CLASSIC, VINTAGE AND VETERAN MOTORING FOR 77 YEARS
No. 379 December 2022/January 2023
New Zealand’s Foremost Historical Motoring Magazine $8.95
CANTERBURY
9 418979 000012
VETERAN RALLY MARKETPLACE
VEHICLES FOR SALE AND WANTED
BEHIND THE WHEEL HUDSON TERRAPLANE DRIVING OUR HISTORY
Nigel Morgan of Foxton found this splendid original photograph, mounted in an oak frame, in a junk store in Levin. He thinks the photograph was taken in Feilding as the post office features prominently in the background. Photographs Required: Submissions of suitable prints and information are welcome. Post or email original photographs or high resolution digital files of historical interest with any available information to: beadedwheels@vcc.org.nz or Beaded Wheels, PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140. Laserprints/photocopies are not suitable. Photos will be returned as soon as practicable.
NATIONAL OFFICE
The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc.) PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140 Phone 03 366 4461 Email admin@vcc.org.nz
VCCNZ LIFE MEMBERS Andrew Anderson Roger White Norm Dewhurst Rod Brayshaw John Coomber
VCCNZ MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
PRESIDENT Diane Quarrie 06 876 4009 president@vcc.org.nz SECRETARY/ TREASURER
CLUB CAPTAIN NORTHERN REGION Kaaren Smylie 021 664 341 nicc@vcc.org.nz CLUB CAPTAIN SOUTHERN REGION Alon Mayhew 027 202 9491 sicc@vcc.org.nz
REGISTRAR Neil Beckenham 09 426 5831 registrar@vcc.org.nz SPEED STEWARD Tony Haycock 021 662 441 speedsteward@vcc.org.nz EDITOR, BEADED WHEELS Kevin Clarkson 021 0270 6525 kevin@vcc.org.nz Tony Bartlett 06 867 9850
mgmt1@vcc.org.nz
George Kear 027 221 4332
mgmt2@vcc.org.nz
COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING comms@vcc.org.nz ARCHIVIST Don Muller 03 385 6850
archivist@vcc.org.nz
Murray Trounson 03 339 8830 mgmt3@vcc.org.nz
Please note this information changes annually - these details are valid until the next AGM
VCCNZ BRANCHES A full list of branch addresses and contact details can also be found on the VCCNZ website at www.vcc.org.nz 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 3144 bayofplenty@vcc.org.nz CANTERBURY PO Box 11-082, Sockburn Christchurch 8443 canterbury@vcc.org.nz CENTRAL OTAGO C/-114 Shortcut Road, Luggate, RD2, Wanaka 9382 centralotago@vcc.org.nz CENTRAL HAWKE’S BAY C/- 448 Tukituki Road, RD1, Takapau 4286 centralhawkesbay@vcc.org.nz EASTERN BAY OF PLENTY PO Box 2168, Kopeopeo Whakatane 3159 easternbayofplenty@vcc.org.nz
2 Beaded Wheels
FAR NORTH C/– PO Box 312 Kaitaia 0441 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/- 923 Taringamotu Road, Taumarunui 3994 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 C/- 125 Forbury Road, Saint Clair, Dunedin 9012 otago@vcc.org.nz ROTORUA PO Box 2014, Rotorua 3040 rotorua@vcc.org.nz SOUTH CANTERBURY 19 Redruth St, Timaru 7910 southcanterbury@vcc.org.nz SOUTHLAND PO Box 1240, Invercargill 9840 southand@vcc.org.nz SOUTH OTAGO C/- 1931 Breakneck Rd, RD 4, Balclutha 9274 southotago@vcc.org.nz SOUTH WAIKATO PO Box 403 Tokoroa 3420 southwaikato@vcc.org.nz
TARANAKI C/- 7 Leatham Ave, Strandon, New Plymouth 4312 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 WAIRARAPA PO Box 7, Masterton 5840 wairarapa@vcc.org.nz WAITEMATA C/- 8 Jean Place, Stanmore Bay, Whangaparoa 0932 waitemata@vcc.org.nz WANGANUI PO Box 726, Whanganui 4541 wanganui@vcc.org.nz WELLINGTON PO Box 38418, Wellington Mail Centre, Lower Hutt 5045 wellington@vcc.org.nz WELLSFORD/WARKWORTH PO Box 547, Warkworth 0941 wellsfordwarkworth@vcc.org.nz WEST COAST C/- 143 Ward Street, Cobden Greymouth 7802, westcoast@vcc.org.nz
CONTENTS
Beaded Wheels Publisher
The Vintage Car Club of NZ (Inc.) The Historic Vehicle Authority of New Zealand ISSN 0113-7506 Vol LXXIV No. 379
Issue 379 December 2022/January 2023
Typesetting and Design:
RGB Design & Print Ltd, Christchurch
FEATURES
Editor: Kevin Clarkson Sub Editors:
Judith Bain Rosalie Brown John Coomber Mark Dawber John McDonald Greg Price Charles Rushbrook
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 2546, Christchurch 8140, typed or neatly printed. 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).
Email beadedwheels@vcc.org.nz Advertising Enquiries
Classified and Display Advertising to: PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140. Email beadedwheels@vcc.org.nz Phone 64 3 332 3531 Rate schedule available on request.
11 12 14 20 24 28 30 32 36
Back Issues Available on request to PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140.
Correspondence & Editorial Contributions
Phone 64 3 332 3531, Fax 64 3 366 0273 PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140. Email beadedwheels@vcc.org.nz
Subscriptions
Beaded Wheels subscribers change of address to: PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140. Phone 03 366 4461, Fax 03 366 0273 Annual subscription (6 issues) $52* inc GST Australian subscription (6 issues) NZ$112* Other countries (6 issues) NZ$185* Digital subscription (6 issues) NZ$39 available from vcc.org.nz or issuu.com. *Payment by credit card incurs additional bank fee processing charge of 3%
Closing Date for February/March: Editorial Copy Advertisements
6 January 2023 10 January 2023
The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc.)
Missing in Action From Fire Pumps to Formula One Behind The Wheel 1936 Terraplane town sedan
Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
Address: 12 Aberdeen St, Christchurch,
11
Chev Master Deluxe
32
North Island Club Captain’s Tour
36
Market Place
44
A Young Lad and an Old Talbot The final instalment of Alistair Robinson’s Talbot journey Success on Two Wheels Part 1 of Ashley Blair’s research into the origins of New Zealand developed motorcycles. An Adventure with a Morris 8 Series E Prefection Ray and Sue King’s 1959 Prefect gets a once over not-so-lightly. Chevrolet Master Deluxe Rally Snippets 34 Rubber Duckies 2021 and 2022 – Auckland Branch motorcyclists on tour 36 North Island Club Captain’s Tour 38 Annual Rally – Wellington Branch 39 A Cracker Club Run – West Coast Branch 40 Annual Veteran Rally - Canterbury Branch
COLUMNS 4
President’s Message
44
Marketplace
4 5
From the Editor
50
Swap Meets & Rallies
VCC Branch Events
53
Trade Directory
6
National Office
54
Idle Torque
7
Mailbag
66
Passing Lane
9
Timelines
10
The Way We Were
29
Book Review
42
Archivist News
National Office Phone 03 366 4461 Email admin@vcc.org.nz
Postal Address: PO Box 2546,
Missing in action
COVER
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. Reproduction of articles must be at least 12 months after original Beaded Wheels publication date. Beaded Wheels reserves the right to digitally store all published material for archival purposes.
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John and Elaine Lynn crossing the Eyre River in their 1920 Davis Series 51 during the Canterbury Branch Annual Veteran Rally, 25 September 2022, see page 40. Photo John McDonald
40 The Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA) is the worldwide organisation dedicated to the preservation, protection and promotion of historic vehicles and related culture. The Vintage Car Club of NZ (Inc) is a founding member of FIVA. VCCNZ Registrar Rod Brayshaw is the New Zealand delegate to FIVA and also a member of the FIVA Technical Commission.
DRIVING OUR HISTORY
NATIONAL OFFICE NEWS
BOUGHT A VEHICLE THAT HAS A VINTAGE CAR CLUB OF NZ VEHICLE ID CARD?
Contact National Office for all queries regarding VICs, historic race licences, logbooks, registration of vehicles, lighting endorsement, address changes, subscriptions, membership cards, speed events.
The office has been very busy with member’s subscription payments, telephone calls, membership applications and VIC applications over the past month.
invoice is unpaid at the time of the March 2023 Executive Meeting will be struck off, as per the constitution, and will lose any previous continuous membership.
SUBSCRIPTION INVOICES
If you intend to resign it would be appreciated if you notify the National Office.
In mid-September the annual invoices for membership for the year 1 November 2022 to 31 October 2023 were sent out. These were sent via email or for those members that do not have an email address in our system, the invoices were posted.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS/ DETAILS
Please advise the National Office if you have changed address, phone number, email address or vehicle ownership.
If you haven’t received your invoice, let your Branch Secretary or National Office know asap. Membership cards were posted to financial members in November. Members whose renewal
THANKS NEW ZEALAND
– NEWS FLASH – WARKWORTH/WELLSFORD NORTH SHORE AUCKLAND
HAWKE’S BAY
HOROWHENUA NELSON
CANTERBURY
CENTRAL OTAGO
SOUTHLAND
WAIMATE
SOUTH CANTERBURY OTAGO
GORE SOUTH OTAGO
CENTRAL HAWKE’S BAY
WAIRARAPA WELLINGTON
MARLBOROUGH
ASHBURTON
NORTH OTAGO
GISBORNE
MANAWATU
An awesome result from all our members, WEST COAST I cannot thank you enough. Kaaren Smylie National Day Coordinator
EASTERN BAY OF PLENTY
TAUPO
$75,000!
6 Beaded Wheels
BAY OF PLENTY
WANGANUI
To transfer between branches, complete a transfer form. This can be obtained through your branch secretary or from our website. Please note that the transfer form must be signed off by both branches involved in the transfer.
The office will be closed on Friday 23 December and reopen at 9.30am Wednesday 28 December 2022. The office will be closed for the New Year Public holidays only. The Beaded Wheels office will be closed from 22 December until 9am 10 January 2023.
Linda Duffell Vintage Car Club of New Zealand Inc Office Administrator
Beaded Wheels
Daffodil Rally for Cancer
The total funds raised by our branches from our 2022 VCC National Day, the Daffodil Rally for Cancer is …
NATIONAL OFFICE CHRISTMAS HOURS
BRANCH TRANSFER
Mon-Fri 9.30am to 1.30pm. Email us on: admin@vcc.org.nz
Please note: Financial membership of the Vintage Car Club of NZ Incorporated is a requirement to be insured under the VCC/Vero Insurance Scheme.
WAIKATO
Please include your membership number in all communications with National Office including payments to the National Office bank account. This can be found on your membership card in the top right-hand corner.
NATIONAL OFFICE HOURS
VCC VERO INSURANCE SCHEME
NEW TOTAL
Upon a change of ownership, the Vehicle ID Card is no longer valid. It is easy to transfer this into your name. Complete the VCC Change of Ownership form (found on the Club Website, through your branch, or direct from National Office).
COMMUNICATIONS WITH NATIONAL OFFICE
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 to foster and ever widen 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 publish, 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.
1927 STUDEBAKER ERSKINE BUSINESS COUPE I have been unable to discover any information about surviving 1927 Studebaker Erskine Business Coupes here in New Zealand. (Restored/unrestored/ parts cars/parts).
The VCC has no listings for this model in its members’ database. Unfortunately it appears the production numbers for specific 1927 Studebaker Erskine models including the Business Coupe did not survive and if there was ever a register of 1927 Studebaker Erskine models that were imported / sold in New Zealand, that also appears to have disappeared. Anyone with any helpful information could email me please: mark@commer.co.nz. Mark Erskine
1926 TO 1930 STUDEBAKER ERSKINE OWNERS Owners of all models of Studebaker Erskine cars (restored/unrestored/parts cars /parts) are invited to join a new Erskine Owners Register, for tech support, repairs, maintenance, parts, shared knowledge and history.
If interested, please email: mark@commer.co.nz or phone 021 254 1939 Mark Erskine
MEMORABLE DRIVES
In the Auckland bit of Idle Torque in the current issue 378 there is a photo of John Morrison’s Lago Talbot which really sparks my nonagenarian memory banks! I suspect that if John sets about the history of his car, he will find that its original importer was our fellow founder member, the late Rob Shand and so the car itself was the personal car of
the late Tony Lago himself. On its acquisition and having got himself well acquainted with the car and its performance possibilities, Rob decided to pay a visit to the then current Waimate “round the houses” race meeting. He invited Leon Witte and me to accompany him on this expedition which, needless to say was smartly accepted and we all gathered at his Glandovey Road mansion, loaded up for a long weekend and set off for what can only be described as a ‘fantastic drive’. Once clear of Templeton, the speedo reading hit 130kph and stayed there with barely a flicker upward or down with gaps only for Ashburton and Timaru. Temuka involved a drop to 100kph for smooth drift down into Vine St and back to 130 to Timaru. Here Rob took us through the city centre on Stafford St and straight back to 130 on crossing the Saltwater Creek bridge. At Waimate we packed ourselves in what is now the William Boland Park on the Goldsmith St leg of the circuit which proved a good choice. It offered an excellent view of the High School corner and also the Queen St double up sector. There we were soon joined by Angus Hislop and my old school contemporary Ian McKellar whose 4 CLT Maserati had mangled its blower drive and retired.
engine, which is a story in itself. We successfully talked Ian out of the enormous complexities of the 4CLT Maza and he finally settled for a lovely M45 Lagonda with which he helped us marshal the Haast in 1965. Now that both Leon and I are both keen high-speed motorists that prefer to do it ourselves it speaks volumes for Rob’s driving that we both hugely enjoyed and relaxed for that fantastic 130 kph trip to Waimate and remember it with pleasure. The car was later sent up to Bert Tonks in Wanganui for some bodywork and was still there and passed to receivers on Rob’s guarantee problems. There must be many members of the club with similar memories of fantastic drives not necessarily involving 130 kph, what about telling us about them? Andrew Anderson
TARGA NELSON Having recently completed the two day VCC/Targa Time Trial event in Nelson, I thought I would like to put forward my thoughts on the event. Firstly, I said that we completed the event rather that competed in the event because our focus on the time trialling aspect is somewhat limited. We tend to be relegated to the back of the group, which allows us to drive the stages with some enthusiasm without getting in the way of the more serious time trialers too much.
The race featured the one and only monoposto F1 Aston Martin of which great things were expected but proved a disappointment.
The time trial event itself is a great format that is attainable for many VCC cars. An average speed of around 70 kph is required, so coming up with a suitable car isn’t too hard. A look around the carpark at the start of the event highlighted this, there was everything from Jags to MGs, Ford Sierras to Holden Toranas, Datsuns to Minis, from an Alfa to a Renault to a Jowett Javelin.
Discussion as to where to spend the night after all the usual post-race carry-on resulted in us all staying at Ian’s spread near Tinwald and a day of steam with his great traction
I have to say that there were some beautiful cars entered (it’s great to see them actually being driven, not just being polished) but the cars that brought a real smile to my face were the less
likely contenders like the father and son Mini, or the Renault 12, which may not be a first choice for this sort of event, not forgetting the Jowett or the two stroke Saab. Seeing these being driven in a spirited fashion and seeing the grins on the faces of the drivers was great, and I’m sure very fulfilling for the organizers. To me, this does highlight the fact that this event could be entered by almost any VCC member, in almost any VCC car from the 1940s on (and many pre ‘40s as well), regardless of age or experience, who wants the opportunity to drive their car in a bit more sporting fashion than ordinary roads usually allow. Having the roads closed and having the road book to guide you makes for a truly unique experience. It completely changes the way you look at a piece of road. As the navigator in the event, I caught myself out ‘narrating’ the road to myself as I was driving home after the event, giving myself instructions as I approached corners or one lane bridges. I would encourage everyone to put some thought into entering next year’s event, particularly some of the more ‘vintage’ cars. From what has been announced so far, it will be a fantastic event. I can’t finish without a brief word of thanks to the URG group and Rod and Anne Corbett who put the event together. The work involved in dealing with various councils, community groups, emergency services, land owners and local organisations is mind boggling. Also needing a mention are all of the volunteers (many were local VCC members at this event) who timekeep, marshall, close off roads and a dozen other things that allow the event to go ahead. Thank you all. Ken Hawkes aka The Southern Navigator
MORE TO THE ROLLS-ROYCE STORY I too was intrigued by John McDonald’s 1922 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost story and can add a little more to it.
Beaded Wheels 7
“In the air it’s aeroplaning, on the water it’s hydroplaning, on the ground, hot diggetty dog, that’s Terraplaning” (per Gilbert’s Hudson Essex Terraplane Club tee shirt)
GILBERT & ANDREA DALLOW’S
1936 TERRAPLANE TOWN SEDAN Words and photos Greg Price 14 Beaded Wheels
HIN BE
D THE WHE
You hear lots of different stories about how people came to acquire their particular vehicles, some are quite simplistic and some are quite remarkable, but this is the first time ever that I’ve heard anyone say they got their car to save it from drowning! True! I kid you not. But if you think about the old (now flooded) settlement of Cromwell, the Loburn Bridge and Lake Dunstan, it all starts to make sense. Yes, this is an ex-Cromwell Terraplane, that would have become submerged when Lake Dunstan was formed in 1992. As can be seen in the photos, one car was not so lucky, but given its decrepit state, I suspect it was added after the flooding commenced! I first saw the Dallow’s Terraplane back in 1988, when it was looking splendid after its first rebuild. What was especially eyecatching was the grille, which is known as a waterfall grille. Check out the photos, and you’ll see why it is called that. The occasion was the McLeans Island Swap Meet so it is a familiar car to me. It is also a familiar car to Editor Kevin, so it was logical that we would both be keen to see it feature as a Behind the Wheel subject. The only issue was going to be ‘who would do the write up’? Throwing my toys out of the cot unless I was allowed to do it was my successful tactic and thus I got the task. I mean, the car has white-wall tyres! Who did he think should do it?
MEANWHILE BACK IN CROMWELL IN THE 1980s
Back in 1982, the writing was on the wall for the demise of the old Cromwell town centre, and much of the surrounding area was going to be flooded to create the lake behind the dam – a successful Muldoon-era ‘Think Big’ project. Being Dinkys, (double income no kids yet) Gilbert and Andrea were on the lookout for a project and the Terraplane fitted the bill. The old Cromwell township was, at the time, the centre of the stone fruit growing area and stood on a narrow strip of land bordering the junction of the Kawarau and Clutha rivers. The Terraplane was parked up on a now-flooded part of the old Cromwell neighbourhood, along with some other cars, looking sad and in need of a new home, preferably above the new waterline. The Dallows obliged and removed it to Christchurch, where, over the next three years they brought it back to its former glory, with a few embellishments of the period. Part of the acquisitioning process was to join the Hudson Essex Terraplane Club, and upon becoming members, Gilbert was presented with the aforementioned tee shirt which he still has.
Beaded Wheels 15
EL