My side yard.

[Sideplate]

Robin,
         Did you buy a red FE ute from Vic??  I know its history very well

[cajerridoc]

No I have not loaded a car onto an empty trailer. I've never had a problem with a normal car.



                                                             

As for the FE ute, I did buy one that came from VIC but it was purpley blue. I sold this one to collecta who has since sold it again.

The one I have now came from Cairns. It only cost $450 to get it all the way from Cairns to Adelaide. When I asked how much the other way, it was $1600. This was a few years ago so the prices would have changed but it shows the advantage of having car manufacture(s) in your state.

Interesting thing about this one is I put a canopy on it that came from Tasmania via NSW and the mounting holes line up with the screws that are already in the ute for the angle brackets, as if it used to have a same or similar canopy on it before. The canopy is made of Tasmanian Oak I think and I was told the plans for the canopy were available from the Holden dealers.

Anyone got an FE standard interior in green?  And a green roof lining too. It would be handy as I currently have FC door trims and an FE special seat in the ute.

Yes the ute still has no indicators.

Robin

[zulu]

I haven't tried that method of loading a car either, might give it a go next time, I like the ute canopy Robin,

I have a Lowline canopy on mine, it's like a bad suit, touches every where & fits no where  , but I can't complain as it only cost me a slab and a long drive.

I see what Ken meant about the shed floor now, nice  I have a ramp in my shed divided into 3 sections with a quarter panel sheild badge concreted in the centre of each bit.

The grey FE with the packing slip & the 217 cab are nice finds also.

Cheers, Gary   

[GOA350]

And I thought I had some projects!
 Well done Robin, its people like you that keep the history and culture alive for our kids to inherit later down the track. It was great to meet you at the Nats. Keep up the good work. Ive got four cars to keep me busy and one wreck and my Missus thinks im obsessed, i'd hate to think what your Missus thinks.
                      Cheers Scott

[cajerridoc]

He's one for the nostalgic. My first FC. I have had it for about 30 years. Paid $90 for it and my dad and I restored/modified it in the back shed. It took us several years as I was still at school when I got it. Not looking too good now as it has been off the road for 20 years and the rats were nesting in it where I had it stored. It has a 149 that is bored to a 161 with quarter race cam and ported and polished head. I also had the centres of the chromies moved to be exacting on the legal limit for wheel track. This pissed off a policeman who got down in the mud to check the track one night.



In 1983 I drove it through the Ash Wednesday fires, I don't know why, but I did and my brother and I picked up about six people who had abandoned a fire truck and car in the middle of the flames. The only way I knew I was still on the road was the cats eyes in the middle of the road. I could feel them through the steering. Dodged the fire truck which was burning and the burning car and found the people who were going to lie on the road to get away from the smoke. They climbed in and on the car, two hanging on the open back door as my brothers bike was in the back seat, no time to move it. As I went to move off the engine stalled. The radiator had burst and the steam went straight into the air cleaner. I flicked the key, she fired up, in a good way, and we got out of that hell. I was later awarded a bronze medal for bravery from the Governor. The car was so hot that when I touched my bike that was in the boot I got a burn on my hand about 2x6cm and it came up about 1.5cm in height. Ouch! But the FC survived, Still has most of the burn marks on it.



My nephew used it for a while then my brother and my wife. It found an Opel 4 speed and I think Torana bucket seats along the line. Now it needs another restoration.

Robin

[NosFEratu]

Hi Robin

Wow - remarkable story.  I think the car definitely deserves a little attention now. It would be a great "good news" story for any TV station if it were to be rejuvenated and for those that you rescued to meet up with you, your brother and the FC again.  And also a good reminder to everyone of the dangers of bushfires.   

Kathi 

[pedro]

I agree it would make a good news story, only one more to go cathy and you've made your 100th

[Hewart]

G'day Robin.....

I'm enjoying reading your various yarns that go with your many FEs and FCs....!! You've got plenty of great pics there also!! PLEASE KEEP 'EM COMING!!!

You've certainly got an awesome collection there.... I'm very jealous!

Reading that last yarn about you driving your first FC through the fires reminded me that I've actually seen an article about that!! A quick look through my old Grey Matters issues (number 34) and here it is...



That's quite a claim to fame!!

Keep those pics and stories coming!

[Johns]

That's inspiring Robin, it must be nice to know you've made a difference.

That old girl certainly deserves some TLC, what a pedigree!

Cheers
John

[Ed]

Champion effort Robin!

very interesting thread too.

Cheers

Ed

[EffCee]

Robin,

What an inspiring story, I absolutely love hearing about all your cars. Each one seems to have touched someones life along the way. I love hearing about stories such as yours.

Regards

Keith

[cajerridoc]

The real reason we were there was that the radio was urging residents to go home to their houses so we were trying to reach my brother's house. It turned out that his house was OK, but his fire wood was gone. The police had got his HR X2 Premier out of the shed near the wood heap and the the fire just went around his house. 100m up the road there was another burnt out fire truck that had got stuck on a tree. I think 2 people died there.

I headed for the local oval figuring that it would be a safe place. This is where I put the small fires out in the car near the filler and next to the battery, patched the radiator and burnt my hand. I went around to the bowls club to get some ice, and they were all inside as the light was too bad due to all the smoke. They didn't realise that they were surrounded by fires. Their answer was "Well we had better have another round then" from the bar.

I believe I was guided through, as I took a turn off I would not usually take, and it turned out there were 3 burnt out cars blocking the other road. I drove through flames and basically did all the wrong things that you should not do in a bushfire and got through, but at the time I never once thought I would not get through.

The original article of the the time had a much better and younger photo of both of us.

Robin

[NosFEratu]

And Pedro - for my 100th!

Well, I'm still "speechless" due to Robin's story!  Now that I've finished work and had a little time to reflect I recall hearing of this at the time.  I'm so glad you still have the FC - aside from being your first FC it has such a great history with being the "driving force" of a great rescue.

I remember the bushfires distinctly.  I was extremely pee'd off with a bunch of MFS guys at the gym my sister and I taught at - this group believed it was a job for CFS volunteers and they had no intention of offering any support unless they were told to by the MFS as part of their paid work. My level of respect for that lot certainly dropped especially knowing the risks that so many people were taking to help others.   

My sister and I, along with a lot of other entertainers, were very happy to do a large number of free floorshows to help raise funds for those affected.  Not much I know in comparison to the efforts of many others but it was what we were good at and it was the best way for us to contribute a little.  And yep, we were all a little younger and better looking then too! 

Robin, you, your brother and your car were obviously destined to be there. Congratulations.

Kathi 

[TTV6FC]

Well,I have no problem admitting I went very croaky just then reading this story out to my wife...What an incredible story and probably felt like nothing to you at the time.I remember a long while ago seeing the photos of the inside of your shed titled "one of my sheds" and thinking how awesome it would be to have such a collection.Well done mate,look forward to more photos.Cheers,Jamie.

[customFC]

Wow, sounds like you have been to hell and back in that ol' FC.
I agree with the others, she deserves to atleast be put back on the road.
When you do get to it, perhaps you can get a mural replica of your bronze medal painted on the glovebox.
Congrats on being in the right place and for doing what you did.
Regards
Alex

[Paul In Ireland]

Get a little trax model, same colour, hit it with a bit heat, mount it and give it that "bushfire survivor look" and give it out at the nationals as a perpetual trophy for "FE/FC Service to the Community" or something like that. A bit about Robin's car can go with it as the inspiration - I know Robin was driving but as they say - "The Car's the Star!"


Or maybe I will just shut up for now....

[KFH]

Wow.  What a great story.  The car needs restoring and a plaque attached to it telling of the effort that you and your brother went through to rescue the people.  It has historic significance It was the case of being int the right place at the right time.  Love your collection.  Keep the stories coming.

Keith

[cajerridoc]

To all, thanks you for your comments.

There is, however, no need to be jealous or envious. The whole idea of this is not to be better than anyone else because I have more cars. It is to preserve as many FE and FC models as I can, and we are all part of that. Whether stock or modified, they are being saved and enjoyed and I think that this is the reason we are here and we all have different ways to save the cars. There are many very talented people out there that restore their cars from the ground up. I am not one of those, so I chose to collect cars. I have them restored by others and I do what I can, but to those of you that do the whole thing yourselves, my hat is off to you.

Oh yes, and of course you are all welcome to visit and spend a while looking around.

Any way you say you want more?

Well then:

FC 229 Station Sedan in Terraglow and Adobe Beige with a black and white interior.



I bought this car on ebay and it came from Queensland.

                                                                     
It had been repainted in 2 pack before I bought it.



I used this one to get to work for a couple of months shortly after I got it as the engine on my VX wagon died and there was a lot of debate about the cause and who was paying. It was on the way home from work one afternoon that I discovered that the wipers were not operational. It was OK, I only had a drive of 75km to get home. It rained all the way. I love rain!

Robin

[pedro]

Now that's a nice looking wagon, best car in your collection so far, although i may be a little biased towards STATION SEDANS(ok make that a lot)

[DN2168]

Robin that is a truely inspirational story, a well deserved award. You should be truely proud of the old girl (bet you wouldn't have made it in a new commodore  .