Day 6 - Sunday, August 27th
Who Cares What O'clock - It's a late start and we have to rustle ourselves into ringing feature car owners for shoots that arvo. It's Day #6 in Melbourne and by now our enthusiasm is dwindling.
11:45am - We attempt to drive to Epping to meet the first feature car. For some reason though, our path takes us on a compass course 180 degrees from where we want to go. Well, actually, this was a calculated move on my part, because it gives us plenty of time to test the BGT shift-light in the Avalon on the way there - wherever 'there' actually is. Fifty minutes later we arrive - but we can't be bothered stressing too much by our lateness.
1:30pm - We're at RaceCraft's workshop and take time to shoot a very fast 1G-engined turbo Celica. Nothing special to look at but, hell, it's immensely quick. And all built around a $195 1G import engine (just like the Lexus IS200!). Te-hee. We are also intrigued by a brightly-coloured Honda Odyssey that's up on one of their hoists - the job description? Nothing less than twin turbos! Yes! This is one quick stop cos...
2:30pm - The Golden Arches are waiting for us. Julian gets serious with an Aussie burger (upsized) and I cop-out with merely a medium sized Quarter Pounder meal. Bit of a letdown, eh? We make our stay in the dining area very short though, as it is full of loudly partying 4 year olds. Bloody hell, haven't they got anywhere else to go? After all, we are trying to have a serious business luncheon here...
3:15pm - We find a fairly makeshift photo location and hook up with the owner of a turbocharged Mitsubishi Mirage. It's a just-get-by kind of shoot, but the car is refreshingly different and cost-effectively built. Feature car Number Two for the day is done - we are on the home stretch now...
4:15pm - We wait around for car Number Three to arrive. Ohhhh, it could be s-o easy to drift of to sleep in the warm sun that is shining in through the Avalon's glass sunroof. Good seats too, this Avalon.... Luckily, we don't. Danny rolls up on time (we were early... just so damn' organised) in his immaculately presented gold VL turbo, and Julian gets to taking the pics while I interview Danny about the car. I also scam a brief ride just to see what a brutally quick VL goes like. It is awesome - that is, when it finally grips... At about this time, I'm happy that the after-taste of salty chips has started to disappear.
6:30pm - The motel is again lucky enough to have us return as guests. Things are starting to really blur now. I can, however, remember us eating Smiths chips, drinking Shiraz and anything else that is lying around. We both take a slightly wandery stroll to the nearby Pizza Lovers for a half Hawaiian/half Aussie pizza. Pretty damn good, it is too.
9:00pm - After a bit more port, Shiraz and light conversation, we have an early night. We are both now losing puff bigtime.
Day 7 - Monday, August 28th
7:00am - Time to get up. And it's an extra big effort this time... I try to maximise my sleeping time so much that there isn't even time left for a coffee. But Julian wouldn't even be able to find the car ignition key (which car have we got today?.... can't quite remember) without his caffeine, so he swills a quick cup.
9:00am - We arrive in the city to return the Avalon and pick up Julian's Audi. It's strange, but I don't remember its tyres being so bald when we dropped it off... From here, we motor off to Crossover to pick up the Nissan Gloria - go on, sing it.
G-l-o-r-i-a!
The Gloria is essentially an ancient Nissan 300C with some new sloping panels, a L20 turbo six and a plush interior. This old gal must have been a real stunner in her day. Not now though, I think, though Julian seems rapt. But then again he owns a 142 Volvo...
12:30pm - We cruise the big Nissan to STA (Supercharger Technology Australia) where we photograph a few of their interesting products, as well as a customer's supercharged V8 Commodore ute. A nice car. A short while later, we happy snap the Gloria in the same place that we did the ute. On-lookers don't know what to make of it though (there are a couple of lesbians in an old Celica having a good time and a council worker slacking off from work in what he thinks will be a vacant park). I feel like slapping them about and yelling, "Stop laughing, it's a Japanese classic, alright!" Don't they know? But then I realise that the girls are already slapping each other and the council worker is asleep - so I decide to give it a rest.
2:00pm - We take a leisurely stroll through the Knox shopping centre for a wee bite to eat. I select a hot cheese and spinach roll with a milkshake, while Julian goes incredibly healthy with a chicken and salad peta bread roll...plus a sweet lemon slice and two cappuccinos. Oh well, he had good intentions...
3:00pm - Once again - hello Ferntree Luxury Motor Lodge! We bounce back to the motel to take some close-up pics and notes on the Gloria. We have to get this car done real quick, because...
3:45pm - It's time to take Gloria home and pick up a turbocharged V6 Mitsubishi FTO (an already modified car that Craig had been tempted by in Japan). Then it was off to a nearby park for photography against the dark trees - the sculpted shape of an FTO always looks good, doesn't it? However, this is a hard one to get tech info on, coz even Craig doesn't know heaps about it. We just have to inspect every little piece of the car - which includes taking a look at its naughty under-bits.
4:45pm - We return the boosted FTO, pick up Mr Audi (who must getting pissed off with us gallivanting off with all these other cars) and head in for a quick meeting at the AutoSpeed office - lubricated with a beer. Boss Brendan is asleep on the new (borrowed, I think) boardroom table, while Angelic Andrea is keeping the site alive, working madly to keep those layouts churning. Idiosyncratic Ian is babbling some verbal shorthand about ISP protocols and other unintelligible stuff... it's just another day at the office.
6:00pm - Motel, port, shiraz, savoury biscuits and another pizza. In case you're wondering, we are getting very tired about now... Tired - why, what've we been doing? Twenty-four stories, so far.... But, thankfully, this is a night when we can hit the sack early.
HOME TIME!!!
Day 8 - Tuesday, August 29th
8:30am - We awake in room number 6 for the last time - steal all the soaps, shampoos, biscuits and everything else that isn't bolted down (just kidding, officer). Both Julian and I are sad to say goodbye to cable television: no more steak cookers, no more sliding Japanese logs, no more scantily clad female presenters on (what's supposed to be) early morning kids' TV. Sob sob.
9:30am - We drop in to say goodbye to the gang at the office - and to twist their arms to let us take some er, frank, pics of them. Both Julian and I agree that they really don't want us to leave - lined up outside of the office door, their waving handkerchiefs and tearful faces really give it away as we drive off...
10:30am - We stop at a servo to fill up the Audi's fuel tank, grab some trip refreshments and a car mag to peruse on the way home. It's the Audi's last taste of Shell Optimax 98 octane, so it had better lap it up. Brrm, we're off again. All the way home we pour shit on the opposition Hot F- er, the unnamed magazine, as we start reading what look like interesting stories only to find 30 seconds later that they're total crap.
3:00pm - The Audi pulls to the side of the road in Horsham, right out the front of a healthy looking deli (sorry, milkbar). Audis, apparently, have a problem that makes them want to pull over for food and drinks. Both Julian and I devour large sandwiches stuffed with all-natural fillings (no greasy stuff to be found!) and stretch our legs up and down one of the main streets. Entertainment is provided by the local cruisers spinning inside wheels around the (apparently rarely) wet roundabouts. Country Victoria..... Y-eah!
6:30pm - We arrive back in Adelaide. Wow, it sure doesn't take long to hit the centre of Adelaide when you've just done a few hundred kilometres - it's just so small! Julian drops me off in my driveway - home at last. And - lucky me - I'm even treated to a home-cooked meal that's eaten using - what are they called? - er, knives and forks... But where're the fries and the upsized Coke? This'll sure take some getting used to...
Coffee, Cars & Cardboard Food - Part 1
Coffee, Cars & Cardboard Food - Part 2
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