RF in New Zealand

[Robert Logan]

We are just preparing Norman Falkiners Roaring Forties GT40 for it first foray to foreign climates. The car is competing in the New Zealand Mille next month and with a bit of luck Norman will give us full details, dates etc.

Good luck with her mate,

Robert

[Hershal Byrd]

That's outstanding news Robert. I know Norman will do you proud.

Go getem' Norman!!!

Hersh [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[norman falkiner]

OK Robert. A mate of mine and I have done 4 Melbourne Mille's and he has talked me into the first NZ Mille. We are also taking his Aston Martin 2/4 Mk 11. The event starts in Christchurch on the 5th Feb and finishes in Queenstown on the 10th Feb with overnights at Mt Cook, Te Anau (2), Milford Sound and Queenstown. If anyone is interested in catching up, email me and I can provide more details. Auto Renovations in Christchurch are handling the container unloading, loading and paperwork. They have been extremely helpful and have certainly removed a lot of the stress. Regards [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif[/img]

[Russ Noble]

OK guys, I'll be the dummy.[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bash.gif[/img]

What's the NZ Mille? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

I obviously don't move in the right circles, I've heard nothing about it and I'm in Christchurch where it's supposed to start!! The Southern Festival of Speed starts that weekend at Ruapuna (Christchurch) and is the first of five events (3 circuit races, 1 street race, 1 hillclimb) for Classic cars over four consecutive weekends. There is always a strong international contingent competing with entries usually coming from the UK, USA, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada. The highlight for me is the F5000 racing with a very strong overseas and local entry in this class.

The NZ Mille is obviously something totally different. I take it that it's a sort of a tour for classic/exotic cars? Anyone care to elaborate or point to a website, I've done a search and come up with zilch [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif[/img]

Regards

[Ron Earp]

Isn't it a time trial of sorts? There is a proper name for it, one of those deals where it is like a cruise and you have check points to make at certain times, that sort of thing?

Ron

[norman falkiner]

Sorry guys I've been away for the weekend. There is an Italian Mille Miglia recreation in Italy,and also ones in California,Argentina and Melbourne. Now there is one in NZ. My mate and I were considering the one in Argentina but it seems that you had to bribe anyone with a pulse to make it all happen if you were bringing a car. They are really a get together of like minded people with classic cars. The cars in the Italian one have to I believe have actually competed in the original Mille Miglia, but the cars in the others have a degree of latitude for selection. Regards

[norman falkiner]

Russ. I will email you details of the event when I am back at work tomorrow morning. Regards Norman

[Russ Noble]

Thanks Norman. I'll be very interested to see your car in the flesh.

Regards

[norman falkiner]

The RF was loaded into the container today and I must admit I had mixed feelings when the doors closed. However the guy that is handling everything from this end is a NZer and has assured us that the roads we are to travel are the equal of any of the good driving roads on this planet. Regards

[Russ Noble]

He's right about that Norman.

There are some really great and varied roads that you will be traveling on. The cops are bleating on at present about having clocked people as high as 335kph and not being able to catch them on some of the particular roads that you will be using!!! For your information there is a police policy here that if a police chase is likely to endanger innocent members of the public then it must be aborted. However I'm sure you will generally be observing all the road rules, I just mention that as an aside.

Look forward to meeting you next month.

Regards

[norman falkiner]

Thanks Russ. Sounds good. But my car is fitted with a speed limiter,also known as "the squeak in the passenger seat". My wife is far more efficient at law enforcement than any police force I have ever come across. Regards

[Russ Noble]

Yeah, I used to have one like that !![img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bash.gif[/img] Then I saw the light [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/1poke.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif[/img]

[Jac Mac]

No provision for "air bags" in your car then Russ ?? Norman they will also take your licence off you for 28 days if you exceed any speed limit by more than 40 kmh. Welcome to N.Z. Regards Jack.

[Russ Noble]

No, got rid of the "air bag" long ago. Actually I think it was the other way round!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beat.gif[/img]

[ QUOTE ]
Norman they will also take your licence off you for 28 days if you exceed any speed limit by more than 40 kmh. Welcome to N.Z.

[/ QUOTE ]

Only if they can catch you and identify you!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif[/img] And if they do catch you and you're more than 50k over the limit you lose the car immediately for 28 days. That means a bloody long walk from the middle of the MacKenzie Country!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nono.gif[/img] Welcome to NZ

Enjoy

[norman falkiner]

Email today said the cars have arrived safely. But another email from the organiser said to bring a car cover to avoid the car being eaten by parrots called Keas. It will be interesting to see who feeds off me first, the police or the native fauna. Regards

[brianstewart]

Yep, the keas will have a go at anything rubber, shiny or loose (such as wing mirrors, windscreen rubber, wipers, car covers....), but only in certain parts of our high country. An enterprising group of youngsters I saw at a skifield carpark some years ago were offering a "kea scaring service" to motorists. For $5 they would watch the cars of people wo had paid and if a kea alighted they would chase it onto a car belonging to a non-payer... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Pete.]

Good luck Norman, sounds like you will have a ball. Please take lots of pics. Re the Keas, a little bit of lead behind their left ear will keep them off your GT. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif[/img]

[Russ Noble]

Well, Lim and I and two friends spent a very interesting ninety minutes with Norman on the Saturday morning before the event. Norman is a real gentleman, explaining numerous things and answering many questions I even got taken for a ride, my first in a '40.

A most impressive car, beautifully prepared and finished. Norman informed me that it had been on the road for about five years and 40,000 km or was that miles? It looks and drives as if it had just come out of the factory, absolutely no shakes or rattles on the road and the level of finish and attention to detail is just outstanding. A real credit to Norman and the people at Roaring Forties who produced this turn key.

Thank you Norman for the opportunity to look over the car and be taken for a strop. You'll have to let us know how your week in NZ went.

Regards

[norman falkiner]

Russ. Thanks for your comments. We had a riot of a time over there. The roads are outstanding with few cars. There were other groups from overseas. Bentleys from the UK, SS Jag replicas also from the UK and a lot of Harley's from the USA. A couple of the Harley guys were killed on the roads and a local Harley rider said it was because the guys from the US are not used to the twisty roads. The Mille was great and we had time to slip in a skiplane landing on a glacier at Mt Cook and some aerobatics in a Tiger Moth. Auto Restorations who handled the cars for us were fantastic. They had unloaded the cars,registered them,roadworthy's done and placed under their bond by the time we arrived. They just handed us the keys and we were away. The RF performed perfectly and was always well received. For people who want a great driving experience surrounded by magnificent scenery NZ is the place to go. Regards Norman

[Ross Nicol]

Why did I leave?????????