Classic Cars and Coffee - Sunday 3rd April 2022

After the March Cars and Coffee was cancelled by our dance-hating premier, he felt it was 'safe' enough for us to stand in the fresh air in a carpark and drink coffee in April.

I rode my newly acquired DKW RT250-H. It was my first longish ride.

This month there was a Swedish car them. That means Volvos and Saabs basically. These two - Volvo 144BV and Saab 96 Monte Carlo Sport by far stole the show.

Thunderstorms had been forecast but the weather turned out to be fine.

A very nice Cadillac Eldorado

Citroen CX

Rover

The Carry Crew

1915 Ford Model T. It was great to see a real oldtimer out and about. We watched the owner start her up with the hand crank. She fired straight up. No shoulder ache there!

I've never really understood the high-lo rider thing

Another photo of the DKW paired with a 1960 BMW

Triumph Cub

Bentley Boys

Aston Martin DB6

A Jag escapes

New addition - 1954 DKW RT250-H motorcycle

Just recently I published a post about getting my 1957 DKW Hummel moped running again. Before I started down this 'DKW journey' I was interested in getting myself on a DKW motorcycle, but every time I found one it slipped through my fingers. https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2022/02/my-1956-dkw-hummel.html

Although my wife has constantly warned me "no more bikes or cars!", periodically I would check the market to see if anything had popped up, but I was constantly disappointed. Last year my wife and I visited the Bunbury-Geograph Motor Museum on our way back from a trip through the South West of Western Australia. The BGMM is a fine volunteer run local museum (photos here: https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2021/07/bunbury-geographe-motor-museum.html) which has a particularly fine collection of Jawa motorcycles. As we admired the machines, Shelly said, "would you not want a motorcycle that looks more...like a motorcycle?" I admitted I did and we both picked a motorcycle we liked. Both turned out to be 1950s Jawas. https://heinkelscooter.blogspot.com/2022/07/1950-jawa-350-motorcycle.html

A week or so ago someone was selling a couple of Jawa motorcycles on Facebook marketplace. One was a basketcase, one was 1970s scrambler, but the third was one of the models that Shelly and I had selected from the BMM display. The bike was running, with spares, but not registered. It was in Victoria. I was busy working at the time so saved the posted so I could go back and check it out in detail later. I didn't get to look at it again until Sunday night and to my disappointment, it had gone. But in its place Facebook had popped up another advert 'You may like.... - 1954 DKW Motorcycle.' It was here in Western Australia and a reasonable price. I did not delay this time and messaged the seller on Monday morning.

I inspected the bike later that afternoon and the deal was done. The seller had owned the bike for about 10 years. He'd done some minor restoration work to keep it running - new silencer, some new cables, new tyres, new brakes, but the bike was otherwise left 'as is.' The bike had been used in the wheat belt and was in a farmer's shed when he found it. He had been visiting the farmer to buy another bike when the farmer asked him if he wanted to have a look at another old bike he had. The bike was covered by a sheet in a corner of the shed, surrounded by junk. He took one look at it and bought it as well.

The bike is running and only needs a little carb tuning. I look forward to enjoying it.

Down in Fremantle for a coffee run.

A later brochure for the RT250-S. My model is of the older style with prewar style plunger rear suspension. https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2019/08/1957-dkw-rt250.html

Very first start up.

User manual for the RT200, which is basically the same https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2022/03/1954-dkw-rt2002-owners-manual.html
Engine repair manual in English: https://dkwautounionproject.blogspot.com/2022/05/dkw-works-manual-for-rt200rt250.html

Tinsmith Garage and Cafe

Western Australian premier, Mark McGowan, hates dancing and classic cars apparently. Last Sunday's ever popular Classic Cars and Coffee event was forced to cancel due to the premier's ever changing Covid restrictions. Apparently having an open-air event in a public car park in the lovely West Australian sunshine is too risky. Apparently.

But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy classic cars and bikes and coffee, so a group of us decided to check out Tinsmith Garage and Cafe in Fremantle. Tinsmith is a mechanics shop and panel beater, specialising in vintage Volkswagens. It also has a cafe and seating so people can sit down, relax and talk.

For a last minute call, we had a good turnout. About a dozen cars and dozen bikes. This Saab 96 is a new acquisition by a club member. Saabs - and Volvos - are extremely popular with enthusiasts. Must be that Swedish quality.

Another new acquisition for one of our club members is this 1969 Rover. It purred like a kitten.

1958 Mercedes-Benz 250S

The trusty Skoda Octavia

Good to see this Renault Dauphine back on the road. It has been absent from events recently due to fuel issues.

Datsun 510 Coupe

Datsun 1600

Volkswagen and Lambretta

This wonderfully restored 1956 Lambretta LD is a real treat

Ron the Legend on his BSA Lightning Clubman

US "small cars"

Another debut at this event was my newly purchased 1954 DKW RT250. I picked it up on Friday.

Ducati

Moto Guzzi El Dorado, a former US police bike

Another debut is this Fiat 124. Its recommissioning was only finished on Saturday!

So, next month we hope for a good Classic Cars and Coffee event on Sunday 3rd April 2022. https://www.facebook.com/perthclassiccarsandcoffee

Tinsmith Garage serve very good coffee and is a great destination for car and bike clubs. Check them out on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tinsmithfreo/