Showing off

Off to the car show and took the Golf. Went into the ring for the 80's classics.

 

We came 'third' only three cars entered and they had cheated - by removing all the rust.

Cheeky shot outside the country house at the end made it worth while though.

Castle on the hill

SAAB to Lincoln. Not much drama and nothing of interest in the cars there either.

Disco Feaver

Set off in the Golf Mk2 for the camp site.

It looked good in the sunshine as I'd washed it. Ran well other than - bit of a 'bump' from the rear and the steering wheel is off set and the car pulls to the left all the time... but other than that.

Arrived early, tent up and waited - past a battered Disco pulling a caravan when we went for food ... you guessed it.

Aero dragged all the gear up easily though after it's repairs. So the fleet was in residence.

Packing in the rain

Golf out first thing to buy new battery for Suzuki plus a wash for itself and fill-up.

Then swap for Aero as rain was starting to fall to fit battery.

Then took Suzuki out for a spin. Its a bit gutless ! Got that washed as well but forgot the aerial got broken before so it came off. No damage though.

The packed the SAAB for the journey. Got to love the fleet.

Bringing it back

Aero back home - after lots of work but bill not too bad. Seemed drive shaft bearing was also playing up amongst other things. Back to work soon though for it I thought, as we drove home in the rain and hail.

Lots of new cars in Abbotts - Jags and SAABs a plenty. Nice number on this one too.

Also had a look at Ed's army lorry tucked away in a huge shed. I'm beginning to get a hankering for an addition to the fleet, but what is missing ? 1930's here we come.

The Aero dash to put the Suzuki on charge again. Will get a new battery now.

Alpine Chosen

As SAAB was out of action the Alpine is the car of choice in the poor weather.

Cold but did not actually rain until we'd got back.

It got complimented by young(ish) chap walking past as I got out too.

Sad SAAB

Aero to Abbotts fisrt thing.

As suspected there was a stone trapped on the break disk but the 'belt' noise was in fact the bearings on the alternator on the way out so a new one is on order...

We'll await news.

Good part was that they have lots of nice XJS's in at the moment - early V12 manuals are the ones to have apparently.

Drive it day delivers

Some sunshine and no rain today.

Ferrari given the top table at Kersey Mill car show - with the Rolls-Royces. Got lots of attention too.

Home to take the E-type out - still rattles- - for a longer run though.

Then the Caterham just around the block. It has a small oil leak by the looks of the parking space - but went as well as ever.

As an aside 308 hit all the 6's on the way home too.

Jobs

Aero to Dump - earning its keep - but sounding like a stone is trapped in the rear brake disk somewhere. Also a belt sounds as if it's on the way out.

So Mk7 for local trip in the afternoon.

More Aero running

Across town shopping and DIY'ing. Making odd noise.

Photoshoot Day

E-Type out-and-about mid morning posing for photographs for the Jaguar World photo shoot prize.

Accompanied by Paul Walton the editor of Jaguar World and Michael Bailie the Photographer. Turns out he's taken many of the photos I see in Octane etc. So a proper professional.

Finished with the tracking shot - I now know why the drivers of cars in these look frightened. 10 feet from the boot of the photo car is scary - even at only 20 miles an hour - especially when it's not your car.

Paul also used the occasion for an 'our cars' feature on his XK8 - which was a good idea. Sounds like he grabs every opportunity to generate content.

They took lots of shots - so let's see what we get. I'll see them in a few days and the magazine next month.

Evening Tiger/Rootes meeting - some cars out - then it started raining so I was happy I'd got the SAAB.

Getting the E-type ready for the shoot

I spent many hours cleaning the Jaguar - especially the mud off the underneath, the inside, the chrome and detailing everything as I went. Still a bit scruffy inside.

The car looked great after I had finished - I even touched up a few stone chips. Noticed I seem to have scratched the bonnet around a chip a bit - but there you go.

I also took off the rear badge - a job I'd thought about doing before. It came off easily as it was only stuck on with glue - no fittings on the pins.

Cleaned underneath (you can see the 'shaddow' of the Jaguar on the paintwork) cut and polished it - looks 100% better now. I even made up some fittings for the pins and stuck it back on from behind only.

Late afternoon run in the Aston to the shops - then cleaned the windows so it did not jealous. I don't want them falling out overnight.

Golf for One

Mk2 run to Woodbridge to take a photo of the Tide mill for the Alpine brochure.

Looking good in the sunshine, but it's not getting much use.

Later tried to stop the rattle on the hand break - a few shims, tape and the missing 2 nuts will help.

Golf for Two

Took F&G out in the Mk7 - to show them how easy an automatic is to drive vs a manual.

Neither are 'natural' drivers - but got the point and renewed interest in getting a licence.

Late evening jaunt in V12V just because.

Now passed 19k miles.

The colour purple

Adam brought the DB9 ... and the colour is delicately growing on me. As is the shape.

It also looked smaller than I remembered.

Saving the plannet one Ferrari at a time

Golf Mk7 to show first thing.

Then Aero with trailer to pick up an old bench from round the corner.

Then afternoon run to recycle - saving the planet.

Finally a Caterham blast as the sun set. Found a Yellow and Green background but not a great shot.

Modern Life is ...

Cruising in the Mk7 and looking at sheds in the car park.

The shed in question was an old 1990 Peugeot estate.

Did see a 355 on the road - but nothing else of worth. Interesting how the 'rounded' lines seem to have dated on the car.

Past these Marcos as well - still there after all these years.

Night Moves 2.0

Can't fault a nice drive in the dark in an old car. Dash makes you smile just looking at it. Reminded me of the MGB - running home in the dark and cold - from the early 1980's ?

So how did I find myself at a small, slightly ruined stately home - discussing Tigers - like this one below ?

 

Well, meeting up with the Tiger club planning the August meeting. I was the only Alpine there. In mid Suffolk at Gleneven Hall. The chap we met showed us his Tiger (in restoration in a summerhouse for over 20 years) - it looked good to go though.

Earlier on in the day I was cleaning the Caterham. Which needed it. Came up well too:

More new parts

Run in the Caterham to the boat early on.

Then Alpine treated to new leads and plugs: seemed a bit better ... perhaps. Or I might just have wanted it to. Well at least it stared.

Next is a new coil. Then last resort look at carbs. One set of plug were sooty - e.g. rich.

Sunny Running

Cold but bright Spring afternoon so a quick 40 miles in the E-type up country.

Looks smaller than the Mk7. Running well, but still rattles !

Aero PM for jobs.

Oh and ordered parts for the Alpine.

A bit better perhaps ?

Pottered with the Alpine cleaning plugs (were ok) and rotor arm (very pitted) but generally not much to see.

Seemed a bit better with less stuttering - perhaps. Need new HT leads etc. too.

Afternoon Aero utility run too.

Lots of Alpines in the Sun

Run up to North Suffolk for the Alpine lunch - everyone brought their car so there were eight cars in the sunshine.












Car running lumpy - advised (what I should have known) probably HT leads or tracking in the distributor or shitty plugs.

I must pay the car some attention in the next few weeks.

Tested the temperature though after a hot run back.

Showed that at the back of the rad it was about 185 - hot but about right. How to get the gauge right I don't know.

Final run to the boat in the Caterham delivering stuff.

The 'stuff' in question  was in the foot well not on the boot for the drive.

G2R then Stop

Mk7 to boat for a sail then pottered back.

Too tired to take anything else out in the dying sun.

All done

Aston all done and back to Ipswich in the Friday pm traffic - not too bad. Felt as if it was going better too ?

Mind you it is a V12... as it says on the boot.

Filled up with petrol (slowly as normal) and chap at the station wanted to know when the Ferrari was coming out. Will have to oblige.

Earlier in the day Aero into town - needs a clean again.

Service Time for the Aston

Dropped the Aston off for: 1. Service, 2. MOT, 3. Tyre/Wheel change, 4. Fuel sensor fix.

Looked great in the car park in the spring sunshine.

Jana did not like the DB11 rump - so that's off the list !

Drive back in Mk7 an hour longer given terrible traffic.

Mr E sprung again

Some sunshine if cooler.

So E-type out and appreciated by Audi driver passing where I'd parked.



Still goes well - still rattles - something will fall off eventually !

And dull again today

So Aero for utility runs.

Get them out while the sun is out.

Selection in the Sun.

Caterham first. Running to the shops and appreciated while loading with cases of wine.

 

 

Then Golf Mk2 to the station. Going well. Still runs a bit cool though.

 

 

Finally the 308 for a run too. Looked even better in the sun set.

 



'A' Road Storming

Aston goes like the wind when you have a great A road to rush down. Run across country to Snetterton has some great roads.

Car looked great too.

Made a young chaps day by letting him photograph the car, engine etc. and sit in it. He has 1000+ followers I found on Instagram - all Aston pics.

Not many decent pictures though at the racing. This was one of the best.

Villiage Life

Aero for a quick jib am.

Then Aston out for a run dropping off stuff so parked in the Village Hall car park. Before a run round more than the usual block.

And the Alpine was the most used in March.