Month End

Just a short SAAB hop for a walk from Stutton.

Then took the monthly miles. Well seemed that the Aston did less then even the Imp - it must have been the shock of the petrol price. So I decided to take an evening trip and save another bit of the planet.

So back to its favorite car park - se we ended the month a little higher at least.

Two Wheel Treat

I decided that the bike needed a wash after lots of use on dusty paths recently.

Is it reading right though ?

MK2 down to the creek late morning - hidden by this truck when I got back.

Then PM SAAB off to the DIY store buy three items that had no link.

Finally a Caterham run around the block in the late evening sunshine. The gauge seems to be reading colder than before, but when I let it warm up it seemed to rise ok. Time will tell.

Well it needed a clean

Golf out PM for short run to Harkstead under threatening skies.

So we came back a bit wet - just used the blade to clean it off - but it needs a proper clean. Oh and a garage.

Red Team Out

So the sun was shining and I thought why not ?

Ferrari first - looking clean and going very well.

Then E-type out as it had not been out in a while - and again went well too.

Fuel for the Beast - Ouch !

Well started the day with the Aston to the bottle bank but the tank was a bit low so we filled up with Super Unleaded first. Gosh - we smashed past the £100 barrier and hit a new record.

Now it is an Aston and it took quite a few litres at virtually £2 a pop. Anyway off we went.

Hope the planet appreciated it.

Then Alpine to deliver plants to the allotment - slowly so they did not get too wind blown.

And then back again in the Caterham with tools - a bit quicker.

So there we are again. Good run home via the usual block - temperature stayed low - suspicious I thought. When I tested it with the infra-red thermometer it was about right though.

Electric Wheels

SAAB to take the electric chair out - it only just fitted with half of the back seats down.

Then in the afternoon I but the bullet and decided to 'fix' the Caterham. The sensor seemed to fit ok.

Then a run around the block and a fill of petrol. Gauge went up and down and no drips so far.

No - it's never been driven in the Rain

So firstly a quick SAAB run and then MK7 to Harkstead for the arrival of the first Electric vehicle in the family.

Then back home and the sunny evening made me decide to take the Imp out for a run in the sun. It went well but the speedo needle was sticking a bit. Got overtaken by a bright orange McLaren something. It could have been a 720S Spider but they all look very similar.

Then on the home run I spotted the road was wet because the farmer was irrigating - I guess he's trying to grow his crops on the road too as I got wet going through the spray. First time the Imp has got wet in my keeping.

So I had it a quick 'detail' and dry add it looked just as good.

So there we are.

Two Tipping Points ?

Sailed back from Brightlingsea in a decent wind - bumpy ride and enough for the boat to be heeling over and the water coming over the decks at least. Not sure I'd like a car at that angle.

Then back home in the MK7.

Oh the other Tipping Point ?

ION: National Rail strike continues, Inflation rises above 9%, Omicron variants spreading widely and the reduced Gas and Oil supply from Russia [because of the war in Ukraine] is set to bite this autumn. Looks like we've got a bumpy ride to come there too.

New load lugger ?

Ride in the German down to the Swede for a couple of days sailing.

Good Company

MK7 ride to pick up the 308 first thing - it was being cleaned and looked great even surrounded by other supercars.

It needed a new water pump to stop the strange noises and they replaced the belts even though they were done last time - odd - but free of charge. 

It drove very well on the run back even if the roadworks mean it's a dreaded 40mph for miles and miles and miles.

Then MK7 ride and finally another Alpine test in the evening - that went very well - no starting or running issues although it still has a little flat spot.

ION: It looks like a Summer of strikes, starting with Rail.

Not as old as it looked

Just riding around as a passenger in the MK7 at lunchtime.

Spotted something interesting in the car park though - it turned out to be a Pembleton T24 cycle car. Newly built in the UK.

Then early evening took the MK2 off to fill it up with petrol and run it around the block.

Dull run

Rain on and off - got rid of the searing heat from yesterday - but prevented any classic action. 

In fact a SAAB run to the train station was all I could muster.

Not feeling lucky

So tinkered with the Caterham and after a test ordered another temperature sender. It will probably be the same as the one I have but at least it is from the Caterham garage.

Then Alpine out in the blistering sunshine. It made an odd 'fizzing' noise from the ignition barrel when I started it first time. Then was OK.

It did not run particularly smoothly on load either but ok when on cam. So parked up feeling ok about it. However I came back to find this.

Yep - the fuel cap was off. I usually hear it banging so odd. Then it did not want to start again on the key but settled down. At home I tinkered with it but it would not do it again. Odd.

We'll have to see how we get on.

Getting Out and About

SAAB our early afternoon for another treat - trip to the Heath.

Then later once the traffic had gone we decided to have an E-type jaunt for local planet saving. So around the block with the re-cycling.

Sunny Weather

Alpine out early PM for jobs in the warm sun.

Then the long way home to brim the tank - still just under £2 a litre for the good stuff though.

German and Swede

Mk2 out mid morning to collect the tyre - which was not ready.

Then up to Harkstead for jobs. Still looking clean.

So clean I put it away in the garage in the space vacated by the Ferrari and took the SAAB out to collect the tyre in the afternoon - no charge though - and to see the Stutton offshoot.

Then put the Alpine wheel back on and called it a day.

More SAAB Time

Alpine wheel off and into the SAAB boot for a slow trip into town. Spotted a DB7 Vantage in their car park.

Same colour as the SAAB too.

Then PM we were needed for a trip to the Heath with extra wheels.

Slow traffic on the way back at 5:00.

Moving and Washing

SAAB to take the plants off in the trailer first thing - only for one to return. Just as the rear of the trailer was not attached properly.

Then decided to wash the MK7 at last. It also got a vacuum.

... and then I even gave the SAAB a quick once over to say thanks for all the work.

Then off to Harkstead for tea and tinkering.

Driving Years Apart

E-Type to Vint-tro morning meeting - as usual I brought the wrong car as they were mostly all moderns like this Porsche.

The E-type seemed to be charging a lot again - there and back - but the whine seemed less.

Then after lunch we loaded up the SAAB and trailer with plants and pots.

Then I treated the MK2 to a wash and a run around the block.

Then propped up the Alpine so the tyre does not get damaged with the flat.

Then finally Imp time in the sunshine. That seemed to relish the run and behaved nicely too.

Better than ever I thought.

Busy treating myself

Ferrari to Grimaldi first thing - good run over but still has a bit of a howl. Noticed the bonnet was up on the A12 - I should have guessed as I’d forgotten to put it on charge. Had to hop out at the lights and close it properly. Parked on the slope next to a 328 when we arrived and discovered the handbrake is quite poor. 

Also tried to demonstrate the howl only to find it gone away. 

A couple of classics in Halstead as we walked around a Porsche 956 (I think) and Daimler Dart. 

Run back in the Golf disrupted by 1. Group of cyclists 2. Car crash blocking the road 3. Roadworks on the A12 and detour to miss the traffic. 

Then very dirty Mk2 to town - parking next to this Merc. 

Finally Alpine to ECR at Shotley. Found the tyre flat when I went to get it out and it went down slowly during the evening - so I left pronto.

A few different cars and a packed show in the sunshine - not to sure I got any decent pictures though. Processing them the next day revealed a few - like this one of a friends Ford Pop.

Swede to Swede and a blue German

SAAB off to the marina first thing for a sail. Parked nice to a nice blue Porsche 968.

4 cylinder and 3 litres. It was still there when we got back - just as the rain started. 

Grabbing the dying sun

All day on small jobs with the odd shower and then eventually I thought about taking the Alpine out late pm for a planet saving run. Then the black clouds loomed again - so I took the MK2.

It is very dirty - not that you can see it here really. Still goes well though - apart from noticing that the horn has stopped again.

ION: Fuel prices are rocketing - here comes £2 a litre - the Rail network might be halted through strikes and Air travel is being disrupted due to lack of staff.

Fuel for the Italian

I found a nice Talbot to buy in the morning. The only problem is that the Ferrari would have to go to pay for it. Even Jana was against it.

In the afternoon I popped out PM to fill up with petrol ahead of the service.

As I drove back I thought - why should it go - even though it was making an odd noise again (belts ?) but probably just sulking. It did look good while I was filling up too.

I decided to keep it.

Surprise Alpine Run

Was going to be a 'nil point' day again due to the rain - until we had a call for jobs. So SAAB out pm as transport.

Then another run was needed so I took the Alpine - even though the clouds were gathering again.

Got home after 'the long way home' route and thought it was looking good so I indulged in another shot.

Bottling It

So rain was forecast most of the day in Sandringham - so the E-Type stayed in the garage.

Italian Rain

Up very early and off to the Ferrari National at Sywell Aerodrome. Good run in the cloudy cold morning. No Ferraris on the 100 plus mile run there which was odd. However lots of Ferraris when we arrived - who would have thought ? We were in the 'display parking' for the older cars which was nice though.

More cars turned up - some interesting ones but mostly new models. We were perfectly placed for the Instagram shot though.

Heavy rain stopped play around lunchtime as the biting cold wind whipped across the airfield - well it is only June. So after sheltering from the rain for lunch we left early afternoon - as did may others.

Funny thing was, running back as the sun came out with the odd Ferrari in convoy on the A14 or passing us as we drove home was the best bit.

Arrived back in bright warm sunshine and you would hardly have known the car had even been wet.

More Prep

Took the morning to clean the Ferrari - but checked the oil first (needed a pint) and tyres (needed nothing).

So cleaned it and it came up well - quite quickly.

Then spent 20 mins touching up the paint chips on the spoiler. Odd thing was that the alarm kept sounding... after that.