Drive back to an Impish Treat

So Mk7 back again loaded with 2nd hand old booze. Not sure it's any good but we'll try it.

Usual traffic around Chelmsford - but the London route out was much better. Need to refine it though.

Then picked up a nice Father's day gift - a Riley key ring - of course the Riley does not have a key but ... it does have a battery cut out.

So as the sun was still shining in the afternoon we drove to the pub near the marina.

On the way there I noticed that the 'rattle' from the brake cable was better. On the way back I noticed the lack of burning oil smell too. In fact on inspection the cam cover was still firmly attached. 3 points !

Masking the Carbon footprint

Well an Addison Lee Taxi, a Coach twice and an Uber home to be exact - so not sure our carbon footprint is any better. 

Especially as the Taxi tried to kill a cyclist - but at least we were wearing our masks.

Thursday Down

MK7 into London the the wedding. 

Traffic OK - except the blockage on the A12 - but the old route we used to take is now mostly 20 mph and full of speed bumps.

Two signs of normaility

Firstly the sun came back - although the afternoon was mostly taken up with jobs and MK7 journeys to the Hospital and the wait. It seems like the hospital is busy again a sign that things are getting back to normal.

Then the first East Coast Retro car show at Shotley for a long time. Packed out with all sorts of cars from a 1934 Austin Seven (which was temptingly for sale) ...

... to the 1959 Vauxhall Victor F Series II we saw on the way at 16:45 and I saw at 19:33.

I took the slightly dusty Alpine and got rid of a few bits and bobs too.

The atmosphere was very 'up' with everyone just so happy to be back at a car show and chatting to friends and strangers in the sunshine again.

Short hop again

Another dull dreary cold Summer's day - so short SAAB hop for a bit of woodwork. Not even a visit to the garage other than to look at the E-Type chrome strip and decide it was too much effort to investigate it fully.

Must do better tomorrow.

Mini SAAB Trips

Just a visit to the dentist to loose a tooth and an errand in the SAAB as the rain kept falling on and off.

ION: 42m people have now had their first jab, but the Delta variant is still growing slowly.

SAAB Utility runs - again

Just two short runs to Harkstead.

Worth a try

Pottered in the garage and topped up the Imp oil, then cleaned the oil from rocker box and thought it was a shame it leaked so much from there.

Then had a go at making the cover clamp down better and looked at the fitting - I decided to change the position of the catch and see if it got better. Undo nut 1 and screw up/down fitting 2. I got to use a Whitworth spanned too. I also put the gasket on this time as it could fit.

It did seem to work - so we need to go for a run once the weather picks up again.

Then checked the Alpine suspension and everything is still bolted tight. I think the rattle is the handbrake mechanism.

Finally a SAAB on utility run in the drizzle.

 

PM Potter

More SAAB action as the rain kept coming down.

Second short SAAB stint

Well more torrential rain - so just a couple of quick SAAB trips.

Wet wet wet.

Short SAAB Stint

Just a few miles to post a letter in the next Village - so due tot he rain etc. SAAB pressed into service.

Lot's of missed photos

Started with a cleaning job on the Mk2 as it was covered in dust and pollen. Came up well so I gave the bonnet a polish and wax.

I must do something about the sills etc. though.

Then I took the still dirty E-Type out for a run and petrol - still pinking a little - but reverse was ok. Added a mix of octane boost and Redex when we got back. Oh and a bit of that in the Golf too.

Then Alpine to Harkstead in the blistering sun. Went well again and on the way back we called in on the chap with the 1934 Lagonda Rapier - nice car and sounder good but it looked like it should have a longer bonnet and be a bit lower. They were bought by David Brown post war for their engineering.

Finally after that pre-war visit I took the Imp around the block. I may have thought of a cunning plan to stop the oil leak from the cam covers too.

Not sure that is right ?

Decided to check the belt on the Caterham - yes very loose.

But I also found that the whole pully wheel (for the water pump) seemed loose. It also took about a pint and a half of water.

I tightened the belt up though and went for a drive. No squealing sound but another sound - probably the water pump on the way out then. Man by the allotment liked it even though it was a bit noisy.

Then Mk7 out for a high rev blast to try to clean the sensors. It actually goes very well for a 1.4 litre.

Odd jobs, some checks and a treat

Alpine out in the morning for a short run. Started well and going well. Appreciated to by a chap which is always encouraging - until I saw the state of the rust on the headlight rim.

I also screwed the E-Type horn back in (see low long it lasts) and topped up the oil and water - not much used of either which was good to see. I also put the fan switch back to where it should be.

Then SAAB to the shops - god it was looking dirty - almost yellow there was so much pollen on it.

So it got treated to a wash in the machine.

Finally the Mustang video was out (very short one) which was good to see at last. Can you spot the car ?

Hot run back

Set of early but the heat of the day was already getting to me (more so than the car) after an hour.

In 60 miles we'd worryingly used half a tank of petrol - and the fuel gauge kept falling almost as fast as the fan kept running to keep the car cool. When we stopped for a rest I opened the bonnet to let some air out.

"How much is that worth ?" said a man to Jana and another wanted a pic. So the attraction of even a slightly dirty and hot E-Type lingers.

On the road and the fuel tank had obviously been re-filled by the gremlins again as we were three quarters full again - so we just kept going to our next stop. However it was very hard to get into reverse.

At the next stop after an hour of wandering around again the car did not want to go into reverse. I hope it was just very hot.

Finally as we arrived home and turned into the drive ... the horn stated sounding again as the push fell out of the column.

But that was another 210 miles done and a total just shy of 430 over the three days.

Now to look at the various 'issues' - but that's what the weeks are there for.

Show Time at 60

Up early and found we'd been joined in the carpark by a few other E-Types and an XK140 too. 

Arrived in good time for the event in the bumpy field on a hot day. Lots of well er... E-Types plus some very expensive dealers with cars and expensive 'stuff' to sell us.

I did see a SS100 race car I'd never come across - although they did not seem to be enjoying it !

Some interesting racing starts and the odd but of fun. 

Not sure how we'd fill two days of the event though.

'Go West' young man

Well it's 8:15 and we're all packed up in the E-type for the run to the West of England about 180 miles away via the meeting of the convoy in Cambridge and the lunch (turned out it was only tea) stop.

Here we are at the tea stop in the hotel car park. We knew it was a very posh hotel as they delivered some food BY HELICOPTER ! Nice XK140 coupe parked there already as was a V12 soft top.

But here are we parked as far away from everyone in the cheap hotel we stayed in.

Prep time

Early run to Grimaldi to hand over a clean Ferrari for ork. The usual nice collection of cars in there modern and classic. Like a Lamborghini Espada in bits, next to a 355, Dino and many others.

Then in the afternoon I finished checking over the E-type Oil/Water/Tyres etc. and did a bit of packing.

Er ... Bugs Life and Alpine Gun-running

OK a bit strange title so here we go.

First thing it was time to clean and polish the E-Type for the event. Standard stuff so here it is 'before' looking remarkable shiny.

When I washed it I noticed a slight dark mark in the headlight - well crawling around inside it. 

Yes its was a Stag Beetle. So I had to dismantle the light cluster and tease him out.

Anyway that excitement over I finished off the car with a deep polish and put it away for tomorrow.

Then Alpine to petrol before filling it with tools for the 70 mile round trip to see Alex with the Humbers.

I was packing so much iron it felt like gun-running. Car went well though only faltered/fluffed when very hot.

Gosh what a great place - if only the light had been better for photographs ... or I had more skill perhaps. I need to go back.

Oh and in the evening I spotted the Red Dart in the village car park - owner nowhere to be seen though.

Another day in Paradise

Mk2 first thing to town for hair cut - in a bright day. Oil warning came on on the way back - so I hit the dash and it went off - as did the rev counter !

Then a look at the E-type horn issue - first job making up a connection to keep testing as I took bits off/apart.

Which saved me quite a lot of walking - and what was it in the end ? Well the contact ring under a part seemed to have shifted but it appears the horn button was stuck down - no I don't believe it either.

However a run for petrol seemed to be ok. The horn working only when I pressed it. When I got back I cleaned up the oil from the Imp and tightened the speedo cable at the block.

Then it was time for the Daimler Conquest video runs. So another short MK2 run too - and the rev counter was working again.

On/Off, a fix - perhaps - and no problem starting

Sounds like a Cryptic crossword clue.

In fact it is the sequence of car events. Firstly the Mk2 out and about in Ipswich. 

Went well and looked cleaner than it was. Then on the way back the rev counter was not working.

But later on in the afternoon it was working again when I went to the creek ! I also frightened the Red Dart owner when I called in. Not sure he'll join in the fun - he looked quite worried. 

Then later the Imp got another outing - I had found the speedo cable a little loose and the cable was also being snagged by the clutch pedal as the 'bodge' to keep it in pace had come off. So I re-installed it.

The speedo worked ok for the run and we even got a wave from Black Dart man too as we drove through the village. Lots of oil in the plug holes though as I can't keep the rocker box covers tight...

Finally Ferrari to the garage for petrol - of course it had no problems starting - and was admired greatly by a chap with an East German accent in a Merc. He even filmed us leaving ... suspicious - Moi ?

Chancing it

Well it was supposed to be a quick run down to the marina for a picnic lunch.

So we took the Imp - with me in my 'period' garb.

However the captain decided to go for a sail with the black clouds looming so I worked out how to put the tonneau on. Works quite well too.

All the time we were out I could see the blackness and feared the worst.

But we got away with it.

Then on the way back the speedo started to play up. Ummm. Tapping the cable seemed to bring it back to life. One more for the job list.

New Noise for the Seven

A couple of SAAB runs in the afternoon backwards and forwards really.

Then I had the option of a run in something - but what ?

Well I plumped for the Caterham as it's not been used much recently. Umm - a new noise appeared as we were only 1/2 a mile from home. An odd one like a belt slipping or a bearing crunching for a second or two. 

Then it went away only to return a few miles later so I turned around and came home - and it did not make the sound again. I'll check the belts etc.

Gardening and Rain ...

So after work I made a couple of videos of my stills again. I liked the Dart one.

We'll see how many hits we get.

Trio taking turns

SAAB out with gardening equipment early afternoon.

Then a return trip in the Alpine - suffering a bit when it got warm in the 25 degree sunshine.

Then a final planet saving run in the Aston.

ION: 50% of UK adults have been fully vaccinated - we're not welcome in Europe yet - but then we're not allowing people to visit either.

V8's Glaore

Well I never - the chap with the Daimler Dart turned up at my door and we arranged to take photographs.

I could hear it coming - a more angry (the mags would say visceral) sound of the 8 cylinders. It looked much better in the flesh than I remember them - although the front is still one that only it's mother would love - it did grow on me.

Then the Mustang photoshoot and video in the early evening. It's quite a big car and seemed to smother the small country lanes, but it had that lovely lazy American V8 soundtrack.

So two V8's in one afternoon.

Looking the Part or Pratt - delete as necessary

Well after a day of admin and jobs I thought I'd take the Imp out in the late sun and dress the part for the run.

The car started better this time and ran well - it still makes the noises it first did - but no new ones yet. Another near 50 mph experience too.

Oh and yes the rocker box cover popped loose again. 

ION: Today is Zero Day - the day when no Covid-19 deaths have been recorded in the UK despite the Indian variant - now more correctly called B.1.617.2 or 'Delta'.