Welcome to 2023 (the year of the Rabbit), which with normal activities resuming, promises to be much better than 2022.  Let’s hope so but spare a thought for people living on the Murray who will be actively engaged in refurbishing properties for months to come.

Since November we have had 5 official Club functions without cancelling for Covid, which is a new trend.   The Christmas Social, the after-Christmas Run, our informal January Club meeting, the Ice cream Run to Noonies and Australia Day at Kaye and Lawrie Placing’s are all mentioned in Bill and Margie’s social report.   Once again the Royal Adelaide Golf Club demonstrated what a quality show they can put on for us for Christmas and it was great to see our most recent Life Members, Bob and Natalie Farrell sharing an ice cream at Noonies.

Well, as I suggested in November, have you made a New Year’s Resolution to get more involved in Club activities in our 58^th year.   Apart from buying another Triumph, selling or refurbishing your current Triumph (s), that would be great thing and I know you will enjoy it!

Although a date hasn’t been set for the Day of Triumph (DOT), we are still looking for someone to take over running the event from the master, Ian Rigby, as he has retired from the role.   He has documented what needs to be done and is prepared to coach a volunteer.   This is a vital Club event which demands member support and nomination from a member within the next month.  I do not want to cancel DOT for lack of interest!  Please talk to Ian Rigby or let me know if you wish to be involved.

I trust that you all had a safe and enjoyable Christmas and New Year and wish you all the very best as we embark on another year. Enjoy your February and see you again in March.

Kind regards,

Peter Davidge (President)

PRESIDENT’S REPORT – November 2022

Highlights from our October meeting were

• A good attendance of more than 35 members
• Robust discussion on the highlights of our national meetings and why we can’t convince more members to attend the Christmas dinner at the Royal Adelaide Golf Club. After a superb effort Sue Gibson has persuaded 54 members to attend this year but in 2023 we’d like to see more.
• Return of member Andy Hill from his solo, round-the-world yachting adventure
• Attendance of new member Steve Vincent who has had Triumphs in the past but is currently the proud owner of a 1969 Lotus Elan
• Presentation on stage by Trevor Hawkins of his beautifully crafted black Jaguar XJR
• A Vote of Thanks was passed for the Chair of the successful Barossa Valley 41^st National Rally, Alex Smithson, and his wife Sue. But all members of the Committee did a magnificent job.  The President of TSOA NSW, Lorraine Mooring commented that ‘We are all still recounting details of the SA Nationals. Was a fantastic trip!’

All in all a very entertaining evening and well worth attending by all members.

Don’t forget to browse the social calendar later in FasTRak where some exciting activities are already planned for 2023.  Join us at the after Christmas Run, the Ice Cream run and the Australia Day Event at Lawrie and Kaye’s place as well as the January informal meeting.  They should all be good shows!

Thanks to the Committee for your efforts this year and all members who have attended meetings and other activities over the past 6 months.

Have a safe and enjoyable Christmas and New Year and make a New Year’s Resolution to get more involved in Club activities in its 58^th year in 2023!

Kind Regards, Peter Davidge, President

PRESIDENT’S REPORT – October 2022

This is a short report as I have been busy with the TSOA Nationals in the Barossa valley over the last week.  The Nationals ended this morning and close to 90 happy participants headed back home this afternoon.

The event was a fantastic success despite some major challenges and all TSOA SA members should be proud of the hard work the Committee did in showcasing the Barossa Valley, the River Murray, Monarto Safari Park and Anlaby Station to our interstate visitors. In particular, I would like to thank Alex Smithson, who led the Committee, for his magnificent effort in maintaining the momentum of the Committee during Covid and ensuring all essential details were attended to for our guests.

The challenges faced and overcome by the Committee included:

• Postponement of the Rally due to the pandemic
• The loss of 20 rooms at our venue due to renovations
• Floods across eastern Australia (Queensland, NSW and Victoria) in the week before the Rally jeopardizing the arrival of more than 50% of participants. Some had to sleep in their cars west of Broken Hill when rains shut the main highway
• Unseasonal downpours during the whole week of the Rally and finally
• A number of participants testing positive for Covid halfway through the Rally.

Despite all this everyone had a ball and those racing were able to enjoy a tricky day at Mallala.

Don’t forget to browse the social calendar later in this FASTRAK.  Bill and Margie have a very extensive program planned, well into the new year.  Join us at the mid-week Run in November or the Christmas dinner, or all of them!  And we are hoping to get a top car on stage at the next meeting.  See you there!

Kind Regards, Peter Davidge, President

Hi from Melbourne where Julie and I have been since the 15^{th of} September.  We are returning to Adelaide on Thursday 29 September.  Grandchildren duties have kept us here.  It certainly wasn’t the AFL grand final which, in any event, wasn’t particularly entertaining.

We’ve missed quite a bit while we’ve been away, in particular the Observation Run (well done Dean and Lisa) and the last Club meeting (thanks to Alex and Katherine for standing in for me and Duane).  We were, however, able to squeeze in the Club mid-week run to the Duck Inn at Coromandel Valley for lunch.  A very enjoyable social occasion and one which heralds similar events being organised by Kaye and Lawrie Placing over the coming months.

On another front, before I left Adelaide, I decided to replace the dash globes on my TR8 as I could hardly see any of my instruments when out at night (which I must admit rarely occurs).  Dismantle the dash!  Slightly unnerving but somehow, I did it.  Even more amazingly, having replaced the original globes with LED’s, I was able to perfectly reassemble the dash.  I spent quite a bit of time researching what replacement LED’s I should get and where I would source them.  Narva globes came to the rescue, and they were easily sourced from Repco.

Don’t forget to browse the social calendar later in this FASTRAK.  Bill and Margie have a very extensive program planned, well into the new year.  Join us at the Nationals Display Day in Tanunda on 22 October, the mid-week Run in November or the Christmas dinner, or all of them!  You will not be disappointed!  And remember this is the Diamond (60^th) anniversary of the Spitfire.  I am hoping we will have a Spitfire on display at our next meeting.   See you there!

Kind Regards, Peter Davidge, President

Welcome to a new TSOA Club year!  The AGM last month went smoothly with most members of the Committee including me as President, being renominated and elected unopposed.  The great news is that we have 2 new members on the Committee – Lisa Macleod taking over from Alex Smithson as Treasurer and Katherine Bradley taking over from Marg and Dean Bogisch as Trak Editor.  Both the Bogisch’s and Alex spent 9 years or more in these important roles.  We thank them for their outstanding service.  We welcome Lisa and Katherine and look forward to them making significant contributions to the running of the Club.

At the AGM it was my pleasure to award the President’s Trophy for 2022 to Ian Rigby our outgoing Vice President (Alex Smithson has now taken up the role of Vice President).  Ian does amazing work for the Club as

• Director of the Day of Triumph and manager of trophies
• Member of the Nationals 2022 Committee and
• Chair of the Conditional Registration Team

Apart from this he leads a very busy work and home life and when he gets a spare moment is busy refurbishing another Triumph (saloon I believe).  Congratulations Ian, well deserved!

Another well-deserved award was given at the AGM to Bob and Natalie Farrell, our newest Life Members.  It was an enormous privilege for me to be President when the Club recognized their outstanding individual contributions to the Club and the Nationals.  They were nominated by a Life Member, approved unanimously by the Committee, and supported by all existing Life Members.  Well done Bob and Natalie.

I would also like to thank co-founder Tony Case for his wise and heartfelt words at the AGM on the tireless work that is done in relation to the Conditional Registration Scheme and the important considerations that need to be taken into account when nominating for and awarding life membership.

Turning to the Calendar, we are now rapidly approaching the end of the calendar year.  Key events coming up are the Observation Run (18 Sep), the Show and Shine Day/Nationals Display Day (22 Oct) and our Christmas Dinner (26 Nov). Further details about these and other events are included in the social calendar later in FASTRAK.  Check it out and get involved!

I look forward to another exciting year with the Club and hope to see you soon at a Club activity, meeting or at the Nationals in the Barossa.

Kind Regards, Peter Davidge, President

Well we are close to wrapping up another TSOA SA year and interest in club activities continues to remain reasonable but nowhere near where I think it should be.

Prior to last meeting I was able, on behalf of the Club, to thank those members who actively ensure that the Club runs smoothly and continues to provide an entertaining array of activities.  They are the heart beat of the Club!  Think about joining them at our upcoming AGM next month.

Last meeting’s attendance was again solid.  It was great to see Neil Martin, Bruce Whittle, Ron Corso and Steve Moule amongst others and thanks go to Lawrie and Kaye Placing for their memorabilia presentation on a Stag meet that they attended in the UK a few years ago.

In this 60^th year of the Spitfire is there any member who would like to make a brief presentation at a Club meeting or a contribution to FasTRak on why he or she loves his/her Spitfire?  Let me know so that we can arrange it before the end of 2022.

The social calendar is humming along well and the Observation Run (18 September) and Christmas Dinner (27 November) in particular, need member’s serious consideration over the next few weeks.  They are not only important but high quality events in the Club’s calendar.  If you haven’t attended before, why not make a special effort this year.  I know you won’t be disappointed and hopefully we might achieve record attendances.

A final reminder about the AGM, which is coming up at our next meeting.  Think about what you might do to contribute to the Club and let us know at the AGM or before.  All members of the Committee are available at any time to chat about their roles.

I look forward to seeing you at the AGM.

Kind regards,

Peter Davidge (President)

This year’s Weekender was arranged in late May, around Murray Bridge.  The photos above give a tiny insight into the fun we had and the interesting venues we visited.  No doubt these will be added to in later sections of Trak.  Thanks Bill and Margie Berlemon for another wonderful weekender.

Once again at our last meeting there was a great turn up as members came along to get their logbooks signed off before the end of the financial year.  It was particularly pleasing to see the camaraderie that was displayed and the vigorous discussions taking place as members renewed friendships and common inTRests with others they hadn’t seen, due to Covid or not being able to get to meetings for a while.

The night was added to by 2 talks from members on memorabilia (or trips down memory lane).  My thanks go to Kevin Foster and John Tuohy for the efforts they put in in entertaining us.

Our Day of Triumph Mid-Year Trophy Presentation is at Mick O’Shea’s Pub, Hackham, this year on Sunday 26 June.  It will have taken place by the time you are reading this, and we hope you were able to take advantage of the Club’s subsidy and enjoyed the event.

As I’ve mentioned before, we are looking for a commitment from someone to take over running of the Day of Triumph (DOT) from Ian Rigby.  When mentioning this at the last meeting a suggestion was made that perhaps a small group (3 to 4) might be better placed to take over the role.  I believe this is worth considering and so if you would like to be included and contribute to this vital Club role, let Ian (0417 085 083) or me (0438 765 358) know as soon as possible.

Another reminder about the AGM, which is coming up at the August meeting.  A strong Club thrives because of strong participation by members at all levels.  Think about what you might do to contribute to the Club and let us know at the AGM or before.  All members of the Committee are available at any time to chat about our roles.

Some interesting Club events are coming up so check out the social calendar.   I look forward to seeing you in July.

Kind regards,

Peter Davidge (President)

What a great day the Day of Triumph was in early April.  Apart from the brilliant weather and fantastic display of cars, we signed up 2 new members (Graham Parrish and Richard Ankers welcome) and had a steady stream of onlookers admiring our cars.  Well done to all who displayed, to the trophy winners, to Ian Rigby who directed the event, to Bill and Margie Berlemon who arranged the Club marquees, to the judges, and to Dean and Marg Bogisch who tallied up the judging sheets.  An especial thankyou  to Caffé Primo sponsors Dino and Lisa Vettese.   This is not only our principal display event for the year but rates highly as an outstanding social event.  Don’t miss it next year!

Following a review of next year’s Budget prior to the last Club meeting , the Committee decided that members subscriptions will remain at $50 pa for 2022/23.  The Treasurer, Alex Smithson, almost received a standing ovation when he announced the news.  He has already sent out renewal notices which will give members adequate time to pay before the 30 June deadline.

In addition to the Budget, the Committee discussed Marque Representatives and considered that the following broadly describes their role:

“The role of marque representatives is to act as conduits for anyone enquiring or seeking advice about any aspect of the category of Triumphs they represent.  They are not experts but rather voluntary facilitators in the timely resolution of all enquiries made by members of the Club and the public.  Being available at Club events and meetings enhances their effectiveness.”

The Committee would welcome any comment on the above description, as it intends to initiate its annual review of nominated marque representatives soon.

Last meeting 4 members gave brief presentations (max. of 2 minutes) on an item of personal memorabilia related to motoring or the Triumph marque.  It was intended that each item should be smallish and could be anything of interest ranging from a stainless-steel bolt to a speeding fine from SA Police.   I would like to repeat this from 3 members at our next meeting and I am seeking the following members to volunteer – Ian Rigby, Garry Buckton, Kevin Foster and Duane Kaak.  Let me know if you can’t do it.

And finally, I am organising a mid-week run to Hahndorf on Wednesday 18 May (the day after our next Club meeting).  Details are as follows:

• Meet at 10.00am for 10.15am start in the Edinburgh Hotel car park, Mitcham
• Travel through the autumnal Adelaide Hills for lunch in Hahndorf at 12 noon
• the Haus Restaurant, is offering a 4-choice main menu for $18pp (yet to be finally confirmed). If this falls through another venue will be arranged.

Please let me know (0438 765 358) if you are planning to come.

Check out the social calendar and I look forward to seeing you in May.

Kind regards,

Peter Davidge (President)

PRESIDENT’S REPORT – March 2022

It was such a relief to resume meetings again in March following our last meeting in November 2021.  Despite some rustiness the meeting went relatively smoothly and our new barman Jordan, replacing Stan, slipped into his new role with great fluidity.  I was particularly pleased to see a few members indicate an interest in taking on a couple of roles crucial to the ongoing running of the Club.

Prior to our main meeting the Committee met to discuss running the Day of Triumph (DOT) and the range of trophies on offer.  The Committee agreed that the DOT should be our biggest show day of the year and provide an opportunity to

• recognise and encourage the quality of owned and restored Triumph cars
• proudly display members’ cars and market membership of TSOA to the public
• allow Club members to observe and discuss a broad range of quality restorations across the marque

Concours and Pride of Ownership categories allow this to happen, but there is a big effort in putting it on, so we want as many members as possible to participate on Sunday 3 April.  Come along, get involved, show us your car, talk to other members about their cars and ENJOY.  You won’t regret it!  And as a bonus, I believe Dino and Lisa Vitesse, once again, are offering Primo meal vouchers to attendees.

Bill and Margie have a busy social calendar planned for April and are in the final stages of arranging for our annual Weekender in late May.  Check all that out in their report but make sure you register ASAP for the Weekender as bookings are going crazy!  A mid-week run (on a Wednesday) is being considered for May/June and details will be provided at the next meeting.

As an aside, Julie and I went to the opening of the new Information Centre at Monarto Safari Park earlier this week.  What a world class park we have on our doorstep just south of Murray Bridge.  Some members enjoyed a subsidised visit to Monarto in early November 2021 and a day’s visit is planned for the Nationals in October 2022.

Alex Smithson has got action for the 2022 Nationals underway again with great support from interstate.  The Committee is optimistic (but cautious) that the event will go ahead this year and has established a wait list to ensure that accommodation spaces are fully utilized.  Members who have not already booked but wish to be considered should contact Alex for details and ask to be placed on the wait list.

And for those members who volunteered at the last meeting, please bring along your item of memorabilia to April’s meeting prepared to talk about it for a maximum of 2 minutes.

To all members and your families, stay safe.  I look forward to seeing you in April.

Kind regards,

Peter Davidge (President)

Finally, some better news as Covid restrictions are easing across the board and we will be resuming normal meetings from March onwards.  Come along and share what you’ve been doing with your Triumph (s) since we last met in November 2021 more than 3 months ago.

Following the cancellation of January and February meetings, the decision to include some additional outdoor events in the program seems to have been welcomed with a very successful run to Gumeracha on Sunday 13 February.  Our next outdoor run is to Bethany in the Barossa for a club sponsored lunch on Sunday 13 March.  Check the social calendar for details including news of our planned Weekender in May.  If you are a newer member the weekender is a great way to get to know fellow members.

Ian Rigby has confirmed the date and venue of the Day of Triumph (DOT).  Unfortunately, due to Festival events we were unable to get Elder Park but Civic Park, Tea Tree Gully on Sunday 3 April, is an excellent alternative.  Everyone has a full month to be on the marque and up to speed on the presentation of their car.  And remember that Ian is looking for some assistance with the event, so volunteers are welcome.

Vale Peter Boxall

Peter passed away in Hervey Bay on Saturday 12 February.  Peter was a longstanding member of over 25 years, moving to Queensland with his wife in the early 2000’s but still retaining his TSOA SA membership and close friendships with a number of members in the Club.  He won the Club’s Concours in 2000 with a beautifully restored TR8.  Julie and I are proud to be the current owners of that car.  Pete was larger than life, a man of action and a lovable rogue with a great sense of humour.  He will be greatly missed by his family, current partner Lita, and friends.  RIP mate!

To all members and your families, stay safe.  I look forward to seeing you in March.

Kind regards,

Peter Davidge (President)