THE

VVC VIEWJUNE 2019 ISSUE 06

E-mail: editor@vvc.co.za • website: www.vintageandveteranclub.co.zaMail: P.O. Box 35129, Northcliff, 2115 • Clubhouse: 3 Athol Oaklands Road, Oaklands, Johannesburg

Brian Noik :: Tel: 082 416 9584 :: www.oldcars.co.za :: brian@noik.co.za

DELIVERING YOUR DREAMS ONE CAR AT A TIME.

Follow me on facebook twitter instagram using @oldcarssa

EXCEPTIONAL CARSOFFERED FOR SALE

1972 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow

1923 Ford Model TTriumph TR6

1966 Corvette

1952 Jaguar XK120 Roadster Oval Window beetle

Greetings from the dam

Did you know that there is a fuss in the State concerning the use of electric scooters in cities? No, nor did I.

Wheels-24 tells us that the electric scooter-sharing craze is growing fast enough to be declared a nuisance and kicked off the streets of San Francisco and a handful of other cit-ies to allow local officials to draft regulations. Also, fast enough to draw big investments to allow start-ups to reach billion-dollar valuations.

They note that, in Washington, the two-wheelers have be-come a fixture on city bike paths, zipping along at speeds up to 25km/h, sometimes veering onto sidewalks despite warnings to the contrary. They are “dockless,” meaning they can be rented and left at any location, unlocked with a smartphone app which also indicates the location of the vehicles, in a model similar to new-style bike-sharing start-ups.

Most systems charge $1 to unlock the scooter and 15 cents per minute, so a 10-minute trip would cost $2.50.

Just this year, dockless scooter programs have been launched in a dozen US cities and college campuses. On Friday, California-based Limebike was set to launch scooters in Paris as part of a global expansion plan. In-vestors have taken notice and begun pouring in cash toscooter start-ups at an unprecedented rate. According

JUNE 2019 Page 3

EditorialBrian Askew

to the research firm Lagniappe Labs, Bird Scooter is aim-ing for a $2 billion valuation in its latest funding round and Lime was seeking a $1 billion worth. Even for Silicon Valley, the pace of funding is at a staggering speed, giv-ing birth to scooter “unicorns,” the term used for ven-ture-funded start-ups hitting valuations of $1 billion

This issue’s cover features a club Bentley at our last meet-ing. Thanks are due to Noel McIntosh for the final part of his club retrospective, to Aubrey Malden, who confesses to one of his manias, to Henry Watermeyer looking back-wards, too and to Harry Greene for his description of his visit to the RAC Club in Pall Mall. Thanks also to Harry Shut-ler – whose DJ retrospective will be with you next month.

See you then. Ed.

In Memoriam:

Sadly, we have to advise of the passing of club member George Lezard. George was 92 and a member of the VVC since the beginning of time. Many of us will remember him behind the bar when the club was next door and the milk bar upstairs. He will also be remembered driving his Isetta or Volvo Station Wagon to club activities.

George comes from the Lezard family of auctioneers that go back to the early days of Johannesburg.

Our condolences to Vivien and family.

Further, we have just been advised of the passing of club member Ian Sheperd who has been resident in White River for some years. Ian was a master restorer of early vehicles and typical of his skills & perhaps one of his greatest achievements was Kobus’s 1907 Stanley Steamer. Our condolences to his wife and family.

From the Chairman’s Desk

I recently had the opportunity to attend an interesting

conference in Knysna and had to opportunity to share

some of the fabulous history of our great event the DJ.

The conference itself was around collectables of any kind

really and the associated value of these. Some of the facts

to emerge were quite startling and as an example the per-

formance of collectable cars as an asset class in recent

times has been quite remarkable.

This does lead to the age old question of course “What

is it worth?” One of the early lessons one should learn in

our movement is never to ask what an individual has paid

for a recent acquisition especially if it is someone in the

acquaintance category and not a close friend. A great col-

lector I knew once told me that if a visitor to his collection

was only interested in what he had paid for his cars that

tour would have been cut rather short rather quickly!

We have a hobby or passion that generally is not dictated

by the associated financial values and certainly most of

the people I know in the classic and valued car move-

ment generally did not buy a particular unit purely as an

investment but out of a nostalgic memory or long present

desire to own that particular item. The vehicles I am for-

tunate to possess have all in some interesting way or an-

other come to me often when I was definitely not looking

to buy something. I guess it is something of a bonus that

their value in the main has not deteriorated and hopefully

when the day comes (which it must) for me to part com-

pany with some and eventually all of them the sums will

show a small surplus but that was not why I bought them.

JUNE 2019 Page 4

From thechairman’s desk

Ian Holmes

Those who are fortunate enough to have collectable cars

of any real value will therefore be pleased to note that ac-

cording to some experts collectable cars have been one

of the best performing asset classes in the last ten years.

Which brings me to the old question “What is it worth?”

The only accurate answer to that question I think will al-

ways be that it is worth exactly what someone is prepared

to pay you for it on the day that you decide to sell it. Trite

though that may be our movement is littered with opinions

and ideas of value that often have very negative outcomes

and disappointed sellers who can be misled by these.

My view is that they are there to be driven and enjoyed

and that other stuff will take care of itself.

Until next month safe and happy classic motoring.

Ian Holmes

Unfortunately I do not have any new members to in-troduce you to this month. I have handed out a couple of forms and hopefully they will be returned during the coming month.

On the 26th of May I will hand out the subscription re-newal forms for the 2019/2020 subscription year please come and collect from me so I do not have to post.

Thank you to the members who have already made pay-ment for the 2019/2020 subscriptions. I will send your membership card out with your renewal form.

The subscriptions will remain unchanged with subscrip-tion for the e-mailed newsletter at R425 for normal mem-bership and R300 for country members. Should you require a printed newsletter the subscription for both normal and country members are R550 and R425 respec-tively. The banking details are: The Vintage and Veteran club, Nedbank Benmore Gardens, Branch code 197305 account numbers 1973038617. Please remember to in-sert your name or your membership number as reference when making payment.

On the 1st of May we had some of our members taking part in the Sunbeam Sports Car Clubs Dam Buster Rally. It was the 8th time they arranged for this. It was a fun day out with the competition heating up amongst the 55 participating vehicles and bikes. I am not going to report on the winners as the 1st and 2nd place was shared be-tween a numbers of the delegates. The rally started at the Home of the Chicken Pie and ended only 20km away at Kenjara Lodge (the rally was around 103km long). Here the prize giving took place during a lively lunch.

The Great Train Race will be held on the 22nd of June 2019. Please note that you need to register this year to participate.

JUNE 2019 Page 5

New MembersKaren Kaiser

SAVVA MAGNUM RALLY 2019 – POMC (Pretoria Old

Motor Club) is the organizer and please visit their web-

site (www.pomc.co.za) for the entry form and regulations

which are now out. The first Magnum Rally was held in

1979 making the 2019 Rally the 40th anniversary. To cel-

ebrate this all vehicles older than 31.12.1960 will pay half

entry fee. The competitors will again be offered excel-

lent rates at Hotel Numbi in Hazyview and the organizing

club is taking great care in ensuring a safe and exciting

event. The rally takes place over 3 days from the 15th to

17th of August.

Wishing you lots of beautiful winter

drives.

Karen Kaiser

JUNE 2019 Page 6

Birthdays Karen Kaiser

JUNE 2019

Denis Bottomley

Harry Boys

Vic Fear

George Lezard

Walter Seiler

Harry Shutler

Ian Simpson

Wynand Swanepoel

Hentie Erasmus

Jeffrey Morrow

Michael Barter

James Jordan

Please join us in Friday evenings at the club, in the“Milk Bar” for a few rounds!

JUNE 2019

Detlev Borner

Dennis Denysschen

Barrie Swanepoel

Brian Bruce

Stanley Rothbart

Brian Rowlings

Martin Kaiser

Louis Pienaar

Mark Stevens

Courtney Watson

Michael Fonternel

Rod Herman

JUNE 2019 Page 7

2019 CALENDAR OF EVENTS(Subject to amendment – see Notice board for more current information)

MAY 26 VVC Motorcycle Day With VMC and CMCMAY 26 VCC Cars In The Park - PietermaritzburgJUN 01 POMC Mampoer Tour - Willem Prinsloo MuseumJUN TBA JHMT DJ Memorial Run JUN 13 / 19 EPVCC Milligan - Port ElizabethJUN 22 VVC Great Train RaceJUN 30 VVC American Cars and BikesJUL 6 / 7 CMC 1000 Bike Show JUL 28 VVC Your Favourite Car or Bike AUG 4 POMC Cars in The Park - ZwartkopsAUG 14 / 18 POMC Magnum Tour Cars and Bikes - MpumalangaAUG 25 VVC Annual General Meeting/Post-Vintage Cars and BikesSEP VVC Parkhurst DaySEP 7 SAVVA SAVVA AGM POMCSEP 15 PR Piston Ring Swop MeetSEP 21 / 24 MTFCOSA SAVVA Veteran/Vintage Nationals - Free StateSEP 24 SAVVA National Drive IT daySEP 29 VVC Post-45 Cars and Bikes and Buick ClubOCT TBA OFSVCC Rendevous TourOCT TBA VVC Johannesburg Historical RunOCT 27 VVC 100 Year Old and Veteran Cars and Bikes NOV 2 RAC London to BrghtonNOV 12 / 14 CVMC Fairest Cape TourNOV VVC Movie EveningNOV 24 VVC TBADEC TBA VVC Kenjara RunDEC 29 VVC Christmas Meeting

Monthly breakfasts (usually the second Sunday of the month)

We now braai at every Sunday meeting

VVC Milk Bar open every Friday evening

For Gauteng Rallies visit SARRA website – www.sarra.co.za

Events Henry Watermeyer

JUNE 2019 Page 8

The RAC Club

January was my birthday month and, for the first time since my actual birth day many years ago, it was celebrat-ed in England. My wife and I were visiting our daughter in the UK and the family treated me to a great lunch on Canary Wharf. In the afternoon we travelled to Pall Mall and the Royal Automobile Club (RAC)

My temporary membership credentials completed, we explored the various bars, restaurants, pool, library and other interesting amenities. The building is large and very impressive with murals - some of 20 metres or more across. One depicted the RAC committee resplendent in their black ties, whilst another displayed a Scottish rally with familiar vehicles.

The RAC Club Harry Greene

The ambience is old-worldly clearly exuding the atmosphere of a gentlemen’s club, although today many women are in evidence.

Of interest to the old car fraternity is the fact that the London to Brighton run is aligned to this club and, while there is no general exhibition of vehicles at this venue, on our day the Audi Quattro was on display. In an area just off the main entrance was 1RAC - The Simms which has a most interesting history.

The Simms (1RAC) is the Club’s oldest car and was built circa 1900 by the Club’s founder Frederick Simms.The car was restored in 1960

JUNE 2019 Page 9

The RAC Club Harry Greene

and the original engine was replaced with a 1902 model. To date, the car has completed four London to Brighton runs. The vehicle has tiller steering and solid tyres – which are not much bigger than bicycle wheels. While the car is capable of 15 MPH on the open road,with no reverse gear, maneuvering is a challenge and with the current 780cc motor and 6HP on hills the passenger who sits slightly behind the driver has to dismount to assist. Transmission is axle hung, two speed constant mesh gearbox or final drive unit which is chain driven from a counter shaft. Quite something!

After a full review of The Simms, my wife, daughter and I settled in the main lounge for a leisurely afternoon tea and biscuits. As we sat admiring the architecture, décor and atmosphere, we noted that Tuesday evening was chess evening with maybe a dozen players racking their grey matter to outwit their opponents. In another area, backgammon was being played by other members. Thanks Colleen and Camilla for a great day. The premises are most certainly worth a return visit - although maybe the Club’s Surrey venue will also feature on the bucket list for the future. Harry Greene

JUNE 2019 Page 10

From April

JUNE 2019 Page 11

From April

JUNE 2019 Page 12

Nursing Thoughts

Home Care

You Don’t Use It, You’ll Lose It

Comments the “You’ve Earned It” newsletter: “It is never too late to start exercising your body.

The benefits of exercise on your health, especially as you age, are numerous

They say, “Whatever you don’t use, you will eventually lose.”

I never really believed that until my father’s little bakkie gave me and my family a practical explanation of exactly what that phrase means. After dad passed, we decided to store away his little bakkie until we could decide whether to sell it or just pass it on to someone in the family.

Well, after a 23-month hibernation in our garage, we eventu-ally decided to start it up for a short trek to the local supermar-ket. After all, the car was in great condition, so it wouldn’t be a problem, right?

Wrong!

First the battery was so flat, it needed to be replaced. All the tyres were deflated. The fan and heater blew out only dust. The speedometer and, it seems, every other little thing had stopped working. Ultimately, it took a costly visit to a work-shop to get the car in working condition again.

Well, our bodies work very much the same way. Whatever you are not using, you are likely to never use again. Truth is, at our ripe age, the temptation to do less and be less physi-cal is always there. To make it worse, with a shopping mall at nearly every doorstep, one gets very little opportunity to really stretch and have a good exercise.

Technology has made things even worse because we also hardly visit friends or family. Everyone is a phone call and SMS away. All this often means that we are doing little

physical activity and getting virtually no exercise.

Unfortunately, the price to pay is very often our health. At an advanced age, it is very important to try and keep physically fit. It is good not only for our physical state but our mental health, too.

So on 29th May, as the world celebrates International Sen-ior Health and Fitness Day, why not go out of your way to do a little extra exercise?”

So now you know – after you taken your cherished classic car for a run – do the same for yourself.

Anne Askew

“Safely Cared For”Sister Anne AskewCell: +27 82 604 5806Email: anne@sisteranne.co.za Website: www.sisteranne.co.za

JUNE 2019 Page 13

Looking Back Noel McIntosh

Looking Back Over 50 Years of VVC Membership

Part the second

We left our story last month with our narrator on the bi-an-nual US Trans-Continental rally for Pre-War One cars. Noel continues: On that trip we were given a valuable copy of 1908 Great Race, signed by the winner, George Schus-ter, because we had done the USA part of that race. We promised to complete the whole Great Race route, cross-ing Asia and Europe?

Five years later we tried. At the end of the 1996 100 Years of British Motoring rally in Coventry we declared our in-tention to complete the Great Race route! We drove down to London to start this exciting motoring adventure. My son, Bill, joined us in the shadow of Big Ben for a farewell picnic.

At noon on 6th June 1996 we set off to complete the longest leg of the 1908 Great Race, alone and without any support, via Berlin, Warsaw, Moscow, Siberia, Lake Baikal to Vladivostok. At our mayoral reception in Gouda, Hol-land, the press asked how we would pass the German vehicle checks. The 83-year-old car had no front brakes, the main brake hand operated, as were the windscreen wipers, narrow beaded edge 75psi tyres etc. We were just too much of a challenge for the police and we were never stopped.

Donna left us in Berlin, as there was little space in the back of this big car, which was filled with 300kg of spares, 3 spare tyres and full camping equipment. Now we were on our own, two crazy motorists, alone, in the oldest car (not the earliest) to cross Russia.

We bluffed out way though border controls and nervous-ly dealt with many tricky situations. Petrol was available from bunkers, not service stations, and was 72 octane. Most of the time we camped, hidden in the forests away from the road to keep the car secure. Hotels were very basic and parking was risky but we did need a room every 5 days to use CompuServe to send messages to our fam-ily and update our website.

St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow at 7am on President Yelsen’s election day - 1st July 1996.

JUNE 2019 Page 14

Looking Back Noel McIntosh

A pre-war Rolls Royce in Japan.

The eventful journey from London to Vladivostok took only 6 weeks. We claim the record for an Edwardian car, which will surely never be broken. We achieved the im-possible without a single breakdown during the 14 000km adventure.

In the summer of 1998 we took Josephine to Japan to do a grand business tour, driving 5 500km from top to bot-tom of the 4 main islands, also alone. We met our many Japanese clients who were thrilled to have the “Emper-or’s” car visiting their university with the directors of “their TYPEQUIK education software supplier.”

The Emperor had a R-R before the war.

I did a small axle repair on the hoist in R-R Japan’s work-shop. I was working in short pants, as it was so hot. Very quickly I was offered yellow R-R overalls to maintain the decorum.

Mt Fuji, the lucky mountain.

The VSCC of Australia celebrated its 60th Anniversary in 2004. A friend and I put out a challenge to drive a pre-war car around Australia in the shortest time. After three months of rebuilding my 1913 Vauxhall’s original mechan-icals we arrived at the start. We were flagged away, the only entrants! The aim was to keep close to the coast so we headed up to Cairns than across the “bull dust” to Darwin. Bull dust is light powdery sand up to 6” deep, which is treacherous for wide-tyred 4WD but nothing to our narrow beaded edge tyres, which cut through to the hard mud/rocks.

JUNE 2019 Page 15

Looking Back Noel McIntosh

We limped a hundred miles into Darwin with a partial-ly melted big end and found a great old-car communi-ty. They gave us the use of their workshop where we re-moved the conrod and replaced it a day later with bearing shells selected by my wife from our spares in Sydney. We camped, cooked and published our travelogue on the VSCCA website. We flashed through towns and places like Broome, Carnarvon, Perth, Margaret River, the Nul-larbor, Adelaide, and Melbourne then up the East coast back to Sydney. We completed the 15 000km trip in 6 weeks, a record for an pre WW1 car.

After selling our TYPEQUICK business in 2000, at the end of the dotcom boom, I needed a serious hobby. I had always wanted a pre-war sports car. A Derby Bentley was the perfect choice because I knew so much about small HP mechanics and had made most of the necessary spe-cial tools. I found Ken McQueen’s very original Hooper bodied Derby (B37CW) saloon in Pretoria, which lay, un-molested, for 30 years and shipped it back to Sydney. A serious restoration it was, with every component meticu-lously recovered, restored or rebuilt over two years.We used it extensively around Australia for four years be-fore shipping it to UK in 2013. It was garaged near Ports-mouth, conveniently placed for us to do many French rallies with a small group of Derby owners. We were for-tunate to be invited to join a number of RREC rallies in Ireland, Scotland, UK and East and West Europe.

A highlight and of my restoration hobby was winning the 2013 Rolls-Royce Enthusiast Club’s Annual Concours d’El-egance P&A Woods trophy for the Best Touring Car of the show.

In Australia, Josephine continued to satisfy our passions on many tours and rallies. She is our ‘go-to’ car when all others fail. However, I was yearning to do another Der-by restoration so I bought a HJM 3-position dhc Derby (B184FB) from Las Vegas via the good Real Car Company in 2012. This car lay unused for 40 years and is incredibly original down to the lead seals on the stub axle split pins and matching the HJM order sheet.

Experts taught me coachbuilding skills needed to rebuild the body wooden frame.

JUNE 2019 Page 16

Looking Back Noel McIntosh

This was fun!

Derby in front of my garage.

Conclusion

Our lives have revolved around a few passions - family, entrepreneurial IT businesses, music, old cars and vintage rallies. We have gone on at least five rallies every year for 50 years and enjoyed meeting hundreds of wonderful people all over the world who we meet again and again.

Josephine has been there for our four children’s wed-dings, seven retrievals from maternity wards and seven christenings.

From a humble beginning in the VVC in 1969 we have lived around old car activities and what fun we have en-joyed.

We are eternally grateful to the friendly VVC members who inspired us to drive these exciting cars from the gold-en age of motoring. We subsequently joined many other clubs in other countries but always felt a great loyalty to the VVC.

We loved every one of the 50 years of membership of the VVC. We value the memories of each and every member we have met. We live overseas so the Newsletter is my link to the Club and I treasure every copy to read about the people we remember.

May the Club flourish for the next 50 years

Noel McIntosh

JUNE 2019 Page 17

Why Men Are Junkies

Aubrey Malden

Why Men Are Junkies

Men spend all their lives trying to work out women, or so they say. But how many women spend their lives working out what men are about?

Very few of course. We are simple beings!

However, there is one exception that I am told that they have not yet solved. A most puzzling phenomenon.

What is it that draws men to car boot sales, jumble sales, swap meets and flea markets?

And in particular, why is it that we come home, tired and elated, with junk. We clean it in the sink, where the washing up usually goes, then dry it (sometimes, simply and efficiently in the oven, fan-assisted works well) or if an inconvenient cake, roast or casserole is bizarrely occupying the space, dry it on the draining board where the washing up should go, then pop the “Prize” on the dinning room table, for all to see.

And then, when guests come round for dinner we reluc-tantly take it, under orders from “Management,” into the garage, and put it along with all the other junk we have excitedly accumulated over the years.

And there it rests to gather dust, and maybe one day, if our wives are lucky, we take it to another car boot sale because, as they say, “One man’s junk, is another man’s junk.” We never needed it in the first place.

So why do we do it?

Perhaps this T-shirt that I saw worn by a pot-bellied “Jun-ker” at a recent swap meet explains the phenomenon. It read: -

“Nothing haunts us like the junk we didn’t buy.”

Of course the statement on the T-shirt is true. We just cannot afford to let the junk get away.

The excuses and the justifications are laudable…and often, according to “Management,” laughable.

“It could be a bargain. We might need it one day. It maybe not there next time we go. I haven’t seen one of those before.” Or, “We haven’t got one of those so we should get it, just in case.”

Personally I think there is another force at work. Junk hunting is all about the journey. The chase, the thrill of finding something you might need, you don’t really need, but just in case, buy it. The thrill and sweat of lugging it back to the car. The “show and tell” when you get home and display it, just like a triumphant cat brings in the results of a hunt.

Why do I do it? Well, all of the above and more…

In my own case If it often involves an unfulfilled Sunday. The invitation of dusty dirt roads, and pathways, endless trestle tables, straining under bits of engine, spanners, dented copper pots, boxes full of old audio and video cassettes, Elvis and Cliff Richard LP’s, flea bitten leathers, kilos of twisted and dented knives and forks, thingies and wotsits, weird families shuffling along, or manning

JUNE 2019 Page 18

the tables, crap coffee and horrible hotdogs oozing sweet red sauce, smelly onions and bright yellow mustard that stains your fingers. Above all, if it involves meeting good friends as well, count me in!

It was on such a trip, accompanied by Ronnie, my wife and our good friend the late Don Lindsay, that I came across a dusty and battered large, and underneath its very grimy coat, very handsome leather suitcase with a heav-ily freckled patina. I picked it up and it was reassuringly heavy. Too heavy as my wife pointed out to carry any-where. But, as I parried, it wasn’t to be carried, it was to go on the back of the MG TC Don and I had. It was the cherry on the cake, ideal to be mounted on the chrome and polished wooden luggage rack that adorned the rear of the car.

So I bought it and asked my wife and Don, to kindly carry it to the car (my back problem couldn’t stand the strain of the weight). Don obliged, and Ronnie dutifully did heave it along to the car, pausing every few meters, for her arms to ease themselves back into their sockets again.

The heaving, scrapping and lugging was accompanied by some muttering about, “Old junk, it’s covered in filth, the handle is falling off, and the straps are missing, probably get stolen off the back of the MG anyhow, so who’s going to carry it on and off the MG when we stop for a picnic, especially when it’s stuffed full of whatever Aubrey puts in there, and we get the car out of the garage,

Why Men Are Junkies

Aubrey Malden

who’s going to load it on the back, assuming the MG will start of course?”

So you could say, and I will say it for her, she was very pleased, delighted with my purchase. As I was.

At home I took it outside on the stoop (it was too big to fit into the kitchen sink) and heaved it onto the stoop’s din-ing table. Cleaned it thoroughly with a blast from the gar-den hose, scattering the dirt and grime onto the tiles and table top, then a splash and a splosh with Clean Green, and then a good lathering over a series of days with sugar soap, and finally I nurtured and nourished it back to life with liberal amounts of fine beeswax furniture polish we had bought at Harrods in London.

The leather shone like gold.

I then set about tidying up the lining and had a sturdy leather handle and two more straps made by leatherwork-ers in a factory, some miles away that I had hunted down in town.

I polished and sealed the nickel buckles and catches. The result? A splendid period leather suitcase that stayed on the stoop table for around 4 months and was shuffled to and fro, off the table and onto the stoop floor, when guests came outside for drinks, dinner, or lunch.

JUNE 2019 Page 19

Why Men Are Junkies

Aubrey Malden

I am glad that I never let that suitcase get away. In fact,

Don confided in me that he would have bought it, had

I not (he had already bought a rack, full of old tobacco

pipes, with chewed and knarled ends. A banged-up cop-

per pot, a set of chipped glasses that looked like they had

been used in a Cossack’s drinking competition, and had

survived. Oh, and a rusty cutting blade for an old rotary

lawn mower that Don was resurrecting from the dead by

gluing it together (his daughter told me, some months

later, that as soon as he started the mower and sent it on

its resurrected and inaugural run, it simply beat itself to

death with the blade spinning wildly off into the bushes,

never to be seen again!

So the leather suitcase didn’t get away. No sir. But the MG

TC did, it was sold before it could be united with its smart

new leather and nickel “friend.”

Now the case sits in our hallway for guests to either mar-

vel over, or toss a terse remark at as they trip and tumble

over it. And for Ronnie, my wife to wonder at how I per-

suaded her it was a good buy.

Which of course it was. And is.

Who else had got one like that?

And who else has got a pewter sandwich tin, dated 1930

from Dickson and Son’s in Edinburgh, sleeved in a pol-

ished chestnut brown leather shoulder carrying case? A

sandwich tin to be carried by a grouse or pheasant shot-

tist? Or his loader?

Useful in South Africa? No. Useful anywhere? Probably

not. But what memories it must contain. How holding

it entertains my imagination! What sandwiches it could

have held? Beef and pickle? Venison pate? Peacock and

blackcurrant chutney?

And the vacuum flask and double sandwich tin where the

gorgeous buckled leather case, simply marked inside,

says “Angus,” Undoubtedly the gillie or loader of a

famous Lord.

The flask full of Earl Grey Tea perhaps? Or that signature

dish of Scottish soups, Cullen Skink (hot smoked-had-

dock and cream soup). Or Clapshot Soup (Swede, not

the person, but the vegetable, Turnip, fortified with

potato and sherry). And the long and large sandwich tin,

big enough to satisfy the hunger of the most portly of

Lords standing and stamping his feet, on a bitterly and

bitingly cold day on the Scottish Grouse Moors.

Then there was the set of medical instruments I was

tipped off by a fellow “Junker.” Ideal for fiddly bits, on

well, cars and model airplanes.

Or the stash of florist’s wire.

The penknives and pens.

More spanners and hammers.

Antique padlocks (too precious to use, they might get

nicked!)

JUNE 2019 Page 20

Why Men Are Junkies

Aubrey Malden

And then there was the purchase, just in case. Unable to find any here in SA, I had sought out and ordered from a specialist shop in London’s Tottenham Court Road, a set of tiny ring-spanners, for my model aero –engines. They cost an eye-watering £ 63.00. Almost immediately, upon my return from the UK, I found, in a swap meet, an almost identical set here in South Africa for R18.00. I bought them of course, just in case I lost the London set, or someone else wanted them, how could I let that bargain get away?

So enough of the hunt and the keep. What about the es-sential kit? The essentials for capturing a successful hunt.

Stuff your pockets with carrier bags in case you come across a bargain. Better still take a backpack. Don did, and managed to squeeze a 12volt car battery into his and lug it all over Modderfontein. Some prize. Some real bar-gain. Some shock. Don, when he got home, found the battery wouldn’t hold the electrical charge!

And take a folding chair to sit in. To rest a while. To gather energy for one more foray into the dust. But first, gain some sustenance. Refresh. Grab a crap cup of coffee and squirt red and yellow sauce over your lap, trousers and shoes from an explosive and squirming monosodium-glu-tinated hot dog.

But as you chew and reflect upon your day, beware. Be-ware that the other Junkies don’t take you for a stallholder and start offering you money for your hard earned treas-ures. Better still sell everything you have just bought. No need to carry it all home. You have had the thrill of hunt-ing it all down; you’ve owned it and that’s what counts.

As one Junky friend said to me as he opened his inner garage door, to a cascade and cacophony of crashing, tumbling junk, “I’d willingly sell it all, just so I could start again!”

Ladies, you can have all your hand-bags and shoes, just please, let us have the thrill of our junk, just for a time!

Aubrey Malden

JUNE 2019 Page 21

Scooters You Must Have

Ten Collectible Scooters You Definitely Need in Your Life

Part Two 6-10

From Hagerty and hope you enjoy the second part. Ed.

1954-1958 Rumi Formichino

Italians seem to love naming scooters after bugs. After all, Vespa is Italian for “wasp,” and that’s exactly what they look like. Formichino means “little ant,” and that’s pretty much exactly what you get with these rare bikes built from 1954 to 1958. They enjoyed a rabid fan base in their day, due to their tremendous success in sprint and endurance racing, including the 24 hour Bal d’Or at Montlhéry, France.

These wildly over engineered machines use cast alumin-ium chassis sections. The 125cc horizontal, air-cooled twin was a stressed member of the chassis. Despite the aesthetic qualities of some of their engines, most scoot-er manufacturers were hiding their engines behind sheet metal cowls. The Formichino’s attractive aluminium en-gine cases are proudly on display between the rider’s feet.

Rumi offered the Formichino in two models: the standard bike, and the Tipo Sport, which featured a larger carburet-tor, a less restrictive exhaust and higher compression. “The engine is a watchmaker’s delight, intricate and clever design

and a packs a wallop for such a small size,” says Holdash.

Collectors have watched the value of these machines go off the charts, even though the market is dominated by a tiny bunch of passionate enthusiasts. “Twenty years ago, I used to balk at paying $2 000 for a good complete project,” says Tom Giordano. “Now you can’t get a good complete project for less than $6 000. Runners that used to go for that now go for $10 000 or more. And that’s a normal Formichino, not a Sport model.”

1956-1965 Vjatka VP150

The Vjatka VP150 looks like a photocopy of a Vespa created by a machine running low on toner. In 1956, Russian gramophone manufacturer VPMZ started work on its own motor scooter, essentially reverse-engineering a Vespa. Like the Vespa, it features a steel monocoque with a horizontally-mounted two-stroke single, a three-speed transmission and a fork with the wheel mounted to the side. Despite the similar DNA, the two machines don’t share a single part.These come up for sale from time to time, but rarely in the United States. The last one we’re aware of sold for just over $4500 in RM/Sotheby sale of the Bruce Weiner Collection in 2013. The Vjatka VP150 & Other Russian Scooters page on Facebook shows a restored example for sale in Poland for €5 500.

JUNE 2019 Page 22

Scooters You Must Have

1952 Ducati Cruiser

The Ducati Cruiser is a stunner. Carrozzeria Ghia styled Duca-ti’s first scooter, which debuted at the Milan Fair in 1952. The engineering was no less remarkable. At a time when every scooter manufacturer used two-stroke engines, the Cruiser featured a four-stroke, overhead valve 175cc engine. It also had a three-speed automatic transmission mounted behind the engine in an aluminum case that looked like a miniature TH350. The Cruiser started with the flick of a switch which, although not unprecedented at the time, was certainly rare.

Ducati built just 1200 Cruisers. A check of all the usual sources (auction houses, eBay, etc.) reveals none for sale at the moment, and nothing to go on in terms of recent sale values.

1953 – 1965 Heinkel Tourist

The Tourist was the other big German two-up touring scoot-er, along with the Zundapp Bella. These durable machines could carry two people from one side of the country to the other in comfort and style. A Tourist did exactly what when Peter Beagle rode across the U.S. in 1964, an adventure he recounted in his book I See By My Outfit.

Although the Tourist never quite caught on in the states, it was very popular in Germany. Heinkel built 55 000 of the last series alone--the 103 A2, produced from 1960 through 1965. The Tourist still enjoys a healthy following. “Bellas and Heinkels are good value for money for a col-lector or even a rider who wants something unusual,” says Tom Giordano. “This has a lot to do with parts availability. The Heinkel Club Deutschland is still in existence and can supply anything you need.”

Tourists come up fairly regularly for sale. Last May, a nice, two-owner 1965 103 A2 sold for $5 100.

1941 Crocker Scootabout

The Crocker Motorcycle Company in Los Angeles built some of the most highly coveted two-wheelers of the 20th century. Yet few people know the company also dabbled in scooters with the 1941 Crocker Scootabout. The step-through scooter, designed by Al Crocker and distributed by Floyd Clymer, featured one-up seating, a centrifugal clutch, and a 2.3-hp engine hidden behind a teardrop-shaped cowling pressed from sheet metal. The original press release boasted about the Scootabout’s “Tow-Back attachment is available for use in attaching the unit to car bumpers.”

Want one? Pffft. Good luck. “Fantastic art deco styling, and super rare,” Holdash says. “My favourite American scooter other than the Salsbury Model 85. Rare to the point I’ve never seen one in person.”

Craig FitzgeraldHagerty News

JUNE 2019 Page 23

Times Rushes PastHenry Watermeyer

Times Rushes Past

In the mid 1960s I worked as a pre-production control clerk for Chrysler South Africa in Elsies River, Cape Town.

It was an interesting year or so. We were launching the Barracuda, in white only please note, and the third series Variants. As a petrol head for many years I was fascinat-ed by the motor industry and all its developments. Every now and again we got to drive our competitor’s cars, the ghastly Ford Zephyr/Zodiac was just big and ungainly, heavy to drive and not very nice. The 1800 “land crab” from BMC down the road in Kuils River was at least inter-esting. It was actually a good car, my sister in laws father had one for some 20 years and it served him well.

I recently dug out a copy of Wheels by Arthur Hailey which was published in 1971and having been in the industry when that book was being prepared/written, I found the predictions that he wrote about an eye opener.

He anticipates a debate about steam vs electric in the fu-ture and suggested that battery technology would evolve, that on board computers would become common, that sensory braking would be developed, radar systems to prevent rear end accidents between slowing vehicles in traffic, lane control and satellite traffic control systems.

He did forecast problems with charging all the electric

cars and of he did not anticipate the directly the shear growth in the number of vehicles around. Back then we anticipated an annual build of a few thousands, look how many are still around.

Other developments included fuel gauges being replaced by “distance still possible” meters, on dash TV screens showing route information and highway warning signs, nation wide on board citizen’s radio.

On the social front he talks about community responsibil-ity, changing values, consumerism and the environment.

While many of his predictions were premised on the then existing technologies some off which since been proved to be impractical but have been implemented with differ-ent approaches, many of the concepts and developments he foresaw are with us today often based on new technol-ogies which he could not have foreseen.

On board computers are standard, ABS braking is almost the norm and we are being told that electric cars will be the standard from the next year or so. Lane control sys-tems are already being installed.

On board GPS systems are very common, even on pretty mundane cars. He correctly forecast that materials development would be significant and result n lighter vehicles but he did not realise that weight saving would all be taken up by other developments and that cars of today would be heavier than their equivalents of 40 odd years ago. By way of an example an early Mini at 605Kg vs today’s Mini 3 door at 1 100Kg. show how things have not really improved weight wise.

50-year-old predictions are coming true. Scary, watch the next 50 years!

Henry Watermeyer

JUNE 2019 Page 24

Savva Technical Tip No 142

Eric McQ

SAVVA Technical Tip 143 – Mixing 2K paints

This article is for amateur painters like myself - or

perhaps just to make the experts smile at my stupid-

ity. My task for the day was to paint a spare wheel

cover (side mount). So off I went and bought the nec-

essary paint mixed to the right colour and some flat-

ting paper of various grades etc. All the ingredients

to do a perfect job.

Unfortunately, things went very pear shape. I pre-

pared the surface to be painted with absolute care.

Then came the job of mixing the 2K ingredients. I

didn’t have the special mixing cups with the gradu-

ations so I took a chance and poured a golop of this

and that in the gun and mixed it there. I then painted

with the expertise of a seasoned painter – the only

problem was it looked as if I had spayed over sand-

paper. Realising I had totally screwed-up and had run

out of thinners I took off to the paint suppliers to buy

more thinners and shout for help – what am I doing

wrong? I got that blank look from the chaps behind

the counter, you know the look – OMG another one

of these DIY types. Any rate one of them took pity

one me, and sorted me out.

It turned out that in my ignorance, I was painting

outside in the sun on a 32degree day which at the

time I thought was a brilliant idea! Apparently, a nice

cool temperature is far better for good painting and

to make things worse I had obviously added far too

much hardener.

Here is the advice they gave me. Firstly, don’t pick

the hottest day and then paint in the sun and sec-

ondly, make sure your mix is absolutely correct – this

is critical.

A simple way of ensuring one has the correct mix is

to buy a ruler which has the correct mixing gradua-

tions on it or use a proper mixing bowl. The picture

illustrates a typical mixing bowl. They usually come

in three sizes, small, medium and large depending

on the size of the job you are tackling. They cost

only a few Rand each from the specialised car paint

shops and can be disposed of at the end of the

painting job.

Needless to say my next attempt was far more

successful.

Eric McQ

JUNE 2019 Page 25

Angela’s Picnic 2019

Angela’s Picnic 2019

The VVC was represented at this event by a good

turnout of cars and snackers.

Below are some pictures kindly sent to your editor,

who was skiving in Cape town at the time.

JUNE 2019 Page 26

Great Train Race! 2019

Chris Van

“Great Train Race!” 2019

Diarize now: Saturday 22 June

Starting Bell (kindly sponsored by KC Saaiman)

If you own a pre-1945 car and haven’t participated in the “Great Train Race” from Krugersdorp Airfield to Magal-iesburg then now is your chance to make amends.

This year will host the fourth Annual Great Train Race, which of course not a race at all but celebrates the Woolf Barnato vs. Blue Train race from Monte Carlo to Calais after the Bentley’s 1930 (and final) Le Mans victory.

Incidentally, as history buff KC Saaiman has pointed out, the Bentley in the Cuneo painting is the wrong one. No harm done, it still captures the essence of the occasion.

Woolf Barnato’s 1930 Speed Six Bentley that raced, and beat, the Blue Train, by four minutes.

This year our very own “Great Train Race”, as it expands, will be co-hosted by MACOSA (Model A Club of South Africa) and the VVC. This will help the event attract a wid-er field of entries, the super-usable Model A fitting well within the pre-war ambit, as well as to spread the organ-izational load.

I’m sure you agree that a picturesque picnic is the perfect panacea to cater for the participants’ eclectic epicurean tastes? Plus, it creates even more photo opportunities, does it not? Again, for those that want to, you can store your machine in a hangar at the Jack Taylor Airfield the night before (tbc), and then dinner and overnight at the selected hotel.

A point to note, ahead of time: The steam train uses an active Transnet line, and as such we are at the mercy of the Transnet scheduling. But it is this very aspect that gives our event its magic, because it is choreographed ad hoc in real time in a public environment – train, cars, mo-torbikes, airplanes, et al. That said, we are going to make every effort to be able to depart from the convergence point as timeously as possible to drive and ride alongside the train, then to meet up with it at the Magaliesburg Sta-tion, before we head on to our picnic spot. Headed up by a vintage Bentley of course.

Please message me on 081 514 6954, if you’d like to be added to the Great Train Race 2019 WhatsApp Group.

Chris Van

JUNE 2019 Page 27

2019 Magnum Rally

15th to 17th August 2019

Fellow enthusiast,

This year the Magnum Rally turns 40!

The first Magnum Rally was held in August 1979. The event started on a Thursday at the Eastgate Shopping Mall Bruma area and travelled via Bethal, Hendrina and Carolina to Nelspruit where the event overnighted at the Shonalanga Hotel. The Friday was a free day and on Saturday the route took the competitors back to Eastgate. The first few Magnum events were generously sponsored by Magnum Airlines (the precursor to the current SA Air Link) – to such an extent that the event was able to build-up a reserve fund, which is currently held in trust by the POMC and is used to fund shortfalls in organising cost.

The first Magnum’s were only open to Motorcycles and three wheelers manufactured on or before 31st December 1960.

To celebrate the 40th Magnum rally all entries with vehicles manufactured before 31st December 1960 will only pay half entry fee! For Motorcycles this will be funded out of the reserve funds for the Magnum while for Motorcars the POMC have made available an amount to cover the cost.

This year the event will again be held in the Mpumalanga area.

• Organised by the Pretoria Old Motor Club, you will experience magnificent scenery and enjoy some of the most beautiful mountain passes in the country. Special care has been taken to select the better roads in the area with cognisance of the prevailing traffic.

• Aside from the on-road experience, this three-day spider rally is hosted by fellow motoring enthusiast, Willem Fick, at his fabulous Hotel Numbi and Garden Suites, where he ensures that we receive the best accommodation, cuisine and service at the most unbelievably good rates

• Everyone on the event shares in the atmosphere of a fantastic rally, fun, camaraderie, good food and accommodation. This is an event not to be missed

• All vehicles manufactured before 31st December 1997 are eligible and we extend this invitation to you to join us on this special event.

• Accommodation is limited, so avoid disappointment and get your entry in as soon as possible

JUNE 2019 Page 28

2019 Magnum Rally

15th to 17th August 2019

Below is the provisional program:

Wednesday 14-08-2019 13:00 - 18:30 Documentation and Scrutiny, Hotel Numbi & Garden Suites, Hazyview.

18:30 Competitors meeting

Thursday – 15-08-2019 09:01 Start of Regularity run - First day. Approximate distance 300 km.

Friday – 16-08-2019 08:01 Start of Regularity run – Second day. Approximate distance 300 km.

Saturday – 17-08-2019 08:01 Start of regularity run - Third day. Approximate distance 200 km.

18:30 Overall Provisional results.

19:30 Prize Giving

Sunday – 18-08-2019 Return home in your own time after Breakfast.

Regulations are available on the following websites: www.pomc.co.za

www.vintageandveteranclub.co.za

www.vintagemotorcycleclub.co.za

www.classicmotorcycleclub.co.za

We Look forward to welcoming you on the 2019 Magnum Rally

The Organising Team (Tom & Sandra Linley, Frik & Leoni Kramwinkel and Leo)

JUNE 2019 Page 29

Classified

The For Sale Table

Don’t forget there is a table at the back of the hall for items

members would like to dispose of. This we feel is better

than waiting for the periodic flea market. Should you have

an item to sell please affix a sticker or label with your name

and how much you want for it. Items with no amount means

it’s a freebie

Please note, items placed on the “for sale table” must have

the price, sellers name and contact number clearly marked

on them. Also, items not sold within three months must

be removed or they will be removed and discarded by the

club.

Insurance Brokers

Specialising in Vintage and Veteran Car Insurance together with Personal and Business Insurances.

CONTACT DETAILS:Gareth Bain

Telephone: 087 736 2222 • Fax: (011) 699 0783

Email: Gareth.Bain@fnb.co.za

Branch Manager: Mrs N Meier

An Authorised Financial Services Provider

JUNE 2019 Page 30

Classified

CAR Magazines

I have a complete run of CAR magazines from 1984 –

2008. If anyone is interested – please contact your editor

– brian@quaestior.com.

MG SA Tickford

44 years of an Edwardian MG [built 1936 in K Ed 8’s reign]

– it is time to find a younger custodian of the elegant MG

SA Tickford Coupe which lives in McGregor.

Extensive work history available. Formerly owned by the

late Phil Howie and driven up Munro Drive by Phil Hill -

see “Norman Talks” in Thumbs Up Dec. 2017.

R680k to the “right home”.

Keith Poole - k-mpoole@lando.co.za or 023 625 1306

JUNE 2019 Page 31

RecommendedSuppliers

Paul Koski

We are drawing up a list of recommended suppliers, please feel free to add to this list or make recommendations, notify me on: chairman@vvc.co.za

Body repairs and painting:*Shield Panelbeaters, Manny Bairos 084 506 7237

Restorations & General Workshop* Brian Style, 082 330 1688 * Heritage Workshop, John Allison 011 626 2970, 072 108 4280* Charles Goodman 082 449 6901* Tony Watson 011 875 2101 Dating Club Vehicles:* Eric Mc Q

Car Covers:* Pat Barclay 011 698 3166, 073 263 7982

Powder Coating * African Powder Coating, 13 Fountain St. Eastleigh, Edenvale. John 011 452 3345

Plating* African Electroplating - Peter Posniak 082 553 5032

Auto Trimmers:* Nev’s Auto Trimmers Neville, 011 472 0392, 083 284 9408

Engine & gearbox etc. mountings (same day service)* Nick Mountings, Wynberg 082 445 1489

Seat Springs: * Seat, compression, tension springs etc., Weblor Springs 011 452 8686/7

Instrument Repairs:* Sports car centre, Alan Uzzell 011 646 1631* Nigel Ridley, Clocks and Instrument repairs, 011 803 1319

JUNE 2019 Page 32

RecommendedSuppliers

Paul Koski

Insurance:* SAVVA Insurance, Glenn Broadhurst Yolande Erasmus Cell: 087 736 2222, Fax: 011 699 0783

Brake, Clutch & Accelerator, speedo cables* Cablecraft, 77 West St., Kempton Park, 011 394 4865* Martin Peach, Bordeaux, 011787 2995, 082 492 7794

Brake hoses, cables, electric window repairs* TK Cables, 627 Ondekkers Road, Delarey, 011 029 5366, 086 552 5514

Piston Rings* Made to size, Industrial Piston Ring Manuf. David Godwin, 011 622 2546/7* Cord Rings, 5 Kruis St. Johannesburg, 011 334 9525

Lenses (reproductions)* Duke’s Car Lenses 083 655 3657

Vintage tyres:* Jeppe Tyres, Roy Greenburg 011 614 0462, 082 491 2025

Refurbishing Woodgrain on steel and wood: * Ivan Cotton 076 034 9482

Chev and Ford Part importers* Mike Leisegang: 082 857 8733

Rolls-Royce & Bentley Spares and repairs * AP Wallis 083 264 1700, 011 609 4652

Ford Parts (F Series)* Gary Dixon 011 609 3631

Carburettor Services* Frank Hackney 011 493 7000 Carburettor Services - 22 Loveday Street South Johannesburg frankhackney@mweb.co.za

Batteries* Battery Orbit Le Roux Ave &, Richards Drive Halfway Gardens, Midrand, 1686 Ask for either Colin or Nielan (011) 466 9411

JUNE 2019 Page 33

Always LeaveThem Laughing

HAYNES GUIDE TO TOOLS OF THE TRADE

HAMMER: Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer is nowadays used as a kind of divining rod to lo-cate expensive parts not far from the object we are trying to hit.

MECHANIC’S KNIFE: Used to open and slice through the contents of cardboard cartons delivered to your front door; works particularly well on boxes containing seats, motorcycle jackets, vinyl records, liquids in plastic bottles, collector magazines, refund checks, and rubber or plastic parts. Especially useful for slicing work clothes, but only while in use.

ELECTRIC HAND DRILL: Normally used for spinning steel Pop rivets in their holes until you die of old age, but it also works great for drilling mounting holes just above the brake line that goes to the rear wheel.

SKILL SAW: A portable cutting tool used to make studs too short.

PLIERS: Used to round off bolt heads. Sometimes used in the creation of blood-blisters.

BELT SANDER: An electric sanding tool commonly used to convert minor touch-up jobs into major refinishing jobs.

HACKSAW: One of a family of cutting tools built on the Ouija board principle. It transforms human energy into a crooked, unpredictable motion, and the more you at-tempt to influence its course, the more dismal your future becomes.

MOLE-GRIPS/ADJUSTABLE WRENCH: Used to round off bolt heads. If nothing else is available, they can also be used to transfer intense welding heat to the palm of your hand.

OXYACETELENE TORCH: Used almost entirely for light-

ing various flammable objects in your garage on fire. Also

handy for igniting the grease inside a brake-drum you’re

trying to get the bearing race out of.

TABLE SAW: A large stationary power tool commonly

used to launch wood projectiles for testing wall integrity.

WHITWORTH SOCKETS: Once used for working on old-

er cars and motorcycles, they are now used mainly for im-

personating that 9/16 or 1/2 socket you’ve been search-

ing for for the last 15 minutes.

DRILL PRESS: A tall upright machine useful for suddenly

snatching flat metal bar stock out of your hands so that

it smacks you in the chest and flings your beer across the

room, splattering it against that freshly painted part you

were drying.

WIRE WHEEL: Cleans rust off old bolts and then throws

them somewhere under the workbench with the speed of

light. Also removes fingerprint whorls and hard-earned

guitar callouses in about the time it takes you to say,

“F....”

BAND SAW: A large stationary power saw primarily used

by most shops to cut good aluminium sheet into smaller

pieces that more easily fit into the trash can after you cut

on the inside of the line instead of the outside edge.

HYDRAULIC FLOOR JACK: Used for lowering car to the

ground after you have installed your new front disk brake

setup, trapping the jack handle firmly under the front

wing (fender).

EIGHT-FOOT LONG DOUGLAS FIR 2X4: Used for levering a car upward

off a hydraulic jack.

TWEEZERS: A tool for removing wood splinters.

PHONE: Tool for calling your neighbour to see if he has another hydraulic floor jack.

SNAP-ON GASKET SCRAPER: Theoretically useful as a sandwich tool for spreading mayonnaise; used mainly for getting dog-doo off your boot.

BOLT AND STUD EXTRACTOR: A tool that snaps off in bolt holes and is ten times harder than any known drill bit.

TIMING LIGHT: A stroboscopic instrument for illuminat-ing grease buildup.

TWO-TON HYDRAULIC ENGINE HOIST: A handy tool for testing the tensile strength of ground straps and brake lines you may have forgotten to disconnect.

CRAFTSMAN 1/2 x 16-INCH SCREWDRIVER: A large motor mount prying tool that inexplicably has an accu-rately machined screwdriver tip on the end without the handle.

BATTERY ELECTROLYTE TESTER: A handy tool for trans-ferring sulfuric acid from a car battery to the inside of your toolbox after determining that your battery is dead as a doornail, just as you thought.

AVIATION METAL SNIPS: See hacksaw.

INSPECTION LIGHT: The mechanic’s own tanning booth. Sometimes called a drop light, it is a good source of vi-tamin D, “the sunshine vitamin,” which is not otherwise found under cars at night. Health benefits aside, its main purpose is to consume 40-watt light bulbs at about the same rate as 105-mm howitzer shells during the Battle of the Bulge. More often dark than light, its name is some-what misleading.

JUNE 2019 Page 34

Always LeaveThem Laughing

PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER: Normally used to stab the vacuum seals under lids or for opening old-style paper-and-tin oil cans and splashing oil on your shirt; but can also be used, as the name implies, to strip out Phillips screw heads.

STRAIGHT SCREWDRIVER: A tool for opening paint cans. Sometimes used to convert common slotted screws into non-removable screws.

AIR COMPRESSOR: A machine that takes energy pro-duced in a fossil-fuel burning power plant 200 miles away and transforms it into compressed air that travels by hose to a pneumatic impact wrench that grips rusty bolts last tightened 30 years ago by someone in Dagenham, and rounds them off.

PRY (CROW) BAR: A tool used to crumple the metal sur-rounding that clip or bracket you needed to remove in order to replace a 50 cent part. HOSE CUTTER: A tool used to cut hoses 1/2 inch too short.

DAMMIT TOOL: Any handy tool that you grab and throw across the garage while yelling ‘DAMMIT’ at the top of your lungs. It is also, most often, the next tool that you will need.

That’s all for now, folks….

JUNE 2019 Page 35

Contacts

VVC COMMITTEE FOR 2019

Chairman Ian Holmes ianhol@iafrica.com 083 646 3089 Vice Chairman Paul Koski paul@frontiers.co.za 082 442 6662 Treasurer Anneke de Groot adegroot1924@gmail.com TBAClubhouse G Kaiser karennkaiser@gmail.com 082 777 1818Registration/Members Karen Kaiser karennkaiser@gmail.com 083 307 0581Events Henry Watermeyer henry.watermeyer@gmail.com TBARegalia / Events Steve Martin sentry@netactive.co.za 082 551 8588DJ Finance Bert Lopes hcsllopes@gmail.com 083 637 5171Clubhouse Exterior Cindy Rousseau prousseau09@gmail.com 084 969 6993Editor Brian Askew brian@quaestior.com 082 601 3021 Ex-officio Portfolio Holders: Social breakfasts John Hassall jh29@pixie.co.za 011 679 2342 Dating Officer Eric McQuillian eric@anatomical.co.za 083 700 0171

CORRESPONDENCEAll correspondence to the club should also be addressed to: info@vvc.co.za

PLEASE NOTEDeadline for articles for the next issue is the 7th of the previous month

Please do keep your articles coming in. Your contributions are appreciated!When submitting photographs please ensure that they are high resolution, to do justice to the

pictures, particularly in the printed version.

VINTAGE AND VETERAN CLUB ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION 2015 Joining Fee: R125.00 (including Name Badge) Extra name badges R25.00

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS:Ordinary Members: Country Members: (outside of Gauteng)R550 including monthly printed Newsletter R425 including monthly printed NewsletterR425 including monthly emailed Newsletter R300 including monthly emailed NewsletterHonorary Life Members: FREE

Banking Details: Vintage and Veteran Club, Nedbank, Benmore Gardens Branch 197305. Account No. 1973 038 617

Affiliated to SAVVAe-mail: editor@vvc.co.za • website: www.vintageandveteranclub.co.za • mail: P.O. Box 35129, Northcliff, 2115

clubhouse: 3 Athol Oaklands Road, Oaklands, Johannesburg

JUNE 2019 Page 36

Notice Board

EVENTS

The events are published in the newsletter every month and will also be announced at the Sunday Club meeting

held on the last Sunday of every month. There is a breakfast meet on the 2nd Sunday of the month at various

venues around Johannesburg. These are truly enjoyable and kindly arranged by John Hassal. If you would like

to be on the invite list for these please send John an email on: jh29@pixie.co.za or Karen on: willdo@icon.co.za

FACEBOOK

Note that you can also join the club’s Facebook: The Vintage and Veteran Club VVC. It is a closed group. If you join, Paul

will accept you as a member. There is a lot of other interesting content posted from around the world. Karen Keiser.

SHIRTS, REGALIA & FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

Wearing a club shirt. There is a blue short sleeve shirt with the VVC badge above the pocket and

also white polo shirt with the VVC badge. They will be on sale at the Sunday Club meetings.

If you would like to place an order kindly contact Karen on: willdo@icon.co.za

or Jeff Morrow on: defendersafes@mweb.co.za. We have also secured a number

of fire extinguishers, 1.5kg and 1.0kg and also fire blankets. These will also be

on sale at the club.

The club encourages you to make use of the newsletter to move some of the smalls bbb

you’ve accumulated. With so many members sizing down and moving you are welcome yyyyyyy

to advertise. Remember “one man’s junk...”

Advertisements

We… Buy and sell Vintage, Classic, Sports Cars and Motorcycles. Our stylish, spacious showroom is ideally placed for maximum exposure and to catch

the attention of all passing traffic. Please call in to see the wide selection of vehicles we have on offer. Consignment Sales are welcomed and we travel country-wide to view.

We can also assist with collection and delivery of vehicles.

STOCK WANTED - Ph. 082 566 7897 Amongst others, we are looking for Mercedes-Benz SL’s, Chevrolets (vintage as well as Apaches and other bakkies) Porsches from 1960/1970 and 356’s, Austin Healeys, E-type Jaguars, 1930’s/1940’s Fords, Mustangs &

Ford Model T’s & A’s, plus MGA’s, MGB’s, MGTC’s & MGTD’s. We would, however, like to hear about ANY good condition Classic, Vintage or Sports cars for sale.

70, Main Road, Knysna (N2: Next to Total Garage) Sales: 081 325 1507 / 082 566 7897

Email: info@hocasc.co.za www.hocasc.co.za