In this edition:

• Presidents Patter
• “Moving Monuments”
• NZTA Submissions Update
• Special General Meeting Results
• Incorporated Societies Update
• Peter Thompson Obituary
• Flying the Flag at the NZHRA Chrome Show, Auckland
• UK Classic Car Scene
• Focus on Hot Rods – History – Part 1
  

As a member of a member club, you can now subscribe directly to the Wheel Torque newsletter, so as soon as it published, you’ll receive a copy in your Inbox

In this edition:

• Presidents Patter
• Heritage (Meeting with Minister for Heritage and Culture)
• Communications & upcoming survey
• Annual WoFs for 40 Year and older cars
• Focus on Insurance,
• Secretary’s corner
• Upcoming Shows
  
  
• As a member of a member club, you can now subscribe directly to the Wheel Torque newsletter, so as soon as it published, you’ll receive a copy in your Inbox

Consultation is now open for 12-month Wof on all light vehicles (including Motorcycles) aged 40 years and older, and all Private heavy Motorhomes with GVM greater than 3,500 kg).

The consultation period closes at 4pm on Friday 4 April 2024.

For full details, click here.

We are seeking your indicative attendance plans for the Federation’s upcoming 30th Anniversary celebrations on Sat 17 May and the AGM on Sun 18 May 2025 based at the Sudima Hotel Christchurch (next to the Airport). Your feedback as soon as possible is key as we finalise the planning.

Provide your indicative attendance here

On Sunday 9 February 2025, the new Minister of Transport, Hon. Chris Bishop, announced that the government is proposing to consult on changes to Transport Rules to allow vintage and classic light vehicles (over 40 years old) to have annual Warrants of Fitness, thereby reducing compliance costs and inconvenience for owners. 

A similar change is proposed for privately owned heavy Motorhomes subject to Certificates of Fitness.  

President of the Federation of Motoring Clubs, Garry Jackson was with Minister Bishop at Trentham for the announcement today and was really pleased with this outcome.

— Start of Press Release by the Minister of Transport  —

The Government is looking to reduce unnecessarily onerous compliance requirements for owners of vintage cars, vintage motorcycles and privately owned motorhomes, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.

“Everyone loves seeing a lovingly maintained vintage car out on the road for a Sunday drive, and cruising around our beautiful country in a motorhome is a quintessential Kiwi dream,” Mr Bishop says.

“There are around 128,000 vintage vehicles in New Zealand, and about 39,000 private motorhomes. At present the owners of these vehicles must spend time and money on Warrant of Fitness (WOF) or Certificate of Fitness (COF) inspections every six months.

“That’s despite motorhomes and vintage light vehicles travelling much less per year compared to most modern cars, and evidence showing that faults in these vehicles are half as likely to have contributed to serious crashes involving these vehicles. That’s true even when factoring in the smaller numbers of motorhomes and vintage vehicles on our roads.

“Evidence also shows that initial pass rates for vintage vehicles are higher compared to all vehicles under 40 years old.

“In fact, light vehicle WOF pass rates actually improve as vehicles age from 40 years old showing that, with proper care, some things really do get better with age.”

“That’s why we’re consulting on easing the overly onerous compliance requirements on these types of vehicles, so that owners of vintage cars and private motorhomes can spend less time waiting in line at the VTNZ, and more time tinkering happily in the garage or cruising the open road.”

The consultation is being run by NZTA, and proposes to: 

• Reduce WOF check frequency for vehicles over 40 years old from every 6 months to every year, and

• Reduce COF check frequency for privately owned heavy motorhome vehicles from every 6 months to every year. 

“Extending the time between WOF and COF inspections is a sensible approach to ensuring vehicles are safe while not going overboard on compliance.”

Public consultation via NZTA website on the proposed changes begins on 24 February 2025 and ends 4 April 2025.

— End of Press Release by the Minister of Transport —

Watch the announcement on TVNZ 1News at Six.

The Federation of Motoring Clubs Inc. will soon provide more detail on the announcement and how you can contribute to the consultation process.

Please distribute to your club members and friends, and on social media.

In this edition:

• Presidents Patter
• FoMC 30th Anniversary Celebrations & 2025 AGM
• Presentation at the Bay of Plenty Vintage Car Club
• NZTA WoF/CoF Update
• Insurance Scheme Remarketing (2025)
• Working Groups Update
• Secretary’s Corner
• Focus on Classic Bikes
• As a member of a member club, you can now subscribe directly to the Wheel Torque newsletter, so as soon as it published, where you’ll receive a copy in your Inbox

In this edition:

• President’s Patter
• 30th Anniversary AGM
• FoMC Speakers at your events
• WoF/CoF Update
• NZTA App
• Focus on Insurance
• Working Groups Update
• Carwatch security
• Secretaries Corner
• Membership Exapnsion News
• Introducing new advisor to the Executive – Chris Hogg (Past President, Ferrari Owners Club)
  

As a member of a member club, you can now subscribe directly to the Wheel Torque newsletter, so as soon as it published, where you’ll receive a copy in your Inbox

In this edition:

• President’s Patter
• What changes might the new Government bring?
• Significant progress towards a revision of WoF requirements for historic vehicles (meetings with the Minister of Transport and NZ Transport Agency)
• 2024 AGM Report
• NZ Historic and Classic Vehicle Survey
• Update from FoMC working group on the Incorporated Societies Act 2022
• Secretaries Corner
• Introducing new member on the Executive – Bruce Lewis (President, Bay of Plenty Mustang Owners Club)
• As a member of a member club, you can now subscribe directly to the Wheel Torque newsletter, so as soon as it published, you’ll receive a copy in your Inbox

I (Garry Jackson, President NZ FoMC) am writing this note to all FoMC clubs to emphasise the importance of our AGM (Sunday May 26), and to issue a personal request to you all with regard to our joint responsibilities and actions to achieve the future growth and strengthening of the Federation.

Why is the 2024 AGM of FoMC so important?

This 2024 AGM comes at a critical time for us all, in relation to the actions we’ve already taken that give us a platform for future growth, and because this 2024 AGM represents a specific “take-off” platform for the plans we need to finalise and deliver to support our collective future, and to protect and enhance the interests of our Clubs and every one of our 140,000+ individual members.

What have are these “build up” actions?

These actions fall into two separate categories:

At an offsite strategic workshop at the Brentwood Hotel in Wellington last November, the FOMC Exec group spent two valuable and productive days brainstorming FoMC’s opportunities and possible future plans, including:

growing our future revenue from our membership;

expanding our membership base by attracting new clubs to join;

consideration of a possible new membership group (“associate members”) beyond the traditional motoring clubs to join and contribute to FoMC’s aims, objectives and operational plans;

develop and implement reward programs with “sponsor companies” that provide meaningful incentives and benefits to individual members of FoMC clubs (ie some form of special reward program across a range of customer facing businesses), whilst concurrently providing additional income streams directly to FoMC’s central office services, complementing Club subscriptions and supporting our future activities and growth.

The ground-breaking and attention-grabbing NZ Historic and Classic Vehicle Research Survey, and its headline outcomes regarding the sector’s $16.5 Billion economic footprint, and the strong level of NZ public at large support for who we are, what we do, and the associated heritage values that we represent. Further, the survey has strengthened our hand in our discussions with Government, an opportunity that we need to capitalise on without delay.

How does all this connect with the upcoming 2024 FoMC AGM?

• Obviously all of the foregoing future planning and delivery of what we need to do falls on the Executive, and especially the Executive elected at the forthcoming AGM for the year ahead.
• The last time that there was an actual election for the Exec (as opposed to simple appointment where the number of nominations equalled the number of positions to be filled) was at least 10 or more years ago.
• In the light of the foregoing points above, the incoming Executive will need a strong sense of energy and purpose (no criticism at all with regard to our present and past Executive.  It’s just that the opportunities and game plan is ramping up).
• In the AGM itself, we will discuss some of the draft future plans and ideas in more detail, extending on the high level “build up” actions above, and acting as a springboard for the Federation for the next 1 – 3 years.
• As a result of all of the foregoing, now is the time and a special opportunity for all FoMC Clubs to consider nominations for the Executive, partly to restore the principle of “democracy in action”, and to ensure that we have a great motivated team to take us forward, collectively.  Nominiations for executive roles can be entered here: https://fomc.nz/executive-nomination/
•  

What specifically does a FoMC Executive role require?

There’s no specifically defined job description as such, but in my personal view here are the key attributes that I think we need going forward (random sequence, not in order of importance):

• Experience and energy as a team player
• Some level of operational/administrative/managerial experience
• Ability to think strategically
• Willingness to roll one’s sleeves up and help make things happen and get stuff done
• Strong interest in all aspects of the historic and classic vehicle sectors, as well as your own area of personal passion
• Ability to handle a time commitment of approx. 10 Exec meetings per year (2-3 hours on Microsoft Teams), plus a few hours of intervening paperwork/planning/ emails etc
• Whilst the foregoing points are all primarily focussed on the Executive Committee roles, in the interests of democracy all positions are up for nomination and for contested election should that be the case. So if you believe you should be considered for President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer or a committee member, don’t hold back!

Additional Roles

We also have “Advisor” roles (appointed by the executive), who are specialists in their field, whom we call on as required for advice and guidance.  If you feel you have any special skills to offer, feel free to make contact with Chris Butler (Secretary) secretary@fomc.nz or myself at garry.jackson@fomc.nz

With the “RampUp”, we will need assistance with the following two roles (can be shared by multiple people):

• “Wheel Torque” magazine editor
• Submissions secretary

So if you’re interested in any of these roles, please contact us.  Full training will be provided.

Next Steps

The foregoing is very much a “scene setter” from my perspective as President. Please look out for further administrative details re the nomination and election processes.

Looking forward to a great AGM on May 26, and a strong, progressive and successful year ahead for us all.

You can register for the AGM here: https://fomc.nz/events/agm-2024/

Very best wishes,
Garry Jackson, President
NZ Federation of Motoring Clubs Inc.
E: garry.jackson@fomc.nz
M: 027 485 5335