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Post by Wyvern on May 15, 2010 18:07:28 GMT
Unexpected by-product - 2 guys waved and smiled at me as I was driving round, one in a TR7 and the other in a Spitfire. I think I may have found a new hobby! You'll notice that happens a lot. Anyone driving anything older and interesting, and anyone driving a Triumph, will usually smile and wave. The first time I got really lost in Gerald, I was pootling back through some country lanes when I got a wave from a woman driving a 2CV Camionette. People love classic cars ;D |
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Post by dit on Jun 20, 2010 21:39:28 GMT
Just thought you might like an update. Purdey has been to the garage and been retuned, and although she needs 2 reconditioned carburetors, other than that she's apparently in good shape, though she has got a bit of a knocking at the back end that still needs looking at. Because of that I've not been too far in her, but I've been out today and she really is a delight to drive, even though she takes more actual driving than a modern car, if you know what I mean. Even the experience of holding and turning the steering wheel is lovely. Here she is in the sunshine:  |
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Post by devil-may-care on Jun 20, 2010 22:52:29 GMT
She's gorgeous, dit!! ;D ;D
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Post by dit on Jun 22, 2010 20:58:51 GMT
I've just had a long chat with the bloke who's done my kitchen and who is into classic cars and there's not a lot he's not had over the years. He's been telling me how a friend of his found an Alvis 4.3 Charlesworth in a barn, towed it home with a tractor, stripped out the petrol that had turned to jelly (didn't know it could do that) and started it first time. He then took it straight into a concourse parade (knew the organiser), still covered in chickensh*t, and got away with it because it was so rare. I like people and stories like that.
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Post by Wyvern on Jun 23, 2010 15:28:30 GMT
That's a fab story! Purdey does look beautiful, and I'm glad she's in good shape  Gerald just came home from his MOT - he had a clean bill of heath mechanically, but he did need some welding (evidently the chassis crossmember had gone all the way across, eek, and there was some bodywork that needed attention - a bit like me, really). |
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Post by dit on Jun 23, 2010 15:43:46 GMT
I know the feeling, Wyvern! I suspect Purdey's body is in considerably better fettle than mine!
I still need her to go back to have this odd knocking at the back checked out. I have the feeling it's nothing serious but I don't want to take the risk, and unfortunately my garage is hugely busy at the moment and can't fit me in. When that gets checked I'll really be on the road (I hope).
Glad Gerald got through his MOT with only a relatively small procedure to tolerate.
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Post by dit on Jul 27, 2010 23:06:04 GMT
Just a bump and an update. Purdey was checked out and the noise was just a brake cable knocking against the spokes, so it will happen from time to time but is nothing to worry about.
Just been to my first Triumph Sport Six meeting, a small group of lovely, daft people with a wide range of cars. Purdey was immediately leapt upon and scrutinised and the good news is that she's worth a lot more than I paid for her, her provenance is priceless and she's one of the best examples they've seen. I met some nice people including three other women as daft about cars as I am, and an attentive bloke with a Dolomite.
They're all going to a rally/ meet at Stafford in August and it sounds fun though I'm not sure if I'll go. They're all in couples as far as I know and are going, and camping, for the whole weekend, Friday to Sunday. I can't go on the Sunday anyway, the drive down and back would be two and a half hours each way, and the thought of camping on the Friday as a solo woman fills me with dread (I'm 5*, me). So don't know if I'll do it, but I've certainly made contacts (they were all out with screwdrivers when I mentioned my mirrors were misaligned)!
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Post by jacqui on Jul 28, 2010 8:34:50 GMT
Thats great news Dit ;D Glad Purdy was a crowd pleaser and its sounds like a fab way to meet lots of new people. Okay you can't go this year but there is always next time! ;D
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Post by dit on Oct 12, 2010 0:09:12 GMT
Bump/update.
Managed to accidentally find today the garage that's been recommended for classic cars and as being able to sort out Purdey's engine - she's eating petrol (I can watch the gauge go down) so it's urgent, especially as I've just traded in my remapped Mini for a Cooper S convertible that eats petrol as well.
I explained to a young lad who said "You'll need John, then", and this guy came out saying "Ooh, I had one of these, let's have a look!" You know that thing James does when he's excited about something and he kind of skips/dances? Well, this guy did it round Purdey! He fired up the engine, lifted the bonnet, diagnosed all her problems, gave me a quote far better than expected and she's going in next week.
I'm going on a convoy on Wednesday with the Triumph Sports Six Club down Blackpool Illuminations, then hopefully after she's been in this garage her petrol consumption will be a bit more acceptable!
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Post by dit on Oct 22, 2010 22:24:06 GMT
Update:
She was in 2 days (sounds like hospital - perhaps it was!) and the lovely, lovely man who ministered to her has sorted nearly all of her problems (the only ones he can't yet depend on extra parts). He clearly loves this kind of car, had one himself and knows them intimately. He's sorted the carbs and all sorts of bits in the engine, plus all sorts of things I didn't know even needed doing. It cost a bit more than I expected but she's worth it! She's going in again when we've sourced the extra parts, but then she'll be ready to wrap up for the winter (except for turning the engine over, and high days and holidays).
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Post by Wyvern on Oct 23, 2010 0:21:39 GMT
Glad you've found someone enthusiastic to look after Purdey. The chap who normally looks after Gerald loves old classics, and the young lad at the garage that did his MOT has a Herald, so he was very happy to look after things. It's nice when you know they're being looked after by people who care, isn't it? I'm hoping to have Gerald run in before I need to put him to bed for the winter, though he's already had an icy bum once this week, so it may be necessary to start putting him under his blanket soon...
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Post by dit on Dec 7, 2010 23:42:05 GMT
Bump! I suppose there's a number of threads this could have gone in, but as it's a classic it probably belongs on here. BBC tonight, "Turn Back Time - The 1970s High Street". They park something on the street that refects the decade. Behold - the GT6! (I think red is prettier).  |
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Post by Wyvern on Dec 7, 2010 23:48:39 GMT
I did notice, and I did have a little squee to myself ;D
(the red is prettier...)
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Post by Mayfayre on Dec 7, 2010 23:51:27 GMT
I noticed that too, but not well enough to realise what it was, other than interesting.
I also noticed that the record shop appeared to have stolen my record collection!
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Post by xjsarah on Dec 8, 2010 0:03:02 GMT
That's a very pretty car. I think there might be a GT6 not too far away from here. While I was on my way home from Ealing on the bus sometime last week, I saw a car that looked like a GT6 parked on a driveway, and I immediately thought of you, Dit.  It was a rather attractive shade of blue - a sort of royal blue, I think - that reminded me of the 1968 MGB GT that was our family car for a few years when I was a kid. |
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Post by dit on Dec 8, 2010 0:04:55 GMT
What's the sage green one in the background? Is it a Jensen Incerceptor, or a Bristol? It's not an AM, surely?
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Post by dit on Dec 8, 2010 0:08:33 GMT
XJS, there was a colour that came out at the time that was a cross between a deep royal blue and a purple. Someone I knew had one later - but he was a total prat, so I could never have bought one in that colour! Hope the one you saw was blue rather than the purple.
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Post by Mayfayre on Dec 8, 2010 0:16:19 GMT
What's the sage green one in the background? Is it a Jensen Incerceptor, or a Bristol? It's not an AM, surely? Does this help?  |
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Post by Mayfayre on Dec 8, 2010 0:23:13 GMT
One of these maybe?  |
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Post by xjsarah on Dec 8, 2010 0:23:55 GMT
XJS, there was a colour that came out at the time that was a cross between a deep royal blue and a purple. Someone I knew had one later - but he was a total prat, so I could never have bought one in that colour! Hope the one you saw was blue rather than the purple. It was definitely blue - rather nice it was, too! It might not have been a GT6 that I saw, but it was the right sort of shape. |
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Post by Wyvern on Dec 8, 2010 0:24:13 GMT
What's the sage green one in the background? Is it a Jensen Incerceptor, or a Bristol? It's not an AM, surely? Funny you should say that, I've been scratching my head because the first thing that came to mind was that it looked like a Bristol, but I couldn't think of a Bristol with that kind of profile and that kind of face for the right date (the current Fighter has a very similar profile, but it's definitely not one of those - apart from being way too modern, it's also £200,000)! Could be a Jensen, but I'm not quite convinced - I'll see if I can have another look at it... |
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Post by xjsarah on Dec 8, 2010 0:26:48 GMT
One of these maybe? Nice car, but not the one in the photo. The bonnet and grille are different. I've been trying to work it out as well! |
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Post by Mayfayre on Dec 8, 2010 0:26:55 GMT
It didn't have to be NEW for that era, just around then, in the same way that the Corner Shop's Morris Minor wouldn't have been new.
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Post by Mayfayre on Dec 8, 2010 0:43:46 GMT
Here's a rear view  |
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Post by Wyvern on Dec 8, 2010 0:57:01 GMT
Got it! It's a Jensen, but it's not an Interceptor. It's a Jensen 541-S, one of 127 produced between 1960 and 1963. Knew we'd get there in the end  |
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Post by xjsarah on Dec 8, 2010 0:58:05 GMT
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Post by dit on Dec 8, 2010 1:29:51 GMT
Dear God!
We had a Jensen 541 (not the S) in the early 80s. I knew it rang huge bells but couldn't work out what. It was maroon and barely fitted into the garage. We went down south to buy it and sold it (at a profit) for £500 cash to a market trader who came over from Wakefield as we were broke.
We always did prefer good cars to paying the mortgage/eating. Oh, happy days!
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Post by dit on Feb 25, 2011 0:04:21 GMT
Little update for those who like this kind of thing..... I dropped off Purdey tonight for her MOT and a few little bits of work. It's a family firm, the dad is the boss (he's the one who danced round Purdey when he first met her) and the son also works there and gave me a lift home. He was telling me that their garage is actually the third oldest in the country and possibly the oldest actually working (in the hands-on sense); his great-great grandfather started it 114 years ago. The son is the one who has restored the E-type I mentioned in the Car Sightings thread last October - it's not the 26th ever made, it's the 17th and is currently the third oldest in existence. He's just sent it away to auction: www.coys.co.uk/auction.php?carID=287&auctionID=9Also there today was an Austin Healey 3000 mark 2. They're sprucing up the engine for the owner. It's set up for track racing and road and the owner's apparently going to put it up for sale at £60,000. I think I can accept their credentials; Purdey is perfectly safe with them! |
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Post by crumbs on Feb 25, 2011 22:21:19 GMT
Austin Healey 3000 mk2 = lust.
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rx7
Smutty Mayhemer
Novice Mayhemer
Posts: 336
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Post by rx7 on Jan 4, 2012 15:56:59 GMT
What a pretty car! When you drive around in a classic, you get noticed. |
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Gerald just came home from his MOT - he had a clean bill of heath mechanically, but he did need some welding (evidently the chassis crossmember had gone all the way across, eek, and there was some bodywork that needed attention - a bit like me, really).
I love a man who can handle a gun 
It was a rather attractive shade of blue - a sort of royal blue, I think - that reminded me of the 1968 MGB GT that was our family car for a few years when I was a kid.
