VOLUME 21, NUMBER 4 July-Aug 2016 INSIDE THIS ISSUE UPCOMING EVENTS Sat. Oct. 1st, 2016 at 11:00am Report from the Chair 2 (This is in place of the month- Members Cars 3 Tues. Sept. 6, 2016 at ly Tues. meeting )Annual run organized by John and Lorna July and Aug. Events 10 6:00pm– Social night at Pajo’s Fish and Chips at Gary Point Hoare. To include a visit to a Fraser Valley Show 11 Park in Steveston, 12771- 7th Willys collection. $5.00 admis- New Member: McNeil 12 Ave., Richmond, B.C. Plenty sion fee. More details to New Member: Collis 13 of free parking so bring your come. Rear View Mirror 14 old British car! Tues. Nov. 1 at 7:00pm Welcome to the OECC / The VCB AGM at Rainbow Station. Boot/ At the Wheel 15 Coffee and goodies plus a presentation by John Clarke . Photo: Lorna VCB members Bence McIntyre, John and Lorna Hoare, Walter Reynolds and Bart and Audrey Shaw re- lax in the shade at the Suncreek Village Care Home show on Aug. 11th in Surrey. Walter reports that one resident in a wheelchair managed to get out unattended and rolled down the driveway, crashing into the front of the Rover and then slipped out of his chair onto the pavement sustaining some scrapes to his“I wonderhead in the if they’llprocess. take The residentthe Thames was taken as a tradeto the hospitalin?” where he presumably was treated and released. VCB visits the Vancouver Tesla Dealership (story page 2) On a brighter note, Lorna reports that another one of the residents, an elderly English woman who nev- er comes out of her room, when told that there were vintage British cars visiting ventured out to take a look. Apparently the staff were thrilled to see her out. Report from the Chair By John McDonald Hello again all OECC-VCB members. I hope you are all doing well and are enjoying time with your families, friends and cars. The news maker for the early part of Summer 2016 has been the weather – it has been atrocious (rainier and colder than expected for this time of the year), especially for those of us who prefer to drive with the top down. Both the July (50’s Diner Cruise-in) and the August (Stewart Farm Picnic) events had lower than the anticipated turnout due to the cold and rain. Those that did attend, however, very much enjoyed the get-togethers – great company and great socializing. There is just something special about huddling around a picnic table under an open air cover – definitely adds to the close- ness of the situation. Dinner at the 50’s Diner in Surrey was also great – the food was fantastic and plentiful and the ladies who run the restaurant went out of their way to make our experience a good one. Those who attended also enjoyed the ambience of the restaurant – lots of memorabilia. Going forward, one more Summer event is scheduled for September 6 - the Pajo’s, Gary Point, Rich- mond (Steveston) Fish and Chip Dinner and Run. The management at Pajo’s are very excited about the prospects of having our cars come to their F&C outlet (on the beach) and they are eager to meet the members of our club who work so hard to maintain our many beautiful cars. Hopefully, the great weather that we have experienced in early August will hold and we will be able to maximize the number of cars and owners that will be able to attend. The Fall events will kick off with the An- nual John and Lorna, Valley Run on Saturday, October 1. Along with the fabulous ride, that John and Lorna usually devise, it will include a very short meeting at the luncheon pub – this will be the only event (no Tuesday meeting) of the month. November 1 sees us getting together for the VCB Annual General Meeting at the Rainbow Station in Burnaby. I can not emphasize enough the importance of this meeting. The decisions made at this session will set the course for the Branch’s operation for 2017 and beyond. The 2016 Financial Re- port and Operating Summary will be reviewed and, along with several other important issues, the 2017 Events Calendar, Budget, and the Election of Officers (Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secre- tary and Treasurer) will be determined. I ask all of you to please contact me ([email protected]) or any other Executive Committee member over the coming weeks if you have any concerns that should be considered in preparation for this meeting, especially with regard to nominations for both the elected officer positions and for the volunteer Executive Committee member positions (Events Coordinator, Communications Coordinator, Membership Coordinator, Good and Welfare Coordinator, Regalia Coordinator). Your input and participation is critical to the successful opera- tion of the VCB Branch and the OECC Club as a whole. Enjoy the remainder of Summer 2016 and please stay safe in the endeavours with which you choose to partake. Regards, John McDonald Chairperson, OECC-VCB VOLUME 21,NUMBER 4 THE ROUNDABOUT PAGE 2 Cars of Branch Members and Their Stories beautiful blue 1952 Ford Crestline convertible became available at an affordable price which we bought. During By Walter Reynolds my internship at the Toronto General Hospital I had been encouraged to take further training in a surgical specialty. The Cars of Doug Courtemanche Because of this I had arranged a training position as a resident at Shaughnessy Hospital in Vancouver. The In this issue we hear about the cars of Doug Cour- drive to Vancouver, in mid-June, would be much more fun temanche. The story is written by Doug who ends by say- in the convertible and it was. In mid-June we crossed ing, “I have enjoyed putting this piece together. It has over into the States at Sault St Marie and took the north- been like taking a drive through your life, stirring up many ern route across on highway 10. Beautiful sunny weather memories of happy moments along the way.” This senti- allowed us to have the top down most of the way. When ment is why I enjoy preparing the “Cars of Members and we came down the big hill overlooking Bellingham Bay Their Stories” articles. Doug’s life with cars began when and the blue Pacific Ocean, Anne said we are not going he was four years old riding in his 94 year-old great back! grandfather’s Ford Model T Roadster. All photos are from Doug. 1952 Ford Crestline Convertible in the Cascades. Great grandfather (on left) and his Model T. Fate moves in mysterious ways. We moved in with My first exposure to cars occurred in 1934 when my Anne's sister and her husband until we could find a place great grandfather took me for a ride in his model T Ford of our own. They had moved west only a year earlier and roadster in Gravenhurst Ontario, a small town on Musko- had purchased a house in a new development in North ka Lake. I was 4 years old and he was 93. The story was Vancouver near the Cleveland Dam. They had a neigh- that his driver’s license had been withdrawn the previous bour who drove a 1952 Jaguar XK120 coupe which of year and that he had gone about 10 miles north to Brace- course I coveted. Denis, the owner, was aware of this bridge to obtain a new one. He was known for his risky and in the spring of 1957 made me aware of a 1952 driving and the modest top speed of 40 – 45 mph seem XK120 drop-head that was for sale. The owner had been incredibly fast to me. moved out of town and the sale was handled by a Derek Whiteman at Plimley Motors. We could not afford it but During my preteen and teenage years my mode of trans- we bought it anyway and it gave us nothing but pleasure portation was a bicycle, a bus or a street car. When I en- for the next 10 years. tered Medical School in 1949 at the University of Toronto hitchhiking was the accepted way for students to get to school. In spite of the justifiable concern of our parents Anne and I were married in March of 1950. It proved to be a long lasting and happy union; we celebrated our 66 th wedding anniversary on March 20 th this year. Together we worked my way through medical school. With 2 years to go in medical school a close friend suggested that we could improve our meager incomes by selling for the Fuller Brush Company. Fuller Brush took us on and I was lucky to be given a very good territory where people were regular users of Fuller Brush products. There was a hitch: We had to have a car to do the deliveries. In 1953 I pur- 1952 Jaguar XK120 drop-head coupe. chased my first car, a 1947 Ford Coupe. My friend's During our first year in Vancouver we behaved like tour- choice of car was a Triumph Mayflower, a strange looking ists, visiting Stanley Park frequently, Capilano Suspen- little car in those days. Financially the venture was a suc- sion Bridge, Victoria, Beaconsfied Park, Bouchart Gar- cess and I was able to continue selling for Fuller Brush dens etc. It was always fun going in the 120. We often during my first internship year at the Toronto General accompanied Dennis and his wife Dorothy in their 120 Hospital.