Wheels – A Brief History

If there are any petrol heads out there in blog land, this slice of motoring nostalga is for you.
I have owned about forty motor vehicles since 1964 (the year I got my licence on my 17th birthday). I 'd like to share my recollections, good bad and ugly of some of them. Where I have photos, they're included.
1966 – Volkswagen 1200 beetle (1956 model - Ivory). It taught me about oversteer. I survived. It put a valve through a piston in 1968. I installed a motor out of a Kombi. It still went OK, but top speed dropped from 110kph to 105kph.

1968 – 1962 Volkswagen beetle (Dark Grey). It also put a valve through a piston on the way from Texas to 3RTB at Singleton. I bought another short motor, installed it, and sold it to my cousin when I went to Vietnam. I don't have pics of this one.
1971 – I bought my dad’s 1969 HR Holden (white) when I was RTA’d. It took me on many epic journeys. It’s pictured here between Alice Springs and Darwin rescuing my friend in his brand new Corolla which broke a fan belt. The HR never missed a beat.




1973 – A 1968 Renault R12 (white). My first French car. This was the beginning of an enduring obsession with products from Froggy land.

1975 – My first new car, a Renault R12 (Dayglo Orange) bought from John French Motors. It is fondly remembered. I courted my bride in this.









1977 – We traded my wife’s cut and shut Mitsubishi Galant for a new Chevrolet LUV (Yellow – Isuzu by another name). I fitted bucket seats and a canopy and we (new bride and I) did much camping.





1978 – We swapped the R12 manual for an R12 Auto (Dayglo Orange). We took it to Townsville with us. The transmission packed in the day after we traded it on the Subaru (see below). The dealer was not happy. I knew nothing, being distracted by looming fatherhood.



1981 – After the mandatory six months in Europe and British Isles (in a Bedford Camper) we settled down and bought a new Subaru 4WD Wagon (Yellow). It took us on many canoeing trips up and down the Burdekin, and was driven along the beach quite often.





1984 – Children were arriving – the Subaru was too small. We traded it on a Commodore 4 cylinder wagon (5 speed – brown). These cars were much-maligned, but it never gave us a spot of bother. It came to a bad end, however. My bride lost control on a wet corner in Townsville and hit a light pole with children aboard. The car folded up as it was supposed to, the kids were properly harnessed, and injuries were minor. The Commodore, however, was a write-off.

1985 – I bought a “bomb” – a white 1968 Peugeot 404 sedan with rust. The rust was repaired and it became my work car. We are now a two-car family again.

1986 – Our next car was a Falcon XD Wagon (white – 1983 model – ex Townsville City Council) which I purchased with the insurance payout on the Commodore. I fitted an air-conditioner obtained from a wrecker. It took me two weeks to get the dashboard back in, but it worked! Air is a must in Townsville. No photos survive.

1987 – Pug 1 died - the camshaft broke. A friend had a 1970 404 slowly rusting under his house. I offered him $400 for it and made a roadworthy car from combination of Pugs 1 & 2. There was less rust in this one because it's dry in Mt Isa. We are a two-car family again.

1988 – Mitsubishi Magna TN wagon (1987 - blue – manual with air). We took it and Pug 2 out to Mt Isa when we moved in 1992.










1994 – We sold the Magna (with an extra row of seats necessitated by the arrival of child 4) and bought a blue1992 Falcon EB wagon at a Q-Fleet auction. It had covered only 29000 kms. We fitted an extra row of seats, and moved to Toowoomba with the Falcon and Peugeot in 1996. The pic is about kids (mine and my many rellies'), but the car is in the background.


1999 – I acquired a new Kia Carnival (bronze) as part of a salary package. Again, a much-maligned car, but it proved reliable, roomy and economical. I was booked for speeding (116kph) on Brandon on way North to Herberton. We fitted a cruise control to avoid further episodes. I was too busy to take pics of this car.
2001 – Bought 1985 Peugeot 505 wagon – silver - eight seater. I took it and sons on an epic southbound journey to reunite with old army mates. It overheated at Canberra, so I drove it home very carefully. The radiator needed a clean. I relegated the 404 to the shed (restoration project). No pics!

2003 – I traded the 505 wagon on a 1987 version of same – also silver. It was fuel-injected and auto, and a beautiful car. It would carry half a tonne or eight people in total comfort.






2004 – I Salary packaged a silver Falcon SR AU111.

2005 – I bought another 505. This was a 1983 sedan (beige). One offspring learned to drive in it and used it for his first job delivering pizza whilst at Uni. I now owned 3 Peugeots. How did this happen?






2005 – I bought new silver Falcon BA SR and converted it to sequential vapour injection LPG. This was very cheap to run and had a touring range of 1100kms. Consequently, I took it on many very long trips (Adelaide etc).

2008 – I have disposed of all Peugeots. For the first time in over 20 years I am Pugless.

2008 – I bought silver 2003 Mazda MX5 roadster. I've been waiting 44 years to own a sportscar. It made up for the dearth of Peugeots.










2009 – We downsized from the Falcon to a specced-up 2006 Ford Focus (silver). It had only 18000km – was owned by an elderly couple. My bride loves it.



My favourite? It’s a toss-up between the Mazda and the second 505 eight seater. One is entirely for fun and the other was entirely functional. The 505 wagon is the only car I regret selling.

And I’ve never owned a household appliance (Toyota).

Things That Go Bump...

After returning from our expedition to the Granite Belt, I noticed a distinct tinny rattling noise which emanated from somewhere to the rear of the car.

It sounded like it was coming from the boot, and I found it to be a great source of irritation.

MX-5s aren't supposed to make tinny rattly noises. They're supposed to go "Zoom-Zoom" not "plink-plink".

I began to try to identify the source. It wasn't the exhaust system. After risking third degree buns, I discovered that it was attached as per specifications.

Next I took all the gear out of the boot (space-saver tyre, wheelbrace and jack). It looked as if the wheelbrace was contacting the jack in its cradle, so I packed a piece of towel around and between these two items. It made no difference at all. Plink-plinking continued.

Because the noise began to be heard after our Granite Belt trip, I racked my brains (this didn't take long) to think of anything unusual we did on this trip. Apart from drinking a little bit more red than usual, I was unable to recall anything significant. In any case, the quaffing of red wine and driving the MX-5 have always been mutually exclusive activities.

Then I remembered. We had to pack the boot pretty tightly. At the top and rear of the boot cavity are two very slim torsion bars held in place by a plastic clip.

A close inspection showed that these two skinny rods had separated from the plastic clip, and were merrily "plink-plinking" every time the car hit a small bump. Stuffing soft gear into the boot to the brim must have dislodged them.

The remedy was simply to put them back in the clip.

Hopefully this will help save someone else a fruitless search. It's back to "Zoom-zoom".

Heifers in the Barn

On Sunday 20th September, the local Darling Downs chapter of the MX5 club took a run through Cambooya, Nobby, Heifer Creek, Fordsdale, Mt Whitestone, Ma Ma Creek, Upper & Lower Tenthill, Carpendale, Lillydale, Flagstone Creek and The Barn.

Morning Tea was at a Camping Ground near heifer Creek, and Lunch at the Barn.

The route was brilliant, thanks to through planning by Harry and Andrea, and the instructions precise and specific.

This journey would be pleasant in just about any breed of wheeled appliance, but in the MX5 it was amazing. There was an enormous variety of road surface and scenery, and the weather was perfect - in itself unusual, given the extremes we've been experiencing recently.

The morning tea stop, whilst providing a very comfortable environment for a pause in proceedings, also featured a notice board that outlined the story of the Theiss brothers, who hailed from around here. Just to emphasis the history of this family, and their ability to move vast amounts of soil and rock about the landscape, we drove through a cutting, a massive engineering feat, but probably not entirely necessary.

I developed the distinct impression that the brothers Theiss built this cutting simply because they could.

Our lunch was great, even if the green tinge lent to the food (via the transparent roof panels in the barn) had a few of us looking twice at each mouthful.

Lunch was enhanced by the presence of a mid-fifties Thunderbird outside the barn which offered about the same amount of cockpit space as an MX5 in a chassis about twice the length.

Now if Mazda had built one of these, it would have looked better the closer you got to it, rather than the other way round.

Wimped It

We've just returned from a 3200km sojourn to North Queensland and back.

This is the right time of the year to do it, and the original intention was to take the MX5. We have three cars - and choices were available.

We had three aims - to get warm, to enjoy the trip, and to be flexible. This last goal was a problem in the MX5.

In order to be flexible, we needed to pack camping gear. After much experimentation, it became clear that there was no way we were going to get tent, lpg cooker, sleeping gear and all our clothes into the Mazda. If we had been prepared to book motels and had only to pack clothes, it would have been possible, but the need to be flexible overruled.

As it turned out, we were able to stay in a variety of non-motel settings which certainly added to the enjoyment.

Having elected to use the sedan, I still had an interesting encounter with an MX5 in Atherton, on the Tableland.

I was filling the Falcon with LPG when an MX5 - an NB, and the same colour as ours rocked up at the bowser. It turned out that it had just been sold, and the driver was working for the used car lot. He was a mite discomforted y the MX5, never having driven one before.

He couldn't find the fuel cap lever, didn't know what grade of fuel it took, and wasn't sure how to find reverse. I was able to help him on all counts.

The price on the windscreen said $25999, which was a bit steep. It had covered 52000km and looked a bit tatty. It was a special edition with leather upholstery and metal finish in the cockpit, but our car cost $3000 less and had only 30000km when we bought it.

I took a shot as we left, and drove through the Tolga scrub. It's not very clear, but was the best I could do.

We will do a long trip in the MX5 one of these days - probably in the Spring.

Lift and Separation

As self-funded (semi-) retirees, outside what we own in the way of real estate, the MX5 is probably our best investment, given what the GFC is dong to our shares and Super.

It is important, therefore, to keep it as pristine as possible.

It seems highly susceptible to stone chips. Maybe the paintwork is at fault, or perhaps the exposed paintwork on the front of the car is lower than the average, and simply closer to where the flying stones are generated. The recent on-and-off heavy rain doesn't help. It softens the road foundations, and the B-doubles do the rest. What used to be a stretches of solid bitumen is now pock-marked with potholes and loose stones. This is particularly the case along the Warrego.

With this in mind, I've bought a starnge and wonderful device called a Carbra. Made of heavy grade vinyl, and tailored to the NB version of the MX5, it attaches to the front of the car with velcro and little metal hooks. It is a tight fit, and the instructions demanded that I put it in direct sunshine for an hour or two so that the vinyl might soften. Sunny days have been conspicuous by their absence recently, so I had to tussle with unsoft vinyl. All this did was increase the frequency and intensity of profanity, and it did fit (eventually).

It does the job, and doesn't flap or flutter, but takes a bit of time to fit. It's also not a good idea (if you have the choice) to use it in wet weather, as it would take a lot of drying out, I imagine.

Getting hold of one of these is part of our preparation for the great trek North in July. We must be crazy - having two other vehicles much more suited to long road journeys than an open-topped roadster, but I've always yearned to do such a journey in minimalist fashion.

I guess I'll just have to get it out of my system.

By the way - in connection with bras, I always thought "lift" and "separation" were aerodynamic terms. My wife has set me straight - it's never too late to learn.

Marburg Loop

Our most recent MX5 run was to a winery at Marburg via Cunningham’s Gap, Rosevale and Rosewood.

It was a brilliant day, just before a massive change of weather which saw the South-East receive a record May rainfall. We assembled at Toowoomba, and headed down the New England towards Allora.





There were six cars in the convoy, which grew to ten as we got together with non Darling Downs members (Mexicans).The run across from the Warwick turnoff to morning tea at Cunningham’s gap was scenically spectacular.


The countryside looked green and lush, and the sight of Glengallon homestead off to the left reminded us of the history of the area – just as spectacular.Morning tea was taken to the background of the characteristic calls of Whipbirds (Psophodes olivaceus) in a well-hidden little park. These noisy, but shy birds were in abundance, even though they remained well out of sight.

We then headed north to Rosevale, Maryvale and Rosewood along secondary and very enjoyable roads. This reminded most of us why we do this – nothing beats the sounds, sights and smells of travelling in a convoy of MX5s through the beautiful countryside – truly a tonic for the soul.
Lunch was at Warrego Winery. There was a great choice of tipple, even though the drivers had to abstain.

Just up the road was Woodlands, a venue used for a local festival which featured a display of veteran cars. We enjoyed lunch in the shade of the Jacarandas, whilst watching a procession of these vehicles trundling past. A few of us visited the festival, to find a few displays and cars still in situ. The opportunity to photograph both the older machinery presented itself, and there were some interesting results.

Thanks are due to the organisers, both local and Mexicans. I’m looking forward to the next one.

Glenmorgan

Staying with the vintage/veteran motoring theme, I’m posting some shots that I took at Glenmorgan last week.

Click on the images to get a good look.

Glenmorgan isn’t really on the way to anywhere in particular, but it can be an interesting destination in itself. A local bloke with the time and resources necessary has set up a museum to things automotive on the road through the township.

It features vehicles from the forties (mostly military) through to the early sixties. What makes it unique is that they are presented as if they’re on sale in a used car lot.

The Ford V8 Ute shown was one of a batch that was requisitioned. They were sedans when taken over by the military, but were smartly converted to Utes. The one displayed was used in Darwin and New Guinea. I remember my dad who served in the RAAF in New Guinea talking about these Utes. He was mightily impressed.

It is possible to imagine that you’ve slept through the last fifty
years or so when you look at the display. It’s also completely surprising, as there is nothing to suggest that it’s there until you turn the corner into the township.

There never seems to be anyone about – it reminds me of Canberra in that sense.

I’m usually on my way to Surat, itself an interesting spot.