Aero in

And the verdict is that it needs new rear bushes, a tire, brakes and disks. That means we'll have to keep it longer - as it was the plan anyway that's not a problem.

Nice small Alfa in there too as well as a 900 being worked on.

Luxury Crusuing

Run out in the XJS strait 6. Drove well quiet and goes faster than it feels, although leans a bit.

Rides like an updated E-Type I guess.

Saw some interesting Lancia cars on the way back. One I'd never seen before - below a Lancia Prisma Symbol.

Above a pair of Delta Integrale.


Then headed back in the MK7. 50 mpg bettered.

Last thing I started the MK2 just to check it works - it does fine.

Vauxhal Van

Riding around in Steve's Zafira people carrier. No many flash cars up t' North.

Oh for the space like this - and even a chance to sort it out !

Can you count them ?

G2N

MK7 up to the North. Made the journey easier with adaptive cruse control.

... And cheaper with 50 mpg (if you are careful).

Meeting Mr A

Took Caterham out in the sun - showed it off to previous Martin.

Did look fine in the sunshine too.

G2R again

Run to boat. Then back. 

More jobs and stuff

Golf out and into town for a run. Went well too, although the radio has lost one side of the speakers.

Followed up with the usual Aero run for jobs.

Big guns out

Aston to shops and Aero for jobs.

Still liking the darker wheels.

Looks like the petrol gauge might be playing up though  - seems to go down too quickly after 50%.

Oh and Alarm needed re-setting after iPhone upgrade.

More walking

Less driving. 

Two at the car show

End of year car meet at Shotley.

I took the Caterham ...

and Jana the Alpine.

Great selection of cars there as normal.

Then nighttime Alpine run too.

Walking and snapping

Jaunt in the Golf Mk7 then walk.

Past a very red Merc 280E...

 and then a very black Defender in the car park of the pub.

Winter Part 2

Fitted the hardtop on the Alpine after dropping the Ferrari off for the service and MOT. I'd forgotten I had to take several things off before it would fit and forgotten how to get it out of the roof.

SAAB keeps nagging me for a service too.

And I got another front cover.

Garage at least

Not much car action but fitted the old bumper and spotlights to the Alpine for Winter. Will add the hardtop later this week.

And more

Lots of rain. So more pottering - shops and local. 

And this app keeps crashing - thanks IOS 10. 

More Aero pottering

Tools in the back - there and back.

By foot

5 miles ... ish by foot only 

G2R

Run in Mk7 to boat. 

Then caterham refuIing run - did 180 miles. Went well - Oli had warmed it up.

Then final evening run in the Alpine. 

Pull the other one

Started the upgrade for the Dynator this morning in the cold. Fan heater soon warmed the garage up though. I took off the old knackered Dynamo - the tick is to keep it resting on the location bar so it takes the weight.

New unit arrived at 11:30 and by 11:45 I knew I'd got the wrong one.

The new one (top) had a 'V' pulley and not a grooved 'W' one. It went back in the post by 12:30 but that's another week I'll have to wait for them to change them over.

Updated the control box in preparation, using the old Lucas case anyway - oh well.

You can't park there

In fact we could.

The village car park was a lonely place for the MK7.

Earlier trip in MK2 parked behind a nice white Series III Land Rover.

Also saw the first gritting lorry on the A12 !

Autumn is officially here now

Predicated by the bi-annual Aston Tyre Swap. 

Seems I'm not the only one with the same idea. 

30 feet

Aero across the drive in prep for tomorrow. That's about it. 

A couple of Aero trips

Weather getting more autumnal, so I wimped out and took the SAAB into town.

A few more miles

Approx 200 - in the Golf Mk7.

Lots of interesting cars on the London streets. MG, Mercs etc.

This one had at least 2 flat tires.

Pizza buss was interesting too.

But liked the reg best.

Golf Meets Triumph

Went to see a Dolomite to loan Nigel the Golf's car cover as it was going to sit outside.

Fabulous original condition - including a half eaten conker in the engine bay and Mann Egerton dealer stickers. Drive really well too.

Apparently the cars with three number of the same are dealer demonstrators.

Earlier - an obligatory run in Aero for 20 big bits of wood.

I'd better get her fixed

Cleaned up Aero from yesterday.

Golf earning it's keep again off to the bottle bank and shops.

Also the new wipers sounded odd - turns out that the metal was hitting the screen a bit - vice and hammer sorted that but it's a bit bashed now...

I also won the SNG photo competition prize. I guess that means I need to fix the car now.

Lugging more around

Aero took 12 builders bags to the dump - 4 per load. Now needs a good clean - again. 

Using the Golf fuel up

Ran the Mk2 along to the Alpine meeting.

60+ miles - went well although it's noisy and seemed to wander a bit ?

Two runs

Off in the Caterham in the early sunshine. 

Ghen Golf for James' last run to the station as a live-in son.

How quickly those exhausts rusted. 

Cleanin up

Gave the Aston a clean first thing before the sun came round. Cool morning. Needed it after the Kent jaunt and quite dirty as well.

Then Aero running for jobs etc.

Team Turnout

Packed up in the early October sunshine with my new boot looking splendid especially with the addition of the retro suitcase.

Good selection of Alpines for the Sunday run too. Nine in all.

Run of about 100 miles I think but hard to tell as we got lost. Tiring anyway through the back roads, but the sun was kind and it only rained a little.

Saw nice 3.4 Jaguar MK2 at the airfield too.

Van Time Again

More runs in the long suffering Aero.

First thing with tools to finish a job off at Mum's.

Secondly loaded with 20 x 2.4m lengths of wood for Oli.

Looks like the suspension will need a re-build this MOT.