A very special edition of The Riley Crank with all you need to know about
The Fleurieu National Rattle of Rileys May 2019
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A Welcome from the Organiser
Graeme’s words
A piece from the President
Mike’s words
And a word from the Editor
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Useful Information Welcome Dinner, Bowls Club, Sunday Night
required to follow them if you’d like to choose an Walking access only is from Main Road. See map opposite. alternative route. Parking is at the rear and accessed from Tatachilla Road. As you can see, they’re not the most direct route to any of Parks for 42 cars with a single lane driveway/laneway the destinations. Should you wish to take a shorter route to access. Parking Marshalls will be there to assist. or from (more likely to be from) then please do so. The Parking on Monday Night maps should make that a relatively easy task for you. As only Only 20 parks in the Memorial Hall grounds. the Pope is infallible it’s possible that you might even find an See map opposite and below. instruction that doesn't align with your thinking or what you ASK Graeme for confirmation of arrangements????? see in front of you. If that happens don't worry. Just check the map, the sun, the GPS or whatever takes your fancy or Petrol Main Road (See map below) follow your nose to pick up the route somewhere. Hotel Main Road (See map below) Sprint Auto Parts 115 Main Road Sending us Photos Mitre 10 hardware 217 Main Road In the following pages you will see notes enticing you to take Supermarket and Shopping (See map below) a photograph at specific locations and send them to the Radio ABC 891, ABC Classic 103.9, organisers. Send them to: rileymotorclubsa@gmail.com Community local Fleurieu FM 89.3, 94.7 Happy FM 90.1 and you might win a prize. Emergencies If you can’t send the photographs then show Leigh Johnson Dental the photograph on your camera or phone at dinner on the Fleurieu Dental, 199 Main Road. 8323 8457 day you took the photograph. Willunga Dental Clinic, 9 Main Road, Willunga. 8556 2472 Medical McLaren Vale, 1937 Wellbeing McLaren Vale, 3 Aldersey Road. 8323 7533 McLaren Vale Family Practice, 137 Main Road. 8323 9266 Hospital Flinders Medical Centre 25 minutes North Route Maps and Instructions You’ll find maps and route instructions in the following pages. They’re there for your guidance. You’re not
Your Week at a Glance 5th May, Sunday Sign-In at the Vineyard Room, McLaren Vale Motel and Apartments. Welcome Dinner at the McLaren Vale Bowls Club. 6.30 pm See parking notice on Page 3. 6th May, Monday Meet at the Visitor Centre at 8.45 for 9am for an orientation drive around the Northern Fleurieu Peninsula . Lunch at Penny’s Hill Winery around 12.30. Free time in the afternoon. With BYO drinks at tonight’s dinner, depending upon your taste, you can stock up at one of four local pubs or from one of the over 80 winery Cellar Doors in the local area or at one of the two major supermarkets. There are also two local boutique Beer Breweries and two Gin Distilleries. Presidents, Editors, Spares and other office bearers meetings in the Vineyard Room, McLaren Vale Motel and Apartments at 3pm. Dinner and Uncle Victor’s Home Movies in the McLaren Vale Memorial Hall at 6.30pm. (BYO drinks from the best S.A. has to offer). See parking notice on page 3.
The choice in the afternoon is to take a longish drive to Tailem Bend (170km round trip back to McLaren Vale) for a tour of Australia’s newest Motor Racing Track, “The Bend”. Or, you can linger over lunch and take the scenic drive back to McLaren Vale - the choice is yours. Dinner at 6.30 pm will be a home-style Italian meal at the McLaren Vale Bocce Club (See map on page 3) where you’ll have the opportunity to toss a few balls at the pallino. Buon appetito! Dress for the evening will be Op Shop Chic. Aficionados might aim for an Italian influence in their quest for the “Premio Speciale del Riley”on the night.
10th May, Friday Meet at the Visitor Centre at 9am. It’s off to Aldinga Airfield. “Games & Planes” at a small country airport with attitude ) and some special fun in the games hangar. After a light lunch at the airport it’s off to play some more in the traditional Conrod Trophy competition (at Munetta about 15 minutes from McLaren Vale. For those not involved in the gymkhana activities, other interesting activities have been organised! The car boot sale will be here too. Following canapés in the grand foyer, The Presentation Dinner will be in the glamorous Serafino Winery & Function Centre. 6.30 pm.
7th May, Tuesday Meet at the Visitor Centre at 9am for a scenic drive to Goolwa. 11th May, Saturday There we’ll split into four groups. Two groups will Departure day. Note that the Willunga Saturday board Spirit of the Coorong enclosed charter boats Farmers Market is on in the morning. Well worth a for the Murray River Mouth Cruise and the other visit as it’s reputed to be South Australia’s best two groups will go on a guided, self drive history Farmers Market. tour of this historic area. The four groups will meet again in time for a steam Photoshoot train ride aboard the “Cockle Train” from Goolwa along the coast to the historic seaside town of Victor Harbor. Lunch will be self-catering before boarding the Cockle Train for the return trip to Goolwa where the groups will swap activities taking the boat trip or the guided history tour as appropriate. Dinner at the Mt Compass War Memorial Hall at 6.30. Buses leave Serafinos at 6pm and McLaren Vale Motel at 6.15pm. $10 per head each way. Pay the Conductor on the bus. 8th May, Wednesday Meet at the paddock at Serafinos for the photo shoot 9am. Don’t use the main entrance. Enter by the Eastern entrance. Map on page 3. A short drive to Wirra Wirra and d’Arenberg Wineries. Free guided tours including wine tasting and finger food, at both. You’re unlikely to want lunch. However, if you do, it’s self-catering. Dinner from 6.30pm will be in Willunga as we spread ourselves over the “Three Pubs” to enjoy three different takes on the same menu. 9th May, Thursday Meet at the Visitor Centre at 9am for a lovely little drive on the Fleurieu’s winding roads to lunch in the restaurant at One Paddock Currency Creek Winery.
Christine and Club Captain Mark Hayes coming down Willunga Hill in Ruby the RMB
menus
Monday 6th - An overview of today’s route
Monday 6th Turn by Turn
Mount Bold
Penny’s Hill, the lunch venue
Tuesday 7th - Getting to Goolwa
Take a photo of this building in Goolwa and you could win a prize.
Tuesday 7th - Getting back from Goolwa
“Victor Harbour” after his ship HMS Victor. In Victor Harbor, the our ending started to become the recognised spelling around the turn of the One of the vagaries of South Australian history is that one of century, and endured until 1921, when the State it best-known harbours is spelt incorrectly. The word “harbor” in Australian English follows the British model – it Government officially gazetted all South Australian harbours with the original – and erroneous – spelling ie “harbor”. has a ‘u’ in it. But the Americans spell it without the “u”. “Harbor” appeared in the 1830s, possibly the result of In the 1980s most instances of “harbor” were removed from town signage, apart from the name board at the railway a misspelling by an early Surveyor-General. Naval captain Richard Crozier named the place station, which remains “Victor Harbour” to this day.
Getting it Right
Wednesday 8th – The Winery and Willunga Day
Find this spot in your trasvels through Willunga and stop off for a photo
Willunga
Matthew Flinders – Lost for 200 years entire continent, and charted much of its In the immensity of ocean to the south of coastline, accompanied by his beloved cat Terra Australis, two ships met by accident Trim and an Aboriginal man called Bungaree – on 8 April 1802, one sailing from the east notably the first person ever to be described and the other from the west. as an “Australian”. The English ship Investigator, commanded by Matthew Flinders, cleared In January this year Matthew Flinders’ grave the decks for action, but also flew a white and body were unearthed near London’s flag of truce. Nicolas Baudin, captain of the Euston station. Some said he was buried French ship Le Geographe thought the ship under platform 4; others suggested platform approaching was his companion vessel Le 12 or 15. When a statue of Captain Matthew Naturaliste which he had last seen several Flinders was installed at Euston in 2014, the weeks ago. In addition to the French flag, he only regret of those who had campaigned for a hoisted an English flag. memorial to the explorer – who led the first Both captains were cautious, but as circumnavigation of Australia – was that his they were commanding exploration and final resting place, understood to be scientific expeditions, they could hope that somewhere near the London rail station, was their meeting would be peaceful, despite unlikely ever to be known. their nations having been at war. Flinders Five years later, that mystery was boarded the French ship and the two solved by archaeologists in a graveyard being captains exchanged information about their Captain Matthew Flinders. He led the first excavated to make way for the high-speed explorations. Both captains had been given circumnavigation of Australia and is line between London and Birmingham. Only the same task to chart the 'unknown coast' credited with giving our country its name. a small proportion of the 40,000 bodies of Terra Australis. being exhumed from St James’s cemetery, behind the station, have The meeting place was about 5 miles off the South been identified so far, making the discovery of Flinders’ remains a Australian coast . Flinders later named this location Encounter “needle in a haystack” find. Bay, as it is known today. Baudin called it 'Baie des invalides' and While some of those buried in the cemetery had tin name Freycinet recorded 'Baie Mollien'. plates on their coffins, many of these have not survived. But when As the first person to circumnavigate the continent and the Flinders died in July 1814, aged 40, the plate on his coffin was explorer who popularised its name, Flinders is a figure of national made of lead, meaning it was still legible. importance in Australia, where a mountain range, two national The find is more remarkable because when Matthew parks, a university in Adelaide and one of the main streets of Flinders’ sister-in-law visited the cemetery in 1852, the location of Melbourne, among many other things, are named after him. his grave was already lost. By 24 he had charted Tasmania and been the first to prove it was an island. Five years later Flinders had circumnavigated the
Dear Riley Car Club of SA members and fans… I write with delight at the discovery of your magazine article of Feb 2018 page 7 written by friend of my fathers, Les Mills, about a trip up the Birdsville Track with a number of Rileys from various Riley Car Clubs in 1967.
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Accompanying this most interesting and reminiscent article is a photo of my father’s Riley 4/72 with a group of other Rileys, and I think I can see myself sitting in the back seat! I was the only child on this trip, and it felt at the time that I was being ‘dragged’ along, on yet another one of dad’s adventures that he was known for. It seemed like a long, long trip. Days on end driving through the red dust, waiting for cars to catch up, the ‘pit’ stops, the photo shoots, [we were making a movie] the nights on end by the campfire listening to bush stories and the dust, did I mention the dust? Dad had the type of personality that formed car clubs, and generally gave us a life that included a lot of travel and adventure.
So as it was the first time we had bravely left the safety of the coast and ventured into the vast desert unknown, good dinner party stories were gleaned from this adventure, with mum and I recalling the horror hair stories that washing it in bore water caused. The red dust stories, the getting stuck in the River Diamantina story, [when the 4/72 motor conked out and we had to be towed out from the raging waters on the causeway!] And the unforgettable memory of freezing nights in the desert trying to sleep in ‘old school’ ineffective cotton sleeping bags wrapped in ‘space blankets’ a brilliant idea that dad picked up from Army Disposals, being the only ‘camping gear’ shop in those days. If you’ve ever slept in cotton wool wrapped in plastic, you will appreciate how ineffective at keeping the body warm this system was. Never mind. We survived the nightly challenge of trying to fall asleep in the freezing cold air.
It was so cold at night that water that was put outside in a cup was frozen solid in the morning. But, the stars, the Milky Way, the beauty of the twinkling and shooting light show of our glorious heavens, will also never be forgotten. The first sight of Lake Eyre, the vastness, the endless white salt, and the crust forming wherever nature had decided, will remain indelibly inked on my memory. The beautiful and extreme visual imagery of that wilderness, accessible only by foot, car or camel gave me endless wonderings of ‘mankind’s’ abilities, the drive to achieve, to explore, to share. After growing up, leaving home and seeking my own adventures, I spent many months and years in our outback as a direct result of introduction to the desert from that special car trip. I have discovered its peoples, its languages, its beauty and its cautions. I became very comfortable with hard water and red dust in everything. The essential need for reliable vehicles and reliable people. Take no risk, better to arrive late than dead on time, as dad would say. Last yearI found myself on the road to Lake Gairdner to see the World Speed Trials. I bought a new camera with its 250 pages of instructions and headed off. This idea was also a direct result of that early trip to Birdsville with the Riley Car Club. I will not pretend to understand, that will, to go superfast, to break records, to ‘tweak’ a vehicle in the hope that it will go even faster than last year, but I surely, definitely, absolutely, admire and respect the people that make possible their dreams, their ‘driving’
force for invention, their persistence for the challenge and their comradery. They are a unique band of folks for sure. When I got back home to Adelaide, I thought about my childhood trip. In an attempt to discover and understand the very challenges of motoring in the desert, I searched Google for anything I could find. It was there I found “The Riley Crank”! And your article. Some further explanation about me is that I have also taken photos most of my life. Ever since dad had Captain Frank Hurley [Antarctic photographer] as a mentor and family friend, photography and cameras have always been part of my life. As time moves on and family properties divide and separate with the passing of parents, I sadly did not inherit many of dad’s Riley Car Club photos, which is why that photo on page 7 is a wonderful surprise. There is a lot to see, keep up with, document and market. My favourite events will always be the Rallies in the ‘dirt’, the salt and the cars, bikes, people who go there. Thanks Rileys for taking me out there, showing me a big landscape, and getting me home again. [which is all you can ever really ask for.] Jan Caffin. Facebook NOMAD ZOOM. 11/2/19 Ps woth assistance frommarilynand for the voctotrincub
Mark My Word by Mark Hayes
New dog cross breeds The following new cross breeds are now recognized by the Kennel Club - allegedly!
drunk. 5. lMllynilly (adj.), impotent.
Collie + Lhasa Apso Collapso, a dog that folds up for easy transport. 6. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which Pointer + Setter you absentmindedly answer the door in Poinsetter, the traditional Christmas pet. your nightgown. Pekingese + Lhasa Apso Peekasso, an abstract dog. 7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp. 8. Gargoyle (n.), gross olive-flavored Irish Water Spaniel + English Springer mouthwash. Spaniel Irish Springer, a dog fresh and clean as mountain air. 9. Flatulance (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you Terrier + Bulldog up after you are run over by a steamroller. Terribull, not a good dog. 10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairBloodhound + Labrador line. Blabador, a dog that barks incessantly. 11. Rectitude (n.), the fonnal, dignified Malamute + Pointer bearing Moot Point, owned by...oh, well, it doesn't adopted by proctologists. matter anyway. 12. Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist. Collie + Malamute Commute, a dog that travels to work. 13. Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of Deerhound + Terrier boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.. Derriere, a dog that's true to the end. 14. Frisbeetarianism (n.), (back by popular Bull Terrier + Shitzu demand): You figure this one out The belief that when you die, your Soul flies up Once again, The Washington Post has pub- onto the roof and gets stuck there. lished the winning submissions to its yearly neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words...and the winners are: 1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs. 2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained. 3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach. 4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while
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Dear Virginia and Jack, I hope you can help me. The other day, I set off for work, leaving my husband in the house watching TV. My car stalled and then it broke down about a mile down the road and I had to walk back home to get my husband's help. When I got home, I couldn't believe my eyes he was in our bedroom with the neighbours’ daughter! I am 32, my husband is 34 and the neighbours’ daughter is 19. We have been married for 10 years. When I confronted him, he broke down and admitted they had been having an affair for the past six months. He won't go to counselling and I'm afraid I am a wreck and need advice urgently. Can you please help? Sharna Dear Sharna, A car stalling after being driven a short distance can be caused by a variety of faults with the engine. Start by checking that there is no debris in the fuel line. If it is clear, check the vacuum pipes and hoses on the intake manifold and also check all grounding wires. If none of these approaches solves the problem, it could be that the fuel pump itself is faulty, causing low delivery pressure to the carbys. Virginia and Jack. Dear Virginia and Jack, I've suspected for some time that my wife is cheating on me. The usual “red flags”, she turns her phone screen away when texting, always going out with the girlfriends, new underwear all the time. I try to stay awake when she comes home at night but I always fall asleep. Anyway, last night around midnight I decided to hide under the Riley in the driveway and wait for her to come home. Shortly after ,she pulled in and got out while buttoning up her shirt. She then took out stockings from her bag and put them on. It was at that moment that I noticed a hairline crack in the rear shock mounting bracket. (part H8.86 in the Workshop Manual) Is that something I can weld? Or does the whole bracket need to be replaced. Bruce Dear Bruce, It would be best to get a professional to have a look at your situation. Virginia and Jack.
Dear Virginia and Jack, I’ve had some problems with my car so I took it to the local mechanic. When I picked it up he said it was running like a dream. When I asked whether it would be ok in the future he said no problems... just shit in the carburetor. How often should I do that? Paddy Dear Paddy, Email us on: you_need_more_help_than_ we_can_give@gmail.com Virginia and Jack. Dear Virginia and Jack, Please, please help! I'm having a problem with my car. I think the transmission is messed up. My car works fine during the daytime but won't drive at night at all. I put it in "D" for daytime and I can go where I need to but at night time when I put it in "N" for night, it won't move. To top it all off, the other day I was sitting at a red light and this guy next to me wanted to race. The light turned green, I slammed it into "R" for race, stomped on the gas and slammed into the car behind me. Any help with this situation would be greatly appreciated . Dear Shaun, Email us on you_need_more_help_than_ we_can_give@gmail.com Virginia and Jack. Dear Virginia and Jack, Tonight, I thought my husband was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a nice restaurant for dinner. I was shopping with my friends all day so I thought he was a bit narky about that but there was no comment on it. Conversation wasn't flowing so I suggested that we go somewhere quiet so we could talk. He agreed, but didn't say much. I asked him what was wrong, he said ‘nothing’. I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset. He said he wasn't upset, that it had nothing to do with me and not to worry about it. On the way home, I told him that I loved him. He smiled slightly and kept driving. I can't explain his behaviour. I don't
know why he didn't say ‘I love you, too‘. When we got home, I felt as if I had lost him completely, as if he had wanted nothing to do with me anymore. He just sat there quietly and watched TV. He continued to seem distant and absent. Finally, with silence all around us, I decided to go to bed. Around 15 minutes later, he came to bed. But I still felt that he was distracted and his thoughts were somewhere else. He fell asleep I cried. I don't know what to do. I'm almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else. My life is a disaster. Schapelle Dear Schapelle, I think you’ll find he has a tiny, tiny problem with his car and can’t work it out. Virginia and Jack Dear Virginia and Jack, Two of my fiends are happily married. One married a woman from Burnside. He told her that she was to do the dishes and house cleaning. It took a couple of days, but on the third day, he came home to see a clean house and dishes washed and put away. My other friend married a woman from Kensington. His is a similar story. When I married, I asked the same of my wife. On the first day I didn't see anything, the second day I didn't see anything either, but by the third day, some of the swelling had gone down and I could see a little bit out of my left eye, and my arm was healed enough that I could fix myself a sandwich and load the dishwasher. I still have some difficulty peeing though. Do you think she might have an attitude problem?
, SA : 1912 The Mail (Adelaide 25 Page 29 1954) Sat 2 May 19
20 May 1925 Page 4 , SA : 1901 - 1929) Wed The Register (Adelaide content to THE RELIABLE RILEY. been for a long time d ha rs re ctu fa nu ma e Australan English car ally to monopolize th tic ac pr rs ca n ica er itish car agenpermit Am is State; but more Br th in y rl la icu rt pa , market e of the latest is g established here. On in be lly ua ad gr e ar cies of the four -cylinder popular English car a , ley Ri e th of at th ich is held by Mr. wer, the agency for wh type, rated 12 horsepo ley has many modern y mouth street. The Ri W. H. Baterman, of Wa facture is charace thoroughness a manu are comimprovements, and th p. Power and economy hi ns ma rk wo sh iti Br teristic of s the car has an th four forward gear bined in the Riley. Wi ximum about 55. ma a 33 miles, and of d ee sp g in ur to e averag miles a gallon is remarkably low, 33 n tio mp su con ol tr pe The gear art from the engine, being guaranteed. Ap the chassis need luon s int l, only two po box, and differentia by the owner e, will be appreciated In the brication. That featur g and care of his car. sin ea gr e th to s nd te cepted as driver who at devices, generally ac al er sev e ar t en pm ui top portion standard eq two-piece glass, the of is n ee scr nd wi e extras. Th weather. Several with a -wiper for wet , om tt bo e th ing pp overla port that they are ed, and the owners re er liv de en be ve ha cars rs have adapted the vice. The manufacture ser t len cel ex g in giv . Australian conditions exported car to meet
The Advertis er (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 19 1930 Page 6 31) Tue 17 Ju n an Australi an-built fo ur-door salo similar lines on, construct to the famou ed on sports road ster, with it s Monaco saloon. The sp ecia s sm speedy lines , stands in st art yellow and blue to l nes and riking contr lines and co ast to the ch lou aste sports model rs that are more typic al of the Ril ,w ey. This tion, has a el hich was specially buil t oping radia tor and a win for the exhibiforward over dsh the bonnet. The pneumati ield that lowers squab are tr immed in gre c cushion an d y genuine le With its fou ather. r doors the Monaco type the demand fabric seda for a car bet nm ween the "b weight class aby" and med eets es. Its exteri ium or lines, alt orthodox, are hough somew indeed plea hat unsing, and th ample seati ng for four e adult passen design provides ited. To matc gers, say Mot h the maroon ors Limfa leather has been selected bric finish a fine gra in red . The symmet standard ro adst rical lines of the scheme of des er are enhanced by a contrasting ert-sand an colour d maroon. Generous eq uipment on all Rileys in rack, windsh cludes rear ield wiper, lu cubby hole, wheels, and clock, five w ggage four shock ire absorbers. Motors Limit ed, the loca l representa tives, have received
agency for which is The Riley car, the teman, of Waymouth held by Mr. W. H. Ba . English car to street, is the latest in Adelaide. The make its appearance been manufacturRiley Company has , and the latest ing cars since 1898 th all modern model is replete wi ley is a fourrefinements. The Ri ur speed forward fo cylinder car with ar. It is rated at and one re-verse ge the chassis need 12 h.p. Two points on from the usual enlubrication, apart differential regine, gearbox, and rs state that fills. The distributo ve a written gi they are willing to to the gallon. s le guarantee of 35 mi ady been delivered Two cars have alre to local owners.
Thursday 9th - Getting to Currency Creek
Thursday - Getting Home from the Creek
Currency Creek 1908 See that bridge in the background . It’s very, very tall. If you see it, take a photo. You might win a prize
Amateur photographer Frank Hall worked in the city and at luchtime would stroll the streets with his camera looking for signs of buildings about to be demolished. In 1962 he captured this RM Riley on the corner of Grenfell and King William Streets. Below: Jill St. John appeared in many films but might be best remembered for playing Tiffany Case in Diamonds are Forever. Near the end of the film, Bofeld the villain says to the lightly clad Tiffany, “Tiffany, my dear. We're showing a bit more "cheek" than usual, aren't we? What a pity. Such nice cheeks, too. If only they were brains.” If you’re into Seinfeld you might remember her from the Yada Yada episode in which she appeared with husband Robert Wagner. The young girl in the photo with the Nine could be her but probably not!
Brisbane 1952, Adelaide and Edward Streets.
In the 1950s and later the California Cafe in King William Street, Adelaide was famous for its Fish and Grills. You don't want to ask what else might have gone on there. In searching for old photos the Editor found a photo of the California Cafe with a Riley in front of it taken in 1952. Shortly after, he found another one of the same Cafe taken six years later-with another Riley in front of it! Finding period photographs of Adelaide with Rileys in them is not an easy task and here we have the same establishment four years apart with a Riley in front of it. One wonders whether someone associated with the cafe or the pub next door might've been into Rileys. We’ll never know. In 1957 this RME and FJ were captured on the corner of King William Street and North Terrace, Adelaide. As you can see, trams were not only running then but they could turn right from King William Street into North Terrace. Decades later our Government brought back to trams and in our most recent election there was a dogfight about whether or not the tramline most recently built (that did not turn right at North Terrace to join up with the North Terrace line) would be re-configured. Having “promised” that it would, our current Government has now decided that it would be far, far too expensive and even, if we could afford it, the design of the trams would mean that they would fall over! It might not have been a core promise and ineany event it’s wise to not believe a word they say.
Aldinga Munetta
Spare for unknown
Rallying in Rileys in South Africa by Phil Evans Rileys, bloody things that they are. In 1934 my father bought a 9 month old 1933 Riley 9 tourer. He traded in his pride and joy, an Ariel 500 motor cycle on it. I still have the receipt for it somewhere. I was born with this car always there. Brought home from the hospital in it, in fact! Anyway, most of you have heard the stories about it’s influence on me at an early age, so I won’t go in to it again. Many people tried to buy the sad looking car that was quietly rusting away in the drive, and they all got the same response from Dad. “I’m saving it for my son.” Three months before I turned 16, I had one of those little brainwaves that we have from time to time. I thought that I’d get it ready for when I got my drivers licence. Three months should be long enough! Dad went in to orbit when he came home one day and found that I’d started pulling it to pieces. Mum pointed out that he had been saving it for his son! I didn’t get it done in my initial time frame and Dad didn’t see it going, for he died too early. To be fair, three months was a tad optimistic. Jo Baee rang me before her 14th birthday to ask for a Morris Minor for her and Paul to take two years to restore before she turned 16. Quite plainly, smarter or more realistic than me. Rileys, motorcycles and the odd girl kept me busy for a long time, but, as most of us do, I ended up with a menagerie of Rileys and bikes. There is no Riley Club in South Africa, so every one is a member of their local car club. In 2004 Mike Jones of Port Elizabeth South Africa (ZA) had a little Ulster Imp replica and floated the idea of them all getting together for a Riley Rendezvous. His brother Roy, had 3 cars and invited an English couple to drive the sedan, and our friend, the late David Gunn to drive the
windscreenless special. Naturally Helen was not keen on no hood or screen and declined this very kind invitation. David asked me to accompany him. I had a ball! When it was all over, I said that if they were going to have another of them that I would bring a car. In 2007, RRV2 was being run out of Durban, and 3 Mk 4 9s from Adelaide made the trip. Bev and David in the Red Devil, Peter and Margaret Leppard in the little silver Roadster and me and Jane Miller from Sydney in the Ubeaut. As expected, we had a fabulous time during the Rally and then did the overland commute down to Cape Town before shipping the cars home. In 2008, the Morris Minor turned 60 and a South African Riley and Morris friend, Brian Clarke came up with the idea of crossing Africa in Morris Minors. In the end 2 South African cars and one from NZ did the trip. In 2009 we did the 80th Antill and along with 3 English cars, Ralph Thomas bought his 1934 Special Series Lynx over from ZA for the trip. All 17 of the 9s that left Freemantle made it to Sydney. The next RRV should have been in 2010, but the world cup in ZA made everything too much trouble and cost, so it was delayed for a year until 2011. RRV3 2011. I was co-pilot in Ralph’s Lynx and by RRV4 2014 he had a Powder Blue Gamecock, which Beth and I drove. They announced that for RRV5 in 2017, that they would go in to Namibia, so I said that I would bring something special. In 2009 when the Antill went through Melbmania, I was offered the remains of a 2 seater Riley Redwing, which I subsequently bought. This had been relaxing in my shed and required a serious amount of work to get it going. In the mean time, I had bought an even worse 4 seater Redwing project from Queensland. I had a pretty good chassis with the 4 seater, so thought that I
would do that one first. Both had new bodies with them. The 4 seater built in the early 70s and never been on a car and the 2 seater built in the late 80s, and likewise never used. The 4 seater body wouldn’t fit the chassis, so I left it for a while, while I had a little hissy fit. One night about 3 am I had this thought! ( I do a lot of my best thinking at about this time) Will the 2 seater body fit? And it did. I embarked upon it with enthusiasm and ignorance. It gave me fair warning that it didn’t want to go, but I hate being beaten by inanimate objects and persevered. By the time that I was fully committed, the news came that Namibia was too hard to get cars in and out of, so we were only going to within 200 metres of the border. Bugger! In the end, I put the the car in a container with Paul Baee’s Mk 4 9 Breadvan and went. The car only failed to proceed for about 200 km of the rally, and a 140 kph dash back to Cape Town for a spare maggy was all that was required. It managed a 20 km 10% incline up a long pass, on the last day of the rally. It isn’t fast, but it does just keep on going and going. As usual we had a complete ball. At the Crankhandle Car Club on the Sunday after our return to Cape Town, it somehow became the featured car of the day. Still not quite finished, but if you use them seriously, they never are. So 2020 RRV6 South of Durban? I should add that because of Roy’s generosity, there are usually between 10 and 20 Australians at each of these events now. And the South Africans come to our events as well. A big happy family.
Nines at the bottom of the continent.
Minutes of April meeting
SA EVENTS
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On the web at: www.adam.com.au/leighj/html/rileysa.html The Riley Motor Club of South Australia Committee and Other Useful People - to March 2020 Committee Members VICE PRESIDENT: CLUB CAPTAIN AND USED PARTS: SECRETARY, TREASURER and PUBLIC OFFICER: HISTORIC VEHICLES REGISTRAR: GENERAL COMMITTEE: Other Useful People ALTERNATE REGISTRARS: ALL BRITISH DAY REP: FEDERATION REP: Library, Website and SPARE PARTS (New):
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8235 9157
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8524 3594
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8370 4571
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Hedley Bachmann AM Rob McAllister Ross McOmish
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