"No Fishing allowed !!"

Chapter 3 

By Flash Mullet

Well given 60 metres there may have been that Possibility of the oncoming mobile flats scaring up the gutter lane traffic, but unfortunately 50 metres meant that destiny had a get together of our 'smick' GT Cortina and the oncoming enemy. We 'steaked' the Volvo exact amidships (os in T-Bone).

CRUNCH!!, OUCH!! Peering through the internal dust and smoke we found ourselves facing the opposite direction, but still on our side of the road. Discharged from Hospital hours later found myself on crutches (knee), Navigator Jeckyl (bandaged gashed shin) from clipboard and Brick (totally unscathed!!!), still complaining about being rudely awakened from his position, (on top of the back compartment tyres).

Well it was scratch number 2 Cortina, the damage being far too comprehensive for repairs. (See picture), let alone the cash injection needed, Insurance only being TPPD. I recall how excited, NOT, I was in receiving the road value cheque of $300 from the insurance Company which would have nearly covered the set of Driving Lights!. Never say die too easily was the 'word', considering that we were just getting rid of all our bad luck early, clearing the way for later on ??, Yeah, well a car would be handy!

The next couple of months were spent dismantling. Renewing, re, re, of the fractured motors and gearboxes eventually giving us one solid drivetrain and then just as we looked destined to being would be's if we could be's, along came favourite and only sister Sonja and bra-in-law John with on offer of their recently unused Cortina. Needless to say it was re-housed before they may have realised the possible consequences of their generous offer!!

By now we had all became pretty good in finding our way around MKI Cortina, so without too much delay and much more midnight oil and amber fluid we transformed GUX457 into our pre wrecked version.

It was to be affectionately known as GUX and nicknamed 'Miss Adventure' (read into that what you want). It was about this time enter one character to be 'named' later as "Animal". He was an acquaintance of 'Bricks' and the pair was a formidable team as engine and transmission mechanics, and also the bonus of living close by. Having no reliable motor, the one in GUX had had a solid history, (More on that later) and a smashed close ratio gearbox these two guys were invaluable in the history of GUX which was to follow, in fact 'Brick' was to compete the next year in the Redex Round Australia in an EH Holden with two wheel expatriates, 'Strop' and 'Yowie', with Animal doing much of the engine work, but that's another story. Picking the best of the fractured engines and gearboxes, repairing and replacing the also found broken original diff with a 4.44 Diff from an Escort Panel van had us a formidable 4 door 1500 GT Cortina which took out many class wins and outright placings in the following years.

We also felt that being black in colour gave us a distinct advantage at night in that no one could see us coming! The fading memory recalls and thanks those Mullets that were responsible in the re-creation of the Mk3 Cortina, Sonja, John B, Ness, Brick, Animal, Strop, Jeckyl, Donut, Radiator and Pat, Wayne, Paul C, Bruce and Marvee, Pipes from then Macarthur Exhausts all were to become invaluable help as our project developed along with Uni Filter P/L and Ross E from Competition Electrics.