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AVCMC FanMail
October 2017
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From The Driver's
Seat
By Joe Janssens
Believe it or not, but time has come to make bookings for our
Christmas Lunch again. This means that another year is passed.
But before we say goodbye to 2017, I trust that
you will be numerous to attend the 3 last club events mentioned
in this FanMail. We will be able to stretch the legs of our
classics at two of these events. We need the participation of as
many members as possible at these events. Keep in mind that your
participation in the events that are arranged is vital to the
success of your club!
Sadly the boat trip on the river outing had to be
cancelled due to lack of support.
I am please to announce that our new home is
coming to completion and that the official opening is
scheduled for the 19th October.
Until then cheers
Joe
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Through The Windscreen
(This is what lies ahead)
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For Your Diary
Thursday 12
October - 5 to 8pm - Motoring DVD
at the weekly noggin in the Clubhouse
Thursday
19 October - 5 to 8pm - Supper Night
at The New Clubhouse - The Official Opening - be
there!!
Don't miss this big event in our Club History.
Bring and Braai. Don't forget to bring your own drinks.
Fire, table and lights will be arranged outside.
Sunday
22 October - 11h30 - Fun Run to Mike Legg's farm
Departing from the Municipality at 11h30 sharp-sharp.
Ending at Mike's farm for a bring and braai. Further details will
be circulated.
Saturday
28 October - 9am to noon - AVCMC Museum
Only R20 per visitor.
Sunday
26 November - Christmas Lunch at Mpekweni
About R135/head. Watch this space for more details.
Remember to wear your Name Badge to all future club
events. Like hearing aids etc, they are of no use left in your
cupboard! And if you forget, be prepared to pay a
small fine!
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Nite Bowls
We are invited to make up a team (or teams) to
participate in the Nite Bowls competition. Teams comprise one
bowler and 3 non-bowlers. The bowler may NOT be the skip.
Starting Friday 13 October and runs for 8 weeks. Bring and Braai
after each Friday's play. The bar will be open. Make up
your team and let Roger Darkes know by 6 Oct.
Phone Roger for more details: 046 624 2874 or 082 373 8181
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Birthday
Congratulations
October
3 Shirley Martin
10 George Guest
12 Alf Steck
13 Dax Wilmot
16 Hennie Nel
22 Patrick Schreiber
24 Peter Viner
30 Colin McIntosh
30 Mike Legg
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The Dashboard
(This is going on right now)
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Remember
We regret to report that Joe Staats, vice chairman of the Border
Vintage and Classic Car Club has passed away after a long battle
with cancer. We offer our condolences to his family and club in
their loss.
Sigrid Drews remains in our thoughts and prayers.
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Subs Were Due on 30
June
by Ron Gush
26
members have not yet paid.
This is disturbing. As we all know, costs have escalated
considerably with the closure of the "Lee" clubhouse.
This was not a surprise and the committee has taken the most
appropriate approach to the issue, having spent a lot of time and
effort considering the suggestions from several members.
Shirley has performed some kind of a magic trick to
balance the budget for this year and has come out with
a minuscule positive balance. Well done, Shirley. Given the
new expenses of clubhouse rental and renovations, this is a truly
amazing feat. But, we need your membership fees to achieve this!
If you are not sure if you have paid or not, please check with
our Treasurer Shirley on 071 675 4570.
At the AGM the new subs were approved: R250 for full
membership or R100 for associate membership.
Bank details:
Standard Bank
Port Alfred Branch code: 051001
Account name: Albany Vintage and Classic Motor Club
Account no: 284059188
Reference: Your name
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Club Regaila
We have a limited number of Club bumper badges
and these can be yours for a mere R200 per badge from Shirley
Martin. Phone her on 071 675 4570.
Unclaimed name badges
are stuck to the fridge in the Club House.
Roger Darkes is looking for an alternative supplier for Club
shirts. The original supplier seems
unable to replicate our club badge on the cloth.
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1969 Sunbeam Fastback
Rapier for sale
Very reliable, has done two trips to Knysna, perfect
mechanical condition, has had a complete thorough respray,
new mats, electronic ignition, has the standard mechanical
fuel pump and switch operated electric fuel pump for backup.
Asking R60,000
1/3
Contact Abie Fullard abiefullard@gmail.com
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Classic & Sports Car Insurance Placements
“We
Drive Classic Cars”
We
insure them with Great Care.
Approved
Broker: Mercedes-Benz Club South Africa
Tel: 031 701 0226 l Cell: 082 781 4410
Email: pat@smythebros.com
A Division of Smythe Financial Services cc
Authorised FSP No. 16054
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Thought For The Day
sent in by Joe
Janssens
Wife: "How would you describe me?"
Husband: "ABCDEFGHIJK"
Wife: "What does that mean?"
Husband: "Adorable, beautiful, cute, delightful, elegant,
fashionable, gorgeous and hot"
Wife: "Aw, thank you, but what about IJK?"
Husband: "I'm just kidding!"
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1981 Mini 1275E
- FOR SALE
Blue Colour, 69572 kilometres
4 new tyres, all rust has been removed,
completely re-sprayed.
For R22.000
Can be viewed at 14 Cradock street Bedford
Phone John Joubert at 046 685 1346 or
Cell 0847277366 or email <johnj@r63.co.za>
2/3
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1964 MGB Cylinder
Head - WANTED
Please phone Rodger Kaiser if you can help
046 622 2781or 082 655 6696
2/3
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The Rear View Mirror
(Past Events)
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Recollections of
Motor Sport in the Fifties and Sixties
- part 3
by Bob Duggan
Club Race Meetings normally featured six or seven races either
scratch or handicap and could be considered Sprints although
Sprints were different and much the same as Hillclimbs but on the
flat, over a series of corners rather than a complete lap. Saloon
cars had their own races as did specials such as Austin 750 cc or
Ford 1172cc derived cars. Production sports cars likewise
competed against one another.
National designated meetings were rather different
catering for all comers from Grand Prix vehicles to purpose built
sports racing cars in different classes, usually up to 1100cc or
unlimited engine capacity. The smaller capacity was invariably
dominated by Coventry Climax equipped Lotus 11, Lolas, Kieft or
one off specials. Unlimited by D or C Type Jaguars and other
Jaguar engined cars, Cooper, HWM, Lagonda, Aston Martin, Listers
Lotus and others. Production Sports cars again featured as did
Lotus Cortinas, Mark 2 Jaguars as well as Mini Coopers.
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It was not unusual for a current F1 driver to
compete at these meetings switching from a Jag Mark 2 in the
morning to a Cooper Monaco, Lotus Monte Carlo or other later in
the day. Handicap races were inappropriate at National or
International events which would entail heats and finals all squashed
into the same day. Practice sessions as a rule taking place on
the preceding day. That was great for it created an opportunity
to meet up with all sorts of people in the Pub or hotel. One
evening prior to race day I said hi to a guy in the hotel and got
talking. I enquired whether he was driving the next day. This he
confirmed telling me that he was appearing with a Cooper Maserati
and a JBW Ferrari.( That being in fact a F1 Cooper with altered
bodywork). I felt duly chastened having to admit that I had a
Morgan. My new found friend the following year gained a fifth
place in the F1 Italian Grand Prix with the JBW Cooper Maserati.
One couldn’t help but meet a lot of fascinating
people and I well remember a lot of them. Innes Ireland a
character in a million being one. Also Chris Lawrence who at the
time was the man to beat in production sports car racing, his
Morgan Plus Four indecently quick took time off to re jet my 42
DCOE carbs to his satisfaction even though we were competing one
against the other. He went on to win the 2 litre class at Le Mans
24 hour race. I became friendly with Peter Morgan, son of HFS
Morgan the founder of the company which bears his name. By this
time Peter Morgan was the boss of the company but totally down to
earth and I think in his own way nurtured any driver of one of
‘his’ cars.
I must touch upon the cost of all this. During my
four years campaigning a Morgan I got through three cylinder
heads, no problems with the original but I decided to change from
a TR2 breathed upon version to a larger ported TR3 head. A banana
type exhaust manifold and high lift racing camshaft were
purchased and on the way HS6 SU carbs were used prior to getting
my hands on a pair of 42 DCOE Webers with of course inlet
manifolds to suit. Alloy pushrods seemed to be a good idea so
those were used in conjunction with the racing cam. Must have
been other things which I can’t remember. Oh yes, in 1962 I
replaced the internals, wet cylinder liners and pistons with the
larger bore 2136cc which had become standard with the TR3 A and
TR4. The expense would have been worse had I not done all the
work myself but even so it was a killer. I made a point of
posting off my cheques in payment a few days prior to payday
hoping that none would be presented until I had received my
salary. I remained on the bread line but somehow survived.
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In The Boot
(Useful Baggage and Tools for the
trip)
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Auxiliary Fans
Sent in by Joe
Janssens
For those of us who drive our classics regularly, reliability
means more than just starting easily and stopping well. One
major part of this reliability is a robust cooling
system. The good news is that for many cars, just having
things right will keep temperatures where they need to
be. However, there are times when adding an electric fan may
help keep the system cool under pressure.
Before deciding your car needs an electric fan,
you may want to do some basic troubleshooting. If you
suspect problems, first determine is whether your car is truly
overheating, or just running hot. Our definition of overheating
is when the cooling system boils over or the temperature of the
coolant goes above 110 ( 240 F ) degrees C. You
should be concerned if temperatures frequently go over 95 ( 200)
on the street, but worrying every time the gauge goes above 95 (
180 ) isn’t worth it.
Here are some steps to ensure the fan will solve a
problem and not just treating symptoms caused by another
problem. First, check that there are no leaks in the system
and that it is full of the proper coolant mixture. Next, make
sure that the radiator has a uniform distribution of heat. This
can done by moving a hand (or better yet, an infrared
thermometer) slowly across the front of the radiator at a safe
distance so as not to be burned or caught in any moving parts. If
there are spots more than about 8 to 10 degrees cooler than other
spots, it's probably time for a radiator repair or a new
unit. Then, ensure the thermostat is working as expected
(again, an infrared thermometer helps) and the proper cap is on
the system. After these cooling system tests are done, look
at the tuning of the engine. A poor state of tune can affect
operating temperatures. Overly retarded or advanced timing
may be the culprit, as can improper carburetor mixtures or stuck
chokes.
If the car is still running hot or actually
overheating, the last consideration is what conditions cause the
problem. If the engine is hot when the car isn't moving very
fast (or standing), it's likely a fan-related airflow
issue. If the car is hot at speed, it still may be an
airflow issue, but another fan may not solve it — it could be
that ducting needs to be changed on the inlet side or that the
air cannot adequately exit.
One last factor for decision making may be
packaging on a modified car. If an engine-driven fan just
won't fit, an electric is the only choice.
When buying an electric fan, find the largest and
most powerful unit from a reputable source. There are a lot
of cheap units available that just won't move enough air to make
them worthwhile.
Mounting an electric fan is usually
straightforward. If possible, it should mount behind the
radiator instead of in front so it blocks less incoming
airflow. Most fans come with a tie-wrap mounting system,
threading the ties through the radiator fins. More
sophisticated metal mounts can be fabricated or sometimes
purchased as well. Most fans also use a thermostatically
controlled switch to run the fan only when it’s needed.
Wiring the fan is as important as mounting it. Be
sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and have wiring
and switching that can handle the amperage requirements of the
fan. Failure to properly wire the fan so may not only result
in overheating, but an electrical fire.
Hopefully, these tips will give you the
information you need to keep your classic’s temperature where you
can stop worrying about overheating and enjoy the ride.
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Website
by Ron Gush
Do you know of a supplier who has done good work for you? Or for
some one else? Let me know and I can record the contact details
for the use of other members.
Take a look at what's there already: Click here
You can always find it on our website on the Articles page
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Committee
Chairman:
Joe Janssens 083 235 1101
Vice-Chairman:
Peter Viner
046 624 3552 or 082 831 5769
Events:
Roger Darkes
046 624 2874 or 082 373 8181
Secretary / Treasurer:
Shirley Martin
071 675 4570
Clubhouse Manager:
Peter Viner
046 624 3552 or 082 831 5769
Grahamstown Rep:
Norbert Drager 046 622
6282 or 072 765 6448
Fanmail Editor:
Ron Gush
046 648 3186 or 083 272 1961
Members:
Keith Schroeder 046 624 4114 or 082 412 3378
Rob Wallis
082 334 0354
Other portfolio holders:
OD Inggs Co-ordinator:
Peter Viner
046 624 3552 or 082 831 5769
SAVVA rep and Vehicle Dating: Dave Hawkins
046 624 2214 or 082 453 2618
Webmaster:
John Austin-Williams
(contact via Ron Gush for web content)
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Disclaimer
Opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors or
contributors and are not necessarily those of the AVCMC nor
it's committee nor officials nor of any affiliated club.
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Tailpipe - snippets
from an overseas trip
by Ron Gush
Ireland: Touring the
beautiful Connemara district I was intrigued by the blanket
100km/h speed limit. This was not reduced for sharp corners,
narrow single lane bridges etc. In SA we would kill ourselves on
such roads because we expect to drive at 10% over the limit at
all times. Our newspapers would scream about such a hazardous
road. In Ireland, and UK generally, you drive according to the
road conditions and might get up to the speed limit on a nice
straight stretch.
Two Citroen Light Fifteens pulled up for petrol near the cafe
where we were lunching in Cong. They were part of a touring
group. I thought, what a pleasure to drive an old car along these
beautiful winding roads - where drivers show consideration for
other road users.
Beaulieu
International Autojumble: Wow! At
the George Motor show there might be half a dozen stalls selling
used classic car parts. There might be more at Modderfontein but
I have not been there. At Beaulieu there were over 2000 stalls.
It was completely overwhelming. I found the bits I was looking
for. It was well worth the visit.
There were NO Austin Tens on show at Beaulieu.
Cobham
Heritage Day: A bit like the Bathurst
Show on steroids. There were TWO Austin Tens on show! Chatted to
the owner of one. I had bought rubber running board covers and
was interested in how other Ten owners edged the rubber.
Tresco
island (Scilly): The Abbey Gardens
were exquisite. The sea beautifully clear azure. The 6 metre tide
difference was astounding - you could stand on the beach and
watch the sea level rising. A great few days there with good
friends.
Beer:
My ancestors came from Beer in Devon. A quaint and very pretty village.
We visited the Beer Quarry Caves - which supplied high quality
stone for many of England's historical buildings. Some of my
ancestors were quarrymen, the lowest workers in the pecking
order. The appalling conditions under which they laboured must have
made emigration in 1820 a relatively simple decision. When I
introduced myself, I was greeted with enthusiasm and
"welcomed home" !
Hybrid
Vehicles: We rode on a hybrid
bus. Really weird to pull away silently and the engine only
started a 100 yards down the street. They also have hydrogen
powered buses. Fuel cell or IC engines?
A friend is considering buying a Tesla Model 3 - the entry level
fully electric car. Seems horribly priced at $35 000. But
consider that petrol would have cost around half a million Rand
over 10 years and the price of the electric car doesn't seem so
bad. They claim to be able to recharge the battery to 80% in 20
minutes.
£5
for a beer: Quite a shock when
you convert that to Rands
Family
and Friends: We were there to visit family
and friends and those were very special times spent together.
Flying
Home: When we crossed the coast
of north Africa over Cap Bourgaroun it almost felt like we were
getting close to home! You know, like when you drive back from
Joburg and you get past Cradock....
I wondered, as we flew over the Sahara, if the jumbled landscape
shown on the flight simulator map was just an artist's brush
strokes or if it was realistic. But then over Botswana, we flew
directly over Orapa, where we lived for 6 years and got to know
the area rather well in our battered old Land Rover. The
Okavango, salt pans, Boteti river and even roads and fence cut
lines were all visible if you zoomed in closely. It was a very
pleasant trip down memory lane.
It's good to be back - even if it did take an hour to get our
luggage onto/from the carousel at 11pm.
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