Need answer

[Norm Cromie (RIP)]

Hi Carman, I have a serious question that I feel you and all the great contributors to MLU who I consider friends, internet companions and buddies. I have a great respect for you all who are doing much more to make life interesting than just drifting down the river of self indulgence. I also doff my hat to Geoff for the great work and effort he puts out for this very enjoyable website.

Having survived this last 83 years I am numbed by the complexity of this wonderous universe and here is my question.....


HOW IS ANYTHING?

Norm Cromie

Originally posted by Norm Cromie
Having survived this last 83 years I am numbed by the complexity of this wonderous universe and here is my question.....


HOW IS ANYTHING?

42

R.

[JD Baillie]

Give or take a white mouse?

JD
-

Originally posted by JD Baillie
Give or take a white mouse?

JD
-

Don't panic.

Quite possibly, but until I can get to Magrathea and ask Slarty Bartfast I wouldn't know for sure.

Anyway, I needed this morning's cup of tea (+ ) more than the Infinite Improbability Generator and it was the wrong temperature too.

R.

[Keith Webb]

Originally posted by FV623
Don't panic.

Quite possibly, but until I can get to Magrathea and ask Slarty Bartfast I wouldn't know for sure.

Anyway, I needed this morning's cup of tea (+ ) more than the Infinite Improbability Generator and it was the wrong temperature too.

R.

Ahhh cup of tea... Brownian motion at it's best.

Has anyone there restored a Ford Prefect? I was once in a Stuart tank as it rumbled straight over the top of one. I love non sequiturs.

Originally posted by Keith Webb
Ahhh cup of tea... Brownian motion at it's best.

Has anyone there restored a Ford Prefect? I was once in a Stuart tank as it rumbled straight over the top of one. I love non sequiturs.

Quite so, quite so; I see I shall need another T; 2 x so far and only one small gulp left.

In the case of the Ford Prefect; you would not know that Ballards snr and jnr are on a long-term commission from a vintage car parts supplier here with a shed load of pre-war stuff to restore.

The last one completed was a stunningly rare here, ex-Oz Ford ute. Not without its problems and leaving aside the joke Ford engineering for a moment, as it arrived as they all do as an incomplete pile of rusty poo, the body was re-worked with new metal and woodwork but on re-fit the chassis was found to be somewhat banana like.

Not surprising given the rear chassis overhang and Ford's skimpy metalwork, plus the assumed previous duty on an Oz sheep station. This we cured with several judiciously placed baulks of timber supporting the chassis under a certain FV623 and then applied the same's HIAB (Atlas) to the appropriate bit of flimsy Ford metal.

The body came back from the painters resplendent in two-pack and several thousand pounds expended, then fitted to the now straight chassis.

Within two weeks large blisters appeared, it seems the process was faulty and the 1/8" coat of etch primer, whilst generous, was erroneous. Removing all this back to the metal, after lifting the body yet again, did little for Ballard snr good humour. The Stuart would have been most welcome at this point.

Anyway, it did get finished and if I can find them, perhaps some before and after shots might be of interest.

R.

Originally posted by FV623
Anyway, it did get finished and if I can find them, perhaps some before and after shots might be of interest.

Here we are.

R.

[Keith Webb]

THAT's the identical model we ran over; it was a cream colour and completely intact! If only we had known... it was in 1974, mind you.
I still have my first car, albeit covered in blackberries and inhabited by a red belly black snake, a 1959 Singer Gazelle Estate.

Originally posted by Keith Webb
THAT's the identical model we ran over; it was a cream colour and completely intact! If only we had known... it was in 1974, mind you.

I must tell Ballard, the bluish tinged garage air from the copious usage of basic Anglo-Saxon that accompanied the restoration of this bit of joke Ford "Engineering" is still dispersing even though the vehicle left these parts in as-new condition for the owners safe keeping several months ago.

In truth many of the missing parts were in the towing van unseen here but it was still an 18 month full-time restoration.

Knowing how crude and skimpy these particular Fords were, we are amazed that they had the gall to market them in Oz and as a ute too. At least you got the "powerful" 1172cc sv engine, all ours here had the 903cc lump and with a 3 speed gearbox were the definition of gutless.

Nevertheless, I do believe its the only restored and driving Oz Prefect/Pop ute in the country here.

I still have my first car, albeit covered in blackberries and inhabited by a red belly black snake, a 1959 Singer Gazelle Estate.

Gosh! I'd forgotten all about those, quite a following here and not altogether bad for its day. Now your wildlife is something else, most of it seems hell bent on killing you somehow.

Blackberries we have in quantity, my Stolly field has a huge crop of escaped, cultivated ones that Ballard jr jealously guards and picks daily before the birds have them. Mrs Ballard is then coerced into rendering this into blackberry jelly at the rate of some 60 jars a year. This is inadequate for their household, mine, and the MV chums who have suddenly acquired a serious taste for the stuff and return empty jars for a service exchange, as it were.

R.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by FV623
Now your wildlife is something else, most of it seems hell bent on killing you somehow.

Do you blame it?

[Keith Webb]

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
Do you blame it?

Hey, I heard that!
Next time I'm bringing some redback spiders for you to play with...

But of course you'll be coming here for Year of the Carrier first, won't you Geoff? Then I can introduce you to all the fine fauna too.

[Mary King]

I know nothing at all about military vehicles (not much about the military in general either) but I have to tell you:

Y'ALL CRACK ME UP!!!

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by Mary King
I know nothing at all about military vehicles (not much about the military in general either) but I have to tell you:

Y'ALL CRACK ME UP!!!

Mary, this is what we ARE... for better or worse... ... some of us have know each other for more than 20 years, others a few years only, and yet others, on the internet only. A few here have "been-there/done-that" when, literally, the fate of the world as we know it was in question. ALL are dedicated to the same ideals... trucks and carriers notwithstanding, we're trying to keep alive the memory and promise of the time, and we try, in our own way, to keep the traditions and symbolism of that time alive. That includes the innate sense of humour that military service anywhere generates. It did then and it does now.

I'm glad you enjoy it, can appreciate it for what it is. You're very welcome here.

Originally posted by Norm Cromie
Hi Carman, I have a serious question that I feel you and all the great contributors to MLU who I consider friends, internet companions and buddies.

Having survived this last 83 years I am numbed by the complexity of this wonderous universe and here is my question.....

HOW IS ANYTHING?

Norm Cromie

OK ... Master Norm Cromie,

I am properly chastised by your words in your email for not replying to this post, as yet ... you chased me down to reprimand and chastise, therefore I shall give you your WISE answer ...

You asked (me), "HOW IS ANYTHING?"

I reply, "FINE, THANK YOU."

Everything else is in a constant state of flux, except for things like Gaelic phrases such as Dileas gu Brath (Forever Faithful) that lend a permanant focus point to forever stand strong and sure and build upon ...

(oops, sorry Norm, I forgot the -acre part of WISE)

Don't laugh ... I don't want you to hurt yourself now

Sincerely, Carman