Small but fun

Went to the Vint-Tro breakfast meeting - in the Golf Mk2. Probably the cheapest car there - and almost the oldest too.

But it looked the part amongst the moderns and the sports cars. I think these are growing on me though.

It is a 1987 Mercedes Benz 500 (upgraded from 420).

Not a lot again

Well 2 more tyres for the MK7 - and I did not even get those. So not a lot of activity.

But the E-type mag has a pic of us. Just.

More planets were saved today

Aston to the recycling.

Both Red and Blue boxes - that will solve it.

ION: Media is talking about climate change being here in the UK now.

Back down again

Another 220+ miles back down.

Crammed in

SAAB out and about on steep hills all day 

Then a peak in the barns.

Wash and Go

Gave the SAAB a treat before setting off for Yorkshire.

Car wash anyway - then 200+ miles in the afternoon.

Waiting for the rain

That never came.

So just SAAB in action instead.

Sneaking another one in

Imp out late - early evening in fact.

Better run around the block tonight - no long traffic jambs - in fact little traffic but then it was supper time for most people.

Indicator switch position is much better too.

Fezza out again

308 around the block - the weather is changing - so last time before the rain comes back at the weekend.

Still looking clean - but it turned out more time in the queue than on the run. Oh well.

More car capers

So put paint on the E-type bonnet chip first thing. You can see it when the light hits it but it's ok - that's #2 chip so I might wait for #10 before getting it re-sprayed again.

Then I assembled the TR7 model I'd been colour changing.

Which has come out well. Never sure what the colour of the car actually was though and why I thought a brown hood and wheels was a good look I'll never know.

Then Alpine out for a short trip to Stutton.

Finally the Caterham out at last (that need aa clean too) . Why I was going to get rid of it I don't know. It's always a blast to drive. Although the water pump seems very noisy at times. But it's not loosing water - yet.

They all do that Sir

E-type up to North Suffolk for a club meeting - but first went to take pics at a lake. I did not have to walk far either.

Then off to the pub with a few Jaguars and other visitors - nice Karmann Ghia convertible too. 

The owner is looking to buy a V12 as he can't fit in the earlier cars. I was also happy to hear all E-type seem to have trouble getting into reverse when really hot.

Then on the way back - we all stopped for a dog running around on the A140. Only bad point is that I picked up another bad chip on the bonnet from cheap (spray and pray) resurfacing work.

Cleaning, succeeding and flicking the switch

Out early and Imp cleaned.

I even took the spare wheels off to clean under them. It was mostly dust to be honest although I did clean the wheels as well. Not sure the photo does it justice.

Then fixed the Alpine brake pressure switch and went for a test drive in the sunshine. Nice run and it's easy when you have the right parts.

Phoned about that Talbot 3 1/2 - £105k - a bit rich for me - unless I sell a few cars ...

Then back to the Imp to re-position the indicator switch - 2 inches to the right.

I was going to go for a run again but the rain started.

So instead a final SAAB run to pick up a sick Golf Mk7 - Turbo waste gate actuator is on the blink apparently. So that needs a proper (expensive) garage visit.

 

Cleaning, Trying again and Imping

First job was to clean the E-type - the first time after the run a month ago and the 430 miles we did.

Then tried to fix the Alpine brake lights - nope - it seems it takes the smaller Series 3 (and above) fitting. I did fine an easy way of checking it though - I think. Two probes in the fittings - which once the touch the brake lights came on strongly.

Finally the (dusty and dirty)  Imp around the block. Included a 50 mph sprint and a handbrake hill start.

ION: We have opened up. C-19 rules have been dropped and we'll see what happens next.

Hot Car

Run of around 90 miles there and back to the Culford Car Show (ex-Elveden) in blistering hot sun.

The run up was great but when we first met the other Ferraris the car was suffering once sat as the fuel was vaporizing but it started - twice - after a bit of churning.

We did get to park in front of the old house though. 

Best car ? Probably either the 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS in the club group - a snip at about £1+m ... 

... or the Talbot I chatted to the owner about - he had brought two racing Talbots. He did give me the time of day when I said I had the Imp but then topped me by saying he had owned two six cylinder Le Mans Rileys at one time - a different league.

Note: It was a 1936 TALBOT 3½ LITRE SPEED SALOON - COACHWORK BY DARRACQ

Redressing the balance

The last few weeks have seen less classic action so I indulged myself today.

Firstly the Sutton Brazills went for a 'drive' in the Alpine, with EB at the wheel.

Then the clean MK2 got an outing to Harkstead - and the long way back for good measure.

Then the dusty E-Type got a run out - almost the first since we came back from  the E-type 60th event.

Finally the Aston to save the Planet.

ION: Sever flooding has hit Germany and Belgium due to flash floods - the Euro-greens will be energised so we expect the EU to catch up with the UK in banning ICE Cars. About time though.

SAAB back

So we sailed back from the Deben and the SAAB was re-packed and we drove back home.

It became a blissful summer's evening - but too late for classic car activities.

S 2 S

That's the SAAB to the RASSY as the MK7 engine management warning light is on now.

When's a Redwing not a Redwing ?

Well, when it's a Humber with Red wings. Of course it's a reference to an early Riley.

Tonight's Rootes group meeting - my Alpine, Tom's Tiger, Alex's Humber and that Sunbeam Venezia even popped in. Odd collection of motors. Oh and a lorry with a Tiger hardtop.

Nice to meet up though at last.

However I check the Alpine lights when i got home and we've not got any brake lights again. Hopefully just the earth - but probably a dead switch again.

Ferrari, Riley and Alpine

Washed the Ferrari first thing - not sure why there was soot all over the front ? Anyway it's clean now.

Always nice to have a clean car and clean windows make all the difference.

In the afternoon I tried to fit the new bright orange LEDs to the Riley. While I was at it I realised why the light was poor on that side of the car.

I had stuffed 4 block connectors in there and they were obscuring the light. I changed them to soldered joints and installed the other lights. No better unless they were pressed up against the red lens and then they looked horrible and obscured the other bulb. Shame. Perhaps I need to upgrade the Alpine though.

We went for a drive around the block to test the joints though  - which was good. It always sounds the same and now I know that it's less of a worry.

Not a bad sight that.

Finally Alpine up to Harkstead to tidy up after the real plumbers had done the job in 30 mins.

Long way home as a treat for the car - which was running well and sounding good.

SAAB jaunts

SAAB to Felixstowe and the shops in the afternoon. 

Then Harkstead to drop off the sewing machines and make a large mess of a small plumbing job. 

It's definitely not on the van.

Imp finished and a cover story

So another morning working on the Imp lighting to tidy up the wiring and get the old sidelights in the system. All working well on the drive but we need a test on the road next.

About 23 hours in total with fixing the odd thing as I went.

Then in the afternoon I decided to make the new plate for the radio. It worked better than expected when I realised I could take the back plate off the face.

When I looked at the pics I noticed how skew the air conditioning vents are too?

It also made me think about making one for the MK2... So I will.

Almost there

Imp work again today and focused on the front side lights with the new indicator bulbs in them. Seemed to be making good progress to start with and uncovered another panel that once removed exposed the wires I needed.

So after an hour I had them both working and did not have to dismantle the left hand side at all. Which was good as it took me an hour to fail to screw the RHS one back together and into place. 

So after a brake I restarted and spent three hours on it. I ended up re-wiring everything and finding that the wires running to it were already patched so they will need replacing eventually.

All done for now though with a bit of tidying up of the wires under the dash tomorrow.

Hard to start for the final test but I think I flooded it - also I confirmed that the horn only works when the car is running - odd.

Getting to know you

There is nothing like working on the car to get to know it a bit better. A whole day wiring will do that - I found some old household stuff again but it's safe and over engineered.

The morning got me so far with indicators working but nothing else. In the afternoon I finished off the rear functions quite easily after finding I'd forgotten a whole block of connectors.

That left me with lots of spare wire so I disconnected it all again - and I ended up taking off the conduits again and running the wires through the metal tube to neaten everything up. Lots of wires and I was glad I'd run the multi-wire through to start with as I used several wires as back circuits to the control box.

So all the rear working after another seven and a half hours. Including having to fix this:

I managed to snap off the old battery cut off key - in situ. Dho !

3 wires on my Imp

SAAB first thing for more EB sitting for a sort time.

Then three hours Imp electrical work - which resulted in the wires being fed to the back of the car and finding a suitable 'live' take off point.

The run of the wires to the rear of the car that I thought was going to be hard turned out to be not that bad. As everything feeds through a removable conduit under the car.

So I put my new wires in that.

Imp work

SAAB with cobles to Harkstead first thing to patch the gravel garden - Dho we used pebbles last time !

The pm worked on the Imp electrics. Removed the old units and made fittings for the new, plus installed the control box. 

Well we've started.

ION: Well I never - England beat Denmark (2:1) and progress to the Finals of the Euros.

SAAB again

Swede pressed into service to load up with cobbles and other stuff.

No other option really as the heavy rain continued on and off again all day.

I did clean the glue off the Ferrari radio though as my cover has finally fallen to bits.

A bit modern though so I may look at something more retro.

Starting again

SAAB first thing to look after EB. Then added more straps to the Golf Mk2 cover - let's see if it survives the high winds due tomorrow.

Then collected the Ferrari (after ride in MK7) as the rain clouds threatened again.

Lots of cars in there but this cleaver number plate struck me on the more modern 308.

New starter, 2 tyres and service. So I was happy when the car started on the button and on the run back it seemed happier too.