Back in April 2026, Shelly and I set out for the second Warren-Blackwood Heritage Rally in Bridgetown. I had opted to take the Tatra down as the DKW did not enjoy the hilly country around Bridgetown so much. I had the car serviced to make sure she was in a fit state for the journey.
One of the things I was keen to resolve was sorting out the clutch. When I was filming the segment for the RAC "In my Garage" there was a moment when the clutch pedal dropped to the floor and did not spring back. It was captured on the video and appears in the last five minutes of the segment. Anyway, I jury-rigged a spring that kept tension on the pedal but I knew that was only a temporary repair. When the guys had the car on a hoist, they looked at the pedal box and found nothing wrong, so then checked the connection at the clutch end. There they found evidence of many old repairs and noted the clutch rod was badly bent. They straightened the rod and set it back in its correct position. I subsequently test drove the Tatra several times and noted the clutch was working properly and gears were shifting well.
However, one hour out of Fremantle - PING! The clutch pedal dropped to the floor and would not return to position. Fortunately I was in the process of changing gears through a round-about and was slipping into neutral at the time, which allowed me to coast to halt. I could not however get the car into any gear. Once again RAC came to the rescue and had the car towed home. https://rac.com.au/car-motoring/roadside-assistance
So, the Tatra's clutch needed to be investigated. It took a while to get a spot in my mechanic friend's schedule - there certainly is a shortage of mechanics who will work on classic cars and bikes. I had her trucked away at the end of May. To our surprise, the issue was not with the clutch rod or the previous repair. In the end the engine had to come out and the connection in the bell housing investigated.
Fortunately the whole drive train can be wheeled out the back of the car. The problem was that the clutch activator in the bell housing had jammed against a lubrication nipple. It seems the spring we used to keep the rod in alignment was too tight, pushing the rod hard against the clutch lever. The springs were adjusted and the engine refitted and it was job done.
What better time to take the Tatra for a test run than Classic Cars and Coffee. Rain and storms were forecast, which I think resulted in a lower attendance. At least I could park centrally instead of being forced to the outskirts. The weather was absolutely fine however, great for a car show in the morning.
Two rear engine legends - Tatraplan and Fiat 500.
Citroen CX
Landrover and a 1947 Willys (that has been badly modified). The Willys will soon be restored to original military spec.
And more Landrover action
"Put a tiger in your tank"
1947 Cadillac (I think?)
I think this was an Austin Seven converted into a racer
Big Bentley
Mercedes-Benz
1968 Datsun Bluebird. My first car was one of these. It was brush-painted in tan household paint, but was a great little car. Japanese reliability with body by Pininfarina.
Austin-Healey
Hillman Imp by DJ Ferraz
Something very interesting and different - Ferret armoured car
Photo by DJ Ferraz
Coffee and Armoured Cars
Although it was quieter than usual, it was still very busy
