A Special Edition of The Riley Crank produced for the National Rattle of Rileys Easter 2007
Editorial
And so, while I sit here and ponder what gems might emerge and from what quarters, have a good Riley read and a great National Rattle.
Welcome to the second edition of the National Riley Crank. The first edition was produced in 2001 for the National Rally at Hahndorf. On behalf of your host Club, the Riley Motor Club of SA Inc, I extend a warm welcome to everyone at the 2007 National Rattle of Rileys. It is unfortunate that all of our South Australian Club members can’t be with us here at Naracoorte. Those of us who are here will miss your company. Unfortunately too, Victor Riley is unable to join us this year but he sends his best wishes to everyone. This year’s event was programmed to be a friendly “meet, greet and fun” gathering - an opportunity to mix with people you might not have known previously. Aside from the “seriously competitive” Conrod Trophy event (which shouldn’t break an axle), we have organised team activities that will bring together entrants from each State. There will be prizes galore to make your participation well worth the effort. We have a reasonably full programme of activities over the next four days. Not only has there been a very active committee to plan this rendezvous, but also we have the support of enthusiastic South Australian members who are attending and have volunteered to assist at each stage to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as you could expect a Riley event to run. There have been a few testing moments for the organising committee and undoubtedly there may still be the occasional challenge that has yet to present itself. Now we just need your help to make it all work. Three weeks ago some of the organising committee members who could get away made their way toward the Coonawarra for the third and last planning visit. This time we needed to finalise the more serious and detailed practicalities of how to manage over 100 cars and 200 people. Our “locals”, Ron and Barb Ferguson have helped enormously with advice and also with the storage of many of those things that we needed to have at Naracoorte but couldn’t fit in a Riley boot. Together with Ian and Helen Klose, they have been able to give us valuable local insights. Our Editor/publicist/website administrator, Leigh Johnson, will be producing the National Daily Crank again. Each one contains important information that you need to know along with items of interest. You will probably see him running around and doing “cartwheels” with a camera. Please keep him informed of any newsy bits and gossip along the way. This message is brief so that you have time to read the VERY important information that is included in the first Daily Crank. We hope you enjoy our 2007 National Rattle of Rileys. Cheers,
Some readers would know that the Riley Crank is the regular monthly newsletter of the Riley Motor Club of South Australia. The National Riley Crank is produced specifically for the national gathering. It’s bigger, brighter (that means we spent some money on colour printing the covers) and has a wider readership because all participants at the national gathering receive a copy. As was the case six years ago, a small part of the National Riley Crank contains information that is of greater relevance to South Australians. See Page 2. Those of you from other than SA might enjoy reading Caroline’s Social Calendar to see what the SA Club will be getting up to in the coming months but I expect it’s unlikely that you’ll want read the meeting minutes. I've held back the minutes of the AGM that was held on the same night, the details of the Clubmanship Award and the financial reports until next month’s Crank. In this edition of the National Crank we've not only got articles contributed by a number of South Australians but we also have a contribution from a well known New South Wales Gazette contributor together with some other material dredged up from the archives and an article by a special guest writer. Other editors will understand how much of an achievement this is. If you see me in a huddle some time over the next few days with Lindsay Stephens from NSW and Lyn Wyatt from Victoria you’ll know what we’re talking about. How to get more members to write down their experiences and knowledge. Anyway, I do hope you find something of interest in this edition even if it is in the comics section! I have a feeling we might be seeing Dick around the Town Square of Naracoorte on Saturday. If you’d like to see The National Crank in full colour and have broadband internet access just e-mail me and ask me to send you a copy. My email address is on page 19. If you are desperate for something to read each month you might ask to be put on the regular mailing list. It doesn't cost me any more to send to one or a hundred people. A warning though. The files are big and I mean really big so if you don’t have broadband they’ll clog your system for hours and you will be most unimpressed so it would be better not to ask. The National Daily Cranks will be your daily source of fact and fantasy throughout the 2007 Rattle. Participants at the Rattle are encouraged to contribute to the Daily Cranks during the event.
Beverley Wilson
April 2007
Leigh Johnson Editor
The National Crank
An Embellishment of Editors A gathering to discuss tactics Launceston, March 2005
Cover Photo August 2006, Second Valley on the Fleurieu Peninsular South Australia. Taken on one of the South Australian Club's regular monthly runs this photo opportunity emerged from a cloudy and drizzly day as the clouds parted, the mist dissipated and the sun peeped out - momentarily. It displays the Riley marque from pre-war to BMC models. Now if only we'd had the Pathfinder there the picture would be complete. I did think about photoshopping it in, but only briefly.
Page 2
Caroline’s Social
Mark My Word By Mark Hayes
Calendar
April 5-9 The National Rattle of Rileys, Naracoorte 17 Club Meeting Tonight we’ll gather to talk about some of the personal highlights from the National Rattle of Rileys. 29 Vintage and Classic Day, McLaren Vale – Cavalcade and then display at wineries. $10. Trevor Sharp on 0415820719 May 15 Club Meeting 27 Run to Noarlunga. A joint run with the Armstrong Siddeley Club to visit David Reid’s collection of motor vehicles. David isn’t a member of our club but has a Riley sidevalve that he displayed with the club on All British Day in 2002 when we were the featured club. This is what it looked like then. It’s now completed.
June 19 Club Meeting 24 Around the Houses Doug McPherson’s organising for us to poke around in a few more Riley sheds where secret men’s business is surreptitiously transacted. July 17 Club Meeting 22 Christmas in July Lunch. Mark and Christine Hayes have scouted out a beaut location and are sure to organise a great day. August 21 Club Meeting 26 Run to the Railway Museum at Port Adelaide Brian Royle wanted to have an event closer to home so he’s organising a visit to the museum at the Port Dock Station.
Thoughts On How We’ve Survived First, we survived being born to mothers who sometimes smoked and/or drank while they carried us. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese; ate tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes. Then ..........after all that trauma, our cots were covered with bright coloured lead-based paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, Not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking . As children, we rode in cars with no seat belts or air bags. We even hung our arms out the window sometimes to keep cool. Riding in the back of a relative's ute on a warm day was always a special treat. We drank water straight from the garden hose and the tap and not from a bottle. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and none of us actually died. We ate home-made cakes, white bread with real butter and we drank lemonade with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because...... WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!! We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. We didn’t have mobiles. No one was able to reach us all day. And we were (believe it or not) O.K. We would spend hours building go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem. We didn't have Playstations, Nintendos, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no videos, surround sound, personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms..........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, we cut ourselves, we broke our bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever. We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them! We had sports team trials and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. There was no counselling to overcome the disappointment. Can you imagine that!! The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! Then they gave us another "lesson" when we got home.
Minutes of Club Meeting
was $32,354.48 after payment of $11.25 for postage and $77.00 for oil absorbent material and after receiving $6,062.50 from entry fees. held 20 March 2007 Correspondence in – Auto Collectors Club Murray Bridge re The Twin Bridges Rally from 7 to 9 September, The Federation of Present with Rileys, Phil Evans, Leigh Johnson, Kev Keaney Present other vehicles - Rai Lapins, Roly Lapins (late with apology), Historic Motoring Cubs club return form Historic Winton, Lee Friedrichs, Ron and Joy O’Connell, Brian Royle, David Retalic, information on the Leafy Sea Dragon Festival Cavalcade of Vintage, Classic and Collectors Cars on 22 April, invitation to Clare Valley Bev Wilson, Alan Reddrop, Peter Lobb, Hedley Bachmann, David Easter race day and information on the Naracoorte Swap meet on 5/6 Thomson, Bill and Joy Watson, Chris Catt, Chuck Falzon, John May. Grenfell, Graeme Pinkney, Ian Hughes, Bill Gallagher, Keith Correspondence out - New member Kev Keaney. H Bachmann Freegard, Geoff Wilson, Sid and Caroline Sweet, Chris Kinney, Bruce Smith, Guli Paltridge, Bruce Catt, Peter Leppard, Geoff Peters, advised that he had advised the Department of Transport of the logbooks issued for the last twelve months for historic registration. Mark Denton, Bill Skully, Mark Hayes Other Business There was discussion on travelling to Naracoorte Apologies –Ian and Helen Klose, Mike Quinn, Doug McPherson, Rosalie Haese, Ron and Barbara Ferguson, Trevor Shepherd, David and a cloth badge that can be ordered was tabled. B Wilson advised that the committee would be looking for assistance with meeting and Gunn, Lee Paltridge greeting, taking of meal tickets and marshalling at Naracoorte. Bill Minutes of meeting of 20 February 2007 – Approved Treasurer’s report - The Treasurer’s report covered expenditure of Watson and C Catt spoke on marshalling and training. It was noted $56.25 for Crank printing, postage of Cranks of $36.85, $107.00 for that Ron O’Connell had received the best Riley/Wolseley award post office box rental, $49.50 for Federation subs and miscellaneous from the Power of the Past. C Kinney advised that the Historic and $56.00 for postage and miscellaneous. Income for the month was Registration Registrars can process documentation by post if they subscriptions of $690.00. The balance at 28 February was $6,167.53 receive the membership card, the logbook and a stamped self plus $6,396.17 in the term deposit. The balance in the Event account addressed envelope.
April 2007
The National Crank
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We Were Younger Then 2007 is the Centenary of Surf Life Saving in Australia. It has also been designated by the Federal Government as the Year of the Surf Lifesaver The origins of surf lifesaving stem from the actions of Australian newspaper publisher William Gocher who in 1902 publicly challenged the law prohibiting bathing in public during daylight hours. His persistence, supported by others, opened the way for the sport of body surfing.
by Sid Sweet There have been three Rileys in my life. My parents’ first red RMB, their second sun-bronze RMB (a 1951 model that Caroline and I currently own) and the other one was a black RMB that we owned in 1960. In 1954 when the photo below was taken (I'm second from the left in case you don't recognise me but I haven't changed very much) I was a member of the Christies Beach Surf Life Saving Club. Three friends and I had formed the club that year. Three of us had been members of the Glenelg Club and the fourth was from Brighton. We originally intended to set up a club at Chiton Rocks, because that's where the surf was, but no one wanted to know us at Chiton.
I have fond memories of the little Morris especially freewheeling down Springbank Road on a quiet Sunday morning with the ignition off and then turning it back on just when we were passing a family group on their way to church. Bang! I wouldn't do it now of course. We were younger then.
As soon as people took to the water in large numbers however, it became apparent there was a need for some form of protection against the surf's dangers. Teams of young men, all regular surfers, banded together as volunteers, to form surf brigades. As the clubs grew in size and numbers they perceived the need for a united front, to raise funds from state and local governments. With this in mind, on October 18 1907 the NSW Surf Bathing Association was formed. The name was later changed to the Surf Life Saving Association of Australia. This uniquely Australian voluntary community service, surf lifesaving, has attracted the attention of more and more overseas countries. Slowly but surely the movement is going worldwide.
The Christies Beach Progress Association heard about us and asked us to form a club down there. I was doing National Service at the time so one weekend when I was on leave from Woodside we met with the Progress Association at Christies Beach and that was the start of the club. Our first club rooms were very, very small as you can see in the photograph. Just enough for six bunks and a table. We added on a bit on to the left-hand side so we could store our surf boards. We didn't need anything else but we did adorn the front with a pair of horns from some animal that you wouldn't want to get in front of. We found the horns on the beach and thought they added a certain something to our clubhouse. We were younger then. We had great fun over many years while performing a valuable community service. At the end of the first year there were nine members. The club has now grown to 253 including both genders. We built new club rooms in 1960 which was when the photo above right was taken. Those club rooms have since been demolished and a brand-new building built at a cost of $1.7 million which was opened in 2005. In 1968 I was awarded Life Membership of the club. Before Caroline and I were married I had an MGTC. One day when I was at the club the MG was parked on the top of the cliffs and I was down on the beach entertaining a young lady (only whispering in her ear of course). My "friends" in the club saw the car and knew it was mine because it stood out a little. They took it upon themselves to remove the spark plugs. When the young lady and I emerged from the beach later that day the car turned over very freely but failed to start. It didn't take too long to work out what had happened. So I walked the young lady home. It was an hour to Morphett Vale and an hour back in the dark. I was a very livid lifesaver when I got back to the clubhouse and told my friends politely that they shouldn’t have done what they did.
April 2007
We traded in the MG on a Morris Minor. I was happy to see the end of it really. The steering was always a problem and it was worse when the skinny little tyres got caught in the tram lines. And they want to put more tram lines down King William Street now!
The National Crank
Caroline and I had been married for about a year when one day we were cruising down King William Street and noticed the Riley in a little used-car yard between two very tall buildings. There were very few cars on the lot but the Riley stood out. We bought it that day. I had always wanted a Riley and we only sold it later because I got a company car. We sold it to a man who was heading to Broken Hill the next day. He said he’d come back and throttle me if it didn't get him to Broken Hill. For some weeks I slept uneasily but I never heard from him again so either he got to Broken Hill or decided against coming back to get me. When we were first married we lived in Alexandra Avenue, Rose Park at the back of a house that we shared with our landlady. There was a shed for a Riley at the back which could be accessed via the laneway that was used for the night cart in earlier days. One morning the car wouldn't start and, in those days, the RAA wouldn’t come to you if the car was on your property. Easy I thought. Just push the Riley out into the lane. However being a weighty beast the Riley had pressed four neat indentations into the dirt floor. Each tyre was sitting snugly in a little depression. There was no way I could move it out. Eventually we got it into the lane with the assistance of our very nice landlady from the front of the house. Couldn’t do it now though. We were younger then.
Caroline and the 2½ in the lane after our herculean effort
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Turning Negative into Positive by Jock Kilgour We were driving home from All British Day when the Roadster suddenly stopped dead in the middle of Piccadilly Valley Road. With no power and heading uphill all I could do was pull over to the side of the road as quickly as possible. We weren’t far from Uraidla Oval but a long way from home. After trying unsuccessfully to coax the Roadster back to life we decided that we were perched in a precarious position on the side of the road so we decided to roll the car back down the hill and into the nearest driveway where we could work out what to do next.
and I was seriously expecting to arrive home with the Riley on the back of a truck! But much to my delight, the RAA mechanic turned out to be a motoring enthusiast who just happened to have a spare coil in his van, so it was not long until we were mobile again. With fingers crossed I gingerly headed out of the driveway and back onto Piccadilly Road. Everything was fine. The RAA mechanic followed me home to make sure we arrived safely and he was also able to retrieve his coil. I was most impressed with his service above and beyond the call of duty. On reflection, after a long day punctuated by mishaps, the likes of which only add to the joy of motoring in old cars, our new friends at Piccadilly and an RAA mechanic we were able to turn our electrical problems from a negative into a positive.
On seeing this strange vehicle appear unannounced in their driveway, the Italian market gardener and his wife came to greet their unexpected guests. We explained our situation and while they looked on with interest I looked further under the bonnet. After a little further examination I concluded that the problem was due to the coil having expired so I asked to use their phone to call my neighbour who could bring us another Riley coil that I had at home ready for just such an occasion.
Picturesque Piccadilly Valley in the Adelaide Hills
It took some time for the replacement coil to arrive. During this time we were made very welcome by our hosts. My neighbour eventually arrived accompanied by my wife Jeanette carrying the coil. It didn’t take very long to fit it and as soon as it was in the Riley burst into life.
Due to the quality of drinking water in South Australia bottled water has made significant inroads into the budgets of South Australians. That is only to be expected with South Australia being on the bottom end, so to speak, of that 2500 kilometre sewer that has divided NSW and SA from Victoria recently. The Piccadilly Valley with its abundance of natural springs has long been a source of drinking water for Adelaide people. It is rumored that the market garden referred to in this article is one source of spring water for one of the major spring water suppliers.
By this stage we had become very good friends with the market gardener and this was reinforced when they discovered Jeanette's Italian background. So by the time we were ready to leave the boot was full of tomatoes, sweet corn and various other home-grown produce. And you know how big a Roadster boot is.
As the bottled drinking water fad spread further and further The Piccadilly Springs company grew and is now part of the "Coke" empire.
Well, Mr Murphy had not finished with us yet. The Riley proceeded only 100 metres down the drive and stopped dead again. The second coil had burnt out! So now it was time to call the RAA. By the time the RAA arrived it was getting dark, the market gardeners had retreated into their house
Cool, Clear Water
Jock with son Jason in the 1949 Roadster.
They report that they obtain their drinking water from a “number of natural aquifers”. I guess that means that the water we think is coming from Piccadilly could well be coming from anywhere in Australia. Did you know that Naracoorte’s town water supply also comes from aquifers?
April 2007
The National Crank
Page 5
Fibreglassing for the Uninitiated by Bill Gallagher
Work on the Special had reached the stage where some mudguards and skin on the tail were required.
A guard set up temporarily on the special
“However after several attempts at guessing the “green” condition, I opted for the angle grinder.”
Not having done or even seen any fibreglassing done, I looked for information in Public Libraries, but to no avail. The next source of information was fibreglass suppliers. I visited four and I received a range of written and verbal information which totally confused me as only the laying up procedure was common to each supplier. Further information was not forthcoming so I decided on a middle line approach on the information I had received.
Brush on another coat of resin and again roll the entire surface removing any air bubbles. Sometime in this operation it may be necessary to mix extra resin and hardener. This can be done in the same container.
We will not go into mould manufacture in this article but that is the key - the better the mould the better the end product.
Take particular care of the last rolling as it will determine the density of the lay up and the visual look of the underside of the product.
Having completed the mould, its final preparation before laying up is vital for the release of the product. Several coats of Estapol, up to six coats of a special release wax and a final coat of Poly Vinyl Alcohol. The latter dries like an exceptionally thin Gladwrap.
Leave in the mould for at least 6 hours if warm and longer if cool, before removal from the mould. All that remains is to clean up; the PVA brush in warm soapy water and all resin-coated items in Acetone. Excess resin can be left in the ice cream container as it will pop out when hard and the container can be reused.
It is important when working with chemicals and fibreglass material, to wear proper safety equipment at all times. Eye protection, respirator and rubber gloves are essential and old clothing or an apron will save your better work clothes. The picture shows all the equipment for laying up the glass and resin. In making a set of cycle type mudguards I decided on 3 layers of 450 gram Chopped Strand Mat. This was cut to size and weighed. 450 CSM requires approximately 2 times its weight of resin, and to the resin is added, 1% of hardener, depending on the ambient temperature, less if warm and slightly more (1.1%) if at, say, 20ºC. Approximately 1litre of resin was needed for each mudguard. When I laid-up my guards the temperature was in the low 30’s and I used approximately 0.9% by volume of hardener in the resin. The ideal container to mix the hardener and resin in is an ice cream container for two reasons. First, they have a flat bottom and when used with a stirrer that has a square end, mixing is more complete and secondly, the hardened resin does not stick to the container. When curing, the resin and hardener develop some heat due to the chemical reaction and this tends to set off the resin in the ice cream container more quickly.
A guard ready to be extracted from the mould
brush (the cheapest you can buy). Lay one layer of glass mat over this and brush on another coat of resin. Using the special rollers, roll the whole surface to make sure the mat is properly seated into the mould and, importantly, to make sure there are no pockets of air in the mat. They will show up as white areas. Apply more resin to these areas and continue rolling the entire surface. This rolling brings the excess resin to the surface and then another layer of mat can be added.
Repeat the above operation for the third layer of mat. This is a total of four layers of brushed-on resin and three layers of mat.
When getting the product out of the mould, attempt to lift corners and edges by hand as the use of screwdrivers etc. will damage the mould. As the product releases and air gets between the mould and the product, it should pop out. Total time from application of the PVA to completion of cleanup is 1 hour. When completely set the excess mat can be trimmed off using a diamond wheel on an angle grinder. This may be followed up with some “metal finishing” necessary to attain the right finish before priming. The raw edges of the product should be sealed with resin to stop entry of water between layers of mat. The edges of the product can be sealed by removing the excess mat when the resin is “green”. This is done with a sharp knife. However after several attempts at guessing the “green” condition, I opted for the angle grinder.
Everything you need for the job. Take care with the good scissors, the measuring jug and scales. Their absence from the kitchen for an extended period might be noticed.
Approximately 700ml is the maximum volume that can be mixed and applied without it going off, which occurs in about 25 minutes depending on ambient temperature. The laying up procedure is simple. After the PVA has dried off in approximately half an hour, a liberal coat of resin can be applied by
April 2007
The National Crank
Page 6
Real Healey and the Riley Connection By Patrick Quinn Healey and Austin-Healey – are they the same car? Anyone connected with classic cars would have heard of someone referring to their Austin-Healey as a Healey. It’s common all round the world but it’s not quite correct as a Healey car is a very different collection of metal, rubber and material than an Austin-Healey. From September 1952 to March 1968 73,004 Austin-Healeys were built while just 1,287 Healey cars were constructed between 1946 and 1954. For the sake of this story I am not including the Austin-Healey Sprite. Donald Healey (DMH) was born in 1898 in Cornwall, England and as a young man began an apprenticeship with the Sopwith Aircraft Company. The lure of The Great War was too much and after putting up his age joined the Royal Flying Corps serving as a pilot in England, France and Belgium. Following a severe crash he was invalided out and served the remainder of the War as an aircraft inspector. After opening a motor garage in his home town of Parrenporth, Cornwall DMH developed an interest in motor sport and competed in trials and rallies in vehicles such as Ariel, ABC, Riley and Triumph, eventually winning the 1931 Monte Carlo in a works 4½ litre Invicta. He went on to work initially for Riley and then as chief engineer at Triumph. Towards the end of WW2 while with Humber, DMH enlisted the assistance of body engineer Ben Bowden and chassis engineer Sammy Sampietre to design their own vehicle with full size drawings on the wall of Ben's living room.
April 2007
Calling on his friends at Riley, DMH obtained a Riley 2 ½ litre engine, gearbox and rear axle, but was faced with the obstacle of constructing a chassis. However there was an 8 ft folding machine available in the adjoining cement mixer factory and therefore, all Healey chassis consist of 8ft straight sections in front of the upsweep for the rear axle. Built from 18 gauge sheet steel forming a sturdy but light top hat section, the chassis weighed just on 160 pounds. Ben Bowden designed an open body of very advanced shape, and with Riley again helping, body construction commenced but was soon transferred to the Westland Engineering Company of Hereford. The front suspension on a Healey was advanced for 1945 consisting of a pivoting trailinglink using a single spring and full 8 inch of travel with no change of camber angle. After some indecision as to what to call the new car it was Victor Riley who suggested to DMH that he should use his own name. The first Healey became known as the Healey Westland and for a closed version DMH made contact with a firm of shop-fitters called Elliotts of Reading who went on to produce the bodywork for the Healey Elliott saloon.
Fastest Production Car One Elliott saloon was taken to Belgium setting a record on the Jebbeke road. No doubt suitably tuned, it was timed at 111.87 mph allowing the new Healey to be called the fastest production car in the world. Just 70 Westlands and 104 Elliotts were built up to 1950 however DMH was always happy to sell rolling chassis to coach builders. One of them was Duncan Industries of Norfolk who bodied at least 42 Healey chassis with a range of bodies.
Patrick & Caroline Quinn live in the Blue Mountains near Sydney and have been Healey and AustinHealey owners for 35 years. Patrick is the South Pacific Editor for Vintage Racecar magazine, editor of the Oily Rag (Journal of the Historic Sports and Racing Car Association of NSW) and a features writer for Australian Classic Car.
Continued on next page.
The National Crank
Page 7
It’s April and Anzac Day is not far away. Have you news of my boy Jack? Not this tide. When d'you think that he'll come back? Not with this wind blowing, and this tide. Has any one else had word of him? Not this tide. For what is sunk will hardly swim, Not with this wind blowing, and this tide. Oh, dear, what comfort can I find? None this tide, Nor any tide, Except he did not shame his kind Not even with that wind blowing, and that tide. Then hold your head up all the more, This tide, And every tide; Because he was the son you bore, And gave to that wind blowing and that tide! Rudyard Kipling 1916. Kipling's son, John, was lost in action during the Battle of Loos in September 1915. His body was never recovered until long after his father's death and the war's end. This poem was published to accompany some articles written on the Battle of Jutland in May 1916 - the largest naval engagement between British and German warships during the Great War.
Lest we Forget
April 2007
Continued from Page 7. In 1948 the Donald Healey Motor Company produced the Sportsmobile. While its styling was a desired taste it was hailed as one of the most striking post-war car designs. Just 25 were built, all with Riley running gear. Healeys were by no stretch of the imagination inexpensive motor cars. Ex factory in Warwick, England the rolling chassis cost £950 then you had to put a body on it. If the total cost exceeded £1,000 the sales tax would double – this led to quite a number of strange and economical bodies. The Elliott saloon was priced at £1,750 plus £973/14/6 tax, the Westland at £1,500 plus £834/14/6 tax and the Sportsmobile £1,850 with a whopping £1,029/5/6 in tax. In July 1949 DMH saw the need for a basic 2 seater sports car that was suitable for racing and so was born the Healey Silverstone. The engine was moved back 8 in, anti-roll bar fitted, slightly wider tyres and with the body from a single stressed-skin alloy sheet along with cycle guards. All up 105 Silverstones were built with a surprising high survival rate.
The writer's Healey Duncan coupe competing at the 1950 Ohakea Grand Prix meeting in New Zealand
Following on from the Elliott and Westland came the Tickford saloon and Abbott drophead coupe. Again with Riley mechanicals but with modern lower coachbuilt bodies and more spacious and luxurious interiors. A total of 225 Tickfords and 77 Abbotts were built. The Tickford being the most successful Healey car except for the Nash-Healey. The Donald Healey Motor Company built a total of 554 cars that were equipped with Riley engines, gearboxes and rear ends. The Last Healey
Alvis and Nash
The unique Healey front suspension
Apart from the Rolls-Royce engined Healey 4000s, racing prototypes of the late sixties and the range of Healey motor and speed boats the last Healey made was the Healey 100 that during the 1952 London Motor Show became the Austin-Healey 100, but that’s another story.
Through a chance meeting between DMH and George Mason, president of the Nash Kelvinator Corporation there was born the Nash-Healey. Aimed solely at the US market the Nash-Healey besides running six-cylinder Nash engines and 3speed gearboxes was also fitted with components from the Nash parts bin such as grille and other brightwear. Important to the British government’s “Export of Perish” policy 505 Nash-Healeys were shipped across the Atlantic clothed in either English or Italian Pininfarina bodies. There were also 28 Healeys built with 3-litre Alvis engines with bodywork similar to the early NashHealey and called the Healey Sports Convertible.
A Healey Elliott now owned by one of our club members.
Healey Production Figures Chassis Total Type
Elliott West Dun Sports Silver Tick Abbott Nash Sports Others land can mobile stone ford c’vert
Intro Date
‘A’ ‘B’ ‘C’ ‘D’ ‘E’ ‘BT’ ‘F’ ‘N’ ‘N’Farina ‘G’
92 230 178 51 54 50 100 354 150 28
13 86 5
Oct 46 Jun 47 1950 Sept 49 Mar 50 May 51 Oct 51 Nov 51 Feb 52 Oct 51
Totals
1,287
104
17 42 11
9 33
1 24 126
6 34
36 63
14 37
52 39 2
51 54 354 150 28 70
42
25
105
The National Crank
225
91
504
28
93
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Rileys in Crime by Bill Watson Although I had been aware of, and admired, Riley 1½ and 2½ cars as a schoolboy, my first contact with a Riley police car occurred in Scotland in 1956 when my father was driving the family through Stirling in his recently-acquired 1953 Humber Hawk. All five of us simultaneously heard a penetrating, repetitive "ding-ding" sound approaching from behind. Mother said sharply: "How fast are you going?" Dad abruptly lifted his foot from the accelerator pedal while glancing fearfully at the speedometer and a shiny black Riley Pathfinder with flashing blue light on the roof and resonant bell on the front bumper sailed past, evidently intent on pursuing more interesting prey than our family Humber. While my parents exchanged a few harsh words in the front seat, I gazed after the Pathfinder, thinking to myself: "I wouldn't mind one of those...." When I began work in 1958 with the Clydesdale Bank one of our customers (who closely resembled Margaret Rutherford of Miss Marple films fame the black and white ones in which aspiring Aussie actor Bud Tingwell played Inspector Craddock) was the lady in charge of the local Red Cross branch and Old Folks' Home, and she drove an ex-Ayrshire Constabulary Riley 2½ - RMB I think. She was a most enthusiastic owner: "You know," she confided in me while I was serving at the counter one day, "There's a switch on the dashboard which, if I flick it, lets me do over 100 miles per hour!" The mind boggled as I envisaged this elderly lady (she was probably only in her 50s) crouched maniacally over the steering wheel, urging her sleek saloon beyond 100 mph on our narrow Scottish roads. As for that switch.!? Nothing to do with police cars, my next "contact" came in 1962 when I purchased a 1955 Hillman Husky Mark I from a BMC dealership. Having handed over my trade-in (a 1957 Berkeley 3wheeler) and completed the other formalities, I hopped into the Husky, turned the ignition key and hit the starter button. "BANG!" The Hillman had been left in reverse gear and lurched abruptly backwards onto the front bumper over-rider of a black Riley Pathfinder parked immediately behind. Leaping embarrassedly out of my "new" car (and resolving never again to start a car without first checking that it was out of gear!), I proceeded to the rear to inspect the damage - having been joined by several sales staff and customers. The Husky's rear bumper bar had developed a distinct "vee" shape but, fortunately, there wasn't a mark on the Pathfinder and I was allowed to leave to straighten the stricken chrome metal-work at my leisure. No need to call the police this time.
Rileys enjoyed a modest popularity with British, and other, police forces for a number of years. Those familiar with A Nostalgic Look at RILEY CARS by Linda Springate will have seen that Colonel B.B. Young of the Malayan Police (now Royal Malaysia Police) drove a 2½ and that the Gloucestershire Constabulary had a Flying Squad of 2½s fitted with two-way wireless. Whilst researching my book Police Forces of the World (Zeus Publications, 2006), I came across many references to different marques of police car used in various countries. Although Wolseley was the predominant make used by British police from the late 1930s to the '60s, a number of forces operated Rileys. It is an interesting statistic, though, that when the London Metropolitan Police traffic division was mainly equipped with Wolseley 6/90s, their fleet contained only one Riley Pathfinder (immortalised in a Corgi model). Drivers much preferred it to the Wolseley, citing superior handling and performance. In 1938 Wiltshire Constabulary replaced three MGs with the same number of Riley Falcons. Another three MGs went in favour of Riley Victors in 1939. The Victors were exchanged for Wolseley 14s in 1941. Although never a police car, my '56 Pathfinder (yes, I did finally get one! courtesy of Chris Kinney) has been accused of looking like an American police cruiser. The lower half is black but the roof is actually pale grey - not white. Any resemblance is purely coincidental, but two-tone colour scheme options were introduced to the Pathfinder late in 1956. Having graduated from an all-black '57 Morris Oxford, I was determined never again to endure a totally black car in an Australian summer - hence the pale roof. Alas, there is neither bell on the front bumper nor flashing blue light on the roof....
The Chief Constable of Norfolk Constabulary inspects his latest Pathfinder pursuit car.
Pathfinder or Wolseley by David Rowlands
Is the Police car shown here a Wolseley 6/90 or Pathfinder. It’s not easy to tell; both models had the antidazzle mirror, wipers, screen washers, and vent scuttle of that pattern, also identical windscreens and chrome surrounds. You can’t see enough detail of the woodwork, so what’s left? Well, only the steering wheel. NOT a Wolseley wheel, which had a complete circular inner ring according to my recollections of the Mks 1 & 2 models. So, best guess is a Pathfinder. Anyone know what the gadget is? Some sort of early speed camera, or just a camera for capturing detail of a pursued vehicle? Most Police Pathfinders in my recollection actually had the rear view mirror fixed in that position on the dashboard top, not in the conventional position shown here. From RMemoranda, September 2000 and reproduced here with the kind permission of the Editor
One of my favourite radio characters from the late 1940s was Dick Barton - Special Agent - the BBC's first daily serial. Captain Dick drove a Riley Monaco saloon - fabric-bodied, from memory. (See more on pages 10 and 11. Ed)
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Dick Barton Special Agent Another Famous Riley Man by Leigh Johnson It’s 1946 in Britain and the war is just over Come 6.45 in the evening the streets would clear of small children and large adults. An eerie silence descended over the country. Families would huddle round the wireless, to listen to “Dick Barton Special Agent”. The exploits of Dick, Jock and Snowy, keeping the world safe for us mortals was the programme that kept the whole of Britain in its grip. Surely no character is better remembered from the “Golden Age of Radio” than Dick Barton. Millions of adults will surely remember as children waiting impatiently for the dramatic, staccato announcement – “Dick Barton Special Agent!” followed by the fast and furious signature tune. The serial was broadcast in 15 minute episodes, Monday to Friday with each story spanning 2-4 weeks. Evenings were regulated by the serial. Supper, wash, into night things, sit by the fire with a cup of cocoa and listen to Dick Barton, then off to bed. The beloved star of the BBC's first daily radio serial, private investigator and sometime special agent Dick Barton appeared in 711 episodes between 1946 and 1951. With his two best mates by his side, Jock Anderson and Snowy White (and a gaggle of crimebusting gadgets that would make Dick Tracy envious) Dick managed to get into, and eventually out of, some pretty tight spots, solved all sorts of crimes and saved the nation from disaster time and again much to the delight of thousands, not to mention the stern disapproval of various educationalists and clergymen. In the beginning our hero had all the vices. He smoked a pipe; he enjoyed a drink and had a girl friend. Very soon the BBC realised that many young people were listening to the programme. In fact Dick’s was the most listened-to programme by children ever. The BBC in their wisdom decided that the show had to be toned down for the younger audience. Nevertheless, the show was a huge success, and the former Captain Richard Barton of the Commandos became a national hero, right up there with Churchill. In post-war Britain, the fast-paced, tongue-in-cheek adventures were exactly what the doctor ordered. At his peak, it’s estimated that over 15 million listeners tuned in to his adventures broadcast right after the news.
Noel Johnson (left) played Barton, with Alex McCrindle and John Mann as his stalwart henchmen, Jock and Snowy just as death's door opened with, “What will Dick do? Listen in tomorrow night. . . .” Neighbours’ writers clearly followed a successful formula. So that the serial would have complete uniformity, a specially prepared dossier containing all the facts of Dick’s life was compiled. He was an only child, born in 1912 in Buckinghamshire. He was 5’11’’ tall and weighed 11 stone 6. He had a fair complexion and chestnut hair. He went to King Edward Grammar School and later studied at Glasgow University (1930-3). After a number of jobs in various countries he joined the army in 1939. Commissioned from the ranks to Captain, he won the Military Cross during the evacuations from Dunkirk and was demobbed in 1945. Strangely, no mention is made in Dick’s bio of his choice of transport but we know it was a Riley Monaco. Clearly the right vehicle for the James Bond of the 40’s!
Jock listens for Riley noises as Dick and Snowy look serious in the ITV Television production
The series gave rise to a popular catchphrase of the late 40s “With one bound Dick was free!” which made light of the fact that no matter how dangerous the cliffhanging situation Dick found himself in every evening, he would always escape by the easiest - and usually most contrived - method. The BBC, conscious that the biggest audience for the programme was schoolboys, ensured the scriptwriters adhered to 13 codes of conduct, such as: no sex, no booze, no bad language and all violence must be limited to “clean socks on the jaw”. Each night the episode would end
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After complaints that the series kept children up too late, the BBC tried to appease parents and children alike. Dick's adventures would continue to be broadcast nightly but the broadcasting time was moved to 6.15 and on Saturday mornings a brief resume of Dick's week would be aired for youngsters barred from listening on school nights. To many a parent it seemed that Dick had won again. For Australian audiences, rather than just taking the BBC's productions of the serial (which may not have been available in any case), Australasian Radio Productions secured rights to the format and scripts from the BBC. This allowed the producers to more closely tailor the programme to its Australian audience. The series was still set in England and Europe. Later, Morris West (who was then the manager of Australian Radio Productions but went on to write some better material) did the adaptations. In total, over 350 episodes were produced from the late 1940s onward and the series was also broadcast in New Zealand. Dick’s international success couldn't be overlooked and in the 1950’s three feature films were made and a number of novels and shorts stories released. But the films were strictly B grade and what worked so well on radio looked awkward and sometimes even silly on film. Although the films were moderately successful, it wasn't enough to keep the series going. In March 1951 the BBC killed off Dick and his dynamic cohorts supposedly because of their bad influence on children. Several years later The Goons incorporated a parody of the serial in one of their episodes. It ended with Peter Sellers, as Dick, saying “Look, they've thrown something through the door!”. Harry Secombe, as his assistant Jock, asked “What'll we do?” to which Sellers replied “Quick men - put your fingers in your ears.” This was followed by a terrific explosion and the announcer saying, “Listen again tomorrow for Dick Barton's Special Funeral.” In 1979, ITV decided to revive Dick and made 26 fifteen minute episodes. Of course, these were modern times and no mamby-pamby codes of conduct had to be followed so viewers were treated to a tough-talking, no-nonsense, square-jawed private eye, complete with trench coat and trilby. The purists (and everyone else, it seemed) were not amused. The show only lasted a few months. Sadly, the spark was fitful and the production blighted by financial troubles. Some critics said that it was a mistake to try to resurrect Dick, one going so far as to say that, dressed in his trench coat and trilby, Dick looked more like a dirty old man than a crimefighter. A series of novels based on the series was issued at this time as well as the Dick Barton Annual.
The Monaco provides a classy backdrop to this dramatic scene from the ITV production. 2005 saw the publication of the book The Bart Dickon Omnibus which built upon this body of work, completed the graphic novella “A Severed Head” and added a short story featuring Dickon and other strips. Such is the cult of Dick that his popularity continued into the current millennium. A stage musical, Dick Barton, Special Agent, toured the UK between 1998 and 2001. Following its success, a further five episodes were written and performed between 1999 and 2004, and the latest instalment, Young Dick Barton is currently playing at the Warehouse Theatre, Croydon.
This article is based on a jigsaw of information gleaned from the net and pieced together for your enjoyment. See more of Dick on page 16. Ed
“Dressed in
his trench coat and trilby, Dick looked more like a dirty old man than a crime fighter.
”
Dick gives a smuggler a not-so-clean sock on the jaw in a scene from “Dick Barton Special Agent,” the 1948 Hammer Film.
Dick's first appearance as a comic strip was on the coloured cover of Comet No 247 in April 1953. It was a little belated: the programme had been off the air since March 30, 1951! There were other differences: Dick was reduced to a single assistant, Snowy White, and he was also reduced in age. Dick's first case was unlike anything he’d ever tackled on radio. It was entitled "The Flying Saucer Mystery" and Dick soon found himself to be the first man on the moon. Bart Dickon, a character created by artist and writer Borin Van Loon and styled as “The IdeologicallySound Secret Agent”, first appeared in comic strip form in the British publication Brain Damage (later The Damage) in the late 80’s. Much of the material was reworked and extended for regular publication in The Chap magazine in the late 90’s. November
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Those Bleeding Brakes
“He was stuck,
lying on the ground in the hills above Lithgow. He was not discovered until the next day, when a passing motorist saw his legs kicking behind the Riley.
”
1. Do not recycle fluid you have just bled because it usually contains tiny air bubbles. Putting it back into the brake reservoir just adds more concealed air into the system, even if it looks ok. Let it stand and after 24 hours the bubbles will disappear but meanwhile keep using fresh brake fluid. 2. Murphy’s Law sometimes strikes with Riley Brakes. A pressure bleeder (applying some air pressure to the top of the brake fluid reservoir) usually works in difficult cases. If you are using a pressurised system and still getting little from the slave cylinders, look no further than the master cylinder. The chances that all wheels have problems at the same time is so remote as to be discounted. 3. I am in favour of adjusting all brakes up solid, if bleeding with pedal pumping. This moves more fluid for each pump, as the slave cylinders are not moving in and out.
by Vivienne
4. If the car has not been used for a few years it has been known for the rubber pipes connected to the master cylinder to collapse internally. If in Many of you worry about Riley brakes and doubt, replace them. Another possible cause for modern traffic. In fact, well-adjusted RM brakes are quite adequate as long as the components are in the lack of bleeding is that front hoses can become blocked, especially if they have been good condition. By components, I mean all the clamped. Check to see if any of the cylinders mechanical bits plus a strong left leg, of course. Modern soft brake linings go a long way to giving bleed, as not all the hoses are likely to be blocked. good pedal feel as well. And don’t forget to replace the brake fluid every few years as it 5. If the bleed screws are the old type needing a absorbs minute quantities of water and becomes ball bearing, these can be rusted into their seats. much less efficient. New bleed screws have a point instead of the This short article is a guide to getting the bleeding ball; old ones have a dimple to locate the ball. and adjustment of the post-war Riley system right. It was prompted by the following true story about 6. Check the master cylinder pull-rod length; if one of our members (who shall remain nameless). you have no free movement at the pedal, this could be the answer; the Manual sections M.1 and M.8 describe how to set it up correctly. The Story Maladjustment of the rods won't stop the brakes bleeding, unless you've lost the necessary small This member, a bloke of course, was driving his amount of free play which is needed between the RMB to Bathurst. First, he adjusted the brakes, brake pedal clevis pin and the slotted yoke. You then after dinner set off. All was well until he noticed a lack of power climbing the hills towards get that right by turning the rod which is screwed into the back of the cylinder - it's threaded RH at Lithgow, so he stopped the car to investigate. He found the back wheels to be quite hot so correctly one end and LH at the other, so it's easy to adjust. deduced he had over tightened these adjusters.
Brake basics
Being an experienced and cautious man, he drove on until he found what appeared to be a flat and secluded area off the main road. By now it was pitch black but he was not concerned; he had the correct sized spanner in the car and it was but the work of a minute to back off the rear brake adjusters a notch. Lying there in the dark, he reached under the car and backed off the driver’s side adjuster, then moved across to the other side and again applied the spanner. At this point the car’s brakes became free. The parking spot which had looked to be flat when he stopped in the dark was actually at a slight incline. The Riley rolled back gently and parked itself on his shoulder. The member was not in any pain but found he could not get free as the fabric of his overalls was trapped beneath the tyre. He was stuck, lying on the ground in the hills above Lithgow and it was only 10 pm. The nights in that area regularly go below freezing point He was not discovered until broad daylight the next day, when a passing motorist saw his legs kicking behind the Riley. Is there a lesson there? Following are some notes I have prepared to help you avoid these little moments.
April 2007
Brake bleeding
The National Crank
7. The other thing you can check is that the inlet/outlet hoses are orientated horizontally, ie, facing the gearbox, so that the air rises to where it will be bled out. It is possible to assemble it so that you have them facing downwards (yet the system still seemed to work) although it would make bleeding more difficult. The master cylinder must be fully bled. The best way is to turn the master cylinder when installed in the car on its side so that the two hose ports are facing up then go ahead and bleed the system. Once the system is bled return the m/c to the correct position and tighten the locking nut on the pull rod. This makes it easier to remove the small amount of air trapped in the master cylinder above the hose ports, which prevents complete bleeding of the system. 8. You may need to bleed the master cylinder on its own; to do so just undo the rear union on the cylinder and then pump - fluid should appear, if not, try getting some fluid into that hole until no more will go in. Work the pedal slightly as you do so until no more air comes out. One way of filling it is to use a syringe, 9. Then reconnect the pipe to the 3-way union and bleed the rest of the system. If you are doing it single-handed you can use a longish piece of
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tubing resting on the bottom of a jar with a little fluid in it. To stop the tin falling over rest a large ring spanner on the edge of the tin with the tube passing through it. Be sure to open each bleed screw enough - perhaps two turns, starting with the most distant from the master cylinder. 10. If you still cannot get any pressure bleeding the system through one of the front wheels, try pushing the pedal down and then locking the bleed nipple before letting the pedal return. This takes two people (or a piece of wood from the pedal to the wheel). Try this and after some repetition the brake fluid should start to flow.
Brake Adjustment Basics (for Girling hydro-mechanical ie hydraulic front and mechanical rear brakes). (Later cars have two leading shoe front brakes with a separate cylinder for each shoe.)
A Couple of Words of Warning
Heading for the Pole
If the front brake hose on the car without two leading shoe brakes is disconnected, it must be refitted with banjo on the backplate pointing forward at about 30 deg. from horizontal, if too horizontal hose will stretch and foul suspension. If too vertical it will foul the wheel rim.
In 1924, South Australian
RMA/B/C/D models of course do not have rear hydraulics. The mechanical linkage is generally reliable BUT does wear. Specifically, clevis pins wear and allow play, and split pins wear and fracture. If they fall out, the clevis pins can then bounce out. Believe me; you do not want this as the loss of one of these pins means nothing works. No rear brakes, no hand brake and worse, no front brakes as the master cylinder has nothing to push against. Brake specialist places will tell you to splay the legs of split pins no more than 30 degrees and have a plain washer behind them. And never, ever re-use them. Vivienne
Front brake adjustment is by snail cams on backplates for each shoe. Rear brakes have squareended adjusters on backplates. Incidentally, the rear brake actuators must "float" in position using those strange spiral spring washers behind the mounting nuts and these must never be rendered ineffective by over tightening. Note the number of cotter pins in the linkage to the rear brakes – these wear and you should take out any cotter pin wear by adjustment as per the Manual.
Vivienne is well known to NSW readers of The Riley Gazette as a regular contributor of technical articles. Here for the first time she writes for The National Crank. Ed
James Stobie invented a steel and concrete pole to carry electricity and telephone cables. At the time South Australia suffered from a scarcity of long hard-wood timber and an abundance of termites. Poles that were brought, at considerable expense, from other States were often destroyed by the white ants. Stobie poles are constructed of two steel I-beams, held together by tie bolts and the space between them filled with concrete. An ugly object but an elegant design solution to a problem. Although hopes of selling the design interstate and worldwide remain unfulfilled, the poles are still used extensively in South Australia. However, they end at the SA border, with most other States preferring wooden poles. In 2002 the stobie pole was included on the BankSA Heritage Icons List. This list records, recognises and protects items that have made a significant contribution to the State's cultural identity.
Girling literature on Riley hydromechanical brakes stresses the need for frequent adjustment of the back brake shoes. This is in order to prevent excessive pedal travel, which is very sensitive to wear or movement in the mechanical part. Adjustment can be very easy, taking around a minute each side, and not necessitating use of the jack.
Unfortunate South Australians have found that stobie poles are an effective way of stopping a car though not very efficient because of the significant wear and tear on bodywork.
(1) Verify that back brake overtravel is in fact occurring. Operate the brake pedal with the handbrake ON. The pedal will move freely for a bit, hit a definite resistance with a "clonk" then travel on a bit more before coming up firm against the pressure of the hydraulic part of the braking system. The "free" bit is free play plus back brake movement: the bit between the resistance and the firm stop is hydraulic movement. (2) If the free bit is your problem and It happened so fast. No time to call his wife, tell the linkage is free of excess play (M2 in her he loved her or ask about the brake fluid stain the manual) chock the car, release the on her blouse. handbrake, select a 3/16" W or 7/16" AF open-ended spanner and lie down next to one back wheel with your feet facing to the rear. The square adjuster can be clearly felt behind the backplate at the front and halfway up. There is no need to go under the car.
However it’s argued by their proponents that their construction makes them able to absorb a good deal of impact because the concrete crumbles and the steel bends somewhat. And you can’t have a pole that collapses completely spewing live power lines everywhere.
(3) The adjuster must be rotated so as to screw it away from the centre-line of the car. It will move in definite quarter-turns, unless it is seized up or wrongly assembled. Turn it as far as you can without resorting to leverage such as a length of pipe over the spanner, then take it back to the nearest quarter-turn "click-stop". Repeat for the other side.
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Rileys at Vintage Collingrove
C
ollingrove Homestead,
just up the road from the track is living history. Conceived as a little piece of England, and commenced in 1856, Collingrove was the Angas family home and headquarters for their considerable pastoral interests. The Angas family made significant contributions to the growth and development of South Australia from its earliest days through political involvement, pastoral endeavor and philanthropic gesture. Collingrove became famous for breeding Merino and Lincoln sheep, Durham Cattle and Clydesdale Horses imported from England for the rugged country. The homestead was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1976 and is now preserved in its original splendour for the public providing a fine example of how our pioneers created a new Australian architecture which still retains the "Old Country" atmosphere of their origin. With all rooms being furnished in genuine antiques and fittings, Collingrove has grown to become known as one of South Australia's premier accommodation houses offering some of the most exquisite dining available anywhere, with menus custom designed to the tastes of the visitor, and offering a selection from the huge wine collection held in the homestead cellars.
by Graeme Pinkney In 2003, together with a few co-conspiritors, I decided that enough was enough and that we South Australians were losing too many interesting “sporting vintage” cars to interstate but more particularly overseas. One obvious reason for the sale of these cars to beyond our borders was that there were no longer any real events held in South Australia to encourage owners of these cars to keep them. Better to cash them in and have a holiday in France or Vietnam! Unfortunately the Sporting Car Club of SA of which I and a number of mates are members, had voted some fifteen years ago via the Vintage Section (the club, with some 1800 members is divided up into many different “sub clubs” or Sections including Veteran, Vintage, Classic, V Max (Hot Jap coupes) HQ Holden, Hill Climb etc.) not to run competitive events for vintage & post vintage cars, just gentle tours and day runs and suchlike. The result was that those who like a bit of fire in the belly and who appreciate fine sporting vintage cars had nowhere to go, no focus. The result was that we started Vintage Collingrove Speed Hill Climb Weekend. This event, generally shortened to Vintage Collingrove, has a strong competitive element but importantly, also a very strong social side. Having organised a couple of Riley National Rallies in the past (Merimbula and Burra), you will not be surprised to learn that Vintage Collingrove is very similar to a Riley National Rally. Held annually in the Barossa Valley we are fortunate to have literally dozens of wineries with suitable eating locations and it has been our practice to move around to different venues each year. Generally about 30% of our entry is from interstate, mainly from Victoria but we do have entrants each year from NSW and
Queensland. We have unfortunately not yet cracked it for a WA or Tassie entrant. Basically the weekend consists of a casual meet and greet meal gathering on Friday night, the Barossa Vintage Tour of some 70K on Saturday morning. A lunch and perhaps some organised winery-based sight seeing in the afternoon and the Climb Dinner on Saturday night. Sometimes we have had exotic & special vintage racing cars on display in the meals area if this is possible and this year we had a jazz band for the first time. Sunday is the big day with entrants climbing the Collingrove track for up to 6 runs. Collingrove is the second oldest motor sport location in Australia and fabulously scenic. That evening we have a wind up dinner mainly for interstaters who generally head off home the following morning. The Barossa Vintage Tour is of interest because, with the co-operation of the SA Police and Transport SA, we are able to run normally unregisterable vintage racing cars on the road. Also with police support we are able to allow these cars to enjoy themselves with a bit of cut and thrust motoring when circumstances allow. This year several entrants claim to have been approaching 100 mph and there was quite a spirited dice up Menglers Hill, a local hill of some note. Since its inception, Vintage Collingrove has been patronised by Rileys. Not as many Rileys as there are MG’s or Amilcars however quite a few. This is partly because fellow local Riley enthusiast Phil Evans and I worry away at potential Riley owning entrants and partly because they are definitely flavour of the month. Perhaps it could more correctly be said that Riley engines are flavour of the month because two entrants have fitted Riley 12/4 engines into Amilcar chassis with largely Amilcar running gear, the Amilcar chassis & associated axles being very much lighter than Riley equivalents. Both of these cars from Victoria also have a supercharger to help develop more sting.
Peter Lawry getting enthusiastic in the ex-Frank Mitchell Sprite
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While there are probably ten times the number of MG’s entering Vintage Collingrove when compared with Rileys, there have still been quite a few entered in both the Tour and the Climb over the last four years.
.
Rileys or Riley-engined cars entered to date include Phil Evans, Nine Special (just like a Brooka), Phil again in his 12/4 engined Imp, Stephen & Hugo Figgis in their ex Brownrigg 12/4 engined Imp, Peter Lawry in his ex Frank Mitchell Sprite Special, Peter & Ben Wilson with their 1939 12/4 engined Special, Rick Perry in his superb supercharged 12/4 engined Amilcar Special, Colin Kirkpatrick with his similarly specified special, and entering the “Tour” only, Graeme Quinn, 12/4 Kestrel and David Gunn with his 12/4 Lynx Sprite. Most of these entrants have competed in more than the one year with Peter & Ben Wilson competing every year to date. Checking through the results I see that the fastest entrant in a Riley or Riley engined car to date is Peter Wilson who in 2004 won Fastest Time of the Day with a brilliant time of 40.61 secs followed by Rick Perry in his Riley Amilcar with a 40.73 sec climb. Phil put up a particularly quick time this year of 48.66 secs in his Nine Special, remembering it is only 1100cc, especially as he had the ex ute engine fitted rather than his hot racing engine. Something to do with torque and not trying so hard!
The supercharged Riley 12/4 engine squeezed into Colin Kirkpatrick's Amilcar, a very quick motor car. The question is - is it pre or post war?
Peter Wilson setting fastest time of day in 2004
There are quite a few Rileys which we have expected but for various reasons have not appeared on the weekend. Perhaps next year we can have a special “Riley Weekend” and we can see how many can be gathered. I know there are about a dozen suitable cars in Sydney alone and there are at least another dozen suitable Rileys living in Victoria. Let’s see if thwe can out number the MG’s in 2007, our 5 year of Vintage Collingrove.
Riley Times to date (Best Time Of Day Only) 2003 Peter Wilson Ben Wilson Phil Evans
Riley 12/4 Special Riley 12/4 Special Riley Imp with 12/4 engine
42.19 44.84 52.72
2004 Peter Wilson Rick Perry
Riley 12/4 Special Riley 12/4 s/c engined Amilcar Special
40.61 40.73
2005 Peter Wilson Ben Wilson Stephen Figgis Hugo Figgis
Riley 12/4 Special Riley 12/4 Special Riley Imp with 12/4 engine Riley Imp with 12/4 engine
43.62 44.15 46.24 46.59
2006 Peter Wilson Ben Wilson Colin Kirkpatrick Phil Evans
Riley 12/4 Special Riley 12/4 Special Riley 12/4 s/c engined Amilcar Special Riley Nine Special
40.88 41.50 43.74 48.66
If you would like to be placed on the mailing list for next year’s event contact Graeme Pinkney 08 8556 1166 or via Graeme@cprsafe.com.au.
(Peter Lawry’s times were not recorded due to a timing system glitch. Sincere apologies to Peter)
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HAVE DICK AND SNOWY GOT THE POINT? FIND OUT IN PART 2 OF THIS EXCITING STORY IN THURSDAY’S EDITION OF THE NATIONAL DAILY CRANK!
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Riley Motor Club of South Australia Committee March 2007 - March 2008 PRESIDENT:
Bev Wilson, 57 Cedar Crescent, Glenside, 5065. Wilson.Beverley@saugov.sa.gov.au (w) 8226 5889 mobile 0401 122 739 Doug McPherson, 9 Giles Street, Toorak Gardens, 5065. (h) 8361 2387 (w) 8271 8294 mcphamli@bigpond.net.au) Geoff Wilson, 15 Ellis Ave, Eden Hills, 5050. (h) 8278 4314 (wilsongb@adam.com.au) Brian Royle, 10 Chester Street, Largs Bay, 5016. (h) 8449 5803 0412 244 113 Mark Denton, 13 The Crescent, Marryatville, 5068 (h) 8431 5464 0417 886 397 denton@adam.com.au David Thomson, 57 Cedar Crescent, Glenside, 5065. (h) 8338 6220 0427 386 220 Chris Kinney, 66 Ferguson Ave, Myrtle Bank, 5064. (h) 8379 1724 Geoff Wilson - see above Hedley Bachmann AM, 6 Rex Ave, Klemzig, 5087. (h) 8261 4122 (hedley.bachmann@adelaide.on.net)
VICE PRESIDENT: SECRETARY: TREASURER: CLUB CAPTAIN: SPARE PARTS (New) SPARE PARTS (Old) PUBLIC OFFICER: HISTORIC VEHICLES REGISTRAR: ALTERNATE Chris Kinney – see above and Anne Bachmann OAM – see above REGISTRARS: EDITOR: Leigh Johnson, 5 Ford Avenue, Torrens Park, 5062. (h) 8271 8638 (leighj@adam.com.au) COMMITTEE PERSON DELEGATE TO THE FEDERATION OF Bill Watson, 431 Wright Road Valley View, 5093. (h) 8264 6355 (billw@picknowl.com.au) HISTORIC CAR CLUBS:
On the web at: www.bold.net.au/~leighj/html/rileysa.htm The Riley Crank is produced 11 times a year by the Riley Club of SA Inc. Deadline is 6pm first Tuesday of the month. Its contents can be reproduced provided that the source is acknowledged and a copy given to the Editor, Leigh Johnson (08) 8271 8638 email: leighj@adam.com.au The National Crank is a special issue produced for the National Rattle of Rileys.
Annual Subscriptions (payable on 1 January)
City Member $40 Country Member Joining Fee Rejoining Late Fee 1 April to 30 June Rejoining Very Late Fee after 30 June
$30 $20 $10 $20
Associate Member $5
New members joining between 1 January and 30 June are charged the full membership cost. From 1 July to 30 September 50% of the annual subscription is charged. From 1 October to 31 December new members are required to pay only for the coming year in advance.
April 2007
Disclaimer
Readers are advised that the views and opinions expressed in the Riley Crank are solely the views and opinions of the contributors and are not necessarily the views and opinions of the management or membership of the Riley Motor Club of South Australia Inc.
The National Crank
Club Meetings The Riley Club of SA Inc normally meets at 8:00 pm on the third Tuesday of each month at the Parkside Primary School, 12 Robsart Street, Parkside. Visitors and new members are very welcome.
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