504GL Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 The reason for my new thread title is becos the coach tour company that my new best Italian mate and I have been working for has gone belly up.In true corporate fashion we were given 1 weeks notice of our redundancy hence on finishing work the Mercedes is mysteriously filling up with unopened bottles of champagne.Would this cheap Australian brand of bubbles work in the radiator...SO..in true redundant-evicted from workers residency fashion..Diego and I are prepping the Merci with new sounds..fuel and water cannisters..a fistful of dollars..a camp stove and an expresso pot and are about to make the arduous 2000kms journey back to civilisation...out of this this over heated racist shit hole and back to the city of culture... Melbourne. Upon leaving the Kiwi Mob will bless our land canoe in order we do not capsize or become another feature part in the remake of Wolfs Creek.I will be photographing any sighted wrecks..classics and roadkill on our way sth.Thank you. Best of luck I have to say that as a city slicker (I was born and raised in Perth for 22 years) I've never really had much time for countrified folk in Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSdriver Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 The reason for my new thread title is becos the coach tour company that my new best Italian mate and I have been working for has gone belly up. Thank you.Probably not the best place to start a "day trips to the seaside" enterprise. Have fun on the road trip and I hope you manage to earn a few bob soon. Pictures eagerly anticipated. Try selling the story/pics to National Geographic or Readers Digest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplebargeken Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Brill car and a brill tale. Best of luck for the trip and employment. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigstraight6 Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Sorry to hear about the loss of employment Rab but at least you have a road trip in a great country and car in pursuit of work, just think, you could be in the same position over here driving about in a shagged out Mondeo in the cold and rain chasing minimum wage jobs with legions of Eastern Europeans in front of you, so it's not all bad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotorabia Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 Sorry to hear about the loss of employment Rab but at least you have a road trip in a great country and car in pursuit of work, just think, you could be in the same position over here driving about in a shagged out Mondeo in the cold and rain chasing minimum wage jobs with legions of Eastern Europeans in front of you, so it's not all bad! BS6..that image is so depressing I feel right fortunate I do...at the ripe old age of 44 and having repeated this cycle since i was 20..i feel quite confident...only discouraging factor is the accompanying barge in this rally team..a Holden Camira...has an obvious blown head gasket [its still running...but oil soaked head]..and the other Italian..Stefano is convinced it will be fine..ive bet him $100 his car will die first...and the spare fuel can is for torching it on the roadside...hes blinded by love..its truly the worst car Holden ever built...but hey..we 'l see what happens...Had to get an unglamorous image of Merci beside Uluru-Ayers Rock today for posterity's sake.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigger Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 ^ Autoshite 2012 calendar photo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddyramrod Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Definitely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotorabia Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 Thanks guys..if its going in the calender lotto..whom should i send the high-res copy to..and is it the solid as a rock with ripples that gives it that win-lose factor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddyramrod Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Cavette seems to be the man in charge of calendar assembly, but it's probably best to wait for him to appeal in about September. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Alternatively, start a new thread now so there's somewhere for this year's pics to sit & wait for selection for next year's calendar. Otherwise that excellent pic (or the one with the emu) might well get forgotten by September. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigger Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Good idea and duly done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotorabia Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 Well..abandoned Northern territory heat and slackness..primed the Merc...new coolant..and oil...40 litres of water..spare fuel tank..loaded to the brim and off we set...stopped at a number of roadhouses for refuel..our first overnight stay was at Coober Pedy..the opal mining town which is chocka full of old chod..Cortin Springs roadhouse F250..who needs doors when u gotta jump out to clean the bogs..Would u like an expresso with your Mercedes sir..One of many burnt out wrecks on the way..There were a pair of wedge tailed eagles finishing off Skippy when we drew up beside this carcasse.Oi..two Italians looking for work..classic tractor pullold austin set up with moke carrier conversion.. beer advertisement utilising Ford Fairlaine yet another wasted commodore..and on inspection..i found..some bloody useful tools...heavy rear ended Mitsiround the world cyclist from barcelona..we gave him a bottle of water On arrival in Coober Pedy..this show of joy..great old CorollaHolden collection DesotoHolden EHHolden HRHot Rod?J40..common as dust and cheap here not like NZWhy waste a bus...Old mining truck..even all the ones in use were TKs or D series...Opal bugs..Cute CoronaMitsi V3000..habitually pulling up beside us.. Diamond in the rough..err..or an unpolished gem.. whoever has to repaint this every year has a bit of a task.. Italian cowboys going spaghetti eastern.. Falcon shot to bits Heat road mirageAnother dead FalconLake Hart salt flats..not time for racing tho... Sunset at Roxby Downs missle testing range Drink of oil outside Adelaide Port Houghton..we were approached by the nephew of the former owner..unreal...and we spotted this ropey 280E..lowered scene shite.. and yet another V3000..ok..thats it..lying in the grass in the middle of farm nowhere...going to Melbourne today..Merci has been faultless on this trip..beats all the other backpackers boring Commies and Falcons..we ve had loadsa comments and smiles.. LT84 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split_Pin Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 Great post, it looks like fun roadtrip with lots if interesting people and cars along the way! I can see why old Mercs are so highly prized for their durability Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michiel Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Such a photogenic country - great stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigstraight6 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Great update and pics Rab, come it coming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotorabia Posted February 10, 2012 Author Share Posted February 10, 2012 Stopped over in a small township outside of Swan Hill...half way between Adelaide and melbourne...all the countryside is littered with classic cars and farm machinery...i must have seen 100 old trucks..some still in use...early Datsun twin cabvery tidy Jag..Hirst limo services to the front desk please..Mitsi StarionAt the house where we stayed..some maintenance guys showed up with this very sweet $500 Volvo Charming old abandoned house with fully laden peach tree had a little pleasure left in the backyard..Holden EK ute..just needs some doors n a bonnet..and a lawn mower motor and then finally..my suspicions on the back tyre realised..we shredded it..and it didnt deflate...spare was the old original...which proceeded to make a really wierd noise..so we drove 70kms to Bendigo at 50kph until we found a tyre place..$105 for one new 14/215 and half an hr later we were on our way again.. The tyre shop had built this funny wee contraption..i liked it..Suzuki chassis with a V6and their neighbors had this masterpiece hiding nxt door..a 1955 Ford Customline ute.. So now in Melborne in St Kilda..a few flash classics lurking around...we met another W123 at the lights and got a big thumbs up from the bloke driving it... LT84 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotorabia Posted March 7, 2012 Author Share Posted March 7, 2012 Merci Bends was mistakenly lent to the Italians who have now abandoned it on a farm in Nth Victoria meaning I have to go collect him and come back to the city..im back in the music industry breaking my back for large bands and theater productions..Melbourne is pretty good on the chod factor..heapsa 240 Volvos..more and more W123s are being spotted and i usually try n engage the owners..who all profess to love them..street spots..here they are..on my mates street in Nth Melbourne...im gonna keep my eye on this..tidy Jagsad and lonely Supraforgotten Celica cabrioon my way to the big MB dealers to pick up the head gasket that has yet to fail on my W123...this babyStudebaker street advertisementtraditional Aussie Kombiinteresting wheel choice on W108the most shite Capri ever builtpure Volvo filthnon moving HZ Kingswood utetidy wee Civic..assembled in NZ and maybe here?HR Holden LT84 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrogeezer Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 love these updates, almost like being there. Awesome photos and spots as always - keep em coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotorabia Posted March 30, 2012 Author Share Posted March 30, 2012 Went for a long walk..in my sthrn neighbourhood,,then over to fashionable Nth Melbourne...Last night just before we went to the footy match..thats Aussie Rules chaps n lasses..1974 Celica..he told me it was an original one old lady carValiant AP5 in the back of local garageAnd the ultimate sinking landyacht..1970ish Pontiac Bonneville Safari wagonMogified Minor..which i quite liked...Pure 240 sexScene too Mini van..most Aussie ones have the back windows..Holden Kingswood HRCelicaMB 450SLCFalcon panelvanPlease remove your Preluded ideas..Crusty down at high heels Alfa GT 1600 JuniorFord Fairlane 500 with nasty wheeltrimsHolden Kingswood 2nd generationThe Coffee Cowboys 1962 import Ford pick up from TexasStandard Melbourne ol 250CE..in dark blue..pretty....Dead wait 280E similar to mine..and dang it..not for sale...accompanied by a dead XD FalconAnother common sight here....and lastly..Valian Safari wagon...so not bad for a days jaunt... LT84 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooters Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 well done mate, those photos really cheered me up - you can almost smell the sun! thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotorabia Posted March 30, 2012 Author Share Posted March 30, 2012 well done mate, those photos really cheered me up - you can almost smell the sun! thanks I clearly dedicate this whole thread to your health n well being Scooters!... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovejoy Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 What a magnificent 4 page read !! as others have said, just like being there. The photos really set the scene.and all that outback scrap & roadkill, and kilometres of nothingness, makes you realise how vast the place is. would love to be there too, I have only briefly visited Perth (saw Leyland P76's back then), Melbourne, and Sydney, but he wasn't in... CheersFotorab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan_dyane Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Is this the same one I remember seeing around Fitzroy in St Kilda I wonder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotorabia Posted March 30, 2012 Author Share Posted March 30, 2012 Is this the same one I remember seeing around Fitzroy in St Kilda I wonder It probably is Jonathan..its in St Kilda..and thanks for the kind words guys..this is a kind of art form for me...Im actually about to start studying as a video camera operator..so soon it will be Autoshite TV hopefully! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigstraight6 Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Great update once again Rab, that Valiant AP5 saloon is wonderful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan_dyane Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 It probably is Jonathan..its in St Kilda..and thanks for the kind words guys..this is a kind of art form for me...Im actually about to start studying as a video camera operator..so soon it will be Autoshite TV hopefully! I do hope so! Always look forward to this thread, keep up the good work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotorabia Posted March 31, 2012 Author Share Posted March 31, 2012 A video recording we made at the beginning of the journey..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grDGKPPXtHU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovejoy Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 just watched that vid :-[ my god, that scenery is boring !! and it seems to go on forever - keep on strumming, man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotorabia Posted March 31, 2012 Author Share Posted March 31, 2012 Yes it is quite monotonous!..but theres subtle changes..bushes or no bush!..When we camped out at Coober Pedy..we did some 15sec photo exposures with me and my torch... LT84 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnoiles Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 the city of culture... Melbourne. *snigger* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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