Last permit

More just parked.

Running low on permits

SAAB just on the street again.

More sitting around

Car unused as we worked away.

Walked one skirting board back the yard was so close.

Van a go-go.

Used SAAB to collect the skirting boards. You could see the wood yard from the end of the street but there were seven 4.5m boards.

Tied it on badly, but made it.

Then crammed more fooring into the boot.

More street life

Aero just sitting there (at £5 a day - visitors parking).

Aero parked up

That's it really - SAAB on the street. No need to drive it - food gets delivered.

Down to Town

​A packed Aero down and through London - good run until the road was blocked by a lorry broken down in the middle of two lines at a busy intersection forcing lorries/cars etc on the pavement. That added 30 mins I'd guess.

Also saw a Ferrari 288GTO just driving by - it could have been a replica but who knows.

So it took 2 3/4 hours door to door and could have been less.

First of the parking permit on the dash.

Packed for work

Aero running around for jobs and then packed to the gunnels with equipment.

Yes it's fallen over.

Anyway - South London beacons for a few days.

Aero-van-time again.

Digging for Victory

Budget targeting new dirty diesels, plus more funds for electric cars and infrastructure from the government. Plus tax brakes for Oil field development in the North Sea.

Oh and a dig at JC too (Clarkson that is).

I'd better get the Ferrari out for a run in the sun before they take it away from me.

Started fine with no issues.

Collecting the Alpine bits again

Got the tank back ...

... and the springs but no bolts. Luckily I found then in Ipswich though. So work will start next week.

Also new Aston Martin Vantage released - not sure I like the shape (nor the colour) from this. Better from the other angles I saw - and in the flesh I'm sure.

Aero utility run

Just collected the ladders - so utility run sums it up.

Dust and darkness

Caterham out in the afternoon sunshine and run around the block via Harkstead - looks clean but in fact covered in dust just from being parked in the garage.

The took the Aston out to photograph it. Having problems getting the focus right at night.

This is one of the best and I'm relatively happy with it. During the two hours I spoke to several people, most with nice comments, but a man stopped suspiciously near the car got out and jumped on his phone - so I left. Bumped into a photographer who had sent pictures to Andy Palmer of model Astons - they looked good.

Quick wash

Aston first for a wash - it was a bit dusty more than anything but looked a lot better for it.

Then a run around the block. Heading for 20k miles this Winter, as typically I do 500 over these months.

Then Golf Mk2 got a quick wash - again more dust than anything.

Lots of bits need sorting on it but runs fine. Was 'ticking' until it warmed up - which I think is just the oil being let in ?

Then final Aero run. Nice to have heated seats now the weather is turning cold.

Bring on the Winter

Popped down to London to get the Aston Winter Wheels and Tyres put on. Left at 7:00 am in the cold and the dark.

Not a nice drive as I'm a month later than last year. I was expecting it to be cold so I put the fan heater on the car for two hours beforehand

Even so it was -1 degrees on the road by the river - not the seven degrees minimum... So felt a bit twitchie. Could have been my imagination. Made it safely.

Fun number plate in Grange car park though.

Then to the Design Museum for the Ferrari exhibition. Interesting but not a 'must see'. Did like the wooden bucks and the photo of Enzo racing though.

Also say that Steve McQueen had a 308 GTB.

Then back to pick the car up and drive back in the sunshine. Got a thumbs up on the A12 from a big truck. I still like the winter wheels.

Three Out

Mk2 Golf out for a spin to town and a fill up with petrol. Looks better than it is - its a bit dusty  and has several more cobwebs than last week.

Then risked the Ferrari - started fine - but it rained a bit on the run back.

Should have taken the Caterham out too.

Late Aero run to Rootes club meeting in the cold.

Hanging around

Took the broken exhaust bracket off the Alpine quite easily after the main rusty bit broke on its own.

Then a trip to Halfords in the Aero netted three new bits which fitted surprisingly well.

Then filled the Aston up with petrol for Friday.

That's a lot of miles

Golf Mk2 passed the 160,000 mark on the run back from town.

Car going well though, so it deserves some more work. A good winter classic car.

Earlier Aero run to post office to get the N17 book - one typo but the book looks good.

MK 7 again

Run back down the A1 via Rotherham to drop off the Alpine springs at Owen Springs - let's see what they think of them.

Making a Mokka out of a SUV

Spent Sunday riding around North Yorkshire in Steve's Vauxhall Mokka, very bouncy and a hard ride.

Not that nice in the back at all.

His fleet as sneaked up again - now buying very small cars to fit them in !

Like the red Austin Healy Sprite by the Mini.

Full of Cars

Mk 7 up to meet Steve on the motorway and thence to the NEC for the Classic car show.

Show was 'OK' felt a bit sad ?

Liked the new TVR and a kit Ferrari 250 GTB

Alpine stand was a bit deserted.

Final bolt and one back home

Had to cut the final bolt off to free the hanger from the leaf sprint. Nothing else would shift it.

Then a surprise as the Golf was ready. Collected it and runs well. Same key though and the TOAD alarm is definitely not active.

He thought it ran really well too - so that's good.

Then evening run in the Aero.

Just hitting it harder

Ground off the top of the bolt. First with the Dremel delicately, then with the angle grinder less so.

Bloody bolt would still not move and I was at it for an hour. So I decided to hit it from behind again. A few goes and I went back to grinding ... but what was that ? The washer was free ? That means the bot moved a fraction of an inch. 

So I went back and hit it again and again and again, now with both hands on the club hammer. 

It moved !

Thump, thump, thump and it was out.

I guess the grinding had warmed up the bush and the thumping had broken it free. Whoop !

Next is to get the hangers off.

Oh and the TOAD alarm fob is not obtainable.

Gerrting their and getting caught

All day on the Alpine springs.

Everything disconnected from the axle and it was still locked in position on top of the springs. All u bolts removed and still nothing doing.

I jacked the car up in several places then decided the only way to free it was to hit it. So I did and they came away - with a bang - but both came down safely.

Picked up the post and found this to cheer me up. I was caught in a box junction and got £130 fine.


Went back t the garage a bit deflated but cheered up when I managed to get one spring off after another 2 hours.

Then all but the last bolt came away from number 2. However, no way to move it as it was locked in the rubber bush - so all I can do is cut it off now.

One hour later and I'd made it a bit smaller - it's going to be a long job- and one for tomorrow.

Last thing a run to town in the Mk7.

Popped my head in again

Golf should be ready by the end of the week - they said...

Popped my head into the garage and the Alpine had not moved on the springs - as expected. More work on that tomorrow.

More sitting down

Working at home, but did post this pic of Felixstowe.

Ladders and rusty bolts

Thought I would loosen the bolts holding the leaf springs on the car - to make it easier to remove when the time comes. So I sprayed WD40 on them after using a wire brush to remove most of the surface rust. I let it soak for the morning.

Then SAAB loaded with ladders to Oli's and twice into town and back.

Afternoon I could not resist seeing if the bolts would budge - which they did so I jacked the car up more and undid them half way. No movement from the car at all - everything is rusted solid...

Then final SAAB journey in the late afternoon. Lights definitely much better.

SAAB lugger

SAAB used to get all the odds-and-sodds we bought at the Harkstead auction back home.

Looks great

SAAB came home with cleaned headlights - looks great but I'll see how long it lasts.

Also needed new brake pipes and other work so looking at a big bill.

Checked on the e-type and it will be another month at least.

Then I took the Alpine petrol tank in for repair/rebuild/refurbishment.

Better get back to work to pay for it all.

Tanking it

OK - I decided to get the petrol tank out of the Alpine.

Started by jacking it up on the ramps - which went ok even though I had to reverse up. Two trolley jacks helped, but I can improve the system.

Next was the tank - which came out as planned too.

I stopped there, but I'm now thinking I should take the leaf spring off next while the car is on the ramps. The only issue is that it's a bit high off the ground now ?

Treated myself to a run in the Caterham that had say patiently outside in the cold all day. Tank sneaked in to the picture too.

12 go mad in Suffolk

Got the Aston out for a short spin to the shops.

Looked good on the drive.

Then took the Golk Mk7 to the top of the hill to photograph car lights as the sun set.