A NEW LEASE OF LIFE
IGNITION
THE SPORTING CAR CLUB OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, INC. Founded 22nd May, 1934 ABN 67-853 093 023 51 King William Road Unley, SA 5061 Telephone: 08 8373 4899 Fax: 08 8373 4703
e-mail: sccsa@internode.on.net website: www.sportingcarclubsa.org.au PATRON His Excellency Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce AO CSC RANR Governor of South Australia Office Hours: Wednesday to Friday 9.00 am to 4.00 pm Club General Meeting Historic Racing Register Classic Section HQ Section Vintage Section Veteran Section Vmax Motorsport Section Competition Section
Monthly Meetings: 1st Wednesday 2nd Tuesday 1st Friday 3rd Wednesday 2nd Friday 3rd Friday 4th Friday Meetings held quarterly
Please note: the bar is open only on General Meeting and Section Meeting Nights The Sporting Car Club Library hours: Club General Meeting Night (1st Wednesday of the month, excluding January); All designated Section meeting nights; Wednesdays 10.00 am - 4.00 pm Fridays 10.00 am - 12.00 noon Wheelspin Production: Published once every quarter Publishing dates: (1st January, 1st April, 1st July, 1st October) Please submit all articles eight weeks prior to publishing date. Editorial Team: Paul Murrell: murrellp@bigpond.com Michael Wapler: miwap@ozemail.com.au
All material sent into the office for publishing should be typed in font Arial 9 point. Photographic images should either be paper prints or on CD in 300 d.p.i. quality whenever possible. Please note that older type storage media, e.g. floppy discs or zip-discs are no longer acceptable. It is always appreciated when items submitted for publication will be handed in not later than at the above quoted deadlines.
A WORD FROM OUR PRESIDENT After several years of frustration and disappointment in regard to upgrading the timing system at Collingrove I am pleased to report that the new TAG Heuer timing system (see below) was fully operational for the first time over the Anzac Day long weekend and again for Winter Cup 1 in mid May. Competitors were also complimentary about the hot-mix bitumen return road which was laid earlier in the year. The Collingrove Development Sub-committee which was charged with the responsibility of designing a master plan for the development of the Collingrove facility presented its findings to a combined meeting of the Board and the Hillclimb Competition Committee in mid March. A large copy of the plan is currently displayed in the reception area of the club rooms. The Sub-committee met again in late May and have identified the many areas of the facility that will be subject to considerable development over the coming months and years depending on when funding is available. The financial support that was forthcoming in the past for the timing system and sealing the return road was greatly appreciated and I look forward to the continuing generosity of our members in the future. The Tailem Bend project is progressing in both the future planning and the actual usage of the existing facility that has occurred to date is encouraging for the future development of motors port at this venue. The interest that has been shown by the wider motor sport community for both cars and bikes in the facility augers well for the future. If you are interested in what is happening at this site, details are available at the reception counter at the club rooms. Regards and Safe Motoring Rodney Gibb
1
2
DISCLAIMER
CONTENTS
18 Disclaimer: The articles printed in this magazine do not necessarily represent the views of the Sporting Car Club of S.A., Inc. nor of the Editorial Team. All opinions, technical tips, and methods are the views of the person submitting the articles/s and the Club cannot accept any responsibility for these whatsoever.
An Ambition Fulfilled
GENERAL CLUB PAGES
FEATURES
1 Ignition – A Word From The President 4 Tool Kit – Names and addresses of Club Contacts 5 Under The Bonnet – Comment From The Club-Manager 6 Readers’ Letters 7, 8 From Our Club Library – Book Reviews by Ian Smith and Michael Wapler 8 Now on the Shelves, new books 9 Library Book Sale revisited 9 Italian Secret to a Long Marriage 15 Opinion – Observations by your Co-Editor
18, 19 A New Lease of Life – An Ambition Fulfilled, Neil Francis’ Napier T68 27 Cranking out the Sound 28 CanTeen Charity Event at Collingrove 29 Michael’s European Column – Ferraris Musicians 35 Historic Racing Register – MGR Thoroughly Modern Millie 32, 33, 34 At The Sharp End – Learning Bad Habits …and other topics
CLUB SECTIONS – PETROL FUMES 10, 11 Classic – Old Keels and Wheels 13, 14 Vintage – More about ‘U’-Engines 16 Collingrove – a lost opportunity 17, 20 May Monthly General Meeting 21 Veterans – Events Past and Future 21 Vale Lannah Sawers 21 Veterans through Vintage Eyes 23 Booleroo Steam Rally 30 HRR – Impressions: Easter Historics 31 Competition – Impressions – Mallala Round Two 37 HQ – Mallala Racing, 27th February
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 5 5 25 25
Barry Catford’s April Question Answered Barry Catford’s Question For April Ladies’ Question For April Answered Ladies’ Question For July
Horsehair and fine leather – it must be a Napier
Refer to feature article on pages 18 and 19
3
4
TOOL KIT
UNDER THE BONNET
YOUR CLUB CONTACTS President: Rodney Gibb …………...(H) 08 8284 7543 (M) 0412 835 385 tripleam@tpg.com.au Immediate Past President: Michael Keenan ………..(M) 0413 449 635 michael.keenan@clubone.net.au Vice Presidents: John Bryant …….....…....(B) 08 8362 8860 (M) 0418 818 998 john@bryantconcepts.com.au Robert Thompson ….… .(H) 08 8379 3474 (M) 0408 859 411 (B) 08 8276 7722 Treasurer: Sean Whelan …….….....(M) 0412 618 122 (W) 08 8431 4700 sean.whelan@maccoul.com.au Club Secretary: Eric Ozgo …….………….(H) 08 8336 6114 eozgo8@bigpond.com Board Members: Geoff Chennells …..…... (H) 08 8278 8465 onelung@chariot.net.au Ann Ozgo …....….........(M) 0417 847 329 (H) 08 8336 6114 aozgo@bigpond.com.au Tony Parkinson …….…..(M) 0408 805 518 (H) 08 8383 0481 tparkinson@pennyshill.com.au Mark Bloustien ………. ...M: 0408 844 110 H: 08 8361 3616 markblou@bigpond.net.au CAMS Delegate:
John Bryant ………...…..(B) 08 8362 8860 (M) 0418 818 998 john@bryantconcepts.com.au
Classic Car Section: Andy Morgan (Chair) .... (M) 0417 907 996 andymorgan77@gmail.com Allen Morris ………….. (M) 0408 826 324 (Secretary)……….……..(H) 08 8263 2485
Competition Section: Paul Venables …………...…...(H) 08 8295 6301 (Chair)………...........…...(M) 0408 426 016 paulvenables@power-solutions.com.au Historic Racing Register: Phil Carter (Chair) ….....….... (M) 0417 876 484 phil.carter@aqis.gov.au Margaret Hall (Secretary) ..… (B) 08 8389 6635 (M) 0429 080 354 hallent@adam.com.au Historic Registration Officers: Colin Bourner ……..……….. (M) 0417 801 381 sccsadmin@internode.on.net Ray Mossop …………………..(H) 08 8258 9295 Rex Howard ………… …….(H) 08 8278 5337 John Wien-Smith - (Log Books) (B) 08 8373 4899 HQ Racing Register: Graham Boulter (Chair) ....... (H) 08 8270 5841 (M) 0408 277 380 vip.motors@ace.net.au Cheryl Matthews (Secretary) .(H) 08 8261 6887 (M) 0422 276 852 cherylmatthews54@hotmail.com Veteran Car Section: Christine Chennells (Secretary) (H) 08 8278 8465 onelung@chariot.net.au Vintage Car Section: Ruth Day (Chair)…….………..... ...(M) 8278 6563 rday@unley.sa.gov.au Graham Treloar (Secretary)....(M) 0418 824 768 (H) 08 8332 7437 Club Secretary Manager: Colin Bourner ……...….…...…(M) 0417 801 381 (H) 08 8337 3190 sccsaadmin@internode.on.net Events Office: Abbie Taylor ..……….........….(B) 08 8271 5689 (M) 0402 086 647 (Fax) 08 8272 5396 sccsaevents@internode.on.net (alternative) specevents@internode.on.net Facilities Manager: Alan Caire…………......………(B) 08 8373 4899 sccsa@internode.on.net Reception: Sandra Brooker .……...……...(B) 08 8373 4899 sbrooker@internode.on.net Library and Research: Michael Gasking …………………(H) 8272 6682 (M) 0439 868 295 sccsalibrary@internode.on.net
BARRY’S QUESTION A COMMENT FROM THE CLUB MANAGER
Well, as the 2009/2010 financial year draws to a close we can certainly look back at some interesting issues that have had some impact on our Club.
Answer to ‘BARRY’S QUESTION’ FOR APRIL
Barry asked you ‘Who were the four Australian F1 drivers hired by Frank Williams?’
One issue that seemed to concern members was the security of the Club’s major assets at both Unley and Collingrove. To meet those concerns the Board has proposed an addition to the Constitution which if approved by the members will ensure that the membership has absolute control of those assets. Your opportunity to vote for that change will be at the August Special General meeting. Whilst it is premature to predict the final financial outcome for the Club this year, I can report that our bank balance is looking a little healthier than at the same time last year. For those members that use the Club’s BBQ trailer and have scorch marks to prove it, I can report that action will be taken to undertake significant modifications to overcome the overheating hazard to users. If members are wondering why the April WheelSpin looked even better with more space between photos and articles, it is because we added another 8 pages to the publication. This has given our treasured editor, Michael Wapler, significant scope to present our Club magazine in an even more professional manner. The extra pages were at some cost to the Club so we encourage members to consider advertising in WheelSpin. Please contact me for details. The library has recently received a new flat panel monitor for their computer from an unknown donor. To whoever it is, many thanks, your contribution is greatly appreciated. By now two major Club social events will have been run, the Classic’s Sunseeker and the Vintage Section’s Burra Bash. These are both well organized and well supported events that provide a great deal of pleasure to the participants and contribute to the Club income. The Club appreciates the amount of time and effort put in by the organizing committees to make these and other events so successful. Colin Bourner
Tim Schenken competed in four races in the 1970 season driving a de Tomaso 505 - Cosworth V8 entered by Frank Williams Racing Cars. Schenken did not finish in any of the four events. Warwick Brown drove a Williams FW05 - Cosworth V8 in the 1976 US GP East finishing 14th, 5 laps down. The entrant was Walter Wolf Racing, but Frank Williams was responsible for finding a driver for the car. Alan Jones competed in F1 from 1978 to 1981 in FW06, FW07, FW07B (in which he won the 1980 World Championship) and FW07C in Cosworth V8-powered Williams cars. The entries were by Williams Grand Prix Racing Engineering, Aldibad-Saudi Racing Team and TAG Williams Team. Mark Webber was a Williams F1 driver in 2005 and 2006 and drove a Williams-BMW FW27 and WilliamsCosworth FW28 respectively.
‘BARRY’S QUESTION’ FOR JULY Colin Bourner
The 2009 Red Bull Racing F1 car incorporated a unique design aspect – in the current group of F1 cars – not seen on any F1 machine for some time. Red Bull have continued the feature in their 2010 car. What is the feature? When did it last appear and on what car? The photo gives a clue. Barry Catford
5
6
COMMENT
FROM THE SCC LIBRARY
Received from Bob Cornett: Sir, I joined one of the leading car clubs of Australia (SCC) for fun and fellowship with likeminded people, however of late that seems to be disappearing, mainly because of bad management or bad
leadership. We rely heavily on membership sponsorship and motorsport and the net income from these are going South. Where is the fun in the club now, that’s what we pay our membership fees for. Lets go ‘back to the future’ so we can enjoy the facilities of our club with our family and friends. Bob Cornett
Received from Alan Marks: 18th April, 2010 To: The Chairman of The Board The Sporting Car Club of S.A. Inc. Sir, With almost 60 years of Membership of the SCC it is with some sadness and disappointment that I write to you. I just do not know to whom this should be addressed.
show their usefulness, or even their need, by the results of a referendum. There are too many situations that are suggested and, in fact, recommended by the mysterious Board. Recently, one of the Members, who has been with the club quite long enough to allow him to know better, made a real thuggery statement to a dedicated member, words to the effect .. “come out to the car park right now and we’ll sort this out.” This might be accepted as the norm in “The Days Of Our Lives” or “The Bold And The Beautiful” but not the type of conversation that would be accepted by supposedly grown members of the S.C.C. That mouth should be removed from the S.C.C. Our reigning President is holding down that position in name only and certainly not by his actions, which appear mainly to be in his interest (with a couple of others) in the Tailem Bend saga. When the club is struggling a little financially, how can the President, AND the Board sanction an enormous sum of $25,000 towards this pie in the sky venture? The only way that these gigantic suggestions could be nipped in the bud, whilst the culprits are “away with the fairies”, would be, and I would back this suggestion with many other members: Replace the President with someone who is not only interested in self-agrandisment, and to disband the Board as a whole and let the SCC return to a management system that has been successful since 1934. Respectfully, Alan D. Marks (Life Member) Number 273.
Received from Bob Burnett-Read Answer to Ladies’ Question of April
I could have sent it to Sandra (Brooker) or Janet (Juttner) but with so much on their plates on normal working times, why should I burden them with this matter.
Sir,
I sat through the most boring monthly general meeting this month that I have ever witnessed in my years of membership.
re. ‘our Ladies’ Question For April’ The Lady in Question was Elli (sic) Beinhorn who flew her L26 Klemm from Germany to Australia pre WWII.
One of my many concerns is the fact that the club has given $25,000 to this fanciful Tailem Bend venture that, it seems to me, only has the interest of a handful of recent members who have their heads firmly buried in the sand. I made inquiries as to who had approved of this financial action and I was told “the Board.” Was there no need for this to be presented to the general membership prior to the decision?
I am prompted to respond as I had the privilege to meet Elli as a very young lad as she stayed with my German-born grandmother, Anna Bader-Wylie at North Adelaide during her visit and lectured at Clubs and the Adelaide Town Hall. Many years later I owned and flew a B.A. Swallow which was the British License built Klemm Swallow.
As I have yet to hear of any action by the Board that has the general sanction of the members, I have not been given any strength in a single reason as to why the Board should be retained and I would, therefore, be right behind any move that might be introduced to disband the Board. I would not hesitate joining a large group of members who would be totally contented to see the S.C.C. revert to its long-tried successful situation that would once again give us a club that was controlled by the sections and their representatives.
It’s a very long way from Europe to Australia in an open cockpit!
I am one of many who has seen the club go down hill rapidly since the introduction of the board and I am hard pushed to find something in which it has been successful since its introduction. The membership of a lot of the board members has been of a short duration – so short, in fact, that I fail to see how their individual membership, and the power that they have been given by being a member of the board, has shown little, if any, dedication to the club. I doubt that very few members, myself included, could name the members of the Board. They are rarely, if ever, seen at monthly meetings.
*Note from the Editor:
Please permit me to comment on the Tailem Bend project. I feel that there are several topics that could
I believe she was also breaking records after her Australian visit including Germany to German East Africa.* Roy Gropler from Norwood flew a Klemm L25 from U.K. to Adelaide in the late 1930s as a teenager! Unfortunately he died over Outer Harbour when the wing clapped hands!* Regards Bob Burnett-Read By the time Elly Beinhorn flew to East Africa, the former German colony had become the British colony of Tanganyika in the aftermath of WWI and after WWII became the independent country of Tanzania. In a subsequent telephone conversation with Bob Burnett-Read the reason for Roy Gropler’s unfortunate demise was explained: the aircraft had earlier ditched in the sea off the UK coast. Undetected, the bolts securing the wing to the fuselage had corroded unnoticed due to the soaking in sea water, eventually leading to the catastrophic failure over Outer Harbour.
QUOTE ‘In words of one syllable Alan Jones said what he thought about the reliability problems [of the Williams] which, if they continued would stop the team from succeeding. Jones knew exactly what he was doing, and the fact that he was prepared to have them put into print by me said much for a working relationship without taking offence. You wouldn’t get such honesty from the politically correct drivers of today, most of whom are terrified to tell you their name.’ Maurice Hamilton, from his recent book, Williams. Hamilton at that time was reporting races for the Guardian (UK daily paper). Ian Smith
BOOK REVIEWS
SM: CITROËN’S MASERATI-ENGINED SUPERCAR Brian Long and Philippe Claverol The Citroën SM has always been a car of great interest to me and when Brian Long’s book on the car arrived, I couldn’t wait to read it and write a a review. What a disappointment! The book starts with a brief history of the Citroën concern as the reader could reasonably expect as a starting point.
7
We travel with the author from the baby type’A’ of the 1920s through the Traction Avant then the DS series which leads us nicely to the subject of this book; the SM supercar – a Citroën powered by a Maserati engine, no less. Citroën management had for some time been mindful that a more powerful engine would be necessary for its flagship model thus an agreement was entered into with Maserati to supply an engine of just under the 2.8-litre French taxation level. The author details the model from its conception, revealing some early drawings of both exterior and interior stylings – some of which eventually were to see the light of day in the final design. Testing was carried out in a two-door DS car and eventually the SM was released at the 1970 Geneva Show. Unfortunately for the reader, this is where the book takes a downward turn. We are treated to numerous pages of high class fashion advertising. Sarah Moon took these photographs and is highly regarded. I have been fortunate to see some of her work in the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris. Used here in this book it looks suspiciously like padding to me, particularly when the book’s next section consists of 33 pages of press information all in French text without any translation or explanations. The author justifies this as ‘an historical document.’ Ahem! An overview of 1972 and 1973 follows which includes a brief resumé of successes in the Morocco Rally, many more Sarah Moon shots, more French language, even Japanese thrown in for good measure. Then follows four pages of ‘Domestic service and Repair Data’ all in French, of course, and the book eventually provides one further page of worthwhile reading before again launching into a further 22 pages of sidetracking material. The last but one chapter, SM specials, though brief, is of value in bringing to light the beautiful coachbuilt versions of the SM built by Heuliez, Chapron, and Frua. The final chapter headed ‘The Twilight Years’ underlines, sadly, the short life of the SM caused as much as anything by the 1973 energy crisis. This book is far from satisfactory but in the absence of anything better it will just have to do. Ian Smith NSU – THE COMPLETE STORY Mick Walker Given its full name – Neckarsulmer Strickmaschinen Union – you would not think of any automotive connection. In 1873, the company began by making knitting machines (German – Strickmaschinen) in the small Swabian town of Neckarsulm. It was in an amazingly small geographic triangle of southwestern Germany where motor cars and motor cycles were
8
FROM THE SCC LIBRARY first made and the region – to this day – boasts some of the world’s giants in automobile and motor component manufacture. Companies like Daimler, Benz, NSU, Bosch, Porsche have their roots in the area between Mannheim and Stuttgart. If your car seats were made by Recaro, they were made there too. Mahle and Kolbenschmidt-Pierburg, among the world’s largest piston and motronic components manufacturers, hail from this region with Kolbenschmidt located at Neckarsulm. Small wonder, the company was founded in 1910 by Karl Schmidt, the son of the founder of NSU, Christian Schmidt. Just to put it into perspective, the area is geographically not appreciably larger than greater Adelaide, stretching from Gawler to Noarlunga. Mick Walker is not just an author, he was a successful motorcycle racer and his detailed knowledge of motorcycles shines through in the amazing details he provides in this book. P e r haps understanda b l y , there is not the s a m e amount of coverage regarding the cars m a d e by NSU, but that is primarily due to the fact that NSU had sold their car manufacturing facility to FIAT during the 1930s Depression, only to buy this division back in the late 1950s when NSU embarked on car manufacture once more. The book is particularly interesting as it provides potted biographies of the riders, drivers, and designers and these make interesting reading too. There are strong connections with Britain, where NSU motorcycles were exceptionally popular before WWI. In 1905 NSU opened the doors to their UK subsidiary in Great Portland Street in the Westend of London. Later, in the 1930s, NSU’s chief designer was Walter Moore who had worked for Norton and was royally treated by his new employer providing a house for him and his family. Very reluctantly, Walter left all that behind when the warmongering Nazis were heading for disaster in 1939. After the war, NSU were represented for a brief time in the UK by Vincent until the Stevenage company’s financial problems brought an end to the partnership. NSU had, throughout its history, been known for its quality engineering as well as for its innovative, often recordbreaking, designs. There was the introduction – before WWI – of the first epicyclic gear change for motorcycles or, much later, the development of the Wankel rotary engine after WWII. The book covers all this in admirable detail with the author’s intricate knowledge of – particularly – motorcycles, making it a most entertaining read. Having bought NSU in 1969, VW’s Audi division is still making cars at Neckarsulm. Michael Wapler
FROM THE SCC LIBRARY
LIBRARY SALE The annual Library Sale is well behind us and the report about its success has appeared in the monthly Newsletter following the event. Here are a few impressions of the display on the day, last minute checks, and an enthusiastic crowd browsing through the offerings of the day. Suffice to say that your Library volunteers have spent many days in preparing for the sale, the proceeds of which form a major part of the Library’s budget for new acquisitions. We welcome your contributions of books, magazines, car brochures, DVDs, and automobilia which are most welcome at any time of the year. So, if you decide to make space on your bookshelves or in your loft or garage, think of donating what you can spare to your Club’s ever growing Library. Michael Wapler BMW: Inside the BMW Factories, Graham Robson 2.4.0442 Volvo 240 series Workshop manual 13.2.0172 Almost Unknown – Tony Gaze, Stewart Wilson 4.1.0154 Nissan GTR Inside – Supercar DVD 133 Peugeot 205 Service and Repair Manual 1.2.0055 Falcon Fairlane, Ford Service and Repair Manual 14.2.0054 Nissan Pulsar N13 series, Service and Repair Manual 14.2.0052 Chrysler Centura KB series Service Manual 13.2.0029 Holden Torana UC series Service and Relpair Manual 13.2.0050 STAR Instruction Book 8.1.0035 Sunbeam List of Spare Parts 9.3.0042 A Record of Grand Prix and Voiturette Racing, Vol. 13 – 1990-1994 6.6.0013 Recreation Motoring, John Marshall 2.7.0235 Motor DICTA, Gerald Biss (published 1909) 8.4.0078 Honest John’s Mystery Motors 2.2.0148 Monte Carlo or Bust! Jack Davies, Ronald Searle 2.7.0236 Formula One Pack. Ron van der Meer and Adam Cooper 6.1.0088 Early American Automobiles, Floyd Clymer 8.4.0079 Buick Spare Parts Catalogue 1920–1958 2.8.0002 Road Trips, Head Trips – Car Crazed Writings, Jean Lindamood Jennings 5.1.0024 Gas, Gasoline and Oil Vapour Engines, Gardner D. Hiscox (pub. 1900) 8.5.0043 Proteus Bluebird Project 1963 – World Challenger 6.1.0093 Grand Prix Book of Motor Racing, Michael Frewin 6.1.0096 Aspects of Motoring History Nos. 1–4, Editor Malcolm Jeal, The Society of Automotive Historians in Britain 2.2.0180 Mercedes–Benz Museum. Legend and Collection 2.7.0237 Freddie Dixon: Man With the Heart of a Lion, David Mason 4.1.0172 AC – In Detail – The Six Cylinder Sports Cars, Rinsey Mills 2.3.0210 Sporting Jowetts, Noel Stokoe 2.3.0185 Equations of Motion. Adventure, Risk and Innovation, William F. Milliken 3.1.0032 The Life of Spice – Gordon Spice. An Autobiography 3.1.0011 The Dictionary of Automobile Body Styles, Lennart W. Haajanen 2.1.0050
The Italian Secret to a Long Marriage At St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Toronto, they have weekly husband’s marriage seminars. At the session last week, the priest asked Giuseppe, who said he was approaching his 50th wedding anniversary, to take a few minutes and share some insight into how he had managed to stay married to the same woman all these years. Giuseppe replied to the assembled husbands, ‘Wella, I’va tried to treat her nicea, spenda da money on her, but besta of all is, I tooka her to Italy for the 25th anniversary!’ The priest responded, ‘Giuseppe, you are an amazing inspiration to all the husbands here! Please tell us what you are planning for your wife for your 50th anniversary?’ Giuseppe proudly replied, “ I gonna go pick her up.”
9
10
PETROL FUMES
OLD KEELS AND WHEELS This year’s event started in the planning stages months before the actual date and as the committee sat down together to build on previous experiences, it became obvious that the month of March would be difficult one to fit in another motoring event. Already we had the Clipsal, Adelaide Cup long weekend, Australian Grand Prix and Phillip Island Historic Meeting to contend with. So we made the bold decision to go with the event after Easter, namely Sunday 11th of April and hope that the weather would hold. March had always been the preferred month chosen by the yacht squadron for the fairest weather, so we all crossed our fingers and prayed. God listened to our prayers and on the day, apart from a brief shower, the day was near enough to perfect. Some 72 cars made their way on the Sunday morning
PETROL FUMES down to the squadron’s marina at Outer Harbour and with help of several volunteers, positioned themselves around the lawns at the edge of the marina itself. The sight of all the cars, yachts and static engines made an absolutely marvellous display and the accompanying photos attest to that. The large crowd of squadron and SCC members bustled around the cars on display, yachts in their berths and the static engines chugging away to their individual beats. The bar did a roaring trade and the coffee man had a continuous queue as members got themselves settled both on the club’s terrace and to picnic spots amongst the cars. Bookings for the two sailing craft offering rides on the water were brisk and we thank the skippers of both “Solomon Ophir” and “Summer Breeze” for making their vessels available to the land lubbers! After the official opening and speeches, lunch was had either in the squadron’s dining room or picnic style around the cars or on board depending on your craft. The jazz band played us traditional jazz music and really set the scene for the rest of the day. There were many familiar cars on display and of course some we haven’t seen before. I was most impressed with the standard of presentation of all the vehicles and have to say I ended up with two personal favourites, the 1914 Napier belonging to Neil Francis and the 1971 Jaguar XJ13 replica roadster belonging to Colin Sutton. I loved all the static engines and just stood there in awe of their simplicity and rhythm. Sorry as well to find the model racing yachts didn’t show. However, I feel very satisfied that the event went smoothly and was enjoyed by most who attended. My sincere thanks go to the Royal SA Yacht Squadron for their generous hospitality in staging the event once again at their beautiful marina site. Thanks must go to Rod Wells, Helen Moody and Kingsley Haskett who worked closely with myself, Michael Wapler, Gordon Taylor, Neil Francis and Brian Edwards. Thanks also to Michael Seccafien from the Gawler Machinery Restorers Club for his continued in-
volvement. I must also include a special thank you to Michael Wapler who put in many hours collating the entry info and designing the colourful cover to the program. Without his effort we would have been lost. The event was an outstanding financial success partly because of the number of club members who participated, but mainly because of the generosity Willshire Motor Trimmers to sponsor the event program together with the other advertisers, namely Searles Boatyard, Musto, Ellison Rigging Services and Webb Marine Services. We hope they will benefit from their involvement and I ask members of all the clubs to patronise those who support us. I look forward to a future for Old Keels and Wheels and especially the close bond we are generating between the clubs. Cross pollination of car and boat lovers makes so much sense. See you next time. Andy Morgan Chairman Classic Section photos on page 10 – (anticlockwise from left centre), overlooking the yacht basin at RSAYS; Bo Isberg’s Hansa Sport; MG TF on the front lawn; Allen Morris’ 1922 Dodge Bros., Deane Kemp’s Vauxhall 1928 R type
e r e i
r
t s u
A
n
a i l a
m l i F
em r P
By Internationally acclaimed film makers Joy & Brian Grant $10.00 per head including supper Date: Friday 30th July commencing 8.00pm Venue & Ticket Office, Sporting Car Club Of South Australia Inc. 51 King William Road Unley SA 5051. Bookings essential, phone S C C on (08) 8373 4899 fax (08) 8373 4703 Office hours Wednesday to Friday 9.00am to 4.00pm
Proudly supported by :
All proceeds to the Sporting Car Club of South Australia Inc.
images this page – {from top), Tony Carrig and grandchildren in his 1958 Jaguar XK150 roadster; Jaguar XK13 of Colin Sutton; Andy Morgan of the SCC and the Commander of the RSAYS welcome guests.
11
12
PETROL FUMES one 16 cylinder engine plus parts to make at least 3 more 16 cylinder engines - the picture of all the crankshafts necessary for 3 engines is impressive bearing in mind that 4 shafts are used for one engine ( 4 X 4 cylinders plus 4 X 4 cylinder blocks ) - the complete engine had been run
MORE ABOUT U-ENGINES
I have researched further on the Bugatti U engines and find that Ettore Bugatti was possibly the “inventor” of this design when he worked for Prinetti & Stucchi in 1899 in Milan where he added another engine to a P & S trike to double its hp. These trikes were good copies of the de Dion Bouton trike. in France before shipment and was dismantled for inspection on arrival in the Duesenberg Motors Corporation in Elizabeth New Jersey. This was in a factory set up by the American Can Company for the manufacture of cars. The Duesenberg Bros. were mere figure heads and lent their name to the enterprise. This engine had a chequered career as it had numerous faults. On its test run in France it suffered a broken water pump shaft twice, broken piston and gudgeon pin, its carburettor ignited and then, to cap it all, an American airman accidentally walked into the propeller and was killed! This Bugatti’s twin engined Prinetti & Stucchi trike (left) Bugatti-Breguet U engine (top) Hispano-Suiza V8 aero engine (below) caused the propeller to shatter and it was thought prudent to strip the engine for inspection. It was found to be ok and was reassembled and sent to USA. This engine when run on test in New Jersey and broke No 3 left connecting rod – this caused considerable damage, burnt out main bearings, overheating of No 2 left connecting rod, shattered pistons No 2 and No 3 left and cylinder blocks damaged, damage to the crankcase webs and Bugatti’s interest in aero engines goes back before the First World War when his friend the aviator Roland Garros is reported as expressing a wish in 1913 to try and fly the Atlantic Ocean. Bugatti set about designing an engine and Garros an aeroplane. Not much came of this and Bugatti did not take up aero engine design again until after war broke out when he designed an eight cylinder engine (210220hp). A licence for producing these was sold to Delaunay-Belleville in France and Diatto in Italy but none were produced. Bugatti then designed the U16 with the aim of having a cannon (37mm), which was mounted in the space between the banks of cylinders, fire through the propeller hub. Bugatti tried to patent this but he had been beaten by Marc Birkigt for his V8 Hispano engine and cannon. The Americans had entered the war by this stage and were desperately short of aero engines. They sent a delegation to France to buy designs and purchased the rights to manufacture the U16 (US$100,000 paid to Bugatti). The Americans took back to USA at least one 8 cylinder and
13
14 14
PETROL FUMES overheating of the propeller thrust bearing. Cracked valve seats were found and both crankshafts were sprung. Not a pleasant sight! All of this damage was revealed after it was noticed that oil vapour was coming from No 3 left exhaust. This is where Charles Brady King A.M.E. enters the picture as redesigner. He redesigned the water pumps and the oiling system and the valve guides and cylinder blocks to overcome the cracked valve seats. The redesigned engines were still a problem and one on test flew completely to bits after a connecting rod broke. Another attempt was made to run a 50-hour test with another engine but this one broke a crankshaft and was destroyed – not a good record up to then. The American Bugatti engines had Dixie magnetos and Harry A. Miller carburettors. These were barrel throttle carbs specially designed for the job . Finally, on 4th October 1918, an engine passed the 50-hour test at an average rated power of 410bhp. The engine weighed 1200lb. This is well short of the 530bhp which Bugatti was talking about. The 850lb Liberty was producing 420bhp and was in production. (A Rolls-Royce Eagle only produced 360bhp and weighed 900lb) Just look at the weight of the Bugatti. As I said in my previous article, a U is not a good way to go for more power! It all comes out too heavy! When the war ended on 11th November 1918, eleven American King Bugatti engines had been produced. The contract held by Duesenberg Motors called for 2,000 engines but it was cancelled. However it does appear that the first run of about 45 engines was completed after war’s end, and paid for and then sold at scrap value. Do not believe the stories in some books of 5,000 and even 10,000 engines being built; that is just not true and the above figure 45 is about right. If those fanciful numbers of engines were built there would be still some of these engines around other than in museums. Perhaps one engine flew in France briefly! None flew in America. The plane built by the French team in the Packard factory flew but with a Liberty as the Bugatti was not ready. It has been very difficult to verify if indeed any planes with these engines flew; none of the books consulted seem to be really confident on this matter.
OPINION
SOUND JUDGEMENT …?
There is no mention of any aircraft with Bugatti engines in Janes Fighting Aircraft of WW1 for America or France although the engine is given three pages of description in the engine section. The whole sorry saga of Bugatti aero engines is one of financial loss by those who took up the licences. Bugatti did all right but Delaunay-Belleville and Diatto didn’t make any engines, it cost the Americans nearly $5,000,000 for about 45 engines and Miller would have lost money on the carby deal and probably Dixie as well. Breguet didn’t make any engines that made money and only two Breguet planes flew with Bugatti type engines both with disastrous results but they did produce the amazing H32 with their modifications. This consisted of two U16s coupled at the sumps to make a monster H engine of 1000hp. This “quadrimoteur” had four crankshafts (8 x 4 cylinder) and steel cylinders with four valves per cylinder and was/is a beautiful looking engine. One survives in the salon de l’Aeronautique in Paris. I do not think this engine ever flew. Bugatti with the help of the Belgian Louis de Monge as engineer designed and partly built a fighter plane in 1937; this had contra rotating propellers driven by a pair of Type 50B supercharged engines not in tandem but handed so the exhausts came out each side. The engines were behind the pilot and the propellers driven by shafts this was not completed or flown and is in the air museum in Oshkosh minus engines. I think that Bugatti had started to design an aeroplane before this with the engines in tandem and so Bugatti’s record of aero engine designs and planes can only be described as a gigantic flop. Not so his railcars but that is another story. Books consulted are Bugatti by W.F.Bradley; Bugatti by H.G.Conway; Bugatti by Borgeson – [this was an annotated copy by Eric W. Sisman an ex-Lanchester Motors engineer] – and Janes Fighting Aircraft of World War One. W. Denis Basson Breguet Quadrimoteur H32 (above) Breguet-Bugatti aero-engine (left)
When I joined the Sporting Car Club not long after our arrival in Australia from rural Cambridgeshire in 1999, Leyland George was SCC President and a jolly good time was had by all. Monthly General Meetings were crowded and jovial affairs even if the future of the Club was seldom an issue of great debate; the Club was just ticking along and Members had fun. Our next President was Tony Grove and while Tony’s style was a bit more austere, the general feeling was great and both Tony and Glenda were a wonderful team, working very hard for the Club that was perhaps – at least at that time – the centre of their lives. Tony initiated a major change during his Presidency, the revamping of the Club’s Constitution. Having been invited to join the Hedley Bachmann-chaired committee to work on bringing the Constitution not just up to date, but to put all its constituent parts into a more logical order, I can say that it was challenging work. It was also very satisfactory to see it progressing through the preliminary stages and being finally enacted during the presidency of John Burt, who made a wonderful contribution in bringing all sections of the Club around to accepting that changes had to be made as the Club’s Constitution had been overtaken by Commonwealth legislation which had invalidated some parts of the old Constitution as well as requiring important additional components. When all was done and dusted, it looked as if the Club was ready for the 21st Century. John was instrumental in making further improvements such as a total revision of our accounts system, asking questions regarding the future of our Club by bringing in some independent opinions from outside our Club to make us fit for what lay ahead. It furthermore included a complete revamp of our IT-systems thanks to John’s intricate knowledge in this field. But what will be remembered best was the even-handedness, fairness, and openness John showed to all and how he succeeded in carrying the majority of Members with him on sometimes difficult decisions. But here lies the rub. Having divided the functions of Sections and Board, it is the President who is required to be not just even handed but scrupulously neutral when there are differences of opinion at Board and general Club level. More than anything, owing to our new Constitutional structure, our present and future Presidents require to be arbitrators of the first order. John Burt certainly was that. Our Club has always had a quite a diverse Membership with wide ranging interests, from the purely social side to serious motor racing, both historic and contemporary. This requires guidance and more than a touch of diplomacy from our governing body. Sadly, currently a major fissure has opened up. How could it otherwise be that a most generous offer of a donation to upgrade our Collingrove hillclimb to the tune of $200,000,
but in reality open ended, has resulted in what can only be described as a total and unsavoury mess. The frame of mind of those opposed is best illustrated by this little incident: The donor, full of enthusiasm, had bought and fully refurbished a tractor with accessories to sweep the track, an auger to excavate post holes etc. only to be told when he arrived at Collingrove that his tractor was not wanted as it lacked 4wd. An entirely spurious argument. Back went the tractor which has now been sold. This is not how Members should treat each other. Then there was the inexcusable behaviour of one of the Members involved, threatening physical violence to the donor during a meeting night, which I had the misfortune to witness. To my knowledge the Board has taken no decisive action to ask the Member in question to offer, at the very least, an apology. My letter of complaint did not receive the courtesy of a reply. Frankly, someone threatening another Member in this way ought to have had the decency to offer his resignation from our Club. As one says in Old Blighty, he is ‘not clubable’. Whatever led to this lamentable state of affairs – and as always there are two sides to every coin – there is one overriding point to be made: How was it possible to wreck a donation which would have, for the first time in many years, provided genuine major improvements at Collingrove making the venue commercially attractive to the Club, promising an income stream from – amongst other uses – lettings for car launches and events staged by other clubs. This affects all Members and not just those who actively use the facility for their enjoyment. Perhaps the initial plan was not perfect, perhaps it bore the stamp of a very enthusiastic donor – but surely, with diplomacy and tact, changes could have been made – at any rate, the resulting improvements would have been a whole lot better than the current state of Collingrove and a whole lot more effective than a replacement plan on the table now which has little or no funding and therefore no chance of realisation within the current year which the initial offering would have provided. Quite frankly, the Club did not play by the Queensberry Rules and we shall all be the poorer for it. Worse yet, the issue was kept under wraps and allowed to fester. This begs the question of whether the Club should not look again how our governing body is made up and would it not have been beneficial – and not just in this instance – to have a Board made up more broadly based on the various activities of our Club, both social as well as competitive and historic motorsport. The donor requested your editor to pull an article from the January edition of Wheelspin out of courtesy to those who asked for further debate. Regrettably, your co-editor agreed and therefore you, the Members, were unaware of the offer, the like of which may happen once in a generation – if luck would have it. Following this column, Wheelspin will publish the article on the Collingrove update in the original version, which is not the latest version submitted by the donor (that provided disabled access via a lift, which had been one of the objections and is not shown here), but it gives an insight to the scale of the improvements on offer. No doubt, the rejection will go down as a low point in the history of our Club. Our Club depends heavily on volunteers, particularly those who are not only prepared to offer their time but are, on top of that, prepared to put a hand in their pocket to help in whatever cause they wish to support. Knocking down such a sizeable donation is not going to bring others out in droves to hand over their hard earned cash. Michael Wapler
15
16
COLLINGROVE
PETROL FUMES ground floor .A new male/female/disabled toilet block will be built on the right side (facing the building). A 3.6 metre verandah will cover the front and right side of the building so that access to the toilets will be under cover. An exterior staircase will lead to the rear door access of the Clipsal building. This will also provide a viewing platform overlooking the start line. The upper floor will include services such as water, tap, sink etc. to provide a drink and food preparation area should this be required in future. The Clipsal building – upper floor – is air-conditioned. Water for the café and new toilets will be collected from the building roof and verandah and directed to new rainwater tanks at the rear of the building which will be connected to a pressure pump system. All drawings for the project and preparation for Council planning application were generously donated by John Bryant through his company Bryant Concepts. SCRUTINEERING The current position for scrutineering is not ideal as racing car traffic is mixed with the general public area. The burn-out pad will be used for scrutineering and at a later date some roofing could be installed.
Note by your co-editor: The following item had been scheduled for publication in the January 2010 issue of Wheelspin. Out of respect for the wishes of the donor it was withdrawn to give more time for fine tuning between the donor and the Hillclimb committee. Suffice to say that a later proposal reflected some changes. Outlined below is the original proposal as per November 2009. Please refer to the items on pages 17 and 20 for further details. Michael Wapler
COLLINGROVE – A LOST OPPORTUNITY
IMPLEMENTS A new tractor has been purchased with a front scoop and power take-off so that we can use it as a post hole digger, grass slasher, sweeper, etc. This should be of great assistance to the volunteers. We are aware of the need for safety control and use of club approved operators. The tractor will be housed in the new implement/storage shed. CURRENT TOILET BLOCK This will have one metre paving where necessary which will improve access and discourage the rabbits. ENTRY TO COLLINGROVE The current entry does not make a good visual statement nor does it provide a comfortable working position for a gate keeper/ money collector. The gate and signage at the T-junction where inward track and Council ‘Hill Climb Road’ meet needs updating. Further down the inward track a new entry feature will be built as shown on the enclosed sketches. Apart from making a visual statement that this is the entry to the Hill Climb, it will provide some comfort and cover for the gate keeper/collector. Square café style umbrellas will provide cover from the elements. Three flag poles will further enhance the entry point. DRAINAGE To reclaim some parking space in the area where water flows down the gully, two new sumps and 400mm pipes (which are already at hand) will be used to pipe the surface water away.
GENERAL The existing green building will be removed and re-located on a new concrete slab near the burn-out pad. This will provide a large building (12 x 6 metres) with a new concrete floor for storage of the tractor and other implements. On the site of the current green building, a new two-storey building will be erected using the Clipsal donated building as a 2nd floor. This new building will include offices for documentation and CAMS officials. A new and greatly enlarged area for the café, currently referred to as ‘Wendy’s’ will be in the centre of the
OVERVIEW Plans for the new building and new entry gate are already completed and will be lodged with the Barossa Council shortly. Contractors have already been arranged for the major tasks and they are aware that we are pushing this whole project through as fast as we can. TIMING SYSTEM The new system was ready for installation after the last event of the season, on 15th November, had been run. The new timing hut in close vicinity to the start line will be erected in conjunction with the timing system. Rob Thompson
In the view of a fair number of attending Members, the May MGM left some important questions unanswered as Members were refused the public reading of crucial documents. In the interest of informing all Members of events leading up to the Club turning down an open ended! donation worth more than $200,000 (yes, you have read correctly), Wheelspin is publishing the following sequence of letters which are selfexplanatory.
MONTHLY GENERAL MEETING – MAY 2010 e-mail from Rob Thompson to President Rodney Gibb d/d 3rd March 2010: Hi Rodney, I was much concerned after our conversation before the MGM (sic) last night. The sub-committee was formed ‘to resolve the differences in the two proposals’ and two persons were appointed from the Board and two from the Hillclimb committee with yourself acting as an ex-officio role. I assumed that the Board would lean towards my proposal and that also the Hillclimb people would do their best to get their proposal approved. All that you could talk about in our conversation last night was how good the Hillclimb LATEST (after three alterations) proposal was and the great number of car parks which it provided etc. Do you have a comparison figure for the number of car parks in my (Board) proposal. Is it more or less? Have you and John and Ann thoroughly gone through my proposal and the ‘comparison of submission’ paper which I have given to both yourself and John. Has Ann gone through it with you both. As nobody from the Board sub-committee has asked me any questions at all, I assume that you fully and clearly understand my (Board) proposal and are ready to go give it your full support. Do you clearly understand that my proposal two was done only as a back up in case we had any council problems with the two level building - otherwise the proposal is the same as the original. A good design does not need the continual changes such as are coming from the Hillclimb committee. I am very much under the impression that it is extremely unlikely that you will ‘go to bat’ for the Board proposal. I say the Board’s proposal because in the minutes Tues 3rd Nov. it says - ‘Mark Bloustein spoke for members and it was agreed that the current proposal was FINAL. That being the case why did the Board not at any time simply say to the Hillclimb committee ‘-The Board has already made a final decision. You are welcome to present any changes or make any comment TO THE BOARD who will GIVE THEM DUE CONSIDERATION.’ This was the correct way to handle the situation because at the end of it all, only the Board can make the decision. All of the waste and time and effort used in meetings and discussion would have been avoided and the split between the Hillclimb committee and myself which will probably destroy the project, could have been avoided. The Constitution clearly states 12 (4) that the Board has the management and control of the funds and other property. There was obviously nothing dramatically wrong with my original proposal or the Board would not have accepted it as FINAL on 3rd November. I can tell you without any doubt that the general Membership want the two level building and would gladly support the Board proposal unchanged if given the opportunity. The Membership are
far more important than the Hillclimb committee. When it comes to the use of Club resources for property maintenance and new projects; the Hillclimb committee should be ashamed. Over $100,000 has gone on three items: A return road which was useless and would still be the same without the pressure applied by yourself and others (but in any case has cost more money), the useless burn-out pad (unless it is reused as I have suggested), and the saga of the timing system (which again would not be completed without questions being asked at our first Board meeting. They may be able to run a Hillclimb meeting but they should leave design and construction to someone who can erect a shed that will not fall over and a burn-out pad that will not sink. It is just not true to say that my first proposal did not take into account the needs of the Hillclimb people. I talked with several Hillclimb committee people about the things that they would want in a new development and took note of their comments when designing the project. I have that list (including dates and times) and can tell you that a large percentage of their first two Hillclimb proposals totally ignore their own requests. One example - ‘people crossing track during meeting is a nuisance and dangerous’. Result - Their proposal puts the Clipsal hut on the right side of the track, far away from the pit area so that there would be continual traffic over the track unless all public and competitors stayed in one place all day. The issue which I have avoided raising until now is money. My (Board) proposal was fully funded right from day one with no limit placed on the amount. For this reason (apart from my built-in impatience to get things done) I was able to quickly move ahead after Board approval on November 3rd. Sheds were ordered, bricklayers booked, on site meetings held and with great support from John Bryant pushed ahead with final designs and got them to Council. A meeting in the process of being finalised with the Barossa Council and prominent Barossa business personalities has now been cancelled. There were positive signs that as part of my total long term vision for Collingrove that they would consider sealing Hillclimb Road to our entrance and offering other support. Money on the other hand has not been discussed by the Hillclimb committee. Where will it come from? Certainly not from me: My understanding at this time is that they have no money guaranteed. Before any more time is lost on this project the question should be asked and they should provide factual details given of the amount of money available to them and the time frame in which it would be received. If the answer is negative then one must ask what is the purpose of continuing any meetings. To start and keep this project moving along would require the full time input from someone who would take on the role of project manager. Do they have anyone with the time and knowledge to do this? I have no enjoyment in writing this email. It is the end result of my failure to be able to get a group of people together to back my vision for Collingrove. I owe this Club a lot and was really looking forward to giving it something substantial in return. The Hillclimb committee must accept a good part of responsibility for failure of this project. Their continued verbal abuse and cold shoulder treatment has taken away some of the enjoyment which I had before I made the offer to improve Collingrove. Unfortunately our Board will now go down in history as the group that allowed a great opportunity to be wasted. Regards Rob e-mail from Rob Thompson to Rodney Gibb 4th March, 2010 Hi Rodney, The attached para can be added to my previous e-mail: A meeting was called for 28th Jan 09 (sic). Members of the Board and Hillclimb committee were invited. The terms of reference as they appear on the minutes were: There are two proposals to discuss, first one being the Hillclimb committee and the second coming from the Board. At the end of the meeting ONLY one proposal was discussed. We had an hour and half listening to Andy Ford present the Hillclimb proposal but NOT ONE MINUTE on the Board proposal. The Board proposal was never called for and no suggestion came from ANY Board members that the meeting did not meet the terms of reference. I made no comment as it had been decided between you and I
continued on page 20
17
18
COLLECTOR’S WORLD
MY VETERAN AMBITION
COLLECTOR’S WORLD – by Neil Francis
Just six months after restoring my retirement project, a 1964 Mercedes 230SL, it was time for another project. Having no desire to exchange the Merc for another Classic car it was time to find out what makes a Veteran car tick. The hunt for the car took about nine months and while
I wanted a car that required a considerable amount of work to bring it back onto the road – being prepared to build a body if required – I nevertheless wanted a car that was basically mechanically complete. The SCC library has many Veteran car magazines from Australia and beyond but most cars for sale were either already restored, or very incomplete, or had been ‘sold two months ago’. However, word got round and Veteran cars appeared to come out of the woodwork being offered for sale. I heard about a Napier that had been off the road for years and contacted the owner. The car was complete but very tired, just what I had been looking for. Back at the SCC Library I was told Napiers were quality English cars of which a few came to Australia. Decision taken, a price was agreed and I became the proud owner. First task, after I taking my treasure home, was to take the sump off to measure the bore diameter to see whether I had purchased a 15hp or the rare 20hp and – yippee – at 3½” bore, it was a 20hp. I found the restoration of a Veteran car to be considerably different to restoring a Classic car. When a component is broken, there is no catalogue to purchase a new part, however, broken or missing parts are not too difficult to re-manufacture – no injection moulded plastics, second surfaced vacuum metallised brightwork or – heaven forbid – electronics. Researching the car’s history has revealed it is a Napier T68 20hp model that left the London factory on 4th February, 1914 as a rolling chassis. It was delivered to Vivian Lewis Ltd., the importer and body builder of 174-180
Gawler Place, Adelaide. I was unable to establish who the first owner was, though records at the SCC show there were only two people listed registering a 20hp Napier between 1914 and 1916. They were A.E. Tolley of Grove
St., Unley Park and E.S Clark Hughes Standwell. However, I was able to establish that Ossie Graham of Pt. Noarlunga owned the car until 1955. Thereafter the car passed to SCC Member Hamish Laurie who owned the car for sixteen years before selling it to Chris Laurie who became its custodian for 36 years until my turn from March 2007. Restoring this Veteran car would have to be classified an easy restoration – it was basically a complete car – but I found it extremely labour intensive yet even more rewarding than the restoration of a Classic car. It was considerably less expensive – I did not say cheap – to restore my Napier than my 1964 Mercedes. Under the seat trim and on the inside of the chassis, covered by the petrol tank, I found the original green paint, which I have left for the next restorer to find. The door trims were very fascinating and rewarding to make, copying the original design and using a similar process of wet leather draped over a mould and compressing until dry. Another rewarding task was to produce the roof bows by laminating 5 thin pieces of timber with glue around a frame after soaking them in water overnight. Two major tasks I was not capable of restoring were the engine, rebuilt by Richardsons Engine Service, and the seat trim which was done by Noel Adams who is very experienced in the art of using horsehair and deep buttoning of leather trim. It took a rewarding two years and nine months to complete the car, spending around three full days each week. –
The starting point in Neil’s garage (above); Coach builder’s plate, steering gears, manufacturer’s brass plate (centre, top); Neil Francis and Andy Morgan on the lawn of the Royal SA Yacht Squadron; the gem of a refurbished engine
19
20
PETROL FUMES
PETROL FUMES vehicles to enter free of charge. They hope to have large numbers of veteran vehicles out again and other arrangements will be in place to assist us to have an easy motoring day. Collect your entry form and enter now – just leave the entry cost section empty. October 8-10 – Weekend Rally to the Barossa – there will be Friday and Saturday starts for this event, so plan to spend this weekend with us for some enjoyable driving and good company.
continued from page 17 that it would be best if I remained silent during the meeting. How wrong that turned out to be. How quiet were the Board in support of a proposal which they had already accepted as FINAL. Rob Letter from Rob Thompson to Members of the Board d/d 15th March 2010 To All Re Collingrove It is with great regret and a feeling of personal failure that I have to advise you that my offer to upgrade the Collingrove facility as detailed in my original submission to the Board is now FULLY WITHDRAWN. This proposal was a ‘package deal’ covering tractor implements, new sheds, new two level main building, new toilet block with showers, new fully equipped kitchen, new brick entry, large covered verandahs etc. Other items such as outside covered decking, new road surfacing and signage, and new fencing would have been added as the project moved ahead. It was fully funded no matter what the final cost would be and I offered to act as ‘project manager’ during the two years that it would take to complete phase one and two. The Board agreed at the meeting on Tues 3rd November 2009 that the original offer was accepted an that `current proposal was final’ I based my drawing on a list of requirements given to me by members of the Hillclimb committee (see attached). I would have welcomed any positive input from anyone who could have made suggestions to improve on the original layout. My whole aim was to do whatever was best for the Club whether it was my idea or not. The Board should have supported THEIR proposal and suggested to anyone that they were welcome to make suggestions, to make improvements, but not to allow others to present full replacement proposal when THEY HAD NO FUNDING. In the past five months the Hillclimb committee has presented three different proposals. None of them meet their own criteria. The final Hillclimb proposal was shown to me by Andy Ford on Thursday 12th March 2010. At first it seemed reasonable but on closer investigation I saw that it would need two buildings and two kitchens to provide the required inside room for 120 to 140 persons and to support the toilet block and Clipsal hut some two metres from ground level the increase [in] costs would be at least $60,000. The water tank for the uphill building had not been considered and was to be a rubber bladder under the hut. This proposal did at the third attempt agree that my proposal for using the burn-out pad for scrutineering was correct and that the long held view ‘that the Clipsal building MUST be on the hill at drivers right was also now accepted as being wrong. An implement shed has also finally been added. On the other hand my original proposal has been unchanged since first accepted by the Board because it was properly researched at the beginning. It is not my way to withdraw once I begin a project, however the past five months with little support if any from some Board members for a proposal they had already accepted together with verbal abuse and cold shoulder treatment from many Hillclimb members has made my life somewhat unbearable. The threat of physical abuse was not very nice and my family said ‘dad - get out of it’. I really wanted more than anything to build a great motorsport venue to give back to this Club something for all the friendships and enjoyment that I have had. To make an offer ‘which is probably the largest ever made to the Club’ and to get no thanks or offer of support from a Hillclimb committee who have the most to gain is just unbelievable. I regret my failure to be able to put together a team to back my vision for Collingrove. Unfortunately, the Board of which I am a Member will go down in history as the one which lost a great opportunity for the Club. Of course, the current Hillclimb committee will be pleased that they have finally worn me down, Congratulations!!! Rob Thompson
VALE LANNAH SAWERS
INVITATION EVENTS 2010 – 2011 2010, 24th - 31st,October – National Veteran Rally, Launceston, Tas. 2011, 28th Feb - 4th March – 10th National Highwheeler Rally, based at Figtree Park, Warrnambool, Vic. Contact Sue Holbrook on 03 5561 1233 for further information. 2011, 10th - 15th April – National Veteran Rally, Southern High lands, NSW. Forms for entry or expression of interest for the above are available from the Veteran noticeboard. COMING MEETINGS 16th July – Mike McLeary will talk about the restora- tion of his Enfield car. 20th August – Geoff Chennells will give an illustrated talk on early voiturette racing.
The Veteran Section notes the recent passing of Lannah Sawers, who with her husband Brian was a long time campaigner of the 1914 Minerva (now in Ray Mossop’s hands), as well as a lovely vintage Standard and a classic soft-top Packard. They sometimes hosted our veteran vehicles at Pitcairn Station on their way to the regular Broken Hill rallies. We offer our sympathy to her family and friends. Here is a further personal observation from Stuart and Claire MacDonald about some incredibly committed and hospitable Veteran Section Members. Brian and Lannah Sawers Apart from obvious exceptions, too often we tend to find an excuse for not preparing a veteran vehicle and driving it in an event. May be it is that we no longer have the example as shown to us by Brian and Lannah Sawers, and of course not forgetting Reg and Jean Macdonald, because the four of them for years, participated in every major Veteran Section Rally. Why is that so special? Well if you drive more than half way to Broken Hill, after 265 km you come to Nackara. If you then turn right and drive along a very dusty unsealed outback road for a further 23 km, you arrive at Pitcairn Station, which was the property and home of Brian and Lannah. Had you continued along the Barrier Highway for a further 72 km, you would arrive at Mannahill. If you then turned right to drive along another unsealed dusty outback road for a further 25 km, you would arrive at Wadnaminga, and Reg and Jean’s property. Thus for the Sawers and the Macdonalds to participate in any veteran event, they were faced with a round trip of 570km or 710 km, respectively. Not only that, but due to the dusty roads, the trailered veterans were absolutely filthy by the time they arrived in Adelaide. Therefore they had to arrive two days before the start of each event, so that they could clean and prepare the veteran Minerva and Buick, to the immaculate condition in which they were always presented. And they did all of this, event after event, and year after year. It was a total and continuing commitment, that should be an inspiration to all.
COMING EVENTS 10th - 12th August – Midweek Rally to Yorke Peninsula – this is for those who can take time off during the week. Contact Peter Templer(8398 0837) if you are interested. 22nd August – Technical Tips Day – tips on TIG welding will be shown to those interested. If you just want a social day out, then BYO BBQ lunch to 25 Wilpena St, Eden Hills (Chennells’ Place) where there is plenty of off street parking, so drive in. 19th September – Brukunga Run – depart from Burnside Council car park, corner of Greenhill & Portrush Rds. at 9.30am. BYO morning tea, lunch, chairs. We will visit the old pyrites mine near Nairne and see the rehabilitation work that is being done there. Drive your most suitable vehicle. There will be a trailer base at Oakbank for those whose vehicles do not like hills. VETERANS THROUGH VINTAGE EYES 26th September – Bay to Birdwood Run – this is the 30th In the middle of March I spent a weekend on the Victorian event and to celebrate, the Bay to Birdwood One and Two Cylinder Rally run by the Veteran Car Club Committee has invited all veteran (pre-1919)
21
22
PETROL FUMES
PETROL FUMES
of Australia (Victoria). I have to say, right at the start, that everything that underpins a rally was nearly perfect. The VCCA ran the show well and turned on perfect weather. Sunny 25ºC every day. The venue, at Cobram was ideal: flat country with some green views, thanks to recent rain. The cabins in the resort park were comfortable and well spaced out. Chester McKaige’s 1905 Darraq single cylinder two seater car was fastidiously prepared and impeccably presented. It ran without fault over the four days. Originally Chester’s wife, Sally, was to accompany him but plans changed and I was recruited instead. Sally’s nametag had been preprinted so I spent the weekend as “Hairy Sally” but despite this I was able to fulfil the requirements of the job description adequately. “Pusher” was not needed . “Navigator” was easy. “Ballast” was even easier. And “Red Wine Taster” was a doddle.
Russell White’s 1907 MacIntyre; Bob Lamond’s 1908 Brush ‘D’; Bruce Lyon’s 1908 AC delivery trike; Bill Lindsay’s 1911 Buick; l/hand column: Geoff and Chris Chennells’ 1909 Sizaire et Naudin
This was my first significant experience of Veteran cars so my eyes were opened to an unfamiliar form of motoring. To “compare and contrast” with the Vintage and PVT worlds with which I am so familiar was inevitable. It has been said that in Veteran days, the effort was to make cars work, then in Vintage days the effort was to make cars work well. By the time my Alvis 12/50 hit the road in 1926, its essential features were so typical of the era and the format was so well established that any variation caused surprise. Beam axles. Semi-elliptic leaf springs set longitudinally. Four removable wheels with metal spokes and replaceable pneumatic tyres. Water cooled internal combustion front engine with radiator at the front and water circulation by thermo-syphon. Pressure engine lubrication and speed controlled by altering the air flow through the carburettor. Magneto ignition. Four speed gearbox behind the engine, with a clutch in between. Straight cut gears and a gate change. Rear wheel drive with differential and fully floating half axles. Drum brakes with internally expanding shoes. Steering wheel. Three pedals: one for brakes, one for clutch and one for acceleration. Wet cell battery with dynamo to charge it. Electric lighting and windscreen with powered wiper. And in Europe, cars made in England or Scotland predominated. How different it was in the first ten years of the 20th century! At Cobram French cars ruled. Renault had the numbers. There were deDion Boutons and Sizaire-Naudins – and a Darracq. The USA was well represented by McIntyre, Oldsmobile, Buick, Stanley, Locomobile, Brush, Cadillac and Maxwell. From England there were Humberettes, Perrys, a Rover, a Star and an AC. As well there were many other vehicles from elsewhere and motor-bikes, too. Sixty four vehicles in all and except for the Renaults, hardly any two alike. What a smorgasbord of machinery! The different ways of doing things provides choice as wide as the imagination. Aside from the bikes: three wheels or four? Wooden spoke wheels or metal? Spare tyre by change-over or would Sir prefer an add-on “Stepney”? Why bother with new-fangled air? Try solid rubber instead! Aircooled engine with or without fan. Water cooled engine with radiator in front of, behind or below the engine, with or without fan, with or without water-pump. Steering by wheel or by tiller. Internal combustion engine or external combustion, i.e. steam. How do you heat the water? Any way you can think of that is more modern than rubbing two sticks together. Engine lubrication by pressure or by splash. Valves hidden or with shafts and springs exposed. One cylinder or two. Straight twin or flat twin. In front of the driver, beneath the driver or behind. Axles all beam except on three wheelers. Springs nearly all leaf but lying longitudinally or transversely, some double. Shock absorbers or no shock absorbers. How many gears? None, one, two, three or four? In a box behind the engine or up the back with the differential? Sequential, epicyclic or with cogs? Brakes on the wheels and/or transmission shaft could be operated by a pedal anywhere on the floor or by a lever moving either forward for “on” or backwards. Engine speed could be controlled via a carburettor or by altering valve lift or timing – determined by a lever or a pedal somewhere – anywhere. Would Madam like a windscreen or does she prefer flies on her front teeth? Electricity can come from wet cells, dry cells, Leclanché cell or magneto – or there could be none. Dynamo? What’s that? Spark from trembler coil, induction coil and maybe a contact breaker. I saw this almost endless variety in just one week-end and I’m sure that had I had more time to pry I would have
been let into yet more secrets. I do not put myself forward as motoring historian, but I did know that most of the above existed. Some of my observations maybe rather obvious or even banal, but the experience of the variety before my very eyes added so much colour to the theory. I do recommend that any dyedin-the-wool Vintagent take a long hard look at what went before his machine from the twenties. Visit Aladdin’s cave and have a good look around! Thank you, Chester, for taking me along. Thank you Frances and Andrew McDougall for your hospitality and again, Andrew for explaining to me some of the more arcane points of what I was looking at. Finally, thank you to all those members of the Veteran Car Club who made a stranger so welcome and a week end so enjoyable. Hairy Sally aka. John Hetherington Alvis Car Club Victoria BOOLEROO STEAM RALLY On a lovely Thursday morning, six cars drove out of Adelaide from various directions to meet at Gawler Tourist Centre for morning tea before heading north to Burra, via Kapunda and Eudunda. The cars included a 1929 Ford A (Graham Treloar and Josie Luijekyx); 1953 Holden (Graham and Oris Lennon); 1964 Vauxhall VX/4-90 John and Di Pyle); 1966 Ford Mustang (Ross and Liz Brown); 1971 MGB (Ron and Rita Inwood); 1977 Jaguar XJ6(Tony and Sheena Beaven; (the cars are listed by age and not by preference). Later in Wilmington we were joined by a 1909 Sizaire & Naudin (Geoff and Chris Chennels) and a 1962 EK Holden (Chris Whittall).
We stopped for a while in Eudunda (which evolved as a watering stop for stock brought overland from Qld and NSW in the early 1840’s to markets in Adelaide and Kapunda). This is also the birth place of Colin Thiele, author/educator. The Heritage Gallery Museum has an amazing display of memorabilia and well worth a visit if you venture that way. The local bakery was overwhelmed by members buying ‘holiday food’! Apart from one couple, the majority of us stayed in the Paxton Cottages in Burra (this is an interesting historical copper mining town and a must for a few days stay). Dinner at the local pub when two of us enjoyed Lamb Shanks which just melted in our mouths.
23
24
PETROL FUMES
LADIES’ QUESTION TIME
The next morning, who will admit to a head butt and shortly after a nose butt, with husband more concerned about the blood on his car! On to Peterborough where another adventure greeted us as we did a guided tour by passionate Jo at the Steamtown Railway Museum, the setting being the old locomotive workshops. A great collection of locomotives, passenger carriages and service vehicles dating from 1881 are housed here. This is where you can still see three railway gauges (Broad, Standard and Narrow). We all climbed in and around these carriages. Orroroo where the Goyder’s Line (mapped out in 1865), is where pastoral and farming lands meet and you can observe the difference in vegetation. We visited Gibbs Garage and viewed a collection of old dusty, rusty cars which the men pored over. This garage also doubles as the local funeral parlour. Wilmington – two nights were spent at the barbeque in the caravan park. ‘Some of the ladies cooked on the barbeque’ Shock Horror. A quick visit to the Toy Museum, nostalgia for the variety displayed on shelves not to mention the collection of Land Rovers in the backyard? The walks around Alligator Gorge which is in Mt. Remarkable National Park, takes in this stunning gorge with its red canyons and unusual rock formations. Who walked up the road instead of the track? (One step forward and two back, due to the steepness of the road). A short drive to Hancock’s Lookout (where on a clear day you can see views of Spencer Gulf and regional towns). We were lucky enough to have that day. Another mishap – who left their mobile phone at Steamtown? Booleroo Centre – where the Steam and Traction Preservation Society hold their Annual Rally. They have a large collection of more than 150 welloiled machines on permanent display, restored vintage and veteran tractors, steam and traction machines as well as stationary engines and farming implements. Most of these machines are housed in an undercover shed with an area of approx. 2500 sq metres. Highlight of the day being two Fowlers doing a scooping demonstration. It was wonderful to see these machines still operational, a credit to the dedicated men and women who restore and look after this amazing display. All our cars, as well as a few others, congregated in the middle of the oval, and were admired by all who came. Late that afternoon, some of us
headed back to Adelaide, while a few went onto Clare for dinner and the night. Liz Brown
the US again to catch up with her aviation friends there, when she heard that efforts were being made to commemorate Amelia Earhart with a US postage stamp and money was collected in the aviation community for that purpose, Elly remembered their deposit in a New York bank. The bank was duly found and after checking their records, the money was paid out and was donated to the Amelia Earhart postage stamp campaign. Well, here is the stamp which was promptly issued.
The image below shows Elly Beinhorn in her Messerschmitt ‘Taifun’, one of the fastest aircraft at the time. During WWII the Taifun transmogrified into the Messerschmitt Me 109 fighter plane. ANSWER TO OUR LADIES’ QUESTION FOR APRIL Frankly, I did not expect any answers and look what happened: There was this amazing letter from Bob Burnett-Read (see page 6) who not only knew it was the aviatrix Elly Beinhorn, but actually met her in his grandmother’s home in North Adelaide, who was at the time, the German Consular Representative in SA., and where Elly stayed during her lecture tour here. And there was another correct answer, once again from Denis Basson. I vow never to underestimate my readership again. There is a little story attached which is quite heartwarming as it is unexpected. In 1937, Elly travelled with her racing driver husband Bernd Rosemeyer to the US where Bernd raced at the Roosevelt race track in New LADIES’ QUESTION FOR JULY
York, a race he won. Elly later went on to meet her famous counterpart, American aviatrix Amelia Earhart. The political clouds in Europe were gathering and so Bernd and Elly decided to deposit his prize money from the race in an American bank for safekeeping. Unfortunately, not much later Amelia Earhard perished while trying to cross the Pacific. Many years later, well after the war, Elly travelled to
Above images© kindly provided by Club Member Jon Pyle
The racing suit gives it away perhaps, but who is the lady and which incredibly difficult rally has she won? What was the make of car she drove to victory and in what year?
Answers please to: Michael Wapler: miwap@ozemail.com.au
25
26
CRANKING OUT THE SOUND A MATTER OF V8 DESIGN There was a time during the latter half of the eighties, when motor sport enthusiasts could, on a weekend in March, enter the general admission area of Adelaide’s East Parklands, sit or lie on the grass and await the glorious aural experience of one (or two, if you were fortunate) V12 Formula 1 Ferraris lapping the street circuit. Once described by the late Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conductor Herbert von Karajan, in a letter to Enzo Ferrari claimed to have received from the maestro, ‘…when I hear your 12 cylinders I hear a burst of harmony that no conductor could ever recreate’, (refer Wheelspin No. 2, vol. 44, June 2005, page 5). To Italian motor vehicle manufacturers, and motoring enthusiasts in general, engine sounds are very important. One of Australia’s motoring magazine writers wrote that when Alfa Romeo engineers learnt that they were to use the General Motors latest V6 engine and that it was rumoured to sound pretty ordinary, the Italians replied that the would soon make the unit sound like an Alfa V6 should. In one of Jeremy Clarkson’s DVDs of a three set titled ‘Clarkson: The Ultimate Collection’ there is a classic piece of video. Top Gear’s Clarkson was on a search in the US for an American-made car he might possibly like. Naturally he arrived at the classic American V8s and in this excerpt a Ford Mustang, Chevy Corvette, and Dodge Charger are seen and heard lapping the Willow Springs Circuit. Clarkson, ‘This is undoubtedly a great sound track. All petrol heads love the slow, easy off-beat pig iron strum. Its brilliant. But now listen to the sounds the Europeans can get from a V8.
At that point a Ferrari accelerates off the start/finish line as Clarkson begins to savour the moment from the control tower as the Ferrari screams by entering its second lap. Jeremy adopts the role of an orchestra conductor acting in perfect unison as the driver of the Italian car changes down two gears for turn one of the Willow Springs Raceway. This DVD is titled ‘The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly’ and this segment is 38 minutes 26 seconds into the disc (contact your friendly SCC Librarian and he might add the set to their DVD collection). But why does the V8 Ferrari sound completely different to the ‘slow easy off-beat’ of the American V8s? It is not just a matter of engine revs, Nascars which use regulation 90º
V8 blocks in their engines and have a rev limit of 10,000 rpm. Exhaust systems can, and do, make a difference as can be experienced listening to Australian V8 Supercars and anyone fortunate to have heard a GT40 Ford will testify to the effect the complex exhaust system has on this classic car’s exhaust note. Performance cars from V8-powered ‘super cars’ from Mercedes Benz, BMW, Audi, etc. also sound similar. Where the Ferrari V8 engines differ from all of those V8s is in their crankshafts. Ferrari use a flat-plane or single-plane crankshaft in the V8 engines giving the effect of two four cylinder units set in a V on a common crankshaft. With the cross-plane or two-plane crankshaft configuration used in most other V8 road cars, the first and last of the four crankpins are at 180º with respect to each other as are the second and third, with each pair 90º to the other. The single-plane crankshaft is imperfect in secondary (horizontal) balance whereas the cross-plane shaft can achieve very good secondary balance but requires heavy counterweights to counteract the primary (vertical) imbalance. Thus it cannot speed up or slow down as quickly as a flat-plane unit that requires no counterweights. In the cross-plane crankshaft the firing order of each bank is generally LRLLRLRR. The flat-plane crankshaft engine design was popularised in post war racing with the 1.5 litre Coventry Climax V8 and later to a greater extent with the famous Cosworth DFV V8. Early flat-plane designs included de Dion-Bouton, Peerless and Cadillac (1914). Cadillac introduced their ‘compensated crankshaft’ (cross-plane) V8 in 1923 with the ‘Equipoised Eight’ and Peerless appeared in November 1924. During his first visit to Australia in 2010, Ferrari chief executive Amedeo Felisa, when asked about electric cars, explained ‘the sound coming from the engine is so important so we cannot do a full electric. This is not Ferrari. It is not possible to say when the technology will be ready for Ferrari to produce a hybrid and of course the costs have to be managed, so I would say not for five years’. After that, ‘the plan is to always have a V12 engine. It is part of the story of Ferrari, but the new fuel emission laws won’t help’. Could that mean that in the not too distant future Ferrari will cease to produce flat-plane or single-plane crankshaft engines for their cars? If so, it would be a sad time for many; maybe the exclusive use of their V12 engines will in some way compensate. Barry Catford
27
28
Collingrove Charity Event
FERRARI’S MUSICIANS
CanTeen Fundraising Event at Collingrove Hill Climb 8th May 2010 Team Racetune Services began supporting CanTeen for Kids several years ago through the team’s rallying activities in events like Classic Adelaide and the SA Rally Championship. The team’s cars were soon decorated with CanTeen logos and brightly coloured stars and shapes, making them easily recognizable on the rally stages and in the service parks. Fund-raising activities have increased over time with the latest venture also providing an opportunity for motor sport officials to experience the thrill of riding in a variety of competition rally cars from different eras. The Sporting Car Club of South Australia generously donated the use of the picturesque Collingrove Hill Climb track with CAMS also providing their support for the event. More than twenty rally car owners donated the use of their vehicles in what was also a great way to thank the volunteer officials who give their time to help make our sport happen. For a small donation, all of which goes straight to CanTeen, officials, guests and friends were taken on spirited runs up the Collingrove track in proper competition rally cars. There was no shortage of people lining up to take rides, even other drivers often making multiple donations in exchange for additional rides. A substantial amount of money was raised from the event which will assist CanTeen to continue their vital work in helping young people living with cancer. Thanks to the generosity of a number of businesses and individuals a raffle was also held at the end of the event, and with so many prizes on offer it seemed few, if any, would have left the track without something. For event creator and organizer Reg Marratt the day was the culmination of many months of hard but rewarding effort. “We are very lucky to compete in motor sport and it’s fantastic to be able to give something back to the community via such a worthwhile organization as CanTeen, and at the same time thank the hard working volunteer officials for the work they do,” Reg explained. “The support from the Club, CAMS, the car owners, the businesses and individuals who donated money and raffle prizes, and everyone who helped organize this event is greatly appreciated.” “The officials also deserve a big ‘Thank You’ too and we hope everyone enjoyed the day – without the volunteer officials there would be no motor sport. Hopefully, we can make this an annual worthwhile event.” “Special thanks to Chris Green and the other volunteer officials who helped us run things smoothly on the day”. Reg was so busy on the day making sure everyone else had a great time he didn’t get a chance to run his Ford Mk 1 Escort up the hill, although he did manage to go for one ride at the end of the day. No surprises that it was in another Escort, this time a Mk 2 driven by Mallala regular and former Classic Adelaide winning co-driver Mike Dale. The generous support of the following individuals and businesses is greatly appreciated. Without them this event would not have been possible. Financial Donations Bunker Freight Lines Ron Bunker Bunker Freight Lines staff Toll SPD Phil Sarkies Willshire Motor Trimmers Race-tune Perth HAGE Holden Tanunda Dave Bartlett Perth CAMS SCCSA Inc. Bob Jane Modbury
Snap On Tools Jeremy Brown Pilatus Australia National Foods Heavylec Scotchers Fuels Adelaide Event and Exhibition Centre Bruce Interiors and Constructions Southland Mitsubishi Sam’s Fruit Market, St Agnes Shopping Center
Raffle Donations
Car owners / drivers –
Sprint Auto Parts South Road Edwardstown Repco St Marys Motormate St Marys Bridgestone Charles St Autos Unley Mike Dale Engineering Repco Port Lincoln Celebrations Flagstaff Hill Revolution Racegear SA Motorsport Tyres Australian Driving Institute McWilliams Wines Art and Rosemary Clark Matthew Highland, Spare Parts Manager, Australian Motors Peugeot Valvoline North Terrace Tyres Kuhmo Tyres
Jeremy Browne - Mini Cooper S Michael & Bradley Clements – Toyota Celica GT-4 Mike Dale – Ford Escort Mk 2 RS 2000 (Owner - Bruce Paix) Adam DeBiasi – VW Beetle Bruce Field – Alfa Romeo David Hall – Datsun 260Z Michael Hogan – Mazda RX7 Peter Jones – Holden Torana LX Hatch Michael Lamprell – Ford Mustang 1966 Coupe Nick Lenthall – Ford Escort Mk 2 Reg Marratt – Ford Escort Mk 1 Wayne Mason – Ford Escort Mk 1 RS 2000 Jim McGough – Nissan Pulsar GTR Stephen Mee – Mazda Familia Shaun Osborn – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 1 Jai Raymond – 1979 Rover David Rudzitis – Subaru Legacy RS Matt Selley – Subaru WRX Graham Stewart – Holden Torana XU1 – GTR Sam Taylor – Ford Cortina Mk 2 David Welling – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 Neville Whittenbury – Datsun 180B
Other Donations
HAGE Holden - course car supply National Foods - cold van supply Cameron Wearing, Australian Driving Institute - Helmet Loan Dave’s Dynamic Towing supply of Recovery vehicle Autosport Adelaide-Vouch- For additional information ers for top 3 drivers about CanTeen please go to www.canteen.org.au” David Langfield
AN ENGINE THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN ORCHESTRA We all know, Italian motor cars from the humblest Topolino to the stratospherically priced Ferraris and Lamborghinis emit a sound appreciably different and more exciting and sensual then than cars made in other countries or continents. There is something in the exhaust note of Italian cars that appeals not only to the ears but to all senses. It is undoubtedly more musical and there could hardly be a more authoritative opinion than this, “A Ferrari does not need a radio. The engine sounds like an orchestra”. It was conductor Herbert von Karajan who alledgedly said this on an occasion when he heard the latest creation from Maranello. And he was not far off. The sound for each model is created in a special sound studio at Maranello. “Even before we create a new engine or build the prototype for a new model, we already know what that engine should sound like”, says Roberto Fedeli in the sound studio of the Ferrari development centre. The 46 year old engineer is an amateur musician, playing the guitar in a local band called the “Red House Blues Band”, and after joining the exalted band of engineers at Ferrari some 20 years ago, he faced the deciding hurdle of his career head on. The first prototypes of the 550 Maranello simply sounded too flat and unexciting. The car lacked the obvious advantage of its predecessor, the legendary “Testarossa”, where the engine sat directly behind the driver with the intake trumpets at the driver’s ear level.
The new car had to conform to a raft of new legislation, including sound dampening which made it sound rather ordinary, if not to say anonymous. Then new head of Ferrari, Luca di Montezemolo, put the new boy on the block, Fedeli, in charge of sound engineering. Fedeli approached the problem not so much as an engineer but as a musician. “An engineer would look at a static momentary situation whereas a musician would look at the development of sound in a time line”, he commented. On Fedeli’s recommendation, Ferrari purchased a sound studio such as commonly used by musicians and began to look at the Ferrari engines as musical instruments. The sound of an individual engine consists of a summary of sound sources ranging from the air intake system, valves and their movements, combustion noises and, very importantly, the exhaust system; but also, and surprisingly so – as we read on page 27 – the design of the crankshaft. Today’s composer of Ferrari’s sound-waves is Francesco Carosone who joined Ferrari some nine years ago. The design brief preceding any development at Ferrari nowadays includes a set of data with the desired sound emission for the new car. This set would be preselected from a range of options by the Chairman of the board and Fedeli’s department of sound development. “The challenge we then face is to achieve this ideal sound package in the finished product”, says Carosone but the goal can be reached by ensuring there are a sufficient number of resonators in the engine bay and in the floor pan. It is the number and positioning of resonating body parts which re-enforce or modify the sounds emitted by the engine and exhaust system as a whole”. Before joining Ferrari, Carosone had been studying engineering by day and composing music in the evenings. A successful career as a composer of film music was already behind him when he joined Ferrari. This, and his engineering background made him the ideal candidate for the job, as Roberto Fedeli wanted to find someone who was not purely a musician. His experience with the unexpected challenge at Ferrari as a sound-engineer have left an indelible imprint on him. Fedeli expects fantasy, much patience, and passion from his young team of engineers but passion for the Ferrari brand alone is not enough. Important components of a successful career must include sound knowledge of physics and mathematics as well. Fedeli does not rate very highly some of the much specialised engineering graduates who can be immediately placed into a position, by commenting that long term such experts do often disappoint. Ferrari is an exemplary employer with their internal “Formule Uomo” (formula human being), comprising health checks and fitness programmes creating a feeling of wellbeing at the work place. Fedeli interviews some 80 engineering job candidates each year but says that an engineer who can play the trumpet or saxophone would always be his first choice. edited and translated from FAZ press material by Michael Wapler
29
30
IMPRESSIONS FROM HISTORIC EASTER AT MALLALA
Above images© kindly provided to Wheelspin by photographer Bob Taylor bobtee@airnet.com.au
MALLALA ROUND TWO
Above images© kindly provided to Wheelspin by Club Member David Langfield
31
32
AT THE SHARP END
AT THE SHARP END not sold here. Australian recalls include Toyota having to tweak the brake system on the latest Prius, and also, ironically, having to recall some older Daihatsus. Great Wall recalled its first batch of twin cab utes to fix a seat belt problem. Suzuki, despite having the lowest warranty claims rate in the country, is recalling the Alto for a stoplight-wiring problem (owners will be notified). Meanwhile, Holden has had to recall 9098 Holden Cruze cars after 71 reports of leaking fuel feed hoses (owners should contact their dealer or Holden Recall and Rework Assistance Centre on 1800 632 826). Highend models aren’t immune either: Ferrari is recalling more than 2000 F355 models to address a problem with fuel system pipes (again, known owners will be notified). Porsche has been embarrassed by having to recall 152 of its new flagship, the Panamera, despite a purchase price of up to $365,000, to check for faulty seatbelt mounting points. Caveat emptor.
LEARNING BAD HABITS Road safety campaigner Russell White has suggested parents should be banned from teaching their children to drive or signing off on their learner logbook until they have completed a driver competency test. White, road safety author and former head of the Holden driver training school south of Brisbane, called for a higher standard of professional training and for parents to get involved. “Unless parents work on their driving every day, they will develop bad habits and then pass them on to their children,” he said. “They should also sit in on at least one of their children’s professional driving lessons to reinforce what’s being taught to their child.” Driving instructors say that half the good work they do with young drivers is undone by their parents. Judging by personal observation of some driving instructors on the roads, both with and without learners aboard, the pot should be careful about calling the kettle black (including one instance where a learner driver failed her test for failing to indicate when continuing straight ahead through a roundabout, something she had never been told by her instructor and a rule her parents were, as are 99 percent of other drivers, unaware of). Higher standards for both learners and instructors (professional or otherwise) can only be a positive move. Note by co-editor Michael Wapler: In the UK, roundabout rules are the same as here. Only driving habits differ. While in Old Blighty, most drivers indicate left when they leave a roundabout – as is the rule, and regardless from which direction they have entered it – Australian drivers are usually still indicating ‘RIGHT’ when they are about to leave a roundabout to the ‘LEFT’. A terrible habit, confusing and dangerous for all other road users, particularly pedestrians about to cross the road.
AND MORE BAD HABITS Young people drink and drive far more often at 24 years of age than they do at 19, according to new research. Of equal concern, the study reports that one in five 23 to 24-year-olds had driven near, or over, the legal alcohol limit in the past month alone. And 60 percent report they have been in a car crash while driving since obtaining their licence. In The Driver’s Seat II – Beyond the Early Driving Years tracks the behaviours of 1000 young Victorian drivers four years after they took part in an initial survey. It is a collaboration between the Australian Institute of Family Studies, the TAC of Victoria and the RACV. Almost 97 percent of young people had obtained a driver’s licence by age 24. About seven percent had had their licence cancelled or suspended. Approximately half had been caught speeding, and 60 percent had been involved in a crash. Risky driving was relatively common – for example, on one of more of their ten most recent driving trips, close to half had exceeded the speed limit by 11-25km/h, about two thirds had driven when very tired, two thirds had used a mobile phone function such as sending or receiving an SMS and around half had talked on a mobile phone. While there was no difference in the degree of drink driving between metropolitan and non-metropolitan dwellers, not wearing a seatbelt was found to be higher among out-of-towners. Drink-drivers were more likely to speed, not use seatbelts, drive when fatigued, drive under the influence of an illegal drug or use a mobile phone when driving. Binge drinking and marijuana, ecstasy and amphetamine use were all significantly higher among high- and moderately-high level risk-taking drivers, as is the likelihood of multisubstance abuse. So, the advertising and awareness campaigns, plus the draconian police enforcement campaign is really working well. If you want to read more truly frightening details, go to “http://www.aifs.gov.au/ institute/pubs/resreport17/ rr17a.html” http://www.aifs. gov.au/institute/pubs/resreport17/rr17a.html WE THINK IT’S WORKING David Ogilvy once quoted a
client who said, “Half of my advertising budget is wasted; I just wish I knew which half!” Well, the people at the Motor Accident Commission can’t even go that far. According to a report by one of the government’s key road safety advisory bodies, the effectiveness of mass media road safety advertising campaigns is “unknown” and that it is not possible to determine whether road safety advertising campaigns are effective or not, based on current knowledge. Undeterred, MAC general manager of corporate affairs Ben Tuffnell is confident its multi-million dollar campaigns are worthwhile. He continued, “You have to change attitudes before you can start changing behaviours. That’s what our campaigns are aimed at.” Judging from the above article, the MAC’s confidence in the effectiveness of its campaigns is sadly misplaced. MAC’s budget for advertising and market research in 2009-10 is about $6 million. LUCKY I’M NOT WITH AAMI AAMI wins a double award for easily the most aggravating commercial on television (people acting dumb and singing off key – what’s not to like?) and a remarkable back flip from a stupid marketing decision. As I recall, it was AAMI some years ago who introduced the lifetime no claims bonus (an oxymoron if ever I saw one – how can I get a bonus for not making a claim even if I have made a claim?) I questioned them then: what part of No Claims Bonus don’t you get? A no claims bonus that can’t be lost means I’m subsidising bad (or unlucky) drivers by paying the same premium as they do. Other insurance companies followed suit. And now AAMI has come up with a truly momentous innovation… a bonus for drivers who don’t make claims. Or is that a penalty for people who do? Either way, they lost me when they insulted my intelligence with a so-called “lifetime no claims bonus”, and won’t win me back now. MORE RECALLS In what seems to be a global epidemic, yet more motor companies are issuing recall notices. After Toyota’s record 8,000,000-vehicle recall, Mazda has had to recall 90,000 Mazda3 cars in Japan and China. Australia is not affected since the recall applies only to the 1.6-litre engine, which is
ROADWORKS UPDATE They did it to me again! Same stretch of freeway, same problem – a posted roadworks speed limit didn’t have a corresponding end of roadworks notice, only this time, instead of a 25km/h speed limit, the posted limit was a more reasonable 80km/h. But once again, the reigning confusion led to speed differentials of 30km/h as drivers decided to make their own decisions about the prevailing speed limit. And thanks to Jason Rowley from the Chrysler Club who reported his own roadworks problems. Case 1: Fullarton Road, a roadworks speed limit of 25km/h although, he says “there were no roadworks, only a pile of dirt” and traffic was limited to 25km/h until reaching a 60km/h speed sign at Blythewood Road; Case 2: Lonsdale Expressway, speed limit reduced to 25km/h (from 100km/h) and as Jason reports “all I could see was a roadworker, sitting on the Armco listening to his iPod and tapping his foot to the music”. Meanwhile, a “temporary” roadworks speed limit of 80km/h on the Macclesfield/Meadows Road has been in place now for more than 12 months, all for a piece of fluoro orange netting off the side of the road around an exposed drain. Come on roadworkers, get your act together. WHEN IT COMES TO THE CRUNCH... So many people happily believe that driving is such an instinctive exercise that they can do other things at the same time. We all know about making phone calls (or even texting!), reading, applying make-up, but one of the top multitasking opportunities for many, apparently, is eating. A recent survey by UK insurance company I-kube
33
34
AT THE SHARP END has shown that potato crisps are the most dangerous food to munch on while driving. An incredible one in 20 drivers making a claim admitted that crunching crisps was the reason they crunched their car. Chocolate bars and soft drinks came a close second and third. Despite most drivers being fully aware of the risks of eating while driving, 60 percent admitted eating behind the wheel, adding the opening of packs (difficult at the best of times), hot or cold drink spills, greasy fingers and errant “all beef patties and special pickles” to the challenge of driving safely. What the hell are they thinking? Oh, that’s right. They aren’t thinking, and that’s the whole problem. HYBRID HEADACHES So, you’ve done the right thing and bought a hybrid. Feel smug? Well, that warm and fuzzy feeling may evaporate when you learn that there aren’t enough mechanics with the appropriate skills to service your new car. At present, the only qualified repairers are all working at dealerships, so when your new hybrid passes its warranty, you’ll have to keep on paying those high dealer hourly rates for servicing. The MTA is sending a trainer to the US to learn hybrid/electric repair work before returning to SA to train local mechanics. The MTA is also concerned that the high voltages in hybrid and electric vehicles may put untrained repairers at risk of electrocution. CLEVER KOREANS, CHEEKY CHINESE Hyundai, the company once described on the cover of Fortune magazine as “the toughest car company of them all”, has climbed eight spots to become the 188th leading company in the world, and third among automakers, overtaking Toyota (at 360), in a report by Forbes magazine that bases ranking on an equal weighting of sales, profits, assets and market value. That leaves just Ford Motor Company and Honda Motor ahead of them in the rank-
ings. Meanwhile, Kia’s Forte (Cerato in Australia) has been awarded the 2010 “Top Safety Pick” award in the Small Car Category by the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Kia’s Australian sales year-to-date (March) are up 27.8 percent. Even more impressive, the company reports global sales are up 41 percent in March. The Koreans are definitely on the move, but they don’t have it all on their own. According to an industry spokesman, sales of Chinese-made cars could top 100,000 as early as 2016, grabbing ten percent of the Australian market. Great Wall is already selling a low-cost utility and SUV, but both Geely and Chery will begin sales of compact passenger cars in the final months of this year.
SHARPER PRICES
It may be a sign of the times, but several car companies are reducing prices. Lotus has announced that their new price list starts with the Elise at $69,990, restyled for 2011 and with other modifications. These changes will also apply to the Elise R and Elise SC, both of which drop in price by $10,000. The Evora 2+0 is now priced from $139,990 and the Evora 2+2 $146,990 (both down $10,000). The Exige also comes down, the S and Cup 260 by $10,000 and the 2-Eleven, at $109,000, has been reduced by $18,500. At a very different price point, Proton’s S16G is Australia’s cheapest car at $11,990, resulting in a fourweek waiting list. Paul Murrell Great Wall, a company largely known as the leading Chinese authority on skillful reuse of intellectual property, has unveiled something that can gently be called unique - the Great Wall Kulla. The Kulla is an all-electric runabout operating on a 48V power system good for about 87 miles at a blazing top speed of 40 MPH. Despite that swoopy body work and those handsome LED headlights, the icing on this cake is the stylized Panda apparently included in the package. Expect Fiat to sue Great Wall over cuteness infringement.
MG R-TYPE Rivalry between Austin Motor Co. and MG Co. in the 750cc Midget class was as intense as the cars were conventional, that is until MG launched their R-Type in Spring of 1935. The car was revolutionary in a number of ways. The chassis, previously made of channel steel joined by crossmembers now consisted of an electrically welded box section of 16gauge steel forming a Y-shape. It weighed a mere 57 lbs (just under 26kg) yet is was immensely strong. The suspension was independent all round – the first British car of this type
– each hub mounted on two horizontal wishboneshaped members one fixed
above and one below the frame. The lower one fastened to a torsion bar running parallel to the frame with the fixed end attached to a special adjustable bracket so the car could be held at the correct level off the ground. Each front wheel had its own steering arm and drag link connected to a two-way steering
THROROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
box, eliminating a track rod and avoiding any movement of one wheel affecting the other. The suspension lay-out suited tracks with a rough surface such as Brooklands but the downside was quite considerable body lean. The engine was virtually identical to the earlier Q-Type, 4cyl, 53x73mm bore and stroke, giving a displacement of 746cc. The vertical overhead valves were operated by a single overhead camshaft driven by bevel gear and shaft running up the front of the engine. A Zoller-M.G. compressor was mounted in front of the engine driven from the nose of the crankshaft and fed by a single S.U. carburettor. The boost was 28lb/sq. inch and at 6500rpm the engine produced 110bhp. Priced at only £750 the first ten cars were sold to selected clients as MG did not have a works racing team. A second series was planned but never built. The car proved popular with the famous Bellevue Garage at Wandsworth with the Evans family of racing drivers Kenneth, Dennis, and their sister Doreen, who were successful, particularly in short races at Donington Park and at Shelsley Walsh hill-climb with the R-Type. Doreen had a lucky escape when she drove in the JCC International Trophy Race on 2nd May 1936 and her R-type disgraced itself by catching fire at roughly half the distance forcing Doreen to make a hurried exit. Luckily neither Doreen nor the car suffered any serious injury. To compete with the new Austins in the following season the Evans brothers had been in contact with the Derby firm of McEvoys who designed a twin ohc head for the `R’ type. This new head with larger valves and ports and with boost pressure from the Zoller compressor lifted from 28 to 30 lbs/sq.in., the engine produced 130bhp, up from 110bhp of the original engine. There was a final attempt to keep up with the Austins by increasing boost pressure to 25 lbs. which produced 141bhp at 7300 revs but that still proved to be inadequate and MG surrendered the field to the cars from Longbridge or rather new boss Leonard Lord closed down the MG racing department. An MG R-type was sold at auction in the UK in 2006 for £130,000, not a bad investment on the initial price even though it took just a bit over 70 years. SCC Library research by Michael Wapler The underpinnings of the MG R-Type (centre, left) Chris Bucknell’s MG R-Type at Lobethal (above) Doreen Evans’ MG R on fire at Brooklands
35
36
PETROL FUMES
HQ RACING MALLALA ROUND 2. There were only sixteen entries for this one. Either our competitors are a bit slow getting started for 2010 or are hanging out for the Enduro. There were no complaints about the weather, absolutely brilliant and the cars loved it too. Qualifying saw Mason on pole as one would expect, with Porteous (R2D2), Boulter and Jenkins, a poofteenth behind making up the two first rows. Pratty was to be a bit of a threat for this meeting, being well prepared for a change, his preparation however did not extend to licence renewal. Well the car is now ready in plenty of time for the Enduro. Phil Smith having blown a head gasket and broken the diff decided that his weekend was over. Race One saw Mason take the lead from the start as expected, but Porteous in Red2 squeezed past on lap two. Gav was also the second driver of this car for the year... lots of twos! It must mean something. Mason resumed his usual position (at the front) while Boulter moved to second. Jenkins settled into fourth and further back Crouch, Bradley and Crosbie battled away and Couprie managed to hold off a determined Bobridge. 1st Mason, 2nd Boulter, 3rd Porteous Race Two, over six laps, saw Boulter have a couple of serious looks at Mason on lap one but alas could not go with it. Porteous was strong off the start but the reoccurring clutch problem quickly relegated him to third. That was the end for Big Gav two races (another “two”, this is scary)
and on the trailer. Few positional changes in the first seven spots, but Bobridge pipped Denny for eighth. Scott Goding into the 33’s, good boy. 1st Mason, 2nd Boulter, 3rd Porteous Race Three at 9.30am Sunday morning was just scrumptious (to quote Bruce Mcvaney) Ideal weather conditions for our old war horses. Being the reverse front six from race two we had Bradley and Crouch on the front row, perhaps the first time for Corey? A good start was had by all, enabling Dasher Crouch to hold the lead for a couple of laps. Mace, with Jenkins in tow, squeezed by to take the lead on lap three. Boulter had to apply the necessary patience and waited until lap 6 to pass a very wide Jenkins for second. Meanwhile Bradley was working Crouch over, ditto Nicolo and Bobridge ditto Crosbie and Couprie. 1st Mason, 2nd Boulter, 3rd and right on Boulter’s clacker.. Jenkins. Race Four, which we will call the Final was the ten lapper. A tidy start and they were away... into the Northern on lap one, Mason showed a glimpse of fragility, locking a front wheel under brakes. Is our State Champion feeling the pressure? Arriving at the esses Boulter made his move, taking the lead which he was to defend for nine and a half laps. It wasn’t pretty folks but as John Wayne would say “a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do” Crouch only made turn two on lap one before the dreaded “shifter bug” struck. Not a bad spot to watch from anyway. Jenkins hung on to the front two cars hoping above hope that at least one would make a mistake. A little way back Bradley completed a consistent weekend and Dino held off Muscles Bobridge. 1st Boulter, 2nd Mason, 3rd Jenkins Epilogue: On the bright side it appears that it was a meeting of good close racing with little damage. It was disappointing however that we finished with only eleven cars. Encouraging for Boulter and Jenkins to manage a couple of 29’s and also the fact that Mason can be beaten. Graham Boulter
Above images© kindly provided to Wheelspin by photographer Bob Taylor bobtee@airnet.com.au
37