More Gawler Club sporties at Collingrove

Here's Allen Rowley's Morgan-Fiat heading off up the hill in the "club parade".

....and here it is in the car park afterwards. The Buchanan connection is obvious.

From Trevor's camera comes this beaut little Singer special. There's at least a couple more sporty Singers in the club as well.

Here's another shot of that Kestrel.....

.....and this is that Weber we were talking about.

A run with the Gawler Club

Today was come and try day at Collingrove Hillclimb. The Gawler Car Club organised a run to the hill. We met at the Gawler TAFE car park and were all given a map and running sheet and we travelled to Collingrove via Sandy Creek, Cockatoo Valley, Williamstown, Springton and Eden Valley, over some very nice roads and through some really good countryside. The club boasts a wide variety of cars and motorbikes and there was quite an array of them today including this Kestrel clubman. Don't be fooled by the Lotus badges, this is the very first of a number of Kestrels built by Greg Mobbs and still appears to be exactly as it was made in about 1974, even down to the Globe wheels. If the owner was thinking about historic rego I'd put my hand up to vouch for it, as would Smeetsy, I reckon (he once owned it as he has with most interesting sports cars in South Australia). It's even got the same old Weber sticking out of the right hand side of the bonnet.

I bet you all thought the Commodore came out in 1979. Well, this is a 1949 Commodore, a Hudson in fact. We travelled behind it for much of the way and it has a reasonable turn of speed. From behind, it looks just like a Mark 10 Jag but by the time Jaguar came out with the Mark 10, Hudson were well and truly finished with the shape.

The little Zeta was there again, it goes to everything. The unoccupied seats came out for the parade run up the hill, they get serious, some of these people. Or maybe it needed all the weight loss it could get. When we were young, Josie Gale had one down in Kingston and one of its features was the ability to whip the seats out in a flash. There's a lady in Blackwood who uses a similar Zeta regularly so they're still around.

This one has a speeding fine proudly displayed in the back window.

I'm fairly keen on the old Model A Ford. I wish I still had some photos of my old A Model mud plugger with the overhead valve conversion. Anyway, the lady that owns this one has done some pretty heavy duty trips around the country which probably accounts for the mesh grille over the radiator and the 1932 wheels which would make life easier.

Just a bit more on the Farm Fair

Here's that Lanz Bulldog again.

Among other things, the Gates mob had a couple of their sprintcars there and they took this one out on the trotting track and fired it up. What an incredible amount of horsepower they put down on relatively loose surfaces.

This must be the spare car as it had no engine in it. I took this photo to show the attention to detail in chassis construction compared to what I remember years ago. Not that long ago Port Adelaide Constructions had their fabrication facility in Kapunda where the fodder store now is.

This is the other one complete with engine and everything else.

.....and this is Carter and Carter (Golden Guitar winners at Tamworth) entertaining a packed grandstand.

I was mainly there to help promote the upcoming Kapunda community shed (to be called "The Shed") but did manage to get around a bit.

Talking about the Farm Fair........

Remember the KL Bulldog? The Historical Society took it down to the farm fair, its first outing on its new tyres. Here it is in the grand parade.

But in a case of one-upmanship, this bloke from Waikerie brought along his great big LANZ Bulldog.

Here's Bob Tilbrook and Malcolm Johncock (no relation to the Crows' Johncock I'm told) in the Morris hearse, the restoration of which has been described in a previous post. Peter Windebank wanted a ride but the only spare spot was in the coffin. However, the lid was securely screwed down. Can't remember if anybody was in there when that was done.

This is Bob (another Bob) feeling very proud of his White Super Power. He's a White fanatic and he's done a great job on this truck. He's my source of information for getting everything correct when organising Historic Rego on the odd truck.

And just look at this steam tractor. In it's past life it pulled logs out of a forest in Tasmania. Now it's part of the Ahrens collection in Sheoak Log. The only non-original item is the steam whistle which has been nicked off the locomotive in the playground in Gawler.

New products

Here's a polution free ride-on mower. This was at the Farm Fair at the trotting track last week.

Still in the land of the living.

Thank you everybody for all of those emails checking if I am still alive. Thank you for your concern. That's what happens when you slow down on the blog. I'd better get my finger out. There's been some on-going family issues (thank goodness it's only a small family) but in addition to that I've been down in Adelaide at a workshop and instead of doing heaps of driving, stayed overnight at the (formerly Levi) caravan park at Hackney, walking distance (even for me) from the Hackney pub. And when you wake up in the morning and look out one window there's this nice park.....

.....and out the other side there's the Torrens. It's a nice part of the world, right in the city. And everybody's friendly, the Queensland dragon boat racers staying in the park, the people riding their bikes and walking to work along the river, everyone at the pub etc. etc.

And just across the road is the corner deli. That's a dying breed. It reminds me of the little bottle shop on another corner near to there that used to be run by the Deckert family many years ago if I remember rightly. Another great bottle shop was just near the Mt. Lofty Railway Station. You could catch the train into the hills and go home with all sorts of wonderful wines you'd never see in other places. I wonder if either of them are still there.

Real Estate

Yesterday I went and had a look at a church that might be coming on to the market. I'm mainly putting these images on the blog for Jane to see because she's down in town at a seminar. But anyway, what a great little church. It will make an ideal art studio and a bit of a home away from home, don't you think? You might recognise it from a BCCA calendar a couple of years ago. The bell has gone - flogged off to a church in another country town that broke theirs - might be just as well.

It's complete with organ and pulpit and a roll of red carpet, all of which could come in handy I guess.

Look at the timber in the roof, that's what I like.

It has its own graveyard and this is the back of the church from the graveyard.

....and this is the dunny. It's a longdrop of course. There's lots of nice spots for BBQs and lots of room for parking.

Could somebody in Western Australia please explain?

Another Bolwell badge

Here's a couple of shots of the latest Bolwell badge produced by the South Australian club. They're $12.00 each. Order them via here, or give me a call (0413 226 009), or use your credit card and order through Beven Young.

Nagari badges will be next. I'll let you know when they're ready.

Farewell old friend.

Here's the SR6 loaded into its container and strapped down so it can't move. It's off to the West for a new life in Historic Racing. In the morning it'll be on the train and should be in Perth by Thursday. Look after it John. I'm sure you will.

Big weekend for Tom coming up.

VWs are where it all began, see below.

“I’m an absolute Volkswagen junkie, so it is a dream come true to be able to represent VW and APR. I think it all started because my father’s Australian Formula 2 racecar used a Golf engine. Back in Australia I even used to proudly wear the VW logo on top of my go-kart helmet because I love the ‘dub’ that much.For my first road car I bought a Golf - a 1976 Mk1 - which my father and I worked pretty heavily, installing a 16v engine out of a later model GTI. I hill-climbed that car, and when it was time for my first true racing car we bought a Super Vee (VW powered open-wheeler), so I’m really going back to my roots this weekend.”And that he is. To support his early racing Drewer worked for an Australian APR agent, German Auto, in South Australia. For the record, Drewer won the Under 2000cc Road Registered category at the 2001 South Australian Hillclimb Championships in his 1976 VW Golf Mk1, was 2002 South Australian Super Vee Rookie of the Year and the 2003 FVASA Super Vee Drivers’ Champion.“I enjoyed great success in Volkswagens so I’m hoping I can continue the trend for APR and VW DriverGear in the new Mk6 GTI.”

Classic Adelaide 2010 - FYI. A few questions answered, a few more raised.

Classic Adelaide under Major Threat
Tuesday, 30 March 2010 09:48 Ryan Schembri

In a major blow to the iconic South Australian event, Director of the Classic Adelaide Rally, Ivar Stanelis today released a media statement regarding the closure of the Classic Adelaide organisations offices and the apparent collapse of Parent Company Silverstone Events owned by David Edwards.
“Some of you may or may not have seen the television news reports regarding the collapse of the Classic Adelaide rally and Silverstone Events. Sadly it probably leaves more questions than it answers, but I thought it would be good to send out some information to as many of our hard working officials and other members of the rally community.” said Mr Stanelis“Here are some facts of the situation:
· David Edwards is the owner of Silverstone Events which runs the Classic Adelaide Rally.
· None of the organising committee (R.A.G) have had their costs covered or money paid for the 2009 event, including Rally One which is the company under which I operate as the Clerk of Course.
· There are many other suppliers of goods and services to the event that have also not been paid for the 2009 event.
· The phones at the Silverstone Events office have been disconnected for the last few weeks and messages and emails have not been responded to.
· The office is vacant and it is locked securely.
· There are several dozen competitors who have paid their 2010 entry fee, who are now seriously concerned that they have lost their money.
· Removalist vehicles were yesterday moving all of David Edwards’ furniture and belongs from his city residence to an unknown destination and he is not answering his mobile phone.
Mr Stanelis went on to say “As a senior official of the rally over many years, it deeply saddens me that all of the hard work, dedication and passion of the 800 rally officials have been disrespected in this way. The visionary group of people that created Classic Adelaide 13 years ago must be truly dismayed at this outcome. The event deserved a better finale than this.”“However, all may not be lost. Despite the apparent failure of Silverstone Events, Classic Adelaide is still a very popular event on the Australian motor sport calendar and has enormous support from many quarters. As a result, it appears that there may be a few interested parties that are considering stepping in and taking over the running of the event. Although it may face many fundamental changes, we may see the event live on”, Mr Stanelis confirmed.“Hopefully this will not be my last communication to you as Clerk of Course for the Classic Adelaide… but if it is, I personally want to thank each and everyone of you for your help, friendship, hard work and dedication. I hope to work with you again soon”, a disappointed Mr Stanelis said.

Last of the old Nagaris

The other day I received these 2 photos from Peter G of B8/115, the latest numbered Nagari FACTORY photos he has. "The car has been owned for 30+ years & has occasionally been used in 1/8 mile drags, that should explain the tyres. The owner has recently retired and is anticipating restoring in the near future."

Peter asked if I had any photos of later cars so naturally I responded with this one which is B8/117. I took the photo because the later, more effective boot seal was new to me at the time. It was, like quite a few others, billed as the very last body to leave the factory. It was built up by Victorian, Kevin Davies and he brought it along to an Easter in the mid 70s. In 1979 he repainted it black and in 1984 it was sold to Greg and Derinda in Queensland where it has been stored in a shed and never driven (at least up until 2008 when I last heard from them). They have a collection of Ford powered vehicles which they DO drive, actually driving their Model A from their home near Airlie Beach to Adelaide and back for a national rally down this way.Does anybody else have any photos of or recollections of later model Nagaris than these? I do know that B8/119 was the yellow roadster that Dave Calver had. I don't know if he still has it as I lost contact with him when he moved from Sydney to the Gold Goast. I am aware that B8/120 and B8/121 went to Sydney and that B8/125 was the body/chassis that went to New Zealand.

SR6 - Back to the future.

Following on from the "last post". I'll change that to previous post. Anyway, the only response to the request for photos was this reference to the photo below from the Henry Stork collection. It's pretty much from about the same period. It's still in the hands of Alan Newton, it's at Calder, it still has the old roll bar and we're told it was about 1974. So according to the original logbook it was 25-5-74. Alan's Blanchard Holden sponsorship is on the side of the car. Also according to the logbook, on 26-6-74 the car was in the hands of E.J. (John) White.

This photo is also dated 1974 and shows John competing in the Six Hour as part of the Victorian Bolwell Car Club's team. By then it had the more substantial roll bar that it still has, and headlight covers.

Here it is in the pits on that same occasion, alongside the trailer that came with it, still with Graeme Blanchard emblazoned on the side. The windscreen is a bit different today as is the radiator air outlet..........

..........but, as this shot shows it's just like it was back then.

In the previous year, at the Six Hour, John was seconded to make up the numbers in the South Australian Bolwell team with this Holden powered Clubman styled sports car. That's a frantic looking John in the light blue overalls.

SR6 - the old days

This has to be one of the oldest photos of the SR6 around, not counting the Bolwell archive photos taken at the factory when the car was being built. I say this because it still has the single roll over hoop behind the driver's seat. It does, however, have a rather unusual frontal treatment incorporating the front flares. Does anybody have any older shots or racing photos?

It's not as old as this familiar shot of the car chasing down the more powerful Elfin at Warwick Farm in September 1970 in Alan Newton's only venture outside Victoria in the time that he raced it between 1969 and 1974 when it was taken over by John White.Apart from the Warwick Farm sojourn, Alan ran the car regularly at Phillip Island, Calder, Lakeland, Sandown, Morwell and Winton.

Also at Eddington.

B8/7 also competed at the 2010 Eddington sprints in the hands of new owner, Derek O'Donoghue.