Club Breakfast - First Sunday of each month At Café Lacus at the Landing 650 Lake Terrace, Wharewaka, Taupō. Special menu for Club Members. IMPORTANT: Please let Owen know by 3pm Friday if you will be there phone Owen on 0274482484. Please be seated by 8:30 am.
PETROLHEADS
The June coffee morning will be at Café Lacus at the Landing, 650 Lake Terrace Wharewaka, Taupo. Wednesday the 19th June , at 10 am. Meet at the café See you there! Thanks and Regards, Barry.
Chairman’s Report
Eric Foley
Chairman’s Report for May 2025
The highlight of the month for many of us was the club run which Murray Stanley organised to the Putaruru Timber Museum. The convoy of about a dozen cars left the club rooms and traveled by both rural roads and state highways to Putaruru. The last section of the run was into town from the west, around the roundabout and then south to the museum. This meant we did not have to cross south-bound traffic, which being a Sunday was quite busy. Most of us promptly headed for the café which provided us with a prompt tasty meal. Well, most of us anyway, as I understand two of our members had to wait some time for food. On enquiring they were told they had been forgotten !
After lunch we had a wander through the museum which I enjoyed. It was all the more pertinent for me as an uncle had been employed at the Mokai mill driving the train that took timber to Putaruru on a private railway line. That engine is now in the railway museum at Glenbrook. Fortunately, it remained fine until we were on our way home, which was quite contrary to the Metservice predictions. Altogether a very pleasant day out.
A few days prior to this little jaunt we had had our AGM. The attendance was nothing short of appalling with 17 of our 110 members present. The time may well be approaching when we cease functioning due to lack of interest ! Elaine wanted to stand down as Secretary but has agreed to remain for a final year. I too wanted to stand aside but no one was interested in the role. The same committee was re-elected. No one was willing to put their name forward for the Events Committee so this function will revert to the Management Committee. I find this particularly disappointing as I believe it was fulfilling a very useful function. No Club Captain, no Events Committee – disappointing.
An Events Programme has been prepared and there will be some significant changes from last year’s activities. It has been recognized that many of our members are aging, some no longer drive, some do not like coming out at night (especially on cold nights) so we need to tailor events around this. We have also noted that events involving food tend to be better patronized as do events that are a straight run e.g. Chairman’s Run, National Park Run. Rangitaiki Tavern Run – no questions, no winners, no losers.
I remain hopeful that the June club run – the Brass Monkey – will be well patronized. The course has been plotted and will take place in the late afternoon, finishing up at a local café.
In the meantime, safe travels
Eric
Putaruru Timber Museum Club Run
By Heather Duncan
Many thanks to Murray Stanley for his organising of May’s club run to the Putaruru Timber Museum. Although the weather was a bit iffy, it did treat us kindly with only a couple of light showers late in the afternoon. It was nice to see a mix of both club cars and daily drives, with a great turnout from our members.
We zigged and zagged up the country taking us off State Highway One when we could which took us over some back roads around Taupo and west of Putaruru, some roads we wouldn’t normally travel on.
The Waikato Jaguar Club also had an outing to the museum and had a booklet of questions to complete on the way. If our club members think they are hard done by having to answer questions on the rally, you should have seen what they had! Heaps. And their booklet was about half an inch thick. It took them ages to mark their answers. Of course their Jags were pretty impressive, and all modern.
The carpark that Sunday would have had thousands of dollars of vehicles parked up, and were certainly an awesome spectacle for the general public. Even the venue staff were out having a look. Consequently lunch at the on-site cafe was very very busy, but the staff coped well. I think everyone enjoyed their meal and refreshments. There was a mix of both cabinet food and menu items. Toilets were clean which is a bonus. The venue would be well worth a second visit, with a leisurely walk around the displays. Many of our group went through the museum and train display, and feedback from them was very positive. There was a wide range of relics to view and something of interest for everyone.
As we left they were re-arranging their front display in their carpark moving a large piece of swamp kauri and replacing it with a redwood trunk. It interesting watching them moving everything with their front end loader. Well worth the trip and time out, a great way to spend a Sunday. Thanks Murray.
A damsel in distress. The falcon won’t start. What to do????
As luck would have it a few good gentlemen were there to assist. After much proding, checking of battery, wires to the starter etc a solution could not be found. Even the threat of a good hammering had no effect. Enter the local Ambo (Peter Lochie) hopped into the drivers seat put the gear lever in park and what do you know it started. Chivalry is alive and well at Taupo VCC. Good work gentlemen
Body: 4-door sedan, featuring twin side-mounted spares in front mudguards, rear luggage rack.
Engine: 200 cu in, 6 cylinder, side valve, 2 separate heads
Vehicle was last registered/road-worthy in 1970. Engine turned over prior to completely dismantling the en�re vehicle in 1971/2. Has since been in storage. Condi�on:
All parts, body panels, lights, etc are there, including 6 wheels and hubcaps, radiator cap (damaged), dashboard, seats, radiator emblem.
Some body panels have rust, wooden frames in poor condi�on, roof covering material perished
Two radiator cores - may not be original, radiator surround appears modified. Owner wishes to dispose of vehicle – as is, were is. Open to any offers. Currently in storage in Taupo.
Contact:
Rodger Muir
Ph: +61 414 253 890
Email: rodger-muir@bigpond.com
About a Car. CORD 810/812
Cord was a brand of American luxury automobile manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company of Connersville, Indiana, from 1929 to 1932 and again in 1936 and 1937.
Auburn was wholly owned by the Cord Corporation, founded and run by E. L. Cord as a holding company for his many transportation interests (which included the Lycoming engines, Stinson aircraft, and Checker Motors). Cord was noted for its innovative technology and streamlined designs.
The Model 810/812 are probably the bestknown of the company's products. Styled by Gordon M. Buehrig, they featured front-
wheel drive and independent front suspension. By placing the transmission ahead of the engine Buehrig was able to eliminate the driveshaft and transmission tunnel. Accentuating its sleek, low-slung look, he also dispensed with running boards.[2] Powered by a 4,739 cc (289 cu in) Lycoming V8 of the same 125 horsepower (93 kilowatts) as the L-29's straight-8, the 810 had a four-speed electrically selected semi-automatic transmission,(called a pre-selector because you selected the gear and then stepped on the clutch) among other innovative features like roll up headlights.[2]
The car caused a sensation at the New York Auto Show in November 1935. Orders were taken at the show with Cord promising Christmas delivery, anticipating production of 1,000 per month. Delays pushed hoped delivery to February 1936 -
Cord in Penguin Tasmania.
which still proved optimistic, with owners only beginning to get the first cars in April.[6] In all, Cord managed to sell only 1,174 of the new 810 in its first model year.[2] The car's distinctively squared-off front end and pioneering, streamlined, horizontally louvered grille design earned it the durable nickname "coffin nose".
Demise
Early reliability problems, including slipping out of gear and vapor lock, cooled initial enthusiasm, and the dealer base shrank rapidly. Unsold left-over and in-process 1936 810s were re-numbered and sold as 1937 812s. In 1937, Auburn ceased production of the Cord. A single 1938 Cord prototype with some changes to the grille and transmission cover was built, and it still exists (2015). The Cord empire, amid allegations of financial fraud, was sold to the Aviation Corporation, and E.L. Cord moved to Nevada where he earned millions in real estate and other enterprises.
Footnote; The picture above was taken by me on holiday in Tasmania March 2019.
The car was immaculate and a real credit to its owner.
Ed.
2025 BRASS MONKEY RUN.
Date; Sunday 15th June
Time; Meet at the club rooms 3pm for first car away 3.30pm
Please let me know if you are going to participate as I need to tell the restaurant numbers. I would like to know by Friday the 13th.
Many thanks ; Graeme Doree Ph 0272496974
Travelling the South Island.(Final Chapter)
Tony and Pam Mannington,
After over 9 weeks away we are on our homeward journey back to Taupo. Crossing Cook Strait on Thursday morning the 29th of May.
After leaving Wanaka behind we travelled the short distance to Arrowtown for the Arrowtown Festival and we weren't disappointed. The week of festivalty was mainly around the main street of Arrowtown and of course lots and lots of people of all nationality and again queues for any type of food or drink. Let's hope the shopkeepers were happy. Massive street parade including vintage cars, local clubs and more.
On ANZAC day Pam and I assembled in the main street with thousands of people and we made our way up to the Cenotaph overlooking the beautiful autumn colours of Arrowtown.
The very moving ANZAC Service was held at the Cenotaph with very large speakers system so that we could all hear, but unfortunately toward the end, as they were laying the wreaths the sound system crashed. To our amazement a lone Piper started playing the Bagpipes behind all of the crowd high above us in the mountain top. We could hardly see him, but we could hear him playing. While in Arrowtown we were blessed with beautiful autumn weather, fine and cool. Wanaka and Arrowtown were on our bucket list, now that's been ticked off its on the road again to Te Anau for a few days. Another short drive to Manapouri NZMCA camp where we celebrated our wedding anniversary with an Australian couple also touring in a caravan.
We then made our way down to Invercargill for a few nights, around the Catlins staying a few nights at different camps.
After staying at Owaka, we headed towards Balclutha to catch up with Model A friends. Balclutha, Lawrence and onto Alexandra NZMCA Park for several nights, with a beautiful swimming pool complex next door. Swim time. On the road again and staying at Omarama, Twizel, Lake Tekapo and on to Geraldine where we stayed and caught up with ex neighbours from Taupo. With a few more stops under our belt we arrived at Loburn to visit more Model A friends and stayed with them.
If you watch Grand Designs, their home will be featuring on TV1 on Sunday night the 8th of June. (Garry & Fiona)
Also stayed at Kaiapoi, Kaikoura and Picton and as I write on the ferry crossing tomorrow. Home for Kings Birthday Weekend. Looking forward to catching up with everyone when we get home.
