PHOENIX
Cadillac Mascot in the Morrison Collection.
WAITEMATA BRANCH DIRECTORY
CHAIRMAN: ROBERT CHAPMAN 021 038 3281
CLUB CAPTAIN: Awaiting appointment.
SECRETARY: JACQUI GOLDINGHAM 09 44 58811
TREASURER: JACQUI GOLDINGHAM 09 445 8811
BRANCH DELEGATE: IAN GOLDINGHAM 09 445 8811
SCRIBE Moveable Feast
PAST CHAIRMAN: BRENDAN LAMAIN 021 132 4557
COMMITTEE:
robman@orcon.net.nz
waitemata@vcc.org.nz
goldienz@orcon.net.nz
goldienz@orcon.net.nz
EDITOR: MICHAEL GREIG 0272455786 michael.john.greig@gmail.com
brendanandterry@gmail.com
MAX JAMIESON, MIKE HOPE-CROSS, HAMISH ANDREWS, MARCUS LING, STEVE SHARP, RAY FERNIER, STEVE CRANCH
COMING EVENTS
July 26/27th R’oil Can 20th Vintage Austin Run and Lunch 13th Rotorua, Paradice Valley Raceway. 7. a.m.
August 24th Daffodil Run
Sept. 28th Ryders Run and the usual meal and picture.
28th Run to Ardmore with Vintage Austin Register, Two different workshops.
October Revisit to a famous Motorcycle collection. 10-12th Christchurch, McLeans Island.
Month Waitemata
Novem ber Classic Yacht Visit. Spiffing Event, Proper kit. Details to come!
2nd Tauranga, 9am start. 29 Cliff Road, VCC Bay of Plenty.
1st July: Tuesday-Club Night.
Still the First Tuesday of the Month, until further notice.
N.B. See you at the RSA Room, King George V Memorial Hall, Library Lane, Albany, 7.30 pm.
From the June AGM !
Congratulations to the newly elected members on the committee and thanks to those who have remained at the table.
New blood, new ideas are in the air so look forward to coming along and supporting your club.
Steve Sharp, well known and respected on the historical racing circuit as is Marcus Ling, he is also a vintage motorcyclist (Douglas). Ray Fernier connoisseur of quality machinery and racer of the legendary Watson Rotary valve BSA V-Twin. Steve Cranch, driver of cars from both sides of the Atlantic.
July 26/27th The R’oil Can!
The traditional rite of passage for members, passengers’ and visitors. Mighty tales and lies have been told and created and retold, many a tear and blood has been shed, teeth missing and chipped, deflation has occurred and many a brew has been consumed. If 100-year-old cars can attend in all engine configurations and size, your precious open vintage car, if eligible must attend. Remember that there are limits due to availability of accommodation. **** Entry form on last page of this issue!!#### Cut out 12th July
An Invitation to join the Vintage Austin Register for a RUN & LUNCH
SUNDAY 20th JULY
MEET at King George V Memorial Hall carpark Library Lane, Albany at 10:30am
Meander through the Bays reaching Long Bay before heading up new roads to East Coast Rd with our final destination Walnut Cottage Café at the north end of Orewa. Numbers needed for café lunch, please call Dee 021 025 75624 Mike Everiss 027 5166 427
We look forward to having you join us for this interesting day
DAFFODIL RALLY & CAR SHOW
SUNDAY 24th AUGUST
$10 per vehicle: CASH/EFTPOS Donation to Cancer Society
Meet and Register at the North Shore Vintage Car Club Clubrooms
MASONS ROAD, ALBANY
Entry at MAIN GATE from 9am
First vehicles away at 10am bring/buy lunch at Matakana vehicles on display at Matakana
Full Route Instructions given upon Registration
Organised by Waitemata, Warkworth/Wellsford & North Shore Branches of the Vintage Car Club of NZ
https://daffodilday.org.nz/waitematanorthshorewellsfordwarkworthvintagecarclub
Basis and Morrison Collection Visit.
A wet and windy day allowed for a suitable visit to two interesting places to the West of Auckland. The first was the accessories supplier to the car clubs of New Zealand. Basis which was established in Auckland many years ago, at least over 30, had moved to Renwick near Blenheim and has returned to Auckland under new management with a far greater range specialising in all accessories but not mechanical parts. Phil has a comprehensive range of rubber bushes, mouldings, hoses, pedal rubbers and can make custom parts. Australian Ford, Holden and British and sprinkling of European, most needs can be supplied. A supporter of the Jowet club with Jupiter ambitions. While we were there a Morris 8 group had arrived to sample the range of goods. Our members purchased a few items to help with vintage Sunbeam’s and Ansaldo’s. It is good to see such a valuable resource to the motoring enthusiast and extremely helpful. It is expanding as it needs more room of new product ranges. From here was a short trip to our next appointment to the Morrissons Collection. We entered a large warehouse with rows of impressive restored cars from Early Veterans, vintage to post vintage notable examples of the grand tourers. Single cylinder veterans, a high wheeler with most interesting mechanisms which gave great insight to the development of the modern motors. Mainly American cars of the vintage period were very well presented, large ones in the form of Cadillac V8 and Auburn with its Lycoming 8 cylinder with an Australian body. The Cadillac had been rebodied after a serious accident in its youth to an elegant roadster. My favourite was the Talbot Lago which I had seen last in the Devonport bus sheds in the 1970’s, a car worthy of unrequited passion, when I had first heard it running, it brought a weakness to the limbs and a joy to the soul. This car is now in immaculate order, a Grand Tourer that would stride continents in grace and performance.
Amongst the collection was an unrestored vintage hearse and an impressive veteran one.
The collection is a working group of cars which are exercised, a task to be admired. Along a wall is a large collection of model cars, Matchbox and others. Our thanks to the brothers who have collected, conserved and dive these cars. It is an honour to be able to view and share the joy of these working examples of our interests.
The Talbot Largo, pre-select, nice sprung wheel, race bred motor and handling.
Cadillac, Auburn and Talbot Lago. Cadillac, strong, large and well appointed. Auburn, part of E.L. Cord’s empire of Cord. Duesenberg, and Auburn. (Stylish and innovative) with the post war high performance European challenger, race bred and strong. Auburn ceased production in 1937. Cadillac founded in 1902, became a division of General Motors,1909 as the top brand, still in production. Only 350,000cars sold last year. In the late vintage period, they were bought with high milage from the States to be made into service cars with lengthen chassis and multi seat bodies and did sterling service in the back roads of NZ.
Talbot -Largo from 1936 to 1959 when sold to Simca. A race car, Rally and fashion statement with many of the finest coachbuilder taking on the challenges.
The Chairmans Report.
The R’oil Can is fast approaching, and we have still a few beds for entrants left. The numbers are limited to the accommodation available so, if you are thinking of coming, let Morley know so he can reserve your beds.
I was invited last week to the semi-Official opening of a car storage facility "Matchbox' on the Great South Rd in Penrose. The building has been converted from a foundry to a high spec spotless space with polished floors and four and three-story high vehicle stackers complete with individual battery tenders. The idea behind Matchbox is a solution for car buffs downsizings into apartments or retirement complexes and needing storage for their automobiles. Only one powered car is not accepted that is an EV but vintage cars most welcome.
Rob Chapman.
Little Snippet: Auckland Branch Member, John Williams, a motorcycles, sidecars and Morgan owner, has purchased all the magneto equipment and parts from Lynda Maddock. For a sparking time, call John at 09 835 1558 or 021556732 John.supersports@gmail.com
Editorial Time.
There were some questions on the use of homonyms in the last issue, but it appears that noone noticed that the wrong month was on the cover. I hope not to do this again. Letters to the Editor are welcomed on any topic. Please take advantage of this opportunity to unburden yourself of some deeply held belief that must be expressed, voiced, or perhaps shouted out. Are there any projects in the in the membership that a report could be sent in on progress? In the recent visit to the Basis shop, I fell into conversation with a member of the Jowett Club who hold an impressive collection of parts for these interesting vehicles. The post war production of vehicles from the company were numerous in this country. The Javelin was a car which had great handling for its time and performed well on the track in the clubman field and in trials such as Redex. The Jupiter was seen on the track and having a stylish body, had torsion bar suspension which gave superb handling. They still are seen today in the pack in sportscar events and a batch of ‘new’ Jupiter’s will hit the track in a short while. I was impressed with the Monte Carlo prepared car with its elegant coachwork which I had seen up North. The small Bradford in its time, assembled in Greys Avenue in the centre of the city, with its locally produced van body, was used by many tradesmen and with its 1000cc flat twin engine had that unmistakeable sound and did sterling work. In my early days of training at the Blood Transfusion Service near Auckland Hospital, there was an old merchants double storied villa which had in its garden near ten Bradfords, each numbered by those flatting there. I seen to recall there was one that had Norton motorcycle barrels fitted. This was well over fifty years ago. As there are parts still available, I was thinking of making while there is time, and I still have a pulse, (someone must be the first), I may recreate the Ex-Targa Floria Team Car that was entered in the 1953 event with the legendary race body by the ‘Tortellini Carrozzeria’. It had an embossed tortoise on the bonnet as they hoped to get Tazio Nuvolari to drive. Due to ill health, he was unable to take up the kind offer. Prince Bira was also considered, but his contractual arrangements prevented this.
The car had many features that would have enabled fast and accurate braking on the twisty course, with suicide doors operated by lever from the co-drivernavigator, the doors would be flung open acting as air brakes. Twin Dell ‘Orto carbs were fitted with tuned trumpets with oil bath air filters utilising military
desert experience to cope with the dusty conditions. Turrino wheels with knock-ons, triple laced were chosen with alloy rims. By attaching a high output generator and inverter and running a 24-volt system, enabled high-pressure steam to provide a high-quality expresso to the crew at an instant. I was looking at the body building method and will follow the artisan, Vaughan, he of the House of Ansaldo. That is, 2.5 mm ply to form the traditional barchetta, typical of the period. Remember that Danny Ryan and Edward made their Alfa homage in that style recently. It would be perfect for the Manunui Hillclimb and an excellent mount for the R’oil Can.
Michael Greig, Editor.
Co-respondents.
Hello Michael, Peter Cooper down here in the BOP suggested I contact the VCCNZ to see if they have any 100E suitable speed parts. I'm interested in anything for the 1172 but particularly on an intake manifold and carb/s to replace the original single Solex.
I'm good for the exhaust manifold as I'm swapping the cracked one, I have for a set of Coby headers.
Cheers
Warren Mahy (wdmahy@gmail.com) Tauranga.
Please enlarge as this is the best copy I could get. Also, my glasses are no good.
“Summed up, then, the Riley Nine may be considered as suitable for the connoisseur who is attracted by smart lines and high performance.”
Don’t forget Mac’s Garage. Top advice, professional service, and well known and respected in the Vintage Austin and Riley world. Gearbox and diffs a specialty. 09 443-3733, found at 4 Ashfield Road, Glenfield.
Yes, these are the views I will be enjoying for my OE next month. Staying with the family in the Cook Islands and perhaps teaching as a Tango missionary, spending the evenings in the arms of young and not so young women! Rob will be Editor while I am away.
Te Manava Resort, Muri Beach, Rarotonga, Cook Islands.
Something to do to that rotten old launch stuck in the backyard that was unsuccessful in the fishing, needs repair and the outboard is buggered.
Worth a day trip to visit the Egyptian garden at Hamilton. Great for young and old. Here is a chance to organise the tour for next summer. It is a good way to develop a new skill and visit interesting sites around the country.
What is this measuring tool used for? It came from a tool box of an old shipwright. Could it be a home-made gauge for measuring ship steel plate, or deck planking? It would be over seventy years old.
R’Oil Can Rally 2025 – Entry Form
The R’oil Can will start from Gibbs Farm 0984/2421 Kaipara Coast Highway, Makarau 0984, on Saturday the 26th of July. There is a mandatory safety briefing beforehand, so report time is 0800 hrs the intended start time is 0830hrs
##Fuel up and grab a coffee prior to arrival, if coming from South, Dairy Flat Caltex, BP Highway 1 Dairy Flat or Kaukapakapa GAS, or from North, Wellsford has a few options.
Entry fee per adult: $235
Entries Close: Friday 11th July 2025
There are limited rooms at the accommodation so first in first served!
Entry Fee includes: Rally entry, Morning Tea, Lunch, Dinner, Accommodation and Sunday Breakfast. The excitement is free!
Entries accepted for VCC eligible vehicles with current registration and WOF, and with entrants VCC membership card.
Only entries from open top vehicles will be eligible
Please complete form below:
Entrant Name:
Driver Name:
Navigator Name:
Passengers Names:
Mobile Number:
Emergency Contact:
Email Address:
Postal Address:
Car Make:
No. of couples: No. of singles: Happy to Share: Y/N
Dietary Requirements:
Mobility Requirements:
Payment made to: R’oil Can 2025 A/C: 38-9002-0921816-00
Please use entrant surname and initial as reference e.g. West K.
Email completed entry to Morley Faulkner countyengineering@xtra.co.nz confirmation of entry will be given on receipt of entry and payment.
PHOENIX
The OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER of THE WAITEMATA BRANCH of the VINTAGE CAR CLUB OF N.Z. INC.
A Gordon Crosby, “A Perfect Day”. The R’oil Can Event at its best. Our Branch Crowning Glory. Remember, it is an honour to be awarded the accolade to be the organiser supreme to hold the following event.
CLUB NIGHT
Tuesday 1st July
7.30 pm at the RSA Room, King George V Memorial Hall, Library Lane, Albany.
Take Exit 410 Oteha Valley Road. Travel west along Oteha Valley Road, ahead through 2 roundabouts and straight ahead at Traffic Lights into Albany Highway then almost immediately RIGHT into Library Lane then very soon go right again into the parking area. The RSA Room is at the rear.