Radiator Cap April 2019

The
Radiator Cap
April 2019 Newsletter
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COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Chairman Anne Richardson 09 425 6298 / 021 277 9010
ricanne@gmail.com
Immediate Past Chairman Leon Salt 09 423 8122 / 027 423 8122
brendda@xtra.co.nz
Secretary Peter Yarham 09 422 9685
pyarham@xtra.co.nz
Treasurer Leon Salt 09 423 8122 / 027 423 8122
brendda@xtra.co.nz
Club Captain
Vacant
Assistants Neil Cremer 09 425 4955
neilmtf@xtra.co.nz
Frances Ross 09 425 8737
John Duffy 021 208 7474
johngduffy38@gmail.com
Newsletter|Website Chris Harvey 09 422 2662 | 022 365 0171
chris.harvey@westnet.com.au
Health & Safety Leon & Brendda Salt 09 423 8122 / 027 423 8122
brendda@xtra.co.nz
Vehicle ID James Lawrie 09 425 9928
gloria-james-lawrie@xtra.co.nz
Motorcycle Rep.
National Executive Delegate Leon Salt 09 423 8122 / 027 423 8122
brendda@xtra.co.nz
National Executive Observer
Librarian Frances Ross 09 425 8737
Property Supervisors George Lloyd 09 425 7622
yorksandlancs@gmail.com
Badges Leon Salt 09 423 8122 / 027 423 8122
brendda@xtra.co.nz
Anne 021 214 2267
Hospitality Convenors
Anne & Dennis
Dennis 021 265 2466
McDonald
annedenmac@gmail.com
Deadline for contributions to the newsletter is 23rd of the month..
The opinions expressed in the newsletter are not necessarily the views of the branch.
Branch address: PO Box 547, Warkworth 0941
Bank a/c: BNZ 02-0480-0047413-000
VERO Agency No. 0300159
VERO Free phone 0800 658 411
wellsfordwarkworth@vcc.org.nz
Visit our website
www.vcc-wellswark.org.nz
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Wed 3 Apr
Thu 11 Apr
Wed 17 Apr
Tue 16 Apr
12:00 mid-week picnic at Tawharanui: the road is tarred all the way now
17:30 Club Night
10:00 Coffee & Cleaning; please turn up and help
19:00 Club Committee meeting
Sun 28 Apr 16:30 Sunday Twilight Run departs from Evelyn Street, opposite Mitre 10
Wed 1 May
Thu 9 May
Wed 15 May
Thu 16 May
Sun 19 May
Sun 2 June
Wed 5 June
Thu 13 June
Wed 19 June
Thu 20 June
Sun 23 June
Sun 30 June
12:00 Lunch at the new Bayside Café at the northern end of Snell’s Beach
17:30 Club Night
10:00 Coffee & Cleaning: please turn up and help
19:00 Annual General Meeting followed by Committee meeting
Triple Combined Rally, starting at our Club
Double 50 Rally
12:00 Mid-week Café lunch
17:30 Club Night
10:00 Coffee & Cleaning: please turn up and help
19:00 Club Committee meeting
Sunday Run
Auckland | North Shore Combined Rally
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CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
I
t has been good to get out and about again after the summer holiday break. A group
of us enjoyed the sunshine at Sullivan’s Bay. Carrick and Margaret arrived by boat and
left chasing a ball of fish!
The Are We There Yet? Rally took us meandering through the country side to Mangawhai
for a picnic lunch between showers. The finish at Paul and Debbie’s home was missed by
some who missed the first left of a keep left instruction! Anne and Doug Hamilton were
the winners. Thank you, Paul and Debbie: it was most enjoyable and a cuppa on the deck
in the afternoon sun completed the day.
Also thank you to those who displayed at the A&P Show. The impression is that more visitors
came so maybe this is a better date to attract people to the town.
April is our last picnic of the season at Tawharanui Regional Park and it’s good to know that
the road is now tarred all the way. Park by the Lagoon, midday as usual. The first of the
winter cafes is arranged at the new Bayside in Snell’s Beach and we will try to get the rest
of them arranged in time for next month so watch out for the venues.
Frances has arranged the Twilight run on April 28 th leaving at 4.30 from Evelyn St, Warkworth.
Our venue for dinner is a surprise but will be 5.30 for 6.00.
Leon’s report of the Executive Meeting will include some information about the International
Rally in Taranaki in January 2021. For more information check their website
http://www.historicmotoring.co.nz/ It seems a long way off but we will try to get someone
from the organising committee to come to one of our club nights to tell us what will be on
offer. I know they are keen to get commitment from members even this far ahead. I found
the day interesting, it is useful to be able to put faces to the names in the Beaded Wheels
and club website. It made me realise that the branch delegate is crucial to ensuring that
the club moves forward in line with the views of its members.
Just another bit of a nag—very few people came to cleaning this month, please give consideration
to coming to help. It is always the 3 rd Wednesday of the month from 10.00 for
about an hour. It is not much time to give to your club and is usually a chance to chat over
a cuppa before we go home. If you are newish to the club it is a good way to add to the
people you know.
AND a reminder to consider how you can add to your participation by joining the committee
and offering to take on a role at our AGM in May.
All the Best for April Motoring;
Anne.
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5

NATIONAL EXECUTIVE MEETING REPORT
WELLINGTON 23 MARCH 2019
T
his is an abridged version of the full delegate’s report. The full report will be
emailed out with the minutes of the next monthly meeting. Anne Richardson and
I missed the first part of this meeting due to our flight being delayed by 1½ hours.
We can only report on proceedings from when we arrived.
The Vero profit share for this financial year is $36,945.00 which is $8,000 up on last year.
Matters arising from the Registrar’s Report: There have now been 11,341 VICs issued.
Members are reminded that a VIC is essential for any vehicle entering a National or International
event. Each VIC application must include 3 identical photographs.
Hawkes Bay and Central Hawkes Bay branches are combining to run a first National Vintage
Rally during 2020. Tentatively, this will include a run from Taihape to Napier followed by
further activities in Hawkes Bay.
NZTA have a new management team. WoF testing at larger VTNZ testing stations continues
to become difficult due to the lack of technical knowledge relating to our vehicles that
staff now have.
NZFOMC (NZ Federation of Motoring Clubs) also continues to lobby for 12 month WoFs for
vehicles over 30 years old. FOMC is working to update their constitution. We were reminded
that as Historic Vehicles become more recognised as a group of vehicles, VICs will
become more essential for folk wishing their vehicles to be recognised in this category.
VCC National Day: The president led a discussion over what branches may require to support
this year’s Daffodil Rally for Cancer. It is clear that there is a wide range of events
used to promote the cause and that different branches have different requirements. Several
branches suggested ways to increase the money raised. We certainly should contact
the one-make clubs in our area more effectively. During the August Executive meeting a
decision will be made as to whether we continue to support the Cancer Society or whether
we elect to go with another charity.
International Festival of Motoring 2021: Members can register their interest in participating
in this event through the website http://www.historicmotoring.co.nz/. The oneweek
event is set down for 18 – 22 January, based in New Plymouth. Tony Haycock and
Greg Terrill have offered to visit branches on their club nights to promote the event.
There followed a lengthy discussion over the ruling that no other national events are to be
held during a year when there is an international event in the country. This was prompted
by the motorcycle enthusiasts wishing to hold their biennial national rally in 2021 as it
would normally have been. It was finally agreed to allow a dispensation to the motorcyclists
to hold their National Rally in 2021.
Code of Conduct: The proposed change to the by-laws to provide for a Code of Conduct
was approved.
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The proposed remit for discussion to change the by-laws to allow the Executive to reject
Notices of Motion before they went to the membership for consideration, was discussed.
None of the executive spoke in support of the remit.
Vehicles in VIC categories A1 to B5 may enter national and international events. C - Category
vehicles are not permitted to participate as these in many cases are modern vehicles.
The deciding factor is the chassis. C-Category vehicles are built on new chassis and as such
have an unfair advantage over original vehicles. It was agreed to allow this correction.
John L Goddard Trophy: There have been no nominations for the John L Goddard Trophy
this year. Nominations will be called for in Beaded Wheels, however members may also
nominate those nominated unsuccessfully in previous years.
Branch Constitutions: The president reported that the draft constitution circulated is a
guide and that one size will not necessarily fit all.
The meeting was nearing its conclusion when we departed to catch our flight back to Auckland
at 5.00 p.m.
__________________________________________________________________________
W
elcome to our new members Brian Becroft and Tania Smith.
They got a ride on the Are We There Yet? rally and joined us at Gibbs Farm, and
we hope they will join in many more club activities.
__________________________________________________________________________
V
iew of two of the huge sculptures at Gibbs Farm: see more on Pages 13-15.
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ARE WE THERE YET?
O
n Saturday 9th March 2019 we held the ‘Are We There Yet?’ Rally competing for
the Mike Brown Memorial Trophy. Umbrellas at the briefing did not bode well
and clearly the weather put off some folks as there were only 8 cars, mostly
moderns.
Last year’s winners Paul & Debbie set the course which started with a tour around Warkworth
before heading for Matakana, Leigh, Pakiri and ultimately Mangawhai for the lunch
stop. Roadworks on the Pakiri hill slowed us down somewhat but the countryside around
there was looking particularly beautiful and made up for it.
The rain held off, apart from a brief flurry as we set up for lunch, and the afternoon cleared
up nicely. The way home was via Wellsford, SH16 and West Coast Road with the left turn
by the railway line catching out some folks who almost made it to the finish but withdrew
in frustration and so lost out on the lovely tea & scones on Paul & Debbie’s sunny deck.
Paul & Debbie’s 1954 Austin Healey shares the garage with a Mark III Zephyr which is a
work in progress and next in line for some TLC is a Rover 2000 waiting in the driveway.
Doug & Anne in their feisty little Fiat 500 won the rally and for those who did not get
caught out by that left turn and made it to the finish it was an excellent way to spend the
day.
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9

CLUB CARS OF THE MONTH
LIVING THE LIFE WITH RILEYS
R
olling down the driveway of Dave & Barbara’s property is like arriving at Riley
Heaven. Several Morris Minors and various Minis wait patiently for TLC but attention
is focussed on the Rileys which look wonderful in the two-tone paintwork for
which they were renowned.
Smallest is the blue and white 1965 Elf which sat at the top of BL’s tree of badge engineering,
being a Mini with a single carb 998cc Cooper engine, an enlarged boot and a walnut
veneer dashboard. The Elf was acquired in Auckland as a half-finished project which Dave
completed and it’s Barbara’s daily drive.
The cream and red 1936 Kestrel is a 12/4 6-light model with the 1.5 litre motor which was
so successful in racing in the 1930s. It had two cams near the top of the block giving it a
cross-flow head with hemi-spherical combustion chambers and it was more powerful than
most of its competitors. The car originally came from Christchurch but Dave bought it in
Kerikeri. The motor was in pieces and Dave put it all back together.
The green and cream 1950 RMD Drophead Coupe is a rare car: a few more than 500 were
made and it has a 2.5 litre version of the 4-cylinder Big 4 twin-cam engine which produces
100 bhp. Dave brought the car in from Australia in 2016, completely stripped and in pieces.
It had been sandblasted in the 1970s but had not been repainted. It was covered in surface
rust all over, but the panels were in good shape.
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Dave has sandblasted it again and painted it. He had to hand-make new quarterlight window
frames and rebuild the motor, also make door catches, pram irons (someone had
‘borrowed’ them as were not with the car) and an all-new interior except for the seats. The
next big job is for Barbara to sew a new hood for it, and it is close to being on the road.
The elegant 1953 RMF 4-door saloon which Dave displayed at the recent Swapmeet was
originally imported into Wellington by a doctor in 1957. In 2015 Dave retrieved it from behind
a house in Auckland where it was rotting away. He replaced the roof (with a secondhand
one from Australia), the floor, woodwork, repaired panels and repainted it. He replaced
all the interior except for the seats and all this took about 15 months. The last of
the ‘real’ Rileys before BL dumbded them down too much, it has the same gutsy 100 bhp
2.5 litre twin-cam Big 4 motor as the RMD and is a pleasure to drive.
As if all this activity was not enough to keep a man busy, on the day of my visit there was a
Sunbeam Talbot up on the hoist which Dave was fixing for a mate.
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VISIT TO GIBBS SCULPTURE PARK & FARM
W
e were fortunate to have a perfect day for our visit to Gibbs Farm on 21st
March. Leon handed out tickets at our rendezvous at the intersection of West
Coast road and SH1, a short distance from the entrance to the farm. Several
hundred other visitors were already there and the parking marshals had it all very well organised.
The scale of the place and the size of the sculptures is breath-taking, with people
looking like ants next to the larger pieces. Building some of them, and then erecting them
on site, must have required some innovative engineering and considerable equipment.
Those who were fit enjoyed a healthy walk around the Park while Ian Cunningham kindly
ferried the less fit around the circuit in the luxury of his Honda Odyssey. It was a treat to
see these famous installations in their beautiful setting on the shore of the Kaipara harbour
and it was an excellent day out.
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13

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MYSTERY MOTORS
What car is this ?
L
ast month’s Mystery Motor was a 1960 Panhard PL17, PL for Panhard et Levassor
and 17 because 5 CV + 6 passengers + 6 litres per 100 km add up to 17. It looks
like a goldfish but was quite a remarkable car: its 848 cc twin cylinder boxer motor
developed 50 bhp and it was good for 90 mph due to its light weight (830 kgs owing to
lots of aluminium and plastic) and its low Cd which was said to be 0.26 (the Audi 100
launched in 1982 had a Cd of 0.30). In design it was quirky and typically French with the
exhausts in front of the engine and the gearbox behind it. Its looks belied its toughness
and in the 1961 Monte Carlo Rally the car
placed 1st, 2nd & 3rd and proved it was more
than a match for heavier and more powerful
cars. Jay Leno is an enthusiastic owner of the
white one in this picture and in his video at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcfVO6-UHgY
he extols the car’s virtues and explains its
many unusual features. He also takes it for
a drive along the freeway in Los Angeles
where it is more than able to keep up with
modern traffic.
15

DOWN MEMORY LANE
O
n Saturday 16th March, James and I had the pleasure of escorting Owen Treadwell
to his 80th Birthday party in the Chandler. The reason being, Owen's grandfather
purchased the Chandler new from W S Miller in Khyber Pass in 1925. Owen
remembers the Chandler from his childhood so it seemed appropriate to his granddaughter
to surprise him with a treat.
We drove Owen around Wellsford arriving at the RSA for lunch. In the photo, Owen is with
his older brother.
James and I enjoyed lunch with the family and also had a good catch up with Ken Woodcock
who is a foundation member of our club.
Grant Stott
_________________________________________________________________________
T
he family of Harry Heaven would like to
invite members and families of the Wellsford
Warkworth VCC to an afternoon tea
to celebrate his 90th birthday.
Date: Sunday 28th April
Time: 2pm - 5pm
Place: Wellsford Fire Station, Rodney Street,
Wellsford
RSVP to Gary Heaven to help with catering.
Ph: 021 896698 Email: gheaven42@gmail.com
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R
iley 4/72 , 1974 model. Car in very good condition, no rust & good paintwork.
Front car seat belts. Good tyres. 4-speed centre gear shift. Twin SU carburetors.
Good brakes with new booster. Motor recently had new bearings. Some spare
parts are also available. Car registered & WOF. Price $7,200. Phone 09 425 7216
THE GREAT B.M.C. CLEAN-UP GARAGE SALE
10.00am to 2.00pm Sat / Sun 4 th & 5 th of May at 45 Ngarahana Ave, Paremoremo.
A
ll the cars have gone and this is the one and only clear-out of the large collection
of miscellaneous mechanical components, body parts and extraneous tools of the
late Captain Ian Bradley’s estate. Some of you will remember that during the
1980s Ian used to run Devonport Motors Ltd and The Morris Minor Centre. Also on sale
will be the bulk of his extensive Motoring library. With Ian’s fascination for most marques
of Post War British Cars it is likely that there will be parts right across the range of BMC,
Standard Triumph etc. All you need is to know what you are looking at! First in first served,
no reasonable offer refused, take it away on the day and cash is king! Happy Hunting.
Contact either Sarah Bradley Ph: 021 413 910 or Ian Goldingham Ph: 09 445 8811
17

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Phone: 027 275 0080
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Email: chemwash@rosscoltd.co.nz
18

19

Sales.warkworth@guthriebowron,co.nz Tel 09 425 8187 Fax 09 425 8585
If undelivered return to PO Box 547 Warkworth 0941
ADDRESS
STAMP
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