Words and Images by Daniel Borton
We’re on the Rally!
We’ve met the minimum fundraising target of $5000 and Not A V8 now has a confirmed place in the 2023 Summer Shitbox Rally.
Most club members will know Anthony Wiseman and myself are participating in the Summer Shitbox Rally next year. We first met through Motafrenz about 20 years ago, and have since become good friends. I’ve done the rally twice before, but this will be the first time for Anthony.
Reaching the minimum all happened with a flurry of donations that doubled our fundraising over about four days including a very generous donation from Anthony’s work. We’ve still got a way to go though, we’ve set ourselves the goal of raising $10,000 because it’s such a good cause.
We’re slowly getting more and more ready for our March departure. The rally route has been announced, and my geography seems to be getting better. Of the 8 stops for the rally, Tooleybuc and Tambo are the only ones I hadn’t heard of before.
With both of us driving three cylinder cars as our daily’s, a three cylinder car was the perfect choice. The limit on a car’s value has increased to $1500 this year (up from $1000) which was lucky for us as our $1000 Suzuki Alto needed a new clutch so that left us $500 to spend on parts. The car isn’t really appropriate for where we’re going, but I think our biggest challenge will be fitting everything in and on it. With a 110 litre boot and the need to take tents, camping gear, clothes and water for a week as well as three spare wheels and 40 litres of fuel, we’re going to have a challenge fitting such a big load in.
The car is also coming along. Most significantly we replaced the clutch, but that’s a story for another day, and we also have a 2 way radio. We still have to do an oil change, replace the air conditioning compressor, swap the alloys for steel wheels (arranged with Stevie from the club, but still to do), get a couple of spare wheels, jerry cans and spare parts. We’re also going to need roof racks and a roof basket. If anyone knows of any car accessory businesses that might be willing to support us with these or has a spare roof basket or roof racks that are no longer needed sitting around, please let us know.
Our next task is decorating the car, and we’re outsourcing that. One of my closest friends in Bendigo is an artist who lost his partner to cancer earlier this year. Six months later he was diagnosed with cancer himself and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Noel and Denis were wonderful supporters of the last time I entered the rally, hosting fundraisers and donating art works for our fundraising. It’s a stark reminder of how unfair cancer really can be.
I’m not sure what it’s going to look like, I’m handing over creative control. We’re hoping to have the car decorated by early January ready for Pride March and our other fundraising.
We’re running a movie fundraiser in Armadale on 14 January. The Rally follows participants in the 2014 fifth anniversary of the Shitbox Rally. It’s a wonderful story of why people do the rally, getting through the grief that cancer leaves behind, and the hope of bringing 500 people from all around Australia with the one thing in common, to find a cure. All shot to the amazing backdrop of outback WA.
You can see a preview of The Rally online at https://vimeo.com/275775756
More details (including how to buy tickets) will be available shortly. If you’re on Facebook, follow our page at https://www.facebook.com/NotAV82023 for more details, otherwise we’ll keep you in the loop through Cruise Control.
The rally raises funds for cancer research and since it began in 2010 has raised almost $34 million for cancer research. Three rallies a year each bring together about 500 people who collectively raised over $2 million a rally for cancer research. All donations are tax deductible, and you can donate through https://summer2023.shitboxrally.com.au/not-a-v8
