Scenario, the newsletter of the Kansas City chapter of AROC, has been running a series written by friends of the editors, Phyllis and Bruce Tilden, in a silver spider. Join Australians Laurie and MaryAlice Jones as they wade through the logistics of how to gettheir 1971 1750 Spider from Oz to Africa for the Classic Safari Challenge rally.
In this issue, they talk about getting the car itself ready to go they a rally across the southern African continent in an Alfa Spider. We begin with the preparation of the car.

Classic Safari Challenge

by Laurie Jones

Part One - Preparation and Logistics

With most of the logistics behind us, attention has turned to the all important car preparation to ensure an enjoyable event. The Spider was delivered to Avanti Spares with a long list of recommendations by the event organizers and confirmed by our Great Endeavour experiences. This was then modified or added to by Richard Anderson based on his broad experience of preparing for, and competing in numerous local and international rallies.
Conscious of the relative rarity of right hand drive 1750 Spiders, and used to working with historically significant buildings, I was keen to see the work undertaken, as far as possible, in accordance with good conservation principles. These are generally accepted as “doing as much work as necessary, but as little as possible”, that is, not compromising the original integrity by making unnecessary changes, and “ensuring that necessary changes are reversible in the future, or are readily identifiable from the original fabric.“ To achieve this, most of the original interior trim has been removed for later reinstatement after the event, and new fittings have generally been bolted for later removal if required.

My first job was to remove both seats, seat belts, floor mats, sill strips, rear speakers, interior trim panels and fuel tank. From then on, my role has been occasional cleaning, de-rusting, priming, painting, trim, odds and ends, and finishing touches, with Richard dealing with all the mechanical and fabrication issues. The full extent of work, in approximate order of importance and sequence of tackling it, is as follows:

Maybe. Could be. But not yet. Randy Cox, who with a partner acquired rights to the Italian Happening show and name in 2005, writes 'The Italian Happening has been dormant too long. My involvement with Meadow Brook has reached the point of "no return" (no return to a normal life that is). I am now judging in seven major Concours and attending numerous shows...Someone needs to unbox the Happening and breathe life into it again!'
It partly depends on AROC-Detroit participation and local interest, plus the status of the Italian Gathering at Wendy's headquarters in Dublin, Ohio, near Columbus. Late last summer, Wendy's was sold to a holding company. There is no way that it can be forced into an overloaded personal schedule for 2009, but Dave & Andy Hammond will discuss revival of the show for 2010. Or Andy might kill Dave for even thinking about it. Stay tuned as the adventure unfolds.