Personalised vintage fashion shows for events/occasions/functions presented by an experienced team of models
Phone: Sue – (Dunedin) 03 489 4033/021 146 4987
Professional recolouring of all leather car seats, interior panels etc. Protect and enhance the look of your car interior with our unique quality service
Ring Rodger for a No Obligation appraisal now
Phone 455 4065
BROCKLEBANKS
Leather Dyers
Over 50 years serving Otago
WANTED
Archive Material - for Otago BranchArchives
Copies of any past events/rallies that you have organised in the past. These are needed to ensure that the branch Archives are kept up to date. Please deliver to the clubrooms – with my name on it – thanks Marion
WANTED
I am looking for some 19 inch tyres second hand or new if anyone has anything For sale 4.75 5.00 19 Or similar to fit a Model A Ford Thanks Kelvin (021) 041
FOR SALE
1939/40 NASH PANELS, including both front and rear guards, bonnet and side panels, part of the pot metal grille (for a pattern), possibly a headlight surround??? (not sure, it's been buried in the shed for 25 years), and a boot lid, all for removal. If anyone wants them, it's all free, they just have to pick it up from Tauranga. The attached pic is just for identification purposes. Please contact Grant Harrison <inthweedz@gmail.com> or call him on 0274 625 666 for further details.
FOR SALE
1926 Ford Model T Roadster
Contact Basil North 0275500000 for further details
Would you like to rent our Otago Branch Club rooms?
To help us decide whether we should apply to vary the resource consent, the committee is wanting to gauge if there is sufficient interest from various groups to renting the club rooms. The permitted activities would need to fit under community and leisure and have no more than 50 people in attendance. The rooms available would be the main hall and kitchen plus toilets. While this is solely a fact-finding mission for now and no guarantee of usage, can you please contact me if you know of a group or groups that may be interested and fall under this category.
ARTICLES FOR NEWSLETTER Can be forwarded to your editor by the 3rd Wednesdayof the month please
VERO INSURANCE APPLICATIONS Please quote Otago “Agent No H0300145— Inspector No 916”
LIBRARY ROSTER Library open 8.00 - 9.30 Friday night
JULY
4th Kevin Mason
11th Closed
18th Closed
25th Bryan McConachie
EMAILUS YOUR REPORTS
-
If you have attended an event and feel moved to put pen to paper for a report – please do so and email it to our Editor. Would be nice to read other people’s stories
South Canterbury Branch celebrates 120 years of the first car to Mt Cook.
CALLINGALL VETERAN, VINTAGE, AND POST VINTAGE VEHICLES
Thursday = 5th February 2026 Overnight in Timaru.
Friday 6th February = Timaru to Lake Tekapo. Make your reservations now.
Saturday 7th February = Tekapo, = Mt Cook = Twizel
We have the Hotel at Twizel booked. 88 Rooms. These will be booked thru your entry form.
First In first served. Or feel free to book your own accommodation elsewhere.
Contact Nola Day nola.day@xtra.co.nz for enquiries or entry forms
Not on such as grand a scale as the 100 years, but a very important milestone in the motoring world. We have come a long way.
VICApplications for -
VERO International Festival of Motoring
If you are planning to attend the Vero IFHM next year Your wheels will need a VIC
please make sure you arrange this in plenty of time – as applying for one a week before the event will be expecting the impossible. Get it sorted now
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
BRANCH
EVENTS (listed in bold)
Contact Branch secretary for entry forms from other branches
2025
JULY Fri 4th Motorcycle Group Meeting
Sat 19th Branch Annual Dinner
Fri 25th Club Night and Meeting
Thur 31st Midweek Lunch Run
AUG Fri 1st Motorcycle Group Meeting
Sun 24 National Rally for Cancer
Mon 25th Daffodil Deliveries
Thur 28th Midweek Lunch Run
Fri 29th Club Night and Meeting
SEPT Fri 5th Motorcycle Group Meeting
Sat 13th Autospectacular Saturday 13th Night Rally
Sun 21st PV/PWV/P60 Run
Thurs 25th Midweek Lunch Run
Fri 26th Club Night and Meeting
OCT Fri 5th Motorcycle Group Meeting
Sat 4th – 5th Dunvegan Rally 10th -12th Canterbury Swapmeet
Thurs 30th Midweek Lunch Run
Fri 31st Club Night and Meeting
NOV Sat 1st Taieri Tour
Fri 7th Motorcycle Group Meeting 8th Clutha Rally
Sun 23rd Commercial Veteran Rally
Thurs 27th Midweek Lunch Run
Fri 28th Club Night and Meeting
DEC TBA Moped Rally Windsor Rally
Sun 14th Christmas BBQ
VCC NATIONAL EVENTS
2025 August National AGM Invercargill
2026 March 15th -21st Vero International Festival of Historic MotoringNelson
Please note: There will be no other National Rallies in 2026 due to the International Rally happening that year.
Please WEAR YOUR NAME BADGES when you are attending club events. This helps new members to identify you
ANNUAL BRANCH DINNER
SATURDAY 19TH JULY
5.30 DRINKS - 6.00 DINNER
WITH ANNUALBRANCH PRIZEGIVING AND ENTERTAINMENT AFTERWARDS
AT THE CLUBROOMS - 125 FORBURY ROAD
Numbers to David Ross by Wednesday 15th July
Cost $40 per person
Midweek Run – lunch
Thursday 31st July 2025
Waterloo Hotel on Forbury Corner at 12.00
Mark your calendar!!!
Friday July 25th Club Night
Guest Speaker - Jules Radich
The topic will be: Conveyance, convenience and cars - what is the future of flow in Dunedin?
I will be happy to take questions from members after my talk. Supper will be serviced afterwards
You are welcome to invite your friends and family to this event
Welcome to New Members
The Otago Branch extends a very warm welcome to Brian Olsen Brendon Wilson
The branch welcome you to the Club.
We look forward to seeing you at local and neighbouring events.
FROM THE EDITOR
Thanks to those who have contributed to this months Roadrunner. I had not received a report on the recent Garage Raid, so I tested Bryan’s memory.
GARAGE RAID REPORT
About 20 members meet at the Wharf Street carpark and car pooled to get to their first visit in Sawyers Bay to view a selection of vehicles including some related to motorsport. Then back to the warm clubrooms for lunch. The first afternoon visit was to Waldronville where there were several garages with well presented vehicles ranging in age from mid 1930’s to modern. (I know someone who would like sheds like this at home). The final visit took us onto Waihola via Taieri Mouth. The first shed was set up as a Man cave bar/lounge and the second shed held a good selection of vehicles machinery and local history. It was a very enjoyable days outing. Many thanks to the owners who made their sheds available to us to have a look. And to Kevin and his contacts for organising another great day out.
DAFFODILRALLY FOR CANCER
SUNDAY 24THAUGUST
This event is run Nationally to help raise awareness of the Vintage car Club and to raise funds for each branch’s local cancer Society
This year the Venue is – The Edgar Centre, Portsmouth Drive, Dunedin
Meeting time – 12:30pm – 1pm to depart for a drive which will return to the Edgar Centre by 2pm after which will be a public display.
$10 Entry per Vehicle with all proceeds going to the Otago Cancer Society Food and Coffee available.
Dressing your vehicles and yourselves to Daffodil theme is encouraged.
This year the committee has worked long and hard and I must thank them for their work well done. There have been some changes this year so things have changed a little, Dave Mills took over the kitchen and internals and made some much-needed changes which received good comments from members, and the committee has been working on the new constitution, many thanks to Trevor Kempton and typist Marion McConachie. We are very fortunate to have Trevor as he was able to pick this up and sort it very quickly.
Some rallies are falling by the wayside due to nobody coming forward to organise them but we have had many runs.. We have visited the home in Dunblane street (Redroofs) and runs through Chatsford Retirement Village, garage raids, Best of British, and the Southern Backroad Adventure thanks to Nevin, and the annual Otago Rally, National Rally for Cancer and Daffodil deliveries, Auto Spectacular, Brighton Run, Taieri Tour, Dunvegan, Jackson Rally and our Christmas BBQ .
We have lost the motorcycle above the bar, which is good and bad as it is a loss to us but it will be on the road again.
The monthly talks that we have had have been very good but unfortunately, they are not well attended.
Tom Grant organised a weeklong tour but unfortunately went on his own.
A big thank you to all who have helped organise events and to those who help maintain the property as these are what keeps the branch alive also it is great to see so many members coming along on a Wednesday. We are always searching for members to organise events and to join us on the committee, as the more you put in the more you get out.
I have also represented the branch at a National level trying to get the best for our members and National have been working on their constitution as well, it has been a big job but thankfully we have a very good President and committee.
Thank you all for your input and participation during the last year it makes my purpose more enjoyable.
GRAEME
Clubrooms and Parts
From 9.30 am until 11am
Acuppa is on offer for a gold coin donation
From your Branch Secretary
Thank you to the members who were able to attend the AGM on the 15th June. While numbers were down on last year, we were still able to form a quorum which allowed us to vote on the incoming committee and pass the updated \constitution which I am pleased to advise was accepted unanimously.
I’d like to welcome Janeane Benfell & Kevin Mason on to the branch committee and welcome back David Ross, Bill Veitch and Andrew Roxburgh who were re-elected.
Branch Levy - This was discussed at the AGM and approved by a majority vote for a small increase to the branch levy which should allow us to meet the proposed budget for the next financial year. The levy for 2025/2026 year will be $45 plus GST.
Branch events – we still need organisers for some branch events for the coming year. Please give this some thought and let me know if you are able to help or put your name on the list on the notice board. Without an organiser, the event runs the risk of being cancelled.
Annual Dinner- Is on the 19th July during which we will be presenting the annual awards along with membership badges. I encourage you to come along especially if you have attended a number of events, both locally and hosted by other branches as you may be in line for a trophy. For catering purposes please advise David Ross if you are coming or put your name on the list in the clubrooms.
South Island Easter Rally 2027- this was discussed at the AGM and there was some interest in the branch putting in a bid to host the next South Island Easter Rally in 2027. The committee will discuss this further at our next meeting as the bid needs to be lodged in time for the National AGM in August.
Daffodil Rally for Cancer – is on Sunday 24th August and this year both the start and finish will be at the Edgar Centre. Ford New Zealand have come on board as a Corporate Sponsor nationwide and as they will be advertising the event throughout their database, the event is destined to be bigger than ever. We need you - both as marshalls and attendees to fly the flag for the Otago branch so please put this date in your diary now!!
Motorcycle Notes
JUST NUMBERS
A journal in 1952 was boasting that Britain produces more makes of car from more factories than any other nation. The figures are 35 types built by 25 factories.
Italy by contrast has but four makes. The USA produces 22 makes from 12 concerns.
In the motorcycle field , foreign statistics are incomplete. But Britain as per our last Buyers Guide- produces from 37 seperate firms, some of whom catalogue over a dozen different models. Well over a 100 different models are still manufactured in this country.
ps. If it hadn’t been for WW 2. there would have been many more British makes of motorcycles.
Ariel motorcycle. Model B - 550cc side
I have owned this bike since the mid 1980’s. It has been continuously registered since new and apart from about 10 months, has spent all its ownership life in Dunedin.
I use to rally it extensively, mostly two up. Ann and I have travelled thousands of miles all over New Zealand mainly on Vintage Car Club rallies. It’s always been reliable except on the one occasion when in Thames we got caught in a monsoon down pour. - That drowned the magneto (and us.)
valve.
Although its 550cc its rated at 4.5 H.P. (and very small Shetland horses at that.) With 2 up it is happy at about 45 mph but dies on the hills. I have never had to stop but we have had to work pretty hard in first gear on many occasions.
Ariel vintage side-valve motors were designed to have a sidecar attached and our one still retains the 19 tooth gearbox final drive sprocket for that purpose. A 21 tooth one was available but like a lot of things in my workshop, it’s a round-to-it job.
Standard bore size is 86.4 mm. The last size was 88.2 mm with a Toyota Dyna diesel piston fitted. It now sports a new sleeve and it runs a BSA piston at 83 mm.
However, every branch that we did manage to visit received a wall plaque to commemorate the occasion. We were also fortunate in having a ministerial reception at Parliament. They wanted to see us, so a group of us ventured up there. We didn’t all go up there, of course, as you can imagine we had way too many! We were introduced to the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, and the minister of transport at the time. This was well received. They acknowledged the wonderful work that the motor car had done for New Zealand in helping the country to get on its feet and establish a population all over the country and how the car opened the country up.
On the trip we had a few overseas visitors and motorcyclists. The amazing thing was when we pulled into Whangarei in a terrible rainstorm. We had motored all day from Auckland to Whangarei in the rain, which was very trying. But at the end of the day, the whole fleet arrived safely, which was a pretty marathon effort.
So today, this weekend, along with Canterbury, we will have a reunion of the remaining participants of the tour. Sadly, a lot of the people that were on the run have passed us by.
This probably will never be done again because of the population increase. The roads are busier and for other reasons, but it was a big effort by a lot of people. It was a wonderful trip!
Chief Marshalls Shirley and Alan Wills must be credited for the smooth running of a successful tour
Earl Preston ‘ (this info was included in our rally packs)
I remember this tour coming through Dunedin and on display at Tahuna Park – this gave some of the entrants the opportunity to have any maintenance carried out on their cars using the skills etc of our branch members.Marion
Obituary –Hec Browett
It is with great sadness that we advise Hec passed away recently. Hec joined the club in November 1976 and until a few years ago was a regular attendee at club events especially anything to do with motorcycle's including our own Dunvegan Rally. Hec also took an active part in the running of the branch having served on the Committee. He also initiated and put a lot of work into recording the the earlier history of our branch. Our thoughts are with Hec's extended family at this sad time.
International Festival of Historic Motoring 2026 - Entries are now open and I would encourage you to enter before the closing day 31st August 2025. Next year is the 80th anniversary since our club was formed so what better way to celebrate than with fellow members from around New Zealand. Please remember that all vehicles entered will need a current VIC so please get on to this sooner rather than later.
VIC and Lighting Endorsement Forms - These are available via the website vcc.org.nz/vic-vehicle classification for you to download and complete before contacting one of the VIC Officers.
Donations of books, memorabilia etc – if you or someone you know is looking at donating items to the branch- can you please contact me in the first instance so I can make suitable arrangements for how these are to be donated.
Vero Insurance -The VCC Vero scheme is solely for financial members and the discount we enjoy ceases when your membership is cancelled either through non-payment of subs, resignation or death. National Office can arrange for it to be transferred to a joint member, so the simplest way to continue receiving the discount is to add your spouse to your membership. This means that in the unfortunate event of the main member passing, the surviving spouse has time to decide what to do without worrying about the insurance. Please contact me if you want more details.
Newsletters from other branches -remember to check the VCC website each month to read what is happening in other branches around the country. You can also find their event entry forms there as well. The website address is https://vcc.org.nz/news-from-our-branches/
Branch Facebook page - Did you know that along with the main club Facebook page, Otago branch also has its own page – search for Otago Vintage Car Club. I set it up a few years ago and have been doing my best to look after it however would love to add another administrator who can help with content etc. Please contact me if you are interested.
Nicola
40 Year Reunion of 1985 Tour of New Zealand
PWV / P60 / P80 RALLY
SUNDAY 21st SEPTEMBER 2025
Assemble at Village Green Car Park
Sunnyvale - 326 Main South Road, Green Island
Arrive 10.am For 10.30am start
All classes of vehicles including modern welcome
PWV/P60/P80 Classes only eligible for Trophies
Bring your own picnic lunch – Hot water will be available
ENTRY FORM
Entrant’s (Driver’s Name……………………………………
ENTRY FEE: - $5.00 per
ENTRIES CLOSE WEDNESDAY 17th Sept 2025
Please advise of your intention to attend as numbers are needed for printing purposes
Please complete and return to:
Boyd Wilkinson @Clubrooms on Wednesday mornings
Email to: otago@vcc.org.nz
Post to: To Vintage Car Club of NZ Otago Branch Inc 125 Forbury Road, St Clair, Dunedin 9012
During The Narional Easter Rally in Christchurch a group of members who attended the 1985 Tour of New Zealand to celebrate one hundred years of the Motor car in NZ. Celebrated 40 years since this event. It was great to see a good number of them sat around a table chatting away and looking through those photo albums and sharing their memories.
This note on the background of this event comes from Earl Preston:
‘We celebrated all over the country at about eight different sites. As well as that, we had a tour of NZ, which was called the Commemorative Tour, which was an idea I had. This took having a good committee, 3 years to put it all together. I had a great bunch of people to work with.
The rally set off from Invercargill and went to Whangarei officially, but we did a trip down to Bluff and from Whangarei up to the light house at Cape Reinga!
Entries were called for, not knowing how many we would get, but amazingly, a hundred years of the motor car, we got one hundred exactly. After a couple of months of shifting things about, we actually ended up with ninety-seven cars and three motorbikes. The fleet consisted of an even group of Veterans, Vintages and PVs, which was just wonderful, and the idea is not only to travel from one end of the country to the other but also acknowledging the work put in by all branches of the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand. We were hosted very well by all the branches throughout our travels. It was either lunch breaks or evening occasions. This all went off very well.
Overall, there were very, very few problems. With one or two mechanical problems with the cars fixed and off we went.
The age group consisted of young families and some of our wonderful older members (the stalwarts of the club for years and years).
We set off in a group of vehicles ranging from 1906 through to 1954. I think it was a Humber Super Snipe and the earliest car being a twin cylinder Darracq. When asked by the late John McLaughlin would his veteran Cadilac do the trip? I told him it would. So John set off from Bluff and went all the way to the Cape and back again in his single cylinder Cadilac. Leith Newell, who was on the trip and one of our wonderful historians in the club, thought that it was the first single cylinder veteran to travel the length of the country not only once, but twice, there and back. What a mighty effort.
The whole idea was to celebrate 100 years of the motor car in New Zealand. Karl Benz put the first car on the road. We tried to get to as many branches as we could and of course we could not do the lot because branches were spread from east to west and we had a route right up through the country.
