OTAGO VCC RESTORATION ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2017 1954 Humber Super Snipe
BUS TRIP CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECCA – INVERCARGILL Saturday 13th May $20 per person Depart Clubrooms at 7.30 am Mosgiel Railway Station at 7.45am Payment in full for a seat by Friday 28th April to Kevin Mason (you will find in at the clubrooms on Wednesday mornings) NO payment – No seat THERE ARE STILL SEATS AVAILABLE
Owner: Neil Hodgkin History of Vehicle My father was born in London in 1899 and had worked in the UK. When he came to NZ he kept his ‘overseas funds’ in England and used some of these to purchase the Snipe new. He was able to order the internal and external colours and whether he wanted a heater and/or a radio. We lived on a 1,000 acre farm at Moa Flat West Otago, 14 kms north of Heriot and 150 kms west of Dunedin. It was our only family car for many years and made numerous trips to boarding schools for eleven years. Dad also had a 1937 International D2 farm truck and when it crashed when the handbrake failed, he used the Snipe for his farm jobs, carrying his dogs in the boot and his spray gear and tools in the back. The Snipe was not the best in the paddocks on cross-ply tyres, however we were fortunate in that we had good road access so Dad was able to take the Snipe so far on the roads and then walk, which he enjoyed doing.
Sparkaholics - see elsewher e in Roadr unner Wednesday 10 May -Home of St Barnabas Wednesday 14 June - Security at Beggs Wednesday 12 July - To be confirmed
Wednesday Mornings at the Clubrooms The clubrooms are open every Wednesday to all members. 9.00 -12.00. Members get involved with any maintenance, and cleaning, both inside and out that needs to be sorted. So come along and get to know your fellow members and bring along any challenges you may have in relation to your club eligible vehicles. The Parts Shed is also open during this time.
Dad died in 1980 and it’s fair to say that the Snipe had a very quiet time for the next twenty years. We sold the farm in 20.. and moved to North Taieri where we met many new people, one of whom was Philip Craigie. One day he asked me if he could use the Snipe for his daughter’s wedding. That was just the impetus I needed to get the Snipe going properly and back into respectable condition. More restoration work was completed some years later for our own daughter’s wedding and that is pretty much how you see it today.
Mid Week Run If you want to organise one of these monthly runs, please ring Bruce Murray.
It is worth noting that Todd Motors Ltd, the NZ Distributors of Tootes vehicles, started in Heriot and that the original garage, fell monger and grain & seed store are still there. Although the Snipe was delivered in September 1954, there is a possibility that it was manufactured in 1953 or late 1952.
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