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Updated 6 April 2010
What else will they throw at us…?
Since the last update, there have been a few ecstasies and many more agonies!
With only 18 days before we fly out of Australia to start our MG China to MG Britain adventure, we were told that the ship carting the container containing the two Queensland MG’s has been delayed another 3 days! This was due to an investigation into the death of a stevedore in Sydney last week.
This is on top of the 10 days delay caused by the previous ship’s captain acclaiming “No more! The ship is too heavy” just as the stevedores were about to load our container onto his ship!
We are not sure where that leaves us now but one thing is for sure – we will be the first MG’s to drive from MG China to MG Britain, EVER, no matter what obstacles are put in our path.
Then there is the issue of the visas! I am limited as to what I can say about visas at this time, but it should suffice to say that one country is causing all kinds of grief! The rest of the officials have been fantastic, thanks to the persuasive abilities of one of our ladies…
Ecstasy is loading your MG into the container! No more lying under the girl, tightening bolts and considering what else to touch! It was not hard to turn my back on RIP – not sure what the others felt? At last I was free to get on with my life for a few weeks!
We all flew into Melbourne in February to meet each other and make our acquaintances. All got on well and augers well for a lovely, relaxing drive. Next trick is to get all MG’s to China together!
The www.goldcoastmgcarclub.com.au web site is full of information and if you make it a favorite, you could keep up with our adventure Along the Silk Road. Sue and Matt have worked hard together to provide this link plus a blog so that you can actually “talk” to us on the net if you like. Give it a go – you may like it!
Should you want any MG China to MG Britain Along the Silk Road regalia, the information can also be found on the clubs web page.
Next report will be from China, if all goes “roughly” to plan!
David Godwin
April 2010
The Travellers make the paper!
That’s not a Shake Down – This Is a Shake Down!
This is what makes owning an MG so much fun: we have done a lot of work to our MGA roadster, RIPper, recently, as has Ian and Denise Besly from the Sunshine Coast MG Club, preparing their MGB roadster for the Nanhui to Longbridge trip in April 2010, so decided to call Dan Casey, our friend and Trip mechanic and organize a run to give the cars a shakedown.
All agreed to meet in Dayboro, north of Brisbane, for a hearty Sunday breakfast and talk (not difficult so far…) until the temperature of the day was into the mid 30C’s so that we could hammer up Mt Mee, a long and steep climb, and see how our car’s cooling systems would stand up to higher than normal temperatures.
Both MGs have had the rear springs replaced with firmer versions, the radiator and all hoses replaced, light truck tyres of the highest profile and number of steel belts fitted, and numerous other parts replaced or repaired, “just in case” – probably over the top for this planned “amble” along sealed roads from MG China to MG Britain, but, what the heck, we have had a lot of fun doing it and it makes us feel like we are being sensitive to the old girl’s feelings…
Part 1 – all goes well! The temperatures of both MGs motors climbed to 200C and stayed there – brilliant! The tyres were a bit of a challenge, wondering all over the road, but we’re sure they will settle down when worn in a little and 50psi is probably an overkill for a 100kg vehicle, anyway. One negative for me is my new “genuine” MGA silencer has changed my sports car into a wimp! No sensual MG exhaust crackle any longer – just a quiet purr…
On top of Mt Mee, we had the obligatory photo shoot as you do whenever a few MG’s come together and Ian mutters those innocent few words: “I know a short cut home up another long hill – Why not give it a go?”
Well; the road started off perfectly, the hill was indeed made for MGs to conquer but became a little narrow until it was only a 6 foot matt and eventually, dirt. Our fearless leader didn’t pull over to have a round conference with all concerned, so we all thought “Ian lives in these parts – Ian knows where he is going…” and persevered. Unfortunately, Ian was more likely thinking “I haven’t been here before – this isn’t the highway back to the Sunshine Coast; maybe the others won’t notice” or something to that effect! The dirt road became a dirt track and eventually a dirt 4 X 4 track – and we have a picture of RIPper parked next to an appropriate sign to prove it! One of the hill climbs was particularly steep, washed out and rocky, and after Ian’s MGB and my MGA had rock-hopped to the top, we watched as Dan’s Twin Cam, known as The Crocodile for it’s crinkle paint job gone wrong, rock-hopped to the mid point and said ”No more”! After manhandling The Crocodile to the top, Ian comes out with a pearler – “Should we turn back – I’m not sure where we are…”
I don’t think so!!!
Anyway, 100 and something kilometer later, we happened upon a sealed road, took a bearing from the sun and headed south to the first pub and Dan beat us all inside for that all important cleansing ale that one “has to have” whenever a few MG friends get together to have so much unplanned fun!
Thanks Ian, that was a pile of fun, but please don’t mention a short cut when we are in Uzbekistan or wherever along the Silk Road – as the answer is Nnnnooo….
David and Laurel Godwin
December 2009 Update - Nanhui to Longbridge
Firstly, note that we are now starting officially from Hanhui and not Nanjing. (Actually, we will be starting in Beijing and at The Great Wall of China as part of the Peking to Paris portion of our trip, but our MG Marque portion will now start from Hanhui.) The reason for this change is that Guy Jones, Marketing Manager of MG Motors and Ian Pogson, Chief Engineer of the new, just released MG6, have arranged for us to meet the people, see the new factory and have our photos taken alongside a new MG6 at Hanhui! We then hope to have a similar photo taken with a MG6 at Longbridge, 3 months later, to signal the end of the journey! We owe a very hearty thanks to Guy and Ian for making this possible.
Shipping quotes, car insurance on the water and on the land from China to the UK, third party insurance, air flights, medical insurance, Chinese licences and registrations, English speaking guides in China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran, travel agents, accommodation, carnets, visas and courier services to remote areas of the world is well in hand! Phew!
Our cars are all nearing completion - mostly near rebuilds! If in any doubt, we have replaced our clutches, radiators, hoses, fan belts, fluids and filters. We have also replaced welsh plugs and seals on our master cylinders, callipers, rear brakes, axle seals, shock absorbers, slave cylinders. Our carbies have been overhauled along with most of our cylinder heads. Some have clad their wheels with 8 ply steel belt light truck (Ute) tyres, fitted security compartments and fitted firmer springs front and rear to afford greater ground clearances. Our theory is that we expect to travel on sealed roads but must be prepared for the unexpected! It is cheaper to replace a part in Australia (At any price) than anywhere else on the trip - except maybe the UK!
The Team is working very well together. Interesting that we have advertised around the world for interested people and that all 6 MGs will be departing from Australia! No-one from the UK, Europe, not South Africa nor New Zealand! Interesting.
Some other significant alterations to the original trip are:
We will not use an English speaking guide in Turkey.
We will not ferry across from Split, Croatia to Ancona, Italy. Instead, w will drive the length of the Adriatic Coast - Through Greece, Macedonia, Albania, Croatia and Slovenia.
Dominic Clancy, Dani Ingold, and Marcus & Ursula have arranged for Swiss MG members to join us for 3 lovely days in Switzerland, driving the Rally roads of the 1950's and 1960's.
The French MG club have offered to make room for us to park in the enclosure at Classic Le Mans - a great honour!
We have found a Chateaux to host our Black and White dinner party near Paris.
Adrian, Phil and other MGCC members have planned to meet us as we alight form the ferry in Portsmouth and accompany us to Abingdon via a few pertinent MG historical sights.
John Day, President of the MGCC, has offered to give us any assistance we may require from the MGCC. Thank you John, we appreciate the gesture.
What more could we ask for?
Every time I show someone the route on a map, I am frightened and excited at how far we will have to travel but the desire from us all is overwhelming. One of our MGBGT members was overheard to say "Even if I have to walk, I WILL be going on this trip!" Now, that's dedication and passion!
Sue Slater, one of our own, will be writing a weekly report and posting it on our local MG web site for the duration of the trip. (www.goldcoastmgcarclub.com.au). Please save it on your computers for reference. We may even get to produce a documentary if someone out there could give us a guiding hand...
We will also meet many MG clubs along the way - including those in Greece, Italy Switzerland, France and the UK.
Well, that about wraps it up for 2009. We have all had our medicals and passed with flying colours and hope that our bodies and MGs last the distance from now until we return next August!
If anyone would like to consider joining us along the way, please could you contact me for more information.
Dave Godwin
Organizer - with a lot of assistance from the Team. |
