ONE THING LEADS TOANOTHER by Barry B

Back in February 1960, I was invited by another newish member of the Southland Vintage Car Club, Warren Jordan, to travel with him on the annual Riverton Rally in his Bull Nosed Morris Cowley. It was a sweet running wee car and looked shiny and tidy enough from the other side of the road, though the body finish left something to be desired. Warren had brush painted it himself exhibiting commendable enthusiasm but close to zero skill! One local member, a foundation member of the local Club, was moved to observe it was the first example he had seen of a car painted with a knife and fork! It was all water off a ducks back to Warren who said they were all brush painted back in the day and he wanted to do it authentically. Indeed he later brush painted his Sunbeam 14/40 that he took on the 1965 “Haast” Rally but he must have bought a new brush or rubbed down the undercoat properly because it turned out markedly better. Anyway I digress somewhat because that event led to Warren inviting me to join him on a weekend trip to Balclutha where the local car club was putting on a display, that was also attended by 3 South Canterbury cars, Terry Wilson with 1913 Fiat, John Preen with vintage Bean circa 1925, and a flat nose Morris Cowley tourer in very nice restored condition owned I think by a Mr. Hay. We stayed with Bob Scott, a member of the organising Club who Warren knew as a member of the Southland Sports Car Club. Bob had a Ford V8 special which he had raced at Teretonga. He was most hospitable and on our asking, as you did, if he knew of any old cars around, he told us of some chaps in Kaitangata who had gathered up some old cars and motorbikes. A visit was made to Kaitangata and the vehicles were revealed to be a 1910 2cylinder Humber in chassis form minus the gearbox and a mechanically complete 1907 De Dion Bouton bereft of bodywork, a relatively complete 1913 BSA 557cc model K (chain drive to gearbox and belt final drive) a 1912 BSA in dismantled condition and a 1912 Matchless v twin again in dismantled condition but moderately complete but with serious corrosion issues with the crankcase. The de Dion was not for sale but Warren did a deal for the Humber and a price of $15 was put on all the motorbike stuff.

Veteran car expert, a then very youthful Alan Meredith, followed up on the de Dion and was able to purchase it and make an excellent restoration. Both it and the Humber today are part of the Southward Collection

When I got home my 17yearold brother Robin was as keen as mustard to get the bikes despite the maternal prohibition on possession of such devices of the devil as motorbikes.

Oh Mum they’re only old slow things and only get used for rallies” etc. etc. and finally she relented and the deal was done. I remember stuffing the ’13 BSA with front wheel removed in the family Citroen Big 15 and I suppose we put the rest of the bikes in the boot and inside the car which had an unusually large gap between the seats.

The bike actually had a late model Velocette front wheel fitted and an old rear tyre that held air plus the original front wheel with a tyre that may as well have been solid. The guys who sold it claimed to have had it going and shortly after arrival home we were pushing it down the road and away it went. Robin could not believe how much tow it had - it was certainly not the slow old thing we had promised Mum. Robin immediately got stuck into it and almost succeeded in getting it finished for the Riverton Rally, February 1961, but did get it going for that rally season and at the end of the year rode it to Oamaru for the in augural Windsor Rally. I accompanied him in my Dad’s 1915 Humber and I have written that up for Beaded Wheels a few years ago so won’t repeat that here.

The next thing that led to was the purchase of a 1923 Douglas that had been widely rallied in the very early years of the Club but had been dismantled for re restoration which had stalled. This arrived as a 14th birthday present for my brother Trevor. This was repainted and reassembled and before he was 15 Trevor was trying it out after school around the roads around the back of the Southland Kew Hospital which was our little test track close to home. Unfortunately, a Transport Dept officer had seen him coming back home with the bike and his attention was drawn to Trevor fiddling about with the carby as he was riding. Oh dear, no drivers license, no registration no warrant of fitness. Trevor’s face was as long as a fiddle.

Dad knew Harry Little the local Chief Traffic Officer quite well and went to see him hoping we might be able to receive some concession on the tickets issued.

To our surprise, Harry agreed to wipe all the tickets as long as Dad undertook to make sure Trevor kept off the road, got his license as soon as he turned 15 and the bike was registered and warranted forthwith. This was done and Trevor duly went for his learner license on the wee Duggie. Then Trevor acquired and restored a 1927 Triumph and purchased his 1930 Sunbeam Model 8 which I refurbed for him and sent up to Wellington after he transferred there. He has been a motorcyclist ever since with bikes owned including a BSA C10 a Ducati 250 an International Norton, a Sunbeam S7 and sidecar, a Honda 350/4, a Honda 750, a Honda CB400, Suzuki GS850 and side car plus some modern bikes and no doubt others I have forgotten about. He still has the Douglas (In bits for about 50 years) the Triumph, the Sunbeam model 8, the Honda 400 and the Suzuki sidecar outfit.

Robin still has the 1913 BSA some of the 1912 BSA parts while the Matchless was swapped for a 1929 Model 9 Sunbeam and both bikes have been restored by their respective owners.

Not long after he got the 1913 on the road another Southland member picked up a 1912 BSA in complete but very rusty condition. It had been in a shed beside the Tokomairiro stream that runs through Milton which periodically flooded the shed. This member was not really a motorbike guy and Robin ended up with it. I seem to recall a brass 1912 Model T Ford taillight in shiny condition playing a part in the deal.

Over the years Robin has gathered up a shed full of motorbikes many of them Montessas and other motor-cross bikes while the BSA languished for many years. After owning it for over 50 years he started restoration on it and recently finished it, a superb job, but regrettably physical ailments mean he has yet to ride it and likely never will.

And what about me?

Back in about 1967, Robin was already an old married man and had his wings clipped with a house and mortgage while Trevor and I had no such encumbrance and started talking about going to the International Rally in Australia in 1970.

I had at that time a 1914 Studebaker which was a major restoration job which I had envisaged as a delivery van, to take to that event. I inquired at the shipping office what freight would be and winced at the cost which was based on cubic footage. I had estimated the height at 7 foot 6 inches. I asked if putting 2 motorcycles inside the van would add to the cost thinking about a cost share arrangement. “No but why would you do that” was his reply? “Motorbikes are only 15 quid each flat rate”. “What about a bike with sidecar?” “We would treat that as 2 motorcycles so 30 pounds”.

Well of course that led to abandoning the Studebaker restoration and acquisition and restoration of the 1927 BSA and sidecar which duly went to Australia, as did Trevor’s Triumph’ and again I have written about that fabulous adventure in Beaded Wheels.

And so it goes on:

The experience with Robin’s BSA and my sidecar outfit led me to acquire and restore a 1915 BSA model K and sidecar, which at a later time when funds were short I sold off, a move I regret being necessary, but at least still have the 27 BSA which is with our eldest son in Blenheim.

Many years later our son Darren, now living in Canada, had a Honda VT 250 and wanted to do a road trip with me. So I bought a 1987 Honda NV 400 and we did that trip. I canned off that bike a couple of times over on the Coast and did not do my shoulder a lot of good. That led ultimately to my brother Trevor deciding I was better off on 3 wheels than 2 and buying for me the 1979 Suzuki GS850G and sidecar I currently enjoy very much on the too few occasions I get out with it. I could go on with many other cases of one thing leading to another, having not really mentioned the cars yet. I am sure dear reader you get the picture and have your own stories, too. I am sure, too, Les would love to hear some of them.

From the Treasurer.

Hi everyone.

For those of you who receive your Tri-Car by post, The year has rolled around again and the postage fee needs to be paid for you to continue receiving your Tri-Car in the Post. $30.00 for this year because of the increase in postage, If you could please deposit the payment into the SCVCC account at SBS Bank 03-1355-00647203-00 using your name as the reference please. If this could be paid ASAP I would appreciate it. Many thanks. For those who receive the Tri-Car by email but would like to change to post please let me know by email - nola,day@xtra,co,nz - or by text 027 2035007 and I will make the changes, you can get it by email as well if you want, but I understand some want to also receive it by post but I need to know so that we can get more magazines printed. Thanks for reading and don’t forget to make the payment ASAP.

Nola Day– Treasurer

Mystery Bus Trip to Christchurch

19th August 2023

Cost -$70 -(Includes Bus price and entry fees to venues) Please pay into Bank Account 03 1355 0647203 00 with your name as reference.

Bus leaves our Clubrooms at 7.30am SHARP

Temuka Pickup at Tea Pot Inn at 8.00am SHARP

Winchester pick up at Hotel 8.15am SHARP

Orari pick up at Café 8.30am SHARP

Food and drink will be available at one of the venues, with prices Starting at $20.00. If you prefer to take your own lunch you can. We have a 50 seater coach organised so PLEASE make the most of your day out and enjoy a day of fun and friendship.

Any enquiries to Chairman Alistair 027 2025007