News and Views from ROAR - August 2004

President's Report

About this time of year I often find an excuse to go somewhere warmer than Canberra. Indeed, as I have discovered in previous years, you only have to go north of Bourke to enjoy non-winter weather. As luck would have it, my work is taking me well north of Bourke for a couple of weeks, to attend a conference in Florence (Italy). I'll be away from 18 to 31 August, returning about the same time as our club technical officer, Bill McNamee, and his wife Geraldine depart for a couple of months in Europe. Needless to say, we enjoy a rather sheltered mechanical life in the club courtesy of the terrific service that Bill McNamee provides to members. Thanks to Bill, few of us need to deal, unaided, with the Canberra motor trade jungle for most aspects of car maintenance. However, even SuperBill needs a break and his absence, during September and October, will see some disruption to club technical services. 

To assist in minimising the disruption to technical services during his absence, Bill will explain the strategies he has devised at our next club meeting at the Italo-Australian Club on Tuesday 24 August (see calendar). I'm sure that many of you will be eager to be at this "must-hear" event. Although I will be unable to attend the August club meeting, I will be able to get the "goss" direct from Bill when he services the Pillans' 405 this week. The much-talked-about (in this column, at least) 405 has been running without incident since the heater-core failure a few months ago. At that time, Bill added a magic potion to the coolant to seal the leaks, and thus far there has been no recurrence of the problem. Meanwhile I have given 3 failed heater cores to my son, John, for engineering assessment - news on that front as it comes to hand.

The 405 needed two new front tyres last month, and I was somewhat disappointed that the Michelins had not lasted all that well. However, when Sue took the car to Woden Tyre & Exhaust, she was told that they had been on the car for 3 years. According to WT&E, front tyres on a front-wheel drive car only last about half as long as those on the back, so we are looking to get about 100,000 km from the rear tyres - much more in keeping with my expectations!

Keep on pugging,

Brad Pillans

brad.pillans@anu.edu.au

News Articles from Other Editions of ROAR

2008

February 2008
Mar 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
Aug 2008

2007

January 2007
February 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007

2006

January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July/August 2006
October 2006
November 2006
December 2006

2005

February 2005
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005

2004

February 2004
March 2004
April 2004
May 2004
June 2004
July 2004
August 2004
September 2004
November 2004

2003

March 2003
April 2003
May 2003
June 2003
July 2003
August 2003
September 2003
October 2003
November 2003
December 2003

2002

February 2002
March 2002
April 2002
May 2002
June 2002
July 2002
August 2002
September 2002
October 2002

2001

February 2001
March 2001
April 2001
May 2001
June 2001
July/August 2001
September 2001
October 2001
December 2001

2000

March 2000
September 2000