Operation Rudolph this year was the largest in it's four year history. We had over seventy vehicles from the QLD police to the Cairns Livesavers and every emergence service was represented.

This saw a change is how we did the trip with the convoy splitting at Aeroglen. Red group went left and cruised through Strathford, Brinsmead and Redlynch. While Green group did the normal beach run. Both groups rejoined at the Campus shopping centre and then continued on to to Palm Cove via the northern beaches.

All money raised this year will go to ACT for Kids.

Turbo Update 11/12/2009

Heat shields in Place and will be finished in a Blue Chrome. Dump pipe is yet to get its heat shield but it was well under way when I left this afternoon.
Stainless Oil Drainage pipe straight out of the Chrome tank, it was in there for 45 minutes and the finish is show quality.
Air pickup pipe also straight out of the Chrome Tank, Many thanks to Terry and Dave from Electroshine who did the chroming. Electroshine make and polish or chrome stainless steel parts. We took our stainless parts to them for polishing but the boys chromed them instead. Lucky they have been watching the build as there workshop is over the lane way from Brett's workshop.

The Turbo build is getting close to finished lots have happened this week,Turbo to intercooler pipes power coated in an Alloy colour and finished with a shinny clear coat. I cannot wait to see it all together now it is starting to look good, well next week with a bit of luck.

This is Rare

How rare is this? Two rare EB Falcons side by side.
Falcon EBGT and a EB XR8 Sprint. There were app 200 of each made and to see them side by side is very unusual.
My mate Matts GT and Luke from our Earlville stores car. Luke worked in our store last Monday and came in the Sprint Both cars are original which is also rare for cars that are now ninteen years old.
The XR8 Sprint is a down market GT. It has all of the GT running gear and suspension but is 30kg lighter as it does not have the luxury bits. No extra sound deading, no Premier sound(unless ordered) or body kit therfore it was a faster car.

Getting ready

Maryland and I getting the first Christmas catalogue ready.

Current driver

Over the last week or so I have been driving my mate Matt's EB GT, it is a very rare 5 speed manual.

The two beasts together, I am getting impatient now I would love to drive my Falcon.

Another update

Yes we can close the bonnet, we had to test the new bracket for the radiator alloy over flow tank.
There is not much room left under the bonnet. Pipe from the turbo to the intercooler will be finished in an alloy power coat . all other metal brackets Brett made will be painted Dynamic white the same colour as the car.
Left hand side is now finished with the blow off valve fitted and all the intercooler hoses hidden as best we could.

Turbo Update

Air pick up is inside the right guard It will be covered by a sheild to stop any water coming close to it
Left side guard hides the Wet to air intercooler and water pump. Brett has set it up so the air flows throught the cooler and it exits out the left guard.
All lines to the intercooler will be hiden from view.
Top view of right guard. radiator over flow tank wiil go over the top. ABS has been moved and new brakets made.
Top view which is missing the air pipe to the intercooler. Hopefully next week will see it fire up.

Matty's BA ute

If my good friend Matty T had not lent me his ute I would have been lost over the last month.
The ute is a BA XR6 Turbo the only extras are the GT wheels and it is fun in the wet and dry. I have been fish tailing all over the place.
This is the first turbo car I have driven so I can not wait to drive the Falcon as it should have up to 100kw more than Mat's ute.

Some progress

Some work has been done, the blow off valve and piping has been fitted hopefully it will be finished this week. More work was done on Friday and Saturday but I have not seen it as yet.

The Turbo Build begins

This year I have worked seven days a week and not done any car events which is why this site has been so quiet.
Finally we have started the turbo build the pictures show the progress on day one.
The over flow tank will have to be moved forward and the Battery will now have to live in the boot. We are finding it hard to find the room for things under the bonnet. I wanted to run the water to air intercooled so there is no Outward sign of the car having a turbo fitted.


The cold air box is gone and a water to air intercooler will now resided in it's place this is the new bracket made to hold the intercooler.

Todays pick up

It's been a while since I posted something so I thought I would post these pictures from a pick up I did at the Hawker Pacific Jet base this afternoon. It's a private jet from Woolongong in NSW.
Parked by the Hawker bus for the crew.

Combined Car Clubs of Cairns Cruise April 2009

This was a fantastic day we expected around 100 cars and got over 200. My camera decided not to play the game and would only open half way so I have used my fellow club members photo's.

http://picasaweb.google.com.au/squeakeII/CombinedCarClubsCruiseToGordonvale2009#

http://www.tropicsphotography.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=968

http://picasaweb.google.com.au/JanJam90/CombinedCarClubsGordonvale5April2009?feat=directlink

http://picasaweb.google.com.au/westernstar550/CarClubsGordonvaleRun?feat=directlink

Neil did a great job organising this event and our club has set a very high standard for the other clubs to follow.

Trip Pictures

I have not included all the photos we took. With two cameras and a DVD camera we had lots of pictures to go though.

picasaweb.google.com/14dte99/Day2TownsvilleMiles?authkey=Gv1sRgCKbEirfS_tTT-AE#

picasaweb.google.com/14dte99/Day3MilesHamilton?authkey=Gv1sRgCJad0_vRr5zpOw

picasaweb.google.com/14dte99/Day4Hamilton?authkey=Gv1sRgCMW3iruPoI2LiQE#

picasaweb.google.com/14dte99/Day5FordMotorPlant?authkey=Gv1sRgCMjYrvezrdnirAE#

picasaweb.google.com/14dte99/Day5BriansDiscoveryCentre?authkey=Gv1sRgCIuymJC616CtxQE#

picasaweb.google.com/14dte99/Day6JohnsAFD?authkey=Gv1sRgCNbxpbLMhJiZOA#

picasaweb.google.com/14dte99/Day6ZacSKAFD?authkey=Gv1sRgCIj6paG_tNjB5gE#


picasaweb.google.com/14dte99/Day6BriansAFD?authkey=Gv1sRgCOHU36un7dP9Kw#


picasaweb.google.com/14dte99/Day10HamiltonKiama?authkey=Gv1sRgCNKlu5-48PmMSw#

picasaweb.google.com/14dte99/Day11Kiama?authkey=Gv1sRgCNr96saKnsHjag#

picasaweb.google.com/14dte99/Day14SydneyEmerald?authkey=Gv1sRgCN_PleSGuaG6ywE#

picasaweb.google.com/14dte99/Day15EmeraldCairns?authkey=Gv1sRgCKC-5qDvupL7IQ#

The pictures tell the story better than i can tell it.

Some Facts of the trip

Total distance= 7845km

LPG usage= 748.8litre

UPL usage= 286.4

Total fuel cost= $823.38

Ave distance per day= 520km
Ave Fuel consumption = 13.2lt/100km or 26.3mpg
Ave speed not including stops= 89km/h

Kiwanis All Ford Trip

Day One Cairns to Townsville

After waiting for 5 days we got the word that the Highway would open some time on the 1oth after weeks of flooding. We left Cairns and headed south to Cardwell and waited for the go head. At 5.15pm we got the call over the 2 way the road was finally open and we could go south.

We stayed with Phil and Kerrin Smith the night and we both left early the next morning

374km for the day, Total time 11hours (six waiting in Cardwell)

http://picasaweb.google.com/14dte99/Day1CairnsTownsville#

Febuary Cruise Cairns to Geelong and Back

Miles Central Queensland and the end of day 2 Phil & Kerrin Smiths BAGT MII and the HO Interceptor. 1185km in 12.5 hours including stops.
Zac beside the BA XR6T at the Ford Discovery Centre. We attended the Kiwanis Dinner on the Saturday night before the show in the Discovery Centre
. Zac won second prize in the raffle(Ripcurl Watch), Phil took third prize, Kerrin fifth and I took 7th. Will we be asked back next year after that?
Ready to leave home Tuesday 15th 8am speedo 231769km
We set up early on the Sunday and were able to watch as people entered the grounds. 1300 plus Fords of all shapes and Sizes. Just to be here and have our cars entered made the trip worth all the effort.

Cairns Combine Car Clubs Picnic by the Swimming Hole

Fantastic day and I hope the first of lots more to come this year,