GPA wanted in Australia to build Half-Safe Replica

[Jan Thompson]

Alex recently spoke to Boye De Mente. He is aware of the cost involved and has spoken to a few GPA owners in Australia. I visited the Guildford Grammar School with Bob Dimer a few years after Half-Safe was at Corowa and I had a work colleague whose boyfriend went to the Guildford Grammar School and witnessed the vehicle being pushed into a pool.

When there was a suggestion to have the vehicle over at Corowa for our 20th Annual GPA Swim-In we had to raise funds to cover costs. There were a number of generous military vehicle owners who helped by donating money. Budget also came to the party to help with the transport. Unfortunately Bob Dimer is no longer with us and he did all the mechanical work prior to the trip to make is roadworthy. The vehicle received TV coverage and took part in the parade through Corowa. I feel very honoured to have been given a chance to drive the vehicle and have some appreciation of what some of the journey must have been like. There is no way I would want to go into the water in it.

One thing I would like is to see if we can get it back to Corowa in 2019 for our 40th Year.

In 1999 we received successful confirmation of a new Guinness World Record for 'The largest gathering of Ford GPA amphibious vehicles since the Second world War was 16, at the 20th National GPA Swim-in, organised by Jan Thompson, Maureen Bell, Jennifer Bennie and Roger Ross (all Australia), which took place in Corowa, NSW, Australia on 13th March 1999'.