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!

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!!

Let's get mobile!

The Qld Corvette Club's Corvettes by the Bay event is on Sunday 24 August 2025 at George Clayton Park, 55 Upper Esplanade Manly Qld.  Bluey (along with Damo and Hoges) are special guests, so it's probably time to make sure Bluey can be driven there!

Damian bought some custom made suspension spacers...

They look like they will be a bit too tall for Damian's liking, so time to cut them down...

Take one ring off and they should be good to go...

Muppet... Damian cut the wrong side of the weld, meaning the cut would need to be done again so the top of the metal is also removed!

That looks better...

And the top of the metal is gone...

Oh for Pete's sake... There's not enough thread poking through to attach the nut!  This will require some more thought...

Meanwhile, the battery didn't charge up, so it was time for a shiny new one.  Fun fact - Repco has a range of batteries that are made by Century... but branded Repco.  Same battery, different colour!  (Sadly, no discounts were provided for this commentary.)

Voila!  Installed...

So with Bluey now able to be started with the turn of a key, it's as ready as it's going to get before next weekend, other than probably getting some fuel and a wash...

Hope to see lots of people down at Manly on Sunday 24 August 2025!

Probably time to get cracking...

With esCarpade now only about 10 weeks away, Damian figured he had better get cracking with the handful of jobs needed to get Bluey into tip-top shape ready for this year's event.

Firstly, the battery is feeling a little down, so a quick blat on the charger should add some spark back into its life... otherwise it will be time for yet another new one!

Next cab off the rank is to remove the bash plates...  Damian will be taking Bluey to have the automatic transmission serviced (regular blog readers will remember last year's transmission replacement saga), as although this was apparently a "good secondhand transmission from a known vehicle", it's better to be safe than having to find another replacement this year!

Bash plates removed...  looks pretty tidy under there all things considered.

The boys fundraising total currently sits at a fantastic

$10683

Thanks to everyone who has donated so far, and if you are looking to make a donation, the boys are always happy to receive more!  Click the secure donation button up on the top right, or you can head over to https://fundraise.campquality.org.au/fundraisers/64bluey via this link instead!

Lastly, if you are looking to say g'day to Damo and Hoges and see Bluey in person, the next fundraising event will be as special guests of the Queensland Corvette Club's Corvettes on the Bay:

Date: Sunday 24 August 2025 - 7am to midday.

Location: George Clayton Park, 55 Upper Esplanade Manly Qld

Unstick the sticky rear brake...

Last time Damian drove Bluey, the driver's side rear brakes were probably a bit stuck on given the wheel on that side was crazy hot when he got home, but the passenger side was normal.

Off with the rear wheel (safety first), off with the brake calliper and a quick clean and reinstall...

Nothing was obviously wrong, so hopefully next time Bluey is taken out for a drive it will be all better!