My New Shitbox

[Evan Bottcher]

I think internet access has been patchy.  Here's a photo Sheldon posted on twitter this morning on his way out of Longreach.

http://twitter.com/#!/Hoonanism/status/72433614662541312

[Evan Bottcher]

They've also posted a day 2 video.  http://www.shitboxrally.com.au/video/day2.html  Nice video cuts, lots of nice vaseline on the lens.

No sign yet of Mario Speedwagon or the overheating Dolomite.

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oh crap I've realised I'm acting like a groupie.

[alfagtv58]

oh crap I've realised I'm acting like a groupie.

Dont worry, I'm searching #shitboxrally on twitter everytime I go on at the moment.

I think its called...jealousy    Evan, we need to start looking for a Shitbox now for the 2012 event (I registered my interest with them about 6 months ago).

[Davidm1600]

They've also posted a day 2 video.  http://www.shitboxrally.com.au/video/day2.html  Nice video cuts, lots of nice vaseline on the lens.

No sign yet of Mario Speedwagon or the overheating Dolomite.

oh crap I've realised I'm acting like a groupie.

Two more vids up and the country they are going through looks great.  Most definitely would be a road trip, with a cause, to remember.  Still no sign of Mario or the Dolly on the videos but hopefully they are still going great.  For sure, putting a team together to do a journey like this would be excellent.  I wonder if they will travel to other parts of the country in next year's rally ?

[Neil Choi]

Here is a pic, you can just see the Prez.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

We have coverage!!  Approaching Katherine right now. Alfa, Triumph, and 1971 Corona (driven by Stu's workmates, one of whom is a Vic club member) still going strong. We've been dubbed 'the classics' by some people, and 'those most unlikely' by others.

Yesterday was extremely tough. 370km of real 4wd track. We all had some issues to fix, nothing major on the Alfa, just unscheduled water/electrical issues. 13 hours driving to cover 540km. Will put up a few pics when I can.

The scenery and the driving is just incredible. Yesterday would rate up with my best days at Philip Island in terms of fun, and the sense of achievement is incredible. There are about 10 1990s Aussie and Japanese cars dead so far, but 'the classics' keep trucking on. We're usually nearly last in at night because we spend a bit of time with the bonnets up on the Triumph and Corona, but we get there.

Signal is fading, will quickly post, and send more info later.

[Frank Musco]

Good to see your all still trucking and having an awesome time. I like how you've been dubbed 'the classics', both an honour and a privilege, and the only way to go.

GO MARIO SPEEDWAGON!

[Neil Choi]

I would think it is going to be a thrilling and entertaining June club night coming up.

Hope to see lots of pics and hear many stories.

I would urge all club members to come to the club night.

[MD]

.....We all had some issues to fix, nothing major on the Alfa, just unscheduled water/electrical issues. ...

I know you are doing this communication stuff on the run which may explain the lack of clarity.. So did your car have water and electrical issues or does this apply to other cars?

Not the solenoid again?

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Hi MD, yes very much on the fly, via phone when I have coverage and time.

Alfa got water in the dizzy a couple of times, and the plug wells were filling up. The rivers were pretty deep....  Also broke a throttle return spring. All easily fixed.
Corona had the fan propeller itself into the radiator, creating a reasonably big hole.
Triumph had water in the ignition system (not sure exactly where, I was fixing mine at the time) a flat battery, and water in the trans fluid.

We've just left Katherine after changing the left front wheel bearing on the Alfa. The inner seal was shot, and let in quite a lot of water and dust, the bearing was rooted. Very lucky to be able to find one up here today. While we were doing that the Corona had its coolant replaced for about the fifth time this week.

On the road now, 450kms to go, wish us luck.

[pep105]

Good Luck Mate  

Sounds like your having a ball and Mario Speedwagon is proving to be the benchmark in reliablity, next to the Rona and the Queens Chariot Replica  

Touching wood as I type this only 450 to go - Go The Mario Speed Wagon !!!!!!!!!

[Paul Gulliver]

The rivers were pretty deep

We don't want Mario in over his head. Might need a snorkel for next time. Maybe something like this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Dc9QV2e5kc

[Stuart Thomson]

Hi All,

All done, nursed the Dolomite into Darwin this arvo 5237.9 km after leaving Melbourne.  We actually finished first, because of the wheel bearing on the Alfa we had to skip Jabiru and head straight to Darwin.

A real sense of achievement after a major f up on Saturday morning.

A fantastic event a real sense of camaraderie between the teams. Get your entries in early for next year

Cheers
Stuart

[MD]

Congratulations guys. Massive achievement. Giulia, we salute you !!!

Sheldon, based on your report so far, it seems to me about the only mechanical failure on the Joolie was a broken throttle return spring. In desperate times, this could be simply fixed by removing the elastic in your undies in substitution of the spring. No real drama. 

The balance of the "breakdowns" was due to environmental conditions impacting on the car not meant to go into such terrain ie. scuba diving 

So in the words of our fearless ex prime minister, Bob Hawke, anyone who says Alfas aren't reliable cars is a bum.

Please reward Guilia with a nice oil change, 36lbs of air in the tyres and treat her to an "Italian Tune Up" all the way home.

[dehne]

i think sheldon might bid on mario to keep him, the relationship journey that they have just been through would be to hard to throw away, do it sheldon you know you want to