ILLAWARRA NOTES

Noticed mentioned at the Sydney Committee Meeting on the 6th March was a very poor response to the February sell and swap night with members showing a marked lack of participation. It really is hard to fathom just what the club, (and the Illawarra Branch in particular), needs to do to stir up enthusiasm and participation on these nights! Admittedly its generally seen that a few members only seem to turn out on these nights, (obviously seeking something for nothing), but they invariably don’t bring anything in for sale, to contribute to the flavour on the night. Of course everyone wants a working chronometric speedo for $50 or a Norton gearbox for $100, and the same for a Triumph petrol tank. Get real and wake up you miserable lot of tight pockets, the real world is a whole lot removed from there and if you want a reality check, trawl the E-Bay scene or query a few of the well-known dealers and they will soon shatter your delusions. However if more support from the members is not forthcoming these nights will just die out, and that’s a shame because some other clubs can run this type of mini swap meet with great success, but it must have about 90% more participation from the members.

As my literary protagonist, (and good friend), Trevor Murray indicates, maybe – in retrospect – we could inadvertently be really singing from the same song sheet in regards to the vexed library disputation, as what to keep if the necessity arose that part of the collection of books and other paraphernalia needed to be culled. I’m sure – in the end – that virtually all members would be hopeful, that the library would keep the printed work that would (in the most run) be most competent in answering pertinent questions in relation to any of the classic marques. Maybe – in retrospect – the discussion has ended in a draw, however if it is intended to dispose of any monthly journals or magazines, we – in the Illawarra – would be pleased to correlate their content and pass them on to members who may have a pecuniary interest in particular marques, as we have successfully accomplished over the past three years, and possibly Central West and Albury/Wodonga could also subscribe to the same idea of process.

As a further indication that the seasons are changing, Illawarra’s mid-week run on the 4th April had the weather aspect of a mid-spring run rather than a mid-autumn event as a temperature of 25ºC greeted Ron’s Runners at the Key Batteries venue for the 10am start. Fifteen machines were on hand along with a couple of cars and one on foot, (who has lost both his Historic Plated machines in the on-going A.M.C. Corner sale). The lunch venue for the run was to be at the Robertson Pie Shop where apparently a new proprietor has regurgitated the quality of the delicacy to somewhere akin to the taste of a few years ago. The jury could still be out on that dissertation. Of course the main topic at Key Batteries was the serious operation just two days prior on one of the Illawarra’s most prolific rally attenders, who is a fixture at the annual Ariel Rally throughout Australia and is always seen at the Sydney C.E.M.C.C. Rally at Wallerawang, Raymond Terrace, wherever. Allan had a quadruple bypass surgery, and this has come as a complete surprise to those members of the Classic Club who have ridden and associated with him over the years, as Allan has long since been regarded as the virtual benchmark of good health and a health hiccup never seemed to be on the cards for him. Everyone sends their best wishes for a rapid return to good health for him, and hopefully the note from the Ariels will not be all that far away.

Illawarra Programme – April.

Easter Monday as Club Night – not necessarily a good combination and there were only fifty two in attendance on the 9th April. Nevertheless a very unusual machine was brought in by club member Alex Shaw, who – some forty years ago – purchased a 1946 B.S.A. 250cc O.H.V. C11 for the outlandish price of $10. The machine is unique on the post-war scene as it had Girder forks, (now a highly prized commodity on the classic/vintage scene). He has done an excellent restoration from the ground up on a machine, where parts would not have been easy to come by, and the finished machine is a credit to his dedication in completing a difficult restoration and the perseverance in never giving up the quest which – at times – looked impossible. Alex gave a very extensive discourse on the trials and tribulations he experienced in the pursuit of excellence, and the finished machine on display was a credit to him, (and possibly his wife and mentor who probably suffered long periods of isolation as he slaved away in the garage). Nevertheless, the finished machine cancels out all those lost hours so Alex is set to enjoy the finished result for many years, and thanks to the both of them for taking the time and effort to bring it in for all the attendees at the meeting to view and enjoy. It will make an interesting display at the Father’s Day Mall exhibition on Saturday the 1st September.

The current and on-going sale of A.J.S. and Matchless machines, projects, competition motors, associated parts and paraphernalia out of A.M.C. Corner Wollongong (PH 42285338), comes after a fifty year hiatus during which everything was collected and nothing, (much), was ever disposed of! Lordy, how things can change, (virtually overnight as it were). Everything is now completely reversed and so far five machines have been moved on , with three “expressions of interest” on the books, so things are gathering momentum, and the adverts in the Clatter, (also going out on the internet), have been a big facilitation in getting the word out and about so many thanks to editor Jack for his patience with my adverts.