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Tom Reynolds18 Oct 2014
NEWS

Surf's Up

When it comes to picking a car to go surfing, we get a woody... Our 13th Beach 'sample' are thankfully a little more practical

Given the high proportion of Australians who live near the coast, most of us (perhaps all of us) have spent some time surfing... Or pretending to surf, dreaming about surfing or even being thankful we’re not out there in the foamy stuff getting smashed.

For me, this passion was enabled in 1990 when I passed my licence and bought a red ‘76 Toyota Celica. The Celica had the twin cam 2.0-litre engine with twin Webbers. That fact alone ensured it could only be tuned by a man in a white coat with multiple engineering degrees and a fairly strong knowledge of The Dark Arts.

The rear air filter fell off every time I accelerated hard due to the torque of the engine (or the dodgy engine mounts: I was never sure) rotating the whole package into the brake master-cylinder. I drove without a rearmost air filter for five years.

The Celica was the ideal surf vehicle as I could fold the passenger seat flat for the boards. When desperate I could sleep in the front seat as well. This is not, however, recommended for anyone over 150cm tall or with a spine not shaped like the letter W.

After a few years, the accumulating salt in the passenger’s footwell brought the situation to a head. A friend was sitting there when the entire passenger floor pan disintegrated (taking the floor mat with it) and his feet almost hit the tarmac. While I was heart broken, my passenger was less concerned, realising that he could: a) run on the road like the Flintstones; or b) relieve himself without stopping the car.

Thankfully he only did one of the above.

I “repaired” the car by fibreglassing over a cardboard sheet I cable tied in place. Surfing caused the problem, and it was only right that surfing fixed it.

When I went overseas for 1995 to “further my surfing studies” my Dad kindly donated the car to the local wreckers for 20 bucks. He paid them!

So it was with a significant sense of nostalgia that, after enjoying an early break at 13th Beach near Barwon Heads (Vic), motoring.com.au caught up with current surfers and discussed their choice of surf-mobile and why they love them or at least drive them, to the beach.

Luke: Holden Commodore VL wagon
"Look, let me say first up- it's not mine. I've borrowed it for a while..."

Don’t make excuses! First up: it's on gas?
"Yeah she's on gas-- the VL V6. It’s an absolute dream machine. Look at it! It costs about $20 for a return trip from the city."

And how does it run?
"It starts straight away every time, but it's got no suspension, it's rough as guts. It's horrible."

As a surf vehicle though- no roof racks, you just put the boards in the back?
"Yeah, no racks, just put the boards in through the back."

You wouldn't make your girlfriend ride on the roof would you, so the boards?
"I wouldn’t even put her IN this car…!"

The window tint would have to be described as somewhere between dark and illegal.
"Oh yeah it’s a total dungeon. Look at it! It’s disgusting! [But] It’s cheap to run. And who cares if it gets stolen… You can just leave the keys on the front tyre!

Dream surf-mobile
"I’ve got a ’56 split-screen Kombi at home... So that’s mine!"

Keaton (and friends): Mitsubishi Mirage
"A wee little 2001 model Mitsubishi Mirage... Yeah a real nice vintage [laughs]"

But two door, no roof racks. How are you pulling this surfing caper off?
"Mate, a couple of straps and Bob’s your uncle. Straight on and no, I don’t really care about scratches!"

Is this your only car, or is this the surf vehicle?
"This is it; uni student car."

What's the attraction?
"My parents gave it to me for free..."


But it is a small car. What are some of the disadvantages? There’s no sleeping in it the night before a surf is there?

"Oh no, no, no! Or the night after a big night out."

And there’s no entertaining the ladies?
[Keaton’s mate] "His Mum and dad used to own it so…"
[Keaton] "Easy! Relax mate!"


What are the great features of it as a surf car? Economy?

"Oh no… shithouse! It just chews through the juice. And when the aircon is on, top speed is 91km/h I reckon."

And do the boys throw in for petrol?
"Occasionally. It goes around. They will drive next week."

Or they get the Maccas on the way home?
"Precisely!"


Dream surf-mobile

"A really nice, dark grey Subaru Outback or Liberty. Or maybe an Audi A6, but that’s not really a surf vehicle is it?"

Kelly (and friend): Mazda 626 Eclipse
"It got a flat tyre on the way here!"

Okay, so part of a surfing road trip is solving problems on the way! Who got the dirty hands?
"Oh I did!"

So what are the upsides of the Mazda 626 as a surfmobile?
"None really! Ummm... it’s a hatchback? [Laughs]... Like a lot of people today, the boards are not on the car, but in the back. It’s the one thing that’s great!"

Whereabouts have you come from?
"We’ve driven all the way down from Queensland! Just not in one day… We’re actually now living in Melbourne. [But on the road trip] We keep all our camping and surfing gear in the back to one side, with the boards over the top.

Dream surf-mobile
I’d buy a Jeep! Or a VW Transporter — the new one. They make all different sections for the boards to go in, so you could have a few sections. They're really popular with long boarders!

Anthony: Mitsubishi Magna V6
"It IS the V6 [proudly], so it purrs down the highway and overtakes the trucks when needs be."

All the lifestyle-themed car ads we see on television focus on what they can be used for. Why has the Magna been a good surfmobile?
"It's a great, great surf vehicle because I don’t mind if it gets dirty. I’ve had to for probably five years and I’ve never cleaned it. I do have it serviced though. Best part about it is I took out the back seats out so it’s flat."

We saw that, nice touch!
"It is! I have a double mattress that fits in there nicely. It’s a perfect place for a sleep on a cold night!"

Any rust from the surfing trips?
"None that I’m aware of…

You also sound like you don’t care?
"That’s exactly right! It’s not something I’m too concerned about!"


Boards in the back or the roof?

"In the back — always in the back! I’ve seen them fly off the roof. It’s a pain to tie them on, so straight in the back!"

Dream surf-mobile
"For surfing, THIS is my dream car! I’m there! I don’t want anything better because I don’t want to worry about it. I have a city car that I use for work, which is just smaller and neater. This is perfect; it’s got the cruise control to get us down here and enough space for the boards in the back."

Toby (and friends): Toyota Hilux
"I think it’s a ’97. I’ve had it two years. It's not quite [the ultimate surfmobile] but it goes alright!"

Boards are in the back… almost?
"They don’t exactly fit. It’s just not quite long enough with the twin cab.

On the plus side, it fits four of you
"Yeah, you fit all the boys in the car and all the boards in the back... So it’s alright... It does the job!"

Dream surf-mobile
"Probably just a newer Hilux!"

John (and sons): Volvo 240GL wagon
"It is a classic! Just pop them [the boards] over the back seat- it's long enough."

Is the rust surfing related?
"We live in Geelong and the car is parked facing south so you get the onshore southerlies. So we’ve got the salt getting in there. Not good!"

Is this the only car or the surf car?
"My wife is an artist and this is her only car. It’s perfect for transporting art pieces."

The rear headrests are off. Can fold it flat for sleeping?
"Well, I wouldn’t sleep in it! Though I think my son might have slept in it.

What’s its best feature as a surf car?
"It certainly isn’t the fuel economy! It’s spacious with a long tray. You can put roof racks on it if the whole family is going.

Dream surf-mobile
"A diesel Ford Territory."

Brenton: Holden Rodeo LT
"It’s a good surf vehicle because you can chuck you boards in the back and have a few people in it – it's five seater -- and you just cruise along the coast!

It’s had a few mods?
"This is the original colour, but it’s been lowered and a big set of wheels were put on before me. It also has a spray on Ute liner that was also there. I bought it from a bloke up in Cairns, so I travelled all the way up to Cairns to get it!"


How do you feel about parking it down the beach? A bit of salt spray must upset you?

"Oh, it gets washed just about every weekend and she’s got a good layer of wax on her so…"

Dream surf-mobile
"I’d have an American jacked-up Toyota [Tundra]. If only I could import something like that. That’s my dream car and that’s what I’m planning on getting after this."

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Written byTom Reynolds
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