Hi All,
This weekend, I have been servicing and thoroughly cleaning and polishing my
cars,
both modern, and Triumph, prior to the imminent arrival of the British winter.
Since we have had a pretty good summer here, aside from some rather heavy
rain during August, it is not unreasonable, IMHO, to expect a cold winter in
England,
(Trust me), this is not pessimism, just experience talking.
My modern, (Oct '90 Peugeot 405 GLD), aka Triumph parts hauler, and the
vehicle that keeps salt away from my Triumph during the winter months, passed
muster, more or less OK, apart from the hole in the exhaust pipe where it
joins the box!
At least the hole appears to be 'small' and the test isn't due until March
2000, which gives me some time to locate a reasonably priced pattern part,
after asking messrs Peugeot how much their OE part costs!!!
Anyhow, I gave it a good jetwash/wax the took it home and washed and waxed it
properly. Have you ever noticed that the best thing about bright red cars is
that the look clean when they are in fact extremely dirty!, however, the
worst thing about bright red cars is exactly the same thing!!!
Once I finished the Pug, I started on the Vitesse.
I know, I know, the Vitesse takes priority, (Diva that she is), but the Pug
lives in the street, whereas the Vitesse lives in sheltered accommodation,
aka lock-up garage.
(That's where we Brits put our old folk, when there is no-one else to care
for them).
So then I realised that the Vitesse has not had a decent polish/wax this
year, as since I returned from vacation on the 10 May, I have only had time
to wash her, albeit several times, service her, and drive her, in a
meaningful way.
It is jolly hard work polishing a car when the temperature is 85 degrees in
the shade, as it has been here in London, since last Wednesday morning, (Sept
1st), so I gave her a wax-rich wash, then concentrated on all those
difficult/fiddly little areas, with the intention of waxing the larger flat
panelwork afterwards.
It got to about 5pm, and a crack of thunder from nowhere, made me look up to
see the storm clouds gathering in a menacing fashion hereabouts!!!
Loaded up the boot/trunk, hopped in the car, (top-down), and drove the short
distance back to my garage, and as I put the half-polished car to bed,
raindrops started to fall, and by the time, 5 mins later, I got home, they
had become heavy drops...
About 20 minutes later the rain was heavyish, but nothing unusual.
However, my niece, who had been here today to see my sister, called from her
home, about 20 miles away, to say that on the way home, she had to alter her
route twice to avoid the floods, and she still had to drive her car, (a very
compact modern), through water up to the bottom of her doors, and when she
got home, her neighbours were shovelling snow from their paths!!!
I went outside and checked the temperature on our garden thermometer, and it
had fallen to 70 degrees, but was still 85 degrees inside the house, (indeed
it still is, as I sit here and type these words)...
Humpf, and I thought that the British winter wasn't due to arrive until
Tuesday Sept 7th!!! Whatever, I hope that the weather remains fine and warm
for the Triumph World Picnic on Sunday Sept 12th, and even more so for
Saturday September 18th, when I am due to take lister Scott Barr and his good
lady etc, to the Goodwood Revival meeting in the Vitesse.
Ah well, back to praying regularly and being kind to small furry children I
suppose!!!
Regards
Léon
Wimbledon, London, England.
(feeling under the 'Great British' weather)
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