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FIAT 500 BREAKFAST RUN 8 - 4 – 06
The day couldn’t have been better…. Great roll-up, beautiful cars, perfect autumn weather, nice people, excellent food (for a bargain price) and wonderful scenery.
We arrived at the Sutherland Leisure Centre car park right on 8.00am to find the majority of the starters already there and eager to get going. We soon had five Cinquecentos, two Seicentos, one 850 Sports Coupe, a couple of 124 Sports Coupes (AC & BC), one Turbo Coupe and an X1/9.
John DiRocco bit the bullet and arrived in his just-completed stunning dark red Abarth 850TC – perfect down to the last detail. I’d tried every argument I could think of to convince him to bring it instead of his 850 spider and in the end said “damn it John, we just want to have a look at it!” Hopefully this swayed him!
Brother Leo came in his beautiful blue 695 replica whilst brother-in law-Lino De Iulio drove his ex-Doug & Dot Tory yellow 124BC.
Tony Metcalf came all the way from the Central Coast in his faithful 850-powered 600D and Richard Dalziel was a welcome late-starter in his classic 850 Sports Coupe.
Doug and Dot Tory joined us in Dougie’s pride and joy – the green 124AC.
Gene Ransom gave his standard-spec 500F an airing, leaving at the end of the event determined to undertake the Niki engine and suspension transplant he’d been planning after finding Artillery Hill a little challenging for just 500ccs.
Dean Ryan (complete with ear-plugs) brought his Abarth 695 and Simon Scholtens came in what I believe to be the most beautiful powder blue 500F I have ever laid eyes on. Simon had suffered battery problems and was late for the start so had the forethought to drive north through the Royal National Park until he came upon us. Up “there” for thinking!
Steve and Pauline Gotch naturally drove the fantastic red (the fastest colour) Turbo Coupe while Warren and Glenn Smith were in the ex-Scholtens green X1/9.
I had the absolute honour and privilege of having Margo from the Fiat 500 Club of Holland as a passenger in my 650-powered 500F “Buzz”. Margo was impressed to learn that Buzz is the same car which features in the Dolmio commercial that is now part of the Dutch Club’s website.
Tony and Rosie Potter from the Fiat 500 Club in Adelaide, along with Margo’s mother-in-law Betty followed in the V8 Mercedes. I’m sure Tony would’ve preferred to be in his fantastic 5 speed, 850 cc, disk braked and mag wheeled dark blue 500D; but it was sulking back in Adelaide having been left home-alone whilst his family cavorted in the eastern states.
Tony Artinian was a non-starter unfortunately as his sky-blue Bambino suffered mysterious fuel problems on the way & he had to return home. Hopefully he’ll have them all sorted before the next run.
Down a couple of promised starters, we departed right on 8.30. At the entry gate to the Park, the poor old Ranger who was manning the booth looked rather frustrated having to let 13 cars in a row “pass through” for no charge.
The Royal National Park is Fiat territory and we had a good run, luckily only encountering a couple of small groups of cyclists who were easily and safely overtaken, whilst the bare chested joggers had us shaking our heads at their apparent level of fitness. Stopping at Bald Hill for a photo opportunity we discovered the car park to be half-full of motor cycles (or is that half-empty?) – they must have been just ahead of us – good timing on their behalf! Then it was down the hill to Stanwell Park and the “Beach Kiosk” for brekky. The delicious “big breakfast” with long black cost just a mere $11.50 – half of that charged by Sydney beach-side restaurants!
After the meal, we naturally drifted over to cars for a chin-wag and one by one departed to take in the sites or return home by one of several alternative routes.
I had to show-off the recently completed Sea Cliff Bridge for our interstate and overseas guests and about half-way along it encountered the DiRocco/Di Iulio clan returning northward. There were lots of waving arms, horn blowing and grinning faces– a great moment of Fiat fellowship. The pedestrians seemed suitably impressed with this brief “Italianesque” interlude and several other motorists flashed their lights in appreciation! As Margo expressed her admiration for the scenery, I had to keep reminding myself that the beautiful south coast is so close and so accessible – and so damned under-utilised by us Sydney-siders!
After the coast run, our group visited Simbio Wildlife Park where our Dutch guests were fascinated with our unique fauna. Then it was on to the Gotch residence to show them the full-sized and scale model collection of Fiat motor vehicles with a “cuppa”, courtesy of Pauline, to finish it off.
Arriving home around 4.00, we realised we’d had a wonderful day, completing it with a Napolitana pizza naturally!
For anyone who can make it, the DiRoccos and Di Iulios are organising a “Wiseman’s Ferry Run” on the 30th of April, meeting at the McDonald’s car park at McGrath’s Hill at 8.00am for an 8.30 start.
See you there!
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