Combined Clubs Gymkhana

This is held yearly at the Omana Reserve at Maraetai, it looks out to the Hauraki Gulf and is on a good day a beautiful site, and it was one of those the sun shone and the wind and rain stayed away for the second year in a row.

The event in organized by the Chevrolet Club and each club attending puts on two events, so each year there are different things to do. This year we did throwing the blocks of wood into hub caps again and the second one was using a hook to lift partially water filled milk bottles and carrying them a small way and putting them into another container.

Each club runs its first event before lunch, and the second one after, the cars usually proceed from one event to another, There was one this year with the driver blindfolded, towing a tiny block of wood around a course with three bottles on it with out dislodging any. And also a very fast slalom course where the passenger gets out and undoes two spark plugs and puts them back and returns to the car before proceeding to the finish.

Each year there seems to be fewer clubs making the effort to attend this picnic day out, plus unfortunately this year it clashed with the Auckland Santa Parade the points scored this year put the Ford 8 & 10 contingent in last place but it's only a fun day out.

Harvey and Val with his Model Y; Brian and Beverley in their restored Anglia: Bud and Thelma with their Prefect: Paul and Delia modern : Ant  and Karen in a modern. John came after lunch in his convertible having been up north earlier and all the way from Morrinsville Andrew in a Prefect.

I hope we have a lovely day again next year and perhaps we will be able to take home the "Trophy" we have had it in past years. This year we had the wooden spoon.

Postscript from Harvey. Hard luck prize of the Gymkhana goes to Andrew of Morrinsville who ran a bearing on the way home. 20 miles short, but managed to make it, so now it's out with the motor and back to the Reconditioners who built it. Now I've put Molyslip in my sump having seen the vulnerability of these things.

The Shaw's Collection

At the starting line were Brian and Bev, Paul and Delia, Thelma and Bud Semadeni and myself, from the Ford Club. Bud's Prefect was the only Club car out that day, mine having broken a rear axle the previous day, and Paul's with the motor out getting valve and cylinder head improvements, although their immaculate Cortina was again there.

However there were plenty of Fords 8's and 10's at our destination the Shaw brother's awesome car collection at Coatsville. I combined the Model A club with ours and did not extend the trip beyond there, having learnt that the enthusiast can spend hours looking which proved true.

I saw early 7Y Anglia's: a two door and four door C, a two door Y, Prefects including complete and incomplete 38-39 Ford 10's (7W) and a '50's Popular with its tiny headlights in original light blue colour. The only marque I did not see was the square–grilled EO4A Anglia.

There ware also Model A's, three 36-39 Ford V8 sedans and a row of 60's Holden's and 70's utes,  many Chev's from the 20's and early 50's many Buicks prewar and post war, all the Austin 7 models, a big Seven and a couple of Ten's prewar Morris 8 and square Minor.

Other makes such as Vauxhall, Dodge, Rugby, and Citroen were represented in smaller numbers. There were old trucks large and small as well so there was something for everyone (except the ladies, maybe!)

Many thanks to Noel and Trevor for their hospitality and I will be carrying the images around in my head for some time to come. Now it's back down to earth and the axle replacement for my "Y" plus a few other improvements and modification while the car is on blocks.

Thanks to the Model "A" Club Members who attended.

Harvey.