Farewell Neil.....hope the tracks are awesome where you are going

[Duncan]

Well, I got some sad news to share with the community yesterday, Neil de Pau passed away suddenly on Friday night, most likely from a heart attack. There was no prior signs of a problem and unfortunately his wife Mel found him when she returned home later that night.

While he hasn’t been too active on here in the last few years, many of the longer term members will know Neil well, he was an admin on the forums, a founding member of the NSW club, active committee member for many years and club president in 2009.

While I'm not going to do the whole story (and I don't know the first part anyway), here's a few key things I remember

Back before SAU (both the forums and clubs started), Neil worked at Nissan parts in in the 90s when they were selling GTRs, which is when I think he really go into Nissans.  At some stage as JDM cars started coming in, he bought a S2 R33 GTST (from John at UAS I think) and he, Mel and Monty started coming along to skyline events

I'm pretty sure I first met Neil as part of Team Trackday, a group of us who use used to do 1/2 and full day Eastern Creek open days every month in pretty much standard or lightly modified skylines (this is back when 200kw was a big deal, now you need 1000 to get the likes). They were crazy fun afternoons with so many laps on the track, just wearing out tyres/brakes and not breaking things. Good times.

Christian @PranK was there too, from memory he also had a white S2 GTST at the time, and he set up SAU Forums when SDU became unfriendly no non-members, and he also established SAU NSW where Neil was a founding member in 2001/2002.

Its a bit of an aside, but as long as I've known Neil and Mel they've had great danes....big ones....here's Monty and Prank from way back in the day...and Prank ain't short.

Neil always loved motorsport (watching, helping and later competing). I had the massive privilege of his grumpy guidance teaching me pretty much every good habit I have with racecar prep, nothing I could do could ever repay the time, sweat and blood (and probably tears too) that he put into getting and keeping my car (and Mark's too) on track.  He first helped us out at the Wakefield 500 in 2003, and then in so many rallies, races, track days all around the country not to mention a bazillion days just preparing and fixing broken race cars.

He bought his first race car around 2005-ish, a rotary powered Capri sports sedan, and while he did get to do some competition in it, the reality was it was a bit of a shitbox, not well built/engineered with lots of failures....and of course being a PP rotary the engine was a nightmare too.

After a while he realised the Capri was never going to be the car he wanted it to be, and he moved onto a Radical clubsport. While the radical has been through plenty of specs and ups/downs too, he raced that hard from about 2008 to now in supersprints, hillclimbs, track days etc and had a total blast, winning plenty of class trophies along the way. In particular I remember that lunatic doing Oran Park in his open sports car, on slicks....in the rain at night during one of their "Do it in the Dark" meets.... he was having too much fun to notice I think.

As if that wasn't keeping him busy enough, as I mentioned in 2009 he stepped up as President of SAU NSW.....and the year threw everything at him - we had a huge Show n Shine at Fairfield showground, plenty of the regular events like track days and motorkhanas, we supported the first running of Superlap at Oran Park, ran a massive 30th anniversary dinner for the R32 GTR with Jim Richards and Alan Heaphy speaking and sadly had 2 members who died in an accident at an unofficial cruise. It was a year packed with real ups and downs.

Anyway, post all of that he focussed more on his own racing again and took the skyline off the road and had it caged and log booked for racing as well, leaving him with a choice of fixing the radical or the skyline in any spare minute. He ran the skyline at a bunch of events in the mid 2010s, but it did get remodelled at the national Hillclimb champs at Mt Cotton and didn't quite make it back to the track yet

In 2019 (they must have know COVID was coming), Neil and Mel got the hell out of Sydney and moved to Tamworth for a better lifestyle, a good local car club, and maybe most importantly a proper flat shed with space for a hoist   I'm not sure he spent much outside that shed since.

Anyway, that's about all I can think to say now, except......Farewell mate, you will be missed.

Anyone else please post up any memories or pics you might have.

[MBS206]

Neil, you'll be missed mate.

It saddens me deeply that I can't pick the phone up for a quick question that always turned into a 2 hour amazing chat!

 

We had many a good laugh. I always enjoyed joining you at the track, travelling to catch up and see you burn more fuel and rubber, and I was truly looking forward to seeing you with Cheryl back on the black stuff.

I'll see you in the next chapter buddy! Rest easy!

 

[evil_weevil]

Oh this is very sad news. Thank you Duncan for posting and the history. Thank you Kel for letting me know.

being a member since 2005, Neil was one of the first members I met. A true gentleman albeit grumpy! But always a cheeky smile was had. 
 

very knowledgeable, smart and approachable and all round top bloke. 
even when I ditched the r33 for an Mx5, even though both of us loved Nissans he said I made the right choice for getting into further Motorsport. Even at the show and shine, he saved me a spot in the race car line! 
 

I hope you are doing endless hill climbs up there Neil, and burnouts! 

 

[Kel]

I'm at a loss to find words good enough to capture just how much Neily meant. Luckily, Duncan found some good ones, so I'll just add a few of my favourite Neily photos.

 

[DekA]

Very sad news. Niel, you will be missed. 

Thank you for letting us know Kel and Duncan.

[The Bogan]

Drive on through those pearly gates Neil 

[DRD-00F]

4 hours ago, Duncan said:

As if that wasn't keeping him busy enough, as I mentioned in 2009 he stepped up as President of SAU NSW.....and the year threw everything at him - we had a huge Show n Shine at Fairfield showground, plenty of the regular events like track days and motorkhanas, we supported the first running of Superlap at Oran Park, ran a massive 30th anniversary dinner for the R32 GTR with Jim Richards and Alan Heaphy speaking and sadly had 2 members who died in an accident at an unofficial cruise. It was a year packed with real ups and downs.

I had been helping out in the club for a couple years already. When you put it all on paper, 2009 was a wild year! I think Texi was around then too. I never would have guessed that all that happened in one year. I remember the Show N Shine very clearly! I helped organise a bit of it, even designed the flyer with my sweet photoshop skills. Chubbs was in the first Superlap, Queen Streets RX7 blew a seal and dropped oil everywhere (that was 08 though). I've still got my signed fire extinguisher from the dinner with Gentleman Jim Richards and Alan Heaphy. I also knew Tom and Gerard quite well. Neil was there through all of that and more. 

His Radical was probably the most absurd thing I had ever seen in the flesh at the time, and I loved it. 

Neil was a great President, even though I think he was pushed into the position begrudgingly... He really did just want to go racing!

All around top bloke, very sad to hear.

[Abo Bob]

Catch you later Neil. It was nice knowing you. 
I came along in 2003 and was committee or president from 2004 to 2008 and I remember thinking when he got the Capri that we would be saying goodbye to him, but thankfully it wasn’t so. He’d found his home with us and was always there to lend a helping hand or a bit of advice. 
After working at Nissan, Neil later worked at BMW so he was again a great source of information for me and I’m pretty sure a few others when we eventually had families and moved on from our Skylines to bimmers. 
i also remember Monty and the other one (name escapes me). I’m 1.99m tall and those huge paws had no trouble reaching up to my shoulders. There’s a fair bit of lateral force (or is that yaw?) when an animal that big leans on you!

Last thoughts here are for me. Thinking of you too in this time. 

[Duncan]

Oh he's gonna be pissed when he finds out that Ronald photo was posted again Kel, and thanks for filling some gaps Doof

Kel just reminded me of another thing....he let us load up his car trailer with all the garage crap and was down here in the first night I stayed in the new place, with all the mice running around, blocked chimney in the kitchen fire....and instant coffee from a cut down water bottle since I forgot to pack even one mug

Also....I forget his actual first race car....n12 motorkhana pulsar. It was lightened, a bit

[Duncan]

11 minutes ago, Abo Bob said:

Catch you later Neil. It was nice knowing you. 
I came along in 2003 and was committee or president from 2004 to 2008 and I remember thinking when he got the Capri that we would be saying goodbye to him, but thankfully it wasn’t so. He’d found his home with us and was always there to lend a helping hand or a bit of advice. 
After working at Nissan, Neil later worked at BMW so he was again a great source of information for me and I’m pretty sure a few others when we eventually had families and moved on from our Skylines to bimmers. 
i also remember Monty and the other one (name escapes me). I’m 1.99m tall and those huge paws had no trouble reaching up to my shoulders. There’s a fair bit of lateral force (or is that yaw?) when an animal that big leans on you!

Last thoughts here are for me. Thinking of you too in this time. 

Good to hear from you Abo, hope France is treating you well.

The problem with the big dogs is they don't live so long, and with the last few he and Mel were rescuing ex breeding dogs later in their life. I remember Monty, Roy is probably the guy you met, then Princess Kate, Greta and now Lizzie...I might have missed one in between

[Shell]

I'm going to miss that grumpy old man!
Back in the early days he'd always ring me after an event to make sure I made it back to Canberra safe & sound. It was always cute to see Monty taking up the entire rear seat of the R33. When he was at BMW he was able to order me some cool F1 merch from my man JPM (Juan Pablo Montoya). I'll miss him calling me "Shelly" and his distinctive laugh/giggle. Always got a laugh in more recent years seeing how many meat trays they seemed to win at their new local via their FB posts. I hope those mates down the pub are rallying around Mel and also having a beer or two for Neil.
I'm really glad I made the effort to go to Huntley Hillclimb a few years back and catch up with him (and Duncan and Kel) otherwise it would have been way too long since I'd seen him and that would have made me even sadder than I'm feeling now 😢
RIP Neil xx

[timmy_89]

Sad news indeed. I was just laughing the other day at a grumpy comment he had made on facebook 😆

[D_I_F]

A very shock and loss for the SAU community. He was a very knowledgeable and passionate guy which a big heart to help people even if he was a grumpy old man most of the time. But I think that’s why we all loved him so much for just being himself and not caring what anyone thinks. 
I don’t know if I have any pictures to share, I’ll have to pull out some old drives but I vividly remember his white R33. 
I hope he’s living the dream where he is and my condolences goes out to Mel and their family and friends. 🖤

[D_I_F]

55 minutes ago, Shell said:

I'm going to miss that grumpy old man!
Back in the early days he'd always ring me after an event to make sure I made it back to Canberra safe & sound. It was always cute to see Monty taking up the entire rear seat of the R33. When he was at BMW he was able to order me some cool F1 merch from my man JPM (Juan Pablo Montoya). I'll miss him calling me "Shelly" and his distinctive laugh/giggle. Always got a laugh in more recent years seeing how many meat trays they seemed to win at their new local via their FB posts. I hope those mates down the pub are rallying around Mel and also having a beer or two for Neil.
I'm really glad I made the effort to go to Huntley Hillclimb a few years back and catch up with him (and Duncan and Kel) otherwise it would have been way too long since I'd seen him and that would have made me even sadder than I'm feeling now 😢
RIP Neil xx

I remember the giggle, it was almost like he was a little school boy again 🖤😌

[Aggroman]

"look at this kid in his N/A skyline thinking it's so good. Wait till you feel a turbo, it will blow your mind. Like sex with a woman"

Something to that effect was Neil's first words to me at my first texi. He did it to get a rise but couldn't keep a straight face

I joined towards the end of Neil's tenure as president but he would always come along to events and give the regulars shit.

I still remember watching Bathurst in Duncan and Kel's new garage and enjoying his commentary blind drunk more than the race itself.

He was the original grumpy guy but we all loved that about him. I hope his family can manage to live on without him and all of us can reflect on the good times we shared.

[MBS206]

3 hours ago, Duncan said:

Oh he's gonna be pissed when he finds out that Ronald photo was posted again Kel, and thanks for filling some gaps Doof

Kel just reminded me of another thing....he let us load up his car trailer with all the garage crap and was down here in the first night I stayed in the new place, with all the mice running around, blocked chimney in the kitchen fire....and instant coffee from a cut down water bottle since I forgot to pack even one mug

Also....I forget his actual first race car....n12 motorkhana pulsar. It was lightened, a bit

He was quick to lend a hand to mates, even for a shit job like moving house!

Not only did he bring the enclosed trailer to help you move, but he and Mel cam down and helped me many years ago when I moved out of a share house, bringing the trailer along to help move non running Skylines! (yep, multiples!).

Not only that, but loaning his old Ford tow car so Duncan and I could go all the way to Morgan Park with from memory a hire trailer, for a super sprint weekend.

 

I remember long trips, around 2013 I think it was for SAU Nats in Adelaide. I drove the Patrol down, with Neil riding shotgun, and Sarah in the back, towing the huge trailer, even blowing a few tyres on it between Sydney and Wagga!

And then his amazement, as I put the trailer and patrol to bed at the apartment in Adelaide with an interesting and tight reverse.

 

Shell, like you, I'll never heard the nicknames again, or his phone sign offs. Or how he loved, even in our last phone conversation to take the piss out of me because many many years ago I offered the suggestion to give @Duncans fuel pump a hit with a hammer, as he and I seemed to be thinking worst case scenario for the GTR lacking fuel pressure after a few laps. While I was thinking dead pump, and I think Duncan was chasing other electrical issues, it was Neil with a calm head who went "Have we checked if there's any fuel left in the fuel tank?". Yep, Neil was right... And he wouldn't let me live it down (Or near a car of his with a hammer...)

 

Then at my first track day ever, Shell loaned me her old R33, Neil came out as passenger/instructor. His words at the end of the session were "You're crazy! I'm never getting in the car with you again on a race track!" (However, he still stuck up for me when the Wakefield staff came to have a word about "the incident" and made damn sure I was back out there ASAP!!!).

While he wouldn't get back in the passenger seat on a racetrack with me, he still handed me the keys a few years later to take Cheryl out on track at MDTC (and still very loudly refusing to even consider riding shotgun with me!)

 

Always one of a kind.

 

Neil was the nicest, most caring, un-grumpy, grumpy man you'd ever meet. Because as someone else said, he didn't care what others thought! Oh and we all knew what he was thinking! I think it's why I got on with him so damn well!

 

Definitely missing you Neil!

You, your antics, and our fun times have been on my mind all weekend. Rest easy, and keep laughing at us Neil!

[Merli]

Grumpy to giggling like a schoolgirl in 30 seconds flat and back again. Definitely an irreplacable one of a kind.

Rest in peace Neil!

[Sinful]

Very sorry to hear the loss of a great human. Neil was great and I have always loved his honesty and how he called it how it was.  
We kept in touch through the years and shared similar interests with my other hobbies. I loved how he brought a radical and did what he wanted with it and got a lot of enjoyment out of it.
I was there at the first superlap as many of us and hope to be there at that event always. 

He will be missed and I pass on my condolences to his family and close friends. 
 

he was a good egg *hugs*

[fatz]

So sad to hear, and thanks for letting us know kel/dunc

So many track days and beers under the belt. The old fella will be missed

will miss our regular 8 beer monthly catchup, where we just hung shit on all the poofs who own skylines now and Duncan.

might go outside a tech screw a few things into the race car just to give him the shits one last time.... " do it properly ya dickhead" he would say. RIP old fella

[PranK]

Its testament to Neil to see so many people leaving messages here. 

I was so upset to see this thread yesterday, time does silly things to you, it didn't feel like so long ago that I saw Neil but regardless of that, its still far too early for him to be taken. 

He, Mel and Monty were such positive and lovely presences at so many events. The three of them were always a pleasure just to be around.

I'm heartbroken for Mel. 

@Duncan beautiful post mate, you captured so much in that, far more than I could have. Thank you.