A more than usually boring Chairman’s Report. Since Christmas, we’ve had a really active couple of months. Starting in January, with the Picnic Run on the 18th and the Tuesday Ramble on the 28th , then, in February, the Model T Convention on the 14th & 15th, the Festival Rally on the 22nd and the Tuesday Ramble on the 25th .
In March, by the time you read this, we will have had the Branch Run on the 15th and the Swap Meet on the 16th, with the TuesdayRamble coming up on the 25th. So, no excuse for not getting out there and enjoying a day’s motoring on our country roads.
Thanks to Katy and John Parish for putting together a really good Festival Rally and to all those who worked away quietly in the background. I did enjoy traveling on roads that I’d never been on before.
Murray Proctor
by Star McDougall
Supplied
From the Editor’s Keyboard
Plenty of reading for you all again in this issue of The Wiper. I’m pleased (and relieved!) that many writers have heeded my calls for material. There are two reports on the Picnic Run, one from the organiser, Rod Bell, and one from Rhonda Wilson. KeithNunn &BillSheddansharetheir experiences on the Dunedin to Brighton Run and Bill & Annette Ainge give a brief account of the Southland Branch’s 70th Anniversary Rally. Diana Rickerby and Murray Proctor both provided their views on the Tuesday Ramble and, last but not least,PaulKatontellsusagreat storyabout his first car. Ahuge “Thank you” to all of them!
Potential contributors often tell me that they are “no good at writing”, or they “can’t spell”. Neither of those is a problem as I am very happy to sort out spelling and “polish” a story a little (if it needs it) so, don’t be shy, do as this month’s contributors did and just go for it!
As I said at this month’s meeting, if you have sent me something and not got a reply, it means I haven’t received it as I acknowledge everything sent to me. Check the emailaddress you’ve used (myemail is on the inside back cover every month) or, if you’ve used New Zealand Post, start praying!
Happy reading!
David North
BRAINTEASER
Q: If tomorrow I tell you that the day before yesterday was Saturday, what day is it today?
Answer next month
Answer to last month’s Brainteaser
Q. Why is the letter "F" similar to death?
A. Because without it, life becomes a lie.
The 3 Stages of Life
Wanting stuff
Accumulating stuff
Getting rid of stuff
Sent in by Stewart Quertier
2025 ‘Picanic Basket’Run
The briefing (photo by the Editor)
The day of the event dawned, thankfully, with hints of a great weather day ahead and twelve Club-eligible vehicles fronted for the Run. A brief briefing was held and then participants were sent on their merry way at minute intervals. Instructions provided were vaguely detailed to not give too much away too early as to the whereabouts of the venue for our picnic.
Roads covered some hilly bits, some straight bits, some curvy bits and apologetically, some gravelly bits (10 miles of gravelly bits the organiser was educatedly informed). I did apologise most profusely to participants for this slight glitch. I had not had a chance to peruse the proposed route and had a ‘senior moment’ and forgot about the gravel section. I did offer to remove myself fromplanning future runs but was informed by some that I needed to continue planning runs until I get them correct!
Our lunch venue looked out over an estuary within which we were able to observe some local yokels collecting shellfish, swimming in the receding waters, or riding push bikes on the sand. Once peoples had consumed their repasts, we all gathered for the results of the riddle quiz that was part of the run activity. Some amusing answers were supplied for questions and an eventual winner was revealed. Who? Ask about at a meeting and you may find out. Prizes for winners were distributed, and a wee treat was presented to all who participated.
Thanks to all those who participated - and remembered and maintained their sense of humour. I had an enjoyable day which made the planning worth the effort.
Rod Bell
(Photos on this page by Rhonda Wilson)
Picnic Run Saturday 18th January
Arrived at the Clubrooms ona nice sunnyday, beautiful for our Picnic Run. Fifteencars inall, parked up, readyandwaiting. Rod Bellgaveusabriefing and explained the Quiz for us on the back of our instruction sheet.
Evan Henderson and I were first away in the Jag, off we went down the main road, over the bridge, up Diamond Peak on to Pukerau. Up State Highway 1 to Clinton, turning at the “Watering Hole” and heading up the Clinton Gorge.
Next instruction “turn left Owaka Valley Road” ……Oh dear, no sign for ‘Owaka Valley Road’ But one for Owaka so we turned left. We continued on and found a signpost further down with ‘Owaka Valley Road’, OK we are on the right track! We both discussed that we were sure there is a lot of GRAVEL on this road.
Sure enough OH DEAR!! and gravel there was, potholes you could get LOST in, not to mention the new gravel / rock that made it verydifficult to drive on especially for those that met traffic coming the other way. Evan managed to negotiate this and we came into Owaka, turned left and carried on up to the Pounawea turn off to Royal Terrrace. Name on sign hardly readable but we did see it.
Onto Pounawea, turned left at theTand parked uponthegrassoverlooking the estuary and out to the sea. We were shortly joined by other cars and set up to have our picnic lunch in the sunshine.
Agreat afternoon and some friendly banter, Rod got a bit of S…. over the gravel and he did apologise. (Moral of the story is… don’t do your route on Google unless you drive it and check it!)
Matt & Ryder Cook
The answers to the quiz were given and there was some good ones, Matt Cook and his son Ryder from Edendale won the Quiz.
Rod gave us all a candy cane sweet treat for our journey home. There was many “Thanks for a Great Day”!
We chose to come home down the Southern Scenic Route and home through Wyndham, with a stop for a huge (small) ice cream at the Wyndham Dairy.
Thank you Rod, even though you got a stir up ….What a great run and an awesome day! Thoroughly enjoyed it!
Rhonda Wilson
Dunedin to Brighton Veteran Rally
Bill Sheddan (driving) and I (navigating) completed the 71st Rally on January 25th in Bill’s Saxon, with another 25 veteran cars, ranging in date from 1900 to 1914 participating. It was an early start to get to Dunedin in time to assemble at First Church.
A smart little Model T Raceabout at the Octagon
Along with the Herron and Katon cars we proceeded to the Octagon where the cars were on display for the public to see. The route to the Brighton Domain took us up and down the hills via MacLaggan Street, Serpentine and Hawthorne Avenues to Kaikorai Valley Road and Green Island.
An early Triumph motorcycle, the only bike entered, which scooped all the bike prizes, three cups and four certificates
Keith and the Saxon
A smart Mark 1 Zephyr at the field tests
Before lunchthe field tests wereheld – an interesting one was hitting tennis balls with a hockey stick into buckets lying on their sides.
Navigator Keith missing the bucket targets
Lynne Herron honing her reversing skills
Paul Herron receiving the Bill Sheddan receiving the first in field tests certificate third overall certificate
Back in Dunedin we went to the Edgar Centre for the Prize-giving Dinner. Bill and I won third overall, which was a pleasing result for bothdriver and navigator and Paul & Lynn Herron won the field tests.
Another enjoyable day with Bill in the Saxon.
Keith Nunn (the words) and Bill Sheddan (all but one of the photos)
Southland Rally 2025 - 70th Anniversary Rally
This Rally, with 59 entries, commenced from the corner of Kelvin Street and Victoria Avenue, the Jessie Calder Garden. From here we travelled through Queens Park and, owing to good publicity of the event, there was a lot of public interest with people lining the road through the park to our exit on Herbert Street. Our route then took us westwards, skirting Winton, through Fairfax and on to our destination, Riverton.
Following our lunch break, marshals conducted three Field Tests – a new one to us was a timed slalom, up and back – interesting.
Then it was back to the Clubrooms for a social time, evening meal and prize-giving. Also, our South Island Club Captain was in attendance to present threeSouthland memberswiththeir 50-year Badges: GerryPethick, David Calvert and Ron Irwin, their wives received bouquets.
Gore members attending were Paul & Lynne Herron in the Ford Model T, Star McDougall & Julia Evans in the Chevrolet and Bill & Annette Ainge in the AustinA30, each receiving mementos for their efforts on the day.
(Bill with his awards)
Bill and AnnetteAinge
Results taken from the Southland Branch website
WilliamAinge, 1955 Austin A30
Overall Winner of the Rally, NZAutomobileAssociation Plate
Best Performance by anAustin, NZ Motor Corporation Trophy
Post War Time Trial 2
Post War Field Test 2
Star McDougall, 1932 Chevrolet Confederate Sedan
Post Vintage Time Trial 1
Post Vintage Field Test 2
Paul Herron, 1911 Ford Model T
Veteran Field Test 1
Veteran Time Trial 2
Veteran Concours, Herman Trophy
The Editor
In New Zealand History This Month
29 April 1881
131 perish in worst civilian shipwreck in New Zealand waters
The steamer Tararua, en route from Port Chalmers to Melbourne, struck a reef at Waipapa Point, Southland. Of the 151 passengers and crew on board, 131 were lost, including 12 women and 14 children.
The Tararua grounded only about a kilometre from shore, but would-be rescuers could not reach the stricken vessel because of high seas. Most of those who perished were washed overboard and drowned. The Court of Inquiry into the tragedy concluded that the ‘negligent failure’ of Able Seaman Weston to ‘keep a proper look-out’ was the immediate cause of the grounding, but that the ‘wreck and loss of life’ was largely due to the master, Francis Garrard, failing to ‘accurately ascertain the ship’s position’ in the hour before it struck the reef.
The worst shipping disaster in New Zealand waters remains the loss of HMS Orpheus on 7 February 1863, when 189 of the 259 naval and army personnel on board perished after the vessel grounded on the bar at the entrance to Manukau Harbour, Auckland.
If you want to see a report in The Wiper please provide one yourselves or organise somebody to do it for you. (N.B. This works best if you ask them before the event!)
Email version of The Wiper
The Wiper is also available by email, either as a link to an online version or as a pdf file. The pictures are in colour, it arrives earlier, (most of) the hyperlinks work – and it saves the Branch money!
Please contact the Editor
5th April Swap Meet & Bazaar, South Canterbury Branch
10th – 13th April
11th – 18th April
18th – 20th April
George Begg Festival, Teretonga Park: https://www.georgebeggfestival.nz/
South Island Club Captain’s Tour. Enquiries to: Mark Wilkinson, email sicc@vcc.org.nz
National South Island Easter Rally. Enquiries to: essexontheroadagain@gmail.com
18th – 20th April 30th NZ National Morris Minor Convention, Timaru
18th – 20th April
Wheels at Wanaka: https://www.wheelsatwanaka.co.nz/
26th April Arrowtown Golden Times Rally Central Otago Branch
3rd May Swapmeet, Ashburton Branch 2026
15th – 21st March Vero International Festival of Historic Motoring The Branch AGM will be held during the June monthly meeting. All Committee and Officer positions are open for nominations. Nomination forms areincludedwiththisissue. As
Tuesday
Ramble
29th April
10.30 am: meet at clubrooms
11.00 am: depart for Winton
Noon: meet at The Top Pub, Winton for lunch -order off the menu
1.30 pm Visit Olly Olsen to view progress onhis Bedfordtruck plus look around his impressive garage Plus may have another garage to visit Numbers before 24th April for catering
Contact Gerry 027 233 4634
9 April ·
In Welsh History This Month
Born this day 1939 in Ynysddu, Monmouthshire, Ricky Valance
Born David Spencer. He was a popular singer best remembered for the song 'Tell Laura I Love Her', which was a number one hit in 1960 and sold over a million copies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qfcwh917dz4
Adapted from https://www.facebook.com/TheHistoryOfWales/
Sent in by Donna North
Festival
Rally Results (Report to come next month)
Supplied by Katy Parish
February Tuesday Ramble (1)
It was a very wet start to our Tuesday Ramble. We all gathered indoors for a chat and a catch-up before departing for Niagara at 10.30am. We headed down to Edendale where we turned off to go up Seaward Road, the rain had stopped at this point and we were hopeful for it to remain so. Turned into Mataura Island Road, the weather still looked promising. At Fortrose the sunwas shining, and what a difference it makes to the day. Fifteen cars in total arrived at the Niagara Falls Café – hope no one was missing!
A few of the cars at the Café
Lunch was just extraordinary – 33 attendees, and they all walked in through the drafting gate just fine, but struggled with exiting.
The gardens and grounds at the Café are just beautiful, and the mosscovered fence just needs to be seen.
After lunch we went off to the Edgeof the WorldArt Exhibition. It was an interesting varietyof arts - paintings, photography, sculptures, resin work, flax weaving, pottery, and probably lots I haven’t mentioned.
It was worth the visit. From here we all departed our own way home, thankful that the weather continued to play ball.
Diana Rickerby
For Sale
Jokes from Gerry Kennedy
Dead budgie. Not going cheap.
I put a pair of glasses on and suddenly saw a fella in a suit of armour. They were knight vision goggles.
February Tuesday Ramble (2)
On the 25th of February we gathered at the Clubrooms at around 10.00am for a 10.30 departure. We motored at our leisure to the Niagara Falls Café for a rather nice buffet lunch and dessert. There was plenty of food with quite a bit left over, so, no excuse for leaving hungry.
The café (photo by the Editor)
After lunch we travelled onto Waikawa for a lookat the Edge of the World Art Exhibition. I bought nothing although there was a couple of landscapes that I quite liked (way out of my price range though). From the exhibition wewent over totheWaikawaMuseum, but it wasshut. Wethought ofgoing home via Curio Bay but in the end we retraced our route and went straight home on the seal. A good day out, a nice lunch and some interesting art. Some I didn’t understand but I guess that’s art. Thanks Gerry.
Acouple ofweeks later I was showna fanbelt, or, I should say, the remains of a fan belt that decided to destroy itself on the way home from Waikawa. Not quite bad enough to immobilise them, which was just as well, because Tommy said that because modern fashion doesn’t include pantyhose, he would have had no replacement.
My first car gave me independence and the sense of freedom to go whenand where-ever I wanted. I have wondered if others felt the same way as I did. For instance, when my son first got his licence and we gave our old Toyota to him, I thought to myself, “I wonder if he thought the same way I did?” But when I asked him where he was going on his first trip byhimself, he informed me it was to the local golf course to play with his mates. I remember sighing to myself, “That’s boring, maybe it's because he didn't have to build his first car, or maybe because it was just a Toyota!”
Here’s a story about my first car and the excitement of getting her going and travelling far and wide to new destinations. And I hope it encourages others to share stories of their first car.
About age13my father gave mea1951FordPrefect (eyeroll) minusengine and a few other things. Body was tidy, straight and had a dark green coat of paint (brush-painted) with gold pinstriping and gold painted wheels (very flash). The interior was original and in good nick. Luckily, my grandfather had an engine that I could have but it had been in a boat and had the marine manifold etc., also he didn't know the condition of the engine. With that I started making a list of parts I needed, like a radiator, manifold, carburettor, generator, front engine mount and a 6-volt battery.
As you can imagine the funds of a 13-year-old were very limited, but my friend across the street said his grandfather stillused a Prefect to goto work and would probably have some spare parts. So on our bikes and off we went. I managed to get a radiator, manifold and generator for the swapping of a rust-free boot lid that I had (I was going to fit it to mine as that was the only rusted part on my car.) I found out later that finding a rust-free boot lid was as rare as hens’teeth. I also managed to pick some parts off one of my father's mates that had a couple of wrecked ones in his backyard.
Now that I had what I thought was everything I needed to be mobile the lessons were about to begin. To start with I must inform readers that I was probably about 14 at this time and I knew everything!! To the point where the old man would say I was a pig-headed sh*t and would have to learn the hard way. Huh what would he know?
First job - swapping over the manifold, front mount, generator and removal of the marine gearbox and fitting a secondhand clutch and pressure plate. Simple stuff aye.
Then came the time to fit the powerhouse into the car. The floor board was removed to have access to the bellhousing bolts. Now I struggled for hours trying to get it to mate to the gearbox, being pig-headed and not asking for advice, I managed to finda longer bolt andstartedonethreadoff, tightening the bolt until bang! It had brokenoffabout 3 inches ofthe gearbox housing. I thought shit what am going to do?? Secretly I rang one of dad's friends who was a mechanic. He asked if I had lined the clutch plate up, I replied, “Sort of..” He said “sort of” may not be good enough. Sure enough, after following his instructions, I correctly lined up the clutch plate, tightened the pressure plate, had another look with the eyecometer, lowered the engine in and she slid straight in. Yahoo!
The next few days were spent fitting all the bits that I didn't know were missing and all the little bits I had until the evening came for the big start up. Dad’s mechanic friend was present as he had taken a little interest in my project and had been giving me advice along the way. Well, we finally got her to run - well sort of run, after swinging madly on the crank handle because the battery had given up. Jack turned to me and said, “You have a burnt valve lad.”
So, out with the engine again, head off and there it was, a burnt exhaust valve. With Jack's advice, I set about removing thevalves, sourcing another valve and lapping them in and setting the valve clearances with the old man’s shearing gear grinder. Jack heated the head gasket with the blow torch my Dad used for for bending the teeth of the shearing combs. Fitting the head and learning to torque the bolts down evenly, engine back for the third time (I was getting quite good at it by this stage) time to have another go. The battery was charged up and she fired right up. With some fine tuning of the timing and idle mixture, I was ready for my first drive. Just around the block I won’t go any further I promise! (No warrant or rego!) Reverse out the drive - all good, first gear - all good, second gear - no bl**dy second gear!!!! Now I still wonder to this day what sort of hp did the original engine put out to blow second gear???? Surely more than the 10 I was playing with!
Anyway, out with the engine again and then the gearbox. Sourced another gearbox from the backyard of dad’s mate’s place. Took the top off and had a look inside, looked in good nick so in it went and then the engine went back in - again!! At least the new gearbox didn't have the broken bellhousing now. I didn't think I would ever have her roadworthy by time I turned 15 and had my licence. Turned out I hadn't, so went for my licence in the old man’s Holden (embarrassing driving something GM).
Anyway after freeing up seized brakes and changing a few bulbs for the lights, off to the Post Office to register my Prefect as a new vehicle in my name (as the rego had lapsed), then round to Darrell Soper’s garage for a warrant, which she flew through. He did caution me on the brakes though, he said to tighten them up a bit as it seemed at times you went faster when you should be slowing down. The trouble was big boots and the brake and accelerator pedal being too close together!
NowI was mobile witha few fast laps aroundthe block(well fast in Prefect terms) with my younger brother standing on the running board holding on to the drip rail with his fingertips seeing if she would go on two wheels round the corners. Just as well Mum never seen us! And I must say, in the many miles I done in her she kept her original doorhandles (eye roll haha!)
The freedom and independence - what a feeling! Brother: “have you been to Lawrence?” “No, where's that?” “I don't know!” “Let's go then!” That was what it was like, if it wasn't my brother or my cousin with me, I was off on adventures by myself. Great memories. That first year I done so many miles that I burnt another valve, but by this stage I had purchased a reconditioned engine at a clearing sale, so while one engine was in, the other had the valves ground ready to go for next time.
Winter mornings was the worst for starting to get to work, so often I would have to hand crank her to get to work on time. Or driving late at night with the windshield freezing over with the vacuum wipers not managing to do
their job. Or after work a mate and I went for a quiet drive over to Owaka, leaving at closing time and part way home having to stop for a comfort stop. I pulled over too far into the water table and she started to tip over, till my mate opened the door so it dug into the bank to keep us upright!
I had many years driving that little car, learnt a lot along the way as well. I did have plans on fitting a Pilot V8 in her at one stage, but sanityprevailed.
I sometimes wonder if she has survived somewhere. I lost track of her after I sold her to a chap complete with a burnt valve and he has since passed on. I catch myself smiling every time I see one puttering down the road.
That’s the story of my first car, what’s yours?
Paul Katon
[My first car was a 1955 Ford Prefect! Ed.]
Spotted by Donna North, on the “Grownups” Facebook page
REMINDERS
FOR SALE & WANTED ADVERTISEMENTS ARE FREE to Club members. Advertisements will be published in three consecutive issues. Please contact the Editor.
The Branch receives commission if you insure your vehicle(s), boat(s), house(s), contents or travel with Vero Insurance and quote the Branch number (300135).
https://vcc.org.nz/vero-vcc-insurance-scheme/
Gore Branch VCC name badges: are available to order by contacting the Branch Chairman (cellphone 027 649 1377).
N.B. If you’re not wearing one at a meeting you will attract the Sheriff’s attention and are likely to be fined!
You are very welcome to come on Branch runs in your modern.
Join the VCC online at https://vcc.org.nz/how-to-join/
Both Bluebridge and Interislander Ferries offer discounts to VCC members: https://vcc.org.nz/membership-benefits/
To Let: the Gore Branch Clubrooms are available to VCC members for personal functions at very reasonable cost.
Newsletters from other Branches are posted on the VCC Website each month. Go to: https://vcc.org.nz/news-from-our-branches/
They are also sent to each Branch by email and can be obtained on request from the Secretary or the Editor.
GORE BRANCH BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER
The Branch bank account number is 03-0915-0246885-00
Please put your name and the reason for the payment in the details boxes. Thank you. The Treasurer Thank you. The Treasurer
ADVERTISEMENTS
FOR SALE
(From Mike Bryan, Nelson Branch)
An old school mate of mine in Dunedin is having to downsize to a new house, with a single garage, and he URGENTLY needs to dispose of his retirement project, that he never quite got back on to, onlyrecently retiring, and now having a few health issues, too!
He's had this old girl stored in Central Dunedin for 40-odd years and she would make a good Irishman’s car or if the final bits of restoration were completed she could join the March 2026, Vero Festival of Historic Motoring here in Nelson. Sadly, the registration has not been kept up, but I think the paper trail will still exist.
1925 DODGE TOURER
Goodhood, newhood bows,newtyres, fullyassembled, motorfreelyturns, upholstery good. Completely assembled, near drive away car! Very little work required to have a very popular usable vintage! I think she was finished in black [many years since I saw her]. My friend's new house is being built now, so he requires to sell the DODGE very urgently, before he moves.
He is open to offers around $15,000, price negotiable for a quick sale. Please ring Tony Stevely, 021 045 3533. (And please spread the word amongst your motoring friends!)
FOR SALE
Shed clearance – offers invited for a trailer load of Plymouth parts, including a motor in need of work, two engine blocks, sundry other items and a Dodge radiator surround with badge. Parts can be viewed by contacting Garry Mulqueen on 03 208 9232 2/3
1952 Austin Sheerline
6-cylinder, 4-litre, manual gearbox, 4-door sedan. Current WOF & Rego. 125,000 miles. Interior: walnut dashboard & leather seating original. Restored in ex condition through 1996. Good history kept over the years of service.
Many spare parts available. Located in Gore, Southland. $40,000 ono.
Contact Nancy: tel 027 310 9105 or email nancy.stronach@xtra.co.nz
Tailpiece
Run reports, articles of interest, photos, technical tips, letters and feedback are always welcome.
The Wiper is usually distributed on or around the last Tuesday of each month
Please send all contributions to David North before the 3rd Wednesday of each month for inclusion in the next issue of The Wiper
If you don't have a computer I can get a hand-written article typed up or put your notes or jottingsinto shape for The Wiper. If you prefer I can even take notes as you talk to me and write up the story for you - I am always ready to help so just let me know how!
e-mail: northd14@gmail.com
physical and mail: 4 Trotter Street, Riverton 9822
telephone (mobile) 021 172 3281
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The opinions and statements in The Wiper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policy or views of the Gore Branch or of the VCC. The Branch accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any statements. The Wiper is printed by I-Cue 10 Wood Street, Invercargill Telephone (03) 218 3350
