Small loads need big cars

A bit of a repeat of yesterday - except this time SAAB to Harkstead for the builders and they were late.

Then Off to B&Q for wood. Well a long but small pole.

Then back to Harkstead early afternoon in the trusty SAAB again.

Miles-wise, last month the three classics in the bubbles rested silently, but the Alpine, Caterham and MK2 managed 267 miles between them. Surprise winner was the MK7 topping 1000 miles. How ?

Which do you want then ?

SAAB out first thing for builders at Harkstead - but they had beaten me too it.

Then MK2 out and about shopping etc. Got a thumbs up from an Audi TT driver on the bypass. I then found a nice Porsche next to me when I came out of the shops.

I might have swapped if he'd offered me some cash to sweeten the deal.

Then SAAB back to Harkstead in the late afternoon as the light went - even at 3:30 it's getting gloomy.

Putting on the miles

SAAB pressed into service again early in the misty morning to meet the builders at Harkstead.

Then a run shopping, and out again to go down to the river for pics.

PM saw us back up to Harkstead and then Shopping again.

Whoo Hoo.

Unseasonable Warmth

SAAB run pm in the drizzle to the shops.

12 degrees at almost three o'clock in late November. Mind you it's very wet - and could be a record.

Back again

SAAB out and about in the same two places as yesterday. First jobs at Harkstead.

Then in the afternoon back down to Shotley to drop off drying bags and take a few pics.

ION: It looks like half the economy will be on strike soon. Train drivers and railway staff, Nurses, College lecturers, Royal Mail workers, Airline ground handlers, some Amazon workers, staff at brewers Greene King, some dock workers, Teachers in Scotland, Oil workers and about 100,000 civil servants. Welcome to the 1980’s indeed.

Swedish Reunion

AM MK2 down to Shotley to test the new camera. Still getting used to it be a sunny and bright day so perfect.

Then pm back down there again to take stuff off the boat.

But we needed both cars - and filled two boots.

Expensive trip

AM - MK7 ride to Colchester to buy camera. 

Then PM - SAAB and MK7 jaunts to Harkstead for walk.

The Early Bird avoids the rain

Heavy rain was coming again so I was up and at 'em and by 9:00 I'd changed the SAAB battery and was tidying up.

I attached the battery charger to try to fool the car into thinking it was still connected to a battery. That failed but resetting the clock etc. did not take much time anyway - actually likes time than trying to avoid it.

Then ride in the MK7 and run in the SAAB before the rain came back.

Bubble #3 and the first Electric Aston

The day started dry but overcast so I decided to get the Imp into the bubble.

First though I wanted to move the Alpine so the Imp could sit under cover as the weather looked 'iffy'. So after an hour on the fan heater the Alpine started (almost) first time and ran very well. Did some jobs...

... then continued around the block.

As I was doing so I was also heating the Imp. So more jobs while that was warming and out it came. Started after a few goes but ran well.

The bubble took about 20 minutes to inflate and then I took about 40 mins to construct the frame inside, but that did include cutting down two poles that really were too long and having to re-construct one end that I had done incorrectly.

So that complete I packed up. 

The weather was not good enough to risk the Imp in the afternoon, however it was good enough to get the Aston out and go and buy a new battery for the SAAB.

I also did some Secret Santa Shopping while I was at it.

Finally as the car was still looking very clean and the night was dry I went down to Felixstowe to my new favorite spot to take a pic of the Aston at night. Not so easy with a dark car. But pleasing never the less.

Back to Van

Well - SAAB as works van again for the Harkstead gutters stage 2.

Then storm swept in so no more activity.

However I did notice the SAAB was very hard to start - sluggish - so I'd better get that battery changed. Checking it's six years old so par for the course.

Triumph Treat

Had a blast in the Stag that was running very well. OK so it has the 'incorrect' but more reliable Rover V8 in it though. 

Oh and it was bloody cold - I needed a hat and gloves - and the seat was broken so I could not sit upright. Not that I really minded though. Great run in the sunshine. Spotted the difference in scale in the Knaresbrough car park. 

Parked next to a Tesla Model 3 - the Stag looks small.

Then slow run home in the VW in the dark and rain. 

What Recession ?

Visited a very packed York for the day.

Ride in Steve's Vauxhall Insignia (one of the last ones before before Renault bought the company) and then the packed Park and Ride. Everywhere was packed out - no sign of recession here.

Even spotted a very yellow Lamborghini 'popin' and bangin' as it passed us.

Oh and did I say how packed York was ?

Automatic Choice

Packed MK7 Golf for the run up North.

Utility run up the A1 - complete with obligatory barrier repairs. Then off to go via Lincoln - and past the roundabout the TR7 hit metal in the road and burst two tyres at the same time on the same journey.

Then from there to the real North for the night.

Passed a jazzy Honda on the way ...

With an appropriate numberplate.

SAAB Tripple

Another SAAB utility day. Holbrook-Stutton-Holbrook-Harkstead-Holbrook-Stutton-Holbrook.

Still SAAB shuffling

Lots more rain first thing so just stayed in. 

Then just a short SAAB jaunt to Shotley to test the loan camera and then home via Harkstead in the gloom.

ION: Inflation rises above 11.1% - so we're back to the 1980's

SAAB shuffle

Load lugging - well SAAB to the shops for wine - someone has to keep the economy (of France and Argentina anyway) going now.

Then MK7 lift to Harkstead.

Quite a dull day really.

Bubbling up #2

Decided to get the E-type ready for the next bubble first thing - cold start but sun shining. So gave it a quick clean as it was not really dirty only dusty - before getting it packed away in the second bubble. Mind you the bucket was still full of dirty water by the time I had finished. Only took just over an hour to do though. While I washed it I also noticed that as I dried it off condensation formed on the bodywork.

All ok once inside the garage though. 

Then started the Imp - after about five tries. Mind you it’s not been started since 18th October and the run to East Bergholt. Where has the time gone ?

Made sure I warmed it through but too murky for a run by then.

After lunch I popped out in the MK2 Golf to check on the Harkstead drains. Oh dear. So SAAB pressed into action for the full sewer plumbing kit.

More Swedish Action

SAAB to boat first thing to take off the sails etc. 

Looks odd without them - but they ended up in the boot.

Then pm runs to Harkstead, the allotment, the Stutton Brazill's and Harkstead again.

More SAAB - More SAAB

More SAAB - Harkstead again for another unexpected jaunt.

Winter still feel a long way off - but the chill winds will blow soon enough.

Bubbling Up #1

So we started about 10:00 moving the cars around (Aston and Ferrari) so I could sweep the floor ready for the first bubble to be erected.

Then as that inflated I gave the Ferrari a good clean.

It took about 30 mins to do both. Then another 30 mins to get the frame up inside - which seemed a lot harder this year - even with help.

Finally everything sorted and and put away. So two hours hard work.

Then MK7 ride back to Harkstead.

ION: UK economy officially enters recession - the first month of about 24 of the expected hard downturn. We'll see.

SAAB slogging

SAAB out again - Harkstead for jobs - run to town.

Earns its keep.

Seaside Guerilla

Golf out first thing after lunch for a run up to Harkstead.

Then Alpine back again for another short run. Then I decided we'd try the same photoshoot so drove down there again.

Not sure they were as good.

However I then went for a drive looking for some more lights - I found the pier. Umm I'm not allowed in there ... am I ?

Testing the fix

Alpine out in the afternoon - via the local bottle bank.

It went very well - if I say so myself. So it seems to have fixed the poor running. We'll see.

From Black to Red, then Brown to Black

Alpine work first thing to replace the distributor cap and HT leads. I've had them on the car for years. So they went from black with red dots to red with black dots.

I also cleaned the plugs - three and one were quite black. Seemed to work although the car was still hard to start.

Then cleaned the SAAB boot mat.

Oh what fun we had in the rain.

Mucking around

Another rainy day so playing with photos was the closest I came to the cars.

Then PM rainy lift to Harkstead for tea and jobs.

Mooching around

Not a great weather day - only trip was a MK7 run to Stutton for a lift to the fireworks.

Morning, Noon and Night

Another SAAB jaunt to Harkstead for unplanned breakfast tasks.

Then re-cleaned the Caterham to get it ready for filming.

Came up shiny and looked nice in the sunshine.

Then did the filming on dirty, muddy, wet roads and returned home covered in mud.

Nothing else for it but clean it again. So I did. Then thought it was so clean it deserved to be photographed and decided I'd go down to Felixstowe and try some night shots. 

Brining it back home

Another wet and windy day. Spotted another 308 up for £100k+ in the classifieds.

Picked up the SAAB in the afternoon gloom. It's got a couple of sensors on the blink but nothing serious.

Lots of spares left in the yard for next time though.

Let's run around some more

SAAB out very early for an unplanned Harkstead visit.

Then dropped it off at Abbotts for the service etc. I got a ratty automatic 93 in exchange - but with an uprated engine. 

It went well, but I'm not sure all the electrics are 100% as the temperature was definitely not this.

But it swallowed the wheelchair for another unplanned visit to Shotley.

Then the Golf MK2 back to Manningtree for the prescription that they refused to give me.

Then Golf again to the RGEA meeting in the rain and gloom. Earning its keep.

Let's run around

SAAB out first thing for Harkstead pick-up and run to Ipswich in the drizzle. The tyre I knocked looked a bit deflated. Oh and what looked like a 'light beam adjustment warning light' came on and went off.

Then MK2 to look for drugs. Seemed appropriate.

Here we are on the wet rainy street in Manningtree. Yep Autumn has arrived none to late.