tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45457976429257740212024-03-12T23:47:32.458-07:00Saintly WheelsThe restoration of my 1961 Jensen / Volvo P1800Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-62998061796526820112016-11-04T18:27:00.002-07:002016-11-04T18:30:43.012-07:00The Spy Who Loved Himself<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Some time last year I got an interesting message via the P1800 group on Facebook. A film maker was looking for a white P1800 to star in an arts-council feature-length movie he was making. A spoof spy drama called "The Spy Who Loved Himself". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I could hardly say no - and a few months later I found myself on the roof of a multi-storey car park in Leicester on a wet Thursday evening. Nobody said this would be Hollywood! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The first scenes we shot involved dialogue between a couple of actors playing well-known TV personalities, as they leave a TV studio. One gets into the P1800, and then the camera stops, we swap jackets, and I drive the car out of the car park and down the ramp, where the action resumes on the street level as I drive out and into the night. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We then did another scene outside an old concrete factory, which I'm told will double as "The Berlin Wall" in the final cut! That involved me (again, dressed as the actor) driving at some speed over a hump-back bridge. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We finished off with a few driving shots, some from inside the car and some from a camera car overtaking us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I've no idea how this is going to turn out, but I'm looking forward to receiving my invitation to the premiere! </span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-76108825419608798502016-11-04T17:13:00.002-07:002016-11-04T17:38:21.099-07:00The Wedding Car<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My brother got married earlier this year, with the "main event" taking place over in Northern Cyprus. Later in the year, for the folks who couldn't make the trip, the lovely couple (Catherine and David) laid on a party here in the UK. David said it might be cool if he could arrive with his new bride, in the P1800 - and who was I to argue! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Congratulations to the new Mr and Mrs F!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Of course I could leave it on the original Jensen steels with Jensen trims. They're rare. They look good. But they also limit me to very skinny tyres (I drive this car a lot, and on some of the twisty lanes around here when it's damp I'm always very aware that I'm on limited lateral grip). Oh, and then ... there's the rarity and value of those Jensen dinner-plate trims. Some of the prices I see on eBay are frankly scary, considering that I leave the car parked out in public places quite often (and I suppose also could lose one at speed on the M6)... maybe they are best left in the house until those days when it's at a local car show. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've always been drawn to the Dunlop racing wheels, as fitted to various competition Jaguars of the same era as my P1800. After a lot of research and a number of lengthy email conversations, I discovered Realm Engineering, who make reproductions of the old Dunlop wheel to order. After some exchange of measurements, they confirmed that they could make a set of Dunlops for the old Volvo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">However - something like this doesn't come cheap. And I'm not entirely convinced that I couldn't achieve something similar with a wide steelie - at about a quarter of the cost of a set of custom-made Dunlops. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What do you think of my Photoshop mock-up of the P1800 on Dunlops? Yes or No? </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-10306917913869888202015-07-02T17:30:00.000-07:002015-07-03T04:14:33.385-07:00When I say stop... STOP<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One thing about running an old car and mixing it with modern cars on the road is that although in some ways you are more conspicuous (you see the necks snap as you drive down a high street), in other ways you are less conspicuous... are those weedy little tail lights going to be noticed on a wet night on the M6 by the guy in the Range Rover on the phone as he bears down on you...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, after a little debate over on the Facebook forums, I decided to experiment with replacement LED stop and tail lights, to see if the increased brightness and reaction time would make any kind of material difference to visibility of my car. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Opinions seemed divided on this - some questioned safety (after all the lights on a car are designed for the technology of the time), others pointed out that some LED bulbs are fundamentally different from the filament bulbs they replace, in that LEDs are directional, and filament bulbs shine in all directions. After a detailed email conversation with Gil Keane at 4Sight Automotive (www.bettercarlighting.co.uk) I felt confident enough to order a pair of LED stop and tail bulbs. Total price with tax and shipping around £37. The bulbs arrived well-packaged next morning. Gil assured me that if they didn't meet my expectations for any reason, I could have a full refund. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As you can see, these are unusual looking bulbs. They appear to be of a good quality of manufacture, and are marked with the CE mark. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To mimic the omni-directional quality of a standard filament bulb, the LEDs are arranged in a pattern with six "elements" on each of the top, bottom, left and right of the unit, plus a domed lens with LEDs behind it on the end facing rearwards. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As you can see from the below picture, they are longer than a standard filament bulb, and on comparing them, I was concerned that they may not fit behind the plastic lenses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Installation was as simple as replacing the bulb! Note however that replacing the indicator flasher bulb is more involved (as a different flasher unit needs to be fitted - the old style relays do not notice the low current demanded by the modern LED, and so won't flash).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You may notice the the new (longer) bulb stands proud of the chrome housing, but does still fit behind the lens with no clearance issues. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Note that you need to order red coloured LEDs for use in red tail-lights. This is because the increased brightness would shine pink if using a white LED bulb behind the red lens. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />The results:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Do they fit / are they easy to swap?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Yes, couldn't be simpler</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Are they brighter?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Yes, I've included some video below to illustrate the difference. As well as brightness, it's notable that the brake lights respond much faster. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Any issues with the light pattern? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- Not that I can see. I can imagine that a single, directional LED would perhaps not illuminate the full lens enclosure, but these appear to give a good even light. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Any other benefits? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">- They run cooler - after a few minutes with tail lights on, I placed my hands on the rear tail lenses, and the lens with LED fitter had remained at ambient temperature, whilst the filament lens had warmed up to the touch. They are said to last a lot longer, but obviously I can't evaluate that yet. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">By way of comparison, I changed only the right-hand side bulb and then did some video during late evening daylight. The results in terms of difference may be more noticeable at night, but I wanted to be able to see a material improvement in brake light performance with good ambient light, as this is typically when I'll be driving my car. I'm not sure how well this will come across in the video, but I think it's appreciably better: </span><br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/132524722"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Video comparison </span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So - I've put both bulbs in, kept the old filament bulbs in the boot as spares, and I'll get an opinion from my friendly and knowledgeable local mechanic next time I fill up with juice. In the meantime, let me know what you think. Personally I think this is a noticeable improvement for not a huge outlay and less than 5 minutes of screwdriver time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-68858713925201890012015-07-02T14:11:00.001-07:002015-07-02T14:11:35.666-07:00On the Cobbles<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just a few photos of the car in it's new home town of Glossop. Put these in monochrome and they could have been taken in 1961... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-12510614682943462392015-06-11T15:33:00.001-07:002015-06-11T15:33:24.859-07:00Second Life<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What compels us to do this? To drag rusting hulks of metal out of the bushes and spend more money that they're worth on restoring them, in order to create a constant drain on our finances and our free time, and invoke the never-ending worry about where we've parked them, whether they're going to break or rust away or get crashed? </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Because....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">... because it's beautiful. It's attention-seeking, it's high maintenance, it's unreliable (probably) but I can't stop looking at it, and I can't stop smiling when I'm driving it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So what's it like to drive? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's solid. It doesn't rattle or shake - it feels planted and predictable and safe. The steering isn't go-kart like - it doesn't have the feedback of a true sports car; but it's progressive and after a few miles you just start to trust that it's going to do what you command, and it doesn't fail you. The brakes are still bedding in - they feel soft at first, but they work well. It's quiet in overdrive at 75mph, but when climbing above 3,500rpm in third, the exhaust gives a lovely rasp and the engine growls. What impressed me most on the 200 mile drive home, which took in a mixture of high speed motorways and twisty Peak District passes, is that this car was built in 1961. It just feels much more modern. I can completely understand why the reviews of the day called it a Grand Tourer - you really could conceivable get in this car and drive across a country, and not feel too shaken up at the other end. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There will be niggles in the first few hundred miles after a 40+ year "rest" and a complete dis-assembly and rebuild. In fact, we're already discovered some of them - a bad earth on the alternator left me feeling a bit flat, and there is something loose behind the radio. Oh and a spring on the boot lid broke. But all in all - considering the extend of the rebuild and the age of the car, I'm amazed. It goes, stops, sounds great, and as for the looks ... well, judge for yourself. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And that brings me to the reactions of people who encounter the car. I've driven some pretty special cars, but nothing - absolutely nothing - has provoked the reactions that this car has. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My favourite so far was the guy who told his wife: "THAT.... IS.................THAT.... IS................. THAT....IS........."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He couldn't find the words. Kids on bikes stop to ask what it is. I've lost count of the number of people I've heard (or seen mouth) "The Saint" as I drive along a High St. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So is the pain worth the pleasure? I hope so. There will be skinned knuckles and swearing when it goes wrong and I can't fix it. There will be garage bills and annoying parking dings and my wife will notice the oil on the driveway. But one look at that shape glinting in the sunshine when we've parked for lunch outside our favourite cafe - a flick of the overdrive switch as we settle into a rhythm on a long curvy A-road - the warm glow from those amazing 1950's style dashboard gauges on a night-time cross country drive - and it all feels worth it. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-37095266190012968402015-04-02T14:53:00.002-07:002015-04-02T14:56:59.101-07:00Teaser...<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Coming to a road near you, 18th April.... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We're on the final straight now. Road-registered and legal, just a noisy overdrive unit (which became apparent on the first high-speed test drive) to sort out. The Laycock de Normanville will be dropped out next week for further investigation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, I don't even care to work out what I've spent here; but needless to say it's enough to give me a keen interest in values of these early models (even though I have no plans to sell). It appears that the sale of this one caused a few ripples in the P1800 community... could it be that this model is on the verge of going skyward? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C595974">http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C595974</a></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-8790987398199989362015-03-01T14:57:00.000-08:002015-03-01T14:57:06.721-08:00P1800, the useable classic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I love this photo - looks like it could have been taken in the late 60's, but actually was taken a couple of weeks ago outside the workshop in Marlow. The Interceptor is a customer car and the 912 is Keith's (workshop owner's) daily driver. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As you can see the car is tantalisingly close to being finished. As this photo was taken, we were missing a rear screen, a front corner bumper, and a few little bits from the interior. Once finished, Keith's going to run it around for a week or so to shake it down, before I drive it 200 miles North to its new home. April's looking good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And then..... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">...and then what? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well I'm often asked: "Then are you selling it?". Or "Will you drive it?" And therein lies an interesting question: Why do people plough thousands or hours or piles of cash into restorations like this? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In some cases, it might be for a quick buck. Take something that looks just "too hard" to fix, fix it, sell it at a profit. It seems to me that if you want to do that, you either (i) have to be able to do the work yourself, or (ii) are talking about a car at the very top end of the current market (the E-Types, the DBs, the Gullwings of this world) or else you risk being in that hinterland where the cost of the restoration exceeds the value of the finished car. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In other cases the investment might be longer term. Restore a collector car, put it away in a climate-controlled environment, consider it nothing more than an alternative to stocks, gold, or perhaps art. Bring it out 20 years later and cash in your chips. Personally - although I like to lean on the concept that classics will rise in value as a justification for my hobby - I think that's such a shame. Cars are built for driving, and that's the reason I love the spirit of the Goodwood Revival ( https://grrc.goodwood.com/section/goodwood-revival/ ) where you'll see grids packed with priceless exotica being driven so close and so competitively that nobody can fail to be moved by the spectacle. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And that brings me to the third reason. To drive it. When I tell people that's why I've gone into this project, I do get the odd sideways glance - like, "Ok, so won't that defeat the object of making it so nice?" No, not at all. It will be maintained fastidiously. It will be driven only when the winter salt is not on the roads. It will be waxed, undersealed and serviced regularly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So the theme of this blog will change in future - it'll be a little less about the car, and a little more about the destination (though I'll be able to offer an insight into what the car is like to live with, maintain, and drive). I'm looking forward to finally having a classic that, come the sunny weekend and the open schedule, I can put both wife and daughter into, and pick a fine destination. Locally, the Derbyshire Peak District has some fantastic driving roads, some brilliant destinations, and I can't wait to start booking weekends away. And the beauty of the P1800 (even in early Jensen specification) is that it can be driven considerably further afield, in a fairly decent level of comfort - on my personal wish list is a trip to visit our old friends ("hey less of the old") at Les Coindries in France (http://www.ooh-la-loire.com)</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> You couldn't wish for better hosts for a week in the French countryside, and Nigel happens to be a classic car buff too, so between the classic Bentley and the Jag, there's never a lull in the petrol-related conversation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, while the guys in Marlow make the final finishing touches to the P1800, I've been gently re-awakening the 356 ready for the Spring. As I think I said in an earlier post, this car became something of a solo hobby once a new baby arrived in our life, but recently my daughter (who is now 5) has discovered that she likes the special little red car... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Quality Dad and Daughter time. W</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">ell, now it's not a case of "no room for the baby", it's a case of "no room for the wife".... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-18047152166095543162015-01-25T14:50:00.000-08:002015-01-25T14:56:46.487-08:00Volvo (Latin, translation): "I roll"<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And indeed, roll it does. Quite a lot of progress apparent in the last few weeks. Rumour on the street is that it might be ready by March... but no deadlines.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The colour combination works, which is a relief. There was a risk it would be a little too "red" inside, but actually the darker burgundy carpet offset with the lighter red leather works well. Very pleased with the period map light and the radio fitment - dashboard is looking great now. What do you think? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Classic Car magazine were at the workshop over Christmas, so look out for my car in a future issue (the feature is about the silver car, but I think I'm in shot a fair bit!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'm itching to drive it now, and starting to plan not only the inaugural drive back home, but also some local and European jaunts. I really hope that having a classic that will accommodate all three of us (me, wifey and little one) will spur us to find new places to visit. I suspect this blog will become a travelogue once the car is finished.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In anticipation, I finally got around to clearing the garage (found some nifty bike racks called "Cycloc" - they've enabled me to store the bikes well out of the way and very securely. I'm acutely aware of the potential for a bike to fall on the car, so really pleased to report that these are very sturdy and secure. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-38624735119944406702014-11-20T01:59:00.002-08:002014-11-20T02:01:45.220-08:00Waking Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I wasn't expecting to get the car on the road before Christmas, but progress has been good recently, and actually it might just be possible. Whether I want to drive it on wintery roads is another matter though... here's hoping for a dry mild winter with no gritters out there spraying corrosive salt all over the place. Or, perhaps, a deeply snow-bound winter so I don't feel so bad about keeping it in warm dry storage while I'm out on the sledge. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There's something about seeing the headlights shining that makes me think that the car has woken up from a deep sleep. But even better is hearing the heartbeat as the engine fires for the first time in... how many years? We're not sure but it could be 46... After a strip down and inspection, there wasn't much needed, so the rebuild just included new bearing shells and a light hone on the piston bores. And of course the cylinder head mods for unleaded fuel. Apart from that it's pretty much standard, and to my ears it sounds great, without too much tappet noise (which I believe can be a "feature" of the B18) and with a nice burble from the straight stainless steel pea-shooter pipes. </span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy1o6YngHPkNXZF3DHo_Dk0UyFhYwYqbtF2qTOdWvrnr5D-Tx9gxHKB_Rs309f3Na2LZ-X-5XOfiGvMITTMgA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One of the minor details I've been thinking about is how to deal with the two small round holes in the dashboard left by the previous owner fitting a later-spec grab handle which I didn't really want to keep. The dash trim seems to be made of unobtanium, so replacing it wasn't an option. Rather than just cap the holes with dome-headed screws, I thought I'd make them useful, with a switch and a map light. Keith managed to pick this nice NOS lamp up from the auto jumble at last weekend's Lancaster Classic Car Show at the NEC. Great show by the way, and I finally got to meet Kevin Price (owner of the original Saint car) and have a look at this famous and fantastically restored P1800. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Meanwhile - back to work to earn some more money to finish the project. We're hoping to have it driving around by the end of next week, so I'll post more pics and video if I get a break in the work schedule long enough to go over to the workshop. </span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-80469802786047097022014-11-09T16:18:00.000-08:002014-11-20T02:07:35.002-08:00Starting to resemble a car again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Update Nov 2014: Suspension, engine and drivetrain in. Brakes lines in. Dashboard panel in. Wiring (almost) in. And a lot of chrome on, but still a lot to do. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Going to do the interior with dynamat before carpet and trimming, having heard so much about how good this wonder insulator / sound deadener is. Up next - glass, interior, and finishing the wiring. Then a liberal dose of waxoyl in the cavities / underneath.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This rain tub was a spare part retrieved from the original "Saint" car when it was restored - thanks Kevin Price.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-63078311072653141022014-08-23T14:11:00.001-07:002014-11-20T02:04:24.601-08:00Assembly begins<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Progress has been slow for the last couple of months since paint. The shell was tucked away in a dry corner while work to finish a Dino 246GT took priority. Now that's done, reassembly on my P1800 has begun, and what can I say ... New chrome against that ivory paint looks better than I could ever have imagined. All doubts about this colour choice have now evaporated. It looks beautiful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That's a New Old Stock grille surround, which wasn't cheap, but when offered such a rare piece you don't hesitate. And the headlights - Lucas PL700s - aren't original spec, but are in period and look soooo cool. I've got a good feeling about how this car is going to turn out. Feast your eyes...</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-41248141544112366982014-07-04T15:54:00.000-07:002014-07-04T15:54:05.969-07:00I LOVE IT<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, it was a nervous drive over to the paintshop - but happily, it seems my fears about having chosen the "wrong" colour were unfounded. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In short - it looks perfect. It looks so good in fact, that it made me think of an oversized plastic model kit, waiting to be glued together. I could almost wheel the painted shell inside the house and leave it there as furniture. I also feel good about the fact that the car is back to it's birth colour. Just how the Jensen paintshop finished it (though with a fair bit more attention to fit and finish this time around!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oh, and I also picked up a nice Blaupunkt, which will be wired for iPod as well as radio. Couple of weeks and we'll start the re-assembly, before the nights draw in and the weather turns damp... fingers crossed for an Indian Summer, and a warm crispy dry Autumn this year! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In other news - my good friends around the corner just collected their new ES. This car was an un-seen ebay purchase, and it was only after winning the bid that we realised he'd bought it from the same guys who are doing the restoration work on my car! A completely different look and feel to the early cars, but wow it looks great! </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-21344475823346024462014-06-07T12:13:00.000-07:002014-06-07T12:13:05.239-07:00Taxi!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've been working in Berlin this week, and all the taxis here are painted a sort of ivory colour. Yes, I had my colour check card with me. Yes, I compared it with a taxi. Yes, I think we might have painted the Jensen the same colour as a Berlin taxi. </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I just have to have faith in what Keith says - which is that it's looks great. I need to see it with my own eyes before I'll be fully convinced that I shouldn't have painted it silver... What do you think? </span><div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The car looks a lot more yellow under the spray booth lights, but in daylight is more white / ivory</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The bonnet in natural daylight. I think this probably gives a better impression of the true colour.</span></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-29111074063450853682014-05-27T13:27:00.000-07:002014-05-27T13:27:22.334-07:00"Just paint it, before I change my mind..."<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's been a few months since I've posted, and during this time pretty much all I've done is ponder what colour to paint this car. It's driving my wife nuts... everywhere we go, I have a stack of colour check cards in my pocket, and I keep comparing them against other cars, in different lights, and asking everyone we meet to pick a colour.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Basically, it came down to silver (looks gorgeous but not original) or white (more original, but WHICH white?) You see, the car was supposed to come out of the factory in 069 Volvo White, but in reality it was shipped wearing a strange shade of creamy ivory, courtesy of the guys at Jensen who sprayed the occasional car in an experimental shade to see if they liked it. Seems my car was one of those. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Having had a colour check card matched to an original panel off my car (under the badge, where it had never seen a repaint or any sunshine), and verified as one of the Jensen "test" colours by a prominent member of the UK VEC, I wasn't sure if I liked it; but as a trusted friend said - there's no "wrong" colour for that car, if it's done to a high standard. It's always going to look good, and maybe it'll be cool that you have one of "that colour" - the rare experimental one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The final clincher came from a strange place - Morgan Motor Cars in Malvern, Worcestershire! I'd gone for a day out with my Dad, to drive the new Morgan 3 wheeler (maybe a separate post on that later - what an absolute gem of a car!) and to tour the factory. Whilst wandering between workshops, I spotted a Morgan Plus 4 which looked like it might be extremely close to the original Jensen shade I was pondering. AND it had red leather, like my Jensen. It looked SUPERB sitting there in the sunshine. After the factory tour, I grabbed my colour check card (told you I always carry them around...) and asked if I could see the car again. The Morgan folks couldn't have been more helpful - they unlocked their paint shop (by now it was after hours) and the paint shop manager helped me to match my sample to their cars - indeed, I'd guessed correctly - the car I'd seen was an exact match to what they call "Morgan Sport Ivory". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, I took the decision to return it to original. Not sure of the actual name - but I'm thinking "Jensen Sport Custard" might just describe it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The following Monday I called the paint shop and put them out of their extended misery - they've managed to repaint a Porsche Speedster and an E-Type while they've been waiting for me to stop pontificating. A couple of days later, I wavered, and emailed to see if they'd started to paint it yet. "It's in the booth this morning - everything ok?" came back the message in return. "Yes, but I keep looking at silver cars. So paint it quick, before I change my mind!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hope I made the right choice, but the next time I post pictures, I'll know...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOBmEkfUpBQMSzTLkYgk4vwv1RRsdUdboqLzMWgw927o6fdaUM3HCGWDrcWzIZW1np_rT4WIz7SO1UjaXrt9gQyVMySQ3b4ot_CZA5_cGO8LnKQgQqgUcuXL4T5zXYE2Ck77_-N8MzV6c/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOBmEkfUpBQMSzTLkYgk4vwv1RRsdUdboqLzMWgw927o6fdaUM3HCGWDrcWzIZW1np_rT4WIz7SO1UjaXrt9gQyVMySQ3b4ot_CZA5_cGO8LnKQgQqgUcuXL4T5zXYE2Ck77_-N8MzV6c/s1600/photo.jpg" height="640" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At the bottom: A patch of undisturbed original Jensen paint, from underneath the badge. Above it, a patch cut from one of the "other" experimental cars. A perfect match.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgdwYnQ24Ijco71iDnfDfGbxh3tTIKAPSpR6w8RJU1VA2-SDTEqmaRRMjOeMwZweEFRWjZNDyCZM7_rgV7ycDoFx_NEoHIdQjU4zoXSTvHNkO5M7duhkpWLoGhAPqADu54IvPX_SHoJQ/s1600/IMG_1168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgdwYnQ24Ijco71iDnfDfGbxh3tTIKAPSpR6w8RJU1VA2-SDTEqmaRRMjOeMwZweEFRWjZNDyCZM7_rgV7ycDoFx_NEoHIdQjU4zoXSTvHNkO5M7duhkpWLoGhAPqADu54IvPX_SHoJQ/s1600/IMG_1168.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Left: Jensen "Sport Custard" / Middle: Volvo 079 Ivory / Right: Jaguar Old English White (reference colour). All against a backdrop of Aston Martin Silver Birch incidentally, as we were using the roof of a DB5 as a table!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxYSwXAOdLcj62IzkMKghlAmK2IIi0SHLp3LOdUZgKNYXZG2VYw8A2dZz93M_czHjs9ouc9yPwcnq09IRoJ32BYO5hlF_SPWbhuzl58RN7ZXfJJf-3k_37AUANJJF-VwYql41ZoeaUM8/s1600/IMG_1172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxxYSwXAOdLcj62IzkMKghlAmK2IIi0SHLp3LOdUZgKNYXZG2VYw8A2dZz93M_czHjs9ouc9yPwcnq09IRoJ32BYO5hlF_SPWbhuzl58RN7ZXfJJf-3k_37AUANJJF-VwYql41ZoeaUM8/s1600/IMG_1172.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In primer, awaiting final prep before the paint booth. Very pleased with how straight this car is.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iBHcH6VuS9Mex5QauWD6MAqK2S0Gp0GKyVVmEK-j7MdghNFxYDx1UWA2tuh7608l08wDo9lUSsRywlEpxTLDtbhUKHi6SJH0yYOrtewK8ddFXTITvWuLH2fllW1nN6yqjjl_KYt1qPg/s1600/IMG_1176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iBHcH6VuS9Mex5QauWD6MAqK2S0Gp0GKyVVmEK-j7MdghNFxYDx1UWA2tuh7608l08wDo9lUSsRywlEpxTLDtbhUKHi6SJH0yYOrtewK8ddFXTITvWuLH2fllW1nN6yqjjl_KYt1qPg/s1600/IMG_1176.JPG" height="478" width="640" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-64350802327208774392014-01-31T14:21:00.000-08:002014-01-31T14:21:27.891-08:00What a blast!<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well the news is good. The Jensen is back from the body shell blasting, and I was partly expecting to be deflated at the sight of a colander with a Volvo badge on the front and a big financial decision to be made. Can a hulk of Scottish pressed steel, shipped to England on an open freight train, assembled in the Midlands, shipped out to Canada on an open-deck ship, and driven through 3 or 4 Pacific Northwest winters, possibly hope to be in decent physical shape 53 years later? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The suspense is over. Turns out it IS a solid car! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A little bit of work will be required on the sills, one front chassis member, and the radiator support. Oh and we already knew it was going to get a new rear panel (now I can see why it needs one). Other than that, it's remarkably clean under those layers of paint. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There is some historic accident damage to the driver's door, but nothing that can't be put right. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Finally - an observation about the gear shifter hole. Someone has hacked it and then welded in a patch (see last picture below). The guys at the workshop say they've seen this before on other early P1800s, but don't know why. Anyone? A short-cut to some kind of gear linkage repair? Or ... possibly ... even a bodge at the factory to make assembly of the car easier? I wouldn't put it past the ever-practical British assembly worker to come up with this as a solution. I am intrigued. Answers on a postcard please. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8U4DReCzRS3VynvtYA6bO9E-rl4bE60s9mg7JGsebAReDg78OGLzJed53nWmZp5ONbYu2z55D7LtsCv12Urpg1tqAkgTLdQTQThNmJoP3hIYf_xk06TtpSExm7jllawfs2ZnScvv853g/s1600/P1220175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8U4DReCzRS3VynvtYA6bO9E-rl4bE60s9mg7JGsebAReDg78OGLzJed53nWmZp5ONbYu2z55D7LtsCv12Urpg1tqAkgTLdQTQThNmJoP3hIYf_xk06TtpSExm7jllawfs2ZnScvv853g/s1600/P1220175.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-12984151180888471132013-11-30T12:18:00.002-08:002013-11-30T12:21:12.705-08:00Skeletal Remains<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Finally found time to sneak out of the office and take a look at progress on the car. Or should I say the body shell, as that is now all we are looking at - engine and gearbox are out, all the trim and glass is off, suspension removed, fuel tank out, all wiring, dashboard and interior gone. And what we're left with looks encouraging - sure, there is going to be some metalwork needed: At the very least, new sill ends at the fronts, a rear panel, one of the front chassis members, a battery tray and fuel filler bowl. More will be apparent I'm sure when the blasters have finished removing every trace of rust, paint, old filler and such. The car goes off to be media-blasted on Monday. When I next see it, I will have fingers crossed that I'm not the proud owner of a colander. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkzEW6gwrGqpdOrEBNa_eyP_OCy8pnSD4OR2HWJvry1yd6nubvd6p8vrALiTx5NCNlzEIR60UxNNkPBr49mwWsAMfS9ea044FESE5-OMqiWVVIPLsfn3kVwHAlwWNFSU6WjOgGe6qLLs/s1600/IMG_0877.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkzEW6gwrGqpdOrEBNa_eyP_OCy8pnSD4OR2HWJvry1yd6nubvd6p8vrALiTx5NCNlzEIR60UxNNkPBr49mwWsAMfS9ea044FESE5-OMqiWVVIPLsfn3kVwHAlwWNFSU6WjOgGe6qLLs/s640/IMG_0877.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I've also been able to see with the naked eye the original colour, and I'm surprised by how "creamy" it is compared with the obviously later white re-spray the car has had at some time in it's life. I'm now pretty well decided on going back to the original hue, which we believe to be this: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I had a good look around another recently painted car which is now in build-up stage, and walked away feeling extremely confident about the standard of workmanship Keith and Simon are putting into these cars. Oh, and had my arm gently twisted into purchasing what must be the last remaining New Old Stock Jensen front grille on the planet. My car needs one, so hey, what better than an original unused Jensen spare from '61. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, the winter nights are to be spent researching more on the history of the car. The original California black plates (below) seem to indicate it was last registered in March '66. Can that be true? If so, the 60,000 miles on the odometer might be believable, but can it really have been sitting under that dust sheet for 47 years? Well, I have a few leads to I hope to find out soon.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">CA Black Plate with '66 Tag</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Original C-pillar script</span></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-83815244161741712202013-11-22T03:32:00.001-08:002013-11-22T03:56:08.174-08:00Questionable Motives<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I had lunch the other day with a guy who has a business restoring and maintaining MGs. I had assumed that us guys with petrol in our veins would share similar tastes in old cars, so I was surprised when he asked "What made you buy one of those?" From the emphasis on the word <i>those, </i>the part of the question which he didn't vocalise was "Are you crazy?" Or possibly "...when you could have bought an MG?"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That got me thinking<i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>- what did lead me to buy that forlorn looking coupe? Under the surface I think there are a few reasons. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Firstly the purely practical (if there is any such thing in relation to buying a 52 year old motor car): As I said in an earlier post, I wanted something interesting to drive which would accommodate<i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>both wifey and a 4 year-old, for weekend getaways and Sunday lunches in the Peak District. My current "toy", a 356 Speedster of sorts, is missing the necessary rear seat for that purpose. It's also better suited to solo blasts on back roads before breakfast, than it is for conveying people to a destination with their ear drums intact and their clothes dry. The P1800 with (hopefully) watertight coupe design, solid construction, long-legged overdrive gearbox, and cosy rear seat, scores well in these areas. Many of the motoring journals of the day hold it out as a comfortable sporting grand tourer, rather than an out-and-out sports car, and I hope that proves to be the case; grand touring is exactly what I plan to do in it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Beyond the practical, it gets more complicated. I'm just a little too young to properly remember <i>The Saint </i>so I can't claim to have been influenced by the suave Mr Moore and his crime-fighting / womanising antics in his P1800 (incidentally, he was so impressed by the car he drove in the series that he bought one as his personal transport too). I do, however, recall very clearly a day back in about 1994 when I was at University in Stirling, Scotland. My then girlfriend (now wife) came up to visit me for the weekend, and we went over to sample the sights and culinary delights of Edinburgh. That particular Sunday morning we were over at Leith by the dockside, having a lazy brunch and reading the Sunday papers at <i>The Shore</i>. As I stepped outside afterwards, I spotted an ivory-coloured early P1800 parked on he cobblestone quayside. If I didn't fall in love with it immediately, then I certainly did when I peered inside it and my let my eyes absorb the incredible dashboard with chrome instrument hoods and all that red leatherette. From that moment, it was on my mental list of collectibles. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Maybe there's a deeper reason still that I find myself drawn to this particular Swedish marque, and that harks back to my childhood. As a kid I was pretty much infatuated by anything with wheels and an engine, and that extended to taking a fanatical interest in what my Dad happened to be driving at the time. My earliest memory of which was a pale metallic blue Volvo 144GL (registration number YWH 898). Wonder where that is now? I bet it's still going... That car was bombproof! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Whatever the underlying reasons, my answer over the lunch table stressed the practical motives, which on reflection will end up being a big fib. Nobody pours money into these old cars for practical reasons - otherwise, being sane and rational creatures, we would just go and buy a small and sensible runabouts from Korea. I bought it because it looks beautiful, and I like to have beautiful things. And I'm not sure I need any more reason than that, do you?</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-39184660783363225292013-11-09T16:25:00.000-08:002014-05-27T13:30:28.177-07:00What lies beneath<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With work commitments, I haven't been able to get down to the workshop this week as I'd hoped, but Keith sent me a few photos this morning which reveal that my car has now lost almost all the trim and is looking a little sorry for itself. However, from what I can see it's in pretty solid shape, save some metalwork around front and rear screens, and the rearmost panel at the top near the boot lit. Also, looks like the previous owner might have made a bit of a mess with the (1980's) radio installation, so I want to ensure that's returned to stock for fitment of a period 1961 radio. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I can't wait to get underneath it and have a prod around for myself; meanwhile I'm enjoying the early 1960's re-published road tests in Brooklands Books' <i>P1800 Ultimate Portfolio </i>which reveal my car to be a solidly built, fast and capable long distance grand tourer. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I don't know why I find references to the "Laycock de Normanville Overdrive" funny, but I do. And I know that, when driving along in this car with my family on a weekend jolly, I shall announce with an air of gravity that passengers should sit back and relax as we prepare to "engage the Laycock de Normanville"...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A very good friend of mine, upon seeing this, said "I know you're not a fan of rat-look, but...."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I know. Put the glass back in and just drive it, Andy.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Those little cracks at the top of the wheel arches worry me a little, as this car had a tow bar fitted. Apparently towing with these can induce stress on that area. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Taking off the rear number plate light reveals original 52-year-old paint, and as we suspected, it's that creamy off-white. Still haven't decided if it's going to end up in that hue again... so far, friends and Volvisti seem to be leaning towards silver.</span></td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4545797642925774021.post-81352716147699844052013-11-01T16:36:00.003-07:002014-05-27T13:31:06.065-07:00Getting into Swedish Metal<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Invest in art" my friend said. Well, there's not much going on in terms of interest rates at the bank, and as for stocks, well where's the fun in watching a number on your computer screen going up and down? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So I've invested in art. But not the kind you hang on the wall. No, I like art that moves me. Literally. Art on 4 wheels. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">To tell the truth, this isn't an investment at all, as I don't expect to make a penny on it. As usual with me, it's about immersing myself in a project, and ending up with something that is, from any angle I care to look at it, simply beautiful. There are a few practical reasons too (like, I want something "interesting" to drive which can still accommodate my 4-year-old daughter on occasion in the back). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With this in mind, I find myself the owner of a very early Volvo P1800. And as it's a 1961, I suppose strictly speaking it's more "Brit Pop" than Swedish metal, as at that stage of the P1800 production life, these cars were built in West Bromwich, England, at the Jensen factory. From bodyshells pressed in Scotland. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There's evidence that my car, chassis #1533, is probably the oldest remaining car registered in the UK (well, strictly speaking it isn't yet registered here, but you know what I mean). Oldest or not, certainly it's one of very few Jensen-built cars still gracing our highways. So, I feel a sense of responsibility as the custodian of this wonderful old thing. And that makes decisions like "what colour will I paint this car" something of a dilemma. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Luckily there's time to consider that important decision, as the car has been stored for the last few months and is only just (as of this week) emerging blinking into the daylight to begin a full-on, ground-up restoration and rebuild. I'm starting from a solid base, it seems. Although the car looks scruffy and a little sad, it is fundamentally a great little project: Arriving late last year from San Diego, the car has an (unverified, but entirely feasible) 65,000 miles on the clock. This isn't a lot, considering that Irv Gordon has a Guinness Book of Records verified 3 million miles on his P1800. Mine's a one-owner car too, if the history is true. Although patchy and undocumented (I have some detective work to do on this topic) the car was sold new at Docksteader Volvo in Vancouver, Canada. As a nice bonus, we found the original sales brochure in the car, complete with dealer stamps from Pete Docksteader. (His descendants still run the business and I've spoken with them). The purchaser, it seems, was an ex-pat Brit, and an aviator. He later married and moved from Vancouver to San Diego (this would be around '64) taking the car with him, where it stayed until September 2012. Tying up the known history with some of the U.S Volvo register info and a bit of a Google search, I've surmised that the long-term owner of my car may have passed away in September. If anybody reading this knew the late Brian Winstanley of Encinitas, CA then maybe I can verify the ownership. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And so to the car. It's white, with red interior. It's solid, but scruffy. Mechanically sound too. And the renowned Templar and Wilde of Marlow Bottom, England will be carrying out the work for me. I'll be hands-on, if not hands-dirty - I don't have the time or skill to do this all myself, so what's been commissioned is about the fullest restoration possible; mechanical rebuild, body shell back to bare metal, and a retrim. It'll be sympathetic in that anything salvageable will be lovingly cleaned, serviced and re-used (I don't want to over-restore and lose the character) but the key word here will be "thorough". It'll be ready for the next 52 years of regular use. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Will it stay white? Well - maybe. It's an off-white, more ivory really. And it goes really well with the red seats. Part of me says "Oooh, let's do it in Aston Martin Silver Birch" - and boy, do these cars look good in silver (especially over red leather). All other things aside, I think I'd lean in that direction. It's a definite option. But I've just read a magazine article on the restoration of the original "Saint" P1800... and have to admit, it looks good in the old off-white too. And ... a part of me wants to preserve the originality of this old thing. Your views are welcome on the topic of ivory vs. silver, original vs. different. I reserve the right to completely ignore them, of course - either way it's going to be beautiful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The guys at Templar and Wilde really instil confidence. They "get" what I'm after. They have the experience. I like them. Oh, and - unlike a surprising amount of businesses like this, they actually use email! Questions pop into my head, I ping a message to Keith, I get the answer back right away. They share photos. I can look at their previous work and hear from their previous customers. And when you consider that I live 200 miles away from where the work is happening, that's good to know (though it is not too far from an office I work from quite a lot, so I'll be regularly diverting en route to and from work, to check on progress in person). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, here begins the journey. The car is out of storage, and in the workshop. This week they've been carefully evaluating it, and starting to take it to pieces, label and store the components, and meticulously photograph it. By the time the clocks change again, and the roads start to dry out, and the green shoots of Springtime appear... I may be running a hand along the fresh paintwork on that curvaceous roof, prodding the throttle and turning the key to hear that over-engineered inline-4 purr into motion, and rolling out of the workshop. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If you see me roll past, don't worry - there's no charge. Art should be free for all...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My car on the right, sitting on Minilites and wearing a few battle scars from the last 52 years</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3e0zOiVs0CC27I9_jyE1loHofsK5dKnDqv8K30Qwl24ASYMju43th7g673SX3lBzdimiP7mYzG_k89ZpWzIbZvchl9VoxnJdoXdXFqiya_XQzpqPLZmM55o6hr_o8XzVNf0vvf5vXllM/s1600/photoP1800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3e0zOiVs0CC27I9_jyE1loHofsK5dKnDqv8K30Qwl24ASYMju43th7g673SX3lBzdimiP7mYzG_k89ZpWzIbZvchl9VoxnJdoXdXFqiya_XQzpqPLZmM55o6hr_o8XzVNf0vvf5vXllM/s640/photoP1800.JPG" height="476" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The rare egg-crate grille removed. Gaffer tape was to hold the trim (made of unobtanium...) on during shipping from the USA. Love those early cow-horn bumpers. Note the California black-plate license plate on the scuttle - </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">one will be going on my garage wall, while the other one I've promised to Keith as part of the deal when I commissioned the project.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSD52-dPeYP_Of3K1YSVZrrUaNXltSqmOn6-EWkgrA1vXKKCdTW4N93WQY24OaHzRt7p0vCWS-1HHwF3Dl8QSzI6dguhvJQb8MeOtMYshSB679B-mCFfBdyv3n3q03U73AR4Hxk3SAF04/s1600/ben+hi+res+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSD52-dPeYP_Of3K1YSVZrrUaNXltSqmOn6-EWkgrA1vXKKCdTW4N93WQY24OaHzRt7p0vCWS-1HHwF3Dl8QSzI6dguhvJQb8MeOtMYshSB679B-mCFfBdyv3n3q03U73AR4Hxk3SAF04/s640/ben+hi+res+4.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Keith and Simon's recent work for another client. Told you they look good in Silver over red leather. Hint of Aston Martin DB4?... </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyBeSpprVY_W8mIzHSpmzTYI3AaFzemLrOQuitjawbeXtAVmLK_7icXtKtD_d4DxKxLoxI6TDSJURckbWw1dqFTi40VdatSaZBBjxJ45SD4cN72JYnvdFZ0R2xDnUZ4aem3TsTFhyphenhyphenwdA/s1600/PC+December+2013+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyBeSpprVY_W8mIzHSpmzTYI3AaFzemLrOQuitjawbeXtAVmLK_7icXtKtD_d4DxKxLoxI6TDSJURckbWw1dqFTi40VdatSaZBBjxJ45SD4cN72JYnvdFZ0R2xDnUZ4aem3TsTFhyphenhyphenwdA/s640/PC+December+2013+004.jpg" height="640" width="433" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">... but then again, they also look good in this (which happens to be the original colour combo of my car) - this is the very original and first "Saint" car as driven by Roger Moore. A vision of what might be to come. </span></td></tr>
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