The SOUTHERN AFRICAN VETERAN AND VINTAGE ASSOCIATION
Die VETERAAN MOTORVERENIGING vir SUIDER-AFRIKA
December 2008 Newsletter

From the newly elected SAVVA committee come our words of gratitude to the Vintage car clubs for the confidence placed in us by electing us as your representatives. Our aim will be to continue the general activities, negotiations and club contact as in the past, and we do want to request all the clubs to maintain an ongoing contact with SAVVA. We can only function satisfactorily if we are informed of your requests, problems, queries, etc.

We do wish to express our appreciation and gratitude to the outgoing SAVVA committee for the years of dedicated work, and all their time and effort spent on the promotion of the vintage car movement. To Fred Rascher, Brian Lawler, Wynand Swanepoel, Clint Morris and John Meakes: a very big thank you!

Very gratifying were recent events, portraying the ongoing activities organised by various clubs:

Op Sondag, 26 Oktober, het ek die Studebaker-dag by die Smuts museum, Irene (Pretoria) bygewoon. In die rustige landelike omgewing, so in die middel van die woelende stad, het heelwat van die ander klubs onder die pragtige ou koeltebome vergader om ’n baie aangename dag deur te bring met ander  oumotor entoesiaste.
Die oorheersende “Studs” was die V8’s – die trots van elke eienaar. Treffend was die 1928 Erskine Tourer (ek hoop ek het die detail korrek) wat gespog het met net die pragtigste hout stuurwiel – ’n kunswerk wat geglim het soos wafferse gerestoreerde meubelstuk.

Oom Jannie se eertydse ampsmotor, op sy dag sekerlik een van die spoggerigste Cadillacs in Pretoria, het daar eenkant onder ’n afdak gestaan. Dit was met so ’n tikkie hartseer wat ek na die “grand old lady” gekyk het wat nou maar redelik verwaarloos en vergete daar gestaan het.
 
I was not in the fortunate position to attend the Model T Centenary Run from George, but by all accounts the Southern Cape Old Car Club staged an extremely well organised event through the most scenic of Cape routes. In the 1950’s, when I had just started with my vintage car mania, I had the pleasure of getting to know Erwin Kuschke – Model T owner and connoisseur of note.
En sal julle dit glo, een van Erwin se oorspronklike Model T’s, nou in besit van sy seun, Philip (die sekretaris van die Suid-Kaap Oumotorklub ), was ook op die tydren. Ai, Philip, ek glo pa Erwin sou geblom het van trots.

The “Fairest Cape” Motor Cycle Rally has been organised by various stalwarts throughout many years. Once again, this year, an equally well presented and enjoyable event, making use of the beauty of the fairest Cape en route, was organised by the Cape Vintage Motor Cycle Club.

Thank you, chaps, for keeping the Vintage movement alive by organising rallies and runs! Anyone who has organised any rally or tour, knows how much time, cost and hard work it entails.

I quote from “Today and Tomorrow” written by Henry Ford in 1926:

“For hundreds of years men have been talking about the lack of opportunity and the pressing need of dividing up things already in existence. Yet each year has seen some new idea brought forth and developed, and with it a whole new series of opportunities, until today we already have enough tested ideas which, put into practice, would take the world out of its sloughs and banish poverty by providing livings for all who will work. Only the old, outworn notions stand in the way of these new ideas. The world shackles itself, blinds its eyes, and then wonders why it cannot run!”

Considering the above, and the growth and ongoing existence of our movement, perhaps we could apply some of these ideas in SAVVA and our individual clubs:
See the new ideas, “unshackle” our clubs, open our eyes – and, with a whole new series of opportunities put into practice, continue developing our vibrant vintage movement.  

May I, on behalf of SAVVA, wish you all a very blessed Christmas tide and a new year filled with God’s daily blessing!

Happy motoring,
Steffan.