Rovers Return Sunday 23rd October
First job was to fit a new battery and refill with fresh fuel, doesn't old petrol stink. There was no water in the radiator so I filled it from the water butt. I resisted the temptation to use the bottle of Gin that was lurking on the bench. Anyway, tried to start it and it wasn't playing. I wonder if Gin might spring it into life, but next to it on the bench was some ether; that worked! It ran but was running rough, it gradually got better as fresh petrol made its way through the pipes.
After 8 years my betting was that the clutch would be stuck, but to my surprise it wasn't, however the reverse lights are! Backed it out of the garage, turned it round and it was ready to load.
Ken, a club member from York, a good friend of mine, who had helped Don on many occasions, even loaning him his Ferguson tractor so Don could cut the playing fields at the Civil Service Club as Don had managed to break their tractor; a big end had come off, but more of that some other time. Mind Don did manage to break the Fergy as well, he pulled the gear lever off, and then backed into the garage forgetting the exhaust wouldn't go under the door! Anyway Ken offered to move the car for me and duly arrived with the trailer and I drove it on.
A short journey later and it's in my drive and having a wash. I unloaded the spares and gave it a looking over, the inner and outer sill on the offside are non existent and the inner front wing has suffered. A few bits of welding in the boot are also required, the nearside sill looks mainly ok but it may need some work once I start hammering at it.
All in all there is probably a solid two to three weeks of welding, being stood for 8 years under the tree has taken its toll. There is quite a few other bits to do, mainly trim, Don never to round to fitting the centre console, the door handles are on upside down and I am sure the interior lamp wiring should go behind the headlining and not masking taped to the outside of it! I can hear Don saying "bugger" having realised that, after having fitted the headlining!
Thats it for the moment - next step is remove the carpets and trim from the offside so I can start reconstructing the sill.
