DSK Sydney to Melburg Run for the VW Jamboree '09 Part 1

This trip was the last one I could do for at least a year due to family commitments. I decided I'd invite my mate Carlyle to ride shotgun as I thought I'd need a co-driver at some point. He used to own vintages VWs including a '62 SC but was forced to sell them for a family car and has missed them badly so the trip was a great boost for him. I actually live 2 hours south of Sydney so we met up with Dutchy, Nat, Dan and Dave at Goulburn South Maccas before continuing the journey toward Melburg.
We left Goulburn around 7am and watched Dutchy's super low panel kick up sparks on each bump. It even lost the skid plate on the front beam and we had to go and fetch it! Our next refuel was at Holbrook where we generally checked over the cars and Dutchy inspected the underbody.....well, at least as well as he could with it that close to the ground.

We also stopped at Holbrook Bakery Coffee Shop which, as Carlyle assured us did indeed stock the largest wagon wheels anywhere. In fact they make them in house. All the food was great and Disco, Nat's long suffering dog, got a chance to stretch it's little legs.

All the food was great and Disco, Nat's long suffering dog, got a chance to stretch it's little legs.

Then we headed out again on the run to Albury and "Mexico"! Your's truly at the helm.

One thing that was immediately obvious on crossing the border though was the quality of the roads. Here's a classic example of the Hume Hwy's heavily worn lingering single carriageway in southern NSW:

And now some glorious dual carriageway past the border that is mostly flat or gently undulating compared to the gigantically corrugated landscape of southern NSW. Carlyle got the opportunity to drive my Split on this road and had a great trip down memory lane.

A constant concern throughout the drive had been the Type 3's small fuel tank. Our own biological fuel was running a little low too so after Disco was left with family near Melbourne for a little holiday we stopped at the next service centre for a refuel and a bite or 2.

The 3 Splits together.

And the whole team.

From here we headed into Melbourne, which I must admit is a complete mystery to me, and guided by Dave we took what seemed the most circuitous route to Mark's place where more VWs were waiting for us. Outside was this ratty early Fastback which I have a weakness for. It had all sorts of engine issues but despite lots of fiddling and generous amounts of revving they weren't solved.

Here were 3 nice classics......a '58 Beetle (I think?), an Oval rat better known as The Fink, and a nice black Karman Ghia:

Here's a closer look at The Fink. I think the swamp cooler is what does it for me. This thing is so rat that most of the accessories are broken! And get a load of that negative camber and low ride height. Bet it doesn't like the tram tracks though.....

As we arrived we passed this SC leaving and it returned soon after. It is SO close to the ground and the front beam is so narrow it looks like dodgem car when it's manouvering about. The trick however was that the entire body was lowered on the chassis and to get it on the road the way it is it has hot rod rego.

Here are the 4 NSW vehicles lined up.

We hung at Marks and chatted until about 8:30pm and then parted with Dave as he was staying there for the night. Dave Gleeson, better known as Lobus, took us off to Frankston to our caravan park. It turned out to be a good place and the pizza we had delivered from a local non-franchise shop was brilliant and cheap. After a good chat and a few beers Lobus headed home warning us he'd be back at 7:30am ready to meet up for the Chicken Chokers cruise to the show.

Look at Part 2 for the show pics......