Bandaid

Off the boat and into the gloom. However as we were on deck 3 at the very front we were off very quickly and I'd guess about 10th through customs. However the RV and another car got stopped so I guess we made better than that really.

Only a couple of 'fluffs' on the drive to the house and accelerating seems fine. We did find our junction closed so had to go the long war around but that was ok.

After unpacking it was shopping - naturally.

With another small stutter there and back. I spoke to Abbott's though and they reckoned a split hose perhaps - but agreed keeping it gentle.

Later I found a hose looking that looked like it was in a poor state (although can't see where it goes into the turbo) but I taped it up best I could.

We'll see if it makes any difference. I also found a garage the 'Saab Workshop in Saint-Briac-sur-Mer' that seemed to work on old cars. Just in case.

Worry Guts

I finished packing up in the morning even though it was not raining - and off we went feeling good.

Umm - by Colchester the car was 'hunting' - odd. Slightly slowing and speeding up on cruise control.

After a while I spotted the turbo going up and down slightly. I thought it might me the cruise control but it did it on normal driving too. I'll treat it gently this trip then. Sticking to about 60 the symptom goes away. 

We called in to RHS Wisley as normal and I parked up. I used to think the SAAB was a big car.

Times have changed though.

Back on our journey I kept to 60 and all seemed OK. Unlike my nerves. 

As we arrived at Portsmouth we spotted a huge Virgin Cruses ship towering over the docks for the first time, the rain and strong winds also started which was a bit off putting.

Sitting in the queue reading the forums at the port (as the rain and wind battered the car) it's more likely to be an air leak from a pipe rather than a failing turbo - acceleration or load lets in air. Let's hope so.

Boarding we followed a flash white Jaguar F-type that spoke to the chaps loading us - I assumed he'd arranged to be on the lower deck. 

Well, we all ended up there behind him though with was odd - empty boat we assumed.

The Shuffle Done and Early Scores

SAAB (and MK7) out first thing as the plan was to clear the garage in Harkstead for the Imp before moving it in. Not really much to clear but it always feels odd when I move stuff around.

That done, early PM I drove the Imp over. The first time on that run and yes - roads are very bumpy - but I did not meet another car which was good.

The Imp fits quite well and I'm sure I could get the bubble in too... Especially one with no frame. I put the cover on, closed the garage door and got a lift back.

Next was the Ferrari. I'd heated it up and it started well. One 'pop' but I'll forgive it for that. A run around the block and it was flying. There was a hairy moment when I spotted a huge bush in the road just as two cars were coming towards us, but I made it past. No damage done as far as I could see either. Home again and into the wooden garage it went - a bit tight but fine for now.

Next was the Aston - dirty wing and all. Off we went to town to get a non return valve for the Alpine. Any excuse. The back into the old slot it went.

I toyed with another run in something else but thought that would do for now. I then took all the miles [early] but the scores for the toys were interesting. The winner was the 308 followed by the Talbot with the Imp in last place - well the weather has been a bit shit recently.

So there we are.

ION: It's all out war in everything but name in the Middle East as Israel launch more rocket attacks against senior Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and seemed to have succeeded in destroying most of their command and control structure. A prelude for a ground war ?

More Rain - but plans Afoot

I took the MK2 out thing between the showers - though but I did notice the Aston is getting dripped on which is not good.

Anyway - into town and managed to avoid the worst of the weather.

Then home I thought I'd better measure the Harkstead Garage - so SAAB back out. The garage is fine so I'll run the Imp up tomorrow and shuffle the cars around for a bit.

Rain stops er... Work

So the rain came down to start with so I could not be bothered to look at the Golf seat. 

PM SAAB out though for jobs - Harkstead/Felixstowe and back. Rain clouds loomed though.

But we were mostly spared the torrents.

Nil for once

Not a mile driven today. Not a visit to the garage either. Not sure what went on.

Although I did look up where the VW seat part goes.

So I'll give it a go tomorrow  weather permitting.

4+4 = 8

SAAB out am for a Harkstead/Shotley/Harkstead run.

Then followed up quickly with the MK2 Golf and a Holbrook/Ipswich/Harkstead run.

Finally looking at the cloudy skies I risked the Ferrari. Starts and goes very well - sounds far more urgent too.

A bit like the Caterham did on full 'chat' as they say. A bit machine gun like - must be the webers.

Build or Buy ?

Rain first thing so playing with pictures again. I managed to get the Talbot pics across by using We-transfer - they seemed to like them too. As did the E-type mag editor. So we'll see what gets published.

Later not a lot really other than that. 

Then finally an Aston run to the bottle bank - mainly so I could turn it round and put on the trickle charger. In the end I left it the way round it was and we'll see what it's like - one thing I did notice though was how dirty it is getting already.  

Nice to see the car more often though now - but not sure what the long term solution is. Build a garage out of the car port or buy space somewhere ?

ION: It looks like the real war is about to start on the Israel Lebanon boarder - that will turn out well for everyone.

Art for Art's Sake ?

Day in doing no car stuff at all. I did send a few pics to the Talbot club - but the emails failed - so not sure what was going on there ?

Then a short Harkstead trip in the trusty SAAB late PM - but that was all. 

So I played with the Mural pics.

Just to keep my hand in.

Enough for Now ?

SAAB out and about with tools for allotment work first thing. So just a short run, then backwards and forwards to fill with the bags for the dump.

After lunch [and rain] we visited said dump. The safety barriers around the containers are really too tall for normal people - me included.

Then as the sun came back out I dithered about another visit to the mural. The E-type was clean though so off we went. The sun did not want to behave though tonight so we may need a bit more photoshop-magic.

That will do nicely.

Murals and Miles

Packed the SAAB AM ready for the allotment. It was covered in berries as I left it under the Yew tree. Then early PM popped down to the allotment to fill the petrol can up.

The sun kept shining though and I thought ... Talbot or Imp or E-type or ... to re-do the Mural shot in the sun set. This was the choice.

Several people stopped for a look. Like this group.

Finally we passed the 50k mark on the way home.

Getting the Band back together - at last

Well, picked up the Ferrari today [again] in the morning. Lots of extra work was needed, fuel lines had rotted, battery died, starter motor, fuel pump etc. So no wonder it was expensive. Was it worth it ?

Well (again) it 'zinged' along accelerating wonderfully up the hill out of Halstead. So why would I ever get rid of it ? A few minutes of driving and I was smitten again. Such a different driving experience, position and projection to my other cars.

As I drove home I thought it's been almost 21 months since the full complement were back together - one has changed too - but hang on we've not got the Golf back yet. Dho !

But ... after lunch the garage rang - yes MK2 is done. So we swapped a Green for a Red hatchback.

So she starts on the key and the gear linkage is much tighter. No slop in fact. It was March I rigged up the button so it has done sterling service. The only problem was that the seat would not lock into position - odd. It turned out a small plastic part had broken and so was not supporting the mechanism. I found the broken bit under the seat.

Luckily the bit that I found had the part number on it - 435881203A in fact - so it is on order already. How I fit it I don't know.

Later SAAB out for jobs - ladder delivery and top box swap.

Finally Ferrari our again for a rapid run and petrol. 

It made quite a stir as I drove down the pedestrian access too for this shot.

So all the cars are back and we have a full set at last. What am I gong to do with them now ?

Aston out Again

Checked the Aston oil first thing - just a tiny bit down but nothing to worry about. Can you spot it ?

A couple of mm from the top.

Then E-type out for a run. It is Autumn now as the falling leaves were attesting.

Interesting the fuel warning light came on so it must think the tank is low too. That done it was time to pick Jana up from the station - via a picnic at Brantham. So what is the least appropriate car for a bumpy gravel car park ?

The Aston needs the miles.

ION: Today Hezbollah portable radios explode - more deaths and injuries.

One Not Ready - One Fixed !

I dropped the MK2 off first thing at The Corner Garage for the work. Looked good in the morning sun.

Then I went to book in. Having checked last night he was ready for me it was disappointing to find that the garage had not ordered any of the parts - so I have their ratty loan car for a few days.

Mind you what I don't need is another car at the moment. Next I took the MK7 to the chandlers to buy fittings and then to the boat to fit them. Nope the screws did not fit the hole - I had sort of expected it though. Actually it turned out one fitting was fine - so I thought I'd 'just' sand the other a bit. 

Just as I got back to the car Grimaldi phoned. The problem was the fuel pump - it died on them - a new one has been fitted and we're all good to go again ! Looking at my notes I fitted one in 2011 - a mere 13 years ago.

Then after a Harkstead visit I sanded the hole larger and took the Aston back to the boat (third time today down that Shotley road). It was a bit hard to start - sort of limp battery. Thinking about it when did it get used last. Checking the last drive was early August and before that one short trip in mid July. That tells its own story and basically the Talbot has taken all the glory. Here we are though.

The job took only 10 mins and then I drove home again - but at least she was warmed though. I also put it on charge.

ION: It appears 'someone' intercepted the supply chain and planted explosives in pagers being issued to Hezbollah who use them instead of their phones to be more secure. 'Someone' then blew them all up (1000+ of them). 

Living in the 1930's. A Tale of Two Badges and Two Chargers.

After a bit of dithering I decided to take the Talbot to the small Cars and Coffee meet at Needham Market first thing. As before someone stopped to let me out of the drive which feels odd. The run up was fine and I found myself doing 70 on the A14 past the lories, but throttled back a bit. Good choice I thought as it was a bit longer than I thought and a bit chilly in the early Autumn air.

I parked next to a 1960 Bentley (I thought it was age/class appropriate) but he quickly left soon to be replaced by a youngish chap in a Hi-Boy - based on a 1932 Ford. DVLA say a 1932 Ford B Roadster. Shame it was on a Q plate which sort of spoiled the illusion.

I'd forgotten any cash so no coffee (or bacon roll) but there were people I knew to talk to and a few interesting cars. I noticed a Charger (General Lee clone) and chatted to the owner after I found out he who knew a certain other Martin - of course he did.

I told a friend that I'd probably not get into American cars - only to spot this which looked much better in the flesh. 

Its a 1938 Ford Tudor V8 when original but now with a 1956 265 Chevy V8 and other mods.

Another thing I noticed was how the Citroen badge has shrunk. Here we have a Traction Avant Familiale from 1955 vs a 1983 GSA.

Well that adventure completed (and now hungry due to lack of bacon) I headed home in the Talbot taking a better way back.

Later afternoon it was the Imp's turn to shine. Off to the boat via the garage to confirm he was expecting the MK2 tomorrow - which he was - although was a bit fazed by my appearance and possible me turning up in the Imp... After a trip to Shotley Marina I went to the the ECR meeting where - yes another General Lee appeared - well the same one so I gave him the magazine I'd been saving.

I'd quickly printed the QR code for the Imp before I left but it turned out it had got mixed up with the Talbot one which confused a chap with an Alfa. 

Anyway - not a lot of interesting cars but a few interesting chats. Oddly one to a chap who lives at the huge Deer Park Lodge in Freston (I collected Dave Gray from one night) who turned up on a motorised tandem - he has an E-type though too.

However, by then the sun had set and it had become quite cold so I set off home shivering - and trying to work out how to turn the Imp light's on - which I did.

Odd life really in retrospect.

Two more Clean

It was the turn of the Talbot for a clean first thing. Quick check of the oil (none needed) and water (probably but left it as it was).

Soon it was looking much better. I even took the spare wheel off to clean under that.

But something was still letting it down. The bloody wheels were still filthy. So they got a special clean.

I then took it into town to look for the murals that have been painted. Nope nothing I could see but a girl wanted to take a pic (OK for her mother) and a young chap in a BMW said 'nice car mate' as I left the car park

After lunch I went to the creek looking for Dragonflies - and took the MK7 as it was there.

Then as the sun was off the drive I cleaned the Imp too.

The reason was that I wanted to take more pictures of them both together. The light was a bit poor though so not sure how they will come out - but it's a start and just looking at them together was life affirming.

Odd how the perspective makes the Imp look so much bigger though.

Is it contagious ?

I started the day scanning in a few of the photos Sophy had given me. Some I had seen before I realised but others were interesting. The car really did have a bit of a life.

Then it was car cleaning time. First the E-type - after the Hampton Court Concourse it was a bit dusty but not too bad. I check the Oil (none needed) and water - a little. Then cleaned the car.

I think this is a 'after' shot but who knows. Then the MK2 got spruce up ahead of the work next week. That done and lunch over it was just about time to drop Jana at the station - so I took the clean Golf.

I nipped in to do some shopping too. The sun was quite warm thankfully.

Then I filled it up with petrol. Oh the dull stuff we do. That completed I took the E-type out - around the block - the fuel light came on as we sloshed the fuel in the tank. As we got to the station we'd done a a tad above 250 miles. That got its fill of petrol too. A young chap in a BMW liked it though. 

However, this time the gauge did not really come up much at all - odd. So now we have two E-type dials misbehaving. Is it spreading ?

Back home I dithered for a while. Should I take the Talbot out too ? Eventually I thought yes - so I did. Around the block. I locked the brakes once as a coach slewed towards me on the narrow approach to the Mill corner - the car veered alarmingly to the right too. Umm - I'll have to watch that.

The run around was fine though and we wafted into the petrol station. Just shy of 50 litres later we're full to the brim and off home. The late sun glinting off the car.

It really needs a clean too - so tomorrow it might just get one.

OK it was Friday 13th

I started by sorting out the jumble of wires and put the cars on charge - Alpine and Golf - to top up the batteries.

Then I tried to flatten the gravel in the other car port where I'm going to have to park the Aston.

PM we went off to see Rowland's daughter and look at some Talbot photos, but first we went to get the Ferrari, only to find no one home and the doors all locked - although there were two Ferraris parked outside. What was once considered huge - a Testarossa - and a 458 - which now seemed even bigger.

The 458 was Irish and I spotted the tax disk - that road tax is expensive ! Yes it says Euro 2400.

Eventually Steve showed up and opened the doors - I decided to get the car started and warmed up so we could get going when Roberto arrived. It was lumpy and popped a couple of time, then nearly stalled rather than ticking over nicely. Umm - neither of us were happy with that. He tried starting and revving a bit to clear it - no luck. 

I had decided to leave the car there when Roberto arrived and basically did the same thing - start, rev watch it as it went to stall. Oh shit I could see him thinking. 

So there it stayed and off we drove.

The run to Bures was going fine until we missed a turning and hit a green lane.

Then found a truck blocking the road - delivering wood.

However we found the house and were presented with lots of photos - which was nice.

The run back in the sunshine was fine - but I felt slightly deflated not bringing the Ferrari home with us.