THE 4X4 CLUB - ZIMBABWE

Newsletter No: 67
JUNE 2009

P O Box HG 641 Highlands Harare Zimbabwe

The Chairman and Editorial Team:
CHAIRMAN: Tim Thorburn 498723 / 0912.645.518 thorburn@mweb.co.zw
EDITORS Mike & Pat GILL 494028 / 011.400.243 / 011.440.794 gill@zol.co.zw
4x4 Club Website: http://www.4x4.co.zw
Face Book Site: 4x4 Zimbabwe
The 4x4 Club is affiliated to the Zimbabwe Motor Sports Federation - ZMSF
Our Club is a member of the Mashonaland Motor Sport Association Club House, situated at: 2 Annan Rd. Eastlea. Support your Club House. It is available for hire for weddings, conferences, kids parties, 21st birthdays, etc. Lunches and dinners at reasonable prices.
News, comments and opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Club or the Committee
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EDITOR’S NOTE - Michael and Pat GILL
I think most of you have been to Ballyvaughan Game Park at some time and you will have seen their appeals for support. Well your Editorial team has just returned from spending Saturday afternoon and night, camping out and we left before midday on Sunday. We were invited by ex-chairman Sean Quinlan to support him with ten 12 year olds for a sleep over birthday party. It was a great success and there was never a dull moment. We would be very happy to hear that some of you with kids could have your parties out there, maybe a sleep over as we did, and support them in these difficult times. You can camp on the green lawn and do your own catering to keep down costs. Hearing the lions roar after dark adds a special feeling to the evening. Please support them, they need all the help they can get.

CHAIRMAN’S CHATTER - Tim Thorburn
How often does it happen that after fixing your car, you still have bits leftover but the car still runs fine. Well it happened to me after installing new spider gears in my Jeep (Barbie). When I reversed out of the garage there was a shim on the floor. I knew exactly where it fitted but it must have slipped out.
Our Jamboree was a resounding success from all aspects. The competitors found it challenging and safe, spectators were well entertained, and exhibitions and facilities were excellent except the (not) hot water. My thanks to Mark Benzon and the Jamboree committee who gave of their time to make this monumentus event happen. We had many new and old members joining or re-joining and those of you who would like to join our active club, hurry, you don’t know what you’re missing. I would like to thank our sponsors who helped make this event such a showcase for the club.
Coming events include our annual Eco-challenge, a Christmas-in-July Dinner and a Jamboree re-visited and Marshals day (you can do that course again and take a marshal with you.).
Here’s a thought for the drivers, “Allow time and moderate delay, haste manages all things badly.”
Cheers for now Tim Thorburn


NEW MEMBERS
Patrick Mallon: I quote and I gloat…. Ed: “What a fantastic news letter, I had better join, who do I pay?” Thank you for those kind words Patrick.
Liam Philp – was a member in the distant past.
Jamboree brought us three new members and renewed long lost membership for a further four.
Downey, Barry and Kerry-Jane: bazz277@yahoo.co.uk Barry entered in the ex Benzon Landrover “Snowball” but regret was not able to pass scrutineering.
Conlon, Ross and Cherylyn: ross@zol.co.zw Ross entered as driver in the Bill Slack Blue Land Rover
Bruford, Andrew and Debra: thebrufs@mweb.co.zw Andrew entered as co-driver to Tim Thorburn’s “Barbie” Jeep Wrangler.
We welcome you all to the 4x4 family and look forward to seeing you out on events.

MEMBERSHIP
I am very happy to advise that our membership numbers are almost up to “the good old days”
As at the time of the Jamboree we had 81 paid up members for 2009.

MEMBERS’ NEWS
It seems a number of club members have been in Mozambique during April.
Tim Thorburn and family with Carol Weare and family and Mark and Hilary Benzon were in Rio Savanne.
Michael and Pat Gill together with Sean and Jacquie Quinlan and family were in Pomene Ridge The Ridge is a lovely place to go to for a holiday it is isolated, out of the way with a lovely lagoon for swimming, fishing, kayaking and general fun. Visit their website: www.pomeneridge.com
Rod Chambers: We have said a very sad farewell to Rod, who with his children Leigh and Megan have decided to see what it is like to live in Wales.
Ian Carruthers: Ian was taking his son Stuart to school and was hit by a 30-ton truck at the traffic lights. Fortunately they are OK but their car is a write off.
Mark Benzon: Our condolences go to Mark and his family on the death of his mother, Joan.


PENETRANTS:
Some time ago the VCCZ Newsletter told of a rust penatrant that was very much more effective than the ones we tend to use. You know the WD40 or Q20 type.
The penatrant was a 50/50 mix of Acetone and ATF and someone commented on how good it was. He sighted removing a rusted brake drum and the rusted bleed nipple, on which he played a gas flame to heat it, but the mixture did not burn, as the usual oils tend to do.Maybe the acetone spreads quickly to evaporate and it draws the ATF with it, which provides some lubrication or at least breaks the bond that is holding the parts together.
Well there you are old Land Rover restorers, now you can get those bits apart more easily.

2009 CASTROL 4x4 Jamboree May 22 – 24th
Doom and gloom failed. Our hardworking committee under the chairmanship of Mark Benzon put on an event that was as good as ever and we had 31 entries. This is almost a perfect number as it keeps the event rolling along smoothly. The standard modified cars made up most of the entries. We were very pleased to have six entries from Mutare. Bulawayo are not as active anymore but we hope they will still able to put on their own Jamboree in October.
Crowd attendance was as good as expected and the weather was beautiful, we even had a heavy early morning mist on Saturday, which kept some of the campers in bed a bit longer.
The courses were tough and we had two rollovers, Rodney Beckley in his well rounded Suzuki that has been over several times before and Peter Dobropoulos from Mutare, in his Series 1 Landie, who did a monumental nose over in the Barzem Xtreme.
We will have to get an earthmover in soon to dig up the very well worked courses. Anyone with contacts for the right equipment please speak up, the club will be glad to supply the Diesel. I seem to think the last time the Plant owner dug the courses as a driver training exercise and a road test after a major equipment overhaul.
Our Jamboree helps to keep the Club going financially for most of the year. The rental of our area at Donnybrook and our keeper takes a lot of money so we have a lot to thank our sponsors for, Castrol (now HP Lubes) our major sponsor (what would we do without you); Securitas provided all the security guards for the week-end; Barzem for the Xtreme; Sawpower for the Seesaw; Big Sky for the Mud Run.
RESULTS
Standard. SWB. Tim Thorburn & Andrew Bruford: Jeep Wrangler
Standard Modified. Michael Maas & Chris Maas: Jeep CJ 2
Special. Adrian Watt & Jason Creigh Smith: Cournil.
Barzem Xtreme. Adrian Watt & Jason Creigh Smith: Cournil
Big Sky Mud Run. Murray Upton & Mike Gill: Jeep Wrangler
Sawpower Seesaw Lionel and Sonny Rousseau Series 1 Land Rover

A couple from Czechoslovakia on their way down through Africa in an old Nissan Patrol SWB joined us at the Jamboree. It was good to have them along.

DONNYBROOK
To enter Donnybrook on a non-event day it will cost you $1 per car, providing you have you membership card. Non-members will be charged $5 per car. You must sign the book at the gate and put your name, you Club and membership number. Do not pay without signing the book.


TECHNICAL TIPS
Every time we travel there seems to be a length of rope or wire or a pipe that needs to be taken along but it unwinds and gets in the way. Try rolling it up and make it secure with masking tape. The advantage of this tape is you can break it easily and do not have to keep the bits. A roll of masking tape is often useful on a trip, we have even used it to support and hold plastic over a broken side window. A roll of Duct Tape should always be with you as well.

Women Arrest Law 6pm - 6am
Ladies be aware of your rights. This has come to light following an incident in which a young lady was assaulted by a man posing as a plain clothes Police Officer. He asked her to come to the police station when she didn't have a driver's license to show. He took her instead to an isolated area where a horrendous crime was committed.
”The law [which most of us are not aware of] clearly states that between 6 pm and 6 am, a woman has the right to REFUSE to go to a Police Station, even if an arrest warrant has been issued against her.It is a procedural issue that a woman can be arrested between 6pm and 6am, ONLY if she is arrested by a WOMAN officer and taken to an ALL WOMEN police station. And if she is arrested by a male officer, it has to be proven that a woman officer was on duty at the time of arrest.” It is good for us to know our rights.

THAT HOT STARTING PROBLEM
For those who gave some thought to the hot starting trouble with “Alley Cat”, our V8 Land Rover Lightweight, there is good news. It now starts when hot – hooray!
The cause was the Starter Motor. We had tried several different starters, they always spun the engine when it was cold but there was a drop in ignition voltage when the starter was hot. With the use of parts from several motors, donated by Pete Jenkin, we had a good motor rebuilt and all is now well. Of course Alley had to bite back, the rear prop shaft fell to bits, which took the rear brake pipe with it, but that is now all fixed as well.




10% of road accidents are due to drunken driving.Which makes a logical statement that 90% of accidents are due to driving without drinking!



FUTURE EVENTS
The Eco Challenge July 10th:
Please note the date change. The Eco Week-end will be on at Carolina Wilderness and our thanks to the Kirks who will organise it again after their award-winning event last year. You do not need a special 4x4. Most people will be camping on the green lawns and we will have access to the chalets for ablutes, etc. We understand that some food will be provided. More news to follow in a flyer.

Christmas in July - 25th July
Venue: Highlands Sports Club. The Venue is booked. The Chef is booked.
This will be a sit down Christmas dinner, with all the trimmings. Turkey and ham, Christmas pud, etc. We are not asking you to don black ties but suits and ties and evening dress (if you still have one) will be very acceptable. Please no shorts and takkies!!
Space is limited so it will be on a first come first served basis.
Flyers will go out soon giving costs but we will need to know about 7 to 10 days before in order to arrange food and seating plans, etc.
It is going to be a good evening it is our major social non-driving event of the year.
Highlands Sports Club run a very good and reasonable bar, you are not allowed to take your own. However you can bring your own wine but they will charge corkage.
Roger Ellis has put a lot of work into this event and his son Shane, the chef at Millers, will do the food. Contact Roger 498373 0912.219.154 ellisr@barzem.co.zw for more information



Calendar for 2009
These dates may change as the year progresses, however as usual, we will send out flyers before every event.
June 28 Marshals Thank You Day.
July 10 ECO Weekend
July 19 SUV Trail Drive
July 25 Christmas in July - Dinner
Aug 7-11 Away Week-end Aberfoyle Club
Sept 25 - 27 Bushpig Beatrice
Oct 16-18 Bulawayo Jamboree
Oct 30-31 Three Hills
Nov 20-22 Mutare Dungbeetle
Dec 13 Christmas Run



My wife was looking forward to our next wedding anniversary and suggested that she would like a present. “How about something new and shiny that goes from 0 to 200 in 3 seconds”
So I bought her a bathroom scale.
And that is when the fight started.




DISCOUNTS FOR CLUB MEMBERS
If any members run a business and would like to contribute to this facility, we would be most grateful. Just think, it could improve your business as well as being an advantage to club members.
The coordinator is: Tim Thorburn: 498723 / 0912.645.518 thorburn@mweb.co.zw
To take advantage of these discounts you MUST produce your 2009 Membership Card and ask for your discount. If you don’t ask you don’t get!!
If you have not got your 2009 Card please phone Pat Gill, 494028 to arrange collection/delivery.
Discounts on offer so far:
Maguires in Willowvale for Filters etc.
Silverstone Tyres. for tyres;
Telford Mica for Tools.
Big Sky, Pomona. for Selected items.


FACE BOOK
We have a Face Book site and for those members, who are on Face Book, feel free to join the site:
4x4 Zimbabwe

Motor Sports Association Club House
MSA Membership: The Club House bar works on a Swipe Card basis and any member of an affiliated club can join. Bar prices are double for non-cardholders.
Hall for Hire - Hire our affordable Club facilities for parties, Wedding Receptions, meetings, seminars, courses and other functions. Assist us in this way to obtain funds required for the upkeep of the Clubhouse.
Drinks – The bar is fully stocked again. No "own drinks" will be permitted at functions.