Trip to the nationals in the 34

[sugarmaker]

Lawrie,
Wonderful pictures of your trip! Thanks for taking us along. GB will like the jailbar picture too.
Safe return home.
Congratulations on your well deserved win at the nationals. The 34 is awesome!
Regards,
Chris and Cheryl

[Brian]

Lawrie, All those miles on red dirt roads, and your car is always clean!!

[38 coupe]

Lawrie, thank you for sharing your drive with us. I find it fun to "follow along" on Google Maps to see what kind of terrain you are driving through and what the towns look like. It's not as good as being on vacation myself, but is fun regardless.

[GB SISSON]

As always I'm having a blast riding along with you. Thank you so much for the armchair travels and the photos to go along with the story. I really admire those of you that take long trips in your old fords and hope one day I will garner up the courage to do something half as grand as the excursions we see here. And Chris, of course I saw that jailbar

[51504bat]

Looks like the homemade bumper/guard on the jail bar did it's job. The grill looks surprisingly straight from what I can see in the photo. Thanks for all the photos and details of what sounds like a great trip.

[Lawrie]

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I’m one day away from home,and will be there tomorrow all going well.
As usual ,yesterday got caught out with accomodation and had to drive a few extra klms to Surat.
Went for diner and a well deserved beer at the pub,
My 34 sure looked out of place parked in the Main Street with the locals vehicles.
Got up this morning to hear it hosing down outside,lucky the 34 was under cover so it was dry for me to put a good coat of Rainex on the windscreen.
It was hosing down as I headed off and progressively got heavier, no leaks inside and I stayed nice and dry and warm.
Stopped at Roma to visit a friend and had a nice coffee and bickies.
Rain had stopped by then,
A nice easy drive to Taroom,on this road we got caught with it flooded in our model As a year or so back , this time no drama
The road was 177 between towns (Roma and Taroom) so no nice rest stops for smoko ,so just coffee and biscuits on the running boards.
Car looks a bit cleaner after the rain this morning.
Talked to a couple last night who were travelling in a modern car,there were amazed that they had seen me three days back, I told them my 34 was 90 year’s old. And was great to travel in,
They asked my what sort of car it was, I told them a Ford, and told them I didn’t think any one else made cars,] we had a good laugh.
Lawrie

[Lawrie]

GB The jail bar had a funny bar thingy on the front bumper, made from two half’s of a short leaf spring, the same was on a blitz at the nationals, so maybe a ww2 thing.
Lawrie

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by Lawrie

I’m one day away from home,and will be there tomorrow all going well.
As usual ,yesterday got caught out with accomodation and had to drive a few extra klms to Surat.
Went for diner and a well deserved beer at the pub,
My 34 sure looked out of place parked in the Main Street with the locals vehicles.
Got up this morning to hear it hosing down outside,lucky the 34 was under cover so it was dry for me to put a good coat of Rainex on the windscreen.
It was hosing down as I headed off and progressively got heavier, no leaks inside and I stayed nice and dry and warm.
Stopped at Roma to visit a friend and had a nice coffee and bickies.
Rain had stopped by then,
A nice easy drive to Taroom,on this road we got caught with it flooded in our model As a year or so back , this time no drama
The road was 177 between towns (Roma and Taroom) so no nice rest stops for smoko ,so just coffee and biscuits on the running boards.
Car looks a bit cleaner after the rain this morning.
Talked to a couple last night who were travelling in a modern car,there were amazed that they had seen me three days back, I told them my 34 was 90 year’s old. And was great to travel in,
They asked my what sort of car it was, I told them a Ford, and told them I didn’t think any one else made cars,] we had a good laugh.
Lawrie

[B-O-B]

Lawrie; Thanks for them pics. Really nice 3W. Neighbor lady was a widow & she had a mate for your ride. This was a very long time ago & I don't know what happened to her or the car. I left home & went in the service. Her 3 W was black with vineyard green trim I think. Can't wait till the next installment of your escapades.

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Very nice car Lawrie. I saw it over on the Southern V8 fb page....believe it was "stolen" from NZ, you lucky bugger! Enjoy the Nats.

GB

Edited : Glad you enjoyed that Nats. Sounds like you had a great trip and the car went well. I've been MIA from Fordbarn as the laptop has been away at the techs so am now only catching up.

GB

[Lawrie]

Well I got home yesterday arvo,2756 miles (4480klms)
Car went great and is a pleasure to travel in,plus it gets plenty of attention with folks coming up to say they saw me three days ago 100,s of miles back.
Some tech info on my 34, engine is standard bore stock 34 Babbitt engine,fitted with my home made full flow oil filter set up,40B advance in the distributor with NOS ford points and after market condenser, 6v electrics ,the hydrostatic fuel gauge I repaired before leaving turns out to be very accurate, and when reading zero has about 3 litres left.
Total fuel used 650litres and cost $1290.80, engine used 1/2 litr oil and its still clean,radiator never need to be topped up and was still on the same level when leaving home. Engine never got hot and ran like a rocket.
A few minor repairs needed, one rubber front brake rod support snapped off, left window got stiff, rattly door window glass,brakes may need an adjust up (but stayed working great)
A grease and oil and filter change,that’s about it.
I hope you enjoyed my trip, as I sure did. Pics are a field of sorghum,and others from my last day
The 34 needs a good wash and vacuumed out, and dripped this much oil on my drive when home
And an old MG going to Gympie from Cairns on the back of the truck, same year as the 34,but vastly different
Biggest day 525 klm( bad navigation)
Lawrie

[torpedo]

Congrats Lawrie. You demonstrated that an old Ford engine was designed to be reliable and dependable ! Wonderful pics.

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by Lawrie

Well I got home yesterday arvo,2756 miles (4480klms)
Car went great and is a pleasure to travel in,plus it gets plenty of attention with folks coming up to say they saw me three days ago 100,s of miles back.
Some tech info on my 34, engine is standard bore stock 34 Babbitt engine,fitted with my home made full flow oil filter set up,40B advance in the distributor with NOS ford points and after market condenser, 6v electrics ,the hydrostatic fuel gauge I repaired before leaving turns out to be very accurate, and when reading zero has about 3 litres left.
Total fuel used 650litres and cost $1290.80, engine used 1/2 litr oil and its still clean,radiator never need to be topped up and was still on the same level when leaving home. Engine never got hot and ran like a rocket.
A few minor repairs needed, one rubber front brake rod support snapped off, left window got stiff, rattly door window glass,brakes may need an adjust up (but stayed working great)
A grease and oil and filter change,that’s about it.
I hope you enjoyed my trip, as I sure did. Pics are a field of sorghum,and others from my last day
The 34 needs a good wash and vacuumed out, and dripped this much oil on my drive when home
And an old MG going to Gympie from Cairns on the back of the truck, same year as the 34,but vastly different
Biggest day 525 klm( bad navigation)
Lawrie

[rockfla]

Wow Lawrie, fantastic journey in the ole' 34. By my "rough" American pea brain math.....that's about 16 miles per gallon......NOT bad for a 90 year old car. Glad to see and hear you and the coupe are home safe

[flatford8]

Great travelogue!!......congrats on the safe trip....sorry, I have to ask...what’s an “arvo”?
(Well I got home yesterday “arvo” ,2756 miles)........Thanks......Mark

[Kens 36]

Originally Posted by flatford8

Great travelogue!!......congrats on the safe trip....sorry, I have to ask...what’s an “arvo”?
(Well I got home yesterday “arvo” ,2756 miles)........Thanks......Mark

Mark,

Lawrie is likely sleeping, so I'll add - arvo would be afternoon.

Ken

[flatford8]

Originally Posted by Kens 36

Mark,

Lawrie is likely sleeping, so I'll add - arvo would be afternoon.

Ken

Thanks......Mark

[mercman from oz]

1934 Ford Deluxe Three Window Coupe on display
2024 V8 Nationals - Echuca

[38 coupe]

This has been a great thread to follow. If I had more vacation time and more money I would have loved to attended this meet.