This just in:

Words by Andrew Stevens, pictures by David Hopper

The Sporting Car Club recently held a Lotus themed night at their Adelaide clubhouse, with two of local legend David Tye’s cars on the stage and an entertaining talk followed by a question and answer session.

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An occasional contribution from our SA correspondent, recapping our South Australian friends’ recent run, with words and pictures by Andrew Stevens.
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Welcome to spring everyone!

Traditionally, the time to get the cover off the car, make sure all the fluids are still in the right place, and get out on the road.. except it still seems to be very damp and drizzly, at least here in Sydney (and I gather from friends down south in Mexico that it’s started doing it there too now!)

So as a result, sadly the traditional Kings School All British Day has been rained off this year. But don’t let that stop us from gathering for Tyre Kicks, and, if the mood inclines for those in Sydney, perhaps making a run to one of the several larger cars and coffee gatherings that have sprung up – for example there’s Machines and Macchiatos on 18th September at 1 Echunga Rd, Terrey Hills.

And who could possibly forget that our Tour of Tassie is only a month away! 35 or so intrepid explorers will be heading off on October 1st to find (and hopefully report on) the finest roads, vineyards and fresh air Australia has to offer, all in a compact island within easy reach – it’s a mystery why we need to go further afield! Sadly I am not able to join them, as I’m deep in the weeds of prep for the Perth to Sydney Marathon which happens at the end of October, and for which I (and Gidget) am not yet ready!

There is a lovely cross-border celebration of the Elan’s 60th birthday planned for the weekend of 21st-23rd October based in the Hunter Valley – if you are interested to join (no obligation to have an Elan) please drop a line to Paul Schmidt via Seth at [email protected] for details and to book into the dinner at, appropriately enough, Chateau Elan.

Following that, all of a sudden it will be November and December and we’ll be (hopefully by then) into the beginnings of finer weather. Just in case, this year, we are planning for the NSW Christmas Party and AGM to be an indoors event. We’ll be getting an EOI out shortly for lunch at the Hydro Majestic on (hopefully) Saturday 10th December, so please mark it in your diaries if that appeals, and please respond to the EOI as we’ll need numbers. As in prior years, we’ll be bribing you to join us with a subsidy of the meal.

Elsewhere, Lotus has recently announced an initiative to provide owners of cars built since 1980 with parts and support – the new website is parts.lotuscars.com and is still in development, so have a look, and drop them a line with feedback (constructive hopefully) on how it could develop. I suspect it is unlikely that earlier (pre-1980) cars will get a look-in just yet, but this is a good start, and part of the emergent LAP programme that Matt Windle and his team outlined during their recent visit to Australia. Geely are very interested in the history and heritage of the brand, so I am quietly hopeful this is the beginning of exciting times.

And hopefully some of the Emiras promised to owners here will start to be built soon! I had hoped to fit in a visit to Hethel while in the UK recently, but I was in the area on a Sunday (for the historics race I mentioned last time) so Hethel were not particularly interested in a visit!

Looking slightly further ahead, planning is well advanced on the 50th anniversary celebrations for the Club, planned for 23rd-25th June 2023. Please bookmark the date if you’ve not already. We expect to be able to start getting firmer details out later this year or very early in 2023.

I’m sure I have missed something important, but if so, I expect someone to tell me!

Meanwhile, stay safe, and keep it upright and on the blackstuff (mostly).

Pip pip,
Ashton

Hello! I’m checking in with some notes from the front by your foreign correspondent. Apologies in advance for any grammatical or spelling mistakes off the telex.

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