LetmestartthismonthwithsincereapologiesbeinggiventoJohnWhiteand RexWilliams,inthatIdidnotmakereferencetotheexcellentworkthatwas donebythesetwomembersinrespecttotheverysuccessfulswapmeetin March.
ThetruthofthematterisIhadpreparedmyNatterasnormal,thenforwarded aNattertotheeditorattachedtoane-mail.Theonlyproblemwas,I forwardedtheAprilNatterfor2024insteadoftheonethatIhadjustprepared, andofcoursetheeditorprintedwhatIhadsent.Ageiscertainlystartingto catchupwithme.ThiswillalsoexplainwhyIhadRobindoingtheswap meet.
Onceagaintherehavebeenanumberofactivitiesorganizedbytheclubthat havebeenwellattendedandthoroughlyenjoyedbythosetakingpart.No doubttherewillbereportselsewhereinthemagazinebutImustacknowledge theenjoymentthatbothDeniseandIgotfromtakingpartintheMothers’Day runofthesteamtraintriporganisedbyJulie.Wehadareallyhappycarriage withmembersandassociatesforthedayanditwasgoodtobeabletohave thetimewhenallyouhadtodowassitandletithappen:nodriving,no worriesaboutotherthingsgoingonaboutyou.Tohaveanumberin fancy/perioddressalsohelpedandtohaveourownBruceastheCarriage Managercertainlyhelpedinmakingitarelaxedfunday.Iforoneammost impressedwiththeeffortthatthevolunteerstaffputintotheseexercisesthat areundertakenbySteamIncorporated,andmoresowhenIseemembersof ourownclubmakinguppartofthatteam.ThankyouJulie. AsthisisjustbeforetheA.G.M.Iwanttostressthatwestillhavetheproblem ofvolunteersfortheup-comingelectionsandinparticular,thepositionof Secretary.Iamfullyawareofwhatthejobrequires,asIdiditforawhile.It isnottoodemanding,andashasbeensuggested,thereisnoreasonwhya couplecouldnottakeitontogether.Ithinkthatwehavenominationsand volunteersfortherestoftheoffices.
Inthemeantime,takecareoutthere.
BillLaney
Asthenightsbegintogetdarkerandcooleragreatnumberofmembersturned outtoourMayclubnight.Ourguestspeakerfortheevening,another competitorandjointrunnerupinourrestorationoftheyearaward,Robin Strachangaveusaninterestingtalkontherestorationofhis1962AustinA40 CountrymanMark2.RobinpurchasedtheAustinonTradeMesight-unseen fromMarlborough.HearrangedtogetthecardeliveredtoPicton,however hadtotraveloverbyferrytodriveitontotheferryanddriveitoffthisend.He thentraileredittohishome.Loadingandunloadingwasfun,asitdidnothave anybrakes,andithadtobewinchedontoandoffthetransporter.Oncehehad itintheshed,hetriedforseveraldaystogettheseizedhubsoff.Thecylinders hadseizedandtheshoesbrokenoff.Withafewmodificationsandpurchases fromAliExpresshenowhasthecarrunning,andthemotorpurrs. Robinsaysthatitisextremelyreliable,andhasonlylethimdownonce. WhilehewaspassingatruckandtrailerunitduringarunthroughNational Parktheacceleratorcablespringbroke.TheAustinscreamedatmaxrevs,but hemanagedtopullbackfromthemaneouver.Afterroad-siderepairsitwas goingagain,andhasnotlethimdownsince.ThankyouRobinforan interestingtalk.
OurAprilGarageRaidinLevinwasonethatmanywillneverforget.We visitedMikeTripae’splaceincentralLevin.MikeisamemberoftheNZ MilitaryVehicleClub.HestartedwithamassivecollectionofWorldWar2 Brenguncarriers,tanks,cannons,HarleyDavidsonsandothermilitary vehicles,asearchlightandevenapropelleroffaCatalinaaircraft.Mikealso hastheremainsofaVampireandhopestohavethisupasagateguard sometimesoon.Hedecidedtodown-sizehiscollectiontojustoneBrengun carrier,andiscurrentlyrestoringaStuartTank.Mikehasrestoreda ContinentalRadialengineforthistank.Theseweredesignedasaircraft enginesbutalsousedinalliedlandingcraftandtanksduringthewar. Well,Ithinkmostofhisneighbourswereawayatthetime,orweredeaf,as MikedecidedtofireuptheRadialengine.Firsthestoodonaladderand poured4litresofpetroldownthefunnelandtubetothecarburettor,primed themotorbyturningitoverafewtimes.Weweretoldtostandclearafew metersasoilwouldspitfromthetwinexhaustpipes.Withacloudofsmoke,
roaroftheengineandafewflamesitwasaway.After4minutesofrunning thefuelranout,andpeacetotheneighborhoodandcentralLevinwasrestored. Aftergainingmyhearingback,andthesmokehadcleared,Idiscoveredthat myglasses,phone,andshirtwerecoveredindropletsofoil.Basil’sEssex parked10metersawaywascoveredwithdropsofoilandevenRob McIntyre’sbeardwascoveredwithlittleblackspots.Murrayhadtobuya newshirtafterwards.Whatanawesomedisplayandcertainlywasoneofthe GarageRaidhighlightsoftheyear.Hopefullywewillarrangeafuturevisitto seeMike’stankcompletedandrunningdownthestreet.Hopetheneighbours bringintheirwashingnexttime.
OurvisittoRymans’CharlesFlemingretirementhomeonSaturday12thApril wasextremelysatisfying,andrewarding.WiththesupportoftheWolsley Club,especiallyRayWhitcombewhotravelledfromMastertontoattend,the BrylcreamBoysandtheircars,andtheMorrisClubwemanagedtohave20 carslineduponthedayforthedisplayandtotaketheresidentsforadrive. Manyresidentscamedownfromthehospitaltoviewthecars,andtheones thatcouldnot,viewedthecarsfromabove.Weallhadagreattimeandvery satisfyingday.ThankstoWintonandRuth,whoopeneduptheirhomefor viewing,andassistingtoarrangethevisit.Themanagementandteamat CharlesFlemingweresuitablyimpressedwiththedisplay,andwouldlikeus backsometimeinthefuture.SpecialthankstoBillLaneywhotookaresident foradriveandeventookhershoppingforsomegroceriesatthelocal Waikanaesupermarket-whatabloke.
TheVeroNorthIslandEasterRallyinCambridgewasanexcellentrelaxing event.TherewasoneteamfromHorowhenuaandthreefromManawatu.The wholeweekendwasnon-competitivewith45carsturningup.Activities includedFridaynighttourofCambridge,therallyonSaturdayincludedthree rallyroutes:Veteran&Vintage,PostVintage&PostWarandPost60s&Post 80s.OnSundaytherewasafieldtestanddrivearoundCambridgetoMystery Creek,andreturn.Theweekendfinishedwithabuffetdinneratthetownhall. Althoughasmalleventthisyearitwasgreattocatchupwithfriends,and therewereplentyofEasterEggsandHotCrossBuns.Incidentally,most participantsthatIspoketowerealsoheadingtoNelsonnextyearfortheVero International,sothatwasencouraging.
PeterJamiesonattendedtheHighlandFlingonthe25thAprilandreportedthat itwasagreateventwith82carscoveringeasytouringroads,tracksandfords tocross.OneModelAblewaheadgasket,andwasbackontheroadwithinan hour.
HavingcompletedtheFlingwithnoproblems,Peterhasdecidedtotickone offhisbucketlist,andgivetheIrishmanRallyago.WiththeChryslertuned,
includingagreaseandoilchangeandbothferryandaccommodationbookings made,hewillbeoffattheendofthemonth.
April’sKapitimid-weekrunwasanothersuccessfuldaywithRichardand GabrielleSaltorganisingavisittoOhauGourmetMushrooms.39members turneduptoOahuonawetmiserabledaywhereBrentandJudegaveusan interestingtalkabouttheirbusiness,followedbyatour,andmanypurchasing fromtheshop.Somepurchasedagrowbagpackofbrownandpinkoyster mushroomsandarenowwaitingforthemtogrowintheirkitchens.From therewewentontoTatumParkforawell-presentedlunch,manychoosing platters.NextKapitiRunwillbetoFraserEngineeringinLowerHutt.
OurMothers’DayTrainexcursionfromWellingtontoWoodvilleandreturn wasahugesuccess.ThankstoJulie’sorganization,everythingransmoothly, exceptthetrainwhichwasanhourlateduetosignalproblems,howeverthis didnotspoilwhatturnedouttobeaveryhappyandeventfulMothers’Day forourmothers.Therewillbeafullreportandphotosinournextissueof Spark.
CominguponSaturday24thMayistheManawatuPostEraRally,whichI knowalotofourmemberswillsupport.Covering140to160kms,Glyn& CathyClementshavesettherallyroutewhichwillincludelunchin Whanganui.Entriesonthenoticeboardinourclubroom.
OnSunday1stJune(King’sBirthdayweekend)isthe71stAnnualWanganui Rally.
OurnextclubnightwillbeourAGMandsowewillpostponeournext RestorationoftheYearawardjointrunneruppresentationtothefollowing month.
Onthe29thJuneistheAnnualMid-Winterdinnerattheclubroomsat$30per head.Reservationstobemadethroughthetreasurerandpaymentintoourclub account.
That’sitfromme,untilnexttime.Keepthatoildripping.
BreakingNews:
OurannualNightOwldayrallyhasbeenbookedforSunday13thJuly,sosave thisdate.ThisyearweintendmakingitaBrunchrun.Rallywillbeginata slightlyearliertime,finishingattheclubroomsforabuffetBrunchand presentation.
SpeakerforJune
OnWednesday4thJuneweareholdingourAGM.Wewillnot haveaguestspeaker-thatwillbepostponeduntiltheJuly meetingwhenwewillhaveanotherpresentationfromoneofthe RestorationoftheYearentrants.
NewClubMembers
Nonewfacesatthelastclubnight. Weremainhappywithwhowehave.
Recovering
DonMcLarenfellwhiledescendingfromtheModelAandbroke aleg,soheisnowpinnedandplatedbutrecovering.
MarkDunnhadavisittohospital,butwehaveseenhimbackat clubmeetinginMay.
CoverPicture
MrsvanGogh’sE-Typehadbeenofftheroadforyearsand neededabitoftidyingup.Sheaskedherson,Vincent,ifhe wouldpaintit.Theresultwasnotquitewhatsheexpected.
