:: Diary - September 2019 ::

:: Tuesday, September 3, 2019 ::

After the various trials of removing rusty bolts to fix the suspension balljoint in May, I've enjoyed a great weekend touring the north of Scotland in June with the regular gentlemen's touring club. I haven't had time to write up a full report though, so you'll just have to take my word for it - 750 miles or so over 3 days. spending half the time lost in magnificent scenery.

So the next step was to get the car booked in to get the chassis checked over and repaired, new bushes where necessary etc. I've realised for the last 2 years that the car's working bits are getting tatty, and although everything still works, it's definitely feeling its age (so am I come to that - does anybody do skeleton replacement?). I've had it inspected in April by a TVR repairer in Yorkshire, and I've got it booked in for today. I've had a think about getting it trailered down, and saving some time, but I've decided to drive it down and get the train back.

So I'm up at first sparrowfart, car fuelled up and we're on the road!

I hardly drive the TVR on my own any more, I'm nearly always in convoy with somebody else. and I haven't brought any tools, that I would have had to leave at the garage anyway. So it's all a very traumatic experience - my arse is twitching like a rabbit's nose as each mile takes me further from home. The weather isn't great either - but it's great to just drive along at your own speed, by your own route, without having to check if somebody is keeping up, or trying to keep up with someone else in traffic. The car is going well, it sounds good, and I'm happy.

The other good thing about travelling on your own is that you can stop for a pee when you need one, not having to wait till the man in front needs a fag or a cake or his foglights kicked in. So it's all pretty blissful, really

Once the weather dries up a bit, it's even more pleasant. On we press, down the M74 and M6 to Penrith, where we turn east to go along the A66 to Scotch Corner. Apart from the occasional lorry, progress is good.

Heading down the M1, though, I see a commotion away up ahead in the opposite carriageway on a straight bit, and all the traffic stops. It looks like there has been an accident, but no - as I get closer, there's a wee blue car boxed in against the hard shoulder by 3 police cars, and the cops are dragging the car's occupants out and getting them face down on the ground. Somebody has obviously been a wee bit naughty.

I forgot to mention that my satnav still thinks I'm about 20 minutes from the house, so it has been absolutely bloody useless over the whole journey. It has done the same the last 3 times I've used it, so it's running a good campaign to get elected to the bin. That doesn't help me to find where I'm going for these last few miles. Fortunately I have been there before, in April, so I'll try following my nose.

I get there! About 200 miles in just over three and a half hours, so not bad, when you count in two wee stops.

He gives me a lift to the station, then I have to change at York (after a wee sandwich lunch) and then a nice wee train journey back home.

:: Monday, September 9, 2019 ::

He's made a start to the car! In fact, he has stripped it down to the bare chassis, for inspection.

He has also given it a light sandblast just to get the surface rust off, and see what repairs are needed.

The worst bits seem to be the rear tubes that the suspension bolts too. The body mounting brackets are done.

The nearside body bracket has almost disappeared. And see that rust hole in the suspension mounting bracket? That's bad news....

This is the front nearside corner of the outriggers - they are in ok nick, but the body mounting bracket needs replaced, and the back bit of the outrigger is apparently paper-thin..

Here's the two rear suspension mounting tubes. It's sitting on a red chassis jig so it's not easy to tell where the chassis stops and the jig starts!

Well, we've started so on we go!

:: Tuesday, September 10, 2019 ::

Some more progress photos today!

He has been chopping off the outriggers and the ends of the rear suspension tubes. This is the nearside...

and this is the offside.

Well, we've started so on we go!

:: Tuesday, September 17, 2019 ::

After a couple of phone calls last week, he has had a good look over the car to evaluate the work required, and sends me a list of work and parts required, not just to sort up the chassis, but to re-paint the suspension, install new bushes, new engine mounts etc, plus new springs and dampers. He's also included for consumables like the oil filter, spark plugs, brake pads, gearbox and diff oil, antifreeze, brake fluid etc. It also needs a radiator repair (I knew that), and a new starter motor (which I didn't).

Oh, and refurbished wheels!

Overall, the cost will be more than I paid for the car in the first place, 16 years ago, and unless the value of TVRs goes through the roof, I'll never get this cost back. It makes no financial sense whatsoever.

But that's not the point. Over the years, this wee car has given me so much, that if I gave it away for nothing, I would still think I had got my money's worth. And it's worth more than that!

So, a full-on refurb it is, and I'll have to start saving.

:: Thursday, September 26, 2019 ::

More phone calls over the past couple of days, and today he sends me more photos of the completed chassis repairs.

Here's the new front nearside corner...

and here's the nearside rear, with new body mount, new suspension bracket and new seatbelt mount.

Here's the new rear offside...

and the front, with new body mounts and earthing bolt.

So now it's off for final sandblasting and powder coating, along with all the suspension wishbones, trailing arms and radiator and petrol tank frames.