Ah - those Carpets and that Car

AM I started to look through the piles of carpets for the Alpine ones. After looking through what was in the bag I only recognised the odd bit. Odd. Then I noticed the bag was from SNG Barrett so I got the feeling most of them were for the E-type - Dho !

Next step look at the Alpine and what it is missing ? Inner sills and back of the face of the rear bench. I also need to make better panels for the sides of the foot wells.

Back to the loft. Second time lucky - there in another pile were the Alpine bits.

I decided to take the seat and other carpets out so the side carpet can be fitted. Probably a bit OTT but it should help.

I then did just under an hour on the engine bay. I made a slight improvement on one side but lots more to do.

In the afternoon it was time to visit the Aston. Oh now that looked great - far more dramatic than I remembered it as. Looked fantastic in fact. It will be like getting a new car when it comes back.

Mind you it was in good company. Checking the oil it was of course fine too.

What a choice to have I thought on the long drive home. Long because I got a bit lost.

More of the Same

Just a run in the MK7 to drop James off at the station and then a SAAB run to Harkstead to drop off frame.

Dull end to the Bank Holiday but it's out of the shed ready for work next week.

Mini-Me ?

So Swede in play for early transport - Harkstead and back a couple of times of course for Easter.

On the drive however we had the massed German ranks in wait.

Meanwhile - Little and Large sports cars chatting in the garage overnight.

One more German (well made in China) and an Italian. Both as shiny as each other.

Just a German Tech Machine

Down to a cold and blustery Felixstowe in the BMW - with the MK7 in tow.

... and er back again. Not much more.

Oh until I snuck an Alpine run in too.

As the sun set - in the cold - to save the planet.

Multiple Joys

Where to start - well washing the MK2 seemed to be a good place. So I did. The paintwork is getting 'flatter' by the month. Probably the result of sitting outside - oh and being red does not help.

Here I have washed - then cut - then polished - then applied wax to the bonnet. I can't say it made a big difference. 

Next I started the Talbot - easily after I 1/2 hours on the fan - but did it sound different as I span up the oil pressure ?

Then a quick run to Tesco and squeezing in amongst the huge cars.

It did not look too bad - but I remembered that had forgotten to fix the indicator.

Then I looked at golf indicator bulb. Oddly the bulb filament looked fine and it tested fine too ! I traced the fault to a bad earth from the unit.

In the end I traced it back to a connector that had disintegrated and the connection was exposed and both were very rusty. 

I cleaned it all up and on came the light.

I then started the Imp for a bit of a swap around. The plan is to put the Imp away in the bubble and the Alpine in the garage to fit the carpets next week. Before that though I thought why not go for the 'Coventry Shot'.

Not a bad first shot but needs some work. That done (well an hour later) I put the cover on the Imp and put it away on the bubble.

The Alpine out to Harkstead to drop something off - sounding good with the Webers.

And Finally ... Talbot to the station to pick up James.

IISSM - the most stylish Uber amongst the other's picking up at a busy time.

Splashing is Good

G2R first thing for a reprise of the shakedown sail.

Not a lot of wind until the late afternoon, but a lot of splashy' noises from the exhaust telling us the seawater cooling system is back working again.

Then early evening the MK2 to Harkstead for a quick job - that needs a clean again.

A job for tomorrow.

One run Good - Two runs Better

So PM off to Hadleigh in the E-type. I'd already warmed the Ferrari up again - but we were collecting food and I suspected putting it next to the hot engine was asking for trouble. Glad I did really.

Oh no - A14 closed and the traffic crawling. We made Hadleigh OK though and even with my crap parking on show the car looked good.. 

In fact when we got back to the car it was being admired by two chaps - one had a 4.2 convertible - so we chatted cars for a bit. Nice that the car sparks conversations.

Home through small backroads to avoid the A14 as it was still closed. Some nice driving roads out there - in the cold but sunny afternoon.

Early evening the traffic had cleared so I risked the Ferrari after all. Only one little 'pop' as we started up this time.

Great run too in the dying sun. Still 99% but we're getting there.

Pole Dancer

So it was going to be a 'nil-pointer' to day but instead late on we took the spinnaker poll back to the boat.

Can you spot it ?

Well actually we don't have a spinnaker, but we think it will stop the jib sheets getting jammed when we tack. Hopefully we'll be able to test it later this week.

SAAB had a brief stutter but a high rev blast seemed to clear it.

Finally the Talbot video got released. I think it works fine.

30 - 60 - Rassy

So Imp out early PM in the sun for a planet saving run - and then around the block back home. 

It went nicely and felt good - although still lacks a bit of power up the hills. Passed the chap with the black MG (I think it is a Magna) twice as he was doing the same. Us 1930's types.

Then I decided to visit the boat as they had phoned to say it was fixed - yes we had probably got an air lock running with no water - and sorry they did not tell us about the seacocks.

I went to see them having checked the boat and they explained how it all worked. They liked the car too though. I did think it was a 1960's icon as I drove home though.

Water Water everywhere - but not a Drop to Cool

So G2R first thing and off for the shakedown sail. All was going well with the engine running smoothly as we went into the lock until ..

The lockmaster said 'your engine sounds odd - like it is running dry' e.g. there is no water coming out of the exhaust pipe. Bugger. So we turned round and moored on the waiting pontoon to investigate. He was right. So we discovered two things.

1. The stopcocks on the water pipes had been left 'off' - e.g. at 90 degrees to the pipes - so no water could flow.

2. Even when I turned then on - no water flowed through the system.

So that was that - we came back in and stopped quickly on the waiting pontoon.

Shame. G2 Home and jobs instead. 

A nice end to the day though was video Oliver sending me some stills from the filming.

Car looking good - not sure about the fat old git in the check shirt though ?

Don't Panic Captain Mannering !

So out first thing as UBER to Stutton. Cold and misty at 8:00 but not as cold as 7:15 when I was on my bike.

SAAB felt 'odd' like yesterday but I could not put my finger on it. Anyway I decided to warm the Ferrari up and see if that made it better. Well...

But first I got the Alpine out and cleaned the plugs. They really needed it. I last did them when I got the car started in August.

I know it's running rich and I really should get it tuned up now. However back to the 308 ...

A few pops and bangs on start up and one on the way out of the drive but it soon cleared. I should have been a bit more confident in it I guess. So I put it away and told myself not to be so jumpy next time.

Then mid afternoon it was Alpine time - up to Stutton in the sunshine.

And yes - if you know where to look you can spot the touch up - but it will have to wait until another year !

Two Bangs Bad

I started the Talbot after an hour or so on the fan and did not let the oil pressure build up. She made a 'bang' odd noise - hopefully a re-alignment of the starter motor teeth ... or perhaps the gears ... Let's just hope so.

Everything seemed OK though all day. First the wash and then a bit of a detail underneath. The sump got a clean as I went round.

I also did all the wire wheels. Not sure you can tell though. I also painted the chips on the suspension units at the front - which seemed better - again hard to tell from this.

Then after lunch we did the video - drone shots and me talking again. Seemed fine. 

After that I went to take the Talbot around the block but there was a 'Road Closed' sign again in Stutton so I just came home. I took the SAAB out to look for the Kite etc. we saw when filming instead but it had gone - of course.

Later it was Ferrari time to go to the shops. However it had other ideas - pop and BANG it went several times - very disappointing and odd. So I had to take the E-type (not a real issues) instead. Good run in the setting sun too.

B&Q carpark as the shadows got longer. How glamourous.

ION: China slaps 125% tariffs on US goods in retaliation - it's getting silly now.

Fuck-ups to the Right of them ...

So having chased the Vinttro insurance for corrections and the Brakedown cover for two days I discovered they did not include it ! Then after being told I did not have it last year (which I did) I was loosing my cool. Eventually they were able to quote brakedown for only two cars - so that was when I cancelled it. Very disappointing.

I moved back to Heritage for about the same cost.

Early PM was a quick Harkstead jaunt with a package - SAAB again and no tantrums - neither car nor me.

On a brighter note I fired up the Talbot and took it to Stutton pm for EB's birthday tea.

Only a short run but it will be warm for tomorrow's work.

ION: Trump put tariffs up to 145% for China and delays most of the rest by 90 days as things start to spiral against him.

Keep Calm and Keep Driving

Went into the garage to get the E-type out for the run today ... but it was so cold and dreary I took the MK2 instead. It's not been out much though so it was due a run. Here we are at Glevering.

Today's task was to clear up Chris' garage - so out came the Rapier (the Tiger is still at the Unit awaiting work). 

Job done we visited the unit to take the Rapier in for work - and there was a P4 in progress. Looking at it, it has an old school chassis frame and both aluminum and steel panels that seem to be bolted on. 

Interesting I'll watch the progress.

Run to lunch and then back in the Golf went well - although the oil buzzer did come on for a while.

ION: Trade Wars deepen - markets don't know what to do - even the Republicans are nervous. US-China tariffs now 104% and 84% respectively - what's going on ? Oh and Bonds are being written down making US borrowing much more expensive - and probably across the world. For us, well we've lost 15% of our investments or two years growth in three days. Sit tight and drive the cars.

Boats and Cars a Go Go

Long day working in the never ending cold sunshine. First it's Golf to Rassy to fit it out with the sails etc.

Here she is all done after a few hours. Then home to collect the soft furnishings. I'd thought of using the Talbot for that but in the end there was probably too much to fit so the sensible SAAB got a run.

That done it was only 4:00 pm so I washed the Imp.

That came up well. Next I thought I'd do more on the E-type. Ah - I ended up finishing the car using some cutting/polish/wax on some of the panels.

It came up well, although some of the paintwork is starting look a little 'tired'. As I was after all that.

ION: Markets are stating to calm down but who knows what's next. ION2: The UK government has moved the date for the end of hybrid cars to 2035 - probably not the last change to that.

All Sorts

So we started with the SAAB into town to drop off frame.

But first I treated it to a car wash as it was so dirty again.

Next I thought I'd clean the Imp plugs - well look at the state of them.

Actually they were so clean I forgot to re-clean them before putting them back in so had to take them out again. Meanwhile some idiot had dropped a small shred of paper down one of the bores while I was cleaning a little oil that had accumulated. I vacuumed it out though.

Then PM SAAB in service to Harkstead/Bergholt/Harkstead run. No issues with the SAAB though on any of the journeys. Also fixed the wheel chair while I was at it.

Finally down to the boat to fit the new battery - it was 5:00 pm and cold by then so what to take ? The least practical of course. Here we are - after I forgot to take the key.

All done in 30 mins though the actual battery installation. So back again in the cold thinking really "What a life" taking one of our fantastic 1930's cars to work on our Yacht in the sun shine. Something is going to break. (See below !)

ION: The markets are in turmoil again - all day around the world. So all investments are falling fast - good job we're in Classic Cars !

Almost Modern

Ferrari out early morning to the Vinttro Breakfast meeting. I decided on the 308 as a Ferrari always goes down well. Actually also because it was probably the easiest to get out and the cleanest. Looked great on the drive - less so in a dusty car park.

I was late and ended up in the overflow car park - but was following in to that by people taking pics. Looking around they were mostly moderns with another two 308's and a couple of modern Ferrari's. I ended up chatting to the owner of this 1925 Rolls Royce Phantom 1 Torpedo. It had been 're-made' after serving time as a garage pick-up truck in the 1960's.

I guess the best modern was the McLaren I spotted.

Then home again and late run in the dusty E-type - saving the planet.

So a whole weekend of treats - and yes the pictures don't lie - sunshine all the time.