I may be talking out of turn, overstretching things a bit, but at Mangalore I reckon we had a touch of what it was like at early meets in So Cal. No records were set, the timer didn't work properly, only eight vehicles ran - but shit happened that will never be repeated.
Machinery is easy to understand; from the scratch-together tank on these pages to the priceless 1955 Johnny Penn Vincent Black Lightning LSR special. And the people, from club founders, to little kids plonked in the driver seat by eager dad, the mixing assuring a continuum of those that "get it".
Then there's the spirit. It really kicked-in when a bloke showed up with a partly finished Streamliner. Graham is clearly a "loner". No one knew him or the project. Friendly but quiet, he wouldn't ask for help, and doesn't care much for this Internet stuff. He and his wife drove through the night from Adelaide (10+ hours on the road). The trailer loaded with a car skeleton and parts.
Any time you passed his pits, there's someone tinkering alongside him. You check out the his work, discuss this or that, start helping - it's obvious there's lots to do - pretty soon, you're sweatin' your arse off, getting this beast ready for the first ever run.
And did it run! Keep an eye out for this one.
Norm, the event organiser - despite his car toasting in a shed fire the day before - was happy as a pig in mud. "Mate, this is what it's supposed to be like" he said, watching Hadfield's jalopy and Moe Boys line up for impromptu drags.
The day ended with ear-to-ear grins on every dial: Moe Boys XA Falcon - Mad Max model - unleashed for ten minutes of high-rev burnouts (not on salt tyres).
Getting Graham's liner strapped to the home made trailer and sending them on their way, I was alone, soaking-in a golden sunset over the small planes and the tower, nestled among the foothills of Victoria's Highlands. "Get the camera" I thought. Nah, you can't photograph what I'm feeling.
