Motoring pics Vintage cars - early years, events from 1960's 70's and 80's

[Roger Dowding]

Borrowed from the Auckland Harbour Bridge Facebook Page - they were posted on Timespanner - another History Group about Auckland..
Taken at the time the Southbound Tolls were removed - No tolls and no tollgates either, on those lanes .

Article from the Herald in 1972



One of the Signs was acquired in recent years from an Antique Shop in Pukekohe. Gentleman not named.



The 20 Cent Tickets - still in my collection.



Northbound Tolls didn't go until the 1980's - People living on the North Shore had to pay to get home.
The Police also found the Tollgates a very convenient place for a Breathalyser Check as the cars were travelling slowly [ usually ].

The Auckland Harbour Bridge Authority - used a variety of vehicles to rescue / push stranded or broken down motorists.
The earliest were these ; my own photo from 1963



Later these - a Publicity photo from AHBA. Lew Redwood archives - GB and GC plates date from 1972



Even later these - there seems to be a theme in the style of the Vehicles used. Dave A Howell archives.
KH2277 plate issued in 1981



All qualify as Vintage Vehicles now...

[Roger Dowding]

New versions of Old Stickers ;

These are now available for those who want to be in that 1979 - 80 timewarp.. with period stickers for their car.

Reproductions of these are now available via a website " Doozi " -
Being reproduced are " Carless Day " stickers - the week - 7 days and the exempt.
Registration Stickers from the same period are also available.



Registration Stickers for the period ; 1978 - 79 and the one for the " Carless Day " era, the 1979 - 1980 Registration Year.



The 1961 - 64/65 plate. Last of the Old Style alongside the new 1964 - 1986 issue
- 1987 saw the first of the Black on reflective white series, starting with the " N " prefix.


The range of Carless Day and the Registration Stickers 1965 on, until 1986 .. At bottom left the last of the old style stickers for the 1961 - 66 plates - which actually finished in June 1965. June 1964 for cars - with this sticker. Heavy Vehicles changed in the 1965-66 Registration Year


Note about Carless Days by .... Geoff Lewis ..

“Carless days were introduced by the Third National Government of New Zealand on 30 July 1979.
The enabling legislation was one of several unsuccessful attempts to help the declining New Zealand economy after the oil shocks of the late 1970s—other such policies included the Think Big strategy.The carless days scheme was highly unpopular, and largely ineffective.
It lasted less than a year, being scrapped in May 1980,though the 80 km/h limit remained for several years "


Just noticed the spelling of Colours

[Roger Dowding]

Came across these receipts today at a friends place - they relate to his late Uncles Vauxhall 10 - purchased in 1957 for 190 Pounds,

Registration was Five Pounds Two Shillings and Sixpence [ $10.25 decimalised - compares with $102.98 as an example of a Current [ recent ] Registration.
Warrant of Fitness Receipt and one of the Receipts for the purchase.



The Gentleman was also a member of the " Waikato Motor Racing Club Inc ". for the 1957 - 1958 Year ..
Subscription was One Pound
- in 1943 Northern Sports Car Club charged 5 shillings for Membership in their first year.





Did that Club become " Hamilton Car Club ",?? would like to know..

No mention on the Hamilton Car Club website or Facebook page - the " About " section has virtually no History although the Club [ HCC ] was formed in 1949.

Was it under that name or ?? - More work to do !!

[Roger Dowding]

Included among the L J Tuffey receipts and card in the above post #123 was also this.

An Invoice from Mission Bay Service Station - and on the back a hand drawn map of how to get there from the Southern Motorway.
They had built the first part of the North Western Motorway Point Chevalier to Rosebank Road in 1955, and seem to remember the Southern Motorway first section, ran from Newmarket [ not the Viaduct ] near Market Road to Mt Wellington. This was, was this ? built before the NW Motorway ??

The Mission Bay Service Station was apparently owned by the same famliy or had some connection with Long Drive Motors -according to Ewart Stronach who worked at Long Drive Motors at the time.



The Map..

[Roger Dowding]

Registration from 1987 - 1991 The new style of sticker and one of the " C " ones from 1981 -82

According to the Instructions attached below " Any old labels must be removed ".
The stickers below are on an Aero Screen for a racing sports car - The " Orchid Special " - now residing in Europe..



These qualify as being Vintage [ just or actually next year ].

1993 Registration Stickers and an old and faded warrant sticker from the era.



1993 sticker - front


Notes on the back


1994 sticker - my own collection for the Austin Healey LX100 that I owned 1982 to 1996.
Used to register the car for three months every two years to keep the Registration and Plates active - before Continuous Registration was introduced.
In more recent times you can put the registration on hold for 3 months up to 12 months without cost until Re- Registration is commenced.



Need to teach my computer [ or the operator that from is not form ]

[Roger Dowding]

Plates from 1925 and 1939

The first two images are for Plates for sale on Trade Me - thanks to Lew Redwood for seeing them.

1925 - 1926 the first issue of " National Plates ". They were modeled on California USA plates and made in the USA initially.



1931 - 1932 Issue



a 1939 - 1940 plate archive Lew Redwood - plate looks a bit aged.



Plates EA and EB prefix last of pre - permanent plates 1961 - 1965
Permanent Plates Alloy - Silver on Black commenced issue in 1964 - 1965
also from Lew Redwood.
The prefix were used on various vehicles and E series were also issued to Motorcycles- not just other vehicles -
Apparently they must have exceeded the 999,999 vehicles and couldn't go to Seven digits
[ correction of information ].





New Zealand Number Plates – Motor vehicle Registration –
NZ number plates – pre 1963 – some Notes..[ added June 2023.]

Until 1941, New Plates were issued every year, In 1941 due to steel shortages caused by WWII the period was increased to 5 yearly until the last issue in 1961. The dates I've noted elsewhere of when plates were replaced with Permanent plates which stayed on the vehicle until it was de-registered or replaced with a personalised plate. If a Personalised plate is removed the vehicle is often re-registered with a new issue permanent plate, in some instance's the original permanent plate may be able to re-issued.

[Roger Dowding]

A photo sent to me some time ago by Lloyd Gleeson a VCC guy from New Plymouth.

This is Lloyd in Ralph Watson's BSA Special many years ago on a VCC Trial.



Last weekend Lloyd was in Omokoroa staying with our next door neighbour John who has known Lloyd since schooldays in Thames in the 1950's/60's.
Lloyd and John were attending a friends 80th Birthday Party and also visited another Vintage Car Guy Rod Smith who owns one of Lloyds previous cars a Morgan 4/4. - Lloyd still has another Morgan as well as this little " A110 "





The car is called " Binki " after a young Italian girl called Bianca who helped Lloyd with his French and Italian when at a European Car Show.

The car is a Mexican built one - apparently Renault had insufficient space for the full Alpine production in France so they were built in other countries.

Chassis Number is " 67MEX0146 ". built in 1967 in Renault's Mexico plant.



Registration sticker from Mexico which is still on the car.
Car imported in 2004 to New Zealand by Nigel " Hunter " Russell a Formula Junior enthusiast

[Roger Dowding]

Put some of this on the Motoring Books thread ;

My Mistral archive has just grown with these gems - given to me by Lloyd Gleeson.







The first two pages of the Blue " Weltex " Booklet - photo above.





The Sheppard Speed Equipment -page in the Weltex Booklet - Manifolds for your Chev Ford Vanguard and Vauxhall

[Roger Dowding]

Re found as in had a tidy up and found this Album ..

Long story
- it was in a Family house that I moved into in 1981.
My Great Uncle [Grandmothers younger brother ] and wife had bought new in 1923.
It passed through the family .. to Great Aunt, then Grandmothers Older Sister - another Great Aunt to Grandmother and then in 1980 / 81 to my father.
I with another Car Guy - and Austin Healey / Vintage Car guy called Lyle Chambers [ owned a certain BSA Special that has been posted on this forum and is now with a Clive Butler in Auckland ] rented the place of my Father in 1981 and we " flatted " there for the next 3 years, then, when I remarried my new lady moved in, the flatmate moved out, and in 1985 we bought the place.

The Album was in a wardrobe or a cabinet in the house.

Of particular interest is a 1920's Nash Two Door - which I remember hearing about in my childhood.

This is the car..
- with Family members and friends .. Most I have no idea who..

- Humour me..

One photo can be dated within a 12 month period as has the first " National " New Zealand number plates introduced in 1925 [ July ] and were valid to 30th June 1926.








Can anyone identify the " Royal Hotel "

Another Car on the same page as the Nash with the plates shown " NZ96.264 "is this
I thought it could be a Rolls Royce because of the bonnet shape but ???



Any notes on the cars appreciated to update the " Family Archives "

[Ray Bell]

That has a lot in common with the 1922 Roller seen here, Roger:

https://www.prewarcar.com/386131-192...st-open-tourer

[Roger Dowding]

That has a lot in common with the 1922 Roller seen here, Roger:

https://www.prewarcar.com/386131-192...st-open-tourer

Ray,
thanks and yes ..looks similar,
The Album I found is interesting as the family photos are from England and New Zealand.
My great Uncle was living in NZ in 1923 and a bit earlier, my Grandmother and her two young sons, My Dad age 9 and Eddie age 7 .. Eddie from the Northern Sports Car Club archive, they arrived in late December 1926..

The rest of the photos are largely family, so no more cars !!

Have been told as in suggested that the " Royal Hotel " was in Christchurch, which would make sense as one of Frank Bell's cousins -
Ernest Adams .. of Cake fame lived there, and his brother George Adams, also a Baker was in Australia when Frank came to NZ.. Frank came to NZ via Australia..

Uncle Frank passed Away in 1929, but his wife obviously like the Nash Car .. as in in 1935 had this one..
A Lafayette,which was Nash's slightly lower version but still fancy in New Zealand .. and believe these were assembled in Canada to get the " Empire " tariff.
Most US Auto Companies did the same Ford Chev - GM et al..

[Ray Bell]

Yes, the bridge...


Ambassador Bridge. Linking Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario, this bridge enables car makers to keep up supplies to and from their Canadian factories.

...that connects Detroit with Windsor in Canada carries a lot of car parts.

For more than a century it's been the key to selling American cars in Commonwealth countries.

[Roger Dowding]

Big as in Big cars - some virtually were buses but with a series of doors down the side, others were just big cars Newmans used Cadillac's and others..

Here a Studebaker President at Queenstown with it S prefix number plate for Service Car - the plate is 1940 - 41 the last of the annual issue plates..
- montage from " NZ Memories " Magazines.
The plates 1935 - 2017 from the article by Graham Freeman published in NZ Memories in 2021.
The Studebaker photo is in the current issue #159 Dec 2022/Jan 2023, which also has article about a 1928 Packard Tourer that was the School Bus and was driven by the " Sole Charge " Teacher to take the children to and from School.

[Trevor Sheffield]

Ron Roycroft had a special interest in these cars and during a period late in their lives, he and close friend Herb Gilroy, carried out a quite extensive expedition, searching the back blocks for in particular, Cadillac service car remains. I am not sure as to what records they left behind, but I am sure that they were succesful to some degree.

I recall my mother and grandmother speaking of memories involving these cars when they moved about the West Coast, as a result of my grandfather's activities as a surveyor. An illustration is not complete if lacking sundry attachments for transporting luggage. Often soft items were laid between the front guards and the bonnet. Wheel chains served as an essential accessory and male passengers expected to become involved when progress became difficult and they dressed accordingly. The car in the photo lacks its side mounted spare and more than one was carried. I strongly quetsion the dating of the photo.

[Roger Dowding]

Trevor
Re ; " I strongly question the dating of the photo. "

The article said 1940's - suitably vague, better dating was from the Number Plate on the car the 1940 - 41 issue.
The car is of course a lot earlier than that, around 1930, but my knowledge of " American Iron " is not good.

It is a great looking car. Studebaker used interesting names on their cars " President " and " Champion " are two that spring to mind.

Classic.Com - has this to say " The Studebaker President was a series of cars that debuted in 1927. During its lifespan, the President represented the top offering from Studebaker, built as a full size car until 1942, "
Later in the mid 1950's they built another range of the President as a compact, or in our parlance mid sized car..

As Trevor noted the car is missing the Spare wheel being mounted by the front mud-Guard, and usually one on each side.

Here an early series President Roadster, a 1931 model.



A later President, a 1940 Club Sedan [ 2 dr Coupe ] at the Studebaker National Museum.complete with sidemount spare.



Have seen a few photos of Newmans and other company's Services Cars from the 1920's to the 1940's.

[Roger Dowding]

Believe these are all Cadillac Service Cars - can see the S prefix letter on the number plates in a couple of the photos.

S.842 Masterton Pahiatua Palmerston North service



S.131 Newman Brothers Car



Side view showing the rows of seats and the side doors ..



Note the circle and Flash on the the rear wheel " Spat " is the same .. was that Cadillac or Newmans ??.

The wheels are all Truck style, but they have the sidemount Spares ..

[Roger Dowding]

Trevor - transporting luggage - as you mentioned.

" An illustration is not complete if lacking sundry attachments for transporting luggage. Often soft items were laid between the front guards and the bonnet ".

Another Nash - the same 2 door Sedan style - plates on this seem to be the 1929 - 1930 plate White on Dark Blue with a " . " - dot symbol.
Complete with a large bag on the running board / front mudguard against the bonnet / hood
Photos of Alistair Howard's grandparents and their car



Note ; This car has wind deflectors on the front door windows.
Reg 68.606..

[Roger Dowding]

A bit of Motoring memorabilia form the 1960's when we still used Miles per Gallon.
Calculate your MpG at each fill..
Remember " Bell Rings at 19/20ths of a Gallon - Not Full Measure " - as the signs on the pumps said at the time.





A few years later and the Warrant of Fitness - The Check sheet form 1972 - Price 75 cents - presume the cost of getting the sticker, or was that the cost of the Warrant ??
This was for Trailers and Motorcycles - so maybe the full cost !!
It had gone up from 5/6 [ 55 cents ].

[Roger Dowding]

Seen from the Outside as a driver, but this was the AHB Officers desk at the Toll Booth.

[Roger Dowding]

Bagnall - Jaguar, Originally built in 1949 according to Allan Dick by Rob Bagnall with a Mercury V8 of 4 litres, later had a Talbot 6, then apparently a Willys 77 motor and finally a Jaguar Twincam Six of 3,442 cc with C Type then D Type mods.
Graham Vercoe has quite a bit of story on the car [ E & OE ...etc ], but no photos. some notes here from Vercoe.

This photo from 1961 - 64 period,based on the Number Plate.
Car would have been with Brian Watson at this time in its life - creator of the " Missator " Ford 10 Special.

Event not known and the bodywork scruffy and looks modified from its 1949 beginnings.



Any more photos of the car would be appreciated.
The above photo from Allan Dick, and on checking my archive found another copy - from Alexander Turnbull Library archives, which I have noted as 1963 - 64.



There is this note at the " Natlib " archives [ National Library ] but the photo cannot be viewed in a good size - It is the same photo, so that is the location of the event - Palmer Road, Wellington.

" A Bagnall-Jaguar car at the Palmer Road Hill Climb, Breaker Bay, Wellington, in 1964. Photograph taken by Bruce Valentine Davis. "

Car was badly crashed by Watson at Houghton Bay Hill Climb, Wellington in the 1967 - 70 period and rebuilt in 1974, being known as the " Phoenix ".

Any more photos of the car would be appreciated.

These extracts from the Jaguar Drivers Club brief History 1950 - 1972

" 1962 was perhaps the heyday of the Mk2 3.8, with four of them racing - Ray Archibald won the NZ Saloon Car Championship in his silver Mk2, and Alistair McBeath was 2nd in his dark green Mk2. Simon Taylor raced the D-Type at Ardmore, Levin, and Wigram, but crashed and overturned at Teretonga, only to be racing again late in the year at Mount Maunganui. There were plenty of other Jaguars racing at various venues – the Gardiner Tojeiro, Cranch’s Maserati 6CM-Jaguar, the Bagnall Jaguar, ‘Mk1’ 2.4 and 3.4, Mk2s, XK120, XK140, and XK150s. "

" At Pukekohe in 1965 there were only four Jaguars racing - Australian Bob Jane drove his Mk2 4.2, Gary Bremner his Mk2 3.8, the Tojeiro was entered, as was Ivan Cranch’s Consul Mk1-Jaguar. The Bagnall Jaguar joined Bremner’s Mk2 4.0 at Levin. At Wigram, Ian Dow and Gary Bremner in their Mk2s were joined by Dave Silcock’s rapid XK120. "

" Beach races at Nelson in early January 1967 saw Bill Harris racing his Ford V8 Coupe fitted with a Jaguar XK engine, and Neil Stuart racing his Stuart Jaguar single seater. At Pukekohe there were only three Jaguar related entries – Lumsden’s Mk2 3.4, Silcock’s XK120 and the Watson Bagnall Jaguar. Only Watson raced at Levin, and only the Stuart Jaguar at Wigram. Noted builder of ‘specials’ in Jamie Aislabie fitted a Jaguar 2.4 XK engine (later a 3.8) to a Cooper sports car body and in his Cooper Jaguar he achieved modest success in hillclimbs and on the track. Ernie Sprague won the Rothmans 30-minute race at Ruapuna in his Mk2 3.8 with Ian Dow also competing in his Mk2 3.8.

By 1968, Jaguar presence on the track had waned significantly. March saw the last event for Brian Watson’s Bagnall Jaguar before the Jaguar XK engine and suspension were saved and the car sent to the dump. "