Hasbeen,
I had an "IMP" but it was called a Hillman Stiletto.
Built around BMW engineering.
Not many made but it went like a rocket and we did the Bathurst thing way back around '74 or '75
Saw one go to auction in the States a few years ago.
$70,000 US

Yes Chris, they were great fun.

The engine was based on the small Coventry Climax engine. What a pity the Poms had such a fixation on small engines. If they had been able to increase the capacity of the thing to 1500cc, they would have had a world beater. An all alloy overhead cam 1500 would have been really something, way back then.

My big moment of fame, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, with photo, my Imp timed through the Conrod straight flying 1/8Th at 107 MPH, on the front page on the Monday morning paper.

My old mate Max Stewart in his Triumph 2000 saloon, slipped in front of me out of Forrest Elbow, slowed to my speed, then accelerated gently enough for me to keep up, to tow me up to his speed.

Hasbeen,
Sorry my mistake.
Yes, Coventry Climax not BMW.
The engineering was perfection.
I had another Bathurst car, the "SolCal Special" that was for Sol Cohen of the Caltex Highway service Station at Tempe in Sydney.
He looked after our cars. That was a '39 Ford Mercury.
We had a mentor then. A bloke called Doug Chivers who had the service station at the top of the Gosford Hill Kariong, right oppersite the entrance to Gosford Boys Home.
They were great days between Bathurst and the Stock Car races at Parramatta and the street races in Granville.
How did I ever get to be a copper?

there is much more of a partnership mentality between workers & management, which benefits both sides.
Hasbeen,
Thank you. How many times have I stated here that it is all a matter of mentality ? Finally some acknowledgement. I must admit it does feel comforting.

paul, i lived an breathed the changes, i didn't just read about them.

If not for the strength of the meat industry group, we too would have been flogged just like the hospitality industry.

In that industry, Sundays fast became unviable for many, especially given QLD labor state government's typical stance on sur charges, making them unlawful until only recently. in fact, there are some great looking restaurants in south bank that close on Sundays and public holidays because they cant make money.

Further evidence of that industry is in the fact that they now try to keep their cost of goods at around 20%, instead of the normal 33% of past times. Thats why most cafes and restaurant meals are no longer value for money.

Finally, another pledge from Julia was that no worjer or employer would be worse off. How can loosing ones job, or even hours each week be classed as no worse off, and forget about the employers because that statement from her was more like a lie than a statement.

In any case i doubt we can agree, but just remember one point, i lived it, i didn't just read about it.

Butch,its not uncommon for bad business people, who make bad business decisions to blame everyone else, employees, governments, customers unfair competition, etc, everyone but themselves for their own business failings.These cafe business are a dime a dozen, often run by clueless mugs who think they can run a business. Many who start a small business are simply incompetent and deserve to fail, and they do. I have no sympathy for such failures.

While we are debating these so called obscene penalty rates, can we have comment from the 'Usual Suspects' on the obscene practice in Australia of having employees working overtime for NO PAY what so ever. In 2010 ABC News reported that it was estimated that Australian workers donated $70 billion annually in unpaid overtime. I though slavery was outlawed in Australia, seem not according to some employers.

Has anyone else ever wondered why half the take-away food outlets operate "cash Only" a dead set give way to another shonk ripping off the tax system.