DLRA SPEED TIMES ISSUE 22 - August(ish) 2004

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DLRA SPEED TIMES ISSUE 22 - August(ish) 2004

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DLRA SPEED TIMES ISSUE 22 - August(ish) 2004
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Contents
Cover ? Lake Gairdner under water 1
Newsletter Sponsors 2
Contents 3
Presidents Report 4
Rods Rambling?s 4
General Meeting Minutes 5
Chief Stewards Report 5
John Mott Memorial Sprint 8
The Trip Home 9
Member Profile ? Garth Butterworth 10
Don Noble #281 11
Racers in Print 12
Bonneville Speed Trails News 12
Newsletter Sponsors 14

On the cover;
Lake Gairdner completely covered with water- taken early in the morning - it was glass smooth & dead quiet - a strong northerly on Friday and Saturday pushed the water down
Bottom; A couple of cars I missed in the last edition, Darryl Hunt?s VC Commodore and Mark Bryan?s XW Falcon Next door; John Pudney.

President Rob Carroll Ph/Fax 03 5472 4370
Secretary Rod Hadfield See below
Treasurer Rod Hadfield
Editor / Web Site Greg Wapling
Chief Steward John Dawson
Race Director Kevin Saville / Rob Carroll
Starter Cled Davies
Assistant Starters Mathew Saunders, Geoffrey Marden, Chris Hanlon
Timer Peter Noy
Assistant Timer Eric Smith
Scrutineer Phil Arnold
1st Assistant Scrutineer Lennie Souter
2nd Assistant Scrutineer Steve Charlton

DLRA
PO Box 349 Castlemaine VIC 3450
Phone: 03 5472 2853 and Fax: 03 54721241
http://www.dlra.org.au
info@ dlra.org.au

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Presidents Report
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Rob Carroll
Well it?s newsletter time again and we have a few items to report on. Those members who were at the meeting at Aussie Desert Cooler will have seen the caps we had made, a white cap with the logo on the front, $10.00 each. We also have had more stubby holders made, so if you missed out on the first batch, here?s your chance, red, blue or black, $10.00 each, will be available from Head Office in October.

Gary Baker has submitted some rule changes / upgrade proposals for motor cycles to cover the faster speeds that they are now obtaining. We are currently working through these.

The working bee I mentioned in the last newsletter is going ahead on October 4th to 8th at the camp. At least a couple of members will be there on Saturday October 2nd with most arriving Sunday. We are going to try getting the new track to the lake entrance completed. The grader should be repaired by then to finish the track. Other work (as previously mentioned) will include maintenance on buildings, the Dodge truck, some plumbing and electrical work. The generator will get a run as will the Dodge and van and maybe the small engines, just to make sure everything is working well. Our new portable toilet and toilet trailers are in Adelaide ready to be picked up and taken to the camp in October.

Volunteers Needed
Two or three members are needed to help with the timing duties during race week. The idea is to give Peter and Eric some time off during the race week, instead of them being in the caravan, all day, every day. A couple of hours to a half-day, once or twice during race week is all it will take. The role will be that of Assistant Timekeeper to help Peter or Eric. Could be good experience and as Pete tells me it?s ?the best seat in the house?, as afar as spectating goes. Please contact Peter or myself if you are interested.

Desperate Situation
In the last newsletter I asked for anyone interested in entering their lakes car or motorcycle in the Extreme Horsepower Show in Adelaide. So far the response has not been great, the Promoter is doing his best to give us a lot of exposure, but without some vehicles to put in there won?t be much of a display. The dates are 29TH to the 31ST October 2004 and please contact Peter Noy on 08 0048 4261 if you can help.

Peter also advises me of a BBQ at Gawler (SA) Swap Meet on the 19th of September 2004. Bring some meat and whatever, he will have a BBQ. Contact him on the above phone number for info, leave a message, if no answer.

A couple of inches of rain have fallen at Mt. Ive in the last couple of months. Our tanks at the camp are probably half full or maybe more as of the end of August. Hopefully more rain will fall in the next couple of months.

Member #184, Robert Forbes, purchased a $500.00 bed when we originally bought the camp from Roscoe McGlashan. He has now decided to sell it because he cannot go to the race meetings due to work commitments. Anyone who may be interested in buying this bed can contact me for details

Late Item
Confirmation by fax has just been received of our booking of the Lake for next years meeting, 14th ? 18th March 2005

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Rod's Rambling?s:
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Rod Hadfield
The year is half over, that is the year I work on, March to March. A lot has happened, we have next years T shirts under way, posters, wrist bands, caps etc. New toilets and matching trailers for down on the lake, thanks to Andy. Cled Davies has a lot of start line improvements in hand with a caravan, starting lights and shade area, also a spare cool room for the campsite, thanks Cled. We have many more members, we are up to member number 418, always calls from interested people wanting some thing or another.

I had my Chevy at the Rockhampton Car Show in early August and was very pleased to have John Dawson come over from Emerald for a chat, John has a big job to take over from John Broughan and I am sure he will give it 100%.

On the home front Ray Charlton has the motor for his Roadster half rebuilt after March?s mishap, he has also acquired a truck to carry the Roadster on, so there is one car sure to be there next year. We have been working on the Commodore having the motor torn down for a check over, rebuilt the transmission that Jerico say shouldn?t have broken. We have made a new rear transmission plate to correct some rippling we discovered in it, Lionel has modified our cooling system to give quicker warm up time and longer cooling time at the top end, so we are looking forward to getting some decent runs next year. John Lynch was lucky enough to be able to visit Bonneville as we type this article.

Mark Hadfield and Ray Charlton put their cars on display for several weeks after our last meeting as a lead up to the Castlemaine Rod Run weekend, they were displayed in one of Castlemaine?s most popular shops ?The Restorers Barn?, it was good to see.

Having sold the business side of the Castlemaine Rod Shop after 28 years of hard work Carol and I intend to take some time next year and tour the States. We have bought a Chev Duallie and a 44? car trailer with a living area etc., we intend to take three cars and do the shows and the touristy bit, El Mirage and Bonneville are high on the list. On this date we are still looking for a base and look forward to catching up with members over there, such as Mary West, Gail and Al Philips, Chuck Salmen, Chuck Sharpe, Denis and Delvene Manning. We will return home for the Street Rod Nationals and of course the DLRA meeting, we will be looking for some help with the paperwork for next years meeting while we are away???any volunteers?
As 2005 is the 50th Anniversary of the ?55 Chev it is the year to go.

I hope all members are working on the fact the year has half gone and will be 100% ready for next March, if half the people show up that have enquired and say they intend to be there it should be great. Don?t forget the working bee and we look forward to seeing everyone again.
Chief Stewards Report
John Dawson
Firstly, thank you everyone for voting me into this position. Thanks also to John Broughan, out going Chief Steward, for your hand-over and the terrific work you have done in the last 4 years.

I look forward to my job as Chief Steward, but would ask everyone to bear with me as I have never done this type of thing before. I am always available, so anyone wishing to contact me can do so on (W)07 4982 4804 or (F) 07 49824802, (H) 07 4982 1834 and (M)0407 581 158.

As I said at the meeting, I will not be able to make many of the meetings during the year, but will always be in contact and contactable.

DLRA Speed Week is the highlight of my year, this year was no exception, even though we did not run our car, I still had a very enjoyable week. The quality of the cars that Rob Carrol and myself inspected during scrutineering ranged from average to exceptional. Some of the new cars that fronted up were extremely well built with some good attention to detail, safety and finish. Some of the older cars are starting to show their age.

We have 12 months between race meetings in our sport, so there is time enough to prepare our machines to a very high standard and to rectify any problems that may have been noted in your machines log book.
We all want to go fast, but please, let?s do it safely.
Thank you.

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DRLA GENERAL MEETING
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HELD AT AUSSIE DESERT COOLER FACTORY, 350 MURRAY ROAD, PRESTON.
20TH JUNE, 2004

The meeting was opened by Rob Carroll at 11.30 am and there were approximately 51 people present.
APOLOGIES: Simon Muntz, Cled Davies, John Dawson, Ray Charlton, Len Souter, Denis Manning, Delvene Manning, Chris Fraser, Trevor Clare, Dean & Aulis Soderblom, John Dent, Kevin Ryan, Les Salmon, Dave Dooley, Bruce Fisher and Neville Douglas.

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING:
As the previous minutes were included in the last newsletter they were tabled as read.
MOVED BY: Greg Butler 2ND: Gary Allan

FINANCIAL REPORT:
It was decided by the committee to invest $20,000.00 into a term deposit account for 7 months earning 5.5% interest, this matures on the 3rd of December, 2004 and if we find we need to access we are able to do so.
All outstanding accounts have been paid.

BANK BALANCE :
Working Account: $ 4,306.81
Investment Account: $20,000.00

The Treasurer asked for some petty cash to cover existing amounts outlaid for Postage, Stationery, Printing etc., $600.00 was approved by a show of hands.

Moved by Rod as Treasurer 2ND: Bernie Kelly

BUSINESS ARISING FROM MINUTES:
Steve Charlton asked to speak about the auction this was to be held over for general business.

STEWARDS REPORTS:
John Broughan spoke on changes to the rule book including:
* the track
* parachutes
* fire extinguishers -explaining that they were not needed in street class vehicles, however it is optional at the discretion of the owner.
* Roof rails on production cars ? these were based on the speed of the vehicle.
* Standard throttle activation in street cars.
* Steward is to classify vehicles (unlike the SCTA) because of other motors being fitted to Production classed cars.
2.

There was also a discussion regarding classes and that a vehicle must comply with the rule book to remain in that class if any alterations are made.

John discussed the March meeting and the wind on Monday and Tuesday, he presented the meeting with a sample of the certificate he has produced for members of the 200 mph club, along with an Operations Manual he has put together for Speedweek, covering track preparation and set up, timers van etc., also covering the generator and campsite set up procedure.

At this point, Rod Hadfield expressed gratitude on behalf of the club to John for his time as Chief Steward, following a show of hands, John thanked the Committee for their input to the club as well.

Rob Carroll announced that he has spoken with John Dawson (new Chief Steward) who had re-enforced that prospective competitors should read the rule book thoroughly before building a vehicle. John is to change the rule book regarding motorcycle classes with bikes using car engines, they would be classes as ?Special Construction?.

A short discussion took place on throttle cables and toe straps.
Phil Arnold stated that he has testing equipment for cubic capacity measuring.

Peter Noy as Chief Timer requested that:
* The owners of bikes make sure they have put the full class on the bike before starting.
* The starter and the timer be told if it is a licensing pass.
* That the drivers number and name be given to the starter to avoid wrong records being written down.

Peter reported on the forthcoming ?Extreme Horsepower? show to be held in Adelaide and would like some vehicles for this show which is to be held on the 30th and 31st of October. Peter has two cars and one bike so far, the cost is $25.00 each vehicle to enter.

He reported that the timing equipment is being services at present and will repair anything that needs to be done.

INWARD CORRESPONDANCE:
* Quotations from Phoenix Screenprinting for:
* 200 MPH Achiever stickers
* Speed Wheels
* Caps
* Speed Certificate returned from Harry de Ree as he didn?t attend Speed Week this year. We have worked out that it belongs to Roger Hancox from New Zealand.
* A letter from Ron Stayt (member no: 178) asking if he is entitled to the record for MBF 1350.
* A letter from Delvene Manning for Denis Manning requesting items for their goodie bags for their forthcoming Super Bike meeting to be held at Bonneville.
* An email from Ron Law who conducted the funeral service for Ron Whowell a DLRA member who recently died, he was requesting permission to display the DLRA logo in the funeral program and on the web site. Ron Whowell gained a record in his class at out meeting in 2003 and was at that stage in the advanced stages of cancer.
* An email from David Batchelor, a photographer from South Australia advising that he has a large selection of photo?s of cars and bikes from 2004 Speed Week for sale for anyone who is interested.

OUTWARD CORRESPONDANCE:
* We ordered 100 x 200mph achiever stickers from Phoenix Screenprinting along with 200 speed wheels and 200 caps. We have since received all these items and have them for sale.
* A letter to Ron Stayt asking him to contact John Broughan or Peter Noy as we were unable to advise him if he had achieved the record.
* Some information about our event next year to Denis Manning for his event.
* An email to Ron Law giving permission to use our logo.
* Letter to Leigh Fielder regarding the sale of the clubs crane.

GENERAL BUSINESS:
* There was a discussion regarding the use of coloured arm bands at the campsite to help police payment. It was moved by Rob Carroll and seconded by Peter Noy to introduce and purchase arm bands.
* There was a reminder regarding newsletter fees for the coming year.
* It was read out that there was still $869.50 still owing from the auction.
* It was noted that the club hadn?t received the bond back from the D.N.R.E. as yet.
* Robin Csech presented the following plaques :

Fastest Speed at 2003 event - Rod Hadfield
Fastest Speed at 2004 event - John Lynch
Fastest unofficial recorded speed at 2004 event ? Lionel West
Rookie car and driver at 2004 event ? David Partridge
Fastest Motorcycle at 2004 event ? Gary Peterson
Fastest Roadster at 2004 event sponsored by Southern Hot Rod Club ? Wayne Belot (Big Knob Racing)

Special Thank you plaques were also presented to Peter Noy, Cled Davies and Andy Jenkins for their contributions to the running of the event.

* Peter Noy is to order 200 more stubby holders.
* Rod spoke on behalf of Cled Davies who is purchasing a caravan and annexe to have at the start line for the comfort of all participants, Rod also spoke on Andy Jenkins organising the purchase of three toilets and matching trailers that can be towed as one to service the start line, pits and timing area.
* Rod spoke on the media coverage received on the 2004 meeting in publications such as: ?Street Machine?, ?New Zealand Rodder?, Bonneville Racing News?, ?Cruzin?, ?Australian Street Rodding?, ?Moto? and ?Drags? magazine editored by club member Eric Norton. He also spoke on the ?Car Show? coverage on National television.
* The meeting decided on the vehicles to be featured on next years T Shirts and Posters.
* A working bee is to be conducted at the campsite from October the 4th to the 8th this year with some of the main objectives being to endeavour to get a new track from the campsite to the lake, to erect a noticeboard for the camp, to check gutters and tanks and run the generator.
* A discussion was held on the auction and the AGM at the lake, it was decided that the auction would be held on the Wednesday night and that we would endeavour to put lights outside the shearing shed to allow more people to attend. The AGM would be held on the Tuesday night.
* Communications problems were discussed, Trevor Beck apparently has sorted it out and we need a repeater and a two way radio for the Dodge truck. Trevor apparently has some that we can buy. The meeting agreed to do so.
* Rob Carroll thanked the Moe boys for donating the yellow van for the timer.
* Trevor Beck wants to put some information about the camp in the newsletter.
* Rob Carroll has received a fax from Ross Allen from the Department of Environment and Heritage relating to a management plan for Lake Gairdner, we are to submit an operational plan for the use of the Lake and how we use the lake.
* Rob Carroll spoke of the discussions with Len Newton regarding a sub lease on Mt. Ive Campsite in case Len and Joy should ever sell the property and so that a new owner would be aware of our club. Rob wants this to happen before the next meeting, the club would pay all costs, a letter of intent is to be drafted from us to Len.
* It was suggested that before next years meeting, we send a Press Release to Port Augusta Tourist Bureau, the local Newspaper and the ABC Radio.
* John Broughan donated a large quantity of Heavy Duty ?Key to Like? Lockwood Padlocks.
* The video of the 2004 event is finished and should be available for purchase from Simon at Stripey Dog Productions and it is reported to be an extremely good video.
* Rod reported that he has a Paramedic lined up for next years event and an official letter has been sent to Tony Walsh, the Paramedic.
* Greg Wapling reported on Leigh Fielders recent illness.
* Next years Speedweek is to be held from the 14th until the 18th of March.
* Rob Carroll thanked Norm and Vicki for the use of their factory and for providing lunch for everyone.
* A raffle was conducted throughout the meeting and was drawn by Tom Carroll, A DLRA Plaque donated by Robin Csech was won by Wayne Pickles, a Gas-Up Cap donated by Gail & Al Philips was won by Greg White and six posters donated by Denis Manning were won by Wally James, Wayne Pickles, Phil Broughan, Chris Weir, Greg Butler and Bill Herremans, the raffle raised $103.90.

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John Mott Memorial Sprint.
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Nissan Car club. Sandown 24/25 Aug 2004
All my Nagari problems at Winton were caused by the fuel pump diaphragm disintegrating into tiny parts of rubber and blocking both fuel filters. The expert at South Eastern Carburettors tells me the fuels of today have a very high solvent content and will degrade older type rubber components, fuel lines etc. If your parts are ten years old replace them now, they will let you down at the worst possible time.
Now on with the John Mott Report. The Torana drives like a dream, it almost feels like you could control it with one finger on the wheel and chat to the passenger while sliding around Sandown, at only 80% of race speed of course. Maybe it is the 032Rs, the 114-inch wheelbase instead of the Bollys 90, or 80 KW at the tyres, tested on Mikes Dyno Services of Dandenong who recurved my $50 Pick-a-Part electronic distributor.

Mike reckons there is another 10 KW if I run Avgas as he could only use 26 degrees total advance before severe pinging sets in. You should be able run a max of about 34 on a Holden red. Mike does a great work at a fair price and often comes to Sandown as he tunes many of the cars competing. We finished up in the middle of the15 car field in the over 2-½ litre modified class with a string of 1.37 sec laps. I carried five different passengers in the five twenty minute sessions of track familiarisation, the first runs of both days was on a damp track but dried out for the rest of both days.

As always the Nissan Car Club events are well run and enjoyable. Only two recoveries for the weekend proved how well all entrants drove. In its first three events the Torana has proven to be a good handler and hopefully will make it?s debut at Lake Gairdner next year. Thanks to Phil Webster (Moe Boys fame) for selling me the car. Fastest car was the Nispro Datsun FJ20 powered 1600, with 1.22 laps. Thanks to all officials, flaggys and the girls in the canteen for the sandwiches and great coffee, see you next year.
Regards Gary Allen. DLRA #402

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THE TRIP HOME
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James Stewart 2004
We made the bitumen by about one thirty on Friday afternoon, we?d been at Lake Gairdner for the last six days at the Dry Lake Racers of Australia annual race meeting, words can?t describe what a time we?d had. On the trailer was Ben?s 1978 Ducati Darmah 900, covered in fine red dust from the 155kilometres of corrugated dirt road that we?d now covered twice, we checked the tie downs and waited for Dik to catch up with the Chev motor home that he?d brought. I ?d travelled over with Ben while Dik waited to see if Graham would recover from his latest motorcycle accident in time to come, he didn?t so he didn?t. So I decided to do the return trip with Dik in the camper.

After a short stop in Iron Knob we headed for Port Augusta, there was an occasional miss in the engine which made it difficult to hold to 60 miles an hour, odd but not serious, it had been happening occasionally on the way over said Dik. It deteriorated to where it was difficult to hold fifty?.then forty. We stayed at Port Wakefield, bought beers at the rowdiest little local I ?d been at for ages and drank them on the edge of the estuary at the Caravan Park, and thought about what we?d do.

I?d opened up the points gap in the distributor as we tried to leave Wakefield that afternoon, we turned back when it made no difference. The next morning we went to the local RAA man where we were first subjected to a ragging about the Chev then called Mexicans ?ha, ha, ha, Mexicans driving a Chev?. He then assured us that if we replaced the leads we would be fine ?the points were new, set at fourteen thou the condensor was new, the plugs new and clean as a whistle new distributor cap and the problem was the same on gas or petrol. We limped off to Gawler. It was eighty dollars for a set of leads and whatta ya know they seemed to sort it out, for a little while.

Once we got to the freeway at Murray Bridge we were making fifty if we were lucky, but barely thirty on any sort of hill? It took us six hours to do the four hundred k?s to Stawell and by then it was a real struggle to do thirty miles an hour. We stopped at a BP servo and gave it a bit more of a look over, I?d been giving it a fairly liberal spray of Inox spray on the dizzy cap and plugs, just in case it might help, I was still thinking it was the coil but every one who?d seen it said no. The owner of the servo came out and offered to help, ?I?ve a three fifty myself, do all the work on it.?
At this point the Broughan brothers who?d been at the salt meet arrived, Paul, gun mechanic and John who amongst other things has a 350 Chev in a 32 Ford, between them they?d built a Lakester that had run 205mph during the week. After a week of like minded people who just love what they do and can?t even be bothered with agro ?cause they?re too busy raving about salt and speed we were all a little blissed out. When Paul Broughan said ??oh I dunno if it?s gonna be anything in the carbie mate? the servo owner said ? hey mate I?ve got one of these meself so I know what I?m talking about, OK.
??er sorry?. John pulled out his laptop and got a list of DLRA members in the area that we might be able to call for help after suggesting we could have a goosed camshaft but discounting the idea after considering how far we?ve driven during the day about an hour or so usually finishes them off?various bets were laid ?five bucks it?s the condensor?, ?yeah me too, ten to one the condensor?.

Ben was also right there on the spot after spending a couple of hours at the Birdwood motor museum, ?any money it?s the condensor Stew? I might add at this point that the points were still looking pretty fresh. No improvement. We continue on to Ararat in the dark uphill most of the way at a struggling 25 miles per hour where my brother lives to find he?s not home, but the front door is open, we call the dreaded RACV.
Tony comes out and spends an hour until 11pm going over the motor. He finds that the alternator is not charging the battery and the whole system is running under twelve volts, we stay the night and recharge the battery. My brother turns on steak and a couple of bottles of red after getting home at 10.30 we sit up til three watching some of the video footage that Dik shot during the week.

The truck starts in the morning, and nothings changed. We?re 120 miles from Melbourne, we wanted to be home last night and at the rate the truck is going, we won?t be there tonight either, the mood is low, I?m trying to assemble a plan that involves at least getting to Ballarat and dealing with it there?it becomes clear we?re not even going to get there if it involves any sort of hills.
Buangor is twenty four k?s from Ararat and low and behold there?s a RACV sign??nah we?ve been taken over by the people in Ararat ? said Trevor whose wife looked uncannily like the woman who?d served us lunch at a pub near Gawler the day before ( which incidentally had a grouse ?32 ford rod parked out the front)??but I?ll tell you this, I?d be lookin? for a bent distributor shaft or a stuffed camshaft??.more advice..no solution.. ?however? he said ? there?s a windscreen place in Beaufort, it won?t be open but the fella might be out the back, he?s got a history of Chevs??we head off, it?s our only chance of getting home without a tow we figure, the truck is not well.
Beaufort. We find the windscreen joint and head around the back, it?s a madhouse, stuff everywhere but not a soul to be seen we eventually find a bloke working on a shed, he tells us to get the phone number off the side of the van and call John. John answers, listens, I ask him if he might have a distributor.. there are long pauses ??ah, yeah I just bought one a them at the Bendigo swap meet ?bloody thing cost me two hundred bucks? ? do you think you might be able to see your way clear to giving it a look over ? I ask him, another long pause ?? look I?m out at a mate?s place ?do a u-turn go left at the t intersection take the second left and take the driveway after the little bridge??.what have we got to lose?

It?s Sunday already a string of experts have gone over the thing and at this rate we?re either staying the night in Ballarat, coming back to retrieve it or getting it towed back to Melbourne. He waves us down in the driveway and motions us onto the lawn beside it. I swear, and then blaspheme, in front of us is an immaculate 28 Ford roadster beside it under the verandah is a matt black 1956 Chev Belair convertible?in the distance about six Belair shells in various states of decay or restoration, a spotless ?28 Buick a ?46 Ford coupe convertible and a ?48 next to it masked up for spraying. John and his mate Harvey who own the place ask ? so where have you blokes been ? when we tell them we?ve been salt lake racing they woop and lament that they only ever hear that it?s over and one year they?d like to go, we tell ?em next year they?re going and we?ll make sure we tell them when, after a bit of a laugh they get to looking at the truck.
After hearing that the alternator ain?t charging properly Harvey returns from the shed with the exact one we have, it charges better ( we didn?t know the old one was stuffed because the light on the dash wasn't working) but the engine is the same. ?You haven?t got a coil handy have you ? I ask returning to the only possible thing I could think of and figuring that these blokes hadn?t canned that theory yet?.? Here ya go, ?five minutes later it?s like nothing was wrong with the old beast I step back from the truck and say ? the f-------, f------, f-------, f------, f------, f------ coil ?. They laugh and say ? you blokes had better stay for lunch?it was delicious?so was the beer, and the coffee.

As we headed back toward Melbourne on the Western Highway I said to Dik that I wouldn?t be surprised that if we ever go back to Harvey?s place that it?s not actually there, that it was just a figment of our imagination ?that Bull and Harvey were the ghosts of hot-rodders past and that we were now being looked after by a greater force?that there really was a God, and he drove Chevy?s.

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Member Profile ? Garth Butterworth #004
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My involvement with DLRA began with Mike Davidson, as we had been friends since 1981, and I was building flathead engines with him from 1988 through to 1996.

His enthusiasm of Bonneville and the need to set up something similar here, was a huge driving force to inspire me, and right from the start I offered my services to do the timing, even if he was the only one there (luckily Andy J and Haddy turned up too).
For the 1990 meeting, Mike purchased a millisecond timer triggered with infrared sensor beams set 100 meters apart, that required the salt surface to be cut for the wiring to cross the track (angle grinder and generator first off). The digital readout time for crossing that distance, was then worked out with a calculator, pen and paper, and 3 formulas to get a mph reading (very time consuming, Pete has it easy)

I was the Chief Timer from 1990 to 1995 in which time I use to sit out on the lake in a old ford ute (attached pic) then later in a gold ZH Fairlane (caravan came in 1995 with purchase of Roscoe's camp) the good old days that only 30 people will remember.
In 1991 I was involved, via the DLRA, with timing the BP Bullet motorcycle speed attempt after our race meet, which failed due to weather two weeks later. Also in 91 Allen and Rebecca Osbourne from the US visited our meeting, and on their invitation I travelled to Bonneville with them from their home-state in Oregon in August of 1992.
After meeting with and befriending Gary Cagle (Chief Timer for the SCTA), I was employed as assistant timer for the 1992 speedweek, where also an association with Al Teague was struck. I also became a member of the SCTA Gear Grinders.
I returned to work at Bonneville in 1993, but the meeting was washed out, then in 94 I suffered a crippling injury to my left leg, causing Pete to take over as chief timer after the 1995 Thunder Down Under meeting.
1996 saw the great Glen Davis fiasco, where on behalf of the DLRA I spent 4 weekends, at great expense, timing a pipe dream. Weather made sure of the end of it forever.
The injury caused my inability to return to Bonneville until 1997, but not as a timer, instead as a crew member for Al Teague Motorsports, and then again in 1998.
In 1999 I ran my 800cc Kawasaki motorcycle at the DLRA meeting, then crewed for Keith Turk, President of the ECTA at US speedweek, and with pure luck met and made new friends with Pete and Leigh Farnsworth (Reaction Dynamics --- Blue Flame) so rocket is now firmly planted in my mind set.
The last time I saw any salt racing was at Bonneville in 2001, where I actually got to see the whole meeting, for the first time, positioned at the four mile mark on the return road (a well used stopping point by allot of racers I had befriended over the previous years, and the addition of new ones).
My face hasn't been seen around the DLRA camp for some time, and may not be for some time more, due to a complication health issue, which is dangerously aggravated by high heat.
The salt is still in me, and thank goodness for this electronic media to help quench the thirst that is created by it, and if luck is on my side I hope to cross the salt here again in the near future, after pulling the trigger that combines LPG with Hydrogen Peroxide.

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Don Noble #281
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Hello all. Well here we are, about 1/2 way between events. No doubt many a fertile minds amongst us are putting ideas and dreams into reality, re getting it together for next years event.
This time I?m determined not to leave my preparation too late as I did this year. My main problem was finding somebody willing to tackle the wiring up of a different ECU and splicing harnesses together.
For those not familiar with what I drive, its a red 1987 Nissan skyline station wagon (ok try and stay awake). Previous years (02 + 03) I ran it with the single cam rb30e (3ltr straight six) have now converted it to a 24 valve twin cam with variable valve timing, using the head off a 93-98 model 2.5 ltr skyline. At present it runs 10.5 -1 compression, 68 mm bored out XF falcon throttle body and extractors. Still has the stock cams, unmodified head and standard 2,5ltrs ECU. Took it to Willowbank Dragstrip 3 weeks ago and did 14.9 @ 93 mph.
Last week bought another twin cam head (same sort) to play with and fit different cams
As I mentioned before i didn?t run at this year?s event. So the Saturday before the event I bought a ticket and flew down to Adelaide on the Sunday. Rented a 4wd and got to the camp before sunset
Well the campsite is one big improvement on the previous. So much has been done, and I?m sure we all the appreciate it . Thanks to those who have put so much effort into it.
On the plus side of not competing, it sure is a whole lot more laid back with lots of time to take pics and videos. And yep I bought the Stipeydog video of the event, pretty good stuff. It captures the feel of the event and the atmosphere well, even the famous animal.
That?s all for now

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Bonneville News
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Wind was a problem again this year, on the Monday night it was strong enough to blow around a mini pick-up in the impound yard, start was delayed whilst officials cleaned up. Rains cut short the meet with a storm Wednesday afternoon and water on the track on the Thursday. The track was shifted down a mile.
* By Monday there were 419 Vehicles entered,
* 321 cars and 98 bikes including 48 Class Changes.
* 26 records certified on Sunday, 15 cars and 11 bikes. One new 2 club member.
* 51 records certified on Monday, 35 cars and 16 bikes. One new 3 and 5 2 club members.
* 29 records certified on Tuesday, 16 cars and 13 bikes. One new 3 and 3 2 club members.
* 15 records certified on Wednesday, 12 cars and 3 bikes.

New 200 MPH Club Members
Date Name Vehicle Class Old New
Record Record
8/15 Jorgen Moller 56 F/BGR 197.044 201.081
8/16 Tonya Turk 197 C/GMS 223.388 241.414
8/16 Charles R. Markley 366 C/GL 268.831 272.371
8/16 Dave Freiburger 462 B/CBGALT224.512 243.015
8/16 Bob Fox 757 D/GALT 219.740 229.935
8/16 Daniel Chilson 1486 G/BFL Open 204.313
8/17 Tim Bryant 216 D/FCC 241.022 243.172
8/17 Kurt Bloomberg 1071 D/GT 208.291 209.227
8/17 Ace L. Allen 3030 A/GCC 227.113 246.107
and 300 Chapter
8/16 Larry Lindsley 484 B/BFALT 256.688 308.517
8/17 Earl Wooden 65 AA/GS 331.688 344.085

Sam Wheeler piloting his EZ HOOK motorcycle streamliner has set the World Fastest Motorcycle at 332 mph. This is the fastest motorcycle on the planet surpassing the Easyriders current record of 322 mph.


Jim Knapp #2690 who was out here for the 2004 Speed Trials did 226.193 MPH on the old 221.135 MPH record for G/FS, driver was Dan Warner.

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Racers in Print
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Congrats to Steve Barnett #391who raced the ?water bottle? bike this year. There is an article in the September Issue of Two Wheels by Frank Kletschkus about the 2004 Speed Trails and Steve?s efforts.
--o00o?

Trevor Beck saw the following in the SA Advertizer, dated 09/08/2004.
Rosco?s 1300km/h challenge
Rosco McGlasshan, ?fastest Aussie on Earth?, is mounting a 1300km/h world land speed record attempt in Dubai due to a lack of interest in Australia.

McGlasshan, now 50, from Western Australia, set a land speed record of 802km/h at lake Gairdner in South Australia in 1994.
He told Confidential yesterday he had read in a newspaper in 1964 the Donald Campbell had set the world record on Lake eyre at 648km/h. ?That was pretty fast, but my team will go much faster? McGlasshan recalled promising at the time.
He?s now planning a $6 million AU car using 3 rocket motors, the total thrust equivalent to 200,000 horsepower.
The record stands at 1227km/h, set in 1997 in the US by Englishman, Andy Green

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Witness the top land speed racers competing for the Ultimate World Record. The International Motorcycle Speed Trials by BUB is for all motorcycle enthusiasts. Never before have motorcycle designers, builders and riders had their own speed trials. Now is the time for every type of rider to have a run on the salt flats. From the high-speed stream liners, to the guy who just loves to ride his bike, all will have the opportunity to push their machines to the limit.

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Sneak Peek at the 3005 Speed Trials T-Shirt!!

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The shores of Lake Gairdner, see picture below.
This was Friday night 13th Aug 6.00PM and colddddddddddd! Still only about 4 inches deep in water - no one was brave enough to pose for Jesus walking on water photo ha ha.
Photo courtesy of Walter Bulyga / ARCLIGHT PHOTGRAPHY

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