End Of An Era

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, Issue 24, 10 November 1987, Page 2 (Supplement)

End Of An Era

THE death of Horopito motor parts' supremo, Bill Cole, in Wanganui on Labour Day Monday, marked the end of an era for the New Zealand motor industry. Horopito, once a milling town now merely a speck off State Highway Four some 10 kilometres north of Ohakune, is hardly Detroit, but for thousands of people is the motor capital of New Zealand. Bill Cole was solely responsible for that because

of the business he founded back in the 1940's - Horopito Motors and Wreckers. Mr Cole along with his wife Mavis, moved to the area in 1940. The couple cut the trees off the land, milled the timber with a backyard sawmill and built a house on the site. The site seems a strange one to base a motor parts' business - miles away from any major city and in one of .the coldest spots in the North Island. But Mr Cole had his reasons - room to store millions of parts for one, the site's proximity to the Main Trunk Line, cheap rates and because of the pure mountain water, lack of rust. The car yard featured in eight movies including the highly acclaimed 'Smash Palace' and several television advertisements. One of the best scenes from Smash

Palace showed just how close the Main T runk Line is to Bill Cole's yard when a vintage car parked on one of the two tracks which go past the Horopito yard, while a train roared past the car and its two passengers, on the other track. Mr Cole loved to talk of the time the film crew took over his lot for the movie. The leading man, Bruno Lawrence, remained in touch with Mr Cole while child star, Greer Robson, regularly wrote to him. Mr Cole proudly boasted he could provide any part for any vehicle and if he couldn't then he knew just where to get it. To many the car yard resembles a gigantic junk heap but Mr Cole with his computer-like memory knew exactly where everything was. Wearing his distinctive oil covered coat and hat and an

effervescent smile, talking ten to the dozen, Mr Cole would go in search of the elusive part arriving back perhaps half an hour later proudly holding up the part. On the way back he probably fielded a telephone call from one of his customers somewhere in the world and chatted with another visitor to the famous yard. Mr Cole's slight frame was deceptive as he was for many years a New Zealand wrestling champion, but it is true to say cars were his first love. Mr Cole's wife Mavis died two years ago and he is survived by his daughters, Barbara Fredricksen of Raetihi, who runs the administrative side of the yard, Janice Pert (Wanganui) and son, Colin (Te Awamutu). Mr Cole's funeral service was held in Raetihi on Friday October 30.