33 out to Boulia

[F1 MIKE]

Thank You Lawrie.

[Lawrie]

No worries Mike.
I am on my way back towards home these last two days,yesterday had no service ,
But when leaving Boulia yesterday morning I took the time to fill the tank right up to we’re it started to run out of the filler, quickly whacking the cap on and hit the road,
258 ks to running out which is pretty good,
I stopped for the night on a gravel pit a way off the road.
Had a nice hot shower and dinner which I messed up a bit by adding onions to my home made soup.it was just OK.
Took some nice pics during the night.
The stars were amazing,I saw two shooting stars I think the space station and maybe a military plane as the engine sounded different and it was hooking along.
There is a big military exercise back home with 35000 troops from 19 countries.
Around where I had stopped there were-kangaroo legs and bits hanging from trees by wire, nearby a sign saying 1080 baits laid.
Headed off early this morning, (9am)
I am used to having delayed smoko stops as lot of other caravanserais always want to take pics and questions.
I stopped to take a picture of a large snake that was crossing the road.he was moving slowly, I got a couple of pics but was very wary of getting too close.he looked like a big brown .
I also took a small vid as I drove along so you can see how the 33 hums along.
The truck with the load of hay was heading to Victoria,a long way away,his fuel use was 1 klm per litre,
I am back at Isisford for a day or so to have a relax.
The 33 did really good on the fuel today,one run from Winton to Longreach (177klms) used only 26 litres fuel
Looks like the video didn’t load up
Lawrie

[torpedo]

Hi Lawrie. Your story is interesting and amazing !
I wish I could drive my 33 on empty roads and also enjoy the scenery...
Enjoy and drive safe.
Max

[glennpm]

Originally Posted by Lawrie

I am on my way back towards home these last two days,yesterday had no service
Lawrie

[Lawrie]

I have stopped here in Isisford for the last couple days,
caught up with the washing ,the 33 doubles as a washing line.
The museum here is very interesting, there is a fossilised crocodile from 95-98 million years ago, who would have thought they were way out here.
Lots of fossilised fish also.
The fossils are in big round rocks ,well the fish are,but the croc was in some flat rocks laying in the ground.
The town was started in 1867 by a family who were travelling by and their wagon broke an axle in the river crossing ,so the set up camp and stayed,descendents of that family are still farming in the area.
There are a lot of campers down on the riverbank(Barcoo river) gearing up for the big fishing comp this weekend, so I’m heading off towards home tomorrow morning.
I have not used the drone here as there are way too many hawks and wedge tail eagles roaming around.
They have lots to feed on as there are quite a lot of road kill around.
The trailer full of wood was heading to the camp area by the river, there are lots of fires going down there at night.
When I head off on the morning the first place is Blackall,then turn south on to Tambo,Augathella and Mitchell.
This route is a very nice relaxing way.
Lawrie

[petehoovie]

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Originally Posted by Lawrie

I have stopped here in Isisford for the last couple days,
caught up with the washing ,the 33 doubles as a washing line.
The museum here is very interesting, there is a fossilised crocodile from 95-98 million years ago, who would have thought they were way out here.
Lots of fossilised fish also.
The fossils are in big round rocks ,well the fish are,but the croc was in some flat rocks laying in the ground.
The town was started in 1867 by a family who were travelling by and their wagon broke an axle in the river crossing ,so the set up camp and stayed,descendents of that family are still farming in the area.
There are a lot of campers down on the riverbank(Barcoo river) gearing up for the big fishing comp this weekend, so I’m heading off towards home tomorrow morning.
I have not used the drone here as there are way too many hawks and wedge tail eagles roaming around.
They have lots to feed on as there are quite a lot of road kill around.
The trailer full of wood was heading to the camp area by the river, there are lots of fires going down there at night.
When I head off on the morning the first place is Blackall,then turn south on to Tambo,Augathella and Mitchell.
This route is a very nice relaxing way.
Lawrie

[Lawrie]

I sent the snake pics to the snake ID mob in Brisbane,
They tell me it’s a black headed python,non venomous , still scary though.
Grow up to 2.5 mtr long.
I gave it a wide berth just to be sure,as I thought,like most ones here it would be venomous,and not good if you get bit.
Lawrie

[mercman from oz]

Black headed python,non venomous.
Grow up to 2.5 metres long.

[Lawrie]

I am well and truely on my way back towards home now.
Some interesting things from the last day or so travel , the carcas on the pole is I think a dingo or wild dog, it was way too smelly to get too close to see.
The folks at Blackall sure want you to know the name of their town.
One thing that amazes me is the amount of rubbish folks leave behind, even though there are bins provided at all the rest areas,this fellow traveler was picking the rubbish up and dropping it into the bin.He tells me he does it every time he stopped at a rest area.
My 33 was real dirty with the red dust and stuff, but the drive this morning in the rain soon got it looking smart again.
I had stopped last night way out in a rest area, there were two others there also, one who was in a small camper van that had been on the road for 10yrs, and the other family in a big Ram towing an equally big caravan we’re heading to Katherine in the NT, a long drive.
Overnight the wind got stronger and stronger, lots of lightening and thunder,then a huge lot of rain,I was parked back on the grass and dirt so first thing this morning I drove out to the hard , I didn’t want to get bogged .the wind was really strong and rocked the caravan all night, not too much sleep
I was going to stop at Augathella as there was a footy game on there today(state leage)
But it was cold and wet so fueled up and continued on.
I had to put another dose of Rainex on the windscreen as the rain
was quite heavy, that Rainex is good stuff.
The 33 ran just as good in the pouring rain as in the dry,my stock IGN system has all the gaskets and stuff on it so it handles the wet great.
Lawrie

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by Lawrie

I am well and truely on my way back towards home now.
Some interesting things from the last day or so travel , the carcas on the pole is I think a dingo or wild dog, it was way too smelly to get too close to see.
The folks at Blackall sure want you to know the name of their town.
One thing that amazes me is the amount of rubbish folks leave behind, even though there are bins provided at all the rest areas,this fellow traveler was picking the rubbish up and dropping it into the bin.He tells me he does it every time he stopped at a rest area.
My 33 was real dirty with the red dust and stuff, but the drive this morning in the rain soon got it looking smart again.
I had stopped last night way out in a rest area, there were two others there also, one who was in a small camper van that had been on the road for 10yrs, and the other family in a big Ram towing an equally big caravan we’re heading to Katherine in the NT, a long drive.
Overnight the wind got stronger and stronger, lots of lightening and thunder,then a huge lot of rain,I was parked back on the grass and dirt so first thing this morning I drove out to the hard , I didn’t want to get bogged .the wind was really strong and rocked the caravan all night, not too much sleep
I was going to stop at Augathella as there was a footy game on there today(state leage)
But it was cold and wet so fueled up and continued on.
I had to put another dose of Rainex on the windscreen as the rain
was quite heavy, that Rainex is good stuff.
The 33 ran just as good in the pouring rain as in the dry,my stock IGN system has all the gaskets and stuff on it so it handles the wet great.
Lawrie

[Mart]

Thanks for another fascinating update. It is worth reflecting for a moment and realising what you do on a regular basis is truly remarkable.
Mart.

[T Scott]

Nice to see that 33 earning it's keep!

[GB SISSON]

Tell us about your engine. When was it last overhauled? Correct year? Any modifications? Oil type and filter or no? Most reliable system on your V8 and most problematic? Towing day after day is a good test for all the components. Does the caravan have brakes? Your travels are completely 'over the top'.

[cas3]

It is incredible that such a journey can be made without 12 volts and a E fire ignition. (sarc)

[Lawrie]

My 33 has a 99A block that came from the firewood delivery truck from the old sawmill.
040 over ,4 in stroke, stock 33 cam, manifold and carb(97)
Straight valves and guides and original lifters(non adjustable)
Myhome made full flow oil system with filter.oil is either 20/50 Castrol or sometimes 10/40.
Stock 6v gen and ign system.
Ally heads with 72cc chambers
Problem areas, not any really,the ign gave some grief a few years back ,but turned out to be a loose wire under the dash,
Took a while to get the ign as reliable as it is now, with the main culprit being the condensers, finally sorted using one from Tubman.
That’s about it,
Transmission has the guts from a 48 inside, rear has the 3.78 from the same 48.
My 33 is completely stock other than these mods ,mechanical brakes.
My c/van has modern electrical brakes and are controlled by the brake light switch on the 33,the van is 12 v and is supplied by a 40 amp alternator driven from one of the c/van wheels
All work a treat.

The 33 Starts first or second go on the starter in the really cold mornings, and one push on the starter when warn,every time
I have said it before,those old Ford engineers were not dumb.
Engine built about 90000 klms ago

[mercman from oz]

[GB SISSON]

Really great answers, thanks Lawrie! I have been amazed by the added pulling power when a 4" stroke crank is used in a build. I really love your wheel powered alternator. Quite ingenius, but it reminds me of a question I've had for years. Here's tonight's question. Back in the early 90's I drove a '38 tonner as my daily work truck. 6v pos and cable brakes. I had a tandem axle equipment trailer with the usual electrical brakes which were 12v neg. I carried a deep cycle 12v battery on the trailer for the brakes with it's controler in the cab... Ok, these two different systems got crossed up and mixed together at the steel coupler/trailer ball connection. (maybe I ran the 12v trailer pos ground). Doesn't it seem that all components would be all jumbled up and confused since they mix together at the trailer coupling???? How do you address this in your traveling caravan? Or am I wrong to assume it's a problem? I hope I'm not interupting your vacation with my questions, but I see you like to think outside the box and this interests me.

[Lawrie]

I found some things out during todays travel.
Certain brands of fuel here have 10% ethanol in and not labeled as such,
After filling up in Roma this morning, I noticed the engine was not its usual smooth self after I left,when you sit behind the wheel as much as I have you know when it’s not happy,
So on the back road from Roma to Taroom,{180ks), I stopped and made a coffee and had a think,it had been nice and smooth until the fill up.
Thinking it more than likely it was the 10% stuff, I screwed the vacuumed brake nearly right in,
I am fairly sure it was the fuel as after the adjustment it was a lot nicer and back to its usual smoothness.
When I get home I will run the distributor on my test bench to see where it is and how much I changed it.
I stopped and took some pics of this new bridge on thee back road,we had been here before when the road was flooded and the bridge was not even finished in my model A, we had come about 170klms before we got to the flooded road and never had enough fuel to get back.
At Taroom there is an old tree that was marked in 1844,the tree is still thriving
I think the road signs were put up after we were there in our Model As.
This is my last night on the road, I should be home tomorrow as I’m about 220 kms away, I could make it but it would mean driving into the evening ,when the Roos are out.
So pulled up early.
Lawrie

[mercman from oz]

[glennpm]

Originally Posted by Lawrie

My 33 has a 99A block that came from the firewood delivery truck from the old sawmill ... I have said it before, those old Ford engineers were not dumb.
Engine built about 90000 klms ago

Thanks for ALL the details Lawrie. I too was curious and glad you posted all of this. Love the alternator setup!

As I was typing this my wife looking over my shoulder and I got a big ooh!, what a great car and trailer :-}



I have really enjoyed your trip!

The corn lobby here in the USA is very powerful and forces it down our throats in Coke and in our gas with same hit on performance and fuel mileage as you've noted :-(

Glenn