CVMCE NEWS
Michael Gold and his Classic British Cars
Classic and Vintage Motor Club of Eurobodalla Newsletter
Volume 14 No 2
March/April 2015
Michael Gold and his collection of fine classic British Cars
Classic and Vintage Motor Club of Eurobodalla Newsletter
Volume 14 No 2
March/April 2015
THE CLASSIC AND VINTAGE MOTOR CLUB OF EUROBODALLA, Inc
PO Box 684 MORUYA NSW 2537
www.cvmce.org.au
2009/10 Committee
Other Appointments
President: Marian Pearson
0427 267 846 – [email protected]
Vice President: Peter Smith,(Sharon)
4474 2251 – [email protected]
Treasurer/Public Officer: Dave Gibson (Robyn)
0468 424 610 – [email protected]
Secretary and acting Editor:
Huw Owen-Jones(Barbara)
4474 3237 – [email protected]
Events director: Guy Fluke
4474 4530 – [email protected]
Membership: May Johnson (Paul)
4473 9431 – [email protected]
Committee: John Wiegold (Inge)
4471 1714– [email protected]
Regalia: Bill and Colleen McCallum
4474 2397
Librarian: Trevor Moore (Georgie)
4473 9891
Life Member: Stewart Kendell
Vehicle Inspectors:
Andrew Green (Bikes) - 4474 2886
Andrew Redwin (Bikes) - 4473 8062
Noel Hand (Older Vehicles) - 44742128
Dean Price – 4474 2962
David Nettle – 4474 4293
Barry Apps – 4471 1294
Volker Oldenburg – 4472 9288
Graham Symons – 4476 4827
Rob Upton - 0413 000 643
Webmaster:
Wendy Simes (Eric) – 4473 9696
[email protected]
Bush Council Delegate
Mark Beaver – 4474 3461
mcbeav@ozmail,com.au
Objects of the Club:
To bring together persons with a common interest in Historic, Veteran, Vintage and Classic motor
vehicles and motorcycles.
Principal Activities
The use, maintenance, restoration and display of historic vehicles and conduct club meetings and
Social Events.
________________________________________________________________________________REGULAR EVENTS
General Meetings: First Monday of each month (except January and November) 7:30 pm at
the Moruya Bowling Club 38 Shore Street, Moruya.
Saturday Morning Coffee: At The Waterfront hotel, Moruya, Dairy Shed or Bakery, Bodalla,
Maloney’s Beach Cafe or the Star at Milton.
If your car has conditional registration please sign the run sheet at the relevant
location or notify the Secretary ([email protected])
Wednesday Morning Runs: Meet in the car park behind the Adelaide Hotel (opposite Russ
Martin Park) – 9:30 am for 10:00 am departure. All motor vehicles welcome. A run sheet will
be passed around – all should sign, not just those with conditional registration so that
numbers can be relayed to the coffee shop!
Monthly Braidwood Runs: These are held on the fourth Sunday of the month, leaving from
behind the Adelaide Hotel at 10:00 am, meeting other members at Mogo opposite the
nursery at approximately 10:15 -10:20, and at the 2nd roundabout on the Kings Highway at
around 10:25 -10:30, for magnificent brunch at Braidwood. All manner of vehicles and their
owners very welcome.
FUTURE OF THE MAGAZINE
The newsletter in this format will be
discontinued after the May/June issue.
Future newsletters will make extensive
use of the web-site and email with hard
copy issues from time to time. Members
who do not have access to the internet
should advise the Secretary
PRESIDENTS REPORT
Greetings Fellow Motor Enthusiasts
Well we are now into the fourth month of
the year and things are moving along
smoothly.
At the last meeting Lance gave a talk on
his motoring life He sure has had a lot of
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
experience driving many different
Wednesday runs
May 06 Tuross Country Club
[email protected]
vehicles which was interesting Thanks
May 13 Bodalla Bakery
4473 5213-Sharen
Lance. Anyone who would like to give a
talk on their own motoring stories please
feel free to contact Guy, Huw or myself
and we will be more than happy to have
you speak
May 20 East Lynn Roadhouse
4478 6050-Colin
May 27 Turn Inn- Tuross
4473 8112-Dianne
June 03 Mossy Point Muffins
4471 8599-Jane
The Waterfront Hotel is a success thanks
to the Bar-B-Q Boys who turn up every
Saturday tongs in hand and cook up a
storm. Now the weather is turning a bit
cooler you will just have to rug up, drink
the fine coffee, and eat more sausages to
keep warm.
Mal’s Sunday run is still popular - not
June 10 Shelly Beach BBQ-Moruya
South Heads ($5 ph)
June 17 Tuross Boat Shed (fax 4473
6112)
4473 8127-Shannon
sure if it is the food or the run up the
hill that keeps the enthusiasm going, most
likely both
Guy has been organising some interesting
runs and next month at Berry will be fun
June 24 Antons-Kianga
4476 1802-Janine
Other runs
Saturday May 2
Narooma Oyster Festival
Sunday May 17
National Heritage Motoring Day
Classic Vehicle Show at Berry or
just get out on the road!
June – Possible “Shed Run”
July – No formal B2B run this year
- a day for the motoring enthusiast so
come along and enjoy the cars and the
shops in Berry. The Seaside Fair was once
again well attended by our club and last
weekend a group sallied forth to Cooma.
A report is in the Magazine
Look forward to seeing you at the next
monthly meeting or the Waterfront
whichever is sooner
Marian P
Travel safe

I was encouraged to join CVMCE by
John Marsden, whose pride and joy is
a1950 Riley RMB and I bought a
similar vehicle in Melbourne.
The
previous owner had bought it through
Shannons – it had been out of use for
many years and they literally had to
chase the chickens out of it! It had
been lovingly restored.
My interest, and later passion, for cars
of British origin, skill and then
workmanship (those halcyon days of
recovery),
was born in the years
immediately after the war when as a
child of six I was permitted to sit in a
succession of cars such as Morris 8
and 10's, Standards, Triumphs, Rileys
and Humbers, to name just a few. I
would twiddle the steering wheel, gaze
in awe at the various instruments, and,
above all inhale the intoxicating aroma
of leather and oil these cars exuded.
This is something that has stayed with
me in all those years since. We didn't
own a car at that point in time as my
father, like all returned servicemen,
struggled to find his feet commuting on
the 7.59 train from Stansted to
London, and my sister and I relied on a
lift to school from more affluent (and
important, as you had to be)
neighbours.
However things did take a turn for the
better when Dad returned home with
an old Rolls Royce of 1923 vintage, a
20/20 he had somehow picked up for
the princely sum of £100! This car,
from memory rego KK 7577, was pure
magic for us children; it had tables at
the rear of the front seats and there
was massive room in the back for all of
us and the dogs. It was a nightmare to
drive with only rear wheel brakes, a
squeeze type horn and a dazzling
array of ignition settings on the
steering column.
My mother
developed bicep muscles that would
grace a world champion boxer from
steering the beast! I was initiated into a
regular Sunday morning ritual which
consisted of my father lighting his pipe,
lifting the hinged nearside bonnet,
removing and polishing the beautiful
brass carburettor. It had an engine and
chassis never to be forgotten.
Our next car was a handover from my
paternal grandfather: a fifties Daimler,
with a pre-selector gearbox, in which I
learnt to drive. A smoother, more
comfortable car would have been hard
to find anywhere, and if I were to win
lotto I would seek to own one. When I
came out of the army, where I had
already been driving Austin Champs, I
eventually passed my driving test in a
Morris Traveller, which was by then
the family car and a very clever and
successful Minor variant.
Then I was off to commence a
seagoing career in a brand new cargo
ship of the very Scottish ANCHOR
LINE, as a cadet Navigating Officer,
shipping a full cargo, some 350,000
cases of Scotch Whisky to New York
and other East coast ports, every five
weeks.Cars
were
soon
briefly
forgotten.
My interest was rekindled some four
years later, when, having qualified as a
deck officer and joined my first P&O
ship, HIMALAYA, girlfriends entered
the equation! You needed a ragtop to
impress and when the ship's doctor
made me an offer of his light blue
Triumph TR3A it became my first car,
What fun was had in that little car, with
its Standard Vanguard two litre engine,
roaring through the streets of London
at all hours with a varied number of
passengers. To this day I have such
fond memories of it but cannot
remember what happened to it. I do
believe I traded it in for a red 1971
TR6 which was to become my next
car, although I had set my heart on the
GT6, a car I am still keen on owning to
this day. Next, after I had purchased
my first house just outside Cambridge,
I wanted the Dolomite Sprint, but
ended up with one of its main rivals of
the time, a 1974 Alfa Romeo GTV
2000, 105 series, which the local
motor dealer sold to me. Two-door it
may have been, but a better handling,
pleasure to drive car would be hard to
find even today.
One of the influences in my present
day choice of classic cars was the
experience of driving my dad's P4
Rover 90 in the early sixties. Despite
the lingering legacy of the suicide
doors, they were (and still are)
beautiful, comfortable and so pleasant
to drive cars with the freewheel
gearbox, that in quite recent times I
decided reluctantly to part with my
yellow TR6 I had gone to much trouble
and expense to acquire privately in
Melbourne, and find a Rover P5B
Coupe in the UK to bring to Australia.
These are the pinnacle of what was
once a fine and proud industry in the
UK and need to be shown around the
world as proof of what was our
heritage.
Similarly shipbuilding with the liners
ORION, QE, QM, CANBERRA and
ORIANA now forgotten showpieces of
an era when skill, craftsmanship and
genuine passion reigned supreme.
And so to 2015 and my thoughts. The
cars I have I enjoy every time I take
them out, but this is not often enough
and my time with at least one, possibly
two, of the voluntary organisations I
support will be cut back so I can enjoy
the Wednesday runs and other
activities the club organises. My son
has finally returned the Datsun 260Z to
it's rightful owner, as he is unable to
get it through rego, and it is now going
to be totally restored in what will be my
final hurrah and regrettably will likely
result in the sale of one of the three
pictured on the cover of this magazine!
There is no doubt in my mind, that
despite what I may have written above,
the Datsun is the most thoroughly
enjoyable car I have ever driven and
deserves to live again. Well done
indeed those clever Japanese with
European help in design and
thoroughly good engineering skills.
Michael Gold
Rover P5B Coupe
Sunbeam Alpine
Triumph Dolomite
Michael also has a collection of models
of many of the cars he has owned
FORMULA VEE – 50 YEARS IN AUSTRALIA
Back in 1965 a new low cost road
racing category began. Volkswagen
Australia organised a demonstration
by an American built lightweight open
wheel racing car using VW beetle
components. Canberra VW Dealer
Greg Cusack lapped the Warwick
Farm circuit at a surprisingly rapid
pace and before long the category was
under way. Local enthusiasts began
building the compact frames with
Beetle
motor,
gearbox
and
predominately VW suspension. Sleek
fibreglass bodies completed the
package and racing fields grew rapidly.
Local racing car manufacturers Nota,
Mako, Renmax and Elfin produced
more sophisticated machines and
drivers such as Colin Bond, Larry
Perkins, and John Bowe began
illustrious careers aboard these Vees.
Racing
was
characterised
by
extremely close wheel to wheel action
with slipstreaming an essential skill. In
recent years a 1600 cc division was
added to the original 1200 cc group,
with strict controls on minor motor
modifications ensuring driver skill
remains the prime requirement for
success. As an example of Formula
Vee performance, the 1600 version is
currently quicker than the V8 Utes
around Wakefield Park, Goulburn. A
“mid field” Vee can be yours for as little
as $8,000. If however, you want to be
“up the sharp end” of the 1600’s, you’ll
need around $25,000 for the package
plus razor sharp reflexes and a handy
offsider.
Guy Fluke
HSRCA Meeting Wakefield
Park Sunday 22nd February
2015
The day dawned foggy and warm as I
headed up the hill to Wakefield Pk with
Germany's finest flat six singing behind
my head. Arriving just after 9am, a sea
of cars and trailers supported the
rumours of 150+ entrants. Wandering
around revealed the following eclectic
mix: MG TC Special, Volvo 240 Turbo,
Ford Sierra Cosworth, Nissan Skyline
GTR "Godzilla", Cooper JAP, Austin
Healey 3000, Triumph TR3, Lotus
23B, Brabham BT29, Falcon GTHO,
'69 Mustang "Boss" and Torana A9Xall in the first 10 minutes!
There
were
some
immaculate
vehicles. Lynn Brown's Holden HD X2
with all the “bling” under the bonnet
was a favourite. Best noise went to
Geoff Morgan's green Porsche Carrera
(maybe I am biased here). The roller
skate black Lotus Elan of Jim
Davidson showed just how wide
fibreglass flares can be. On the track,
competitive racing ensued over the
next 4 hours. In the pits, the
atmosphere was friendly. A simple
"hello" resulting in an invitation to view
the cars close up, photograph
everything I wanted and receive a
potted history of vehicles and drivers.
A terrific day of action with access to
all areas for $20.00. How good is that?
Its on again in September- see you
there!
Mark Beaver
BERMAGUI SEASIDE FAIR
ENHANCED BY ATTENDANCE
OF LOCAL CLASSIC MOTOR
CLUB
In news just to hand, the township of
Bermagui by Sea was “party central”
on Saturday March the 14th as
thousands turned up to embrace the
Bermagui Seaside Fair .
The fair began with the traditional
parade of local schools, service
organisations, and Classic bikes and
cars. Toddler walking pace tested both
clutches and cooling systems for the
crawl to the oval display area. An
outstanding
array
of
sixteen
C.V.M.C.E. cars took pride of place
with Club cabana and signage erected
in only one hour.
Peckish members soon found food
stalls and the inevitable motoring yarns
began over lunch. With so much to see
and music wafting [blaring?] it was
rated a pretty good way to pass a
couple of hours.
The weather was just about right,
warm with an increasing breeze and
despite a heavily amplified auction
going on for some time, members
rated the outing as a social success.
In an outstanding conclusion to the
day, it can now be confirmed that,
during the drive home to
Moruya,
your
humble
events
director,
unleashed his British thoroughbred
and passed a car! Yes, that’s correct,
a tardy Ford Falcon was despatched to
ignominy by 40 frisky horsepower,
courtesy of the “Blue Whale”.
Guy Fluke
WHICH BANK NOW?
A sad day for Moruya residents – St
George, Moruya is closing down. It is a
first-class sub-branch which has been
operated by excellent friendly and
efficient staff. Perhaps it’s a good thing
that our Treasurer lives in the North
and can use the Batemans Bay
Branch.- Another sign of the march of
the digital age. Anyway, who needs
pass-books, cheques or even cash
machines when we can pay bills at
home on our computers or even on the
move with our mobiles. If we need that
old fashioned cash – there’s always
cash-out at eftpos!
HOJ
TYRE SAFETY
Reports
that
European
Union
bureaucrats are determined to put an
age limit on vehicle tyres can’t be
ignored, especially as the UK seems
liable to follow…and Australian States
could take a liking to the idea.
With that in mind it was interesting to
come across an item in the UK
magazine The Automobile concerning
an interview with Dougal Cawley of
Longstone Tyres, a well-known
supplier of tyres for classic vehicles.
He is reported to have said: “Rubber
compounds have improved over the
years,
but
due
to
banned
substances being removed, change
has
been
forced
upon
the
manufacturers and exact replication
is not now allowed.
This means that materials do not last
as long and, as a result, perish
quicker. These days you may find
modern tyres that start perishing at
less than five years old.
In
general,
tyre
manufacturers
recommend a safe lifespan of no more
than ten years.”
At present in the UK there is no legal
tyre age; annual roadworthy testing
(the MOT) includes examination of the
tyres for tread wear and sidewall
condition. If they are judged not
roadworthy they have to be changed,
as is the situation in New South Wales.
When it comes to guarding the
interests of their citizens Governments
tend towards the “monkey see,
monkey do” philosophy. All well and
good, but there also seems to be a
tendency of applying this to introducing
restrictions and penalties.
At present a garage undertaking an
annual inspection will insist on unsafe
tyres being replaced, undeniably a
good thing. But should such a ruling be
introduced here it would mean that a
garage would order a perfectly sound
tyre to be scrapped and replaced
because it had reached its use-by
date. And that would not be a good
thing! This is of particular interest to
owners of older cars, the tyres of
which are kept in good condition, cover
not all that many kilometres, and are
usually garaged and protected from
UV rays.
Incidentally, could it be presumed that
it is the same bunch of bureaucrats
that enforced the prohibition of
substances that enabled tyres to last
longer, who are now calling for laws to
ban tyres that are not lasting as long
as previously?
It is something on which we will all
have to keep an eye.
Eric Wiseman
COOMA WEEKEND TRIP REPORT
Twenty two of us trotted off to Cooma
last weekend ……some to take part in
a Cooma Car Club pre 1960’s car
event but most of us to just get away
for a couple of days to enjoy the crisp
autumn mountain air. This article is a
report mainly on what we post 60’s
people did. We’ve got to know a few
of the Cooma Club People over the
last 10 years as they have been great
supporters of our Bay to Bermagui
event. The trip was a good opportunity
to check out their magnificent club
rooms and to enjoy their hospitality.
Most of our group left Moruya at 8am
on Friday morning to arrive at our
motel, the Kinross Inn, at around
Midday after a morning tea stop at
Bemboka. The heavy rain all the way
up was intimidating and we were in no
doubt about what we were going to
experience for the rest of the weekend.
After a pleasant lunch at The Loft
Restaurant in Cooma we headed out
to Buckenderra Holiday Village to have
a look at Lake Eucumbene which was
at 54% capacity we also checked out
some cabins before heading to
Adaminaby for refreshments at the pub
prior to heading home. Michel Nader
and Rankin McCarron both knew Ron
Rankin the publican who used to live
down this way. Our Rankin was in fact
best man at his wedding 50 years ago.
The Snowy Mountains Museum which
was on our agenda was unfortunately
closed but with a bit more planning, a
definite must see for any future trip.
We finished off our Friday at The
Roses Lebanese Restaurant, a
favourite of and recommended by the
Nader’s and it turned out to be the
perfect place to finish our first day.
The weather forecast for the rest of the
weekend was not good so those of us
who had post 1960’s cars and couldn’t
enter for the Cooma club event
decided to spend Saturday morning in
Cooma checking out the shops before
heading to the Wild Brumby Distillery
near Jindabyne for a German themed
lunch and non-alcoholic beer and yes
it can be done. A stop off at Nuggets
Crossing in Jindabyne, a nap, a
shower and a happy hour on return to
our motel and it was time to visit the
Cooma Club rooms for a roast dinner
prepared and served up by the local
Lions Club. This was a good low key
evening with just a few speeches, a
warm welcome and some enthusiastic
dancing to the music provided by a
lone karaoke style entertainer. Barry
Apps and Ingrid Petts do indeed make
a good “Fred & Ginger”. This club
didn’t take out any awards for cars but
Jim Wilson did rate an honourable
mention for his Plymouth Belvedere,
mainly I think because it was the exact
same car that Johnny O’Keeffe wrote
off in the early 60’s, doing extensive
damage to himself.
The three days were well filled in and
many thanks for the enjoyable
company of a most convivial group.
Despite the weather everybody had a
great time and the common feedback
was “When is the next trip away?”.
Thanks to President Peter Wolf and
Rogan Corbett, prime movers at the
Cooma Club. They have invited us
back and insisted that they would be
happy to open their clubrooms to
provide morning or afternoon tea when
we do.
Peter Smith
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ENTHUSIAST
Jim Wilson wrote
At the Bermagui Fair a fellow came up and asked if we were interested in either of
his friend’s Chrysler cars for sale. The owner has health issues and the cars are both
for sale:


Right hand drive Aust delivered 1959 Belvedere Hardtop ( Converted to a
convertible)
Right hand drive 1958 Dodge hearse ( surviving one of two made according to
seller)
Both rare as and look like excellent basis for resto. The hearse is apparently a
genuine low mile car.
Interested folk should call Glenn Smith on 0427 99 1613 he has all the details and is
acting for the owner.
RENEWING YOUR CONDITIONAL REGISTRAION
Requirements for completion of an RMS Historic Vehicle Declaration form – they are now as follows:

The owner must be a financial member of CVMCE.

The vehicle must undergo a safety check. This can be completed by a designated Club Vehicle
Inspector, OR you can obtain a pink slip.

After this has been completed, the final part of the process is to have an authorised Committee
Club official sign and stamp the Historic Vehicle Declaration form, certifying both vehicle eligibility
AND the member’s current financial status.

Having the safety inspection carried out by a designated Club Vehicle Inspector will satisfy a
Committee Club official that the vehicle is also eligible for historic registration. In this case, the
vehicle will not need to be sighted by a committee Club official for Historic Vehicle Declaration
certification.

HOWEVER, should you elect to obtain a pink slip for the safety inspection, please note that the
CVMCE has adopted a significant change to the process. A Club official must now sight the
vehicle and determine its eligibility for historic registration, prior to having the Historic Vehicle
Declaration certified. Note that designated Club Vehicle Inspectors are also deemed to be Club
officials, and in most cases will determine vehicle eligibility.

Further note for vehicles issued with a pink slip. Whilst the Committee Club officials authorised
to stamp the Historic Vehicle Declaration form, retain the authority to certify vehicle eligibility, they
generally lack the detailed vehicle knowledge, which our Club Vehicle Inspectors have. Unless
familiar with the type of vehicle, it is expected that they will defer to a Club Vehicle Inspector for
assurance of the vehicle’s compliance with eligibility, before certifying the Historic Vehicle
Declaration form.

In all cases a Club Vehicle Inspector is entitled to seek the counsel of one or more of his
colleagues if vehicle eligibility is questionable.

Under new CVMCE policy, a Committee Club official is not authorised to certify the Historic Vehicle
Declaration form until the above has been complied with. Committee Club officials are aware of the
new sequence of requirements, and are bound by CVMCE policy to adhere to the new guidelines.
SERVICE DIRECTORY