Before I took Chattie to Malvern to the Militaria convention yesterday, Ground Control and I collected her from Pin at Thetford Motor Engineering. Pin put her up on the ramp so that we could look underneath. For your delectation and entertainment, here are some of the resulting photographs. It all looks nicely robust and remarkably clean to me.
Filed under Motor engineering, vintage cars
I drove the thirty or so miles back from Malvern’s militaria convention yesterday evening; the first really substantial drive I’ve ever had in Chattie, and certainly the first such drive since getting her back from Thetford Motor Engineering after her thorough overhaul. What a drive! What fun! She handles beautifully, brakes on request, starts without a murmur, and I’m now getting the hang of it all: the gear double-declutch shifts, starting after only a short while on choke (a couple of minutes only on choke, then catching with the throttle when I push it in, after which she ticks over obediently, waiting…), the understanding of where she’s happiest, and knowing when the car is telling me a gear change is needed, rather than me telling her where I think it ought to be – which means we are not having so many arguments about it!
To top it all, the sun set on my westward way home, providing me with at least half an hour’s free drive-through movie. You’ll be relieved to learn that I pulled into a lay-by to share this view with you.
The Where They Served tour? Bring it on!
Filed under Uncategorized
Chattie’s engineer, Crispin Thetford, of Thetford Motor Engineering, near Malvern, will be with Chattie and me at Brightwell’s on the viewing day for the Spring classic vehicle auction, Tuesday 3rd March. He is extremely knowledgeable about vintage and classic vehicles and from my point of view it will be fantastic to have him on hand so that he can field all the technical questions that are bound to be asked. Pin has been working on Chattie over the past few months, to prepare her for the tour ahead, so he knows her – literally – inside and out.
If you are planning to be there, do come over and say hello to one or other of us. In Pin’s words, Chattie is now driving as she should; he’s the one who knows what lies behind that statement; I’m the one who will soon be finding out how great a driving experience that will give me over the next six months.
Filed under classic cars, vintage cars
Where They Served 