CMC Report By Combined Motoring Club Delegate, Jim Boyd General Meeting -31 May 2010 The meeting was opened by President Kathleen Toovey, who broke the news to the delegates that due to health circumstances, she will be standing down from the committee, and handing over control to Tony De Luca, Vice President.  Tony then took over the chair, and thanked Kathleen for her contribution to the council. There were a few points of interest brought forward which are of concern to the general motoring enthusiast, and are as follows - There have been reports of abuse of HCRS plates of late, apparently people have been registering cars on club (HCRS) plates for a period of time, then transferring to full registration with the same owner, and after a short period selling the car fully registered having not paid any stamp duty.  This tends to make the Government somewhat cranky, and may also jeopardise our Club Plate System. It has been pointed out that although our cars in the majority were built prior to seat belt laws, we are NOT allowed, under any circumstances to carry a child under seven years old, unless full compliant seat belts and child restraints are fitted, no exceptions. The ASRF (Aust Street Rod Federation) has advised the council of concerns over importation of modified vehicles from overseas.  Where there has been virtually open slather for years if vehicles built prior to 1982 were to be imported, provided all components were of the correct period.  However now there are full chassis bodies and other parts being offered as brand new reproduction, you must be able to prove your parts are authentic.  It is rumoured there are about 300 vehicles waiting to be shipped back overseas, at the owners expense.  Get customs agent's advice before you buy, particularly on E-BAY. Affiliations - There are currently 146 financial clubs within the CMC, the latest admission being the Cronulla RSL Motor Enthusiasts, with the next club to be voted on at the next meeting being the Isuzu Car Club of Australia. The Robert Shannon Foundation - has received 8 entry's since the last meeting. SECC. - There have been 1666 tickets allocated to date, remember to have them affixed to the outside of the windscreen, (if so fitted) BEFORE entering the gates, this will assist in flow and area allotment in general, Goody bags will be handed out at the gate upon entry. National Motoring Heritage Day - was generally regarded as a great success, venues recorded good turnouts with cars visiting a number of shows on the same day. Happy Motoring Jim Boyd

Asbestos - Auto Related Info Automotive Enthusiasts Should be Aware of Asbestos Risk When people mention asbestos, we often think of a hazard of many years ago that we no longer need to be concerned with. However, even as most asbestos products were banned in the late 1970’s by the Environmental Protection Agency and Consumer Product Safety Commission, many of these products still exists in industrial equipment, home construction, and yes, even older auto parts. Knowing where you may encounter these products and how to handle them can prevent a potentially life threatening exposure to asbestos. Asbestos was used in thousands of products before production was halted. Asbestos proved to be an efficient and inexpensive insulation material. It was also very durable and its fibers could generally be included in all construction compounds. Among the more common uses of asbestos was in brake pads and friction linings in automobiles built prior to 1980. Obviously, brake pads and brake linings generate a great deal of heat as friction is generated. The asbestos in these linings counteracted this heat and kept the pads intact and resistant to the temperature increase. Intact asbestos products do not pose a significant hazard. However, when they are modified or disturbed, they often release harmful fibers into the surrounding air supply. Older brake pads and linings likely contain asbestos and should be treated as such. If modifying an older vehicle it is important to note if the brake pads appear very old or damaged. In these cases, it is much more important that they be handled with the appropriate protective equipment. In some cases, if the material is very compromised, it may make sense to speak with an asbestos consultant to determine a course of action. In recent years there has been a rising incidence of mesothelioma, an aggressive asbestos-related cancer, in former auto manufacturers and auto repair workers. In most cases these cancers are directly attributed to occupational asbestos exposures. Options for mesothelioma treatment and therapies for other asbestos-related health complications are extremely limited. Most patients face a prognosis of between 6 and 18 months. Luckily we don’t employ asbestos in auto parts anymore and health complications in auto workers related to asbestos exposure should not be a problem going forward. But these materials are still in older vehicles and should be approached with extreme caution. Serious health conditions related to asbestos exposure are entirely preventable if people are aware of the materials they are working with and how to handle them.