It was unfortunate that the weather conditions over the weekend led to cancellation of the Vintage Aircraft and Vehicles event at Hood Aerodrome. In the event the weather on Sunday morning turned out to be not too bad, but the wind was still too strong to risk the wellbeing of pilots and aircraft. Lets hope that next Sunday brings more clement conditions for the New Members Rally.
A couple of important points have arisen recently, and the committee have asked me to make the membership aware of the following two points.
Branch Constitution.
As you will all know by now, to fall in line with the new laws governing clubs and organisations, The VCC, along with all other similar organisations, has had to rewrite the Club Constitution. In line with this, we also have had to make wholesale changes to our own Branch Rules, which are now known as The Constitution Rules of The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand Wairarapa Branch.
The rules will be emailed to you shortly, along with the Calling Notice to a Special General Meeting (SGM) of the Branch, which will be needed in order for members to approve the change. This will be held as part of the monthly Club Night on 1st December.
Please take a minute to read the rules, and do get in touch with either Graham or me before the meeting if you have any queries. Hopefully then the SGM will only take a few minutes and we shall be able to get on with the social side of things.
Club Night 3rd November
Bragging Rights
Club Night
Twilight Run + Special General meeting
Mike D’Alton, Secretary
Legality of Members’ Vehicles.
We love to see all your vehicles at our club events, but please make sure that they have the required paperwork to be on the road when you bring them along. This may sound pedantic, but it would not reflect well on our reputation should you be involved in an incident while attending, or on your way to, the club rooms.
Christmas Lunch.
This will be held on 13th December at The Eketahuna Hotel. There will be a run from Masterton with a simple quiz. Full details will follow, but booking is essential.
Please email me, secretarywvcc@yahoo.co.uk if you wish to attend. The cost is $38, and numbers are limited to 50.
Finally, please remember to drop me a line if you change your contact details.
Mike D’Alton, Secretary.
Report from the Chair
I am finally back with a club report for you. I have had few hiccups with my health, but are now firing on all cylinders. There was a short in the wiring which required the addition of a pacemaker.
It is with sadness I report the passing of two of our club members.
Barbara Thomson who joined the club in February of 1998. On behalf of the club, I pass our condolences onto Scott and family.
Graham Clark has also passed away on the 22nd of October. Graham joined the club in 1984 with his 1925 Ford Model T Tourer. In later years we would see Graham and Annette out in their 1947 Hillman. Graham and Annette have been active members over the past forty-one years. In that time Graham also served as a committee member for eight years. He presented the Thorneycroft Challenge Trophy which is competed for annually between the Wairarapa Machinery Club and the Wairarapa Vintage Car Club. On behalf of the club, we offer our condolences to Annette and family.
Jim Barr’s report in last month’s Zenith, covering the Spring Rally was an enjoyable read.
A wonderful day’s outing had by all. Despite Jim and Barabara’s return trip home having some unforeseen challengers, he was happy to put pen to paper. Thanks Jim.
Great to see so many of our club member’s supporting The Distinguished Gentlemen’s Drive. A worthy cause that highlights prostate cancer. Thank you, Gina, for another informative article.
The annual Rex Porter Rally was well supported this year by local members and a couple from the Manawatu and the Wellington branch’s. It is a real commitment to travel and be part of our day’s activities. We appreciate your support and thank you.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Simon and Sandie and their team of helpers for their hard work and personal commitment to putting a very enjoyable days rallying together.
The October club night was the start of the summer series “ The Car is the Star”Triumph Motor Cars were the chosen make. The Triumph Motor Company was a British car and motor manufacturing company in the 19th and 20th centuries. Triumph manufactured its first car in 1923. The company was acquired by Leyland Motors in 1960, ultimately becoming part of the giant conglomerate British Leyland (BL) in 1968, where the Triumph brand was absorbed into BL’s Specialist Division alongside former Leyland stablemates Rover and Jaguar. Triumph-badged vehicles were produced by BL until 1984 when the Triumph marque was retired, where it remained dormant under the auspices of BL’s successor company Rover Group. The rights to the Triumph marque are currently
owned by BMW, who purchased the Rover Group in 1994. There were three examples to view with the owners providing background information about them. David Eade brought his 1976 Triumph 2500 TC, Joe Morris brought his 1969 Triumph 2000 and Mark Orange his newly purchased 1967 Triumph
Herald.
Many thanks for making yourself and vehicles available. It was disappointing the Bygone Era of Wings and Wheels Event at Hood Aerodrome was cancelled. The weather is always the challenge with fragile aircraft and older vehicles. The thought is it maybe rearranged in the New Year. November is going to busy with a number of events planned. The Wairarapa A&P Society have invited members to display their cars outside the club rooms over the Show weekend. It is free entry over the 1st and 2nd of November.
The Wellington Branch are running their Annual Rally in the Wairarapa on Saturday the 1st of November. The run starts at the Fell Museum, Featherston at 10.00 am. For more details contact Angelica via email at mcarthys@xtra.co.nz or 04 5898248
The club has its New Members Rally on Sunday the 2nd of November.
See David and Bob’s report for more info. We will see you on Sunday for a great days motoring. Monday Club night on the 3rd of November is called Bragging Rights.
Bring your car along and have between five and ten minutes to talk about why you are the proud owner of it and any other interesting stories that involve your car.
Wai Wheels have their 4th Annual Wheels & Deals Car Show and Swap Meet in Featherston on the 16th of November. 10am to 2pm
The Clubs Gold Medal Motorcycle Trial is being held on Saturday the 22nd of November.Kevin Sullivan is working hard behind the scenes to put another fantastic event together. Get your entry in and enjoy the fun filled day riding your bike
Report from the Chair Graham Hodder
Sunday the 23rd of November we are again having a Veteran Rally which will start in Masterton and travel to Martinborough for lunch and return.
The Annual Tui Brewery Vintage Car Day at Mangatainoka is being held on the 30th of November. Registrations online and on the day.
December starts with the Monday Club night on the 1st of December. There will be a Twilight Run starting at the club rooms and returning to the club rooms.
We have included a Special General Meeting which will not take up much of your time at the completion of the run. The purpose of this Special General Meeting is to ratify the Branch’s new Constitution and Bylaws. There will be time for questions and then a vote will be called upon to accept the new Constitution and Bylaws. See Mikes report.
This year’s Christmas function will be held on the 13th of December at the Eketahuna Hotel.
Fantastic to see our branch back in the Beaded Wheels Branch News. David Eade has taken on this role and we are very appreciative of his input.
Please make sure you send interesting snippets to David about our club outings.
That’s enough from me.
Cheers
Graham
New members rally
This year’s New Members Rally will be held on Sunday 2 November.
Event Start: Farriers car park for a drivers briefing at 9.50am.
First car away: about 10am.
Event duration: about three hours, finishing at the Gladstone hotel.
Difficulty: About 10km of gravel on the route but easy apart from that.
Cars will leave at one minute intervals and be judged on finishing in the correct time.
There will be questions to answer and a small time penalty for incorrect answers.
We have allowed 15 minutes on the desired time to allow for a coffee / loo stop on the way around.
November 2025
Sat 1st – Sun. 2nd Wairarapa A & P Show, Clareville
Saturday 1st Wellington Branch Annual Rally Briefing at the Fell Museum- 10am
Sunday 2nd New Members Rally Meet at Farriers Carpark at 9.50 am for briefing
Monday 3rd Club Night Bragging Rights – Bring your best car
Tuesday 11th Committee Meeting
Sunday 16th Wai Wheels Annual Car Show Card Reserve - Featherston
Saturday 22nd Gold Medal Motorcycle Trial
Sunday 23rd Veteran Run
Sunday 30th Mangatainoka Vintage Car Day
December 2025
Monday 1st Club Night Twilight Run
Monday 1st Special General Meeting Club Rooms following the Twilight Run
Saturday 6th Manawatu & Central Hawkes Bay Veteran Rally Meet at Tui Brewery Briefing at 10.30am
Sunday 7th Mauriceville Country Fair
Tuesday 9th Committee Meeting (if required)
Saturday 13th Club Xmas FunctionEketahuna Hotel
$38 per head - Max number of 50 people Confirm numbers by Friday 5th Dec.
January 2026
Sunday 11th Coastal Run
Akitio – to be confirmed
Sunday 11th Wheels with Attitude Dannevirke 22/25 Jan Cruise Martinborough
February 2026
Monday 2nd Club Night
Motorbikes are the Star
TBC Garage Raid Francis / David Hitchens
Sunday 8th British Car Day Trentham
Tuesday 10th Committee Meeting
March 2026
Monday 2nd Club Night Car is the Star - TBC
Saturday 7th Stretched Gymkhana A&P Show Grounds Masterton
TBC Bygone era of wings and wheels. Organiser is Wellington Festival
Entrants are free to choose which route and speed range they wish to ride.
Target average speeds will be set by the organisers and will be non negotiable. The afternoon route will be a touring run of approximately 50 miles.
Route instructions are basic with no fish hooks, no straight line navigation other than 'straight ahead rule applies' i.e. no crossing the centre line unless your instructions request you to do so.
There are no closed road sections so riders must be aware of on coming traffic at all times, especially on narrow country roads.
Allow for wandering stock and high winds and as usual ignore all farm tracks and No Exit roads.
Travelers
Shaun, Stephanie and Gerard ventured down south during the month
On their way to Wanaka they stopped at Tarras. There we saw a 1930 Chrysler. The owners were a couple from Ashburton who were on there way to Wanaka
While in Wanaka took the opportunity to visit the Transport & Toy Museum
Shaun Leahy
On another day they went to Highlands Raceway in Cromwell. This is owned by Tony Quinn. Who also owns Hampton Downs.
There was a varied collection of Aston Martins, Porsche, McLarens, Ferrari’s etc
The Museum is not large but the whole set up is very impressive. Cromwell is a stunning setting for a race track.
There is even mini golf and a Café overlooking the track. You can book a drive around the track with one of their drivers. Well worth the visit.
However they were in Tourist mode and just looked around the Museum, played min golf and had lunch.
They did spot a 1927 Buick similar to their 26 Tourer
2025 Manawatu Motorcycle rally
Early one wet and windy October Saturday morning Willie James, Simon Byrne and I loaded our bikes onto Willie’s ute and Simon’s trailer and set off for Palmerston North to take part in the Manawatu Branch’s motorcycle rally. Fortunately the weather improved once we crossed the Tararuas and we arrived at the Manawatu Branch club rooms in dry but slightly windy conditions. Another Wairarapa member Gary Graham had also braved the weather to enter the event.
After registration and a briefing the twenty or so entrants were preparing for the start when there was the sound of a skid, a scrape and a thump form the road outside. This was followed by distressed shrieking. A few of hurried out to the road to find a car upside down up against a fence. Three young women had scrambled out and a fourth was still inside the car hanging from her seat belt. She was quickly freed and helped out of the car. All four had no obvious signs of injury but were in various stages of shock. They were however together enough to pull their phones out to telephone relatives and apparently post pictures of the event on line.
After that dramatic start to the day we set off at our allotted times on the rally course that would take us to Marton for lunch. For me all went well until I got to Feilding where I took the wrong road at an intersection. As I rode up the wrong road a number of rally entrants went past me heading in the opposite direction. I though at the time that the route must double back onto the same road. The further I went I doubted that possibility and after a while spotted a bike ahead of me with a rider wearing a yellow bib. I am on the right track I thought and I followed the rider ahead to the lunch stop in Marton. It turned out that I had missed a large loop that included the timed section and I had slotted in behind a competitor who had completed the loop which came back onto the road I had taken. I suspect that the riders who passed me going in the opposite direction had also taken the wrong road but had realised their mistake and turned back.
Willie had the misfortune of a puncture on the morning section so he arrived at the lunch stop with his bike on the back of a ute.
The afternoon course took from Marton out to the Turakina Valley and then across to the Cheltenham pub for the wrap up and prize giving. A fiendish gravel section tested my already questionable gravel road skills by I safely albeit very slowly made it though that enjoyed the run to Cheltenham. Simon avoided the gravel section by following an alternative interpretation of the route instructions which took him down the Turakina Valley and on to Cheltenham.
After the prize giving we rode back to the Manawatu Clubrooms to load up our bikes for the drive home. We became a little concerned that Gary hadn’t appeared but it turned out that he had suffered a problem with his bike and was picked up by the rescue team. While we waited for Gary to appear we entertained ourselves by trying to drive Willie’s ute with the trailer behind it across a deceptively muddy field. That turned out to be an adventure in itself.
All in all it was an enjoyable day and I recommend the event to other branch members. The rally winner was a regular entrant in our Gold Medal Trial, Robert Heath from the Manawatu branch.
Kevin Sullivan
Rex Porter Rally 2025
Saturday 4th October dawned very wet, but by the time registered cars (plus one motorbike) assembled at the Masterton Railway Station for the rally briefing the rain had eased off.
Vehicles set off at timed intervals travelling via Mauriceville, crossing SH2 to head west of Eketahuna, continuing via back country roads up to Pahiatua to the first checkpoint.
Leaving Pahiatua, entrants travelled via Makuri to Pongaroa, to the second checkpoint. Lunch break was held in the local community centre, but as the sun decided to shine, many chose to set chairs out on the grassed area and enjoy the company of fellow members.
In the afternoon, vehicles departed the third checkpoint, heading south on Route 52 to Te Ore Ore, turning east to go via Gladstone, returning to the clubrooms for the finish checkpoint.
With a sprinkle of questions and silent checks throughout the day, plenty of interesting countryside, and 160 miles covered, an enjoyable day had been had by all.
After afternoon tea, prize giving was held with the following winners congratulated:
Well done to overall winners Malcolm Fleming and navigator Gina Jones.
Simon O’Hara
The hard luck story of the day, went to Ryan Dewes and navigator Sam Millar, driving the 1913 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, which made it within 600m of the clubrooms only to breakdown.
Socialising continued into the evening, with many joining in for a pizza and chip tea, followed by dessert.
Thanks must go to the volunteers for their assistance throughout the day and the many prize sponsors
Phil Brown in his 1952 Daimler Consort
Rex Porter Rally 2025
Simon O’Hara
1929 Vauxhall - Neale Ryder
1935 Morris 8 Sports - Matt Hunter
1957 Landrover - Kevin Sullivan
1951 Plymouth Cranbook - Darryl Longstaffe
Hugh Hunter with new branch banner
Rex Porter Rally 2025
MG Fox Triumphs at the Rex Porter Rally
Despite a bleak forecast and a soggy early morning, more than 30 cars assembled for this year’s Rex Porter Rally, hosted by the Wairarapa VCC. The Masterton station car park was a sight to behold: everything from stately Plymouths and Morrises to nimble MGs and Land Rovers, all lined up for a day of classic motoring adventure.
Stage 1 – Tiny checks on the back roads
The rally began with a loop of back roads towards Pahiatua. Crews had questions to answer along the way and were challenged to find three “checks” — minuscule green markers that blended so well into the roadside that spotting them was almost a rally within a rally. Compared to the bold MG rally checks, these were practically invisible!
Stage 2 – A Targa favourite
The second stage took us over one of our favourite Targa rally routes — a real driver’s treat. The roads were flowing and familiar, with enough twists to keep navigators sharp. Spirits lifted as the skies cleared, and by the time we rolled into Pongaroa for lunch it was warm enough to sit outside in singlets. But true rally weather is never predictable: within minutes of our departure the heavens opened, complete with lightning and thunder. Fortunately, our run back towards the Wairarapa was mostly just light rain.
Route 52 return and clubroom hospitality
The final leg took us via Route 52 — another favourite — and then through the backroads from Masterton before finishing back at the clubrooms. There we were greeted by a fabulous afternoon tea spread, a very welcome sight for road-weary crews. Conversations flowed as we compared stories of missed checks, close calls, and roadside views.
Prize haul for MG Fox
Prize giving was a red-letter moment for our little MG Midget, affectionately known as MG Fox (or Foxy). To our surprise (and slight embarrassment when we saw the pile building!), we first picked up a lucky dip prize drawn prior to the main awards, and then added:
• First in the Post-1960s class — the largest field of the rally
• Overall winners of the Rex Porter Rally
• And to top it off, Gina received the trophy for Best Navigator
Malcolm & Gina
The champagne, silverware, and plaques barely fit into the tiny Midget. With the hardtop on and gear already packed, Gina likened herself to a sardine squeezed in amongst the loot. Luckily, the run home was short!
Back in form
This year’s success was especially meaningful. Last year we were bitterly disappointed to have to withdraw with water in the oil on the day — all the harder because the Rex Porter is one of our favourite events. To come back this year and see things come together was very rewarding. We did miss the straight-line navigation, though.
Thanks to the organisers and sponsors
We weren’t able to stay on for the dinner due to Gina’s ongoing concussion recovery, but we left on a high. Our thanks go to the Wairarapa VCC team who staged such a professional, challenging, and thoroughly enjoyable rally.
Rain or shine, the Rex Porter Rally is an event that keeps the spirit of classic motoring alive.
Contacts
Chairperson Graham Hodder
027 226 3738 g_jhodder@xtra.co.nz
Secretary Mike D’Alton 021 137 2395 secretarywvcc@yahoo.com
Treasurer Kevin Sullivan 022 377 8443 kevsully52@gmail.com
Club Captain Position vacant
Committee
Hugh Hunter 027 665 9911 j.h.hunter@xtra.co.nz
Pat Dutton 027 711 2735 betyjo29@gmail.com
Simon O’Hara 021 141 2332 simonsandieohara@gmail.com
Francis Pointon 06 378 6710 pointonmotors@xtra.co.nz
Dave Patten 027 247 7956 dave.patten28@gmail.com
Frank Lipinski 06 379 7167
David Eade 021 227 7338
Bob Cumming
Social Convener Position vacant
Custodian Position vacant
Zenith Editor
Dennis Burns 021 428 547 editorwaivcc@gmail.com
Beaded Wheels Scribe David Eade 021 227 7338 davethehandyman11@gmail.com
Librarian Pat Dutton betyjo29@gmail.com
Motorcycle Liaison
Spares
Kevin Sullivan 022 377 8443 kevsully52@gmail.com
Frank Lipinski 06 379 7167
Graham Reidy 06 372 7855 g-a.reidy@xtra.co.nz
Jeff Percy 06 377 4622 j.percy@xtra.co.nz
Dave Walker 06 379 5008
Vehicle Inspectors
Francis Pointon 06 378 6710 pointonmotors@xtra.co.nz
Dave Patten 027 247 7956 dave.patten28@gmail.com
Hugh Hunter 06 306 9847 j.h.hunter@xtra.co.nz
Kevin Sullivan 022 377 8443 kevsully52@gmail.com
Our Information
Clubrooms:
A&P Showgrounds, Chester Road,Clareville
Postal Address: PO Box 7, Masterton 5840 Branch
Website: www.sporty.co.nz/wairarapavcc
Club Night:
First Monday of the month (except January) and June (second Monday) at 7pm.
Committee meet:
Second Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm
Parts Department:
A&P Showgrounds, Chester Road, Clareville
Join Frank, Graham and Jeff for yarn and a cuppa when the Parts Department is open.
In this treasure trove, you might also happen to find any bits and pieces you’ve been looking for.
Located at the clubrooms, the Parts Department is open:
• First Tuesday morning of the Month.
• The 3rd Saturday of the Month from 9:30am - 12noon.
You can also contact Frank for an appointment outside standard opening hours by phoning (06) 379 7167
