Australian rally 2024

[Keith Clements]

The lobster was good as was the thermidor sauce. Renault is still pulling to left but now using the lane keeping and adaptive cruising to good affect on the straight SA roads.

[Keith Clements]

The first day without any rain. I stopped off or took diversions at most brown signs and discovered some gems. Lots of birds seen on my diversions, the only pelican at Pelican point was a half eaten one.

Tim Kelly's dad designed the lobster you see in the picture.

Possum sleeping under the bonnet of the Lloyd.
Blind magpie needing feeding 5 times a day.

Tim, Janet and I travelled in the Javelin for dinner.

Enjoy the pics.

[Keith Clements]

As well as the magpie, there are 3 kittens and three ferrel adults looked after by Tim . The family of possums also made an appearance.

A beautiful day so Jane took me into Adelaide on her way to support a speaker talking to indigenous peoples on kidney disease. On the way we stopped to view the extent of the city from a hill. I wanted to see the Oval and was lucky to get a guided tour and to go around the Don Bradman museum.

Then a walk around the Botanical gardens and few tasting glasses at the University wine tasting bar.

[Keith Clements]

What a day. It started with me trying to fix the hot water system as we had only luke warm water . Tim had painted some wheels the previous day and managed to fit tyres to all but one . But he had enough. The plan was to drive the copper Jup, and sand Jav and trailer the green Jup to the rally hotel. Well it took us a couple of hours to fix a faulty indicator on the trailer then another hour to find the wheel straps.With all four cars including the 1968 Holden tow car fed and watered we set off.

We chose a country route with great scenery and a Murray river ferry crossing at Swan Reach.

Arriving at dusk we parked the Jowett's and went for a meal before driving back. I enjoyed the moonlit night where all the stars were visible even so.

The journey up had not been without incident as Janet's Jup burst it's oil pressure gauge pipe. Her immediate action and then Tim's quick repair meant we only lost half an hour.

The journey back was halted when we noticed the Holden's lights were getting dimmer and the indicators stopped working. Luckily after a few miles we found a just closing garage which just happened to be in the village where Janet's sister lived. Bev kindly lent us her car so we could drive back to Forreston arriving at midnight. Some very hungry animals greeted us.

[Keith Clements]

I spent an hour chilling with the three kittens. Then went to the airport to collect Neil Moore who flew in from Auckland. I had some time waiting for his late plane so went to see the Vickers Vimy exhibition and then took Neil there. It is all about the amazing flight in 1919 from England to Australia. The Vimy used two 300 hp V 12 Rolls Royce engines.

We went into the Adelaide market and collected flat head fish, cheese and salad for dinner.
We spent the evening chatting Jowett's.

Tim's sister has made some Javelin rear light lenses.

[Keith Clements]

They do have a Jowett but in storage.
Interesting collection, especially of Holden prototypes and rare motorbikes.

The foyer car is full size and made completely of Lego.
Lots of endurance vehicles including a scooter that travelled from London to Adelaide.
Many English makes of bikes and cars I had not heard of.

[Keith Clements]

As well as the three Jowetts we took to Barmera we had a look at the rest today.

Tim reckons another 6 are goers with some others needing some attention before they will.

We visited in hospital Tim's dad, Paul, who had owned most of the collection and are stored on what was his farm. Others were saved from the scrap heap.

Note the very early Jav without rear lights. Also the light, all alloy boot lid.
The early Jav with seat arm rests.
The front window deflectors.
The cracked fog light kicked by a horse.
The poor finish where the leading had not been rubbed down by the factory.

[Keith Clements]

5.30 am start on a freezing ( literally) morning. -1 Deg c.
Not what I expected. I was too hot a couple of days ago having to drive without my boots on.

Virtually the whole town turned out which was impressive. Then we were provided with a good breakfast and a tot or two of rum.

[Keith Clements]

It has not rained for three months but polishing the Javs did bring it on before Neil could finish.

[Mike Allfrey]

What a trip!

Noted the Nulon aerosol full of bent connecting rods!

Keep at it!

Mike A.

[Keith Clements]

The trip up was not without incident. Tim drove Bubblé Bubblé with Neil as passenger. Christopher was driven by Megan with Chris as passenger. Janet drove the Ute and I was in the Renault. Within a few kilometers I went back to collect Janet's mobile so then had a good drive to Swan Reach to meet up again. I took a short cut over a dirt road that got me to the ferry at Swan Reach 20 mins before the others. Then within 40 k of Barmera Bubble Bubble broke it's black sided crankshaft. So onto the trailer it went.

We set up the conference room to greet all the Jowetteers arriving.
Now watching the fantastic sunset from my room.

[Keith Clements]

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Lots of catching up to do.

[Keith Clements]

A short drive was need to get to Renmark to board the PS Industry. What a phenomenal machine.
Then a visit to see the Javelin restoration of Roley Shepel but more interesting was his Auto Union DKW where we discussed at length the workings of the combined clutch, flywheel, alternator, points and distributor and possibly starter.

[Keith Clements]

A good turnout.
Double click on the thumbnail picture to see a high resolution version.

[Keith Clements]

Anticlockwise around lake Bonney showed us some great sights and tested the grey matter.