I'll have a half

The weather was cold and dreary so we just did the first half of the Talbot video - the 'me in a freezing cold garage talking' bit. Aston out to make room so it roared into life when I started it but the key did not want to come out first time. Odd.

Then a cold couple of hours later and we'd finished so back it went. Again the key did not want to come out so I had to prod it lots of time until it popped out.

Not sure what to do if it totally fails as the engine was still running. 

Then a unexpected passenger jaunt into Ipswich in the rush hour and back.

Finally the RGEA meeting in the SAAB (still flaunting its 'check engine' light) and back the long way as they closed the slip road again - with no warning etc.

Anyway the rushes make me look like I'm in a hostage video.

So hopefully we'll get some sun tomorrow - although freezing temperatures are predicted over night - and make up for it with shots of the car.

ION: No cold in California where four massive fires are raging around Los Angeles fanned by strong winds.

Easy Start

It was only 2 degrees so I warmed the Talbot up for about 4 hours on the fan. I was not sure what would happen but it almost started with no choke it was so warm.

The I ran it parked on the drive for pics. I also topped up the water.

It took about 50ml so needed some. The pictures came out well too although I could not resist he apocalypses versions which seem to sum up where we are going.

Green again

So Harkstead visit AM - for the Holbrook/Harkstead/Holbrook/Harkstead/Holbrook run.

And yes the Imp is still there.

Then a quick B&Q jaunt in the rain.

Finally just tech admin getting the 2024 volume of LDOTC ready.

Oh and the next Talbot battery is topped up and green too.

Green is Good

A bit of pottering as MK7 passenger first thing - then again to Harkstead for jobs PM.

I did pop out to the garage though and put the second Talbot battery on charge though.

The green glow showed the first one had already been topped up nicely.

Cold and, well Cold

So SAAB in the frost off to Felixstow first thing for my second Ear treatment. I had to park a long way away this time but it was fine.

PM I decided to put the Talbot back on charge as I hope to use it in a video next week. We'll see what the weather is doing though.

That's battery 1 connected.

I also notice us in the CVMC mag (well pdf). Formal introductions again.

So my pic gets more coverage.

SAAB pottering

Salt down last nigh - so despite the lovely sunny (but bloody cold) weather it was SAAB time popping out to look for birds to photograph.

Well one buzzard does not make a flock.

Top-up Time (again)

We waved everyone off into a cold but very sunny afternoon. Then a walk substituted for a run out.

Maintenance were alerted that the MK7 water was low again. So it got a top up.

That's a bit frequent but I don't seem to have a note of the last time - but it could not be many weeks ago.

New Year - Nil Return

Pottered about in the wind and rain - did visit the garage and the cars once but no activity other than that. 

Several moderns on the drive though just to make up the numbers.

The Last, Last Run

Final day of the year and after yesterday's sun it was expected to be murky - which it was. Although dry and almost warm at 10 degrees. No salt either. So ... out came the Alpine - with no pre-heat she started fine.

It was only fitting that the Alpine got he last run out of the year after everything - a bit cold but we headed to the village bottle bank and then just a few miles before heading home a bit cold.

So that was that I thought - and took all the miles for one final time this year.

But no. One more utility trip to Harkstead to rescue a parcel left outside again.

So the 2024 results ?

Well would you believe it the 'new to the team' Talbot pipped the E-type to the top slot with 1167 miles vs 1016 for the Jag. This was in just eight month of the year.

The Aston was behind that and then the 308 - which given it spent most of the year with electrical and then fuel problems was good - the Imp came in with a respectable 428. Next was the Caterham that departed as the Talbot arrived and finally the Alpine that only came back for the final four months of the year.

So the hit has been the 1933 car. In all almost 1600 miles in the pre-war team vs a bit under 2k in the classics (e.g. not including the MK2 nor the Aston). Quite a good spread.

100 Not Out and None Too Soon !

I was off to John's 30/98 100th today.

So what to take ? I thought I'd take the Talbot last night but ... anyway I decided to give myself the option. So I warmed the Talbot up for three hours on the fan heater. The sun was even out so I decided to brave it.

Having primed the carbs, I gave it one long spin to build up oil pressure, then set a few revs on the hand throttle followed by three pumps on the pedal and - it started nicely. No Roar either !

So off we went.

On arrival at Wickham Market I parked in the centre carpark opposite John's - only to have a car nip behind me when I was trying to reverse into a space and a second one, a bloody 4x4, almost reverse into me me - I tooted that one a lot. Fuckwits. Then the machine did not work !

Anyway as I wondered what to do John came out and told me there was space in his yard - so I went in there after all.

She looked good too - if I say so myself. But it was in good company with a Sunbeam 20/60 that I found out later to be ex-Rowland too, a Riley and then a 1947 Humber Snipe that Alex uses as his daily driver.

As to the main event - after chatting in the garage John got the Vauxhall out. Looking splendid.

Then after all the excitement I pottered home in the sunshine - stopping for a 'Bridge Shot' as the sun went down.

Just in time - as Ipswich became Chaos about that time due to a unexploded bomb they found on the Wherstead Road. Probably the last run of the year now as the weather is turning bad.

Bus Boy

SAAB out early lunch to get out of the way. A slightly dull and cold 6 degrees but at least the mist has gone. Headed for a dull and disappointing Stonham Barns. Odd but everything looked gloomy as the light rain returned.

Lunch was at Earl Soham - in the bus stop. They must wondered what I was doing as it was Sunday and no busses were coming. Also the seat was wet so I had to stand.

Thanks to William Todd's legacy at least I was out of the rain.

Then Yoxford looking through more of societies detritus - I mean Antiques (cast off Tat).

Then headed a dirty SAAB home (via Westleton to see Nana's old house) and finally up to Harkstead and then home.

So dreary - So no Snap

SAAB to Felixstow to the ear clinic late morning in the mist and cold. Managed to find somewhere to park but too dreary to snap a pic.

Then pottering and found the Alpine on the wiki-commons website - this was shot at Gaydon in 2019 on the club stand - 21 July 2019. 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1960_Sunbeam_Alpine_Series_I_1.5_Front.jpg

In the evening off to Stutton in the SAAB - dark and cold.

ION: I finished the Rolt Autobiography. One final observation he made was interesting. 'Where the VSCC is concerned it is somewhat ironical that it began as a very small club for poor men and is now a very large club for very rich men, at least so far as its most active members are concerned."

Waving the Future Goodbye

Everyone left in the large Laptop early in the morning.

So that's Xmas over then.

Then MK7 run in the mist to drop James off -  there was a '!' on the dash directly in front of the driver.

Lots of confusing explanations on the internet - but it's a generic symbol to say something else is wrong - in the VW it is telling you to read what comes up on the display when you start the car. Which in this car is the 'change battery' message.

Then PM took it again and no warning light - odd.

Circuit of Ipswich ?

Started the day spotting my picture in the VSCC mag advert for Polson. I initially thought where did they get that ?

Thinking back I probably sent it to them - I'll check.

Then we popped out in the large German to get 'fuel'. Not that interesting but as it was my first experience of Electric Cars I thought I'd go along to learn all about it. We arrived at the fast charge in Naction and in went the plug.

 

Clean, easy, quick and no waiting for the space. However after 10 minutes and several 'fuel' cards we gave up (after working how to get the plug out) and called up the map on the app to look for another one.

That done we set off back over the bridge heading for the brand new GG site at Wherstead. Four units and one person already there so this is better I thought.

But it wasn't. It was more frustrating as neither us nor the other chap (a seasoned electric car owner) could get the (Tesla supplied) units to work. So after breaking up the 'you've got a nice electric car - oh no yours is nice too' bromance developing between the stranded owners, we set off again.

Back to Tesco's in fact - well a grubby corner of the deserted 'Park and Ride' that Jeremy had used before. Here it all worked.

It was a fast charge and it even had a nice app thrown up by the QR code we could monitor while we went shopping. Here is the final reading. 

So that means we started with 49% capacity and ended with 85%. That cost £24.06 for 30.45 kWh. A new jargon indeed but what does it all mean ?

Well it's totally obfuscated trying to calculate KM/Miles/kWh etc. ppm/kWh/KM etc. The best I can do is that to fill the car was £66 on this commercial charger and the equivalent 70l tank on a diesel would cost £95 but would give you better range making the p/km calculation EV 13ppkm vs the Diesel only 8 p/km. That obviously changes dramatically in favour of the EV when on the low cost home chargers.

So there we are - it was still a beast as I returned from another Harkstead run in the tiny SAAB and parked beside it. 

But it is The (well A) future.

Swede Not German

Spotted the enormous BMW on the drive first thing. My how they have grown.

The SAAB to Harkstead to collect the passenger - and later in the dark - dropped back again.

Count as two trips ?

Tetris and Tech

Early morning run in an Electric BMW to Harkstead and the Food Hall. Inside was like a computer game.

Yes that's Tetris on the nav screen. Well it is actually the parking assist.

Also swapped over the Talbot trickle charging.

Then SAAB run late back up the Harkstead for birthday cake.

Full of cake and laptops.

20 feet - and Two on the Trot

First job was to move the SAAB into the car port - no frost is due so it would be alright where it was - but it clears the drive for visitors.

Then I spotted my picture on the Dinard Concours Xmas greeting (like last year) which was nice.

I then put one of the Talbot batteries on charge - can I do both ?

Reading up it probably needs two chargers.

Busy Driveway

Visit from engineer who fixed - sorry failed to fix - the dishwasher.

Not sure why he parked there ?

Anyway I was off to Harkstead for a quick job. 

Took the very dusty MK2 - I was thinking of the Alpine but it was bitterly cold if nice and sunny.

However the Aston got a run out too in the late afternoon sun to save the planet. Cold but snug in there.

Finally a Stutton jaunt as passenger in the MK7.

Almost Nil

Late SAAB run to Harkstead saved the day from a nil return.

Spotted a nice pre-war car cocooned up there too.

Mind you it was cold wet and dark today to I'd not have got it out.

OK (again) but Not Right

So AM watched the SAAB drive away full of Shit again for the allotment, while I cleaned the trailer - now I can use the slab again for work.

Then late PM as it was almost dark I put the VIN plate on. My only dilemma was the orientation. My holes said portrait but all the pictures I could fine were landscape.

I'll follow the holes. It's not really flat either but there it is. What to put on the other holes ?

I also thought I'd have another look at the bonnet catch. It did look like there were fittings inside after all so I decided to see what fitted. In the end a UNF on the left and a UNC on the right did the job. Well another bodge - but I can only assume someone had buggered them up a long time ago.

I'll move on and see what happens. Later I thought why not just re-thread them to a bigger size ? So if this does not hold at least I have an alternative path.

I also looked at buying new windscreen wiper arms that fitted better. Researching what other cars had I found this...

I've put them back on the wrong way round. Dho ! Not that they ever fitted particularly well.

It's Behind You

Gosh - the sun was out - so SAAB to the boat for some work. Marina car park was very empty an don such a sunny morning it must be the parking restrictions biting.

However as one of the privileged few we were fine. Nice to see the boat again too.

The sun was still out as we drove back via Harkstead for a quick drop off. So I decided to get the fan heater on the Talbot over lunchtime. There was a bit of oil from the rear axel in the drip tray so before a long run I'll have to see if I can top it up. The sun was only just peaking out by then but I got the Talbot out and after warming on the drive off we went.

Again - like the Lord of the Manor - a car stopped in the road to let me out. SAAB 95 estate I think. I was snug and warm in it and it drove well, although sounded a but different - mind you the windows were closed and I have a blocked ear !

I need to change the old headlight to the new one and I also need to fill up as we're nearing 200 miles since the last fill and I've really only done short runs.

Just when the air was getting colder and the day was waning away I got a call and an excuse to go for another drive. So with out warming it up first the Alpine came out. Started fine - again that non return valve works well.

Here we are looking splendid with the SAAB behind being used as a muck wagon.

Back again quickly as it was getting a bit cold and I thought I'd do the new vin plate. The stamping was fine.

But I found that I had run out of pop rivets - so they are on order.

I also looked at the holes in the bonnet I need to do something about to fit the catch. Umm.

Any suggestion on a postcard please.

This might be the last drive out for a while though as the gritters are back. So I might just do the headlight earlier rather than later.

ION: A study claims that Car production in the UK is declining and has now fallen for eight months in a row. No one wants electric cars and the manufacturers are forced to build EV's as a higher % of the total - so everything is scaling back.