Howtostart?Well,whereIleftofflastmonth,withapleaforanew secretary.BothJohnWhiteandBruceJamiesonhaveofferedtotake minutesofthelastcommitteemeeting(John)andtheclubnight meeting(Bruce).Thankyoubothforsteppinguptohelpmeout.Bruce hassaidthatheishappytocontinueforthetimebeinguntilwehavea newsecretary.Asfortherestofthesecretaryduties,Ihavebeensortof managingthatwithguidancefromMichaelourprevioussecretary. Havingspentsometimegoingthroughthebranchlaptopandreading theveryefficientjobdescriptionthatMichaelhaswrittenitisnotan oneroustask,infacthehasmadesuchagoodjobofcleaningallthe ancientandnotsoancientjunkfromthesystemsoitisquiteeasytodo butnotsomethingthatIhavetimeforinthelongrun.Wereallyneed oneperson,orithasbeensuggested,acoupletotakeontheroleasa whole.
Enoughpleadingfromme.Ourlast,andmyfirst,meetinginthechair withoutBillLaneywatchingmefromthesidelineswentwellifalittle chaoticattimes.I’msureitwillgetbetter.
Wehadaguestspeaker,KevinFleming,tellingusallabouthis restorationjourneywithhissplendidRoverP6BV8.Hedidall,andI meanall,theworkhimselflearningashewentalong,frommechanics topaintworkandeventhetrim.
Nextmonthwewillhavethelastofourrestorationoftheyear contenders,GeorgeMcLean,tellingusaboutthehistoryofJeepandhis restorationofafineexample.
Thenexteventisthe(daytime)NightOwlwhichlookstobeeasierthan inpreviousyearswithashorterdistanceandnogravelroadsanda brunchattheendattheclubrooms.Anaddedbonusisifyouwinyou maynothavetosetnextyear’scourse.
ItwasgreattoseeanotherexcellentturnoutofmemberstoourJuly ClubNight,alongwiththeadditionofacoupleofnewmembers. KevinFleminggaveaveryinterestingpresentationontherestorationof his1975RoverP6V8.KevinbeganhisfirstrestorationofaRoverSTI, followedbyaCorvette,aTriumphDolomite,andaFerguson35tractor beforebeginninghisP6.Allhisrestorationswereverymeticulous,with acompletenutandboltreplacement.
Kevinexplainedthehistoryofhiscarandhowheboughtadonercar forparts,howhestrippedthepanelsoff,(fourboltsholdeach mudguardon,andtheroofisalsoboltedon.)Kevinbuiltaspraybooth andrepaintedeachpanelhimself,afterbeingshownhowbyafriend. SomepanelswerepaintedsixtoeighttimesbeforeKevinhadthem perfectwithafinishthefactorywouldbeproudof.
Herebuiltallthemechanicals,includingengine,transmission,brakes, waterpump,eventhebrakeboosterhadtobestrippeddownandatiny $70sealreplaced.Kevindidallhisownsandblasting,andmanyparts wereeasilyorderedfromtheUK,andrubberpartscamefromAustralia. Thevinylupholsterywasinverygoodorder,itwasonlythefrontseats thatrequiredstitching.Thedashwasperfect;howeverthecarpetswere replaced.Kevinwasoneoftherunner-upcontestantsinourRestoration oftheYear,competitionandthisRovergavehimmuchpleasurein completing,andisacredittohishardworkandperseverance throughouttherestoration.Ibelievethatthecarisnowforsale,and Kevinislookingforhisnextproject.
OurJuneGarageRaidwasatSteveForest’sworkshopinBainesse.Don MacdonaldledtheconvoyinhisMorrisMinorconvertiblefromthe clubroomstoBainesse,acomfortabledrivethattookusunderthree quartersofanhour.Itwasahugesuccesswithjustunder50members turninguptoviewSteve’sworkshopwherehewasworkingona
numberofcarsincludinga1960CadillacCoupe,a1963HoldenStation Wagon,aPorsche356,afewothercarsstrippedtotheirframesanda fewrelicsintheyard,includinganoldFordPopular,andCortina stationwagonstonameafew.OfspecialinterestwasSteve’smancave whichhehadcreatedinthestyleofa1960scafé/diner,withallofhis memorabiliahangingfromthewallsandceilings.Themembersall enjoyedtea,coffeeandfreshlybakedsconesformorningtea,andall hadagreattime.
WehadtwocarsfromHorowhenuaenteredintheManawatuNight Trial.Atotalof15carscompeted,manyweremoderns,startingat 8.45pmwithabriefing,andfirstcarawayat9.00pm.Therallylasted2 hours,coveringbothgravelandseal,finishingat11.00pmatthe clubroomswithsoup,toastandcrumpets.Wefinallygotbackhome around1.00amandinbedby2am.Overallagreatnightout,andasit wasMatarikiWeekendwehadawell-deservedsleepinontheSunday. LastWednesdaywastheannualKapitimid-weekrun,thistimeto ParaparaumuAirportandtheirAeroClub.Verdonwasoneofour memberswhowentalong,andhadaninterestingdayviewingplanes beingworkedon,andapresentationbytheManagerCEOofKapiti AeroClubandcontrolleroftheairfield.Theyviewedanenginerunning onthetarmacandsomeplanesparkedup.Theyalsohadthe opportunitytogothroughtheFlightTrainingSchool. TheirnextplannedMid-weekoutingwillbetoourclubrooms,witha presentationonthefirstInternationalVCCRallyheldin1965.Itisthe 60thanniversaryoftherally,andthepresentationwillbebythree contestantswhotookpartinthatevent.TherewillbelunchatCobband CoinLevinfollowingthesession.
Ourannualmid-winterdinnerwasattendedby42ofourmembers, howeverwewouldhavelikedtohaveseenmore.Numbersattending determinetheprice,andifwearetocontinuetohavelownumbers attending,thenitisnotworthwhileforourcatererpreparingthemeal. Weneedfeedbackonhowtoincreasethenumbersforthesedinners.
Somesuggestions:
1.Wouldmembersliketoseeachangeincaterer?
2.Eveningmealinsteadoflunch?
3.ChangethedayfromaSundaytoaSaturday?
4.HaveaRallyonthedayfinishingwithaneveningmeal& presentation?
5.Clubmorningrunthendinner,oranafternoonrunfinishing withafternoondinner?
6.Isitthecost?Thisyear$30eachandclubsubsidizedthe$8. Isthistooexpensive?
7.Lostinterestinmid-winterdinners,andjusthavetheChristmas Function?
8.WearealsothinkingoftheChristmasFunctionasnumberswere downonlastyear.
9.Aclub-organizedfunctioninanotherlocation?
10.AChristmasPicnicwithallthetrimmingsincludingSantaand carGymkhana,etc?
11.So,getyourthinkingcapson,andletyourcommitteeknow,as weneedtoknowbynextclubmeetingifwearetoproceedwith aChristmasFunctionascaterersneedtobebookedfor Christmas.Onesuggestionwasasurveyofmembers.Ifwedo notreceivefeedbackthenthiscouldhappeninthenextissueof Spark.
Comingup.WehavetheDay/NightOwlRally.Bythetimeyou receivethiseditiontherallywillbeover. Numbersarewaydownfrompreviousyears.Therallyisdesignedtobe simple,nostress,enjoyableandfinishingattheclubroomwithabig breakfasttosatisfyevenCallum’smassiveappetite.Thereisno pressurenottowinthisrally,asinpreviousyearsthewinnerhadtoplot thefollowingyear’scourse.Thereisnoneedforthattohappennowas nextyear’srunwillbeplottedbeforethenextAGM,bythepresent Captains.
OnSunday24thAugustisTheVCCNationalDaffodilDay. ThisyearManawatuaredelightedtohaveusonboardwiththem.We willbejoiningtogetherpromotingourVCCClubsandatsametime raisingalittlemoneyforCancerSociety.GlynClementshasthisunder controlandI’msureourmemberswillassistwherenecessarypossibly withmarshalling.
WewillbemeetingatTheCoachHouse,Feildingat1.00pmfora gatheringanddisplay,followedbyarunleavingat2.30pmfor
approximately11/2hoursfinishingatManawatuClubroomsfor afternoontea,spotprizes,andsocializing.
Finally,theVeroInternationalFestivalofMotoringentriescloseon31st August25.Thefestivaltakesplaceovertheweek15thMarch26to21st March26.Ifyouintendenteringyouwouldneedtoenternowasafter the31stAugustitwillcostafurther$200toenter.
Thenumberofbranchesrepresentedisnow33outofthe36branches, andtheoldestcarenteredisa1909Renault,andthenewestcarisa 1994MGRV8.
That’sitfromme,untilnexttime,keepthatoildripping
BreakingNews:
Manawatu’sAnnualSwapmeetthisyearwillbeheldonanewdateof 27thSeptember2025.
SpeakerforAugust
OnWednesday6thAugustwewillhaveanotherpresentation fromoneoftheRestorationoftheYearentrants.GeorgeMcLean isgoingtotellusallabouthisworkontheWillysjeep.
NewClubMembers
AcoupleofnewfacesatJuneclubnight.BobBaileyandGraham Cottleareintheprocessofjoining.Welookforwardtoyouat futureeventswhenyouhavecompletedtheregistrationprocess.
Recovering
Itseemsthatweareallmaintainingourhealth. No“GetWellSoon”cardsneededforthemoment.
BigThanks
Newmember,MurrayHeaney,gavetheclubalargeboxofprepaidenvelopeswhichhiscompanynolongerneedsafterhis recentretirement.
Sparkcanbepostedforsome monthsnow.
CoverPicture
TheFordModelT.GetyoursreadyfortheNationalRallyat Pukekohefrom24thFebruaryto1stMarch,2026.
Iknowthattherearealotofyououtthererestoringtractors.
Welllooknofurther.Wehaveplentyofworkshopmanualsfortractors. Don'tmissout.Comeandbrowseourselection.
Also,don’tforgetyourwindowcards.Theylookgoodatmotorshows.
Stilllotsofgive-awaybookstobehad.
WANTED…
AGOODWIREWHEELTOSUITA716"
