Wolseley Hornet Special Club of Australia Inc

Hornet Special Newsletter

December 2009 The Argus (Melbourne), Monday 22 December 1930, page 4 Issue 39

Highlights this issue As the new editor of the Newsletter I would like to thank John Clucas for his excellent work over many years.

Highlights in this issue include: “Comfy Coupe or Nifty Sports Roadster” as an advertisement prompts John Ireland to consider the early arrival of Hornets in Australia, the continuation of Bill Russell’s “When the 1934 Hornets first came to Melbourne”, the Brisbane AGM, and a new Hornet registered.

As suggested by this advertisement published Monday 22 December 1930, There’s Still Time to get that Hornet for Xmas.

Whatever you get the family for Xmas, may you enjoy Safe Motoring and a very Merry Christmas

WHS Club Contacts Secretary Bill Russell, ph (03) 9349 2262 President Howard Kenward, ph (07) 3267 6046 Editor Henry Hancock, ph (07) 3878 2850 3 Gilia Court Indooroopilly Qld 4068 [email protected] Comfy Coupe’ or Nifty Sports Roadster The Argus (Melbourne) Monday 22 December 1930, page 4 Early Hornet Imports by John Ireland

he Melbourne newspaper advertisement UK registered Patrick Special! Even more curious is Tsuggesting buyers get their orders in quickly that my car, the Melbourne car and the Castlemaine for Xmas delivery, 1930, upset a few preconceived car with the Morris Minor radiator (Issue No:33) ideas that I had regarding early Hornet deliveries to have much earlier Car Numbers than the UK car even Australia. though his chassis number is much earlier than mine For background we have to establish the main in particular. So much for assuming that my car and facts: the Melbourne two – seater had come over as part of Hornets were available on the home market from a larger batch. Then of course, just to confuse things April 1930. About 2600 were produced between April even more we have the NZ car that we learnt about and October, when the 1931 models entered produc- recently with chassis No:2120 – only two survivors tion. Chassis numbering started at 0100 in the usual are earlier than that and they are both in the UK! Morris way. All home market cars were fitted with So, are we any nearer to identifying those pro- the Morris Minor, two door, saloon body. Exports to posed 1930 Xmas gifts? Not so far, but another clue Australia and NZ were chassis only, without tyres or may be that both the Melbourne car and the NZ car batteries – these were fitted on the wharf after arrival. do not have the Dunlop Magna wheels fitted (with As my own car is stamped September 1930, has no the large, chrome, hub caps) which were the normal 1931 modifications, and is chassis No 2634 (making equipment on all export cars – even Morris Minors. it 2534 in manufacture), I assumed it was part of a So does this point to both these cars being private batch sent out at the end of the ’30 production run as imports at some point, even after WW2? This would two of my Dunlop Magna wheels are stamped 1931. muddy the waters even more. I think we will treat This I thought had occurred on the wharf when the this subject as a work-in-progress. I have full details piles of wheels would have got mixed up, the chassis of all the Morris Minor chassis exported to Australia being shipped after 1.1.31. on this basis, partly con- and NZ, with dates (from the Morris Minor Club) so firmed by my car having the definitive 1931 Hornet hopefully the UK Wolseley Club or BL Archives or factory style, two door saloon body, quite a bit dif- someone should have similar data for the Hornets. ferent to the Morris Minor body. All this seemed to Watch this space ... be confirmed when John Clucas turned up a car in Advertisement: National Library of Australia Melbourne, with chassis number just 47 earlier than http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4239974 mine. (Issue No:28). However, how did this explain Hornets being EARLIEST SANCTION 65 WHS 1932 available prior to Xmas 1930? Allowing at least a month – probably six weeks – for shipping, this did not leave a great time to put the bodies into produc- tion and have the cars available. It is possible that the body builders had Morris Minor bodies in production (these chassis had been coming out since 1928) and just popped them onto the Hornet chassis (the cars being identical from the firewall back). The problem here is that no cars or even pictures of them have ever turned up. Next a perusal of the list of known survivors of ‘30/’31 cars (24 out of over 6,000 produced), reveals The earliest Wolseley Hornet Special, the only example of a that chassis were not sent out in batches but somewhat 1932 Sanction 65 so far found in Australia, located by Bill piecemeal. For example the Melbourne car recently Russell in Kuranda after 40 years of searching, rescued by found is chassis 2587 whereas 2597 – ten later – is a David Monckton and awaiting Monty Schofields’s expertise.

Page 2 Hornet Special Newsletter In the previous installment, Bill Russell told us how, as reported in Table Talk, the “popular Mr Roger Henderson” married “the widely popular Miss Judy Thornley” and purchased “the super sports model of the Wolseley Hornet Six – a very fleet special two carburetor job” and Bill continues with Part 3 of…. When the 1934 Hornets first came to Melbourne Later research has disclosed that the buyer, Roger 1935 New Hornet and Wasp were the subject of an Henderson, was a 24-year old English aristocrat, the advertisement in the issue of Table Talk for March grandson of the 1st Baron Farringdon. Later a RAF 26th 1936, however by this time the Super Sixes were Flight Lieutenant, he was killed in action late in 1941 the Wolseleys taking centre stage. and is buried near Oxford.

The 1935 Jubilee Melbourne International Motor Show was held on June 13-22, 1935, and there is quite a good report in Table Talk for June 13 1935, This refers to the Wolseley display as comprising Nine, 16/50 and a 14/40 models. Nines on display included a four door saloon in iridescent gold, and a two door coupe in black and green; there was a cream and red saloon and a two door green coupe of the 14/48. However no Hornets were displayed. By September 1935, Table Talk was publishing photos of Chryslers Australian bodied Series II Coupe and Vauxhalls displaying rego numbers such as 212- Hornets appeared at a time of economic depres- 333 and 215-947, from which we can assume that sion, not unlike the present, but they sold extremely the Luxton Hornet must have been completed and well, as did Hornet Specials. The 1934 Hornet Special registered about mid year in 1935. made quite a sensation when exhibited at the 1934 International Motor Show in Melbourne, especially The end of the Hornet era was also chronicled by the dashing sportsman’s coupe, but by the 1935 show, Table Talk in its issue of February 20, 1935, which it was the magnificent Series II 25hp that stole the announced that “Lord Nuffield…has unpacked a show on Kellows’ stand – with no Hornet Specials on big surprise at Lane’s with a complete new range of display. A fantastic potential was nipped in the bud by Morris Sixes…Morris have dubbed their new range the first emergence of badge engineering. Yet on the “Series 2” and have announced that these cars will be other hand, the Series II and III cars themselves were produced until further orders. There will be no more worthy successors, which kept the Wolseley name yearly models – each improvement in car design in lights for another two decades and were popular will be incorporated as soon as it comes out…” Ac- worldwide, and especially in Australia. The last “true cording to the writer, the most lively and sparkling Wolseleys” designed and produced at the Ward End performance belongs to the new 25/6, illustrated at factory ended up on the streets of Australia. the head of the page - the 18 will reach Melbourne- toward the end of the month. Later, the April 9 1935 issue referred to the sweeping victory of the new Wolseley Super Sixes in the Monte Carlo Rally – so sensational were the order bookings that Kellows regarded themselves as lucky to have been given a sample car of the 25/105 model so soon. “Accelera- tion through the gears is fiery”,

There was a brief re-emergence of Hornets in 1936, when the models known in England as the Draftsmen in the Wolseley factory drawing upthe Series III 18

Issue 39 Page 3 am sure all those who were present will agree I this gathering of like minds was enjoyable and will promote zest to our restoration projects. Brisbane 2009 AGM Monty and Rita Schofield hosted the Friday eve- ning gathering at their heritage property in the central Brisbane 2, 3 & 4 October 2009 city area. Once the inner person had been satisfied with cheeses, fine Indian food, etc and with glasses of red in hand, we visited Monty’s workshop. Monty’s Below: President Howard Kenward presents John Ireland with the Wheels and Wings Trophy. 1934 Flood bodied WHS sat on the turntable outside the workshop, shining in the semi-dark and setting the Left: Monty telling stories to Margaret and Liz tone for the weekend. Inside was his current project, Below left: Peter’s 1933 WHS an amazing restoration of a 1914 4 ltr Alldays & Right: Fiddling with Bruce’s electrics. Onions, a task only Monty would take on. Below right: Henry’s coupe’ body.

Saturday morning saw us all assembled at Peter Baker’s place at 0900, prepared for a suburban circuit of Hornet restorations. Peter’s restoration of a 1933 WHS is well advanced – engine running, chassis & running gear completed and body back on. It’s inter- esting that we can trace the history of this car, owner by owner, back to about 1936. Peter also has an Austin 7 Nippy ready for painting, after some chassis and body damage in a traffic accident.

Page 4 Hornet Special Newsletter Next stop was Bruce McPhail’s garage to view his 1931 vertical generator Hornet with a fabric coupe’ body. The assembled Hornet “experts” under Bruce’s Brisbane 2009 AGM direction lifted the body off and then started the mo- tor. The chassis, running gear and motor have been Brisbane 2, 3 & 4 October 2009 restored and the motor sounded great. The body is structurally fairly sound but will need careful atten- tion. Bruce also has a Riley Nine special, beautifully Below: President Howard Kenward presents John Ireland with the Wheels and Wings Trophy. restored to “Imp” shape. In the driveway was a 1970’s Australian built fibreglass mid-engined Sabre special Left: Monty telling stories to Margaret and Liz resembling a Lotus Espirit – a very handsome and Below left: Peter’s 1933 WHS usable car. Right: Fiddling with Bruce’s electrics. Below right: Henry’s coupe’ body.

Next was Henry Hancock’s place where he is making progress on a 1933 Hornet Coupe’. Motor completed, steering box underway and many compo- nents in black primer. The body was hung from the rafters of the garage and is fairly complete. Henry and wife Laraine provided the morning tea and of course Henry’s transport for the day was his Lotus Excel.

Issue 39 Page 5 On then to Jerry Dunford’s. Gerry owns the only spares under my Father’s home. Lyle and I have Messervy styled and Coachcraft built Airline Coupe’ accumulated these spares over 40 + years and they on 1934 WHS components. Our research in recent have been vital to a number of recent restorations, the years indicates that 2 were probably built, but this latest being a 1934 WHS cylinder head on its way to is the only one remaining. Jerry has a rolling chas- Kevin Robson in Perth. On this occasion John Clucas sis with motor and gearbox rebuilt and again the scored a generator and a rocker cover wing nut and complete body under the house. At one end of this John Ireland raided a box of his vertical generator building is a 5m long x 2 ½m high rack laden with parts for a gearbox input-shaft, which will be sent Hornet bits with a 1920s OHC Morris Minor and a to England. These spares are well guarded by the 1950s BSA twin bike in evidence in another corner. biggest Rotweiller you have ever seen, so they are Lyle and Margaret Cooper live within 2km of Jerry fairly safe.

The last call was the Kenward residence. My 1934 WHS (the Black Car) was present and ready to go as ever. Set up in the engine stand was a 1935 14hp motor and gearbox (Lyle’s crowded workshopLyle’s crowded workshopwithout free wheel), un-restored but assembled to see what bits are missing. This unit is destined to be installed in a 1934 WHS chassis 16/127 with 2+ seater body with slab tank. This is my next project after completion of the 1919 D type Vauxhall (4 litre side valve motor). This restoration has progressed to the stage of completed body frame, awaiting aluminium panels. Also in the garage are my 1912 15hp Crossley and a 1925 Austin 7 Roadster. While the boys had been playing cars all day, the Jerry’s chassis and engine well advanced. and they provided a welcome lunch of sandwiches and fruit. Lyle is progressing well with the restoration of his 1933 WHS which has been with him for 40 + years. Lyle’s workshop is well set up and he gave us instructions on how to fit a modern oil filter canister inside the original oil filter body without changing its appearance [Lyle’s instructions on how to do this will appear in the next newsletter – Ed] and also how to fit tapered roller bearings into the front hubs. Next stop was the “Hornet Supermarket” of

Howard’s friend for 50 years.

ladies of the group were hard at work preparing for the evening meal at the Veteran Car Clubrooms. The décor in the auditorium had been supplemented by an number of A1 sized colour photos of WHSs (provided by Henry Hancock) and enlargements of period press reports of local hill-climbs featuring Hornet exploits in the 1930s and immediately post-war, researched by Jerry Dunford. After pre-dinner drinks etc. we convened the Lyle’s crowded workshop

Page 6 Hornet Special Newsletter AGM before the main meal was laid out buffet style. Clucas on a tour of other restoration projects in and I will not usurp the Secretary’s job by recording full around local areas. Russell Massey’s 1913 A type minutes, but the main features of the AGM are as Vauxhall, and Jak Guyomar’s amazing collection follows: of vehicles, a 1913 30hp Napier, D1 Delage, Lancia • Apologies from John Summerfield, Peter Lambda, OHC Turcat Mery, Lorraine Detrich to be Partridge and Bill Sherek – Bill attended followed in the future by a 1912 20hp 4 cyl Napier, Don Santin’s 65th Birthday bash on the same all housed in the Motor House come lounge room. evening – Happy Birthday Don. • The Treasurer gave his 08/09 report as While in Brisbane, John Clucas visited a fellow car circulated in the last newsletter, No 38. Subs enthusiast with a SS100 similar to his own, and John to stay the same for 09/10. Prentice saw a veteran Sunbeam under restoration to • The existing committee was re-elected, inspire him with his own project. including the respective State Secretaries and the Registrar. Thank-you to our southern visitors for attending, and • John Clucas was thanked and received a round to everyone concerned with the success of a great of applause for his excellent newsletters over weekend. We hope to meet up with everyone again many years. Henry Hancock’s offer to take (plus many others as well) in Canberra in October over the task was readily accepted by all. 2010. See you there. • Treasurer John Ireland was awarded the Wheels & Wings Trophy for 09/10 for his H. A. Kenward on-going services to the club, his outstanding President articles in the newsletter and the restoration of his 1930 Hornet Saloon. Great applause from all. • As we all had a glass of red in our hands we drank a toast to “The Black Car” which has been in my ownership for 50 years last August and has provided such sterling service and enjoyment over all of that time. • John Prentice has agreed to host the next meeting and AGM in Canberra in October 2010, time and format to be set by John at a later date. • A “thank you” was recorded to John Summerfield who had provided a number of key rings with “Auto 100 – Leaders of the World” 1935 WHS, distributed during the Absent friend – In October 2006, John Prentice’s 1934 WHS evening as lucky door prizes. visited Brisbane on a trailer. At the 2007 AGM in Sydney John was driving it. We’ll see it again in 2010 in Canberra. The evening meal proceeded with main-course, sweets, cheeses and coffee, accompanied by a ready supply of good Aussie wines. A “Toast” was drunk to thank the Ladies of our group who had provided food throughout the weekend. Jerry Dunford had organized wine glasses etched with the WHS motif and “Brisbane 09” that were distributed as part of the meal to all of those attending.

On Sunday morning – after the effects of the previous evening had worn off – I took John Prentice and John

Issue 39 Page 7 HORNET REGISTERED 27th OCTOBER 2009 1935 Eustace Watkins Hornet Daytona Special two-seater Congratulations Alec Sturgess

PROGRESS WITH BILL & RHONDA TROLLOPE’S WHS Following the 2007 AGM at the Royal Automobile Club in Sydney we inspected Bill and Ronda’s chassis which had been heavily modified and lowered. The following photos show excellent progress.

FOR SALE Beautiful Wasp Doctors Coupe 1934 Good condition – engine has been done. Woodwork refurbished. Body needs attention. Has been under cover for a number of years. Car is At Dural. $6,500 Con Cunningham Phone (02) 9651 3334 or 0414 632 322