MG Car Club of South Australia
WET WEATHER AT GOF IN WAGGA From.. Mike Greenwood
THE GATHERING of the FAITHFUL MG CAR CLUB WAGGA WAGGA September 2016.
T here is always lots of preparation for a big drive in a 60 year old MG heading off from South Australia to Wagga Wagga for the annual Gathering of the Faithful. This time it was a little bit more stressful because I could not get the car to go on the day before we were to head off! I knew it was just a wiring problem under the dash No pressure really!! with the help of a friend the Magnette was ready for its second drive to Wagga. A wire had decided to part company with the starter switch so with some electrical joiners a turn of the key and a push of the said starter we heard the correct noises- the sound of the petrol pump clacking merrily and the rumble of the B Series 1500 cc motor. I cleaned out half the tools from the shed for the“ just may need these” situations and loaded them into the boot of the 1956 MG ZA Magnette affectionately known as Magy 56! Now as you know most model MGs do not have anywhere near as much windscreen!
26 boot space as the Magnette so there is no reason why one can carry an extra carby, coil, radiator hoses, electrical connectors, many UNF nuts and bolts, starter motor and generator is there? No of course not! So we do! Also carry 25 litres of 98 petrol and 3 litres of water just in case one has to help someone else. Don’ t forget we also have the back seat and the foot wells so there is no reason why one cannot carry 4 extra pairs of shoes, again just in case eh! Our trip was the well driven track when heading up towards New South Wales – via Tailem Bend then turn left and drive towards Pinnaroo, Ouyen Hay, Narrandera to Wagga Wagga, some 500 miles or 800 Kilometres from our place in Strathalbyn. I had pre- booked an onsite cabin in Hay and next morning it was a reasonably easy run to Wagga, all the way I was able to keep the machine around 100 KPH and the temperature gauge stayed just under N for normal as the weather was cloudy most of the way. The biggest problem was seeing through all the bugs on the