So there I was one day driving along and all of a sudden I was a couple of inches lower in the seat. The strap rubber holding the foam of my seat up snapped through (the split along the left hand side there), and it left me wedged between the two side parts of the seat, not very comfortable. Bit of rope, no problem.



Since they were out of the car I also took the opportunity to hi-luxury it up a bit. The new covers were hand-me downs from a mate who didn't like them anymore. Score!



I also managed to recover $8.55. Woohoo!

Then there was the trip home from Kitestock 08.

Well I cant show you mine, but a mate and I had an old poo-brown Datsun 200B that we used for rally events such as Autocross and Motorkhana. After we had aquired the car and motor and put it all together, we went out to the pines to have a bit of a hack and test it out. For some reason the carbies stopped working when we ventured about an hours walk from the trailer.
The car was running like a hairy dog, and conking out every few seconds. We were surely going to flatten the battery from starting it up all the time. So this is when we decided to effect a little bush mechanics job.
We didn't have much to work with, I can't remember exaclty what we used. What we did was disconnect the windscreen washer hose from the jet, and stick it down the throat of the carbie. Then we syphoned or drained some fuel from the tank and poured it into the washer bottle. Of course the washer bottle was bone dry, so we didn't know if it would even work.
My mate was to be the test pilot. One half second squirt, then start her up. She fired up beautifully and away we went. probably 50m down the road she starting showing signs of distress. Another squirt and she was firing on all 4! So we had to keep pumping fuel without flooding it. With this modification, the car actually ran better than on the shot carbie. Until we changed the carbie of course.

Here is a story from my Son, cant put any of mine up, being a heavy duty mechanic an all.
His Escort craps a starter motor, he rings me (I am bush working some place) asks what to do, tell him go to wreckers and get one. He does this and makes the change, proud as punch he can pull spanners like his ol man.
That evening, he heads over to visit his Aunt who has moved in to a flash new joint in Ballajura. On the way, one of his cousins following him, and a couple of his mates, noticed sparks flowing out from under his Escort, followed by the ejection of this cylindrical item bouncing out from under his car.
His cousin stops, and picks up the item, (of course its his starter motor) and arrives some ten minutes behind Son at Aunties place. Shows him what he picked up, and of course they head out to car to check it out, yep no starter motor. Gotta torque the retainer bolts a bit better next fit
Much humor and even more so, when time to leave when Auntie is horrified that this bunch of Uni students need to push start this car right in front of her new flash as house. She asks them to roll it around the corner so people wont think she has any red neck lashons.

easty said...

Earlier this year I knocked off work (out bush) and headed down to the coast on a quaddie to go and grab some crays for dinner. On the way back, in the dark, a ball joint snapped, and shaft pulled out of diff, rooting oil seals. Had very basic tools. Still about half hour ride from camp.


Walked back to the beach for a heap of rope (heaps washed up). Rigged a purchase system to a branch overhead to lift front of bike off the ground, and got to work. Also got bitten by something while I was under the bike, and had a mild anaphylactic reaction. Made it back to about 500m from camp before it all fell apart again.



This may or may not have been the cray from that day.

Easty reckon I can come fishing for crays with you? Those look the goods, mouth watering just looking at your days catch

Some very handy work here for sure.

It is the sign of a true Ozi to be able and prepared to fix anything required with totally unsuitable tools/objects - especially so if suitable tools are available!

For my 2c NEVER leave home without a handy roll of Nashua gaffa. You should see my place.. haven't had to pick up a hammer or screwdriver for ages.

Oh BTW Pat, I'd cut down on the baked beans if I was you old bean.

getfunky said...




For my 2c NEVER leave home without a handy roll of Nashua gaffa. You should see my place.. haven't had to pick up a hammer or screwdriver for ages.

I carry the fibreglass reinforced stuff. Travelled all over the UK once with a landyacht stickytaped to the roof of a mini metro. A policeman tried to demonstrate to me how dangerous it was by yanking it off the roof, but before i could stop him he'd cut himself. he actually apologized to me too