RATTLES & sQUEAKS April 2020
Car boot picnic. Dargaville Wednesday run.
Note from Our National President As you will be aware the COVID-19 crisis has had an impact on almost every aspect of life in New Zealand and the Vintage Car Club is no exception. This unprecedented and previously unimaginable situation is evolving daily, if not hourly.
Expert advice is saying that the peak of the pandemic could possibly be as late as August.
The Management Committee of the Vintage Car Club held an emergency meeting to discuss the crisis and the effects on upcoming national and branch events. In relation to the Vero International Festival of Historic Motoring, in conjunction with the Festival Director Greg Terrill, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the Festival until early 2022. This decision was not taken lightly.
Due to the uncertainty around how long it will take for the pandemic to run its course and the
potential of facing a financial loss, if due to lack of entries the event had to be cancelled, it is the right decision to make. The Executive Meeting which was due to be held in Wellington on Saturday 28 March is also cancelled and we have also decided that our National Day Daffodil Rally will also not go ahead for 2020. I also had no option but to cancel the National North Island Easter Rally and by now all entrants should have been directly contacted by the event organisers. We will be contacting the organisers of national events that are being held later this year and early next year to discuss what options we have in relation to those events.
We will keep you posted on that.
Because the International Rally will now not be held in 2021 it does give us room to move national events into next year. Some branches have already made the hard decision to cancel meetings, club nights, branch runs and events and even to postpone annual general meetings.
A communication has gone out to all branches today with a
strong recommendation that they also review all of their events with a view to cancelling or postponing them, at least until the end of June or until the situation improves. The club website and Facebook page along with branch websites will keep you updated and the next issue of Beaded Wheels will have up-to-date information as of going to print. I hope you understand the reason for these actions. Over half of our members are in the high risk bracket in terms of this pandemic. The cancellation of events now will mean that we’ve done our very best to keep our members safe. Best regards and stay safe. Dianne Quarrie National President
Chairman’s Comments Hello from your Chairman, Its time for another update on what is happening with the Northland VCC. Some of you have no email contact details so will not have had the previous messages so this newsletter will be your first update. If you do have an email address you haven’t advised us of and wish to get electronic updates please advise me and I will be pleased to add you to the email list. Obviously the COVID-19 virus has a major impact on all of us, and probably the Vintage Car Club is the least of your worries. As an Incorporated Society we have certain legal obligations to meet and must remain open about what is happening and how we are dealing with it. For us it started with the Swap-meet/Car-show which is one of our major events for the year. As soon as the government put a restriction of any event over 500 people this meant we could no longer continue with it as we typically have far more attend than that. At that time we thought we could probably continue with the rest of our programmed events but it quickly became apparent we had to act quickly and responsibly to protect our members as much as possible. The demographics of our branch is that most of us are over 70 and in many cases have compromised immune systems. The people most at risk fall within these parameters so we need to protect all of us as much as possible. In quick succession we had to cancel our annual motorcycle rally and then several club events. As restrictions have ramped up, your committee considered all options and decided to effectively put the club into recess until further notice. This means no public access to our clubrooms, vehicle shed and parts shed until further notice. All club activities are also suspended until we feel it is safe to start again. This includes any events held by the Dargaville group and although we tried to keep the motorcycle Sunday get togethers going, current regulations prohibit them as well. Kiwi North Regional Park where we are based is also home to the Museum/Kiwi House and to a number of other clubs and all are closed and the park gates locked. We will be able to get access to check on our property from time to time, but there will be no public access. We are required every year to hold an annual general meeting which for us was to be held on 21st June. It is very unlikely we could hold it on that date and even if we could, we would struggle to get a quorum, let alone to get sufficient numbers of members to form a new committee. With this in mind, I contacted all of the committee by email with a number of options we could consider. What we have decided is to indefinitely postpone our AGM until we feel it is safe to hold it. I am pleased to announce that all of the current committee will stay on in the interim period to keep the club running so we thank all of them for their dedication. Our Treasurer is going ahead with finalising our financial records until 31st March with the new financial year starting 1st April. These records will go through audit the same as any other year, but we will . to present them until the AGM whenever that is. We will send a copy to the not be able companies Office as required to meet our legal obligations. Our normal lines of communication will remain open and we will continue to keep the club alive and pay bills such as the power, insurance etc as and when is needed. Our Treasurer has done a financial analysis for the next 12 months and the club is in a good financial state and as there is no urgent maintenance required, there is no reason at this time why we can’t survive this crisis and come out as good or better than we were before.
continued
Our Rattles and Squeaks Newsletter Editor Donna has said she will keep the newsletter going although it may be a bit thin on club news if nothing is happening. If you have something club related that may be of interest or want to write an article about your vehicle or what you are doing, then Donna will be pleased to consider it. It may be a little challenging to get the paper copies out during the lock down period as we are not sure if we can get them copied for those of you without the internet or who have not supplied an email address. We will do what we can to contact those members by other means so if you know somebody in that group and can give them a copy, please do so. We will give you any updates as we know them, but in the meantime, follow the restrictions, practice good hygiene and above all look after yourselves and others around you. Best Regards, Ron Anderson Northland VCC Chairman 0275318969 vcc.northland@gmail.com
March Club Run Robert and Lorraine picked a great day for a run through the country to Matarau to view the Bushman’s Museum. An amazing array of old tools and related items from the old bush working days as well as lots of memorabilia and vintage collectables. With more chainsaws than you could shake a dry tea tree stump at, there truly was something for everyone, including panoramic views of the Hikurangi Swamp - which, after the long dry weather, was looking more desert than swamp. After we viewed the collection we were invited to look at the owners stunning log house, made from large, whole Totara logs and other native timbers.
Secretary’s scribblings
Well here we are late March and how has our world changed. Suddenly we are confronted with a VIRUS and our lives are changing on a daily base. We can only hope that it will end soon, and then we have learned how small the world really has become. All this will also affect our club events, we will keep you up to date with this when things come to light. Checkout the VCC website: http://vcc.org.nz/ for our Presidents message. Also (if you use this platform) the Facebook page from The Vintage Car Club NZ, I have seen several cancelations announced on there the last few days. Lou and I where lucky enough to get to our Wolseley run earlier this month. We had a great time in Wellington, Palmerston North and Masterton. Our Wolseley did us proud and run like a little clock, no hick ups at all. We visited in Wellington the Planetarium, Te Papa and the Weta Workshop and dinner on the Sweet Georgia in the Wellington harbour. Then the next day Southward Museum with a well organised morning tea at the Bugatti Room, from there we headed up to Levin for lunch and we bought there a BIG box of Liquorice at the RJs factory. Before we headed to Palmerston North we were expected at Ohakea airbase and had a look at the Spitfires and vintage aircrafts. The next day we had lunch at the Tui Brewery and a looked inside a private Greek Church in Masterton. On the Thursday we had a long power cut, and we had not fuelled up yet, we and 3 other couples had to find rides with others. Lou and I were invited by a couple from Gisborne to join them for the day. So we took off to Castle Point and visited a man’s shed on the way out. Lunch was at Castel Point and someone had the bright idea to get the Subway party box, so easy and yummy. The last day was for the woman the Mohair Master weave factory and a dolls museum the man went to a collection of early American car collection and a collection of Daimlers and a hubcap making operation, after that Lunch in Martinborough. Dinner and price giving was at the Copthorne Hotel in Masterton. Great fun and we met some really nice people.
VERO CHANGE OF E-MAIL Their VCC phone number remains the same – 0800 654 411 but their email address is now: veropersonallines@vero.co.nz
New Members. Roger & Christine Billing they own a 1978 Mini Clubman. Don Andrew he owns a 1955 Ford MK1 Saloon Anthony Powell he is the owner of a 1939 Ford Standard Sedan. Welcome ALL to our club hope to see you soon at one of our events. Ans Schoenmaekers.
northland@vcc.org.nz
2020 Waikato motorcycle run Early in the year The Waikato VCC put out an invitation to take part in a “long weekend motorcycle tour to geothermal country, 14-16th February”. Well all of the motorcycle runs I have been on with the Waikato VCC have been brilliant tours through the Waikato countryside and being in the slightly retired situation I thought “I’m in”. On starting at Cambridge I find a number of familiar faces to catch up with and, that the Northland VCC is well represented with Lofty Graham and Cam also there on their bikes. But the important post of back up vehicle and swag carrier was filled by Robert and Lorraine. The first part of the tour was an indirect route out past Hamilton airport and in the eventual direction of Kihikihi, all good stuff to get us going. The day was stinking hot so we grabbed an ice cream stop before disappearing out past Waikeria way somewhere noticing that it’s not just the Northland farms getting a hard time from the drought. The smell of silage was constantly in the air. I recognised some of the countryside as being typical of what’s around Wharepapa South while engrossing myself in the ride in general. Next stop was at the Waipapa dam and power station where we had an impromptu demo of how the weed is cleaned off the screens where the water goes into the power station well below surface level. Our ride concluded for the evening at the Whakamaru village lodge which in a previous life had been lodgings for when the dams were built. There was a beer run and beer bartering, our hosts fed us well so all was well. I was assigned to the same room as Lofty, he apologised in advance about his snoring. I said if I get to sleep first you will have the problem, not me. Next morning we head in an overall easterly direction enjoying some more countryside I hadn’t seen before. When coming near a geothermal power station Clive's Douglas is having a bit of a missing fit which gave me a chance to catch up on my royal oilfield. We head across a dam and after a while turn up at Taupo boat harbour. Next up we board the Ernest Kemp, a replica steam boat. Sounded mighty like a Perkins diesel to me. We tour into Acacia bay on the way to Mine bay to check out the rock carvings, Quite impressive. One young couple leapt into the water, the rest of us quite happily cooked in whatever bike gear we had on. When back at the wharf we found our first casualty. Peters Arial rear wheel had got a couple of inches closer to the ground. After a bit of huffing and snorting putting it on the trailer we were on our way to the hall at Kinloch for a spot of lunch, jolly good what, what. On the way out of Kinlock I was amazed at the amount of houses being built there before heading in the general direction of Mokai ( never seen it before) and meeting the highway at Atiamuri. At this point I realise there’s a long route option on my hand wound gps, as it’s day light saving time I figure I might as well take it. Jolly pleased I did because after winding around some more interesting back roads one crosses the Ohakuri dam. Well worth a look even if you just shoot in off the main road, it’s only a short distance. The afternoon was rounded off with a cruise along highway 30 beside the Waikato river ( hadn’t been on this piece of road before either) until Whakamaru lodge appeared in front of me again. In the lodge bike park the tinkerers are getting into a full on working bee on Peters bike, a tube materialises from somewhere and in no time the Arial is good to go. All helped of course with advice and banter from us spectators. Peter informs us during the evening that he’s all into Morgans as well, hope the tyres are good. This time Lofty got to sleep first and got his own back, stupid me for having extra talk and beers. Come Sunday we head towards Tokoroa but turn onto the old Taupo road, heading in and out of Putaruru via the back way to hit the metropolis of Tirau for a cafe. Next stage was towards Matamata with all bikes making the right noises, until eventually we head over French pass getting close to Cambridge where upon we get mixed up in a cycle race. Following one of the cyclists down the hill I buttoned off because I wasn’t prepared to take on the corner as fast as he was. After a bit the VCC appears on the left and its cuppa tea time. There was about twenty of us on the trip on varying aged bikes and only the ones driving the back up vehicle had dark hair, good eh. Bob and Jillian Hayton along with Peter Spiller did us proud organising the trip, we thoughly enjoyed it. Catch ya, Brian Taylor.
Motorcycle Report MOTORCYCLE REPORT for the monthly February run 2020 A good turn out with 9 bikes comprising 1 AJS, 1 BSA, 1 Harley Davidson, 1 Kawasaki, 1 Royal Enfield, 1 Suzuki, and 3 Triumphs. A big welcome to Peter riding his Kawasaki Zephyr. Chairman Ron was there to see us off as we rode off around 1.15 pm heading off to Tutukaka and enjoying the scenery around the bays on our way to Hikurangi where we stopped for a break it seemed everyone had enjoyed the ride so we set off to Poroti via Jordan valley road ride a very enjoyable ride. Great days riding with great weather hope to see more riders next month’s ride. Keep safe and happy riding with rubber on the road. Cheers Errol
Dargaville Doings
As you know our March plan to take the Rest Home residents out for a drive was cancelled, because of the Coronavirus that has invaded our country, like most of the rest of the world. An impromptu plan and seven cars were off to Arapohue and over the high hills of Pukehuia Road to Tangiteroria. It was a lovely sunny day with clear views forever. We passed the sad sight of the remains of the Tangiteroria complex, burnt out last month. However the local enthusiasts have plans for a rebuild as their Insurance Company has accepted the claim. We set up for afternoon tea in the “Metal dump� by the bridge on the main road. We were continually greeted with horn blasts from passing cars, logging trucks and a truck carrying an oversized load. In these uncertain times, just keep tinkering and fine tuning our cars ready for when we can once again enjoy our hobby. Until then keep safe and be kind to one another. Claudia.
Calendar of Events 2020 All events are cancelled until further notice
Northland entrants at the Waikato Motorcycle Rally
For Sale 1969 BSA B44VS Unregistered for $7000. The frame and engine are matching numbers. Contact Robert on 0272703638
2019 -2020 Office Bearers Northland Vintage Car Club Inc. Position
Name
Phone
Mobile
Chairperson
Ron Anderson
Vice Chairperson
Lou Schoenmakers
09 4346802
louans@hotmail.com
Secretary
Ans Schoenmaekers
09 4346802
northland@vcc.org.nz
Treasurer
Steve Cornwall
09 4025006
jensteve@xtra.co.nz
Assistant Treasurer
Keith Taylor
09 9460719
0211685928
keith.taylor55@gmail.com
Club Captain
Keith Taylor
09 9460719
0211685928
keith.taylor55@gmail.com
Newsletter Editor
Donna Nobilo
09 4376097
021437601
empiretroop@actrix.co.nz
Committee
Arthur Jenkins
09 4370955
Peter Meares
09 435 2002
petermeares@gmail.com
Allan Pearson
09 4376317
agpearson39@gmail.com
Lynora Reilly
09 4356366
trelyn47@hotmail.com
Trevor Reilly
09 4356366
Adam Young
09 438 7488
Bert Parrish
09 4389492
Lawrence Hillier
09 4346457
hillierlawrence@gmail.com
Allan Pearson
09 4376317
agpearson39@gmail.com
Peter Meares
09 435 2002
petermeares@gmail.com
Rob Hughes
09 4591171
poodlepalace@xtra.co.nz
Lou Schoenmakers
09 4346802
louans@hotmail.com
Hall Custodian
Trevor Reilly
09 4356366
Librarian
Lynora Reilly
09 4356366
trelyn47@hotmail.com
Motorcycle Rep
Adam Young
09 438 7488
youngadam111@gmail.com
Museum Delegate
Ron Anderson
VIC Inspector
Allan Pearson
09 4376317
Webmaster
Martin Salter
09 4371969
Parts/Vehicles
0275318969
0210737145
vcc.northland@gmail.com
trevorreilly47@gmail.com youngadam111@gmail.com
021411601
0210737145
0275318969
jubert@xtra.co.nz
trevorreilly47@gmail.com
vcc.northland@gmail.com agpearson39@gmail.com
0212242102
martinsalter47@gmail.com