ motor bike and NZ built car by Paul Beck I was reading a book and came across an article of interest about Cecil Wood. Born in 1873, Cecil Wood first became interested in mechanical things when his father took him at the age of 5 to the opening of the Christchurch – Timaru railway. He was fascinated at the hundreds of parts along with the noise and steam. He got a desire that one day he would possibly have one that he could work on and touch. He was educated in Lyttelton and became Dux of that school. He then took on an engineering apprenticeship on a steamer where in those days parts were hard to get so quite often had to be made. He then managed to transfer his apprenticeship to an engineering workshop on land. On completion of his apprenticeship he got a job in a bike shop. Parts for the bikes were unobtainable at the time so they had to be made. He had trouble after making the axels with a lathe he could not temper the steel properly without it twisting. He had read in books about case hardening so he built his own furnace to do this. By the age of 21 he had purchased his own bike shop in Timaru and this is where he thought of putting a motor on a bike. He hired a lathe every second month from a Gunsmith friend, built a furnace and obtained a drill press. Wood had seen pictures of engines in overseas magazines and studied them closely. He put his thoughts together and made technical drawings then went to the local flour mill who made patterns and parts for him. With advice from mechanic friends he started to experiment with getting his motor going and fitting it to a bike to make NZ’s first motor cycle. This was a year before Ford made his first car. Later in that same year Wood also started making his first motor car. The chassis was made from 11/8 steel tubing and put a 2hp engine on it. The engine had a sparkplug made by 2 layers of mica bolted and fitted inside a threaded tube and he wound a coil by hand using fine copper wire. He didn’t know how to make a carburetor so he gravity fed the fuel from a tank suspended above the motor and regulated the fuel. After much experimenting he managed to get the mixture right. He then coupled the motor to the back wheels with a belt. The front wheel was tiller steered. The car ran quite well but was difficult to steer as in those days there was no differentials so it tended to want to drive in straight lines only. The real problems were though not with the car but with the locals. The car frightened their horses and the dogs tried to attack the wheels. The local butcher threatened him with his knife and the local constable threatened to arrest him. Eventually Wood became the first person in NZ to be arrested for exceeding 8mph. He eventually sold the car to a man in Oamaru in 1896 and then commenced to build another. The next car had 4 wheels and he made a differential for the rear wheels using 2 straps. All the parts were made and the design came from Wood in his own workshop. He experimented with other fuels including gunpowder and steam but decided they were unsuitable for use in cars. World war 1 saw many difficulties for Wood and hampered his manufacturing greatly. He eventually sold his bike business and in 1919 bought a Ford agency. Woods was also friendly with Pearce who built his own aircraft and even supplied Pearce with an engine but I was unable to find any other reference to this fact in Pearce’s history.
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SOME ‘OTHER CLUB’ EVENTS
by Chris Cole
During the last couple of years, BOP VCC membership has burgeoned to over four hundred with at least 25% attending our monthly meetings. Our mid-week and end -of-month runs are also very well attended. Paul Beck does a wonderful job of putting together run reports and associated photographs in our magazine, the Klaxon. Once a year, I present a New Members’ Power Point slide show in an attempt to explain the workings of our club, and the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand with its numerous branches. Many of you will remember my promotion of attending other club’s events. Brief write-ups of major Club Runs are contained in Beaded Wheels. No doubt, a juicy article and many photographs will be contained in the next month’s magazine on the Irishman’s Rally that occurred last Queen’s Birthday Weekend. Our Club Captain and Chairman Kaaren and Jim will most probably furnish their own report on their participation in this iconic rally. During the last two months, Jenny and I have enjoyed a number of ‘Other Club Events’. They have all been in the North Island but we have been the only BOP VCC members to have represented our Club. This has got me wondering why and has, therefore, prompted me to write this short article. ANNUAL RALLIES: Each Vintage Car Club usually organises an Annual Rally which is promoted in Beaded Wheels. Not only is it a great fund-raiser for the club, it also enables the club to show off the many attractions of the local environment. Unfortunately, BOP VCC had to discontinue its own ‘Anniversary Rally’ about five years ago because nobody was prepared to organize it. V & VCC (WAIKATO) INC DOUBLE 50 RALLY 2018: Based around their lovely club rooms in Cambridge, this excellent annual rally took place on Queen’s Birthday Sunday. It cost $28 to enter, $13.50 for the Rally Plaque, $15 each for the Saturday night dinner, $12 each for a packed lunch, and $38 each for the most enjoyable Awards Night Dinner. 76 cars entered coming from Auckland, Waikato, EBOP, S Waikato (Tokoroa), King Country, and Rotorua. Two Veterans (up to 1918), sixteen Vintage (1919-1931), eight Post Vintage (1932 – 1946), twelve Post War Vintage (1947 – 1960), twenty one P60 (1961 – 1980), and five P80 (1981 – 1987) took part. There were a further eleven cars that took part in the rally but did not compete – mainly because they wanted to learn about how the rally worked.
TARANAKI VCC MAUNGA MOANA RALLY: Based around the Plymouth International Hotel in New Plymouth, the 53rd Annual Maunga Moana (Mountains to the Sea) took place 20 -21 April. It cost $30 to enter which included the Rally Plaque, $30 each for the Friday night dinner, $15 each for the Rally lunch, and $40 each for the very entertaining Saturday Night Dinner and Awards ceremony.
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There were three categories in this rally. No less than twenty four Vintage and Veteran cars entered in the ‘Slow’ rally; thirty three cars were entered in the ‘Fast’ rally, and eleven cars entered in the non-competitive ‘Touring’ rally. We always love participating in this rally as it takes you around some of the more fascinating parts of ‘forgotten’ New Zealand. THE NATIONAL NORTH ISLAND EASTER RALLY: Various North Island clubs take it in turns to host this rally. This year eleven members of the V&VCC Waikato did a very professional job of promoting and organising it. VERO and Radius Healthcare were the main sponsors; all vehicles had to have VIC Certification (Ivan Allen and Alastair Jones are the Club’s Certifiers). The three day event commenced with a Friday night twilight run followed by a barbeque. A full days rallying occurred on the Saturday. A dinner and live music was then held at the intriguing Oasis Retreat. On the Sunday, a Historic Mystery Tour took us around historic Cambridge followed by a competitive cow hunt around Morrinsville’s herd of 42 colourful cows. Dinner and Prizegiving was held at ‘Gail’s of Tamihere’. It cost $35 to enter, $20 for the rally plaque, $12 each for the Friday BBQ, $12 each for Saturday’s lunch, $15 each for Saturday dinner, and $35 each for Sunday’s formal dinner. Sixty seven cars entered coming from Hawkes Bay, Central Hawkes Bay, Rotorua, Manawatu, Far North, Northland, Waikato, South Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Wellington, Wanganui, Auckland, and Wellsford. Amongst these were two Veteran, sixteen Vintage, twelve Post War, nine Post War Vintage, and twenty two Post 1960. RECOMMENDATION: I have deliberately outlined the costs involved, the numbers and types of cars, and the various Vintage Car Clubs from which the members have come. It is not expensive to participate. However, I have not mentioned the cost of accommodation. That is completely up to you. Once you are familiar with the capabilities of your car and co-driver, and have experienced a few BOP VCC mid-week and end-of-month runs, there should be nothing to deter you from entering into another club’s run. Not only do you get to explore another part of New Zealand, you also see an enormous variety of wonderful cars, and you get to meet and make friends with fellow enthusiasts from all over the country, many of whom, no doubt, have a car just like yours. We receive monthly magazines from most of the Vintage Car Clubs in New Zealand. You can find them on the rack at the back of the club rooms. If in doubt, just ask a committee member. They will point you in the right direction. Happy motoring. Chris Cole
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Crossword — by Dave Ryan
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Contents list
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Later on
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Fete (pl)
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Trick
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Thin soup
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Oak tree seed
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Warning sound
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Cries out in pain
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Soldier of fortune
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Similar/alike
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Wording on keep out sign 2-5
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Yellow citrus
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Aussie song
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Keeps
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Artist workshop
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Waltzing …….
ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS Do you have any early photographs of events or items of interest pertaining to our Branch In August 2018 we will be celebrating our 60th anniversary and would like to collate any history of our Branch.
Even a tatty but important photograph may be suitable. Please send to: Alastair Jones, 7 Chestnut Way, Bellevue, Tauranga 3110. or telephone 07 5761482 Do not forget to put your name on an envelope so we know who to return it to
The years 1964 - 1966 1964: Road safety became a national concern and became the subject of a 1964 stamp issue. Reflections 1964: Marsden point oil refinery opened and began processing crude oil from the middle east. 1965: Seat belts become compulsory for all new light trucks and cars. 1965: A drivers licence now includes a practical test as well as oral and written questions. 1965: TEAL now becomes Air New Zealand and took delivery of its first DC8. 1965: The Airforce takes delivery of 3 Lockheed Hercules aircraft. 2 more were due to arrive in 1969. 1965: The RNZAF makes the first of its annual cargo flights from Christchurch to McMurdo Sound in Antarctica. 1965: The ferry Rangatira made its last voyage from Lyttelton to Wellington. In 1972 another larger Rangatira made her first trip. 1965: The converted Maori providing a roll on, roll off facility made her first trip on the Lyttelton to Wellington run. 1966: Mangere Airport changed its name to Auckland International Airport. 1966: The NZ Navy gained a new frigate, The Leander class Waikato. At this time the HMNZS Royalist was decommissioned after beginning its service in 1956. 1966: Drivers now convicted of a driving offence are now subject to a demerit points system. 1966: The Collier Kaitaia sunk near Cape Reinga with the loss of 29 lives. 1966: The Wahine inter island passenger ferry enters service. Less than 2 years later it sunk in Wellington Harbour with the loss of 51 lives.
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ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD ACROSS
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State
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PARTS SHED
Contact: Jack 07 5766346 or Colin 027 2629161
Clean out your sheds and bring those surplus parts down that you purchased from our Swap Meet BOP VCC LIBRARY Contact: Yvonne 07 5748482
We are accepting good clean car service manuals or books that relate to automobile history or travel for our club library.
If you have any of these that are no longer in use at home then why not donate them to the club 23
SUMMIT TYRE SERVICES LTD
Come to 200 Waihi Road next to the BP Summit Talk to TONCI BARCOT about tyres. We provide a fast friendly service at a very competitive price. We supply and provide Tyres, new & old, Wheel Balancing, Wheel Alignment, WOF Repairs & Batteries
Ph. 07 578 2381, Fax 07 578 2381 Mobile 027 2899484
Your connected accountants At Walton Railton we understand you have goals and we are passionate about using our knowledge to help you reach them 415 Cameron Road (Cnr Eighth Ave & Cameron Rd).
Tauranga
07 5786161 | www.wrca.co.nz
Certifying Plumber & Gas Fitter covering the Western Bay of Plenty 24
MENS SHORT SLEEVE POLO WITH POCKET & LOGO NAVY/WHITE TRIM SIZE S,M,L,XL,2XL
PRICE $35.00
WOMENS SHORT SLEEVE POLO WITH POCKET & LOGO NAVY/WHITE TRIM SIZE 8,10,12,14,16,18,20
UNISEX LONG SLEEVE POLO WITH LOGO NAVY SIZE S,M,L,XL,2XL
PRICE $25.00
PRICE $35.00
UNISEX POLAR– FLEECE JACKET WITH LOGO
UNISEX POLAR– FLEECE VEST WITH LOGO
NAVY /WHITE TRIM SIZE S,M,L,XL,2XL
NAVY /WHITE TRIM SIZE S,M,L,XL,2XL
PRICE $ 45.00
PRICE $ 40.00
CAP WITH LOGO NAVY SIZE ONE SIZE FITS ALL PRICE $ 10.00
BUMPER and LAPEL BADGES $30 EACH: Coloured in, Chrome, Nickel or Bronze finish Contact: Owen Smith 07 570200 25
$10 Each LAPEL BADGES Same size as 50c coin Contact: Steve Titmuss or Kaaren Smylie
For Sale and Wanted
Austin 7hp Parts - extensive stock of new spares for all Austin 7s 1923-39 Catalogue available. Also many parts for other pre-1940 Austins - Big 7, 8hp, 10hp, 12/6, etc. Peter Woodend. 07 571 5525 or 027 605 4040
Note: new email address: classictyresnz@gmail.com For Sale. 1981 Triumph TR7 Soft top. 75,000 miles. In excellent condition. Comes with service history and manuals. Rego on hold. Contact Graeme Lusby for further details. Phone: 075761032 or email: gjlusby@gmail.com
3 x 1938 Morris 12s - reconditioned motor sleeved to original size - 3 bodies with plenty of spare parts - $3,000 for the lot if any of your members are interest. We look forward to hearing from you. Contact billknudsen@kinect.co.nz For Sale. 1930 Ford Model A Roadster NZ new. Fully restored and registered 36252 miles. Phone Derek Bryan.07 5796298. FOR SALE: 1971 MGB GT Classic car in excellent condition NZ new with NZVCC VIC ( Lots more info on TradeMe) WOF and Rego $9000 Call: Brian Pratt 07 5447952 -- 021 02225723 anytime. For sale. 1984 MB 280SL Mercedes convertible. Excellent condition with maintenance receipts. Reg. and WOF. $30,000. The car is able to be viewed at Papamoa on appointment. For further information contact Gerd on 0272409498 or email gerd.matthesius@gmail.com Wanted to buy – For Chev 1937 to 1939 - looking for steering wheel, towbar, original or aftermarket heater, exterior sun visor and period dress up accessories. Phone (07) 863 3554 or email kiwisteam@clear.net.nz For Sale:1915 FORD MODEL T TOWNCAR, 2 speed dif, brass radiator and accessories. Fully restored and registered. For further enquires please phone Derek Bryan 07 5796298. For sale: 1906 Reo Runabout, Single Cyl. 8 HP. Two forward 1 reverse. Good reliable veteran. Present owner 41 years P.O.A. Bob Taylor. Ph. 075526592 Tauranga. For sale: 1913 Swift Cycle car. 2 cyl veteran. 3 speed goes well. Good runner. Price $25,000 or near offer. Bob Taylor. Ph. 075526592 Tauranga
For Sale: Art Deco to 1970s clothing: Anne and Ray are moving and downsizing and are unable to keep their period clothing. Available are Ladies dresses, matching hats and handbags. Men's waistcoats. Contact: Anne Nitschke Ph. 07 5739264
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BUSINESS FOR SALE AS GOING CONCERN ENQUIRIES TO PETER
CLASSIC TYRES For beaded-edge, high-pressure/straight-sided, well-based cross-ply, radial, wide whitewall, imperial, metric, car, truck, motorcycle, also whitewall trims, steel & wire wheels. Warehouse: 4/64 TUKORAKO DRIVE, MOUNT MAUNGANUI
PETER WOODEND Web: classic-tyres.co.nz Email: classictyresnz@gmail.com Postal: P O Box 2245 TAURANGA 3140 07 571 5525 Mobile/warehouse: 027 605 4040
An exclusive 15% discount to all Vintage Car Club readers Your car adds so much to your life, but now you can give it back. THE FINAL TOUCH PAINT REPAIR SYSTEM removes stone chips, scratches, scuff marks and dull paint returning your car to the factory finish the you first fell in love with
CONTACT KALAN 0275955999 OR EMAIL kalan@finaltouch.co.nz OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE Www.finaltouchgroup.net
REPAIR
MAINTAIN
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PANEL BEATERS Bob Hyslop Proprietor ——————————————● QUALITY WORKMANSHIP ● ALL REPAIRS ● COMPETITIVE PRICES 74 Courtney Road Tauranga Phone 07 578 2654 27
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PLEASE RUSH TO
IF UNDELIVERED: RETURN TO. PO BOX 660. TAURANGA 3140
FIX LABEL
KLAXON
BAY OF PLENTY VINTAGE CAR CLUB STAMP