Classic Car Display at Cruden Farm, Langwarrin

Today I joined the Rolls-Royce Owners Club of Australia, Victoria Branch for their April event.

It was a charity day of a Classic Car Display at Cruden Farm, Langwarrin down Mornington Peninsula way.

It was quite enjoyable, and a good turnout of cars, from very early to very new.

From a Phantom I to a Goodwood Phantom.

Here is a selection of photographs from the day. Press Play to begin the slideshow.



I particularly liked a 1997 Brooklands R Mulliner Park Ward, and there were some rare cars like a Mulsanne Turbo L, and an R-Type Continental.

Frankly Organic

Tim Myrick sent me this thought provoking shot of his exceptional Rolls-Royce Camargue parked outside one of Frank Lloyd Wright's creations. The Dallas Theater in Texas.

Frank Lloyd Wright (1857-1959) , architect, interior designer, writer and educator. He designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 532 works. He believed in designing structures which were in Harmony with humanity and its environment. 

The angular design of the theater suggests it was meant to have a Camargue parked in front of it...

'Organic Architecture' is the term Mr.Lloyd Wright would have used.

(Posted by David Irvine and many thanks to Tim)

Rolls Royce Wraith Prototype Testing

Wow this is a rare video.

I'm quite surprised this made it to Youtube. But I like that it did!

Ohhh yeah.



So, yep in 20 years time, this is what I'll be driving...

Canada's Worst Driver

This is just painful to watch.

The Originals

I've decided to 'ditch' the Silver Spirit alloys on my old thing...



Here is how it used to look.



It's back to the old original black steelies with the stainless steel hubcaps for me.



Here it is after the refit.



She will be almost correct.

The 1977 air dam and lower mounted Lucas Square Eight fog lights stay, okay?



All rubber bumper Shadows need that air dam/spoiler. As it was in the catalogue.



Now if Jordan could do something about those yellow wheels on his Turbo R...

(posted by David Irvine)

Wraith on the Streets

The new Rolls-Royce Wraith is a hit. Demand is very high and apparently 75% of the orders are from new Rolls-Royce customers - not current owners.

 

They're out there now.

 

Tobispot & Joey Wosylus saw this U.K. registered one on the streets of Munich at the end of March:

 

 

 

 

 

 

See all their shots here:

 

http://www.autogespot.ca/en/rolls-royce-wraith/2013/03/30

 

(Posted by David Irvine - thanks to Autogespot)

 

EBay 1971?

I found my old Frank Dale and Stepsons' catalogue today.

I do believe I had sent off the 'stamped self addressed envelope' for it back then.

I'd forgotten it was so old...

 

1971

 

"If 1971 was mirrored in grocery retail, we would today be paying £47 for a chicken and £20 for a jar of coffee."

 

Things were actually expensive to the average Briton back then compared to what they earned.

 

 

Mars bar: 1971: 2p 

Pint of milk: 1971: 6p 

Loaf of bread: 1971: 9½p 

Pint of bitter: 1971: 11p 

Bunch of bananas: 1971: 18p 

Packet of cigarettes: 1971: 27p 

Gallon of petrol: 1971: 33p 

Ticket to Wembley Cup Final: 1971: £2 

 

A new Silver Shadow was around eleven thousand pounds. A lot of money in 1971.

 So here it is:

 

 

The enclosed letter:

 

 

(Irvine note : Look at the bloody prices back then.....)

 

 

 

(Irvine note: The song "Oooh La La" , by Rodd Stewart, lyrics come to mind.

 

"I wish that I knew what I know now when I was younger...." )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Irvine note : This part is amusing ... ) :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nine hundred and fifty Quid for a MKIV...

Six hundred and seventy five for an R Type...

 

 

 

(Irvine note : OMG....! Two thousand six hundred and fifty Quid for this!)  :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wish I'd had spare cash in 1971, but I was only eleven.

 

(Posted by David Irvine)

 

 

Safely Home

Well, I'm safely home at my folks place in Melbourne.

I do like driving my Bentley. It's so easy eat the miles with the cruise or speed control on.

Just a touch of the go pedal and you can fly past anyone.

So here is a quick summary.

Left Canberra at 8:14pm with 120313km on the clock - 100km ODO.



Stopped at Yass at 8:45pm. Grabbed a bite, topped up fuel. 120380km with 167km ODO



Then I put 33.74L of petrol, for $51.59, that's 152.9c per litre.



I had the TomTom going, as well as an iPhone app which shows altitude, heading, distance travelled, time taken and current speed.

I still use the TomTom as it gives speed camera alerts, and displays distance and projected time to destination.

I also like the stereo GPS speedos as they are more accurate than the analogue Bentley one.



I mount them high up as they don't obstruct the view of the flying B as much.

The iPhone app also does HUD - as in heads up display. It works quite well, but the iPhone kept slipping around on the dash.

The second stop was at the Wangaratta Service Centre at 12:28am.



Put 53.98L in at a cost of $87.94, being 162.9c/l. On the clock it was 120755km with 542 on the ODO.



I let the Bentley cool down a little as well, and ate a snack with a little walk around the rest stop.



Then it was arrival at my parents place in Melbourne at 3:14am



That's exactly a 7 hour drive to the minute. The app tells me 654.5kms.

I forgot to take a photo of the speedo on the Bentley - and can't be bothered going to the car now as I'm in bed.

Good night, I'll update tomorrow if I get a chance.

Still Driving

Well, I've done about 4 hrs now with about 3 hrs to go!

I left with 100kms on the ODO.

First break topped up the fuel.

Now having second break. And topped up the fuel again.

Also opened the bonnet to let the Bentley cool down a little but.

There was a little smoke and smell. It smelt like a belt getting a long workout!

Smoke and smell cleared by the time I finished filling up...

We will see how we go!

Track my Road Trip

I've decided to drive from Canberra to Melbourne this evening.

So here we go!

It'a a little late to leave - 8:00pm. Google tells me it takes 7:02 minutes. So that's 2:00am arrival with no stops.

I'll need to stop, so I'm thinking a bit about 3:00am arrival.

Here I am. Track my trip.





Should be a fun drive. Just packed a bag - now loading up the Bentley Turbo R.

Alpine Trials 1913

This is from Rolls-Royce Motorcars' website. A modern Ghost 100 years after the famous Alpine Trial Silver Ghosts in 1913.

 

Bracketed comments are mine.

 

 

"Turn back the clock to 1913, when four Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts embarked on the Alpine Trial - the landmark test of automotive endurance of the day."

 

(Allow me to introduce James Radley)

 

 

"The Rolls-Royce Works Team and private entrant James Radley mastered 1820 miles of gruelling mountain terrain, performing without fault. In winning the prestigious Archduke Leopold Cup and the admiration of all who witnessed them, they established the legend of the 'Best Car in the World'. Cementing a reputation for reliability Rolls-Royce proudly retains today."

(His car)

 

(Here are the other three -I think)

 

(Mind you, I would have preferred this dark red colour on the modern car)

(There's even a Brockbank cartoon)

"Taking inspiration from the spirit of these endeavours, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars proudly introduces the Alpine Trial Centenary Collection."

 

 

"This limited edition of Rolls-Royce Ghosts feature hand-crafted Bespoke design cues that pay tribute to the 1913 Alpine Trial cars. For example, the exterior paint hue takes close inspiration from Radley's Silver Ghost and the black wheels and grille have been replicated. This is the first time a contemporary Rolls-Royce motor car has sported a painted grille.

Inside, a series of Bespoke detail-touches elegantly tell the story of the Trial. The intricately designed clock displays the stages of the rally and timings, whilst inlays to the rear picnic tables and front fascia express the topography and distance of the route."

This beautiful homage holds irresistible appeal for the intrepid."

(Oh, the good old days, when we raced Rolls-Royce cars...)

(Posted by David Irvine)