Being Sunday night - 10.25, I can look back at a supreme weekend.....
Saturday morning was glorious so i set off at 7.30 to get a haircut...My
appointment was at 10.00, ten minutes from home - but i used the time
wisely treating the local roads to a distinctive exhaust note! I might
have thought a bit more about a "joyride" if i had reasoned out the
mileage to be covered during the rest of the day!
I picked the 69 up from receiving a new brake master cylinder (wasnt
expecting that but wotchagonnado?)
I then took the 69 up to Bobs Foreign Auto in Milford CT so Bob could
look it over and we could plan its resurrection to the pristine condition
of its youth which i -know- lurks beneath the extremely tired paint and
"less than detailed" engine! A plan of action was devised whereby yours
truly gets to do a lot of the work i can and Bob will do the bits im
scared of/too dumb or hamfisted to achieve - I think he will get the
bum-end of that one.....!
I told Bob my ideal budget He the set me straight! and we both agreed to
add about five grand for the bits we hadnt thought of yet!!! - hehe - Im
looking forward to this project, whilst i've done numerous restorations,
none have been as extensive, and hopefully professional as this should
turn out. (the "hope" for professionalism is for me - Bob has no worries
there!) Bob has been working on a TR3 this week which was picked up while
i was there. Triumph never built any car as beautiful as this particular
one is - if you want to see it, its on the cover (and in) this months
"British Car"- just stunning.
At 2.15, its starting to be a time factor problem......gotta get 65 miles
home in the 69 to leave at 3.30 in the GT for Long Island and the LIMGCC
Nocturne Rally - late- but off by 4pm - My wife came to navigate, a rare
joint effort when it comes to my cars but she actually likes the GT !
We met up with David Deutsch and his wife Eileen so they could show us
the way - David has scored a really nice 58 Austin A95 station
wagon.There's many an hour got to go into it but I can see it will be a
beauty when its done.
For any of you who dont know Long Island, one should be prepared for -
shall we say- interesting driving etiquette! - I was truly glad the GT
has new brakes as if not it would surely be embedded in the back of
Davids MPV by now thanks to a lady who obviously didn't get a mirror for
Christmas, I digress.
Lots of really nice folk at the rally - felt really at home instantly, a
lot to do with David and Eileen who are super hosts! Not having done a
rally since i was a kid navigating for my father; and my wife never
having done one at all... we werent expecting to take "Team Robson" to
the pinnacles of rallying history especially since i hadn't managed to
find a flashlight that was all in one piece! - Anyone else out there ever
navigate a two hour rally using a childproof lighter??????????? - it can
be done!!
Despite getting lost a couple of times and finding two of the biggest
potholes known to man (havn't looked at the wires yet, im scared to!) we
did actually finish - and - we werent dead last!!!!! fifth in our
class(MGs) and i know i saw at least 7 MGs!
David came third in his (first if there was an MPV class!) and all the
rotten sods with computers did better than everyone else!- just joking
lads!
A really super evening but i have to confess that the two hour drive home
in the rain was pushing my personal odometer a bit! - Crashed like a
stone - into bed that is....
Lets see.....
70 miles in the 72
130 miles in the 69
204 miles in the GT
Possibly a bit gluttonous for one day but thank all the deities spring
has arrived!!!!!!!
(except for the fact that they ALL now have to be washed and
polished.......but then ...)
Sorry to windbag - but theres no point in having fun if you cant share
it!!
mike robson
69 roadster
70 BGT
72 roadster
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