Articles by Mark Hinchliffe

The 57-year-old Brisbane car salesman has been selling Hyundais, Daihatsus, Daewoos and Toyotas most of his adult life, so it makes sense that he would be a fan of Japanese models. He now has three in various stages of restoration, including a rare 1969 Diahatsu Compagno Spider that is one of only three in Australia.He bought his first car, a 1966 Honda S600 convertible, when he was 18 living in Essendon, Melbourne."It had four carbies and a twin cam motor," he enthuses. "It was like a racing engine. What a great little car. "When you put it in fourth gear at 60mph (96.5km/h) it was doing 6000 revs, at 70mph (112.5km/h) it was 7000 revs. So gauges were the same. I got it up to 10,500 revs once on the freeway which was, of course, the wrong thing to do. But it used to really scream along."Wallis and his brother, Geoff, both owned S600 Hondas."We've always loved Japanese sports cars because they were made much better," he says. "Back then people were getting around in HR Holdens which were so agricultural by comparison. They had push-rod engines, not overhead cams like the Honda. For a little car they went pretty good and were far ahead of their time. The Japanese just copied and refined all the British cars of the time."In 1974 Wallis moved to Queensland and sold his Honda to buy a Toyota Celica."I couldn't buy a new one because there was a six-month wait," he says. "They were $3800 new and I bought a 12-month-old one for $3300. I had it for five years, but then I needed a bigger car when our second child was born so I bought a Toyota Crown."You can see a pattern developing. Fast forward past myriad Japanese cars to 2000 when Wallis was selling Daihatsus and Daewoos."I saw this Daihatsu Compagno Spider advertised for sale in the paper and asked the guys at work what it was," he says. "No one knew. Then I saw a brochure for a Charade and on the back cover was a pic of it. They were brought in by a Daihatsu dealer and there were only three in Australia; one in Tasmania, one in Victoria and here. I like it because it's unique."Wallis admits that while he admires the technology of Japanese engines, it was the low-tech appeal of the Spider that got his attention."The trouble with Hondas was that because they were so hi-tech when they got to 75,000 miles (120,700km) you had to rebuild them," he says. "What I liked about the Daihatsu was that under bonnet it looked just like a Datsun 1200 motor. I like hi-tech, but I don't like the expense."The Spider is powered by a one-litre, push-rod, four-cylinder engine with a single twin-throat carby and linked to a four-speed gearbox."It drives extremely well for its age," he says. "I've done all the mechanical work, had the leaf springs re-tempered, new shock absorbers, brakes, done all the body, etc. But it looks a little bit sad in the paint. The guy I bought it off painted it metallic blue. They didn't have metallics in the '60s. I want to get it painted in an original colour some time. I see people who do these projects who pull them apart and never put them together. I don't want to do that; I want to enjoy my car."His Spider is on full rego and he drives it most Sundays. He has also recently bought a 1970 Honda 1300 coupe which has a four-carby air-cooled engine with a dry sump. He paid $2500 for it and in a few weeks plans to have it up and running. He's also bought another 1966 Honda S600 convertible just like his first car."That's my long-term retirement project when I'm 65," he says. He has joined the Classic Japanese Car Club formed in the past few months by likeminded Japanese car fans. "There are only 20 members, but our numbers are growing," he says. "If I'd joined the Daihatsu Compagno Spider club there would only be three of us in the club."

According to an insurance survey, Cancerians last year had the highest proportion of accidents in Australia with 8.82 per cent of more than 30,000 claims to insurer Budget Direct. The company’s spokesperson Richelle Ward says Cancerians are described as ‘emotional, intuitive and are something of a home body’. "But it's the motivated and determined Capricorn who doesn't believe in unnecessary risk that shone the brightest with the lowest accident claim percentage of 7.72," she says. In May last year, Virgo males had 2 per cent more accident claims than any other sign, while both Capricorn and Leo females had the lowest. "While results were close, both the Scorpio and Leo signs had the most accident claims in June which might be an indication for those signs to take it easy in the coming weeks," Ward says. According to the analysis of the Budget Direct statistics – coupled with generalised descriptions of the 12 zodiac signs – in New South Wales, the practical Virgo and motivated Capricorn had more accidents on a Wednesday than any other star sign while on Thursdays it was the intuitive Cancer and romantic but particular Libra. The empathetic and openhearted Pisces needs to watch out on a Sunday. In WA, the flirty and inventive Gemini had more accidents on a Tuesday than any other star sign while on Wednesday and Thursday it was the intuitive Cancer. Gemini and Virgo signs need to watch out on a Saturday and while the Cancer sign is again more likely to have an accident on a Sunday than any other sign.  In South Australia, Libra had more accidents on a Tuesday than any other star sign while on Wednesdays it was the innovative Aquarius, while Virgo needs to watch out on a Thursday and the stubborn yet impulsive Leo on a Friday. In Tasmania, the Gemini had more accidents on a Wednesday than any other star sign while on Thursdays and Fridays it was Virgo.  Again those who fall under the sign of Cancer may need to draw into their protective shell as they were reported to have more accident claims than any other sign on Monday, Tuesday, and Sunday. In Victoria, Gemini had more accidents on a Wednesday than any other star sign while on Wednesdays it was the Cancer. Saturday was a tie between Libra and the emotionally perceptive Scorpio.

These are two recommendations University of Queensland researcher Bronwyn Griffin expects to flow from her study into the incidents which is to be handed to Parliament by July next year.  She was speaking yesterday (FRIDAY MAY 21) at a demonstration of vehicle rear blinds spots held on the forecourt of Suncorp Stadium as part of an awareness campaign for national Fatality Free Friday (FFF) next Friday."Nothing replaces parental vigilance," Griffin said pointing out that in Queensland 196 children were seriously injured in low-speed accidents and 18 killed in the past five years.  "Queensland has the highest death rate in the nation probably because we have a higher proportion of four-wheel drives," she said."However, technology such as rearview cameras can't be trusted completely. It's a great aid, but it doesn't eliminate the problem. Also, it's not affordable to all families."  However, FFF founder Russell White said it was wrong to pigeonhole all four-wheel drives as a problem and pointed out with his demonstration that a Commodore sedan with a boot-mounted spoiler has a blind spot 15m long compared with 3.6m for a Land Rover Discovery.The demonstration also included a Holden Barina with a 6m blind spot and a Toyota Tarago with 10.1m.  "I would have expected the 4WD to be the worst, but you can't pigeonhole them as all the same," he said."Some of our sedans are a bigger problem. It depends more on the design of the vehicle rather than the type.  "The Disco has a big window in the back with a low tailgate while the Commodore has a high boot and a spoiler."Rear architecture of the vehicle clearly plays a huge role in visibility and we need to ask manufacturers if they ever take this into account."  While 4WD vehicles were involved in 10 of the 18 fatalities, passenger cars accounted for most accidents causing major injuries and 84 per cent of vehicles involved in low-speed run-over incidents were passenger vehicles.Griffin said most of these accidents happened in home driveways.  "Unfortunately most often it's the mum or dad that is driving," she said.  "With the decreasing size of homes these days the driveaway is an attractive place for children to play, but it's not a safe place."She recommended parents walk around their car before getting in, supervise and remove children in the area and separate their driveway with a physical barrier form the rest of the yard.White also suggested drivers should learn to adjust their rearview mirrors for better vision.  "But even with the mirrors correctly adjusted every vehicle will have a blind spot and we need to be aware of the size of that even in a small sedan," he said.  Drivers who wish to take part in Fatality Free Friday can register their interest online at www.fatalityfreefriday.com

This car comes to the market with great expectations, following on the heels of the award-winning i30 and the impressive ix35.The Hyundai i45, which replaces the Sonata, arrives with aggressive pricing, a feature-stacked package and out-there styling and at a time when the South Korean company is in an upward sales spiral. However, the i45 doesn’t live up to the great expectations out on the road with spongy handling, vague steering, a flaring gearbox and intrusive tyre noise.PRICE AND TRIM LEVELSHMCA sales director Damien Meredith expects they will sell about 500 a month or 4000 this year. Hyundai had intended to launch the vehicle on the market on Monday (May 24) with two spec levels. The Elite costs $34,990 and has a 2.4-litre, 148kW/250Nm petrol engine and six-speed automatic transmission. The up-spec Premium has the same engine and transmission and costs $37,990.However, since placing its orders, Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA) has been able to acquire extra production allowing the addition in July of a base model Active at $29,490 in six-speed manual and $30,990 for the auto. This is up $1500 on the base model Sonata it replaces, but standard equipment is impressive.HMCA marketing director Oliver Mann says they want to 'lead the class with the highest level of spec in this segment'.Active comes with six airbags, stability control, piano-black interior trim, hill-start assist, fog lamps, cloth/leather seats, cruise control, 16-inch alloys with a full-size spare and USB/iPod connectivity. The Elite adds full leather upholstery, 17-inch alloys, smart key start, rear parking sensors, climate control, paddle shifters and rain-sensing wipers. Premium adds an electric sunroof, 18-inch alloys, better suspension damping, electrochromatic rearview mirror, premium audio with woofer and electric front seats with two driver-position memories.APPEARANCEIt is styled in the US and features a lot of fussy panel creases with a bonnet reminiscent of the Chrysler Crossfire. There are a lot of details around the fog lamps and lights and plenty of chrome bling on the windows sills, handles and grille. The roofline swoops like a Mercedes CLS or Passat CC for a four-door coupe look, but the rear seats have been set down and back to preserve head and leg room.Andre Hudson, manager at Hyundai’s design studio in southern California where the exterior was conceived, says he is proud that the coupe roof and small ‘porthole’ window in the C pillar has been retained from his original drawings. However, it doesn’t help with a lack of rear-three-quarters vision that is inherent in this coupe-like design strategy.The i45’s styling will be divisive in the marketplace, but certainly will set it apart from the crowd. Build quality is superb as is now the standard equipment list with this Korean manufacturer, however the old-fashioned boot hinges are a letdown as they encroach about 15cm into the boot space.The interior, which was designed in South Korea, is similar to the interior of the new ix35. It’s classy, functional and has quality switches and controls.SAFETYOn the safety side, Mann says it is expected to achieve a five-star rating. He says it not only has six airbags and a suite of electronic driver aids, but also rigid hot-stamped steel chassis that makes it safer and quieter.DRIVINGI had great expectations for the i45 driving experience on the launch in the Brisbane Valley this week, but was let down by the overly plush ride and vague steering.Mann claims the vehicle was heat-tested in Australia and also tested for suspension tweaks on our bumpy roads. However, the vehicles we drove felt like they had American-spec suspension. Even the Premium model with 'amplitude selective dampers' (a sliding valve adjusts the dampers according to terrain) feels light and vague in the front with hefty understeer and a floating rear end.The two ends of the car seem out of phase with each and the steering doesn’t feel connected to the road surface. It doesn’t change direction well and gets nervous over uneven surfaces. On some of the more abrupt bumps and corrugations, there is steering rack rattle and kickback through the wheel.The suspension also hit the bump stops a couple of times on serious divots and unloaded without much control, sending the car bouncing down the road. It needs some serious tweaking on the dampers and springs, plus some tightening of the steering.The vehicle is also under-tyred with 215mm Kuhmo and Hankook rubber that creates quite a bit of noise in the cabin. However, wind noise and engine noise is well under control in the noise-damped interior.The Theta II four-cylinder seems up to the task with a claimed 7.9 litres per 100km in the manual model. Hills tend to take its breath away and the automatic transmission flares a little when asked to change cogs.In this segment, the i45 stacks up well for features, price and style against the conservative crew such as the Camry and Accord, but it fails to make a dent in the more dynamic rivals such as Mazda6, Liberty, Mondeo and Passat.HYUNDAI i45Prices: $29,490 (Active manual); $30,990 (Active auto); $34,490 (Elite auto); $37,990 (Premium auto); $450 (metallic paint)On sale: May 24Engine: 2.4-litre, transverse, 16-valve, DOHC 4-cylinderPower: 148kW @ 6300rpmTorque: 250Nm @ 4250rpmTransmission: 6-speed manual (Active only), 6-speed autoBrakes: 300/284mm ventilated discsDimensions (mm): 4820 (l), 1835 (w), 1470 (h), 2795 (wheelbase), 140 (clearance)Kerb weight: 1506kg (man), 1528kg (auto)Suspension: McPherson struts (front), multi-link (rear)Safety: 6 airbags, active front headrests, stability control, ABS, hill start assistWheels: 16-inch alloys (Active), 17 (Elite), 18 (Premium), full-size spareEconomy: 8L/100km (man), 7.9 (auto)CO2: 191g/km (man), 188 (auto)Fuel tank: 70 litres

Winnebago marketing manager Max Mayo says while most campervans are designed to cater for two people, these ones will be patterned after the space and comfort of the larger motorhome styles."Our new campervans take comfort and versatility to a new plateau and both models will cater for four people in style," he says.The Escape is a 6.4m campervan on a Fiat Ducato three-litre turbo diesel, while the Diversion is built on a 7.3m, long-wheelbase Mercedes Benz Sprinter van. There are no prices yet for the Diversion, but the drive-away price of the Escape is $105,929.They feature an electric roll-down bed which drops from the ceiling and can sleep two adults. There are other beds for two more people.Both will be displayed for the first time at the Queensland Caravan Camping Touring and Holiday Show from June 9 to 15 at the RNA Showgrounds in Brisbane.While most campervans do not include bathroom and toilet facilities or have a small shower recess, the Escape and Diversion have an expanding bathroom system with a flushing toilet.There is also a large "garage" area in the rear of the campervans made by storing the electric double bed against the ceiling and folding up the two single beds against the wall. The space created can hold a motorbike or two, a quad bike, bicycles, surfboards fishing rods and more.During the week, the Escape can double as mum's car or as a tradies truck with optional checker plating installed for the tool box. On the weekend, it can be used as a self-contained campervan. Winnebago claims the Escape has the biggest bathroom of any campervan and features a fold away external table.The Diversion is highlighted by leather armchairs, well-equipped kitchen, a sofa bed which converts electronically into a large comfortable bed and large awning. It also features roof and cabin air-conditioning, an LCD 12 volt TV with DVD player inbuilt , awning, microwave, two gas bottles and the largest campervan bathroom on the market.Both campervans have kitchen drawers that can be accessed from outside.

The replica will join a prestige auction portfolio of more traditional classic motor cars.  The Batmobile, a replica of the model used in the 1960s TV show, has been owned by historic car investor Mark Perkins since it was made in 1988.The replica Batmobile is based on a Lincoln Continental chassis and is one of three steel-bodied versions in existence. It features a dashboard-mounted TV, rear parachute pod and Batphone."Classic cars, and this one in particular, should be driven to be enjoyed, and I've loved taking it on the road over the years," Perkins says.  "However, my work with Historics at Brooklands will leave me little time to do so in the future, and so sadly it's time someone else derived pleasure of ownership."The original Batmobile built for the 1966-1968 TV show was a customised Lincoln Futura show car that cost about $30,000 to build.  It is still owned by its makers Barris Customs in Hollywood, where it is on display. It is estimated to be worth more than $2 million.

Twin turbos are on their way out at BMW, being replaced by more economical twin-scroll single turbos. The first with the new twin-scroll engine is the 535i, which is part of the new sixth-generation 5 Series models.BMW Australia spokesman Alex Brockhoff said the twin-charger engine has no more power than the model it replaces, but it hits maximum torque of 400Nm 100rpm earlier at 1200 revs and carries it all the way through to 5000rpm. Brockhoff says the twincharger is fed exhaust air through two inlets rather than one, producing a faster-spinning and more-efficient turbo.In the 535i three-litre in-line six-cylinder with Valvetronic, it achieves a 7 per cent fuel saving of 8.4L/100km over the 540i's 10.4L/100km. CO2 emissions are down to 195g/km from 250, yet power and torque remain at 225kW and 400Nm.BMW has also increased equipment levels in the 5 Series to be higher than their competitors. However, prices are up right across the range by as much as $8000. But BMW claims that if you consider the increased standard equipment levels, there is virtually no increase and even a price decrease on the 528i compared with the previous 530i.Increased standard equipment levels include an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission, bigger wheels and heads-up display – previously a $2800 option except in high-spec models – which shows vital information on the windscreen in front of the driver so they don't have to take their eyes off the road.PRICING AND VARIANTSThe new 5 Series goes on sale here on June 3 - two weeks ahead of the US - with the petrol-engined naturally-aspirated 190kW inline-six 528i ($99,900), the 535i ($128,900) featuring the new 225kW twin-scroll turbo in-line six and the 300kW V8 550i ($178,900). They will be followed by the diesel-powered 380Nm four-cylinder 520d ($83,300) in September, and a six-cylinder diesel is expected to be added next year. The lean-burn engines available in Europe will not be imported because of the high sulphur level in Australian fuels. Touring 535i and 520d wagons are expected in October.BODY AND FIT-OUTThe sixth-generation 5 Series has been slightly stretched and has shorter overhangs front and rear giving it the longest wheelbase in its class. Cargo space remains 520 litres. A full-width front air dam, plus horizontal lines front and back provide a wider look.If the xenon headlight option is included there are LED daytime running lights included and a 'milky eyebrow' which is an attractive opaque LED lighting effect above the main headlights. Inside, there is little change except for a few extra aluminium accents while the dashboard has been tilted 7.2 degrees toward the driver.There is more aluminium in the construction, including the bonnet, doors and side panels, making its body 50kg lighter, as well as the all-aluminium suspension from the 7 Series and new 5 Series Gran Turismo. However, with all the new equipment, stiffer chassis and electronic driver aids, total weights are up between 40kg for the 1700kg 535i and 170kg for the 1830kg 550i.ENGINESThe three-litre 528i has 30kW more power and 60Nm more torque than the superseded 2.5-litre 525i but fuel economy is down from 9.4L/100km to 8 and CO2 emissions are down from 227g/km to 187. The new 535i features the three-litre in-line six-cylinder which combines Valvetronic and twin-scroll single turbocharging for a 7 per cent fuel consumption saving, while power and torque remain the same.The 550i gets TwinPower turbo in its 4.4-litre V8 to deliver 300kW (+30kW) and 600Nm, up a whopping 110Nm over the previous model. Fuel economy is down to 10.3L/10km from 10.4 and CO2 is 243g/km, previously 246.SAFETYElectronic technologies, driver aids, a stiffer chassis and pedestrian-friendly bonnet lift the crash rating from four to five stars. When impact is sensed in the front it electronically signals pyrotechnic actuators to lift the bonnet 5cm in the rear and 3cm in the front, creating a buffer from pedestrian impact with the engine block.DRIVINGThe wet roads of the twisting and bumpy Yarra Ranges of Victoria were the perfect test for the 535i models available at the national launch this week. We drove only 535i models, some fitted with four-wheel steering and the Adaptive Drive package of Dynamic Damper Control and Dynamic Drive and others without these fancy gizmos. If you can afford the $10,600 for them, go ahead and splurge as they are not gimmicks.Honda and Mazda gave up on their mechanical four-wheel steering technologies because they were expensive, complicated and heavy. Besides, no one really wanted them in sporty cars. In these long-wheelbase luxury saloons, it makes perfect sense. It is electronically controlled and adds only 10kg to the car's weight.The rear wheels move just 3 degrees, but it's visible if you are following one. It is also noticeable through the steering wheel. At slow speeds, such as hairpin corners, it pulls the nose in tight as it virtually shortens the wheelbase. At highway speed it has the eerie feeling of crabbing sideways as you change lanes. It may feel strange, but it's stable. Add in the flat-cornering and controllable ride of the Adaptive Drive package and it will handle any surface.On the wet surface, we chose normal and even comfort settings so the wheels had more time to react to quick irregularities and keep the tyres on the road for more grip. It also reduced the intervention of the stability control. However, over undulating surfaces, the comfort setting can make the car float and induce car sickness. If you can't afford the package, you will still have a saloon that handles nimbly with a more natural steering feel.Grip is still remarkable and brakes are sharp with plenty of feeling and no jerky ABS kickback, even on a wet Reefton Spur. Tyre noise is higher than you would expect in a car of this calibre, but the twin-scroll turbo engine is refined, powerful, responsive and quiet. At 'full noise' there is only the most polite muted induction and exhaust roar. The surround view takes some getting used to as does that overly complicated transmission knob.Seats are comfortable, if a little slippery with high lateral G forces. After a dash across the Spur, I had a raw back from sliding sideways and sore knees from bracing myself against the door skin and centre console.Strap in tight. It's a wild ride, yet tamed by innovative electronics.

But the 62-year-old Sicilian-born semi-retired school principal says his parents drove an FJ Holden and when he went to buy his first car salesmen tried to sell him something else. He immigrated to Australia at the age of 10 in 1957 and grew up in an Italian environment in the wine growing region of Stanthorpe."But Italians never drove Italian cars," he says. "They drove local cars, mainly Valiants because of all the chrome and the big fins. They wanted to be seen; to be noticed."For Impellizzeri, it was love at first sight when he clapped eyes on a brand-new 1969 Fiat 8590 Coupe. "It was red and sporty. It was different and I fell in love," he says. "Everyone was trying to sell me a Mini or a Torana but this was different." He paid $2350 and kept it three years."The baby came along and it got too small, so I traded it in for a second-hand 1969 125 sedan," he says. "At the time I appreciated the engineering in Fiats. They were way ahead of their time. They had four and five-speed gearboxes, four-wheel discs and belt-driven twin overhead cams. You couldn't get these things even as an option on anything else."He joined the Fiat Car Club of Australia in 1970 and attended several motorkhanas in Dubbo, driving the 850 down on Saturday, competing on Sunday, celebrating Sunday night and driving home on Monday. "We had a heap of fun in it."He kept the coupe five years and traded up to a 1974 132 GLS for $3000. He still owns it and drives it every day. "It's survived the test of time," he says. "It's so underrated. It's got 700,000km on it and you wouldn't keep a car that long if it broke down all the time."Around this time, he also bought his first Fiat restoration project, a 1950 Topolino (little mouse) 500C for which he paid just $50. "It was being used as a chook pen but the car was complete," he says. "The tyres were flat and it had grass grown all around it, but we pulled it out, took it home, cleaned and washed it, replaced the plugs, got the water out of one cylinder, put a battery in it and away it went. And it's still going."He has restored it twice and is considering another, more complete, restoration. "The first restoration was when I was young so it wasn't stripped properly in the first place and it was done on a budget." The car was deregistered in 1978 and got a more thorough restoration in 1984. In 1990, he paid $5500 for a left-hand-drive 1971 124BS Spider Sport which had been imported from the US. "It was pathetic," he says. "The engine was falling out of it because the cross member had come loose. But there wasn't a skerrick of rust on it."Impellizzeri admits that rust was a problem with most Italian cars. "They say they were treated, but if they were it wasn't worth talking about," he says. "Some say the fault was cheap Russian steel. Either way the cars we got here were all rusted. I always take off the door and interior trim and treat them with my own concoction of Killrust and fisholene. At first it smells but that's short lived. You can always spray a bit of your wife's perfume on it."Impellizzeri has spent about $15,000 bringing the Spider back to concours standard over about eight years. "You can hop in it and drive it anywhere," he says. "But the Topolino was never made for 100km/h, so I don't drive it on the open road as it struggles to keep up."His next project is a 1950s Fiat 1400 cabrio which he bought at auction in Adelaide for an undisclosed sum. "They were never sold in Australia. Only seven were imported and only two remain," he says. "When I found out how rare it was, I became interested."When he begins restoration, most of the parts will probably be found somewhere in his shed which is packed to the rafters with everything a Fiat owner would ever need. There are boxes of engine gaskets, nuts and bolts, locks and latches, horn buttons, alternator brushes, window regulators, even windscreens. "You name it, it's here," he says.So much so that even garages contact him for help and parts. Around the back of the shed are several 131 and 124 wrecks used for parts. His son, Danny, also owns some Fiats, including a 124 that he races with his father as head mechanic. The pair hope to run it in the Cootha Classic hillclimb at Mt Coot-tha on May 28-29. The event features more than 250 cars and about 50 motorcycles from the 1920s to today in timed sprints around a 1450m track up and down Sir Samuel Griffith Drive with seven corners and chicanes. Racing starts at 8.30am. Entry is $20 a day, $15 for concession, $30 for a two-day pass and $5 for parking in the J.C. Slaughter Falls carpark.

As Dan Bowden, 35, says: "This is a collection, not a museum.  A museum is for things that are dead or dying.  We are proud of the fact that all these cars are running and going."The collection of about 80 vehicles from a 1932 Ford roadster to a 2007 Dick Johnson Racing BA V8 Supercar includes a 1965 Ford GT40 and a 1965 Shelby Cobra each worth $2 million.  Bowden says Shannons has insured the collection for $22-$23 million.The only way to get in to see the collection is to buy one of Bowden's Own big car care kits, the super size or mother bucket kit. The tickets are free inside.  Even then, you can't walk up to the doors with your ticket and demand entry. In a covert operation, guests gather at a nearby service station and are escorted to the large shed set back in a massive suburban lot sheltered from the road by thick rainforest.  "We have to shut the doors when we turn the cars on for our Sound Tour because our neighbours complain," Bowden says.No wonder. The collection features Norm Beechey's 1970 350 GTS Monaro which is credited as being the loudest car to race on Australian tracks.  They took it to England last year for the Goodwood Festival of Speed and won the trophy for best-sounding car. "It scared the Poms," says Bowden.They get about 1000 people through the collection in a year with a tour every second Sunday and some evening corporate days.  They've had visitors from the UK, US, Germany and New Zealand as well as around Australia.  "We get about 30 to 40 calls a week wanting to come through," he says.The collection and car care business are run by Dan and his brother, Chris, who also specialises in finding rare race cars for buyers.  "I've always been into cars," he says.  "Dad (David) was a hot rodder and he instilled that love of cars into us."At one stage, we had a (Falcon GTHO) Phase IV as the family car.  "I remember being at Lakeside in 1982 and I was just seven years old and it was the first time I'd been to a race track.  "People were screaming and dad was so excited and he let us eat junk food and I thought `wow this is great'."Dad's a stock market trader and he's done well, so he's put his own money into old race cars because he saw them rusting and being wasted."  His first historic race car buy was Pete Geoghegan 600bhp Super Falcon in 1982."It was in a million pieces and dad just about cried," Bowden says.  "He then got to wondering where all the great race cars were and so he started a quest to find them and restore them.   When he started he was the only one doing it, but now a lot of people are into it.  Race cars are a massive part of our history and we need to preserve them."When the Bowden's started collecting, the cars were cheap and they cornered the market. Since then the prices have gone ballistic.  "We couldn't afford to do it now," Bowden says.  "People even blame us for inflating the prices of muscle cars."Bowden has about 20 staff working on the car care business and the collection, including four mechanics who restore the racing cars to working order.  "We don't restore cars better than they were made for racing. We take them back to what they were, not show car standard," he says.Their most recent restoration project is three 1970s Falcon hard tops raced by Murray Carter, John Goss and Colin Bond.  "As far as I'm concerned the restoration isn't finished until we get the original driver in it," he says."Bondy is champing at the bit to drive this one and he might be in the seat for the Gold Coast 600 in October."  Bowden's Own came to the rescue of the Gold Coast event last year after the A1GP went bust.They sent several historic cars to the event to be driven in demonstration laps by their original owners, although Bowden admits Dick Johnson and Jim Richards got a bit "enthusiastic".  He plans to send more cars down this year."We have to be very careful about what drivers we get in them because we have a lot to lose," he says.  "We do a lot of speed events, historic meets and car shows, but there's just too much going on to get around to everything."  As for the collection, Bowden says they have enough.

Now living on the Gold Coast, Bayliss has been testing a Ducati 1198 race bike over two days this week in Italy.  Last year the 41-year-old teamed up with dean Fiore in a Commodore for an assault on the Phillip Island and Bathurst endurance rounds of the V8 Supercars. Bayliss didn't get a drive at the Island and they failed to finish at Bathurst. But he has told British Motorcycle News magazine he hopes to return next year for a full season of World Superbikes. "You're a long time retired," he told MCN.  "I'm saying I could come back and were going to have to see. It would make sense to come back with Ducati that's for sure." Bayliss was World Superbike champion in 2001, '06 and '08 with 52 race wins from 152 starts, 94 podiums 94 and 26 pole positions.  He then moved to MotoGP where he had one win and five podiums.