Veteran Rally – Southland Branch

VETERAN RALLY

Southland Branch Branch, Photos Rae Wilson Compiled from notes by Janet McCulloch

Line up of entrants left, Eunson’s Wolseley Siddeley, Brian Dunick Renault, Colin Pearce with two Sunbeams, SVCC Darracq

s B Sheddan, Saxon tackles the field tests.

s Greg Elder, Gore Branch Chairman, in his

Cadillac with navigator Southland Branch

Secretary, Janet McCulloch.

s Phillip Toomey in the 1913 Humberette took the Concours honours.

s Eunson’s 1909 Wolseley Siddeley.

s Wayne Nicoll, Cadillac.

s Brian Dunick, Renault.

Our 2020 event was successful with 14 entrants from local branches meeting at the Windsor Community Church for the start of the run. The morning was spent enjoying country motoring from Invercargill to Riverton, with a diversion for a quick lap around the local Bupa retirement village, much to the delight of the residents. Lunch was followed by field tests and then a return to Invercargill for prize giving. Navigator in the Greg Elder’s Cadillac, Janet McCulloch reported “My one memory of this trip was sitting up in the car looking around at the scenery, smelling the countryside – some good smells, some not, but in general how peaceful and calming it was just travelling along enjoying the day”.

VETERAN RALLY 2020 RESULTS:

Time Trial 1 Greg Elder 1917 Cadillac Tourer. 2 Ashley Bell 1912 Renault AX. Field Tests 1 Tony Warren 1907 Darracq Service Car 2 Ashley Bell 1912 Renault AX. Motorcycle Time Trial 1 Casey Lyons 1912 Humber. Motorcycle Field Tests 1 Ray McCulloch 1911 Abingdon King Dick. Overall Motorcycle: First Equal - Casey Lyons and Ray McCulloch Best performance by a Model T Paul Heron 1911 Ford Model T. Best performance by a four-cylinder Tony Warren 1907 Darracq. Concours Vehicle: Phillip Toomey 1913 Humberette. Concours Motorcycle: Ray McCulloch 1911 King Dick. Overall Winner: Ashley Bell 1912 Renault AX.

John Bell handing over keys to Steve Dyson Waimate Branch Chairman

WAIMATE BRANCH AUSTIN MAXI 1750

Words and photo Ann Hind (segments supplied by John Bell on history of other Maxis)

In February 2020, the Waimate Branch was extremely fortunate to receive a wonderful gift from Mr John Bell of Waimate of an Austin Maxi 1750.

John took delivery of the Austin on Friday 13 October 1978 from GT Gillies of Oamaru. This car was in fact the last Maxi ever sold by them. At the time GT Gillies were Austin agents for North Otago, and for Waimate via their local branch operated by the brothers Bill and Colin Veitch.

The Austin Maxi was depicted as a most versatile production car. At the time it was a revolutionary design and one of the first British-made cars to have a five-speed gearbox.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SOME OTHER FAMOUS MAXIS

In November 1979 an orange Maxi, identical to this one, was involved in a daring escape in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. Owned by the then First Secretary at the British Embassy in Tehran, the Maxi was used to rescue five US diplomats after the Embassy was stormed.

In 1972 a couple fled East Berlin passing through Checkpoint Charlie in the boot of a Maxi.

On 1 July 1969 John Lennon and wife Yoko Ono crashed their white Maxi into a ditch in the Scottish highlands. Lennon then had the car removed to his Tittenhurst home where it was placed on a plinth as homage to their lucky escape.

In 1975 Dunlop set out to prove the quality of their new “Worldbeater” tyre range by fitting them to two Maxis which were then driven around the world passing through Europe, the Middle East, India, Australia and the USA.

From 1975 to 1980 British Leyland supplied the Lawn Tennis Association with official “Wimbledon Maxis”.

The Waimate Branch appreciates this kind gesture from Mr Bell in donating this car and feels it is very fitting that this particular Maxi will stay in the Waimate area.

CAST IRON WELDING

Powder Spray Process, Cylinder Heads, Manifolds, Cooling Fins, Castings, Mechanical Repairs & Rebuilds THOMAS ROWE MOTORING ENGINEER ltd 6 RD Palmerston North PHONE 06 324-8707

MAD IRISH WOMAN’S RALLY 2020

Words Trevor Appleby

Our group of fifteen cars and about 40 people just got in before the Covid-19 Lockdown of social gatherings. I came on board with the South Waikato Branch to resolve hiccups that I experienced last year. The club did the paperwork, while I created the rally routes for two days. The Wharepapa South School, near Te Awamutu in South Waikato, did the catering. This all worked out really well. We had cars from Auckland, Waikato, South Waikato and Te Kuiti. Model Ts, Model As, Chev ute, Standard, Oakland and Riley. A good mix.

Some of the group came to my place on Friday night for a barbeque and get together. The normal lies and a few beers.

The school had set up a continental breakfast from 8 am, this was a chance to park up and meet the group before briefing at 8.30 am. With a slightly staggered start, we were all on the road before 9 am, in a follow the leader fashion. Lots of breakdowns, fuel issues, and a sign having been flogged off a post. This resulted in an hour and a half wait for some at the end of the tarseal before the climb up to the Rangitoto Station woolshed. Here we stopped for lunch and a cuppa. A further talk and up to the air strip. It was a beautiful day, with the usual breathtaking views. From here we tracked back down to the woolshed, through two locked gates and followed the instructions to get home. This had options for a quicker route back to the school (and starting point).

We were all invited back to Nathan and Vanessa’s house on Rotongata Rd for happy hour and dinner. This was very well received by all. A great effort on behalf of the school. Most had headed back to their accommodation by 9.30 pm.

Sunday morning breakfast at the school and some more instructions were handed out for the day’s journey. This would mainly follow the lead 4x4. This took us through Kaiwhio Farm, where a new Amazon series inspired by the Tolkien Lord of the Rings, has just finished filming.

Out onto the main Mangawhio Road, which was built during the depression years. This was the reverse of last year which confused a few entrants. On again through Ngaroma and on to another station, up to Rusty’s Roost, to boil the billy (literally) for a hot drink.

From here through three more farms and nice tracks through bush, blackberry brushing the vehicle running boards (take care in your convertibles), back over the goat track to get back to the school by 3 pm. Had a talk and everybody left for home. All said they had thoroughly enjoyed the weekend and wanted preference bookings for next year.

We intend to keep the numbers below 30 cars. This makes a small small social group, which also suits the terrain and tracks that we are on.

Roll on next year for the Mad Irish Woman’s Rally for all pre 1931 vehicles. We can take a few more entries.

THREE HISTORIC SUNBEAMS

WORDS AND PHOTOS WILLIAM HEARNE

Sunbeam, with their very talented motor engineer Louis Coatalen, were possibly the one of the most successful motor company in the United Kingdom in their day. The early aircraft engines led to the development of both racing cars and recordbreaking cars. Their first success was winning the first three places in the 3-litre section of the French Grand Prix at Dieppe in 1912. In 1923 a Sunbeam driven by HOD Seagrave, won the French Grand Prix at Tours, with second and fourth places also taken by Sunbeam cars. During WWI, Louis Coatalen earned fame as the designer of the Sunbeam-Coatalen aero engines with 6, 12 and 18 cylinders. After the war he worked on Seagrave’s land speed record car. Sunbeam racing cars were also sent to the USA to compete at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 5 litre 6-cylinder car owned and raced in the UK by Julian Mazub is one such example. In my 15 years in the UK I saw this car in action at the various racing circuits.

Here in New Zealand we were lucky to have had two very important Sunbeam racing cars for a number of years. How appropriate that the 1914 4 cylinder Isle of Man Tourist Trophy and the 1922 8 cylinder Isle of Man Tourist Trophy cars were owned for a time by two of the founders of the Vintage Car Club of NZ, Andrew Anderson and Robert Shand. Both cars are now back in the UK and Andrew Anderson’s old car is regularly raced there.

s The 1914 3 litre 4 cyl IOM Tourist Trophy Sunbeam.

s The 1922 3 litre 8 cyl IOM Tourist Trophy Sunbeam as rebuilt by Auto

Restorations for Tom Wheatcroft.

s The 1914 3 litre 4 cyl IOM Tourist Trophy Sunbeam which spent 70 of its 105 years in New Zealand. Photograph taken in 2004 when owned by the late

Brian Moore in the UK.