Freewheeling October 2017 PDF V4

Freewheeling

October 2017

New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory. Proudly associated with: Council of Motor Clubs. Association of British Car Clubs. Council of ACT Motor Clubs Registered by Australia Post as Print Post Publication No. PP 255003/0141 Registered with the National Library of Australia. ISSN 2206-2963. 1

Dennis specializes in : ~ Rover classics ~ Land Rover ~ Discovery ~ Range Rover * Modifications * General repairs * Trip preparation * RTA registration inspections * CAMS rally registration inspections

Triggs Motors

88 Excelsior Parade, Toronto ABN:45413062141 Phone (02) 4959 2122 MVRL:27049. Fax (02) 4959 5061 Email [email protected].

ISSN 2206– 2963 Freewheeling.

President President’s Comments Ian Shearman president @roverownersclub.com.au This month has been somewhat quieter than last. The first activity was the Oasis Run, which was a drive to Vice President Brooklyn to board a ferry for the Postman’s Run along Richard Dalziel vicepresident the Hawkesbury River for postal deliveries, to waterfront @roverownersclub.com.au homes and villages. While we were on board we had Club Captain morning tea and afterwards lunch. A very pleasant few Andrew Holland Club captain hours. @roverownersclub.com.au Secretary The next activity was the general meeting at which An- Warren McEwen secretary drew Holland brought his Rover 825 Si Special and @roverownersclub.com.au proudly spoke about it. Excellent, Andy! Treasurer Richard Dalziel treasurer The October long weekend saw the much anticipated V8 @roverownersclub.com.au Anniversary which had been planned by our late Presi- Registrar dent Nick Munting. This was started by a run from Robert Walker registrar Loftus, through the coastal towns to Kiama, where we @roverownersclub.com.au stayed overnight; then going to the Australian Motorlife Museum at Kembla Grange. Our heartfelt thanks must Editor editor be given to Stuart Rigby for the planning and implement- Ken Dunkley @roverownersclub.com.au ing of the Saturday trip and activities, including the “foodie” add -ons, as well as providing and organising Web master webmaster Rob Turner accommodation, including some of us at his own @roverownersclub.com.au home. As well as that, we must give our commiserations to Robert Walker, whose P6B failed to proceed, resulting For a full list of all positions including phone num- in it having to be flat-topped from somewhere near Sea- bers, see the back pages of this magazine. cliff Bridge to Stuart’s home in Kiama. t There, he repair team, comprising Andrew Holland, Peter Scott, Ray Gar- Cover Photos rett, Stuart Rigby and Robert himself were able to fix the Front Cover; errant petrol pump and get the car rolling again. On Sun- day we had a good roll-up, including a Buick Compact that used the engine which became the Rover V8. Two Rover Motorbikes owned by Barry Murdoch. More details in Our next formal activity is our own Display Day at the this issue of Freewheeling. Museum of Fire and I hope that we are able to get a good roll-up there.

On page 7 you will find a short article written by Back Cover. our Spare Parts Officer, Barry astride one of his Rover Paul Anley, about Motorbikes difficulties which he has and had, relating to some the 2017 National Veteran members not understanding Motorcycle Rally attended by what he does for them. I urge every member to read Peter and Gail Scott. and understand the excellent service he gives and the efforts he expends in trying to help our members. Ian 3

The ink had hardly dried on the September issue of Freewheeling when news came of yet another P1. Have a look at the photo below and the enlarged insert and you will see it is clearly labelled P1. Now if you think this is a bit much to believe., read the explanation at the bottom of the page.

The unusual car in the photo was seen at the Capel Manor show in the UK in September 2017. The photo was provided by Jim Paling in the UK. Jim has a rare 1934 Rover and regularly contributes to Freewheeling.

The car is a 1934 Morris 25. Only three others are known to exist in various conditions. The engine is the 3 and a half litre side valve often fitted to light trucks and various military vehicles of the WW2 era, such as the Morris Quad gun-tractor. (see next page for more details) The car has just been restored after passing through many hands without getting finished. Owner Mick has done a great job.

The P1 in the window is a sign of the owner’s determination to display his car in the optimum spot. He arrived at 08:30 when no one was supposed to be there before 10:00. Being the first there, he got number 1.

Morris Quad Gun Tractor The Morris Commercial C8 FAT (Field Artillery Tractor), commonly known as a Quad, is an artillery tractor used by the British and Commonwealth (including Canadian Army) forces during the Second World War. It was used to tow field artillery pieces, such as the 25-pounder gun-howitzer, and anti-tank guns, such as the 17-pounder. Although its sloped sides suggest otherwise, the Quad was not armoured. In 1937 the War Department identified a need for a new FAT to supplement, and then replace, the Light Dragon and Morris CDSWs then in service. A speci- fication was issued for a four-wheeled, four-wheel drive vehicle, with winch, on a short chassis. Guy Motors produced their design quite quickly using existing components, and Morris followed with theirs. It was a totally new, but conven- tional, design evolved from the CS8. It included a new four-cylinder engine mounted on a subframe and not directly onto the chassis. Like the Guy, the body had a very characteristic slope sided, "beetle back" shape. It was all-metal and designed to facilitate chemical weapon decontamination, as well as to enable a gun traversing platform to be carried on the rear roof section. In addition to 6 men, it was capable of carrying 24 com- Morris-Commercial Quad, limber, and 25- plete boxed rounds of 25-pounder ammunition and at least 8 boxed antitank pounder field gun crossing a pontoon bridge shells, together with vehicle and gun detachment equipment. at Slaght Bridge in Antrim, Northern Ireland, The first Morris C8 Quad was delivered in October 1939 and it then stayed in production until 1945. There were two major changes to the mechanical side of 26 June 1942 the vehicle, and two independent ones to the body. The engine/chassis design was used on other Morris types, such as the C8 Morris 15 cwt truck. A long-wheelbase version was used to produce the C9B self-propelled Bofors Light Anti-Aircraft Tractor.

At the end of the war the Quad stayed in British service in the same roles. It saw extensive action in the Korean War and Ma- laya. Many of the Commonwealth and Allied forces took their Quads to their home countries, and were provided with more ex- British ones to fully re-equip. The Royal Netherlands Army subsequently made extensive use of theirs in the East Indies. The British rebuilt many of their Quads in the early 1950s, extending their useful life until 1959 when the last was sold off. They were replaced by three-ton tractors, derived from the Bedford RL and Fordson Thames E4

Reference for above. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_C8

Ladies and Gentlemen Start your engines!! The 2018 National Rove is fast approaching. Don’t forget your Rocker Cover Racer. The rules below have been issued by the Race Controller for the event. Make sure you read them and obey them.

NATIONAL ROVE 2018 – RACER COVER JAMBOREE

Overall Race Guidelines Competitors should construct a race vehicle using an engine valve rocker or camshaft cover (here-after called Racer Cover) from, ideally, a Rover's engine. It can have as many wheels as desired by the constructor. Racer Covers mounted on skate boards will not be eligible to take part in our Jamboree. A Racer Cover can be decorated in a creative way. The competing Racer Cover is to be powered only by gravity. In a race, two Racer Covers are placed at the top of a specially constructed ramp, which will be of swooping downhill gradient, with the overall track being straight. The Racer Covers for each heat will be released on an audible signal, and the first to cross the finish line beyond the end of the ramp, wins that heat of the event. Our Racer Cover Jamboree most certainly welcomes entries from children attending the 2018 National Rove. These guidelines may change depending on the weather and conditions at the race venue.

Classes There will be three classes: Class I Racers – Valve Covers, Adults Class II Racers – Valve Covers, Children Under Fourteen In addition to those classes, there will be one static class: Class III Best Decorated Racer Cover The Course: 1. The course shall consist of a marked out track, approximately 4 metres in length. 2. The course will include a swoop launch ramp, followed by a level coasting track with a soft barrier at the end. 3. The track will be divided into two lanes of 300 mm (12 inches) width. The ramp will be divided down the middle to prevent the racers from colliding, and will have edging to prevent the racers leaving the ramp. 4. The start will be by means of the each race participant holding their Racer Cover against the top rail and releasing it at the audible signal for each heat. 5. The finish line will be clearly defined by a line marked across the track. The Racing:  Racer Cover races will be run in heats of two, in one-off elimination rounds.  The Racer Covers will be launched with their rear face held against the start rail on the ramp.  The race will be started by an audible signal, controlled by an independent operator.  The first Racer Cover across the finishing line will be deemed the winner of the heat.  Should neither Racer Cover cross the finish line, the cover travelling the farthest on the track will be the winner of the heat.  Winning covers will advance to the next round until all but the winning finalist in each class are eliminated. Racer Cover Entries There could be further information announced in a coming edition of Viking Torque and in other Rover club magazines. To join in on this fun event, entries can be registered by E-mail to: [email protected] or, by post to: Racer Cover Jamboree, PO Box 3114, Nunawading, VICTORIA 3131. All entries should be registered before 14th April, 2018. Above all, our Racer Cover Jamboree will be a relaxed and pleasurable event!

Mike Allfrey – Race Controller. 6

A FAIR GO FOR THE CLUB SPARES OFFICER

Friends; I have had the honour to serve as the clubs Spare Parts Officer for over 10 years, but I have a problem. The problem is members requesting items from our Leets Vale store and when the item becomes available (usually within a few days) they totally lose interest, do not bother to collect or even view the item they requested. Case 1. A member requested a very large panel for his vehicle. As parts officer I drove to Leets Vale to pick it up only to find it would not fit in my van. That was my fault, however the very next day I again drove from Rydalmere to Leets Vale to pick up the item. On returning with the part in question I contacted the member who after a least 3 calls was unable to inspect the panel. As it had a miniscule dent, he fobbed it off without even viewing the item. He need not make any request in future. Two trips, my time and a tank of fuel wasted. Case 2; A member needed a replacement rear bumper for his vehicle which had been backed into a post. Again I drove to Leets Vale picked up the rear bumper and kept it at my place until he could pick it up. He assured me it would be within 6 weeks. That was 18 months ago and I am still waiting to see him. The $50 bumper which was straight but could use a re- chroming, has since gone to another member. Case 3 An interstate owner requested a P3 gearbox for parts. It was duly sourced at Leets Vale and brought to my home for pick up. Three years later it is still here.

If one is into statistics around 40% of requested parts are never picked up, which is quite frustrating. Folks please remember, these are NOT new but used parts as one might find at a wreckers yard. Our store is in fact a corrugat- ed iron shed kindly made available to us by our Secretary at a pepper corn rent. The whole concept is to try and have parts available (which are fast becoming scarce) for members. At the very least, all panels will need repainting. For members requiring replacement rubber parts please try Scott’s Old Rubber in Melbourne yourself. Should you require new parts try the suppliers listed in ROVERNET or JR Wadham in the UK. The Rover Owners Club does not purchase parts on members behalf for the previously mentioned reasons. Please be aware, Leets Vale is 70km from my home at Rydalmere, which means a 140km round trip, plus 3 hours travel time, and $20 in petrol. Members are welcome to arrange to meet me, or travel with me to Leets Vale, at any convenient time to view & select parts..Warren McEwen is also happy to bring parts back with him when convenient, to reduce the number of special trips to Leets Vale. I want to take this opportunity to thank Robert Walker, Andrew Holland and Warren McEwen for their assistance in obtaining the required parts as often my personal affliction does not allow me to do so myself. . For those who do the correct thing, my thanks and respects. Paul Anley

Leets Vale. On the western side of the Hawkesbury River.

Rydalmere

D 2 ALA L 0 Y B R I T 1 S H 7 Sharp eyed members who read the September issue of Freewheeling will have observed that the cover photo showed two Rover Motor bikes and a Rover push bike but the list of vehicles on page 20 of the September Freewheeling, failed to acknowledge their presence. The following text and photos have been provided by the owners of the motor bikes, Barry Murdoch, to correct the error. Read on

Rover Imperial 3 ½ HP 500cc 1cyl s/v Motorcycle. Text and photos by Barry Murdoch.

John K Starley formed the Rover Cycle Company Limited in June 1896 at the New Meteor Works in Coventry having had considerable success manufacturing “safety” bicycles. He decided in 1899 to import some Peugeot motorcycles from France for development. John Starley died in 1901, aged 46 and was succeeded as Managing Director by Harry Smith, who continued motorcycle development and launched the Company’s first model ‘Rover Imperial’ in 1902 a motorcycle that was considered well ahead of its time with a well- designed engine that had mechanical operated valves, spray carburettor, a strong frame with double front down tubes and an excellent finish. This bike created a lot of interest and thousands were sold in 1904. However, in 1905 a serious slump in motorcycle sales began because public confidence in motorcycles had waned considerably due to the marketing of many inferior brands and badly engineered models. Rover didn’t want to risk its good reputation and stopped motorcycle production entirely to concentrate on the bicycle business. In 1910 the motorcycle’s future seemed rosy again and designer John Greenwood (later of Sunbeam fame) was commis- sioned to draw up a new engine. Prior to WW1 Rover had produced their own 500cc side valve engine with an 85mm bore and an 88mm stroke. The new engine had spring loaded tappets. The Bosch magneto was placed high and dry behind the cylinder barrel and it was driven by a silent “inverted tooth” chain. The Carburettor was by Brown and Barlow and Durid front forks were fitted. The new model appeared at the Olympia show at the end of 1910. Some 500 machines of the 1910/1911 type were sold, hardly any changes were made to the 1912 model proving that design had been a good one.

There was three types of transmissions available at this time, a direct drive, a Philipson pulley and a three speed Sturmey Archer rear hub, this bike is fitted with a Philipson pulley and it is this drive that attracts a lot of atten- tion. The Philipson pulley has an internal spring tensioned reverse thread and is operated by centrifugal force, as the pulley spins faster the centrifugal force closes the V pulley that rais- es the drive belt in the V and increases the drive ratio, a 1912 automatic transmission !!!!

The wonderful restoration of this 1912 Motor- cycle is the work of Chris Nixon and his fa- ther from Muswellbrook, Chris is an ROC member.

My other Rover Motorcycle is a 1919 Model Rover that I imported from the Netherlands. It is fitted with the same engine as the 1912 bike. In 1915 the addition of a 3 speed counter shaft gearbox and clutch was introduced and the front forks were fitted with horizontal top springs, the petrol tank got a slightly tapered shape and the mudguards were made wider, altering the performance of the bike considerably. From then through until 1924 few changes were made. Both of these bikes are fitted with fully operational carbide /acetylene front and rear lights. The Rover Co was a prolific manufacturer of motorcycles during the Great War, supplying both the British and Russian Armies. Eventually the Rover Co concentrated its efforts on car manufacture. Motorcycle production ceased in 1924 by which time over 10,000 motorcycles had been produced. This motorcycle was delivered new in Stockholm and then made its way to the Netherlands where it was partly restored to its existing state and used in the making of the movie Sa vit som en sno, I was given a video of this movie but I have no idea what it is all about, (I can’t speak Dutch.) The question has been asked, what are they like to ride. You may be surprised to learn that they are pleasantly comfortable, and they go quite well, especially the 1919 bike with the clutch and gearbox but they don’t stop very well, so it doesn’t make much sense to try and go too quick. I am fortunate that, in the Hunter Valley we have some good quiet country roads where I am able to ride them. Another characteristic of these bikes that you may find interesting is that they are both dry sump motors---they have no engine crank-case oil sump, they are total waste engines, all excess oil from the oil lubricating tank and pump that is mounted on the petrol tank, after having lubricated the engine goes straight out the bottom, so, when you park the bike in the drive it is best to make sure it is someone else’s drive, they leak a lot of oil. (see details on next page Ed) I do hope that you find these bikes and their history as fascinating as I do.

SO WHAT IS TOTAL LOSS LUBRICATION SYSTEM AND DID IT PERSIST INTO THE JET AGE? A total-loss oiling system is an engine lubrication system whereby oil is introduced into the engine, and then either burned or ejected overboard. Now rare in four-stroke engines, total loss oiling is still used in many two-stroke engines.

Steam engines used many separate oil boxes, dotted around the engine. Each one was filled before starting and often refilled during running. Where access was difficult, usually because the oil box was on a moving component, the oil box had to be large enough to contain enough oil for a long working shift. To control the flow rate of oil from the reservoir to the bearing, the oil would flow through an oil wick by capillary action, rather than downwards under gravity. On steamships that ran their engines for days at a time, some crew members would be "oilers" whose primary duty was to continuously monitor and maintain oil boxes.

On steam locomotives, access would be impossible during running, so in some cases centralised mechanical lubricators were used. These devices comprised a large oil tank with a multiple-outlet pump which fed the engine's bearings through a pipe system. Lubrication of the engine's internal valves was done by adding oil to the steam supply, using a displace- ment lubricator

The first recirculating systems used a collection sump, but no pumped circulation, merely 'splash' lubrication where the connecting rod dipped into the oil surface and splashed it around. These first appeared on high-speed steam engines. Lat- er, splash lubrication engines added a 'dipper', a metal rod whose only function was to dip into the oil and spread it around. As engines became faster and more powerful, the amount of oil required became so great that a total loss system would have been impractical, both technically and for cost. Splash lubrication was also used on the first internal combustion engines. It persisted for some time, even in the first high-performance cars. One of Ettore Bugatti's first technical innovations was a minor improvement to the splash lubrication of crankshafts, helping to establish his reputation as an innovative engineer. A more sophisticated form of splash lubrication, long-used for rotating motor shafts rather than reciprocating engines, was the ring oiler.

Later systems collect oil in a sump, from where it can be collected and pumped around the engine again, usually after rudimentary filtering. This system has long been the norm for larger internal combustion engines. A pumped oil system can use higher oil pressures and so makes the use of hydrostatic bearings easier. These gave a greater load capacity and soon became essential for small, lightweight engines such as in cars. It was this bearing design that saw the end of splash lubrication and total loss oiling. It disappeared from nearly all cars in the 1920s, although total loss continued in small low power stationary engines into the 1950s. Chevrolet used splash lubrication for their rod bearings until 1953, where it was phased out for the 235 'Six,' and then in 1954 when the 216 was eliminated from their line, and both the solid lifter and hydraulic lifter versions of the 235 had full-pressure lubrication. Two-stroke engines have a total-loss lubrication system. Lubricating oil is mixed with the fuel, either manually before- hand (the petroil method), or automatically via an oil pump. Prior to being burned in the combustion chamber, this air/ fuel/oil mixture passes through the engine's crankcase, lubricating the moving parts as it does so. In order to reduce ex- haust smoke, the Kawasaki H2 750 cc (46 cu in) 2-stroke triple motorcycle had a scavenge pump with a spring-loaded ball-valve under each crankcase to return surplus oil to the tank for reuse.[

Wankel engines are internal combustion engines using an eccentric rotary design to convert pressure into rotating mo- tion. These engines exhibit some features of both four stroke and two stroke engines. Lubrication is total loss, but there may be some variations. For instance, the MidWest AE series of Wankel aero-engines were not only both water-cooled and air-cooled, but also the engine had a lubrication system which is a semi-total-loss system. Silkolene 2-stroke oil was directly injected into the inlet tracts and onto the main roller bearings. The oil that entered the combustion chamber lubricated the rotor tips and was then total-loss, but the oil that fed the bearings became a mist within the rotor-cooling air, and around 30% of that oil was recovered and returned to the remote oil tank. Reference for above. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total-loss_oiling_system

Was a total loss lubrication system really old fashioned or did it survive into the jet age?

A total loss lubrication system did survived right into the jet age. The rear bearing of the DE Havilland Goblin gas turbine engine used in a variety of aircraft including the de Haviland Vampire was a total loss lubrication system. So for some years the pilots of the RAAF were trained on an aircraft featuring a total loss lubrication system.

What are Durid Motorcycle Forks?

Back when girder forks were status quo, various types were tried and developed. With most following the same basic principals, they were, not surprisingly, very similar in design. The types of girder forks found on motorcycles fall broadly into two main categories: parallelogram and leading link.

Probably the earliest example of the parallelogram type is the Druid, pa- tented posthumously in 1917 by the estate of one Arthur Drew. Druid forks are recognizable as looking like a bicycle fork with a strengthening brace at the front and a couple of coil springs behind. Though some models included rebound springs, there was typically no provision for damping.

Most popular in terms of usage on pre-WWII British motorcycles was the Webb fork, which again used a parallelogram linkage to allow for suspension travel, usually controlled by a large central spring. Ad- vantages over the Druid included the option of a rotary friction damper and tapered coil springs for progressive compression. Whether Mr. Webb ever made any money from his invention is unlikely, as just about every British motorcycle manufacturer built its own fork following the basic Webb design.

The Brampton fork, later fitted to Vincents, was similar in concept to the Webb. Vincent’s own Girdraulic fork used forged alloy blades for extra strength instead of the welded tube construction of the Brampton, and added hydraulic damping.

The leading-link fork fitted to Harley-Davidsons carried the front wheel axle ahead of the spring leg, which slid against a coil spring carried in the main fork. The British Castle fork fitted to the Brough Superior close- ly followed the Harley design, but added large rotary friction dampers. The “modern” Harley Springer front end is essentially a development of the first leading-link design but with progressive compression and rebound springs.

Though not fitting into either category, Triumph fitted some of their 1920s motorcycles with a girder fork that paired a hinged lower link and a slider at the top, meaning the fork would move backward and forward during compression, altering the steering geometry.

Whatever the style, all girder forks have pivot points and/or sliders that need to be kept well greased. Bush- ings wear over time and may need to be replaced, especially if maintenance has been neglected. Spindles are made of special steels, and only replacements designed for fork applications should be used

Reference for above: http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/classic-motorcycle-repair/brief-history-of-girder-forks

What Is a Philipson Pulley and How Does It Work?

Reference for below. http://www.jasdane.com.au/philipson-pulley.php

The Philipson Pulley was introduced in 1911 and remained on sale until 1924, by which time it's market, the single-speed belt driver, had finally disappeared. It gained immediate acclaim and was by far the most successful of the many proprietary variable gears placed on the market to make single-speed belt drivers more tractable. It was often retrofitted to older machined. Philipson pulleys were widely used in the TT and other sporting events. WHAT IS IT? A variable pulley that automatically adjusts the gear ratio, depending on the load on the engine. HOW DOES IT WORK? The belt-pulley faces are held together by a large clock spring. When a hill is encountered, the extra engine torque put out in climbing the hill overcomes the spring and the pulley faces move apart. The belt then moves down to a smaller diameter of the pulley i.e. the gear ratio is lowered. When the top of the hill is reached, the engine torque is reduced and the spring is able to close the pulley and restore the original (higher) gear ratio. WHAT ABOUT STARTING THE ENGINE? At rest the engine is not supplying any torque and the pulley faces are held together by the spring. The bike therefore remains on high gear while you pedal on the stand to start the engine. You do not have to pedal furiously in a low gear to start the engine. CAN IT BE USED FOR SLOW RIDING? Yes. To select a low gear for riding in traffic it is only necessary to put your foot on the brass spring box to slow its rotation. This will automatically open the pulley. When you remove your foot the pulley will automatically reset itself to the higher ratio. Some veteran riders used to rig up a hand lever and a brake pad for the same purpose.

a. Pulley outer face b. Pulley inner face c. Key d. Spring Box . Clock Spring

b. g. Sleeve g'. Bolt-spring to sleeve k. End Cover n'. Nut

Barry Murdoch is not the only ROC member with a Rover Motor bike. Read on for the recent adventures of Gail and Peter Scott. A week in the life of a veteran Rover motorcycle.

Text and photos by Gai and Peter Scott

Every other year, somewhere in Australia, The National Veteran Motorcycle Rally takes place. This year it was held in Nuriootpa, South Australia, between 17th and 22nd of September. Of the 145 motorcycles, built between 1900 and 1918, twelve were Rovers. ROC member, Peter Scott, attended with his 1913 Rover and 1912 Rudge. Each day the machines headed out for scenic rides in the picturesque Barossa Valley. The rides averaged about 80kms a day with stops for morning tea and lunch. A short run on the Sunday to ‘iron-out’ any gremlins, was to Moculta. The rally began in earnest on the Monday with a 98km run out to Hamley Bridge, via lunch at Stockport. The return trip continued the loop via Kapunda. Tuesday’s run was up to the Birdwood Museum. Morning tea was at Eden Valley. The museum houses some magnifi- cent cars and motorcycles. Amongst them were two Rover cars. A green P6B, and a Rover 75 P4. The wives found craft shops and an antique shop before joining their husbands at the museum. The run on Wednesday had to be short, just 48kms to Menglers Hill. The rally meeting was that afternoon to decide where the rally will be in four years’ time. 2019 had already been fixed as Tasmania. Thursday’s run, of 103kms, was to Eudunda for lunch, via morning tea at Greenock and returning to Nuriootpa via Ta- nunda and Angaston. The final day, Friday, was 119kms to Mount Pleasant for lunch via Springton, for morning tea. The afternoon loop back to Nuriootpa included a stop at the beautiful ‘Colingrove’ homestead. That evening was the rally’s ‘Farewell Dinner’. Local caterers served a delicious roast dinner at the Sports Club across the cricket/footy oval from the Barossa Valley Tourist Park where most of the rally goers were staying. Most of the rally entrants staying in the park took Saturday to slowly pack-up. The local AFL Grand Finals were on at the oval that afternoon. The wind was ferocious which led to some exciting moments. The drive to the rally and back, via the Hay plain was fairly tedious but all in all, a great ten days.

Some of the participants in the 2017 National Vintage Motor Bike rally. Peter Scott is in the middle in the yellow jacket.

Club News. From the Club Shop. The Club Shop keepers REALLY would like some indication about what style and colour of club shirt members would like. Clearly it is no good stocking something that nobody wants to buy and wear. So PLEASE! Give Gail and Peter Scott some feed back on what you would like. For example, Do you want polos shirts with a collar and/or a pocket? Do you want blue, brown or red How about dandy-grey-russet?

From the Registrar. As of September 2017 the Rover Owners’ Club had:- • Number of members 206 • Family members 34 • In September 2017 we gained 0 new members • In September we gained 1 additional vehicle • The total number of vehicles registered was 351 • Since the club was founded we have had 2096 members and family members on the register. (Presumably each member had at least one car, so where have they all gone?)

From the Spare Parts Officer The Club Regalia page of Freewheeling list brand new reproduction tool roll holders for P6 at a bargain price on $55.00 The Spare parts Officer can supply ONE ONLY of these with a set of Tools included for $100.00. Note these are not brand new tools . + Tools = $100.00

New Club Grille Badge. Is you car fully decorated? Make sure your car is fully kitted out with new hot-off-the-production- process, new ROC Grille badge. With a centre attachment point for easy fixing to any grille these striking grill badges will complement any car. Get one now through the club shop. See the ROC Regalia page of Freewheeling for the contact details for the Club Shopkeeper.

Club Calendar.

Please remember it is necessary to reserve your place on any event, except Club meetings, by telephoning the person organising the event. If you decide later not to attend something for which you have booked, please let the person organising the event know so others will not be inconven- ienced by waiting for you unnecessarily. If you can’t get to the event – get to a phone! It should be recognised that whilst the Rover Owners Club takes every care and precaution, members and their guests participate in all activities by their own choice, and act on their own behalf, thus at their own risk.

If the words Invitation Event precede the details in an item, it means the club has been invited but will not be attending as a group. You should contact the person indicated, or visit the club web site and obtain details, followed by making your own arrangements to attend.

If the words Invitation Event do not precede the details in an item it means the club will be attending as a group and you should contact the ROC club person indicated to arrange attendance., or visit the club web site and follow the detailed instructions.

Wednesday 25 October 2017 | General Meeting October • Venue | Veteran Car Club Hall, 134 Queens Road, Five Dock | 8:00 pm

Sunday 12 November 2017 | Marques In The Park, Canberra, ACT • Venue | John Knight Park, Townsend Place, Off Aikman Drive, Belconnen Way, Canberra ACT • Download Flyer | Marques In The Park Flyer 2017 PDF

Sunday 12 November 2017 | Invitation Event | Rolls Royce Display Day & All British Car Clubs Display • Venue | Lynnwood House, 25 Byron Rd, Guildford • Major Exhibitors: The Trevor Thomas Big Bikes Day; All British Day – Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Rover, Wolseley, and the Antique & Classic Motor Club. Other Exhibitors: Carnival Glass Association; Holroyd Art & Craft Society, Western Sydney Woodturners, The Traditional Tool Group, Art & Craft stalls, Book/DVD/bric-a-brac stall November. • Organisers | Rolls Royce Owners Club of Australia NSW Inc.

Wednesday 22 November 2017 | General Meeting • Venue | Veteran Car Club Hall, 134 Queens Road, Five Dock | 8:00 pm ______

Tuesday 5 December 2017 | Invitation Event | Oasis Christmas Lunch • Venue | Nepean Rowing Club, 5 Bruce Neale Dr, Penrith • Please bring a gift up to the value of $10.00 marked suitable for male of female for our Kris Kringle.

Thursday 14 December 2017 | Christmas General Meeting • Venue | Veteran Car Club Hall, 134 Queens Road, Five Dock | 8:00 pm

2018 ROVE - THE TASMANIAN ADD ON TOUR!

Following the Rove and as part of it, there has been an added Tasmanian Tour. The Time Tables and Fares for the Spirit of Tasmania will be available soon at www.spiritoftasmania.com.au or contact 1800 634 906 The Schedule IS:

Monday 30th April: Melbourne - Evening Spirit of Tasmania to Devonport – Departing 7:30 pm Check-in commences 2.5 hours prior to departure and closes 45 minutes prior to scheduled departure time.

Tuesday 1st May - Day 1: Devonport to Bicheno Total Distance 254 kms; 3 hrs 25 min. Devonport to Eliza- beth Town -– Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm for Breakfast: http://raspberryfarmcafe.com/ Distance 40 kms; approx 30 minutes. Christmas Hills to St Marys - Travel through Deloraine, Westbury, Conara, Avoca, Fingall to St Marys. Visit Old Cranks History Museum, St Marys. Distance 171 kms; 2 hrs St Marys to Bicheno - Overnight Bicheno Distance 41 kms; 50 Minutes

Wednesday 2nd May - Day 2: Bicheno to Hobart Total Distance 199 kms; 2 hrs 50 min. Bicheno to Little Swanport,via East Coast Wineries, Swansea and visit to East Coast Heritage Museum Distance 78 kms; 1 hr 10 min. Lunch Muirland Homestead Little Swanport Little Swanport to Hobart, via Triabunna, Orford, Buckland, Sorell Distance 121 kms; 1 hr 30 Overnight Hobart – two nights

Thursday 3rd May - Day 3: Explore from Hobart – At your leisure. Suggestions include Port Arthur, Huon Valley, New Norfolk, Museum of Old & New Art Etc (Mona) – Mona Entrance Fee between $20-28 – Trip to Mona on the river (Highly recommended!) is $22-00 each way.

Friday 4th May - Day 4: Hobart to Launceston Total Distance 205 kms; 2 hrs 45 min Hobart to Oatlands via Richmond, Coal River Valley Wineries/Richmond Cheese. Distance 85 kms; 1 hr 20 min - Lunch and explore Oatlands. Oatlands to Launceston, via Historic towns of Ross/ Campbell Town. Distance 120 kms; 1 hr 30 min - Overnight Launceston

Saturday 5th May - Day 5: Launceston to Devonport Ferry Total Distance 99 kms; 1 hour 20 minutes At your leisure explore around Launceston, possibility of visiting National Motoring Museum – Cost $11 - $14 per head, or historic Towns of Deloraine or Latrobe, or visit Cataract Gorge. Ferry sailing time 7.30pm, Check-in commences 2.5 hours prior to departure and closes 45 minutes prior to scheduled departure time.

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Club Plates: Steve Williams reported 2 P6s on club plates. Spare Parts: Paul Anley reported that the spare parts store is having a clean-up day on Friday the 6th October. He also mentioned that he has sent a letter to the editor for inclusion in Freewheeling regarding members ordering parts and not picking them up. Club Captain: Andrew Holland reminded members of all the listed coming events. Including the run to the V8 day. There is a special invite from the Rolls Royce car club to attend their Display Day at Lynwood House. Note: All events are listed on the club web site and in RoverNET every week. Please contact the club captain for any further information. He mentioned that the date for the All British Day for 2018 is on the 18th September. ROC Shop Gail & Peter Scott have taken on the role of club shopkeepers The new grill badges have arrived – purchase price is $35.00 (tbc). General Business: Warren McEwen told the members of the scarcity of a couple of bearings needed to recondition a 3500S gearbox. Robert Walker has a 3500 block for sale. Andrew Holland then displayed his Rover 825 and gave a talk on its history and also the general history of the model. The raffle was then drawn and the meeting closed at 9:25 pm The next Meeting to be held on Wednesday 25th October 2017

Rover Owners’ Club General Meeting . ( General Meeting 27 September 2017.)

Meeting opened at 8:00 pm with 22 members and guests attending. Apologies: Rob Turner, Chris Forsey, Thea Shearman, and Bruce Duncan Previous minutes. Proposed. Paul Anley. Seconded. Ashley Lynn The minutes were approved President: Ian Shearman welcomed Members and guests and asked all members to sign the attendance book. He proposed the following talks for future meetings. October: Mark Nelson about his recent trip to the UK and USA November: another car December: Christmas evening January: photos February: possibly Dudley Bennett, if OK with him March: Cassandra O’Connor, North Connex April: Another car Including a talk by North Connex on the tunnel that is being built to connect the M2 to the M1 He also mentioned that the number 5 cupboard at the rear of the room has been rented by the club to keep various articles in. Committee reports Editor: Ken Dunkley reported that the next issue is coming along OK and he had an article in it regarding a special machine and its use of oil. Website: running well, receiving good, consistent daily visitor browsing. Webmaster’s Report • • Website: running well, receiving good, consistent daily visitor browsing. • ROC Flickr Photostream: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rocnswact/ The ROC Flickr Photostream is an integral, quality digital imaging on-line resource for all members, recording the pictorial history of the Club and the Rover marque. Contributions of members’ cars at events and elsewhere are always welcome. Secretary: Warren McEwen informed members that the PO box had been cleared and all mail distributed to the relevant club officer. Other than that, there was nothing to report. Vice President / Treasurer / Public Officer: Richard Dalziel presented members with the current financial status of the club and the statement of finances. Treasurers Report The financial statement for 27 Sep. ANZ Term Deposit #1 $14,000.00 ANZ Term Deposit #2 $10,000.00 Bendigo cheque acct $ 5,893.88 Total NSW $29,893.88 Total ACT $ 1,094.87 Combined Funds $30,988.75

CMC representative’s report: Ian Shearman REPORT ON CMC GENERAL MEETING, 26TH SEPTEMBER 2017 The CMC General Meeting had the following points which I considered of interest to the ROC. They are not in any particular order of importance. Next NMH Day to be held on 20th May 2018, with venues still to be publicised. SSC volunteers thanked. More volunteers needed for Sunday morning. SSC next year to be held on 12th August 2018 More discussion about asbestos in imported vehicles. HVS log book trial is over on 1st October 2017 (next Sunday). It will probably be made permanent, but formal agreement has not yet been received by RMS. Removal of luxury car tax is being sought. At the next meeting, a new constitution for the CMC is to be voted on. This includes updating it to the current Fair-Trading law and regulations, plus changing the process for admitting new clubs. Registrar: Robert Walker reported - Total membership 240 Comprising of 8 honorary and life/founding members. 206 Members and 34 family members. Current new members for September no new members and no new Family members. In September 1 additional vehicle. Total number of vehicles registered 351 Since the foundation of the club we have had 2096 members and family members

Continued on page 19

The ROC Club Shop is back! THE ROVER OWNERS’ CLUB REGALIA. The ROC collection includes both ROC clothing and vehicle regalia. All ROC regalia can be used at club events, invited events and ROC meetings,. You can order the ROC car collection or the ROC Clothing Collection by completing the form below and emailing to Gail and Peter Scott at club [email protected]. THE CAR COLLECTION. Item Name Price Quantity Sub Total EXTERIOR WINDOW DECAL $ 5.00 ROC

INTERIOR WINDOW DECAL $ 3.00 100 TH ANNIVERSARY

WINDSCREEN SASH $ 10.00

ROVER WHEEL STICKERS $10.00 (SET OF 6)

REPLICA ROVER P6 TOOL ROLL. $55.00 (SEE ALSO THE NOTE ON PAGE 14)

THE CLOTHING COLLECTION. Item Name Price Quantity Sub Total CLOTH BADGE

CHAMBREY SHIRT

ROC POLO SHIRT $ 35.00

(LIMITED SIZES REMAIN.)

ROC SPRAY JACKET. $ 38.00

(ONE L ONLY.)

Funds can be EFT’ to the Rover Owners ‘Club account prior to pick up. Electronic funds transfer can be made to the Bendigo Bank BSB 633 000, Account 126 077 999 Please use “your surname” “Payment Reason” Club shop/merchandise purchase; so that payment can be correctly 21 allocated and receipted.

Rover Owners’ Club Inc. Honour Roll. Presidents Founding and

1965 –1968 Keith Beale Life members 1969-July 1970 John Allcock July 1970—1972 Neville Lowe Keith Beale Grahame Jones 1973—1976 James Moule 1977—1980 David Arnold 1981—1984 Robert Merrick 1985—May 1987 Ray Quigley May 1987—1991 Tony Cope Life members 1991—1994 Theo Lyras 1994—1998 Michael Douglas Jessie Tester 1998—2003 Bruce Duncan Anne Lloyd-Owen 2003—2005 Derek Scott Bill Campton 2005 –2009 Richard Dalziel Bob Campbell

2009—2010 Jim Nicholson Tim Crick 2010-2016 Janet Legge 2016-2017 Warwick Ravell May 2017 Nicholas Munting. June 2017- Ian Shearman Honorary Members present James Taylor

The Rover Owners Club meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month (except December when it meets on the Thursday immediately after the second Wednesday) at the Veteran Car Club of Australia, 134 Queens Road, Five Dock. Meetings commence at 8pm sharp and usually consist of a general business meeting followed by a guest speaker or other appropriate entertainment. A light supper is usually served after each meeting.

People with an interest in the marque, owners or principal drivers OF ANY ROVER vehicle (including 4wd) are welcome to join. Currently the joining fee is A$25.00 plus annual subscription A$40.00 including GST. Membership includes a year’s subscription of “Freewheeling”, the Club’s magazine. A members partner or relative can apply to be an Addi- tional Family Member if they wish to participate on committee or vote at club elections, but "Freewheeling" is not included. There is an annual fee of $10 per additional family member wishing to take up this option. Electronic Banking details are:- Account Name. Rover Owners Club Inc. Bank . Bendigo BSB 633 000 Account number 126 077 999

Club postal address is: - Rover Owners’ Club, PO Box 503, Pennant Hills. 1715 The Club e-mail address is: - [email protected] The club website is: - www.roverownersclub.com.au Overseas subscriptions are warmly welcomed. Visitors are welcome at any time. The Club conducts a number of events during the year usually incorporating a drive to a particular venue. There are also social events that members may participate in, such as the Mother’s Day breakfast, annual dinner, picnics and the Club’s Annual Display Day. An elected Management Committee supported by a number of appointed sub-committee roles manages the Rover Owners Club. The Management Committee meets monthly on the second Wednesday night. The President usually chairs this meeting and minutes are kept. Contributions to “Freewheeling” close on the first day of the month of publication. If you want to publish an article, news about an event or something in the Market Place section it needs to be with the Editor by the first of the month. Preference is to receive articles by email, but typed or even hand written will be acceptable, as long your writing is legible. Make certain your name is on the article and your phone number in case we need to contact you. Do make certain we do not infringe copyright. If the article has come from another publication please let us know and also let us know if you already hold permission to reproduce the material. Don’t try to set out the article, we will do that to fit the space we have available. Photographs need to be clear positives. Please write on the back

‘Freewheeling’ is the official journal of the Rover Owners Club Inc. (under the NSW Associations Incorporations Act 1984) registered number Y2302602. On 23 September 1964 it was recognised as the first in the world by the Rover Company Ltd. The opinions expressed in Freewheel- ing are not necessarily those of the Rover Owners Club, its officers or members. Whilst all care is taken, this Club and its officers do not accept responsibility for opinions expressed or the availability or quality or fitness for use of any services, goods or vehicles notified for sale or hire or the genuineness of any advertiser or author. Other clubs may reproduce articles originating from members with acknowledgement to this publication.

President Ian Shearman [email protected] 9876 5999 0412 039 824

Vice President Richard Dalziel [email protected] 9489 3553 0412 709 228

Club Captain Andrew Holland [email protected] 0414 625 236

Secretary Warren McEwen [email protected] 9980 2653 0418 695 503

Treasurer & Public Officer Richard Dalziel [email protected] 9489 3553 0412 709 228 COMMITTEE.

MANAGEMENT Registrar Robert Walker [email protected] 0419 220 357

ACT Representative Chris Forsey [email protected] 6297 1080 0413 996 481

All British Rep Andrew Holland [email protected] 0414 625 236

Archivist Rob Turner [email protected] 0404 463 489

Club Parts Manuals Paul Anley [email protected] 9684 1795

Club Plates ACT Hugh Boulter [email protected] 6258 8221 0407 215 008

Club Plates NSW Steven Williams [email protected] 9896 5650 0450 706 519

Club Shop Gail & Peter Scott [email protected]

Club Spares Paul Anley [email protected] 9684 1795

CMC rep/committee member Ian Shearman [email protected] 9876 5999

Council of ACT Motor Clubs Chris Forsey [email protected] 6297 1080

Editor Ken Dunkley [email protected] 9533 3326 0400 463 322 OFFICE BEARERS Librarian Andrew Holland [email protected] 0414 625 236

Postage Warwick Moriarty [email protected] 9773 4734 0411 739 132

RoverNET Editor Rob Turner [email protected] 0404 463 489

Technical Coordinator Warren McEwen [email protected] 9980 2653 0418 695 503

Web master Rob Turner [email protected] 0404 463 489

Workshop Manuals Andrew Holland [email protected] 0414 625 236

Hunter Barry Murdoch [email protected] 0412 998 192 Illawarra Stuart Rigby [email protected] 4232 3148 0413 473 825 North Eric Davison [email protected] 6624 4537

Western Peter Colwell [email protected] 6888 5310 0409 927 185

Southern Highlands Rob Turner [email protected] 0404 463 489

Southern NSW/ACT Chris Forsey [email protected] 6297 1080 0413 996 481 AREA CONVENORS

Pre-War James Moule [email protected] 9580 1433

P2/P3 Greg Alexander roverp2p3@ roverownersclub.com.au 9569 5159

P4 Nicholas Cope [email protected] 0487 474 695

P5/P5B Warwick Ravell [email protected] 9872 7860

P6/P6B Andrew Holland [email protected] 0414 625 236

SD1 Adrian Rowland [email protected] 4787 8591

ORDINATORS Rover 400/800 series Rex Mickan rover800 [email protected] 0409 787 541 -

CO Land Rover Graham Dawson [email protected] 9982 8828 MODEL TECHNICAL R.Rover/Discovery Jim Nicholson [email protected] 9624 2247

R40 . 75 Dudley Bennett [email protected] 9997 3493

Barry Murdoch on one of his Rover motor bikes.

The National Veteran Motorcycle Rally participants about to set off on a run