OTAGO VOLKSWAGEN ENTHUSIASTS CLUB

OTAGO VOLKSWAGEN
ENTHUSIASTS CLUB

October 2010
NEWSLETTER
Don‟t forget the new Club “Domex” stickers are
available to buy at the bargain price of $6.00 each
(one free with every Club subscription). Contact Jim

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A FAREWELL FROM THE PRESIDENT

2010 another year in the life of the Otago Volkswagen Enthusiasts Club:

While for me personally it‟s been a year of interesting times in business, our club has been
very active and continues to gain members both old and new. With the current membership
sitting at 40 our club continues to have a strong and loyal base of members for which other
bigger city clubs would be very envious of.

My thanks go to both Jim and Chris who just get on with the day to day business of running
our club and doing all of those tasks that take up personal and family time, these thanks
extend to the website, email correspondence and the juggling of club funds to extract the
very best out of our investments.

Events have been well attended (weather dependant) and in saying this a special mention
and pat on the back to “Father Patrick” for his every popular paddock racing, car soccer and
a first ever for the club trailer backing!, special mention also must go the Nobel‟s for their
car rally held on a beautiful sunny Sunday.

Good progress has also been made in the hosting of the Volkswagen Nationals in 2012; it is
great to see good foundation work being done with venues and event planning well under
way.

My chairmanship of the Dunedin Santa Parade Trust in the lead up to Christmas and my
ever changing business interests excludes me from putting my name forward to continue as
President, but wish my successor the very best wishes and know that the club is in a strong
financial and sound membership position.

Keep those Volkswagen wheels turning.

Dean Driver
President – OVWEC

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THE SMALL PRINT
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Club Officials :

Patron Ken Berry

President Elaine Young
Secretary/Editor Jim Young
Treasurer Chris Timms

Address PO Box 7101 Mornington, Dunedin The Otago Volkswagen Enthusiasts

Email contact@vwotago.co.nz Club Inc meet on the first
Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm at
Website www.vwotago.co.nz Robbie’s Bar & Bistro, South Dunedin
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As officials of the Club our first duty is to the members and that means organising things that you want to do,
and being a focus for any requests, queries or suggestions you might have.

If there are any activities or events that you would like to suggest, items for the newsletter you might have, or
if you cannot attend the monthly meetings, please contact Jim Young directly as follows :

Telephone 03 455 8729

Post PO Box 7101, Mornington, Dunedin
Email j.young@rawlinsons.co.nz

NEWS FROM THE AGM, OCTOBER 2010

At the glittering star studded gala evening that was this year‟s AGM we bade farewell to our
President of last year, Dean Driver, and welcomed back to her throne the irrepressible Elaine
Young to guide us safely through the next twelve months of VeeDub insanity.

The prize giving was handled with aplomb by Dean, and the winners were as follows :

The Competitive Events Trophy - 1st Dean Driver

2nd Grant Patrick
3rd Dave Carrick

The Ladies Cup (competitive events) - 1st Elaine Young

Joint 2nd Erana Plusa and Hazel van Raalte

Most Attending Member Award - 1st Grant Patrick

Joint 2nd Hazel van Raalte and Martin van Raalte
Joint 3rd Marie Lloyd and Bruce Adams

Highest Placing at the Nationals - Joint 1st Dave Finnie and Marty van Elst

Presidents Trophy - Jim Young

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Winners of the Kaption Kompetition, decided by Der Klappometer, were :

Photo 1- what is Harrison Plusa thinking? →

“I can‟t wait to grow up and get a Toyota” – Paul Andresen

← Photo 2 – what is Bruce Adams thinking?

“I‟m sure the engine was in here somewhere” –
Hazel van Raalte, and :

“Oh God, I hope Jim‟s not got his camera out” –

Jim Young

Photo 3 – what is Chris Timms up to? →

“Wait „til they see what I left on the seat” –
Marie Lloyd

← Photo 5 – what‟s going on here?

Ken was very happy to find that his old pick-up
line "Do you want to come and have a look at my
piston?" still worked after all these years

Unfortunately, Der Klappometer failed to register a

reading for any of the entries for Photograph No 4

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Other awards for notable achievements went to the following stand-out Members :

First Club subscription renewal of the new year - Paul & Cathy Andresen
Organiser of the year - Grant Patrick
Barbecue chef of the year - Ken Berry

OVWEC FEATURED IN NEW ZEALAND CLASSIC CAR!

The September 2010 issue of New Zealand Classic Car gave us a nice surprise when it
featured a review of the Dunedin Autospectacular which took place on the 03rd July, and
featured two pretty good photos of the Club display in its “Four Seasons” theme, plus a
mention in the article. It just so happens that we were at the front of the large “overall view
of the show” photo which was a double bonus! Well done to all who helped out with the
display, and congratulations to Rory, Colin, Dean, Marty and Haxby for having their Vee-
dubs immortalised in print!

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That particular issue also featured some
letters regarding the previously
published NZ Classic Car article
covering the Type 2 Tour which
followed the Nelson Nationals at Easter,
as well as a letter about a heavily
modified VW Type 3 Super Saloon car
which used to race in Europe during the
1970s. How bizarre!

NEW FACE OF NEW BEETLE??

Club member Paul Andresen sent in a link to an article speculating on what the new
“facelift” New Beetle might look like. Seems to have a hint of New Fiat Bambina about it to
me, but let‟s wait to see what the final reveal brings us. Here‟s what is being said :

While the Volkswagen Beetle has been known for staying virtually unchanged
for decades, the second-generation New Beetle will feature radical styling.

Details are limited, but the car is described as daring and fresh. It will be based
on the 2011 Jetta and, as VW Group design chief Walter de' Silva has previously
said, "will be a big step" forward.

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Under the hood, a variety of four-cylinder engines will be offered. On the petrol
side we can expect a 105 hp (78 kW / 106 PS) 1.2-liter, a 160 hp (119 kW / 162
PS) 1.4-liter, and a 210 hp (157 kW / 213 PS) 2.0-liter. Diesel units will include a
105 hp (78 kW / 106 PS) 1.6-liter and a 140 hp (104 kW / 142 PS) 2.0-liter.
Volkswagen will also offer a 170 hp (127 kW / 172 PS) 2.5-liter five-cylinder
(exclusive to North America) and a hybridized 1.4-liter four-cylinder with a 27 hp
(20 kW / 27 PS) electric motor.

As we have previously reported, the 2012 New Beetle will be positioned as an

affordable halo car. It will feature improved packaging and additional interior
room.

Look for an unveiling at the 2011 North American International Auto Show in
Detroit.

Or this????

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DUNEDIN STREET RACE CONSENT FUND SUCCESS

At the Club meeting in August it was decided to donate $100 from club funds to a
campaign by the Sports Car Club to attempt to raise $10,000 for the cost of applying for
resource consent in order to re-establish the Dunedin Festival of Speed street race.

The campaign was on the basis that a $100 contribution by just 100 like minded individuals,
clubs, businesses etc, would raise the funds required to re-apply for this much missed event.

We recently received an email informing everyone who contributed of the good news that
the appeal has been successful, and that preparation of a consent application was
underway! Let‟s keep our fingers crossed for a successful result, and in the mean time let‟s
also look forward to the second running of the Princes Street 1/8 mile sprints which are also
being planned for December, another Southern Festival of Speed event – there will
hopefully be at least two VW Beetles out pounding the drag strip that day!

Hi everybody. We are excited to advise that we have now achieved our goal of raising $10,000 for the purpose of
preparing our Resource Consent Application for the race. A big thank you to everybody who rose to the challenge
and donated. Since my last update we received $200 each from Kirk Ransley and Michael Eden , $128 from Anton
Stevens ,$100 from Evan Hopkins and the team at Dunedin Print and $50 from John Hanam. I know that there is
still more to come from individuals and clubs who have promised to assist so again a big thank you to you all . It
will not matter if we are oversubscribed as every dollar is useful. We have instructed our consultant, Keith Hovell ,
to get underway with the application and will keep you posted on progress.

Presently Stephen Grellet is working on a track plan and we hope to be able to give you all a look at a draft
sometime within the next month. In the meantime we are working on creating some revenue streams ..One of
th
those is a repeat of last years1/8 mile sprint on Princes Street which is scheduled for Saturday 11 December this
year . The Resource Consent Application , (Yes we need one for that event as well , this one prepared by yours
truly !!), was filed today. So if you fancy a quick blast up Princes Street keep that date free. Entry forms will be
available next month. We are also hoping to be able to benefit from an open day at the new Forsyth Barr Dunedin
Stadium sometime in February 2011 . By then the bulk of the new clear roof will be on and the pitch construction
well underway which we think will generate much public interest. If we are able to get this confirmed we would be
able to ask visitors for a donation .. We will keep you posted.

Again thanks for your ongoing support and remember to check us out on Facebook at SFOS Dunedin and
Southern Festival Of Speed . There are many photos and a few video clips but the more the better so if you have
some that you would like to share Facebook is a great way to do it. Regards Craig Paddon and the Management
Committee , Southern Festival Of Speed Inc

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TRAILER BACKING COMPETITION

Always one for trying something new, Grant Patrick‟s trailer backing event was a novel way
of introducing another, slightly different from the norm, car trial to the Club‟s expanding
competition calendar. Like his inaugural Car Soccer match earlier in the year, this was to be
a fun, have-a-go event intended to raise as many laughs as it did points on the score sheet,
and it certainly delivered that by the trailer load.

On a freezing cold afternoon in a corner of the Ice Stadium car park, Grant and Ken Berry
had laid out a deceptively tricky course upon which to show off one‟s trailer-backing
prowess (or very much otherwise), and with Ken on timing duties it very quickly became
obvious that for some entrants the stopwatch was in very serious danger of being thrown
away and replaced with a calendar! Not quite as easy as it looks, backing a trailer, is it!!??
On the other hand, that split-seconds function became an almost essential feature as some
of the more experienced „backer-uppers upped the ante with faster and faster times, some
even adding an element of show-boating by leaning perilously out of the open car door
whilst reversing at high speed! The individuals event was followed by a paired blind-fold
„backing competition, which caused even more hilarity, so much so that some competitors
couldn‟t even complete the course due to their uncontrollable laughter!

Thanks go to Grant and Ken for organising the event, Grant again for providing the car,
trailer and cones, and everyone who took part for making it a thoroughly enjoyable
afternoon. A number of us retired to the Robbie for a post-match de-brief where much
ribbing and bench racing ensued….

Results as follows (fastest times only) :

Individuals Pairs Blindfold

Dean Driver 00-48-06 Shane Plusa & Dean Driver 02-56-22

Dave Carrick 00-49-37 Dean Driver & Shane Plusa 03-48-40
Shane Plusa 00-50.03 Chris Timms & Jim Young 10-21-28
Grant Patrick 00-55-63
Ken Berry 01-11-51
Chris Timms 01-13-10
Don Woodward 01-31-00
Jim Young 01-49-19
Erana Plusa 02-17-22
Elaine Young 06-32-94
Marie Lloyd 06-35-88

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NEWS FROM THE FATHERLAND!

It seems that interest in the Volkswagen marque is as keen as ever in the land of the leather
shorts and braces, and apparently those German volks are almost as enthusiastic about the
humble car of the people as we are here in Otago. The following photos were taken by a
Ford-owning (!) Deutschland acquaintance of our own John Noble, and include a couple of
examples that we will most likely never see on these shores.

First up are four photos taken at the Techno Classica held in Essen between 8th and 11th
April 2010. The blue car is a Type 30 prototype and dates to 1937, the metallic blue car is a
coach-built Rometsch coupe, one of only four coupes ever built (I think!), and the last photo
shows a not-quite-so-rare-but-there-aren‟t-any-in-New Zealand Hebmuller cabriolet.

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Techno Classica, Essen April 2010

Next we have three photos taken at the Classic Days

event at Schloss Dyck castle, an event similar to the
Goodwood Festival of Speed in England.

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SQUASHED BUGS!

Fancy doing the shopping in one of these??

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GUESS WHO?

This photograph, taken one or two years ago, is of a prominent and award winning Club
member. Can you guess who might be piloting this “Flying „Pan”? I‟ll give you a couple of
clues: his current employers probably wouldn‟t look favourably on the modifications made
to this vehicle, and the hair is a dead give-away (not!)

Dunedin 2012 VW Nationals News

Plans are advancing apace for this prestigious event :

Show „n‟ Shine and prize giving gala to be held at the Forsyth Barr Stadium
Naming rights secured by Qualitat, to be “The Qualitat 2012 VW Nationals”
Website domain name registered and web design underway
Official accommodation to be the much-improved Dunedin Holiday Park, St Kilda
Entries for the first round of the logo competition are being circulated to find Club
members‟ favourites
2012 Nationals page set up on Auckland‟s 2011 site – www.vwnationals.co.nz

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It has been confirmed that for the 2012 Nationals there will be no Male Freestyle
Topless Car Valeting competition, given the poor attendance at the event in Nelson
last year, the only participating contestant being a single Otago Club entry from a
member who was, nevertheless, keen to show off his technique. Judging of the
competition was, despite the low number of entries, intense. In fact, it‟s still going on
now!

FROM THE ARCHIVES

The following taken from the Otago Sports Car Club magazine, August 1972, and sent in by
John Noble.

Grant Patrick competing at the

Fryatt Street Standing 1/4 mile
sprint, 26th January 1972 in his V8
powered VW buggy. His best time
was 18.949 seconds.

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VINTAGE VW ADVERTISING – Vee Dubs With a Difference

Anybody ever seen one of these in the flesh?

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