VCC WELLSFORD/WARKSWORTH RADIATOR CAP MARCH 2023

The RadiatorCap

COMMITTEE MEMBERS 2021-2022

VERO free phone 0800 658 411

The deadline for contribu ons to the Newsle er is the 23rd of the month.

The views expressed in this newsle er are not necessarily the views of the Branch.

Sat 25 Feb 07:00 Our Annual Swap Meet

Wed 1 Mar 12:00 Midweek picnic at Snells Beach, Sunburst Avenue

4-5 Mar Na onal Execu ve mee ng Christchurch

Thur 9 Mar 17:30 Club Night BYO BBQ with salad to share

Wed 15 Mar 10:00 Cleaning & Coffee at the clubrooms

Thur 16 Mar 15:00 Club Commi ee mee ng

Sat 18 Mar Warkworth A&P Show: be parked in place by 08:45

Sun 26 Mar Are We There Yet? Rally compe ng for the Mike Brown Memorial Trophy 09:00 Starts at the Wharf In Warkworth

Wed 5 Apr 12:00 Mid-week picnic

Thur 13 Apr 17:30 Club Night BYO BBQ with salad to share

Thur 20 Apr 15:00 Club Commi ee mee ng

21-23 Apr Highland Fling Rally run by BoP VCC: see P 11-13 for entry form

Wed 3 May 12:00 Mid-week picnic

3 - 5 May Waiheke Classics Week

Thu 11 May 17:30 Club Night

Wed 17 May 10:00 Cleaning & Coffee

Thu 18 May 19:00 AGM followed by Commi ee mee ng

Contact the editor if you would like your car to be featured as Car of the Month

Branch ac vi es and Covid-19

Now that Covid restric ons have been li ed, mask wearing is no longer required but we con nue to be vigilant with hygiene. The Clubroom will be kept clean and sani zer will be available. Feel free to contact the Chairman or Club Captain if you have any queries.

Well, I have just read my previous report: looks like summer is se ng in. I was sadly mistaken. To everyone affected by the 3 weather events, I do hope you have recovered without any long-term damage. I know some members have been without power and communica ons for some me and some may not get their land lines back for a significant me. This last one has also caused problems for some members north of Warkworth and I hope you are able to recover well.

Sadly, I needed to get informa on out to you concerning the Passing of Harry Heaven and Wilbur Brown, but I am not sure if it reached everyone with email. In the old days we only used the Newsle er and the bush telegraph to contact members: now we have faster routes for most things but it doesn’t always happen when extreme weather strikes. I don’t have any solu ons, so we con nue as now unless any of you have bright ideas.

Harry Heaven has been a long-standing member of the VCC. He has been a “local” all his life. His tales of his youth were to be remembered. I a ended his Memorial Service and spoke on your behalf of his contribu on to our branch. It was a privilege to hear Harry’s life story. He has not been present at our events over the last couple of years, so newer members will not know him, but he will be missed and we offer our Condolences to Margaret, Linda and family.

Wilbur Brown will again be remembered as an ac ve member of our branch un l he moved to Morrinsville a few years ago. He contributed to the branch in many ways: as Chairman, Club Captain, VIC assessor, and representa ve on the Na onal Execu ve. He had a wealth of informa on and rebuilt many cars of varying ages. He was a people person; supported Lorraine a er the death of her husband, and introduced John and me to the VCC. Unfortunately, no one from the branch managed to a end the Celebra on of his Life on Thursday 23rd. I watched it on the live stream from the Funeral Home. A recording is available for a about month. I have the link so if anyone would like to view it, let me know and I will email it to you.

Despite the weather we went ahead with the Swap Meet on Saturday. A huge “thank you” to all you who helped cleaning and making the building spruce and those who helped on the day. The rain on Friday put many people off coming, so we only had about 10 stalls and fewer than usual members of public. However, it was a success mainly because those who did come enjoyed the sunny morning, the organisa on and the friendly welcome. The stall holders who came all said they would be back next year and appreciated that we did not cancel when other Swap Meets did. The first count shows we made a profit of more than $930.

The only admin bit this month is to remind you that the AGM is in May. Please think about contribu ng to the running of the branch. Get someone to nominate you or come on the day and put your hand up. If you are having trouble prin ng a form out I am sure any of the commi ee will help.

I look forward to a good turnout at the A&P Show on Sat 18th March, and the Are We There Yet Rally this month on Sun 26th, and of course, Club night and the picnic.

All the Best for motoring this month;

Anne

CLUB CAPTAIN’S REPORT

Sadly, during the month we lost one of our founding members, Harry Heaven. Harry has been a member of the club for 45 years. He rallied his vehicles all over the country. Around 15 years ago, we entered a Maunga Moana Rally based in Eltham. Harry and Margaret also turned up for the event but they were on their way home from having par cipated in several other South Island Events. His favourite car seemed to be the 1950 Citroen Light 15. His 1936 Chevrolet was dual fuel, running on LPG and petrol. In 2015 he won the Restora on of the Year Trophy with his 1973 Morris pickup. More recently, Harry’s daughter-in-law Linda Matheson has been his driver in the 1962 Morris 1000. With Linda at the wheel, he won the 2020 “Are We There Yet?” Rally. Harry also ac vely helped out at our Swap Meets – chopping the onions for the barbeque was something he did throughout the Swap Meet morning. Harry also won the Hard luck Trophy five mes but given the mileage he covered all over the country, he had a be er chance than most of experiencing hard luck.

Twenty five members a ended our Club Night BBQ on 9 February.

Weather permi ng, the Swap Meet will go ahead this year on Saturday 25 February. The paddock we normally use for parking the display cars is quite wet and at this stage unlikely to dry out sufficiently ahead of the Swap Meet. Therefore we perhaps need to consider reserving the top sealed carparks for the display vehicles and star ng the stall-holders further down. We are hoping the lower carpark will dry out sufficiently and that the roadside where the stall-holders park is also sufficiently dry. What I hope will be the final version of the Swap Meet roster has been emailed around the membership.

Inclement weather has again seen the cancella on of the mid-week picnic at Manly Beach. But we will try again on 1 March on the beach front at Sunburst Ave, Snells Beach.

The Warkworth A&P Show is being held at the showgrounds on Saturday 18 March. We normally have free entry for our cars to display and the driver. We should all be parked by 9.00 a.m.

The annual “Are We There Yet?” Rally, compe ng for the Mike Brown Memorial Trophy, will be held on Sunday 26 March. This event will start at the Wharf in Warkworth at 9.00 a.m. There is no entry fee but everyone should bring their own picnic lunch. Steve and Felicity Paddison will be se ng and running this event this year.

Happy motoring;

Wellsford Warkworth Vintage Car Club Inc.

2023 Commi ee Nomina on Form

I Nominate ________________________________________________________

For the posi on of __________________________________________________

Proposer___________________________________ Date ___________________

Seconder___________________________________ Date ___________________

Nominee. I accept nomina on for the above posi on.

Signature___________________________________ Date ___________________

Completed nomina on forms can be mailed to The Secretary Wellsford/Warkworth VCC

P O Box 547 Warkworth 0941

To arrive before 17 May 2023. Nomina ons will also be accepted at the AGM.

Elected posi ons include: Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Club Captain and at least four Commi ee Members.

Other roles to be decided at the AGM include: Editor, Librarian, Beaded Wheels reporter, Vehicle ID Advisor, Motorcycle Rep. Delegate, Health & Safety Officer & Liaison Officers.

Annual General Mee ng Agenda. 18 May 2023 at 7.00 pm

Apologies

Minutes of the 2022 AGM

Ma ers arising from those Minutes

Chairperson’s Report

Treasurer’s Report

Elec on of Officers

General Business

The AGM will be followed by the May monthly mee ng of the Commi ee.

MYSTERY MOTORS

What car is this?

February’s car was a 1976 Jensen GT, one of only 509 produced. As the Aus nHealey approached the end of its model run, Healy and Jensen (who built the A-H and the early Volvo P1800 bodies) collaborated to produce a new roadster and so the Jensen Healey was born, using a 1973cc Lotus engine, and it went on sale in July 1972.

The early cars were quite spartan but in Aug 1973 the Mark II version of the J-H added some creature comforts. To bridge the gap up to the much more expensive Jensen Interceptor, the elegant Jensen GT was introduced in Sept 1975 with a much more luxurious interior. By this me Healy and Jensen had parted ways and Jensen was in financial trouble, and sadly the company went into liquida on in May 1976.