....and the office.

and this has nothing to do with anything but more flowers came out in the cactus patch last night and I think they look beaut.

A bit of a walk around the rest of the workshop

Progress in Spain

Fitting of the doors is in progress at the moment. It's all very troublesome. They're not lining up too well. That's one problem I've never had. Mark 5s and Mark 7s yes, but not Nagaris. However, I've only messed around with complete doors. These haven't got their outer skins on. Must be out of shape. I don't really understand. Are these new door pieces that haven't been put together yet?

The new tail-lights and front blinkers are on now.

Essen Motor Show

Every year we Bolwell people receive an invitation to the long running and prestigious Essen Motor Show but nowhere among the glossy brochures and stickers are the return plane tickets. I shook the envelope this year but still couldn't find them. Well it's been on again this week although a little subdued compared to other years due, apparently, to the "difficult economic times" with one hall entirely unused. Originally it began as a contempory racing car show but over the years attention has gradually moved to aftermarket and tuning accessories. This year, they did, however, lay out a track to demonstrate current racing cars. One prominent display featured Lotus 'racing legends' and included this Lotus 7 which was where this whole clubman thing began.

Or was it? Its predecessor was this Lotus 6, an example of which races in Historic events in Australia.

Another display featured this radical Silver Shadow. I've read words like "sacrilege" to describe it. I don't know, there seems to be lots of well used RRs laying around back yards these days. You may as well do something with them. What do you think? My brother-in-law, Gary, spends tens of thousands on his, keeping it original, and at the end of the day, he still only has a $20,000 motor car, not that he'd ever want to sell it.

And what about this brand of GT40 replica, the Geiger GT? Couldn't miss it on a dark night.

FJ reflections

Here's a better look at those wide 15s.

....and here's what Colin was talking about with the variations in height between the stockie and the Apendix J car. Look where the over-riders are on that one.

Despite the "J" on the door alongside the number in the Eastern States, I don't remember them as Apendix J much. They were always Pre-EH Holdens to me. But then they had to call them something before the EH came along. It's because I'm so young you see. Pre-EH was a class for grey motor Holdens. The EH heralded the red motor. In South Australia, at least, we had fields of mostly humpies but a do recall an FE and an EJ and later an FC came along.

And out in the street......

Out in the street a small selection of some of the arrivals. My apologies if your car isn't here.
1. Brian and Deanna's Sunbeam Talbot.

2. Two Simca Aronde station wagons in the same place at the same time. Must be a record. Behind is a sleeve valve Falcon Knight and behind that again is Dale and Dianne's Mark 5 Jag.

3. Ray and Jean's Prefect from Riverton.

4. A Torana from another Holden fleet.

5. Chook's Marina and Noel's A30.

And Fords too

Just to show Chris and Darril are not totally biassed here's a couple of Fords.
Firstly Chris' Mustang.

And secondly Darril's 1926 T-model.

Some nice Holdens in Kapunda.

Last week the Kapunda Chapter of NARCs (Northern Automotive Restorers Club) celebrated their 20th birthday and, as former members, Jane and I were invited along. It was at Chris and Darril's and among other things it was a good chance to see Darril's collection of Holdens. Here are just a few of them. He seems to have restored examples of most of the early ones and is now working his way through the Torana and Commodore range. His everyday driver, apart from the V8 BrUTE, is a gutsy VE GTS. I recall a huge cloud of tyre smoke and lots of noise in Baker Street one morning and thinking when is Darril going to grow up, he's almost my age. But apparently the throttle had jammed open and he catapulted into Dutton Park before he could shut it down. Just as well the gates were open. Anyway, enough of that. Here's a HD and an FJ. The wider wheels on the FJ look good and they're 15s. We used to always get 13s made up if we were fitting widies when we were kids. But the 15s look far better and more authentic, don't you think?

Here's an FC ute that's pretty well finished.

And this EK wagon is original and has only covered 30,000 miles.

And finally here's the EK's bog standard grey motor. I love 'em.Terry was there too and as a long serving GMH employee was full of interesting stories like how they got the doors to fit and how they got the crappy old red motors to run.

Insurance on classic cars.

From a FHMC meeting the following was noted.
It has been reported that the Australian Insurance Council (for whatever reason!!) is moving to remove the clause for the owner of a vehicle to retain the right to keep a written off vehicle after an accident. Check your new or renewal policy.
This is for real. Shannons has reported that it does not support such action and will not comply. Once again, check your policy.

New Nagari update 2

The subframes seem very well built and I've heard the uprights described as a work of art.

Two new cars are being built, one Ferrari red and the other yellow.

New Nagari update 1

Last night the Vics took their monthly meeting to the New Nagari "Skunk Works". Campbell wanted to know people's reactions to the proposed new rear spoiler.

Personally, I reckon it improves the car immeasurably, but you know me and spoilers. I think Panteras look naked without the rear spoiler.

This is the VicRoads rego label. The make is an "Indcon". Don't ask me what that is. Probably stands for Independent Constructor or Individual Construction. I guess it's better than SA where we are all driving around in "Other Makes". And how about in Queensland where every time the computer sees the word "Bolwell" it tells you you are a scooter rider. Recently when I went to register the Mark 4 and quoted its stamped chassis number as B4/54, the woman assisting me told me that it was an impossibility because that chassis number was already on a 4-wheel trailer in another state.

The Hartley V8

John Hartley, in America, spent 4 years developing this engine. Now he's producing them and they are in demand. In answer to Glenn's query about an Australian distributor, I would say that there probably isn't one because John builds them to order and there's plenty of orders. I could be wrong, Skelta are using them. They would be a good start in asking the question.

John is not from an automotive engineering background, but a clubman racer looking for more power. His V8, the H1V8 3-litre is a 32 valve unit weighing less than most 4 cylinder engines. He began by looking at watercooled motorcycle engines and settled on the Suzuki Haybusa from which it is derived by mating two of these 4-cylinder units into a V8, casting the block and heads in alloy. These are not the usual 90 degree V8s but 75 degrees to make them compact enough to fit in the same space as a 4-cylinder engine. The target market is for track cars and other lightweight race vehicles which are limited for size and weight reasons.