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Another rodding mate gone. Sad news indeed. I can't remember when I first met Ian, probably a Thunderbirds Bendigo Show or maybe the first Nationals. Always happy to stop and have a chat and never a bad word. Condolences to his family and everyone who knew him.

Brough brothers hadn't run when I left, I know they had some problems at tech inspection. Just got a copy of today's melbourne Age - any Victorian rodders get a copy. Page 5 there are two of Ryan's pictures used in colour, one of Bob Ellis' XP and one of John on his Bellytank. Also ABC radio interviewed John and his wife Maureen one after the other this morning. great stuff.

Just back from the salt lake with exciting news. John Lynch finally got his 300 mph in his bellytank lakester, going 301.729 on Tuesday afternoon. We stood at the four mile marker on the rocky outcrop and watched him go through - awesome. Much excitement and celebration in the pits afterwards and the whole emotional scene captured by the Aussie 60 Minutes crew who were filming out there all week. I had Ryan Pierse with me who works for Getty Images, a worldwide news photo service (also my daughter's boyfriend) and some of his pictures are on the getty website. Not sure if I do this link properly but go to http://editorial.gettyimages.com/ms_gins/source/home/home.aspx?pg=3
and look for the salt lake pic. click on that and you will get the selection of 15 or so awesome pics. This page keeps moving forward as more items are added so while it is on page 3 when I posted this it may move on to page 4 etc as time passes. Some other speeds current as of Wednesday midday when we left:
Stamp/Soderblom A roadster 180 mph
Rod Hadfield/Lionel West Commodore 254 mph
Norm Bradfield Mustang 201 mph
Norm Hardinge/Wayne Belot 34 roadster 188 mph
Bob Ellis XP Falcon 203 mph
Mark Hadfield/Wally James Mustang 187 mph
Green VL Commodore from Pt Pirie 193 mph
Ray Charlton 32 roadster 181 mph
There were several street motorcycles going really fast, one reaching 216 mph.
Now I have to catch up with work again. Will post more as soon as some of the teams get back if I can squeeze in the time.

You won't miss much, they don't usually start running until Monday around middle of the day.

We're staying at Mt Ive - be there Sunday night to Wednesday midday - we'll see if we can squeeze in an appointment for you.

Sorry you will have to make an appointment with our social manager.

I will be there as usual, along with about half of Castlemaine and a couple of tag-along yanks. Tex is going with us again for the first time in a couple of years and this year Ron Ceridono is tagging along too. It will be fun.

This is not my own story but one from a fellow rodder some years ago. He was working in a friend's workshop and crouched down on the floor to retrieve something. Being a little older and not quite as flexible as he once was, he reached up to use the vise to help pull himself up again. Only trouble was the vise wasn't bolted to the bench was it! A vise in the face is not a comfortable thought.

Great lot of photos, Don, looks like I must have followed you around when I look at my own. Tell me this did every 40 Ford coupe owner in the USA get a special invite to Louisville or something? I thought I was imagining it, but after looking at your photos it confirms to me that I have never seen so many '40s in one place.

On my 30 pickup I replaced the whole header panel with an all steel one made up to be similar to a 29-29 one which is vertical. The 30-31 panel actually leans forward at the top. Then I welded the sunvisor to the header panel and then the new steel roof to the header panel as well. No leaks and no vibration from the sunshade even at speed. Using a vertical header panel like this also makes it easier to mount windscreen wipers in it where they are up under the sun visor out of sight.

Hey long time since I have been on here, trip to Europe, too much work etc and then trouble logging on again. All okay now but still too much work.
Looks like an Aussie invasion at Louisville this year, there are about 12 coming with me and I know of quite a few others too. I imagine the RRT shade tent will be in the usual place? Same old trick as past years, if you see a guy with a yellow shirt that has Graffiti written across the back, that's me, tap me on the shoulder.

Is it going to be at Louisville? If so I will call by and personally pick up Greg's sausages to save you the postage to Australia. Then when I get home I can tell him how good they were. You can't get better personal tasting service than that. Second thoughts I can maybe get to do it twice because I will be at Bonneville again as well.

Magazine and book publisher for past 27 years. Publisher of Australian Street Rodding Magazine and quite a few hot rodding related books including those written by Choco. Love my work but there are never enough hours in the day. Currently doing a book on Australia's early hot rodding history which is absolutely fascinating - will probably have to do a third book to get it all documented properly. Just started a 36 Ford tudor project but haven't been able to get near it much lately. Married to Mary for past 33 years - 4 children (2 girls grown up and gone, 2 boys 18 and 13) one grandchild.Would love to retire soon but there are too many books I still want to do and too much happening in hot rodding at the moment. Live in Castlemaine - the Street Rod Centre of Australia which is a great place to live even if you aren't a hot rodder, but even better if you are. Will be at NSRA Nats and Bonneville again this year.

Same deal I had a little trouble figuring out what the control picture was and what I should do with it, then it struck me, now I am on board again too.