Bluey is good to go for esCarpade - must be some kind of record!

Having Bluey's automatic transmission service completed on Thursday was the last bit of work requiring a mechanic to complete preparation for the 2025 Camp Quality esCarpade.

Before reinstalling the bash plates, Damian figured a snappy oil and oil filter change would be sensible.

New filter and oil...

Thumbs up from Damo and it was time to get on with the bash plates!

Front bash plate being balanced in place on the trolley jack...

Starting the rear bash plate, Damian wondered where the red grease all over the ratchet was coming from...  then he realised he had cut his thumb.  Must be something sharp under the car (and it clearly wasn't Damo)!

Holding the transmission bash plate in place...

All bolts done up and the bash plates looking the goods.

The mandatory fire extinguisher for esCarpade must be at most 5 years old.  Sadly this one is now 6 years old, so it's time for a new one.  Damian hoped it would simply be a case of removing the fire extinguisher from the bracket and popping the new one in there!

Nope!  The brackets are slightly different sizes...  Maybe the bolts will at least line up?

Nope!  Slightly different width between the mounting bolts...

Quick drill and reposition of one of the mounting bolts and hey presto, in-date fire extinguisher!

Quick tidy up of the Bluey wording on the rooftop pod...

Looks alright.

And a quick check of the safety lights determined that one of the amber strobes had given up the ghost...

The LED's themselves were fine, and there was power there, so something was a tad borked somewhere in the teeny, tiny circuitry... Better off replacing the whole thing.

Of course, Damian didn't have any spare amber strobes lying around... but he did have some green ones!  What did he do?  Check out the safety light walkaround for the answer!

For those who prefer their videos with a little more movement in the vehicle, here's DamosCarpade - aka driving home from the transmission service the other day.

Lucky last - fundraising update.  esCarpade 2025 is now less than 7 weeks away!!  There's still time to make a donation if you haven't already.  Currently, the boys donation tally stands at... <drumroll>

$12913

Thanks to the impressive humans and companies who have donated - all tax-deductible donations go directly to Camp Quality to give children living with cancer the chance to be kids again!

2025 Corvettes on the Bay

It was a tad dark when Damian left to pick up Hoges to head down to the 2025 Corvettes on the Bay car show as guests of the Queensland Corvette Club.

Arriving nice and early and parking where instructed, it looked like it was going to be a glorious day!

There's the bay... behind those trees and in front of the blue sky!

A bit later, Damian was asked to move Bluey to a new location, just a bit up from where he was originally, but in prime position on top of a grassy knoll... Luckily there was no book depository anywhere to be seen!

Corvettes continued to arrive...

First donation of the day - $50 courtesy of one of Hoges' neighbours...

There was a raffle being run...

And lots of trophies on offer!

Corvettes lined up in order from C1 (the first 'Vettes) through to C8 (the current models).

Looking the goods!

Thank you of course goes to the Queensland Corvette Club - long time supporters of Camp Quality (and of Damian's fundraising efforts too)!

Looking back down the line from the C8 end...

Damian felt that they really missed an opportunity here, with C8's lined up White, Red and Blue... 

Of course, being US made vehicles, Red, White and Blue would have been more appropriate!

Plenty of sunshine and Corvettes, along with people wandering through to check out the cars!

This cracker was parked out on the street... 

Bluey put in a special guest appearance...

Damian managed to grab a selfie, but unfortunately Hoges must have wandered off somewhere and missed out!

Later in the day a few clouds rolled in, making some Corvette owners a little nervous!

But nothing came of the clouds prior to leaving...

People lined up for the trophy presentation...

This one all tricked out like it was visiting a 50's drive-in theatre was a crowd favourite!

Poor old Hoges was a bit tuckered out, and had a kip.

Perfect opportunity for Damo to take a selfie!!

Hoges woke up shortly after that, when one of the closer Corvettes rumbled its big V8 engine into life!

Surprise of the day goes to Cricks Highway, who were attending the Queensland Corvette Club event for the first time.  James Allen, the managing director, announced that Cricks Highway would be making a donation of $1000 towards both Camp Quality and Rosies (the other charity supported by the Qld Corvette Club).

Home safe and sound...

A successful event was had!  In addition to Cricks Highway pledging $1000, the Queensland Corvette Club pledged $500.  On top of all that, in the donation tins was a fantastic

$209.75

Thanks to everyone who came along on the day to support Damo and Hoges' fundraising efforts!

Fundraiser Prep

Sunday 24 August 2025 - Fundraiser as special guests of the Qld Corvette Club at Corvettes on the Bay - George Clayton Park, 55 Upper Esplanade Manly Qld.

Bluey got a tub so it's nice and shiny for the event! 

Since Damian had already started doing stuff and things, he figured he would keep going... first, installing the spring stiffeners on the front... this is prior to driving.

And settled after driving... about 2cm higher.

Time to do the rears...

Damian noticed that one of the exhaust hanger rubbers had split...

So he replaced it with a spare he just happened to have lying around in the shed!

All round spring stiffeners - about 2cm extra height per corner!

Post drive...

Time to touch up the rooftop pod...

Bluey is actually blue again!

And the back...

Voila!

Giggle was looking a little worse for wear on the back also...

Much better!

These mirrors are a bit bare...

hehe... another Bluey sticker!

And on the passenger side...

How many stickers?  Never enough!

Be sure to swing by the Corvettes on the Bay event between 7am and midday on Sunday 24 August 2025 if you are in the Manly (Brisbane) area!!