Gday,

Well, here I go after a rather long hiatus (to I at least) from this site. It’s fair to say that mid 2017 was, um, not good. My father-in-law, Alan, succumbed to a 21 year battle with cancer at the tender age of 71, he was an absolute gem of a man, and the main reason I became involved with classic cars and bikes, it is still so very strange not to have him around, still very raw yet. It feels so odd to walk into his workshop when Tanz and I visit her mum, Frannie, his tools lay amid the oil stained workbench where he stacked them, containers of this and that neatly woven amoungst each other, just as he last left them. He liked my 928, although, being a rather forthright man he told me what he thought before I purchased it... I gleaned a little more respect from him, when he first saw it, and have since found out he spoke at large about it to his friends, I know what he really thought, as there was always a space in his garage when we visited so it would not have to sit outside! Rest easy Alan.

Eventually when I wanted to post here I couldn’t, no matter what I tried I could not log on, eventually after I had given up for a few months an IT guru fixed the problem, thanks Robb! (apparently some computer keyboard language setting difference between our countries, weird as I have not changed my iPad here since I joined Rennlist).

Anyway, I look forward to my renewed involvement with this forum again.

A couple of pics on my way to a car show after Alan’s passing, a beautiful reflective drive through Middlemarch Otago, towards his old stomping ground.

Cheers, Kiwi.
Highlands Motorsport Park Otago NZ

Welcome back! Remember fondly your Dad as you drive your shark through what I consider to be some of the best driving roads for a 928! Visited my folks on the West Coast last year and want to come further South next time. Will message you should we get that far

Great post and photos. Was just down in that part of NZ last weekend, great time of the year there at the moment. Enjoy the car on those fantastic roads. Richard

Thanks ED, I thought far too long and hard about even posting this, but he really was a lover of cars, and he knew all about this site and it’s wonderful people via our chats together, respect to him, respect to you, again thanks.

Cheers Adam, and thanks again for that lovely pm, I look forward to reading more on that wee project of yours!

Thanks mate, I will always think of him (not my Dad but my father-in-law, that’s ok though no problem), you make sure you message me please next time you are down, always a bed, wine, beer or coffee!

Cheers Myles, yes I will call you, though it’s your car I really want to see! Oh and yes avoided any trouble😎
Thanks Richard, feel free to contact me next time you are down, wine, beer, coffee, a chat, I don’t mind.

Thankyou Ken for your kind words, Tanz and I ease the pain a little by doing charity work for our local Hospice (Philosophy of care to Cancer patients and their families) it won’t bring Alan back, however, having gone through this we know how much any kind of support means.

One thing to come out of it all is the bond Alan has left us, the bond of family, we are so much closer now with family we would not normally have contact with from other parts of our country. In fact we (around 16 of us) are driving our classic cars the full length of the country in November this year in honour of Alan, Tanz and I are thinking of making it a charity run for Hospice. I will be documenting and posting this at the time, our 928 is ready to go!!

Happy to hear you have “popped” out the other side, I trust your brother has too.

Once again, thankyou.

Thanks so much Jon, we are still so easily effected by little things that remind us of Alan, we know things will get easier, but we miss him so very much that it clouds us....