We successfully endured the bulk of 2016 with happiness and Goodwill. I would like to offer a quick note to members before we welcome in 2017. As if I have any spare time after working on my TR 4 on the Tuesday!!!

Frank & Eric cleaned up our mess from the great Christmas Party organised by Gordon Reynolds, [our resident artist] who was ably assisted by his daughter Kelly, Graeme Spender & yours truly. Eric & Frank showed up early Monday morning and returned the rented equipment and dumped some discarded relics, no breathing relics were noted!!

As a result of pressing matters Frank & I met up at the club rooms on Boxing Day to check on the goodies in the library. Many out of date unimportant/irrelevant papers were binned. We also checked our mail box. In the correspondence was the Victorian TSOA magazine, Traction for Nov/Dec 2016. I took this home for further reading over the break. I was shocked to see another of our amazing group of enthusiasts had passed away.

After 21 years of active participation Blair Kerr passed on December 4. Sad news indeed as Blair was such great personality and a fine specimen of a true gentleman. The Queensland TSOA send their condolences to Verna and family.

A reminder that Paul & Rita Bingham will be hosting the First Sunday of the month run this coming weekend, Sunday 1 January 2017. Come along and enjoy a club run for 2017. New guests and members are most welcome. 

I left Brisbane knowing I had organised a chance in a life-time, while I drove through Germany to Switzerland !!!

It only dawned on me after I had paid for our flight tickets and a major part of the planning had been put in place. I woke up one day, thinking that I will be travelling between Amsterdam and Switzerland. My first question was – “ Where is the Nurburgring??”

The answer was astonishing! Answer: You drive only a few k west of the town.

Could I stay overnight? Modest accommodation found in Welcherath, just outside of Nurburg.

Firstly some facts. – Location Eifel Mountains, Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
Nick-named “The Green Hell” by the legendary Jackie Stewart.
Length: 22.8 klms or 14 .17 miles.

The general public can hire a lap! In fact the lap is only 20.8 klm or 12.9 miles. This is due to a toll plaza with boom gates to control entry access. It is still an enormous circuit, even though you don’t get to enter the F1 part of the circuit. In my humble opinion the sections of the track are all longer than all of the full lap distances of all of the circuits in Australia.

The Monday event for October involved organising many guests driving from a few varied locations to enjoy a coffee/breakfast at Redcliffe followed by a short drive to the location of a Stag restoration project of some special appeal. This car has been the topic of monthly articles detailing progress reports for publication in Classics Monthly magazine. A good number of members attended todays event to enjoy a detailed story of the work to date performed by Mike. Here a some photos from days event.

I built my house on very cheap land right next to a race track, Now, I want the race track closed down!! Since I moved in only weeks ago I have realised they use it for Racing cars and Testing vehicle safety.

Here is the electronic petition regarding the possible threat of closure and/or limited operating hours for race circuits to be submitted to the Queensland Parliament has been initiated by member John Goss and this can be viewed and supported at

http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/e-petition?PetNum=2261

Well, you breakdown of course!!! Don't even make it out of their hillclimb driveway and you pick up a tack-tack-tack-tack-tack. 

You know the sound don't you. No? Neither could any one else there. It wasn't that cold either. As it would turn out there was a brass monkey around. Under that cute bonnet. What is that? Tack-tack-tack-tack-tack.!!!!!! 

No you lot press on. We'll be right, no you enjoy the day! We'll be fine. 

90 minutes later a Harvey Tow truck meanders up the hill with a well spoken & fluent driver to get us back up the road before dark. A scary ride later the TR is reversed into it's ‘snug harbour' none the wiser. 

What is that? Tack-tack-tack-tack-tack.!!!!!! 

Several passionate calls go by, pleas of help, desperation, it's gotta be fixed by next weekend!!!!! Mt Cootha is on.!!!! We can't miss that, can we? 

What is that? Tack-tack-tack-tack-tack.!!!!!! 

Manifolds unfold, compression test, OK!! rip the head orf, Well, well, well, looky there!! 

Tiny, little, mashed up, brass screw that parted from the butterfly of the Dellorto's at high speed and enjoyed a chat with the head and those nice "marhle" pistons. Closer inspection proved no damage to piston crowns or head, no valve damage, no scores to settle in the sleeve, by God, we can re-assemble by Saturday and be ready to slap it around the closed roads of Sir Samuel Griffith Drive with not a worry about the constable around the bend with his hair dryer hanging out the window. OOPS, sorry we were only the touring party not a competitor. 

Keep those Brass Monkeys warm fellas, life does go on, and no more bloody, Tack-tack-tack-tack-tack.!!!!!!

E-TOLL

Toll roads and bridges have been around for many centuries, it is a sign of the times however that our public roads are again being sprinkled with private roads.    These major links do save us time and fuel on our journeys but at a cost. These manned sections do cost the Toll companies with increased overheads for the salary/wages of the booth operators.  The bean counters don’t like these expenses and as a consequence Capt Bligh will phase out all manned toll booths by 1 July 09.

That has little relevance to me, however, members of TSOAQ might want to know what is about to happen.  New accounts or E toll transponders don’t cost anything to acquire. But it does make a huge difference if we are in convoy and some of the convoy have to stop and pay cash which does hold up the whole group.

My suggestion is to get an E toll transponder sooner rather than later so our touring party can move through these bottlenecks quicker and we can get to our destinations faster.

If you are wanting to know more than get on the web at ;   www.qldmotorways.com.au

You can even order a unit through this site.

cheers

Phil Strong

After much effort to gather a few good men/women and their cars to attend the Sunday event, only Harry Bird [Stag] and his grandson Jordan, Eric Burgaty [navigator and my TR4] took off for a very early drive in the verrryy chilly morning to Aratula by 7.30 a.m., for the drive up through the "GAP" together.

ordan wanted to take the Spicer's Gap route but since we had just washed both cars for the show and shine competition he was overruled. Besides we knew the EH club would need a helping tow to get over the big hump ahead. We left the Mustangs at Aratula still catching their breath for their big drive ahead.

A few seconds later we crested the hill to find the EH crews parked off road with bonnets up, gasping for re-hydration. Jordan gave a respectful wave as the throaty roar left them in the distance. Eric pondered on their performances if the temperature had risen above 5 celsius for the day.