Hornet Special Newsletter
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Wolseley Hornet Special Club of Australia Inc Hornet Special Newsletter Issue 65 June 2016 Jon and Kate Cooke’s 1932 Swallow bodied WHS at the Vero Festival of Historic Motoring in New Zealand Joe Wilson, Peter Baker (left) and Lyle Cooper (right) inspect the accelerator linkage on Joe’s car following a test run, also with Henry Hancock. All agreed that the car now runs, rides and steers beautifully with the power of the 14hp engine being noticable. Peter’s 1933 WHS is in the background. Robb Stewart’s WHS Club Contacts 1933 Daytona’s further progess, Secretary see Newsletter Bill Russell, Issue 64, page ph (03) 9349 2262 4 - Now the President interior is mostly John Prentice finished. ph (02) 6281 2618 Editor Henry Hancock, ph (07) 3878 2850 3 Gilia Court Indooroopilly Qld 4068 2016 AGM and HORNET EXTRAVAGANZA [email protected] 14 - 16 OCTOBER 2016 See page 4 The land of the Long White Cloud and a Meeting of Hornet owners. by John Balthazar In January this year Sharon and I ventured to NZ to attend the Vero International Festival of Historic Motoring held in Dunedin and organized by the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand. We were lent a 1928 Oakland sedan in very original condition with only 70,000 miles on the clock. The Oakland behaved itself reasonable well on some challenging hills and dirt roads around Dunedin, not to mention a few laps around the race circuit at Timaru. We shared the car and the driving with another couple, John and Marg Cox, also from Melbourne. During our stay in Dunedin, our lodgings were at the very art deco “Apartments at St Clair”, where by happy coin- cidence, we found our hosts to be WHSCA member Gavin Turner and his wife Wendy. We also caught up with Jon Cooke and his wife Kate who had driven his 1932 Hornet from Auckland (some 1500 kms) and also with WHSCA member Brian Stroud who had travelled up from Invercargill in his Morgan. On one of the free rally days we all managed to gather together with Jon Cooke’s Hornet in front of the Apartments at St Clair, to share Hornet stories and encourage Gavin to get started on his restoration. Gavin and Wendy Turner own a 1933 Wolseley Hornet Special which Gavin purchased when he was 18. It was discovered by accident when he was working as a truck driver and delivered a parcel to the wrong address. He noticed the car in a garage with a load of junk piled on top of it and asked the owners if they were interested in selling. Six months later he received a phone call and the car was his. Sharon and I were privileged when Gavin picked us up from the Rally display day and drove us to his garage to have a look at his waiting-to-be-restored car. The body is in remarkably good condition. There are no dents or rust. The timber frame appears to be rigid and sound. The rear body panel and a couple of pieces of timber have been replaced at some stage, possibly due to a light rear end shunt. The car although not fully assembled, is very complete, including all gauges, windscreen, hood bows and side curtains; stored away safely in crates. On closer inspection the car is unusual in that the chassis and engine are 1933 whereas the Eustace Watkins body is off a 1934 chassis. The sloping grill has been adapted to marry up to the vertical 1933 radiator and associated mountings. There is also a hump in the right hand mud guard which would have accommodated the 1934 chassis rail mounted steering box, whereas the 1933 steering box is mounted on the front cross member. However these details are minor and not noticeable from the outside of the car. Due to family and work commitments, Gavin has not had a chance to do anything to the car since he purchased it all those years ago; however he is hanging out for retirement when he is itching to get started on the restoration. Brian Stroud believes that his 1930 Hornet tourer is the Gavin’s 1933 WHS with 1934 Eustace Watkins body (see most southerly Wolseley Hornet in the world. After the adapted radiator and steering box hump in the bottom picture) rally in Dunedin, Sharon and I hired a modern car and has moved houses several times in unrestored condition. Page 2 Hornet Special Newsletter drove south to Invercargill to visit Brian. He purchased the car in 1983 as a chassis with the only body panels being the bonnet sides and mudguards, so being a skilled carpenter; he set about building a new body himself. The car has been restored to a very high standard with an eye for detail. Where parts could not be purchased they were fabricated or cast from scratch. The car has some unique features, like twin rear mounted spare wheels, thermostatically controlled radiator shutters, Hartford shock absorbers and a transmission tunnel mounted handbrake lever. Jon and Kate Cooke – 1932 Wolseley Hornet Special. Brian and his 1930 vertical-dynamo car. Brian visited Australia Jon Cooke has visited our shores on numerous occasions in 2011. See Newsletter Issue 47, December 2011, for a picture and has attended the last two AGM’s so it was great to of the car on the road and Newsletter Issue 33, May 2008 for catch up with him and actually see his car. the story of the rebuild. John has owned this 1932 Swallow Bodied Wolseley Hornet Special for 50 years and does most of the work on it himself. The car is in very original condition and has an unrestored oily rag patina which has tremendous appeal and makes it highly desirable. The rear styling of these Swallow-bodied cars is extremely attractive. The tiny Brooklands windscreens while giving a very sporting appearance, offer little protection from the weather and Jon sensibly opts for a full face helmet when driving long distances. The all aluminium body is well polished and the minor dents and blemishes are hints of what must have been a fascinating past. If only cars could talk. The shapely rear styling and the interior of Jon and Kate’s Swallow-bodied Hortnet Special at the Vero Festival of Historic Motoring in Dunedin, New Zealand. Joe and Bev Wilson’s 34 / 35 WHS Sold Joe writes ... with Peter Bakers help, got the motor in last week (See Newsletter Issue 64, page 2 for the problem - Ed.). I really don’t know what caused the problem, but 4 pistons had seized on a couple of occasions. I was aware of when this happened, and should have stripped it before the AGM in Bathurst?? The alloy had jammed the oil rings in their groove, which would account for the smoke and smell at Bathurst. A hone and a new set of pistons and all sounds sweet. I am keen to see how the steering is as I have increased the castor with a wedge. The car was flighty on the open road, and the steering was, I felt, unpleasantly light. Cheers, Joe 25 April 2016 Continued .... Page 7 Issue 65 Page 3 2016 WHSCA AGM Weekend Extravaganza 14-16 October, 2016 in Maryborough - the heart of Victoria’s goldelds (170km NW of Melbourne) Drive the Mt Tarrengower Hill Climb Relax and be driven around in our own bus for the weekend Be astonished by eccentric individuals with eclectic motoring collections Explore the culture and curios of historic Maldon and Castlemaine Dine at Maryborough’s Supreme Court Freeze on the Hornet Morning Frostbite Run Browse the huge Talbot Farmers’ Market – by far Vic’s biggest and best Wine and dine at the celebrated Quoin Hill Vineyard Get blown away by one of Australia’s largest wind farms Book now, by sending $46 per person by cheque or something to J&A. at covers your Sunday winery lunch and our weekend bus hire. Everything else is pay as you go. Full weekend program available soon. Home Base (ours exclusively for the weekend) e Bristol Hill Motor Inn Room rate for two people 1 High Street Standard Room $130/night ph (03) 5461 3833 Family (up to 4/5 beds) $155/night [email protected] Executive Room $150/night www.bristolhill.com.au Spa Room $175/night First in Best Dressed, so phone the motel now. Quote Ref: Wolseley Hornet Special Club Interstaters Bus it from Tulla to Southern Cross, then train/coach direct to Maryborough in time for the AGM Melbourne billeting available either side of the AGM Le: Maryborough Railway Station. “A railway station with a town attached,” Mark Twain (1895) Right: Built in 1876-77 the Maryborough Post Oce was built as a combined court house and post oce. All enquiries: John & Annabelle (03) 9874 5475, [email protected] Page 4 Hornet Special Newsletter SA News I entered the Hornet in the McLaren Vale car rally with over 600 cars. While I was talking to a fellow about the car, a lady approached me and said she was the Mayor and that she had been asked to pick the car she would like to take home. My car was her choice!.... I promptly informed her that she could not take it home!! However I received the Mayors Choice Trophy and a couple of bottles of wine. Also, they want to use the car for advertising next year’s event. Two weeks after that I took my Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire down to Victor Harbour for the British Classic Tour.