Rock n Roll Rendesvous - Sunday 5 April 2009

[dave]

This event is usually a pretty good day up at the Birdwood Mill.

My wife has got to volunteer there as part of her TAFE course, so I reckon I might enter the ratter and cruise on up!

Full details of event at:
http://www.history.sa.gov.au/motor/even ... event.html

Entry forms available at:
http://www.history.sa.gov.au/motor/even ... 1%2009.pdf

Cheers,

Dave

[dave]

Entry for this is still available, although it's $35 as there's a $5 surcharge for being late. Anyway I'll be going up.

Cheers,


Dave

[dave]

I went up to the Rock n Roll Rendezvous on the weekend and took heaps of pics.

There were some great cars although as usual the Japanese contingent was basically missing altogether!

Not completely though; here's some stuff that we saw...

Obviously here's the prime candidate for Best Paint and Best Restored.

Isuzu Bellett ratter - 01.JPG (176.74 KiB) Viewed 19071 times

An Italian Australian (aka a 'wog dude') told me that this motif was "classical, mate!"

Isuzu Bellett ratter - 02.JPG (164.94 KiB) Viewed 19071 times

My wife and I cruised up with Brenton and Darren in Darren's Desoto Diplomat with aftermarket airconditioning.

Isuzu Bellett ratter - 03.JPG (196.97 KiB) Viewed 19070 times

This Datsun Fairlady was immaculate! I could definitely see me cruising one of these...

Nissan SP311 Fairlady 1600 - 01.JPG (134.87 KiB) Viewed 19064 times

I don't know if I'm totally sold on the whitewalls-with-alloys-look, but this little Mazda RX3 coupe seems to pull it off on those ROH Gamblers.

Mazda RX3 - 01.JPG (186.97 KiB) Viewed 19063 times

The Toyota KE10-model Corolla seems to have gone mental in value and collectability lately.

Toyota KE10 Corolla.JPG (146.78 KiB) Viewed 19061 times

Here's another shot of Darren's Desoto Diplomat. The metalflake roof is a new addition and it looked amazing in the sunlight, but sunshine was scarce on the day. Ignore the year in the filename; it's a 1955 obviously from the plate (and from what Darren actually said to me).

Desoto Diplomat - 1950 - Darrens.JPG (168.34 KiB) Viewed 19059 times

Before we get onto the traditional US barges and some Aussie muscle cars, I wanted to bring this little chestnut to your attention.

This is a Borgward Isabella coupe, a vehicle I've always felt an affinity for because of their ridiculous scarceness. I remember I used to see a black and red one getting around, but that was a while ago. They're of the same ilk as a Karmann Ghia Volkswagen, however they are front-engined and scurry around with a 1.1 litre motor (or thereabouts) and those tiny 13" wheels. They're an interesting style; they appear beautiful from some angles and strangely ungainly from others! This one was totally immaculate!

Borgward Isabella - 01.JPG (130.35 KiB) Viewed 19053 times

Borgward Isabella - 02.jpg (137.62 KiB) Viewed 19054 times

This 1957 Chevrolet Nomad would have to have been one of the stars of the show, but it was in the far paddock reserved for latecomers! That window line, the cabin length, that phat 1957 Chev front... these just send me wobbly at the knees. For a wagon-lover, these would be the ultimate!

Chevrolet Nomad wagon - 1957 - 01.JPG (155.47 KiB) Viewed 19048 times

Chevrolet Nomad wagon - 1957 - 02.JPG (154.38 KiB) Viewed 19046 times

I see a lot of Camaros with what I do and there are plenty going around, but this one is especially tough. Firstly, it's sitting on mega-retro Goodyear crossplies and secondly, the numberplate alludes that it was one of 1015 Camaros built in 1969 that were fitted with a factory 427ci V8! Who cares if it's real or not? It looks awesome!

Chevrolet Camaro 427 - 02.JPG (159.35 KiB) Viewed 19043 times

I don't think I've ever seen a Ford Edsel in the metal before. It was truly ugly in the coolest sense. It's a pity we didn't get more of the world's biggest automotive failure!

Ford Edsel - 01.JPG (162.13 KiB) Viewed 19041 times

Clint wants his car back.

Ford Gran Torino.JPG (150.7 KiB) Viewed 19041 times

I always seem to go for the underdog! I've always loved GMs, but really Chrysler was the underdog and I've learned to appreciate that, but AMC/Rambler is the under-underdog! This Rambler Javelin coupe was just so tough; short and stubby a bit similar in proportions to the Chrysler Valiant Charger.

Rambler Javelin - 02.jpg (184.93 KiB) Viewed 19038 times

This black VW Type 3 Fastback just looks perfect. I dunno how, but it made me take a photo of it.

Volkswagen Type 3 fastback - 02.JPG (175.1 KiB) Viewed 19039 times

This split window ratter Kombi stretch is just one of the greatest VWs going around. Some people just don't get it though; they ask him what colour he's going to paint it... but the owner said "it's perfect how it is" and I can see why. Every mark, every blemish, even the separate panels themselves each hold their own story...

Volkwagen Kombi split window stretch rat van.JPG (157.03 KiB) Viewed 19038 times

I might stick up some Aussie muscle cars tomorrow.

[redback]

GREAT photos Dave - what a massive mix of different cars down there.

Cheers,
Neil

[dave]

Ok so I thought I'd better put some Aussie muscle cars from the Rock and Roll Rendezvous up now.

Although I've always been more of a Holden fan, I found myself talking some photos of more really good looking Fords.

The Ford XA-XB-XC series of Falcon during the 1970s was renown for looking pretty tough.

During the XB series, coupe sales were slowing down, so what better thing to do than launch a special edition? John Goss won Bathurst in 1974 and again in 1985, however it was for his 1974 win that the 1975 Ford Falcon John Goss Special was designed to commemorate. It has a pretty cool paint scheme (this one is white-with-Apollo Blue but it was also available in white with Emerald Fire) but the standard wheels are both very skinny and also very white!

Ford XB Falcon Coupe John Goss Special.JPG (181.32 KiB) Viewed 18998 times

By the time the XC Falcon was released, Falcon coupe sales were very slow indeed. Allan Moffat had convincingly beaten arch-enemy Holdens at Bathurst late in 1977 in a beautifully staged 1-2 finish that made headlines. The Ford Falcon Cobra serviced three purposes.
1) it cleared out the last 400 body shells of the outgoing XC Falcon coupe
2) it provided a means with which to homologate some improvements for the 1978 race
3) it commemorated Moffat's crushing defeat of the Holdens, even if his victory was totally reliant on his team-mate and subordinate Colin Bond staying behind him despite Moffat's car being on the verge of expiration. Fortunately Bond listed to his boss and stayed behind him and became second fiddle in what was one of Ford's most iconic Bathurst wins.

That's a long story! Here's the car. I'm unsure if the numberplate is designed to designate it's number 220 but if it is then it's been messed with as number 220 was a 302ci V8 (only the first 200 and number 351 were 351s, I understand).

Ford XC Falcon Cobra - 01.JPG (136.55 KiB) Viewed 18995 times

Ford XC Falcon Cobra - 02.JPG (156.73 KiB) Viewed 18997 times

As tough as these old Fords look... there's a way to make them look very special indeed. We asked the owner about this one; apparently it was featured in Street Machine magazine in 1993. It's now interesting, but this vehicle is testament to how street machines were put together back in the 1980s and 1990s. Sure, we recoil in horror at the colour scheme, the pink paint, the yellow wheels, the graphics and the colour-coded engine bay, but the fact is that most of these sorts of cars have either been stripped and re-born as something better, or they've been parked and are slowly falling apart somewhere.

All hail Pink Bits 2!

Ford XB Falcon sedan - Pink Bits 2 from Street Machine 1993 - 01.JPG (175.56 KiB) Viewed 18997 times

Onto the Holdens! Well, one Holden.

This HQ-model Holden Monaro LS was a really rare item. Most of these would have been modified into a big dirty muscle car by now, but this one still ran the original 202ci six cylinder and the standard wheel trims; it was basically a Holden Premier 2-door!

Holden HQ Monaro LS 202 - unmodified - 01.JPG (157.58 KiB) Viewed 18998 times

Holden HQ Monaro LS 202 - unmodified - 02.jpg (144.98 KiB) Viewed 18996 times

[mrflibbles]

nice pics dave, i remember the pink/yellow falcon from the street machine magazine, i loved it back then! (probably would still drive it as it is pink and all!) nice to see an older street machine still lurking around the place!

[GTtoo]

Wow Dave, just gob smacked. Your such a conousseiur !! So much raretiy popping out of the woodwork.

B.

[dave]

Hey thanks mate. I tend to know a lot of useless stuff. But of course, when it's time to fix something I'm just totally rubbish. A bit like Jeremy Clarkson in that regard.

After hoarding every Wheels magazine back to 1964 and every Modern Motor back about that far as well, I'm glad my useless information is now being put to good use at my work!

I took a few photos from inside the museum; they have a Delorean as well as a couple of other really interesting vehicles that I took a few photos of; I might put them up under "Off Topic Nonsense" as they weren't part of the show.

However I need to do that later... coz I've got to concentrate on fixing my ratter Bellett that died in the arse last night!

[GTtoo]

Dead Rat !! Now that's sad news. Tell us more....

B.