It's been a long and arduous road that I have travelled before becoming garaged at Tint-a-Car. In fact, I am sure if they had a R.S.P.C.V (Royal Society of Protection to Vehicles), I would have been one of the many that they protected.
To clear the dusty trail of misconception, and allow flying stones to rest, I think it is viable for me to take off my worn rally tyres and put my axles up for a moment, as I open my doors and share a little of my dark and musty past.
Without knowing my past, you can not possibly hope to understand my future. My driver and navigator are my savior and without them, well, I possibly could have remained in an overgrown, weed infested paddock in Sydney, Australia, slowly oxidizing away and eventually finding myself tyre less, rubber perished, and panels rusted beyond restoration.
I'll make this recollection relatively brief because I am eager to impart the happenings of the 'Kidney Kar Rally,' a tyre tearing event, literally, for some of my fellow entrants. Bent panels, broken tail shafts, blown motors, punctured brake lines and fractured steering arms, not to mention slipping clutches…
Vrooooommm…
Yes, I shall divulge my misfortunes as they unfold. At the age of 29 years, fully restored or not, 4000 kilometres of rugged outback Australian terrain is enough to make any vehicles chassis rattle and their rally tread peel. You'll understand what I mean as we progress!
Back to my beginnings...
I came into the world late in 1976' via the Holden Factory, as an L34 spec, LX V8 SS Hatch, in the golden hue of Antelope, and for those of you who are not familiar with the shade, it resembles a metallic gold. Not the colour of a swift racer I assure you. It lacks tenacity! I much prefer the vibrancy of yellow, intermingled with the mystery that shrouds black; a true expression of my personality, hence, my re-spray in the early 90's.
Purchased by a proud and meticulous youngster in the late 70's and driven with the utmost care, was sacrilege, on occasions I was able to let my wheels spin but nothing compared to now.
Now, my life is like that of a rally sovereign.
Back to my story...
I will not condone crime or violence, but I was stolen in the 80's and taken on the ride of my life. My owner at the time was heartbroken, and when I was recovered by the police he elected to let me go because my repair bill was far too expensive for his tight budget.
I was later bought by a gentleman who gave me my first taste of rallying. And after extensive modifications, I was given a CAMS logbook and entered into the NSW Rally Championships. An event that I thoroughly enjoyed, and could not get enough of. However, after running for a few years my owner, at the time, decided that he would like a lighter, more up-to-date vehicle, so I was sold to make way for progress.
This is how I wound up in a paddock in Sydney, and was eventually bought by my driver and navigator, who have restored me to my former glory. Holden, my God, blesses them for their fortitude. In fact, I have been with the Snell's, my driver and navigator, for six years now, and I will have another freshen-up in the near future, before seriously rallying seriously. In the meantime, I will compete in night navigation runs, and be a promotional vehicle for the Kidney Kar Rally.
'Mud, Sweat and Cheers', is the tag-line my driver and navigator have given our team, Excalibur Rally Sport, and this is attributed to the moist dirt we encounter, the amount of fluids we lose, and those that we replenish, whilst preparing for the rally and competing.
In my next post, I shall impart the happenings of the 2005 Kidney Kar Rally and just how much of an adventure this truly is. Until then, keep your engine oiled and your tyres treaded.
