No. 198 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1992 PRICE $3.40 INCL GST ,I PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE CONTENTS FEATURES No. 198 4 Two Speed Torpedo 8 Looking Back - The Ken Reiper Story - Part II 8 Obituary 20 European Trauma - Part II 22 Looking Back at Healey Entries in International Events Restoring an old car or motorbike is one of the most satisfying things 24 Conference '92 you can do. It isn't always as straight 26 Auckland's Ford Franchise - The Early Days forward as one might hope and as well as the stories of successful re­ 29 Edwardian Elegance Created (Goddard Trophy) builds there are numerous forlon monuments to exercises that didn't go 44 The Old Bike Scene - Part II according to plan. Usually it is a case of lack of knowledge, funds, support COLUMNS or even good judgement. Worse still many of us can only learn lessons the 2 Picture Puzzle 37 Swap Meets and Rallies hard way. Let me explain. When I was a mere youth my 10 Idle Torque 39 Market Place brother and I bought a 1935 Austin 7 14 Mail Bag 46 Stop Press Ruby. We should have known better. Everything that could be wrong with 28 Technical Hint a car reached full flowering in that 32 Rally Report detestable machine. Motor, gearbox, diff, axles, brakes, steering and (50th Anniversary) electrics were all clapped out to the COVER PHOTO point of exhaustion. The body of course well rotted, flimsy and unsafe. 1911 Model 46 Overland two-seater Roadster, 3.3 litre four cylinder It was ckarly a disaster but we fell engine. Owner is Lou McDowell. on it with youthful vigour to effect a restoration. A year of heartache, in­ Photographer: William Hobbs. credible bills and staggering slow progress was an awful warning lesson to young hopefuls about the pitfalls of an "easy" restoration. We eventually Beaded Wheels sold it to another keen person who doubtless learned a lot as well. Justice Publisher: Vintage Car Club of N.Z. (Inc.) was seen to be done years later when ISSN OIIJ-7506 Vol. XXXVIII No. 198 I saw the horrid little beast being used Editorial Commillee: Bob Entwistle (Chairman), Bruce Pidgeon, Bob SCOLl, Paul Gieseler, Spencer as a fowl house. The price of experi­ Barnard. Lindsay Wogan. Brian McGilligan. ence in this case was beyond rubies. Material for Publication: (report of restorations, events. road tests, historical and technical articles The point of this nostalgic trip is not etc) should be forwarded to P.O. Box 2546 Christchurch, typed or neatly printed, double spaced on one side of paper only. No payment is made to contributors. The opinions or statements expressed in leLlers to discourage but to urge would-be or articles in Beaded Wheels are the author's own views and do not necessarily express the policy or restorers not to lUsh in just because it views of the Vintage Car Club of N.Z. (Inc.) looks like a bargain, or is cute, but to Advertising: Classified and Display Advertising to - P.O. Box 13-140, Christchurch. Telephone (03) make a sober, realistic assessment of 366-4461. Fax (03) 366-4141. Rate schedule available on request. what is involved at the outset. TI1e Rack Issues: Available on request from P.O. Box 13-140, Christchurch. final product must be worth it. Correspondence and Subscriptions: Beaded Wheels Subscribers change of address to P.O. Box 13­ Finally, the Annual Conference 140. Christehurch. Phone (03) 366-4461. Annual Subscriptions (6 issues) $22.50. Price includes GST. was a great chance to meet with Australian Subscription (6 issues seamailed) $32.00, add $8 for airmail. Olher counlries (6 issues people from all over, and to discuss seamailed) $35. add $25 for airmail. the issues of the day. Debate was Production: Beaded Wheels is typeset and printed by Wyall & Wilson Ltd, Christchurch. cheerful, lively, comprehensive and Closing Date for Next Issue: Editorial Copy - 26th October, 1992 even people who did not get their Advertisements - 10th November. 19\12 way at least had their say. Beaded Wheels is the \'oice of the Vintage Car movement in New Zealand and of the Clubs whose efforts are fostering and ever widening the interest of this movement and form rallying points for that ever increasing band of enthusiasts. The fascination of age itself or revulsion Good motoring. from the nashy mediocrity of the present day is drawing an increasing number of motorists Alastair McIntosh back to the individualitv, solid worth. an.d functional eJeeance tbaLwas demanded bv a mor Two SPEED TORPEDO It was a salutary experience; one which stirred Lou's sneaking regard for pre-World War One cars and stiffened it into a determi­ The Willys-Knight-Overland Register has nation to own one. a healthy record of preserved cars world­ The opportunity came soon after when he wide, but it contains only four other 1911 persuaded a fellow member of the Vintage Model 46 cars like that of Lou McDowell Car Club in Nelson to part with a 1911 from among the 1699 examples of the modei Overland 46 Torpedo bodied Roadster, of helpful and historically interesting photo­ recorded as being built that year. which he had discovered in 1960 and stored graphs of it with its original owner. The Model 46 cost $US850 when new ever since awaiting restoration. Another thing working in Lou's favour and is a two-seater roadster powered by a Despite its age the car had only one pre­ was his membership of the Willy's-Knight­ four cylinder engine of about 3.3 litres vious owner, Mr Denton, a farmer from Overland register in the United States on capacity. The cylinders of three and three Southbridge in Canterbury who had bought account of a 1925 Willys-Knight Tourer he quarter inch bore and four and a half inch the Overland new from Herbert Dix, a cycle has owned for many years. stroke are individually cast with side valves manufacturer and distributor at Rangiora. This highly organised group was able to and non-detachable head. It is not clear whether it was imported to supply him with the blueprints of the Brass plugs give access to the side valves, Mr Denton's order or had been imported by Overland, ensuring the restored car was to ex­ which are all on the same side of the engine. Mr Dix on spec. factory specifications. Cooling is by a thermo-syphon system and The car remained on Mr Denton's farm is helped by a conventional fan behind the until 1960, when it was acquired by Ron enormous radiator at the front and an air Galletly and later moved by him to Nelson. scoop, back to a finned flywheel which helps Lou McDowel1 bought the car not drag air back through the engine compart­ knowing much about it but was delighted ment. with his purchase when he came to study it The car has a total loss oil system with a closely, despite the enormous amount of Kinwood lubricator on the side which work needed to get it on the road again. mechanically injects oil into the cylinders The worm and wheel steering box was in and timing case. The lubricator has a near perfect condition but all the other capacity of about 1.5 litres of oil and can be mechanical parts were completely worn out; adjusted for the amount of oil it feEds in. the chassis was bent almost in half from The main point to remember with oiling, being hit on one side and the front axle was As a company, Overland dates back to however, is to drain off oil regularly from the badly bent - not just in one direction but in the 19th century, when it was the Standard collection pan which serves in place of a several ways. Wheel Co. of Terra Haute, Indiana. It produced its first car in 1903 and the sump. If this is not done every 70 miles or so company moved to Indiana in 1905. the build up ofoil starts to blow back over the The following year a businessman, John car and its occupants, causing a great mess. North Willys, formed the American Motor Priming cups are used to start the car and Car Sales Co. and contracted to market the Lou has fitted a 6 volt motor cycle battery to entire output of Overland and another provide the spark. It originally would have Indianapolis car maker called American. used old dry cell telephone batteries. Once He almost lost his investment when the car has been crank started the driver Overland was threatened with bank11lptcy in switches over to magneto. 1907. but Willys managed to save the company and in January 1908 the company was reorganised as Willys-Overland, with Willys himself occupying the positions of Against that the car was 80 per cent com­ Company President, Treasurer, General plete, one side was completely undamaged Manager, and Sales Manager. to provide good patterns for the body work After the reorganisation Overland concen­ and enough of the upholstery was also in trated on a single model but this policy does place to provide accurate patterns. It was not seem to have lasted long. In his hunt for even possible to find patches of the original spare parts Lou McDowell has followed up a paint to ensure a good colour match. lot of Overlands and has been amazed at the In addition, a handbook in perfect con­ variety of models and the lack of any contin­ dition came with the car, along with a couple uity ofparts between them and his Model 46.