AUSTIN 7 CLUB OF S.A. INC

2007 COMMITTEE

PRESIDENT: TREVOR CLERKE, 39 Baker Street, Birkenhead 5015 Ph: 8449 1375 (H) email: [email protected]

SECRETARY: RALPH DRAGE, 37 DeCastella Avenue, Wynn Vale 5127 Ph: 8251 2637 (H) Mob: 0418 846 082 email: [email protected]

TREASURER: LYN CLERKE, 39 Baker Street, Birkenhead 5015 Ph: 8449 1375 (H) email: [email protected]

ASST SECRETARY DAVID GARNETT, Fairlie Road, Kangaroo Flat 5118 Ph: Mob: 0438 700 854 email: [email protected]

COMPETITION SEC CHRIS WATTERS, 224 Dawkins Road, Lewiston 5501 Ph:8524 3178 (H) email: [email protected]

REGISTRAR & GEOFF STEPHENS, 198 St Bernards Road, Hectorville 5073 LOG BOOKS: Ph: 8365 1343 (H) Mob: 0437 061 569 email: [email protected]

SPARES MANAGER DAVID GREAR, 19 Woodfield Avenue, Warradale 5046 & Vice President: Ph: 8296 1689 (H) email: [email protected]

TOURING: BRENTON SPANGLER, 42 Hamilton Ave Warradale 5046 Ph: 8376 1924 (H) Mob: 0410 471 078 email: [email protected]

PROPERTY: GERRY LANG, 3/3 Mills Street, Mitchell Park 5043 Ph: 8277 2345 (H) Mob: 0428 377 351

EDITOR, A7 Journals: DAVID SEARLES, 33 Hughes Street North, Woodville 5011 & Federation Delegate Ph: 8445 1444 (H) Mob: 0408 700 047 email: [email protected]

Delegate to the Committee & SANJAY KUMAR, 16 Salisbury Street Unley 5061 Convenor of SA Rotors Group: Ph: Mob: 0411 772 768 email: [email protected]

**************************************************************************************** CAMS Delegate: TONY MORGAN, Ph: 8264 7179 email: [email protected]

LIBRARIAN: RON BURCHETT, 40 Johnson Parade, Blackwood 5051 PH 8278 3197 (H) email: [email protected]

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All correspondence to: The Secretary CLUBROOMS: 262 TAPLEYS HILL ROAD, SEATON 5023 Or email to [email protected] The Austin 7 Club SA Internet address is: www.austin7clubsa.com.au Internet address for SA Rotors Group: www.sarotors.org

Austin 7 Journals Page 2 April 2007

Austin 7

Journals

Volume 180 April 2007

PRESIDENT’S PRATTLE

Hi all. April is here already and the Club has had some great events. As I write to you a group is away at Mudgee celebrating the Austin 7 with enthusiasts from all over Australia. I look forward to their reports on how the event went and how all of the performed. Our next big annual event is the “Border Run” to Bordertown and in October the “River Ramble” under the auspices our event director Ralph. However we must not forget our monthly outings and meetings that have been arranged by your committee and members, who have volunteered and invested their time in these special times of friendship. Some of our old friends have been in and out of hospital and to them; I extend your best wishes and a quick return to good health. May all of you enjoy your motoring and remain safe and well.

Trevor Clerke President

Another five years have passed quickly since the Ballarat Austin Seven Rally in 2002, with the 85th Anniversary of the Austin Seven Rally held in Mudgee; so it‟s not with any hesitation that the Austin Seven Club of SA has put its hand up to run the 2012 Rally. It is planned to hold the event straight after the Bay to Birdwood Run on Sunday 30 September 2012, from Monday 1 October to Friday 5 October 2012.

The Club offers its sincere congratulations and thanks to the Austin Seven Club of NSW in running the Mudgee event in the knowledge that an extreme amount of organisation goes into running such a major event in the Austin Seven calendar. We also know that on the day small hiccups occur and this is normal but in the end the event was a huge success and nobody should have driven away disappointed.

We intend having an early meeting of the Club‟s committee, which will form a sub-committee to run the 2012 event. This sub-committee will formulate the basics of the event over the five days including the site for rally headquarters and accommodation available at or near the headquarters; it will also seek suggestions as to tour destinations in and around the Barossa Valley. Arrangements for catering will also be commenced possibly utilizing service groups.

Through these Journals it is intended that regular updates on progress will be passed on to all members to ensure that information is correct and large member participation can be forthcoming. Even if you haven‟t an Austin Seven you can assist by for example, being a Marshall directing Austins into parks etc or even better it will give you five years to obtain your Austin Seven.

In the meantime enjoy the Club events programmed.

David Searles Editor Austin 7 Journals Page 3 April 2007

GEOFF STEPHENS

K G B Car Audio Services Pty Ltd 234 Main North Road Prospect S.A. 5082

* Car Audio * Car Radio Repairs * Alarms * Immobilisers * Hands Free Kits * Central Locking * Speed Alert * Cruise Control * Reversing Sensors & Cameras

Phone: 8344 1488 Mobile: 0437 061 569 Email: [email protected] Special Discounts to Austin 7 Club members

Austin 7 Journals Page 4 April 2007

CLUB MEMBER PROFILE

Club member, Kaye Butler, appeared with her pride and joy; her in the motoring section of the Adelaide Advertiser on Saturday 24 March 2007, and she has kindly given the article to the editor to reproduce it in our magazine.

The article continues with the A30 being built as two-door and four-door sedans, as panel and the countryman version with wood exterior paneling. They began with small 800cc four cylinder engines but later had the 950cc version in the car known as the A35. They shared mechanical components with the and in turn the early Austin Healey Sprite. The front wheel drive took over as BMC‟s baby car from 1959, ending the A30 run.

Stuart Innes concluded his article by remarking that Kaye is a committed saleswoman for the Austin 7 Club. “It‟s a great club,” she says. “Being in that club, I have been to so many places. I have done things and I have met so many people.”

Austin 7 Journals Page 5 April 2007

COMING EVENTS

APRIL: 22 Austin 7 Day Run revisiting the 1939 Circuit at Lobethal. Meeting at the Stockade Botanical Park from 10am for 10.30am departure the run travels up Anstey‟s Hill through to Inglewood, Gumeracha to our lunchtime stop at Bushland Park just prior to Lobethal township. 23 A7 Club Enthusiasts Night, tonight the spares shed is open for the duration, also a buy sell swap will be held if anyone wants to bring along parts no longer required. 24 Leisure Run to Rimini‟s Coffee shop at Blackwood prior to the Stirling Hotel for lunch. 29 Modern Regularity - Mallala

MAY: 12 SA Rotors Meeting 14 Club Meeting 19/20 SA State Championships Round 2 20 Kernewek Lowender - Cavalcade of Cars & Day Run. Meet at Caltex Bolivar to leave at 7.30am on the Sunday morning. Entries close 1 May. 22 Leisure Run 25 Quarterly Luncheon to the Buckingham Arms Hotel at Gilberton for a 12 noon start. Contact Marie Drage if you are attending. 27 Modern Regularity - Mallala 28 A7 Club Enthusiasts Night

JUNE: 9 SA Rotors Meeting 9/11 Border Run to Bordertown – bookings have reached their peak, cost per couple for the weekend is $330, deposits are payable now or total amount at May Club meeting. 16/17 CAMS National Series Mallala 18 Club Meeting 24 A7 Club Day Run. Plans are in motion to organise a day at Monarto Zoo. 25 A7 Club Enthusiasts Night 26 Leisure Run

JULY: 9 Club Meeting 14 SA Rotors Meeting 15 Modern Regularity Mallala 22 Drifting - Mallala 22 A7 Club Day Run & Hills Luncheon to Meadows for Christmas in July 23 A7 Club Enthusiasts Night 24 Leisure Run

Enquiries regarding:

 Austin 7 Club day runs to Brenton Spangler as Club Touring Co-ordinator.

 Austin 7 Club Enthusiast Nights to David Grear as A7 Spares Manager.

 Modern Regularity or other motor sport events to Competition Secretary

 SA Rotors meetings and events please contact Sanjay Kumar as SA Rotors Convenor. Austin 7 Journals Page 6 April 2007

IS YOUR VEHICLE A CONDITIONALLY REGISTERED HISTORIC VEHICLE THROUGH THE AUSTIN 7 CLUB?

If so, you must get your Log Book and current Registration Certificate endorsed by the Club Registrar (Geoff Stephens) as soon as possible after you have renewed your Club subscriptions for 2007.

Failure to have your log book validated for 2007 as to your membership of this Club, in effect, invalidates the registration of your vehicle.

Please do your part to preserve the integrity of this conditional registration system we are privileged to have through our Austin 7 Club.

News from the Federation and the Bay to Birdwood Committee: There has been a slight variation made to the eligibility dates from both the Bay to Birdwood Run and the Bay to Birdwood Classic. The Bay to Birdwood Run will now have an eligibility date of any vehicle manufactured up to and including 31 December 1955. The Bay to Birdwood Classic has an eligibility date for vehicles manufactured between 1 January 1956 and 31 December 1977. The 1977 date will remain firm until any further review of eligibility dates occurs in the future. Both the Run and the Classic will return to the old route outside the City of Adelaide. The route through the City was an effort to raise sponsorship but this strategy did not work as intended. This year the Bay to Birdwood Classic occurs on Sunday 30 September 2007 which also co-incides with the Labour Day long weekend. Next year‟s Bay to Birdwood Run will be on Sunday 28 September 2008.

A SENIOR MOMENT

A very self-important university student attending a recent football game, took it upon himself to explain to a senior citizen sitting next to him why it was impossible for the older generation to understand his generation.

"You grew up in a different world, actually an almost primitive one," the student said, loud enough for many of those nearby to hear. "The young people of today grew up with television, jet planes, space travel, man walking on the moon, our spaceships have visited Mars. We have nuclear energy, electric and hydrogen cars, computers with light-speed processing and...," pausing to take another drink of beer.

The Senior took advantage of the break in the student's litany and said, "You're right, son. We didn't have those things when we were young...... so we invented them. Now, you arrogant little fart, what are you doing for the next generation?"

The applause was resounding; - Love senior citizens!!

Austin 7 Journals Page 7 April 2007

Port Vincent Holiday House.

• 200Km And Just 2 Hours away from Adelaide is a four bedroom holiday house. • It accommodates 8 persons in • 2 Double beds & • 4 Single beds. • All you need to take is your linen, food & whatever you drink. • The town has a Hotel, restaurant, Hardware & 3 General stores. • 2 Petrol Stations & auto-gas is available. • For further information call Trevor or Lyn Clerke on 08 84491375 or • 0428 851 139.

---- 0000 ----

The following list of Austin 7‟s for sale was handed out at the Mudgee rally recently held.

Austin 7 Sale: A 30 year collection of Austin 7‟s from 1925 to 1937 for individual sale plus parts. 1. 1925 Austin 7 Tourer chassis restored body in undercoat, motor unassembled with all new parts. New wheels and tyres, complete car nothing missing………….$8,000 ono 2. 1927 Austin 7 tourer rolling chassis………………………………………………$2,500 ono 3. 1928 Austin 7 tourer complete car original unrestored…………………………$6,000 ono 4. 1928 Austin 7 sports, known club car…………………………………………….$12,000 ono 5. 1929 Austin 7 meteor, fiberglass body known club car…………………………$10,000 ono 6. 1929 Austin 7 rolling chassis………………………………………………………$1,500 ono 7. 1929 Austin 7 WASP 90% complete, alloy body by William Green Sydney. Restored rolling chassis and motor with new Coachwood timber frame…………….…..$8,000 ono 8. 1936 Austin 7 rolling chassis, 90% complete…………………………………….$1,500 ono 9. 1936 Austin 7 rolling chassis, complete and restored…………………………..$3,500 ono 10. 1937 Austin 7 , complete car……………………………………………..$6,000 ono 11. 1937 Austin Big 7, complete car with new rebuilt motor, gearbox & diff………$6,000 ono 12. 1937 Austin Big 7, known club car...... $12,000 ono PLUS Numerous spare parts, too many to list, contact for details – phone Robert on (02) 4573 1272

Austin 7 Journals Page 8 April 2007

Lord Austin – The Sydney Connection

During my recent visit to Sydney to see the „Meeting of the Queens‟ – the Cunard variety not the Mardi Gras! – I took the opportunity to follow up on a bit of Austin history that I was told about by Roger Benjamin of the NSW Club at Bendigo last year.

Over on the North Shore at the base of a tree on the corner of Thomas Street and Union Street North Sydney, there is a nice brass plaque, placed there by the local historical society to commemorate the fact that Herbert, later Lord Austin lived in a house in Thomas St for around a year before returning to England in 1893. His time in Melbourne with the Wolseley Shearing Co. when he met his future wife has been well known and publicised over the years, but until recently I was unaware of the Sydney connection, although it was covered in Zeta Lambert‟s book. Photos show the house and tree on the corner of Thomas St together with the plaque.

Ron Burchett Librarian.

Austin 7 Journals Page 9 April 2007

PAST EVENTS

CARRICK HILL RUN – Sunday 25 February 2007

Apple & Pear Day

Picture perfect weather, 10 cars, an assortment of ancient and modern, met at Unley Shopping Centre for our day trip adventure.

First of all Happy Birthday to Marie, 21 again today…

Whilst we congregated at the Unley Shopping Centre, little Kate served cups of tea, to members from her doll‟s tea-set.

Leaving at 9:45am, a sensible time for a Sunday morning, we travelled via Cross Road, Belair and Blackwood, heading for the Wittunga Botanical Gardens. The trip from Unley to Blackwood, gave us wonderful vistas of the coastline from the winding Hills roads.

Morning tea was BYO under the Rotunda, and we were joined by Ian & Cheryl Jones in their Hillman. It was here that Kate fed the ducks and a few energetic folk strolled round the lake. The walking trail is very easy for all ages.

Edwin Ashby in 1902, styled the gardens on the formal English design of the era, but the plants are mainly natives and South African, Ericas & Proteas. Guided walks round the gardens take place in Spring; on Tuesdays at 10:30am from the car-park.

Leaving Wittunga Gardens at 11am, we had different views of the coast with Happy Valley Reservoir in the distance and new houses built into the hillsides. Driving over the Onkaparinga River, one couldn‟t help notice the only water was puddles between the rocks.

The general store at Clarendon built in 1919 is still standing as is the Clarendon Bakery. Good lunch pick-up spot. It was on the way to Carrick Hill that we went down Cut Hill road, where approximately 8 weeks ago the area, suffered from bushfires. The road was lined with blackened trees that were already starting to sprout new shoots.

Brenton said it was quite an eerie experience driving through the area at night as the family had done previously. One of the homes had a metal cut-out of a kangaroo in the garden. Was this to deter other kangas or attract?? A very peaceful rural area that Arthur & I had never visited before.

Arriving at Carrick Hill, we had a special parking spot under the pine trees for our picnic lunch. Lunch ranged from wine & chicken salads to the humble sandwich and the flask of coffee etc. after lunch a short walk took us to the main house.

The main feature of the house is an Old English Oak, grand old staircase and balcony, imported from a stately mansion that was being demolished, owned by the late Earl of Stafford. Our American guide told us the house was designed around this imposing magnificent stair-case.

It was also Apple & Pear Day in the gardens. There were displays of many different types of apples, to buy and sample also products like apple soap, body lotions and other art and craft for sale. We were treated to a display of Morris Dancing in the garden area and a Punch & Judy Show near the Stables. After a walk through the extensive gardens we retraced our steps to the cars and said our farewells after a thoroughly enjoyable day.

Thanks to our organisers, Brenton & Cyndy Spangler,

Nadia & Arthur Addyman

Austin 7 Journals Page 10 April 2007

PAST EVENTS

2007 Clipsal and AGP reports by Barry Frost Clipsal  Despite the extreme heat on Friday (39º), of the 800 officials on duty, only 5 were heat-affected and needed treatment by medical staff.  The Saturday Clipsal race was the first to run non-stop, with no safety car periods and thus the race time was 4 mins 26 seconds quicker than the 2003 record time. James Courtney set the lap record at 1-22.8075 in this race.  Sunday‟s weather was much cooler and 5 of the categories racing (Carrera Cup, Historic touring, GT Performance, Formula Ford and V8 Utes) set new lap records.  The tow trucks had 145 tows of stranded racing cars.  One photographer had his credentials removed after he ventured onto the track for a photo, disregarding all safety procedures.  The total crowd was another record – 276 900, which is an increase of 115 000 since the first meeting in 1999.  This year saw a new development for pit stop timing for V8 Supercars. Each car has an infrared transmitter located in an air duct in the roof of the car, immediately above the centre of the windscreen. A small infrared transmitter is mounted on the pit boom arm and as the car comes to a stop, these are aligned. As the car rises on the jacks, the transmitter is activated and timing begins through the car‟s Dorian timing transmitter; it stops when the jacks are lowered. This system will be further developed so that at Bathurst, each driver change will also be recorded. AGP  During the last 2 races of 2006, the F1 engine specifications were finalised for the next 4 years – only minor developments will be permitted.  Each engine is limited to 19000 rpm and must last for 2 races; the penalty for changing one during qualification is ten grid spots, but this did not apply to Friday practice.  From 2008, gearboxes must also last for two races.  Goodyear is the only tyre supplier and for each meeting, two compounds are used – soft and hard – and each driver must use both types.  Each car is fitted with a GPS unit, which enables race control to accurately plot its position on the race circuit and to send information to the driver, warning of changing track conditions.  If the car is involved in a serious impact, likely to cause injury to the driver, a white light on the dash will be activated to alert safety crews to the severity of the impact and to treat the driver accordingly.  No teams use Cosworth engines this year, thus negating the opportunity for the company to celebrate 40 years in F1. The Cosworth V8 engine first appeared in Jim Clark‟s Lotus at Zandvoort Holland in June 1967.  Qualifying lap time comparison: 2006 – 1-25.229, Jenson Button Honda; 2007 – 1-26.072, Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari.  Race lap time comparison: 2006 – 1-26.045 Kimi Raikkonen McLaren; 2007 – 1-25.235 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari.  Toyota‟s F1 budget is estimated to be US$420 m – some of that was needed to pay a fine imposed when one car left the pits during qualifying with the rear jack still attached! Fortunately it dislodged itself soon after pit exit and fell to the side of the track out of harms way.  The 4 day crowd totalled 301 000 - the third lowest and only slightly up on last year‟s attendance.  The possibility of running the race at night in future years was being strongly suggested during the event to better target European TV viewers.  A palm-sized, hand-held TV for spectators was trialled at this meeting, following its success at several GPs during 2006. It allows the viewer to: select which in-car camera to see; view live timing data; see statistics of the race, drivers etc; take the TV broadcast or take the circuit commentary. Each unit is hired at the track and has been a success in the USA at football and NASCAR and Champ Car races.

Austin 7 Journals Page 11 April 2007

PAST EVENTS

SA Rotors Kart Day Port Elliot

On Saturday the 24th of March, after much discussion and deliberation (about 6 months worth!), the SARotors Go-Kart Day and Cruise was finally brought to fruition.

Following an initial burst of interest, the usual last minute apologies had first-time organiser Ryan O‟Toole and myself canvassing unsuspecting friends and family to ensure we had the 25 „karters‟ required to obtain the quoted entry fees. Fortunately this proved unnecessary with around 15 cars turning up for the cruise, and approximately 27 people deciding to take to the track at the „Pt Elliot Pits‟.

The great weather brought out a few newcomers, among them Jason Bakurski (manager of Mildren Race Engineering who sponsored our 2006 Birthday Cruise) in his near-immaculate 13B peripheral- port-powered Mazda RX-4 , with a few loyal customers in tow! In sharp contrast was the „drift‟- ready black Series 4 RX-7 with custom wide-bodywork of website member Jarrod, and the sight of new technology versus the old-school of webber-fed, lumpy idles was sure to turn plenty of heads.

Following a delayed departure, thanks to Tim Wise waiting till that morning to reinstall his somewhat- important drivers seat, the cruise group made their way via the South Eastern Freeway to Hahndorf, Echunga, Meadows, Ashbourne and through to Pt Elliot.

After lunch at the Pt Elliot bakery the group proceeded to the track where, for $20, we were divided into groups of ten, and let loose (twice!) for a ten-minute session. With more action than a wet super- truck meet, there were crowd-pleasing antics by Paul Secker perfecting his pre-corner „drifting‟, and hold-your-breath moments provided by the likes of Ian Neale, Shane Harris and James Goldsmith as they fought their way to the front of the pack(s).

So much fun was the experience that 10 thrill-seekers laid down some of their extra hard-earned to be let loose for one last, all-or-nothing encounter. With the 3rd corner of the second lap seeing three- quarters of the field off onto the green-stuff it was clear that this group was serious! While it‟s not exactly clear who took overall honours, Tim was the clear favourite for most-interesting braking technique – much to the detriment of Ian‟s racing line!

Despite a number of regulars (myself included) having their rotaries in pieces, it was great to see a strong contingent joining the run in their daily drivers or taking up the offer of vacant passenger seats.

The day‟s success is owed to the efforts of Ryan O‟Toole who, in organising his first-event for SARotors put in a thorough effort, scouted the route, booked the track and served as the navigator on the Saturday.

As with all our events, pictures are viewable on the SARotors online gallery. Visit: http://www.sarotors.org/gallery

Sanjay Kumar

Austin 7 Journals Page 12 April 2007

PAST EVENTS

Sprite Club of SA invitation to the Austin 7 Club on the occasion of their Annual Display Day at Wigley Reserve Glenelg, Sunday 25 March 2007

Initially, not a large number of members committed themselves and their cars to this display day at Glenelg, but on the day as the weather turned out to be perfect, a host of cars attended the Sprite Club’s display.

Keen public interest was prevalent by the number of onlookers wandering through the rows of Sprites and our cars and many a fond memory rekindled by some of the more senior onlookers. A few photos were taken on the day and thanks go to these members

Thanks to Kevin & Rose Caire and their ‘other’ club for inviting us to their day at Glenelg.

Austin 7 Journals Page 13 April 2007

PAST EVENTS

Austin Seven 85th Anniversary Rally to Mudgee NSW, 9th to 13th April 2007.

This quin-ennial event, ie one held every 5 years, was headquartered at the Parklands Resort & Conference Centre in Mudgee New South Wales, just after Easter where 144 Austin sevens gathered from all over Australia and one coming from the UK.

The split up according to the Souvenir Programme recorded 52 Austin Sevens from Victoria; 39 from New South Wales; 24 from Queensland; 19 from South Australia; 3 from Western Australia; 3 from Tasmania; 3 from the Australian Capital Territory and one from the United Kingdom.

Apart from all the numbers recorded 22 Austin Sevens had registrations or connections with South Australia and the collage at the end of this article shows 21 of them, the 22nd A7 is pictured right.

The weather for the duration could only be described as perfect Austin Seven weather, no wind, sunny skies, mid to high 20‟s temperature.

Monday was registration day or if you arrived early, a run around the district was organised as a self drive run with a selection of local destinations.

Austin Sevens in the main street of Mudgee on the Easter Monday morning all parked correctly arse in.

Some of our Austins at a winery/Motor Cycle Museum overlooking the Mudgee valley.

Austin 7 Journals Page 14 April 2007

Tuesday‟s run was to historic Gulgong where Austin Sevens took over the streetscape. Gulgong‟s main claim to fame is the town featured on the reverse side of the original $10 note with Henry Lawson. Arriving in Gulgong Ian & Cheryl Jones‟ A7 caused difficulties by trying to engage two gears at once, so over to the gutter where an instant gearbox flush was commenced to flush out ball bearings that became dislodged from the synchromesh. Ian achieved this within the two hour limit sign post he was parked under.

Other notables in the streets of Gulgong.

The Pioneers’ Museum in Gulgong displaying an amazing array of Australian memorabilia. Austin 7 Journals Page 15 April 2007

Wednesday was bus trip day for some, either going to Dubbo‟s Western Plains Zoo or the old mining town of Hill End. Still others drove their Austin Sevens to the Turon Technology Museum, on this run some very demanding hills were encountered.

In this photograph Mr Jones is seen with one of the locals at the Great Western Store of Henry Stuart in Hill End.

On Wednesday, Alan Baker celebrated his 70th birthday where the bus load sang Happy Birthday to him and gave three cheers. – Happy 70th Alan.

Meanwhile at Dubbo Zoo, reports were coming back that David Grear was turning green, not the envy type but by accident as he was talking and not looking where he was going he slammed face first straight into a small tree. I believe it was his first and last tree he‟ll want to kiss again.

The crowd of Austineers at each morning’s briefing for the day’s event.

Thursday was the longer of the days of driving Austins, today it was to Rylstone and Kandos some 60Kms from Mudgee. On everyone‟s name badge there was a colour code, Maroon or Silver, this indicated which direction to be taken today. After the drive, lunch for everyone was at the Rylstone Showgrounds, where Austins were eventually lined up for a photo shoot.

Austin 7 Journals Page 16 April 2007

Some participated in a picnic lunch on the oval while others enjoyed a delicious meal at the Globe Hotel.

The result of the photo shoot at Rylstone Showground oval where about 120 Austin Sevens gathered.

There was always an impressive display of Austin Sevens every morning prior to each day‟s activities.

The morning line up of Austin Sevens at the Parklands Resort with the Mudgee hills in the background

Austin 7 Journals Page 17 April 2007

The Friday run was quite a short run just out of the complex and around the outskirts of Mudgee to the Railway Station forecourt to assemble for the parade down the main street of Mudgee at 10.30am. Quite a few missed the second left within 200 yards and set off towards Gulgong, however after a short while realised their error and duly arrived at the station on time. The station is no longer serviced by a railway but now houses a coffee shop, bistro and art & craft shop.

The parade went off without a hitch and all cars arrived at Lawson Park at the other end of town for the lunch time break. After lunch in town many stayed but some decided that loading of vehicles back on to trailers for the trip back home was the go.

During this time Andrew Dawes feeling a little tired decided that he‟ll take a short nap on his bed in his room, so duly laid down on the bed and started to drift off. His nap was short-lived as his mobile phone rang and Deb was on the other end asking

“Where are you Andrew?”

“I‟m in our room on the bed having a nap darls!” he replied.

“Oh no your not because I‟m ringing from our room, so whose bed are you sleeping on?”

At that time Chris Wright returned to his room spotting Andrew fleeing from his slumber on his bed. So Andrew wins the Goldilocks award at Mudgee started by Ruth Perry while on the Canberra run last year at Kingston. The moral of the story is, if you leave your motel room door open, you don‟t necessarily just let the flies in.

Most days in the late afternoon a happy hour of sorts occurred on the garden side of the rooms and Friday was no exception, which was a good lead up to the Black Friday presentation Dinner that evening.

The writer had no idea what was in store for the evening and the quality of costumes that were presented by Austineers was simply stunning. (Not yours Andrew!). The presentation dinner was of three courses and in the writer‟s case were all excellent.

Austin 7 Journals Page 18 April 2007

The pièce de résistance came from the Jones‟s; their costumes were unbelievable, and all carried over to Mudgee in the Ayers Rock car.

Ian & Cheryl Jones in their eyecatching costumes. Nadia Addyman & Don Kuhne: Best costume prize winners

Trophies were awarded on the night for various categories including

Best Roadster won by Ralph Drage driving Dave Hall‟s ‟29 Roadster.

Furthest distance driven to Rally won by Ian Motley with prize donated by Ian & Cheryl Jones.

Best female costume won by Nadia Addyman. Don Kuhne from Victoria won the best gents costume. Best showroom class Austin 7 won by Arthur Addyman with his „32 Saloon.

Austin 7 Journals Page 19 April 2007

The evening was completed after expressions of thanks by the various state Austin 7 Club Presidents and by David Grear as Vice President of the Austin Seven Club SA & Bob Gell as immediate past chairman of the Bay to Birdwood Committee inviting all to Adelaide and the Barossa Valley to attend the 90th Anniversary of the Austin Seven in 2012.

SA members who attended this year‟s event in rally number order:

Entry No 10 Brian & Heather Densley 1936 Doctors Coupé 16 Arthur & Nadia Addyman 1932 RN Saloon 18 Ian & Cheryl Jones 1928 Chummy 20 David Searles 1928 Chummy 43 Chris Wright 1930 Chummy 54 Andrew & Debbie Dawes 1927 Sports 55 Bob & Chris Gell 1937 Ruby Tourer 57 Allan & Kerry Coates 1934 Sports Tourer 58 Wayne & Jenny Styles 1931 Saloon 63 Scott Appleyard 1931 Sports 65 Keith & Wendy Seidel 1928 Chummy 70 Alan & Valerie Baker 1929 Meteor 77 Ian Motley 1936 Tourer 79 Brenton & Karen Thorndike 1937 Ruby Tourer 81 George & Pam Keil 1927 Chummy 86 Dave Hall & Helen McLoughlin 1938 Open Road Tourer 87 Ralph & Marie Drage 1929 Roadster (Owner: Dave Hall) 88 David Franklin & Rosemary Davis 1929 Chummy (Owner: Dave Hall) 98 Greg & Julie Lindsay 1928 Roadster “L‟ll Addie” 101 Geoff, Bronwyn & Kate Stephens 1929 Tourer 102 Ian & Linda Seaman 1931 “Molly” (Owner G Stephens) 109 David & Michele Grear 1929 Meteor “Smokey Mary” 121 Chris & Joan Watters 1937 Tourer “Chocolate Chip” Enthusiast 13 Ron & Nell Burchett BMW

Austin 7 Journals Page 20 April 2007

Twenty one of SA members‟ Austin Sevens captured on camera during the five day event..

Austin 7 Journals Page 21 April 2007

Austin Seven front hub: Split pin removal.

I have recently been overhauling a couple of front axles, and spent some time struggling to remove the split pins from the castle nuts which hold the hub to the stub axle. I coined some new expletives during the process.

Having been involved in engineering design and manufacture from the age of 16, I found myself thinking about the decision making that occurred on someone‟s drawing board in the Austin Works in 1922. It would have seemed a good idea at the time, on paper anyway, to put two holes in the threaded section of the hub, to line up with the slots in the castle nut and the split pin hole in the threaded section of the stub axle, thus facilitating the entry of the split pin.

However, I am sure that the young draughtsman responsible for this fiendish arrangement gave never a single thought to me, the myriads who have struggled earlier, and those yet to struggle, when it came to getting the split pin out.

As it is my custom to fit a new split pin when reassembling, it seemed inappropriate to try and get the fitted split pin out in one piece. So I found a pin punch whose diameter matched the width of the slots in the castle nut and ground a chisel point. With a few light hammer strokes, it was then easy to cut the head and tail off the pin, flush with the stub axle thread, and undo the nut, knocking the decapitated pin out of the stub axle after dismantling.

Stan Gafney.

Austin 7 Journals Page 22 April 2007

220 Main North Road Prospect SA 5082

Autoglass Replacement & Repairs Tinting Cars

Glass Cut

Insurance work billed direct

All major cards accepted

RAA Members Welcome

Austin 7 Club Members Welcome

Lindsay Dean

Mob 0408 269 444

Ph 08 8269 4444 Fax 08 8269 5537

FOR SALE: Johnno Johnson has a brand new Firestone 4.50X16 Tyre and Tube fitted to a fully reconditioned Austin 7 rim has been bead blasted and powder coated in silver $275 or sensible offer contact Johnno on 8277 2148.

Dale Palamountain from Eudunda has the usual array of post war Austin bits and pieces to sell, including A30‟s and parts at all stages of repair and renovation; 13” cross ply tyres; an A40 steering box; and a 2 door A30 which needs a total restoration. Dale also has a 1951 Morris Commercial tray top truck with a “truck load” of spares to match. You can always contact Dale on 8581 1071.

Don‟t forget the Austin 7 Club Enthusiasts night buy sell swap meet on Monday evening 23rd April from 7.30pm at the Clubrooms. The spares shed will be open from 7pm till late. So bring along those Austin 7 bits you no longer require and give them a new home.

Austin 7 Journals Page 23 April 2007

This true story was related to me by Hilton Selvey, an MG enthusiast and owner at Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast during a visit to my daughter a year or so ago. Hilton drily remarked “before the crash the car was six feet long, but afterwards it was only three feet!”

At my request he agreed to write it up for our Club magazine. My thanks go to Hilton for the article and photographs

Ron Burchett, Librarian

“This has to be the ultimate disaster in an Austin 7!

In 1948 I was an impecunious medical student at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. My great friend from our school days, Geoff Hardwick equally short of cash, was an engineering student. He was given an Austin 7, a wonderful gift from his cousin. The brakes however, were not very effective so we decided to reline them. I do not remember any particular difficulty in obtaining new shoes, which we fitted and adjusted over an 8-hour period. We fancied that our efforts had improved the car's stopping power, never thinking that the brakes would be put to the ultimate test almost immediately.

This was the second Austin 7 that I had driven; the first had a custard tin as a fuel tank. A copper tube was soldered to the bottom of the tube, which took the fuel to the carburettor. Refuelling was a simple manoeuvre. Lean over the windscreen, remove the lid of the tin and pour petrol from a can kept next to the driver. There was no bonnet. The clutch was a hoot, a cotton reel fixed to the clutch pedal, total movement about 1/2 inch, either in or out.

The day after the brake work, Geoff went into hospital for a hernia operation and he left his precious car in my care. I had a girl friend who lived 16 miles out in the country to the North of Johannesburg. This area is country no longer; it is densely populated and called Johannesburg North. I decided to take advantage of my temporary ownership of a beaut car to visit her.

Geoff Hardwick’s Austin 7 taken outside no 30 10th street Orange Grove, Johannesburg in 1948

Johannesburg is situated on a plateau 6,000 feet above sea level known as the high veld. Most of the vegetation is grass and it is quite brown and apparently lifeless until the end of the dry season in early summer when the rain falls. Veld fires are the rule, whether started by lightning or deliberately lit, so when travelling at night, long lines of fire were commonly seen.

It was during this dry period that I set out at night to see Cathy, the day after Geoff‟s operation. Readers will appreciate the headlights of an Austin 7, two pitifully low powered lamps entirely unsuited for travelling at night in the country above 10 miles an hour. However I was batting along at top speed, 30 mph buoyed up by the thought of driving to see my girl friend. Halfway there I saw lights flickering on my right on a long stretch of Austin 7 Journals Page 24 April 2007 straight road. Thinking that it was a forest fire my mind, already distracted from the job at hand by the thoughts of my beautiful girlfriend, was further distracted by this fire. Suddenly out of the darkness loomed the largest night cart in the Southern Hemisphere.

I will digress at this point to explain what a night cart was, perhaps still is. It was a steel tank on a cart drawn my mules, in this case 6 pairs led by a man carrying a single hurricane lamp. A hatch on the top of the tank covered an opening through which the foul content of each bucket was tipped. At the front of the tank sat the driver. Behind him was a large stack of cleaned toilet buckets and next to this stack was an equally large stack of recently emptied buckets. The reader will have realised that there was no water borne sewerage in this part of South Africa. In the old days, certainly when I lived in Vereeniging as a small child, night carts were commonplace, the carts used a special lane behind the houses, the sewerage lane. The toilet we had in those days at Vereeniging, was made of corrugated iron and placed at the bottom of the garden. It had a flap where the night cart men could remove the bucket and replace it with a clean one.

To get back to Geoff's poor old car; I braked heavily but it was too late, much too late. I slammed into this gigantic tank and in a fraction of a second the Austin was turned into a concertina, without the music. When the dust settled I found myself sitting with my knees almost touching my chin which was bleeding freely. I was still clutching the steering wheel, which had broken free of its, hub. Breathing was very difficult in the cramped space and also very painful owing to the severe blow my sternum had received.

With great difficulty I extracted myself from the wreck receiving no help from the cart driver who was yelling at me because he said, I had damaged his cart. Inspection revealed that there was hardly a scratch on his precious cart. Had my Austin been a few inches lower it would have passed below the tank and I would have been decapitated. A passing motorist stopped... well he had to, the cart and my wreck was blocking the road. He helped me drag the remains of the Austin to the side of the road and the cart was driven away. It turned out that the cart had been crossing the road, the cart itself large enough to block both sides of the road. The cart was unlit, the only light was carried by the chap leading the mules and it was this light which I had mistaken for a fire.

The motorist reported the accident at a police station and my girlfriend was telephoned. She came out with her father and took me back to their home where I phoned my parents and arranged for the wreck to be collected the next morning.

My father collected the wreck with a borrowed ute, and the remains were deposited in our garage. When I told Geoff the whole story, he, to his eternal credit said "If you hadn't done it, I probably would have."

I cannot recall if there was much left of the car, but somehow Geoff managed to repair it and replace the vital parts which were destroyed. He used the car for the rest of his university career.”

Hilton Selvey

7th January 2007.

Cathy Jobst 1948, the woman in my story.

Austin 7 Journals Page 25 April 2007

M & C Doyle Crash Repairs

30 Deloraine Road Edwardstown SA 5039.

Ph 8277 7868 www .doylecrash.com.au

Experience - Quality - Reliability

+ Restorations & Unique Finishes + Metal Finishing & Modifications + Plastic Component Repair + Mazda Rotary Specialists + Accident Repairs - Insurance - Private - Fleet

FOR SALE: This is a reluctant sale by Ron & Joy O‟Connell of two of their vehicles, the first one being their 1934 Hudson 8 Coupe, 6 wheel equipped with Dickey seat Reg No VYV 457 - $25,000 and (pictured left) their 1947, 2.5L Riley RMB Saloon Fully Restored, Reg No WNN 747 - $20,000. Phone Ron or Joy O‟Connell on 8389 6662

Wanted: Austin Seven Association Magazine Issue 1972J, to complete my set. It has a gold cover, instead of the usual grey or beige. Stan Gafney Phone (08) 8263 2229.

Austin 7 Journals Page 26 April 2007

The Club recently received information regarding the safe handling and preparation of food from the local Charles Sturt council. The Club is not required to be licensed or require members to attend food handling courses etc, but is reproduced for the general interest of Club members. The club recently upgraded hand washing facilities and arranged for the display of posters in the kitchen.

How do we defend ourselves against food poisoning?

Following these 5 rules will help keep our food safe.

Austin 7 Journals Page 27 April 2007

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If undeliverable return to AUSTIN 7 JOURNALS Austin 7 Club SA Inc SURFACE POSTAGE 262 Tapleys Hill Road PAID SEATON SA 5023 MAIL AUSTRALIA

Print Post Approved PP535160/0009

Austin 7 Journals Page 32 April 2007