THE WIPER The Newsletter of the Gore Branch of the Vintage Car Club of NZ (Inc.)
April 2021
Next meeting: 13th April
MEETINGS: SECOND TUESDAY of the month at the Clubrooms, Waimea Street, Gore Branch telephone number: 03 208 7424
2020-2021 Committee and Officers Branch Patrons Chairman Vice Chairman Secretary Treasurer Club Captain Assistant Club Captains
Neil McVicar, Ray Tressler Greg Elder Paul Herron Bill Ainge Rod Bell John Parish Rod Bell Charlie Davis Matt Cook Greg Elder Bill Sheddan Tim Walsh Branch Recorder (Wiper Editor) David North Assistant Branch Recorder Position not filled at present House Convenor Des Brewster Social Committee Beb Kennedy, Murray Low, David McDowell, Russell Newland Beaded Wheels Reporter Jim McFadzien Festival Rally Organiser Murray Proctor Assistant Rally Organiser Marilyn Proctor Bar Manager Chris Scoles Assistant Bar Manager Murray Proctor Maintenance Supervisor Keith Nunn Maintenance Assistants Bill Ainge, Keith Dodds, Russell Newland, Ken Youngson Swapmeet Gerry Kennedy Parts Assistants Evan Henderson, Gerry Kennedy, Bryan Neilson Hill Climb Evan Henderson Hill Climb Assistant Terry Inder Sheriff Denis Knight Librarian Stewart Quertier Raffles Starr McDougall National Delegate David North Privacy Officer Bill Ainge Health & Safety Officer Murray Low Hokonui Pioneer Village & Museum David McDowell Tuesday Ramble Co-ordinator Gerry Kennedy Branch Daffodil Day Co-ordinator John Tremaine Vehicle Identity Card signatories Evan Henderson, John Parish, John Tremaine
(03) 202 5710 (03) 208 6121 (03) 208 9877 027 229 2191 (03) 208 5505 027 229 2191 027 451 5234 027 379 1131 (03) 202 5710 027 434 2935 (03) 208 3531 021 172 3281 (03) 208 1960
(03) 208 0121 (03) 208 4768 (03) 208 0052 (03) 208 4768 (03) 208 5403
027 233 4634
(03) 208 6479 (03) 208 7017 027 351 3190 (03) 208 7932 (03) 208 5450 021 172 3281 (03) 208 9877 (03) 208 4007 (03) 208 6791 027 233 4634 (03) 208 9670
Front cover picture: Raymond James Barron (Ray), passed away on 8th March in his 87th year. (Photo supplied by Michael Barron.)
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Chairman's Report April 2021 Hopefully by the time you read this Covid has settled down and most things are back to normal! The past month has been busy with several events. Daphne and I along with our grandson Oliver very much enjoyed the Festival Rally cruising round the Gore area in our Veteran Cadillac. Thank you to Murray and Marilyn Proctor and their helpers for running this event plus the prizegiving and meal held at the Gore RSA. A great night was had by all and it was special to have Barry Newland awarded his 50-year badge. At the March meeting we welcomed new members Michael & Lorraine Marston and John MacGregor. Looking forward to seeing them out on Club events with their vehicles. The kitchen renovations are taking shape with Ray, Ken and crew making good progress. There are several working bees planned over the next few weeks. If you can help, please contact them. Bill Sheddan has sold the old ride-on lawn mower and other items from the parts shed on behalf of our club which will help keep Rod happy with the bean counting!! Thanks Bill. Now to decide which Vintage car to take to the National Vintage Rally being held in Timaru at Easter. Happy motoring Greg Elder
Haere mai - Welcome We welcome two more new members this month, Mike and Lorraine Marston, who live in Gore. They own a 1948 Vauxhall 12 sedan. The Editor 3
Brainteaser One from Gerry Kennedy this month: David’s Father had 3 sons, Snap, Crackle and ------------------?
Answer next month Answer to Last Month’s Brainteaser An easy one this month! Can you decipher the phrase reflected in this lettering layout? yyuryyubicuryy4me Answer: Too wise you are, too wise you be, I see you are too wise for me.
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Club Captain’s Report April 2021 February and March have been a busy time for Branch activities. The Diggers Run on the 20th of February saw a smallish turn out of RSA members with just 14 enjoying the day but I still had to do a ring around to get enough cars. Thanks to those members who did supply cars and there is a write up on the Run later in The Wiper. The Festival Rally on the 27th of February was a great day out. The weather was a bit patchy as we assembled at the clubrooms but it only improved from then on, so much so that after lunch we were looking for some shade under the trees at the Pukerau Domain. Murray organised a fantastic route that took us along some ridgeline roads with great views. The field tests were fun and the evening meal at the RSA was delicious. Thanks to Murray and the team for another very successful Festival Rally. This year we decided to recombine the Frank Robson and Clearwater Capers runs into one event and this was held on the 7 th of March. Greg Elder organised a pleasant run out to Mandeville then up the Waimea Valley, across to Wendonside and then back to his property near Riversdale. There were questions to answer along the way and the run was timed to determine the winners. It got quite busy at times trying to answer questions and keep to the nominated speed. There were 13 cars on the run with four being Vintage. It was a great afternoon out so a big thanks to Greg for all the effort he put in and for the whitebait that we all took home. As I write this the Swap Meet is due to happen in a couple of days. Gerry has struggled to get enough helpers to run this year’s Swap Meet as many of the regulars are away. We do need members to step forward and help otherwise events such as this will not happen. Don’t be shy as there is nothing too difficult involved. Our next event is the Night Trial on the 8th of May so there is a bit of a gap in the calendar until then. Tim Walsh and family are organising this year’s Night Trial and it is their first go at organising a VCC event so come along and show your support. I am sure they will do a fantastic job.
John Parish 5
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From the Editor’s Keyboard What a shame those pesky Aucklanders had to go and mess up our fun again. The first casualty was the Race4Life day at Teretonga. Very disappointing for the organisers and the palliative care patients who would have had a real treat. Also for me as I missed the chance to stretch the Ferrari’s legs on the race track. Another casualty was this year’s Brit & Euro Car Show in Auckland which I had planned to attend but was unable to when it was postponed. However, plenty of events did go ahead, as you will see from the great number of reports this month. I was pleased to find that none of the contributors needed prompting and Ryder Cook now has competition for the post of Junior Reporter, in the shape of Liam Welsh! I also received a large number of photos this month, despite at least one contributor (and the Editor) forgetting to take their cameras to events. This gave me a very welcome problem, in that I had too much material to fit into this issue. I decided that it was better to include as many of the reports as possible, while they are topical, along with what photos I could. I will include as many as possible of the “missing” photos next month. David North
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VCC National Executive Meeting, 20th March 2021 Much of the meeting was what I call routine and procedural, Officers’ Reports, etc. The Minutes will be available in due course but here is a summary of items that I feel are of most interest or relevance to members. “Health & Safety” The President emphasised the need to use the Event Checklist for all branch events, runs etc. Management Committee member George Kear was very complimentary about the briefing given at the Festival Rally. Finances The disruption caused by Covid-19 has resulted in much less travel and promotion spending by the National Office, resulting in a budget surplus rather than the projected deficit. 2022 VERO International Festival of Historic Motoring Entry forms will be available soon. Online entries are preferred but each branch will receive a small number of paper copies. Rally routes have been carefully chosen to be very suitable for the older vehicle categories. Online Membership Applications This is progressing and the relevant changes to the VCC By-laws etc. will be going out to the membership for voting. “Special Interest Groups” A proposal to allow “Special Interest Groups” with interests aligned to the VCC to be admitted as “Branches” was given formal “Notice of Motion” status so this will also be progressed. 2021 AGM Christchurch, 13/14 August. Registration forms will be out in early May. Re-branding The National Management Committee has decided on a preferred design for a new VCC logo. Examples will be distributed to branches for the membership to see and, ultimately, to vote on. If approved by the membership it will be introduced after the 2022 Vero Festival. David North, National Delegate, Gore Branch 10
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Postscript to the January Tuesday Ramble Humble apologies, I somehow managed to demote Heather King to a Knight in last month’s Tuesday Ramble report. The Editor.
Hi from Heather –@ Heather’s Hazels!
It was lovely to have some of your Club out for a visit for your January Ramble and David asked me to provide a little information about my hazelnut orchard. I am just a hobby orchardist and very much learning and trying out things as I go. There are approximately 250 Hazelnut trees aged between 14 and 16 years planted on a sheltered block of about a quarter of our 10 acre property. I have been harvesting nuts for sale for the past 5-6 years. Everything (i.e. harvesting, dehusking, cracking, shelling and processing) is done by hand and I am passionate about producing a food crop and products that are healthy for the people. To that end I have been experimenting with various recipes so that nuts can be eaten by as wide a range of people as possible, from the traditional association of hazels and chocolate (dark) baking to nut butter, nut mylk, nut flour/meal, granola, dukkah, and savoury (lightly spiced and salted). Hazelnuts contain heart-healthy fats and the good cholesterol to help with blood sugars, and weight loss. They are a great “go to snack” that quickly satisfies and curbs sugar cravings.
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Thank you to those of you who purchased some nuts to take home and for the lovely feedback I received. I hope you also enjoyed being my “guinea pigs” and trying out the tasting plates. As promised I have tried to replicate my brownie recipe for you – I am still experimenting with the recipe and can’t quite remember what I did but the following should be very close to it I hope. [The recipe is in Cookery Corner. The Editor] Also for those who bought the freshly-shelled nuts and wish to make them savoury – just add a dash of olive oil, tamari soy sauce, maple syrup and spice of choice to taste. (I used Chipotle but Garam Masala is nice too). You don’t have to use oil either – just wet the skins with sauce, syrup (or even water instead) so that the spice can stick and coat the nuts. Spread out on an oven tray and roast in the oven at 160ºC until dry. Sprinkle with a little crushed rock salt to taste and store in a jar in a cool dry place – or where you go to look for snacks! They won’t last long! Thank you again and do say Hello if you see me out at the Shows, or Markets – I would love to hear how your Hazelnut Brownie turned out! Kind regards, Heather King
Spotted! (Part 1) Greg Elder and his 1917 Cadillac feature in a terrific eightpage article about the car, Greg’s restoration of it and the history of the Cadillac company on pages 16-24 of the March 2021 issue of New Zealand Classic Car magazine. Page 58 of the same issue has a photo of a “Southland fastback Mustang dirt-track saloon from the mid to late ‘70s.” It is signwritten “Charlton Auto Ltd Gore” so may be one of the cars that Barry Clearwater worked on, as mentioned in Stewart Quertier’s article in the February 2021 issue of The Wiper. A larger version of the same picture also appears on page 88 of the April issue. The Editor 13
28th National Ford Model T Rally Fellow veteran owner Phil Boult was encouraging us to enter and join them in Napier for the Art Deco Rally. After making sure both Lynne and myself could get the time away from work I looked into the accommodation and was shocked, 25kms from Napier was all that seemed available and $1,600.00 for 4 nights. No not going and now due to Covid and I am pleased on our decision. Sometime later we had a call from Christchurch Veteran and Model T owner asking if we were going to enter the Model T National Rally of which he was on the organising committee. Dates worked, accommodation affordable and on this island, so we entered. The dates were 10th to the 13th of February in Christchurch and a continuation tour to follow on from Geraldine on the 15th to the 17th. After driving 270 miles on the Southland and Combined rallies on the Saturday and Sunday in the Model A, I concentrated on cleaning the T on Waitangi Monday. After loading the Model T into the float and finishing off jobs at home we left early afternoon on the Tuesday and made it as far as Ashburton. This made for an easy drive the next day to Christchurch allowing us to return the National Veteran rally trophies to the VCC head office and some shopping before registration at 4pm. It was great to catch up with many of our T friends in anticipation of a great rally. Thursday was the first rally day which had all 48 entrants travelling through the residential suburb that was the Wigram air base. This area was sold and developed by Ngai Tahu. On through Cashmere / Sumner and over the steep Evans Pass hill and into Lyttleton. On through Govenors Bay and Gebbies pass to our lunch stop at Waihora Park. After lunch we returned via Lincoln and Rolleston to finish off at 71miles. Friday was Waimakariri / Kowhai Flats of a distance of 115 miles. After powering down the northern motorway and on to Rangiora we stopped at Daniel Smiths massive collection of vehicles displayed in his impressive garaging and home.
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We proceeded on via Swannanoa area to the Cust township. This is where we stopped to help a troubled Model T and lost too much time to carry on via the instruction sheet and followed by the backup trailer with said Model T aboard. The owners finished this day motoring with team Herron but was about 2.30 before we reached our lunch stop at Kowhai Flats in the Waimakariri Gorge. We arrived just in time to see those who wanted return on the jet boat ride option. Our return was via the Old West Coast road and was well pleased after a long day driving in the open. Each night we met at the Hornby Working Men’s Club for the arranged meal and a few drinks. Saturday was our longest day driving of a distance of 135 miles with a earlier start with destination of Huranui. Once again powering down the northern motorway to Rangiora and onto Amberley township, carried on through the winding road of the Weka pass and Waikari and on to a farm in the Pyramid Valley Area. Here Mike Hodgeson the farm owner gave us a very informative talk on Moa bone swamp and fossils found here. In 1938 his Grandfather was burying a horse in the swamp and discovered bones which were proven to be Moas. A protect covenant was established and excavations are only permitted every 25 years. The last being in 2008 and a 2m x 2m section provided 3 PhD’s. A total of 183 more or less complete Moa skeletons have been recovered along with 41 other bird species all of which are distributed in museums around the world. We all found this talk very interesting. [Photo overleaf. Ed] 15
We all moved on to the Huranui Hotel for a great lunch at NZs longest continually licensed Hotel which was established in 1860. This day was by far the hottest of the rally although each day being dry. After returning to Christchurch, we loaded the Model T up and went on an Earthquake Remembrance drive. This had us driving past buildings still being restored through the city centre to the old existing to the new modern designs. Passing on through the eerie suburbs of Bexley, New Brighton and Avonside. The city’s landscape has changed so much and continues still. On the following Monday the tour was to continue on from Geraldine but as an optional tour only. The prize giving final dinner again was held at the Hornby Working Men’s club where they catered for us extremely well. As an added bonus to the Model T tour, was the winning the 1st Overall trophy.
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For the 321miles/518ks that our 110-year-old car travelled on this rally the only problem we had to deal with was a replacement trembler coil. Lynne and I enjoyed this tour abet tiring and congratulations to the Organisers. Words by Paul Herron Photos by Lynne Herron
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Tuesday Ramble 27th April
10.00 am: assemble at Clubrooms 10.30 am: depart for lunch (at Miller’s Flat Tavern)
12.00pm: lunch at the Tavern ($15.00 burger & chips)
1.00pm: Depart for Wynyard Estate saffron tours, view garden etc.
Numbers to Gerry on 027 233 4634 No later than 24th April 19
Night Trial Saturday 8th May
7:00pm: meet at the Clubrooms 7.30pm: first car away Distance is approximately....hmmm.... you’ll find out (but not too far) Travel is all on sealed roads (except for 80 metres on gravel)
Hopefully, some divine intervention isn’t required but on this run it may help Please bring a plate for a shared supper after the run Phone Tim & Anna 03 208 3531 or cell phone 0274 368 663 20
Gore VCC Supper Roster 2020/2021 April
Noel Kelly
May
Matt Cook
June July August September October November December
Greg Elder Glenise Corcoran Katherine Welsh Roy Buchanan Beb Kennedy To be advised To be advised
January
To be advised
February
To be advised
March
To be advised
IF YOU ARE UNAVAILABLE ON YOUR ROSTERED NIGHT, PLEASE ARRANGE YOUR OWN SUBSTITUTE. We need to cater for about 30 to 40 members each night. The cuppa and serving of the supper is to be arranged within the Social Committee. If necessary, ingredients and/or small items can be bought at Gore New World and charged to the Gore VCC account.
I appreciate these people coming forward but it would be great to have some who have not done a turn have a go or even some who may have done it some time ago to do it again. Des Brewster 21
Gore Branch Events for the 2020-21 Season Event
Proposed Date
Organiser(s)
2021 Night Trial
Saturday 8th May
Tim Walsh
End of Season Run
Saturday 5th June
Rod Bell
Branch AGM
Tuesday 8th June
VCC National Day / Daffodil Rally
Sunday 22nd August
TBC
Opening Run
Sunday 12th September
TBC
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Auction Night Tuesday Ramble
Tuesday 12 October (Meeting night)
TBC
Normally last Tuesday of Co-ordinated by the month. Gerry Kennedy Variable in December
Editor's note to event organisers If you want to see a report in The Wiper please provide one yourselves or organise somebody to do it for you. (N.B. This usually works best if you ask them before the event!)
Newsletters from other branches Most of the other Branch Newsletters are now posted on the VCC Website each month: www.vcc.org.nz/news-from-our-branches A handful of branches still send us printed copies and these are displayed on the stand in the Library. Most of the others are received by email as pdf files or links to the online versions. These can be obtained on request from the Editor or the Secretary. 22
Other Events 2021 2 – 5 April
National Vintage Car Rally, South Canterbury Branch. Followed by the Veteran Vintage Tour 2021. See adverts in Beaded Wheels #368
3rd – 4th April
Wheels at Wanaka: www.wheelsatwanaka.co.nz/
nd
th
1st May
Swap Meet, Ashburton Branch
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VCC National AGM
nd
VCC National Day/Daffodil Rally
14 August 22 August
Targa VCC Time Trials (North Island) 25 - 30 October Enquiries to: Rod Corbett, VCC Steward, rod.corbett88@gmail.com or 027 433 8772 th
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2022 16th – 21st January Vero International Festival of Historic Motoring, New Plymouth
2023 3rd – 6th February
National Motorcycle Rally, Southland Branch
8th – 12th February Burt Munro Challenge, Invercargill
Spotted! (Part 2) Champion Ken Youngson is pictured at the Gore Garden Club Harvest Flower Show on page 6 of the 24th February issue of The Ensign, proudly holding his prize-winning vegetables, beside his daughter, a champion baker: https://www.theensign.co.nz/digitaledition/?edition=ENS_2021_02_24 The Editor 23
Diggers Run - Saturday 20th February 2021 This year’s Diggers Run was to be organised by Charlie Davis but since the accident he had a couple of years ago, where he tangled with some vintage farm machinery, Charlie has had a very bad back. As a result, I volunteered to take over the Run. We wish Charlie well, hope his back improves and we see him again soon. The RSA were not sure if the Run should go ahead with problems associated to Covid-19 still being in the community and the age of their members. They took the decision to their management meeting and decided to proceed. I think the uncertainty around Covid-19 was concerning some of their members as the number of RSA members on the Run was well back on the previous two years. They initially thought that they would have 20 members participate but on the day the number was down to 14. My initial call for volunteers got four cars so I had to ring around to get a couple more. We assembled in the RSA carpark at 12.30pm, slightly earlier than normal as we were heading to Kaka Point which is a bit further than usual. We took the scenic route via Kaiwera and the Old Coach Road to Clinton and then through Warepa to Finegand and on to Kaka Point. Car parking was at a premium as it was a very nice day at the beach. Some had a paddle in the sea while others enjoyed the sun at the picnic tables. After about half an hour we headed back to the Balclutha RSA for afternoon tea. There was a great afternoon tea which would have fed twice our number. We put a dent in it but much was left for the locals to consume. The Balclutha RSA had a band booked for that evening and the band were setting up and doing their sound checks. Once they had finished they sang a few songs for us which was a real bonus. About 4 pm we headed back to Gore down State Highway 1 getting back to the RSA just before 5 pm to unload our guests. I have participated in several of these Digger Runs and they are great fun. The RSA members love the day out and the stories they can tell about our area are fascinating. Think about joining in next year. John Parish 24
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February Tuesday Ramble (Take 1) A big thank you to Val and Don Tytler as they are good friends of Wendy & Peter Johnstone of Lorneville. We departed Gore and were joined by the O’Haras and Millers on our way to Lorneville. Thanks to Peter for putting a tractor at his driveway which made it easier to locate on the Dacre / Lorneville Highway. Driving up to the car park, the first to take your eye parked in a shed was a TK Bedford truck, you would have thought this was just out of the showroom. We were greeted by Peter and later by Wendy. Parked up in the nearby area were three Massey-Ferguson tractors (sorry Jim I lost the paper with the models’ information). After a chat we went through to a sheltered area for a picnic lunch. (Report on gardens and indoor plants to follow, written by Mary.) After lunch some headed to view the gardens and others around to Peter’s garage but parked outside was a 1970 Isuzu Bellett, this car is in excellent condition. Alongside was a 165 Fergie in A1 condition but parked next was a 65 Ferg, the grey model with the gold engine, it would be hard to find two tractors in such grand condition.
Isuzu Bellett (L) and Fergie (photos by the Editor)
But if you thought that was eye opening just wait till you step into Peter’s pride and joy, his display of trucks and a room full of model tractors, all in glass fronted cabinets. Wow! Seeing is believing, this would be one out of the box, absolutely mind blowing.
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Peter had one of his first toys and small truck on display. If I was to tell you all the trucks and tractors on display I would run out of paper. Back for a second look and yes you miss a lot on the first view. I could have spent all day looking through. Another item of interest was a year of copies of the Southland Times for 1960. Great to look through seeing the ads and prices and many old companies now gone by. Well to Peter and Wendy a great big “Thank you”, another great day and great people for our hosts. Many thanks from the Tuesday Ramblers Gerry Kennedy
February Tuesday Ramble (Take 2) We arrived at the venue and were met by Peter who talked about his farm and what he had stored in his sheds. We were shown to a lawn area surrounded by trees where we were to have our picnic lunch. We then split up into two groups. Our group walked around to view extensive gardens, surrounded by hedging and bushes. Tall trees formed a boundary to the garden. Wendy had some lovely specimens of roses, gladioli and several different colours of Agapanthus, white, blue and variegated varieties. Stunning lilies grew in a kitchen garden also. Wendy proudly showed us her glass house with large specimens of tomatoes – a Korean tomato – she had imported the seeds for.
Lilies (photos by the Editor) 27
On entering the house we saw a lovely Moth Orchid on the kitchen bench. Wendy grows orchids from seeds she imports. Several species of orchids and other unusual plants were growing on the window sills. One plant, Adenium obesum, has a huge base where it stores water and was in pots on the window sills also. It grows to a tall tree. Wendy imports seeds from overseas to grow these plants, she has a special licence to do this.
Moth Orchid (L) and Adenium obesum or Desert Rose (photos by the Editor)
Wendy also loves to crochet blankets and throws with different patterns on them. They were on chairs and sofa. She likes to do these in the winter when she can’t get into her garden. Before leaving we were treated to a glass of Kombucha tea. Wendy makes this with tea bags of fruit tea, black tea and fruit (e.g. strawberries) fermented with a culture bug. Kombucha tea is an antioxidant and very good for cleansing your liver and kidneys, good also for the digestion. Wendy and Peter have travelled the world, visited Thailand and China and saw many orchids and other species there. This gave Wendy the growing orchids bug. We then joined the others to see Peter’s amazing collection of model cars, trucks and memorabilia of yesteryear. Some members were very jealous of such a collection. Mary Kennedy
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The 2021 Festival Rally from the organisers’ perspective For me and Marilyn, the 2021 Festival Rally started immediately after the Gore AGM. Because Covid lockdown had already delayed the AGM we were a couple of months behind where we would have liked to be. To compound things a bit further we might not have a functioning kitchen come Rally day in February as the upgrade might well be under way by then. So, a venue for prize giving and meal was needed. Also there was the ever-present threat of another lockdown. Anyway, to start the ball rolling we decided on what changes we’d like on the plaques and made a trip to Dunedin’s Bramwell Mollers and placed an order for the plaques and also gave them some larger glasses to be etched. Last year’s entry forms were altered to suit this year, change of address, emails, phone numbers etc. draft copies were printed and corrected and then the finals were done, collected, posted and delivered around the country. We inquired about venues for our prize-giving and meal and decided to support the RSA. The RSA has supported us in the past with financial donations and their prices were competitive, the function room was also accessible without having to go through the main entrance. Rally routes, we try for no metal on the short and minimal on the long, which can make it a bit of a challenge to find unknown (to most) roads. So, starting with a general idea of where we would like to go we headed off noting corners, mileages and points of interest. We headed down roads that looked interesting only to find that some were dead ends or turned to gravel or went too far out of our way. So, cross those off, go back to the last useful corner and take a different road, always thinking about just where we are hoping to finish. With both routes roughed out we teed up the lunch venue. We needed a place with an open area for field tests and somewhere enclosed or covered in case of rain and, for old folk, toilets (I know, we’re all getting old).
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So lunch venue sorted we then went around both of the routes again to make any corrections to our instructions and check that the distances are about what we wanted. For this second trip we took my sister and her hubby with us as navigator to make sure the instructions in fact did get us to our lunch stop. With all in order copies were printed and filed to go into the packs later. Towards the end of January we were getting a bit worried, we’d collected and paid for plaques, got venues sorted etc. and we only had 5-6 entries and at the February meeting entries were in the low 20s. Well short of break even. Over the next couple of weeks they started to arrive and we ended up with 44. A wee bit down on last year but still, not too bad. The day before the Rally we again travelled around the routes making sure all the signage was in place, that there were no major road works, got all of the Rally packs compiled and then it was fingers crossed for some decent weather. Woke on Saturday at 4.00 am and it was raining, bugger, by 6.30 it was just a drizzle and by 8.00 it looked like it might just be OK. At the clubrooms the Rally packs were given out. I blundered my way through the pre-Rally briefing and then everyone was off. Nothing we could do now but hope we’d got it right. We, along with our field test helpers and time keepers, went out to Pukerau and set up. Then we waited, the first cars not arrived yet, what’s gone wrong? My phone goes off and one of our locals “I’m lost” now I am concerned. While talking to them the first cars arrive, so one route is correct (phew!) turns out our lost driver didn’t read the instructions right or was holding the page upside down. Anyway it was his mistake and not ours. Everyone made it and had a go at the field tests. Tests over and packed up, a bite to eat and back to town to enter the times on to the computer. Hello, what’s going on? The results are not computing. Call to Katy and she patiently worked at what I was doing wrong. Print out the certificates and away to the RSA. The room was all set out for us, all we had to do was sort out the trophy table. 30
Time for the presentations, thank everyone, introduce George Kear from head office and ask him to present Barry Newland’s 50-year badge (well done Barry).
Prizes and trophies presented and the day was finished with a nice evening meal and pudding. All over and dusted, I think generally it was OK. It was a busy few months for Marilyn and me but, the result was very satisfying. I would like to thank everyone that assisted in any way to make it a success, especially my 2IC, Marilyn. [Continued overleaf, with the Results. Ed] 31
I’d also like to thank Katy for helping me with the results program. The problems she had to sort out were generally created by my lack of skills and big fingers. Thank you also to: Tyre Land, for the tidy bags and sweets. Hammond and Ryder, for setting up and printing the entry forms. Mary and John Tremaine, for donating the pens. Gerry Kennedy for organising the raffles. Murray & Marilyn Proctor 32
Gore Festival Rally (A junior participant’s story) The car Rally was on Saturday and we went on the Rally and there was a big hole in the road. We took our old Buick. Mum and Dad drove, we had jelly beans. Me and my brothers put our arms out as wee indicators so the other cars knew we were turning. We went on the short route.
John Parish (R) admires the Buick, with (obscured) Dad (behind), brothers and Mum (Photo by the Editor)
We stopped at Pukerau and had lunch. Then we drove back to the starting point and after that we went to the RSA for tea and pudding. Liam Welsh (6 years-old)
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Southland Veteran Rally 6th March 2021 [Greg Elder’s view] With my 1917 Cadillac loaded up in its trailer the night before it was an early start on Saturday morning and away to Invercargill to attend the annual Southland VCC Invercargill to Riverton Rally. 14 Veteran vehicles assembled at Windsor for the first away at 10 am after a briefing for the day’s events. It was great to be joined from our Gore Club by Bill Sheddan in his Saxon and Paul Herron in his Model T. With the temperature at 4ºC when I left Riversdale it was nice that the day was warming up as I arrived in Invercargill.
Paul Herron’s Model T in Riverton
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Some of the cars, my Cadillac in the foreground
We motored out via Herbert Street, Queens Drive, McIvor Road and Makarewa, where the timed section started. From there it was out through Branxholme, Wallacetown, Thornbury and then back onto the main Invercargill-Riverton Highway. It was then into the Bupa Longwood Care Home where some of residents were outside to view the vehicles. It was great to talk to several of these people. Next it was into Palmerston Street (the main street of Riverton) and to the finish at the RSA where we parked up for lunch and for the public to have a look. After lunch, the field tests were held on a neighbouring section. This was the end of the Rally, so Paul and I decided to have a drive round past the bays. There were many surfers enjoying the waves at Mitchells Bay and beyond. From there we motored quietly back to Invercargill on the main highway. We loaded the Cadillac back into its trailer and headed out to the prize-giving which was held at 4.30pm at the Southland VCC rooms. Our Gore Club did well with Bill and Paul both collecting prizes. It was a great event and I thoroughly enjoyed it along with my 15 yearold navigator Jake from Te Anau. It was magic motoring on a lovely day on quiet back roads. Happy Motoring Greg Elder 35
Southland Veteran Rally 6th March 2021 [Bill Sheddan’s version] I was going to submit last year’s report and change the date but unfortunately they changed the route and the field tests so last year’s report would not have been accurate. Close, but the other two contestants from Gore, Greg Elder and Paul Herron, would have picked up my devious act. So on the Saturday morning my navigator and I loaded up the Saxon onto the trailer and set off. My navigator this year is the same as last year. He is the same grandson, Jared, but different in that he has a driver’s licence now and is working as an auto-electrician at Gore’s leading auto-electrical firm. Also he has also just completed a course at SIT in basic auto mechanics which is an advantage to me as he now knows in one short year what I have learned of mechanics in a lifetime. We unloaded at the Southland VCC branch and motored to our start point, the Windsor church car park. Once again it was the church’s gala day and the carpark was almost full which prompted some discussion about finding another start point, probably the clubrooms. Good idea! We left shortly after 10am and followed the instructions taking us on various sealed roads round the back of Makarewa, past the freezing works and out to Wallacetown. I picked an average speed of 25mph and fortuitously the timed section started and finished in the open roads. I still felt I was going a bit slow and as 30mph seems to be the Saxon’s top speed I had to keep the speed up there but without a speedo it is a bit hit and miss. I won’t mention Jared having a sneaky look at his phone under his jacket and I took no notice of anything he told me. After the turn-off to Thornbury and the end of the timed section I let Jared take the helm of the Saxon. I then not only became the navigator but gear changer as well. One can’t be in a hurry to change gears in a veteran. It was better for me to slowly notch it into the correct gear, while I still had them. However this caused other problems like missing a corner and overshooting another. Oh the stress of navigation.
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Bill Sheddan (L) & navigator Jared with the Saxon in Riverton. (Photo by Greg Elder)
I took over before we hit the Riverton main highway and we toodled into town and parked up in the RSA carpark. After our lunch of whitebait butties (Jared loves whitebait so I had to knock up a batch the night before) we had a go at the field tests. Chuck the ball in the bucket – none, calculate one and a half revolutions of the front wheel – spot on, not difficult when you watch the eyes of the bloke with the chalk, and put both front wheels on the “V” rope. Got that right too. We then headed back to town early so Jared could have a look around the car yards for a ute. Back then to Otatara to the clubrooms where we loaded up and had a few refreshments before prize-giving. I was awarded 3rd in the field tests and Paul got awarded 1st for the best Model T. All in all a pleasant day in mild weather with great company. Bill Sheddan and Jared Pilgrim
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Frank Robson Memorial Run & Clearwater Capers On Sunday 7th March 13 vehicles met at the Gore Clubrooms and, after a briefing from Greg Elder the first car was away for a 1.30 pm start. Included in the briefing was a warning that if you were driving on gravel roads you were LOST. Entrants were offered a long run of approx. 90 kms or a short one of 55 kms. There were no takers for the short run. The weather was overcast and a cool breeze with rain threatening. Vehicles were flagged away at 2-minute intervals and had to nominate one of three average speeds for the time trial which was over the full distance. It was left out from the Clubrooms, past the golf course, back onto State Highway 94, passing through Mandeville, up Waimea Valley Road, right onto Nine Mile road, back onto SH94, right before Balfour and over to the Wendonside District then back towards Riversdale and ending the run at Greg and Daphne Elder’s place where members enjoyed their afternoon tea and looked at Greg’s collection of vehicles.
After the results were worked out a prize-giving was held. Winners received two packs of frozen Martins Bay whitebait and the rest of the participants one pack plus an extra one for member Neil McVicar who had just celebrated his 96th birthday. 38
Frank Robson Memorial Run Winner 2nd
Star McDougall Bill Ainge
Clearwater Capers Winner 2nd 3rd
John Parish Roundy Murray Proctor
It was noted that Star’s Chev starter motor failed during the event and he had to be pushed started plus towed by Brian Horrell’s Holden Ute.
(L-R) Star, Paul Herron and Brian Horrell attending to Star’s Chev
Jim McFadzien needs to go to Specsavers as he was observed missing the last instruction and sailed on up the highway to finally return much later! Happy Motoring Greg Elder
Online Bonuses (1) The Hurunui Hotel https://thehurunuihotel.co.nz/ Pyramid Valley Moa swamp: https://nzplaces.nz/place/pyramid-valley The Editor 39
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COOKERY CORNER Heather’s Hazelnut Brownie Ingredients 150g dark chocolate 113g butter 15g cocoa 200g sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla 3 eggs 95g flour 100 hazelnuts, toasted & chopped
Method Preheat oven to 180ºC. Spray 20cm square pan & line. Melt chocolate & butter together, stir in cocoa and sugar. Whisk in vanilla and eggs, stir in flour, salt and hazelnuts. Pour into pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on rack. This recipe freezes well. Heather King
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ADVERTISEMENTS FOR SALE 1938 Ford V8, brown. Body-off restoration in 1972. Two-owner car. Tidy inside and out, good runner, good tyres. Rego on hold. Phone Bing on 027 2265967 3/3
FOR SALE and WANTED advertisements are free to Club members. Each advertisement will be published in 3 consecutive issues. Please contact the Editor
Online Bonuses (2) The Desert Rose (Adenium obesum): https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/124839-Adenium-obesum Southland Veteran Rally photos from Southland Branch (some Gore members appear): https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AFUEYqAx3LOcUQQ&id=2F C366EADC1532E2%21873&cid=2FC366EADC1532E2 Rumour, the Southland Branch newsletter: https://www.sporty.co.nz/southlandvintagecar/Rumour-1/2020-1# The Editor
Tailpiece
Sent in by Des Brewster 42
Run reports, articles of interest, photos, technical tips, letters and feedback are always welcome. Please send all contributions to David North
before the 3rd Wednesday of each month for inclusion in the next issue of The Wiper If you don't have a computer I can type up a hand-written article or put your notes or jottings into shape for The Wiper. If you prefer I can even take notes as you talk to me and write up the story for you - I am always ready to help so just let me know how! e-mail: northd14@gmail.com physical and mail: 4 Trotter Street, Riverton 9822 telephone (mobile) 021 172 3281 Remember that insuring your vehicle(s), boat(s), house(s), contents or travel with Vero Insurance and quoting the branch number (300135) results in the branch receiving a commission payment Please support our advertisers so that they, in turn, can continue to support the Branch The opinions and statements in The Wiper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policy or views of the Gore branch or of the VCC. The branch accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any statements. The Wiper is printed by i-Cue 10 Wood Street, Invercargill. Telephone (03) 218 3350 43
GORE BRANCH VINTAGE CAR CLUB OF NEW ZEALAND INC.
WAIMEA STREET, PO BOX 329 GORE
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