VCC Waitemata Phoenix May 2026

WAITEMATA BRANCH DIRECTORY

CHAIRMAN: ROBERT CHAPMAN 021 038 3281

robman@orcon.net.nz CLUB CAPTAIN: STAN SMITH 0274 775 475 vintageaircraft@xtra.co.nz

SECRETARY: JACQUI GOLDINGHAM 09 44 58811 waitemata@vcc.org.nz

TREASURER: JACQUI GOLDINGHAM 09 445 8811 goldienz@orcon.net.nz BRANCH DELEGATE: IAN GOLDINGHAM 09 445 8811 goldienz@orcon.net.nz

EDITOR: MICHAEL GREIG 027 24 55 786 094456760 michael.john.greig@gmail.com SCRIBE Moveable Feast PAST CHAIRMAN: BRENDAN LAMAIN 021 132 4557 brendanandterry@gmail.com COMMITTEE: MAX JAMIESON, MIKE HOPE-CROSS, HAMISH ANDREWS.

COMING EVENTS

June AGM 2nd Joint Run with Vincents27/28

July R’oil Can 25/26th

August Daffodil Run

Sept. Ryders Film Night 20th Oct. Garden Run

Club Night. 5th May

First Tuesday of the Month

See you at the RSA Room, King George V Memorial Hall, Library Lane, Albany, 7.30 pm.

May 15th Friday Lunch Run to the Riverhead Pub. 11 to 1pm Good food and excellent Company. An affordable Run due to a negotiated half price meal. Meet at the pub at 10.30 for lunch at 11am. All welcome.

May 23rd Saturday. Tiger Moth Club Celebrate 80 Years of the de Havilland Chipmunk

June. 27/28th Not confirmed yet, living in hope. Limited to 25-30 persons. An exciting visit to Buckley Systems, jointly with the Vincent Owners. The visit is to Buckley Systems, manufacturers of precision Electromagnets including magnetic system designs, engineering and integration. For preparation for this event, please read ‘Ion Man’, Bill Buckley’s biography and learn the song, ‘1952 Vicent Black Lightning’ written by Richard and Linda Thompson.

TheBranchhasneedofyourinputtoensurethatyou,themembers,benefitsfrom thesharedhobby,interestandpassioninvintage,veteranandsportingcars,andtheir properuseonroadandtrack.Wesharetheinterestandknowledgeinthehistory, mechanicalcomplexitiesanddrivingtechniquesfortheseuniqueandspecialvehicles oftwo,threeandfourwheels.Pleaseconsiderjoiningthecommitteeissharingthe helm,tiller,wheelandkeeptheBranchatthevanguardoftheVintageMotoring Movement Cateringprovided

R’oil Can Rally. 25/26

th July.

TheeventistheBranch’sPremierEvent,ourHairyChestedMotorists(itincludesyou tooMadam)StatementofourcommitmenttotheVintageMotoringSpirit,ouresprit decorps.Ourcourageousorganiserhasfoundthefinestofroadsandterrainthatis worthyforustoenjoyinthepropermannerofpilotingouresteemedmetalsteeds. Duetoaccommodationlimitations,thereisalessthanusualnumberofvacancies available.Pleasebeinfirsttoobtainanentry.

FurtherdetailsandentryformsinthenextissueofthePhoenix.

AugustwillwelcomeustoDaffodilDaywithitsassociatedRally’saroundthecountry. Imagesanddetailswillfollow.

September20th willbringourFilmEveningtoRydersforourmealandice-creamtreat. Itisyourchancetodecidethefilmanddiscusthiswiththeorganiser,Mr.Goldingham.

OctoberwillofferusaGardenVisitwhichwillbeachancetoseeanotabledisplay. Onceagain,detailswillemergelater.

Celebrate 80 Years of the de Havilland Chipmunk

Join us at Te Kowhai Airfield to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the iconic de Havilland Chipmunk. This is a must-attend day for lovers of classic machinery, bringing together vintage aircraft, cars and motorbikes in one historic setting. There will be plenty happening on the ground and in the air.

Arrivals and Flying

Aircraft arrivals from 11.00am Spot landing competition judged as aircraft arrive Formation fly-over planned, weather permitting What to Expect

A great display of vintage aircraft, classic cars and motorbikes Coffee cart on site Guided tours of the airpark Screening of the Chipmunk movie documenting the restoration of Vaughn Davis’s aircraft

Vaughn Davis’s restored Chipmunk will be on site and available for flights on the day, offering a rare chance to experience this classic aircraft in the air. BBQ All attendees are asked to register, whether flying in, bringing a vehicle, or attending as a visitor.

PAST EVENT: AUSTIN INVITATION SHED RAID

After consistently bad weather, Sunday 19th dawned stunningly beautiful, blue sky, no clouds, no wind and the bay below us was like a mill pond. Perfect for a top-down drive to Swanson for lunch at the Swanson Railway café where we were joined by members of our Austin Branch and folk from both Waitemata VCC and the Daimler SP250 club.

A very leisurely lunch with plenty of conversation was partaken and quicker than anticipated it was time to venture forth via a short country drive following Mike Courtney in his newly acquired Model A motored Ford Model C Coupe to Paul Dunkley’s shed.

Paul has a bush clad property that is only minutes away from the hustle and bustle of Auckland traffic but you’d think you were in the middle of nowhere…..beautiful.

The extended family live here, with three houses on the property and a huge shed that has areas for all three men to have space to work on their own projects.

Both of Paul’s sons are petrol heads, just like Dad, and both started their love of racing by first getting into Go-karts and must have been quite successful as one wall of the shed is dedicated to trophies won. Hanging from another wall are all the racing overalls varying in sizes worn by the boys as they grew.

The shed holds a very impressive selection of machinery and tools. One envious male said to me “too cold in winter”, but I know in winter Paul and sons have a massive heat blower that keeps everything and them warm! So, there’s never a reason not to venture out to this shed!

Paul’s a pretty laid-back kind of guy and once we were all gathered together and after I’d introduced him, he gave us a tour of the various projects in hand and some of what is going on in the shed is quite mind blowing. The RX3 built for racing was extreme with its weight reduction, the rotary set well back, and tweaks to the suspension apparently makes it a very effective race car.

A BMW saloon belonging to one of Paul’s sons was set up for drifting with amazing steering angles and was powered by Toyota.

Paul gave us a run down on the different race cars and who owned what. Not only do each have their own race car projects Paul also repairs, rebuilds and solves mechanical problems for many folks in the car racing industry. He’s a very clever and very practical solver of mechanical problems often thinking

outside the square and coming up with the supposed unsolvable solution.

Then, we gathered around the pool table that was substituting as a bench to hold all the moulds and articles that have been and are being made on the 3-D printing machines. From car manifold moulds to rubber plates for under door/boot hinges to skirting boards for villas, you name it Paul will have a go at making it.

As the afternoon passed the beautiful blue sky changed to grey then black and moody and Neville Williams and Greg Gordon decided to erect the hoods to their SP’s, which takes about 10 minutes to achieve. Mike Everiss just smiles as he presses a button to raise the hood on the MX5!

We just pulled over the tonneau on our SP. Then the heaven’s opened with lightning and thunder and very heavy rain and by the time it had eased we realised our mistake. The tonneau had not coped and the SP’s cockpit was wet. At that point we decided to erect the hood, mopped up the cockpit and headed home but we had no more rain! Crazy Auckland weather!!

Dee Humphreys

1962 Race Jaguar almost ready for this coming race season.

Waitemata member Dean Salter along with members of the Austin and SP250 clubs paying attention as Paul Dunkley explains how the small 3D printer (on bench at rear) makes things like manifolds.

Chairmans Report.

A continuation of my fire with the Riley and the interaction with Vero. The fact is the car was assessed weeks back and You get absolutely no sense from the claims department. The outrageous things I have been told.' It is a mechanical fault you are not covered' 'You have the wrong type of cover, should be Third Party Fire and Theft' 'The car is covered for fire only if it was vandalism that caused the fire' 'it was an oil fire that what you said'' What is petrol you mean gas or fuel''' Our technical team is working on the claim' 'Would you like to make a complaint'' You would be covered if you hit another car or tree' The facts are the assessor has been good but with Vero claims we need to talk with someone with common sense. Just one person.

Something I did not know and you may not ether. On the door frame of your modern car there is a sticker with tyre pressures. Wrong, those pressures are the save minimum pressures for your vehicle. On the tyre if you look closely there is a maximum pressure for that tyre. The correct pressure for best wear usually about 6psi above the door sticker on door frame sticker. Example my car sticker 36 PSI Tyre stamping 49PSI Correct pressure 42PSI this stops excessive wear on the outside of the tyre tread.

Rob Chapman

With new technologies being refitted to vehicles, will we follow Aston Martin with similar devices to our vintage fleets?

The Long Way Home: Part One

A road trip into the past with Ian and Jacqui Goldingham

Like all things it seemed a good idea at the time. Part way through last year it became apparent that I wouldn’t get my 1928 Sports Coupe LeaF project finished in time for the Vero International Festival of Motoring being held in Nelson during March 2026. However, our M type had a rightful claim to enter as it had spent a significant part of its life in that fair city. Also, she hasn’t been back in the South Island in the past 60 years! So, our entry form was submitted and the planning began, we quickly realised that there were a number of bucket list items and vintage car club commitments that would when totalled up, expand the touring programme out to well over 2,000 miles and 6 weeks away!

Before all that though, I had to spend a couple of months of preparatory maintenance including doing an underside paint job on those parts of the car that over the years had succumbed to the dreaded gravel rash. After some very judicious and careful packing we were off down South! The first leg of our journey was down to Taupo, after a delightful night’s stay at Taupo Debrett’s Spa Resort, we headed down SH25 to knock off yet another well supported Lochinver Rally. So, by midday on the Friday we were back out on the Main Rd, turning right for Napier & a few days of (restoration and repair).

This is not a view we usually see, with our friend Mike Stuart giving the M type a proper going over, after Lochinver, before we headed South!

Wednesday morning, we were away early with a 200 mile/ 6-hour trip down to Wellington that allowed for little leeway. I had thoughtfully plotted a course that avoided the Motorways and major roadworks. Just as well I added in some contingency when we found our quiet country Pahiatua Saddle shortcut had an unnotified closure with a very large detour! Fortunately, we came across a charming young man doing the road control and managed to bluff our way through by Jacqui’s charm and my bullshit.

A quick post lunch call to Southwards Museum to see our friend John Bellamore along with his restored Lea Francis Hyper 14005 Then it was down the old SH 1 coast road to the storage unit at Mirima, just outside Wellington Airport. We just had sufficient time to place the LeaF into storage for the week before catching our flight to Christchurch As reported last Month, the rest of the week was taken up by NZ Vintage Car Club business in the form of our National Executive meeting which was full of the usual boring but necessary stuff, that keeps our club running smoothly. So, by Sunday afternoon we were all done, packed up and happily back on the plane to Wellington.

The next day we were off down to the Inter Island ferry terminal to wait patiently in the rain for our 1.30pm sailing. We find the price of petrol has just gone up, thanks to Donald Trump, but everything is already booked so it’s too late in the piece to worry about that now. Despite the weather we finally sailed along with a gaggle of Jowetts heading down to their National Weekend at Kaikoura

This next leg of our road trip was going to be heading into one of the last parts of New Zealand we have never travelled to! Originally planned by the Festival of Motoring organisers as a self-drive post rally tour, we had realised it may be better to do it before the Rally and avoid any conflicts with the availability of accommodation. So armed with an advance copy of the suggested tour, we set off to do our own thing in our own time! First step Blenheim to Motueka with an obligatory lunch break at Havelock for big bowls of chowder and NZ’s best tasting Mussels.

Wednesday morning and we are now in virgin territory with Takaka Hill in front of us. Totally mis named, this formidable mountain range of solid marble rising up to 2,500 ft & approximately long. Ridden with hidden caves, it features an extremely windy and steep road, with a maximum gradient of 13%. featuring 257 corners with numerous tight off camber bends, and very few places to either pass or pull over. Yes, it takes only an hour and half, but in a vintage car it’s a full-on work out both with the steering and gear changes. However, as you sweep down the other side of the hill, laid out in front of you is Golden Bay, one of New Zealand’s scenic treasures. A brief stop in the township of Takaka for fuel and then out along the beautiful coastal road to our overnight cottage at Pōhara. Sparkling clear blue sea with an amazing rocky shoreline and next to no traffic, what’s not to love about this place.

Thursday starts with a laid-back café breakfast and a gentle meander Northwards to Collingwood where we check in for tomorrow’s bus tour out along Farewell Spit, only to find it’s been cancelled due to incoming bad weather! It’s a long way to come to be told that some tourists complain about the windows being foggy and having to get out and push the bus out of the wet sand? Personally, we couldn’t see what the problem was! Unfortunately, because these tours are totally weather and tide dependant, we had little in the way of options.

So, we headed off for a sunny afternoon drive, up the remote Aorere River Valley to Bainham & the amazing time warp that is the Langford Store. Rescued from oblivion by granddaughter Sukhita Langford, it survives on great servings of Devonshire Tea, Antiques and genuine kiwi country charm. Purely on their advice we were persuaded to go further up the valley, well inland to the Salisbury Falls.

Early Friday morning, just before dawn and sure enough here came the predicted rain front, not heavy but full-on miserable drizzle, Scotch mist & sea level clouds. We decided to make the best of our location and take the M type as far up the coast as the public roads would allow. The roads weren’t too bad until we got up to Pūponga and from there onwards it was apparent that the base surface was only suitable for 4WDs or R’Oil Can entrants! But we made over the hill to the DOC beach carpark for the 12km Te Papa Atawhai walking trail out along the base of Farewell Spit.

After the obligatory beach walk, we did an about turn and sped off for a luncheon appointment with our old actor mate Peter Rowley at the Onekaka Mussel Inn. In the afternoon we returned to our digs at Collingwood and Jacqui continued to go off to her happy place, fossil, sea bird and gemstone fossicking along the foreshore and at the local Museum. Dinner that evening on the banks of the Harbour showed that at least the sunset held the promise of improving weather.

Well, you wouldn’t believe it was the same place the next morning, blue skies, mirror calm, sun shining and we now have to leave it all behind! But first we tackle breakfast at Collingwood’s Old Courthouse Café. Fortunately, on the way South there is an essential visit to the exquisite Te Waikoropupu Springs with their unique crystal-clear water seeping out from the end of the Alpine fault, 10 years after it fell on the lofty peaks in the back country. The surrounding bush was full of birds particularly inquisitive Wekas who dominate this neck of the woods. I’d never seen one in the wild until now, and then we’ve met at least a dozen or so, of these unfazed birds up close & personal in the past 4 days!

The immaculate waters of the Te Waikoropupu Springs and one of its cheeky feathered guardians

Then we had to tackle the Takaka hill again, fortunately it seemed easier this time, knowing what was ahead of us and with no roadworks on the weekend the traffic flow was smooth. At the bottom of the hill, we exited stage left over Sandy Bay Road in to Tasman Bay and from there motored northwards around the coast to Marahau Beach. This has to be one of the most gorgeous unspoilt coastlines in New Zealand, gently sloping beaches covered in golden sand with native bush cascading down the rock faces. No wonder the place is full of tourists and kayakers! We managed to score our own little cabin just up a quiet local gully within striking range of “Hooked on Marahau” the well-known beachside restaurant, for which you need to book at least 3 weeks ahead!

The wide expanse of Tasman Bay looking from Marahura Beach down to Kaiteriteri

Jacqui spent hours revelling in the multiple bush and beach walkways which seemed to go off in every direction. Bird life was abundant with Bell Birds, Tuis, friendly little Pīwakawaka, overloaded kererū and of course more wekas! The morning of our last day we discovered a unique indigenous styled café tucked into the surrounding landscape and with unsurpassed views out into the bay, their breakfast menu wasn’t half bad either!

Lounging in the sun wondering in what direction of Abel Tasman Park that pathway lead off to?

Later that morning we discovered our intended route around the coast and into Kaiteritrei was closed with roadworks (an ominous indication of what we were to discover regionally in the following days). So, it was another long about turn and back out to Riwaka. We then spent the rest of the day making our way gently back to Nelson to join up with rest of our fellow entrants for the next weeks Vero International Festival of Motoring Nicola Midgely had been diligently organising everyone for the past 8 months and secured the top 4 chalets at Tāhunanui Beach Holiday Park right alongside the beach where our Lea Francis was prepared and tested for racing. But as they say that’s a story for another day!

Editorial

I must give great thanks our contributors, Dee and the Team Goldingham for their articles in this issue. Such material gives great mana to the Branch’s newsletter, ‘Phoenix’, an outstanding publication amongst the material from the branches of the Vintage Car Club of NZ. The committee and editor look forward to material that reflects the topics of interests of members. Put pen to paper or finger tips to keyboards and send in material, photos and memories to share. As time progresses, a lot of which is regarded as mundane will be ignored or forgotten. As an ‘aged group’ we share concepts, strong beliefs that are different than a younger age group. It is important to articulate these as in the future, say in thirty or forty years, new readers of our descendance will have trouble interpreting our thoughts, expressions and phrases.

I have difficulty in trying to find out and understand the view of the past that my grandparents had in their contemporary vision of older vehicles in their day and what their grandparents’ thoughts were in that subject. If we can articulate our thoughts about our passion in vintage and veteran vehicles, why we have this interest and what brought us there, it may give descendance the same interest and prevent the loss of this technology we are interested in and involved in its survival.

Along this same theme, please try to encourage the rebuilding of an appropriate vintage or veteran vehicle as a family or community project. The land is littered with pre-1940 mechanicals and so is the spares sheds of branches of the vintage car club at little or no cost. Act as an advisor, mentor or setup a consultant group of knowledgeable persons. Remember there is a lot of ‘gunners’ out there. Rather than trying to get it road legal and registered, there is the option of making a special for hill climbs or trails or gymkhanas. It is the developing of skills, using basic material and skills, getting the creative juices running.

These ‘created vehicles and bikes as well can be used at off road areas and on private land. It is a way of seeing how things are constructed and run. It gives the chance for development and also new bodies can be developed and experimented with. Material for bodies since they are disposable and temporary can be made with pallet planks, recycled timber and used plywood or papier-mâché.

Hand tools such as woodworking items, saws, drills, planes can be repaired and will work perfectly. They have for hundreds of years. Spanners, drills, jacks, vices, hammers, chisels can be found anywhere. People give these away, church

shops, tip shops, flea markets, vintage car club sheds have old stuff by the ton. Obsolete machinery is sold by the ton to scrap dealers, because it is not commercially cost effective. Since we have a hobby, performance is irrelevant We are older persons; we are at the age of life to teach. Pass your skills on, make a difference, you learnt safety when you were trained when young, continue.

Such skills as sewing can be passed along. Heavy elderly Singer sewing machines will do trimming and are still used in the majority of the world, and excellent finishes can be achieved. These items are usually free and the skill achieved will be important in life.

If we do not continue the Kiwi Can Do attitude and No. 8 Wire approach, we will end up like Europe and the Americas where they can only cope with new spare parts availability, no lateral thinking, or outside the square.

The Editor

Historic snap from the Greig Collection. It was a great weekend. What was the event, who are these participants? Reply to the Editor please.

This game box is 270 mm x 270 mm x 25 mm, complete is excellent order and complete. Good for the family to enjoy over those long winter nights. Priced competitively; a donation to a local church shop or similar. Contact Uncle Mike at 027 2455 786, or email the Editor

➢ Gentlemen of Note in the Trade.

Don’t forget Mac’s Garage. Top advice, professional service and well known and respected in the Vintage Austin and Riley world. 09 443-3733, found at 4 Ashfield Road, Glenfield.

Aegis Oil is a local firm headed by Paul Radisich, famous on the track. He gave a talk at the Auckland Clubrooms on the product. There is a Vintage and Classic range and well suited to our cars. Please support them. Members gave testimony to the use of soluble oil in the radiators at 5% rather than antifreeze.

PHOENIX

The OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER of THE WAITEMATA BRANCH of the VINTAGE CAR CLUB OF N.Z. INC.

Two with one bite! Jupiter at a Whenuapai Classic Race Meeting, late 1980’s(?) Fait 125S top left. Further details please. Photo, Greig Collection.

CLUB NIGHT

Tuesday 5th May

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.