WESTERN VETERAN AND VINTAGE MOTOR CLUB, LTD. Newsletter March 2009 Recent Photos 2 Insurance/Crossword 11 Directors and Officers 3 WVVMC Events 12 Restoration Project 4 Membership Director 13 Museums Abroad 5 2009 Membership 14 Charity Report 6 2009 Membership 15 News Items, Snippits 7 2009 Membership 16 For Sale/Services 8 Editor/Period Ads 17 Events Diary 9 Ford Anglia 18 Cullinane Chamois Run 10 Ford Anglia 19 1951 Ford Anglia Page18-19 Recent Photos Josie Conacur is presented with a birthday card Children look in awe at 1923 Ford Model T at Gort Parade All The Presidents Men! Past and Present Presidents Peggy Francis-St.Patricks Day 2009 1963 Daimler– Sean Casey Glorious weather for Oranmore St Patricks Day Parade 2 Newsletter, March 2009 WESTERN VETERAN AND VINTAGE MOTOR CLUB, LTD. W.V.V.M.C. Limited, Registered Office: c/o Mark Hanley & Co. Accountants;. Devon House, The Crescent, Galway. Reg. No.: 132186 Directors and Officers for 2009: Chairman: Frank Mullan Tel. 091-523012, 086-2327678 Secretary: John Keane Tel. 091- 790963, 087-2411091 Finance Director: Ray O’Donoghue Tel. 091-794241, 087-2798122 Membership Director: Michael Spellman Tel. 091-798017, 086 -8210679 Events Director: Tom Spellman Tel. 091-798083, 085-1542099 Technical Director: David Fennell Tel. 091-757208, 087-2273747 Communications Director : Ian Doherty Tel. 091 849789, 086-8295332 Hon. Members: Jimmy Francis and Phil Denson Hon. President: Pat Conacur Committee Members Tom Fahy, Bill Fennell, Padraic Giblin, Tom Kavanagh, Sergio Magnetti, Joe O’Neill, Ray Spellman WVVMC newsletter is published quarterly. Letters, trip reports, articles, cars for sale or parts wanted, interesting articles, advertisements etc. for the Club’s Newsletter, can be sent to: Ian Doherty, Tara, Kilskeagh, Athenry or e-mailed to: [email protected] See also our website: www.wvvmc.com 3 Restoration Project Words & Photos by Phil Denson What is it? Who bought it? And Why? It’s a Kerry Tourer, built by Whittingham and Mitchell on a 1933 Baby Ford (Model Y). Margaret and Phil Denson bought it. In our defence, there are only 3 left. Two MK2s and one MK I, this is the Mk I. As we have a house in Kerry and the colour is “Kerry green” you can understand why we had to have it. The intention was to rebuild it and repaint it in the green, painting the wheels in gold so as to match the Kerry colours but as a friend kindly pointed out, it would look much like a John Deere tractor! So back to the drawing board. We then had the brilliant idea of painting the chequered flag on the radiator stone guard in the green and yellow chequers – much better idea and more in keeping. The Restoration to date. At the moment it is now stripped down to the chassis which is being strengthened and painted, ready for all the renovated parts to be built back on. Here we go! Chassis renovated and the newly reconditioned engine and gearbox back in! Can’t tell you how many times the parts have been bolted on and off….. as you do! We are having some trouble with the front wings rebuild but we’ll get it right in the end. The back wings have to be remade so they will take some time. The interior was prelly much non-existent so we have had to copy from the only other car in the UK and although that is a MK II we are using what is left of ours to reconstruct it and keep it as authentic as possible. All in all a lot of work has been done, ready for rebuilding but obviously the bodywork will take some time yet. The chrome bits are more or less gathered together ready to go to the platers, who are usually quite quick, so it should be back before too long. It gives you a lift when you see the shiny stuff ready to go back on. Makes you want to get on with it! 9th March: Must tell you that as of today she’s a runner!!! After much swapping of Carbs and distributors she started and ran very well. Really sweet engine!! In conclusion: Lots of work to do yet. Will report with more photographs as it progresses and hopefully we will be able to bring it over for the WestRun, maybe not this year, but next. Phil Denson, Burnley UK 4 Car Museums Abroad By Michael Spellman Mercedes Museum, Stuttgart, Germany I have just spent a lovely weekend with my wife Peggy and children Kieran and Rachel, in the Disneyland of any motor enthusiast; Stuttgart in Germany. During our time there, we visited the Mercedes and Porsche museums in the city. The Mercedes Museum was opened nearly three years ago in time for the European Football championships. One of the venues for the championships was the Daimler Stadium which in on the same street as the museum and the headquarters of Daimler Benz, and by having the museum opened in time, it would have meant an added attraction for the football supporters. Incidently, all three venues are situated on Mercedesstrasse (Mercedes Street!). The building itself is a work of art, it consists of nine floors and when you enter, you start from the top (you are whizzed up by elevator), beginning with the horse and the first Daimler and Benz cars and trucks. As you progress through the museum (through time), you cover the first cars to carry the name Mercedes, into the twenties and thirties – the supercharged cars of that era. Into the fifties, with the gullwing 300SL cars and through the latter decades showing most model types produced. Off each section, there is a separate showroom showing vehicles (as it was not just cars, but trucks, buses and aeroplanes), in a particular category i.e. lorries, emergency vehicles, cars owned by famous people etc. The 1st floor, covered the area of motor sport. Cars that raced the early 1900’s, through the Mille Miglia and Panamerica races up to the formula 1 cars of today are on show. The final section (before you arrive into the shop and restaurants) covered car and safety design. The vehicles themselves are all roadworthy and can be used in trials or other events, so the museum is always changing as cars are used elsewhere and others models take their place. The next building is the Mercedes Centre, where you can view the latest models available from Mercedes. You couldn’t blame the company for that, after showing the input the company has made to motor development, starting with the very first cars to try and entice you with their latest offerings. No, I didn’t buy another car! Stuttgart city itself, is the capital city of the region and has many historic buildings, parks and monuments (though some had to be rebuilt after the 2nd World War). There are many departmental stores and shopping malls if you are that way inclined. In the next newsletter, I will detail our trip to the Porsche museum. 5 Charity Committee Report By Sergio Magnetti News From Mozambique As you are aware, in 2006 the WVVMC established a car maintenance training centre in Maputo – Mozambique for street children. These Children had been rescued by an organisation financed by the Norwegian Government. After an initial slow start due a serious explosion of a nearby army arsenal which substantially damaged the children’s centre where our workshop is based, I am pleased to say that recently our project is running very well. There are 26 students, aged between 15 and 17 years of age attending the training. There are two classes twice a week, one in the morning for beginners and one in the afternoon for advanced. Both groups are under the supervision of a qualified mechanic. The children learn some car basic theory and they do practical work on the fleet of the centre, helping to maintain them and reduce the cost for the organisation. The aim of this project is to give these children a chance to continue their training with the possibility of gaining employment, but also to ensure that they won’t go back to the streets, which in Maputo is a very dangerous place to be. In addition to the car maintenance training we have helped 4 students to obtain a driving licence and at the present they are driving for the centre which gives them a greater chance of getting a job elsewhere in the future. The whole cost of this project so far has been €14,975, including some civil work to build the premises, acquire the equipment and tools in Ireland and then to transport them to Mozambique. The money also goes towards the teachers salary, transport and lunch for the students and all other expenses. I think if we can keep half of them off the streets it will have been well worth the effort. We are now sending another €4,000 to run the project in 2009, including some additional equipment. There is much more that could be done for them, but it will require more funding that we have to try to raise in the current year, and of course we must not forget our local charities. This will be the challenge for 2009. Charity Fund 2009 By Sergio Magnetti We are again trying to raise money for our charity fund. Every year it becomes more and more difficult to find a way to do it. This year, in addition to “our brain drying out” we now have to deal with the recession.