ID Fetching - Roadtrip Approaches

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 09 Apr 2009, 12:01

Starting to get psyched. The tow vehicle - a 2001 Falcon "ute"

The journey.

It's a couple of weeks off yet, but the necessary arrangements have been made (bookings etc). It's quite a hike! I'll update more in the coming week...

ACTIVE8 · Unread post by **ACTIVE8** » 09 Apr 2009, 13:24

Looks like that will be an experience!

8)

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 18 Apr 2009, 23:33

Today's the last day here before departure. Got the '64 Falcon wagon loaded up onto the trailer and carefully strapped. I'm taking it as something of a budget challenge, too - since the Mi16 blew a head gasket 500 miles into ownership.

Accommodation is being bartered on the way (one carpenter and one mechanic makes a pretty handy duo for many chores), and we'll be making sandwiches etc, rather than buying lunches.

Weather outbound is poor; it should fine up about 200 miles out of Sydney. As I type today, it's drizzling and the 3801 is labouring up through the valley a mile away.

It's odd, and may pass (

), but I am actually starting to feel a threshold with car ownership. As in, "No more!" - perhaps the recent head gasket surprise was part of this. It'll be interesting to see where my thoughts are in a few weeks or months.

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 18 Apr 2009, 23:37

Good luck with the trip, I take it the ID has suffered a front end fire? I do like frogeye DS's, one day,,,,,,,,,

Unread post by **myglaren** » 18 Apr 2009, 23:51

Looks like it could do with a bit of a polish, and that front tyre looks a bit flat.
Otherwise...

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 19 Apr 2009, 00:00

Mine's an Australian ID19:

I do like frogeye DS's, one day,,,,,,,,,

Still can't believe I finally own one. There is a decent (far better than mine) ID19 I've heard about, which would probably be negotiable for a focused purchaser. If you're keen I can point you at the owner.

Cheers, Adam.

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 19 Apr 2009, 07:05

addo wrote:Hey Dickie, that's actually a Slough DS (so, presumably BVH) which had some sort of tragic fire.

Built just three miles up the road from me then

I quite like the idea of one of those bearing in mind where I live although I'd have to move first just for the space which would make it pointless in reality!

addo wrote:Still can't believe I finally own one. There is a decent (far better than mine) ID19 I've heard about, which would probably be negotiable for a focused purchaser. If you're keen I can point you at the owner.

I would like one but SWMBO would do her nut if I bought another car at the moment

red_dwarfers · Unread post by **red_dwarfers** » 19 Apr 2009, 08:57

Cor! Quite a trip Adam

I'll be eager to here the story when you get back

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 19 Apr 2009, 11:54

Final stages of prep, showing my '64 Falcon wagon and the new towcar, a '79 Fairlane. Necessary supplies are laid in.

120 tins! My mate likes his Vitamin B. I prefer LHM, but the LHS will be a forced taste until the right donor DSpecial comes along...

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 01 May 2009, 23:06

Back again.

Departure weather was pretty average. Sporadic cold rain (cold by our standards

) and we kept being held up by either roadworks or specialist hauling teams. The tow vehicle turned out to have economy of approx 11½MPG (Imp). Believe me, over a long trip that really hurt!

During the second day of travel, weather had dried up. We got to see many small country towns, simply by virtue of stopping for petrol in them all!

In the farming area where we loaded up our outbound car, there were emus in the paddocks:

I included the image above as it's a typical rural church in a small town that's had a prosperous spell. Many are now deconsecrated as populations fade away, and often end up in private hands but unused.

A town that barely breathes today - Nangus - located on one of my favourite roads for a good "fang" in a quick car. This old general store has been crumbling since I first saw it, and now looks about to disappear forever.

Looking across the front yard of my host's property, up to the Tasmanian mountains. The air was pretty cold that day!

Here, we had the ID running, and drove it onto the trailer. Before departing on the return leg it was stored at a mate's place. If you know what "needle nardle noo" signifies, these people are immediate relatives, and a riot to keep company with.

There were some used-up donor cars to scrap, and as we had trailer problems (busted spring leaf) there became a need to stop every while and check the mounts - here, it was a small town in Tasmania called Ross. Eventually, a replacement spring was bought in Melbourne.

Travelling by ferry to or from Tasmania, you can go either on a day sailing or overnight. We took the latter, as it meant full days of productivity either side. A further budget saving is the choice of seats over a cabin. You get used to it. Sailing time is about thirteen hours from boarding to entering the city streets at the other end. As can be seen above, weather on our return to Melbourne was less than welcoming at 0630H... Fortunately it dried and warmed as we headed north.

Nothing especially unique about the silos above. In the "South west slopes" of lower NSW, there are any number of towns with a Royal Hotel, a set of grain silos and the rail line passing through. I love the colour of their dirt, the dry air and dependable weather.

Here, the car's been put to bed. There's room to walk either side, but look at the front/rear clearance! It's paper thickness.

The above is a pretty good example of more mundane Oz travel - endless miles of semi-freeway conditions at 110 (70MPH) with a dry-ish lightly wooded rural landscape far as the eye can see.

I'm happy enough with the car; it needs front blinkers and rear light lenses but most other bits are there, and the interior especially is quite good. Don't intend to do much in the shorter term, either, besides bleeding/flushing its hydraulics and cleaning to death. At least the storage is dry and secure.

Cheers, Adam. (Now back onto the blown headgasket of the 405 mi16!)

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 02 May 2009, 07:59

Thanks for the pics they really help get a 'feel' for the trip, quite an experience I imagine.

Similarly the trip over to southern France to pick up my DS will live long in the memory.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 02 May 2009, 08:19

That's one heck of a good project you have going there Adam

Makes my V6 project look a bit tame really.

I'll be looking forward to updates in due course

What a road trip! It brought back some very fond memories of our all to brief stay in the lands of the Southern Cross. Those pictures really captured it forme

Unread post by **myglaren** » 02 May 2009, 08:47

Great documentation of what seems to have been a rather gruelling excursion.

11.5 MPG, the petrol companies will love you!

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 02 May 2009, 23:24

addo wrote:I'm happy enough with the car; it needs front blinkers

Here's one of them, Ebay item 400041519067 a good price too.

red_dwarfers · Unread post by **red_dwarfers** » 03 May 2009, 07:40

Glad it went well for the most part Adam

Looking forward to hearing more stories when you get around to fixing the DS