WelcometothelatesteditionofSpark,ourmainmeansofcommunicationwithinour branch.
Itwasheartwarmingtoseesomanymembers,includingonenewmember,atourlast meeting,despitethecoldanduninvitingevening.
Ihadtothink‘Whyarewethere’?Theshortanswerisbecauseweallhaveacommon interest,plusofcoursethesocialsideofthings.ButIthinkthereismoretobegained suchaslearningaboutotherpeople’sstrugglewithaprojectorthehistorybehindour cars/motorcyclesfromaveryrecentperiodinhistoryaswellasthepreservationof thathistory,beforethegloom-mongersstopourloveandpassionforallthings transport.
Aftertheformalpartofthemeetingwasover,weweretreatedtothelastofour RestorationoftheYearfinalist’sstoryofhisvehicle.Itwasn’tjustaboutthestoryof GeorgeMcLeanandhisJeep,itwasthehistorybehindthisiconicvehicle,andhowit playedsuchasignificantpartinWorldWar2andbeyond.EvenasaRadioHam,the radioequipmenthehasinstalledhadastoryrelatingtohisvehicle
Wewillbehavingmorespeakersatourmeetings,andwearebookedupforthenext fewmonths,theymaynotallbeaboutcars!!
Onamoreseriousnote,werecentlylostthewife,Louis,oflongstandingmember DonMcIntyre.Agroupofusjoinedalargegroupoffamilyandfriendsforthe celebrationofherlife.Iamsurethatthoseofyouwhocouldn’tattendwilljointhe clubinofferingDonourcondolencesandanyhelphemayneedintheweeksand monthstocome.
JustwhenyouthoughtthatIwouldn’tmentionthesecretary,orlackof,wemayandI saythattentatively,haveapossiblevolunteerWatchthisspaceThenImaynolonger havetodealwiththeNigerianprincess’sandtheirmillionsofdollarsonofferandthe travelagentstryingtoconnectus!!!!
Finally,Ihopethatyouareallkeepingthewinterbugsatbayandstayingwarmand dry,notlonguntilSpring,Seeyouallatthenextmeeting.
ItwasanotherexcellentturnoutofmemberstoourAugustClubNight.There wasanewmemberinattendance,andheintroducedhimself,andtherewerea fewmemberswhohavebeenawayforsometime,andhadcomealongforthe night.
GeorgeMcLeangaveusaveryinterestingpresentationontherestorationof his1942WillysJeep.Georgebeganwiththehistoryandtheneedforavehicle toreplaceWorldWar1versionsstillinexistence,andthecallfromthe Americangovernmentin1940fortendersforsupplyoflightreconnaissance vehiclestomeetthemilitarystandardsrequiredoftheday.Georgewent throughthetenderprocessandhowthreecompanieswereselectedincluding Ford,AmericanBantamCarCo,andWillys-Overland.
BantameventuallywonthecontractbasedontheAustin7Chassis,however withastaffofonly12,andwithlimitedcapabilitiestomanufacturethe numberofvehiclesrequired,themilitarydecidedthatthecontractbe withdrawnandwenttoWillysinstead.
Georgepurchasedhisjeepapprox.12yearsagofromapersoninStokes Valleywhereithadbeensittingbehindagaragefor10years,andhadnot beenontheroad.Theymanagedtofinallystartitandtookitforadrive. Brakeswereaproblem,andhehaddifficultytryingtomakeitstop,but GeorgetookithometoPetonewhereitsatforawhile,andwhenhedecided tomovetoLevin,heactuallydroveitfromPetonetoPekaPekawhereitdied. Aftersomeroad-siderepairs,hegotitgoingagainanddrovetherestofthe journeytoitsnewhome.
GeorgecarriedoutafullrestorationoftheJeep,anditisafineexampleofthe model,anditisoneof320,000Willysjeepsmanufactured.Beingahamradio operatorGeorgehasalsoinstalledauthenticradiogearinthevehicle.
George’sjeepservedintheUSMarinesPacificcampaign,andscoreda Japanesebulletholeinthesidewhichisstillthere.Also,aspartofitshistory, GeorgehaskepttheofficialMarinenumberspaintedontheside. Herebuiltallthemechanicals.Theenginewasok,howevertransmission, brakes,bearingsetc,requiredrepairsandreplacement.Incidentallytheword JeepisbelievedtohaveoriginallycomefromthelettersGPmeaningGeneral Purpose.
OurJulyGarageRaidwastoMurrayHorn’senginereconditioningworkshop inLevin.Murrayistryingtoretire,finishingoffjobsthathehadinthe workshop,anditwasanopportunitytoseehismachines:lathes,millers, honers,etcandafewenginesbeingreconditioned.Ofparticularinterestwas hisbrother’sprojectconvertingaModelTtorunningElectric.Onshowwere afewofhisvehiclesincludingaFordV8Pickup,aFordV8sedananda Series3LandRover,alongwithaModelAfourdoorSaloon,aMassey Fergusontractor,andBSAMotorcycle.WethankMurrayforopeninguphis garagetous.
TheDayNightOwlRallywasahugesuccesswith20carsentered.41 membersenjoyeda90kmrunstartingfromtheAdventurePlaygroundin centralLevin,atourouttoWaitarereBeachtoseeallthenewsubdivisions, andcruisethroughShannonuptotheMangahoePowerStationviewingthe canoeslalomcoursesestablishedinthe1950s,andreturningtotheclubrooms forabigbreakfast.
Winnerswere1stKen&AnnetteFootHumber80 2ndAndrewJuddandLindaGallagherMazda626
3rdJohnHemmingwayandhisdaughterTerriinTriumph2.5 Thescoresweresoclosethisyear,thatitcamedowntorecollectinghow manyspeedhumpsthattheyhadgoneoverduringtherallytodecidethe winners.
TheKapitiMid-weekRunwaswellattendedbyapprox.60members,who assembledattheHorowhenuaVCCClubRoomsforapresentationbyThree Wellingtonbranchmemberswhoattendedthe1965HaastInternationalRally. Thisinterestingpresentationwasabouthowthreeyoungmendecidedtoenter theRallyandhadoneyeartopurchaseandrestoreasuitablevehicleintime fortherally.Apileofbitstoa1923ItalianAnsaldowaspurchasedandthe threecarriedoutayear-longrestorationofthevehicletohaveitready.With oneweektogo,andhavingjustobtainedaWoFatiminggearbrokeinthe caranditcouldnotberepairedintimetoheaddownsouth.Theydecidedto goanywayinaborrowedcar,andformedpartoftheVolunteersTeam, marshallingandalsonavigatedforsomedrivers.
ThecarwaseventuallysoldandmanyyearslateritwasadvertisedinBeaded Wheels,andyouwouldnotbelieveit,itwasanotherpileofbitsonatrailer. Thecartookthenewowner30yearsthistimetorestore,andisafineexample nowresidinginCanterbury.
DaffodilDayisnotfarawaynow,andonSunday24thAugustwehave combinedwithManawatuVCCtorunanevent.Ihaveplottedatouringroute leavingfromtheclubroomsinTiroTiroRoadat11am,headingforFeilding viaFoxton,passingthroughRongotea,topickupanymembersalongthe journey.WewilleventuallymeetatthecarparkoppositeManfeildgatesat
approximately12.30pmandthenproceedtogetherintotheCoachHousecar parkwhichisonthecornerofSouthStreetandKawaKawaRoad.Parkingin thecarparkwillbetightandwewillberequiredtobunchuptogether representingHorowhenuaBranch.Bringwithyouflags,banners,decorations, etc.andapicniclunch.
Atapproximately2.00pmtherewillbea2hourrallyfinishingatthe ManawatuClubroomsaround4pmforafternoonteaandprizegiving.Last yearwastheirlargestdisplayandturnoutever,sohopingforthesamethis year.Thereisa$10.00donationrequiredpervehicle.
ComingupwehaveaFunQuizDayChallengewiththeMorrisEnthusiasts ClubhereattheclubroomsSunday21stSeptemberat10am.Therewillbe advertisinginSpark,andJuliewillkeepyouallinformed.So,getyourteams andthinkingcapstogethernow.
SulphurCityRallyinRotoruaiscomingupon30thAugust,andthisisalways agreatrally.
Saturday6thSeptemberisFathers’DayandthedayafteristheCentral HawkesBay3rdVintageRallyinWaipukurau,assemblyat10.45amfor11am briefingandstart.BYOlunchandthecompetitivepartoftherallybeginning 1.30pmfinishingfordinnerandpresentations.Entriesareontheboard.
ComingupisManawatu’sVintageOnlyRallyon20thand21stSeptember. Thisisatwo-dayevent,howeveryoucanalsojustenteronedayeventaswell. Thechoiceisyours.YouwillfindentriesinthiseditionofSparkandonthe boardintheclubrooms.
Ifyourequireanyinformationorentryformsforaparticularevent,pleasedo nothesitatetocontactme,andIwilldomybesttosendyouanentryor contactperson.
Finally,IwouldliketojustmentiontheVeroInternationalFestivalof Motoringforthelasttime.Entriesclose31stAugust25.Thefestivaltakes placeovertheweek15thMarch26to21stMarch26.Ifyouintendenteringyou wouldneedtoenternowasafterthe31stAugustitwillcostafurther$200to enter.
ThenumberofBranchesrepresentedisnow34outof36branchesandsofar wehavethreevehiclesattendingfromHorowhenua.
That’sitfromme,untilnexttime,keepthatoildripping BreakingNews:
CalluminformsmethattheManawatuClassicMotorcycleClubMotorcycle Showisontheweekend16th&17thAugust.Saturday10amto6pm,and Sunday9amto4pmattheBarberHall,WaldegraveStreetPalmerstonNorth.
SpeakerforSeptember
OnWednesday3rdSeptemberwewillhaveapresentationby GaryScott,whoisgoingtotellusallabouthis1958Cadillac.
NewClubMembers
OnenewfaceatJulyclubnightbelongedtoJohnCamm,who hasavarietyofvehicles.Wehopetoseeyouagainnextmonth.
SadlyMissed
LouisMacIntyre,wifeofDon,passedawayon1stAugust.They havebeenmemberssince2010,andthoughintheir90s, regularlyattendedclubmeetings,infactwesawthemjustlast month.WepassonourcondolencestoDonandhisfamily.
Recovering
AdaHunthadahead-oncollisionwithacow.Whileinthe milkingshed,thecowslippedontheicysurface,andAdawas caughtintheway.Shegotquiteknockedabout,butwehearthat sheisonthemend.
PeterNightingalehadafewdaysinhospital,butisbackhome againandalliswell.
CoverPicture
SunbeamAlpinewasintroducedin1959withafourcylinder engineof1600cccapacity.“Sportingperformance”became evenmoresportingwhenAmericanCarollShelbyfitteda4.2 litreFordV8underthebonnetandcalledit“Tiger”.
Wehavereceivedanumberoflargecartonsfullofbooks,some ofwhichmusthavebeenratherexpensivewhennew.Onethat standsoutisahistoryofPackard,a2”thickvolumethatweighs about2kg,andisencasedinitsownspecialbox. Whenyoustandbackandlookatourcollectionyourealisewhat awonderfulassetitistoourclub.
Breakfastisserved. (Morelikeabanquet,really)
GregandJane’sgrand-daughter, Lydia,helpedwiththecatering.
