Road Trip

Well it's finally underway, left Newie Saturday 13th, first stop to see George at Classic to get an electronic ignition setup, its never too late to add the bits you have been going to add for the last ? months then on the road through Bathurst, a bit late in the evening to do the obligatory circuit, then on to first camp other side of Bathurst on the road to Orange (bloody freezing). Day two saw me on the road by 8am heading towards Orange, Wellington where I learned first lesson for the trip, have a run through town to check fuel prices, could save paying the highest price in town, on through Cobar to camp two. Day 3 around 9 on towardHs Willcania, stoped in for drink and muffin at the Emdale road house, can't believe the straight stretches out here, then on towards Broken Hill and camp 3 just 6km short of Broken Hill. On into Broken Hill to look around for a coupla days and camp 4 in a caravan park. Day 5 saw me take a run out to Silverton where they filmed Mad Max and are going to film Mad Max 2 if the weather ever plays ball, seems it's not brown enough at this time, there's a few old beetles there used as a bit of a display outside a few of the tourist places, then back on the road late about 7pm for a night run towards Adelaide camped at the thriving metropolis of downtown Yunta after driving through rain and crossing the SA border. On the road around 8.30am towards Adelaide through more rain with really strong winds thrown into the mix, stoped for a while at Burra but too bloody cold and windy so pushed on to Adelaide to see the fella about some nice bright bulbs so the wench has now got nice bright eyes, still raining so motored on through the night to camp 6 in a picnic shelter at Rhynie. Day 7 saw me and wench on the road around 7am heading to Willmington to meet a mate I haven't seen for a while then on towards Port Augusta, rain had ceased so the trip was now a much more pleasant affair , continued on after a short break, a random breath test, a lady cop going on about how cute the wench is and how much she'd love to own one and some stupid sheiler with road rage blowing the horn because I wasn't going fast enough for her heading towards Kimba where I had a short stop then on towards Ceduna. A bit before Minnipa the wench started running a bit rough and I started to worry, if she'd just get me to Ceduna I could check the problem out but things got worse and I started to worry buy then put the brain into gear, felt a bit like a fuel supply problem but with plenty of fuel in the tank it had to be carbie or fuel filter, check the filter and it's so full of shit I could top dress the lawn with it, removed the filter cartridge but couldn't blow it clean so reasembled the filter without the cartridge and headed for Ceduna where I am camping till Monday so I can get a new filter. So there ya are, day 9, about 2900km up so far and stuck in one of the nicest places you would want to be, tomorrow or Tuesday should see me off across th Nullarbor, the little wench is runing like a train, so well I may have to find a nicer name for her, getting pretty close to 10lt/100km running mile after mile at 3000rpm close enough to 90kph while towing a trailer loaded with tools, camping stuff, tucker and cloths. Hope I havn't jinxed her with this long winded report or bored you all but I'm just stoked at the way things are going and my face I'd aching from smiling so much

Nothing better than a road trip adventure.👍 Ah the wide brown (wet) land. Good Luck and Safe travelling.👍

You lucky, lucky bastard Donn.

I hope the Wench looks after you, and drive safe.

Great stuff (except little hiccup), are you traveling with other vehicles or not.

If you are going through Vic and back up through NSW, let me know and pending which route you are taking I will try and met up with you when you are nearby.

Keep the updates coming 👍

Kev

Damn Donn,

Should have told me you were passing through Adelaide, would have met up with you! 🙁

But good luck with the rest of your road trip, would love to be able to do one myself very soon!

you mean you didn't have spare fuel filters do you have other spares with you eg fan belt, spark plugs etc

It would be heaps of fun tho. have fun vee dubbin

Firstly Camo and Sebastien, I'm almost certainly coming back through Victoria / Adelaide but it won't be till October sometime I'm thinking, I'll keep this post updated, it'd be great to meet I with you, secondly Rose, why do I need spares? Hahaha, of course I've got spares , I've got a spare dizzy as I've still got the one I took out when I installed the electronic one I got from George, I've got a timing light, that was in case I had to install the new dizzy myself, I've got spare clutch and accelerator cables but they are standard length, not bad for a short wheel base buggy, I've got a spare tyre for the trailer and a puncture repair kit, a large assortment of tools and engine oil and brake fluid but most importantly membership of the NRMA. So back to the trip, left Ceduna and motored off along the Eyre Hwy at a breakneck 85-90 clicks, stoped of at Head of the Bight to see the whales, how cool was that, I could see at least 20 whales at any one time all with calves, fanbloodytastic, off again to the next town but all the towns on the map are really just road houses $2.00 per litre was the top price for 91, chatted up a lovely Scotish lass at one stop after camping there the night b4 and ended up with a free t shirt, yess I've still got the magic woohoo, across the border where I had to surrender my last onion at the quarantine point ( figured I'd best not try to chat this chickie babe so I quit while I was in front) speeding off down the road till I got to the 149km straight stretch, pics to be taken here, it's mandatory I think, then like a flash off I went, 149.6 clicks without a bend then a big curved arrow to let drivers know it's time to steer a bit right, big deal when the next sight is another straight road stretching off into infinity. On I'm flying to Norsman and I've done the Nullarbor, tick another one off the bucket list. Turn right at Norsman and scoot off up to Coolgardie, check out the museum and the story about the bloke who got rescued out of a flooded mine (google it, it's too long to include here my typing finger is getting sore and the battery's getting low on th iPhone ) then off to Kalgoorlie where I struck the first traffic lights in ages and had my first shower in three days, not such a bad thing I noticed I was geting served first in the shops till I tubed. Now I'm camped just outside Kalgoorlie with clowns on quads tearing up the bush camping area in the dark , ahh it's great to be back in the civilized part Oz again.
Till next time ladies and gents
Don

Well the pace has slowed down a bit as I caught up with Jeff and Brian doing the east west walk, as Jeff is walking about 35km per day that is the extent of my travel though I do duck off to visit any interesting places along the way. We are in Sandstone tonight and at the pub we have raised well in excess of $350 with s collection ton to be collected from the postoffice / general store before we leave on the road to Mt. Magnet tomorrow getting there on September the 7th. My little wench is running like a clock and drawing attention from lots of people along the way, a little aboriginal kid asked me if he could get a pic of him standing alongside the car, when I asked him if he would like one of him sitting in the drivers seat you should have seen the smile light up his face, I couldn't believe that so many big white teeth could fit into such a little face, a moment to treasure. 😁

Now in Mullewa about 100km from Geraldton heading for Geraldton to arrive there Saturday. Been a great trip so far only trouble is with the trailer, scrubbing out tyres a bit too quick, checked the wheel alignment and found the wheels not running parallel with each other so I have adjusted them as best I can, two new tyres waiting for me in Geraldton and hopefully two for the front of the wench.

cool 👍

Maybe the trailer is just too tired (too tyred) hahahahaha

Let's hope it stays that way Jeff, how's the repairs going?

Got it back and on the road about 2 weeks ago - just putting bits & pieces back on now. :-)

Cheern !👍M

Nice mileage on the fuel. what donk and tranny combo u running Donn? 👍

As far as I am aware it is a standard 1600, it's a twin port single 34 pict. Not sure on box but it is running 14 inch rims with 235/65 rear and 195/65 front 3000rpm is close enough to 90kph so nothing out of the box just good fun though I'm sure I'll have to lift it a bit when I put the new tyres on her as before I left home I installed some driving lights recessed into the guards and the front LH tyre rubs a bit on the back of the light on full RH lock, I may have to stop in Geraldton for a while to do it, does anyone here know if I'll need a new wheel alighnment after I lift it ?

Now in Geraldton, nice seaside town but a bit of a cold wind blowing, first time for a while we are not camping on the road (well off the edge of the road) tonight we are in a caravan park right on the beach, driving down the road to the c/van park today I spotted a manx and a type 3 square in the front yard of a home behind a brick fence, stopped to check them out and there was a super there as well but all 3 pretty well stuffed so didn't go in, saw a realy rusty bay in the public carpark in town, NSW plates, but no one arround, except for a few late model VW's that's the first dubs I've seen for nearly a month. Had new tyres fitted to the trailer and the front of the wench, trailer tyres $5 dearer each than the car tyres each though they are only 12 inch rims on the trailer, figure that one if you can.🙅 while on the road a few days ago I got a pic of the wench alongside a road train hauling iron ore, the poor little thing complete with the trailer was only marginaly longer than one set of wheels on one of the trailers, sheet those bastards are big. I'm starting to get a bit homesick so I will be leaving the other fellas after we get to Steep Point and heading down to Perth then off towards home though there's still heaps to see, I'll most probably stop off at York to see the motor museum and then a few other places fellow travellers have suggested.
Till next time
Don

Great stuff Don
Hope you are going to post some pics when you get back

Blowing a gale here today, glad it's a day off from the road and we can shelter in the cabin in the caravan park, rain and wind and it sounds like a roof sheet is coming loose on the cabin. Jeff is a real wiz when it comes to pooters so he may be able to lead me on the path of pic posting, if that happens then stand by for pics.

Took this at the end of the Nullarbor, there was a sighn at the end to remind drivers that it's time to start steering again 😀

Not sure why it came up twice but at least I got it to work🙄

Excellent stuff Donn.

Sounds like you are having a ball. Good on you.

So I have reached my final driving destination on the outward bound leg, in a few days I'll be hooding it into Strep Point (hopefully) in the meantime I'm doing a bit of a trip up to Demham and maybe Monkey Mire, the only problem I have had is with the trailer wheel alighnment though I'm pretty sure I have that fixed and also with the fuel filters, engine stoped again 4 days ago so I fitted a new fuel filter, that fixed it till the next day when the same problem arose so I bypased the filter and hasn't missed a beat since, I'm a bit nervous about running without a filter though, I'll get another one in Denham and hopefully no more filter problems, can't figure out why a new filter clogs (apparently) when there is no sighn of crud in the filter 🙅

Well I've turned the corner and on my way home, though there is still no real timeframe. The little darln is still running like a train though I did treat it rather harshly a few days back on the road to Steep Point, corrugations so bad I was down too 5 kph but still some bits vibrated loose so I called it quits about 100km short of my destination and turned around. Spent the last two nights at a place called Ellendale Pool, it's not a town just a bush camping ground alongside the Greenough river, a prettier place you would be hard pressed to find, now heading south towards Dongara with New Norcia as my next real destination but who knows what may happen, as a previous different post I am heading for Perth and will get a major service done there and a wheel alignment as I have been doing grease and oils myself as they come due.
Till next time.
Don

Donn, I am just sooooo jealous.

Enjoy every second of it - lucky bastard.

Oops, shouldn't have mouthed off so soon, ran outa fuel with 1/4 tank showing on the gauge, not another blocked filter !!!!! replaced it just 2 days ago!!!! nope fuel line broken at the inlet side of the filter unit, easy fix just shorten the line a smidgen, ever tried to cut stainless steel braided hose on the side of the road with just a pair of side cutters, 1 1/2 hours later and I'm away. I'll buy some standard rubber hose at the next stop just in case.

Just left New Norcia heading for Perth but looking at a side trip to York. I have been giving myself uppercuts for the last few days to stop myself just heading for home, been about 50 days since I saw the family and it's starting to wear a bit thin all this adventure, still giving the uppercuts though, I think I can talk myself into a couple more weeks.

So I just bet you all have been on the edge of your seats waiting for the next exciting installment, well wait and worry no more, here it is. Spent a while at my mates place in Perth, actualy a bit north at a place called Yanchep, while I was there I had the local mechanic and the tyre shop do a grease and oil and a wheel alignment and also got the mechanic to adjust the steering box, all good except for the bill, but a couple of Valium and a long talk with my bank manager has that fixed. The wench has had a bit of a tappet rattle for a little while but seems to be worse after the service so took it back to the local bloke to see what he thought, he gave it the all clear "not really bad enough to worry about" says he. Left for locations south on the 13th (whatever day that was) but the tappets had me a bit uneasy so contacted V Dub Repairs & Spares in Fremantle to see if he could check it out for me booked it in for the next day ( 14th Friday ?) left it with him and wandered off to do the tourist thing while he did the work thing. Got a call it's ready, turned out to be something he said he had never seen before, one of the adjusting screws had broken off and the broken end was all that was acting on the tappet! sure glad I decided to have itt checked though I'm not sure how long it's been like it and the broken off bit is nowhere to be found unless it has somehow found it's way into the sump. So off south I headed, side trip into Rockingham, so so place by the look of it, onward ever onward to Mundura whipped through there during the early night to a camp spot at the southern end of Yalgorup National Park. And so here I sit, swatting mozies and typing away on me bloody iPhone so you all can read about my really exciting and daring tour across the bottom of this great land, there's a winery back a out 5 k's that I saw a sign for last night, mango wine!? think I'll backtrack and check it out.
Till next time
Don
PPS
I want to let all know what excellent service V Dub Repairs & Spares gave me and thanks to Miss Vdub for putting me on to them, top marks to them in my humble opinion.
Oh, and I saw some nice dubs while I was there and also in the streets of Freo, only got one pic though of a really nice splitty, there was also a really nice blue and white beetle but it was too crowded in to get a pic.

That's awesome Donn, so glad they not only helped you, but put your mind at ease. Kurt and the boys do a great job, wont rip you off, and know their stuff! Another reason why i sent you there was so you could have a good look around Freo. Great spot, and renowned for being VW territory, Freo attracts them! 😉

Good thing you got it checked Donn. It would be damn annoying to have it let you down out in the boondocks.

Love reading your exciting updates - and jealous as all hell. :-)

Well as you may remember from the last installment I was about to backtrack to a winery, well I did just that only go find that they weren't open and no info to advise when ( or if ) they will be open again, not happy. Since then I've covered a few k's? Down to Bunbuey, a pretty standard sort of sea side town, Busselton, much the same, Augusta....Pemberton and onwards ever onwards, found a great spot for a camp at Shannon National Park, well set up with spots for tents ( that's me ) camper vans caravans and even a couple of cabins, hot showers ( that's for me for sure ) had a couple of nights there and did a couple of walks then packed up to head for Walpole. I did the mandatory tree top walk there, a must in my opinion but make sure you include the guided ( free ) walk down on ground level, that fills in a few of the blanks, also climbed the " centenery tree " now thats realy spmething, 65 m heigh to a platfo at the top, bloody amazing Headed off to Denmark and Albany, stayed a couple of nights in the backpackers there and did the tourist thing at the whale centre, top show there, met a couple at the back packers doing the circuit on a couple of BMW motor bikes, done 17000 k's so far and won't be home in Brisbane till Christmas, only one bike had paniers! now that's roughing it. Headed off to Ravensthorp then a side trip to Hopetoun for a couple of nights then back to the main drag and to Esperance and in to Cape Le Grand National Park, a brilliant place again with solar
hot showers, camp kitchen with gas cooking stove and hot plate and gas hot water over the kitchen sink, the Nat parks over here really know how to do it! Now I'm back in Esperance fueling up and then heading north towards Norseman, not real sure how long I'll take to get there depends on if I decide to stop anywhere to see / do things on the way. A revisit to the Nullarbor is getting very close. Gotta gc, the wench is getting impatient.

Sounds like you have seen lots, 26 k's south of Norseman is Bromus Dam, left hand side, old government dam from nineteenth century, good place to camp and freshen up, dam water is good, nice bush camp.

Yep, did that, now in Port Augusta and the wench is going wild, she can see home and a nice warm garage. Did Norsman to the border in one day and one more sloooow day to Ceduna. Saw a real shmicko bug heading towards WA either white or light grey with a sticker of some sort centre top of the windscreen, heard from a couple of blokes traveling in minis that it was in top nick and the fella was from Melburg going to WA for work.

Be it ever so humble etc............ finaly arrived home 3am Sunday morning, the wench just went ape shit and wouldn't stop once I told her we were definatly heading for home this time, hit the starter 7am Saturday and stopping for refuel of car and self only we rocked in early Sunday, shower and a real bed for the first time in something like 78 days and around 14000 k's (the bed that is, I have had a few showers in that time 🙄). The wench performed brilliantly with just a few blocked fuel filters (realy shoulda cleaned out that jerry can) and a broken tappet adjuster, though even that didn't stop her she just made a lot of rattly tappet noise till I got it fixed in Fremantle, the VDO speedo is playing up a bit, speedo itself still working but the oddo and trip meter parts have developed a strange habit of not ticking over for a while, sometimes a few k's other times a few hundred, kinda strange, and the engine may have developed a slight oil leak from behind the pully, I'll know for sure when I clean it up and run it for a while again, what a top little battler the wench turned out to be and except for actual oil replacement it wouldn't have used more than a couple of cups for top up (Castrol GTX, sorry for those who don't like the stuff). Home sweet home. Now to check out the list of jobs waiting to be done around the castle and wash and shine the wench so she feels respectable again. 🤪👍😵‍💫

Welcome home Donn.

donn wrote:wash and shine the wench so she feels respectable again. 🤪👍😵‍💫

And don't worry, after that trip, the wench has earned HEAPS of respect.