Just on five weeks to go before we are into the biggest event we have undertaken, and possibly ever will again.
The response has been overwhelming, to the extent that we may have to close off accepting more registrations.
I have had many comments made to me from other car clubs about the numbers we have attending, saying that they never realised that there were so many Zephyrs around.
To those of you in our area who are unable to attend the whole Convention, call in at some stage to meet the people.
I can only imagine how much work has been going on around the country preparing cars, and probably still will be.
I know that I am looking forward to attending our local Convention as much as I look forward to attending Conventions in another town. To everyone attending - have a safe journey, and see you all very soon.

John Hull.
President

Last month's competition attracted a few more entrants than the previous one, and the prize of an oil pack from South Canterbury Toyota was won by Garey Hanifin.

The correct answers were:
1.Blood is thicker than water.
2.First person singular.
3.Little house on the prairie.
4.Forgive and forget.
5.Overwhelming odds.
6.Over and out.
7.A step backwards.
8.Search from top to bottom.
9.More often than not.
10.Love at first sight.
11.Wolf in sheep's clothing.
12.Through and through.

The Club's website continues to get about 3 or 4 hits a day, and at the time of writing has had a total of 746 visitors. The greatest number being from Australia (122) followed by the UK (41) and a surprising 32 from Sweden, though I would suspect that this is one or two people who visit the site regularly.
We currently have 28 pictures of member's cars on the site, and I hope to get a number of the others over the Convention. I am still needing more information on the cars, particularly production figures, specifications etc relating to New Zealand. If anybody has those, or old advertising brochures etc that I can scan, please get in touch. I am also planning a section devoted to cars that members or their families have owned over the years, titled "Where are they now?" so if you have any old pictures we can use,S again, please contact me.
Because of the Convention there will be no Magazine next month, but we'll be back in May.
See you at the Convention!

Mike Constantine
EDITOR
[email protected]

By the time you read this report the Convention will be less than ONE MONTH away.
Everything is being worked on to ensure everyone has a weekend to remember for a very long time.

The final number of vehicle registrations will be in excess of 150 making this the largest Convention ever held in New Zealand.

Some of you have not returned your Personal Registration Form and your polo shirt order and payment. We need this form returned so that we can finalise catering numbers etc and would appreciate your urgent action to return this. We will be ordering the shirts within this week so will not be able to extend the order date for these, so if you have not ordered yet the deadline has arrived.

As mentioned in my last report we have several people coming from Australia, England and even the top of the North Island who would appreciate a lift in a Zephyr during the Convention, so if you can help please let one of the committee members know.

John and Glenis Hull are still looking for items for the "goodies bag" and would like to hear of any suggestions you may have. With the numbers attending they are looking for 150 of most items but any quantity is more than welcome.

We are looking at providing some really special touches to the programme which will all add to the character of the event. Convention caps will be on sale as will be extra car badges and lapel pin badges these items will be limited so you may need to be quick.

The club will, as mentioned before, require assistance from most members over the weekend including the initial set up, at the registration desk, parking assistance, vehicle run assistance and many other areas. We need to know when you may be able to help and what you would like to do.
Please let us know as soon as possible.

Barry Goddard.
Convention Chairman
[email protected]

We then met up with Jim & Carol McDonald in their MkI. After morning tea we motored on to Homebush Station where we had a scrumptious lunch complete with desserts provided for us in the "Swingle Tree Cafe" which is in the loft overlooking the water turbine which from the 1850s onwards drove a variety of machines in the homestead's workshop.

After lunch we were given a very informative 2 hour tour of the museum, shop and the 8 acres of gardens, which we all found very interesting. From there we moved on the Springfield Hotel, and were made very welcome by owner and SCZZEC members Neville and Pat Stevens and family.

After being shown our rooms, we had a look at Neville's collection of Z cars, which includes a recently purchased MkII Zodiac in pristine condition, an immaculate original MkIII Zodiac, and a very tidy MkIV Zodiac.

After some beverages and an excellent meal, cooked for us by our hosts, washed down with several night-caps, we headed for bed - one couple in a very elegant four-poster, in what I think may have been the honeymoon suite??

Sunday dawned another beautiful day. After an excellent breakfast we were treated to a thrilling jet-boat trip up the Waimak gorge by host Neville, and then back to the hotel for refreshments and lunch, kindly provided for us all. After this we departed for home - some going via Darfield and Ashburton, but we opted for the Rakaia Gorge/Mayfield road.

For those of you that were unable to be there with us for this excellent weekend trip, if it is ever re-run sometime in the future, I strongly recommend that you attend if at all possible.

Our special thanks to Bob and brother Neville for organising and making this trip such a memorable event.
Well done!

GJS Mk3

Sunday 21st March 1999
Afternoon Run - Meet at Doncaster 1.00pm - bring afternoon tea.

1-5 April 1999.
International Zephyr Zodiac Convention, Timaru

Monday 12th April 1999 Next club meeting at RSA Clubrooms 7.45pm
Please note the date and room change.

Garey & Sue Hanifin�s 1961 MkII Zephyr We purchased our MkII in May 1987.
I had just heard about it sitting in a shed on the outskirts of Timaru, it had been owned by two elderly gents who had both lived in Pleasant Point. The last owner had passed away, and the car was just sitting in a relative's shed.
Anyway, after a look and a quick drive, I fell in love (again) and paid a deposit. We were heading away on a holiday that day, so I arranged to pick it up when we returned.
She was a sad looking old girl, scruffy, chrome strips missing, a bit of rust in the rear wheel arches, but otherwise sound.
It wasn't long before it had been repainted (after the rust had been removed) new carpets fitted, chromework freshened and sunvisor, whitewalls, mags, mirrors, stereo and sheepskins added, the motor tuned ( it had had a recent recon.) and we had a beautiful old MkII cruiser.
We have been all over the South Island in it, and it cruises beautifully. On a recent trip to the Alexandra Blossom Festival the hockey stick finally gave out, so I have replaced that with flows.
As we are only the third owners, this is one car that we will not sell - it just has a certain something about it.

Ragtop.

WANTED

V6 3 litre motor wanted for a friend's Capri. Must be in reasonable running order.
Ph. Mike Constantine 03 688-8391

MkII Solid sunvisor wanted.
Ph. Bob Stevens 03 688-1296