U.S. Naval Officer's Interest in Vintage Cars

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29791, 6 April 1962, Page 9

U.S. Naval Officer's Interest in Vintage Cars

A FINE Austin 12 tourer of the early 1920's will soon arrive in Berkeley, California, from New Zealand. It is owned’ by the public information officer for the American Antarctic support force at Harewood (Lieutenant-Commander J. S. Hahn'. American servicemen stationed at Harewood over the las: six years have earned popularity by their integration with New Zealand interests, and notable among these has been a widespread enthusiasm for owning and embellishing early - model Restored Dozens of early cars have been bought by American servicemen, carefully restored and put into routine use. Some have been well stored under cover during winter while their owners have returned to the United States during the Antarctic offseason.

These early car owners have been given a lead by Commander Hahn’s informed enthusiasm for vintage vehicles.

Commander Hahn has commented on the high standard of craftsmanship in New Zealand's spray painting and panel-beating industry, and has had a high-quality spray finish put on the Austin. He has removed all traces of aluminium paint put on by a former well-meaning owner. He considers aluminium paint a blemish entirely incompatible with true vintage tradition. Enthusiasts The Hahn family are well established in a Christchurch suburb after three years in New Zealand and are all vintage enthusiasts. Mrs Hahn has helped her husband to restore the Austin, and their daughter, Donna, drives a fine 1930 Morris Eight. The family are going to restore this little car and are also on the look-out for early American models. The Austin 12 has the reputation of being the most ruggedly reliable of all the English vintage fours, and is thought to be as numerous m Christchurch as anywhere else in the world. About

56.000 were built between 1922 and 1930. earning a good reputation for the marque. Paradise

According to Commander Hahn, New Zealand is one of the best places in the world for vintage cars. Many vehicles were brought into this country in the early twenties and were very well looked after in the early period when motor-cars were regarded as a privileged new possession.

“Many of them were saved and laid up during war-time petrol shortages, and, of course, the very strong vintage car movement in New Zealand has emphasised their value to the public," he said. “In America it takes a lot of money to be in vintage cars. Either they are rare and high priced or they have been ’beat up and bodgified.’ My brother and I have always wanted to have vintage cars, and now we are in a position to do so.”

There will be nothing “beat up or bodgified" about the standard of restoration Com-

mander Hahn intends for his Austin and his Morris 8. "It will be about another year’s endeavour to bring them up to standard.” he said. Commander Hahn’s enthusiasm has attracted the’ notice of executives of the Vintage Car Club in Christchurch, who intend to offer him all available help in his project.