NEWSLETTER OF THE SOUTH CANTERBURY BRANCH OF THE VINTAGE CAR CLUB OF NEW ZEALAND INC.
February 2026
CLUB ROOMS 19-25 REDRUTH ST. TIMARU SOUTH
NOGGIN AND NATTER First Thursday of the Month
Replica Timaru’s First Car Built by C. W. Wood
“For all Vehicles over 30 years old”
Under the shade of the Old ???? Trees. Fairlie,1st January 2026.
The 2026 New Year is well underway and already our club has a couple of activities...
Our annual attendance in Fairlie for the Mackenzie C & W Society Parade was very well supported this year with up to 30 vehicles and 1 motorcycle attending. A sizeable group had lunch behind the campgrounds, whilst around 10 of us others lined the main street in support of the parade. A great effort thanks. The recipient of the Rosebowl Trophy for the 'best exhibit in the VCC section' was Robert WOOD from Canterbury, in a superbly presented 1904 curved dash Oldsmobile.
Sunday 18th January saw the Ladies Run well organised again by Kevin & Ngadia Manchester. The end venue was outdoors beside the Southburn Presbyterian church, adjacent to the hall. A history of the church and a view inside was provided for our members too. A very good turnout of 18 vehicles for this 1pm event, with Les Rzepecky deemed the worthy winner of the 'coveted pinny' for his efforts in the 'High Tea' preparation & presentation....
Coming up:
*'Noggin & Natter' Thursday 5th February - 7.30pm at our clubrooms. Reporting back by our Kyle Park sub-committee on their investigations and enquiries into the earlier invitation from Kyle Park principles for us to consider an option to potentially join them at Kyle Park in some shape or form in the future. An important topic, so please attend if you can. Q & A to follow after the presentation.
*Sunday 15th Feb - annual Chairman's Run. Assemble at our clubrooms from 9.30am with departure around 10.30am to our intended venue. (You will need your own hot water, seating, and lunch).
*SCVCC OPEN DAY Saturday 21st Feb at our clubrooms & Parts Dept. Cars & M/ C's needed for display please and we usually put on a BBQ too...10am - 2pm.
That's all from me for now and I look forward to seeing many of you at our February 5th 'Noggin & Natter".
Best regards
Colin HAWKE Chair
PARTS
DEPT. REPORT JANUARY. 2026
Happy New year to everyone!!
A new year, so we all have made those 'new year resolutions to do better this year!' (yea' right)
All things normal down this way, with parts to sort and shelve.
Anything from various heads such as Ford V/8 pilot x2, to Chev. Blue Flame x2. Plus many other makes and models.
One complete Honda Accord 1.6litre engine, auto with 248,225 kms. Many Oil Bath type Air Filters.
Head Gaskets, (some full sets) Other gaskets all types.
Generators, Starter Motors, Distributors, Ignition points and Spark Plugs.
Just a small sample of items on hand.
Start your new year project with a browse around our Parts Dept.
Open each Wednesday from 9am to 12noon
Barry Smith, Parts Manager.
NOGGIN & NATTER,
5th February 2026
7:30pm
Clubrooms, 19 Redruth Street Timaru.
Speaker:-
Presentation by the Kyle Park Sub-committee
The presentation is to inform members of the findings of this committee which includes pros and cons, building options and suggestions for working with other groups within the Park.
Please remember if you have not paid your sub for the current year, you will not be able to vote should a Special General Meeting be called at a later date.
Kitchen Duty:- Kevin & Neil Manchester
Bar:- Sandy McMillan
Cave Hotel, lunch stop
Ward
Michelle
Pomeroy Trophy - 7th Jan 2026 – Hosted by Banks Peninsula Branch
40 cars turned out for this day at the Euromarque Motorsport Park – Ruapuna for a day in the sun.
Entrants from Nelson, Blenheim Gore , Timaru , and Christchurch joined together for a great day with drinks and hot chips in Prebbleton following the event. There was 4 entrants from South Canterbury. A day of testing both the drivers ability and the reliability of the cars and also the ability to fit 2 suitcases in the car as well as spare tyres enabling a road trip. The event consisted of a standing quarter, flying quarter, wiggle woggle , breaking test and reliability test of approximately 15 laps of the track based on a formula about the car.
Kevin Manchester won the coveted trophy for the best preforming French car of a baguette complete with tri-colour ribbon beating off his fellow 2 competitors with French cars.
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.
- January newsletter placed up
- Focus given to Ladies Rally prior to event
- Placing club events onto the SCVCC Facebook group for 1st half of 2026
- Placing events open to the public onto Eventfinda for 1st half of 2026
- Events page updated
- Further members vehicles being placed into gallery
- 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
Ford Model A Club
9-12 April 2026
The Club will be visiting and joining us for our first mid-week run for 2026, Thursday April 9th, (Organiser Kevin Mercer) a very interesting destination has been arranged where a talk and demonstration of operation of the plant will be given by their Management Company. As the timing for this is important the run will start for those interested with lunch (from 11.30 on) at The Farmshop Geraldine, cars leaving at 1p.m. for a short run to the destination.
11th April heading west from Oamaru we will visit Elephant Rocks then onto Danseys Pass, Naseby and returning over the Pig Route and Trotters Gorge to Oamaru.
12th April Head home.
Anyone interested in joining us for the rest of the event (after the mid-week run), Friday Saturday and Sunday are welcome to do so, the motoring is more suited to Vintage Vehicles as there will be river crossings and large amounts of shingle road.
For further information contact Kevin Mercer 02372009474 or khmercer23@gmail.com
The winner of the Challenge Trophy for 2026: 'Best exhibit in the VCC section' of the MACKENZIE C & W Carnival Society annual NY Day Fairlie parade is:
Mr Robert WOOD of Christchurch VCC
1904 Oldsmobile
A recent and wonderful restoration of a 121-yearold vehicle...
Ashley Milliken was winner of the “ Best Carnival Entry” at the New Year Fairlie Parade.
Great day for a picnic before 2026 New year Parade in Fairlie..
Approximately 30 cars were in Fairlie for the day with some drivers and passengers entering the parade while others were spectators
A selection of club vehicles lined up for display at end of the parade
Ladies Rally – 18th January
We went through the Scenic reserve, through Claremont to Taiko, back to Holme Station, up Gordons Valley, Bluecliffs and down towards St. Andrews, up the Mile cutting, down Cairds road to Southburn, a total of about 80 km,s. Tables and chairs were set up around the outside of the historic Southburn Church for people to sit and have their afternoon tea.
We had 18 cars, which was a good turnout.
The church hadn’t been used since my grand-daughter got married there 9 years ago. Melanie Bates, Janet Briggs and myself cleaned up the church, which was full of cluster flies, and Melanie decorated it with flowers and LED lighting. Pam Gibson, who is a neighbour, gave a talk about the history of the church which was built in 1906.
The men had gone to quite a bit of trouble with their afternoon tea, table cloths, nice china etc.
Melanie and my wife, Ngadia, were the judges and the winner of the pinny for 2026 was Les Rzepecky who received the pinny and a meal voucher for two. Kevin M.
Pam
gave a very interesting glimpse into the history of
Tony & Gloria McGillen enjoying a cuppa
Some of the vehicles parked at the Historic Southburn Church
Lovely Country setting for Afternoon tea
Interior View of Church with Club Members waiting to hear Pam Gibson speak
Les Rzepecky Pinny winner
Helen Rzepecky enjoying Les’s afternoon tea
Gibson
the Southburn Church
These photos are by courtesy of the family of the late Henry Tapp Timaru.
They are of Hugh Mercers Garage, Timaru, Hugh Mercer was a member of the club who donated a cup which is competed for on the Sth Canterbury Branch annual Mt Cook Rally ( Best performance by a Model T Ford ??) Graham Pauley.
Had a call from Wayne Austin, another ex Hervey’s mechanic during my time there, who recognised himself standing at the parts counter in a photo posted in the newsletter a few issues ago. I am indebted to the family of the late Henry Tapp who allowed me to peruse their albums & take photos of some from their collection for us to publish in the branch newsletter and enjoy. Graham Pauley.
Hervey Motors Service station & lube bay on the Sophia & Theodosia streets corner. The year is 1963, the latest Holdens are the EJ model as pictured and all the cars are displaying the yellow & black plates (permanent black & white plates came in 1964). Lube Bay Manager Henry Tapp who is seen pouring petrol into an EJ wagon has his Vauxhall Velox on the hoist
Close up of the 1954 Vauxhall being serviced on Hervey’s hoist 1963, purchased new by Frank O’Connell, a Hadlow farmer, sold to Henry Tapp in 1961. The car went through another couple of owners before Ashley Milliken purchased it in 1997 restored & motored it over the next 28 years. I purchased it last year 2025, I wonder where that carrier went to ?? The mounting brackets are still fixed underneath the rear of the car.
From left, Hervey Motors manager Doug Potter Governing Director & Timaru Mayor C.R. (Russell) Hervey & Henry Tapp on his retirement from the company (approx late 1970’s).
The Velox during Henry & Sylvia Tapp’s ownership, photo possibly taken in the Lewis Pass on the families annual Xmas holiday trip to Nelson.
The Vauxhall during its 1961-97, 26 year Tapp family ownership parked in the driveway at 17 Norwood Street Timaru
Just few more cars that took part in the Fairlie Parade on New Years day.
Thanks to Shannon Stevenson for the photos and thanks to our members who took part.
Club Calendar of Events 2025 / 2026
2026
February 15th Chairman’s Run
February 21st Club Open Day
March 8th Mid Island Rally
March 28th Swapmeet
April 9th Midweek Run
April 12th Motorcycle Run (Note Date Change)
May 14th Midweek Run
May 17th P Class Rally
May 24th End of Season Run
May 31st
Kings Birthday Weekend All British Day
June 4th AGM
National Motor Cycle Rally
12th, 13th 14th February 2027
Timaru.
(Hosted by South Canterbury Vintage Car Club)
Other Coming Events Elsewhere -2026
Waimate 2026 Wallaby Rally 14th February West Coast Scenicland Rally The Dairy Run 14th March
Situation Vacant
Tricar Editor
Position is now open to anyone interested in taking on this important role in our Club. Expressions of interest and job description can be directed to the Club Chair. Current Editor is stepping away from position at the 2026AGM but is happy to hand over earlier if replacement is found.
