Oh' to be in England

[oldcar]

While living in Australia I have been a Member of the Vintage Sports Car Club in the UK for almost 40 years. I have just received in the mail the most recent copy of the VSCC Bulletin. I thought that I should share some of these photographs with you.

Most of the cars shown are early 1920s Austin Seven's. Anyone care to guess what the car in the second photograph is?

 

Enjoy.

 

Bernie j.

Edited March 20, 2018 by oldcar (see edit history)

[nzcarnerd]

Car in second photo - Calthorpe Minor? Or maybe a Singer 10?

We have a local English type trial. It started here near Christchurch about 1990. For about the last 20 years it has been run at the same farm and is very popular. The event is influenced by the English events but our rules are a bit more relaxed. Most of the cars are not road registered, and the courses are quite short. A small English car is almost a prerequisite (read Austin 7) but we have a lot of fun on our stripped 1926 Pontiac. In recent years my two boys have taken over the driving. Two pics from 2014 and the other three from 2017.

[oldcar]

Thank you NZCN

Some interesting cars especially the twin engined special.

Sadly you missed the point with the UK photographs, my posting those pics was all about the stunning scenery in the background and the words of the Poem/song, "Oh to be in England now that April's (almost) there". These events are mainly run over open Public roads, and some Forest Comission service roads, not in a friendly farmers field. The last photograph shows the appalling conditions that the Brit's are prepared to drive their Vintage (Pre-1930) cars in. The VSCC's Night Navigation trial is run in Mid-Winter starting at Midnight and ending at Breakfast. All the cars competing are "pre-war' and mostly pre-1930.

One year it was so cold that many of the entrants had a problem with the water in their radiators freezing solid while it was boiling in the motor.

[nzcarnerd]

55 minutes ago, oldcar said:

Thank you NZCN

Some interesting cars especially the twin engined special.

Sadly you missed the point with the UK photographs, my posting those pics was all about the stunning scenery in the background and the words of the Poem/song, "Oh to be in England now that April's (almost) there". These events are mainly run over open Public roads, and some Forest Comission service roads, not in a friendly farmers field. The last photograph shows the appalling conditions that the Brit's are prepared to drive their Vintage (Pre-1930) cars in. The VSCC's Night Navigation trial is run in Mid-Winter starting at Midnight and ending at Breakfast. All the cars competing are "pre-war' and mostly pre-1930.

One year it was so cold that many of the entrants had a problem with the water in their radiators freezing solid while it was boiling in the motor.

 

For us the next cold weather rally is Irishman Rally, restricted to pre-1932 cars,  to be held at Queen's Birthday weekend, down in the Mckenzie Country. Weather can be a bit mixed but usually quite cold with good frosts.

 

The event has been run every year since 1955. called Irishman because it went to Irishman Creek Station, the home of Bill Hamilton, of jet boat fame.  In those early years only a small number of cars were involved. For the 30 plus years the start has mostly been in Fairlie, though some organisers have started in other towns. This year it is starting in Oamaru, on the coast, but still finishing Fairlie. There is another, shorter, run on the Sunday, with a gathering at a local farm for gymkhana type event and on Sunday evening the lucky winner, who gets to organise it next year, is announced.

 

The numbers have built up over the years. Last year there were 140 cars, of which half were Ford Model As.

 

The first pic was taken in 1980. I was riding with the late Alan Roberts in his 1920 Fiat 501. The is the late Nigel Price with the Prince Henry. Delage bringing up the rear.

 

The other pic was taken last year in the same location.

 

[nzcarnerd]

A few shots from the Sunday run in 2014.

My son, then 17, driving the Plymouth to the starts at Lake Tekapo. We will be taking the Plymouth again this year. In the last few years it has had the brake system rebuilt, new bearings in the rear axle, most recently new kingpins, and just last week a new distributor housing has been turned up for it. The car has just turned over 80,000 miles. Mostly original and unrestored. All original internals in the engine.

The gathering at the Lake Tekapo start.

Lunch stop at Mt Cook Station at the top end of Lake Pukaki.

The organisers of the 2018 event, the Chamberlain clan in the 1915 Ghost in 2014.

[nzcarnerd]

A random selection from 2017. The weather wasn't as brilliant as it could be. My younger son and I went in the 1930 Snipe (belongs to a neighbour). My other son drove the Plymouth, in the background at the lunch stop at Twizel behind the red A7. The Bentley, which has a locally built roadster body from back in the day,  has belonged to the Wright family, who are distant relatives of mine, for many years.

[nzcarnerd]

1 hour ago, oldcar said:

Thank you NZCN

Some interesting cars especially the twin engined special.

Sadly you missed the point with the UK photographs, my posting those pics was all about the stunning scenery in the background and the words of the Poem/song, "Oh to be in England now that April's (almost) there". These events are mainly run over open Public roads, and some Forest Comission service roads, not in a friendly farmers field. The last photograph shows the appalling conditions that the Brit's are prepared to drive their Vintage (Pre-1930) cars in. The VSCC's Night Navigation trial is run in Mid-Winter starting at Midnight and ending at Breakfast. All the cars competing are "pre-war' and mostly pre-1930.

One year it was so cold that many of the entrants had a problem with the water in their radiators freezing solid while it was boiling in the motor.

 

The twin engine car is basically an A7 chassis with two Coventry Climax generator engines mounted on it. Still only two wheel drive - as per the regulations. It is built as bit of fun. The same owner has recently had constructed a sort of replica 1939(?) Auto Union twin rear wheel, hill climb car with a Meteor engine for power. I haven't seen it but I believe it was at the Leadfoot festival this year.

[oldcar]

Going back to my original post The car in the second photograph is a twin cylinder Jowet.

Bj

[oldcar]

 

 

 

I must confess I have never been to New Zealand and now will probably never go there. We are however well into early planning for our next visit to the UK and Europe. We have one very real concern, Australian Customs have gone off the rails regarding the presence of asbestos in Vintage and Classic cars , prohibiting even the re-entry of cars that have left Australia to take part in overseas events. They claim the right to demolish returning or visiting Vintage & Classic Cars in their search for the stuff. Our Lagonda Rapier has asbestos free brake likings, it does not have a clutch but the bands and top gear cone in the Preselect gearbox were all made well before the asbestos ban. These offending parts are all encased within the "gear-box" and run in a bath of oil. Unlike brake linings the gear box does not manufacture and or release its own microscopic cloud of asbestos dust. No matter, a customs official has the right to dismantle the transmission at my expense, remove all the friction linings to have them tested and then destroyed, again at my expense, then hand me back the dismantled car, giving me 48hours to remove it from the Customs  property. It would appear that our only two options are either not take the car out of Australia or to leave it in the UK or Europe when we come home.

 

That fourth photograph is a little tricky, to get the full effect you need to look at the very top of the photograph.

 

Bj

Edited March 21, 2018 by oldcar (see edit history)

[nzcarnerd]

Those mountain passes must require a lot of concentration to negotiate. No time for looking at the view! Or where you are going or have been.

[oldcar]

That is why you have to climb to the top. That drive is exhilarating enough to make it worth while. Once there it is amazing just how much/far you can see. For many larger Vintage cars need to do three point turns to get around some corners. In smaller sports cars you need to have enough power and driving skill to get the tail out going around some of the corners. That and the ability to change down to first gear while on the move. That is where our Lagonda Rapiers Preselector gearbox comes into play. I just love the challenge  of climbing Alpine passes. These photographs shows our friends Ted & Fran Geermans in their Lagonda Rapier on the Col du Galibier. We were already at the top so could take this photograph. At 2,645 metres it the third highest pass we have climbed in our Lagonda Rapier. The highest is the Col de Iseran at  2769 metres. The second photograph shows the passengers view. To take all these photographs my intrepid passenger was using both hands to hold and use her camera.  You also need to take into account we were travelling in a Right Hand Drive car on the Right Side of the Road. You can just see a (pedal) cyclist that we are overtaking on the extreme Right of the photograph.  You are likely to meet them anywhere in the Alps, on either side of the road without any warning.!      

 

Bj.

Edited March 23, 2018 by oldcar (see edit history)

[oldcar]

Whoa! I think that this subject has run it's course. My original thought was to share some rather interesting photographs of some rather beautiful parts of England not usually on the Tourist Trail.

 

Thank you for your interest.

 

Bernie Jacobson.

[falconriley]

Hello Bernie

Another advantage of being in England at the moment is to enjoy the cool and avoid the heat and humidity here in Brisbane.

Either that or visit my sister in Hobart.

Matthew