Back to the Track 2005

[Hanno Spoelstra]

First of all, hats off to the people undertaking such an epic journey!

Originally posted by Keith Webb
Creature "comforts" added to the CGT include BMW seats, full carpeting, UHF and VHF radio and (wait for it) a DVD player mounted on the rear of the battery box to keep the children amused on those long stretches.

Beamer seats for mum & dad; sure, the kids get a DVD player but get to sit on this?!?

source

Good luck to Euan, Wayne, Mark and the rest - please keep us posted on the progress!


H.

[Keith Webb]

What's wrong with gun tractor seats?

Just kidding - the children are a little small for those seats so Euan has installed a couple of child size seats which sit on top (and are secured).

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Keith Webb
What's wrong with gun tractor seats?

Nothing - but there's something wrong with Beamer seats in a Blitz!


Stop press!! Just got in this pic showing Euan doing some en-route mods to increase the speed:

[Euan McDonald]

After replacing dizy yesterday & fitting elec fuel pump today I have yet to do a road test. At this point we are still heading west.
I may ditch the trailer if it slowes us down.My parents have a week old Nissan patrol & have offered to catch up & tow the trailer for us.
Cought up with Sales man Bob & Swiss Chriss for a feed & drink last night I think they were off to another scrap yard today.

[Keith Webb]

Bob, I hear you have some pictures to share?

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Yes Keefy, have some pics. One here with the others on another thread. This one yesterday evening.
Bob

[Keith Webb]

Another day, another map



This morning's call was from Port Augusta, where they were about to meet up with Euan's folks who are planning to tow the trailer and take the kids for a while.

Euan has fitted another carby and was tweaking it - the fuel consumption has been rather interesting - 90 litres to do 138 Km or somewhere around 4 MPG!

[Keith Webb]

Just heard from Mark Sierant chasing Euan in the Toydodge - he's hoping to be in Renmark shortly and doing around 80 Kp/h and burning about 22 litres per 100 Km.

[Keith Webb]

Euan has ditched trailer and family (well, they're riding in the week-old Patrol which has had roadside assistance twice for various problems).

Tonight he's to the West of Ceduna and things have started to improve - fuel consumption is halved to 8 MPG but he has had to go through some of the spares - 2 carbies, 2 distributors and today, a water pump.

Mark, giving chase, has had a bit of a disaster and is staying the night in Port Augusta - the exhaust manifold has burnt out and the front main oil seal has failed, resulting in an oil consumption of around 600 Ml per 200 Km.

Parts are unavailable where he is so the plan is to fit them in Perth and keep buying cheap "Woolworths" oil to get them there. Besides, the truck has a 'nice growl' as they pass through towns.



Ceduna is bottom right on this map. Port August is on the previous map.

[Keith Webb]

Ceduna is about half-way across the country at the Eastern end of the Great Australian Bight.

[Richard Farrant]

Keith,

Hope you will be able to keep us updated on events on this trip. I took part in the 1995 and 2000 runs to Alice and am keen to know how my friends are getting on.

Maybe once the group assembles in Perth we can get regular reports and pics.

Richard

[Keith Webb]

Sure thing, Richard

I'll add the info as it comes in.

[Keith Webb]

No word from Euan - he's probably out of range, but a message from Mark in a Chinese restaurant in Ceduna - "haemoraging" oil badly and in desperate need of some workshop facilities in Perth for a quick engine rebuild before the next leg of the trip - can anyone assist?

Once Mark leaves Ceduna we probably won't hear a lot until they reach Perth.

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally posted by Keith Webb
No word from Euan - he's probably out of range, but a message from Mark in a Chinese restaurant in Ceduna - "haemoraging" oil badly and in desperate need of some workshop facilities in Perth for a quick engine rebuild before the next leg of the trip - can anyone assist?

Once Mark leaves Ceduna we probably won't hear a lot until they reach Perth.

Rod Diery is a little north of Perth in Kulin ..He may be able to help..If Rod can't fix it ,it's scrap..

[Wayne Henderson]

Mark has new parts waiting for him here and the use of several workshops.
Bob bought a new hot box gasket and front oil seal yesterday.
People are arriving every day now. 6 days to go.

[Keith Webb]

Thanks, Wayne

Nice to know there's such good support across the country.

I'll leave a voicemail message for Mark to that effect.

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi all

This is better than watching Days Of Our Lives. As Hannibal Smith used to say in the A Team "I love it when a plan comes together". Keep the network and news going for us that couldn't make the trip.

Bob

[Tony Smith]

Originally posted by Keith Webb
Euan called around mid-day from Tailem Bend, still frustrated by the lack of speed and still suspecting the distributor so he's planning to replace it with the original.

Let's hope for the Family's sake more speed can be made!

Do you mean to say Euan has gone to South Australia to buy drugs for the Mafia?
Is this how he plans to finance the holiday? I know Blitzes are an addiction, but really...

[Keith Webb]

Gotta finance things somehow I s'pose, however I don't think this is quite Euan's go.

Meanwhile, the trackers in the West are awaiting the arrival of all the participants.

Jim Sewell has sent me the following email:
"I read with interest the the exploits of the people coming from the east coast of Australia . I wonder what is in store for the rest of us when we tackle the unpredictable parts of the trip .

I have attached a map ( supplied by a previous message on the thread ) and have drawn in the proposed route , the trip is basically from Perth to Alice Springs by some of the roughest roads in Australia , once in Alice individuals will make their own way home .
Approximately six of us will come home via the Anne Beadell Hwy ( do't let the word hwy mislead you , it is basically a track through the bush ) , there will be a Ford Blitz , 3 GMC,s , Dodge and a Land Rover . Fuel should be available 175 kms West of the W A border .

Have attached a picture of my GMC , do not have any pic's of other vehicles as yet ."

Here's the map;

[Keith Webb]

...

[Keith Webb]

A direct quote from Euan... the full one being "You'd have to be crazy... you'd have to be absolutely nuts to drive a Blitz to Perth"

He called this afternoon from Norseman (see map)



Norseman is the first major town on the Western side of the Nullarbor plain and a crossroads about 900 Km from Perth where you can choose to go either via Kalgoorlie or Esperance.

Carby #3 is performing well and the water pump, although noisy is holding together. One of the fuel tank pickups seems to have a pinhole at the 40 litre mark so this will be repaired in Perth. Immediate problem is the clutch not disengaging.

The severe wheel shimmy was cured in Port Augusta with the fitting of a 1 Kilo (yes kilo) weight of lead to one wheel and 400 grams to another!

Possibly the Chinese tyres aren't to well made...

Euan also commented the truckies are saying the Kangaroo problem is considerably worse than usual - they've increased by thousands, not hundreds, and there's a 'roo road rissole every kilometer or so. The stench is bad too, with an open-windowed vehicle like a gun tractor each time a passing truck whips up the dust you wind up with a lapfull of it and rotting roo particles.

Fuel consumption is much better without the trailer which is still being towed by the Partol.

Euan also reports he passed Bill from Townsville in his modified C60L which has an additional GMC 5 speed box behind the transfer case.

Mark Sierant has also made it to Norseman and has stemmed the flow of oil with Stickaflex.

With two nights to travel to Perth this leaves them three days there to recuperate before the main treck starts.

Hopefully someone can give us some pics before too long.

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hey listen Tim Tam Mutant Galah, who rattled your cage? First you SNEAK off overseas leaving a void in the forum. I thought your boss had caught up with you and cut off your computer access. Now you are back with posts that appear be sympomatic with MCD that you obviously caught whilst eating UK meat. You really need to visit over here for some R&R&R.

Doctor Bob

[Tony Smith]

Originally posted by Bob Moseley
Hey listen Tim Tam Mutant Galah, who rattled your cage? First you SNEAK off overseas leaving a void in the forum. I thought your boss had caught up with you and cut off your computer access. Now you are back with posts that appear be sympomatic with MCD that you obviously caught whilst eating UK meat. You really need to visit over here for some R&R&R.

Doctor Bob

Now listen here Doctor/salesman anonymous Stavros Bob, it was YOU that first perfected the art of sneaking away from the forum AWL when you chose to create the mountain hideaway known far and wide as "The Crow's Nest". Such scurrilous and unfounded accusations that I use the Boss's computer are somewhat accurate, but I demand an apology anyway. I just might take you up on your offer to Rescue Rusty Relics and Repair them to Revvable Roadworthiness after you Relinquish them Reluctantly. What have you found?

[Keith Webb]

Tony, do you mean you intend to Retreive Robert's rusty relics and Repatriate them to your own Residence? :

[Max Hedges]

I could have told you that you were crazy to drive a Blitz to Perth I've been telling Max that for years.

Kathy

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Since when did men ever listen to women? When we do we're buggered, when we don't we're buggered. Crikey. What's a man to do except crack another beer and work on CMPs? :

Then again, women never listen to men either, and I suppose this diametrical opposition is the essence of what keeps us alive as a species....

Methinks I'll come back in the next life as a cat. Or a CMP. It seems far simpler in concept.

Originally posted by Max Hedges
I could have told you that you were crazy to drive a Blitz to Perth I've been telling Max that for years.

Kathy

[Keith Webb]

Just had a phone message from Euan who was departing Esperance on the coast.
No5 cylinder has no compression but Euan has arranged the parts he needs for a quick engine rebuild in Perth. Mark is travelling in connvoy with him.

[Max Hedges]

This sounds like a true russell adventure Keith, hope they have plenty of video or photos to show and tell

Max

[Richard Farrant]

Any news or sightings of the Bedford Boys from South Australia? They are Tony Luke in his Bedford QL 4x4 and Rick Shearman in a Bedford MJ 4x4

Richard

[Wayne Henderson]

Euan and Mark have arrived and rebuilds are starting today.

Rick has had an oil leak problem with his Bedford and is still OE.

The Williams's have nearly finished their Crew Cab C60L

Midnight oil is in very short supply here in the west.

Yesterday I met a few of this years "Trackers", some QLD fellows and 2 couples from S.A. with jeeps and trailers.

People are now arriving everyday. The camping ground is a little bit moist but we expect fine weather for the next few days... the plan is coming together.