Brrrrrrr…
Finally got a chance to head out for a short spin today.

First stop B&Q.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/eW...=w1151-h863-no

Then I tried in vain to find a suitable location for a photo shoot with the sun setting behind the car.

In the end, I had headed a bit further West than expected and it was getting pretty dark by the time I got home.
( The photo makes the sky look brighter than it was & note the frost still on my neighbour's car. )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ah...L=w647-h863-no

But regardless of the light, it was bloody cold out. :eek:

Best comment of the day was from a guy who told me he had a Scalextric model of my car when he was a kid!

Cheers, Paul. :)

Happy New Year!
A couple of days ago I was up a wobbly ladder sorting out a blocked rain gutter here. :eek:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TB...p=w647-h863-no

But I did get out for a quick spin today and recreated one of Mr T's photos.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h...=w1151-h863-no

Although my drive didn't start well, when I managed to spill petrol all over the paintwork while filling up. :rant:

I then managed to miss the sun setting for a second time. :rolleyes:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/M8...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/yJ...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/b9...=w1151-h863-no

Hope you have a great 2018.

Take care, Paul. :)

A Short Break
After a few days away with my family, I had a chance to go out for a quick spin this afternoon.

First job was to check the oil.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zD...=w1151-h863-no

The bad news is that I am definitely burning and/or losing oil.

The good news is that I still get a kick out of opening the bonnet on hinges I made myself. :D

I was out for about an hour / 20+ miles, which was still long enough to freeze my ar$e off.

So I only managed to take one photo while I was out. :rolleyes:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/z8...=w1151-h864-no

At some point I will need to give the car a wash as it is getting pretty filthy now.

A few highlights from my drive:

Let an old style Fiat 500 pull out from a side road in front of me and we exchanged big smiles as we passed.
As this '500' was on steroids, a 'Pro Street' drag racing style, complete with roll cage and serious sounding engine. :eek:

Waved at a hardy MX5 driver, who is the only one I've seen with the roof down in all my recent 'chilly' drives.

Was carefully weaving my way over Harrow Hill due to the small gaps left by parked cars.
Then just as I was pulling into the single car width space ahead of me, a young chap decided to play 'chicken'.
There was a big plume of black smoke out of the back of his old 3 series BMW as he tried to accelerate into the same gap before I got there.
He failed. :rolleyes:
Instead, he just ended up blocking the road in front of me with nowhere for either of us to go.
Despite the Romanian number plate he appeared to fully understand the short blast of Anglo-Saxon that I gave him. :icon_twisted:
He also understood that his dumb driving meant that I wasn't going to be the one doing the reversing.
So I just inched forward as he slowly/carefully reversed back down the road, past at least 10 cars that were previously behind him.
As these were now all safely tucked in on their side of the road leaving him no where to pull back in.
[Del Boy]
"What a plonker!"
[/Only Fools and Horses]
:icon_wink:

Until next time, take care, Paul. :)

PS
Someone pointed me to this advert for a 1957 Falcon for sale in the USA. :cool:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/19...ks-sportsracer

Micra Mission:
My wife's car is due its MOT tomorrow and she was told about a YouTube guide to fixing her headlights.

As they currently look like this, it was my job to watch the video and then fix them.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Pi...Y=w647-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_j...t=w647-h863-no

First a dry sanding with 800 grit paper.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uE...w=w647-h863-no

Followed by wet sanding with 2000 grit.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/DU...r=w647-h863-no

I ended up having to do this round twice.

Then I used some cutting compound, applied and polished by hand.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/kH...X=w647-h863-no

Then it was a light dusting with clear coat.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/yU...5=w647-h863-no

While I was hoovering and cleaning the rest of the car I was wondering how long the clear would need to dry.

At which point a fine mist of rain started coming down, so I figured that would have to do. :rolleyes:

Whilst the end result isn't perfect, the lights are miles better than they were. :cool:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/rI...G=w647-h863-no

Depending on the weather, I might take my own car out for a spin at the weekend. :pray:

So until next time, take care, Paul. :)

Stupid boy!

You could have done it with a polishing mop and some cutting paste. The missed opportunity was that you had to buy if for the wife's car, in fact you could have got her to pay for it.
A missed opportunity, Stupid Boy!

Oi!

I resemble that remark.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/...RAMMES_THE.JPG

:icon_wink:

It was someone in my wife’s work that suggested the fix and they even supplied the 2000 grit and clear coat.

So I would be hard pressed to argue that I needed a new tool for the job when they didn’t use one.

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Friday Suppliment
As well as fixing my wife’s headlights I also had to take my mum to a physio appointment.

Due to road works I had to take the scenic route back and saw the charred Grenfell Tower for the first time.
( As I said at the time, this is not very far from my mum’s house as the crow flies. )

Even having seen in on TV doesn’t seem to dampen the impact when you see it with your own eyes.

On a lighter note, I was also stuck in a traffic jam on the North Circular with this car next to me.
( The number plate was easy to remember and Google had this photo. )

https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/t5...44021248_n.jpg

Now most cars with 4 ‘drain pipes’ for exhausts don’t actually need then.

But it was clear this car had a serious power plant and it sounded very menacing just inching along. :cool:

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Saturday
Unfortunately, a number of chores got in the way of me heading out for a decent spin today.

But at least I was able to finally finish tidying the Summerhouse.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tx...g=w647-h863-no

I also picked up my road bike from getting repaired today and needed to clear the space around it.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/bL...=w1151-h863-no

As I plan to spend hours on this Turbo trainer this year to lose some, OK, a LOT of weight.

I just hope the weather holds tomorrow.

Cheers, Paul. :)

I was discussing a keep fit regime with my son today. I plan to get a cheap treadmill (£150 foldable and motorised) and stick it in the shed (small log cabin 2mx2m) that I have just built today, then run an armoured cable. If rainy, walk fast -ish in the shed, if not do it on the lawn. Running is definitely out of the question unless my life is threatened. I may have to put a cooled energy drinks dispenser (beer fridge) in there too. Noise cancelling headphones and Free Live, fitness here I come.

Barber - For me, the big advantage of training in the Summerhouse is I don't disturb the family.

When I was training properly, I could happily do a couple of hours cycling before work, even if it was dark outside.

For the long steady rides, I have an old TV and DVD player with headphones to keep me occupied.

Power is run from the house via an armoured cable.

http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/user...DSCF4290_1.jpg

The cable comes in underneath/through the concrete base.

http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/user...DSCF4567_1.jpg

After back filling the hole, there is no sign of the cable at all.

http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/user...DSCF4568_1.jpg

Which gives me both light and power sockets.

http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/user...DSCF4565_1.jpg

http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/user...DSCF4564_1.jpg

Good luck with your fitness plan.

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Sunday Spin:
Managed to get out for around a hour and 20 minutes today, which equates to 33 odd miles due to traffic.

Took a quick blast up the M1 and was pleased to find that the overdrive switch seemed to be working properly. :cool:

Whilst it might be getting marginally brighter in the afternoons, it is still pretty cold out there, so just one photo stop.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/kT...=w1151-h863-no

At some point I need to make a final decision on some side mirror plinths.
( As I want them in place before I get my tonneau cover made. )

Until next time, take care, Paul. :)

Quick Catch Up
Recently, the weather has not been suitable for open top driving. :rolleyes:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/UT...=w1151-h863-no

But I did get out for a decent drive yesterday, just under 2 hours and just over 50 miles.

Didn't see any other cars with their roofs down, but exchanged a nod & and a smile with an old guy on an old Norton coming the other. :cool:

When I filled up with petrol I also stopped for a coffee break to help me warm up a bit.
( Excuse the poor photo. )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Mp...s=w647-h863-no

Unfortunately, after taking the scenic route out, I took the M1 back and the wind really blasted me. :eek:

Not easy to get a decent photo of it, but I think the wind and rain lashing the car cover is ruining the paint. :icon_sad:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/61...=w1151-h863-no

So I will definitely be taking up JaguarTVR's kind offer of showing me how to cut and polish this properly when the weather improves.

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In other news, I've started getting back into a regular exercise routine in an effort to lose weight. :cool:

I've also finally started to work my way through loads of paperwork I put in "come back to later" piles during the build.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4J...O=w647-h863-no

Note:
This was 'Round 1' and 'Round 2' was at least half as much again.
I even had to buy a new shredder after over working the old one.

Until next time, take care, Paul. :)

Looking at your picture of the car cover, you could do with a square of plywood with an upright to create a tent pole that could sit between the drivers and passenger seats, this would stop the water from pooling and might help keep the inside drier.

Jag - Unfortunately what I really need is a garage. :icon_sad:

Building the car on my driveway was a dumb idea and parking it here is not much better. :rolleyes:

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Short Saturday
This morning, I tried to squeeze a quick drive in before the promised rain arrived in the afternoon.

But first it was time to check the oil and I'm still lovin' the bonnet opening. :D

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/SY...=w1151-h863-no

Unfortunately, I'm not lovin' the fact I haven't sorted out inner front wheel arches yet, as there is mud everywhere. :rolleyes:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/hd...n=w647-h863-no

I barely managed 15 miles in an hour as there was nothing but roadworks and traffic jams in all directions. :rant:

Then to rub slat into the wounds, I got caught in some light drizzle that had a brief flurry of sleet in it. :eek:

It was easy to keep a stiff upper lip as I drove though this, mainly because the lower half of my face was frozen. :icon_wink:

Until next time, take care, Paul. :)

Paul L I have a hard half tonneau cover from a Spyder knocking about the workshop.
Why not collect it and adapt it for you car ?
It will help keep out the rain when the covering sheet is on and help keep you warm and dry when your driving. :icon_biggrin:

Stunning just stunning Paul.

-

As for this little car you spotted.

Nissan GTR R35
3.8 twin turbo
420 bhp in standard form but this one has been played with
195+ mph
With a price tag of pushing on 100k.

https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/t5...44021248_n.jpg

Sorry my geeky knowledge of Japanese sports cars is greater then kit cars :(

It surely puts my daily drive with 4 drain pipes out the back with only 230 bhp to shame. But mine has a wankle engine. :)

Mike - Thanks for your kind offer. :cool:

But I've got my wooden tonneau covers for when the car is parked on the driveway.
( Note the P & D were added before the steering wheel was fitted & at one point these were a single unit. )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/et...=w1151-h863-no

And when the weather finally warms up I will get a proper cover made, something like Mister Towed's.

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/...ps019d7e11.jpg

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WelshOne - That GTR certainly sounded evil just crawling along. :cool:

A very long time along, I remember reading about someone fitting a wankle engine into an Alfa Spyder.
( Possibly in Street Machine? )

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Even Shorter Sunday
Domestic stuff had to take priority today, but I did get a very quick spin out.

And as it wasn't raining, I did take a couple of photos.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/sW...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/mz...=w1151-h863-no

But by now the sky was starting to cloud over...

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0o...y=w647-h863-no

So it was a quick stop at Sainsburys.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GW...=w1151-h863-no

Where no sooner had I stepped out of the car when a man and his young son came over for a chat.

The amazingly positive reaction the car gets really does help take away my disappointment with the paint.

Until next time, take care, Paul. :)

Why are you disappointed with the paint - it looks nice and aged and suits the car. Is there anything in particular that bothers you?

Marc (from the Miglia page)

Mick - Thanks for the kind words. :cool:

I know the real problem is my own standards/expectations, as everyone else likes what they see.

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Marc - It is really hard to get a decent photo of the problem, but there is a scratched/milky finish on the paint now.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/TR...=w1151-h863-no

At least the 'survivor' look is more popular in the old car world these days. :icon_wink:

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Hell's Bells It's Cold Out
Forecast said it was around 3 or 4 degrees when I headed out today, but it felt much colder.

I took my go pro out, so I could get some photos without stopping.

I have to work my way through the built up areas…

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/F7...=w1534-h863-no

Before I finally get onto the open road. :cool:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0x...=w1534-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/yF...=w1534-h863-no

Tried another 'Italian Job' angle.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/FX...=w1534-h863-no

And finally one 'selfie', where the exposed part of my face is freezing. :eek:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Wa...=w1534-h863-no

Until next time, take care, Paul. :)

PS
Had a weird passerby this morning who stopped for a chat while I was just starting the car up on my drive.
He said he had taken photos of my car "without wheels" and wanted to know if he could take some more.
English wasn't his first language and, for a Sunday morning, he absolutely stank of drink. :rolleyes:
But in the spirit of goodwill, I said just let me pull the car into the road so he could get a better view.
Then, to my surprise, he pulled out a HUGE professional SLR camera and proceeded to click away.
It turns out his previous photos were taken when the car was freshly painted and left uncovered to dry.
( Hence the lack of wheels. )

Paul, this may not be any help but worth considering.

A number of years ago, I painted some wooden garage doors in a very nice green external paint, similar in tone to yours. This was done September/October time and a combination of the cold and heavy dew made it go milky in patches. It stayed the same over the winter, but during the spring and early summer, the heat and sunshine dried the paint out thoroughly and it was good for many years.

Don't panic until you have had the chance for the car to get a good dose of fresh air and warm sunshine. Fingers crossed.

Barber - Cheers. :cool:

My current plan is to wait until the warm weather returns and then see what can be done. :pray:

Triumph Swordfish 1500
 

Short and sharp
You know it is going to be a cold trip when there is still unmelted flakes of snow on the car cover.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8c...8=w614-h819-no

Once again, don't let the sunshine fool you, the wind chill was biting on exposed roads.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LP...=w1093-h819-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cM...=w1093-h819-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ui...=w1093-h819-no

Note: You can really see the 'milky' paint finish on the rear arch in the photo above.

Although I did like the ray of sunshine peaking through when I filled up. :cool:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/IC...=w1092-h819-no

And I still enjoy the Sainsburys' car park.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/kW...=w1092-h820-no

Until next time, take care, Paul. :)

Last Man Standing
My wife and daughters spent most of the half term week ill with a cough/cold.

Unfortunately, I've now got it as well, so all I did today was to peel back the covers and start the engine.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jg...=w1151-h863-no

The only good news is that the battery seemed fine today, as it sounded like it was dying last time I started the car.

Cheers, Paul. :)

Short Sharp Shocks:
I'd forgotten to send a birthday card in time, which was a good excuse to drop it around in person.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tx...Q=w647-h863-no

This area is also a good example of the madness that is the London property market.

My mate and his sister bought their first house in this area in 1995 and spent less that £100k.

These days, these little two bedroom terrace houses will set you back over £800k, bonkers!

I also took the scenic route to Sainsburys, where this pickup was HUGE!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1R...=w1151-h863-no

So around 14 miles yesterday and 9 miles today, which isn't much, but better than nothing.

Also, if it wasn't so cold, the sunshine and clear blue skies would be a real joy to drive in.

Cheers, Paul. :)

Winter Wonderland:
No chance of taking the car out for a spin in this weather, so here are a few snow photos instead.

Unfortunately, my camera couldn't capture just how 'blood red' the sun rise was.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ET...=w1151-h863-no

This was the first day of snow arriving here.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/R4...d=w647-h863-no

After a few days the driveway was looking like this.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/O6...=w1151-h863-no

Whilst we've had snow here before, the icicles hanging off the car cover were something new.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/r7...=w1151-h863-no

Take care, Paul. :)

Quiet week:
A combination of work and weather meant I only managed a 6 mile 'scenic route' round trip to Sainsburys last week. :rolleyes:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/BG...T=w614-h819-no

Then to make things worse I discovered that the micro heater has sprung a leak 'somewhere'.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/15...j=w614-h819-no

I hope it is just a jubilee clip on a hose needing tightening. :pray:

But I need some dry weather to start crawling around in the footwells with a torch to find the problem.

So until next time, take care, Paul. :)

Swings and Roundabouts:
I did get a chance to go on a longer detour (just under 20 miles) to Sainsburys on Friday which was very nice.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/I9...=w1151-h863-no

The 3 series convertible arrived after I had parked and I couldn't help but wonder what car design Tribute could bolt to it. :icon_wink:

Without doubt, it was the warmest day I'd driven in for months, but there was rain in the forecast, so I didn't push my luck.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/h1...b=w647-h863-no

Saturday was spent driving taking my wife and eldest daughter on a University campus tour.
( Snow while driving there and back and as we walked around outside the various buildings. :rolleyes: )

Which meant this was the scene outside first thing this morning.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/l7...=w1151-h863-no

With a bit of luck, this will be the last of the snow and the good weather will finally arrive.

Cheers, Paul. :)

Some Small Signs of Spring…
Got a chance to go for a proper drive this afternoon and there was real sunshine on the car today. :cool:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ID...=w1151-h863-no

Unfortunately, by the time I'd reached St.Albans the sky was looking like this.
( Photo taken while I was stuck at a set of temporary traffic lights. )

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/uK...D=w647-h863-no

So I decided to take the M1 south to save a bit of time, even though it is alway nerve racking. :eek:

Cheers, Paul. :)

Looking good Paul !

Loving that green. And the wheels ... yummy

Dave

Dave - Cheers. :cool:

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A few more miles…
A combination of family stuff, work and wet weather have kept me out of the car for a while now. :icon_sad:

But I did get a chance to use the car for a 'drop off' on Thursday evening, setting off around 6.45pm.

Heavy evening traffic heading into London meant 6 miles in 30 minutes. :rolleyes:

Then it was back again just as some street lights were coming on, so this was me back home around 7.45pm.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vo...=w1151-h863-no

I also have a small time window earlier today and headed into Harrow shopping centre.

Quite by chance, the 8th floor of the car park was pretty empty so I got a few photos.

Unfortunately, I had my small camera with me and it struggled to cope with the contrast in light.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/IL...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Q4...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1O...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zU...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ib...=w1151-h863-no

I remembered to made a note of the mileage today and I've now clocked up just over 1,600 miles on the road. :cool:

In other news, I baked my first batch of chocolate chip cookies on Tuesday night.

As you can see, I need to leave a bit more space for the cookies to expand during cooking. :rolleyes:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Qv...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/g0...=w1151-h863-no

Until next time, take care, Paul. :)

Or, make the cookies smaller.
Glad you are getting out and enjoying the car!

Molleur - "I like big cookies and I can not lie.
You other brothers can't deny…"

:icon_wink:

My first batch of cookies were for an event at work, where, despite their shape, they were all eaten.

Then my wife and daughters complained that I should have saved three for them to try. :rolleyes:

So I made a second batch, which were miles better & looked more like 'real' cookies (but I forgot to take any photos).

The key differences were:
- Halved the ingredients to make just five cookies per tray.
- Switched Lurpak butter to Stork Cakes (which my daughters use).
- Left the 'balls' of cookie mix in the fridge to chill a while before baking (an internet tip).

But that is more than enough about baking, so back to getting out and enjoying the car...

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Sunny Saturday…
Despite the beautiful sunny morning, I had to put domestic chores ahead of taking the car out.

Thankfully, the sun was still shining when I finally headed out after lunch.

So I took a chance and dusted off my summer hat and gloves.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p4...=w1151-h863-no

I also chanced wearing just my light blue polo shirt, but did leave a jumper in the passenger seat.

At slow speeds, with the sun out, it was lovely and warm. :cool:

At anything over 50mph, or if there was shade, it was a bit chilly, but I wasn't going to complain.

The car continues to get extremely positive reactions wherever I go.

Hearing a small child say "Wow! Look at that car!" will always gladden the heart.

But my favourite comment of the day came as I crawled through St.Albans traffic...

"It even smells like an old racing car." :D

Unfortunately, that would be due to the oil leaking onto the hot exhaust pipe (see below).

Obviously, convertibles with their roofs down were everywhere, including a nice red F Type.

Also passed a McClaren, 3 Ferraris, 2 Aston Martins, 2 Maseratis, 1 BMW i8, countless Porsches, etc.

Only saw one classic car out (a TR2/3?) and to this day I've still never seen a Sammio/Tribute/Miglia/Formosa/etc. on the road.

I clocked up just under 70 miles and was out for almost 3 hours including stops for petrol and photos.

Found a modern industrial estate for the photos.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/EF...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fi...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nx...=w1151-h863-no

Which reminds me that I really do need to wash the car at some point as it has been a long Winter.

Parked the car on the street when I got home…

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ss...=w1151-h863-no

Which allowed me to check the oil when everything had cooled down.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ay...=w1151-h863-no

Note the mud sprayed all over the inside of the bonnet.

Unfortunately, I'm still leaking / burning oil, so I will have to get that looked at by a professional at some point.

This was the oil left on the street during the short time I was parked before moving back onto my driveway.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8P...=w1151-h863-no

Until next time, take care, Paul. :)

Mud Glorious Mud
 

Mick – Building some sort of splash guards is on my “To Do” list.

I quite liked the way Jerome fixed this problem on his Sypder.
( As I don’t want to mess about with the bonnet any more. )

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps99b7105d.jpg

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...psd3786cd3.jpg

I always remember these photos as they came when he had the car craned over his house! :eek:

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps074b66e2.jpg

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Despite the beautiful sunny weather around here lately, I’ve not had a chance to go for a drive. :icon_sad:

Work is very hectic at the moment and the good weather also brings a load of domestic chores too.

So in the last week, I’ve:
- Given the grass its first ‘high’ cut of the year to tidy it up a bit (OL, a lot).
- Given the garden furniture a couple of coats of protective oil.
- Given the Bar-B-Q a post winter clean too.

Which meant that on Thursday night we were able to have our first family BBQ. :cool:

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I’ve got to put a few hours of ‘real’ work in over the weekend, but I hope to get out in the car at some point.

Cheers, Paul. :)

Grey Sunday
It was just after 2pm when I finally had a chance to go out for a drive today.

My woolly hat was back and I also went for my 'Autumn' black leather gloves.

But I should have picked my winter ones, as it was COLD!

After around 45 minutes I actually had to stop in a garden centre cafe to warm up a bit. :eek:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tC...=w1151-h863-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vr...=w1151-h864-no

Then it felt like rain was coming, so I called it a day after just over an hour's driving and around 20 miles covered.
( Note: The clouds were so dark I was making a point of not heading too far from the house 'just in case'.)

Cheers, Paul. :)

Is that a G Wagon you've parked next to? It looks huge.

Mr T - :D

Jokes aside, I keep looking at cars like this and wondering what Tribute could do with them.

Note: I'm just looking, with absolutely zero chance of building anything else for years to come. :rolleyes:

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Very Busy
I hope to catch up with a load of forum replies over the weekend, as work has been manic lately. :icon_sad:

But I do have one small bit of car related news…

I saw an advert on Ebay for 5kg of alloy off cuts for £20 + P&P, so I thought I would take a chance...

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/YN...=w1151-h863-no

Despite having a full mix of sizes on display, the advert was very clear that what you get would be 'pot luck'.

At this point, I am only thinking about covering the main sections of the cockpit sides, not the rear cockpit wall.
( Mainly because it took me so long to fit the seats I just can't face removing them to get access. )

So as a guide, the short & fat piece in the centre is 30cm x 40cm and the cockpit sides are around 1m x 50cm.

Which means I will need to create some sort of overlapping patchwork quilt design see what that looks like.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ql...=w1151-h863-no

Until then, take care, Paul. :)

I bought the same batch and it has proved invaluable. I also bought a second-hand bench shear, £40 on eBay. This makes cutting a breeze, square edges with no distortion. The bench shear is one of (the many) invaluable tools that you never knew you needed until you had one.

Jag - I know my patch work quilt will be nothing more than a 'veneer', but I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do.

Whilst the bench shear does sound like a good piece of kit, I don't actually have a bench! :icon_wink:

So expect my handiwork to be as rough and ready as the rest of this build.

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Saturday Slog
My reward for a tough week at work was to take my wife and daughters on a shopping trip to Uxbridge. :rolleyes:

But it got worse, as my wife has borrowed a pressure washer and the driveway was on her hit list.

So I had to move everything that I've been using to jack up the car, or hold stuff down, which was neatly stacked on the drive.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/5p...h=w247-h328-no

I only carried it through the house and onto the patio, as it was too hot to continue to the bottom of the garden.

Then my garage wall needed a trim.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vt...N=w647-h863-no

Before I had to cut and edge the verge (more about that later).

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/a6...v=w647-h863-no

Then I could move my car off the drive, before being sent to mow the lawn and blow up the paddling pool. :rant:

When my chores were finally complete, I noticed just how much oil was blown over my wife's car and I was only idling for a few minutes. :eek:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/H4...=w1151-h863-no

Then I had to stick my head in the passenger footwell, with my feet hanging over the rear of the cockpit, so sort out my heater leak.

Most of the photos I took were rubbish, but this was after I'd removed the heat shield material from around the heater & hoses.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gv...=w1151-h863-no

There was some slack in the jubilee clips, so I really hope that tightening these up has fixed the problem.

Especially as the only way to tighten one clip, was to loosen it fully, reposition it for a better screwdriver angle, and then re-tighten it.

At which point I had engine coolant pouring down on me in a space I could barely move it and struggled to get back out of. :rolleyes:

Then it was time for the car to get washed for the first time since I got back on the road last November.

But before I started, I noticed another problem, as I'd clearly had a petrol leak that has bubbled and stained the paint. :icon_sad:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/bZ...j=w647-h863-no

My only thought is that I didn't secure the cap properly when I last filled up.

Washing the car ended up being quite depressing really, as whatever problems I have with my paint (white marks) are clearly there to stay for now.

But even if I have inadvertently ended up with a 'survivor' finish, I still love my car and all it represents. :cool:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zZ...=w1151-h864-no

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I'll end this update by returning to why I had to tidy up the verge earlier in the day…

While I was trimming the hedge, my wife was chatting to the lady next door and my promise to take her to church in the Swordfish came up.

Now given all the mess and noise my neighbours had to put up with during the build, the offer of a drive was the least I could do.

She was even happy to wait until the car was painted, as I did offer to keep my promise when the car was on the road in grey primer.

So as tomorrow (now today) was forecast to be the first real warm Sunday since the car was painted, we made it a date. :cool:

Given the fact she is 82, I wanted to sort out the verge out so that I could park along side it to help her get it.

We just need to practise getting her out before we go, as that is the part my mum struggled with given how low the car sits.

Which meant that by the time the car was clean and I finally had some time to myself it was just gone 6pm.

So I decided to go for a quick spin to double check the route to her church which is a few miles from here.

It was a lovely evening, still lots of sunshine and no drop in the hot temperature, so a T-shirt was more than enough.

Along the way, my rear view mirror was filled with a white Rolls Royce Phantom Convertible with the roof down, something like this.

http://hertsrollers.com//wp-content/...t-1024x654.jpg

At which point, the traffic ahead slowed to a snails pace and were both just crawling along for all around to see.

But you couldn't make up what happened for the next 10 minutes until we went our separate ways at a roundabout…

I must have got 20, or so, positive reactions and the poor Roller (which may have even been chauffeur driven) got tumbleweed. :D

From people walking past on both sides of the road saying nice things to children pointing & waving (obviously I wave back).

Plus cars coming the other way also commenting, flashing their lights, hooting, giving a thumbs up, etc. as they passed (even a bus driver).

If ever there was a journey to confirm that I am needlessly worrying about the standard of my paint job, this was it. :cool:

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Until next time, take care, Paul. :)

Did you leave your tank full by any chance, Paul? If so the petrol may well have expanded in the heat and overflowed out of the filler.

Nice to see you're still enjoying your car at every opportunity, I really miss mine so need to get my Speedster on the road asap.

You have my deepest sympathy regarding wife borrowing pressure washer for you to use. Mine has plans for me to do some 'gardening' (whatever that is) today. :(

Paul L I have some 0.9mm sheet aluminium here so if you cut a template you welcome to call-in and have what you need. :icon_smile:

Mr T - I try hard not to fill the tank to the brim, mainly to avoid spilling petrol over the paint. :rolleyes:

But it is possible the car could have over heated under the covers. :icon_sad:

Just to be clear, my wife was the one using the pressure washer (borrowed from one of her friends).

So it was my car and associated bits of wood/brick/etc. that were in the way and needed to be moved NOW! :icon_wink:

By chance I was talking about your car yesterday (see below) and your Speedster is already looking good. :cool:

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Mike - Thanks for the kind offer. :cool:

I had a look at how the patch work quilt might work yesterday (see below), so I'll keep you posted.

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Sleepy Sunday
First job of the day was to carry all the wood and bricks from the patio to the bottom of the garden.

Then I had to move my normal car, so there was enough space to park the Swordfish next to the kerb.

To say I was gutted to see a fresh leak from the heater when I removed the covers would be an understatement. :icon_sad:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/A-...=w1151-h863-no

But there was no time to fix that now, as I had a 'date' and needed to get out of my working clothes.

Fair play to my 82 year old neighbour, Betty, who climbed into the car with no issues whatsoever. :cool:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/AU...=w1151-h863-no

Obviously, I took it easy and we had a very pleasant trip to church and, thankfully, she also had no problems getting out either.

Which means I've now taken two ladies in their 80s out for a spin, but my teenage daughters still wouldn't be seen dead in it. :rolleyes:

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I was able to take a slightly scenic route home, via meeting my wife in Sainsburys, as we were having a small BBQ in the afternoon.

Along the way, I passed an interesting looking car in front of a garage, so I turned around, parked up and stopped for a chat.

Turns out it was a two seater 1927 Lancia Lambda with a V4 engine and the owner, in his 70s/80s, was a complete star. :cool:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OR...I=w400-h301-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OW...P=w647-h863-no

He knew all the car's history, originally owner by a Contessa, fibreglass front wings added by a later artist owner, bonnet extended, etc.

He also wins the prize for best 'What is it?' question asked to date… "Is that a Sprite based special?" :D

I dropped Mr T's homage to the Lancia D24 evocation into the conversation, along with the straight 12 'Medusa' from Rods 'n' Sods.

Could have chatted for hours, but we were both supposed to be somewhere else, so we said our goodbyes.

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Then it was more gardening, before manning the Bar-B-Q, where the heat from the grill combined with the heat from the sun slowly cooked me!

By the time we'd eaten, the fact I've had a hectic few weeks finally caught up with me and I needed to have an afternoon nap to recover. :rolleyes:

End of Part 1…