9 Jun 2026

 Time for another road trip! The plan being to head to Gympie for a visit, via Canberra, and then return to Melbourne via Broken Hill. A bit of a round about way to get anywhere, but road trips aren't always about "getting there", more usually they are abut the trip.

The plan for the day, up at 04:30am, pack a bag, pack the car and be on the road for the 7 hour trip (well longer in a Morris Minor doing 83kmh max) to Canberra. That would give time to check in to the hotel and see the War Memorial, before dinner.

It was a good plan...

We were on the road by 05:00 am and running along beautifully, the engine running really well. So well in fact, that we managed to make it all the way from home in Melbourne to the BP at Lavington, outside of Albury, on one tank of fuel. That is a 333 kilometre drive (about 212 miles) and averaging 6.29 l/100km, (44.95 MPG (Imperial)), for 21.44 litres (actual filled amount),  (4.716 gallons (Imperial).

And it was still 08:40 am Definitely on track for a great arrival time into Canberra.

Leaving BP Lavington, the car just hummed along, for about 27 kilometres. As we were climbing up the relatively minor hill on the highway the car, I don't know, perhaps "jolted" and started to sound a bit like the exhaust had dropped from the manifold flange. It would be a good time here to say that the car has never been fantastic at climbing hills, anything decent will always knock it back a gear, but since the complete engine rebuild, it has been even worse that before at hills. Anyway, it managed to make it the top of the hill and I was able to "coast" it down to the other side, and straight into a car park at the Boralla VC Rest Area, just on the other side of the crest of the hill, and only 20 kilometres from Albury.

Restarting the car, it would run, but not happily at all, it still sounded like a tractor, and it wasn't the exhaust. Well, I have "Gold" road side service membership with the RACV, though as I was now "over the border" and in New South Wales the NRMA would take over the case. I didn't have a clue what was wrong and so made the call for assistance. NRMA really didn't want to take control as I was so close to the Victorian boarder (47 kilometres) they transferred the call the the RACV rep in Wodonga.

The RACV Rep called me directly and wanted to know what was wrong as it was going to be a bit of a wait for him to get out to me. Once I advised the general gist of what happened he advised that he would come out an assess what was wrong. I asked if it could be the condenser in the distributer and he said he had no idea. I mentioned I had and electronic distributer that I could swap out while I waited if it might help, he said to do it as it would be at least an hour before he could come out.

Quite a number of people stopped by the rest area and were amused at this old car that had broken down, tutting and shaming the car for being old. A couple of guys stopped who had just been assisting with running repairs on a "Bash" rally car, so they got stuck in and tried to sort the problem. They ran out of time and had to get going, but were at a loss as to the problem. I the  removed the points distributer and fitted the electronic distributer that I had in the boot. It had previously been on the car and was amazing. 

When I had the engine rebuilt the guy who did it was so angrily opposed to it that I relented and fitted a points distributer to the car just so he would calm down and in case of a warranty need (though to be honest he never bothered with anything warrantable, even when I proved he'd stuffed something fundamental up!).

Anyway, back to this story! The car still wouldn't run and sounded terrible, chuffing. Time was now getting on and the RACV rep called me back and asked if I had had any success, to which I replied no. He then advised that he was too busy to come out and so was just going to get me towed in. The truck came and I basically drove the car onto the load bed. It was probably getting around mid day, early afternoon when he dropped me back across the border at the workshop of the and the guys were having lunch. I was told to go around to the office and someone would come and discuss the car with me. I was told to take a seat. Eventually the mechanic came to ask what was wrong with it, though not before saying "don't tell me it has an SU carby on it, they're F#$%ing rubbish". He clearly wasn't happy the car was there and was just as interested in looking at it. He advised that the were extremely busy and if he got a chance he would have a look to asses what was wrong. 

Finally, about 3:00 pm, I heard the familiar sound of a Minor engine starting, still barely running, then the distinct sound of the engine having its nuts revved off.  Prior to this I had asked if it could be the head gasket as it had blown previously. I provided him with the history of the rebuilt engine, that the rebuilder hadn't been able to get the rear (engine stabiliser) head stud out and so had cut it off and drilled it, helicoiling the block and advising me it can't be torqued to anything more that 28 foot pounds or it could rip out of the block.

So in he comes about half and hour later and tells me that he has no idea what the problem is and that he won't be able to look at it for at least a week as they were too busy. I was then advised that as it was not able to be turned around within three I had to take it somewhere else as this is the policy of the RACV. So back on the phone to the RACV and time ticks by as I am on hold, finally they tell me I will need to find somewhere to take the car to as, basically, I am there and they aren't. I advise the reception staff and they advise me they are closing at 5 and I will need to sort something before then, though they did advise me that I am entitled to another tow as I have a Gold roadside membership (yes I pay for this as an extra, it isn't part of insurance).

I have decided by this time that it must be the head gasket and I have already called every car part supplier in town and no one has any head gaskets for a Morris Minor or even a Mini 1000. A friend I had texted gave me the name of someone to contact in the local Albury Morris Minor club. I contacted her via facebook messenger and she got straight back to me not only offering a head gasket, but a carport covered and lit driveway where I could work on the car. I mentioned I had it sorted and that I would need the car towed to a private address where I could fix it myself. They told me that a private address wasn't usual and they couldn't do it. 

It is now 4:30 pm and closing time is coming fast. Back on the phone to the RACV, through the 20 minutes on hold and finally, after I explain everything that has been going on, how it has taken all day, that I have no car and no one want's to fix it, they agree as an extra ordinary gesture they will transport the car to a private address. They then advise me that have been told that as it is the end of the day it can't be transported until sometime the following morning. I am now getting just a bit frustrated, but ask what am I supposed to do as I have no where to stay, they keep pressuring me to agree to the transport the following day which I have to do (despite having already arranged to fix it that evening) and they advise that it will be booked for the next day and that I will receive a text as to where they have booked me in for the night.

I go back in to the reception, 5 minutes to spare, and tell them what is happening and they say just wait for the guy on the phone. Turns out the guy on the phone has been talking to the lady I was talking to at the RACV office. He is pissed off that the tow will be to a private address and says emphatically that it  definitely won't happen until the following day. I say again I have it all arranged and can fix it tonight if I can get it there, he says no. I ask if there are any other tow providers in town and he says google it and walks off.

So I do and I find one that is happy to do the job, so I pay for it and he is on his way to come and get the car. The guys in the workshop, who didn't want to work on the car anyway are told I want it as I have arranged to have it towed privately and they are pissed too, tell me to get it out myself if I want it, so much for not being permitted in the workshop of a business.

Anyway the private tow turns up and loads the car and takes it to the place of the very kind Morris Club members who are expecting me. Once unloaded and pushed into the carport I start straight away to pull the head, with very kind assistance of the people too. The head gasket was blown, very blown, between three and four cylinder, same as last time I had to do it, following the "professional" total rebuild. They people very generously assisted me to take the head off and replace the gasket, they offered me dinner and helped me to refit the head too. Unfortunately something went wrong and starting the car had coolant flowing out of the head and over the block. It is by this time 9:30 pm. It is too late to start again and they very kindly offer me a bed for the night ( as I had mentioned that the RACV were going to arrange something, but I hadn't received and text messages from them) and offer me the use of their car to go and get parts from town the next day so I can start over....