CLASSIC, VINTAGE AND VETERAN MOTORING FOR 70 YEARS
No. 346 June/July 2017
NEW ZEALAND’S FOREMOST HISTORICAL MOTORING MAGAZINE $7.95
SCENICLAND RALLY
9 418979 000012
EARLY INDIAN MOTORCYCLES SIR HARRY RICARDO’S LEGACY MAGAZINE OF THE VINTAGE CAR CLUB OF NEW ZEALAND
NEW VCCNZ NATIONAL DAY
VCC Daffodil Rally for Cancer Sunday 27 August 2017 The VCC executive has given their full support to a new annual fundraising event designed to raise awareness of our club while benefitting a nominated charity. It is hoped that all branches will support this event. Each branch is encouraged to organise a run in support of this national event. Cars will be charged a $10 entry which will be donated to the local Cancer Society. The plan is that each run sets off at the same time so that throughout the country hundreds of cars are on the road raising money for their local Cancer Society. This rally could take the form of a simple Sunday run or as part of an existing event. Other ideas like additional fundraising such as gold coin rides, a sausage sizzle or a car show could also be added.
This event is not limited to VCC vehicles. We think that the bigger the better for the VCC Daffodil Rally for Cancer. We encourage branches to reach out to other motoring clubs in their region and also to members of the public. This is a chance for us to benefit a very worthwhile charity and gain valuable publicity for our Club as well as enhance our relationship with other car clubs and gain new members. Currently each Branch should be electing a representative who will be the organiser and liaison for their event. The VCC has appointed an Event Manager who will oversee and provide guidance and support to each branch. The National Cancer Society is fully behind our national day and will also provide support.
management committee Contact National Office for all queries regarding VICs, logbooks, historic race licences, lighting endorsement, registration of vehicles, address changes, subscriptions, membership cards, speed events. The Vintage Car Club Of New Zealand (Inc.) National Office, PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140 Phone 03 366 4461 Fax 03 366 0273 Email admin@vcc.org.nz
branches ASHBURTON PO Box 382, Ashburton 7740 ashburton@vcc.org.nz AUCKLAND PO Box 12-138, Penrose, Auckland 1642 auckland@vcc.org.nz BANKS PENINSULA 27 Showgate Ave, Riccarton Park, Christchurch 8042 bankspeninsula@vcc.org.nz BAY OF PLENTY PO Box 660, Tauranga 3140 bayofplenty@vcc.org.nz CANTERBURY PO Box 11-082, Sockburn Christchurch 8443 canterbury@vcc.org.nz CENTRAL OTAGO C/- 4B Roto Place, Wanaka 9305 centralotago@vcc.org.nz
2 Beaded Wheels
Bring a friend and join us for the 2017 Vintage Car Club Daffodil Rally for Cancer Please note this information changes annually - these details are valid until October 2017.
PRESIDENT Diane Quarrie 06 876 4009 president@vcc.org.nz
REGISTRAR Rod Brayshaw 07 549 4250 registrar@vcc.org.nz
CLUB CAPTAIN NORTHERN REGION Paul Collins 027 292 2204 nicc@vcc.org.nz
SPEED STEWARD Tony Haycock 021 662 441 speedsteward@vcc.org.nz
CLUB CAPTAIN SOUTHERN REGION Alon Mayhew 03 443 7030 sicc@vcc.org.nz
BEADED WHEELS CHAIRMAN Kevin Clarkson 021 0270 6525 kevin@vcc.org.nz
SECRETARY/ TREASURER Michael Lavender 03 325 5704 hon.sec@vcc.org.nz
COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING OFFICER Ross Holden comms@vcc.org.nz
Ed Boyd 06 348 4547 mgmt3@vcc.org.nz Tony Bartlett 06 867 9850 mgmt1@vcc.org.nz David Yorke 06 358 8060 mgmt2@vcc.org.nz
ARCHIVIST Don Muller 03 385 6850
archivist@vcc.org.nz
A full list of branch addresses and contact details can also be found on the VCCNZ website at www.vcc.org.nz CENTRAL HAWKE’S BAY C/- 94 Mt Herbert Road, Waipukurau 4200, centralhawkesbay@vcc.org.nz EASTERN BAY OF PLENTY PO Box 2168, Kopeopeo Whakatane 3159 easternbayofplenty@vcc.org.nz FAR NORTH C/- 64 Mangakaretu Road, RD2, Kerikeri 0295 farnorth@vcc.org.nz GISBORNE PO Box 307, Gisborne 4040 gisborne@vcc.org.nz GORE PO Box 329, Gore 9740 gore@vcc.org.nz HAWKE’S BAY PO Box 3406, Napier 4142 hawkesbay@vcc.org.nz
HOROWHENUA PO Box 458, Levin 5540 horowhenua@vcc.org.nz KING COUNTRY C/- 34 House Ave, Taumarunui 3920 kingcountry@vcc.org.nz MANAWATU PO Box 385 Palmerston North 4440 manawatu@vcc.org.nz MARLBOROUGH PO Box 422, Blenheim 7240 marlborough@vcc.org.nz NELSON PO Box 3531, Richmond 7050 nelson@vcc.org.nz NORTHLAND PO Box 17, Whangarei 0140 northland@vcc.org.nz
NORTH OTAGO PO Box 360, Oamaru 9444 northotago@vcc.org.nz NORTH SHORE C/- 7 Godwit Place, Lynfield Auckland 1042 northshore@vcc.org.nz OTAGO PO Box 5352, Dunedin 9058 otago@vcc.org.nz ROTORUA PO Box 2014, Rotorua 3040 rotorua@vcc.org.nz SOUTH CANTERBURY PO Box 623, Timaru 7910 southcanterbury@vcc.org.nz SOUTHLAND PO Box 1240, Invercargill 9840 southand@vcc.org.nz
SOUTH OTAGO C/- G. Beaumont, Tuapeka Mouth, RD 4, Balcultha 9274 southotago@vcc.org.nz SOUTH WAIKATO PO Box 403 Tokoroa 3420 southwaikato@vcc.org.nz TARANAKI C/- 297 Huatoki st, New Plymouth 4310 taranaki@vcc.org.nz TAUPO PO Box 907, Taupo 3351 taupo@vcc.org.nz WAIKATO PO Box 924, Hamilton 3240 waikato@vcc.org.nz WAIMATE 4 Harris St, Waimate 7924 waimate@vcc.org.nz
Please note this information changes annually - these details are valid until October 2017.
WAIRARAPA PO Box 7, Masterton 5810 wairarapa@vcc.org.nz WAITEMATA C/- Embroidme, 23E William Pickering Drive, Rosedale, Auckland 0632 waitemata@vcc.org.nz WANGANUI PO Box 726, Wanganui 4540 wanganui@vcc.org.nz WELLINGTON PO Box 38-418, Petone, Wellington 5045 wellington@vcc.org.nz WELLSFORD/WARKWORTH PO Box 547, Warkworth 0941 wellsfordwarkworth@vcc.org.nz WEST COAST C/- 17 Loris Place Greymouth 7805 westcoast@vcc.org.nz
Beaded Wheels Issue 346 June/July 2017
FEATURES
Beaded Wheels Publisher THE VINTAGE CAR CLUB OF NZ (INC.) The Historic Vehicle Authority of New Zealand ISSN 0113-7506 Vol LXVIII No. 346
Editorial Committee Kevin Clarkson (Chairman), Judith Bain, Bevars Binnie, Rosalie Brown, John Coomber, Mark Dawber, Marilyn McKinlay.
12
Knocking, Squish, Swirl and Tumbling
15
1909 Vulcan
16
Early Indians and the 1914 Electric-Start Hendee Special – Part II
19
Those Fab 50s
22
The (Stutz) Bearcat and the Lynx
26
Cop This, Then Behind the Wheel of a 1981 Honda CB650Pz
30
Vintage vs Classic
32
Time to roll out the Camper
34
North Island National Easter Rally
36
Rally Snippets South Otago – Clutha Motorcycle Rally Taranaki – Maunga Moana Rally West Coast – Scenicland Four Lakes Rally North Otago – All British Day
38
National Veteran Rally 2017
Material for Publication Reports of restorations, events, road tests, historical and technical articles should be submitted to beadedwheels@vcc.org.nz. Email of text and photos is preferred, digital photographs should be high resolution eg 300dpi. Alternatively mail your contribution to PO Box 13140, Christchurch 8141, typed or neatly printed, double space on one side of paper only. No payment is made to contributors. The opinions or statements expressed in letters or articles in Beaded Wheels are the author’s own views and do not necessarily express the policy or views of The Vintage Car Club of NZ (Inc).
Greg Price takes this 1981 Honda CB650Pz for a spin, see page 26.
Email beadedwheels@vcc.org.nz
Advertising Address Classified and Display Advertising to: PO Box 13140, Christchurch 8141. Phone 64 3 332 3531, Fax 64 3 366 0273 Rate schedule available on request.
Back Issues Available on request to PO Box 13140, Christchurch 8141.
Correspondence & Editorial Contributions Phone 64 3 332 3531, Fax 64 3 366 0273 PO Box 13140, Christchurch 8141.
Subscriptions
The 2017 Scenicland Rally took members on gravel roads through some superb West Coast bush and lake scenery this year , see page 37.
Beaded Wheels subscribers change of address to PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140. Phone 03 366 4461, Fax 03 366 0273 Annual subscription (6 issues) $45* inc GST Australian subscription (6 issues) NZ$76* Other countries (6 issues) NZ$136*. *Payment by credit card will incur additional bank fee processing charge of 3%
COLUMNS 4
President’s Message
4
As We See It
5
VCC Events
6
National Office News
Closing Date for August/September Issue
7
Mailbag
Editorial Copy Advertisements
9
Mutterings of a Mature Motorcyclist
10
The Way We Were
11
Timelines
38
Brass Notes
40
Marketplace
46
Swap Meets & Rallies
48
Idle Torque
54
Passing Lane
Production Typesetting & design by RGBDesign Printed by Spectrum Print Ltd, Christchurch. 24 June 2017 10 July 2017
The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc.) National Office Phone 03 366 4461 Fax 03 366 0273 Email admin@vcc.org.nz
Postal Address PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand. Address 12 Aberdeen St, Christchurch, New Zealand. Website www.vcc.org.nz Copyright Information The contents are copyright. Articles may be reproduced complete or in part provided that acknowledgement is made to “Beaded Wheels, the magazine of The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc)” as the source. Beaded Wheels reserves the right to digitally store all published material for archival purposes.
Like us on facebook Beaded Wheels
This 1967 Fiat is looking for a new home, see page 40 for this issues’ marketplace.
COVER Robin Ross and granddaughter tackle the gravel on the 2017 Scenicland Rally, West Coast. See page 37. Photo: Stewart Nimmo, More photos available from www.nimmophoto.co.nz Beaded Wheels 3
president’s message
As an insert in this edition of Beaded Wheels, you will find two Notices of Motion, along with the rationale for both motions from the Proposer (Leon Salt) and Seconder (Douglas Hamilton) and a message from the Management Committee. Just as it is a member’s right to put a notice of motion forward, it is the Management Committee’s responsibility to actively advise members of our opinion if we consider that motion is not in the best interests of the Club. We would be derelict in our duty to our members if we didn’t do so. The Management Committee has been elected by members to consider all matters and issues in relation to the Club. We must look at how any change will affect our operational requirements and functions on a daily basis and consider how changes will impact on our relationship with government authorities. When Leon Salt first discussed his thoughts in regard to changing the vehicle classifications with me I was supportive as it seemed a good idea. However the Management Committee have spent considerable time investigating this proposed change and cannot support it for the reasons outlined in our comments at the bottom of the insert. Both motions were fully discussed at the Executive meeting in March and while the first motion regarding membership applications was supported, a show of hands indicated that the Executive did not support the second motion relating to changing some of the vehicle classifications. Please consider this matter carefully. Voting papers will be posted out to members in July along with the Club’s financial statement and election papers. Recent news from FIVA (the International Federation for Historic Vehicles) announced that it has formed an on-going partnership with UNESCO to further its aims to protect, preserve and promote historic vehicles and their related heritage and culture. They have also persuaded the European Commission to accept that historic vehicles represent a significant contribution to our industrial heritage. This eventually will have a flow-down effect as our government agencies look at what is happening 4 Beaded Wheels
overseas when considering policies and regulation changes. Geoff and I recently attended the North Island Easter Rally held in Auckland. This was a very well organised event despite the adverse weather conditions leading up to it. The one disappointing aspect was the low number of entries. Auckland Branch had worked hard to keep costs down (entry fee was just $10), so that could not have been a contributing factor. The poor entry seems to be following a trend with Easter Rallies over recent years. This is our only national event (with the exception of international rallies) when we all come together as one club so it is vital that we look at ways to refresh and invigorate this event. I welcome suggestions from members. The Vintage Car Club now has its own facebook page which has posts on events and photos of historic vehicle activities from around the country plus interesting articles from New Zealand and the world. See more information in this edition of Beaded Wheels. As mentioned in my last column, the Club will be holding a VCC National Day in August. We have the sign-off from the National Cancer Society and the event will be held on 27 August 2017 which is the closest Sunday to Daffodil Day. This is a chance for us to benefit a very worthwhile charity, gain valuable publicity for our Club as well as enhance our relationship with other car clubs and gain new members. I urge you all to get behind this day and support your Club. All proceeds raised by Branches will stay in their region. Paul Collins has advised that he will not be standing for re-election as North Island Club Captain. I would like to thank Paul for his contribution over the last four years on the Management Committee. If you are interested in taking on this role, Paul and I are only too willing to talk to you about it. All other Management Committee have indicated that they will be standing for re-election. I am pleased to advise that the financial results for the day-to-day running of the Club for the 2016/2017 year will show a healthy surplus. Our membership numbers are now the highest they have ever been with new membership keeping ahead of those members who have died or resigned. However we cannot be complacent and must continue to support new initiatives to increase the public perception of what our Club is all about and the reasons why it is worthwhile belonging to the Vintage Car Club. Diane Quarrie VCCNZ National President
as we see it
It seems the print media is well and truly under threat. Many local newspapers are cutting their issues from five days a week to three or even two. I was in a coffee shop early on last Thursday and unwrapped the local, formerly large, newspaper and it consisted of two fairly skinny sections plus it had a free tabloid size local paper inserted within (mostly filled with advertising). I presume that inserting the tabloid allowed that publisher to go to even more advertisers with the claim that their readership numbers have made a huge jump. I might add that I have not purchased a newspaper for many years, preferring to get my news on-line and from more diverse sources than the local newspaper. Stuff.co.nz is a New Zealand news website published by a division of Fairfax Media. Stuff has recently taken on the home and garden type magazines with its own digital version providing similar content to the printed ones but in an online format. There are plenty of other examples of the print media throughout the world struggling to find a balance between their print and online presence. Also worth a mention is the challenge to Sky and regular television broadcasting channels which are losing ground to the likes of Netflix, Lightbox and other forms of digital news and entertainment streaming services. Currently the newsstands remain full of magazines and the supermarkets still have racks of women’s magazines with articles that are about two paragraphs long and accompanied by photographs of impossible looking men women and children. Supermarkets do have some men’s titles as well – just not so many. The advent of digital technology continues to challenge publishers and broadcasters around the world. Where is this going, do I hear you ask? Well I’m pleased to say that Beaded Wheels is remaining in its printed format for the foreseeable future so you can stop worrying now– we will still get your shiny new copy of Beaded Wheels to you in its current format in the first week of every even month as usual. If and when there is a demand for a digital copy we will provide a distribution service for our readers who would prefer to receive the magazine in an online format. Kevin Clarkson Chairman, Beaded Wheels
This list of events is compiled from the VCCNZ National Calendar of Events, and branch events as listed in each branch newsletter. Any deletions, additions, alterations need to be notified to Beaded Wheels by the Branch Secretary before 10th of the month prior to magazine publication
2017 VCC National Events 11 August 12 August 27 August
JUNE
Executive Meeting, Blenheim National AGM, Blenheim VCC National Day
3-4 Waikato 3-5 Canterbury 4 Sth Cant 4 Wanganui 7 Canterbury 8 Sth Cant 10 Gore 11 Canterbury 11 Marlborough 11 Nelson 11 West Coast 12 Wairarapa 14 Central Otago 14 Hawke’s Bay 14 Nth Otago 14 North Shore 15 Ashburton 17 Canterbury 17 Manawatu 18 Otago 18 Sth Cant 18 Wairarapa 18 West Coast 20 West Coast 21 C. Hawke’s Bay 21 Gisborne 22 Auckland 24 Canterbury 24 Far North 24 Waikato 25 Canterbury 25 Gisborne
25 Gisborne 25 Marlborough 25 North Shore 25 Taranaki 25 Wellington
Club Run Midwinter Prizegiving Dinner Auckland/North Shore Combined End of Rego Run Colonial Cup Rally
JULY Double Fifty Irishman Rally All British Day Annual Burma Rally 9-90s Outing Mid week Run End of Season Run Restoration of the Year Events Trophy AGM AGM AGM AGM AGM AGM AGM AGM Dance Night Trial AGM Restoration Rally Winter Wander Rosco Trials Morning tea Shantytown AGM AGM AGM Fish and Chip Motorcycle Run Malloy Trophy Club Run AGM Club Run
1-2 Wellsford/Wkwth Winter Woollies Wander 6 Sth Cant AGM 8-9 Canterbury Mid Winter M/C Run 9 Rotorua Central North Island Swap Meet 9 Wairarapa Margaret Gee Memorial Rally 12 Sth Cant Mid week Run 16 Horowhenua Night Owl Run 16 Marlborough Snow Run 16 Nelson Marlborough Br Snow Run 18 West Coast Morning Tea at Shantytown 22 C. Hawke’s Bay Twilight Run 23 North Otago End of Year – Star & Garter 23 Taranaki Breakfast Run 23 Waikato Club Run 23 West Coast Club Run 30 Gisborne Navigator’s Run
AUGUST
5 Taranaki 6 Canterbury 12 Canterbury
13 13 13 15 26 27 27 27 27
Marlborough Waikato Wairarapa West Coast Rotorua Canterbury Gisborne West Coast National
Brick Run Winter Run Annual Round the Bays M/C Run Marlborough Trials Club Run Janice Groves Memorial Run Morning Tea at Shantytown Sulphur City Rally Night Trial & High Tea Club Run Club Run VCC National Day
VCC Events SEPTEMBER 2 3 3 10 10 10 16 19 16-17
Waimate Sth Cant Waikato Auckland Canterbury Wairarapa Manawatu West Coast Taranaki
23-24 Waikato 24 Manawatu
OCTOBER
6-8 Canterbury 8 Wairarapa 14 King Country 14 Southland 14 Waikato 14-15 Canterbury 14 Manawatu 17 West Coast 20-22 Hawke’s Bay 21-22 Auckland 22-24 Sth Cant 28 Sth Waikato 28 Waikato 28-29 Wairarapa 29 Canterbury
Swap Meet Opening Run with Ashburton Kairangi Hill Climb PV / PW / P60 / P80 Rally Women Drivers’ Rally Peter Smith Memorial Rally Vintage Rally Morning tea Shantytown Rubber Duckie Motorcycle Rally PV / PW / P60 / P80 Rally Morning tea Shantytown
Swap Meet Rally Journey Through Time Vintage / PV Rally Club Run Girder Fork M/C Rally Swap Meet Morning tea Shantytown Safari Hunua 100 Rally Mt Cook Rally Dam Run Veteran Rally Peter Chisholm Memorial Rally Veteran Annual Rally
While Beaded Wheels makes every attempt to check the accuracy of the dates published in this column we advise readers to confirm all dates with the individual branch concerned.
Find out more about the Vintage Car Club Join our enthusiasts as they motor their classic cars, trucks and motorcycles. Visit vcc.org.nz to download membership application forms or contact your local branch directly for application forms and details. See page 2 for contact details of your nearest branch. Beaded Wheels 5
Julie Cairns-Gee
National Office Manager VCCNZ Inc National Office, PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140 ph 03 366 4461 fax 03 366 0273 email admin@vcc.org.nz www.vcc.org.nz Office Hours Mon – Thur 9-5pm
national office news John L Goddard Trophy A call for nominations was made in the last issue of Beaded Wheels and nominations are due to close on the 9 July. Is there someone you would like to nominate? Executive and Management Meetings All branch secretaries receive a copy of the minutes from Executive Meetings and Management Committee Meetings. Should you wish to read any of these, please contact your branch secretary. Club Website Have you looked at our club website? www.vcc.org.nz A forum was set up in 2005 and can be accessed via our website. You can also download forms for vehicle identity cards (VICs), membership and Beaded Wheels subscriptions. A copy of the VCCNZ Branch Manual is also available.
FIVA Vehicle Identity Card If you require a FIVA ID card for one of their events, please allow at least 10 weeks for its acceptance. There are charges involved. Please contact National Office if you require further information. VCC Speed Events If you are entering any VCC speed event you must hold current financial membership, a valid VIC and a VCC log book for the vehicle you are using and a valid VCC Historic Racing Licence. If your licence has expired, you will need to complete an HRL Renewal Form (Section 23S of the Branch Manual) and forward this, along with payment of $23, to the National Office and a new one will be issued. This form is on our website or you can contact your branch or the National Office for a copy. 100 Year Vehicle Badges The Club has 100 year vehicle badges which are available for purchase at $50 each. They are only for vehicles that have turned 100 years old and have a valid VCC ID Card. For further details, please refer to
Like us on facebook The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand now has a facebook page The page will have interesting stories, posts on events and photos of Vintage car activities from around the country. To start with, we would like you to do the following: For those who already have a facebook account: Go to the VCC facebook page and LIKE it. Posts will then appear in YOUR facebook stream and you can share them with your friends For those who don’t have a facebook page or don’t want to set up an account: Type this link into your browser: https://www.facebook.com/vintagecarclubofnewzealand/ and then save it in bookmarks. You will then have easy access to the page whenever you want to see the latest posts. You can also type Vintage Car Club of New Zealand into facebook search. Please note that this facebook page will include notification of upcoming events and stories but it’s not a buy, sell and exchange page. There are other avenues for that information. We would also like you to email pictures and include a couple of words about the photo from club events around the country 6 Beaded Wheels
for posting on the page. This will provide content of interest for enthusiasts around the world. Send pictures and stories to: comms@vcc.org.nz This page is your portal for fun stuff that is happening for Vintage car enthusiasts around the country. The more stories you supply, the more relevant the page will be.
the VCCNZ Branch Manual, section 40G, or contact the National Office. Has Your Vehicle Identity Card Expired Approximately three months prior to the due date National Office will automatically send out a reminder notice for VICs that are due to expire. Please check your VIC and if you find you have not received one of these, please advise the National Office. NOTE: I need a handful of members to contact me. Have you renewed your VIC and does the date on the front say 17/3/2016? If so, can you please contact the National Office. VCC Membership Numbers Membership numbers have reached the highest they have ever been. A report was given to each branch for their March Executive meeting, highlighting membership numbers, starting from 2000 up to February 2017. Feel free to contact me should you require the updated copy
Beaded Wheels Beaded Wheels is the voice of The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc.) and its 36 branches covering the length and breadth of the country. The efforts of our members continue fostering and ever widening the interest in this segment of our country’s history. It is to these people, who appreciate the fascination of age, the individuality and the functional elegance of vehicles from a bygone era, that this magazine is dedicated. Beaded Wheels – Our long established title may have readers wondering about its origin. By way of explanation beaded edge wheels use beaded edge tyres that are kept in place by reinforced rubber beads, which fit into the rolled edges of the wheel rim. This style of wheel was a distinctive feature of early motoring being used on early bicycles, many pre-1924 cars and most motorcycles until 1927. In March 1955 The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand adopted the title Beaded Wheels for their club magazine which was the successor to the monthly Guff Sheet.
mailbag The editorial committee reserve the right to p ublish, edit or refuse publication of any item submitted as comment. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily express the policy or views of the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc.) or the publishers. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.
Saltwater Creek Garage I have just had your Feb/March mag passed on to me. Re Trevor Stanley’s Saltwater Creek Garage in mailbag. Back in the old days most garages were supplied with fuel from more than one company. There was usually a line of pumps, often not under cover. Remember “Check the glass is full....” and sometimes with a hand pump so they could be operated if the power was out. Garry Conway Plimmerton It’s a Buick In reference to the lower photo on page 2 of Beaded Wheels 345, submitted by John Louden. The car is a 1915 Buick CX25 tourer and I am sorry that I cannot help with any other information In reference to the car photo submitted to mailbag on page 7 by John Callinan. The car is a 1925 Chevrolet Superior K tourer, rather than a 1926 Superior V. Both were very similar but enough clues are present to identify it. Alasdair Brass 1948 Hudson Commodore Clive Morriss, in the February-March issue, asked for details of any of these cars in New Zealand. No-one had responded in the April-May letters column so here is a little about my example, and a recent photo. I bought it in rather run-down condition in 1986 and soon set about restoring it. It may look a little unusual because of the appearance of its wheels and the lack of glazing. That is because it is a Dinky Toys No. 139b model, made sometime between 1950 and 1958. I regret to report that I have yet to see a real one in New Zealand. Ronald Mayes Rotorua
mailbag Detachable Wheels I am puzzled by the picture (BW 345, page 31) allegedly of a Riley entered for the 1908 French Grand Prix. The car looks to me like somebody’s team wagon and certainly not a racer. The text states it was ‘entered privately in the (1908) French Grand Prix.’ Problems? First, the look of the car in the picture. Second, that I find no record of any Riley being entered. Third, the French Grand Prix – to be super correct ‘the Grand Prix of the Automobile Club of France’ – did not accept private entries. From the late ‘20s they began to accept ‘works sanctioned’ entries. (A Miller which ran in 1924 and later came to New Zealand was one if the first, if not THE first.) D G Styles’ book Sporting Rileys: The Forgotten Champions has a lot to say about the wire wheels argument which revolved (pun intended) round whether the wheel was part of the car. Styles mentions Austin’s trial run in 1908, not 1909. Austin fitted artillery type wheels for the race and seem to have carried at least two spare tyres. Gerald Rose, writing soon after the event, makes no mention at all of the wire wheel controversy and indeed wire wheels were not new to the Grand Prix, having been used by Hotchkiss in 1906. Allegations of French perfidy seem to have come from the ever vocal S F Edge, master of controversy. Wire wheels on Edge’s team of Napiers were turned down and he kept writing to the motoring press for weeks and lost everybody’s sympathy. It seems probable this was an excuse, as the Napiers were not ready anyway. The French Grand Prix was not held again until 1912, by which time several cars used wire wheels. Did Riley run in some other French race in that period? If so, Styles makes no mention. There was a light car race run the day before the 1908 GP, and also the Coupe de L’Auto – see Andrew Anderson’s Delage story in BW 345 p 10. The Kent Karslake’s book on light car races of the period might tell us, but I don’t have access to a copy. Anyone know? Scott Thomson Rambler information wanted I am hoping readers can help me with information and/or photos of my 1970 Rambler Rebel SST hardtop coupe prior to about 1984/85 when it was saved from a wreckers in Christchurch and taken to Timaru to be repaired and sold. Something had been dropped on the bootlid crushing it. The body was altered to fit a sedan
bootlid which is 88 mm longer. At this stage it was dark blue with a white vinyl roof that had been fitted in the early ‘80s. I believe it had always been a Christchurch car but to date have no information of ownership history prior to being saved from the wreckers. Also I have not been able to find any photos of it in the ‘70s or ‘80s. This car would have really stood out so there must have been people in Christchurch or visiting that would have taken photos of it. I first saw this car when passing through Timaru late on a Friday night in 1985. It had been repaired and was parked in the main street of Timaru with a big for sale sign on it with a price but no contact details. It looked to be in nice condition and had a black interior. I thought I would have another look in the daylight on the way back home from Christchurch but it was gone and I couldn’t find anyone who knew anything about it. I have wanted a 70 Rambler Rebel coupe ever since I saw it. In 1997 I was told about a guy who was into Ramblers who had shifted from Christchurch to Oamaru and had brought a ‘70 Rambler Rebel coupe with him so I rushed up to his place to have a look. It was light blue with a blue interior so thought it was a different car but found out late last year that it is the car I had previously seen in Timaru. Someone must have painted the interior black and then at a later date the paint was removed to leave the original blue interior. At this point in time the owner would not sell it. Then about a year later I was told he was shifting probably out of town. His cars disappeared and I heard no more about where the car was. Beaded Wheels 7
Lou Stonnell at Kaipikari Hill Climb in North Taranaki. Note the very tidy body and the four stub exhausts.
The (Stutz) Bearcat and the Lynx Two very different animals
Words and photos Max Rutherford
The Stonnell family farmed in Lepperton, Taranaki, and during World War II an historic car with a very impressive racing history was pressed into service as a farm vehicle.
W
hen Lou Stonnell took over the farm later he harboured an interest in motor racing and it was from this interest another racing car was born. The American auto maker Stutz company slogan of 1911 “The car that made good in a day” was well justified. The first Stutz car, a prototype of a passenger car to be called the Bearcat, ran in the first 500 mile race at Indianapolis in 1911 and finished in 11th place. Perhaps not remarkable from a strictly racing viewpoint, but an outstanding achievement for a prototype passenger car which only weeks earlier had consisted of a set of drawings. This initial success encouraged the Stutz Motor Company to continue along the race road to fame until they had eclipsed all other manufacturers and became champions of the United States. From 1911 to 1914 Stutz chalked up an impressive list of victories on both road circuit and track and using the same Wisconsin engine as fitted in their normal production passenger car, only slightly modified for racing. It was a T head engine with a 4½" bore and 5½" stroke. Neither 22 Beaded Wheels
the revolutions or the output were anything terrific, the successful performance being due to light weight, excellent preparation ensuring reliability, and good drivers. The car had the reputation of handling well, contrary to what was expected at the time of a chassis having a rear axle mounted gearbox. Barney Oldfield drove a Stutz into 5th place in the 1914 Indianapolis 500 being the first American car to finish. For the 1915 season Wisconsin produced an entirely new special racing engine bearing no resemblance to their production engines. The crankshaft was divided in the centre, and was carried on three large diameter ball bearings. It had a single overhead camshaft and 16 overhead valves inclined in the non-detachable head. This was the way the European racing engines had been heading, as were the famous American Duesenberg racing engines. The trend had actually been started by Peugeot and had been further developed by American companies. This Wisconsin engine became the most successful racing engine made in America at that time and gave Stutz both the road and the track championships for
1915. A cone clutch connected the engine via a drive shaft to the gearbox which was still mounted on the rear axle. The gearbox, along with the front and rear axles were standard passenger car units. Three cars were built and raced, and a strange series of coincidences has made it possible to trace the history of one of them, number 5, to New Zealand. Stutz entered three cars for the 1915 Indianapolis 500 and they finished third (driven by Gil Anderson in number 5) fourth and seventh. Gil Anderson was only nine minutes behind the winning Mercedes of Ralph de Palma after 500 miles averaging 87.6 mph. Stutz withdrew from factory sponsored racing on the crest of the wave at the end of the 1915 season, and the cars were sold to private owners. The number 5 car Gil Anderson drove was sold to Cliff Durant, manager of the Chevrolet assembly plant in Oakland California. Durant entered the car in the 1919 Indianapolis 500 as a Durant Special and it was driven into 2nd place by Eddie Hearne. This was the last appearance of these cars in big time racing as a change of
formula ruled them out. What happened to the other two ex-factory cars is unclear but we can follow the life of number five. From 1919 to 1923 the Durant owned car successfully competed in dirt track events around the California area. In 1920 Cliff Durant sold the car and, after at least one other change of ownership, in 1923 Stutz number 5 was sold by a Mr Roberts of San Francisco, through his brother in Auckland, to Selwyn Craig in Auckland. Craig started it in the 1924 race for the New Zealand Motor Cup on the Muriwai Beach but he burnt out the clutch on the start line, then allowed the engine to over-rev and threw a rod out the side, all before he had covered a hundred yards. This was the first misfortune of a glorious career for the car in New Zealand. Selwyn Craig unfortunately died before the next Motor Cup and the car, with a patch on the sump, was sold to Tim Bell who did not do too well with it. Number 5 was then sold to Bob Wilson who passed it over to Mason and Porter Ltd, engineers of Auckland, for rebuilding, and it was restored to good condition. During that rebuilding they cast a new crankcase in bronze to replace the damaged alloy unit and the bronze casing remains to this day. Bob drove it in the New Zealand Motor Cup, which he won three times in a row, 1926, ’27 and ‘28. These three straight wins meant that Bob Wilson had won the New Zealand Motor Cup outright. Later, when the New Zealand Grand Prix was formalised, Bob put the cup up as this country’s premier motoring prize. In 1929 Bob Wilson again won at Muriwai Beach in the Stutz, the event renamed as the Australasian Beach Championships, and in the process he set a new five mile beach record of 177.4 kph the same day. When George Smith set a lap record at the new Hennings speedway near Mangere, Bob Wilson went out in the Stutz a month later and bettered it. By March of the following year Reg Grierson (Wilson’s long time mechanic) had lowered the lap record by 17 seconds and was also attributed with a top speed of 190 kph at Muriwai. In 1930 the Stutz again won the Australasian Beach Championships with Grierson at the wheel. The Stutz was then taken over by Ces Sutherland who dominated the 1931 and 1932 New Zealand beach races at Muriwai before it passed to the next owner Tommy Cooper, then P T Therkleson of Hastings
The Stutz Racers. Stutz steadily developed the racer model and entered three at Indianapolis in 1915 which was their last effort with factory entered cars. – The Stonnell’s cars was #5 in 1915.
who replaced the Wisconsin motor with a straight-eight Roosevelt unit. After that the car was sold to a Wanganui firm who fitted the Wisconsin motor into a speed boat but the installation turned out to be unsatisfactory. In a deal with Lou Stonnell’s father in Taranaki the unwanted Stutz was swapped for a 1928 Studebaker as this was the middle of the depression and there was no demand for racing cars. It was 1937 when Lou’s father brought the Stutz to the farm at Lepperton and at that time it was powered by the Roosevelt engine with a three speed gearbox attached to the engine as well as the original Stutz gear box fitted as part of the rear axle. (The two gearboxes connected in tandem giving the machine some nine forward speeds and three reverse.) During the Second World War when the Stonnell’s farm tractor was taken away by the Government for the war effort, the Stutz became the farm tractor. As the photos show it had smaller diameter wheels fitted, probably because tyres for the Stutz rims would have been impossible to obtain, and it was pressed into service as a hay sweep for bringing the tedded hay from the paddock to the hay stack. In the late 1950s Dick, Lou’s brother, used the car on the road in Auckland fitted with lights and mudguards and a rear extension to the body, possibly added for WOF requirements, but no doors or windscreen. Sometime after this it returned to the farm and was stored in a shed as other business interests took precedence. Ron Roycroft took an interest in the Stutz in the 1960s and moved it to his home in Glen Murray with the intention of restoring the car for the Stonnell family. The original Wisconsin engine had been found lying in the mud in the Auckland Harbour and rescued by Lou Stonnell and reunited with the car. Although he
now had all the parts to complete the restoration, the motor in particular was a mess and Ron, having many other interests apart from motor racing, found he did not have the time to do the Stutz justice so that was when Len Southward of Southward’s Car Museum expressed an interest in purchasing it. After much consultation within the Stonnell family it was decided in 1967 to sell the Stutz number 5 to Southwards’ museum. (Note that somehow the number 5 became number 7 after it was first sold in USA but then went back to number 5 in the Southwards’ Car Museum collection) Under Southwards’ ownership the Stutz was then restored to its former glory with ace Wanganui panel beater Steve Roberts making a faithful reproduction of the original body. Steve recently told me that Len wanted the car restored complete with the tail added by Dick but he refused saying it should only be restored to its original specification. Two years later Len relented so Steve went ahead with the body restoration. Steve told me, “Len visited America shortly after I built the body and on returning he took me out to dinner and admitted that I had been right and that restored properly the car was now worth a lot of money in America, but that he would never sell it.” Actually part of the agreement with the Stonnell family was an assurance that the car would never leave New Zealand. The Stutz now resides in the Southward museum on the Kapiti Coast. The above is an amalgam of the writings of R E Messenger and details related to Nelson Lattimer by Lou Stonnell. Nelson was one of the original builders of the Lynx Formula Junior car. The Lynx Formula Junior (FJ) Lou Stonnell was from a hard working family that was involved in diverse occupaBeaded Wheels 23
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Cop This, Then! 1981 Honda CB650Pz (Police Special) #81LFD Words and photos Greg Price Greg Price astride the CB650Pz
These types of stories generally begin with someone seeing something and then deciding they want one. This is especially so with motorcycles and cars of the Vintage and/or collectible classic variety. For example, I happen to love those red Ferraris of the 1950s and 1960s, but unless Lotto is forthcoming several weeks in a row in the near future there’s unlikely to be such a vehicle gracing a garage near me anytime soon.
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on’t ask me why but I have always had a fascination for the motorcycles that our Ministry of Transport and local City Council Traffic Division gentry used to ride. They looked great in any situation – uniformed officer sitting upright astride his machine, hell-bent on apprehending the recalcitrant motorist or motorcyclist, save perhaps, for when you spotted one in your rear vision mirror with red lights flashing, and there was no vehicle in front of you. (Uh oh!) Ownership of one of these bikes eluded me for many years as they seldom came on the market, and when they did, a quick inspection of my wallet would usually reveal a significant shortfall of the necessary folding stuff. This was especially so with those bikes that were still fully booted and
spurred with all the right gear and decals. Oh well, dreams are free. In August 2007 a Honda CB650Pz (Police Special) appeared on Trade Me. I got quite excited until I noted that the seller was looking for approximately $12,000. I can’t recall if it sold or not at the time. What’s so special about the Honda CB650Pz? Ever heard the term ‘Universal Japanese Motorcycle’ or UJM? It referred to the wave of similar motorcycles produced, beginning in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, by the major Japanese manufacturers. In the late 1960s the major Japanese motorcycle manufacturers (Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and
Yamaha) began replicating each other’s designs in quick succession, resulting in a remarkable homogeneity of form, function and quality in the market, leading Cycle magazine to coin the acronym in 1976 to describe a new phenomenon: “In the hard world of commerce, achievers get imitated and the imitators get imitated. There is developing, after all, a kind of Universal Japanese Motorcycle …. conceived in sameness, executed with precision, and probably by the thousands.” The term is neither complementary nor perjorative, merely highlighting these bikes’ strong similarity to each other. A prominent example of the classic UJM was the 1981 Honda CB750, which clearly became a template for subsequent designs from the other three Japanese manufacturers. The ‘Pz’ or Police Special was supplied from the Honda factory to anyone who wanted one – complete with lights, siren. Not so, of course for the Harley-Davidson Police Specials, or the Kawasakis used by law enforcement agencies in the United States, for example, which is why it is illegal to ride one over there if it is still in its Police livery. I remember reading in New Zealand’s Rhys Jones’ 2002 book Taking to the Road, that the Honda CB750 was deemed to be the ‘world’s greatest motorcycle’ in most countries. Here in New Zealand, New Zealand Motorcycle Trader and News readers voted it Number One. Whatever happened to New Zealand’s CB650Pzs? Before moving on with this tale, it is useful to recap why the Honda CB650Pz was decommissioned so early in its working life. Most of the Honda CB650Pzs were introduced to the Ministry of Transport’s fleet early in 1981. This explains why many of the survivors still have sequential registration numbers in the old black and silver livery. One sunny afternoon late in 1983 an unidentified motorcyclist purportedly riding a Honda CBX1000 (the six-cylinder version, often then described as a Formula One car on two wheels) was giving it all on the Auckland Harbour Bridge Motorway heading north toward Albany. Hot in pursuit (in mind only, as the CB650Pz was not the fastest of such bikes) was a hapless Ministry of Transport (MoT) officer astride his CB650Pz. Honda Motors Japan had reportedly told MoT not to fit a windscreen / fairing to these bikes lest this cause speed wobbles. Those of you in the know would be aware that the CB650Pz was NOT supplied to the MoT
Traffic flashing light.
Coming to a rear view mirror soon.
Patrol light and amplifier.
with any windscreen or fairing. Rather the MoT retro-fitted the Japanese-made GN 200 windscreen, (against factory advice to the contrary) which was often also seen fitted to other motorcycles. One of the chaps I used to work with around that time was also heading north to work when the CBX flashed past. Less than a couple of minutes later, the MoT Officer also flashed by, not quite as quickly, but nonetheless ‘giving it heaps’. Apparently, just north of the Sunset Road junction, the MoT officer got the speed wobbles and subsequently lost control of his CB650Pz and crashed, suffering extensive injuries. In the meantime the CBX was long gone. As I understand things and as it was reported to me by another ex-MoT Officer, it was largely as a consequence of this particular crash that the MoT officers collectively refused to ride the CB650Pzs anymore, and they were eventually de-commissioned. Most of the replacements were the Yamaha XJ750s. BMW R80s came later on. Back then surplus government equipment and vehicles were generally
disposed of via the Government Stores Board auction process. This is what happened to the CB650Pzs. However, before they were to be auctioned all the specific MoT items were supposed to have been removed and disposed of and just the bike itself was to be auctioned. In some cases the pannier bags were left on, albeit with the MoT decals removed. A number of traffic officers subsequently bought their old machines back via the Government auction system. 81LFD Picking up the story of our bike once again, it was on 16 April 1984, that 81LFD (an ex-Cambridge MoT machine) went for auction at the Government Stores Board auction in Hamilton. It was the second such MoT bike for sale on the day. The description of the bike noted: Slight oil leak, top of engine (seepage) and rust spots bodywork frame and rust of chrome work. The estimated market value was listed as $1,100. Enter one Don Putt who successfully bid on the bike Beaded Wheels 27