April MHVC. The Mag. April

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Baldric Patterson
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1 April 2018 MHVC. The Mag. April

2 MHVC. The Mag. April

3 Hello again! We are getting nearer to this year s events and hopefully some better weather. The Luncheon Club attendance has improved with 34 people present at The Old Number 3 and 20 at the Legh Arms, Adlington. The next Luncheon Club will be held at the Swan with 2 Nicks (see information on Page 11 Ed.) Please remember to book in for the following: 1: Gawsworth (John French and Stuart Lomas), 2: Tatton Park (Dave Lowe), 3: Event City (Don Fry) and 4: the first run of the season which is on the national Drive-it-Day (Roger DaForno). (The events list for the coming months is shown on PAGE 11 of this issue. Ed) Also remember that the April Meeting will be held at the Unicorn on the 9 April and Paul Cartwright will be holding an Indoor Treasure Hunt. Our March meeting was very successful with a interesting talk by Glenn Reid from HMG on paints. (See pictures & further information on back cover. Ed). Many members asked questions and I am sure we will need a follow-up meeting. 29 Members attended and the raffle was won by Geoff Basketter and Andy Earp. As mentioned, the first run of these events is Drive it Day on April 22ⁿ. Please enter and let s have a bumper turn-out to set a precedent for the season. To date, we have 9 cars offered out of the 6-12 places to be allocated soon by Footman James, hopefully. This is just enough but we need more for back-up or problems and depending on the allocation. This is from well over 200 cars of all ages that are eligible from the club. The ideal representation of MHVC cars would be to have at least 1 car from each decade from the 1900 s through to the 1970 s, irrespective of the vagaries of whether veteran, vintage, classic etc, where several official classifications now actually overlap by some years. Cars with work in progress conditions attract as much attention as top class examples. At least half of our 200+ cars are in the 1930s, and we have only 1 offered at time of writing...! At present, we have the following to represent MHVC: Rover Tourer Ford T Austin Box Triumph Roadster MG saloon MG TD (needing some work) Lotus Elan Triumph Spitfire Ford Capri. To provide just the right balance of cars to represent MHVC at this show, we need one more car from the period, and one more each from of the 1930s and 1940s periods. Here s hoping! Alex and Lynne Robertson have become Full & Family members. Address: 36 Moorgate Road, Carrbrook, Stalybridge, SK15 3NJ Phone: Phone: , mobile alynnerobertson@btinternet.com Car owned: 1948 Triumph Roadster 1800cc, reg: ADC57 MHVC. The Mag. April

4 This is a summary of the views of the FBHVC on the MoT testing changes for ehicles of istoric nterest (VHIs). Department for Transport (DfT) believe these rules will continue post Brexit. Note the following description has not been verified with the DfT, so please treat it as opinion, not a legal definition! As of 20 May 2018, cars, vans & motorcycles manufactured or first registered over 40 years ago will be exempt from MoT inspection unless they have been in the (see definitions below), unless the type of vehicle is still in production. Lorries & Buses have different changes to MoTs and these aren t covered here. Any vehicle that has been substantially changed within the must be submitted for annual MoT inspection. Note that this period is measured at the date when the ehicle xcise uty ( ) is due to be renewed, so is in effect a rolling 30 years. A vehicle substantially changed in (say) May 1989 with VED due in June will be ineligible to be a VHI this year. In 2019 this change will be outside the 30 year period so the vehicle can then be exempt. Keepers of VHIs wishing to claim exemption should make a declaration when renewing the VED. The responsibility to ensure the declared vehicle is a VHI and that it meets the criteria rests with the Vehicle Keeper. If a Keeper is not sure of the status of a vehicle, they can consult a marque or historic vehicles expert, a list of whom will be available on the FBHVC website by May. If a Keeper cannot determine that the vehicle has substantially changed, they should continue to have MoT tests and not claim exemption. These vehicles are currently exempt from the requirement for an MoT to be used on public roads. Most, but not all, will continue to be exempt. Keepers need to check whether the vehicle has been substantially altered within the 30 year period checking against the substantial change criteria (see below). If a vehicle has been substantially changed, for its use on public roads effective from 20th May 2018, even if the vehicle has previously not required an MoT. If your vehicle does not have a current MoT and continues to be exempt, you will need to declare this each time you apply for Vehicle Excise Duty. You may still voluntarily get an MoT for the vehicle. Pre-1960 vehicles may not require re-licensing until up to 12 months from 20 May 2018 and therefore their Keepers will not be due to make a declaration as a VHI. Current advice from DVSA is that, though their database will continue to show them all as exempt, Keepers who will not wish to declare their vehicle as a VHI when it comes time for re-licensing, would be wise to have their vehicles submitted for an MoT test prior to that date. You need to check whether the vehicle has been substantially altered in the last 30 years, checking against the criteria (in the guidance below). If it has been altered substantially an MoT will continue to be required. If you buy a vehicle, we also recommend checking the position with the previous owner if you can. Otherwise these will not need an MoT to be used on public roads, but you can voluntarily have a test. Note that if your vehicle does not have a current MoT and is exempt you will need to declare this each time when you apply for Vehicle Excise Duty. A vehicle will be considered substantially changed if the technical characteristics of the main components have been changed in the last 30 years, unless the changes fall into specific categories. These main components for vehicles (other than Motorcycles) are: MHVC. The Mag. April

5 Chassis or Monocoque bodyshell; including any sub-frames. Replacements of the same pattern as the original are not considered a substantial change; Axles and running gear alteration of the type and or method of suspension or steering does constitute a substantial change; Engine. Note alternative cubic capacities of the same basic engine and alternative original equipment engines are not considered a substantial change. If the number of cylinders in an engine is different from the original, it is likely to be, but not necessarily the case, that the current engine is not alternative original equipment. The following are considered acceptable ( ) changes if they fall into these specific categories: changes that are made to preserve a vehicle, which in all cases must be when original type parts are no longer reasonably available changes of a type that can be demonstrated to have been made when vehicles of the type were in production or in general use (within ten years of the end of production); in respect of axles and running gear changes made to improve efficiency, safety or environmental performance; If a vehicle (including a Motorcycle) has been issued with a registration number with a Q prefix is a kit car assembled from components from different makes and model of vehicle; is a reconstructed classic vehicle as defined by DVLA guidance is a kit conversion, where a kit of new parts is added to an existing vehicle, or old parts are added to a kit of a manufactured body, chassis or monocoque bodyshell changing the general appearance of the vehicle...it will be considered to have been substantially changed and will not be exempt, unless it is taxed as an historic vehicle and has not been modified during the last 30 years. This guidance is only intended to determine the testing position of a substantially changed vehicle, not its registration. Vehicle Keepers must ensure that their vehicles are taxed when used on public roads. From 20 May 2018, at the point of taxing a vehicle, the Keeper can declare their vehicle exempt from MoT if it was constructed more than 40 years ago. When declaring an exemption, you will be required to confirm that it has not been substantially changed (as defined in this guidance). This process will be applied to pre-1960 registered vehicles as well as newer vehicles in the historic vehicle tax class. If the vehicle does not have an MoT and you wish to continue using it on public roads, it will have either to undergo an MoT or, if you wish exemption from the MoT, you must declare that the vehicle is a VHI. If the vehicle has a current MoT certificate but you anticipate that on expiry of that certificate you choose exemption from future MoTs, at the time of relicensing you will have to declare that the vehicle is a VHI. Where Vehicle Keepers first apply for the VHI, it must be done at a Post Office. If you are declaring that your vehicle is exempt from MoT, you will need to complete a V112 declaration form, taking into consideration the substantially changed guidelines, (as defined above). Further re-licensing applications, including making subsequent declarations that the vehicle does not require an MoT, can be completed online. Further advice on taxing in the historic vehicle tax class can be found via the following link: MHVC. The Mag. April

My first paid employment (in 1972) was as a petrol pump attendant at Woodlands Garage in Romiley which at the time was a Gulf branded petrol station. It was a part-time job while I was at school.

6 My first paid employment (in 1972) was as a petrol pump attendant at Woodlands Garage in Romiley which at the time was a Gulf branded petrol station. It was a part-time job while I was at school. Now, ~ 45 years later I find myself still involved with pumping gas since for the last 30 years I have been involved professionally in pumping gas, or more correctly JetA1, into all shapes & sizes of aeroplanes. Given this lifelong connection with fuel I thought I would reflect on how today s humble petrol pump has developed over the years. The history of development of motor cars is extensively documented. But behind this, many other industries developed too. One of others is the supply of fuel. Fuel is the most basic requirement for cars to operate, so not surprisingly, as the motor car has developed, so has the industry which supplies the fuel to run it. (Through the rest of this article, I ll call this fuel: ) There is a whole history associated with the production of petrol, the refining process which results in it being produced from crude oil. That is a history in itself. In this article, I d like to reflect on how the petrol from the refining process finds its way into our cars. Many readers will surely be familiar with the term fuel bowser as a supply source of petrol but where does the word bowser come from? Well it comes from the name of an American from Fort Wayne, Indiana. From c 1890 Sylvanus Freelove Bowser was instrumental in the design, patenting and manufacture of early petrol dispensing equipment. In his day he was the leading designer and developer of petrol and oil pumping equipment. Today, bowser is an everyday word; it is mainly used in the context of fuel although it has evolved to cover the bulk storage of other liquids. MHVC. The Mag. April In the earliest days of the development of cars, petrol was almost incidental. It was acquired & paid for but was low down on the list of running costs. However, once development had produced reliable cars which were sold in number, then petrol supply had to develop to meet the growing demand. A fundamental requirement of supplying petrol was the ability to measure the volume supplied and this is where Sylvanus Freelove Bowser became part of motoring history. His inventions provided the accurate measurement of the volume of petrol (and oil) as dispensed into motor cars.

There was no automation in this early equipment. The sole purpose was to pump the petrol and measure the volume dispensed so that costs could be calculated.

7 There was no automation in this early equipment. The sole purpose was to pump the petrol and measure the volume dispensed so that costs could be calculated. Simply put, early petrol pumps did nothing more than transfer a known volume of petrol into a vehicle. The earliest examples of petrol-filling equipment are handoperated mechanical pumps transferring petrol from a bulk tank, typically situated at or below ground level, into a glass measuring jar placed ~ 6 feet or more above ground. The jar was visible and marked so that the volume of petrol was seen easily. These marks were called calibrations. When the jar had been filled with a known volume as indicated by the calibrations, the petrol was released and delivered, by gravity, into the petrol tank of the vehicle. This simple and reliable system was used for many years. The only limitation was the size of the glass measuring vessel, which was typically about 5 gallons. This meant that vehicles with petrol tanks larger than 5 gallons required multiple fillings of the glass jar - not a big problem but certainly a limitation. The key point was that in these early days there was no device that could measure the volume of petrol while it was flowing. Many years later, the development of dynamic flow measurement equipment and electrically driven pumps brought about a significant change in petrol dispensing. Early pumps of this era commonly had 2 revolving pointers, or hands, on a face similar to that of a clock. (See pictures on front cover. Ed.) One hand would indicate parts of a gallon in one revolution and the other would indicate full gallons as it moved through parts of a revolution. Typically, these pumps would have a display that could show a delivery of up to 20 gallons, as indicated by one complete revolution of the secondary hand. Even with this technological development, a separate calculation was still required using the volume information from the pump as the basis for calculating cost. With pumps now able to measure volume dynamically, the next development was to introduce a mechanism that could calculate cost within the pump display. This was achieved by taking a drive from the volume measurement mechanism and using this as the input drive to a cost calculating mechanism / display. To allow for price variation, this mechanism had to incorporate different ratios between the volume measurement and the cost display. Effectively, this is like a multi-speed, multi-layered gearbox. When these pumps were first used in the UK a maximum charge of 2 units of currency per one unit of fuel was thought to be sufficient. At that time, chosen units of measurement were s & gallons. So, the early examples of petrol pumps which displayed price were constrained by a maximum price of 1.99 per gallon of petrol. By the mid 1980 s it was obvious that prices were heading towards a 2 gallon which was a challenge for the petrol retailing industry. A significant change was needed for petrol retailing to continue. This is when dispensing petrol changed to litres instead of gallons. This allowed flexibility that could cope with a maximum of 2 per litre. The idea of a 2 litre seemed unimaginable then and thankfully even today we are some way off that possibility. Not that it makes too much difference these days because there has been such a technological advancement in fuel pump technology that the constraints of the older mechanical pumps are no longer relevant. MHVC. The Mag. April

One aspect of petrol retailing that has changed over the years is octane rating. Through the 1930 s petrol was available as one grade, ~74 octane. This was often referred to as pool petrol.

8 One aspect of petrol retailing that has changed over the years is octane rating. Through the 1930 s petrol was available as one grade, ~74 octane. This was often referred to as pool petrol. By the early 1950 s a higher grade of 93 octane was available and known as Premier. The lower 74 octane grade continued and was known as standard. By the late 1950 s choice was widened further with the addition of a Super grade of around octane. Eventually, in 1967, the star grading system was introduced. This coincided with petrol being produced to a British Standard for the first time. Placards stating BS 4040 appeared on pumps alongside the star ratings. 2 star was 90 octane; 3 star = 94 octane; 4 star = 97 octane; and 5 star = 100 octane (although the last of these was withdrawn in 1979). This was anticipated in the move to un-leaded which appeared in the late 1980 s. At this time we returned to one grade of unleaded - 95 octane. The first unleaded petrol was sold by ESSO on June A second grade - 98 octane super unleaded - was introduced in The two-grade petrol offering continues today although the Standard number was changed to BS EN 228 with introduction of unleaded fuels. This Standard has been updated over the years and is currently BS EN 228:2012. In this Standard, petrol is permitted to contain up to 5% ethanol; and nearly all sources of petrol, unleaded and super unleaded, currently contain this prescribed 5%. A designation of E5 is sometimes used to indicate 5% ethanol content. To help reduce emissions there is pressure to move to E10, (10% ethanol). All cars manufactured since 2011 can run on E10 and it has been adopted in France, Germany and Finland. Given the level of environmental concerns around the use of cars, E10 arrive in the UK, the question is when? With the advent of electric cars and the government plan to stop the sale of new internal combustion engine cars by 2040, it looks like the day of the petrol pump is numbered, although I don t expect they will disappear for many years to come. The oil companies are starting to prepare for the increasing popularity of electric vehicles by introducing charging points onto traditional forecourts. Hopefully the petrol required for our cars will be available for many years to come! (I hope the attendant will look slightly less surly than the gentleman pictured below! Ed.) MHVC. The Mag. April

9 WE WILL FIT CAR CLUB MEMBERS OWN Specialist TYRES FOR A MODEST CHARGE ON SIGHT OF THEIR VALID MEMBERSHIP CARD. MHVC. The Mag. April

10 MHVC Official bits Roger Da Forno, Stuart Lomas, Dave Lowe, Ken Simons. of all MHVC committee members can be found in the Membership list that is provided for all paid-up Club members. Club website: Black. Bottle. Burgundy. Classic Red. Convoy Grey. French Navy. Royal Blue XS 34/36. S 36/38. M 38/40. L40/42. XL 42/44. XXL 44/46. Code 870M Black. Bottle. Bright Royal. Burgundy. French Navy. Classic Red. Bright Red XS 34/36. S 36/38. M 38/40. L40/42. XL 42/44. XXL 44/46. Code 762M Black. Bottle. Bright Royal. Burgundy. French Navy. Classic Red. Bright Red XS 34/36. S 36/38. M 38/40. L40/42. XL 42/44. XXL 44/46. Code 539M Black. Bright Royal. French Navy. White S 36/38. M 38/40. L40/42. XL 42/44. XXL 44/46. Code 215M French Navy with Taupe peak. One size fits all Code BB57 Our designer is in Stockport. If you go to their wwebsite you may wish to purchase alternatives. If so, please quote CODE NUMBER, COLOUR, SIZE & I will order for you. All prices are marked on their website. MHVC does not put a mark-up on any items. MHVC. The Mag. April

All information about these events will be in the monthly magazine.

11 All Club members are invited to meet and chat over lunch. These lunches are held on the 3rd Wednesday of month. All information about these events will be in the monthly magazine. We look forward to welcoming as many members as possible. Next MHVC lunch will be held on: MHVC. The Mag. April

There were many questions during and after this wide-ranging talk covering :- Health & Safety with solvents Use of air-fed masks Types of spray gun Determining the types of paint already covering a

12 Glenn Reid talks to Chairman Marilyn Lowe about some of the more hazardous aspects of working with solvents during spray painting. Part of the audience for Glenn Reid s talk: Painting our types of car. There were many questions during and after this wide-ranging talk covering :- Health & Safety with solvents Use of air-fed masks Types of spray gun Determining the types of paint already covering a car Using etch primers Mechanical removal of 2-pack shine Removal of old polishes Rust prevention Minimising time between rust removal and priming Colour matching to existing paint Glenn can be contacted at: greid@hmgpaint.com Or HMG Paints, Riverside Works, Collyhurst Road, Manchester M40 7RU The feature on Eagle Cars by Stuart Holmes (March 2018 edition) was most interesting, as I knew Jackson & Edwards garage very well. We had all our company vehicles serviced by them In the 1948 book, by Sam Lomax and John Norris, Ralph Jackson s Eagle is described as a reliable car, exhibited at St James s Hall in Manchester in Ralph Jackson also invented a hinged mudguard (!!) and was a pioneer of motor-caravanning. I have two copies of Cars and How to drive them published in 1904 and The cars featured are mostly much more expensive than the Eagle, but car prices are listed. The Eagle Tandem is shown as A single-cylinder of 4 ½ hp with two seats: price 150. Two other Eagle Tandems models are listed: 6 hp at 160 and the 8 hp at 170. Two Eagle cars are also shown: a 9 hp two-seater at 235 and a 9 hp four-seater at 280. For comparison of prices, a 6 hp, 4-seater Benz was 280. A 5 hp Wolseley: 275. Various makes of steam cars are listed with prices from 150 to 1,890 and 24 models of electric cars from 195 to 910. (New? Electric cars? Eh? More information, please. Ed.) MHVC. The Mag. April

Vehicles of Historical Interest (VHI): Substantial Change Guidance

Vehicles of Historical Interest (VHI): Substantial Change Guidance Most vehicles manufactured or first registered over 40 years ago will, as of 20 May 2018, be exempt from periodic testing unless they