The French Connection 1 Volume 26, Number 11 2014

The French Connection 1

Club Automobile Francais P.O. Box 330

Campbelltown 5074 South Australia

Volume 26, Number 11 2014

CLUB MEETINGS LAST Thursday of the Month (except DECEMBER) Austin 7 Club-rooms, 262 Tapleys Hill Rd. Seaton

www.clubautofrancais.com


Cover picture OK, did you guess this one? Yep, it’s a 1953 Panhard Junior cabriolet. I’ve never seen or heard of one before, It’s based on a Panhard Dyna with the same 850cc aircooled flat twin engine. This example has been totally restored and is on sale in the UK for just 32,500 pounds.


Club Night Thursday November 27 GENERAL MEETING

Presentation about the R12 fitted with bath and toilet

NOTE Meeting starts 7 30 sharp

COMING EVENTS

November 27 General Meeting December 7 Christmas lunch at West Lakes details p 2 January 29 General Meeting

PRESIDENT’S PRATTLINGS

I cannot believe another year has almost gone, with Christmas rapidly approaching – where does the time go? The club has had another successful year with , again , an ac-tive social program arranged by our Social Committee , with most events well attended. We look forward to our Club Christmas Lunch at the Lakeside Hotel – bookings for this lunch are limited to 50 and bookings will close after our next meeting as firm num-bers need to given to the hotel. If you have-n’t booked , you need to do so very soon as late bookings unfortunately will not be ac-cepted. We have had many highlights during 2014 , particularly our very successful Swap Meet, and I thank all members who have helped to make 2014 so successful. Kathy and I thank all members and families for your support and friendship during 2014 and we look forward to another great year in 2015 Kathy and I wish all our members and fami-lies a happy , Holy and save festive season and may 2015 bring you all everything you may wish. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY AND REWARDING NEW YEAR TO ALL. Happy Motoring, Trevor Donaldson


The Editorial

THE EDITORIAL Valerie and I got to 2 Club outings this month. Firstly the Semaphore Twilight Walk with Fish & Chips and then the Clayton Bay Picnic. We took the trophy winning 16TS to Clayton and it went very well. The only problem was that at speed the engine noise drowned out the radio/CD unless the volume was way up, which then made the sound quality poor. Decent speakers may be the answer. I don’t seem to have had time to spend on the DS21 as I needed to check the extensive gar-den watering system to find out why a lot of our native plants died over last summer. The answer was that most of the drippers were totally clogged. Below you will find an article from the local press in September about the Bendix brake pads Euro+ range. It sounds promising. I had a lot of trouble with this issue (don’t I always?) with the auto wrap feature in the Publisher software. This normally al-lows you to add photos into a text file and ‘magically’ the text wraps itself around a photo. But it wasn’t happening, no matter what I did. So I went to bed feeling very annoyed. The ‘gods’ took pity on me and in the morning it was back to normal. I came across an interesting car book at our local Browse In & Save shop recently and had to buy it. It is titled ‘1001 Dream Cars’ and originally cost $40+ so at $10 for 320pages was a good buy. Quite a few of our favourite French cars appear (of course, I hear you say) but I was surprised by the number of makes which I had never heard of: they were very low volume models. This is the last French Connection for this year, so I wish you all a happy, safe Christmas & start to the New Year. I should see many of you at the Christmas Lunch.



This engine is currently available here in the new base model Peugeot 308. The only down-side is that it requires, like most of the hi-tech Euro engines, premium fuel. It is a pity that the local Peugeot dealer apparently has no interest in this Club.


The Clayton Bay Picnic

The weather was kind, sunny and getting hot in the sun. The limited shade under trees was gone before we arrived, after meeting in Strathalbyn. A stronger breeze would have been nice. This contrasted with the storms and rain of the day before. Craig put up his sun shelter, as did the R8 group nearby. A deficiency in chairs in our group was solved by Craig backing up his Bedford ute and using the tailgate as seating. Club Citroen found some shade in a far corner of the paddock/reserve. I thought that there were less cars than at previous events, perhaps because the publicity was later than usual. For some reason the cars were displayed further from the toilets, BBQs and the shop than in previous years. Apart from CAF member & friends Renaults and the Citroens (3x 2CVs, an SM and a Trac-tion) there was a Delage and a Le Zebre from the 20s. Other cars which appealed to me were a red Porsche, a Triumph TR5, a 30s Alvis tourer and a Jaguar XK120 coupe. The Caravelles of Sally Thompson and Colin Pauley were much admired. We decided to travel home via Milang to get a closeup of the lake and the cute little shacks by the shore. It was good to see that the lake is still full. Don S See photos page 9


The Twilight Walk & Fish and Chips Supper

This turned out to be more an afternoon walk, (for some) and a fish & chips dinner. But that did not matter. Thirteen members eventually turned up; Valerie and I arrived later and Geoff & Chris Chennels later still, having already attended the Club Citroen Pizza Lunch in the hills. The weather was pleasant and we setup ad-jacent the Semaphore jetty entrance and the children’s playground. It was good to see Henk, with his electric sports tourer (I should have taken a photo) and Joy. Peter Hebart had his 403 nearby, Craig and Ann came in the 204 and the Chennels used their lovely 2CV. The rest came in our ‘moderns’. There was a kiosk close by, where some bought their fish and chips, whilst others of us ventured up Semaphore road to the well-regarded Sotos fish shop. I took the oppor-tunity to take a walk up the road. As I re-called from my last visit there are some in-teresting shops, mostly closed on the Sun-day! Some of us had far more chips than we re-quired. Geoff decided that the seagulls needed feeding and they were very keen on that idea – see the photo (sorry about the quality) of the ‘birdman’. As twilight approached we left for home. It had been a relaxing, enjoyable event. Don S


A beautifully restored & very rare Australian made 1920s Chic

CAF member cars were entirely Renaults — plus one Bedford ute.


CAF member profile – Don (John) Stacy I was born in Adelaide in 1938, so I’m a prewar product. I moved to Perth in 1968, married Vera-Ann there in 1970 and then moved to Darwin in 1971. Both sons, Callum and Adrian, were born there. We liked living there, even in the wet season, but Cyclone Tracy resulted in a move back to Adelaide in late 1975. I enjoyed sailing and racing a Black Witch catamaran in Darwin before Tracy trashed it- ditto our house. I have lived in Hawthorndene with Valerie for nearly 10 years. We love living here except when it’s the bushfire season! My first job was with the SA Housing Trust as a trainee draftsman and I commenced studying Ar-chitecture part-time. I eventually realised that I had little or no creative ability and was sick of study. I got a job with the Dept. of Civil Aviation as a draftsman and then moved to the buildings section. Through a number of departmental name changes I stayed there until I became part of the Federal Airports Corporation in 1988. I was responsible for building works on the Airport. My favourite movie is probably War and Peace or Dr. Zhivago but I particularly enjoy French movies. My favorite music genre is Classical – particularly French, Russian or Spanish but also Jazz, Folk and World, especially Indian (love the sitar) Oh, I nearly forgot my nostalgia for pop from the 50s and 60s. I was never a sportsman but enjoyed sailing and dragonboat racing and tried to play tennis! I enjoy watching motorsport, tennis and sailing. My major hobby is playing around with, restoring (sort of) and driving older French cars. An uncle gave me a 1928 baby Peugeot, which was not running and, at 15, I could not get it to go. After a cou-ple of English cars and a Fiat 1100, I got a Peugeot 403 and ‘the die was cast’. After 2 more pommy cars, TR3 and MiniCooper, I owned French cars almost exclusively from then on, starting with a Cit-roen ID19, followed by a 404 and then an Alfa Romeo Guilia Sprint Coupe. But they were mostly Peugeot 403s and 404s, which I ran on a shoestring as a second car. I usually paid around $300 and did some tidying up on them. I bought a new 504 auto in Darwin in 1973. It was a ‘lemon’ unfortunately but we had it for 13 years. I then tried a VW Passat and then a Ford Meteor, both no substitute for a proper French car! At one time, after my sons went to the UK, I owned the 504, a 403, a 404 and a 505STI. Next came a 505GTI then a 405. Moving on we replaced Valerie’s car with a 406. Then came a Golf diesel, re-placed by a Citroen C4 diesel and finally our current Golf petrol. But of course I also have a nice 16TS and the problematic DS21. So you could say that I am a French car ‘tragic’. I believe that the great days in Australia were the 60s and 70s. They managed to combine comfort and handling with good styling and practicality. I like driving in France and have been trying to learn the French language for years. My all-time favourite French car is the Alpine A610 and non-French car is the 1960 Ferrari 250GT SWB. The first car I drove was my father’s 1935 Hudson Terraplane. The first car I owned was a 1947 Hillman Minx Drophead Coupe (very rare – I have never seen another one) followed soon by a 1949 MG TC. Whilst I owned it I was a member of the MG Club. In 1988 I was instrumental in starting Club Auto-mobile Francais, was the second President and am currently on the committee and serving as editor. I am also a member of Club Citroen of SA.



Collection for Sale Renault Colorale 85, 15 cwt Coupe Utility 1953 model. In good restorable condition, with an-other complete Ute for spare parts. Citroen B14 Doctors Coupe 1927 model. One of 2 in the world! Part restored pus lots of spare parts—engines, gearboxes, and diffs. Peugeot 203 Van 1953. Older restoration. Peugeot 203 sedan 1953. Complete. Renault Dauphine Gordini 1962. 95% restored. Lots of parts, parts books, owners handbooks etc. to suit the above.

Phone Malcolm Poulton - 87394034 (Glencoe SE)

A Peugeot 504 Ute—not seen in Australia. In well-used unrestored condition. So where do think this was photo-graphed?

This market is supposed to be bigger and bet-ter this year. There will be a Citroen display on the Friday night.


For Sale

Wanted for an R16—Tyres 155 x 14 , or even 165 x 14, preferably Michelin, with useful amount of legal tread. Don Stacy 8370 2674

For Sale RHS Tail-light lens for Renault 15/17 Good condition but needs yellow touchup. Don 8370 2674

Isn’t she a beauty! A reluctant Sale

We have to sell our beautiful and carefully restored 1962 Peugeot 404 due to space considerations, etc. Mechanically sound and mostly original. This was one of the first of this icon model sold in South Australia. It comes with a range of spare parts, memora-bilia and other items that we can discuss. Phone Daryl on 0427 606 113 or email: [email protected]

For Sale a heater/demister unit for a Renault 21 TXE Brand new, unused—will send to any-where in Australia. Was $600 new, asking $200.

Contact Jim Campbell (03) 64256449 (Ulverstone Tasmania)

For Sale Renault Koleos Privilege 2009 Top of the range auto with leather-seats and 2-way sunroof. Full Renault service and kept under cover . 2.5L petrol(shared motor with X-trail) Very well equipped and versatile — 4x4 on demand. Silver duco and beige leather. $17,950 0438 816 103


CAF Life Members Don Roberts (1999) deceased Peter Bennett (2005) deceased Max Easther (2011) deceased David McDonough (2006) Peter Roberts (2011) Don Stacy(2011) Colin Redmond(2012) Bob Scobie (2013) Max & Mary Medwell (2013)

RENAULT EURODRIVE give our financial Club members a 10% discount on leases of their cars in France. This involves booking direct with the Sydney office. Check their web-site -www.renaulteurodrive.com.au. for de-tails of the normal rates. NOTE—check with Paul Hodges on 1300 55 11 60 for cur-rent offers.

Membership Fees

Full membership $40

Concessional (student, pension or unemployed) $30

Family +$10

Web Sites of interest to French car fans Aussiefrogs.com.au Bringatrailer.com/category/french Themotorreport.com Citroen.com.au Peugeot.com.au Renault.com.au RenaultOwnersClub.org Autonews.com Autoblog.com

Lion automobiles have relocated to Unit 3/56 Audrey Ave Blair Athol. This is lo-cated behind the BP service station on Main north Rd. Phone is still 8162 9350


CLUB INFORMATION AND SERVICES 2014 COMMITTEE CLUB MEETINGS

7.30pm – LAST Thursday of the month - Austin 7 Clubrooms, 262 Tapleys Hill Rd Seaton

CLUB MAILING ADDRESS Club Automobile Francais P.O.Box 330, Campbelltown, SA, 5074 CLASSIFIEDS & MAGAZINE CONTRIBUTIONS Must be received by end of week 3 of the month

EDITOR Don Stacy 8370 2674 [email protected]

DISCLAIMER Options expressed in French Connection are not necessarily those of the Editor, CAF or its offi-cers and all articles are published in good faith and responsibility will not be accepted.

PRESIDENT Trevor Donaldson

0409 281967 [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT Kim Horsnell

8364 1369 [email protected]

SECRETARY David McDonough

8365 2730 0414 372 210

TREASURER Steve Chamberlain 7324 3748 0458 008 130

PROGRAM CO-ORDINATOR Jeff MacGuire 8270 3351 [email protected]

GENERAL COMMITTEE Kym Olsen

0412 016844

GENERAL COMMITTEE Bob Scobie

8393 9885

GENERAL COMMITTEE Carolyn Chamberlain

7324 3748 0417 329169 [email protected]

HISTORIC REGISTRATION Colin Pauley 82613673 10 Rosslyn Ave. Manningham 5086

MAGAZINE CIRCULATION

Ron Clark 0402 784 963

NOTE for new members - Please allow up to six weeks for new membership to be processed.


Escape grey days in the Ren-ault Koleos — at low weekly prices plus 0% p.a. comparison rate finance^, you won't find a better value premium SUV. Like all Renault passenger vehi-cles, the Koleos is backed by a 5-year unlimited km Warranty with Roadside Assistance and 3 years Capped Price Servicing.#

284 Unley Rd. Hyde Park 5061 contact (08) 8306 7777 NOTE - Clio prices now reduced by $1,000

Documents

The French Connection 1 Volume 26, Number 11 2014