Modern Movers

A MK7 run to Cambridge for Lunch - to be met by a huge (nut nice looking) VW Tiguan.

Apparently it's dark blue.

ION: Diplomacy in front of the camera - Zelensky and Trump get cross at each other - neither pulling their punches. So Zelensky walks out and Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that Zelensky "disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for peace."

Swapped x2

So I started the day by swapping over the Talbot batteries to change the other again. It might even get started at the weekend.

Next was the Aston off to swap for the Ferrari. I managed to get a bit lost and then ended up on the bad road - shitty and narrow. However we arrived fine. However, when I moved the Ferrari out I noticed this. Umm - can you spot the problem ?

Yes the reversing lights are on ... and they stayed on. Odd.

As we let it warm up I moved the Aston into the warehouse.

Always looks good inside a building. It was not that dirty either - so there it sits until I can bring it home. On SORN now though.

So next I covered the reversing lights in tape for the run home. Popped and banged a couple of time on the exit road but went through the 'water splash' OK.

By the time we got home it was nicely on song - but the indicators were 'clicking' when I had my foot on the brake. Odder ! By the time I parked up the reversing lights were red hot. It felt like an earthing problem so that's where I started looking a little later on.

I put the fan heater on the car too to help dry it out and by the time I got back one side was fine. I found the earth wires quite easily and the access was fine - just two large screws.

So I cleaned and sanded the earth on both sides and felt the RHS was a bit loose when I came to unscrew it. Hopefully everything is back to normal and the tests seemed fine. We'll see.

Prep and Tyre Testing

So more rain on the way so I dashed out to clean the Aston ahead of storage.

It was looked good by the time I'd finished and I thought to myself that it will be like getting a new car in the Autumn when I bring it back.

Then more MK2 action - well a B&Q run anyway - before the real rain started.

Oh if only it was that clean !

ION: BP have decided to pull back from Green Industry investment and er ... drill for more Oil.

Stutter Time (on cue)

First thing I got a nice reply from the Dinard Concours Chair.

I spent the morning waiting for the tyre man to turn up - working on the gate posts etc. I spotted the pollen is starting again - a few days behind last year - probably the rain.

Eventually he arrived late and fitted the tyres. Actually he was fine so I suspect they just give him too much to do over a large area. He was aware that old cars need to be jacked up correctly too.

Here we are with new rubber. He also reported that the wheel was not true - so that needs a fix when they get refurbished.

To celebrate I took the Golf into town and could not really feel the wobble.

Next I warmed up the E-type. 

Around the block we went - fuel light flashing and the ammeter misbehaving. I also had a sense of Deja Vu as the car 'stuttered' as we crossed the Freston road - and did it again before we got home. Just like last year's first run on Friday, 16 February 2024. 

How odd.

ION: The UK ups it's defense spending - well it is planning to ahead of the current timetable.

Unexpected Action(s)

I decided to swap the Aston for the Ferrari later this week. That will give me some breathing space to work out if that works for me or what I need to do.

However I started elsewhere by warming the E-type up in order to get that started.

I then checked the Aston oil - it needed about 250ml - so we topped that up.

While there I also decided to see about the garage opener. 30 mins later I'd got the original one working again but not the cheap knock-off one.

So then it was E-type time. She started fine - after turning it over for a while to pump the fuel through. I did notice quite a lot of water on the floor though - I topped it up and none seemed to drip out - another one to watch. After the rain stopped I moved it out to clean up.

It did look good in the sunshine - so I decided to push on and put the bubble away too. Possible too much in one day for the old bloke but I'm ahead of schedule now. Next the Imp ?

In the evening I got an email from the Dinard Concours Chair asking if I was going again and if they could offer me a hotel room ! Blimy.

ION: Three years - that's how long the Ukraine war has been going now.

Goodwood ?

Another DIY day and finished the fence painting for a while. Looked at the E-type and wondered when I should start her up ?

Tuesday is looking dry ...

And yes the old fashioned fence does look like a set from the Goodwood Revival.

Fenced In

Looks like I'm making my own full sized Scalextric set with these fences.

That was the only garage action though.

Then just a short ride in the MK7 to Harkstead PM.

Grabbing a late Run

MK7 ride first thing to help BBsit the Stutton brood. 

PM more garage work - but only painting the fence.

Late PM I decided to take the Aston out to the shops. Looking good in the lights I thought.

I also had a thought - perhaps I should swap the Aston for the Ferrari for a bit while I sort out storage ?

I also checked on the second Talbot battery.

Green again already. Good - again.

We'll See SAAB

So SAAB back home unexpectedly fast. Run in the MK7 first though to collect screws from er ... Screwfix.

Then ride to pick it up. Nice to see it back. Apparently the fault codes said it was the temperature sensor not behaving - so we'll see - but I guess at this age all the sensors are going to pack up. 

I must sort the paintwork too this year.

Later I checked the first Talbot battery - green is good.

ION: The Era of 'Pax-Americana' seems to be over now 'The Donald' is in charge. The coming storm indeed.

Another Step Forward

Two MK7 runs - Ipswich for broken tooth.

Home I finished the Rolt book and was happy to see him say the Talbot 105 was the best Sportscar of it's era. Encouraged I put the Talbot front battery on charge - hopefully that will be out soon too.

PM to Shotley Dr. for a Jab - odd to be there without a passenger. I called in on the boat first though which was looking good - and tempting.

Next I decided to tackle the Alpine and get the garage cleared for work tomorrow. Not as easy as I had hoped - as the machine screw I put in would not come out of the window channel and then the window would not come out catching on the screws it has sticking out. All done into the bubble it went.

Next will be getting the door off.

ION: Another day another Trump blast on Social Media - this time calling the Ukraine President a Dictator - although their 'rare earth minerals' are being talked about. Russia are quite happy though. What is going to happen ?

We'll have to see

So SAAB dropped off at Abbotts. Oddly the EPS light was on as well when I set off.

It went off though when I restarted the car. Umm.

They (Mark) were confident they could fix whatever it is though - well hopeful.

Lift back in the MK7 as they had no loan cars left.

ION: It appears Europe is confused as Trump had started to talk to Russia about ending the war in Ukraine without involving them. The US is also saying 'step up' and get ready to defend yourself. 

Bloody Cold - but Glad I did

AM the usual Harkstead running around for the SAAB in an icy but sunny morning.

The car only stuttered once luckily.

I spotted my pics in the new Vinttro marketing which was nice though.

The sun was still out when I got back so I warmed the Alpine. It had turned, grey, cold and dreary before I started the car but looking at it in the garage it was quite inviting.

We had a good run in the icy air which the car seemed to enjoy - the heater was only kicking out cold air though even after we got home.

Two Wheels Good - Four Wheels Better (again)

Rode Oli's bike back after lunch as it would not fit in his car. A bit heavy especially with the seat on the back.

Then as the sun was out so I took the Aston out. It roared into life after all this time sitting in the cold. A bit grubby but not that you could tell from this pic.

Then when I came out of the shop at the bottle bank a youth was taking pictures of it. That's fine I told him. I took one myself and wondered if anyone was taking pics of the Tesla next to me. 

Probably not - nor filming them on the way out as the lad did to me.

Then an unexpected Harkstead run to finish me off. No problems on the way had me thinking it was my imagination - then on the run home a miss and a flash from the 'check engine' light.

Trailer Trash

Moved the trailer into the small car port in the morning. Well, we pulled it out with the car and then had to use the winch to get it up the small slope in to the other one. Freezing cold and overcast.

The I moved the MK2 into the bigger car port.

Also went to get ladders from Harkstead in the SAAB. Oddly it felt as if the power dropped suddenly on the way there - twice. And once on the way back.

I returned them PM and the same thing happened a couple of times. We'll need to watch that but I only have two journeys planned. Monday Harkstead/Holbrook run and then Tuesday PM off to Abbotts. Let's hope it keeps running until then.

Deflated in the Sun

AM was a Harkstead/Holbrook/Harkstead run to the Dr. and back.

But the sun was out so it felt good.

So much sun that PM I decided to get the MK2 out, warm it up and run it around the block. It was hard to get rolling like the handbrake was on. Then the wheel was off centre as I drove because ...

We had a very flat tyre. I'd forgotten about that. Both the fronts are almost on their 'bars' so two ordered on line for home fitting next week. 

It must be over soon

The dull grey weather must end soon. Hopefully.

I'll need to stop playing with cartoons too when it does - that's the problem.

Especially as I found a new filter !

Two SAAB's Good

So first the bottle bank run and we bumped into another SAAB - a 900 convertible out in the gloom. 

Then a return to DIY with a B&Q run for wood.

How are we going to get a load like that in a new car ?

Finished off with a Harkstead run and looked at the Imp as usual - weather might allow it to come home this month - but we'll see.

Not a single fault all day.

Another dreary one

I popped into the garage once - saw the Alpine and thought I should got one with taking the door off. Then again it's too bloody cold and damp.

So that was about it again.

..........

BUT NO. Late call and Harkstead visit in the gloom to sort an IT problem.

Not much chance of brining the Imp home in this. Cold, wet and shitty roads.

I assume the Ark's are ready ?

More rain and cold today. Popped out in the SAAB after lunch to deliver wood and pick up a Riley book from Nigel.

It featured a car I knew - the blue Riley Imp I saw at Hampton Court in 2017. I spoke to the elderly owner at the time and it got me thinking seriously about pre war cars. It's now owned by his son who runs 'Blue Diamond Services' the Riley specialist I've used.

Then I spent lots of time on admin and cartoons again as the rain fell.

Fat Chance

That's fat chance of a classic run in the near future. Looks like rain and frost for a couple of weeks to come. Anyway so it was a MK7 ride out to Harkstead and another peek at the Imp. 

About it really.

Swapped

Cold and dreary wet day. So I moved the SAAB 10 feet to make it easier to get the Golf in and out.

So should it go ? I don't want to let it go but it's really getting ratty.

So I made a Tintin Talbot 'Toon while I thought about it.

While I also wait for the Spring to come back.

Get out of the WAY !

It's all about the sticker.

Here is the key to getting off first (well third) and through a deserted customs - all in 5 mins. 

Oddly even though we were in Portsmouth (OK still in the hold) the Sat-nav told us we had almost 800 miles to go.

Run back home punctuated by a drop off at RHS Hyde Hall.

Home again in the drizzle - but got unpacked in the dry.

OK it deserves a clean

Off to Dinan first thing. Golf looking a bit dirty now.

PM we noticed that odd car had re-appeared - this time on our front lawn !

Golf looking less dirty in this light - odd. Them PM jobs and packing - looking at the sunshine and empty roads and longing for a car to enjoy them in.

Then off to the ferry for the evening crossing - all very confusing - but we had booked priority exit so we were sent to the front. We'll see how it works tomorrow morning.

Our own Visitor

Here are the two cars outside the house before we took the MK7 to St Malo in the sunshine.

Spotted a bright orange Renault Clio with a 'Schumacher' badge ?

Odd. Looks like a special edition. Anyway better then this.

According to the web it is a Citroën Ami - a two-door, battery-electric quadricycle. I think we saw one in the UK a while ago too.

Oddly a car was parked outside our house when we got back. Probably visiting Madam.

ION: But in a more bazar twist 'The Donald' says the US will take over Gazza, remove the Palestinians and rebuild it !

On the Map !

Off in the car first thing.

Walk at the port (large military chap still there) then shopping again.

Drains passed the inspection so I celebrated by dropping off the bottles in the sun - 13 degrees.

Odd to see us on the map though.