Mannum mechanics hit the road for 2025 Variety Bash

The team at Shaun’s Mobile Mechanical Service is swapping spanners for a steering wheel to help children living with disability.

Liana Webster

Aug 7, 2025 — 2 min read

Last years the teams theme was Mad Max, for 2025 they'll be on the road as the Ninja Turtles. Photo: Bash Car #55 Ninja Turtles/Facebook.

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A mechanical service team from Mannum are taking to the road, traveling 2383 kilometres in nine days to help raise funds for kids living with a disability.

Father-son duo Neil and Shaun Lowerson, from Shaun's Mobile Mechanical Service, will be joined by friend Bradley Harper for the 2025 SA Variety Bash.

The group is set to hit the road from August 9-16, with 308 crazily-costumed entrants and 132 cars travelling South Australia -all to help kids who are sick, disadvantaged or living with disability.

This is the second year running for the now Ninja Turtles team, who last year entered as a mad max themed team.

They've already raised more than $15,000 with fundraising and sponsors.

Shaun Lowerson and the Mannum Tyrepower boys have been hard at work prepping the car for this years bash. Photo: Bash Car #55 Ninja Turtles/Facebook

Felice Lowerson, who won't be driving in the event but has done plenty of behind-the-scenes work, says the team loved to give back to such a great cause.

They'll be cruising the nine days in a 1970 Ford ZD Fairlane, whose engine they had to rebuild.

"That was quite a big process, stripping it all down ... they actually only got it back last Friday so we had a very busy weekend," Ms Lowerson said.

It was all up and running now though, she reassured.

"The support from local business, community and businesses we work with through our company has been great," she said.

The Bash will start at West Beach and make its way across the state before ending in Tanunda. Image: Variety SA.

For the Bash's 50th anniversary, interstate teams will also be joining the event, whereas they would normally run in their own states.

The route will take entrants across South Australia, from West Beach to Coober Pedy and back to Tanunda, visiting regional towns along the way.

Bash entrants have been fundraising for 12 months, and along the route, they’ll see first-hand how their hard work is changing lives, with more than $400,000 in grants being delivered to create lasting impact in regional communities.

Variety is a not-for-profit children’s charity in South Australia aiming to support children who are sick, disadvantaged, or living with a disability.