SIDE CURTAINS
SIDE CURTAINS The magazine of the
ROTORUA VINTAGE AND VETERAN CAR CLUB
DECEMBER 2018
WE’RE NOW ON FACEBOOK ! www.rotoruavintagecarclub.org.nz
December Midweek Run
December Xmas Dinner
SIDE CURTAINS - December 2018 The magazine of the ROTORUA VINTAGE AND VETERAN CAR CLUB
Clubrooms: Neil Hunt Park, Tarawera Rd, Rotorua Postal: PO Box 2014, Rotorua Email: rotorua@vcc.org.nz Website: www.rotoruavintagecarclub.org.nz Vero Insurance: Phone 0800 658 411 and quote your VCC membership number Club Meetings: 2nd Wednesday of month (except January), 7.15pm for 7.30pm start OFFICERS
Chairperson - David Tomlinson Secretary - Dennis Whimp Ph 021 731 678 Treasurer - Terry Fitzpatrick Club Captain - vacant Asst. Club Captain - Kevin Scott Committee Bob Mackay John Peters Terry Wadsworth Ronald Mayes Phil Monk
CONTENTS Chairman’s Report From The Secretary Morris Minors Lakefront Car Show Spring Tour Report Midweek Run Report Upcoming Midweek Runs Events Calendar
2 3 4 5 6 9 11 12
Mid Weekers - Bob Mackay Side Curtains Editor - David Tomlinson rvvcc.editor@gmail.com Beaded Wheels - Ronald Mayes Librarian - Roger Couchman Asst Librarian - John Kirkland Cards/Flowers - Doreen Green
Cover Photos Front - Ford & Holden, November Run Back - November Combined Branch Run
CLUB CAR PHOTOS
If you want your club car photo on the clubroom wall then get in touch with Doug Green, and he will organise a time and place for a photo shoot. It would be good if we could have all member’s car photos on display. Side Curtains December 2018
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Chairman’s Report
- November 2018 by David Tomlinson
November saw our combined run with BoP, Taupo and EBoP branches, with excellent numbers from those branches turning up to meet our members and cars at Te Amorangi Steam Museum at Holdens Bay. We got to see a great bunch of cars including a Model T Ford and a lovely 1950s Daimler. The museum had their big traction engine out on the road, full speed 6km/h! Weather was great for the big picnic lunch, over 40 cars and 80 people were present, and the museum put on a good display for us. It was a big success, and will happen again next year hosted by Taupo branch, with a possible change of date. Our Xmas Social Dinner saw over 30 diners enjoy a great 3 course meal. We had a couple of quizzes, from which it appears I am banned next year, and a pass-the-parcel present exchange at the end of the dinner. Fantastic effort from the kitchen crew, seafood cocktail starters, ham on the bone for main and a Christmas pud to finish. The midweekers had their last run of the year on 5th December, and our last club run will be the Posh Picnic on Sunday the 16th. Midweekers start again on 30th January, and club events revert to the usual program in February. Don’t forget the Lakefront Car Show on January 20th. This is our main branch activity for January, and this year we had 300 cars attend on a lovely day, lets hope we can at least match that next time. I hope to see most of our branch members there. 2
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FROM THE SECRETARY by Dennis Whimp In February 2019, it will be 50 years since a group of mainly Tauranga Vintage Car Club members from Rotorua had their first meeting in Roy Fleet’s garage to discuss forming a sub branch here. Meetings during the remainder of that year saw the numbers swell and a sub branch was formed. Over the years, members have come and gone but there are still at least 4 members who were at the 1969 meetings. We now have 125 paid up members (end of Nov.) with a few yet to renew their subscription. A few years ago, I called in to Bristol Motors in Upper Hutt as they hold the old GM registers for the GM vehicles that were imported late 1920 to late 1930. I wanted to confirm when my 1930 model Buick was unloaded in Wellington. The Registers had a full description of the car that was unloaded from the tramp ship Min on 12 December 1929 and where it was despatched to. So this time next year, I will break out the champagne to unload the Buick from my shed in similar to new condition. (hopefully). While at Bristol motors, I was able to closely inspect a number of very desirable vintage vehicles that they were working on. Among them the 1930’s Hispano Suiza that had been refurbished and a 1932 Alfa Romeo Zagato spyder that was being completely rebuilt to put it back to exactly as it was when it left the factory in 1932. The Hispano took out two major awards at Pebble Beach concourse and the Alfa just won the premier award at the Melbourne Motorclassica 2018. Not all their work is exotic. A 1936 Morris 8 was having its brakes redone. But it does show that there are workshops in NZ competing with the best in the world. Side Curtains December 2018
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MORRIS MINORS
by Ronald Mayes
In the November issue Secretary Dennis wrote of a “1934 Morris 1000cc tourer” which had been sold into the Rotorua area many years ago. Morris didn’t make a 1000cc car in 1934! In 1928, seeing the success of the Austin 7, they introduced the Minor, with the 847cc ohc engine which was also used in the MG Midget. It was effectively a 4 cylinder version of the Wolseley Hornet’s 6. By 1932 they had produced 39083 Minors before changing to a side valve version also of 847cc, of which 47231 were produced. Then in 1935 came the very successful Morris Eight in “PreSeries”, Series I and Series II versions with a 918cc side valve engine. 164100 were built before the Series E came along. It still had the 918cc engine but a 4-speed box helped its performance and production continued after World War II until the classic Morris Minor we all know appeared in 1948 (at first with the 918cc sidevalve engine but after Austin took over Morris it received the A30’s 803cc ohv A Series engine. Finally came the 948 and 1098 cc engines which gave the car the power it deserved.) Now, I recall that not long after I joined the club, a pair of fellows came along to our meeting and asked about information, manuals etc for (I think) a 1929 Minor they wanted to restore. I remember trying to explain to them that there was no commonality at all between that model and a post-war Minor , so the manual for that model which they were looking at would have been no use to them. I wonder if there could be a connection between their car and the one mentioned by Dennis? Minors of the 1928 - 1934 era are very rare cars indeed! (References: Classic and Sports Car Magazine’s A-Zs of Cars, 1920s, 1930s and 1945-1970.) 4
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Rotorua Vintage & Veteran Car Club Inc proudly present the
7th Annual Rotorua Lakefront Car Show 10am - 2pm, Sunday, 20th January 2019 ALL CARS, BIKES AND COMMERCIALS WELCOME! , ) "( & ' #'#%( % " ' ' %#"' #- ( '% ' , & & " " #%! % & #* #$ " '# "+ " ) ( & #% ( & '# &$ + ' % ) & % ) %& * & #% # # " #" ' #" ($#" %% ) !#" & % & * #" ' '# ' # "& ! ( " #'#%( % ( & % * #! '# &$ + ' % ) & " %#($ (% " ' + % ) %& " ' % #!$ " #"& " " #+ ' % #*" $ " (" (" % ' '% & #% ' ) "' # # ' % & " ( " #'#%( & . ' '% '/ * & ' ' &#(' %" " # ' & #* % #'#%( & #(" & % ' * " #$ % ' #" "' '# ' % #* & * & #' % # + ''% ' #"&
) % ) & * % #" &$ + ' &' + % & & #* " ' ) "' & " ) %+ $#$( % * ' # & " # + ! %& & ) % " %#! % + ) "' '# !#&' " * #% (%' % " #%! ' #" ! info@rvvcc.org.nz #% #(% ## $ 1 #'#%( "' % ( 2 #% "+ ($ ' & ## #%* % '# & " +#( ' % 0
ALL PROCEEDS DONATED TO ST JOHNS AMBULANCE ROTORUA
www.rotoruavintagecarclub.org.nz Side Curtains December 2018
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Spring Tour 29 Oct-2 Nov 2018 by Michael in the Panther
I’m composing this report sometime after the tour finished and in the absence of notes, relying on my memory which clearly isn’t what it used to be, so as a disclaimer “ if the facts are correct - its a miracle; if the facts are incorrect - who cares; and if I’ve amused you - great”. But don’t take me too seriously - I certainly don’t. When I left Rotorua at 11am it was hosing down, and I mean hosing down which isn’t a lot of fun in a soft top, but the weather was down to the odd shower by Whakatane. By the time I arrived at the bakery in Opotiki to start the Spring Tour the other participants were well into their meat pies and scones. A quick hello, a coffee and a bag of chips and we were off to Gisborne through the Waioeka Gorge which is a fabulous road for a “hoon” despite the drizzly rain. I followed Rocky and Bec’s Triumph Herald coupe for much of the way. For 1150cc is sure gets along or is it that Rocky was a race car driver? The Stag boys kept in convoy - probably in case they broke down. The only reason Stags have back seats is to carry a tool box. The heater cable on the Panther heater managed to jam so I spent the last 2 hours of the journey in a sauna and as it was raining I couldn’t put the hood down. Arrived at the motel in Gisborne and settled in. Sometime later the rest arrived. Bill noticed that the bonnet was up on the Panther and came to investigate. I’d spent some time trying to disconnect the heater cable. Bill took 10 secs to disconnect it and 30 minutes for the explanation. I guess after 80+ years of experience he knows a thing or two about a thing or two. Dinner was organised at the Rivers Restaurant- noisy, but excellent food A bit expensive but as it was pension day we all had plenty of money. Pat ordered bangers and mash but couldn’t eat all the sausages – I felt it was my duty to help here out. After 290 kms of driving, my bed looked really inviting that evening. Day 2 of the tour saw some of the cars take a leisurely (that’s top speed in a Morris 1000) trip to the Rere Falls. The falls are charming and symmetrically interesting but a bit tame if you’re viewed the Victoria Falls from the Zambian side. We were scheduled to meet at 11am at the East Coast Museum of Technology at Makaraka. Most cars had arrived by 11.45am – they must have been following Terry and Sandra in the BMW 2002 Tii. The museum sprawls over several acres with multiple buildings housing an unusual collection of historic items. I particularly enjoyed the “Home 6
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Technology” collection of washing machines, sewing machines, stoves, radios, bicycles and lawnmowers. I didn’t think I was that old but to my surprise remember many of the items from my childhood. The group of mainly volunteers is also preparing a display of a very large Ammonia Compressor. I’m not really a collector (except books and ex-wives) and for some people this is just a large collection of junk. But it is an important collection as it contains a range of items which represent our history. However, amongst the rusting relics there is a collection of old, mainly British cars of questionable history, including a Maxi, Austin Gypsy, Marina, Tasman, Trekkas and two Allegros. One Allegro is bad enough but why would you want to collect two of them?! To my embarrassment I once purchased a new Marina 1750 TC 2 door coupe (1973 I think) for my wife. It was Australian assembled and I could write volumes on this heap of crap but it gets even worse - I sold a 3.8 Jaguar (which was staring to cost me money) to buy it. I got rid of the Marina within 12 months and the wife shortly after. We next visited the Tairawhiti Museum in the city which is an intimate and spiritual collection of local art and the Maori history. We were also able to explore the wheel house and captain’s cabin of the cargo steamer, Star of Canada, which was wrecked of the Gisborne coast in 1912. As we were about to leave the museum the heavens opened so we decided to wait in reception until the thunderstorm passed. At about the same time there was a 6.2 earthquake, centered near Tamaranui which we all felt quite clearly. Probably the only time most of us have “felt the earth move” for some time. Back to Rivers Restaurant again for dinner. Four people at our table decided to have the lamb. Initially only two were delivered so Rocky and myself gallantly offered the ladies their lamb meals first - big mistake as we were still waiting an hour later so we kept ourselves amused trying to steal Pat’s bread. We started Day 3 of the tour with a visit to the Gisborne VCC club rooms and parts shed for morning tea. We were scheduled to depart promptly at 10.30am for the 220 km trip to Napier with a stop over for lunch at Waiora. We finally left at 11am, but we did it promptly. After settling into our motel, Bob organized dinner at the RSA across the road (staggering distance). A fantastic smorgasbord meal including a dessert bar for $25 - yum. Day 4 of the tour was a high light for me and many others, organised by Kevin Hayward of the Hawkes Bay VCC. Usually when you say “visit a car collection” there is a collective sigh of “not another pile of bits” from the ladies. But the first collection was a complete surprise. It would be one of the best presented collections I have ever visited and belongs to Steve Trott and includes a ‘35 Auburn (straight 8)m, ‘36 Cadillac and ‘35 Chev, all soft tops Side Curtains December 2018
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and beautifully prepared. The Auburn is an elegant motor vehicle with finely proportioned curves – a sort of Raquel Welch on wheels. Also housed in the immaculate warehouse is a collection of radiator badges in alphabetical order, a collection of rare petrol cans and petrol brand signs. Steve, who has been collecting for many years, commented that he used to pay about $30 for a can but some are now worth over $1500. Even the ladies were impressed. We next visited Hooters (settle down – not the Hooters some of you know from the USA) but Hooter - Hire who hire vintage and classic cars for chauffer driven tours, weddings, and a self -drive option which includes a ‘24 Hupmobile, ‘25 Hudson Super 6, ‘26 Dodge, ‘28 Willys Overland and a ‘53 Citreon. Hooters also offer a tour on a 5 seater V8 Trike. The business is owned by David Brock-Jest who is well known for racing a 1938 12 cylinder Lagonda. David’s daughter Anna manages the business and shared with the group the background of the business, the cars and their markets. Again the vehicles were housed in a beautifully presented warehouse. For more info visit www.hooter-hire.co.nz And then for lunch at the new Hawkes Bay VCC Club Rooms – very impressive facilities and the best organized library and parts shed I’ve ever seen. After a short detour to the Waitangi Regional Park we visited Kevin Hayward’s private collection of model cars, planes, more model cars, magazines and did I mention the model cars. Its an eclectic collection with a real man cave feel to it. I’m not sure if its an obsession but I wonder if he goes to the same psychiatrist as Pat with her collection of pens. Kevin has also built for himself a coffin in the form of a car – now thats weird. Its not my cup of tea but I admire peoples motivation to “collect” and Kevin was a fabulous host. Most of the group then went for visit to Arataki Honey. It was back to the RSA again for dinner – I headed into town after dinner to visit some old muso friends at a jazz gig and got home late. By the time I awoke the next morning just before the departure time of 10am most of the group had gone – perhaps they had to race back to Rotorua to go to work. As usual Bob and Pat organized a great trip, great roads, interesting places to visit and fun company. Those who took part were: Michael - 88 Panther Kallista Les and Thelma - 60 Morris 1000 Terry and Sandra - 73 BMW 2002 Tii Doug and Erina - 65 Rover 95 Maurie and Shirley - 63 Holden EJ Roger and Diana - 75 Triumph Stag John and Jenny - 73 Triumph Stag David and Jill - 65 Mustang Rocky and Rebecca - 64 Triumph Herald coupe Les and Thelma 60 Morris 1000 Bob and Pat - Modern Pat and Lois - Modern 8
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Midweek Run - 5 December
by Ronald Mayes
“A short run with a barbecue lunch provided ($5 each) at a lakeside venue or, if the weather dictates, in the shed.� After several days of severe weather this Wednesday dawned fine and 9 cars and 19 regular participants turned up at the clubrooms for an excellent morning tea. Bob explained that we would take a leisurely drive to Mamaku via Dansey Road, across to SH5, then left into Oturoa Road. We were told to check No 43. If the gate was closed we were to go on to the Hamurana reserve for lunch, if open we were to drive in. Bob and Pat would check out the weather conditions at Hamurana while we went on our drive. Traffic was heavy on Fairy Springs Road, with minor road works blocking the left hand lane near the Countdown store and traffic reduced to crawling speed. Most vehicles merged courteously but one character in a BMW 7 sped along the left lane right up to the closed section, then without indicating pushed his way into the right lane (on a collision course with us until I braked). He then stopped alongside the work area to converse with one of the workers. The blast of a pair of Triumph horns got him moving again and he took off at high speed. After that it was steady going but the rain started as we climbed Dansey Road. We caught up with and stayed behind the Austin 7 which took the climb remarkably well - I had to use mostly second and third gears to have enough revs to maintain its 25-30mph speed. At my normal speed it would have been top gear all the way. Mamaku was cold, windy and wet. We detoured off the route to explore the township but saw only a general store and a garage in the main street, then a section full of very dead cars. On to Oturoa Road and we caught up with the Austin again, so another gentle drive down the hill. Driving at A7 speed gives you time to observe and enjoy the scenery! The gate was closed at No 43 so on we went towards Hamurana. Bill waved us on, on that busy main road, but we soon had to stop and turn around: Bob, coming from Hamurana with some club cars Side Curtains December 2018
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following him, flashed his lights and waved us back to his place. Hamurana was obviously damp and exposed to the wind. So, we were behind the A7 again! Not a problem, we were soon parked in an impressive line of 6 British cars, one Australian and one fine Honda Accord which before many years will be 30 years of age and club-eligible. Bob and Pat’s large and clean shed was the ideal venue for the excellent lunch which was produced in short order and we could sit and gaze at our cars while enjoying the food and conversation. Examination of some of the cars followed. Particularly impressive was Les and Thelma’s Morris Minor, the result of a restoration job to an almost immaculate standard by French’s of Rotorua. On the run were: Holden EJ, Austin 7, Morris Minor saloon and Traveller, 2 Triumph Stags, Triumph 2500TC and the aforementioned ‘93 Honda. Would branch members be interested in an organised bus trip to Thames on the Saturday of Anniversary weekend in January to the Thames Wings & Wheels Day? There are static displays of motor vehicles and aeroplanes at the Thames airfield. We would try and arrive close to the start time, and perhaps leave around 1.30pm to try and have people back in Rotorua before 5pm with a comfort stop or two on the way home. If you are interested, let Chairman Dave or Secretary Dennis know. We will finalise interest at the December club night and plan from there. 10
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CLUB NIGHT - December 12th Neil Hunt Park - 7.30pm Car In The Room: TBA! Followed by tea, coffee and biscuits
Upcoming Midweek Runs
by Bob Mackay
First my apologies to those who did not read the November Side Curtains and turned up at the clubrooms on the 28th. Following the Spring Tour there was no midweek run in November. I advised that with the busy season almost here we would have a run on the 5th December and by the time this issue of Side Curtains is published it will have passed. January Midweekers - 30th January 2019 With the Car Show on the 20th we will delay the club run until the last Wednesday of the month. Meet at the club rooms at 9:45am for morning tea so we can get away a little earlier than normal. We will head to The Strawberry Farm & CafĂŠ at Whakatane.
December Posh Picnic Run - Sunday December 16th Meet at the clubrooms by 11.15am for first car away at 11.30am. You should all know the drill by now, dress in the period of your car, and bring along chairs, your best china plate, cup and saucer, and at the end of our run we will have a posh picnic waiting for us. Cost for the picnic is $5 per head, please bring cash on the day, preferably the correct amount as change may be in short supply. Tea and coffee available, but BYO other drinks. This run will end at Bob and Pat Mackay’s at around 1pm for the posh picnic. Those not wanting to do the run can just turn up at the venue at 1pm, 43 Oturoa Road, Ngongotaha. See you there! Side Curtains December 2018
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Contributions to Side Curtains This is your magazine! Please feel free to share anything you think might be of interest to the membership by sending it to the editor, preferably by email, and a picture says a thousand words, so include photos where possible. Members taking part in club runs or events hosted by other branches are encouraged to pen a short piece about their experience to include in the next issue going to print. All items to the editor by the end of the month.
www.rotoruavintagecarclub.org.nz The branch website aims to meet the needs of our members, to promote our branch nationally, and to potential new members. If you have any suggestions please contact David Tomlinson. Please check the branch Facebook page regularly too. 12
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2018 Spring Tour - Gisborne / Napier From Top: Rere Falls, Gisborne Part of the collection at Hooters, Napier Cadillac, supercharged Auburn and Packard at Steve Trott’s, Napier Member’s cars at Rere Falls
November Combined Branch Run