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Journal of the MG Car Club of CanberraJournal of the MG Car Club of Canberra Number 426 September 2017Number 426 September 2017
Tappet ChatterTappet Chatter
2 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
0413 646 321
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 3
Official Journal of the MG Car Club Canberra Inc
ABN: 49 156 199 381
Correspondence to: Post Office Box 4141
Weston Creek ACT 2611
Monthly Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month, (except January), at St Peter's Anglican Church Hall, cnr of Parkinson St & Watling Pl, Weston at 7:45pm.
A ‘Lunchtime Natter’ is held at Weston Park, Yarralumla (first picnic spot on the right) each Tuesday from 12.30pm.
The MG Car Club Canberra Inc. accepts no responsibility for the accuracy or reliability of articles, correspondence, opinions and advertisements contained herein.
Articles may be copied for publication by Car Clubs, but an acknowledgement and due accreditation is expected.
Printed Post Approved
100003009
Contents:
President's Piece 5
Torque 7
Books 11
MGB Windscreens - A Reflection! 12
Video’s 15
2017 Presidents Report 17
Contentious Character Run 24
Gundaroo Run 28
GOF Pictorial 29
Club Calendar 33
Midweek Meanders & Other Events 34
Sporting Report 40
CACTMC 47
Other News 50
Help Line 58
Marquet 59
Acknowledgments – the editorial team thanks all
who contributed articles and photographs for this
month’s magazine.
Tappet Chatter Number 426 September 2017
Banking Details
BSB: 633-000
Account: 144920741
Account Name: MG Car Club Canberra Inc
A rare sight....the MG TF (LG) outside it’s envi-
ronment and shockingly on “gravel” (oh the
pain, the pain)
Cover Photo - Naomi Horsfield
4 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
MG CAR CLUB CANBERRA INC.
LIFE MEMBERS: Margaret Brown OAM, Peter Daley, Malcolm Robertson, Ian Holden, Brian Oxley, Kent Brown & Brian Calder.
COMMITTEE 2016 - 2017
President: Greg Whitfield 0498 107 658 [email protected]
Treasurer: Laurie Gardiner 0418 488 931 [email protected]
Secretary: Simon Braun 0439 607 856 [email protected]
Vice President: Kent Brown 0412 558 029 [email protected]
Committee Member: Carlo Busato 0434 927 166 (Display Events) [email protected]
Committee Member: Mark Horsfield 0415 400 044 (Editor) [email protected]
Committee Member: Trevor Clement 0411 102 759 (Membership) [email protected]
Public Officer: Greg Whitfield [email protected]
NON COMMITTEE 2016 - 2017
CACTMC Delegates: Graeme Rossiter [email protected] Brian Calder [email protected]
Social Coordinator: Mike Lawless 0412 093 151 [email protected] Asst Social Coord: Graeme Corbett 0437 679 497 [email protected]
Motor Sport Coordinator: Kent Brown [email protected]
Club CRS Registrar: Greg Whitfield 0498 107 658 (Northside) (Historic Plates:) [email protected] Robert Chilman 0412 024 228 (Southside) [email protected]
Manager of Club Regalia: Peter & Val Long (02) 6227 0643 [email protected]
Manager of Club Library: John Cooper 0408 624 801 [email protected]
CAMS Delegate: Kent Brown [email protected]
Natmeet Coord : Club Secretary [email protected]
Club Car Trailer: Laurie Gardiner [email protected]
Tappet Chatter Distribution: Robert Chilman 0412 024 228
Club Workshop & Equipment: Laurie Gardiner [email protected]
Webmaster: Mark Horsfield [email protected]
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 5
O ur third motorkhana for the year was held at the end of August with 29 competitors. Whilst I’m sure our organisers would hope
for more MG competitors it does show a healthy demand for this type of motorsport in the ACT. Again, we had a number of female competitors and some of the very young combining their learning to drive as well as testing their abilities on set patterns. For the first part of the day it was all going quite well; a bit cold but sunny. Alas the weather gods were not smiling come midday when the forecast southerly change made its presence known with strong, cold winds and the rain transitioning from light drizzle to more intense showers. And lo and behold; it started snowing!. While we had tried to work through the weather it was obvious it was not going to change so unfortunately we had to cancel the remainder of the program. The first time ever this has occurred. By that time it was bitterly cold and wet and no longer safe for the drivers or the officials to be exposed to the elements as they were. It was so cold, timekeepers were unable to work the stopwatches and recorders were unable to write the results because of frozen hands. Bone chilling would be an apt description.
I felt so sorry for our principal organisers; Chris Hillman, Gill Tonuri, Kent and Virginia Brown and Virginia’s Girl Guides. So much work goes into organising a motorkhana only to have to cancel it. What made things worse was that every-thing was now sodden and had to be be packed away in the rain which meant that it all had to be unpacked to dry out in the days to come. Virginia’s catering becoming a casualty as well with cooked food spoilt by the rain and so on. So a big and hearty thank-you to these stars for giving up so much of their time for others and for so cheerfully accepting the adverse outcome caused by the weather. Hopefully our next motorkhana in November will have more of a sunny (and warmer) outcome.
This issue of Tappet Chatter will coincide with our Annual General Meeting at which I will be vacating the chair as President, having reached the prescribed limit of office as set down in our Constitution. A more comprehensive report on the past year is elsewhere in this issue however at this point I’d like to say what an enjoyable experience it has been for the past three years as President. I have been extremely well supported by not only the Committee and those in the non-Committee roles but by so many members in general with their advice and as-sistance. I truly believe we must have one of the best car clubs with our mem-bers not only passionate about the MG marque but most importantly the friend-ships that abound within our community of some 250 members all up. In such an environment, I can only say it has been an absolute pleasure and a rewarding privilege. My sincere thanks to all.
Greg Whitfield
President’s Piece
6 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 7
AGM - Thursday 14 September
Come along and put your vote to use
in determining our next committee, or
stand for a position yourself.
It’s easy, come and see !!
Monthly Meeting Guest Speaker
O ur guest speaker for the August
meeting was life member Mal-
colm Robertson who presented an
illustrated chat on his adventures and
encounters during a trip to New Zea-
land in February to attend, among
other things, the New Zealand Pre-56
MG National Meeting in Whanganui.
It was a marvellous talk giving a great
insight to the char-
acters and event
that happens in
Kiwiland every cou-
ple of years.
Membership Renewals
F ANTASTIC RESPONSE - The
Treasurer and Membership Sec-
retary are extremely pleased with the
response so far with many members
having already renewed for the incom-
ing membership year.
MG Car Club Canberra on the Web
Website: (http://mgcccanberra.org.au)
View our website for information on upcoming events, past events and Gallery's
Facebook Social Page: (https://www.facebook.com/groups/MGCCCSocial)
See what other club members are doing, interesting articles from around the web, or,
just catching up or chatting.
Torque
Please send contributions for the September 2017 issue of Tappet Chatter to the Editor by Friday 1 September 2017 at:
8 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
Renewals are due by 30 June 2017 -
at the latest. $70 family (partner and
family under 18) or $60 individual.
You can do it now. Just go onto your
online bank and transfer for your subs
to:
BSB: 633 000
ACCOUNT: 144920741
MG CAR CLUB CANBERRA
REMEBER TO REFERENCE YOUR
NAME SO THE TREASUER KNOWS
YOU HAVE PAID.
Alternatively, you can post a cheque to
PO Box Weston 4141 ACT 2611 or
pay the treasurer in person with cash
or cheque (not credit card) at a
monthly meeting.
From Mick O’Brien
S potted at 50th Anniversary of the
MGC ROADSTER & MGC GT
7th JUNE – 11th JUNE 2017
The celebration of the marque was at
Chateau Impney in Worcester, UK. A
variety of specialist suppliers were in
attendance and many nice MGC and
some other MGs.
The BRG MG X-Power SV-R was
given to Rowan Atkinson to road test
for Evo Magazine in 2005. Specifica-
tions are impressive! Five litre V8, 175
MPH and 1540 Kgs. Zero to 60 MPH
in 4.9 Seconds.
Who says Bow Ties are only associ-
ated with Chevrolet!
Great to see so many people enjoying
the marque...
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 9
Presidents Award for G2
G raham Gittins was honoured with the Presidents award for
2016/2017. Graham has been a long-time mainstay of the club who loiters around in the background and behind the scenes unassumingly doing things for the club and it’s members. He con-sistently represents the Marque out-side the club in other circles of the classic motor vehicle field. A deserv-ing recipient of this esteemed acco-lade.
Regalia CLUB CLOTHING
Shirts - Cotton Long Sleeve $32.00
Shirts-Cotton Short Sleeve $30.00
Polo Shirts - Men's & Ladies $25.00
Polo Fleece full zip Jacket - Men's $35.00
Micro Fleece full zip Jacket- Ladies $35.00
Nylon full zip Spray Jackets-Unlined $30.00
OTHER ITEMS
Club Coffee Mugs (Bendigo Pottery) $12.00
Club Grille Badges $22.00
Club Lapel Badges $ 6.00
Car Lapel Badges $10.00
Club Windscreen Stickers $ 2.00
MG Octagon Car Lapel Badges $10.00
MG Key Rings $ 7.00
Sew-on Embroidered MG Logo in cloth
Thinking about your rebuild!
10 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
Do you need a Picnic Basket ?
F or the boot rack on your MG?
Picnic Basket For 4 - 29 Piece Kit
Includes Wicker Basket with Stainless
Steel Flatware, Ceramic Plates,
Glasses, Linen Napkins and Blanket
and More - by Vysta
Click image to go to webpage
How to improve your health and
fitness
B egin by standing on a comfort-
able surface. Make sure you
have plenty of room at each side.
With a 5-lb potato sack in each hand,
extend your arms straight out from
your sides and hold them there as
long as you can.
Try to reach a full minute, and then
relax.
Each day you'll find that you can hold
this position for just a bit longer.
After a couple of weeks, move up to
10-lb potato sacks.
Then try 50-lb potato sacks and then
eventually try to get to where you can
lift a 100-lb potato sack in each hand
and hold your arms straight for more
than a full minute. (I'm at this level.)
After you feel confident at that level,
put a potato in each of the sacks.
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 11
Other Club Magazines
Click cover to open magazine
12 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
Describes and illustrates every Austin,
Austin-Healey, Metropolitan, Vanden
Plas, Morris, MG, Riley and Wolseley
built by BMC in the '50s and '60s, with
advice on parts interchangeability.
Prepare for the complete story of the
ultimate engine, the Rover V8. Starting
as a General Motors design in 1961, it
was withdrawn three years later for
cheaper technology.
The engine wound up with the UK
company Rover by chance, and that’s
where it gained special status when it
entered production in 1967.
Rover V8 – The Story of the Engine
brings you the story of this awesomely
powerful, compact, and light engine
and how it proved itself time and time
again, and where it stands on the
mountain today.
BOOKS
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 13
I n the July issue of Tappet Chatter
Mike Lawless gave an account of
his experience with replacing the wind-
screen on one of the MGBs that reside
in his and wife Jo’s garage. I was
privileged to help Mike and wind-
screen installer Michael that morning
and, as Mike indicated in his article,
the extra pair of hands proved to be
useful.
I am also the owner of an MGB with a
windscreen that was showing all of its
fifty plus years, with a myriad of chips
and scratches that, quite frankly,
looked unsightly and which was un-
pleasant when driving towards any-
thing resembling a strong light. Sun-
set was particularly unwelcome.
Armed with my now extensive experi-
ence of windscreen repair and re-
placement I thought “I can
do that. After all, I’ve had a new glass
and seals sitting in the garage for a
couple of years now and it really was-
n’t all that difficult a job.” What’s more,
I figured that I could do the entire job
on my own, notwithstanding that most
readings on the subject suggest that a
small team of friendly assistants
should be on hand to help. I now have
some ‘learnings’ as a result of my sin-
gle-handed endeavours.
My first hurdle was removing the wind-
screen. Notwithstanding that all the
manuals instruct you to first remove
the dashboard, it seems that most at-
tempts at the task involve gymnastic
manoeuvrings under the dash, still in
situ, to remove the four retaining bolts
and allow easy extraction of the
screen. Easy! On the passenger side
remove the glovebox liner to facilitate
access to the bolts and away you go.
On the driver’s side withdraw the over-
drive switch and the fuel gauge to the
same end. Except that in my case the
windscreen had previously been re-
moved and replaced (as evidenced by
the respray running right up to the vi-
nyl dashboard covering). So what?
Well, replacing the windscreen must
have been beyond the previous
‘technician’ as I discovered that two of
MGB Windscreens – A Reflection
by John Cooper
John helping to bend Mike’s plate
glass into shape for the windscreen
14 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
the four retaining bolts were under-
sized and simply jammed in to stop
the frame from moving about too
much. And it seemed to work, except
that the almost impossible to get at
top bolt on the driver’s side was
wedged in so tightly that it took many
hours and some liberal verbal abuse
to eventually dislodge it. What’s
more, the years of slop in the bolt
holes resulting from the use of under-
sized fittings meant that the threads in
the windscreen pillar brackets were
now damaged. Luckily I had the cor-
rect tool and was able to re-tap all four
bolt holes so that the new bolts I had
acquired now fitted perfectly.
The next step is to dismantle the wind-
screen and install the new glass and
seals. Thanks to my experience at
Mike’s place, I approached this job
with confidence, even daring to care-
fully apply the services of
a rubber mallet (and lib-
eral amounts of spray
window cleaner as a lu-
bricant) just like the pro.
And it all went well and
proved to be the easy
part of the job. I now
had a complete wind-
screen ready to install
but for one thing – the
notorious bottom seal.
Most MG owners would
be familiar with the John
Twist of University Motors You Tube
videos and, of course, there is one on
replacing the bottom seal. In that
video the seal is single handedly in-
serted into the frame, in its completely
assembled form, by a professional
windscreen repairer. Now I’m sure
that it must be my lack of skill that
meant that I tried and I tried but simply
could not get the seal into place using
the John Twist video method. So vig-
orous did my efforts become that I
ended up ruining the new seal which
was accordingly despatched to landfill.
Fortunately, when disassembling the
windscreen, I had noted that the old
bottom seal was in surprisingly good
condition and far better that any of the
other rubbers that had been on the
car. So I put it aside at the time which
was to prove fortuitous. I decided to
have another go at the seal, but this
time by removing one of the end pil-
Windscreen Gymnastics senior level, difficulty 2.8
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 15
lars to allow me to slide the seal into
the channel – and I used the old seal
after a bit of a clean up.
It couldn’t have been easier! I did
have my son pulling as I pushed the
seal into place along the channel but it
was a blessed relief to find how easy it
was. One thing that I did though was
abandon the use of window cleaner as
a lubricant and instead give the works
a liberal spray of silicone. My experi-
ence was that the window cleaner
evaporated far too quickly and, even
with frequent applications, it just didn’t
provide the level of slip needed along
the entire length of the seal. It might
have been a little more difficult with a
brand new seal but still quite do-able I
think.
Now to re-install the windscreen. Not
as easy as hoped, however, for the
simple reason that the new seals at
the foot of the windscreen pillars need
to be compressed and that requires
considerable effort. I resorted to using
a suitably padded G clamp to com-
press the seal and al-
low the fitting of the top
bolts. That is, after
squeezing a Dremel
tool into the tiny space
available under the
dash to clean up the
metal dags that had
been formed in the
bodywork in and
around the holes into which the wrong
bolts had been inserted. Only then
could I actually get the new (correct
size) bolts into place.
The only issue now is that, because I
have realigned the screen slightly by
using the correct bolts, I have to adjust
the quarter light windows as they won’t
fit properly against the windscreen
pillar edge seals. So, still not quite
there yet but at least I have demon-
strated that with only a little outside
assistance you too can remove and
replace your tired MGB windscreen.
Just don’t expect everything about the
car to be in the condition it should be
in and definitely don’t be in a hurry.
As a final thought, it was useful to
have the windscreen off as it provided
an opportunity to deal with some flak-
ing paint on the dashtop windscreen
vents and to repair a couple of blisters
appearing on the vinyl dash topping
material.
The bottom seal
16 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
Video’s
Click images to watch video
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 17
18 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
President’s Report -
2017 Annual General Meeting
I t is only a few
days since a
number of our
members made the
annual pilgrimage to
Wagga Wagga for
the Gathering of the
Faithful (GOF). I
like this weekend.
Lorelei gets a de-
cent run albeit
sometimes a little
disconcerting driving
a tiny Midget adjacent to the 110
kph wheels of a B-Double. But it
also provides an opportunity to
spend the weekend with friends
wining and dining, country driv-
ing and of course seeing what
cars have also made the journey
for the GOF display. It’s these
elements that bring us all to-
gether in the MG Car Club Can-
berra; outings with friends in the
cars that we (generally) love.
Of course, GOF is only one of the
annual fixtures on our Club cal-
endar. Earlier in the year we had
a very successful weekend away
to Oberon as organised by Brian
and Christine Calder. A wonderful
weekend of driving
through the Aber-
crombie gorge, sight-
seeing in the beauti-
ful Mayfield Gardens
and a range of other
activities including
patting alpacas on
top of the Great Di-
viding Range.
Mike Lawless and
Graeme Corbett have
provided us with a
veritable mix of events on our
social calendar with monthly runs
and mid-week meanders to coun-
try cafes, restaurants, wineries,
pubs and picnic grounds in our
region. In between time we had
the daylight-saving BBQs or res-
taurant nights which provided
other opportunities to use vehi-
cles on concessional registration
with twilight, top-down drives
being a favourite for some.
The weekend away to GOF in
September last year was very
notable for the last minute
change for the display venue
when widespread rains resulted
in significant flooding such that
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 19
the usual display area was me-
tres underwater. Apart from that
aspect though it was a beaut
weekend organised by Mark and
Naomi for the 28 club members
who made the trek to Wagga.
And on the subject of major
events, MG TYme 2016 held in
October was an outstanding suc-
cess both in the numbers attend-
ing as well as the event itself,
particularly with the main display
held at the National Museum
where our visitors to Canberra
were able to avail themselves of
a visit to Floriade via a shuttle
very kindly provided by Graeme
Rossiter. The Sunday display in
pride of place at the Old Bus De-
pot Markets was well attended by
members of the public and the
run to the Cotter provided a very
scenic drive before everyone en-
joyed a sumptuous picnic in the
park expertly catered by Mo
Dechaineux and her band of
merry volunteers. The organising
sub-Committee, together with a
number of Club volunteers, made
a significant logistical task seem
so seamless with the very posi-
tive feedback strongly suggesting
MG TYme again be held in 2018.
Carlo Busato has done a wonder-
ful job in organising our display
events throughout the year. We
implemented the new Pride of
Ownership display at Terribly
British Day which complemented
the annual Concours d’Elegance.
With National Capital Authority
rules currently restricting car dis-
plays to hard surfaced areas in
lieu of grassed areas, there has
been considerable discussion on
the future of such displays being
held in the ACT. Carlo has been
involved in many meetings with
the relevant authorities and car
clubs on determining a way for-
ward. There has been consider-
able anecdotal support for a
move to Queanbeyan for these
events but it is hoped that a
longer term solution will be found
to keep these displays in the
ACT, particularly in locations that
will attract passing foot traffic
Our motorsport activities have
continued to attract a healthy
number of participants to the
motorkhanas. Earlier concerns
regarding the longer term avail-
ability of the Sutton Rd complex
appear to have abated with each
motorkhana being well supported
by motorsport enthusiasts of all
ages and abilities. Motorsport Co-
ordinator Kent Brown and Clerk
of the Course Chris Hillman have
20 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
made a significant contribution in
time and expertise to organise
these events while Virginia Brown
and her group of Girl Guides have
continued to provide competitors,
officials and spectators with their
BBQ and coffee stop. A band of
dedicated volunteers has helped
with timekeeping, recording and
a host of other tasks necessary
to run these events safely and
professionally. It is fair to say our
very good reputation in this area
is well deserved. Our motor sport
reports also keep us up to date
with the travels and historic mo-
tor racing competitions in which
some of our members compete
with all measures of success. The
MG marque is alive and well in
demonstrating its historical rac-
ing pedigree.
Under Laurie Gardiner’s guidance
we have again benefitted from a
number of workshops at our Ser-
vice Centre. Electrics, gear
boxes, welding, brakes and wheel
balancing are just a few of the
topics presented by volunteers
keen to share their knowledge
amongst interested members.
The workshops are always well
attended with, I suspect, the of-
fer of coffee, cakes and a lunch-
time BBQ providing sufficient
temptation to make the journey
to Fyshwick to learn or refresh
ones knowledge in maintaining
our MGs. Laurie has also over-
seen the improvements to our
club trailer with the installation of
new tie down points, a frame-
work to allow a canopy to be fit-
ted to the trailer as well as or-
ganising the general servicing
requirements to ensure the
trailer remains safe and roadwor-
thy. Our thanks must also go to
Mark and Glen Hogan for their
Master-Chef skills at the BBQ
given that one shouldn’t partici-
pate in a workshop without
proper sustenance.
Our annual Presentation Dinner
was held at the Royal Canberra
Golf Club for the first time with
Gail Argyle again weaving her
magic to deliver a wonderful eve-
ning of food and entertainment
whilst we formally recognised
those members with their respec-
tive awards for participation in
club activities, motorsport and
display events.
Tappet Chatter production contin-
ues to evolve. With only a dozen
members now electing to receive
the printed version, printing is
now very kindly being done by
Laurie Gardiner on a reimburse-
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 21
ment basis instead of using a
commercial printer. It was de-
cided to retain the user pays
principle for those receiving the
hard copy. Of note is a recent de-
cision at the 2017 Nat Meet to
review the regulations for the
best club magazine prize due to
the impact of electronic maga-
zines and their increasing use
over printed media.
Club membership remains at an
average of 300 people when
spouses/partners and children
are included. This position has
remained steady for many years
now and while we expect a 15-
20% drop in memberships at the
beginning of a new financial year,
this loss is generally compen-
sated by new memberships over
the ensuing membership year.
This level of membership com-
bined with savings largely from
the decreased production and
postage costs of Tappet Chatter,
has meant the club is quite sound
financially. These savings have
also meant that we have not had
to raise annual membership fees
but also we have been able to
offset member costs of various
activities by way of club subsi-
dies. We have also benefitted
from regular sponsorship by
Shannons for which we have to
be extremely thankful. Again, in
the last financial year we were
able to make considerable dona-
tions to Alzheimer’s Australia
(ACT) as the recipient of our
fundraising efforts for our com-
munity support activity.
Our inability to attract sufficient
volunteers for the Committee po-
sitions has resulted in a change in
the role of Secretary in particular
with the various functions being
shared amongst three members
of the Committee to make the
workload more manageable. This
situation has worked well to date.
One aspect observed in my time
as President has been an appar-
ent increase in extended holidays
of our largely retired member-
ship. This means that absences
by those having Committee or
non-Committee roles have had to
be undertaken by others but this
has not caused any insurmount-
able issues over the past three
years.
We have continued our involve-
ment with the Council of ACT Mo-
toring Clubs. The Club has made
a formal submission in response
to a review of the governance of
the Council. There is some dissat-
isfaction about various aspects of
22 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
the Council’s management, hence
the review, and it remains to be
seen if any change is likely to oc-
cur as a result of the review.
However given the extreme lack
of interest by the majority of af-
filiated clubs in this review, sig-
nificant change is not likely un-
fortunately. Ongoing disquiet in
this regard has resulted in the
MGCCC having no further formal
representation on the Council’s
Committee following the Council’s
last AGM. It is important however
to recognise the substantial ef-
forts of Graeme Rossiter and
Brian Calder for their represent-
ing the Club on the Council Com-
mittee during some very chal-
lenging issues.
The many facets of the Club’s ac-
tivities call for a substantial per-
sonal input by many of our club
members and it is important their
contribution over the last 12
months is publicly acknowledged.
I have been very grateful for the
sage advice and ongoing assis-
tance of Vice-President and Mo-
torsport Coordinator Kent Brown
in both of his portfolios. As well
as these two roles, Kent has also
been a valued contributor to our
workshops, his knowledge of the
marque is keenly sought via our
technical helpline and his regular
articles in Tappet Chatter on mo-
torsport and the history of MGs
are always interesting and infor-
mative.
Our Secretary Simon Braun has
kept the ‘engine room” of the
club quietly ticking over, ably as-
sisted by Trevor Clement manag-
ing memberships and Carlo Bu-
sato looking after the mail and its
distribution, with Bruce Murray
keeping things up to date with
our club history records. Our fi-
nancial functions and obligations
have been expertly managed by
Laurie Gardiner with our annual
audit testament to his sound
management across this field. A
man of many talents and lar-
gesse, Laurie has also continued
to manage the Service Centre
which is housed in the garage
that he rents, he has organised
our workshops and looked after
the upkeep of the club trailer and
workshop equipment and as
mentioned earlier, he now prints
Tappet Chatter for those still re-
ceiving hard copies of our Club
magazine.
Mark Horsfield has kept us en-
gaged in both print and electronic
media with Tappet Chatter and
our website. It never ceases to
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 23
amaze me where he finds those
little snippets he links us to in
Tappet Chatter which really add a
different dimension to an online
magazine. Rob Chilman has been
generous with his time assisting
with the Tappet Chatter distribu-
tion and mailing processes as
well as his role as Concessional
Registration Scheme Registrar;
Mike Lawless and Graeme Corbett
have provided us with a variety
of interesting routes and destina-
tions for our monthly and mid-
week meander runs. John Cooper
has served our literary needs
managing our library resources
and purchasing new references to
keep the library relevant. Peter
and Val Long have worked long
and hard to update the regalia
inventory and making sure the
‘shop’ is open for us every
month. Our resident photogra-
pher Graham Gittens has cap-
tured our displays and activities
and made the pictures available
in Tappet Chatter and online.
Chris Hillman and Gill Tonuri have
contributed significantly in the
organisation and management of
our motokhanas while making
sure all of the equipment is se-
curely stowed and kept service-
able, while Malcolm Robertson
has photographed the motork-
hana competitors in all weathers
and posted the photos for all to
see in our Facebook pages.
Our monthly meetings would not
be the same without a tasty sup-
per to end the evening. My
thanks to our kitchen helpers
Debbie Whitfield, Mo Dechaineux,
Christine Calder, Gail Argyle, Sue
Roberts, Val Long, Kerrie Buiten-
dam among others who make
sure all the shopping is done, the
delicious food is prepared and
then the kitchen is all cleaned up
after we have had our fill and de-
parted.
I have likely missed acknowledg-
ing some of our members who
are regulars at helping out; be it
at our meetings, runs, displays,
motorsport or workshop events
and if this is so, I beg your for-
giveness but please be assured
you have my heartfelt thanks for
your valuable contributions, all of
which make our Club the out-
standing success it is.
The Marque of Friendship is alive
and well in the ACT because of
your passion for the MG and the
friendships it engenders. As I fin-
ish my elected term of President I
can only say what an honour it
has been to serve the Club and
its members in this capacity.
24 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
Lanyon Homestead MWM
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 25
A ll week had been windy and wet -
miserable motoring for even the
most ardent. Then Sunday dawned
bright and clear. The air was still and
crisp. God is an MG driver.
We gathered at Scrivener Dam car-
park. While there were a few modern
cars, the car park was decorated with
a fine array - a YT, TD, TF, Midget,
BGT and B roadsters, a ZT and mod-
ern TF.
There were 34 booked to come but the
battery demon attached one car and
caused problems. Thus proving that
the families that have more than one
MG are the ones demonstrating pru-
dence and fine judgement.
We set off and made a moving display
out past the airport. Where the Sutton
road joins Pialligo Avenue we picked
up a red TF and black A that glistened
as we speed past.
Up the Sutton road and into Norton
road we speed – within the limit – and
August Sunday Run to Contentious
Character Winery
by Mike & Jo
26 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
reached the winery. A couple of cars
overshot but they said this was in-
tended to better take photographs.
Lined up the display of fine cars was
an ornament to the winery.
We piled onto the veranda and the
winery people made us welcome and
turned on the heaters. It was disturb-
ing to see one or two people clutch
and array the provided blankets
around them. Perhaps driving T types
has this effect.
After lunch a wine tasting was pro-
vided and some stocked up for the
return journey.
The Canberra winter sun and still air
with the beautiful surrounds and the
fine company made it a great day for
all.
Laurie showing us what an
aristorcratic Gentleman uses as
coolant in ones MGTF (it’s red...just
like glycol and Tiffy).
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 27
28 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
12 Purdue Street
Belconnen
Melba Motors
More than 40 years experience
Melba Motors is a car repair and maintenance business with a spe-
cial interest in British vehicles. Proprietor Mick Wilson is a UK Ley-
land workshop trained mechanic experienced in all aspects of MGs
and other British cars and can get your vehicles into tip-top shape.
Mick and the staff carry out general repairs, engine rebuilds and fix
carburettors. Melba Motors diagnose and fix suspension problems
and specialise in small welding and rust repairs.
Transport can be arranged for cars that won’t go. There is a 24 Hour
emergency response – get you started or tow your car to safety.
Call Mick on 02 6253 1523
http://melbamotors.com/
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 29
About 30 had put their
names down for the run but
there were a few cancella-
tions and the number that
turned up in the in the end
was in the mid 20s.
It was a brilliant still winter
morning at the Scrivener
Dam car park. Perfect for
top down motoring. Having
said that most had the tops up.
There was a midget, a few Bs some
TFs and some other moderns.
Geoff gave the Jag an airing and it
was great to see it adorned by Lynn…
who added a touch of refinement.
We set off on
Parks Way
past the air-
port and
turned up the
Sutton Road.
From that
point it a
straight drive
to Gundaroo.
It would take
real ability to get lost.
A perfect MG road.
Neil led the way …top down assisted
by his sound system. Geoff and Lynn
in the Jag were not far behind and
may have overtaken the green B on a
long straight. But I was too
far back to see.
Those that had not gone to
Scrivener Dam were al-
ready in place at the res-
taurant when the rest
turned up. The Coopers
demonstrated customary
efficiency in being ahead of
the group.
The Restaurant - though large with a
few areas inside and out- was full. It
was very efficient in dealing with lots
of people. The menu had something
for everyone. We booked the inside
room and the group had this room to
itself. We were very comfortable.
We all enjoyed the food and the com-
pany. A relaxed Sunday morning run
in our MG’s – nothing better!
NB Naomi was not on hand to take the
pictures and … well… what with be-
ing easily distracted and all… the stan-
dard of pics is “needing improve-
Run to Crowes Restaurant at the Gundaroo Colonial Inn
The Ladies
The Midgetmen
The Cars
30 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
GOF Pictorial
Greg receiving Debbie’s Trophy for
“Lorelei” the midget
Brian with his “Participation” Trophy
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 31
A lovely morning at breakfast
New MG’s on display
32 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
As announced “Kathy & Robert Bligh” receiving their trophy
A menacing looking modern TF, bugs and all.
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 33
The Z series. A 190 Plus, 220S and a 260 SE just missing the 180.
Mo and Christine checkin out the competition
34 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
Club Calendar
CLUB EVENTS for 2017
September
Sunday 17th
Monthly Run - Brindabella Hills winery (156 Woodgrove Close
via Wallaroo Road, Hall.))
We have arranged a 2 course light lunch with tea/coffee for $30 a head.
Meet at Scrivener Dam Wall carpark at 11am for 11 15am departure.
Names and numbers are essential:
Please put names on the run sheet at a Club meeting, email Mike Lawless so-
[email protected] or [email protected] or Text 0412093151.
October
Thursday 5th
Mid Week Meander
Riverbank Café , Trinculo Place Queanbeyan (beside Q’byn Art Society
Building )
Meet at Watson Service Station 11-15am for a 11-30 am leave via the
Federal Highway to Sutton Rd then onto The Riverbank , Queanbeyan, Last
time we went for afternoon coffee overlooking the Queanbeyan River This visit
will discover their luncheon offerings The River Park gates will be opened for
our club to park on the grass next to the café
Names and numbers required on the Run Sheet at the Club Meeting
Graeme & Jo Corbett . M 0437679497 - H 62994920
Notes:
Remember : Classic Car ‘Lunchtime Natters’ are held at Weston Park, Yar-
ralumla (first picnic spot on the right) each Tuesday from 12.30pm.
“CLUB EVENT” signifies that an MG club representative will be in attendance, regard-
less of who is organizing. Such events meet the requirements for concessional regis-
tration.
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 35
October 8 Sunday run to Uriarra east reserve for a picnic.
Bring everything. This is dog and family friendly.
Meet at Scrivener Dam wall car park at 11am for 11 15 am departure. We will
go via Cotter Rd, Brindabella Rd, Uriarra Rd.
Names and numbers may be placed on the run sheet at a Club meeting or
email mike Lawless. If you are down to come and cancel please tell us at so-
[email protected]. Or Text on 0412093151. (Mike Lawless)
November 4th
Saturday Yass Classic
This a substitute for our M W M – A not to be missed event in Yass involving a
display of classic vehicles , Rock & Roll Bands , Billy Cart Races, Markets with
local café’ 3 min away .
If interested please investigate the
www.classicyass.com Car display entry form available on this site ( Car entry is
optional )
Saturday 26 November run to Braidwood and to Araluen for lunch.
This for airing of the quilts and markets. Check out website. (http://
braidwoodquiltevent.org.au/
Doug Ward arranging. Details TBA)
December Date to be advised .
Our annual Canberra MG Car Club BBQ held on the shores of Lake Burly Grif-
fin from approx. 5-30pm - More details to follow
36 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
MG’s everywhere
“Quick Peter - take it while no one is looking !”
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 37
Talking Tactics
Debbie and the mystery man in the shadows checking out the new MG6
38 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
Playing follow the MG Leader
Friday Lunch
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 39
Lachlan and Paul solving the worlds problems
Un-following the MG Leader
40 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
Bungendore and districts annual Car
and Bike show this year on Saturday
the 30th of September. A day for the
whole family to come and enjoy cars,
bikes, food, drink and kids activities.
This is a fundraising event for the Bun-
gendore community.
For more information about this
event, call 0412541358
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 41
Sporting Report
September 2017
by Kent Brown
T here is a saying that goes some-
thing along the lines of “if it has-
n’t happened yet the sooner it will
happen”. Voila! The first ever multi-
club motorkhana conducted by the
MG Car Club Canberra that com-
menced competition on the day but
which was then called off part way
through the event has occurred. Yep
and doody – that’s exactly what tran-
spired at our event on Sunday, 27 Au-
gust 2017. A day that will now go
down in the annuls of Club history.
Late rain (?!) was forecast by the Bu-
reau. However the BOM radar
showed nothing at 6.30am when I left
home to open up the TISC facility on
Sutton Road and get the administra-
tion organised. Albeit it was freezing
cold and I had to chip the ice off the
gate lock in order to insert the key.
Come 11.30am however and a “front”
arrived. The wind picked up, the weak
sunshine disappeared, very dark
clouds appeared, the sleet started and
was quickly followed by the clink, clink
of small hail that shortly thereafter
turned into snow. We tried hard to
keep going but for officials it just be-
came impractical. My left hand hold-
ing a stop watch was frozen into the
watch’s shape and my fingers just
wouldn’t move. I was not alone. And
the recorders, although transferred
from their tables open to the elements
to the veritable warmth of private cars,
still could not keep things dry. It was,
literally, diabolical conditions.
Club Chief/Clerk of Course, Chris Hill-
man, advised competitors individually
that we were calling a halt to proceed-
ings. To their credit no-one com-
plained and they all understood the
The drivers briefing at around 9.15am –
please note the sun and shadows!
42 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
Please confirm your application using
the below technical spec before pur-
chase. Click link below.
Please contact us for availability
Click here for website
Q uaife ATB Helical LSD differential
for the MGB Salisbury Axle. A
direct replacement for the standard
open differential, the Quaife ATB Heli-
cal LSD differential transforms your
car’s performance.
Unlike a conventional plate-style lim-
ited slip differential, the Quaife ATB
Helical LSD differential relies on gears
rather than clutch plates for its opera-
tion. That means it is much smoother
in operation. The Quaife ATB Helical
LSD differential never locks harshly
with a set pre-load of wheel slip
across the driven axle, like a conven-
tional LSD. Rather, the Quaife ATB
differential automatically biases the
torque away from the spinning wheel
across the axle, to a constantly vary-
ing degree, and never locks.
The Quaife ATB Helical LSD differen-
tial has many benefits over a standard
open differential, including maximising
traction and minimizing wheel spin,
eliminating torque steer and snatching
in front wheel drive cars compared to
conventional LSD units, and a mainte-
nance-free design which retains the
standard oil lubrication.
The Quaife ATB Helical LSD differen-
tial is proven in circuit and drag racing,
rallying and road use, and is produced
from Corus steel billets, and is CAD
designed and CNC machined, then
inspected to ISO 9001 standards.
With over 250 applications - the
Quaife ATB Helical LSD differential is
the best option to utilise your cars per-
formance.
Quaife ATB Helical LSD differentials
are used by Ford, General Motors and
Daimler-Chrysler as original equip-
ment.
The Quaife ATB Helical LSD differen-
tial is also now subject to a lifetime
warranty (subject to terms and condi-
tions).
This product is available direct from
QUAIFE;
£715
MGB Salisbury axle
Quaife ATB Helical LSD differential
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 43
dilemma we had. Indeed, after I sent
the limited results out to participants
by email a couple of days later, I re-
ceived a number of emails thanking all
officials for efforts.
So after a very soggy and uncomfort-
able pack-up/clean-up we all headed
home to turn on our respective heaters
to try and get some warmth back into
our bodies. And then of course at-
tempt to dry all the wet gear/papers/
shelter/boxes and so on.
We managed two runs at each of the
first layouts, Triple Loop and Manoeu-
vring, for all competitors. Patterns 3 &
4 were then set out but after only a
few entrants had the opportunity to
sample them along came the winter
weather. Well I suppose it was 4 days
before the official end of winter!
It was a great pity as out of the 29
starters six were juniors. Fantastic.
Close by the Editor, bless him, should
You There !!
Tuck your
shirt in !!!!!!!
He who must be obeyed - Club Chief and Clerk of Course, Chris Hillman
A Hills Hoist hard at work drying the
officials garb
Everyone had fun!
Andrew Hutt in his primrose MGB V8
44 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
have a spreadsheet of the MGCCC
members times for the record.
Our thanks to Malcolm Robertson who
professionally snapped a number of
cars negotiating the flags. Here’s a
selection (MGs are a mandatory inclu-
sion of course!):
Volunteer needed please……!!
One of principle jobs to be undertaken
before a motorkhana commences in-
volves, where necessary, the issue of
CAMS licences and joining competi-
tors up to, or renewing their member-
ship of, the MGCCC as Associates;
you must be a current member of a
CAMS affiliated car club in order to
compete. Usually this effects some-
where in the region of 1 to 5 competi-
tors.
It is not an overly arduous task but
does need to be done accurately.
About 5-10 minutes instruction is all
that is required to learn the process.
And there is always expert help avail-
able. But it does mean that you need
to be a little earlier arriving at the
venue than other officials, say around
8.00am.
If you can help me with this role,
which overall occupies about 1 hour,
and therefore the club (there is no
need to stay but if you can that would
be great also) please let me know.
Your assistance would be greatly ap-
preciated and certainly relieve some
of the burden from others at a busy
time.
And a free breakfast from the Girl
Guides with tea/coffee is also in-
cluded!
Historic Motor Racing
Baskerville – 21 to 24 September
2017
The next event on the historic motor
Mazda MX-5, Mazda 323 BG Series 1 and a “tricked up” Renault Kangoo
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 45
racing calendar is at Baskerville, Tas-
mania in just a week.
Baskerville Raceway, 2.01 km in
length, is located in Hobart’s northern
suburb of Old Beach and is set in a
natural amphitheatre with spectators
able to sit in their cars and view the
entire circuit. One of the principle or-
ganisers is the MG Car Club of Tas-
mania. The other – Hobart Sporting
Car Club. Last year’s event was
marred by floods you may remember
(see the Sporting Report in Tappet
Chatter, November 2016) and I’m
afraid the mid-range forecast is for a
medium chance of rain again this
year.
What is the definition of “medium” you
ask? Unfortunately 50% to 75%
chance of rain. Oh dear, better take
the softer compound tyres with me on
the Spirit of Tasmania along with the
brolly and waterproofs. The locals
really do make you feel welcome and
go out of their way to ease the cost of
travel across the Tasman. To that
end, if you want to save some money
or there is no space on the ferry for
your car trailer, the MG Club in Tassie
will arrange at no cost the provision of
a car trailer to meet the ferry in De-
vonport on arrival. You then use the
trailer for your whole time on the Ap-
ple Isle and hand it back just before
the ship’s departure on the return trip
to Melbourne. What great support.
HSRCA Summer Festival – 11/12
November 2017 - SMSP
The last race meeting for the 2017
calendar year in the annual HSRCA
Summer Festival on 11-12 November
at Sydney Motorsport Park. The
Grand Prix or Gardiner Circuit, the
driver’s favourite, is the track to be
Baskerville marquee garages in
2016
46 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
used. One of the events to be con-
tested will be the Group S endurance
race of 20+ laps. As usual this can be
a 1 or 2-driver event – you can drive
all the laps yourself or change over
with another driver mid-race – but irre-
spective there will be pit stop to make
life interesting!
The Cooma Monaro Historic Automo-
bile Club (CMHAC) Mt Gladstone Hill-
climb uses Mt. Gladstone Rd in
Cooma, which is off the Snowy Moun-
tains Highway about 4km west of
Cooma and leads to the Mt Gladstone
Lookout and Miss Heidi’s Teahouse.
The Hillclimb section is approximately
1km in length.
The next hillclimb is scheduled for Sat-
urday, November 25 commencing at
9:00 am and finishing on Sunday, No-
vember 26, 2017 at around 4:00 pm.
One for the diary perhaps.
Golden Era of Auto
Racing (GEAR)
I always like to give a plug to GEAR,
the Golden Era of Auto Racing Club.
GEAR celebrates an era of amateur
Australian motor sport that many of us
remember I am sure but which ended
in the early 1960s. This period was
noted for its wide variety of cars, rang-
ing from famous imported makes, lo-
cally made specials, particularly MGs,
and modified production cars all of
which were raced and prepared in the
A view over the driver’s shoulder.
Nice trees!
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 47
golden era by famous or colourful
characters.
The next GEAR event is their All-
Historic Racing, Amaroo Revival Meet-
ing at Wakefield Park on September
23/24.
There will be classes for both racing
and regularity and the meeting is open
to any sports or racing car pre 1962.
But no sedans of course.
A piece of trivia! If you can read the
artists name on the GEAR poster,
which is just visible between the two
left hand side wheels of the MG K3, it
is Alan Puckett. And that K3 is the
one now owned by John Gillett here in
Australia, K3030. The trivia - Alan
was also the person who did the art-
work for our Canberra, 1988 National
Meeting poster.
The Club has the original framed
poster drawn by Alan Puckett thanks
to a stroke of luck, generosity and
some quick work by life member Mar-
garet Brown. But that’s another story.
Following the Amaroo Revival Meeting
the next meeting for 2017, although a
little time away yet is on Wednesday,
the 4th of October. Well worth a visit at
Wakefield Park, a relatively short drive
away. Put it in your diary perhaps.
Entry for spectators is FREE.
48 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
Details of the 2020 AHMF Na-
tional Motoring Tour announced
T he Australian Historic Motoring Federation has announced de-
tails of the 2020 AHMF National Tour.
Tour headquarters will be centred on the Albury/Wodonga area from Satur-day 28 March to 4 April 2020.
The Toured will be the first national tour since the successful Canberra based tour held in 2001.
Venues have been selected and daily tours are well into the planning stage.
State and Territory Councils affiliated with AHMF are developing routes and itineraries to get entrants to Albury/Wodonga.
On arrival at the tour headquarters entrants will be invited to attend a cocktail welcome evening and open day, vehicle displays and a week of touring days around the region, con-cluding with a gala farewell dinner will form part of the program.
The tour is being promoted interna-tionally and is open to all historic vehi-cles who are welcome and encour-aged to attend.
There will be routes to suit vehicles of all eras – veteran, vintage, classic, motorcycles, tractors, steamrollers, stationery machinery, lady drivers and historic caravans.
Further information will be dissemi-nated as it comes to hand.
The Council of ACT Motor Clubs is seeking
Expressions of Interest
from affiliated clubs interested in par-ticipating in the 2020 AHMF National Motoring Tour.
Please advise Council’s publicity offi-cer by email at [email protected] of your clubs intention to participate in the event.
Camp Quality
Sunday 10th September. Cars must be registered for the event prior to 9am. Registrants will do a one hour Sunday morning Cruise around Can-berra ending up in the Treasury Car-park for a BBQ and ‘Show & Shine’. A donation of $50 per car or $25 for a motorbike will register your vehicle. The event commences from Mawson Playing Fields. All money goes to Camp Quality. The event has been publicised on the Council’s web-site. As per last year’s inaugural event, the Council is assisting the management team with the event.
Council of ACT Motor Clubs Inc.
PO Box 963 Dickson ACT 2602
Council Communique – August 2017
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 49
If you would like to participate – please follow this link
http://www.campqualityfundraising.org.au/event/classic-cruise-2017
Or if you would like to sponsor Ironman & Superwoman (Cathy & I) please click on this link
https://classic-cruise-2017.everydayhero.com/au/brett
Ourcarclub.com
As most of you may have heard we have started to implement the OurCar-Club
Management system in which all affili-ated club’s information will be stored.
The system will have access restricted to 3-4 committee members only. It will mean that all records will be in one spot and importantly make transition easier from one committee to the next much easier. One of it’s great benefits is a bulk email facility that will allow you to receive both agenda and min-utes much earlier than currently hap-pens. Like all these things it is taking longer than expected but we are get-ting there. Making sure that the base information is accurate has proved slow going.
FOR ALL YOUR MG NEEDS
No matter what type of MG you have, we can help to make
your motoring hassle free.
From simple tune-ups on the classics to changing the timing
belts or pumping up your hydroelastic suspension on the
moderns Come and see us
50 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
Regalia
CLUB CLOTHING
Shirts - Cotton Long Sleeve $32.00
Shirts-Cotton Short Sleeve $30.00
Polo Shirts - Men's & Ladies $25.00
Polo Fleece full zip Jacket - Men's $35.00
Micro Fleece full zip Jacket- Ladies $35.00
Nylon full zip Spray Jackets-Unlined $30.00
OTHER ITEMS
Club Coffee Mugs (Bendigo Pottery)
$12.00
Club Grille Badges $22.00
Club Lapel Badges $ 6.00
Car Lapel Badges $10.00
Club Windscreen Stickers $ 2.00
MG Octagon Car Lapel Badges $10.00
MG Key Rings $ 7.00
Sew-on Embroidered MG Logo in cloth
$ 8.00
Notice of Annual General Meeting
The Council of ACT Motor Club’s An-nual General Meeting will be held on Thursday 21 September 2017 at the Raiders Club Weston.
Formal notification have been sent to all affiliates.
The Council has a number of positions which will be vacant . If you would like to nominate for a position on the com-mittee please advise President Mark Saunders before the AGM.
A car guy is born…...
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 51
J aguar Land Rover is revealing
Sayer, the intelligent and connected
steering wheel of the future during the
inaugural Tech Fest at Central St Mar-
tins, University of the Arts London.
This steering wheel concept lives in
your home and becomes your trusted
companion. Sayer is the first voice-
activated artificial intelligence (AI)
steering wheel that will be able to
carry out hundreds of tasks. Sayer
could signal your membership of our
on-demand service club. A club which
offers either sole ownership or the
option of sharing the car with others in
your community.
Imagine a future of autonomous, con-
nected and electric cars where you
don’t own a single car, but instead,
call upon the vehicle of your choice
where and when you need it. That’s a
future vision Jaguar Land Rover is
exploring with the connected steering
wheel that could be the only part of
the car you own.
Need to be at a meeting two hours
away from home by 8am tomorrow?
Simply ask Sayer from the comfort of
your living room and it will work out
when you get up, when a car needs to
autonomously arrive at your door and
even advise which parts of the journey
you might enjoy driving yourself.
A beautifully sculpted piece of art, like
every Jaguar Land Rover product,
Sayer owes its name to one of the
most prominent designers from Jag-
uar’s past, Malcolm Sayer, who
worked for the British marque be-
tween 1951 and 1970.
You can explore the future with Jag-
uar Land Rover at Central St Martins
Tech Fest 2017.
Note: Press release courtesy of Jag-
uar Land Rover.
JLR Introduces Sayer – Steering Wheel of the Future
52 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
Follow “Girls Got Heart” in their love-able MG
as they saddle up for charity
M G Motor Australia is excited to
announce its sponsorship of
Queensland charity, Girls Got Heart,
as they saddle up and embark on an
epic 415km journey across rural
Queensland, all to raise funds in sup-
port of access to critically needed
heart health services for rural and re-
mote Queensland communities.
Having departed from the South Bris-
bane Sailing Club
on Wednesday
16 August, the
convoy of cyclists
is led by MG’s
sporty hatchback,
the MG3, appro-
priately custom-
ised with a love
heart feature
roof. The MG3
will lead the girls
through rural
Queensland, fin-
ishing in the country town of Mean-
darra on Friday 18 August. The team
is also stopping along the way in
Toowoomba and Dalby.
Please find further information in the
below media release. Do let me know
if you’d like to interview a spokesper-
son from the charity or MG Motor Aus-
tralia.
Do let us know if you have any ques-
tions or require further information. For
more detail on Girls Got Heart, please
click here.
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 53
54 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
August 23, 2017 Michael Carnell Clas-
sic Cars, Highlights 0
H agerty, the insurance provider for
classic and special interest cars,
announced that it has purchased the
Massachusetts-based online rental
system formerly known as Clas-
sics&Exotics. The latter had been in
operation since 2014. Rebranded and
online as DriveShare, will enable en-
thusiasts and perhaps those who are
just curious or nostalgic to rent the
classic car of their dreams.
DriveShare by Hagerty is the nation’s
premier enthusiast car rental commu-
nity, bringing the “sharing economy”
into the car lover’s garage.
Automotive enthusiasts now have the
ability to experience a wide range of
fun and unique vehicles, while classic
and collector vehicle owners can offset
expenses by renting their cars to pre-
screened, highly qualified renters.
Every rental includes up to $1 million
in insurance protection and access to
the most comprehensive full-service
roadside program designed specifi-
cally for unique cars. Whether a per-
son is looking for a 1956 Chevrolet Bel
Air for a night out on the town or a
1979 Ferrari 308 for a drive down the
coast, DriveShare connects owners
with renters and is free to join with no
costly membership fees.
Prospective renters can search the
DriveShare site by make, model, cate-
gory, and location. When matches are
found, you are shown the cars with a
list of specific features, contact infor-
mation, and price per day, which start
around $99. Of course, those daily
rental fees can reach into the multiple
thousands depending on the car. A
Rent a Classic from Hagerty’s New DriveShare
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 55
recent search in the classic car cate-
gory found a 1978 Triumph Spitfire
available at $175 per day in Kansas,
while a 1960 Jaguar Mark IX sedan in
Ohio would set you back about $500
per day. A 2010 Jaguar XK8 coupe in
Michigan could be had for $200 per
day, while a 1966 Ford Anglia in Cali-
fornia is available for $225 per day. A
beautiful 1958 MGA in Massachusetts
shows up for $175.
Obviously, DriveShare is not an inex-
pensive option, but for those looking
for a special car for a special occa-
sion, it might be just the thing. It could
also be an interesting way to test drive
the car of your dreams to see if your
dream is really all it is cracked up to
be. It is a horrible thing to dream of a
certain sports car all your life only to
find out when you are ready to pur-
chase that your feet can’t manipulate
the pedals in the cramped footwell. Or
that your back can’t suffer the seating
position after an hour’s ride.
As a classic car owner, you can also
use the DriveShare service to rent
your car. The car owner sets the rental
price, with guidance, and any deposit.
The owner also gets to review pro-
spective renters and then connect with
them personally. Think of DriveShare
more as a matchmaking service than
an actual rental provider. If you are
comfortable with other folks using your
ride, this could be an interesting way
to finance other purchases or restora-
tions. If you are interested in renting
your car, check out all the info on
DriveShare’s site.
Click here for website
56 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
THIS COOMA SPRING – BIKES-CARS, DRIVER DEVELOPMENT, SHOW ‘N
SHINE AND SPEED
GIRDER FORK (MOTORBIKE) RALLY
Date: Saturday-Sunday 14-15 October 2017
Location: Based from Cooma Car Club Clubhouse, 11 Bolaro Street,
Cooma NSW
DESCRIPTION
Long running annual event, exclusive to pre-1950 girder fork motorbikes and
their riders. Great runs over scenic sealed roads of the Cooma Monaro area and
foothills of the Snowy Mountains. Event is renowned for its social aspect includ-
ing an excellent morning tea, lunch and dinner at the Car Club Clubhouse on
Saturday night.
For more information and entry forms – go to http://www.coomacarclub.com.au/
girderfork/
JUNIOR DRIVER DEVELOPMENT/MOTORKHANA DAY
Date: Sunday 22 October 2017
Location: ‘Longhouse’, 28 Polo Flat Road, 11 Bolaro Street, Cooma NSW
DESCRIPTION
Club Motorkhana/Training Day conducted in conjunction with CAMS
(Confederation of Australian Motor Sports). Event is Day One of CMHACs 2017
Junior Development Program.
Eligible participants will be juniors (14 to 17) years who have not previously held
a CAMS licence, and would like to learn car control in a controlled and safe envi-
ronment with a possible view to entering motorsport at a grass roots level.
Participants will first learn some practical car maintenance prior to hands on ex-
perience (vehicle familiarization) on one of the club cars. This will be followed by
a motorkhana event, where participants will learn car control and get to experi-
ence how a car reacts at low speeds.
Participants may supply their own vehicles, which are required to meet basic
safety standards, or may use one of two club cars that will be made available.
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 57
Entry fee is $30, for which attendees will receive a CAMS L2SJ licence, allowing
them to enter the Junior Development Program Hillclimb at Mt Gladstone on the
morning of Saturday November 25th, and any similar events in the following 12
months.
More detail, Entry Forms and Supplementary Regulations are available at: http://
www.coomacarclub.com.au/junior-development-program/
COOMA MOTORFEST
Date: Saturday 4 November 2017 (coincides with Snowy Ride and
National Busking Championships)
Location: Cooma Showground
DESCRIPTION
Very popular Show N Shine coinciding with the Snowy Ride and National Busk-
ing Championships.
Cooma Car Club's biggest bi-annual event.
Entries close 20 October - late entries on the day.
Caters for old, new and in-between cars, large trucks, machinery, hot rods, trac-
tors, stationary engines, motor bikes, boats, muscle cars and military vehicles.
Also trade displays, art & photography.
The event and location is a major stopover for the Snowy Ride with over 3000
bikes checking in on the day, and coincides with the National Busking Champi-
onships. On the day, there will be 4 ½ hours of non-stop busking.
For more details and entry forms - go to http://www.coomacarclub.com.au/
motorfest-2017/
MOUNT GLADSTONE HILL CLIMB WEEKEND
Date: Saturday-Sunday 25-26 November 2017
Location: Mount Gladstone Road, 4 km west of Cooma, NSW
DESCRIPTION
Day 1, Saturday 25 November will have three components:
Morning
• untimed runs for Junior (14-17) drivers. The participants will experience car
control at higher speeds in a safe controlled environment with an instructor in the
car until they feel confident enough to have a solo run.
58 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
• ‘Come and try’ timed runs for competitors 16+ who have not previously had
any motorsport experience and would like to ‘have a go’ in controlled conditions
with an instructor if required. At reduced cost of $25 plus the cost of a single
event CAMS Level 2S licence ($62) which can be obtained on the day as re-
quired.
Afternoon
• Timed runs for Classic cars (30 years and older).
Day 2, Sunday 26 November will be a regular hill climb which is rated by NSW
Car Events as “one of the very best Hillclimbs in NSW”. The event is open to
vehicles ranging from road registerable Type 1-2 2WD production vehicles up to
Type 3 AWD vehicles, also Type 4 production based 2WD vehicles (sports se-
dans). On the day, there will be a minimum of 4 x 1 km runs for each competitor.
The hill climb will be conducted under CAMS rules and regulations, and competi-
tors must hold a CAMS Level 2 Speed Event Licence.
Entries for the Sunday hill climb will open in October, parties interested in either
Saturday and/or Sunday can send an email to [email protected]
and you will be put on the mailing list.
DETAILS FOR SPECTATORS AND FAMILIES
Times: The hill climbs will run from 9:30 AM to around 4 PM on both days. A
courtesy shuttle bus will run all day both days catering for spectators to go up
and back to the main spectator area.
For more detail and entry forms, see CMHAC website http://
www.coomacarclub.com.au/
See also Cooma Car Club Facebook Page
For further general information, please contact:
Ian Hampton
Cooma Monaro Historic Automobile Club Inc.
0400 528 115
For further information about junior driver development, please contact:
Peter Heeley
0407 327 178
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 59
Pre-war
Malcolm Robertson (02) 6288 9343
Brian Oxley (02) 6281 2351
T Series
Brian Oxley (02) 6281 2351
Peter Dechaineux (02) 6281 5917
Peter Daley (02) 6291 0612
Kent Brown (02) 6255 4943
Y Series and MGA
Mike Stearn (02) 6231 1716
MGB
Kevin Kirk (02) 6231 4617
Kent Brown (02) 6255 4943
MGC Roadster and GT
Position Vacant
MG RV8
Graeme Rossiter (02) 6288 2477
MG Z Magnette
Peter Daley (02) 6291 0612
Midget/Sprite
John Harriott (02) 6292 8420
Ian Reid (02) 6231 8959
Modern MGs
Malcolm Robertson (02) 6288 9343
Restoration
Brian Oxley (02) 6281 2351
Mike Stearn (02) 6231 1716
Malcolm Robertson (02) 6288 9343
Club Trailer
Laurie Gardiner (02) 6293 4191
Club Servicing Facility & Tools
Laurie Gardiner (02) 6293 4191
Concessional Registration
Greg Whitfield 0498 107 658
(Northside)
Rob Chilman 0412 024 228
(Southside)
Club Service Centre: Our Club
has a well equipped under-cover
service centre at Budget Storage,
25 Yallourn St Fyshwick. It has all
the basic big-tools to enable you to
do repairs, service and/or clean
your car in a secure area, 24/7.
Simply contact Nigel French (who
owns Budget Storage) on the num-
ber above or 0413 646 321 to ar-
range a time to do the work or just
to have a look. The Service Centre,
and use of club tools, is free to Club
Members.
Help
Line
60 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
Marquet
Australia's only dedicated MG classifieds web site.
Developed by an MG enthusiast
for all MG enthusiasts & owners.
www.mgbuyswapsell.com.au
2004 MGZT 190 Plus
Xpower Grey. This car can only be described as being as new and is ready for
any concours display or detailed micro inspection. It is a vehicle for the MG en-
thusiast or someone who appreciates this high performance iconic marque. The
car has been meticulously maintained since new and comes with complete log
books and has only travelled 77,000 Klms. It has had two precautionary timing
belt changes undertaken in Melbourne with the second also including precau-
tionary new water pump. It comes with two keys.
The asking price for this one of a kind vehicle is $12,300.
Contact Charles Whitton on 0458 275 075.
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 61
1955 ZA Magnette (April 2017)
Built in January 1955 (Heritage Certificate) and owned
by me since 1979. Originally Victoria registered. Cur-
rently unregistered. Subject of a long-standing restora-
tion with new and reconditioned parts, all parts re-
chromed. After a complete strip-down and replacement
of panels it was repainted in in two-pack Maroon, a close match for its original
colour. To summarise, some of the upgrades: an MG B reconditioned overdrive
gearbox (No. 4) was fitted with a new 1622 cc long motor, MG A 4.3 new differ-
ential, MG A exhaust manifold, with new tail shaft, new Koni shock absorbers
with new and retempered springs. It was re-upholstered.
It comes with a vast array of body and mechanical spares. It also has its original
Victoria owner’s hand book, Workshop Manual
and most expenditure documents.
Offers
Contact: Ron 0410 907 490
Dismantled MGB 1969 Mk2 Offers (May 2017)
I was going to restore it, but I find that my age is catching up with me. I would
like to sell it.
Most parts are available, the body has been restored and is painted BRG,
doors, bonnet boot lid are in primer, other parts have been painted in primer.
Contact: Kerry Bain at [email protected]
62 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
Want to service your MG?
Got a rattle that is hard to find?
O ur Club has a well-equipped under-cover service centre with four
post hoist, Electronic Wheel Balancer capable of balancing wire
wheels, engine hoist and all the basic big-tools to enable you to do
repairs, service and/or clean your car in a secure area, 24/7.
Simply contact Club members Nigel French on 0413 646321, or
Laurie Gardiner (Club equipment custodian) on 62934191 or
0418488931 to arrange a time to do the work or just to have a look.
The workshop is located at:
Budget Storage,
25 Yallourn St
Fyshwick.
Map
The Service Centre and
use of Club tools is free
to Club members or
visiting members from
other clubs.
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 63
Wanted (Mar 17)
Pre loved instrument wiring harness for a 1969 MIDGET. Condition not impor-
tant as I really want the colour coded wires from same. Willing and happy to pay
nothing or an agreed price.
Contact: Doug [email protected]
For Sale—Wheel Spinners (March 17)
I am selling four wheel spinners from my MGB GT - 67 model set of four.
$190 for the all four
Contact: Francesca 0412 581566.
For Sale (Sep 17)
Large scale 1/18 MGB Mk 1 roadster as new in box Corgi fabulous model. $75
1/24 scale Jag 120R red as new in box Buogo $50
1/24 scale Mercedes 300 SL: Gullwing Silver as new in box Buogo $50
Or all3 for $150\
Black and Decker Workmate duel height folding with vice only $75
Contact Tony 62862282 or email [email protected]
Wanted (Apr 17)
Wanted to purchase SU Twin Carburettors 1 ½ in to suit MG Magnette
Contact: Graham at [email protected]
For Sale (Apr 17)
I have 10 MG B 48 x 14” spoke wire wheels, all in very good condition, which
are surplus to requirements. $75 each.
Also, I have one new 48 spoke wheel centre hub. $30.
Contact: Ron 0410 907 490
64 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
Wrecking 1999 MGF (Aug 2017)
Most parts available.
Car is right-off due to cost of repair. Rear right
damage to boot and lid, rear quarter and right hand
tail lights.
Also have VGC MGF Bonnet in Green, MGF Boot lid in Green.
Contact: Mark
0415 400 044
1956 Mk1 MGA (ex-Mike Stearn car) (May 2017)
In excellent condition and well known in the Canberra MG Car Club. This MGA
has travelled around 21,000 miles since a ground up restoration by the first
owner. I've owned the car for about 4.5 years and in that time have replaced the
wire wheels, tyres, hubs and oil seals and reconditioned the fuel pump. A great
car to drive around town or on the open road. I have some photos of the restora-
tion process and a list of the work that was undertaken.This car has the full
weather gear as shown in the photo.Note, this was a full ground up restoration
from an imported American LHD car. The
restoration was done to a very high standard
and with close attention to detail. The ac-
companying BMIHT certificate reflects the
known details of this car.This car is on full
ACT registration until 9 May 17.
Contact Phil at [email protected]
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 65
2003 MGZT190+ (Jun 2017)
Colour: Starlight Silver, 71,975 km, 5-speed manual, Build date: May 2003, ADR
Compliance date: August 2003
Our ZT190 that we purchased from a Melbourne dealer in 2012 is now for sale.
In January 2013 (at 66,000Ks), Mike Stearn replaced the following items with
genuine MG/Rover parts: front timing belt, idler and adjuster pulleys, drive belt,
idler and adjuster pulleys, thermostat housing, water pump, spark plugs, air
cleaner element, pollen filter. Mike also undertook a cooling system flush and
refill with "red" coolant and fitted the "orange" clip to fuel filter. The vehicle has
had regular oil and filter changes and is in very good overall mechanical condi-
tion. Other items replaced since our purchase in 2012 include: a metal thermo-
stat, brake fluid power flush, No 6 coil pack, aircon system evacuation and re-
charge, Revotec (gold resistor) cooling fan kit, new tyres, new battery and a
second horn.
Known current problem - CD
stuck in in-dash player.
Paintwork and interior are sub-
jectively assessed as 9/10. The
vehicle is currently registered in
the ACT.
Asking price $11,500
Contact Paul on (02) 61346386
or 0447588199
66 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
WANTED TO BUY (urgently!) (Feb 17)
Two or more Performance brand “Minilite” rims 14 x 6 JJ with splined hubs for
my MGB racecar. Must not have cracks in the “spokes” like mine which I dis-
covered at the Winton Festival of Sport racemeeting!
Please call Kent Brown on 0412 558 029 or email [email protected]
1966 MK1 Austin 1800 Manual, Green (Feb 2017)
ACT club plates. Purchased 4 years ago with the inten-
tion of replacing the clutch and adjusting gear change
cables. However that task is now beyond me, so have
opted to offer it for sale. Other than the above work, the
vehicle is in very good mechanical condition.
Body is straight, paintwork good for age and interior excellent. Since purchase I
have fitted new tyres, battery, poly engine mounts, spin-on oil filter, new front
seat webbing and retractable seat belts. A great car for someone into 1800s
and able to undertake the required mechanical work (car is drivable, but clutch
should be done asap).
Asking Price $3,500
Contact Paul on 0261346386 or 0447588199
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 67
FOR SALE - 1967 MGB (July 2017)
Built for Targa NZ.
1850cc. Close Ratio Gear Box CAMS Compliant full or
half roll cage.
CAMS log booked. 4.6/3.9 LSD's. Balance Bar brake adjuster.
Lots of Extra's (Original Seats, Hard & Soft top, Motors, Heads etc)
Would comply with group SB. Located in Newcastle area NSW.
$16,000 ONO
Contact Phil Horn -
0412020207
FOR SALE - 2002 Rover 75 Luxury Connoisseur (July 2017)
November 2002 Rover 75 Luxury Connoisseur 4
Door Sedan in top condition.
2.5 Litre V6 Quad Cam 5 speed Automatic Trans-
mission. Metallic gold with contrasting light tan
leather interior.
Many luxury features. This is a well cared for car.
Present owner for past 3 years. Engine oil and filters replaced at 10,000 km
intervals. Has travelled a relatively low 116,777 kms for its age. Very comfort-
able touring car that looks and drives like a much newer car. Such a pleasur-
able car to own and drive.
Treat yourself to a bit of luxury at an affordable price. Buyers looking for a late
model Rover Connoisseur 75 Sedan in top condition
will not be disappointed.
Asking price $7,950 is negotiable.
Enquiries to Paul Smith 0405 409 501
68 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
1964 MGB Mk 1 (June 2017)
MGB Mk1 registered with the Canberra MG Club un-
der historic registration No. 464. The car is a very early
example of the Mk1 built in Australia and the engine &
body compliance plate are both stamped number
2108. We believe the car was assembled in late 1964
and has a five bearing engine, pull door handles, roll
bar and comes with its original soft top and tonneau
cover. We have had the Nurberg White MGB for 17
years and appear to be the second owner on the paperwork provided to us.
Well maintained and has been preserved in original condition with low mile-
age of 37,505 when it was inspected and registered in May 2017 (NSW reg-
istration). The car has not been entered in any MG time trials or race events
to preserve its condition and originality. We also have an original customised
hardtop that has never been used and other extras (e.g. original workshop
manual, jack, wheel mallet and heater). There is also an additional new/
unused soft top, tonneau cover, skirt and used ribs available. This is a reluc-
tant sale due to ill health and we would prefer the car to be sold to another
MG enthusiast. We are looking for genuine buyers with offers around
$18,000 .
Contact: Michael [email protected]
September 2017 Tappet Chatter 69
70 MG Car Club Canberra September 2017
