NEW ZEALAND’S FOREMOST HISTORICAL MOTORING MAGAZINE No. 305 August/September 2010 $5.95 1930 CHEVROLET RESTORATION BEHIND THE WHEEL 1918 WESTCOTT Norton N15 9 418979 000012 Rally Action Across New Zealand Photographs supplied by Arthur Houston, were both taken in 1925 and are from his mother’s photo album. Top 1925 Morris owned by Arthur’s great- uncle Bryce Clayson who lived in Masterton. Bottom 1925 Nash owned by Phil Peat of Te Awamutu. PHOTOGRAPHS REQUIRED Submissions of suitable prints and information (where available) are always welcome. Please send original photographs of historical interest with any available information to: Beaded Wheels, PO Box 13140, Christchurch 8141. Laserprints/photocopies are not suitable. Photos will be returned as soon as practicable. management committee All administration matters should be addressed to PRESIDENT SECRETARY/ TREASURER MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE the NATIONAL OFFICE in the first instance. John Coomber Michael Lavender Bob Ballantyne THE VINTAGE CAR CLUB OF NEW ZEALAND (INC.) 03 348 0062 [email protected] 03 325 5704 [email protected] 09 444 4066 [email protected] National Office CLUB CAPTAIN NORTHERN REGION REGISTRAR Tony Bartlett PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140 John Foot Rod Brayshaw 06 867 9850 [email protected] Phone 03 366 4461 Fax 03 366 0273 07 823 5641 [email protected] 07 549 4250 [email protected] Email [email protected] Diane Quarrie CLUB CAPTAIN SOUTHERN REGION SPEED STEWARD 06 876 4009 [email protected] John Chynoweth MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Frank Renwick BEADED WHEELS CHAIRMAN 03 439 5474 [email protected] Please note this information changes annually 03 352 4383 [email protected] Kevin Clarkson - these details are valid until August 2010. 03 385 9821 [email protected] VCCNZ ARCHIVIST Betty Wallace 03 942 2723 [email protected] branches A full list of branch addresses and contact details can also be found on the VCCNZ website at www.vcc.org.nz ASHBURTON EASTERN BAY OF PLENTY KING COUNTRY NORTH SHORE SOUTH WAIKATO WAITEMATA PO Box 382, Ashburton 7740 PO Box 2168, Kopeopeo C/- 34 House Ave, C/- 7 Godwit Place, Lynfield PO Box 403 Tokoroa 3420 C/- 9 Marlborough Ave, Glenfield [email protected] Whakatane 3159 Taumarunui 3920 Auckland 1042 [email protected] Auckland 0629 AUCKLAND [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] TARANAKI [email protected] PO Box 12-138, Penrose, FAR NORTH MANAWATU OTAGO C/- 86 Wilson St, Hawera 4610 WANGANUI Auckland 1642 C/- PO Box 312, Kaitaia 0441 PO Box 385 PO Box 5352, Dunedin 9058 [email protected] PO Box 726, Wanganui 4540 [email protected] [email protected] Palmerston North 4440 [email protected] TAUPO [email protected] BANKS PENINSULA GISBORNE [email protected] ROTORUA PO Box 907, Taupo 3351 WELLINGTON PO Box 22-431, High Street, PO Box 307, Gisborne 4040 MARLBOROUGH PO Box 2014, Rotorua 3040 [email protected] PO Box 38-418, Petone, Christchurch 8142 [email protected] PO Box 422, Blenheim 7315 [email protected] WAIKATO Wellington 5045 [email protected] GORE [email protected] SOUTH CANTERBURY PO Box 924, Hamilton 3240 [email protected] BAY OF PLENTY PO Box 329, Gore 9740 NELSON PO Box 623, Timaru 7910 [email protected] WELLSFORD/WARKWORTH PO Box 660, Tauranga 3140 [email protected] PO Box 3531, Richmond 7050 [email protected] WAIMATE PO Box 547, Warkworth 0941 [email protected] HAWKES BAY [email protected] SOUTHLAND 4 Harris St, Waimate 7924 [email protected] CANTERBURY PO Box 3406, Napier 4142 NORTHLAND PO Box 1240, Invercargill 9840 [email protected] WEST COAST PO Box 11-082, Sockburn [email protected] PO Box 17, Whangarei 0140 [email protected] WAIRARAPA C/- 9 Stafford Rd, Christchurch 8052 HOROWHENUA [email protected] SOUTH OTAGO PO Box 7, Masterton 5810 Hokitika 7882 [email protected] PO Box 458, Levin 5540 NORTH OTAGO C/- M. Tapp, RD 3, Warepa, [email protected] [email protected] CENTRAL OTAGO [email protected] PO Box 360, Oamaru 9444 Balclutha 9273 C/- 4B Roto Place, Wanaka 9305 [email protected] [email protected] Please note this information changes annually - these details are valid [email protected] until October 2010. 2 Beaded Wheels Beaded Wheels Publisher THE VINtaGE CAR CLUB OF NZ (INC.) The Historic Vehicle Authority of New Zealand ISSN 0113-7506 Vol LX No. 305 Editorial Committee Beaded Wheels Kevin Clarkson (Chairman), Judith Bain, Rosalie Brown, Bill Cockram, John Coomber, Issue 305 August/September 2010 Mark Dawber, Marilyn McKinlay. Material for Publication Reports of restorations, events, road tests, historical and technical articles etc should be FEATURES forwarded to PO Box 13140, Christchurch 8141, typed or neatly printed, double space on one 14 Labour of Love – 1930 Chevrolet side of paper only. Email of text and photos is acceptable, digital photographs should be high resolution eg 300dpi. No payment is made 18 The N15 Story – Norton Restoration to contributors. The opinions or statements expressed in letters or articles in Beaded Wheels are the author’s own views and do not necessarily 24 Hanmer to Gore – South Island Club Captain’s Tour express the policy or views of The Vintage Car Club of NZ (Inc). 26 Rally Snippets E-mail [email protected] 26 Far North Autospectacular Advertising Address Classified and Display Advertising to: 26 Ngapara Coal Pit Hillclimb PO Box 13140, Christchurch 8141. South Island Club Captain’s Tour, page 27 South Otago 36th Motorcycle Rally Phone 64 3 332 3531, Fax 64 3 332 3827 24. Rate schedule available on request. 27 Ted Green Memorial Motorcycle Rally Back Issues Available on request to PO Box 13140, 28 Manawatu Ruahine Ramble Christchurch 8141. Correspondence & Editorial Contributions 30 Behind the Wheel —1918 Westcott Phone 64 3 332 3531, Fax 64 3 332 3827 PO Box 13140, Christchurch 8141. Subscriptions 34 TrenchMate Hillclimb Waihi Beaded Wheels subscribers change of address to PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140. 39 The Spotty Dog Run 2010 Phone 03 366 4461, Fax 03 366 0273 Annual subscription (6 issues) $33 inc GST Australian subscription (6 issues) NZ$65 Other countries (6 issues) NZ$86. COLUMNS Production Typesetting & design by RGBDesign Printed by Spectrum Print Ltd, Christchurch. 4 President’s Message Closing Date for October/November Issue Editorial Copy 24 August 2010 This natty Morris is looking for a new 4 As We See It Advertisements 10 September 2010 home, page 41. The Vintage Car Club of 5 VCC Events New Zealand (Inc.) National Office Phone 03 366 4461 Fax 03 366 0273 6 National Office News Email [email protected] Postal Address 7 Mailbag PO Box 2546, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand. Address 9 Timelines 12 Aberdeen St, Christchurch, New Zealand. Website www.vcc.org.nz 10 The Way We Were Beaded Wheels is the voice of The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc.) and its 35 branches covering the length and breadth of the country. 36 Brass Notes The efforts of our members continue fostering and ever widening the interest in this segment of our country’s history. It is to these people, who TrenchMate Hill Climb, page 34. 38 VCC Rally 2012 appreciate the fascination of age, the individuality and the functional elegance of vehicles from a 41 Marketplace bygone era, that this magazine is dedicated. Beaded Wheels – A very apt and well-known title however readers may wonder at the origin of the 47 Swap Meets & Rallies name. By way of explanation beaded edge wheels use beaded edge tyres that are kept in place by reinforced rubber beads, which fit into the rolled 51 Idle Torque edges of the wheel rim. This style of wheel was a distinctive feature of early motoring being used on early bicycles, many pre-1924 cars and most 62 Obituary motorcycles until 1927. The VCCNZ adopted the title Beaded Wheels for their quarterly club magazine in March 1955 which was the successor to the monthly Guff Sheet. Copyright Information The contents are copyright. Articles may be COVER reproduced complete or in part provided that acknowledgement is made to “Beaded Wheels, West Coast founding member Tom Griffin has recently rolled out this the magazine of The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand (Inc)” as the source. Beaded Wheels immaculate 1930 Chevrolet restoration. reserves the right to digitally store all published material for archival purposes. Photo Stuart Nimmo Beaded Wheels 3 president’s message as we see it At long last there are some signs that and a log book issued by the VCC or Over the last couple of months we have the long awaited spring is just around the Motorsport New Zealand. had comments from more than a few to corner, and that means the next round of Members of the management the effect that recent issues of Beaded motoring is about to begin. Naturally, all committee have been busy presenting 50 Wheels have been well put together and of those winter maintenance projects will year badges to a number of our senior contain some good stuff. To counteract be complete and your vehicles fettled and members. Christine and I had the privilege that, we have also received some criticism ready for a great season of motoring. It is a of travelling to Blenheim recently to over the past year. Actually the bouquets good time of year to review the insurance present John May with his award, and do make us feel good, but the brickbats are cover on your vehicles, whether they are more recently Banks Peninsula Branch to also well received because by evaluating on road or only stored.