Bushtracker Visit and American Car Company

 It was simply a short journey from Gootchie Creek to the RV stop at Cooroy. The only facilities available are water and a dump point; all water must be retained, and sites cost twelve dollars per night.

Our van was booked for a service that included examining the bearings and brakes and applying grease to the hitch. We always camp outside the factory gates on Enterprise Street the night before, making sure our van is the first cab of the rank.

After our service, we returned to Cooroy for a few days before heading to the Gold Coast. We were there to have new adjustable shocks fitted to our Chev Silverado. The current shock absorbers were not fit for purpose, especially when driving over the poor, undulating Queensland-sealed roads. 

We installed Canadian-made Elka shock absorbers. They are 2.5-inch reservoir shocks that can be independently adjusted for high and low compression.

After returning to the Tallebudgera Creek caravan park along the M1 Gold Coast Highway, we could immediately feel the difference.

The real test took place over the next few days as we travelled along some of the inland roads we had previously driven several months ago. These shock absorbers were very expensive, but they were a world apart from the old ones, with the proposing effect nearly gone, and this was only with minor adjustments to the compression ratios. More changes will be made over time. The rear shock absorbers, fitted with protective boot covers, shield the shafts from potential damage by rocks.

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The black knob controls high-compression changes, and the red knob controls low-compression.