nomadpete Posted June 27 Share Posted June 27 Oops, I forgot to add a positive........ After this, we run away with our camper trailer for respite. I bought a stainless steel stove for our sailboat, at a bargain price. All I've got to do is duck across to Freo to collect it. 😉 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post onetrack Posted June 28 Popular Post Share Posted June 28 Gee, that must have been some bargain, to warrant going to Fremantle from Tassie to pick it up!! 😮 That's on a par with my recent effort. In the best classic fashion, where your plans go to Hell in a handbasket - In early March, I purchased 4.5 tonnes of Caterpillar parts and attachments for my little Cat track loader that I'm restoring, from an old contractor who was retiring - at Seville, East of Melbourne! He was doing a complete clean-up of his yard and workshop, and we did a deal for $4000 for me to take all his surplus parts and components, which parts/components all fit my tractor, and many of which, I'm sorely in need of. There was a fully reconditioned bucket, a canopy (the canopy on my tractor is missing, and I was quoted $2500 from a tractor wreckers to supply one - IF they had one, which they didn't!), a full set of tracks in good condition, many other undercarriage components, hardware, hydraulic cylinders, many miscellaneous new parts, and rock guards for the lower track frames. This was all organised just a few days before I got notice to vacate my factory unit/workshop. I estimated I could freight the Cat parts and components across to W.A. for around $1500-$2000 - but, in the finest Murphy fashion, things didn't actually take a turn for the worse, they immediately went to Hell in a rocket-powered sled! No sooner had I cut the deal, than the Eastern parts of W.A. endured flooding rains that exceeded all known records. Some parts of the Nullarbor received 250mm of rain. The Trans-Australian rail line went under deep water, and the line was closed - for THREE weeks!! The line has never been closed for more than about 2 days, even in the worst rail line disaster. Then the flooding reached the Eyre Hwy, and the Eyre Hwy went under water, West of the West Australian border for four days! All transport to the West was cut off. Shops in Perth started running low on supplies. Trucking companies were swamped with freight being transferred to trucks from rail - but they couldn't handle the massive levels of extra freight, anyway. Freight quotes went ballistic. I was getting quotes of $5300 to $6000 to transport my parts and components - it was ridiculous. So, I made an executive decision to go pick them up, and transport them myself. I reckoned I could pick up a cheap little truck to do the job, and sell it when I got back to W.A. As luck would have it, I found a 1979 model 5 tonne Fiat truck for sale at Pyalong, N of Melbourne - for $3000! It was unlicenced, but roadworthy and in good working order, and the owner even sent me a pile of short videos to show it running! It would cost me $60 for a unlicenced vehicle movement permit from VicRoads, to drive it from Pyalong, all the way to my destination in the wheatbelt of W.A.! I bought the truck in late March, and arranged to pick it up on the 6th May. I had a pile of Velocity Frequent Flyer points with Virgin Australia, and used them to get a one-way ticket to Melbourne. The flight cost was something like $199 or 20,000 FF points. The seller, who was a builder/house renovator on a few acres, was happy enough to hold the truck for me until that date. I was working on having finished my workshop move by 6th May - but as it turned out, I still had a month of cleaning up and moving to do, on that date! Regardless, I still went - telling my landlady I'd be back in a week, to finish moving out! The flight to Melbourne left just 5 mins late at 6:30AM on Monday 6th May, into beautiful weather, and a superb trip. I simply slept for the first 2 hours! I had a window seat on the port side, and enjoyed the last hour of the flight in beautiful clear conditions. We landed at Tullamarine just 5 mins late at 11:30AM, and a mate from Echuca was waiting to pick me up in his Landcruiser troop carrier. This mate was a godsend, I'd already arranged to transport the parts and components from Seville to my mates farm at Echuca, as the seller of the Cat parts had advised me his property handover date was April 26th, and everything had to be gone from the property by then! My mate Mike took me to Pyalong (it's on the way from Tullamarine to Echuca, anyway), where the truck was located just 500 metres off the highway. We checked the truck out, chatted to the owner, got a rundown on all the tricks and tips associated with the trucks operation, and cranked her up! Unfortunately, the batteries were toast on the truck, so we jump-started it and worked on acquiring new batteries in Echuca. We got to Mikes place around 4:30PM on the Monday, and we checked the truck out a little more thoroughly, and found that all the engine belts were looking the worse for wear, so it was decided to replace them, as well as the batteries. Mikes wife Anna put on a great meal on the Monday night and I retired to a neat and clean caravan in Mikes back yard that he used for visitors, and I slept well. Tuesday morning, I took the fanbelt set and air compressor belt off the truck, got the part numbers off them, called a few places in Echuca, and found an industrial supplier that had them all in stock! We drove into Echuca, Mike gave me a quick tour of the place (the Mighty Murray was looking decidedly like a big creek, rather than the massive river it had been in the earlier floods!) - then we called by a tyre and battery place, picked up two new batteries, stopped at the industrial supplier, picked up the belts and went back to Mikes place, about 15kms S of Echuca. I fitted the new batteries and belts, greased the truck - Mike loaded up the pallet boxes and bucket and canopy, and I strapped everything down. I had previously arranged to send 8 new ratchet straps directly to Mikes from a supplier in Melbourne, so they would be there when I arrived. Wednesday morning arrived, another fine day - and the best part, a gentle tailwind from the S.E.! I hit the road just after 9:00AM, after thanking Mike for his invaluable assistance and accommodation, and we were rolling coal! I went North-Westwards, through Echuca, Cohuna, Kerang, Lake Boga, and Swan Hill. Just N of Swan Hill, at Piangil, I turned West, heading to Ouyen and Pinnaroo. I was making good time and the truck was running well, but I was using more fuel than anticipated, I was running at 24L/100kms, whereas I was hoping the consumption would be more like 20L/100kms. The old Fiat engine wasn't in the best condition, and it was likely to be in need of a set of new fuel injectors. Regardless, it was going just fine, otherwise - apart from a few minor issues such the speedo and the fuel gauge not working! Mike had already clued me up about avoiding delays at quarantine checkpoints - you know, the ones where the inspectors hold you up in a line for half an hour or more, so they can check your lunchbox for fruit! I'd already grabbed a superb roast beef roll and cup of tea from the bakery in Ouyen for lunch, and I had no fruit on board - so I took Mikes advice, and turned N at Panitya, just before Pinnaroo and the S.A./VIC border, drove N for a few kms on the Panitya North Rd, then turned West to meet up with the Browns Well Hwy, where I turned N again to head to Loxton and Berri - thus avoiding the quarantine checkpoint! I got into Berri around 5:00PM and fuelled up and hit the road to Burra as it got dark. This wasn't a fun drive, it was straight into the setting sun, and I was worried about 'roos. But I saw no 'roos and the trip into Burra was uneventful. From Burra, the plan was to cut NW to Spalding and Gulnare, and then onto Crystal Brook, where I could join up with the Augusta Hwy, heading to Port Augusta and the West. Unfortunately, getting tired and in the dark, I missed the turnoff to Crystal Brook, went N to Georgetown - realised my mistake, and had to backtrack to the Crystal Brook road. I got into Crystal Brook just after 8:00PM and found the heritage Crystal Brook Hotel in the main street looking very inviting. Despite the dining room officially closing at 8:00PM, the bar and kitchen staff knocked up a feed of beef schnitzel and chips for me - and I then retired to a comfortable upper-storey single bedroom ($120) for the night! A hot shower was very welcome! I left the truck parked in the side street. 7:00AM the next morning saw me hit the road to Port Augusta, where I fuelled up again, grabbed a bite to eat for breakfast, and then started off on the long trek to the West! I made Ceduna by 2:30PM, where I fuelled up again (the truck was fitted with a 180 litre fuel tank, which was just great for distance work), grabbed a late-lunch burger from the local KFC (yes, KFC has made it to Ceduna!) and hit the road again. On through Penong and Yalata, and the Nullarbor roadhouse (no-one stops there if they can avoid it, it's the dearest fuel along the route!) - then the long stretch to the W.A. Border, and Border Village, and the dreaded W.A. Quarantine checkpoint - which I reached around 7:30PM W.A. time, having had the advantage of turning the clock back 1.5hrs, to gain extra hours in the day! I had previously made sure the parts and components were pretty clean, and I was lucky in that I got a cheery and friendly young bloke, all done up in hi-vis, doing the quarantine inspection. He was happy enough with what he saw, but he had to get his leaf blower out and blow the load down, just to make sure he got all the weeds and seeds! After making it through quarantine, it was time to find a bed. I pulled into Eucla, just a short distance up the road from the Border, and the Eucla Motel had just one room left - a family room - at $200!! Beggars couldn't be choosers, so I took it. I was out of luck on meal availability as the motel restaurant was shut, and I had to resort to scrounging a meal from the few food items I had with me. The weather up to now had been superb, 12° to 22°, mostly sunny with scattered clouds, and a tailwind all the way. But Friday morning saw a strong South Easterly wind blow a pile of moisture onshore, and I woke to a very foggy morning in Eucla! It took me about 20 mins to clean all the windows in the truck. Fortunately, the fog started to break up as soon as the sun rose, and I was on the road again by 8:30AM. A quick stop to refuel at Mundrabilla Roadhouse, then on to Madura and the Madura Pass! The Pass was bit of a grunt for the old Fiat, I was down to 2nd gear (5 speed gearbox) climbing that! I zipped through Cocklebiddy and stopped at Caiguna for a steak sandwich. Caiguna Roadhouse used to brag, years ago, about having the best burgers and steak sandwich across the Nullarbor, and despite the place changing hands to some Asians (perhaps Thai people), the steak sandwich was still excellent! I fuelled up with the minimum required to reach Norseman (where the fuel is much cheaper), and got going again. The sky started to blacken as the afternoon wore on, and the wind turned Northerly as a weak cold front approached, as I headed to Balladonia and the Fraser Range. I tried the windscreen wipers and found they weren't working, either! Bummer! I crossed my fingers and hoped any rain would dissipate before it reached me. As it turned out, that's exactly what happened! The cold front broke up and dissipated, and by the time I reached Norseman, there was only scattered clouds! I refuelled in Norseman, hit the highway again, and headed for Coolgardie, which I reached about 5:30PM. It was dark as I refuelled and I pulled out quickly to head to Southern Cross, 200kms away, where I had a cabin booked in the caravan park. The trip to Southern Cross wasn't enjoyable, the Great Eastern Hwy is undergoing a huge amount of road works, and I ran into 200 or 250 East-West road trains heading East, as they all left Perth on Friday afternoon! It was a relief to reach Southern Cross just after 8:00PM, where I enjoyed a good feed of fish and chips and salad at the BP Roadhouse, and retired to the cabin at the nearby caravan park. The cabin and the park (owned by the Shire Council) was delightful - clean, near new, and well run by a couple of ladies who were professional, to say the least. I enjoyed a good shower and a sound sleep here - all for $120. Saturday morning, I was on the road again to my block, after adding some more fuel to the truck for the last leg. At Southern Cross, I turned N and went through the Northern wheatbelt, via Bullfinch, Mukinbudin, Bencubbin, Koorda, Cadoux, Wongan Hills, and thence to my block in tiny Calingiri. I grabbed some lunch in Wongan Hills (pop. 1200), and arrived at my block around 1:00PM. The trek was over! - and it was highly successful! Nothing broke on the old Fiat, nothing fell off, and I never even had to top up the oil or coolant! I burnt up just under $1700 in fuel, and the total cost of my trip, including accommodation, food and spares, was under $3000! That was a huge saving on quoted freight costs - and I'm pretty sure I can get my money back on the old Fiat, by selling it to some truck collector! Plus, I got to see and stay with a bloke I've wanted to catch up with for some time - and I got a great tourist trip from East to West! The Nullarbor has never looked so green and verdant, thanks to all the recent flooding rains. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_Atrick Posted June 29 Author Share Posted June 29 After a pretty crap week in which I have had a jimmy leg, I took the kids to London last night for them to attend their primary school's summer fair - a sort of nostalgia visit to celebrate daughter completing her A Levels (HSC/VCE). It was the first time in 10 years she returned to her place of birth and formative years. A little nostalgic walk and, as my leg is still not fully recovered, I ducked to the pub for a spot of lunch, while they met with their old friends for a spot of reminiscing. It is a beautiful day in Richmond, the sites are lovely, I have had a nice lunch, and once we pick the little-uns uo, I will be heading to a mates house for a quick catchup before driving home. I am tempted to grab a hotel, but the prices are skyrocketing due to the season. Pub is booked out.. but this is why I love family owned and known businesses. Last week, I thought I had the room booked for Wednesday. Rang up on the Tuesday at 6pm to say wasn't coming tomorrow because of the leg. Dang it, had the room booked on Tuesday.. Had it in my diary for Wednesday. Said not to worry as I would cover it. At 9pm, I got a text saying no worries - he had sold it for the night. Apparently, the plumbing of a neghbour broke down and they needed a room. Sold. He could have not said anything and charged me a night and I would never be the wiser. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomadpete Posted June 29 Share Posted June 29 (edited) Driving like a pilot..... right down the centre line. Edited June 29 by nomadpete 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmccarthy Posted June 29 Share Posted June 29 Great story Onetrack, thanks for brightening my morning. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetrack Posted June 30 Share Posted June 30 Quote Driving like a pilot..... right down the centre line. I needed both lanes, to juggle holding the phone for the photo, and to steer! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted June 30 Share Posted June 30 Best place if there's kangaroos around. Nev 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetrack Posted June 30 Share Posted June 30 Amazingly, I only sighted 2 'roos during the entire trip from Echuca to Calingiri - and they were in the middle of Berri in the vineyard area, just before dusk!! They were hopping from one vineyard on the left of the highway, to the one on the right of the highway - obviously sampling the local vintage! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted June 30 Share Posted June 30 There's about 10 on my block most days They are much more dangerous animals than most appreciate. They will drown you in water if they get the chance and they could rip your entrails out. . Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetrack Posted June 30 Share Posted June 30 You talking about our loveable, harmless Skippy? Nahh, you must have the psycho 'roos at your place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litespeed Posted July 1 Share Posted July 1 I don't think they are psycho, just wary and protective of the mob. Nervous and ready to fight.q I would be too, if lived with Facthunter. They know what "Hunter" means. But have trouble understanding "fact" and mistake it for Fuck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man emu Posted July 1 Share Posted July 1 7 hours ago, Litespeed said: I would be too, if lived with Facthunter. They know what "Hunter" means. But have trouble understanding "fact" and mistake it for Fuck. That's going too far! The inference of the last two sentences quoted here is quite clear, and quite offensive. I put it to members, "Should Litespeed be admonished for posting them?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Litespeed Posted July 1 Share Posted July 1 Maybe my humour was too obtuse. It was meant to imply fork it's a hunter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted July 1 Share Posted July 1 It's not fitting that I respond except to point out it's way out of character for LiteSpeed. facthunter is lower CASE and one word deliberately. and THANKS OME.. Nev 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Litespeed Posted July 3 Popular Post Share Posted July 3 On 02/07/2024 at 9:57 AM, facthunter said: It's not fitting that I respond except to point out it's way out of character for LiteSpeed. facthunter is lower CASE and one word deliberately. and THANKS OME.. Nev I wish to apologize for the offence I made. I had not intended to be offensive but I certainly was. I see how my words were easy to take as a slight by Nev and others. My words were foolish and childish. I have always had great respect for Nev and his contributions. I unreservedly apologize for any implications my stupid post made in an extremely misguided attempt at humour. As Nev stated above, it was out of character (too many new meds) but that does not excuse what I posted. I am responsible for my posts and accept I was wrong and insulting. Nev, I am sorry. Phil 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 We are better than ever Phil. Thanks. Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old man emu Posted July 3 Share Posted July 3 10 hours ago, Litespeed said: stupid post made in an extremely misguided attempt at humour. The possibility of things only appearing in text being misinterpreted is the bane of forum participation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacesailor Posted July 4 Share Posted July 4 I find ' AI ' is making it worst than ever . I have to proof-read three times. ( twice before post, once after ) Then keep my fingers crossed. spacesailor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_Atrick Posted July 11 Author Share Posted July 11 Hey mods! I think it is time to pin this one, so it reminds people to post their positives (to counter the gripes!). OK, a positive. Someone I worked with has been made CEO of the markets division of the bank I worked for. I only worked with him a short time, yet I predicted he would be a CEO., I am guessing his base salary is about £2m - but he is worth it; dedicated to the firm, his customers, and his staff; integroty is (or at least was) beyind repute, unbelievably smart and unbeliveably committed, yet finds time for his family. A real example of someone who should be a CEO - well time will tell if it is the case. Unbelieveably, I have no envy or thoughts of the frontal labotomy most pillars of commerce have when they get there. He steered the business unit through interna, turmoil and made it a very strong unit. Yeah, money is the driver at the end of the day, but there are few I have seen that have earned their place at that level.. And he is one. Good on him. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post old man emu Posted July 12 Popular Post Share Posted July 12 I hereby claim the Happiness championship!!!!! For the past nearly two year my motorcycle has been unserviceable. First it was the failed ignition coil. Then the carburettor float was sticking, causing the carby to flood and fuel to flow out of the vent hole. I finally got those things fixed, as well as fitting a new battery, but when I started the engine, it ran like a chaff cutter. So off to a mechanic who actually knew what he was doing. Turns out that the air/fuel mixture was way out of whack. So I got the bike back, but then the ignition switch failed. That was replaced, and the bike was running, except for the generator light coming on. The big problem was that the registration ran out at the end of June and I couldn't get the bike in for a roadworthiness inspection. So I arranged with the inspector to bring it in tis morning. What an anxious time it was this morning. Would the bike start? Will the front tyre pump up? Will the generator light go out? Would the inspector find something to fail the inspection? My guts were flipping from +9G to -9G. I munched some Quick-Eze, saddled up and headed into town, 10 kms away. Halfway there the engine started to miss, and I thought I'd be stuck out on the highway with no way of getting the bike back home, and also missing out on getting the inspection done. Fortunately, the bike made it into the inspector and he gave it the twice over. He's my car's mechanic so he knew of my trials and tribulations with the bike. He passed it. So I mounted up to head back home. The generator light was still on, but I figures I had enough EV fuel in the battery to get home. About a kilometre along, I noticed that the generator light was dimming and soon after went off. I figured that the system had been topping up the battery and was finally satisfied. On I rode, but soon the engine started to cough and miss, then pick up. It did this a couple of times until I was a bit over 5 kms from home, then it stopped. I waited a minute or two and tried to restart, which it did. A bit less than a km further on, it did the same, and so did I. I figured that I could get home in fits and starts. When it stopped the last time, I was in sight of home. As I sat there, I heard a gurgling sound coming from the tank. You know, the sound you make when you are trying to suck the last bit of milkshake up a straw. I thought maybe the tank had been developing an air lock, so I loosened the fuel cap and started up. Rode the last kilometre home with the engine running like a Singer sewing machine. So now my bike is running as it should. As soon as I post this, I'm going to pay the rego and CTP. That'll make it legal until Christmas since I have it on 6-monthly rego. Too bad that the weather next week look too bleak to go riding, but at least I could if I wanted to! Happiness is a Harley that you don't have to push home! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 There's no voltage regulator in the system. It's just a cut out. You use the 3rd brush to adjust the output and it just keeps charging at that rate.. There is a Later 6Volt Sportster (early model with Voltage regulator) unit which can be easily fitted and it will stop charging when the battery is fully charged. It's hard to get the original deep battery for that bike also Those clear case BSB's leak acid. Being a coil ignition bike the electric s must be spot on. A really good generator will run with the battery disconnected once it's running and even idle but most won't do that. That generator is wired to increase the charge rate when the lights are switched on by bringing in the second field coil (called a shunt). That's what the smaller wire is for .Nev 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacesailor Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 A happiness " out of the blue " , Went shopping, then stopped for a cup of tea. As I was trying to get rid of my " shrapnel " a strange man threw A $ 50 note in front of me , saying " have your lunch on me " . Flabbergasted, I told the wife when bringing the tray of tea over . She immediately said to hand it back . He was long gone . So a free Chinese lunch was enjoyed. spacesailor 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facthunter Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 You must have looked "down and out".. You made HIM happy. Nev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ClintonB Posted July 12 Popular Post Share Posted July 12 My Daughter gave us our first grandchild today, so it's a wonderful day for my wife and I. Welcome to the world Harrison. 2 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacesailor Posted July 12 Share Posted July 12 (edited) We will have our 21st greatgrand child in November. spacesailor Edited July 12 by spacesailor 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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