Snug roadster headed for Cambridge
Vince Gabelich was a pharmacist for 36 years and in the mid 1980s he fell in love with a charming little 1935 MG sports car - the sort of transport associated by British fighter pilots during WWII.
‘‘Many years ago I saw one at Ardmore (aerodrome) and I knew I was going to buy one, one day.’’
He found and bought one from Christchurch which had been ‘‘wrapped around a power pole’’, and fully rebuilt by Peter Croft, another pharmacist and very clever with his hands.
As a mid-1930s design the old MG is bit primitive by today’s standards, with no seat belts, cable brakes, a dip-stick instead of a fuel gauge and a ‘crash’ or nonsynchromesh gearbox.
Powered by an 850cc overhead-cam engine the little roadster will cruise nicely just under 100km/h.
A Veteran and Vintage Car Club (Waikato) member, Gabelich plans to take the MG to its public open day this weekend.
Club custodian Hugh McInally said the club had 420 members drawn from the central Waikato region.
‘‘Membership is actually growing but we would like some younger people.
‘‘Every month there is a club run or a major event.’’
The club has its own spare parts department organised by volunteers and is associated with the national veteran and vintage car club parts organisation.
Other advantages include cheaper insurance, a club magazine and the national Beaded Wheels magazine.
The open day is held every sec-
‘‘Membership is actually growing but we would like some younger people.’’