Shuffling and Coventry

Mid morning I started shuffling the cars around so we could get the top box back into the garage loft. I hope for the last time - well last ish ... Here are some of them on the drive.

I'm glad to report the Talbot started relative easily too. Then the Ferrari out as well.

Nice shot in the sun - low angle to miss the bins. It took until about three before it was done and all the cars had been put away. The sun was still out though so I got the Imp warmed as I took the miles and took it for the run it missed a couple of days ago.

It went well - must have been the cooler air - but the whine seems to have moved to nearer 30 rather than 40 mph - odd ? No steering tantrums though and we flew along at 50 a lot of the way too.

But then what? The clouds were grey but stable ... So Mr E got a final run too.

That also appreciated the cooler air and flew. We even overtook someone. So two of the Coventry team were out. Well three if you include the driver.

So as to end of month miles ? Well the Supercars seemed to be in favour - a total of 224 miles. The swinging 60's only made 82 while the 30's flyers pipped them with 103. To be fair though I'm saving the Alpine for the run next weekend.

Another Day - Another Show - Another Car

Popped out to Kersey Mill first thing as the sun was out. Lots of cars there - a couple of hundred I'd guess [335 in fact]. This time I took the Ferrari as it needed a run.

A little rough at first but it got better. It needs much more use. There were some interesting cars there, like this Ginetta G4 ...

and this Rolls.

There was also a large 1926 Sunbeam 3 litre Super Sports with a very impressive (complex) looking engine. 

Recently sold - history on page 230 in the Sunbeam Book.

As to the Ferrari as I left a chap was inspecting it 'his favorite car' he said. Nice to hear and it had settled down by the return journey. I repeat it needs much more use.

So was that it? Not quite. With black clouds looming the Talbot got its run out. Not easy to start though - and that seems to be getting worse. However here we are at the Marina.

Again on the way back it seemed to be making more noises, but it's been almost two weeks since it was started and we had to go over those bloody speed bumps twice.

Cool but Too LOUD

So SAAB out and about in the afternoon for a Harkstead visit - defrosting the freezer - so we were packed with tools and cool bags.

Then later as it was a ECR meeting and James was home we took the MK2 Golf. Well we took it all the way to the end of the drive. It sounded like a WWII bomber. James admitted to having hit the speed bump at the station last night so that was probably the last straw on the exhaust. Oh well.

So we took the E-type instead. Parked next to a very angular [angry ?] Lamborghini Countach (replica) that comes to the meets. Very well done though.

So pointy or rounded profiles ? My vote is rounded - but then I do like the Ferrari ... Anyway I spotted an odd AC coming in late.

An AC 2-Litre apparently.

On the Case and a Right Decision

So oddly I started the day cleaning the vintage case I had bought. It came up nicely and I thought it would fit nicely too.

But No. When you close the boot it is too big. However it will fit nicely standing up - which is good to know. Next as James was coming back for the night I moved the MK2 out and cleaned the windows.

The rust around the badge is getting worse and the exhaust is blowing too I suspect by the noise. However it runs fine and looks good at this distance.

Next Aston to save the planet. 

Nice run although it did twitch when I put my foot down a bit quickly once - and that was without the Turbo Nutter Button - oh the Power.

Finally I got the Imp started and ready for a run to Harkstead to drop off shopping. I looked at the sky though and then all of the Apps. trying to find reassurance.

Umm - it was going to be close. In the end I decided against it and took the SAAB as the sky was black. Good job too.

This is the rain on the windscreen as I left.

Finally car swapping with MK2 delivered to James so he could use it tonight.

Here we are waiting in the lay by - a moody shot.

Nothing but a Barrow

It was mainly putting the tent up to dry today. Running it backwards and forwards in the barrow.

All was going well until ...

The rain came back. In the end it was fine though and we had it packed away before the evening showers. Only one problem. I left some led lights in side ...

Back Loading

Tuesday was Pack Up day. So that's what we did.

It seemed harder for some reason - the constant showers were not much of a help either. It could have been worse as we passed this caravan in a ditch just outside the camp site. 

It looked like the hitch and then back up wire had broken off. That's going to be hard to get it out we thought.

The run back was hard going too - and hot (27 degrees) - but it was only when we hit Ipswich that the traffic ground to a halt.

Typical. But soon we were home - 300 odd miles later - and not much drama from the trusty car.

This Mosquito is not for Swatting

The sun came out (a lot) when we visited East Kirby airfield for a car show, the odd plane taxiing and a fly past. Two thirds of the BBMF - no Wellington as it was broken. We'd been before 13 ish years ago but this was much better. This time they had a Mosquito taxiing too.

Lots of cars [mainly ones I'd seen before of course] but there was a few new ones to me like this SAAB Sonnet.

Not really any issues with the SAAB which was nice to see too.

Tanks for the Memory

SAAB up country on a dull - sunless gray day driving around. We went to find the "Tank in the Beach" which shows you how few attractions there were. 

An old Comet I Ae34 tank in fact. Packing a Rolls Royce V12.

It might need a but of restoration though. 

Moving on we ended up in Louth for lunch. Parking again a couple of times on the limes - or outside due to the size of the car. 

Nothing of interest on the roads really.

Non-Travelling Salesmen and Parking on the Edge

We started the day riding around with JFK. Well this one.

Anthony's 2007 Ford Modeo ST - almost as old as the SAAB. Frustratingly we hit at least three 'Road Closed' signs for road works which hampered progress. 

On the way back after visiting the ubiquitous country house (Gumby Hall) I spotted a couple of classic cars in a park and uncovered the smallest of events - many more tractors than cars in fact. I spotted this quite stately Rover from 1937 which looked nice though. Although with only 1080cc (the same as the Imp) it would be give you stately progress too.

After a wander to the sea side we were heading home when we called in at a curious shop stuffed full of full, but I found a nice vintage suitcase. Also buried in the mass of stock was a mid 1960's Morris Minor Traveler. Covered in, and full of junk too - so much so I missed it walking past.

The story was that they arrived there, having bought three plots of land and had a house built around the car. They had the AA make it safe and just left it there - for many many years.

Then a SAAB ride for another takeaway.

Here I am parking on the edge.

Sighs of Relief

Finally fully packed with the last minute things and ready for an early off. The only problem was the weight on the rear without spreading the load using the top box.

Hard to see but there was not much space between the rear tyres and the wheel arch any more. In fact we grounded the exhaust on the speed bump at he Wisbech car park behind Peckover House which was out first point if call. I only spotted one small car though in the whole house and grounds.

We grounded on the way out to but it turned out that was only the prelude. The run across several badly maintained very bumpy roads through the Fens saw us grounding out again and again - so we had to reduce our speed and play 'dodge the dip' - which made for slow progress. Then we hit lots of traffic too.

Anyway we arrived by 4:00 ish and we were all set up by 6:00. Only a slight hint of a fluff too after 140 miles. A slight sigh of relief from me.

However you could almost hear the car breath a sigh of relief too when the weight was taken off the springs. The life of a SAAB.

Packing - Packing - Packing

Spent a lot of the day just packing the SAAB stage by stage. Of course without the top box it was a bit harder. Here is a stage after a few hours.

And later another stage too. 

Two more large bags, the cool-box and some food to come. It's all going to fit - I'm sure - but it is a bit heavy now and that's without the 'passengers'.

Two more Sets and a Clean SAAB

I was going to start cleaning the SAAB first thing - but instead it got treated to a car wash.

That done I did the tyres, oil, water, washer fluid etc. I also cleaned the windows [and inside of the screen] and finally vacuumed the mess out of the footwells. I also fixed the rear wash wipe that has been blocked for months which was both surprisingly easy and pleasing

I noticed the rust is getting worse and the paint on the wheels is flaking off in several places. So a growing list of jobs if I keep the car which I want to do. 

Next the Aston out to get the electric lead from the boat and go shopping. It really is a beast.

That done I put the SAAB it in the new garage for a while while I took photos of the next pair of cars. We'll call these - The Supercar Set.

They looked great - the Aston especially moody and dark - the Ferrari very red. The Ferrari got a run before being packed away too. That done I wondered about the 1930's ? So I got them out too for a similar set up.

The weather was turning as I put them away though - so that was that.

My Last Car ?

Passed the morning on car admin (chasing for the Aston change of address to be acknowledged) while waiting for the main event.

A SAAB Harkstead/Ipswich/Harkstead run to take the wheel chair control to be fixed. While waiting I spotted me in a Vinttro advert as a Instagram Reel.

That was at their meeting in the Spring.

While I was in there I also spotted this.

A filly enclosed mobility scooter/electric buggy. I thought I might need one of those later. They also had a Gyroscopic wheel chair which looked frightening.

Anyway - excitement over I went back with the control following a bomb disposal truck being flanked by several police cars. The fix was fine and that was another job for Super Repair Man.

The Long Route Down

As it decided to rain this morning I changed my plans and thought I'd look for the Talbot rear differential oil filler and what oil was needed. That was quite quick - the filler is at the back of the differential and it says D140 in the club documents (or Castrol R in the original guide from the 1930's). Easy I thought.

So I thought I'd just pop under the car to check how easy it was to get at. Er... not at all it turned out. It is actually sandwiched between the petrol tank and the dif itself. Not something you can reach with the car on it's wheels. So I had a think.

Looking again from the rear I thought possibly you take the boot floor up - so that's what I did. I found wood screws at the back and self tappers into metal at the front - none of which appeared to be particularly tight. I removed them all and then the large wood screws on the rear of the boot but that did not seem to release anything. However that did not gain me access to the fill plug as it was still hidden under a rail.

So next was to try through the rear seat. The bottom came out easily to reveal a shaped cover that I assumed once removed would allow access to the top of the differential. Easy just a few screws - however I noticed several (it turned out 8) of the screws seemed to be under the back rest - so that had to come out too - back into the boot I went as I assumed those two large screws had to come off to release it - which they did. Here is is out revealing the cover.

Ten minutes later I had the cover off and was able to see the filler nut at last.

I assumed it was Whitworth so I tried to get a socket on it - that was impossible as the large sockets hit the housing. I had a few spanners so tried those but they seemed too small or too big and it was very hard to get my arm in the hole. Nothing else for it - the floor will have to come out. Along with some other fittings that appear to be on top of some of the screws. But here we are.

It is still tucked away at the back but at least I could get my arm in to reach it. Here it is.

I also noticed a growing pile of parts I'd removed from the car to get to that stage.

I found an adjustable wrench was too thick for the space but remembered I had some more odd Whitworth tools in a metal box. I tried several but luckily found one that would fit. A BS 11/16th or 5/8th WW. Lucky I had one of those in my stock of tools - I think they came from Charlie Boughton ?

Anyway it came off quite easily after that and even though it looked full I put the oil I had for the Imp (EP140) in. I'd checked that the spec was almost identical anyway. It only took about half a liter. So by 12:00 it was topped up and the (cleaned) nut was back on. That took three hours. Now for the refit.

An hour later the car was back together and most of the tools had been packed away too. I also cleaned the drip tray and measured what was in it. In fact only about 50 ml had come out so perhaps I was worrying about nothing. Hopefully use has now expanded the oil seals and like the Imp did once I started to use it, it won't drip so much. We'll see.

Now I know what to do it will be quicker - in fact it would have been much quicker the have the car on a ramp and do it from below. But where is the fun in that ?

Later when looking to buy some D140 I found that the Castrol Classic Oils site actually recommended EP140 anyway - so that made me happy too.

Finally in the evening I started the car and went for a run around the block. 

All fine. We'll look for drips in the morning.