14 Apr 2025

14 Apr 2025

Well that is it folks, nothing else to do and the Morris Minor Rally 2025 in Western Australia is all done and dusted. Great rally it has been and the organising committee has really excelled in their task, great locations, great food and easy driving routes and distances for getting between venues. All in all a fantastic effort by the organisers. Hopefully MMCCV will be able to outdo them when they host the next rally in 2027, possibly around the Benalla area.

Anyway today was the farewell run out to the Motor Museum of Western Australia. After what was a very quiet start to the day...

I was a bit early to arrive.

It was a good run mostly on the freeways out to the museum site, even managed to not lose anyone, well not for too long anyway. It was surprising how long it took, winding through the site where the museum is located, to get to the parking spot. The site is huge. 

 

So with everyone gathered there was a show both inside the museum and outside too and the crowds again enjoyed seeing the cars. Some very interesting cars inside the museum, great motorbikes and some fantastic model collections too.

and with the museum done everyone said their farewells and were quick to get away.

SO I guess it is now time for the final coastal Western Australian sunset for the trip as I start back east (slowly to start with) tomorrow...

12 Apr 2025

12 Apr 2025

So today was the show and shine part of the 2025 Morris Minor Nationals and it was in an absolute prime location in the very heart for Fremantle. The Western Australian club certainly pulled this one out of the hat that's for sure. Such a great turn out of cars again and despite a big thunder storm over night the cars were all looking excellent.

Given the location the numbers of people who were able to share in with the day were huge. So many people passing by stopped to admire and ask questions. Or lining the kids up with the cars to take pictures, or getting people to take pictures of themselves with the cars. It was definitely a great day and everyone had stories to tell of the happy memories the cars brought back to them. One group of ladies arrived un the morning especially to see the cars as they heard about it on the radio and another lady arrived at 10 past 3 this afternoon and was so disappointed that cars had gone already as she though the show was on until 4 so she had come down especially with pictures of herself with her 1st car, a lovely one owner low light Morris Minor, she still got to chat with club members and share some tales of her memories too. 

Over all a huge day, with most cars in place before 8am and leaving after 3 pm, but a huge success and enjoyed by so many.

And as it seems to be a thing, here is another sunset from South Fremantle

10 Apr 2025

 10 Apr 2025

Well this morning I headed back to the mechanics place, he had a full compliment of Morris club members turning up for a check over and minor maintenance morning, and I fully expected him to say (as he did it turns out) that there is no way he could help me until after the rally was over and thus meaning I would have to try and find accommodation during school holidays after my planned departure date back to Melbourne. I mentioned that as the car was leaking so much oil I would not bring it along to the events of the rally as it would just make too much mess everywhere and they decided that they would have a look today. Which was exceptionally good of them as it was such a tiring task yesterday doing exactly the same thing!

It turns out that the flywheel and clutch/pressure plate were out of alignment with the crank and thus the unbalance and vibration. That said it is definitely not their fault as they had actually lined the mark up correctly when they put it on. It is just that the mark is 180 degrees out, so when it is on the top of the crank as it is sitting you put the flywheel/clutch mark on the bottom, very weird.

Additionally revealed that the repair done yesterday did work, originally there were two leaks. The pin hole in the oil pump housing being the main contributor and as such masking that the rear main bearing is leaking as well, though hopefully no quite so much. There is no fix for this it does it or it doesn't unfortunately. Another very bad engineering decision back when the engines were designed.

Anyway it didn't vibrate and shake on the run over to Fremantle this afternoon, though it wasn't a fast drive so we'll keep fingers crossed for a whole longer yet. I got to the Van park and checked into my glamourous chalet for the next 5 nights and then I emptied the car out and stashed the contents about the chalet, it is very 1950 called really...

1950s beach holiday going on.

And there are a few other Minors around about the place too

And of course more sunsets