mitch_f1's mariner NA6

[username]

Wow that'll be a tough trip in a mx5! Any reason you're not going through the black spur? There's some run roads up that way

[mitch_f1]

Black spur?

Actually that map isn't quite accurate, as I am going through Thredbo for some downhilling after Albury. Also going through Mt Beauty rather than following Apline Way the whole way to Albury

[Apu]

Damn! I am envious! Best of luck Mitch, and drive safe.

...oh to be young, single and carefree again...

[mitch_f1]

It is pretty spectacular XD

[bensale]

The trip looks good..! The one simple suggestion I would make is that don't go the inland way you have plotted from Warnambool as it's quite boring. Best bet is to head back via GOR, then cut inland just past Apollo Bay on the C31 (Skenes Creek Road). If you're not planning doing an overnighter in Warnambool it's not really worth going an further then the 12 apostles anyway.

Have fun!

[mitch_f1]

Thanks for the suggestion! So Skenes Creek Rd then Forrest-Apollo Bay Rd then C154 to Colac?

I was going to use Geelong as my home base for the GOR, as in like an out n back. Is that do-able as a day trip?

[username]

Black spur?

Actually that map isn't quite accurate, as I am going through Thredbo for some downhilling after Albury. Also going through Mt Beauty rather than following Apline Way the whole way to Albury

A windy section of road just past healsville, ill screenshot it when i get home

[mitch_f1]

Oh i see where you mean. I would, but it is too far out of my way, and not really in the direction that I am going

[bensale]

Easily do-able as a day trip from Geelong, with time to stop for photos! I normally do it as a day trip from Melbourne easily enough (although the one time we did it as 2 days was nice). I normally don't take the turn off to go all the way up to Colac as I'm trying to get back to Melbounre but why not

If you can I would also get up and leave early, I would say 6-630am at the latest from Geelong to give you a chance of getting a run without too many caravans and camrys..

Black Spur is good... But you won't get a clean run unless you're very lucky... Reefton Spur is well worth a drive and you do the Black Spur on the way back when you do it as a loop giving you a chance to examine the rear of a 4x4... But in reality it's going to be an extra day trip, depends on how long you have...

[username]

plenty of videos on youtube with rides through the black spur, but here's one just to give you an idea what its like



its really fun if your not stuck behind some slow hottie who refuses to pull over



This is the route I would take if I were you. My ex has a holiday house at Eildon so I've dríven up that way quite a few times, can be rather fun. Either way I'm sure you'll have a blast

[evil_weevil]

faaarrrk!!
as Apu said

..."..oh to be young, single and carefree again...

I REALLY want to do something similar, but not in my MX5, maybe hire an NC or something and just drive!!
GOR is on my list of things to do.

have fun mate

[mitch_f1]

So I got back yesterday, and can I just say WHAT A DRIVE!!!!! I rekon I have now dríven 90% of the best driving roads in Australia!! There is a full write up coming later (with lots and lots of pretty pictures), but in the mean time here is a picture of the final route:


Also I was keeping track of fuel consumption and here are the results:


Needless to say I am very very happy with the results!!!

Anyway, last night I got a bit bored waiting for something, and looked under the bonnet and found I had lost something...??


But oh wait, never mind guys, I found it; it fell and rolled over near my tool box. I guess it's out now, may as well leave it out...


It did get angry and leave a mark though...looks like some kind of sealant (the white stuff)???


Today I decided to get started on cleaning the car. First things first I removed the front bar, cause it is so much easier to clean when it is off the car. This also gave me better access to the radiator because along the trip I decided I was going to becoming an entomologist, and was harbouring my collection in the radiator, so now to milk the fruits of my labour:


Don a pair of gloves and start picking. Later came the steam cleaner to finish it up, which was just amazing. Result was this:


Wanted to check status of air filter to see how many bugs I had captured, (un)luckily I only managed a couple


Not sure how this leafy leaf got here, but well it did, so there


Also noticed that the hose clamp on the top radiator hose was about 1/4 turn off of being sufficiently tight, causing a little dribble


Fixed with steam cleaner (i love this thing!!)


Next up was the wheels, which had suffered the most I think




HOW DID HE DO THIS!!!?!??!?!?!?


And this just defies belief!!


Before and after


Unfortunately I found the second lot of collateral for my road trip (the first being a chip in the windshield courtesy of a 4WD near Albury); the brake dust has eaten into my clear coat. Needless to say I am a bit devastated...


I picked up some RTV at some point cause I have a tiny little leak on the sump gasket, so I RTV'd the sh*t out of it!!


I figured it couldn't hurt to check the front brake pads, so I pull out the driver side and yeh it's a little uneven (maybe half a mm difference left to right - dry sliders), but the passenger side is shameful...
Outside pad


Inside pad


So that is a set of A1RMS that are done Pity, as there should be a good 5 or 6 track days left in them

Anyway, so I had a set of Hawk HP Plus lying around (as you do....), so I put those in in the mean time (waiting on a set of RS Factory Stage S500 pads)




First step is to lube up the slider pins. Just a thin coat will do




Thin coat on the back of the pads for the rattle thingy


The piston on the front will need to be pushed back into its hole. That is where a clamp comes in very handy. DO NOT DO THIS ON THE REAR!!!!!!


Noticed a bit of damage on the passenger side brake line, No damage to braiding, just the silicone cover. Will have to watch this though


Gonna check disc width as well, all are good. Front min is 18mm rear min is 8mm








Curiously the temporary pads I put in the rear had the beginning of a bad wear pattern. I lubed up the sliders (which were already lubed), and will continue to watch this


Along the way I picked up a hitch hiker, but the sunnova wouldn't let go, so he tagged on home...


Tomorrow I will be draining the brake fluid, putting in an NB brake proportioning valve, and bleeding.

[mitch_f1]

So the cat woke me up at like 7am (thanks). As a result I was working on the car by 8am, and the prop valve was done by 9am (which is later than it should have been due to a stubborn flare nut).

Protection is everything!


Have to bend the little tab in the bottom of this picture out of the way, otherwise it is a straight bolt in job


I had to remove the lines to the master cylinder as well, as the flare nuts in the top of the prop valve were rediculous tight and i was starting to round them with an open ended spanner. Removing them meant I could use the other end with more purchase.


More rear bias here I come


So I then had to wait for a mate of mine to wake up and come to help me bleed the brakes. Unfortunately people apparently like to sleep in on Sunday (who knew!!), so he was at mine at like 12 or something helping me to do that. I realised at the end of the process that my 1 man bleed valve (two people so I could watch what the air bubbles were doing) had a cut in the line just above the valve, which meant that air bubbles were sneaking back in when they were close to the nipple. Not a huge issue, just takes a bit longer to bleed. I ended up using a little over 1 bottle of fluid for the bleed (i'm an idiot and let the reservoir run dry once.... )


Also did this to prevent a reccurance of the radiator experience, it will be removed for general duties and track work, just for getting to and from


Random garage shot

[mitch_f1]

Also, check out my sexy trucker tan

[Hjt]

As if your old man doesn't have clip on fender protectors

Looking forward to the whole experience next time we catch up mate! nice arm, best tan i have seen this summer.