Family outing

It took all four of us to get the fridge freezer off the roof and dumped.

SAAB looked lower when I cleared it out, must be an illusion.

The evening run 5 up in Oil's Audi - a bit of a squeeze but fine.

Early run to the South

SAAB packed the night before with tools etc. for the 6:30 am run to James and Brixton. Good run down even though I missed a turning.

The load back was a bit heavier though and a bit more cumbersome.

Yes that's a fridge freezer on the roof - strapped on firmly I might add.

Into town and back

Packed the SAAB for the early start tomorrow.

Then Mk2 Golf into town and gave it a wash when we got back. Then took it round the block again. Getting used to the chrome badge.

Then fixed the speaker by substituting an old one - we'll see if it stays fixed.

Golf Back and Better

Collected the Mk2 in the rain. Needed brakes etc. sorting but fine now. The steering still pulls a little though.

Next year it will need gaters etc.

Passenger 2

Back from London in the Mk7.

Then night drive in the SAAB to Glevering Hall for Rootes event planning meeting. Got lost again.

Mayfair

Walking around posh bits of London spotted this Fisker parked up.

Not sure it worked from the front - looked better (and like an Aston) from the back.

Also 4 Ferrari 458's with in 100 yards of each other.

Passed JD Classic's London showroom too - not that inviting, nor special.

The Passenger

MK7 Golf to London.

A10 - slow run - even on a Sunday.

Glimpses of Spring - Release the Fleet

Aero for jobs first thing then.

Then sun came out for a while so took the Caterham around the block to blow the cobwebs away - managed without the fourth layer too.

Then Jag for a spin (after warning it up with the heater). Sounds more tappet'ary when cold now, but goes well.

Passed a man in an old Rolls twice on the circuit. He was doing the same as me and waved twice.

Also noticed that the car is still stuck in the river.

Alpine Starts Again

Early SAAB run to town to meet a locksmith. Coffee in Costa while waiting - could have been back at work.

Stopped to take this shot of a Golf we spotted yesterday in the river.

Then Pottered and took Alpine for a short run. Started fine.

Then Aero to shops - passed where they were trying to recover the car, but did not look like they were succeeding, nor when I passed it on the way back.

Then took the Alpine on a slightly longer run. Fine again.

Need to re-gain confidence and probably should drain the tank and see if I can find any muck in there.

SAAB time again

120 miles to Ely and back. Fine run on the basic roads we have in East Anglia. Ely really rises as you approach.

Noticed a Golf GT on the river back and a worried looking chap stood near by. Quite far in too so he must have jumped it over the bank.

Then SAAB again to town.

Will try Alpine tomorrow again...

Alpine back in the game

The day really started the day before – when I dragged the Alpine out of the carport in preparation for today. I say that because that was when I started to worry, but the Amazon delivery man liked the car so that was fine. Anyway, after an early start to put the fan heater on it and scrape the ice off, I paced backwards and forwards waiting for the pick-up lorry.

He turned up as expected (at 9:05) and cheerfully started to load the car.

It was then that I noticed that his lorry had a flat tyre. So as he strapped down the car I got the pump and we pumped up his tyre.

So we were off and arrived 40 minutes later in the sunshine at RADCO engineering just outside Sudbury, who seemed to occupy a very small unit on the trading estate. After they had cleared the workshop we off loaded the car and pushed it in and onto the rollers. It was a neat clean workshop with a small engine room and test equipment as well as the rollers. No seats I noticed - so I stood up for three and a half hours.

It took about an hour just to start the car. Checking everything and re-seating the distributor. Looking at the floats in the carbs, looking at the filters, checking the spark plug gap and generally making sure everything was ok so it ‘should’ work. Churn and churn but nothing.

Eventually he decided to swap out the plugs – and the car just sprang to life - strongly. Who hoo.
So, time to get it tested on the rolling road. One hour and four power runs later it’s going well, has c95 BHP and torque is much improved. New jets and air tubes … or something. So off for a test drive.

A mile away and I’m thinking we’ve cracked it. Then the car stutters and loses power again. I turn round quickly and head back – only for the power to keep dropping - down to third gear to keep it rolling and limp slowly into back up to the unit.

A puzzled man appears. We both thought it would be fine. So he starts again.

The car will start, but dies when revved. Fuel in the carbs ? Tops off and they have fuel in there. Fuel pipe – take off and blow though it to prove both lines to the carbs are clear – they are. Fuel Pump – turn over the car and fuel spurts out. Bowl off the pump and check the filter - it is clear. However there does seem to be a bit of air ‘bubbling’ in the incoming fuel.

Next re-start the car and it dies again when idling. This time there is no fuel left in the Webers. So fuel starvation. Turn over the car again and this time no fuel comes through to the fuel pump. Then it slowly starts to come though and fill up the bowl.

Next take the incoming pipe off and blow down it to prove that is free. It is not – you can’t blow air back down into the tank. Get a compressor. Use that to force air back down the line – there is a pause and then a gurgle as it blows through. So a blocked fuel line causing starvation.

Off for another (more hesitant) test drive. Up the hill in the trading estate first – fine. Of to the next village about a mile away and also uphill – fine. Back past the estate and onto the bypass – fine.

So there we go. Distributor not set right, Carbs a bit out, Pugs dead and Fuel line blocked.
Before I left I had a look behind the scenes at the Ford Anglia he races and found the main engineering ‘works’ and about 3 times more space. Lots of big bits of equipment there laths etc. as the main business is engine building.

So home. A nervous 30 mile run back home – via the petrol station – but its fine. Everyone else seems to be driving at 20 miles an hour. A bit hesitant perhaps at slow speed but then it always was. Needs additive for octane boost too but everything ok. For now.

Park up and get out. We’ll try another test run again tomorrow.

Is that what they call tow-in ?

Aston to shops in the cold sunshine.

Ice warning - went away when I backed out of the garage and into the sunshine.

The used the SAAB to tow the Alpine onto the drive to make it easy to load up tomorrow.

Well it worked.

Looking lonely

Alpine waiting for Wednesday.

Bitterly cold day and the roads full of wet salt - so SAAB to shops.

Dump in the snow

Aero to dump. It said -1 on the dial but felt all of the -7 it claimed the wind would make it feel.

More Snow

Aero into the bad weather and brought back a huge box - a TV - which fitted easily in the car. hat are we going to do when it dies.

I bet the car is still going when the TV dies though...

Parked up and left the toys alone. Alpine still relative clean - all be it with a sprinkling of snow.

Not at all

Aero to town as I was parking in the multi-story.

Then a nice surprise - I brought the seven back home before the snow tomorrow.

Night runs in a classic - there is something good about that.

Lost the urge ?

Another day where photographs came before running out in the cars. It was supposed to rain though.

Aero at night for a quick REAC meeting though.

A tale of Two Golfs

Started the day taking the Mk2 into the garage and then a private bus ride then a walk home.

Came home and washed the muck off Alpine. Looks more loved now.

Then Aston to the shops.

In the pm Aero to pick up the Mk7 which was fixed. Broken bit in the turbo - after 3 years...

Mk2 not collected as it failed MOT on brake hoses and binding brakes - probably explains the tugging to the left. Back next week hopefully

Then Aero as Taxi for Oli as his car is out of action after failing the MOT too. Then Oli took the Caterham home for the night.

So mainly car admin.

The Shining

Put the Alpine petrol filler back on with the old and new rubber grommets.

Seemed to fit OK.

Then put the new badge on the Mk2. I had to cut it about a bit but it fitted fine in the end. I might paint the inside black though to accentuate the chrome though.

Mk7 came home with warning lights ablaze so that had to go to the garage - Aero as taxi. Then Aero to mum's with tools. Then it delivered Oli's table and drove me to photo-club in the village.

Yes - more wet weather

So SAAB to the shops again. Must clean the Alpine though.

Mothers' Day Taxi

SAAB to the pub and back again.

Car swap

Golf Mk2 out for a run first thing. Steers to the curb quite a bit now. Must add it to the MOT list.

Then moved the Alpine into the car port and the Caterham into the garage. The straps make it so much easier to handle.

As soon as I opened the garage door the condensation formed on the car. Alpine needs a clean too before it gets towed away.

Caterham dropped a bit of water again too.

Then SAAB running around to the shops.

Using those winter tyres

Aston out in the sunshine - well less dull weather.

Only 4 degrees and a bit damp - but felt sure footed.

Swede Team

SAAB with ladders down to the boat again. So bloody cold it could have been Sweden.

More inside

Not a lot of car action as the weather still poor.

Looked up and it was Spring

Dreary day so no planned car trips. Came out of the shed to find the sun out - almost.

So Winter lasted a while but it could be Spring now.

Boat Jobs

Aero and Golf both packed with boat cleaning equipment.

Seemed to do a good job.

Found a good way to pack the platform back into the SAAB too.

Then a night run to meet up with the Caterham chaps. All the way to Diss.

Power

Put the charge back on the Aston - it's not going to get used for a while.

Although the snow is now melting with the rain.

Quick Local Dash

AERO defrosted and off to the bottle bank - that will do.

Day two inside

Again left the car under the tree - it's starting to thaw anyway.

Just staying in

Leaving the heroics to everyone else as the winter bites. Just leaving the SAAB under the tree.

Combination of very cold air from the East has been mixing with a storm bringing wet air from the West - and therefore lots of snow.