Cus' NA6
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speed
- Speed Racer
- Posts: 3471
- Joined: Sun Jan 19, 2014 9:52 am
- Vehicle: NA6
- Location: Lugarno, Sydney
Re: Cus' NA6
Remember to get an nb8b spare wheel if you haven't done so already ;)
NA6 turbo - 140kw atw - not the most powerful but so much fun 
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Cus
- Racing Driver
- Posts: 564
- Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:58 pm
- Vehicle: NA6
- Location: Maryborough (Vic)
Re: Cus' NA6
Good reminding! I didn't even think of the spare!
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Cus
- Racing Driver
- Posts: 564
- Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:58 pm
- Vehicle: NA6
- Location: Maryborough (Vic)
Re: Cus' NA6
Hello Forum... we meet again.
What have we been doing? All sorts! (ie; nothing much, but lots of it)
Just prior to christmas we had the "overheating / new radiator / it was probably the radiator cap's fault" episode; you can read up on it here if you want the full chronological story: viewtopic.php?f=29&t=70465
I also caught up with the Western Chapter of the Victorian MX-5 Club for their christmas run, which was based from their local CFA shed because there were fires nearby, and it had been hot, and some of the guys needed to be available. During the afternoon a wet change came through - you know, typical Australian Summer kind of things - and we all ended up back at the shed having a BBQ and talking crap about nearly every topic imaginable. It was a good day.
On the day Mania were closing for Chistmas, it was cold here in Bendigo-town, and I had a new coolant leak. Yup. It's the same hose as the one in the other thread, but to make things more interesting, it's the other end of the hose, and only leaks when it's cold. So I've ordered the new hose, and it arrived before christmas, and it's been in the box it came in ever since. There's no leak on hot days. Don't ask me, I don't know, or care. I've had the coolant in and out of the car so many times now I really just cannot be fluffed doing it one more time. I have the part, I'll do it "later"
After Christmas I got into a bit of a barney with my little-little sister over basically nothing. They're the best barneys. So I went for a drive.
After a couple of hours on the road, I stopped for a look around. Well, I stopped to get rid of the slow falcon I was stuck behind.
Picture one, Roadster Selfie!
After dicking about with the camera and looking around for a bit, I remembered there was a road near Eildon that looked like a doctor's handwriting in google maps, so I headed for Eildon with a plan to drive on this road.
Eildon seems to be down a bit. It also turns out the road I was thinking of was from the north side of Lake Eildon, and not the actual township of Eildon, and that was going to be about 100 clicks of extra travel distance, so I busted out the google maps and found a lovely twisty road down near Healsville. It was a glorious road. Smooth as a baby's behind, Hot mix, slow car turn-outs (which a surprising number of people used) and yellow advisory signs for every corner. It was bliss. I didn't take any photos.
Eventually I found myself on the highway heading towards Wilson's Prom. I'd never been there, and figured I wouldn't be this close again, so why not? While losing my mind on the highway due to a lack of corners, I saw a tourist sign that said "Suspension Bridge" for the next left. Suspension bridges are interesting, and it'd make a cool photo, so we went left.
It turned out to be a pedestrian bridge, so I didn't even stop. I did however randomly pick a road called "Bass Valley Road" to turn down. Because Bass. It turned out to be interesting. Rough as hell, but fairly pretty, and had lots of corners. There was a camp site along this road with what appeared to be a horde of grey nomads setting up for the evening. In hindsight, I should have stopped there for the night.
Little Red got some photos taken while I stopped for a break, and I was back in the car and heading south. I start thinking about finding somewhere to stay the night. By the time I got to Yanakie it was obvious everywhere was booked out. I was approaching the 500km mark, and getting tired, and it was turning to dusk. So I whipped out the wikicamps app and found a free camping spot near by. It turned out to be a triple car park occupied by a group of backpackers in their campervans. Oh well.
I stopped anyway and took some photos of the sunset, and decided to wait for the sun to go right down and then continue to the very bottom of Wilson's Prom, a place creatively called "Tidal River".
There were critters everywhere. I moseyed along in the darkness, avoiding kangawallafoxes and other native hood ornaments, eventually arriving at Tidal River. It's actually a giant camp site, with electric BBQs and powered toilet blocks and even an open-air cinema. I highly recommend booking a site and spending some time there. Personally, I showed up about 11PM, and slept in the car. It was not a good sleep, but I got a few hours in before the the sun came up. I grabbed the camera and headed off to find ... things.
First was the view on the horizon.
Then I found the beach. The sand was so fine it was like it was flour.
After some sea-level meandering I headed back to the car and decided to take a look at Mt Oberon, which is literally just around the corner from Tidal River. The path seemed straight forward, but would have been a three hour walk and I didn't have any food or water with me, so I decided to give it a miss. Finally, a moment of rational thought! Go me!
I took a happy snap from the carpark lookout, and got back on the road, heading for Forster, and breakfast.
The road out of Wilson's Prom during daylight was actually a lot of fun. I had an Emu pull a Ross Noble on me, but aside from that the wombats and wallabies were content to just stand next to the road and watch me drive past. Ross Noble on Emus:
Forster was a nice enough place, the traffic islands had little veggie patches in them which was cool. A local council guy was lovingly watering and weeding away in the street while I sat in a cafe and consumed some breakfast, and more importantly, a coffee. During breakfast I decided to drive the Great Alpine Road.
It was sometime between 5-to-8 and 10-to-8 according to Forster's town clock. Apparently the coastal life does not need accurate timekeeping. I'm somewhat envious.
After a few hours on the road I decided it was time for a break, so I stopped at Golden Beach and got sand everywhere, and got my tourist on with the camera.
Eventually I made it to the start of the Great Alpine Road, and Little Red posed for another picture.
The Great Alpine road was a lot of fun, except for people in four wheel drives that think they can out-corner an MX-5, and proceed to swerve into the other lane on blind corners trying to prove their manhood or something. Most of these drivers were driving normally before I arrived behind them, then suddenly started driving like suicidal lunatics. Luckily nobody had a head-on, and most of them eventually used the slow car turnouts, there was only a couple of times I had to actually overtake someone. Uphill in mountain air with the A/C on means overtaking is something of a long-term prospect.
Eventually I made it to Omeo for lunch, and opted for the cheap place, and got a rather average meal. I figured if they weren't busy lunch would arrive quickly. I figured wrong. After lunch I continued on my merry way, there was much less traffic north of Omeo, but there was some kind of cycle event happening, so there were randomly cyclists coming the other way. Crazy Bastards.
Coming into Mt Hotham resort I pulled into a carpark to take some happy snaps and looked out my passenger window to see this:
The complete lack of any foreground reference points set off my vertigo and if I wasn't already sitting down I'd have fallen over. After getting my sh*t together, I managed to get out of the car and take a photo
I continued up to Mt Hotham proper and allowed myself to be amused at an entire ski resort without snow. Last time I was here it was freezing and there was snow everywhere. This time it was warm, and the lucky bastards had green, living, grass!
In there somewhere, the road I'd soon be driving on.
The run down from Mt Hotham was easily the most fun, having gravity on my side and all that jazz. A large number of people used the slow car turnouts, except, once again, effin 4WD drivers. One guy had his tyres squealing trying to be the best driver who ever lived, while I'm behind him just coasting along pleading with him to follow the examples of the other cars and use the slow car turnouts and let me continue on my merry way. What is it about seeing an MX-5 in one's mirrors that emasculates a man so much he becomes suicidal?
Anyway, we eventually made it to the bottom of the hill, and seeing some green grass I decided it was time for a relax on what was the most glorious lawn this side of the black stump. After a good five minutes of sitting there enjoying life in general, old mate racecar driver eventually came through. Good to see he didn't kill himself.
By now I had a choice between finding accommodation, or just cruising back home via the freeway, Violet town and finally Bendigo. I chose to drive.
I made it home, the car was covered in dead bugs, and I went to bed. Day two ended up being about 800Ks, for a total drive of about 1300Ks.
I've since worked out a full sleeping bag/mattress/tent arrangement that fits into little red with enough space left over for things like clothes, and food, and ... I don't know, other things I'll need next time I'm randomly driving around the country side - which will probably be next week, everything going to plan I'll be off to Coffs Harbour for a couple of weeks. I might even save myself some money on freight and stop by Automotive Plus for a roll bar, when you cover distance like I seem to, going to QLD from Northern NSW seems like it'll just be around the corner....
I've reinstalled the radiator trim panel thingy-ma-bob I made a few pages ago it had to be trimmed down a couple of mm to fit with the new radiator, so I gave it a polish. Polishing checker plate isn't the sort of fun you think it's going to be before you start....
And Little Red got a wash and two kinds of polish as well, because he's earned it by now.
After the polish I went to Ballarat for an All-Jap car show day thingy, and there are pictures, and more story, but I'm all out of story telling motivation. Maybe another day....
What have we been doing? All sorts! (ie; nothing much, but lots of it)
Just prior to christmas we had the "overheating / new radiator / it was probably the radiator cap's fault" episode; you can read up on it here if you want the full chronological story: viewtopic.php?f=29&t=70465
I also caught up with the Western Chapter of the Victorian MX-5 Club for their christmas run, which was based from their local CFA shed because there were fires nearby, and it had been hot, and some of the guys needed to be available. During the afternoon a wet change came through - you know, typical Australian Summer kind of things - and we all ended up back at the shed having a BBQ and talking crap about nearly every topic imaginable. It was a good day.
On the day Mania were closing for Chistmas, it was cold here in Bendigo-town, and I had a new coolant leak. Yup. It's the same hose as the one in the other thread, but to make things more interesting, it's the other end of the hose, and only leaks when it's cold. So I've ordered the new hose, and it arrived before christmas, and it's been in the box it came in ever since. There's no leak on hot days. Don't ask me, I don't know, or care. I've had the coolant in and out of the car so many times now I really just cannot be fluffed doing it one more time. I have the part, I'll do it "later"
After Christmas I got into a bit of a barney with my little-little sister over basically nothing. They're the best barneys. So I went for a drive.
After a couple of hours on the road, I stopped for a look around. Well, I stopped to get rid of the slow falcon I was stuck behind.
Picture one, Roadster Selfie!
After dicking about with the camera and looking around for a bit, I remembered there was a road near Eildon that looked like a doctor's handwriting in google maps, so I headed for Eildon with a plan to drive on this road.
Eildon seems to be down a bit. It also turns out the road I was thinking of was from the north side of Lake Eildon, and not the actual township of Eildon, and that was going to be about 100 clicks of extra travel distance, so I busted out the google maps and found a lovely twisty road down near Healsville. It was a glorious road. Smooth as a baby's behind, Hot mix, slow car turn-outs (which a surprising number of people used) and yellow advisory signs for every corner. It was bliss. I didn't take any photos.
Eventually I found myself on the highway heading towards Wilson's Prom. I'd never been there, and figured I wouldn't be this close again, so why not? While losing my mind on the highway due to a lack of corners, I saw a tourist sign that said "Suspension Bridge" for the next left. Suspension bridges are interesting, and it'd make a cool photo, so we went left.
It turned out to be a pedestrian bridge, so I didn't even stop. I did however randomly pick a road called "Bass Valley Road" to turn down. Because Bass. It turned out to be interesting. Rough as hell, but fairly pretty, and had lots of corners. There was a camp site along this road with what appeared to be a horde of grey nomads setting up for the evening. In hindsight, I should have stopped there for the night.
Little Red got some photos taken while I stopped for a break, and I was back in the car and heading south. I start thinking about finding somewhere to stay the night. By the time I got to Yanakie it was obvious everywhere was booked out. I was approaching the 500km mark, and getting tired, and it was turning to dusk. So I whipped out the wikicamps app and found a free camping spot near by. It turned out to be a triple car park occupied by a group of backpackers in their campervans. Oh well.
I stopped anyway and took some photos of the sunset, and decided to wait for the sun to go right down and then continue to the very bottom of Wilson's Prom, a place creatively called "Tidal River".
There were critters everywhere. I moseyed along in the darkness, avoiding kangawallafoxes and other native hood ornaments, eventually arriving at Tidal River. It's actually a giant camp site, with electric BBQs and powered toilet blocks and even an open-air cinema. I highly recommend booking a site and spending some time there. Personally, I showed up about 11PM, and slept in the car. It was not a good sleep, but I got a few hours in before the the sun came up. I grabbed the camera and headed off to find ... things.
First was the view on the horizon.
Then I found the beach. The sand was so fine it was like it was flour.
After some sea-level meandering I headed back to the car and decided to take a look at Mt Oberon, which is literally just around the corner from Tidal River. The path seemed straight forward, but would have been a three hour walk and I didn't have any food or water with me, so I decided to give it a miss. Finally, a moment of rational thought! Go me!
I took a happy snap from the carpark lookout, and got back on the road, heading for Forster, and breakfast.
The road out of Wilson's Prom during daylight was actually a lot of fun. I had an Emu pull a Ross Noble on me, but aside from that the wombats and wallabies were content to just stand next to the road and watch me drive past. Ross Noble on Emus:
Forster was a nice enough place, the traffic islands had little veggie patches in them which was cool. A local council guy was lovingly watering and weeding away in the street while I sat in a cafe and consumed some breakfast, and more importantly, a coffee. During breakfast I decided to drive the Great Alpine Road.
It was sometime between 5-to-8 and 10-to-8 according to Forster's town clock. Apparently the coastal life does not need accurate timekeeping. I'm somewhat envious.
After a few hours on the road I decided it was time for a break, so I stopped at Golden Beach and got sand everywhere, and got my tourist on with the camera.
Eventually I made it to the start of the Great Alpine Road, and Little Red posed for another picture.
The Great Alpine road was a lot of fun, except for people in four wheel drives that think they can out-corner an MX-5, and proceed to swerve into the other lane on blind corners trying to prove their manhood or something. Most of these drivers were driving normally before I arrived behind them, then suddenly started driving like suicidal lunatics. Luckily nobody had a head-on, and most of them eventually used the slow car turnouts, there was only a couple of times I had to actually overtake someone. Uphill in mountain air with the A/C on means overtaking is something of a long-term prospect.
Eventually I made it to Omeo for lunch, and opted for the cheap place, and got a rather average meal. I figured if they weren't busy lunch would arrive quickly. I figured wrong. After lunch I continued on my merry way, there was much less traffic north of Omeo, but there was some kind of cycle event happening, so there were randomly cyclists coming the other way. Crazy Bastards.
Coming into Mt Hotham resort I pulled into a carpark to take some happy snaps and looked out my passenger window to see this:
The complete lack of any foreground reference points set off my vertigo and if I wasn't already sitting down I'd have fallen over. After getting my sh*t together, I managed to get out of the car and take a photo
I continued up to Mt Hotham proper and allowed myself to be amused at an entire ski resort without snow. Last time I was here it was freezing and there was snow everywhere. This time it was warm, and the lucky bastards had green, living, grass!
In there somewhere, the road I'd soon be driving on.
The run down from Mt Hotham was easily the most fun, having gravity on my side and all that jazz. A large number of people used the slow car turnouts, except, once again, effin 4WD drivers. One guy had his tyres squealing trying to be the best driver who ever lived, while I'm behind him just coasting along pleading with him to follow the examples of the other cars and use the slow car turnouts and let me continue on my merry way. What is it about seeing an MX-5 in one's mirrors that emasculates a man so much he becomes suicidal?
Anyway, we eventually made it to the bottom of the hill, and seeing some green grass I decided it was time for a relax on what was the most glorious lawn this side of the black stump. After a good five minutes of sitting there enjoying life in general, old mate racecar driver eventually came through. Good to see he didn't kill himself.
By now I had a choice between finding accommodation, or just cruising back home via the freeway, Violet town and finally Bendigo. I chose to drive.
I made it home, the car was covered in dead bugs, and I went to bed. Day two ended up being about 800Ks, for a total drive of about 1300Ks.
I've since worked out a full sleeping bag/mattress/tent arrangement that fits into little red with enough space left over for things like clothes, and food, and ... I don't know, other things I'll need next time I'm randomly driving around the country side - which will probably be next week, everything going to plan I'll be off to Coffs Harbour for a couple of weeks. I might even save myself some money on freight and stop by Automotive Plus for a roll bar, when you cover distance like I seem to, going to QLD from Northern NSW seems like it'll just be around the corner....
I've reinstalled the radiator trim panel thingy-ma-bob I made a few pages ago it had to be trimmed down a couple of mm to fit with the new radiator, so I gave it a polish. Polishing checker plate isn't the sort of fun you think it's going to be before you start....
And Little Red got a wash and two kinds of polish as well, because he's earned it by now.
After the polish I went to Ballarat for an All-Jap car show day thingy, and there are pictures, and more story, but I'm all out of story telling motivation. Maybe another day....
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slug_dub
- Racing Driver
- Posts: 1228
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 11:02 pm
- Vehicle: NA8
- Location: Brisbane
- Contact:
Re: Cus' NA6
Great writeup Lucas as usual 
If you make it up to QLD let us all know!
If you make it up to QLD let us all know!
The American wrote:hella sic stance flushing pard harker yolo something something.
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ManiacLachy
- Forum Guru
- Posts: 3266
- Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2014 2:35 pm
- Vehicle: NB SE
- Location: Brisbane
Re: Cus' NA6
I love the aerial shot of the cars in the lot!
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Magpie
- Speed Racer
- Posts: 7468
- Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 12:49 pm
- Vehicle: NA6
- Location: Purga, QLD
Re: Cus' NA6
Have to say it looks like a scale model.
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corners
- Racing Driver
- Posts: 1127
- Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:33 pm
- Vehicle: ND - Supercharged
- Location: Brisbane, QLD
Re: Cus' NA6
Nice write up. Good to hear the car is running tip top now after your efforts.
Steampunk wrote: Oh you've got Ohlins? You must like drugs too!!!
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speed
- Speed Racer
- Posts: 3471
- Joined: Sun Jan 19, 2014 9:52 am
- Vehicle: NA6
- Location: Lugarno, Sydney
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smy0003
- Racing Driver
- Posts: 1870
- Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2013 12:35 pm
- Vehicle: NA8
- Location: Melbourne
Re: Cus' NA6
That's a decent drive.
Next time your over east/alpine/black spur area post in here. I was probably staying at my girlfriends place near Foster while you were there and you could've crashed for a night. I didn't have the 5 with me but I would've brought it and tagged along for a bit if I knew.
Great pics and write up as per usual, have to agree that the aerial shot looks like a bunch of matchbox cars. Also, solid beard.
Next time your over east/alpine/black spur area post in here. I was probably staying at my girlfriends place near Foster while you were there and you could've crashed for a night. I didn't have the 5 with me but I would've brought it and tagged along for a bit if I knew.
Great pics and write up as per usual, have to agree that the aerial shot looks like a bunch of matchbox cars. Also, solid beard.
[b]Then: Sunlight Silver NB8B
Now: Chaste White NA8
Now: Chaste White NA8
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Apu
- Speed Racer
- Posts: 2399
- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 3:04 pm
- Vehicle: NB8B
- Location: North West, NSW
Re: Cus' NA6
Damn. I really envy you for being able to just jump in your car and go for a drive like that. I did the Alpine Road in a people mover and still loved it...such a beautiful part of the country.
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Cus
- Racing Driver
- Posts: 564
- Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:58 pm
- Vehicle: NA6
- Location: Maryborough (Vic)
Re: Cus' NA6
Cheers guys!
Magpie, you've discovered my secret, I don't have an MX5, I just build models and make "vroom vroom" noises
smy, If I'd know I was going to be there, I'd have planned it out a bit better - and re: the beard; cheers, I grew it myself!
Magpie, you've discovered my secret, I don't have an MX5, I just build models and make "vroom vroom" noises
smy, If I'd know I was going to be there, I'd have planned it out a bit better - and re: the beard; cheers, I grew it myself!
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Cus
- Racing Driver
- Posts: 564
- Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:58 pm
- Vehicle: NA6
- Location: Maryborough (Vic)
Re: Cus' NA6
Dear Diary,
Today I finally managed to "find" an engineer. It turns out there's a PDF on the vicroads website of all of their currently approved engineers.
Asking people in person was akin to asking what someone's wife was like in bed, not nearly enough details to make it interesting! (less punches to the face though)
But I found one. I stated why I was in his building, and he said "So you don't have a missus then?" I responded with "or kids!" and we laughed and laughed....
He's given me some things to find out before we have a "real chat". He set me on the path of finding out about some EPA details, and it turns out the closest EPA test location is run by a friend of the family, so I'll be having a chat with him tomorrow about the hoops through which I'll be jumping.
Life is a little bit exciting today. I'll know by roughly friday if that excitement is justified.
Today I finally managed to "find" an engineer. It turns out there's a PDF on the vicroads website of all of their currently approved engineers.
Asking people in person was akin to asking what someone's wife was like in bed, not nearly enough details to make it interesting! (less punches to the face though)
But I found one. I stated why I was in his building, and he said "So you don't have a missus then?" I responded with "or kids!" and we laughed and laughed....
He's given me some things to find out before we have a "real chat". He set me on the path of finding out about some EPA details, and it turns out the closest EPA test location is run by a friend of the family, so I'll be having a chat with him tomorrow about the hoops through which I'll be jumping.
Life is a little bit exciting today. I'll know by roughly friday if that excitement is justified.
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speed
- Speed Racer
- Posts: 3471
- Joined: Sun Jan 19, 2014 9:52 am
- Vehicle: NA6
- Location: Lugarno, Sydney
Re: Cus' NA6
Engineer... did I miss something?
You going turbo?
You going turbo?
NA6 turbo - 140kw atw - not the most powerful but so much fun
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smy0003
- Racing Driver
- Posts: 1870
- Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2013 12:35 pm
- Vehicle: NA8
- Location: Melbourne
Re: Cus' NA6
That's what I'm thinking, what's the big secret?
Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
[b]Then: Sunlight Silver NB8B
Now: Chaste White NA8
Now: Chaste White NA8
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speed
- Speed Racer
- Posts: 3471
- Joined: Sun Jan 19, 2014 9:52 am
- Vehicle: NA6
- Location: Lugarno, Sydney
Re: Cus' NA6
I went supercharged, then bought the stuff to go turbo and now i want to put a 6 in it!
NA6 turbo - 140kw atw - not the most powerful but so much fun
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