Shitbox rally 2013

[vin sharp]

Good luck to all the Alfa crews in this years event...starting about now. 
Chanel 7's morning news show has a weather reporter in one of the cars for this years event, so keep an eye out for live crosses to  event locations each morning next week......supposedly. 

[Ray Pignataro]

Starting in Adelaide this year, saw an eclectic mix of cars at various road houses,yesterday (Friday )

[Evan Bottcher]

Facebook tells me that the Brad and Anita (Team Alfa Silly Car) Shitbox hasn't been too healthy with overheating problems yesterday and today.  It's on the recovery trailer to Uluru, needing some work tonight I expect.  Shame to have trouble this early, but hopefully sorted fingers crossed.

[vin sharp]

Facebook tells me that the Brad and Anita (Team Alfa Silly Car) Shitbox hasn't been too healthy with overheating problems yesterday and today.  It's on the recovery trailer to Uluru, needing some work tonight I expect.  Shame to have trouble this early, but hopefully sorted fingers crossed.

By the sound of it there was an unknown coolant leak (temp gauge normal) which made itself apparent with a large discharge of steam and whatever was left boiling out. Since then it displays all the symptoms of a blown head gasket.......not an easy thing to manage in limp mode if at all.......Chemiweld, lots of water, fingers crossed and hope for the best!

[Sheldon McIntosh]

From my end.....   The temp gauge was reading accurately, and there was no leak, it was boiling and pissing water out of the cap.  I suggested trying my cap, and apparently it ran fine for a decent amount of time with that on.  An attempt was made to try and fix Brad's cap with silicon, but with that affixed, the next day it then blew out a heater hose (that really annoying one on the back of the block).  That was fixed, and then it blew again 5km later.   More to come on that front no doubt, apparently it's not being looked at till tomorrow morning.

Very sad to have to put an Alfa on a trailer, fingers crossed it can get going tomorrow.  Or today I suppose.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

And this GTV got rammed from behind by one of the support 4WDs.  Sounds like it was a 'racing incident', not helped by the 4WD towing a Mercedes at the time.

The guys did a massive job to get it going again today, they're going to join our group tomorrow.  They were up till about 2am trying to fix things.  There will be more news on this car.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Our 90 is going well.  No problems, other than trivial ones.

Uluru is very, very beautiful.  If you haven't been here yet, just do it. 

Dirt roads start for us tomorrow, so it's gonna get pretty demanding for the next 4 days.  Won't have any internet for a few days either, so I'll talk to you on the other side......

[Fast Eddie]

good luck all,

hoping to see the finishers over here late Friday.

[Stuart Thomson]

I just saw Alfa Silly Car on the day 3 video, sans bonnet.  I assume that they haven't fixed the overheating!!

Cheers
Stu

[Stuart Thomson]

I have just heard from one of the other guys on the rally.

Alfa Silly Car has succumbed to its injuries and has been pronounced dead.

Keep your fingers crossed for Fat Boy Racing and Team Trofeo.

Stu

[Evan Bottcher]

Ha, was just coming on here to announce the same thing!

[Evan Bottcher]

You can see Alfa Silly Car sans bonnet at 00:44 here: https://vimeo.com/65599932

Brad (via Facebook) says they only made 200kms today on 4 cylinders, before going on the trailer.  Surely they'll put a bullet in the poor horse after that.

[Stuart Thomson]

I have just received news that the Trofeo boys have also gone by way of blown head gasket.

Bad news indeed.

Cheers
Stu

[Paul Gulliver]

There goes Alfa Romeo's " Qantas like record" on the shitbox rally. I hope no one from The Australian has been watching

[Stuart Thomson]

Fat Boy Racing are still going though.  This is taken somewhere between Tjukayirla Roadhouse and Laverton.

Cheers
Stu