Classic and Vintage Motor Club of Eurobodalla Newsletter

Volume 14 No. 6 November/December 2015

Classic and Vintage Motor Club of Eurobodalla Newsletter

Volume 15 No. 1 January February 2016

CVMCE NEWS

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Figure 1: The HO in The background being stripped back for painting, the blue GT was my house mates Figure 2: The Ho, back on the road up the North Coast Figure 3: the HO in Balmain, and my sensible car, the Mini van. During the 70’s petrol strikes I used the HO as a tanker for the mini

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The Falcon GT's and higher spec GTHO's were built by Ford Australia for one thing, and one thing only and that was to knock off GM Holden at Bathurst on the October long week-end legendary race. The almost final offering, (a few XA HO's were built) the GTHO phase III rose in value to almost $1 million, Poseidon territory in the early 2000's. This is a story of one that didn't make it.

In the mid 70’s in the Police yard in Ballina, sat a forlorn XW Falcon GTHO it had been there for a few of years after it was found to be a stolen car, that had passed through several in-nocent owners hands. I asked the Sergeant what was to be-come of it, and was told it had reverted back to the original owner’s financial company, the Commercial Bank. I posted the bank off a cheque for $200 as deposit offering to buy the car, half expecting my clumsy offer to be ignored. The fol-lowing week I noticed the cheque had been accepted, (that moment was like winning Tattslotto) and I was then notified that on supplying the Ballina bank manager with another $1800 the car would be mine.

I picked up the car the next day, the police had tried to push start it and had somehow bent a valve stem (their story) so it was a tow job, the paint work was faded and in poor condi-tion the wheels were rubbish from the wreckers, (as the last owner had been allowed to keep his good wheels) and the exhaust was hanging. My house mate & I removed all the external trim in preparation for painting. Apart from the cracked dash pad the interior was perfect.

The car was a genuine phase 2 GTHO, but in had been modi-fied with an XY motor (351ci Cleveland phase 3) and drive train and shaker bonnet, so it was a phase 2.5.

Before discussing the rebuild, I must point out in my defence that I was 26 at the time, an ever so slight hoon and GTHO’s were not all that valuable in those distant days.

A major rebuild commenced the car was booked into Trevans Ford in Ballina where the engine was removed and repaired, a new custom 3” exhaust system with Hooker Headers the body repainted, in the original Vermillion Fire without stripes (as original), new alloy wheels & tyres. Being a 20 year old, I instinctively knew that the carburettor was inadequate so a Holley 800 double pumper was installed. Also the panel beat-er at Trevans ever so slightly widened the wheel apertures and slightly flared the guards, you would not know if you were not told but it stopped the tyres scraping the guards. I had all the panel cavities fish oiled, so the car smelt a bit like a kipper factory for several years.

We towed it home re-fitted all the trim took out another bank loan to filled it up, (36 gallons) and presented the car to Sgt Kenny Beck at Ballina Police Stn for registration. Now Sgt Beck was a formidable figure of the old school police type, he pointed the finger straight at me say “now Malcolm I know you, I know this car, if I ever so much hear it, I’ll be right after you, and this is your warning”.

With Becky's warning ringing in my ears me and the HO hit the road. My good mate John Wager who owned a blue GT reckoned the HO made every other car on the road look like a billy cart, it was that brilliant. With the motor running it seemed alive, it had a pulse, an open door would rise and fall 2” because of the lumpy engine. On the road it was incredible loud, brash and totally unsophisticated and absolutely bril-liant to drive. Back then I skippered a research vessel for the State Fisheries and moved between Ballina and Sydney and did the 500 mile trip between the two a couple of times a

month, the HO was the prefect road car for a twenty some-thing hoon. Instant u-turns could be performed at will; it would be still spinning the tyres going into third. Most GT Falcons had a 6250 rev limiter fitted, this one didn’t so 150mph was achievable. Being a sedate member of society I was never actually booked for speeding, an illegal, slightly smoky u-turn in Hunter St. New Castle was my only record-ed misdemeanour.

Owning a GTHO in Sydney in the 70’s was a stressful occu-pation, it was really only a matter of time before the car would be stolen, again. Every time you parked it you’d be wondering if it would be there for your return. In my case it was stolen in broad daylight from Balmain and stripped in 3 days; the motor was cut out using oxy, the bonnet, gear box, and wheels all gone. I retrieved the body and hung onto it for a while eventually selling it for $700. I still miss it, it was the best car I’ve every sat in.

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The $2000 Falcon GTHO by Mal Mann

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THE CLASSIC AND VINTAGE MOTOR CLUB OF EUROBODALLA, Inc

Committee Other Appointments President: *Paul Johnson (May) Regalia: Bill and Colleen McCallum 4473 9431 – pjoh1350@gmail.com 4474 2397 Vice President: *Brett Moore (Glenda) Librarian: Vacant 0417 221 467 Treasurer: *Dave Gibson (Robyn) Life Member: Stewar t Kendell 0468 424 610 – deandar31@gmail.com Vehicle Inspectors: Secretary - *Neil McIntosh (Leslie) Andrew Green (Bikes) - 4474 2886 0458 250 234 - neilmcintosh2@bigpond,com Andrew Redwin (Bikes) - 4473 8062 Events director: Peter Smith Noel Hand (Older Vehicles) - 44742128 4474 2251 – sharper5@bigpond.com Dean Price – 4474 2962 Membership: May Johnson (Paul) David Nettle – 4474 4293 4473 9431 – pjoh1350@gmail.com Barry Apps – 4471 1294 Editor - Huw Owen-Jones (Barbara) Volker Oldenburg – 4472 9288 4474 3237– huw@acslink.net.au Graham Symons – 4476 4827 Public Officer Rob Upton - 0413 000 643 Webmaster: Dave Gibson (Robyn)– 0468 424 610 deandar31@gmail.com * Indicates Club Stamp holder Bush Council Delegate: Mark Beaver – 4474 3461 mcbeav@ozmail,com.au OBJECTS OF THE CLUB: To bring together persons with a common interest in Historic, Veteran, Vintage and Classic motor vehicles and motorcycles. Principal Activities The use, maintenance, restoration and display of historic vehicles and conduct club meetings and Social Events. REGULAR EVENTS General Meetings: Fir st Monday of each month (except January and November ) 7:30 pm at the Moruya Bowling Club 38 Shore Street, Moruya. Saturday Runs for Coffee at: The Waterfront Hotel, Moruya, Dairy Shed or Bakery, Bodalla, Maloney’s Beach Cafe or the Star at Milton. If your car has conditional registration please sign the run sheet at the relevant location or notify the Secretary (neilmcintosh2@bigpond,com) Wednesday Morning Runs: Meet in the car park behind the Adelaide Hotel (opposite Russ Mar tin Park) – 9:30 am for 10:00 am departure. All motor vehicles welcome. A run sheet will be passed around – all should sign, not just those with conditional registra-tion so that numbers can be relayed to the coffee shop! Monthly Braidwood Runs: These are held on the four th Sunday of the month, leaving from behind the Adelaide Hotel at 10:00

am, meeting other members at Mogo opposite the nursery at approximately 10:15 -10:20, and at the 2nd roundabout on the Kings High-

way at around 10:25 -10:30, for magnificent brunch at Braidwood. All manner of vehicles and their owners very welcome

PO Box 684 MORUYA NSW 2537 www.cvmce.org.au

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2016

The New Year is upon us, How happy we will be, If we can survive To see another Christmas tree, The future is out of sight. The past is dead ad gone, Today is worth living. So sing a happy song. We can live for the moment, Plan for years ahead. It may not happen, but who cares, We’re a long time dead. So smile, be happy Grab a tiger by the tail, For if you don’t take a chance, Your boat will never sail. Always see your glass half full, Try never to have the blues, For if yo believe in “Karma”, Life will be good to you’ The promise of the year to come, 2016 is the one W here you can enjoy the many tr Of laughter and happiness, When the car club meets Happy New Year

Tony Maynard

President’s message

Welcome everyone to the first newsletter for the year in which we have attempted to provide members a snapshot of things to come for 2016.

At our recent CVMCE Committee meeting the committee members were unanimous in agreeing to try to give members more insight and advanced notice of forthcoming events. I hope you will agree that the proposed program, coupled with our regular twice weekly social gatherings at the Waterfront and around the traps of the district coffee houses, plus the 60 extra personal days from the new rego scheme, will offer lots of pos-sibilities to keep the oil warm and the seals flexible. I think the cars and bikes will benefit as well.

Two recent events were, for me, indicative of the best of our runs in the local environment. The first was a brunch run to Braidwood which has become a monthly "must-do" for many of our bike and car enthusiasts. A brisk run up and down the Clyde through beautiful escarpment-country has to be one of the best in the world. Couple that with the biggest and best brunch at the ? cafe (first cafe on the left......ask for a number one) and it remains one of my favourites. And this is despite me being constantly "pipped" up the hill be Donny Greig on his Kawasaki. Big thanks to Mal Mann for the Sunday brunch-run initiative.

The other great event this month was the picnic at beautiful Mystery Bay. We had an excellent turnout of members and their guests and the weather was outstanding. Given the seem-ing popularity of the picnic format, we will try to inject a cou-ple of extra picnic runs into the program this year.

While on the topic of how lucky we are to live in such a great part of the world, later in the newsletter I have a few observa-tions on a couple of local off-the-beaten track destinations for those who want to test the undercarriages of their old cars and bikes.......or to test the quality control of a "modern". The roads in are awful but the destinations are just incredible.

Hope to see you at many of the events. Don't forget to drop a note on any new ideas/event suggestions.

Paul Johnson

VALE Jerry Quayle

The Club offers its condolences to Susan and family.

VALE GRAEME QUINN

Members will be sad to hear of the passing of Graeme fol-

lowing surgery in Canberra.. Graeme has regularly attended

many of the Club events and has also been a regular con-

tributor to the Newsletter. The Club offers its condolences

to Graeme's family.

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MONTH DATE EVENT NOTES

January Sat 23rd Eurobodalla Show

February Sun 14th Valentine’s Day Picnic Mystery Bay Rotunda

March Sat 12th Bermagui Seaside Fair At the Oval

April Sun 10th Historic Braidwood Picnic in the Park

May Sun 15th National Motoring Heritage Day

Festivities at Berry

Possible Overnighter

June Sun 12th Visit Members Sheds Picnic Day

July Sun 17th Bay to Bermagui Fish & Chip Run

Possible Overnighter

August Sun 14th Eurobodalla Historic Sites Visit our WW2 Past

September Sun 11th PRESIDENTS RUN

Visit HMAS Albatross Nowra

Lunch at Museum Café

Possible Overnighter

October Sun 30th Club Show & Shine Granite Town Festival

4 night trip away TBA

November Sun 27th Braidwood Airing of the Quilts Car Show

December Sun 11th X/mas Party Venue TBA

CVMCE CALENDAR of EVENTS 2016

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Events Coordinator Peter Smith – 4474 2251 Wednesday Run John Nader 4474 4062

Run Captains - Andrew Redwin 4473 8062 Geoff Radcliffe 0427 023585

2016

Mar 02 John Pawley’s Memorial BBQ-Maloney’s Beach

Mar 09 By The Beach-Lilly Pilly 4471 1200-Tonya.

Mar 16 Pickled Octopus-Tuross 4473 6084-Kathy.

Mar 23 The Rivermouth General Store-Tomakin 4471 7272.

Mar 30 Anton’s-Dalmeny 4476 1802-Janine.

April 06 New Venue-JJ’s at Batemans Bay 4471 5618-Jacob

April 13 Tuross Boat Shed (fax 4473 6112) 4473 8127-Shannon

April 20 Mossy Point Muffins 4471 8599-Jane

April 27 Shelly Beach BBQ ($5 ph)-Moruya South Head

May 04 Nelligen Café. 4478 1153-Alison.

May 11 Narooma Ice Creamy 4476 1296-Kristy.

May 18 Courtyard Café-Mogo 4474 3389-Dave.

May 25 Tern Inn-Tuross 4473 6373-Dianne.

Two BBQ’s this month, one next Wednesday and the other at the end of the month. Our new run sheet has a place to show your $5 payment as this will help to balance the books.

All going well on our Wednesday run. I’m losing count of numbers because of our divided attendance at the nominated venues, but what the hell, who wants to count!!!!!!

John. Ph: 44742800 (AW)

Email: john@mordek.com.au

C.V.M.C.E. Regular Wednesday Run No. 61 Runs are for all members and friends. Departure is from behind the Adelaide Hotel, Moruya, 10am sharp. We assemble 9:30 am for a little FELLOWSHIP, and sign in. Please remember to sign in. You are encouraged to contact anyone of our club committee for any questions. Feel free to invite a friend.

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Valentines Day Picnic at Mystery Bay

Our Valentines Day Run down to Mystery Bay was well attended with about 50 people eventually finding their way to the Rotunda overlooking the Ocean. We had a very pleasant couple of hours and despite the hot weather a good time was had by all.

The following members attended:

RECENT EVENTS

Name Car Numbers

Rudi & Barbara Langveld MB 230D 2

John & Marisha Kelly Valiant 2

John & Marion Marsden Riley 2

Phil Southwell Holden 2

Paul & Liz Rehardt Wolsley6/80 2

Marion Pearson Volvo 1

Mark Beaver Porsche 911 1

Peter Smith Merc 240D 1

John Seltenrych Mod 2

Rod Shanahan Merc230E 1

Ross Haywood Merc 230 1

Lance & Adele Brazier AMDBS 2

Tony Maynard Ford Capri 2

Neil & Leslie McIntosh Merc280E 2

Paul & May Johnson Merc 280CE 2

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VALENTINE’S DAY 2016

14th February, a day by the sea,

A Bar-b-Que at Mystery Bay.

The sun is shining, It's lovely day.

The wind is blowing, To keep it cool.

So the heat doesn't worry,

Anyone at all.

The Bar-b-Que’s going, Sausages cooked

Or chicken and salad,

Depends what you took.

A wine or a beer,

Cannot deink too much

As driving's a pleasure,

Must not chance your luck.

With blood and bullet holes,

A boat was found on the beach.

So Mystery Bay

Its name does keep.

For no-one has claimed,

The reward of 300 pounds.

So in Mystery Bay,

The mystery still abounds.

But now it’s a place

Of fun and of laughter

And happiness rules

In a place of disaster

Tony Maynard

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Deane and Joanne McRae’s Oldsmobile at the Sow and Shine last year— this edition's over Picture

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Chris Roberts found these interesting old photos

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HIDDEN JEWELS OF THE SOUTH COAST

What a wonderful part of the world is this south coast of NSW, and how lucky are we to be able to call this place home?

As relative newcomers to the region (7 years of week-ends, 5 years permanent) May and I are still in those early days of discovery of what the region has to offer and, as we explore, being continually taken aback by its beauty.

And while there is much of this in plain view if we care to look, there are many hidden jewels just off our local beaten tracks which deserve recognition. I write about these “revelations” recognising that most of our local members who have had the good fortune of living on the south coast all their lives will know of these and hun-dreds more “must visit” hidden gems.

A couple of weeks back, on a classic, hot, summer Tues-day, Pete Smith and I, and our devoted back seat drivers May and Sharon, decided to head south to explore possi-bilities for a club run to the area between Bermagui and Tathra. We went knowing that a couple of years back the club held a BBQ at Aragunna at the northern end of the Mimosa Rocks National Park, close to where the sailing ship Mimosa went aground on the rocks which give the area its name. Given the difficulty of access at that time (4km of poor condition gravel roads and steep(ish) inclines) but universal positive feedback on the place itself, we were keen to see if the road to Aragunna had improved. It hasn’t. But once there……the place is stunning and well worth the effort despite the all-pebble beaches reminding me of Brighton England.

Just south of Aragunna road is Wapengo Lake road which is a 5 km mix of gravel and bitumen running alongside lake Wapenga and lines of oyster racks, to Picnic Point. Another gorgeous place. This time with rocky outcrops and ledges with crashing waves (good for kingfish fishing I suspect) but also a small but per-fectly formed, classic, squeaky sand beach. From a club standpoint, there was adequate room for our cars and bikes and good bbq facilities. Also, compared with the Aragunna road, Wapengo road would be much kinder on the suspensions of our older vehicles.

Eight km further south, Haigh’s Road can be taken the 3km to either Bithry Inlet or Middle Beach. The last km of the Bithry road is the toughest part for an older car or bike but to me, Bithry Inlet with its crystal clear water is the pick of the whole area. Ken Myer of Myer family background (Ken was unfortunately killed in an accident in Canada in the 90’s) thought the same as me and built a family “mansion” in this area that has since passed into national park hands and is available for rental at exorbitant rates!

Middle Beach is another excellent camping and bbq area with great walks to Middle Lagoon. The access road is reasonable until the last 500m which is a steep incline down to the beach area.

As our last detour for the day, 4.4km south of Haigh’s Road, we took Gillards Rd, (4km of pretty rough gravel) into Gillard’s Beach. Again the facilities for visitors are

excellent with new S/S bbq facilities and plenty of ta-bles. …..and a couple of inquisitive goannas playing their parts as local fauna for the campers. Judging by the number of surfers in battered “classic” Camrys and such, the beach also provides some of the best surf on the south coast.

So, within the space of 15km on the Bermagui-Tathra road, four off-road detours, and five magnificent beach-es and camping areas. All of them are unspoilt by devel-opment but provide all the essentials for visitors willing to brave the difficult access roads. Some say these roads are kept this way to restrict entry by the general public thereby keeping visit numbers down and helping pre-serve the beauty of the places. I guess there’s some logic in that!

What I’ve forgotten to say is that we book-ended the expedition with fish and chips at Saltwater Café in Ber-magui before setting off and returned to Bermagui after-wards for refreshments at the wine bar upstairs at the wharf. Simple pleasures and what a great day.

Paul Johnson

DINNER WITH DANIEL RICCARDO

It’s not every day that we get a chance to have dinner with one of F1 racing’s royalty but the late Graeme Quinn had just such a chance when Daniel’s father and Graeme’s good friend, Joe, invited Graeme to join the family during Daniel’s off season R&R. As might be expected, there was rich discussion about the differences between the “old days” of Graeme’s racing years and the whizz-bang F1 racing of today.

HIDDEN JEWELS OF THE SOUTH COAST

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REAL snails carry their whole houses with them. My tin snails carry only a cupboard...a dark cupboard. I only realised this a year or so ago. Psychiatrists used to, I'm told, often find that an adult's unusual behaviour was due to him or her being locked in a dark cup-board when a child. Perhaps psychiatrists still do. One doesn't hear so much about them these days...either they have been dis-lodged by representatives of that growth industry of the late 20th- and early 21st- centuries, counsellors, or there is not enough behaviour these days considered to be unusual to keep psychiatrists in business. Anyway, it wasn't until a year or so ago that it came to me that my fascination with tin snails, Citroen 2CVs, dated back to an incident in the early 1960s. It went like this: I was driving my Triumph TR3 towards Paris on the N10, hav-ing spent about fifteen-and- a- half hours at Le Mans. Sitting on around 130km/h on a three-lane section, I began overtaking a 2CV when another of them suddenly emerged onto the other side of the road. I remember at the time thinking it was like a pheasant falling from a hedge on a country road in England, scrambling to its feet and rushing off in whatever direction it found itself pointed. Or Lyre Bird here. But this wasn't an English B road, it was a French Route National, and on it, heading towards me was a bloody big truck, the driver of which had to decide whether to run into the back of the 2CV or menace me. He did the latter. I slowed and headed for the narrowing gap between the truck and the 2CV I was overtaking. A gap which was approaching at a combined speed of about 250km/h. I nearly made it! The front near-side mudguard of the TR3 glanced off the front near-side hub of the truck and we proceeded for a while on two wheels, clearly inclining to turn over. But then I reached 'my' 2CV. In my mind's eye I can still clearly see the occupants of that grey Citroen staring at me through the windows as the hard-top of my TR3 clouted their vehicle. Just hard enough to put the Triumph's four wheels back on the ground. In time for the rear of the truck to cause the TR3's rear near-side mudguard to completely disappear and to bend the rear axle. So, in the space of about one minute one 2CV had tried to kill me, and another saved me. Neither stopped. I believe, judging from the way they were dressed and the time of day, 'my' 2CV was on its way to church and the occupants decided THAT was the place to be. After the dust died down and we all came to a stop a Belgian gentleman, who was in France honeymooning with his Ameri-can wife, was the first to arrive at the TR3. Seeing I seemed to be all right (a mouth full of dust didn't count) he sprinted up to the truck, then sprinted back again. The driver, he said [and in those politically uncorrect days I wasn't surprised] was a German. "And he is very pleased," my Belgian Good Samaritan said. Seeing my surprise, he added: `He is happy because until now everybody he has run into, pouf, they are dead!' [He actually said `zey are dead,' but I don't wish to appear to be laying it on too thick, the "pouf" might be considered too much.] At this time a man who had been driving behind me in a Citroen DS19, and who had been able to enjoy the complete view of a Triumph TR3, rear, front, top and both sides, ahead of him, presented me with his card. He was a lawyer with an ad-dress in Paris. A Renault-load of police arrived, picking their teeth and clearly not happy at having their luncheon disturbed. Since nobody was injured one blasted me with the garlic-laden information that in France the police were not to be bothered with accidents, unless someone was hurt. And it had better be REALLY hurt. Killed would be more worthwhile, especially in the case of foreigners. And they all got back aboard their Renault and back to luncheon. And so it went on. That evening, in St Arnault-en-Yvelines, I learnt all about delayed-action shock. Another delayed action was the gap between then and my actually acquiring a 2CV. I filled in the time with Jaguars, Triumphs, MGs, Peugeots, a Daimler and a Rover, among others, but did notice 2CVs. SOON; more about Citroen 2CVs, should the editor allow it.

The dark cupboard of my tin snails by Eric Wiseman

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Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour 5-7 February 2016. Some people don't like motorsport. "Boring, round and round, all the same, etc" Most of these people have never been to a racing circuit and certainly they haven't been to Mt Panorama at Bathurst. As a regular to the V8's for many years in the past, I set off on Thursday 4/2/16 for my first Liqui-Moly 12hr at Bathurst.This race is for GT3 cars and includes marques such as Ferrari, Nissan, Bentley, Audi, Mercedes, McLaren and Lamborghini. Support categories included modified and production sedans as well as Radical race cars. Some 6 hrs later, my mate from Teacher's College and I were having a quiet one in the Oxford Hotel in William St Bathurst. Right, suitably hydrated, we set off to find the campsite at McPhillamy Park at the top of the hill. The lad at the gate applied a sticker to the screen and pointed us in the rough direction with those words we all know but dread " she'll be right mate, numbers are on the ground at each site, no probs." Well, there were numbers last week before the rain... Still we found our spots soon enough. 8 m sq so suitable for a caravan if you so desired- no power though. "Windy up here isn't it?" my mate Smith kept saying as his $60 ebay tent kept trying to turn itself inside out. My trusty tent of 25 yrs with real metal poles wouldn't be a hassle, surely. It had survived gales and even snow on the Mountain. Um, problem. Every nylon loop that the pegs went through disintegrated in my hands! The joy of UV radiation and polymers. 1hr later, with the seams pegged down and tent up, we met the neighbours. All friendly, some with kids, well behaved and no idiots. Few beers, Smith did a lamb pot roast with baked veg, very civilised. Still windy though. Broken sleep, air bed kept sliding down hill. Will turn around for Fri night. Friday 5/2/16 Practice and Qualifying. Smith's tent went concave during the night and his sleeping bag is too small so a trip to Big W is on the cards for today. 7.45am and the cars are into it already. The Bentley boys were fastest by 0.1 sec. Top 11 cars covered by less than a second. We headed down to pit straight and into the pits- no extra charge. You can see into the rear of the garages and spot celebs if you are into that side of things. 5.30pm. Better get into town for this new tent. Rush around grabbing bits just before close at 6pm. Will get some ice too. 3 bags for $11. Apricot chicken tonight. Tent next door has a fire and as we chat, the fellow lived about 4 km from me in the Shire and knew a dodgy spray painter whose drag car I used to push around in the old Castlereagh days when I was about 18! Saturday 6/2/16 Qualifying Still windy. Much better sleep by all. Decided to head down to Forrest's Elbow via a goat track which catches out an elderly gent who needs first aid attention. Not many people, you can see close up right on the fence. Good photos. The cars accelerate hard from the Dipper then back off for the Elbow so plenty of noise and flames. No E85 here. The McLaren is noticeably faster from the Audis which are slow in a straight line. Lambo makes the best noise though! We stagger back up the hill for a BBQ dinner. The wind is finally abating. Early to bed. Sunday7/2/16 Race Day Up at 5am for a quick brekky. Race starts at 5.45am in the dark. We decide to watch them come across the top through Reid Park down past the grate to McPhillamy. A rolling start then a blaze of lights, colour and action as they crest the hill and scream past. Excellent! 12 more hours of this. The sun is hot and after a few hours a large shady gum becomes the spot to seek. No problem, lots of room, still can see all of the track. The on course commentary keeps us informed and a big screen is up at McPhillamy. A Porsche clouts the wall in front of us and skids to a halt across the inside of the track, disgorging green coolant from smashed radiators. Marshalls scurry to clean up as the Safety Car appears. The lead changes numerous times but the McLarens look quick again. The Bentleys are relentless, pounding around gaining slowly. The Audis are gone, the Mercedes has done its

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dash. The Nissan GTR is making inroads with its consistency enabling it to now attack in latter part of the race. 5.45 pm. It is the Tekno McLaren by 1.2 secs from the Nissan GTR with a Bentley third. 297 laps, 1,845km. 29 lead changes, 13 safety cars. New outright lap record 2m01.567sec. We shuffle back to camp. A long day but exhilarating. Spag boll tonight. Mon 8/2/16 Pack up time We clean up and as I roll up the tent I have to think it is time for a new one but I hate throwing stuff out that would have been worth repairing in the past. Smith will follow me to Crookwell so we are off at 10 am. Tuena has roadworks, so slow. The boys have ploughed the clay then wet it down and gone to lunch on the hill. I am sure this is their entertainment as cars slide and spin all over the place. Counter lunch at Crookwell then home by 5pm. to hose off the clay. So, boring or not? In summary, if you want the Bathurst experience, go to the 12hr rather than the V8s. Less people, no queues, twice the race time, real cars, no idiots and its cheaper. You can close your eyes and listen to the cars and identify them by their exhausts- try that at the V8s. Go soon, before the cars are all turbo diesels or electric. Feel the noise, see the flames, smell the smells! PS: I bought a new tent on E- bay (fingers crossed). Mark Beaver and Ken Smith

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This is a tale of two Morgans over fifty years. The most recent acquisition is by Dick Fitzgerald. Dick writes:

“My first car was a sports car– an Austin 7 two seater with an aluminium body like a Lo-tus Super 7. This was fol-lowed by a 1963 Austin Hea-ly Sprite and then a 1966 MGB.

I first saw a Morgan at Catali-na Park Raceway in 1964 (Catalina Park is a disused motor racing venue, located at Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains). I said to myself that one day I would get one; so 52 years later I bought the Morgan +4 (right)

The other two 4-wheeled Morgans in the Club belong t o John Mertom

His 1964 model, below, which won “Peoples Choice AT THE Show and Shine a few years back has been in his possession for nearly 50 years

MORGANS

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FOR SALE

1973 Mercedes Benz 350 Saloon. Mileage from new 270,150 Rego to June 2016 Service and maintenance by Benz The car has been

garaged Present owner for 25 years Interior as new Phone 44740348 or 0459 021 973

FOR SALE Herman von Stuttgart sadly has to go, Insufficient storage space

MERCEDES BENZ 1980 280E fuel injection W123 series sedan 210088 Km—Silver Thistle Green in colour

Purchased by the Korean Embassy in Canberra Original instruction manuals and logbook Registered till 16/04/2016 in NSW Qualifies for

Historic Club Registration at reduced cost New tyres New engine and gearbox mounts New spark plugs and ignition leads New muffler

& exhaust suspension rubbers Drives very well Please contact Rudi Langeveld for a test drive

02 4473 9388

Price $ 4321.00 ONO

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FOR SALE

1967 Rover 2000, Model 200066A sedan, owned by club

member since 1998. last registered on Club plates in 2010.

Garaged and covered but unused for some years.

Original UK owner registration papers and complete

Australian

history available. Expressions of interest to: wellmanra23@bigpond.com

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FOR SALE 1990 FORD CAPRI CONVERTIBLE MANUAL$4995.OO ONO

FULL LEATHER INTERIOR • TWIN EXHAUSTS 1800CC MOTOR • 254,000 KM

HARD TOP AND SOFT TOP REGO EXPIRY 21/02/16

CONTACT JOHN - 0406 026 442

________________________________________________________________________________

FOR SALE:

Pre-war speedometer reading up to 60MPH. Never been used,

complete with bracket and screws.

$25. Eric Wiseman at ewiseman@netspeed.com.au...

or on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

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CHAPTER 4. FERRARI CARS

I suppose to most enthusiastic sporting motorists, the name Ferrari means a lot, both for the time the Company has been

in existence, and the wide variety, but small numbers of Grand Prix, Sports/Racing, and superb Road cars produced

was also a fascination for me, as a young man.

I know the reaction of a lot of motorists when confronted by the name Ferrari, are visions of a noisy, fast and perhaps com-plicated design as many of the cars feature a configuration of 12 cylinders in a V layout.

My experience over a long period, and the ownership and use of three distinct models, beginning with a 250 GTE, 275 GTB4, and my last 365 GT4 2+2 a car which may be remembered me as having when I joined this Club. I would point out that when I purchased these cars they did not command the astronomical sums that you see achieved these days, yes I was lucky! My first car was a 250 GTE 2+2, fitted with a four seater body by Farina and with a 3 litre V12 motor with a single OHC

per bank, and three double choke Weber carburettors . The transmission was a 4 speed gear box with an electric over drive. I

bought this car from W.H.Lowe and Co. the Australian Agents second hand. As a matter of interest the principal of the com-

pany was a long standing competitor in the Light Car Club and was in fact the first agent outside Italy to be appointed by

Ferrari. In 1972 Lowes provided me with a letter of introduction to the Ferrari works which enabled me to have an escorted

tour of the works one Saturday, when I was in Modena with access to both the GP Team shop, and the Sports racing shop,

where fresh from le Mans were the team of 365 Daytona's.

The 250 GTE was a good introduction to Ferraris, and it proved to be a comfortable. Swift transport for me and my growing

family, accompanied by the glorious mechanical sounds of its unique V12 engine. The car is still in the family, owned by

my son Brendan in Melbourne who suggested I took the car to the 40th anniversary celebrations of the Ferrari Owners Club

at Wangaratta in 2014, which I did.

The experience of the 250 GTE, and my visit to the Factory in 1972 spurred me on to the next Ferrari, this time in the shape of a 275 GTB4. This car had been brought into Australia by Bill Lowe and it was purchased from him by Bib Stillwell a well-known competitor in those days, then a doctor in NSW had it for a short time before being purchased by me as a rela-tive low mileage White Coupe.

The performance of the 275 was electrifying, and made the 250 GTE appear a bit of a slouch. The engine was again a V12

having a capacity of 3289 cc which provided 300bhp at 8000 rpm and indeed was the most exciting Ferrari I have driven .

The engine was fitted with no less than 6 double choke Webber carburettors and the 5 speed gear box was selected via an

open gate. Great Stuff!

The final car which perhaps members may remember was the 365 GT4 2+2 1 had for a period on the South Coast.

This car was as usual a V12, with two OHC per bank and the six carburettors and had capacity 4.4 litres. The same power as

the 275 but considerably heavier but with tremendous torque. It certainly had adequate performance and was a wonderful

tourer. My son Roderic from WA suggested that he would use the car more than me, so it is now in his hands.

On reflection the 3 cars I have enjoyed in different ways, the 250 GTE was a great introduction, the 275 GTB 4 was a great

delight whilst the 365 GT4 was more than adequate for me at my stage.

I am proud that of the 3 Ferraris I have enjoyed, two still remain in the family.

Graeme Quinn

MY LIFE WITH CARS AND BIKES by the late Graeme Quinn

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365365 GT4 2+2

275 GTB 4

250 GTE

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