the vintage car - Sunshine Coast Antique Car Club

The Vintage Car Club of Queensland Inc.
Queensland’s original and oldest historic motoring club. Founded 1955
Preserving Queensland's Motoring Heritage
“It's all about the food”edition
Scandinavian
Feast, New
Farm Picnic
see what's
to come
under
events:
VCCQ/Alvis Interstate run
Issue no. 377
APRIL 2016
60 YEARS YOUNG
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 2
THE VINTAGE CAR CLUB OF QUEENSLAND Inc.
Meetings
Meetings are held at 8pm on the third Friday of each month at the VCCAQ Clubrooms,
1376 Old Cleveland Rd., Carindale QLD 4152. The Club’s well-stocked Library is open
before and after the meeting and a pre-meeting BYO everything BBQ is usually enjoyed
by a number of our members.
OFFICE BEARERS 2015-2016
PRESIDENT
Doug Young
SECRETARY
Frank Corbett
TREASURER
Anne Corbett
COMMITTEE
Dave Fletcher
Ronnie Brown
Mike Hawthorne
Brian McMillan
You??
EVENTS
Ronnie Brown
0418 719 430
[email protected]
3511 0818
[email protected]
3511 0818
[email protected]
0478
0419
3358
0412
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Speak to President
917 443
702 329
4367
303 477
0419 702 329
[email protected]
QUEENSLAND HISTORIC MOTORING COUNCIL
Vacant
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Chris Pike
3821 1631
[email protected]
EDITOR
Brian McMillan
0412 303 477
[email protected].
LIBRARY
Duncan McPhee
3374 1404
REGISTRAR
Rob Gabb
3286 4417
[email protected]
VEHICLE DATING
Contact the Secretary
CORRESPONDENCE
Unless otherwise requested, please address all written correspondence to:
The Secretary
The Vintage Car Club of Queensland Inc.
1376 Old Cleveland Road
Carindale QLD 4152
You can also email the club:
[email protected]
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 3
SENDING MONEY TO THE CLUB
Cheques should be made out to The Vintage Car Club of Queensland Inc., and posted to
the Treasurer at the Club’s postal address (above), unless otherwise requested.
Direct Deposit: Payments are easier and faster using Internet direct deposit.
Our Suncorp acc. details are:
Account Name: Vintage Car Club of Queensland Inc.
BSB:
484-799 Account No: 001424831
It is MOST important that you include your surname and a brief description of the nature
of the payment (e.g. Smith subscription, or Jones Xmas lunch).
VCCQ ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
Here’s an update on things you should know about the Club. We now have:
A Website - Access via http://carclubs.shannons.com.au/vccq or Shannons/Car
Clubs/VCCQ/more info. See under “Club News” for latest updates.
An email address - [email protected] All committee members have access
to the mailbox.
A facebook page – Get yourself on facebook and search Vintage Car Club Queensland
and ask Brian Carson for access as a member.
A gmail Calendar - The Calendar lists all interesting motoring events not just VCCQ
events. Full access can be given to anyone with a gmail address and a gmail calendar.
For a quick link to view the Calendar see:
https://www.google.com/calendar/b/1/render?tab=mc
A list of all books in the Club Library - Send the Club an email requesting a copy of
this list. - Members only.
A Members' Directory - Listing all financial Members as of August 31 2015. See Secretary
for a copy. A Members' Register is also maintained detailing members' vehicles. A copy is
kept for viewing in the Club Library. Lapel Name Badges - These are given free to all new
members. Existing members can get new ones from the Secretary at a cost of $10.
NEWFARM PARK.
With Trish Hanley,
Bob Collett, Peter
Ransom, divaD and
Phil Fletcher.
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 4
VCCQ CALENDAR OF EVENTS – APRIL 2016
DATES
CLUB & INVITATION EVENTS
April 10
April 14-18
Sunday lunch meeting at 2pm
VCCQ/Alvis run to Inverell, Armidale,
Coffs Harbour.
Vintage aircraft Caboolture
Events in Italics are for other Clubs
April 23-24
CONTACTS
Ronnie Brown
Doug Young
Frank Corbett
VCCQ CALENDAR OF EVENTS – 2016
January
CM 6th
GM 15th Virgin's brekkie 17th Dunedin International 15-24
February
CM 3
GM 19th Annual run with Vets – Wagstaff shed 21 st
March
CM 2
GM 18
April
CM 30th GM Sunday 10th at 2pm.
May
CM 4th
June
CM 1st GM 17th
July
CM 29th GM 15th RACQ Motorfest 10 Jumpers n Jazz Warwick 21-31 Retirement Village
visit Wed 6
Burpengary Fun...Parlor – Pitstop Cafe lunch Sat 23rd
August
CM 3rd
September
CM 31st GM 16th Eagle Farm Wed 7
Goodwood R 9-11
Historic Amaroo 17-18
Brookfield Country Markets
All British Day
Gatton Trucks
October
CM 5th GM 21st Maryborough Custodian run 1-3 Gympie Gold Rush Festival 15th
Commissariat Store visit Wed. 19
Heavy horse day Yangan
Melbourne Motorclassica
November
CM 2nd GM 18th Bendigo swap 12-13
December
CM 30
rd
Toowoomba Swap 6-7
NB. Scandinavian Dinner night.
Roma Historical MC 24-28
Highfields Vintage Festival 26-28 QHMC Rally to Mackay 25-28
VCCQ Family day outing at New Farm Park 20 th
11-13 Phillip Island Historic races http://vhrr.com/wp/phillip-island/
13-19 RACV Fly the Flag Tour http://www.abccc.com.au/FTF/
nd
th
Vintage CC/Alvis Rally South 14-18
GM 20th Mt Mee stud lunch Sunday 15th NMHD. Vauxhall Rally Hume Weir 6-8
Taabinga/Goomeri Pumpkin Festival 29-31
Rob Roy May 1
3–21 May Targa Sicilia http://www.countrylanetours.co.uk/targa-sicilia-tour/
Old Petrie Steam Fair 4-5 Anglehurst Classic 5th Fort Lytton 11-12
Goodwood FS 23-26
VCCQ Concours 26th
GM 19th Ekka 10th Presentation Dinner 13th AGM and General Meeting 19th
Vets Club swap 20th
Watts Bridge 27-30
th
GM 16
th
Christmas Party 16
Boonah lunch Sun 27
th
Boxing Day 26th
Events in Italics are for other Clubs
COVER PICTURE.
Lucas Fletcher's carriage stopped for Big lunch in New Farm park.
MAJOR ROAD WORKS IN CAPALABA.
Anyone wishing to visit our President Doug will be pleased to hear that the Redland Bay
Council have had their road gang paving the driveway to his house.
Gone are the days of dune buggys, sump guards and trail bikes. You can now front up in
your Bentley or Roller without fear of losing your vehicle in a pavement depression or
spoon drain.
Please take your camera with you and get a few pics so I can enter Doug's place in
“Beautiful homes and Gardens”
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 5
Minutes of General Meeting No.718
Friday 18th March 2016
The evening started early. According to the attendance book 40 members and 6 visitors
flocked to the clubrooms at around 6.15pm in anticipation of a Scandinavian feast. They
were not disappointed, as a sumptuous array of tantalizing dishes that would sanitize
Gordon Ramsay’s vocabulary were presented to the hungry horde.
Once again Jennie Ransom and
her culinary artisans, namely,
Ronnie Brown, Anne Corbett,
Katrina Monckton, Sheila
McMillan and Lyn McErlean
produced a three course meal
of award winning quality. It
didn’t matter that the
Scandinavian names of the
dishes were unpronounceable
as judging by the many empty
platters appetites were
adequately sated.
Our President was observed
enjoying the jovial chatter and
ambience of the evening to the
extent that too late he realised
it was not possible to fit the
business part of the evening
into the programme. So he made a captain’s call and cancelled the meeting to the silent
relief of all present.
So it was then full ahead into the entertainment part of the night where Max Stephenson
enthralled everyone with slides of his recent tour of Bhutan and India in “Penny”, the
indestructible 23/60 Vauxhall. Part way through the presentation Max’s projector
suffered a lights out, diagnosed as a blown bulb. But thanks to Brian Carson the
projector that he donated to the Club some months ago was extracted from its secret
hiding place in the library and the entertainment continued.
The evening finished around 10.00pm and your secretary quickly vacuumed the carpet,
straightened up the chairs, wiped over the kitchen floor, locked the doors, turned off the
lights, set the alarm and headed home.
For the record it can now be revealed that the fabric roof of an MG-B is not totally
waterproof, nor is the windscreen demister and windscreen wipers overly efficient. But
after a somewhat exciting drive through a torrential downpour your secretary and his
navigator were safely home around 11.00pm after a thoroughly enjoyable night.
Kevin Long approached your secretary and said that it was one of the best Club meetings
he had ever attended and that there should be more like it. When I said that we didn’t
have a meeting as such, Kevin said, “Precisely”. Maybe Kevin has a point.
At some point through the night Ronnie Brown advised that Sunday 20 th March was the
Family Day in New Farm Park and that the Inverell, Armidale and Coffs Harbour Rally was
scheduled to begin on 14th April.
Everyone should note that the next General Meeting will be held at the
Clubrooms on SUNDAY 10th APRIL. For those who intend to have lunch before
the meeting the Clubrooms will be open at approximately 12.30pm and the
meeting is scheduled to start at 2.00pm.
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 6
EDITORS REPORT – Brian McMillan
Maybe a smaller mag for a change. No major articles have appeared on the editor's desk.
I read, or scan, many mags every month. Most are very good but two are stand outs.
First is the R-R and Bentley Club of NZ and second is L&D R-R Club of Aust (NSW
Branch).
Recently the Lagonda Club opened a Facebook page. I do not use facebook much but
watching how this site has spread makes me think it is a great way for members to
interact.
Our web site has never gone to great heights which is partly due to nobody keeping it up
to date but also due to most of our news going out in the mag.
Our facebook page – hosted by Brian Carson – has fared much better and I think we
should use it more as the front for our club.
I will leave the web page on the Shannons site, as it is a good way for people to find us,
but will strip it of all but essential information. This means I only have to update it once a
year when we change committee.
I noted in the Veterans Club newsletter that members had voted to do without cakes
after their meetings and only share a packet of biscuits. I suggested it at our committee
meeting and was almost thrown out of the room.
If you remember we used to have to throw a gold coin into the tin to cover costs until
someone started the raffle. Now we have a bit of extra fun, and maybe a prize, and still
enjoy a sumptuous supper. Long may it continue and thanks to Derek and others? who
sell the tickets and to the cook who bakes the cakes.
While on the subject of food, what about our Scandinavian Dinner. Wonderful. Thanks to
all those involved in cooking, setting up, cleaning up and whatever else. We were due to
have a Claytons meeting but even this failed to happen. Pres Doug was so busy eating
and socialising he failed to stop the frivolity to run a meeting. Well done.
Would you believe there was so much food there was some left over. I got away with a
doz of those choc brownies seen in the bottom right of the pic on p5. Unfortunately they
sublimated in the cold of my fridge.
I still have the plate if anyone wants to claim it. It is empty and clean.
New Farm
park picnic.
Despite my
fears of
overcrowding
David found a
beaut spot
under a large
Poinciana tree
with nearby
parking for our
cars and a
beaut view over
the river.
Lucas brought
his drop-head.
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 7
1977 AMAROO. GOOD CARS THESE ASTONS.
HE. Herbert Engineering.
MMIM sent me this pic of a very nice HE in the UK. It has a flat head Ford V8 engine and
gearbox which was fitted probably pre war. I found some reference to HE in the Motor
Sport mag. They are a very collectable and rare make. See story following.
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 8
HE man reports success
The piece about HE cars in the January issue of Motor Sport has resulted in a most
interesting response from Paul Stileman, who wrote to us in 1997 appealing for spares
for his 1924 14/50 two-seater HE. He tells us his car is now on the road after a 10-year
rebuild, in which some new parts had to be made to drawings which had survived the
takeover by Thornycroft of the HE factory, and others from those Alan Southon had
obtained when making his rather special HE, which Motor Sport described at the time. Mr
Stileman says his HE "now requires that final fettling which always seems to go on
forever". He remarks that it is interesting that this activity had taken place not three
miles from the 'Phoenix' pub at Hartley Wintney in Hampshire where Alan Southon kept
the spirit of HE alive, and that three of the surviving four-cylinder HEs now reside within
this area.
He adds that seven four-cylinder and six six-cylinder cars are known to exist, and that
some long-term rebuilds are nearing completion. He recalls that the quoted early output
of 14 cars a week had fallen to one less by 1924 and that a total of 16 six cylinder and a
dozen of the final 12hp HEs were produced. The Sully family remains interested in the
cars; Ken Sully, son of Roland Sully the designer, died only recently.
SCANNING VCCQ CLUB MAGS.
Work is progressing and I am enjoying many of the older mags. There are some
wonderful gems hidden away which all members will soon be able to enjoy. Unfortunately
I have to waste time putting the mag together so it won't happen overnight.
One of the delights is that I have come upon some delightful pen sketches done by some
club members many years ago. The one below was done in 1973 by a now internationally
famous painter who then had time to do some artwork for the club. Now unfortunately it
only happens on special occasions due to the unsavoury need to earn a living doing more
plebeian work. I noted last month, while at the National Gallery in Canberra, that
Australia's wonderful landscape painter “Tom Roberts” had a similar problem.
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 9
One of the articles that caught my attention was a
report on a club run to Coffs Harbour on April 16 -19,
1965. That's the same weekend 51 years ago to our
proposed next run in April with the Alvis club. That
time the start was the Mt Gravatt drive-in shopping
centre at 5am. They were held up at the Maclean
ferry and arrived in Coffs at 3.30pm. after 280 miles.
Total distance covered for rally was 700 miles.
WAGSTAFF'S GARAGE.
Lucas thought Caddy's eyes were too far apart.
ALVIS 2017 NATIONAL.
Derek and Gaye, Ronnie and
Editor spent two days in Warwick
looking at venues for the rally.
Unfortunately the Clifton Arms
Hotel has been updated but it still
is eminently suitable for a lunch
stop over on the steam train ride.
The adjoining saddlery is now
closed. Both are now in full colour.
We all agreed that we need to go
back for more investigation
especially in the winery areas.
Ballandean here we come.
NAPIER ART DECO FESTIVAL.
A WONDERFUL PROMO FILM. Bet you did not know Wolf was a lead singer in a band. I
can see David Fryer and Leslie fitting in here easily.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgl1aXdVDGY
David Fryer.
That’s Napier all right. I reckon the whole club should go next year.
My slide show will be just that – a slide show (no film clips). Sunday April 10 – see
calendar.
It will also include Southward Museum
and a behind-the-scenes peek into their
stores.
There are 400 shots all up with a mix of
cars, buildings and people.
But a health warning – American cars and
fancy dress are included.
If anyone is traumatized we can offer a
sniff of an oily rag out the back......
(Doug is already up to speed with the
proposed showing).
And while in NZ check out this restoration
of a 1916 Buick by Jim Baird in Patea.
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 10
BOB POPE PRODUCED THIS INTERESTING FILE FROM HIS ARCHIVES.
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 11
1931 TRIUMPH SCORPION FOR SALE.
Wolf received an email with several
pics of this car with a note to call
Stacey on mob. 0415 672 761. It
reminded me of a car I had seen
under a friends house in about 1972.
Then I remembered that he had a
daughter called Stacey.
With much concern I rang the
number and confirmed the
connection. Her father is in Hospital
and the car has to be sold.
I can vouch for the car being a
genuine Barn find as it has not been
used for as long as I have known of
it.
RULE CHANGE FOR IMPORTED
CARS.
If you want to bring in a new or second hand car from overseas the rules have changed.
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/feb/10/australians-to-bypass-car-dealersand-import-directly-from-japan-and-uk
The duty on imported classics will drop by $12,000.
Also,
“It will also produce environmental and safety benefits because it will encourage faster
renewal of Australia’s vehicle fleet,” he said. “Australia’s private car fleet has an average
age of 10 years”
Ed. I don't see the logic in this. There is more pollution produced in the production of a
car than it emits in its entire life. Also buying more imported cars ships our employment
overseas. We would be better having our local mechanics and panel beaters maintaining
our old cars here. My 40 year old Volvo has saved the pollution caused by the production
of 3 new cars and provided some work for local workers. What car is safer than a Volvo?
PRES. DOUG AT PHILLIP ISLAND HISTORIC RACES.
150 YEAR OLD STEAMBOAT FOUND.
http://www.wimp.com/cargo-perfectly-preserved-in-hundred-fifty-year-old-sunkensteamboat/?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=story/
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 12
MEMBER JAK AT THE BAR – MAKE OF THIS WHAT YOU WILL. Doug wants some of
what he's on.
I should really attend Comm meets!!!!
An e-thought about VCCQ assets.
ie. Library-----------------what IS THE
legal situation to do about the entity of
the library as a rearguard action?
Aylight ENCOROUGING NEW
BLOOD---------This is the wailing &
gnashing of teeth in virtually every Car
Club newsletter in the world. It seems an
indigent part AS the animal gets older..
ALL ORGINAZATIONS (including
cilivizations) have a fairly standard road
of evolution. Stage1. ENTHUSIASM &
ENERGY. Everyone is revved up & wants
to contribute & perform!!!
This is the high point. From there the
graph line starts to sag a little then rises
a little & so continues like a wriggly
worm across the graph page while slowly
heading south!!.
HOW TO PUT SOME FIRE BACK INTO THE
OLD GREY NAG???? REINVENT NOVO
ENTHUSIASM-------Start a takeover---that stirs up the troops into action. BUT
only for their short attention spans &
SLOW DOWN AGAIN.
Free Stag nites & booze????? Invitation Runs.?? Investigate amalgamation with other
groups. ie. a branch of the VSCC in Qld. ALL POTENTIAL excitements. CREAT
EXCITEMENTS!!!
How about putting together a tv REALITY show involving our":CHARACTERS & CARS"
DOUGIE DOES DALLAS with a competent script and a few roadies with camera & sound
gear. We could stage a GALA OPEN NITE at Boondall complete with 3 high profile riskers
as the STARS driving 50 MACHINES OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION IN DEATH
DEFYING STUNTS. All the TV stations seem to be on the bandwagon. There are already
many shows out there to inspire us to produce an exciting VINTAGE CAR CLUB of
QUEENSLAND OF WHICH 100S WOULD WISH TO JOIN. Or at least speculate.
But seriously we have to apply ourselves to come up with ideas to drag the VCCQ into
the daylight, OR AT LEAST something to keep an exciting status quo. NEW FORMAT RUNS
(collect & study car club newsletters from other clubs from all the way around the world.
Pick out the best bits/runs/rallies/competition/ & modify the format to suit VCCQ. Be
selfish & do it only for the pleasure of existing members..
If we get keen & have some new bloody VCCQ enthusiasts to front up & be creative. We
need cheerleaders, carnivals, colour, movement, staged prangs!!! COMEDY!
from small acorns etc. DO WE NEED TO ADD MORE LIFE INTO IT ALL?? It seems that we
are all worn out & can only be seen thru 50 shades of GREY!!!!
How about splitting the VCCQ into sections as is done with VSCC UK. We can have the
racing Stigs, The Tea Drinkers, the gumtree huggers, the RR white sock brigade. The
Bentley Group to DEEPLY researce the TRUE BENTLEY GREEN. The 1950's fast tin cans.
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 13
The Great Dividing Range Model A Ford Mud Sloggers.
With events comprised by each sections to suit that demographic 100%. You could have
the octoganarians Model T Ford Wheel appreciation Knitting group.
I feel that the NATURAL way that we humans work our club will flat line if it does not
evolve. By evolve I do not necessarily mean into a 1950's cooking sportscar club.
So who is going to do ALL the relevant fact gathering research of other car clubs-----especially the ones at the start of their elevolutionary phase & bring back some element
for at least our consideration.
REMEMBER IT IS EVOLUTION OR REVOLUTION.WHEN WE ARE DEALING & concessions
for vintage cars.
AHHH to be 30 again!!!------------------jak
Ed. Dream on pop. I gave up on editing this lot. It must have been a bad night.
Memories play tricks. Actually the club has never been stronger or had as many
members.
Can't locate a suitable pic of Jak but here is a pic of the bloke he drinks with. They make
a good pair.
DOUG YOUNG ON ALLOY WAXES.
I tried putting a clear coating over the polished alloy but it crazed. I only
put on one coat which may have caused the problem according to the
manufacturer. However, on removing the stuff with Xylene, the surface
remained rough and I felt it had sort-of etched it a bit. It may have been
due to the pitting which goes right through the alloy used on the old
Jaguar rocker covers. I had also used it on the SU carby dashpots but
found it gave a duller finish than the original polished surface. See pic –
the one nearest the Autosol tin has had the coating taken off and
repolished. Not sure it you can tell in the pic.
Because of the possible etching effect I decided to take it all off, repolish,
and just leave it with the waxy Autosol finish.
However, I decided that something was better than nothing and so I
started searching for alloy waxes – and most are made for alloy wheels.
I then came across the article about the surprise winner in a test done by a car magazine
in the UK being a wax made for electrical insulation purposes – Collinite 845 Insulator
Wax – see attached article.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Collinite-845-Insulator-Wax-473/dp/B000JK2D06?
tag=performmotorc-21
I found and rang the local distributor and asked what he thought – he said it would
vaporise off with underbonnet temps. But he had something else: Gyeon Rim it’s called, and it withstands 350 deg C. Forms a quartz coating. So I will try
that on the Alvis alloy that I can get at easily in case it needs to come off.
The Collinite gets rave reviews for paint as well so I bought some of each.
Brisbane distributor links for each product:
https://www.carcareproducts.com.au/product/gyeon/q2_rim_protection_kit
https://www.carcareproducts.com.au/product/collinite/liquid_insulator_wax_845
EDITOR ON WURTH.
This company have opened a warehouse at 6/1102 Beaudesert Rd, Acacia Ridge.
Previously they only had a travelling Rep. who did the rounds. I have used their head
gasket seal for years. They also make a range of sealants for the automotive trade. It's
not cheap but it is good. They also stock pressure pack paint, ss nuts and bolts, taps and
dies. I got some silicon special 250 sealant. All good stuff. Wurth a look.
http://www.wurth.com.au/en/wurth_au/products/vehicle_service__engine__pneumatic_
_hydraulic/vas_1.php
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 14
AMILCAR STORY.
The latest edition of the excellent “Restored Cars” had a letter from a reader asking for
anyone who had any knowledge of the existence of any of these great little cars.
I rang the number given and spoke with a Bruce Smeaton. I had heard the name before
and we realised that we had both been on a George Green rally a few years ago.
When I was about 19 I drove to Tooma with a mate. My Uncle Doug McDonald told me
about a friend of his, John Maginnity a Physio, who lived there and whom he had visited.
He mentioned that there were 3 Amilcars there in a shed. I had to check it out. This is
part of the email I sent to Bruce.
Doug did however mention that there were snakes everywhere in Tooma. I kept an eye
open but never saw any.
It was about 59 when we drove into Tooma at about 10am. The pub appeared closed so
we went into the general store next door and asked what time the pub opened. The lady
came from behind the counter walked out the front door and up to the pub where she
proceded to lift the door from the doorway and lean it against the wall. She then went to
the bar and got us a beer. There was a huge apple on the shelf behing the bar. That's a
Batlow apple she said. Would you like some. She cut it and gave us half each. I swear it
was 8 inches in diameter.
She then took us out the back to see the 2 Amilcars. (Doug had told me there were 3).
One was the most beautiful little race car with staggered passenger seat. I was besotted.
We did not go to the Maginnity's farm but I did know it was nearby.
Doug McDonald was a physio also and his youngest brother was a doctor so this would
have had something to do with the friendship. Good times.
Bruce replied with the following email and lots of beaut pics. One with David Beaumont in
it is how I remember the car. David featured in an earlier VCCQ mag in a Bugatti. Pic.
Hi Brian, Thanks.
David Beaumont is in South Australia,
a retired architect and, yes, he does
own the ex-Cyril Poole Bugatti T40 and
a Ferrari Dino as well as the Amilcar
CGSs he bought from Andy Little of
Adelaide.
The “most beautiful little race car” is a
very rare Amilcar CGSs with fully
imported French coachwork by Duval.
The majority of Amilcars were brought
into Australia as rolling chassis’ and
had coachwork fitted by local
coachbuilders. eg. In Victoria it was
generally Hotchkiss Coachworks. In
NSW it was generally W Green. In South Australia it was generally Richards. However,
not all Amilcars had coachwork fitted by these firms. eg. There is a very nice Amilcar CC
in Newcastle, a roadster with dicky-seat bodied by A. A. Agate.
The rare fully-imported CGSs is most likely imported especially for one of the sons of T.
D. Chapman, the NSW importer and distributor, to race and publicize the marque.
The CGSs model (sometimes known as a surbaisse, French for “lower”) if fitted with
coachwork by the factory was always fitted with 1) wide-bodied coachwork with side-byside seating (like David Beaumont’s CGSs shown during the GG15) and a door on the
passenger’s side or 2) narrow-gutted, staggered seating coachwork for racing and other
competitive events.
The car that so impressed you was purchased from Jim Maginnity (Colin’s late brother)
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 15
by Murray Mitchell, taken back to Adelaide, restored and used by Murray, his son
Andrew, and his grandson Angus. A three-generation Amilcar family is very rare as
indeed it is with any family and any marque.
The beautiful scarlet Amilcar C4
roadster that entered for the GG15
with Colin and Anne Maginnity is
not the same Amilcar C4 roadster
that you saw beside the Amilcar
CGSs in the shed behind the pub
at Tooma all those years ago. Colin
and Anne’s Amilcar C4 was
originally owned by Colin’s late
father, Francis. The C4 behind the
pub ended up in the Gundagai tip
but there is more than a chance
that the engine ended up in
Canberra and was fitted to a boat.
It is not possible to be sure about
this.
Cheers, Bruce.
MY MAN IN SOUTH AFRICA.
Hello Brian and happy New Year to
you and those you care for.
I have attached correspondence from
Alex and Tom vanderVyfer with some
photos of an old French vehicle being
restored in South Africa.
Tom is a Boer so I have translated his
Afrikaans words for you to
understand.
If it’s alright by you, I will email the
latest copy of your magazine.
Cheers, Colwyn
Subject: RE:
More Colwyn (Good morning Colwyn)
Dit was nou lekker om ‘n boodskap in
Afrikaans te kry van oorkant die
water af! (it gives me great pleasure to receive a letter from across the sea in the
Afrikaans language)
Alex is ‘n wonderlike persoon, ons gesels lekker! (Alex is a top bloke. We enjoy chatting)
Ek ry volgende week Kaapstad toe vir ‘n toer in my 1914 Ford Model T. (Next week I
head off to Cape Town touring in my 1914 Ford Model T).
I am participating in the Kalkbay run hosted by the Crankhandle Club. That is on Sunday.
Monday we are in Worcester for 3 days on the Veteran and Edwardian Tour. Thursday in
Albertinia and then driving to George for the car show on Saturday and Sunday. The De
Dion Bouton will be at the show but not completed. I am hoping to have her running.
Ek probeer ‘n boek in Australie kry vir Alex. Ek vertrou nie die posdiens nie. Weet jy dalk
van iemand wat van Suid-Afrika na Australie reis in die toekoms? (I am trying to get a
book to Alex. I have no confidence in the postal service. Do you perchance know anyone
heading from South Africa to Australia in the near future?)
Groete, Tom
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 16
GOODWOOD'S FIRST S.F. EDGE TROPHY RACE FOR EDWARDIAN MONSTERS
A great racing clip. Worth a look
http://theoldmotor.com/?p=156197
Following the VCCQs presence at the Variety Ball held at Tattersall's Club we
have been invited to front another event at Caboolture airport. Read on.
Gentlemen,
My name is Mark Hall, actually
from Mooloolaba but also a 22
year senior captain at Cathay
Pacific in Hongkong. I am a
director and pilot at Mustang
Flights Australia (MFA) and
Warbird Academy Australia
(WAA) based at Caboolture,
QLD.
First of all I would like to
acknowledge Tyson Clarke’s
organisational skill with the
Variety Valentines Day Ball at
the venerable Tattersall’s Club
in February. Our group is very
happy to have been part of
this tremendous fundraising
event. We were amazed to see
two bidders get to $5,500
each, then the auctioneer
Andrew Morello getting them
both across the line for a
$11,000 outcome for The
Variety Club.
We are flying one bidder this coming Sunday 20th in 4 aircraft types, Tiger Moth, Winjeel,
Harvard (SNJ) and P-51 Mustang, which we call the Ultimate Fighter Pilot Experience
(UFPE).This of course emulates the path of the cadet pilots in WW2, as they passed
through the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, from Tigermoth to Mustang. The
second winning bidder will be flying on Saturday 23rd April and this is part of a special
event being held at Caboolture Airport that weekend.
The Australian Vintage Aviation Society (TAVAS) is having a fly-in across the weekend of
23/24 th April.This is a unique event which will showcase some of the very rare aircraft
which are actually based on Brisbane’s doorstep. As you will see from the flyer attached
there are 3 authentic WW1 replica aircraft flying, including a Bristol Fighter, Fokker TriPlane and an Eindecker. MFA and WAA are very strong supporters of Vintage and Classic
aviation and will be flying as part of the displays to demonstrate the remarkable
development of fighter aircraft between the wars particularly in the form of our
magnificent Australian built P-51 Mustang. Most people understandably think you need to
need to travel overseas and spend large amounts of money to have this experience. This
is in fact not the case!
This is where the Brisbane Vintage Car Club and The Tattersall’s Motorcycle Club come in.
We would like to invite you to be part of of this event. We are asking you to bring your
classic machines to share with the public. We would offer you secure parking in the VIP
area. The public could get a close up view of your various vehicles from behind the ropes.
Your admission would of course be complimentary and MFA/WAA would be more than
happy to host you at the Caboolture Warplane Museum. For those interested, you can be
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 17
part of the briefing, suiting up and exciting flying process as we put our winning bidders
through the unique UFPE.
There would even be some limited passenger seats available on the day. These flying
opportunities are in any of our 4 types and are of various duration, flight experience and
price point. We are a non profit syndicate and all proceeds go towards maintaining these
flying pieces of Australian aviation history. All of our aircraft are in excellent flying
condition and we pride ourselves in ensuring they don't gather dust in a Museum but
actually take enthusiasts from all age groups and backgrounds back into the historic
skies. If you are interested to fly in one of these planes, please contact us prior to the
event to talk about availability and costs.
I am sure you will understand our sentiments and enthusiasm as owners of classic road
going history.
We have been at this enterprise for more than 20 years and we have our own aircraft
maintenance organisation and small group of highly qualified professional aviators and
ground support crew. We also offer warbird flight training for the true enthusiast.
The Sunday 24th has a similar flying program and there should be some opportunities for
joyflights/adventure flights until about midday. I will be flying the Mustang to Bundaberg
that afternoon in preparation for a day of flypasts to commemorate ANZAC Day starting
at dawn at Bargara Beach( 13000 people attended last year). Our Museum aircraft will be
doing flypasts all over Brisbane at the various memorial sites in support of our military
past and present.
THE WIRRAWAY WILL BE THERE.
We really would appreciate your support in this unique weekend only 45 mins North of
the Brisbane GPO. Best Regards, Mark Hall. For More Info. mustangflights.com
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 18
PROGRAM FOR GEORGE GREEN RALLY. OCTOBER 13-17 2016.
The rally will commence at Wentworth Falls golf club for lunch. Please arrive at 12.00 for
12.30 lunch.
We will then travel to Bathurst for our over night stay.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights are in Dubbo
Monday night back in Bathurst.
The entry fee for this rally is $50.00 per person. Included in the rally entry fee is
morning tea at Orange, happy hour at Dubbo, morning tea at Eumungerie, Gilgandra
tour and the bus to and from the zoo.
Due to the distance of the rally you will notice that the rally has been extended by 2
days, Thursday 13th and Monday 17th. These days are optional but we are sure that if
you choose to extend your holiday you will not be disappointed.
Please get your entries in early as numbers may have to be limited.
Julie and Royce
Ed. I can email you full details and entry form if required or you can contact the VSCC in
Sydney at [email protected]
EVENTS REPORT APRIL 2016 –
Ronnie Brown
What You Have Missed
Our Scandinavian Dinner Night
proved to be a winner – so
much so that the normal
monthly VCCQ meeting had to
be cancelled due to lack of
time!! Our very own
adventurer, Max Stephenson is
such a draw-card that his
presentation on his visit to
Bhutan & India, in the
company of navigator,
raconteur & mechanic, wife
Julie, was voted much more
preferable to VCCQ business.
We were in awe at the tracks
(Bhutanese roads) he
negotiated in their 1923
Vauxhall with hairpin bends,
steep gradients & cliff edges. I
was reminded of a trip my
husband & I took when John was setting up the Nepalese Sherwood Foresters Laboratory
into a modern day Pharmaceutical Factory. John bought an Indian motorcycle to travel
whilst working in Nepal in the early 1980s & we decided to explore as close to the
Chinese border as possible. As the Himalayan mountains closed in, the road became a
goat track, the rough surface being a constant challenge to both the driver & pillion
passenger. As we were totally on our own, except for the local Nepali villagers, we
decided the prudent thing was to return to Kathmandu before nightfall. This proved to be
a wise decision as several kilometres outside the ring road of the City, the back tyre gave
up the ghost and we ended up pushing the bike back in the dark - not a happy
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 19
experience!! We had to negotiate the local devotees who lie down on the roadside with
sacks covering their hands & feet as they make their way to the local Buddhist shrine.
Each progression is made fully prostrate, feet replacing where their outstretched hands
had just been. In those days Bhutan was not open to western visitors but many
Bhutanese monks moved to Kathmandu to cater for the ever increasing pilgrimage by
Westerners looking for that elusive state called Nirvana or Peace with Happiness.
Needless to say celibacy was not part of their religious teachings & John’s friends were an
interesting mix of Bhutanese & North American cultures, with a few Scots & English
thrown into the mix.
However, I digress, your catering crew
wondered how the Menu would be
accepted as the wonderful terrine made
by Lyn, Brian’s daughter, sounded like
Reindeer Road kill when translated into
Danish. My offering of Danish Apple
Cake was suddenly transformed into
“Bondepige med slor” – the covering
of whipped cream & redcurrant jelly
transforming the dessert into Danish
Veiled Country Lass!!
I believe that the social aspect of the
meal together, shared with like-minded
friends turns our Club meetings into a
special evening – hence our name
Special Food Nights. It is a lot of
work, not just in the planning & cooking but the presentation & clearing up afterwards –
so to all who helped a BIG THANK YOU!!
March 20th Sunday Family Picnic in New Farm Park
This was a real treat to sit
under a large tree with Lucas
Fletcher, his parents &
Grandparents in excellent
company & with good food.
Sabine’s scones for morning
tea, freshly made & served
with jam & cream, followed
by barbeque lunch on a sunny
Queensland morning was
exactly what the Doctor
ordered, as I too was caught
in a nasty storm after our
11pm finish on Friday. As it
was after midnight when I
gratefully put my BMW back
in the garage, happy to be safely home as the driving conditions were horrendous.
Needless to say Saturday was a rest day.
Coming EVENTS
April 10th SUNDAY. Our normal Friday VCCQ monthly meeting will take place on
Sunday April 10th. The Clubhouse will be open at 12.30pm for those who wish to
bring a barbeque & the meeting starts at 2pm.
The rescheduling of this meeting is due to the joint Rally (see below)
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 20
April 14 – 19th Joint Rally with Alvis Car Club of NSW
Once more we’ll be joining our friends the Alvis Car Club of NSW for another fun Tour of
Northern NSW. At this stage we propose to leave Brisbane on Thursday 14 th April staying
overnight at Inverell, a drive of about 560km. On Friday, April 15 th we drive about 120km
to Armidale, staying the night at Moore Park Inn, Armidale. Some members are dividing
the first day to Inverell into two drives of almost equal distance by leaving on Wednesday
13th, making the drive more relaxed & pleasurable.
We’ll use different by roads to arrive at Coffs Harbour, where we’ll spend Saturday, April
16th & Sunday April 17th at Opal Cove Resort, returning to Brisbane on Monday 18th April.
Doug has managed to obtain an even cheaper rate than last time we stayed at Opal
Cove. Rates are as follows:Resortside Room Single $ 122.00
Twin $ 122.00
Oceanside Room
“
$ 142.00
Twin $ 142.00
Oceanside Room Bed & Breakfast Single $ 161.50
Twin $ 180.00
Ring Opal Cove Resort on (02) 6651 0510 to book & quote “Vintage Car Club”
for very special rates for Sat. April 16th & Sun. April 17th.
Accommodation at Inverell has been reserved at Inverell Club Motel 56-60 Evans
Street INVERELL, NSW 2360.
Please make your own booking on 02 6721 0800. A special rate of $135.00 for a
double room has been organised by Heather Goldsmith of Alvis Car Club of NSW. Please
mention their block reservation when making your booking. Dinner will be at the Inverell
National Motor Museum.
Accommodation has also been arranged for Friday 15th April 2016 at Moore Park Inn
at 63 Moore Park Lane ARMIDALE NSW 2350 Phone 02 6772 2358 to make your
booking – only 19 rooms have been reserved so first come first served!! Again Heather
has arranged a special rate, so mention Alvis Car Club of NSW booking joint with VCCQ.
Dinner has been booked at Moore Park for the night of Friday 15th April, when we’ll be
joined by members of the Armidale car clubs.
Please advise me either by email : alvisronnie @gmail.com or 0419 702 329
when you have made your bookings or if there is a strong possibility that you
may be able to join us. Heather & I are co-ordinating lists so we are sure we
have you registered as part of the Rally participants. Some of us plan to leave
on Wed 13th April to make the first day an easier drive, as mentioned above, so
we need to know your intentions, please!!
Ed. I plan to stop for brekki at the Aratula Bakery at 8am Thursday. Meet you there?
May 15th Wagstaff’s Stud on Mt Mee.
John & Wendy have once more opened their property, this time on Mt Mee, to VCCQ for a
barbeque. So it will be BYO everything starting at 12 noon. Barbeques are available at
this Horse Stud property & some of us may stop on our way up the hill at the Café with
fantastic views for morning tea. More details will be given in the early May magazine & at
the Clubhouse on Sunday April 10th
May 29th & 30th Taabinga Homestead after the Goomeri Pumpkin Festival.
The current plan is to leave Brisbane early- say 6 am on Sunday 29 th May at Blacksoil
Gas Station to drive to Goomeri in time for the Pumpkin Festival Parade, currently
scheduled to start at 10.30am.
We’ll spend most of the day in Goomeri, at the now Internationally known Pumpkin
Festival. Due to the accommodation pressure in Goomeri, we’ll then drive about 80km to
Taabinga Homestead I understand from the owner, Colin, that the drive to the property
is graded regularly & should be suitable for our vehicles – his description was it is better
than the Council road outside the property!!
Bookings for about 10 people have been reserved at the 19th Century property. More
accommodation is available on site but you’ll need to let me know of your interest SOON.
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 21
Join us for a great weekend when we plan to have a Sunday night barbeque at the
Homestead.
Monday night will also be spent at the Homestead, enabling us to relax & enjoy the
facilities or take a drive to Kingaroy. Accommodation is incredibility cheap about $35.00
per person, per night depending on what is still available.
Tery Hurst’s Invitational Charity Event. June 5th
This popular local event will take place after a break last year – the venue is in
Tambourine - contact Tery on 0438 689 544 for details.
VCCQ Concours Sunday June 26th at Ormiston House
This important event on the Club’s calendar, will once more take place in the grounds of
Ormiston House. Please enter the date in your diary so we may see some wonderful
member’s vehicles on display, in all their glory. As usual, the judges will make the Awards
on merit at the Concours & prizes plus Awards will be given out at the Presentation
Dinner.
August 13th Presentation Dinner
Please place this important date in your calendar NOW!
Hamilton Hotel is the new venue for this event, hopefully being more central than the
Boulevard Gardens for access for some members.
VCCQ Jazz Band will be on stage to entertain so put on your dancing shoes & have some
fun, whilst celebrating with those members whose outstanding cars have won Awards.
August 19th AGM & Special Food Night
This is the time for the Committee to be rejuvenated & continue the spirit for more years
to come. Please nominate someone or yourself as we love to have your ideas & feedback.
Ronnie Brown
SCATOLOGICALLY SPEAKING – THE PRESIDENT'S COLUMN
Sumptuous Scandinavian Supper.
What a spectacular food fest the ladies put on for this special food night. Quite
magnificent, with many yummy treats. A BIG thanks to all involved. Great to be
followed up with the presentation by Max Stephenson. As ever with Max’s presentations,
no one crept out and all stayed glued to their seats for his enthralling show.
Phillip Island Historic Races and the RACV Rally.
My old pal Clive Philbrick came out from the
USA to go to the PI Historics, and then
follow on to do the RACV Fly the Flag Rally.
Sadly, 2 weeks before, I was told by the
mechanics in Melbourne that the Derby
Bentley was undriveable due to a gearbox
fault that had just appeared.
After speaking with the organisers, who said
it would be no fun in a modern – as we
discovered when the same Bentley let us
down on a rally 3 years ago – we cancelled,
but still went to the Historics, where we
caught up with Bob King, Geoff Wall, and
many others, some famous. (Not as
famous, though, as those at the GP, such as
the former Californian Governator, whose reign was brought abruptly to an end when he
bumped into a replica of himself sent back from the Future, aka the Terminator. He said
he’d be back, though.)
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 22
The cars present were the same ones as ever, plus a lovely Alfa 6C, but none from
overseas this time, which was disappointing. Last year, an ERA graced us with its
presence.
The problem this time was the late change in GP dates, courtesy of Bernie Ecclestone –
the Historics always being held the weekend before.
Doug Armour, farmer from
Warragul, and fellow Jaguar
XK140 DHC owner was
there, however, in his
interesting Fiat Special.
Built on a vintage Fiat
chassis, it boasts a flat head
Ford V8 motor. Has an
unusual exhaust beat,
sounding rather like a few
Harleys.
ThE Type.
Clive is not a man to sit idly
by and so we got stuck into
my E Type which I have
owned for 30 years. 22
years ago work started on a
few things like painting it,
but it kind of got stalled and came home around 10 years ago as a shell and a large jig
saw of parts. We got from here to here over the course of the week.
VCCQ Printed and Posted magazine
For some time now, the Committee has been
increasingly concerned about the rising cost of printing and posting magazines.
A disproportionate amount of our subs income each year is devoted to printing and
sending 25 magazines out each month, with the $10 surcharge per member for this
service representing less than 20% of the cost to the club. The net cost to the club of
sending these magazines is around a quarter of our annual income.
The last straw has been the recent increases in postage charges. There have also been
complaints about the time it takes to receive magazines from Australia Post. (I must say
I wish I was paid $4.8m to come up with the brilliant solution to losing money to reduce
services and increase costs.) It took 2 weeks recently for something to get to me from
Melbourne.
The Club’s income derives primarily from subscriptions and interest on the term deposit.
The VCCQ annual subs are quite low compared with clubs that offer similar, or lesser,
services. We have about 100 members, give or take, and so the annual subscription
income is around $5,000. This has to cover things such as rent on the rooms, insurance,
audit fees, trophy engraving, and various other expenses, all of which increase each year.
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 23
Members who receive a paper magazine pay an extra $10 above the base $50
membership fee to receive a paper magazine 11 times a year (Print and Post [P&P]
member).
The cost to print and post a magazine each month is just over $5 per magazine, or $55
pa, so the net subscription received from each P&P member is reduced from $60 to less
than $5. This contrasts starkly with other members who pay $50, all of which goes
towards running the club.
This also does not take into account the extra work our editor does in arranging for the
printing and posting of these magazines and the constant updating of the mailing list as
subs dribble in each year.
We print and post around 25 magazines, with 17 going to members and the balance to
institutions, such as libraries. This costs almost $1400 pa, or over a quarter of our subs
income. As a committee we have a duty to see club funds are spent more or less equally
across the membership, and to prudently manage our income and expenditure.
As the committee sees it, we need to ensure we break even each year, that is, our
income from mainly subs and the term deposit interest is sufficient to cover our day to
day expenses. Additional pressure comes from the current very low interest rates, which
have reduced that income stream.
The present situation is not sustainable, with over a quarter of the club’s income being
applied to the shortfall on magazine printing and posting costs. As a result, we are not
breaking even at present.
The Committee believes there are 3 options – and its views on each follow.
1. Charge the recipients of the paper magazines the actual cost of producing and
distributing them. This would see subs for electronic copy magazine recipients remain at
$50, but see P&P members’ fees increase by $45, to $105. The committee knows this
will not be acceptable.
2. Increase the fees across the board, to ensure that the club recovers the actual cost of
sending magazines to the 17 who receive it by paper. This is unfair and the committee
does not support this.
3. Stop printing and posting paper magazines, moving to 100% email distribution. Brian
is already moving to this with him making arrangements to send the magazine to
institutions electronically.
The Committee expects that most, if not all, of the P&P members had no idea about the
true cost of producing and distributing paper magazines, as we have not raised this
before.
Some members who receive posted magazines also have email, and so there is no
problem in either reading the electronic copy, or printing it out and reading it at home.
For those who do not have email, there are a number of ways around this problem. Most
will have a relative or a friend who does have email and can print it for them. For those
who don’t, it is easy to obtain a free Gmail email account to which the electronic copy
could be sent. They can access this from an internet café, or a library, and have it printed
there – or stored electronically. For those for whom a printed magazine is the only
option, Brian can send an electronic copy to his commercial printer, who is prepared to
print copies for collection from him at cost. This will be around $5 per magazine.
This will be discussed in depth at the April meeting, which will occur on Sunday 10 April
at 2pm. The Committee seeks your direction on how we should proceed.
VCCQ/Alvis car Club Rally to Northern NSW Rally
We have a bumper attendance of the Alvisti from NSW joining us on this rally. Highlights
are Inverell, with its massive car museum, Armidale, with hopefully the autumn leaves
on the turn, and magnificent drive down the aptly-named waterfall Way THROUGH
Dorrigo and Bellingen to beautiful Coffs Harbour. Until next month, KBO, DY
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 24
IN APPRECIATION – Editor.
Thanks again to all those who have
sent me articles and pics. David
Fryer, Ronnie Brown, Frank Corbett,
Doug Young, Russell McIvor, Bernie
Jacobson, Julie Stephenson.
There were other articles left in
reserve for later. Many thanks.
Proof reading courtesy of Jennie
Ransom.
MAGAZINE CONTRIBUTORS
DEADLINE: The VCCQ general
meeting is held on the third Friday
of every month. The VCCQ
committee meeting is held
notionally two weeks before the
general meeting but on the
Wednesday of that week.
All contributions to the mag must
be received several days before the
end of the previous month if the
mag is to be emailed and posted in
the first week of the month. With
changes to Australia Post the
printed version may not arrive until
the second week.
Please send reports to
[email protected]
2016 MEETING SUPPER ROSTER.
DATE
TEABAG
CLEANUP
January 15
Leigh
Wolf
February 19
Jennie
Peter
March 18
Dinner
Dinner
April 10
Lunch
Lunch
May 20
Ian Hayward
June 17
Jacqui
Chris
July 15
Katrina
Katrina
Gaye and Derek
tba
Jan
Rob
August 19
September 16
October 21
November 18
December 16
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 25
LATE NEWS.
Hi Brian,
Arrived in Devonport this
morning just in time to catch the
Motor Show. 300 Holdens, 300
Fords and 1 Lagonda!
On the ferry in the morning,
home for Easter.
Cheers, Joe
Bill Griffiths in Launceston soon
identified the car.
V12, black and about 1937?
It lives just out of Deloraine.
Owner is Neil Graham.
JOE’S JOTTINGS
Sad to report that Roger Ealand passed away this week after a battle with cancer. Some
may remember the very stylish Alvis Speed 20 Special he took to Leyburn many years
ago and he also made an appearance at the Avo Hill Climb. He was also a very
accomplished historic racer in Marcos and Lotus Elan and in more recent times, he
competed at Monterey in the USA and Goodwood in his Formula Junior. His London to
Sydney, World Cup Rally Volvo resides in the Inverell Motor Museum. As far as I’m
concerned, his organisation, friendship and compassion when “Chippy” had his accident,
was of the highest order when he ran “Speed on Tweed”.
Also dying recently was Stanley Mann, world renowned Bentley dealer and driver. While
on my Churchill Fellowship trip in 1992, we were invited as his guests to Millbrook GM
test track in Bedfordshire, to witness his attempt to break the world record for 1000
miles in a Speed 6. The team included Vaughn Davis, the car owner and Prince Michael of
Kent. The car circulated at about 120mph and after fuel and driver changes, managed to
break the record at 114.73mph for 1000 miles. Interestingly, Prince Michael was the
most regular driver in the team, putting in lap after lap at 118mph.
We have just returned from a month away, travelling south to Tasmania. First stop car
wise was at “Crankshaft Engineering” in Wangaratta. There, John Kent, well known 30/98
restorer, has a number
of interesting projects
on the go. A very
sporting P1 RR was
nearing completion and
something I love, an
Edwardian Special was
well advanced – 10 Litre
Hall Scott Aero engine,
Minerva gearbox, a
massive diff of about
1.3 : 1, was going to be
a real fun machine.
Next stop was “Up the
Creek” restoration in
rural Victoria, near
Castlemaine. Here
Grant Cowie and his team execute the most impressive restoration work. They only
undertake mechanical work. A 3 / 4.5 Bentley was going back together after rectification
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 26
to numerous earlier poor repairs, the 8 cyl twin cam blown Talbot was being tuned in
preparation for Phillip Island, a GN and 3 Frazer Nash projects were on ice and the 1914
Indianapolis Delage was having a new crankcase made, 3D printing being involved in the
process. What impressed me most the atmosphere of satisfaction and contentment
among the staff – a lovely group of young blokes. Also going back together was the exParson Lambda, now owned by our Club member, Paul Doumany – a massive rebuild,
even down to new hubs – looked lovely in grey.
We then went on to
Melbourne and caught up
with John Lawson. I
bought our Lancia from
him and Andrew got his
AC Amilcar from John. He
has a collection of cars
that are very stunning
but very well used. He’s
done numerous Targa
Tasmania, a Targa in
Newfoundland, Classic
Adelaide, etc, not only
competing but seldom
not winning. We had a
run with him around
Melbourne in the L Type
MG and the D670 Delage Coupe. The Nadie modified 6C 2300 Alfa MM was being
prepared to go to the museum on Launceston and the 6C 1750 Alfa was set to be
shipped to Italy for the Mille Miglia in May.
We managed to catch up with Rob and Lyn Robson and Graham and Anne Hesse and had
the company of several stylish Delage and that fantastic Ballot on the ferry back to
Melbourne. Good to be home.
FRYER'S FLYERS. The Spirit of Generosity and a Hearse Called Agna
Rugby and cricket aside, the spirit of generosity is still alive and well in the shaky islands
of New Zealand. In an increasingly selfish world where what's in it for me so often
dominates, it's refreshing to see that Kiwis still cling to the traditional values of trust,
good manners, and kindness to strangers.
They have opened their
doors to me on numerous
occasions with offers of
accommodation; I have
shared their bread at the
dinner table; and they have
provided long-distance lifts
along the way. The
remarkable thing is the
offers were always
unsolicited with no
expectation of payment or
reciprocation. So it came as
no surprise when I was
offered the keys to Agna
during a recent tour of the
Shakies.
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 27
Agna is a 1935 Austin Hearse with a bespoke body (no pun intended) by Alpe and
Saunders of London. But Agna isn't just any old coach-built hearse, she's a renowned
film star with a star-studded track record of appearances in The Bill television series, Last
of the Summer Wine, and even a role in Predicament - a Kiwi comedy movie with mixed
reviews.
Agna may be an ageing octogenarian, but she still works hard for her living. These days
she has a regular role as conveyor of coffins in Wanganui - a small town on the west
coast of the North Island. Needless to say, it's something she excels in, but then she has
had plenty of practice in Blighty. Her latest custodians - Dempsey and Forrest Funeral
Services - keep her parked in a prominent position outside the office when she's not
delivering caskets. And she has
some very good company on the
forecourt in the shape of a 1948
Burgundy and black Jaguar
sedan, and a massive 1937
straight-eight Studebaker hearse
that cut a formidable shadow in
the bright afternoon sun.
The trio made something of a
statement in an otherwise bland
streetscape, so I couldn't resist
stopping for a few photos. But I
had barely popped the lens cap
when senior director Jim Forrest
came out to introduce himself with a hearty handshake. Then, just seconds later, the
handshake was converted to the usual hand of Kiwi generosity with an offer to take a car
of my choice for a test drive.
To be honest, a ride in a hearse has never been high on my wish-list, so I graciously
declined the offer. But Jim - being a true Kiwi - wouldn't take no for an answer. I
expressed my concerns about driving two-tonnes of heavy metal in unfamiliar territory at
2pm - just when hundreds of school kids were pouring out of a nearby high school. He
assured me the cars were well insured, but I still had reservations. Then he twisted my
arm with Hayley - a surprisingly young and attractive chauffeur with a handful of wellworn car keys.
"I've been instructed to take you for a test drive." she said. "Which one would you like?"
They both looked at me intently. The straight-eight Studebaker was tempting from a
sheer mass point of view, but Agna had fame in her favour. I reluctantly agreed, and with
that we left the forecourt at a non-funereal pace with the aid of a semaphore indicator
that looked more like a shiny yellow thorn in the rump of a lumbering black dinosaur.
Hearses only come in two sizes: big ones and whoppers, but it was obvious from the
outset that Hayley enjoyed chauffeuring a large pre-war car with the aerodynamics of a
house brick. In fact, she handled the old girl with consummate ease, but we had barely
travelled half-a-kilometre when she suddenly pulled over to the side of the road.
"Now it's your turn" she said with a beaming smile not normally associated with a hearse.
At this stage I was up to the challenge, but would I be as good at the wheel? Would I
make a fool of myself in a sea of Kiwis? I made light of the situation by asking a nearby
group of teenagers if they had any spare cadavers for the rear compartment. This was
done with a straight face, but it was met with a wall of stunned silence. I wasn't sure if it
was the foreign accent, or disbelief in my request; so, in the reciprocal spirit of
generosity, I opened the massive side door to show off a cavernous interior richly
embellished with olde-world charm and gothic ornamentation. But like Slim Dusty's pub
with no beer, our saloon was bereft of stock. I then asked if they had seen any bodies
The Vintage Car
April 2016
Page 28
lying around: big ones, small ones, any old stiff would do, but the poor kids were clearly
rattled and they took off in haste without looking back.
We also took off, but at a much slower pace and I was careful to look back as we cleaved
a hole in the unbroken stream of traffic with the semaphore at full mast. Fortunately,
everyone gives way to a hearse regardless of occasion. In that respect, we were in the
exalted league of emergency vehicles, steam rollers, and bulk ore carriers.
The industrial-size steering wheel was something of a challenge and it reminded me of
the time I was handed a fat lady in a community dance hall because neither offered any
prospect of a dignified exit. But size is everything when one is at the helm of a two-tonne
monster without power steering and I was grateful for its girth after rounding the first
corner.
Acceleration was better than expected, thanks to a previous owner who had retro-fitted a
Rover engine with an automatic gearbox. Purists may tut-tut such modifications and I
would normally agree, but Agna is a working vehicle and it certainly made driving easier.
Mourners are also spared the indignity of crunching gears at the local graveyard.
It would probably be fair to say hearses were never built with performance in mind, but
Agna had no trouble keeping up with modern traffic in the streets of Wanganui.
Unfortunately, we didn't have access to a suitable test track, so I can't provide any
meaningful figures. That said, I would imagine 0 - 100 could be measured accurately
with an average grandfather clock, though you may have to rewind it along the way.
The remainder of the drive was otherwise uneventful and I managed to return Hayley's
Comet without any collateral damage despite dicky brakes in need of urgent attention.
My supervisor didn't exhibit any obvious signs of trauma, so I assume it was a thumbsup from her. It was certainly a thumbs-up for me and I look forward to a return visit after
Agna's promised makeover.
It would have been nice to compare the two hearses - the offer was certainly there - but
time wasn't on my side. She who must be obeyed was waiting impatiently in the hire car
and her mood was "Over my dead body", or something to that effect. To be fair, we had a
lot of ground to cover in a short space of time and there were more cars waiting in
Napier. © David Fryer