Buying an interesting classic car like an EJ or EH can bring a lifetime of satisfaction and enjoyment, but it can also bring its fair share of headaches, maintenance worries and registration costs.

Remembering there are a lot of car clubs out there, you will be able to find the club to suit your needs. We for example would love to have you as a member and help you enjoy your pride and joy. To do many things, like obtain a club permit, cars need a club environment. So once you have tracked down the right club for you and your car, how do you get the most out of your membership fees? As well as the social benefits, meeting people with similar interests in cars can answer many niggling questions you have about your pride and joy. Assistance can be obtained from club members whether you are undergoing a major restoration or carring out day to day maintenance

Although you will still need to do most of the work yourself, or pay someone to do it, knowing you are on the right track can be a big help. Another problem that can be overcome with like minded enthusiasts is the sourcing of rare parts. Clubs also provide a range of useful discounts and savings to members, from car products and services to eligibility for the club permit scheme and lower insurance premiums.

For people who want to take a more active role in the club they are a part of, voluntary positions on the executive committe or various sub committee can satisfy any leadership urges. Many clubs are now becoming more politically active and are joining with various state bodies in the fight for equal 'road rights' of older vehicles.

Now I'm not just going on about clubs, just so you will join ours, but you really do need to look at what kind of benefits you will be able to achieve by joining a club. If you are looking for a social angle to get out on, try it out 'cause as the old saying goes 'Together we cruise, Divided we lose'.

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Not insured? You should be. Your steeter is a target, no matter what you do to protect it. And insurance is out there, set up to protect responsible steet machiners in good cars. You don't even have to look long and hard to find it, as there are many companies now competing for this share of the market.

The standard wording on all the big insurance companies policies goes something like 'an uninsurable car is one that has been modified to enhance performance' and that doesn't mean radically modified, it could include extractors, tyres and mag wheels. They're very conservative. Insurance is like buying a promise. They promise to pay you out, but you have to play the game by levelling with them about anything that affects the risk they are exposed to. That boils down to not telling fibs- come clean about your driving record and claims history

How do you determine a street machine's value? A pile of reciepts and an engineers report may tell the world how much it cost, not to mention the hundreds of hours spent, but a bloke can never sell it for the same amount. The specialised insurance companies will ask you, and work out how much you would be able to sell the car for, and then it is insured at an agreed value.

So which insurance company should you go for? Well I can't help you there, as I don't know your claims history or driving record, or what type of car you drive, but I can give you a few tips. Go for a company that is underwritten by a huge company. Make sure they have been in business for a while. Get an imobiliser fitted. Get first option on the wreck (salvage). Be honest about your application. You will probably be pleasantly surprised with the prices these days. Remember it's not whether you can afford the insurance. Can you afford not to have it?

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When People tell you how difficult or tedious it can be to fully rebuild a car, what comes to your mind? Most people think of how much it will cost, or how long it will take, look, will they be able to do certain things, legally or physically. Well there is one area that I certainly overlooked, and it is not a problem that all rebuilders will have to worry about, but a lot of us rebuilders will have to take notice.

Now in this big city of ours (which is too big) we have a lot of beaurocracy, and I am not just talking about getting your car registered. We have a lot of laws, rules and by-laws. These are designed to keep everyone happy. BE AWARE. I have now discovered a new hardship in rebuilding a car, and that is your neighbour. I made the mistake of upsetting a few of them, and for this the work on my car must STOP! It was not the council that enforced this. If complaints are made, and you are warned by the council, although it can be done civilly by your neighbours, and you do not desist your activities of eg. Hammering excessively, grinding excessively, ANY spray painting (even undercoat), excessive dust. These items come under the Health Act 1958 Section 42. Under this act if people in your area say that your activities interfere with their health or even their relaxation, then the big heavies (EPA) can easily fine you up to $10,000 for a first time offence which would go a hell of a long way on your car.

Any how now that I can't do much on my car here, I have now gotten hold of a workshop where there are no noise limits, and there are EPA approved spraying facilities. The worst bit has been having to officially apologise to the council and ask the officer to pass on my apology to the residents concerned.

Just bear in mind that we do live close to each other and to keep up with your neighbours and find out if you are annoying them. Such is life...

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Car thieves are everywhere and can strike at any time. Sure, some places are more dangerous than others. You would be crazy to park a stunning show car in the back streets of most city suburbs on a Saturday night.

The better the car, the greater the chances of it being stolen, but no car is completely safe. What can you do? Plenty, and it need not cost big bucks, so even a run around second car can be protected, don't forget some people won't even want to pay for a taxi.

First of all at the bottom end of the scale, you can fit a steering locking device. They go from your pedals or handbrake up to the steering wheels or they can fit just the steering wheel. The latter type is more effective since it is quite visible from the outside of the vehicle.

There are other deterrents that can be fitted to your pride and joy such as anti-theft locking plates. These stop thieves from being able to use a coat hanger to unlock your doors. Locking wheel nuts can also keep your mags on your cars and branding the windows makes it difficult for the thief to get rid of the car. You can also brand the inside of the wheel rims.

Then you start getting into the serious stuff which is ignition lock systems. They let you disable the ignition electronics of a car at the turn of a key, others reset themselves automatically. They can be fitted with an alarm system or fitted on their own. They are designed to stop anyone from starting the car, not make noise. They can also be fitted to cut out starter motor crank and all fuel supplies, or any other electrical component that will render the car undriveable. Once this kind of immobilisation system is fitted, it then becomes impossible for someone to steal unless entire wiring loom is stripped and the system removed. This would take someone with good auto electrical knowledge and tools a couple of hours. So what hope has some bum thief.

The other type of alarms that are available are the ones with sirens. They can be set off by a number of ways, Voltage drop, Motion sensor, Glass shattering sensor, Movement of car sensor. These alarms can be set up to switch on and off with your central locking, which can be hooked up to a remote key pad. You can also get your immobliser hooked up to this type of unit.

There are also stereo's with detachable faces that have inbuilt alarms in them now. You simply remove the face, get out of the car, and when the car is opened up again, you have a small period of time to put the stereo face on, or the alarm will go off.

But overall the best way to prevent your car from being broken into or stolen is to not leave any valuables with in sight of the thief and don't leave your car in high risk area. And if you hear of anyone or selling stolen parts, then you should not get involved or buy any of the parts, as attractive as they may be, you will only encourage it, and your car might be the next target.

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Here are a few tips that will help you win that trophy next time you show your car.
A few assumptions have been made; that you will enter the correct category, that your Holden is already more like a silk purse than a sow's ear, and that it has the correct parts and accessories for its year model. This is one situation where cleanliness really is next to Godliness!

Judging is usually based around equally weighted marks for engine, underbody, interior, and exterior, with a smaller fifth mark for overall impression. A "hard" judge will be equally hard on everyone, so this is not a factor. An immaculately clean but slightly "lived-in" car will always score better than a dirty one which has just undergone aground-up restoration. Points are usually awarded for having a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher, so there are some free points.

Set yourself aside a fair few hours for this job. Results in this case are definitely proportional to the time spent. Begin with the two dirtiest tasks. Thoroughly soak the engine, top and bottom, with your favourite gunk remover, be it kero, degreaser, dieseline, or whatever. Use a paint brush to work the cleaner into all nooks and crannies. That "shaggy dog" toothbrush you were about to throw into the garbage may come in handy for such areas as the carby and the the sump. Don't forget the rocker cover.

While the degreaser is soaking in, jack up each side of the car in turn. Remove each wheel, clean the inner rim, and dress the inner side side-wall with "Armour-all" or a similar product. Use a long handled brush or old broom to wash the underside of the floor pan and the suspension components with warm soapy water. If your wheel wells are painted the same colour as the body of the car, scrub each one with a stiff brush. Do this until all road grime is washed away. Remove any tar spots with kero or tar and bug remover. Later you could polish this area when you wax the rest of the car. No kidding! If the wheel wells are painted in under body sealer, remove any caked on mud, and at a later stage spray with matte black. The areas to be sprayed must be completely dry to do this, otherwise the paint can dry to a light grey, looking very much like the road grime you are trying to hide. Watch over-spray!

When the under-carriage is completely clean, wash the engine down (protect distributor and coil from water) and hose under the whole car, including the wheel arches. Did you remember to clean under the bonnet son? Now wet the whole car in preparation for washing.

Wash the car from top to bottom, a panel at a time, using the soap of your preference. Be sure to wash under the windscreen wipers, the inside of the bumper bars, the lips of the wheel arches. When the job is done, chamois the car dry. Clean it in very warn (not hot) running water, or use a different chamois on the glass to avoid getting old wax from the body on the windows.

Inside the car, the first thing to do is vacuum the carpet or clean the rubber mats. This is best done with the seats removed. Then clean the head liner, seats, and door trims with soapy water or a spray-and-wipe cleaner. Do not wet things too much though, as stitching may rot at a later date. Shampoo any spots on the carpet. Break out the armour-all again, and treat, dash knobs, padding, everything but the steering wheel and pedal rubbers (do not make these too slippery), floor matting and inside window rubbers. Open the glove box and remove everything, then clean it. Clean the door jambs, paying special attention to the hinges, inside and out, and the door latch area.

Back outside, remove all tar and bugs. Now the car is ready for waxing. You will also need a "No.2" or mild cutting polish to remove scratches from under the door handles, and any kick marks around the door frames inside. Also polish and/or wax inside the boot lid, any visible painted metal inside the boot, inside the bonnet, and the painted metal inside the car. Avoid letting wax residue lodge in crevises, but use a clean paint brush to remove it if you do.

Did you buy a large bottle of "Armour-all"? Now you need it again! With a rag wrapped around the index finger, use it on all exterior body rubber, keeping it off both paint and glass. Use it on the boot and door seals, windscreen rubbers etc.

Now go to the engine bay and dress any plastic or rubber parts. (NOT the fan belt!) While you have it out, also do the tyres, including the spare. Did you think to clean the spare tyre compartment? If the metal parts of the engine look a bit dull, try some metal polish, mag wheel cleaner, or cutting compound. Tail light lenses which have gone matte will respond to "Brasso". Wiring harnesses can be cleaned with a rag slightly wet with lacquer thinners.

Finally, clean the windows inside and out with metho and newspaper (the best!), or any window cleaner. Your car will now look very impressive indeed and will be a serious contender for that trophy. You will also find that once a car is this clean, it will be easier to keep it that way.

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