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

November 9^th – Mid week run to the Bridgewater Inn for Lunch – contact Lawrie Placing for details. Phone 0407286194

November 15th – General Meeting – Sporting Car Club – 7.30pm for 8.00pm start

November 26th – Christmas Dinner – Royal Adelaide Golf Club. See flyer in Fast Trak.

December 28^th – After Christmas Run – meet at Villi’s at Blair Athol at 10.00am.  Details to follow.

January 15th – Informal meeting Sporting Car Club 7.30pm – Rocker Cover Racing

January 22^nd – Ice Cream run – details to follow.

January 26^th – Invitation to Lawrie and Kaye’s place from 11.00am 10 Woodhall Drive, Happy Valley – shared platters and drinks, and check out Lawrie’s shed.

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

Socially Speaking for October

September 7^th was a mid-week run, lunch at the Duck Inn 383 Main Road Coromandel Valley at 12.30pm.  Twelve members participated in the lunch.  Thanks to Lawrie and Kay for organising it.

September 18^th was the Observation run – despite the wet weather, 25 members participated in the run.  Thanks to Roger and Cherie Lange for setting the run and the questions.  Bill and I supplied a gourmet sausage sizzle for lunch – special thanks to Bob Farrell, who helped to cook the BBQ and to Natalie for cutting up all the rolls. Congratulations to Lisa and Dean who won the day and get to set the 2023 run!

October 16^th is the Bay to Birdwood.

October 22^nd – Nationals Show and shine Day – club members not attending the nationals who would like to attend the day, meet at Café de Villi, Main North Road, Blair Athol at 8.45am so we can all travel together. Cars will be on display only; judging is for National participants.

November 9^th – Mid week run to the Bridgewater Inn for Lunch – contact Lawrie Placing for details. Phone 0407286194.

November 26th – Christmas Dinner – Royal Adelaide Golf Club. See flyer in Fast Trak.

December 28^th – After Christmas Run – meet at Vill’s at Blair Athol at 10.00am.  Details to follow.

January 22^nd – Ice Cream run – details to follow.

January 26^th – Invitation to Lawrie and Kaye’s place from 11.00am 10 Woodhall Drive, Happy Valley – shared platers and drinks, and check out Lawrie’s shed.

Margie and Bill.

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

Hi. I’ve missed the last couple of meetings, so this might all be academic, but I recall someone saying that it would be nice to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Spitfire by having one on the stage during a club meeting. I have a 1963 Spitfire 4 (Mk1)…so its an early model. I’d be happy to do the honours! Let me know and assuming its not poring with rain I can bring it along to the next or other club meeting. I’ll even swap its currently fitted alloys for the original steelies! Cheers. Peter Spalding.

September 18^th                 Observation Run – meet Feathers Hotel Car park 9.45am for a 10.00am departure – club sponsored BBQ Lunch

September 20^th                 General Meeting – Sporting Car Club – 7.30pm for 8.00pm start

September 25^th                 MSCA – Super Sprints – The Bend (East Circuit)

October 16^th                       Bay to Birdwood – no club event organised, do your own thing.

October 19^th                       General Meeting – Sporting Car Club – 7.30pm for 8.00pm start

October 21^st to 28th        Nationals -Barossa

October 22^nd                      Nationals Show and Shine – members not attending Nationals – meet Café de Villi – Blair Athol 8.45am

October 23^rd                       MSCA – Super Sprints – Mallala (TSOA to provide flag marshalls)

November 15^th                  General Meeting – Sporting Car Club – 7.30pm for 8.00pm start

November 26^th                  Christmas Dinner – Royal Adelaide Golf Club.

August 21^st was the run to Melba’s Chocolate Factory in Woodside. Thanks to Sue and Rory for setting the run for us. Although there were only 7 members and 3 grandchildren who attended, those who went had a great day and certainly boosted Melba’s income for the day!

Our get wishes go to Alex Smithson, Peter Davidge and Sue and Rory Gibson who have all come down with Covid…hope you all feel better soon.

September 7^th is a mid-week run, lunch at the Duck Inn 383 Main Road Coromandel Valley at 12.30pm.  Please advise Lawrie Placing if attending phone: 0407286194.

September 18^th is the Observation run – Meet at The Feathers Hotel Car park at 9.45am for a 10.00am departure.  Club sponsored BBQ lunch.

October 16^th is the Bay to Birdwood.

October 22^nd – Nationals Show and shine Day – club members not attending the nationals who would like to attend the day, meet at Café de Villi, Main North Road, Blair Athol at 8.45am so we can all travel together. Cars will be on display only, judging is for National participants.

November 26th – Christmas Dinner – Royal Adelaide Golf Club. See flyer in Fast Trak.

Keep warm and safe.

Margie and Bill

Here is a link to the recently updated Code of Conduct for our historic vehicle Club Registration scheme . . .

https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/driving-and-transport/registration/conditional-registration/historic-left-hand-drive-and-street-rod-vehicles

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)