No. 297 June 2008

A30 MINUTES A NEWSLETTER OF THE AUSTRALIAN AUSTIN A30 CAR CLUB INC.

IN THIS ISSUE:

6 Where is Woop Woop 8 Heritage Day run with the A40 Club 10 Louis Zammit’s A30’s 12 Locomotive Depot club day information 14 On the Road and Bob’s 70th Club Minutes, News, Photos and More

From the Front SeatFrom the Front Seat

A message from Club President, Don Jones

Welcome to June 2008

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The cold weather has hit the Melbourne area with pea soup fogs making the drive to work a challenge. The biggest challenge we all have is to fill our tanks with Petrol; just to fill my 2002 ford wagon soaks up just under $100 worth of petrol. It looks like the A/30 and Mini will get more use if it goes any higher. Notice is given in this newsletter of the forthcoming club elections at our July meeting. The club is running a raffle for a great V8 super car jacket as shown in this newsletter. Tickets can be purchased at the meeting or from our treasurer Diane, cost 3 for $2 or $1 each, drawn in July.

The Annual General Meeting and Election of Office Bearers for the 2008 / 2009 year will be held on Wednesday, 16th July, in conjunction with the Club July Meeting, at the Camberwell Uniting Church, 314 Camberwell Road, Camberwell at 8.00 pm.

4 Australian Austin A30 Car Club Inc.

(Ass. Inc. No A8084W)

Minutes of the meeting held on the 21 May 08 at the Camberwell Uniting Church Hall 314 Camberwell Road Camberwell.

Meeting opened at 8.10 pm. Attendance. The President thanked the fourteen members present for their attendance including Lou and Gemma Zammit. Apologies. Bob Talbot, Bryan Brooks, Annette Braunies, Harvey and June Overton, Ian Warren, Ron and Laraine Maddocks, Bronwyn & David Taylor (David’s operation was successful) Minutes of previous meeting 19 March 08. Moved. Percy May Seconded Dot Bacon Correspondence. Victorian Goldfields Railways Depender May. 08 The Light Shaft. May 08 Austin News W. A. May/June Austin 7 Journals S A April. The Austin Magazine Summer Ed. Castlemaine Historic Vehicle Club. May A 40 Newsflash March April. 08. The Tradsheet. April 08. .Moved. Graeme McIntosh Seconded Tom Bacon Treasurers Report. Receipts for the month were $33. Payments $153. The transfer of $ 500 to General account was made from the Term Deposit. Moved Dianne Davie. Seconded Lou Zammit. Membership Tom Bacon reported that our membership remains at 87. With the renewal notice this year it is not necessary to fill in the vehicle details if they are the same a last year. Editors Report. The Newsletter was out on time. The combination of the editorial work by Graeme McIntosh and the Mail out working party worked well. The Web site problems have been solved and the site updated. The Editor has need again for more articles Club Captain. The Woop Woop rally on 4th May was well attended including country members and a good time was had by all.

5 August rally to South Dynon Loco maintenance centre. Detail to be advised. Merchandise. Merchandise is available by contacting Brian Brooks on 03 9386 9385 The President has obtained the 100 cloth badges as authorized. The badges are self ad-hesive to stick to any surface except Polyester. They are slightly smaller than the old ones. General Business. Footscray Car Wreckers have some A30 parts but are dear. The President is seeking some brochures of A30 cars from a swap meet lady. A Western Australian member has a query if lower radiator hose is different for the AS 3 from the AS4 Graeme’s car is about four steps closer. Fred’s van is still on the rotisserie The Club has been donated a Racing Jacket which will be raffled at the Christmas in July meeting. Next meeting to be on June 18 at 8 P M The meeting closed at 8.50 pm.

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Where Actually was “Woop Woop”

Three club members having a quiet squat, Ken Stehbens, Graeme McIntosh and Fred Brauneis

Club Raffle The club is running a raffle for a great V8 super car jacket donated by INKERMAN PANELS ( 1 Market St, St Kilda) Tickets can be purchased at the meeting or from our treasurer Diane Davie, cost 3 for $2 or $1 each, drawn in

July.

Club model Percy Hall

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A Way with Nuts Your patents column mentions the problem of stripped threads in nuts and bolts (This Week, 1 May, p 11). Henry Royce (the engineer of the short-lived but famous partnership) knew that mechanics, with the best of intentions, put all their effort into tightening nuts. The aero engines that he designed in the 1930s and 1940s had arrays of small studs and nuts to spread the load over the whole of mating surfaces between light alloy castings. Most of these fastenings were 213A or 3BA. Tired of expensive reworking of stripped threads in castings, Royce measured the average force that a well-intentioned fitter exerted. He then used the maximum torque allowed on the range of BA thread sizes to calculate the length of lever that, when the average fitter force was applied, resulted in the desired torque. The resulting set of spanners was made and issued to all aircraft engine fitters. Compared with normal spanners they were extremely short of shank and had only one set of jaws each. When I was an apprentice with Rolls-Royce in 1968 there were a few fitters who still had and prized their Royce BA spanner sets. I suppose a full set today would be worth a small fortune. Martyn Todd Lisburn, Northern Ireland

Two Great Functions at the Austrian Club

76-90 Sheehan Road, Heidelberg West (Melway Ref. Map 19 F9)

14 June 2008 (Saturday night) John Wanner Swing Orchestra 20 July 2008 (Sunday) By popular demand lunch and free entertainment at the Austrian Club Contact Fred 9457 4038 mob 0412 100 144

8 Heritage Run with the A40 Car Club.

Dot Bacon Our members were invited by the A40 Club to join them in their Heritage Run on Sunday 17th May. We were all met at KFC on the Westgate which is very central for Members coming from either direction. As we only have to travel a small distance we left home about 9.30, and seeing that the weather was so lousy the day before Tom decided to take the EH instead of the Austin. The EH travels a lot faster. There were 3 A40 members already there just waiting to see just how many would arrive. Well about 10 past 10 things looked a bit grim, but out of the gloom Adam Francis arrived. So now we know just where we would be heading. Our first stop was the Fruit Growers Stalls in Bacchus Marsh, we by now there were 4 members from our Club and 6 members from the A40 Club. We travelled up over the Westgate down along the Ring Road until we came to the Western Highway. Travelling through Deer Park, Rockbank, Melton before branching off at Bacchus Marsh. Here we all got out and went into the Fruit & Veggie stall to buy some bargains. The price of the fruit and veggies were quite reasonable, much cheaper than the shopping centres. By now the weather was a little better, at least we did have sunshine, then Adam had the bright idea "Why don't we have our lunch at a nice little Hotel in Bacchus Marsh, everyone agreed. Adam rang and made a booking for 10. What a great idea it was, it was lovely and cosy inside and the meal was great. After some time eating and talking we headed for the Merrimu Reservoir, taking in all the scenery we decided it was time to head back home. We took the road back to Diggers Rest then back along the Calder Highway. It was quite a nice pleasant day, I am sure we had better weather than the folks out North had. It was bad luck that the weather was so bad the day before, it turned people off the next day. Well at least we made it. Thanks to the A40 Club for inviting us along. Anyone wishing to visit Merrimu Reservoir you will find it in the Melways - Page 112 1-A. BBQ area and seating under cover.

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Tom Bacon checking out Lake Merrimu in the distance

The Boy’s playing in the playground

A30 and A40 member’s car lined up at Lake Merrimu

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Louis Zammit’s Collection of Austin A30’s

Louis’s immaculate red A30 first appeared as most restoration projects do as a pile of parts on a hire trailer. Work started in the garage at Ellwood to do a ground up restoration and the deadline was already set as to be ready for the Echuca 2000 rally. After the usual expenditure of ridiculous amounts of work, worry and funds AUST-7 rolled out on time and all suddenly became worth it.

AUST-7 as the perfect wedding car

First arrival 2000

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On show at one of the A30 club outings

These are two other A30’s in Louis’s col lect ion but due to lack of storage space are now up for sale (refer page 17 for detai ls)

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D I E S E L E L E C T R I C LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT Join Brian Brooks (ex Victorian Railways/PTC Motive Power Engineer) on a tour of Sth Dynon at 10 am on Sunday 24th August 2008 South Dynon Maintenance Centre (SDMC) was built in 1962 when the standard Gauge link from Melbourne to Albury was completed. SDMC maintained the bulk of VR’s fleet of 320 locomotives

at its peak and introduced major workshop initiatives before the term world’s best practice was thought of. You will see: The 60 Ton bay where two 60 Ton cranes can lift an entire locomotive off its bogies The drop pit where entire wheel/axle /traction motor assemblies can be removed quickly The locomotive servicing areas Step on to a 3000 Horse Power diesel electric locomotive and look over its cab, engine, control system and operating equipment. Ring Fred Brauneis on 03 9457 4038 or Brian Brooks on 03 9386 9385 to advise attendance. We will meet at Gate F Footscray Rd West Melbourne at 10 am and proceed to Sth Dynon from there. Map details will be in the July Newsletter. Please remember to wear proper shoes – open toe footwear is not permitted.

SOUTH DYNON DIESEL ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE MAINTENANCE CENTRE CLUB RUN 24th AUGUST 2008

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Tony Benetto of the Sprite club has advised that: John Sprinzel who came third in the 1958 British Touring Car Championship in an A35, founder of Speedwell tuning company and many other A35/Sprite related feats will be having a dinner (organised by the Sprite Club ) at the Sandringham Yacht club on Sat 8th November 2008. Details of costs and time will be available closer to the event. Those interested ,please call myself Brian Brooks or Fred Brauneis to arrange bookings. I would like to get a table together for A30 club members if possible. Extract from an interview with John Sprinzel -: Sprinzel: 1958 was the year I got to drive for the BMC factory team. Not that my rallying was proving very successful. After a string of DNF's ("Did Not Finish") it wasn't until the Swedish "Rally of the Midnight Sun" that I managed to complete an event. My Touring Car racing was going much better, and in the first British Touring Car Championship series our little Austin A35 led until the final tie-decider at the end of the season. I had failed to get one fastest lap, and had to be content with the class victory and third place overall behind Jack Sears' Austin A90 and Tommy Sopwith's "Inspector Morse" Jaguar

Outing to the Sunday market at Southbank 22 June 2008 (Sunday) Meet at the ’Floral Clock” (Melway Map 2F H8) at 11.00 am and then lunch at Bob & Saichon Dickson’s restaurant Vilom Thai, 357 Smith Street Fitzroy (Melway 2C D6) at 1.00pm. Contact Fred 9457 4038 or 0412 100 144 as soon as possible.

On the RoadOn the Road

with Bob Laughton

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G Day, since last report we have had a good rain here in the Goulburn Valley as I guess most of Victoria. The dry sown cereal crops are popping thru the ground and looking ok, even the front lawns, here in Tatura are nice and green. It seems like I am in “seventh heaven” here in Tatura, one of my friends has an orchard and one of the fruits he grows is “Persimmon’. They are so yummy, over the season we have bought a couple of box’s. The Persimmon is native to North America, but I think they will grow anywhere, if they then get some cool weather. Persimmon’s are about the size of an apple or peach, orange colour skin and flesh, the flesh is not unlike an apple, when they are ripe they are a reddish orange and not quite ripe a yellowish orange, but still nice to eat. Sometimes a black blemish on the skin but not thru to the flesh. Probably twice the price of an apple but well worth the treat to buy a kgm, yummy, yummy. The Tatura “Bulldogs” have not won a game this season and I don't think they will. They have been beaten by 100pts each game, most of the team is young boys. The boys are paid $40 per game and that is the norm for most clubs in the Goulburn Valley, maybe Seymour, Mansfield are better off and pay more but Seymour is reported to be paying its Full Forward sad, sad ,sad, $1500 per game, and I believe at that money Seymour is getting a bargain. It is a bit early to call yet but Mooroopna or Echuca could give Seymour a good run for the Premiership. Locky’s “Boomers” will be in the Semi’s tonight at Tatura but I think it will be the end of the line for the Boomers. Locky has had a good season and will easily win the “Top Shooter” for “B” Grade. Ie B Grade is for boys and girls 12yo to 15yo, but his team is below average. Charizma made it to the second Semi’s at Shepparton but the girls could not “Get up” against a stronger Tiger’s team who went on to win the Premiership. Charizma’s bet game for the season was the last game (2nd semi) but the girls went down by 5 points. Stock feed, small squares pasture hay $8 each, 5x4 round bales, pasture hay $165 per tone. Cereal hay $220 per tone. Lucerne hay $350 to $450, wheat $420 and Oats $300 per tonne. All stock feed is steady in price and availability is good. Fiat’s performance division, Abarth, has released details of the 147 kw Fiat 500. It will campaign on racetracks across Europe next year. The new Abarth Fiat sports racing kit includes wide track 17inch wheels, power is a 4 cylinder 1368cc engine with a claimed 147kw at 6500rpm. Six speed gearbox and turbo, weighs 180 kg less than the road version, carbon doors. All ones needs is race winning ability, what a little Beauty!.Enjoy ya Austin's and keep the LPG and diesel bowsers ticking over.

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FORTHCOMING EVENTS 14 June 2008 (Saturday night) John Wanner Swing Orchestra Music and dance at the Austrian Club to the fabulous 18 piece orchestra and vocalists. Bookings essential asap as we will book a table for 10. $17 entry. Contact Fred 9457 4038 or 0412 100 144 18 June 2008 (Wednesday) Club meeting at the Camberwell Uniting Church at 8.00pm 22 June 2008 (Sunday) Outing to the Sunday market at Southbank. Meet at the ’Floral Clock” (Melway Map 2F H8) at 11.00 am and then lunch at Bob & Saichon Dickson’s restaurant Vilom Thai, 357 Smith Street Fitzroy (Melway 2C D6) at 1.00pm. Contact Fred as soon as possible. 16 July 2008 (Wednesday) Club meeting at the Camberwell Uniting Church at 8.00pm 20 July 2008 (Sunday) By popular demand lunch and free entertainment at the Austrian Club August 2008 (Sunday) Outing to the rail yards date to be advised. Contact Brian Brooks August 2008 Federation Picnic at Marong. Always a good weekend away well supported by the A40 Club. For enquiries ring Ron or Laraine Maddocks 03 5974 2304

Fred Brauneis - Club Captain. Tel: (03) 9457 4038 (ah) CLUB PERMIT VEHICLES ARE AUTHORISED TO ATTEND THESE EVENTS. Note: Owners of vehicles operating with Club Permits should carry a current copy of this Newsletter & a copy of the AOMC Club Permit Handbook in their car at all times.

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Anyone whishing to receive the newsletter via email in addition to the hard copy can send me an email using the email button on the clubs website and I will send a PDF file of the newsletter in full colour and as big as your computer monitor can display. (Looks much better in colour and bigger to read.) Let us know if you have broadband of dialup as I will try and make the files smaller for quicker download times. Bottom button on our website austina30.asn.au

Buy, Swap & Sell FOR SALE Three 803cc engines, two complete, one was going, other is not known, the third in bits, free . The other item is a 1950’s style Picnic Set complete in case, excellent order, $75 ono. Parts located in Mitcham. 1/2 Contact Graham 0418352198 FOR SALE 1952 Four door A30, Grey in colour, body and interior in excellent condition, mechanically good. 1954 Four door A30, two tone in colour, bogy in excellent condition, interior in good original condition and mechanically in excellent condition.. Both cars are original with the 803cc engines and gear boxes. They both were in good working order 12 months ago but have been in storage since thus will require some servicing to bring them back on the road. $3000 each Cars located in Parkdale. Contact Louis Zammit 03 97760104 1/2 Advertisements in this section will be inserted, free of charge, in two issues unless I am advised otherwise. The notation at the end of the advertisement indicates how many times it has been displayed. ie: (1/2) - first insertion , (2/2) - second insertion. Ed.

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Editors Collection Highway One near Derby, Far North WA 18

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Ju ly 2008

Club Meeting Austrian Club

AUSTRALIAN AUSTIN A30 CAR CLUB INC.

CLUB MEETINGS Club meetings are held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month

from February to December. Commencing at 8.00 pm. VENUE

CAMBERWELL UNITING CHURCH 314 Camberwell Road, CAMBERWELL. VICTORIA.

(Near Camberwell Junction) Melways 45 J1

Parking available at front and rear of the building.

CLUB CONTACTS Please direct information & enquiries as follows:

Correspondence to the Secretary – David Linke Newsletter articles to the Editor – Graeme McIntosh

Membership enquiries to Membership Secretary – Tom Bacon (Contact details are shown inside front cover)

SPARE PARTS Contact Thorpe at

Morris Minor Australia, 56 Alex Avenue, Moorabbin. Victoria. 3189 Telephone: (03) 9555 1793 Fax: (03) 9532 2241

Note: The current membership card is now laminated and has the Club stamp on the reverse side. Members wishing to purchase items from Thorpe of Morris Minor Australia, Moorabbin, Vic. should present the card to obtain a discount. Country & Interstate members must quote their name and membership number. Thorpe has been provided with a current membership list to identify members.

CLUB MERCHANDISE Club Lapel badge $ 5.50 Club Window Sticker Badge (internal) $ 3.00 Club Key Ring $ 5.00 Club Grill Badge (Members) $20.00 Club Grill Badge (Non Members) $25.00 Tea & Coffee Mug with Club Badge $ 8.00 A30 50th Year Rally Cloth Badge $ 9.00 Barbecue aprons Heavy black cotton with Club emblem and pocket $20.00 A5 Binder for copies of ‘A30 Minutes’ inc. 25 pockets $10.00

All items are plus postage, if applicable All Club Merchandise enquiries to Brian Brooks

Telephone: (03) 9386 9385

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