10am saw members arriving at the Motorcycle Museum in Kitchener Street. The collection is housed in the hall at the rear of the former Baptist Church which is now the residence. The collection is mostly European bikes and ranged from 50cc up to 1000cc including old and new.
For those not interested in bikes there was also a varied collection of household items in several rooms.
Morning tea was served in the courtyard and consisted of some very nice cakes and cream. We also had a chance to look at the Bed & Breakfast room that the owners have just created in a small hall adjacent to the church. Very posh!
From here we proceeded to Lloyd Street where Meldonfield is located. Eldon Zimmerman has been making 1/8th and 1/12th scale model wagons and Mary has been making scale figures for them. Eldon manufactures the wheels in the correct manner as they were originally built and this attention to detail is carried through to the full reproduction of the wagons, carriages sulkies etc.
Just for a change Eldon decided to build a 1/12th scale reproduction of the former Petersburg (Peterborough) railway station which was demolished about 40 years ago. He tracked down where the materials had been dumped and has cut scale bricks and stone blocks from the originals. Timberwork has also been scaled using original timber. Fortunately he was able to obtain the original plans. As the Jamestown station was designed by the same architect and is still in original condition further details were copied from there. The bricks and stone were then all laid one by one to mimic full size practice. Quite a task that has taken several years.
Eldon also has a fine collection of woodworking tools.
Some of the members had lunch here and we then moved onto Steamtown. Their collection of trains and carriages is housed in the former SAR roundhouse. There is also a collection of memorabilia and information on several serious train accidents that occurred in SA. Of particular interest to members was a Morris car which had been converted to run on the rails and had been used as a pay car. In its later years of use it was fitted with a Holden grey motor as this was more reliable and easier to obtain parts.
The weather was warm and sunny and meant a very pleasant day was had by those who attended.

David Kent and Graham Burgess from Burkent Vintage Engine Rebuilds, Port Pirie brought along their casting equipment to demonstrate the procedure.

members watch as metal is melted

After about 15 minutes of heating the white metal reached 700 degrees Fahrenheit and was ready to pour. However it is first necessary to tin the parts.

fluxing ready to tin

This is done by placing them in the molten metal to heat then spreading Allflux onto the desired surfaces and then placing back into the molten metal briefly. A nice clean tinned surface should result. This was then washed to remove all traces of flux.

preheating the casting jig

The tinned big end was placed onto the casting block which had been heated to allow the metal to flow to all surfaces.

puttied up

The big end was puttied into place using a mixture of fire clay and flour! This is to prevent leakages and to ensure the metal stays where needed. This mixture was heated to set it. The workshop now smelt like a bakery. The white metal was then poured.

pouring the white metal

Unfortunately they forgot to putty the oil hole in the con rod so only half a bearing resulted. Things always go wrong when you have a mob looking over your shoulder.  The bearing cap is also done the same way.

the finished big end

They then showed us a video of how  resultant bearings are then machined on a purpose made double ended lathe.
Many thanks to Graham and David for showing us their workshop secrets.

6.30 We then proceed to Blyth for tea (provided) in the supper room behind the Town Hall (off Moore st) and then a film at the Blyth Cinema.  The film is Charlie and Boots (Paul Hogan & Shane Jacobson)

Advise Pat Fiedler of numbers for tea  8821 1075 by 8/2/10

Read Report

This years 16th Rally was also the celebration of the clubs 35th birthday. 16 participants in the first (1979) Rally also attended this year including foundation President Ivan Venning.Saturday saw registration at the Clare High School with the vehicles leaving for a look at Ian Robert’s Medika Gallery at Blyth. From there they went on to Lunch at the Balaklava Museum followed by a look around Auburn.  During the day participants took part in an Observation Trial. Results were shown in a visual display at the Dinner that night.  Some tricky questions were cleverly answered and gained bonus points. During the night the Club’s 35th Birthday cake was cut by Ivan Venning and Patron John Hunt.

Trophies for the rally and Club Yearly awards were also presented.

The following day a BBQ breakfast was cooked by the Lions Club at Christenson Park adjacent to the caravan park. From here vehicles went on to Bungaree Homestead where we were given a tour of the historic grounds and lunch in the woolshed.

A fantastic time was had by all and our thanks go to the rally organisers for putting together such an interesting weekend.

It was after a Bay to Birdwood when I needed to drive “Ugly” home from Adelaide. Kip had taken the Harley to be serviced and needed to bring it home. I wasn’t allowed to ride that so Ugly was my lot.

This is ‘Ugly ‘ …  a 1937  REO  Speed Delivery utility

I hadn’t gone very far when I noticed a car keeping pace with me in the next lane, on Pt Wakefield Road north of Grand Junction intersection. I thought it would pass me, but it didn’t. It was as if trying to attract my attention, so I finally looked at it. Occupied by two women, they waved, tooted and smiled at me before moving on. Ummmm, Kip never got this response when he drove!    (you hope - ed)
Not far along from there I was stopped at another intersection and a bloke in a truck pulled up alongside. Smiles, waves and a whistle came from him. Again something Kip didn’t get.
I should have counted the waves I received on that trip home. Toots, flashing lights (or did they really think I was going fast and wanted to warn me of a speed trap ahead?) and kids peering through rear windows, while Dad was keeping an eye on me in the rear view mirror. I wonder if sometimes people might think I am an old lady (my hair is very blonde now) and have had this vehicle from new. I hope not, Ugly is 71 and I am pushing for 60.
One thing I admit to and that is I take crash gearboxes literally. Recently when Kip was driving the T6 following me he noticed that I can go around corners fairly fast. Well, it’s either that or stop completely and start again in first or the sound is awful!! (Not to mention the embarrassment!) Later I found out when I was riding with him in the T6, that she can go around corners fairly fast too!
My Dad cut his teeth on crash gearboxes and I really enjoyed watching him nurse Ugly around corners. Not a noise as he changed down. It was beautiful. I have always been “sound observant” when driving. I listen for any unusual noises and like to get them checked out in case there is damage on the way. I am very fortunate that I have never had a flat tyre because I haven’t had any lessons on how to change it on that vehicle. When there have been problems Kip has been driving.
With no electronic media I often sing along the way. I’m very careful to keep my eye on the rear view to make sure I’m not holding up traffic. It’s not too hard to pull over for a tick and I don’t always have to change gears. Sometimes I would like the comfort of air conditioning, the convenience of central locking and the ease of power steering. And you blokes thought all we women cared about in a vehicle was; 1. That it goes and 2. The colour - didn’t you?
It can be challenging but fun driving old vehicles and it’s mainly the attention and response you attract from other members of the public when you do it. So come on girls, give it a go!

Lynne Newbold