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May 2017 Tappet Chatter
Journal of the MG Car Club of CanberraJournal of the MG Car Club of Canberra
Number 422 May 2017Number 422 May 2017
Tappet ChatterTappet Chatter
2 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
0413 646 321
May 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
Club Workshop Day 13
A New Disease 16
Vintage & Classic Pre 1960’s Car Rally 17
Monthly Club Run - Poachers Pantry 19
Electrical Theory by Joseph Lucas 23
Club Calendar 24
Midweek Meanders & Other Events 25
Sporting Report 27
Motorkhana Results 33
MG GS - an Australia Review 34
Help Line 40
Marquet 41
Acknowledgments – the editorial team thanks all
who contributed articles and photographs for this
month’s magazine.
Tappet Chatter Number 422 May 2017
Banking Details
BSB: 633-000
Account: 144920741
Account Name: MG Car Club Canberra Inc
1 A, 2 B’s and 3 F’s
Cover Photo - Naomi Horsfield
4 MG Car Club Canberra May 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 (02) 6288 8093 [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]
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 5
I t was a terrific Autumn Weekend Away to Oberon at the end of
April; perfect weather and great country roads well suited to MGs. There
were 38 members on the tour in a variety of vehicles both old and new with visits
to a sculpture garden, the Mayfield Garden just outside of Oberon and the
Helmshore Manor Alpaca farm, high in the Central Tablelands, on the Sunday
home leg. It was an absolute delight to spend the 3 days with a wonderful group
of friends sharing new adventures while also providing very practical support to
a rural community by way of our accommodation, meals, fuel, bottle shops and
the various cafes and coffee shops visited during the tour.
Interestingly it was the modern MGs that seemed to have issues this tour. One
battery died and needed replacing, keys locked in the boot of another and a third
having orange popsicle coloured coolant fountained all over the boot when the
pressure valve in the expansion tank failed. But fortunately for all concerned, just
hiccups along the way with none of the issues causing an abandonment of the
weekends activities. But a salutary lesson in the importance and value of road-
side assistance regardless of the age of the vehicle. I’d have to take my hat off
to the NRMA mechanic though who spent what seemed like hours retrieving the
keys in the boot because he was not going to let the situation remain unre-
solved! Particularly when the recommended way to get access to a locked boot
in the MGF/TF is to smash the rear lights given the extreme difficulty in getting
access otherwise.
Our guest speaker on the Saturday night was a local grazier/motel owner who
has spent virtually all of his life in the Oberon district. It was interesting to hear
how he has witnessed changes in the country side and weather over the dec-
ades which perhaps illustrate the influence of climate change for those on the
land and the challenges they face. A high point of the dinner was our raffle which
managed to raise over $450 for our Community Support organisation Alz-
heimer’s Australia (ACT) thanks to the generosity of all at the dinner.
I note the registration forms etc have already been just been sent out for the an-
nual Gathering of the Faithful in Wagga this year over the weekend of 8-10 Sep-
tember. This is always a good weekend of social activities and cars so you might
want to check your calendar for your availability.
President’s Piece
6 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
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
On the subject of MG activities, don’t forget our motorkhana on Sunday 28th of
this month. Volunteers always welcome to help with stopwatches, recording and
course setup etc. You will be richly rewarded with a hot coffee and lunch gratis
and get to see some exciting driving from a whole variety of cars; but too, feel
free to enter your MG as there is no experience required for these events; you
work at your own pace and only compete against yourself. So do come out and
have a look or a drive or help out if you can.
Till next time then, In your Marques...get set...Go
Greg Whitfield
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 7
8 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
Membership Renewal
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.
Wheels of Wamboin 2017
Saturday 20 May 2017 9 am - 1pm
Peter Evans tells us
“The 2017 Wheels of Wamboin will be
held on Saturday 20th May 2017 –
from 9.00am to 1.00pm. The event will
be held at the Wamboin Hall, Bingley
Way Wamboin NSW (off Norton Road
via Sutton Road).
Last year we had around 120 cars.
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 June 2017 issue of Tappet Chatter to the Editor by Friday 27 May 2017 at:
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 9
The beauty of the Wheels of Wamboin
is the huge variety from all marques in
a truly country atmosphere. All sorts of
automotive machines including old,
new and interesting cars, motor bikes,
trucks and even tractors are welcome.
We will also have the fantastic station-
ary engine display on the day. It’s a
great day to wander around and share
your passion with fellow enthusiasts.
A bonus on the day is the opportunity
to pick up some healthy bargains at
the monthly home produce markets.
There will also be freshly brewed cof-
fee and the local Wamboin RFS will
also be running a BBQ. If you are in-
terested in displaying your mechanical
marvel please just turn up on the day.
No booking or notice required. For
further information pls contact
Display entry is a gold coin donation
and swap tables (provided) are $5
(remember to bring your cash as there
is no EFTPOS out in the
sticks). As per the past
years there is only one
trophy for the day
“People’s Choice”.
It will be a great day for
a short run out to the
country to stretch those
legs.”
The display is at 112
Bingley Way, Wamboin
NSW 2620, Australia
Map
Facebook Page
Website
10 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
Motorkhana.
Sunday 28 May 2017 8:30am to
3:30pm
The next MGCCC motorkhana will be
held on Sunday, 28 May 2017 at our
usual venue, the Vehicle Manoeuvring
Area (VMA) of the Transport Industries
Skills Centre, or TISC, on Sutton Road
Majura ACT 2609. From Canberra, go
past the airport and turn left into Sut-
ton Road just before you get to
Queanbeyan. About 800m up the
road heading north, and just past the
Fairbairn Hill climb Circuit, the TISC
gates, prominently signposted, are on
your left.
Competitors start arriving from about
8am for scrutineering. Officials and
helpers arrive around 8:45am for a
safety briefing at 9:00am. Competition
commences at approximately 9:30am.
There are usually around 30-35 com-
petitors.
All competitors have two runs each on
two separate patterns, then a short
break while new patterns are set up
and the process repeated. There's
always time for a "cuppa" between
runs. Lunch is after the second set of
runs for about 30 minutes or so and is
then followed by the last series of two
patterns; a total of 6 patterns in all for
the day. Generally, we wrap up pro-
ceedings no later than 3:00pm when
everyone heads home for a well-
deserved rest.
Visitor and spectators are welcome at
any time. There is plenty of parking
and viewing opportunities. Those Club
members who assist on the day with
timing runs, recording results, monitor-
ing competitors etc. can all avail them-
selves with tea/coffee/soft drinks/
water/ sausage sandwiches and so on
at no cost from the Girl Guides who
provide a great support service.
If you want to try your hand at a mo-
torkhana - you are only competing
against yourself - a non-speed event
licence costs $75 for 12 months (4
motorkhanas) plus the event entry fee
which is $25 for Club members driving
an MG. And if it's your first attempt at
a motorkhana then the entry cost is
waived.
If you want to compete or assist,
please let Kent Brown know by email
[email protected] or mobile on
0412 558 029. Everyone is welcome in
whatever capacity you choose!
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 11
Dickson Motor Vehicle Inspection
Station
The Access Canberra Dickson Motor
Vehicle Inspection Station (MVIS) will
be closed from 4pm the 12th May
2017, and will not reopen.
The new facilities at 29 Couranga
Crescent Hume will be opened to the
public and conduct vehicle inspections
from 8am Monday 22nd
May.
Only electronic payment methods
(EfTPOS) are being accepted at
Hume. Note that the Hume MVIS will
not have any registration shopfront
facilities or transactions, only vehicle
inspections.
Also, anyone that enters the new in-
spection lanes, MUST sign and un-
dergo the Work Health Safety (WHS)
awareness induction process or will
need to remain in the customer waiting
room. All visitors entering the inspec-
tion station pit area MUST wear a
HiViv vest and be accompanied by a
staff member.
Nominations for Committee Positions
With the AGM fast approaching, the
club would like you to consider nomi-
nating for a position on the committee.
The current President must stand
down this year as he has completed
the maximum 3 year term. Other posi-
tions are worth considering too, so
have a think about it. What could you
achieve? How can you make the club
better? Elections will be at the AGM
in September.
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
12 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
With ANZAC Day still fresh in our minds, it seems appropriate to include a trib-
ute to our Veterans, past and present, in this months edition. The following was
forwarded by Peter Dx, and I feel it is an apt and haunting rendition of The Last
Post. Simply click images to watch video’s
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 13
T his is the largest and most de-
tailed encyclopedic study every
produced of all models of cars pro-
duced by British manufacturers in the
period. Just over 700 individual mod-
els are covered in text entries totaling
more than 250,000 words. Full specifi-
cations and performance figures are
given, along with production numbers
and dates. All the entries are illus-
trated with contemporary photographs
from the archives - overall views,
model variants, interiors, dashboards,
engine bays, and cars rallying or rac-
ing. This wonderful range of photo-
graphs not only provides essential
information but also builds up a pano-
ramic view of motoring and the devel-
opment of the car in the period.
During the 1960s, the automobile
finally secured its position as an
indispensable component of daily
life in Britain. Car ownership
more than doubled from approxi-
mately one car for every 10 peo-
ple in 1960 to one car for every
4.8 people by 1970. Consumers
no longer asked "Do we need a
car?" but "What car shall we
have?"
This well-illustrated history ana-
lyzes how both domestic car
manufacturers and importers ad-
vertised their products in this
growing market, identifying
trends and themes. Over 180 ad-
vertisement illustrations are in-
cluded.
Books
14 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
We are doing it all again and would like to invite you and your friend to be part of
the 2nd Camp Quality Classic Cruise, aimed at raising much needed money for
kids living with cancer and also to have a wonderful classic car event. It is open
to cars and trucks 20 years and older, motorcycles of any age, any cars affiliated
with a car club and exotic vehicles (ie Porsche, Ferrari etc) and will be held in
Canberra on 10th September 2017. We will be meeting at Mawson Playing fields
in Mawson at 9am for a 10am departure and cruising through Canberra to the
lawns of Old Parliament House to show off the lovely cars. Food and refresh-
ments will be available when you arrive at the destination. The day will wrap up
around 3pm.
Registrations are open, so you can sign up now. All participating vehicles need
to reach the $50 target for cars and trucks and $25 for motorcycles this can be
done through fundraising efforts or by donating themselves, via their everyday
hero fundraising page, it's easy via the online Camp Quality portal. Once you
have reached your $50 target you are encouraged to continue fundraising to try
and be the highest fundraiser, who will have the honour of leading the 2nd Camp
Quality Cruise!!
If you do not wish to register for Everyday hero I have attached the registration
form and you can deposit the $50 donation into our Community Support Account
directly that is shown on the form, then email the form back to me.
Everything you need to know, can be found via the following links and attach-
ments, map of the route, date, registration etc.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Camp-Quality-Classic-Cruise-
1735488846667345/?ref=ts&fref=ts
Registration via Everyday Hero: http://www.campqualityfundraising.org.au/event/
classic-cruise-2017
If you had fun last year, fasten your seatbelt, start your engines and let’s do it all
again!!
Invitation to participate in the 2nd Camp Quality
Classic Cruise - Sept 10 2017 Canberra
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 15
16 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
Click on Cover to open other Club magazines
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 17
18 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
Thank you NRMA, and
YES, I know I am an idiot
by Brian Calder
I t was mid-morning on the Saturday
of our weekend away. After break-
fast in a café, Christine had elected to
check out the shops in Oberon while I
quickly ducked back to the motel to
make final arrangements with our
guest speaker, to visit the RSL for the
set up for our dinner that night, to
make a final contact with Mayfield
Garden, and to do the many little
things you need to do to make a week-
end away actually happen. All this
would neatly fit into the one hour be-
fore we assembled for departure to
Mayfield. Well it should have, anyway.
What happened was that when I got
out of Christine’s TF(2) at the motel to
get some things from the boot and
needed two hands, I placed the car
keys in an obvious spot in the boot.
Now to duck into the motel room, - and
yes, I closed the boot. Oops, the keys
are in there!!
If you have an MG F or a TF(2) you
know that there is a very good security
system – you can’t open the boot with-
out a key, and you can’t even open the
front boot without accessing the rear
boot. And there is no access to the
boot except by opening it. Oh dear –
and the spare key was at home!
First was a quick call to Greg Whitfield
who knows a lot about TF(2)’s. He
said it wasn’t a problem on his car be-
cause he had put in a remote boot
release. Well that was helpful because
I hadn’t. He also said that what the
websites say is that the best way in, is
to smash the rear tail light. Great! So,
next was a call to the NRMA in
Oberon. I was given a direct number
by the motel to Michael who is the
NRMA man. He also has a repair busi-
Brian—once again reunited with his
waywood keys
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 19
ness in town. Michael said that he
was on his way, but would I also
please check in through the NRMA
1300 number. On arrival Michael
looked at me with those ‘…you idiot
eyes...’, but also said that he would
get in for me. Problem solved, this
should only take a few minutes. He
checked his special NRMA website
which said to come into the boot from
the right-hand side with wire, and en-
gage the lock. His NRMA website also
said’ ‘…this is very difficult and may
involve many attempts’… By now a
helpful crowd of Club members had
arrived to oversee Michael.
Well it took Michael over 3 hours to
crack it with a wonderful tool kit of
wires. It would not have been possi-
ble without a model car parked next
door to look at – first Peter & Val
Long’s, and then later Kerry Atkins’.
During the 3 hours Michael was called
away twice while I stepped in to also
have a go. In the end, it was luck and
the pretty poor panel fit that enabled
Michael to crack it. Pop went the
boot.
How to make sure it never happens
again? Just get a key cut (that is not
an electronic key) and either keep it in
the glove box or taped/wired to some-
where underneath the car. Simple,
isn’t it?
Thank you to Michael and NRMA.
This year I will not hesitate in paying
my roadside service renewal. During
the 3 hours, while I had increasingly
become resigned to hitching a lift
home to get the spare keys, Michael
reassured me that he had never been
beaten on breaking into a car, and
would not give up. I think that’s real
country service.
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
20 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
MGCC Canberra
Presentation Dinner
Saturday 29 July 2017
This years Presentation
Dinner will be held in one of
the dining rooms of the
Royal Canberra Golf Club.
Cost $70.00 per person
Set amidst the magnificent Westbourne
Woods arboretum, Royal Canberra is
superbly picturesque with perfectly
manicured, pure bent grass greens and
fairways. Filled with elegance and
character it is a wonderfull venue for
our premier event of the year.
Come along and enjoy an outstanding example of some of Can-
berra's finest cuisine in an atmosphere of fun, frivolity, merriment
and mirth.
Details published as they become Click map to activate
available
Contact: Gail Argyle
via email
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 21
22 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
affiliated members but, in essence, such reviews are fundamental to sound
business practice.
Yours sincerely,
Greg Whitfield President
MG Car Club Canberra Inc.
Attachment:
Key issues identified by MG Car Club Canberra Inc. for consideration by
the Working Group established
by the CACTMC to review the Council’s fundamentals
1. As an interested, active, and foundation member of the Council of ACT Mo-
tor Clubs (CACTMC), MG Car Club Canberra Incorporated (MGCCC) appreci-
ates the opportunity to make a formal submission to the Review of the Funda-
mentals of the CACTMC.
Background
2. MGCCC is a club of approximately 300 ordinary members. MGCCC has
around 75 cars on ACT concessional registration and actively caters for mo-
torsport (multi-club), display, touring, restoration, and social activities for its
members.
3. The Constitution of MGCCC strictly limits the number of members who do
not own an MG marque car.
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 23
4. For this review, MGCCC:
Has circulated the terms of reference (ToR) of the review to all its mem-
bers
Has invited responses from its members to both the ToR and to a draft
Club response
Has reviewed at Committee level all responses received and appropri-
ately incorporated these in the response now provided to the working
group.
5. The views expressed in the MGCCC response are therefore the considered,
collective views of 300 motoring enthusiasts across all facets of hobby-motoring
in the ACT; and are also the particular view of the largest single-marque car
club in the ACT.
6. For the purpose of this review, MGCCC does not accept that ‘silence’ or a
failure to respond from any currently affiliated car club denotes acceptance of
the current CACTMC arrangements. Rather, a failure to provide a response
should be considered by the review team to represent disinterest.
Key Review Issues for MGCCC
Role
7. The Council should have a defined role (not a broad, open role as it is cur-
rently considered to have). The role of the Council should be limited to:
(a). represent and advance the interests of historic and hobby motoring
Clubs and motorists in the Canberra region.
(b). promote, within the Canberra region, the restoration, preservation and
display to the public of Australia’s motoring heritage and historic or
hobby motoring vehicles. These vehicles include but are not limited to
cars, motorcycles, trucks, buses, tractors and other forms of transport.
Membership
8. Membership of the Council should be in two categories:
(a). Affiliated Clubs and organisations
For Clubs there must be strict minimum requirements based on test-
able and enduring bona-fides including minimum ordinary members
24 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
and normally, incorporation in the ACT. No individual person (hobby
motorist) should be able to be counted twice for the purposes of affilia-
tion of a Club. This means that a person may not be separately consid-
ered a member of more than one Club for the purpose of meeting the
minimum membership numbers of a Club. It also means that any one
person cannot be a delegate or voting representative of more than one
Affiliated Club. If a person is a member of more than one Affiliated
Club then that person must advise the CACTMC in writing of which
club they are deemed to represent prior to becoming a delegate or a
voting representative.
(b). Associated Clubs and organisations
Other interested (but less formal) clubs and associations. Minimum
fees should be involved for Associated Council membership and there
should be no Council voting rights and no CRS eligibility.
Structure
9. The Council should not operate like a Club, and should not have a Club Con-
stitution (which it is considered it currently does given it has a Constitution and
By-laws drawn directly from a model constitution for a club).
10. The Council does not need to meet monthly and it does not need a Commit-
tee. It should only meet in ‘general-session’, approximately six times per year,
and it should have an Executive – which is quite different to a Committee of
management.
11. The Council should have an Executive drawn from Affiliated Clubs and or-
ganisations with the following restrictions:
(a). An Affiliated Club shall have no more than two members on the
Council Executive.
(b). An Associated Club or organisation shall have no more than one
member on the Council Executive, provided that conflict of interest is-
sues are appropriately addressed.
(c). For the Chair of the Council and key members on the Executive, the
maximum tenure on the Executive in any appointment is three consecu-
tive years.
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 25
Concessional Registration
12. The Council should not have an active role in the administration of the con-
cessional registration scheme for Veteran, Vintage and Historic (VVH) vehicles.
The onus on compliance with any registration requirements should rest exclu-
sively with the vehicle owner who is directly responsible to the registration au-
thority. MGCCC understands that no other State or Territory equivalent of the
CACTMC has an active role in a concessional registration scheme’s administra-
tion. In a litigious society, it is unacceptable for registration responsibility to be
placed with the volunteers who are officials in a club or an association of clubs.
MGCCC’s view is that the Council should provide input to the concessional reg-
istration scheme’s policy and policy-development only; an active role in the ad-
ministration of a concessional registration scheme for VVH vehicles should not
be a responsibility of the Council.
Membership representation and communication
13. The Council should liaise and obtain its authority directly from Affiliated
Clubs – not through delegates of Clubs. This doesn’t mean that ‘Club delegates’
shouldn’t continue to contribute, but it does mean that the authority for matters
comes directly from Clubs. For Affiliated Clubs, the default representative of the
car club in the Council should be the respective Club President.
14. When there is a vote, no person at any meeting may have more than one
vote – with the exception that formal, written proxies for a particular matter may
be lodged with the Chair provided they accord with any particular proxy require-
ments. There should be no ‘standing proxies’.
15. It is foreseeable that a clarification of the role, a reduction in the responsi-
bilities of the Council and more effective representation will not only benefit all
of the affiliated members of the Council but also offer a more attractive option
for those wishing to volunteer their services in the administration of the Council
in the future.
Greg Whitfield President
MG Car Club Canberra Inc. 06 April 2017
26 MG Car Club Canberra May 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/
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 27
It was grey. It was pouring as I pulled
into Boorowa on my way in the F to
join the Autumn Tour. It was cold and
a hearty breakfast was called for at the
Bakery. As I locked the car I noticed
steam rising from the engine grille.
AAAGH! Pink coolant all over the en-
gine, no coolant in the reservoir and
boiling "coolant" in the engine.
So I did the only decent thing and
went in for a nice long hot breakfast.
When I emerged things (and me) had
cooled down. Refilled the reservoir,
looked around and found nothing obvi-
ous and decided to try to make it to a
mechanic in Yass. Naturally I bought a
few bottles of water, refilled the water
canister I always carry and set off. All
went well for about 20K. At the top of a
hill, the gauge suddenly went to "H".
Luckily I could coast to a lay by at the
bottom.
It was raining so heavily, I couldn't see
a thing and called for a tow into Yass.
By the time we got to the NRMA place
in Yass, the rain had stopped, but the
driver and I were drenched. For the
first time F leaked at the front window
“All For The Want Of A Spare Coolant Cap."
by Kerry Atkins
28 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 29
30 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 31
Club Calendar
CLUB EVENTS for 2017
May
Thursday 4 . 2 PM - Mid Week Meander - Lanyon Homestead Café.
For afternoon coffee. Meet at the Café 2-15 PM. Make your own way there.
Names (Numbers) required on Run Sheet at Club Meeting
Contact Graeme or Jo Corbett
M 0437679497 - H 62994920 [email protected]
Saturday 20 - Wheels of Wamboin 2017 - Wamboin
9am to 1pm - See Torque for more information
Contact: [email protected]
Sunday 21 - Monthly Run - Binalong Motor Museum
Meet at the Dinosaur museum carpark - Nicholls on the Barton Highway - at
10:15AM for a 10:30 AM departure. The trip to Binalong takes about 50 min-
utes. The Motor museum has an interesting collection of vehicles and we might
get a tour by the owner Dr Stuart Saunders. There is a $5pp fee for the mu-
seum.
Please bring a picnic. We can lunch in the grounds and shelter on a verandah if
need be. There are coffee shops around so we can walk and get a coffee after
lunch if we want. As always, family and guests are most welcome - so bring the
family and make a day of it.
Names and numbers on run sheet at monthly meeting or email me so-
Sunday 28 - Motorkhana - TISC Queanbeyan
8:30am - 3:30pm
32 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
June
Thursday 1 - Midweek Meander - Lunch at the Baker at Sutton
Meet at Watson Service Station 11.15am for a 11.30 departure. The Sutton Bakery is a newly establish business offering a selection of pies, a variety of salad rolls plus pastries, excellent beverages and they may have their hot soups available for winter. Names (numbers) required on Run Sheet at Club Meeting
Contact Graeme or Jo Corbett
M 0437679497 - H 62994920 [email protected]
Sunday 4 - Monthly Run - TBA
Note this is the first Sunday of the Month. The monthly run has been swapped with the
June Mid Week Meander to accommodate our Triumph club friends – see below.
Saturday 17 - Workshop at the Workshop
10.00 am to 2.00 pm
Thursday 29 - Midweek Meander - Loaded Dog Hotel, Tarago
Combined MG & Triumph Club Run. and mid-week meander
We meet at Spotlight/Supercheap Carpark Queanbeyan 11am for a 11:15am departure OR the Bungendore Roundabout (at Creek bridge) about 11:30am when the group will motor through.
This is the second year for this joint run. It was very well attended last year.
Note – The later date for MWM is to accommodate the Triumph Clubs monthly run. They obliged last year with our earlier monthly runs. Names (Numbers) required on Run Sheet at Club Meeting
Contact Graeme or Jo Corbett
M 0437679497 - H 62994920 [email protected]
Notes:
Remember : Our traditional ‘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,
regardless of who is organizing. Such events meet the requirements for con-
cessional registration.
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 33
sill and the well was filled with wet tis-
sues.
Dave, the mechanic, pressure tested
the system and found no leaks. "It has
to be the cap" he said. None were
available locally, so I did the obvious
and called the President. Being the
friendly and caring chap he is, he of-
fered the cap from his TF and after
calling my daughter-in-law for a lift and
Stewart Radcliffe to send the two he
had in stock, I bedded down for some
of the day in the local cafe.
Collected F the next day. Drove it at
maximum legal speeds to Canberra,
followed by Narelle, of course. No
problems except a very small loss or
coolant which after a couple of top ups
over the ensuing days fixed itself
(probably trapped air releasing).
The lesson is that all F and TF2's
should have a spare reservoir cap in
the glove box. At $9.95 each it beats
the hell out of the interesting couple of
days I had before Brian and Chris-
tine's beautifully organised and inter-
esting weekend away.
The caps arrived on the Monday. I
gave Greg a spare and he gave me
some tubing to put in the rubber gut-
ter, the prescribed fix for the window
leaks.
All is well again in my little MG world.
Kerry Atkins
Check out these web pages for more
photo’s, explanations and information.
http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/
hgf_diagnosis.htm
http://mgfcar.de/expansion_tank/
index.html
34 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 35
36 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 37
38 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
T he Wagga Wagga G.O.F. com-
mittee hope you are all having a
lovely Easter break with your family
and friends.
It’s that time of year again, time to
book for the 2017 Gathering of the
Faithful, in Wagga Wagga on the 8th,
9th and 10th of September.
The G.O.F. committee has been busy
organising our 2017 event. This year
we would like to highlight the following:
For anyone arriving early on Fri-
day, our clubrooms at the corner
of Morrow and Ivan Jack Drive (as
highlighted on the map of the en-
try form) will be open from 2pm to
4pm. This is free of charge as the
members of the MG Car Club of
Wagga will provide homemade
cakes and slices as well as tea
and coffee for those entrants who
are in town early;
Please bring and wear your club
badges again this year – it was
wonderful seeing all the different
club badges in 2016. This array of
colours and styles demonstrated
the wonderful variety of entrants
from different clubs all over Aus-
tralia. However, do not worry if
you forget to bring your badge as
we will have plain badges for en-
trants to write their name on as
needed;
The Noggin' and Natter on Friday
night will be at the Mercure
Wagga this year. It will be a buffet
with a lovely variety of food avail-
able and we have not forgotten
the tea and coffee this year!
Apologies for missing this out last
year;
Our Saturday night dinner is at
Mercure Wagga again due to the
lovely time we had there last year.
Please remember this venue is
centrally located. You may want
to check the map we have pro-
vided on the registration form be-
fore booking the bus. Or, alterna-
tively, you can stay at the Mercure
for a discounted rate – just men-
tion the MG Car Club of Wagga to
get this discount;
A Note from the Wagga Club regarding GOF 2017
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 39
We really appreciated those entrants
who dressed in the era of their car last
year at our Saturday night dinner. It
was great to see the effort and thought
put into this. We would like to invite
you to dress in the era of your car
again this year. As last year, it is op-
tional and there will be a prizes for the
best dressed.
Thank you so much to all those en-
trants who provided feedback in our
2016 survey. We have read all this
feedback and have made changes
where we could, based on this. We will
be doing a survey again at the end of
the event this year, so if you would like
to provide input to our 2018 event,
please look out for the survey in your
entrant’s bag this year.
Anyway, please find our event's regis-
tration form and flyer attached. Keep
an eye on www.mggof.com for any
updates.
We look forward to seeing you again
this year.
Please feel free to contact us at this
email address!
Regards,
Kerri Toal
GoF Coordinator
MG Car Club of Wagga
40 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
Springtime Tour 20 - 28 October 2017
by Kerry Atkins
H i Good People.
The last time I looked, there
were a few places left for the tour.
To recap, the stopovers in order are
Mudgee 1 night, Tamworth 3 nights,
Armidale 2 nights, Singleton 1 night
and Jenolan Caves House, all in the
main building with a lift, 2 nights. Our
tour dinner will be be a comprehensive
buffet in a private room in Caves
House main building. Will we have a
dress up theme? Don’t know yet. Let
me know what you think.
All the roads I have chosen are great
sealed MG driving roads and scenic.
Between Singleton and Jenolan
Caves, we stay well west of Sydney
on country roads and join Bells Line of
Road at Kurrajong.
ARMIDALE.
One of the very best things to do in the
region is to spend time at the Dorrigo
Rainforest Centre.
Dorrigo is about an hour’s scenic drive
east-northeast of Armidale. Dorrigo
and its immediate environs are inter-
esting in themselves and with its re-
nowned boardwalks, makes its rainfor-
ests on the edge of the Great Escarp-
ment one of Australia’s most accessi-
ble World Heritage areas.
If you travel 2 km east of Dorrigo to
Dome Road, it will take you to Dorrigo
Rainforest Centre with its Skywalk and
its Walk with the Birds(500m return,
seating provided) and both suitable for
wheelchairs.
For the more fit among us, try the wa-
terfall tracks, one being the Wonga
Walk, a 3 hr return sealed walk
through World Heritage rainforest and
its waterfalls.
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 41
Centreing all of that is the blessed
Canopy Cafe and all the things to in-
spect and buy in the Information Cen-
tre.
If you choose to do this and there is
any of the day left, the drive down and
up the Dorrigo Mountain Road, is
spectacular. A good way to the coast
is through Bellingen and takes you to
Sawtell. Or at Bellingen turn in to
Paradise Valley which I’m told is a little
gem.
Cheers for now
Kerry Atkins. Contact me on
0438227148 or [email protected]
42 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
Sporting Report
May 2017
by Kent Brown
E verything is ready to go for the
second MGCCC multi-club mo-
torkhana of the 2017 calendar year to
be held on the 28th May. The docu-
ment pack comprising an Application
for a Permit, Supplementary Regula-
tions, Entry Form, and Medical Re-
sponse Form which was submitted to
CAMS has been approved well in ad-
vance of the event itself.
Chris Hillman will be acting as the
Event Secretary during my absence
and he will kindly consolidate for me
the entries as they flow in (hopefully)!
If you have any questions please con-
tact Chris.
Long standing MGCCC member and
recipient of The Garry Quayle Club-
man Trophy, Paul Smith, has been a
valiant supporter of our motorkhanas
for a number of years both as a regu-
lar volunteer and sometime competi-
tor. But Paul needs to take a break
and I’m looking for another club mem-
ber to assist on the Registration Desk
at motorkhanas to look after the as-
pects of Club membership joining or
renewal and also the same for CAMS
licences. It means a start around
8.00am on motorkhana days but the
task only lasts for an hour or so. Paul
has then helped with timing on the
patterns and I am hopeful his replace-
ment can also give some extra time.
All necessary training and guidance
will be provided. Please help if you
can and let me know of your availabil-
ity.
Paul Smith (on left) enjoying a break
with other motorkhana volunteers. It
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 43
If you really do not want to drive - but
remember that MGCCC members
having their first run and driving an
MG will have their entry fee waived -
we can always use your help to assist
with timing, documentation, set-up,
refurbishing the facility or whatever.
Please let either Chris Hillman or I
know if you can make it. We are al-
ways looking for volunteers and would
really appreciate your help.
Of course Club members driving an
MG in the event where they have com-
peted on a previous occasion will con-
tinue to pay half the standard entry fee
or only $25 and even far less for jun-
iors (under 16).
And if you assist on the day the 2nd
Ngunnawal Girl Guides, under the iron
fist in a silk glove supervision of she
who must be obeyed (only joking!) will
provide you with gratis bacon sand-
wiches, a sausage sizzle, tea, coffee
and cool drinks. What more could you
want?
Why don’t you come and give it a try?
Historic Motor Racing
Shoalhaven Motorsport Complex
Facility Proposal – RIP!
After receiving advice from the CAMS
office in Sydney around 18 months or
so ago I updated the Club on a pro-
posal by Motorcycling NSW to con-
struct a badly needed new motorsport
complex in the State. With the demise
of Amaroo and Oran Park since the
mid-nineties (and many before that
time) any new facility for motorsport
and other vehicle training facility would
be roundly supported by those inter-
ested.
CAMS NSW have just provided an
update. Their correspondence says
that for around 7 years now Motorcy-
cling NSW have been working towards
the construction of a new road racing
facility at Yerriyong, near Nowra. The
concept was approved at a General
Meeting of members some years ago,
and since then the Club have em-
barked on a program of lodging a De-
velopment Application for the project
and undertaking all of the required
environmental studies and planning
requirements needed to get the DA
approved.
Along the way Motorcycling NSW
have encountered numerous chal-
44 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
lenges either from environmental
roadblocks, activism from a small
group of locals who were against the
project or other concerns. All of these
issues allowed the project to be con-
tinually stalled with the Joint Regional
Planning Panel who were charged
with making the final decision on the
DA once again putting off that deci-
sion when they last met in the middle
of 2016.
In the time it has taken Motorcycling
NSW to carry out the additional work
requested by the panel at that time a
new environmental issue has devel-
oped. A few years ago the existence
of an orchid protected under State and
Federal law as a “vulnerable” species
was found on the site, prompting a
revision of the plans at that time to
allow a buffer zone around the plants.
In the last 6 months, further surveys
by locals wanting to protect the site
have uncovered more of the orchids,
which brings the population to over
100, making it a significant population.
Given the location of these orchids on
the property, proceeding with any fur-
ther plans is now impossible as Motor-
cycling NSW will not be given permis-
sion to clear the site under present
arrangements.
Accordingly it means the end of plans
for a badly needed new motorsport
complex facility in NSW. It is also a
sad day for the people of the Shoal-
haven, as it will mean the end of a
huge new income stream for the area,
which would have brought jobs, eco-
nomic investment and activity, new
hotels, tourism, and other business
opportunities to an area in need of
economic support.
HSRCA – Autumn Historic Race
Meeting – Wakefield Park
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 45
I head down (up?) to Wakefield Park
on Saturday the 8th just to have a look
at the racing, present a few Group S
trophies won by Group S Racing As-
sociation (GSRA) members in 2016 -
in our racing calendar we call our
championship the Catalina Cup – and
generally catch up with fellow competi-
tors for a chat and to swap stories,
hear what CAMS are up to, see who
has purchased/built a new car and so
on.
The weather was just brilliant, you
could not have asked for better, but
the number in various race categories
apart form Group S which had 26 cars
on the grid. “Slim pickings” as John
Cooper described it. John and Marga-
ret Cooper and Graeme and Jo Cor-
bett also made the journey on Satur-
day and it was god to catch up with
them as well.
The MGCCC had two members com-
peting – Brian Weston in his Midget
and Chris Reeks (Cooma domiciled) in
his historic Elfin Malmark Formula
Vee.
One section of the Group S grid
formed up for a qualifying session
Brian Weston on the Dummy Grid
Chris reeks FV in his garage
46 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
There was a brace of Midgets in the
Group S race with one lonely MGB. It
was a good range of cars though in-
cluding:
MGA
Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 MFI
Porsche 911 Carrera 3 ltr
Porsche 911T
Lotus 7 S4
Datsun 240Z
Triumph TR6
Triumph GT6
Triumph TR3A
Austin Healey 3000
Sunbeam alpine
Shelby 350GT
Elva Courier
GSM Dart (South African car pow-
ered by a twin-webered
1500cc Ford 15)
The racing was close with some great
dices. But with “older” cars there is
always some attrition. In the first race
there were 6 DNF’s (Did Not Finish).
Looking on Natsoft, http://
racing.natsoft.com.au/results/ , where
you can view all race results, by the
The start of Race 1 – Brian Weston centre and 7 cars back from the leaders
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 47
time the last race was held on Sunday
Group S was down to 19 cars.
The issues encountered were various
as usual:
MG Midget – no, not Brian Weston
– ran out of petrol (not enough
put in the tank for 16 laps.
Actually there was enough
petrol but the car builder dis-
covered that the pick-up in the
tank could not access the last
5 litres!
MGB – broken accelerator cable
at the pedal end (I know the
feeling – it happened to me at
Sydney Motorsport Park not
that long ago).
MG Midget – brand new starter
motor failed
MG Midget – jammed in 4th gear
Porsche 911T – plug lead came
off and 5 cylinders is not rec-
ommended
Porsche 911 2.7 MFI – Fuel pump
failure
Datsun 240Z – badly leaking rear
gearbox seal
Brian Weston with a brand new engine
in the Midget had some excellent re-
sults with outright place in the three
races of 7th, 8
th and 6
th. His fastest
race lap was a 1:11.9105 which is
pretty slick.
Coming up is the Austin 7 club’s Win-
ton on and Mallala in South Australia
the weekend before Anzac Day on
22/23 April. “Locally”, at SMSP it’s the
Sydney Classic Speed Festival on
10/11 June. Both Brian and I are en-
tered for that meeting.
The GSM Dart is the blue car 4th from
left and right!
48 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
Hillclimb
If you are interested in
having a go at a hillclimb,
or just watching how it’s
done, the Southern Dis-
tricts Motorsport Association (SDMA)
are holding their next event at the Sut-
ton Road venue, a 2-Lap “special” hill-
climb event, on Sunday, 4 June 2017.
On competition days you will see cars
on track from around 9am - 3pm, there
is spectator seating and food available
as well as washroom facilities. Spec-
tators entry – FREE!
The Cooma Mon-
aro Historic Auto-
mobile Club Inc.
(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 event is scheduled for Sun-
day, 26 May 2017 form 9.00am to
4.00pm.
Needless to say competitors will need
to financial members of CMHAC or
other invited clubs affiliated with
CAMS, such as our own club, and
must hold a CAMS Level 2 Speed
Event Licence. You may want to key
an eye on this link for all the informa-
tion needed about the event http://
www.coomacarclub.com.au/mt-
gladstone-hillclimb
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 49
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
golden era by famous or colourful
characters.
GEAR meets at Wakefield Park seven
times each year when drivers evoke a
bygone era with surprising speed, skill
and respect for other competitors and
their wonderful old racing cars. The
next meeting for 2017, although a little
time away yet is on Wednesday, the
7th June. Well worth a visit at Wake-
field Park, a relatively short drive
away. Put it in your diary perhaps.
Entry for spectators is FREE.
Club Member Ian Reid leaving the dummy grid at the 12 Apr 2017 GEAR event at Wakefield Park. Ian at 77 has been competing in Sprites in various forms of club level motorsport since the early 1960s.
50 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
Council of ACT Motor Clubs Inc.
Council Communique – May 2017
National Heritage Motoring Day 21
May
Shannons Insurance invites all vehicle
club member’s to partake in a coffee,
cars and bikes morning at EPIC on
Sunday 21 May 2017 from 9.00am to
12 noon.
All car clubs planning a run on Na-
tional Motoring Heritage Day should
start or finish their run from the Shan-
nons Insurance coffee, cars and bikes
event.
Further details at https://
www.shannons.com.au/club/events/
shannons-canberra-cars-bikes-n-
coffee-1/
Affiliation Fee now due
Now is the time for clubs to pay their
annual affiliation fee to the Council.
Payment details and the four page
form to be completed by each affili-
ated club are on the Council’s web
site at: www.actmotorclubs.org.au
It is most important that all four pages
of the form are completed and sent
with your payment to the Secretary
Council of ACT Motor Clubs PO Box
963 Dickson ACT 2602
Please remember if you are paying by
direct transfer (EFT), to put the name
of your club on the bank transfer
documentation.
Fees are due no later than 30 June,
failure to meet this strict deadline will
mean your members are unable to
drive vehicles on ACT concessional
registration, as the club maintaining
Council affiliation is a condition of use
of CRS. Your members will also be
unable to renew CRS registration if
the club affiliation lapses.
Notice of Annual General Meeting
The Council of ACT motor Club’s An-
nual General Meeting will be held on
Thursday 18 September 2017 at the
Raiders Club, Weston.
Formal notification will be sent to all
affiliated clubs shortly.
Changes to ACT Registration
Check website
There have been some software
changes to the Registration check
website. To check a CRS plate you no
longer have to input VET, VIN, or HIS
before the numbers.
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 51
To check a CRS plate or full registra-
tion plate just enter the plate number
in the box.
After clicking on the ‘next’ box it will
come up with every vehicle registered
in the ACT with that number.
For more details on the vehicle make
(in blue) and it will provide the remain-
der of the data held by the RTA. Obvi-
ously, for privacy reasons, no owner-
ship details are available.
The website is:
https://rego.act.gov.au/regosoawicket/
public/reg/FindRegistrationPage?6
Wheels 2017
Thank you to the Mercedes Benz Club
for being the host Club of Wheels
2017. It was the work of Council Vice-
president and Events Director,
Graeme Rossiter, Mercedes Benz
Club President, Richard Jackson and
the BMW Club who put it together
along with Jaguar Club member An-
drew Mclean who does all the PA
work.
And thank you to Shannons for their
generous sponsorship of the event.
All financial accounts for Wheels have
now been paid. The direct cost of
staging Wheels this year was $4,212;
of which the Council kicked in
$1212. The costs covered such
things as mandatory traffic manage-
ment, toilets, waste disposal, signage
and the PA system. Wheels is a mar-
vellous opportunity to display the
ACT’s heritage and hobby motoring to
the public, and the Council’s contribu-
tion to the cost of staging the event is
a good example of how Club affiliation
fees are directly used to benefit all
Clubs.
52 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
Jimmy Cox
MG Guru and Hall of Fame Inductee
J immy Cox is a former engine guru
and works mechanic at the MG De-
velopment Department responsible for
many of the company’s racing and
record-breaking successes. He was
with the successful MG record break-
ing team at the Bonneville Salt Flats in
1959 and was also part of the MG
team who went to Le Mans in 1955.
Jimmy Cox will be inducted into the
British Sports Car Hall of Fame on
June 2, 2017.
In 1945, at the young age of just 14,
Jimmy Cox started work at MG’s Ab-
ingdon factory as a mere messenger
boy. That eventually led to work on the
MG TC production line, but in 1949
Cox entered the military for his two-
year duties. Upon returning to MG in
1951 he again was working on stan-
dard production cars but soon had the
opportunity to take over responsibility
for building racing engines at Abing-
don.
During the period prior to the 1955 Le
Mans race, Jimmy and his colleagues
were involved in the Monte Carlo entry
of four Z Magnettes – known as the
Four Musketeers.
Once the Le Mans cars had been built
and tested they were ready to go to Le
Mans:
We drove the four cars (three in the
race plus LBL 304 as a spare) and I
was in the third car, Douggie Watts in
the last one. We were all going down
the road in convoy on the way to Do-
ver and the next thing I knew the back
end had gone. I was about two-thirds
of the way round a left hand bend and
the car spun
three times – I
can remember
Douggie shout-
ing to me hold
on to it Jim! and
then the car
suddenly
swung the
other way
round and shot
forwards. The
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 53
car went up the bank as I put the an-
chors on, and to our amazement,
there was no damage other than a
slightly bent front number plate. I don’t
know to this day whether or not Mar-
cus Chambers ever got to hear about
this!
After the horrible accident at Le Mans
in 1955, the competition department at
MG, like many other companies,
looked for other venues to prove their
performance prowess. This led to the
record-attempting and record-breaking
runs at the Bonneville Salt Flats in the
US.
In the spring of 1957, development
and competition were split into two
separate departments. Previously, the
development shop had been in charge
of not only normal development but
also the record breaking trials. Cox
worked on the early record breaking
car EX135 when it came in and out of
the shop. EX135 had been a record
breaker, and in its final guise served
as the inspiration for EX179. He would
end up going Bonneville with EX179
and EX181.
EX181 went 0n to achieve 254 mph
and lasting fame as the last of the fac-
tory record breakers. Cox stayed with
the Development Department for the
next twelve years, working on many
other projects, until he left the section
in 1971. He remained through the fac-
tory closure until December 1980.
54 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
D onald Healey was a man with
many talents – pilot, mechanic
and rally driver. Most notable to the
majority of British car fans, Donald
Healey was the driving force behind
the Austin Healey sports cars such as
the Austin Healey 3000 and the
bugeye (or frogeye) Sprite. Donald
Healey, CBE will be inducted into the
British Sports Car Hall of Fame this
June.
Donald Healey was born in 1898 in
Born in Perranporth, Cornwall. Healey
became interested in all things me-
chanical at an early age, most particu-
larly aircraft. He studied engineering
while at Newquay College. In 1916 he
volunteered at the age of 16 for WWI
for the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and
earned his “wings” as a pilot. After the
Armistice, he returned to Cornwall,
took a correspondence course in auto-
mobile engineering, and opened the
first garage in Perranporth in 1920.
In 1931, Donald Healey won the
Monte Carlo Rally driving a 4½-litre
Invicta. The rally had multiple starting
points with Healey starting from Sta-
vanger, Norway. He competed in the
Monte Carlo Rally in 1929
(Times:1929) and was in the top eight
places in 1932, 1934 and 1936. In
1932 Healey won the class for unlim-
Donald Healey, CBE – Hall of Fame Inductee
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 55
ited sports cars at the Brighton Speed
Trials, driving an Invicta, in a time of
28.8 sec for the half mile course.
He gained a reputation as a consultant
engineer and designer and was ap-
pointed General Manager of the Tri-
umph Motor Company in 1931. He
went on to create the renowned
Southern Cross and Dolomite 8 mod-
els.
During the Second World War, Healey
was in charge of developing an aircraft
carburetor for the Ministry of Supply
and also worked with Humber on ar-
mored cars.
In 1945, he formed the Donald Healey
Motor Company Ltd, based in an old
RAF hangar at Warwick. In 1949,
Healey established an agreement with
George W. Mason, the president of
Nash Motors to build Nash-engined
Healey sports cars. The first series of
the 2-seaters were built in 1951 and
they were designed by Healey. The
Nash-Healey‘s engine was a Nash
Ambassador 6-cylinder, the body was
aluminum, and the chassis was a
Healey Silverstone. However, Pinin-
farina restyled the bodywork for 1952
and took over the production of its new
steel body. The company developed
the Austin-Healey and Austin-
Healey Sprite motor cars in a li-
censing arrangement with British
Motor Corporation in 1952 and
1959.
For his “services to export”, Healey
was made a Commander of the
Order of the British Empire (CBE)
by Queen Elizabeth II in 1973.
Donald Healey died in 1988 at the
age of 89. A memorial window in
St Michael’s Church Perranporth
was provided by the Austin-Healey
Club of America
Credit – The majority of the short
bio and photos are courtesy of
Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm.
56 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
UPCOMING EVENTS run by
COOMA CAR CLUB
GIRDER FORK RALLY
Dates: Saturday 14 – Sunday 15 October
Location: Based from Cooma Car Club Clubhouse, 11 Bolaro Street, Cooma, NSW
DESCRIPTION
Motorbike Rally for Girder Fork Motorbikes, manufactured prior to 1950. Over scenic sealed roads of the Cooma Monaro area and foothills of the Snowy Mountains. A short run on Friday afternoon (13/10/2017) for those arriving early and wanting a little extra riding.
If you own a Girder Fork motorbike - this is a rally that is NOT to be missed For more information, entry forms http://www.coomacarclub.com.au/girderfork/
COOMA MOTORFEST 2017
Date: Saturday 4 November
Location: Cooma Showgrounds, Cooma, NSW
DESCRIPTION
Bi-annual Motorfest with something for everyone: Street Machines, Hot Rods, Vin-tage & Classic Cars, Muscle Cars, Military Vehicles, Motor Bikes, Trucks & Trucks, Stationary Engines, Art Exhibition & plenty of stuff for the kids to do. Part of a big weekend in Cooma, Motorfest coincides with the annual Snowy Ride (over 1000 riders and bikes checking in through the day) & Australian National Busk-ing Championships. Attracts people and machinery from all over, with 3000 visitors through the gate. Proceeds used to benefit local charities. More information & entry forms here http://www.coomacarclub.com.au/
MOUNT GLADSTONE HILL CLIMB INCLUDING JUNIOR DRIVER DEVELOPMENT
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 57
Dates: Saturday 25 & Sunday 26 November
Location: Mount Gladstone Road, 4 km west of Cooma, NSW
DESCRIPTION
Two-day meeting over the weekend of 25-26 November. DAY 1, Saturday 25 November will have three components:
Morning 9am to 12noon: • untimed runs with instructor for Junior (Under 18) drivers • ‘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). Reduced cost of $25 plus the cost of a single event CAMS Level 2S licence ($62) which can be obtained on the day as required.
Afternoon 12:30 to 4:30pm • Timed runs for Classic cars (30 years and older). DAY 2, Sunday 26 November will be a regular hill climb open to vehicles ranging from road registerable Type 1-2 2WD production vehicles up to Type 3 AWD vehi-cles, also Type 4 production based 2WD vehicles (sports sedans). On the day, there will be a minimum of 4 x 1 km runs for each competitor. The hill climb will be con-ducted under CAMS rules and regulations, and competitors must hold a CAMS Level 2 Speed Event Licence. For more detail, see Cooma Car Club website http://www.coomacarclub.com.au/hillclimb/
Entry forms for all 3 hill climb events will be provided later in 2017 via the above site. In the meantime - Junior Development drivers and others can register interest by sending e-mail from http://www.coomacarclub.com.au/hillclimb/
For more detail and entry forms, see CMHAC website http://www.coomacarclub.com.au/
See also Cooma Car Club Facebook Page
For further information, please contact:
58 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
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
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 59
Marquet
Australia's only dedicated MG classifieds web site.
Developed by an MG enthusiast
for all MG enthusiasts & owners.
www.mgbuyswapsell.com.au
For Sale : MGB Bits (March 17)
I have a dashboard MG badge and plate, the one you remove to fit the radio,
and the original drivers handbook, still in its PR Williams plastic service cover,
from the original sale Make an offer?
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.
60 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
Wanted
Contact Simon at [email protected]
1955 ZA Magnette (April 2017)
Built in January 1955 (Heritage Certificate) and
owned by me since 1979. Originally Victoria regis-
tered. Currently unregistered. Subject of a long-
standing restoration 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 differential, 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 docu-
ments.
Offers
Contact: Ron 0410 907 490
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 61
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.
62 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
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 (Feb 17)
Morris [MG] 1100 workshop manual $20.
Rad badges UK AA chrome/yellow also RAC. $25 each
Grease gun cartridge type small gets into akward spots, used once $25
Black and Decker workmate dual height folding bench,. RRP $248 now only
$125 ono/
Tap and die set Metric in case $25
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
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 63
MGB Hardtop (Feb 2017)
A bit of elbow grease and a new headlining and side windows as they are not up
to scratch, would be the most costly refurbs. The corners of the black vinyl will
need attention and new rubbers required. Other than that it is solid. It has only
been used a few times so it has not had a lot of actual exposure to climatic con-
ditions.
Unfortunately it does not come with J hooks to hold it down at the rear, so these
will need to sourced separately.
All fair and reasonable offers considered.
Contact: Greg Whitfield
(acting for the seller)
Mob 0498 107 658
64 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
MGF - November 2000 (May 2017)
Solar Red MGF 5 speed manual, 1.8 DOHC EFI
engine.
Built in UK 29 November 2000. Vin number
SARRDWBGB10524563. First registered in Aus-
tralia in 2001.
Good condition for age. Has travelled almost
136,000 kms since new. This car had a much lower kilometre replacement en-
gine fitted by Nepean Classic Cars not long before it transferred to the present
owner. In the time since, suspension has been converted to coil springs and
telescopic shock absorbers. Over $3,500 recently spent replacing, amongst
other parts, spark plugs, timing belt and tensioner, camshaft oil seal, oil and wa-
ter pump assemblies, engine mounts, rear perspex window and new water filler
tank fitted with a water level sensor.
Great handling two seater which has been fun to
own and drive.
Price is $8,000.
Contact: Paul Smith on 0405 409 501
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]
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 65
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 accompanying 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]
66 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 67
1966 MK1 Austin 1800 Manual, Green (Feb 2017)
ACT club plates. Purchased 4
years ago with the intention of
replacing the clutch and adjust-
ing gear change cables. How-
ever 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 excel-
lent. 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
68 MG Car Club Canberra May 2017
May 2017 Tappet Chatter 69
