The magazine for vehicle enthusiasts Classic - Collectable - Unusual - Interesting www.nncvc.org.uk

Issue 25 Spring/Summer 2013

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 1 04/07/2013 20:35 CENTRAL GARAGE BEHIND THE TOWN CLOCK SHERINGHAM General service & repair of all makes A REAL PUB M.O.T. Testing BRAKING-CLUTCHES-EXHAUSTS SERVING REAL FOOD RADIATORS-TIMING BELTS TO REAL PEOPLE WINDSCREENS TYRES-FREE FITTING Pool Room and Darts ELECTRONIC WHEEL BALANCING PUNCTURES FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT (large selection of tyres in stock) Air Conditioning Service and

M.O.T. Retail Motor Repairs Testing Industry Station Federation Auto Electrical Engine Analyser Breakdown Recovery LARGE MODERN WORKSHOP www.villageinnwestrunton.com 49 HIGH STREET, SHERINGHAM TEL/FAX: 01263 823168

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25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 2 04/07/2013 20:35 Chairman’s Report hen I first penned this or “non classic” vehicles. With spring was in the air and this in mind ALL the summer mostW of us will have our motors club nights will be outdoor fettled with all the winter jobs events and ALL vehicles are done and dusted and ready for welcome. the off. We were blessed with a Following the Show N Shine super day weatherwise for the night in July, the August annual St George’s Day Run visit will be to to Happisburgh Since then we have had many Lighthouse. We are also events with more to come so planning a run in October to let us hope we do not have celebrate Trafalgar day, again another summer of wet fields open to all to enjoy. and cancellations. One can see Can I remind all of you, but why events need to be called off particularly newer members in these cases, we cannot risk that we try to attend events our motors being bogged down. where we can park as a group Your wall calendar showed a as much as possible. This good many events but we do gives us all chance to meet add more during the season so and spend an enjoyable day. If please remember to add them to anyone is a little worried about your calendar that way you will joining such an event and “will not miss out. Your newsletters they fit in”, here is what you do. will keep you up to date on Pack a picnic, bring a couple of events and enable you to make picnic chairs and when lunch the very best of the summer. time arrives mix in with the rest Your committee have acted of the members who usually upon some of the constructive gather in circles to enjoy the comments made in the recent company. questionnaire, we aim to roll Attending events as a group out various plans during the also helps event organisers. club year to hopefully address Generally as a club we will all some of the concerns and know a little about our club suggestions raised. Some sug- vehicles, and throughout the gestions events wise will have day there is almost always some to wait till 2014 as the majority club member having a rest of events for this year were in near the cars. These members place before the outcome of the can keep a look out over our questionnaire. cars and also keep the public We have a great variety of entertained by chatting to them vehicles within our club some about our vehicles. It shows the very old some very new. With classic vehicle movement in a some of the shows we attend it good light as well as our is not possible to take the newer club. 3

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Not only that visitors are often amazed that someone even bothers Secretary’s Report to chat to them!! Last summer at Stonham Barns a t is with great sadness that I have lady was looking at my Triumph to record the passing of two of 2000 and when I introduced myself ourI founder members Steve Gooch as the owner, she told me she and John Bartram and our thoughts owned one for 10 years. Not only are with the families of these popu- that but that she regretted parting lar members of the Club. with it. I suggested she have a sit in the driving seat, which she did after ****** a bit of persuasion, all those joys of I must apologise for the latness of ownership came back to her and she this issue but I hope the content will had a tear in her eye but left with a make up for the long wait. photo on her camera and a happy few memories revived. The club are trialing an internet Can I finally remind you to keep based club membership an eye on forthcoming events get management system called Group yourself booked in with Graham Spaces. For members’ peace of who has the red book events list. mind I can confirm that this is a Some events are restricted numbers very secure site and the information wise, it would be a shame to miss we hold in respect of our members out by leaving it too late. Do also will not be accessible other than remember should you be unable to by nominated members of the attend an event you have booked for Committee. At present access to let Graham know, he may be able is restricted to Graham Gibbins to offer the space to someone else. and myself. One of our first tasks was to establish a “clean” list of members’ e mail addresses as many Geoff were being “bounced” - that is not delivered. Each bounced e mail was individually investigated and errors Committee Contacts Magazine Chairman Geoff Jones 01263 860676 Editor - [email protected] or Vice Chairman Christine Sparrow 01603 781917 [email protected] Secretary Roy Beckley 01263 837619 Treasurer/Membership Rex Chipp 01603 788726 Design and layout - Marc Wilford Events Graham Gibbins 01263 826042 Printed by Cheverton Printers, Cromer Disclaimer: Please note that although every care is taken, the North Norfolk Classic Vehicle Club (The Club) accepts no responsibility for the return of photographs or other material submitted from contributors. Care is aken to ensure that the contents of all our publications are accurate but the club cannot accept responsi- bility for any errors that may occur for the statements or views that occur editorially. Whilst care is taken when accepting advertisements, if in doubt readers should make their own enquiries. The Club cannot accept any responsibility for any resulting unsatisfactory transactions. Nor shall the club be liable for loss damage or injury to any person or property acting on information contained in the Club Magazine or any other Club Publication or the Club Web site. The Club will however, 4 investigate any written complaints which they receive.

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 4 04/07/2013 20:35 eradicated . I am pleased to report that none of the latest newsletters the West Runton Scout Group. sent out to 156 of our members We are holding the event on the was undelivered and we can be other side of the road at Beeston confident that all our members Regis Holiday Park where they with e mail are getting what we have two very large fields and send out. I understand that a few they are not so precious about the members have had difficulty in grass! The toilets and access to opening the Newsletters. If you the site should be an improvement are one of those please call me on last year. Whilst we have not so we can try and resolve the finalised the ring events as yet problem. In the case of those who we have booked the very popular do not have e mail we will send out “Jefferson’s Mandolins” for by post a monthly e mail but the musical entertainment. club’s policy club is to only send out one postal e mail each month We will also look to parade a so those withou access to e mail number of vehicles through the may miss out on urgent updates. ring with commentary. If you have a friend or relative Regent Garage have again agreed with e mail who would pass on to sponsor the main costs of the information to you please let me event with other firms being lined know. This will keep you better up to take adverts in the souvenir informed brochure. In this respect can you let me know if you are going to Of course should you begin to come along so that I can put in use e mail let me know and also different pictures than last year if you change your e mail address do not forget to advise me. We will of course need marshals on the day but the event should In the future we may be able to be easier to manage than last year. collect subscriptions and provide other services. We are going As Geoff has mentioned we are along step by step. planning a run for Club members in October . Our plan is to The upcoming Show “N” Shine have run of about 40 miles to Night at Sheringham Golf Club a destination where we be able on 22nd July should be a good to have an informal lunch and a evening. We have a band called natter together in the warm rather “Idunno” playing in addition to than be parked up in a field. the BBQ and bar. The plans for our Summer Fair Roy and Classic vehicle Show on 1st September are taking shape with our charity partners this year being “About With Friends” and 5

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 5 04/07/2013 20:35 panels the rest appeared to be Moking About. all there so it was loaded up and By Brian Thompson. whisked back to Norfolk. It turned out that it had been his is the tale of the rebirth used for a number of years on of a 1967 Austin North Weald Aerodrome as the Moke.T Remember them in the parascending tow vehicle and, swinging sixties? An enduring according to the original green memory is their use as taxis log book, I was only the second in the strange TV series ‘The owner. Once home I took stock of what I had. One body shell, minus the front inner and outer wings and front panel, a new bonnet, fuel tank, four metal seats, five wheels and tyres, a rotten hood and frame, a screen frame with cracked screen, both sub frames and the engine/gearbox assembly, which proved to be rusted solid inside. I needed a donor vehicle to supply another Prisoner’. engine and gearbox and other I had never given the Moke bits and pieces so I bought a much thought until one day ‘C’ reg Mini Countryman for in 1986 when a neighbour, £35, which was in a right state, Wally, asked if I would like but nowadays would be worth an Austin Mini Moke for free. restoring. The catch was that it was in pieces, in North London and This was to be a restoration on had to be moved by the end of a shoestring as I didn’t have the following week. Deciding much money in those days, so that it would be a good project instead of buying new panels a trailer was hired for a fiver for the front end I bought some and Marian, Wally and myself sheet steel and made them drove to Edmonton to fetch it. myself, thereby saving nearly There in the corner of the Army £300. The rest of the body Cadets’ store stood the Moke. needed major surgery and There were rust holes here and provided ample welding prac- there and the front bodywork tice. To preserve body stiffness had been cut off for some only short 18” sections of rusted reason. Apart from seams were replaced at any one the front time followed by some new floor sections and front sub 6

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 6 04/07/2013 20:35 frame lower mounting points. the grille in the front panel. The The front mounts for the rear sub over all shape and dimensions frame were repaired using com- of the panel itself were provided mercial repair sections. Once by the width of the front wings, all the rot was cut out the new the bonnet front and the forward repair panels were positioned by edge of the sub frame. A chance fitting the sub frame in position find at a boot sale provided an using the rear mounting points, excellent photograph of the front the repair panels were then of a Moke from which to scale bolted onto the front of the sub the grille dimensions, it was on frame and welded to the body. the front cover of a Blue Peter annual! With all the panels made To assist making the new front they were held in place with grip inner and outer wing panels I pins and diagonal measurements constructed a vice mounted 2ft confirmed everything was folder from angle iron. To ensure square before welding com- the new panels would align menced. correctly the front sub frame was fitted and using this and the The original green paint was new bonnet as a guide the wings sanded off and the body hand and front panel took shape. The painted with Finnigan’s No.1 nearside wing needed some primer. After flatting several louvres in the narrow vertical coats of grey cellulose primer section next to the bonnet so preceded several more of Ford slots were cut with a jig saw and signal yellow. the louvres were formed using male and female formers fash- The rear sub frame was ioned from wood. In the days replaced as the old one was before the internet it proved to be very rotten and the mechanicals a struggle gathering information reconditioned before fitting. about the Moke. In particular I The Moke now sat on its rear needed some detail regarding wheels for the first time in a long while. The front sub frame was removed and the reconditioned engine and gearbox from the Countryman fitted before the body was lifted and lowered back onto the sub frame. The Moke was now on four wheels. Unfortunately the wiring loom had also been cut along with the front body work so the required portion of donor loom was spliced into the Moke 7

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 7 04/07/2013 20:35 metres of vinyl hood material. Starting from the front the lift the dot fasteners were fitted and clipped to the top of the windscreen frame. The vinyl was then stretched back on a hot day (remember them) and fastener positions marked across the rear edge and fasteners fitted. The loom. The only alteration was to rear window aperture lengthen the wires to the indica- was then marked and the top tors and the brake light switch. removed. The window material All the light units were bought was glued to the back of the from the Newark autojumble for material with contact adhesive £4.50 plus a Mini manual that and stitched in place with my covered the Moke for 50p. An industrial sewing machine, old metal heater that had a wood after which the vinyl covering grain painted finish was cut up the window was cut out. Sides to form a new dashboard, a bit were sewn in place and the hood agricultural looking but cheap! I refitted to the car so the lower had to lower the front sub frame lift the dot fastener positions again to fit the steering rack ‘U’ could be marked then fitted. The bolts and left them slack until side windows were tackled in a the rack had been centralised. similar manner to the rear win- dow as were the chunky nylon I made a ‘roll’ bar frame from door zips, ie sewn in place on hefty tubing from an old coat the back of the fabric before the rack to provide upper seat belt doors were cut. Each door could mounting points. This also be rolled up and fastened with doubled as support for the new Velcro for fresh air motoring or soft top that I made from a few the complete hood folded back behind the rear seats for a blustery ride! After an MOT I filled in a form V55/5 and sent it to Norwich Local Vehicle Licensing Office along with proof of insurance, the MOT, old style log book and a cheque. TWO DAYS later through the post came 8

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 8 04/07/2013 20:35 my tax disc along with an age related registration number CVG 98F, the original OYU 525F not being on the new computer system. The whole restoration took about 18 months and cost about £800. After a couple of years it had to have some more weld repairs and I changed the engine for a 1300cc unit from and used the proceeds to make a my dad’s old Allegro, also chang- sealed bid on the Norwich Union ing the diff ratio to compensate Mirov 2, which is another story. for the small 10 inch wheels. With new white steel wheels, new seats Brian and new dashboard it looked great and went like stink. In 1992 Mar- ian and I took it to Cornwall for a 2 week holiday, which was fun. I even used it for commuting to work in the winter with a blanket

across my knees! Nowadays original 1960’s Mokes can sell for £10,000. Do I wish I still had it? No. Top up it could be very noisy, the best way to drive it was with the top down and the weather had to be very hot for comfortable motoring, it could be very cold, as you didn’t really sit in it, rather on it. I sold it in 1994 for £1800 9

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 9 04/07/2013 20:35 Event Reports - Spring 2013

FEBRUARY WANDER BIRTHDAY BASH

ell would you believe Wednesday 27th February dawnedW bright and only slightly chilly just in time for the club walk organised by Colin Baxter. Some forty plus club members gathered in the car park of The Village Inn at West Runton, Colin led us out of the car park and we wound our way via several paths onto open ground and finally up to the top of Beeston Bump where photos were taken for the record by Christine Sparrow. he sixth club “Birthday Bash” took place at the Links Hotel, WestT Runton on Sunday 24th March and was a great success once again with over seventy members attending. A good choice of dishes on the menu meant that people were generally happy with the food. This year for the first time there was no entertainment or speaker, and judging from comments on Winding our way off Beeston the day, this was a popular deci- Bump we returned to The Village sion as it allowed more time for Inn for a very welcome lunch, all socialising. taken in congeneal company. These little walks followed by a These lunches become more meal are proving very popular and popular each year which is another are always well attended. sign that N.N.C.V.C. has a really Many thanks to Colin for ar- enthusiastic and friendly member- ranging this one and we look ship. Long may it continue. forward to the next which will be on Wednesday 9th October at GS Worstead 10.30 for 11am start 10

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 10 04/07/2013 20:35 a large field on the estate close “DRIVE IT DAY” to the tearooms and the entrance to the public gardens. Entry to the gardens for the day was reduced by 50% to £3.50 for those wishing to have a wander round (well worth while). Around 30 vehicles from local Clubs joined us at Hoveton Hall Gardens. The picture shows the line up of the Club marshals at Hoveton

brilliant sunny morning All proceeds from the run went to A greeted us for the start at East Anglian Air Ambulance and Sheringham of this much looked just under £3,000 was raised by forward to our St Georges Day them with “About With Friends” Run which is part of the Federa- making £200 on their welcome tion of British Historic Vehicle bacon butties on sale at the start Club’s “Drive It Day “ initiative. Geoff Sparrow had managed to Over 200 vehicles turned up and secure the attendance of Dan as in previous years they were Powell, the News Editor of Classic waved off by Sheringham’s Car Weekly, who did the run Mayor Doug Smith and Town from Sheringham to Hoveton in Cryer Tony Nelson having been a beautiful 1963 Vauxhall Viva photographed by Christine Spar- HB borrowed from Vauxhall row. Bacon rolls, tea and coffee Heritage Centre at Luton. (Shown were supplied by “About with on the front cover )He was very Friends” a local registered charity impressed with the whole setup supporting young people with on the day and we have had two learning difficulties . separate reports in Classic Car Weekly since. Excellent publicity Two tulip type routes were avail- for the club. able to drivers, both of around 45 miles, one heading South via All in all this was a wonderful Roughton, Paston, Walcott, Sea day with stunning weather and Palling, Horsey, Potter Heigham some 250 vehicles attending and and finishing at Hoveton Hall all went very smoothly with no Gardens. hitches or disasters. Comments from drivers were of great The second route was heading organisation, super choice of North to start via Holt, Guist then both start and finishing venues, looping back to Buxton, Coltishall and many saying they would be and finally Hoveton Hall Gardens. back for more of the same next year. The finish at the Gardens was in 11

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 11 04/07/2013 20:35 Comments like this make it all the This event is really worth at- more rewarding for the organizing tending as our cars are parked committee and the many club immediately adjacent to the main members who volunteered and were involved with marshaling, booking in etc, for which the Club are very grateful, and for the club as a whole for we still needed members to drive their cars on “Drive it Day”. Thanks are also due to the North Norfolk District Council for allowing the Club to use the Station Road car park, and to Regent Garage, The Lobster and car park, and on a good Sunday Boyers Body Centre for sponsor- Wroxham Barns attracts an awful ing the cost of printing the route lot of people, meaning that the books and for Boyers covering classics attract a great deal of both routes with free breakdown attention. facilities. We parked our recently acquired Now for 2014!! Which due to a ‘65 Super Minx saloon late Easter will be on Sunday 27th at around 10.30, and it was ap- April 2014 proximately two hours later that we were able to go and grab a cup Chris & Geoff of tea such was the level of public interest. This was really great and was largely due to the fact that a large amount of people were WYMONHAM OLD walking straight out of the main TIMERS car park and into the show area.

n Sunday5th May several The vehicle of the show went to club members attended the a lovely Bedford CA Dormobile WymondhamO Old Timers rally camper van and deservedly so. at Wroxham Barns on another beautiful sunny day. Definitely worth attending, so keep a look in the Club Events Some 80 plus cars were on show, Book for next year with a good variation , including some American 1ton pickup GS trucks and a stunning Packhard Convertible from just pre-war.

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25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 12 04/07/2013 20:35 photographs of Morris 10’s and Advertising British Standard 12’s coming off the Cars production lines and an adver- tisement proudly proclaiming was interested in Andrew “Austins are making cars and Ann’s remarks on car again” Another photograph on advertisingI in the last issue of 15th July shows Austin 10’s on the Club magazine. the production line. In my collection of motoring Many of these cars were books there is one entitled basically only the same as “Advertising British Cars of the those produced in 1939 with 1950’s” published by Haynes a few modifications. Whilst in 1991. I wrote to Haynes in other companies had brand new 1994 to say that that an even motors waiting to be shown to more interesting period would a public clamouring for new be the years from 1945 - 1950 cars e.g AC2 litre, Armstrong when the motor industry started Siddeley, Lancaster and Hur- up again following WWII. In ricane, Jensen 4 litre Saloon, August 1994 Haynes replied Jowett Javelin, Riley 1.5 litre, saying they had no plans to and Triumph 1800 saloon & publish such a book, so I de- roadster. cided to produce my own book. Throughout 1946 & 1947 new At the time I had acquired a models were announced at large pile of early post war regular intervals. Then came motor magazines. I found them 1948 which proved to be a to be quite scruffy and not vintage year for the introduc- worth keeping. I went through tion of entirely new cars like the them and extracted all the Jaguar XK 120 and the Morris advertisements for cars being Minor culminating in Britain’s produced at that time.When I first post war Motor Show in had finished I found that I had October 1948 at Earls Court. enough advertisements to fill 7 What a year!!! books including 20 pages on the Jowett Javelin!!! Eric North I was surprised just how quickly the motor industry sprung into action and started producing cars again following the end of WWII. whch in Europe ended on May 8th 1945. In the issue of “ The Autocar” of 15th June 1945 there are two 13

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 13 04/07/2013 20:35 Books in My In the years that I attended the Collection by Eric Beaulieu Auto Jumble Weekends I found a dealer who had a large he first book I would like to stock of these road tests and Tmention is unique.I met Dr purchased a number from him to John Knowles some 45 years include in my own books. Sadly ago. He had a large building in these road tests no longer appear the garden of his home in Gt in “ Country Life” Ellingham and after retiringfrom medical practice he filled it with motoring books and magazine Eric North sand became a dealer. I remember the year he took his Rolls Royce 20/40 to the Norfolk Jaguar Owners Club meeting at Felthorpe and won the cup for the best pre-war car. He later changed the Rolls for a Prince Henry Vauxhall and it was this car that was driven into the churchyard for his funeral in January 2011. In one of our early meetings John showed me a book he had made himself.In the early post war years it was the practice for the prestigious magazine “Coun- try Life” to include a full page road test written by John Easton Gibson. John had collected forty three of these pages and bound them into a book - on the spine it reads “ Country Life Motoring Notes 1947- 1953. I was quite surprised when John offered to sell the book for £30. It contains road tests from the D B 2 (4th August 1950 ) to the Wolseley 6/50 (14th July 1956)

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25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 14 04/07/2013 20:35 ET6 V8 engine tipper owned by What a difference a company called Thomas York a “diff” makes Demolition. The driver told us . the steering was defective so we n 1957 when I was an appren- checked it and could find nothing tice with main Ford dealers, wrong. Jack, my mechanic, said AldgateI and City Motors, (the this is worrying. managers name was Speed He decided to put the tipper on a Andrews) we took our turn of rigid tow back to the workshop. callout for breakdown recovery. We had just turned left at some Our breakdown vehicle was a pre traffic lights when Jack shouted war Fordson7V 1938 which had a “ What’s he trying to do – over- side valve V8 engine which had take us” We stopped a little way been used as an Auxiliary Fire down the road to see what was Service vehicle in London during wrong. The driver of the tipper the Blitz. I liked this lorry; it had said it did not want to turn and great character, the instruments tried to go straight on. Jack said were Cooper Stewart. My job I should have checked the rear was to check petrol, oil and axle differential so he told me to water levels and we never relied jack up the rear wheels and we on the fuel gauge but used a found the differential was locked dipstick in the tank . The brakes solid . That was the cause of the were Bendix Cowdrey cable steering trouble as the diff wasn’t operated which were not very doing its job. I removed both half good when towing a loaded lorry. shafts and we went on our way. The mechanic, to whom I was I really enjoyed going out to apprentice tosaid you had to drive breakdowns and I was lucky to accordingly; but I was glad we have a job I really enjoyed which never had to make an emergency made up for the low wages I was stop. One day we were called to a getting as an apprentice demolition site to a Ford Thames Albert Winslade.

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25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 15 04/07/2013 20:35 Four years ago he purchased a 5 How much for a year old Subaru Legacy estate all new car!!!! Or, a singing and all dancing for £4000 with 70000 miles on the clock. Victor Meldrew He ran that till late last year and moment. reached 130000 when it dropped a big end. Repair price £1800.00, ooking through the pages of cars value then about 4p. He has the EDP motoring section I brought another for £3700 with amL amazed at some of the prices 75000 on the clock and sold the quoted for new cars, so much so I old one for £1200.00 for breaking. can’t believe it. This means he has had 4 years of Take almost any new car featured comfy motoring for just £2800.00, in their columns and just see how that is an awful lot less than the much they cost, not only that, amount lost on a new car before it how much they depreciate over leaves the forecourt. the next three years!! It is eye Plenty of 12 month old models watering. of popular makes sell at much reduced prices with low mileage Even some of the smaller motors and balance of warranty so make have reached and well surpassed fair deals. the £10.000 bracket and many of the super mini versions are in the However quite a number of £20.000 range. As for the larger dealers have lease deals over a motors they are similarly priced. three year period which limit the You can even pay £100,000 for a mileage a car is allowed to cover. Range . When these motors come on the The cheap loss leader, which market they generally will have often is out of stock when you less than 30000 on the clock and need a motor look cheap, but the full dealer service history and ones that seem to be promoted are appear to cost from experience the more up market models of a about one third of the then new range. cost. Our lad is even too tight to spend that much. Over the Apparently last year in the so 60000 miles he covered before the called recession over 2 million engine failing all he spent was his new cars were sold in the UK, regular service, tyres and a set of the mind boggles as to how many front brake pads. would have been sold if there was not a recession!! When you consider many of us Our son Chris probably has the drive round for years with our right idea. old motors which keep running without any great issues you can see why older vehicles with 16

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 16 04/07/2013 20:35 service history are snapped by the two of the USA’s operated on the bargain hunters. When my Saab system in the 1950’s. The article collapses I will get my son to find also made reference to an earlier me a motor. issue of the magazine that detailed the Austin layout.I had to have a Chris has recently purchased copy and after a number of phone a Knaus motor caravan super calls managed to track down the quality cost him quite a bit yet issue. Wonderful reading for an happy to spend on it as he knows Austinand railway enthusiast. from experience he can use it for The photograph is of a sister USA a couple years and still get most whose last real work before preser- if not all of his money back, his vationon the Kent and East Sussex motto is buy in the winter and sell Railway ( Tenterden area of Kent) in the spring!!! was shunting duties at Ashford Wagon Works. I visited the works Geoff in1966 and had a footplate ride on this engine “Wainwright” and his brother “Maunsell” - both named after prominent railway engineers. Talk Torque 7 Wainwright was built in 1943 at the Works USA and carried t is very pleasant when two the number 30070(DS238) whilst Iinterests combine to form a sort working on the Southern Region of compound hobby. Ann and I of what was then British Railways have chased steam locomotives Told you we liked railways ! before we knew each other. on one of our earliest trips up to Norfolk Hillman Imps aren’t too thick on I arranged for her to travel on the ground these days. During my the footplate of a Great Western time with Kent County Council in tank engine on the North Norfolk the 1960’s they changed the work Railway. She became abso- vehicles for the surveyors from lutely covered in coal dust etc, but Ford 100E’s to Hillman Imps. For seemed more intent on enjoying those who have not driven these a beer afterwards than becoming cars I can only say that you have clean again! Sensible lady. missed something, shall we say, different. From its launch in 1963 I was reading an old copy of some 4 years behind its arch rival my favourite railway magazines the Mini, it became an alternative recently and came across a long to the BMC product. There were article concerning USA tank a number of variants of course. engines that were imported into The Singer Chamois, Sunbeam this country during WWII. In the Stiletto and Husky estatewere text mention is made of the Austin three that were produced by the Works and the extensive network of running linesand sidings oper- ated by the company. Apparently The engine 17

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 17 04/07/2013 20:35 was located at the rear and brings forth peels of laughter the gear change mechanism from both of us. It is by Michael sometimes proved difficult Bentine and is called “ The probably due to the long link- Original Goon” It’s an after age ( Having said that I have dinner speech that touches on owned two VW Beetles in the numerous mattersincluding a past and their gear change was brief reference to, would you excellent). If you are interested believe, British Seagull. Now in the Imp and its development, there’s a subject close to our manufacturing problems etc hearts. However the piece we I can recommend “Imp The would like to bore you with Complete Story” by George concrerns a British Bobby Mowat-Brown published by in the 1950’s. Bentine was Crowood Books. The ISBN travelling down Horseguards number is 1 86126 619 7 A Parade, London in a very very well researched book that ancient Wolseley 14. Coming is easy to read detailing the towards him was a troop of rise and demise of this unique Horseguards. The exhaust vehicle. As a footnote we saw manifold and red hot assembly an Imp about 3 years ago at fell off the vehicle, hit the rear a North Walsham classic car tyre and flew into the air. It event. struck the leading horse which reared up, throwing the rider, In the last Torque Talk we two other horses bolted, the car looked at Jowett cars. As a post- hit a tree, a motorcyclist hit the script it is interesting to report car and an old lady fainted. A that Ann’s grandfather on her policeman slowly walked over fathers side of the family was a to the car and said “we’re not friend of the Jowett brothers. It being very clever this morning is amazing what comes to light - are we ? Bentine contrasts this quite by the chance mention of to the American police and the a topic. result is British humour at its best In Torque Talk 4 we mentioned Wonderful. Try and obtain a village policeman and my a copy of the tape ( maybe father’s missing front number it’s also available on a CD) plate. We have a recording that You won’t regret it. (You can we play in our modern car that download the track from ITunes never ceases to amuse us. Ann for 79p. Ed) often says that it borders on the That’s enough from the A30 dangerous to play in the car as garage this issue. in spite of the number of times Andrew and Ann ( of the we have heard it the narrative blueA30)

18 Here is a photo of “Wain-

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wright” below which is a Hillman Imp spotted last year at Holt Transport Day

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25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 19 04/07/2013 20:35 About 2 weeks after we bought New Tyre Ratings the car the dealer phoned to see if we were happy. Explaining he very interesting article the noise issue he said bring in the last issue of the club it back and we will swop the magazineT has prompted me to wheels!!! This they did to tell you my findings on the sub- 215/55/16, the difference was ject. Having had some problems remarkable without any notice- over the last three years with able change in handling. an increased sensitivity to noise Since then the tyres gradually I have found road noise from started to wear and it very much modern cars to be quite horrific seemed the car was getting particularly on long runs, well noisier, or my hearing getting over 20 miles! Trips to the West worse. Monitoring the wear I Country to see our offspring could see I was due for a set of have frankly been horrid. It was tyres perhaps November time like having air pumped into my 2012. Great news for me as I ears and pressure within my could then use the latest tyre head raising the tinnitus I also labelling system to get a set of happen to have. quiet tyres. Just before we went It is plain that with low profile off to Cornwall for a spot of tyres actually allow more noise birdwatching I noticed a deep to transmit as they are more cut between the blocks of a rigid and many with large front tyre which had severed blocky tread patterns make about 6 cords in the tyre, neces- things worse. Additionally it sitating quick action before our is said that as these blocky hols. tyres wear they do so unevenly Now in September all the tyre which makes them even noisier. manufacturers wanted to clear Modern car design with no the decks of tyres produced underseal to deaden sound are before July 2012. I am led to not helpful. believe only tyres with the new The other interesting thing is labels could be sold after Nov low profile tyres seem to cost 1st and they were only produced more and yet seem to last less, since July 1st. The web and all as if they are scrubbing on the local suppliers were not able to road with their excessive width. provide me with the figures at The main issue is with our that time to make an informed modern motor a jolly nice Saab decision. One local tyre dealer Sportwagon of 2007 vintage. said yes the labels would be It had 235/45/17 tyres when on my tyres he suggested yet purchased in 2010, what a noise when they arrived there were they made on the motorway. no labels and the tyres were

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25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 20 04/07/2013 20:35 already a year old!!! answering is this. The tyre date After a deal of research I bought relates only to a new tyre and one a set of Firestone tyres from used under specific laboratory Parkside Garage at Thursford, conditions. It takes no considera- (according to the web the tyres tion to what characteristics the with smaller blocks and sipes tyres will take on as they wear. within the blocks are quieter) No matter how good they are These were about 45% cheaper when new how good will they be than a “recognised” quiet tyre. as they wear out? With my new So what are they like, fantastic, tyres being reasonable priced if the handling is fine the car is so they get noisy I will replace them. quiet and after 7000 miles there Anybody want to be on the is no sign of the irregular wear waiting list for a part used set of of the previous tyres which Firestone 215/55/16 tyres? would have cost me much more to replace. Geoff Jones The question that does need

SS Bloodhound outside no. 10 Panhard et Levasser at Gressinghall

Peter Harrison a STEM Ambas- sador will be coming to talk to us about the supersonic Blood- hound Project at our meeting on 21st October at Sheringham Golf Club. Peter and his wife were spotted at our meeting at Gressenhall on a much more sedentary vehicle Shows how we have progressed in the last 114 years!!!!! The Bloodhound supersonic car will have roughly the same power as 180 F1 cars reaching speeds of approx 1000 mph 21

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 21 04/07/2013 20:35 Ludham Open Gardens and Classic the Friends of St Catherine’s Church to raise £9600 – a really Car show 23rd June magnificent result. The Club Raf- 2013 fle raised a further £115 for East ost of the club will have Anglian Air Ambulance which Mlistened to me, or read my included a donation extracted begging missives for members of from the vendors by Vernon. the club to run events which we I hope that Vernon will repeat the can involve the club yet giving exercise in two years time at the the hard working members of the next Ludham Open Garden Day, committee a break. Well the time it is a date that should be in your has come to hear some thanks for diary for 2015. a change. We do have a couple more events Vernon Enever toiled on his own coming up this year which mem- to line things up for a splendid bers are organising so more for day at Ludham. Around 100 cars me to report on in due course. turned up, the great majority of It would be wonderful to have members and wives enjoyed a some events run by members in good few hours around the super 2014. If that fills you with fear gardens on a really lovely day. why not act as a gopher on behalf Some just enjoyed the wonderful of the club and liaise with an selection of cars and spent the day event. near you that might benefit chatting with their owners. by having a Classic Vehicle Show What was also pleasing was to as part of the occasion By acting arrive and see a good number of in such a way you could be take our club members marshaling bookings and in that way help the cars into position. Rightly we your committee. But should you should not expect one member to consider setting up some event do do everything and it was a very not think you will be on your own. pleasant surprise to see just how The committee can and will offer many members did their bit to any help as required, You only help Vernon. have to ask. Several trophies were handed out If you have any suggestions of on the day one of which went to events worth a visit in 2014 why Ralph Thompson for his lovely pre not get in touch. war 1939 Austin 8. It certainly is a smashing motor and worthy of the result on the day, well done Ralph. Geoff Vernon has advised that the whole event enabled

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25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 22 04/07/2013 20:35 Model T Facts • The Model T was introduced on Oct. 1, 1908. It had a 20-horse- power, four-cylinder engine, reached a top speed of about 45 miles per hour, got about 13 to 21 miles per gallon of gasoline and weighed 1,200 pounds. It was the ninth of Henry Ford’s production cars. • More than 15,000,000 Model T’s were built and sold. A modest ceremony on May 26, 1927, marked the formal end of Model T produc- tion. • The first models were produced at a factory on Piquette Avenue in Detroit. Beginning in 1910, Model T’s were built at a new Highland Park (Michigan) plant. • Henry Ford’s initiation of mass production of vehicles on the moving assembly line led to lower car prices and the $5 workday. • The car was introduced with a price tag of $850. The Model T later sold for as little as $260, without extras, because of production savings Henry Ford passed on to customers. • Henry Ford called the Model T “the universal car,” a low-cost, reliable vehicle that could be maintained easily and could successfully travel the poor roads of the era. • The Model T came in nine body styles, all on the same chassis. • “Lizzie” was one of the most popular of the dozens of nicknames for the Model T. In 1914, Ford, with 13,000 employees, produced about 300,000 cars while 299 other companies with 66,350 employees produced about 280,000 vehicles. Shown below are the Model ‘T’s of New Generation Members Sam & Joe Meakin and mum Adele at the Sheringham Car & Bike Festival

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25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 23 04/07/2013 20:35 ard Catalog of American Cars Seen by Ray as stating that the latter’s Bennett advantage over a single was that ‘one explodes while the other is compressing, giving an explosion ay sent me a picture of a every revolution, whether little or Rvehicle he spotted at a vehicle much power is used.’ Fuel con- show he attended at Bexhill and sumption of 100 miles per gallon wondered what it was. With the was claimed. The twin-cylinder help of “Mr Google” I found out Daley quadricycle seen at the the “Daley” show is in fact the sole survivor of One M H Daley of Charles City, the marque. Previously owned by Iowa was the man responsible John Barker, for whom Bill Ellam for this obscure and short-lived carried out work on the engine, make, which has one of the it has participated in several shortest entries in The Beaulieu London-Brighton Runs, the last Encyclopedia of the Automobile. occasion being some 20 years According to the latter, Daley was ago, and is an early starter. After a maker of disc and lever harrows spending some time in a museum for agricultural use, who also collection it was acquired circa 15 harboured ambitions to become a years ago and since acquisition motor manufacturer. ‘In 1895 he has been carefully stored but not built a very light 2-seater weigh- used. Believed never to have been ing only 195 pounds (88kg) and restored Sold at auction in 2011 powered first by a rotary engine for £44,00 this unique vehicle and then a more conventional was offered with VCC Dating 2-cylinder unit. The front wheels Certificate and various videos were held in bicycle-type forks, recording its participation in the and could rise up to 12in (305mm) London-Brighton Run.. on uneven ground. He announced Amazing what you can find out production in December 1895, the from a registation number. cars to sell at $500 each, but he built no more than six. In 1898 he informed The Horse- less Age that he was “still at it” and may have made one or two more cars, but his main business was farm equipment.’ Both the rotary engine and the conventional 700cc twin-cylinder unit that superseded it were designed by Daley, who is quoted in the Stand- 24

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 24 04/07/2013 20:35 Roy In the past, Gay and I have visited Norfolk and thought it might make an ideal place for TVG to visit for Letter to the Editor a long weekend - perhaps in 2014?! If we do pursue the idea I’ll have to have a word with you as your local Hi Roy, knowledge would be invaluable and we might be able to get together It was good to meet you and have a with NNCVC one day. brief chat at the reunion ( a recent gathering of impoverished Lloyd’s In the meantime, if we visit Norfolk Brokers - Ed)- also something of a on our own I’ll certainly be in coincidence that we are both now touch. involved in the Classic Car move- ment. Finally, you might find the attached photo to be of interest, it was one of I bought a TR4 a shade under 10 a professional shoot taken by years ago and although it was “Classics Monthly” a couple of perfectly usable and fairly present- years ago when the TR featured in able, I suppose I’ve done (and had a “How to Buy a TR4/4A” article. done!) a form of rolling restoration on it. All the best Its had quite a hard life, having done over 300K miles in all and currently we do something like 7-8K miles a year, depending where we take it touring, last year we went (with our local TR Register Group -Thames Valley) to Northern Spain and this year we are off to the Black Forest. Previously we’ve taken it to France a few times and Norway, together with most parts of GB. I was Chairman of the Thames Geoff Keeble Valley Group (TVG) for five years up to three years ago and then gave it up as I’d had enough. As it happens it was quite a good decision as I had a by-pass op two years ago! While I was Chairman, Gay (my wife) and I organised a few trips and tours which were very successful and we have threatened to organise another in the future. 25

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 25 04/07/2013 20:35 Vehicle Approval. For preserved News from the buses, you have the choice of Federation the 2013 Consolidated PSV Changes to MoT tests, from Inspection Manual for class 6 vehicles, or the manual for class 20 March 2013 5, which is contained within the An abridged article from same document as for cars. FBHVC News As an aside, these documents here are some changes due download (and open) fine to take effect to the MoT on a smartphone or a tablet, testT for all classes of vehicles and some people may find it from 20 March 2013. Referenc- useful to keep a copy saved on es to items that obviously don’t their mobile device, for easy relate to vehicles constructed reference at the roadside or in in the mid-1980s or earlier, the workshop. Anyone without like electronic stability control, internet access is advised to supplementary restraint systems visit either a friend or relative, and it is suggested that those or their local library. wanting to see how the changes might affect current vehicle In each of these documents, may wish to search online there are a number of reasons for 2010/48/EU (the directive for failure that were listed in number) and view detailed blue type. These items were information themselves. advisory points (until 19 March 2013) but by the time Itis recommended that all you receive this magazine they vehicle owners with reason- will be fail items. Note that able technical knowledge files with ‘March update’ in download a copy of the current their title have gone live (as MOT manual for their type of this article was being written) vehicle. To do this, navigate these however did not have the to http://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/ blue type, and hence did not publications/manualsandguides/ easily show the changes. The vehicletestingmanualsand- list of items that follow is in guides.htm and a variety of the (approximate) order of the options will be listed here. For manuals. older cars and motorbikes, click “Mot Inspection Manuals and Registration plates front and Guides” about halfway down. rear are now a requirement For newer vehicles there are (hitherto, it was possible to manuals for Individual/ test a vehicle just on its chassis Single number) and must conform to the regulations in force when 26 the vehicle was new.

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 26 04/07/2013 20:35 fitted. This may be combined with Lamps: we have a new reason for other things such as worn pads or failure being ‘the front and rear parking brake applied. position lamps do not illuminate with a single operation of the Exhaust brakes (HGV/PSV) switch’ (side lights and tail lights) inoperative or removed are reasons which for commercial vehicles for failure if fitted as a mandatory fitted with them, also needs to fitment (if not, removal may be switch on the position lights (which acceptable if the notifiable altera- are the front and rear upper marker tion procedure is followed). lights of the 1980s onwards). The speedometer section now On a vehicle manufactured after applies to all vehicles and not April 1986, the main beam ‘tell- just class 5 (in the detail, we are tale’ is required to work, that is reminded that this is ‘all vehicles to say the blue indication on the first used on or after 01 October dashboard must work. 1937’). There is a new section entitled Engine mountings (including ‘Electrical Wiring and Battery’. gearbox mounts where they The reasons for failure here seem provide essential support for the common-sense. Included here is engine) are a reason for failure. battery security and whether the battery is leaking. Steps and stairs (on class 5 vehicles) require more thorough There is a check on the steering checking. lock (on vehicles where this was fitted as original equipment), The adjustment of the driver’s seat both that it doesn’t deploy with is also checked (specifically, that it the engine running and that it can adjust, where adjustments are does deploy with the key out (the so provided). manual states that where it isn’t clear whether one was fitted as OE, A reason for failure (class 5) is any the benefit of the doubt should be occasional or crew seat that doesn’t given. flip up automatically The presence of steering lock stops A catalytic converter missing (where originally fitted as standard) where one was fitted as standard is verified (previously it was just (this wasn’t going to be included the security and correct adjustment this item, until the writer saw on of those fitted), as is power steering Wikipedia that the automobile cat fluid level. was actually invented in 1973, and initially fitted to American The brake fluid warning lamp cars of the mid becomes a testable item where 1970s) 27

25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 27 04/07/2013 20:35 (subject to date exemptions etc.) In July 2013, some brake require- and if deficiencies are identified ments will change (a higher at the road side (whether in a car efficiency requirement for cars or a HGV) the vehicle driver and July 2010 onwards, as well as an owner could be subject to VOSA amended imbalance standard for or police sanction. cars of all ages). James Fairfield By the end of 2013, a further E U Legislation Committee small change is that the mileage (currently not included on HGV/ Federation of British Historic PSV certificates) will be included Vehicle Clubs along with the country of vehicle registration. In summary, a vehicle doesn’t need to be fitted with anything that wasn’t OE when it was new, however more components that were originally fitted to a car will be checked. In reality this shouldn’t cause any burden to the owner of a well-maintained vehicle. There is a large section (which I have omitted from the above) about ABS, EBS etc and one would expect that the owners of classic vehicles fitted with it (which in Europe, started with the Mark III Granada of 1985, badged Scorpio on the continent) ensure this system is in full working order. We ask all member clubs to reinforce that vehicles must be kept in a good standard of Visit repair whenever they venture out onto the road. Vehicles that www.nncvc.org.uk benefit from the pre-1960 MoT exemption still need to comply with all parts of the MoT manual for up to date information on events

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Some Club Cars at the Sheringham Car & Bike Show

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25 NNCVC mag springFinal.indd 31 04/07/2013 20:35 Ludham Open Gardens 23 June 2013 Ralph gets his prize from Geoff

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