June 2017

It hardly seems two weeks since the last blog never mind two months. Things have escalated to full on whirlwind status now with pretty much everyone having got the cars out of the garages, run around a bit and started breaking them all over again! We’re also into pre – 10CR checks and upgrades now with loads of brake work, cooling system work and all the stuff you’re likely to need to have working perfectly for all those Alpine passes. I hope I have enough time to get Maude’s power steering fitted – I’m definitely too old and my shoulders too knackered to go flinging the tiller over 57 times on the way up and another 57 times on the way down over every mountain. I also need to get the additional 13” high power electric cooling fan and in-hose controller fitted in case we get stuck in traffic too.

We have had a few rear suspension and driveshaft rebuilds in lately – you know how it is, rather like buses you go ages without seeing one and then three come along together. The third one is due in next Tuesday in the form of Triumph World editor Simon Goldsworthy’s lovely little Herald 1200 convertible which is due to be having new driveshafts with all the bearings, bushes and UJs being changed too, not to mention the brake cylinders, pipes, hoses and fittings.

We’ve also had quite a few injected cars with fuelling issues to sort out and two of them were Vitesses, one with a tuned 2.5 L engine into the bargain. Luckily the brakes and suspension have been suitably beefed up to cope with it so it’s not quite 0 to death in under 10 seconds although you can feel the chassis protesting a bit when put under pressure. Still, what’s life without a bit of excitement?