DrivingourHistory
“For all Vehicles over 30 years old”
AORANGI - TRICAR
NEWSLETTER OF THE SOUTH CANTERBURY BRANCH OF THE VINTAGE CAR CLUB OF NEW ZEALAND INC.
CLUB ROOMS
19-25 REDRUTH ST. TIMARU SOUTH
Replica
Timaru’s First Car Built by C. W. Wood
May 2025
NOGGIN AND NATTER
First Thursday of the Month
Alistair Day being presented with “the stirring spoon” by Nevin Gough at the Southern Back Rally Adventure Rally. The Rally is Pre 1931 vehicles specific and the stirring spoon is for “Alistair just being Alistair !!!”
Hi Everyone!
It's been a busy month again, with runs, rallies & events attended by many of us, along with our Annual Swap Meet.
Our April 'Noggin & Natter' hosted Michelle BUNT & Lucy MEHRTENS from the SC Road Safety Trust - they addressed us on a variety of matters relating to not only vehicle safety, but road planning/speed limits and agricultural vehiclesa wide-ranging and well received presentation! Appreciated - our thanks Michelle & Lucy!
We also welcomed 2 transferred-in members from Matamata. Scott & Erin WILSON now living in Temuka along with their 1936 Ford sedan. A warm South Canterbury welcome to you both!
Next 'Noggin' is Thursday May 1st at our Club-rooms at 7.30pm. 2 x very interesting guests from No 3 Squadron RNZAF - Flight Lieutenant Andrew STEWART (Stewie), and his wife Nicole (Nix) BROOKE- STEWART. Husband & wife team to talk about their various rescue missions in their roles as NH90 helicopter pilots - Aussie bush fires, Cyclone Gabrielle rooftop rescues, Kaikoura earthquake assistance & more. Should be a great presentation - our thanks to father/ father-in-law Grant for facilitating this!
Swap Meet April 5th was superbly organised by our Swap-Meet committee and was well attended by the wider public, and the day improved after an inclement start. Thanks to those members who assisted on the Fri/Sat with the 'myriad' of tasks required to be done, as well as the clean-up, post the event. Great effort by many for our annual fund-raiser!!
Kevin Manchester organised a well attended mid-week run on 10 Aprilculminated at the Southburn Hall.
Next month, Thursday 5th June is our AGM - 7.30pm at our club-rooms. Nominations are open for all club committee positions - please see Nola or a committee member for a nomination form. It's vital that we continue to 'refresh' our organisation's management personnel v leaving all of the tasks to long-serving members? So please consider putting your name forward to serve our club. We are certainly looking for a bar/club-rooms convener - if you are interested & available, please let us know. Further, if you are not able to fill a committee position, maybe you could be available from time to time, when asked, to assist with the various events each month. I'm especially thinking of our busy Club Captains roles - help with organising & plotting/checking runs and rallies, field tests. Further ahead, the pre-planning required, logistics and tasks ahead for the likes of the upcoming National Motorcycle Rally, to be held here in February 2027. Please have a think about how you might contribute to these....Our Swap Meet committee is also looking for further help on their committee too!
Entry form is out for the 'P' class run for 10 May, End of Season Run is 25 May, All British Day is 1st June, ahead of our AGM that week following!
Plenty happening as we move beyond Daylight Saving and into the cooler months!
Regards
Colin HAWKE
PARTS DEPT REPORT. APRIL 2025
Another Swap Meet over and the trailer unloaded and back in the garage. thanks to those who helped with this before and after the swap meet. Also thanks to John Campbell for towing the trailer out and back from Orari, and to Clive and his American friend Pat who helped man the trailer site with John.
We managed to raise $320.00 from the trailer sales and another $240.00 on the Sunday Morning making a total of $560.00. Well done Team!!!
This month we had another trailer load of parts come from Ruth Campbell's garage.
Maybe that part you were looking for was in this latest lot that came in!
Come on down any Wednesday Morning from 9am till 12 noon.
Barry Smith Parts Manager.
NOGGIN & NATTER, 1st May 7.30pm
Clubrooms, Redruth St Timaru.
SPEAKERS :- Flight LieutenantAndrew Stewart and Nicole Brooke-Stewart No.3 Squadron RNZAF
KITCHEN DUTY :- Chris Chambers & Ross Parker
BAR :- Sandy McMillan
Christopher McLaren
Jody Leitch
SCVCC Website Updates www.southcanterburyvintagecarclub.co.nz
To access other club newsletters go to www.vcc.org.nz scroll to News from our Branches as hard copy newsletters are not mailed out now.
- April newsletter placed up
- Removal of outdated documents
- Events page updated
- Behind the scenes wordpress updates
Upcoming - More stories of various runs, online version of newsletter, information about upcoming events, members vehicles in gallery, Stories and photos from members are ENCOURAGED and can be sent through to website.scvcc@gmail.com
May 8th
May 10th
May 25th
June 1st
June 5th
June 12th
Mid Island Rally Results- 9th March 2025
A V MARTYN TROPHY– Vintage Field Test
Barry Smith
SC VCC CUP– Vintage Time Trial
Chris Chambers
Excelsior Trophy - Vintage Overall
Barry Smith
Commercial Field Tests
Pauline Young
Commercial Time Trial
Pauline Young
SC VCC TROPHY– Commercial Overall
Pauline Young
A V MARTYN TROPHY– Aged Mileage, Oldest Vehicle on Rally
Barry Smith
M& M SMALL TROPHY- PV PWV Field Test
Ross Parker
PV & PWV CERTIFICATE-Time Trial
Tony McGillen
POST 60– Time Trial
Ross Brown
JIM & PAT GEDDES TROPHY– Best Post 60 Overall
Nora Hawke
POST 80 –Time Trial Certificate
Sandy McMillan
KEVIN HAYWARD MEMORIAL TROPHY– Post 80 Overall
Sandy McMillan
Photos of presentations to winners, present at afternoon tea, at Geraldine Vintage Car and Machinery Museum Clubroom.
Mid Island Rally Results- 9th March 2025
Presentations made by Alistair Day
Ross Brown
Tony McGillen
Chris Chambers
Pauline Young
Barry Smith
Sandy McMillan
National Motorcycle Rally February 2027
South Canterbury VCC is hosting this event and is currently looking for someone to take on the position of Secretary for the event.
If you are interested please contact :-
Alistair Day, Rally Director for details. Ph. 0272025007
Email – chevy39@xtra.co.nz
I was gratified to get a call from Graham Pauley following the reference last month to the ledgers donated by Hervey Motors.
Graham worked 2 stints for Hervey’s and helped with the preparation of the 1916 Chev 490 roadster for Russell Hervey to take to the 1972 International Rally. Graham has a lot of knowledge about the company and the people who worked there.
If he could be persuaded to write up an article for the Tricar I am sure members would find it of great interest .
What he was able to enlighten me on was the relationship between Hervey Motors and Horwell Osborn and McBeath. Hervey Motors were the agents for Holden and Chevrolet while HOM were agents for Vauxhall and Bedford. Somewhere in the 70s probably at around the time these ledgers finished, General Motors apparently decided that in New Zeakand, all their brands should be under one roof and effectively Hervey’s took over HOM. Graham recalls that generally the HOM people ended up in subservient roles in the amalgamated firm and there was a certain them and us prevalent in the early period of the new arrangement. I remember a similar thing happened in Invercargill where A Russell and Co and Gormack Wilkes Davidson amalgamated to become GWD-Russells. Russells were a very long established firm going back to the 1910s and sold many Buicks and Chevs in Southland, taking on Holden when they appeared on the scene.
Similar amalgamations occurred elsewhere in NZ.
The Library stall at the Swap Meet was moderately successful principally in getting rid of a large collection of Beaded Wheels spanning about 50 years that I am delighted has found an appreciative owner. If anyone is disappointed about that I still have plenty more BW mags you are welcome to.
Please note that I do NOT need any more (with the exceptions that will shortly follow) so if you are downsizing your stuff please try to find some other means of disposal of them.
Most of the other free stuff disappeared too and we sold a few books and handbooks which provided a modest sum that will go towards purchasing of stationery and other consumables. Now the exception I was talking about.
A quick check revealed that we are missing a number of relatively recent editions as a result of a change in policy by Beaded Wheels on distribution to Branches. This has been sorted out and they are now arriving again. We need copies of the following issues and if anyone who no longer requires them would like to donate them that would be appreciated. The issue numbers are :346,361,364,366,367,372,385, & 387.
Sunday Night Dinner Chat
Part of Living on the beach after the earthquake display Notes from the Library May 2025 by Barry B.
National Executive meeting report by Barry Barnes
Chairman Colin and I attended the March meeting where I thought I was providing moral support for Colin but found I had been registered as Delegate a role I was quite happy to fulfil though its about 50 years since I last did that duty on a regular basis.
Principal area of discussion was around the tweaks to the National Constitution following submissions and recommendations from Branches. It was clear that quite a lot of work has been done in a number of Branches in order to try and get the best document possible.
The proposed changes were traversed and decided upon with much discussion occurring.
One point of contention was whether the Beaded Wheels Editor should be reinstated with a vote on the proposed National Committee and it was finally agreed that should happen.
It is evident that there is still some opposition to the main change of representation of Branches through an area representative as opposed to the direct representation of each Branch having a delegate.
In the end members will be asked to vote by postal ballot on adopting the new Constitution which will happen shortly.
It is imperative that the Club registers a new Constitution before 6 April 2026 or the Club will be deregistered as an Incorporated Society. I asked President George Kear what would happen if the voting did not achieve the requisite 75%, which is a possibility. The meeting was assured that our existing Constitution amended to include only those changes required by the Act would be registered.
Other matters included updates on the purchase of the new National Office property in Meadow Street, Papanui Christchurch which includes an archive building which is adjacent but on a separate title. A useful aspect of this is that should in future membership show a large decline the property could be downsized to reflect the changed needs of the membership.
Andew Lister from LTSA spoke to us on the importance of taking photos and obtaining paperwork to support later efforts to get a vehicle complied. The simple message was document everything possible and encouragingly he said even if you are missing some link somewhere “tell us your story”. It was quite refreshing to have someone in authority who is seemingly on the same page and interesting in achieving a result rather than just saying no.
Garry Jackson from the Federation of Motoring Clubs told us that 12 month warrants are almost a done deal but the sympathetic ministers, originally Simeon Brown and now Chris Bishop were anxious that members do their part and put in supporting submissions. It’s too late now but I hope as many members as possible put in their two bob’s worth.
There is some suggestion that negotiations for 3 year warrants for veterans could be on the cards. It was suggested that 100 years old should be the bench mark but it was pointed out that veterans are a category now currently recognized in legislation and in negotiations it is useful to be able to deal with recognized categories. In all a fruitful meeting.
Cave Hotel, lunch stop
West Coast Scenicland Rally
South Canterbury members Rodger & Barbara Baird, Graham Jarvis & Debbie More and Russell & Margaret Dale met up at Geraldine to travel to Greymouth together. A good trip over with a couple of stops for food and ice-creams. Turned off at Jacksons to go round through Moana. Saturday morning the vehicles started gathering for a briefing and 10am start. 60 entrants and a good variety of vehicles. The route was approx. 240km with no designated stop for lunch so we took a picnic. We all headed off at a leisurely pace enjoying the views. Headed across the bridge and over the hill and inland. Russell and I stopped at Blackball for a wander round the village. A visit to the butcher shop famous for their salami then for an ice-cream which we ate while looking at the outdoor museum. On up to Reefton where we SC members met up for our picnic. A pretty town with their hanging flowering baskets along the main street. The state of the roads on the coast were amazing and not a pothole to be seen. Onto Westport then Hawkes Crag for a photo op of the 3 SC vehicles. Met some hard case Italian chaps who also wanted a photo op in our car! A must stop at Punakaiki for a walk through the rocks (with all the other tourists). The sea too calm for the blowholes. As time was getting short, it was straight back to Greymouth for a quick shower and change ready the dinner/prizegiving held at the Union Hotel which was a short walk from our motel. No prizes at our table but a great rally. Barbara & Rodger had arranged to travel north for a few days and we and Graham & Debbie thought we would come home the long way round through Haast but the weather down the coast turned nasty so straight home. Stopped at Castle Hill for a walk up round the rocks in the sunshine. An excellent rally, quiet roads and great company.
Margaret
120th Anniversary of first vehicle driven to Mount Cook.
5th –7th February 2026
Details to come
Mark your Diaries now
4 6 13
At a gas station my husband watched an older lady fill up her car. As he was wondering whether or not someone her age should still be driving, she pulled up to him, rolled down the window and said, “Excuse me, sir…
My husband walked over, “How can I help you?”
“What year is it?” she asked. Feeling sorry for her, he replied, kindly, “It’s 2025, ma’am.”
The lady looked at him strangely and said, “No, your car. What year is your car?”
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions !!!
Good weather, eventually, good crowd.
Grant Stewart at his site. Been a thirsty day.
Tony McGillen and Ross Walkinshaw waiting for customers.
We had about 20 people on the run which was very pleasing. It was good to see Rodney Don, Peter Nixon and their wives. The run took us down Kellands Hill out to Taiko, up through Cave into Cannington, over the Pareora Gorge, right into Craigmore Valley Road, left into Frenchman’s Gully and back to Southburn Hall for afternoon tea. It was a lovely sunny day, some of us were looking for shade. I suggested we go to a café every second month, which everyone agreed to, so for our next month’s run we will be having afternoon tea at a cfe, which I will be organising.
Kevin Manchester. Co-Club Captain.
Office Bearers 2024-2025
Chairperson: Colin Hawke (Glenys) 6889955/ 027 4896663
Vice Chairperson: Vacant
Immediate past Chairman Alistair Day 027 2025007
Secretary: Pauline Young (Wayne) 6861833/ 027 5399225
Treasurer: Nola Day (Alistair) 027 2035007
Club Captains: Gavin and Michelle Munro
Kevin Manchester (Ngadia) Michelle 021 1726168
Gavin 021 0528264
Kevin 027 5178769
News Letter Editor: Les Rzepecky (Helen) 021 1220011
Clubroom Convener: Sandy McMillan 027 6155150
Parts Shed Manager: Barry Smith (Lynette) 6847405
Librarian: Barry Barnes (Carla) 6885105
IT Officer: Shannon Stevenson 6863263/ 027 2453519
Committee: All of the above
Ross Hamilton (Wendy) 021 2407137
Identification and Certificate: Alistair Day, Colin Hawke. 027 2025007 6889955/ 027 4896663
Swap Meet:
Chairman:
Site Convenor/ Secretary Michelle Munro (Gavin) 6864824/ 021 1726168
Treasurer: Nola Day (Alistair) 027 2035007
Ground Convenor: Barry Smith ( Lynette) 6847405
Committee: Gavin Munro (Michelle) 6864824/ 021 0528264
(Plus all above)
Krystal Munro 027 8567940
Glen Hawkins 027 2076625
Facebook group for the South Canterbury Branch
https://www.facebook.com/groups/southcanterbury.vcc