History
2020 June 26th
From Dust to Dapper
Lesley The Plains Producer Newspaper motorsport photographer, due to COVID-19 had to find a way to remain positive in these trying times. Her dad passed away last year with complications due to Super Nuclear Palsy symptoms .PSP is similar to those of Parkinson's disease. One of the differences is the lack of shaking and becoming rigid, this is a degenerative disease involving the gradual deterioration and death of specific volumes of the brain. The condition leads to symptoms including loss of balance, slowing of movement, difficulty moving the eyes, and dementia. Her goal is to shine a light on this horrible disease. Trev loved tinkering with anything mechanical and enjoyed Mallala Motorsport Park, Speedway city and the V8 supercars .Many trips to Booleroo Center Steam and traction days and not to forget the race track at Port Wakefield .So just anything with an engine. Quite a few years ago he found it hard and started to slow down unable to put nuts and bolts back on the vehicles. He also found it difficult to get in out of the seat. He was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s. A number of years later he still wasn’t responding to Parkinson’s treatment the doctor’s investigated further and Trev was diagnosed with PSP. Some famous people also have suffered with PSP are Linda Ronstadt, Dudley Moore and Robin Williams. He lived and fought quietly for many years with help from family and cares and he remained home. Lesley’s aim is to encourage everyone to not be afraid of your dreams and goals. Embrace life and the challenges that are in the back of your mind. This is how the story of “Ole Blue” came about. Back 2002 the International AR100 was brought from the Sparkman’s family farm clearing sale at Gulnare on the Wattsrange road from Yacka to The Gulnare/Spalding road.. Trev loved Internationals and was a founding member of the Northern Automotive Restores Club .He had two other projects on the go at the same time which he never finished. On the 13th of May Lesley organized a flatbed truck to collect “Ole Blue” the International Pick Up and take it down to Keep Australia Beautiful Restore Something in Wallaroo and the journey begins. Within the first week Old Blue was stripped and apart. By the end of the third week Ole Blue was being sandblasted and the wooden tray had been removed and lifted off of its chassis. Now was the time for the primers. By this stage Lesley was thinking what am I doing? Just a little bit unsure about the task ahead. Her family and friends said to Lesley “Do you want to be like your dad and not follow your dreams while you can?” Covid-19 had got many of us thinking what is valuable in our own lives? Restore something don’t hold back. Follow the journey of “Ole Blue” Going International. Do it.
