Tom Clouston’s Collection

This month I have much pleasure in bringing Tom Clouston’s Collection of incredible cars to the Rivet pages. Cars ranging from Veterans to Hot Rods and lots in between. I first of all visited Tom and Chrissy’s property last year with the Military Vehicle Club. Just about blew me away with the vehicles and memorabilia tucked away in the buildings. Quite incredible. There seemed to be an endless array of artifacts wherever one looked. Far too much to feature in the allocated pages of this magazine. Tom is a very modest man and he quietly escorted our group around his premises amongst gasps of bewilderment as we moved from building to building. Thank you Tom and Chrissy for agreeing to have your collection showcased for our readers in this publication. You are a lovely couple and great company. Without further to do, here is Tom’s story about this amazing collection written by the man himself.

Editor Ian

My father, the late Jock Clouston, an early Wanganui VCC member, was the one who turned me into a petrolhead at the age of seven. I used to tag along with Dad chasing old cars. One of the first he found was a mint Model T Ford Sedan in Marton. This was on sold to Sir Len Southwood of Southward’s Museum, and was the first car Sir Len restored. Next was the 1925 Lanchester, 40hp, and the only one in NZ. Very original car and located in Bulls. I helped Dad semi restore this vehicle and we went all over the country to many Rallies. This vehicle is now in Christchurch. We found many interesting and rare vehicles, but Dad could not always afford them and did not have the storage space.

I always wanted to be a mechanic and served my apprenticeship at Ward motors in Marton,and went on to spend my working life at the same firm for 48 years, with three different owners over that time. As a teenager and still at school, I bought a Model T Ford, a 1932 Ford Tudor and two1934 Fords, all projects bought with lawn mowing money and savings. I went on to build, and managed to keep, my 1934 Ford 5 Window Coupe, a 1933 Ford Four Door Sedan, both Chev V8 powered, and 1933 Ford Pickup, which I restored to original condition.

When my father passed away 20 years ago, I inherited his veteran cars and have slowly been restoring them. First was the 1908 Holsman High Wheeler. Dad and I both worked on this project, but sadly he never saw it finished. It was bought off Mr Dick Moult of Paraparaumu, one of the first collectors of old vehicles in NZ. Many cars in Southward’s Museum were bought off Mr Moult. Next one to be restored was the 1906 Darracq, bought off Mr Geo Broadhead, a Wanganui jeweller. He was the first owner of this car. Dad bought it in 1957. I tagged along to help bring it home. It was very complete. Dad decided to pull it apart and put all the bits in army ammo cases, where they sat for the next 55 years. A few years ago, I restored it to its present condition, which took me 3 years to complete.

At present i am restoring a 1909 AX Renault, a 2 cylinder very original car, and a 1914 Overland Roadster. Both are coming along pretty well and should be finished by the end of the year. Other vehicles I own, in unrestored condition, are a 1913 Vauxhall A Type, a 1913 Hillman, a 1925 Graham truck, a 1930 Model A Ford Sedan, and a 1952 Retro Caravan. I do not intend to restore these as I like them the way they are. These are my sleeping beauties. I would like to thank my nephew Adam Glasgow for the use of his workshop and equipment, and also his skills when required. Also thanks to my partner, Chrissy, who is just about as big a petrolhead as I am.

Thanks heaps Tom. What you have with not only your car collection, but also the memorabilia and artefacts, can truly be described as a museum in it’s own right. Editor Ian