:: Diary - September 2019 ::

:: Sunday, September 1, 2019 ::

Today we're off with the Sporting Bears to the Bo'ness Hill Climb Revival - no, not to take part, just to park up and look pretty, and try to collect money for our children's charities. Pity about the gaffe-taped hole in the rear wing, but hey-ho...

At least the car starts easier, so I drive over to the venue - about 20 miles so that's only the 2 gallons of fuel each way. When I get there, we set up our gazebo and teddy bears picnics and get to work.

I've also got the pedal car along, with its own wee display card and everything. This is a demonstration of how air brakes work.

After about 5 minutes, we're distracted by the set-up of the stand opposite. The event is sponsored by Tunnocks, and the man 10 feet from us is setting up a plate of free Tunnocks wafers and teacakes. Well, it would be unsporting to refuse, wouldn't it?

I've been asked to give an interview in the arena, but we're too far away to take cars, so I walk over. On the way back, I find myself walking past a Triumph Acclaim, waiting to go into the arena with the Triumph club. The owner tells me that this is one of only 3 left in Scotland, and this is the only one left that was registered in Scotland, the other two came up from England. There used to be millions of these things on the road, and now there's 3! There are more 57 Chevys up here than there are Triumph Acclaims!

The rest of the day passes in a blur of various chats (including a Dutch TVR club!) and packed lunch, then it's time to pack up and go home.

Another faultless performance by the old Chevy!

:: Monday, September 2, 2019 ::

A wee trip to take the Chevy in for its wing repair. Busy week for classic cars this week - I have to take the TVR to Yorkshire tomorrow for a chassis rebuild, and the Porsche has its MOT on Friday (when the Chevy should also be ready!)

:: Friday, September 6, 2019 ::

A car-tastic day today. I have to take the Porsche for its MOT first thing in the morning, so I'm up and out the door, driving to Shotts in the morning peak hour to get there for garage opening time. Or before it, as it turns out. She tells me that the car isn't booked in for a fixed time, so I have to leave it there. So I walk to the station and get a train home.

I'm just in the door when I get a call from the other garage, telling me that the Chevy is ready for collection. I've at least organised a lift there, so off we go again. The repair looks brilliant - perfect paint match (to the nearest of the 4 shades of blue that the car is already), and as they said, no new parts. He tells me that their man enjoyed working on "a real car". I pay the bill and drive back home, and park up (carefully!).

I go indoors and sit down, and the phone goes - it's the TVR garage man (are you keeping up at the back there?) with a few questions, so we have a chat, and I'm just off the phone I get a call to say that the Porsche has passed its MOT and is ready for collection. Back on the train, walk to the garage, all good!

All of which goes to show that you CAN get better - much better - than a quick-fit-fitter.

:: Saturday, September 21, 2019 ::

Today is the last Sporting Bears of the season. We're going to a "Wings and Wheels" day at East Fortune Museum of Flight. I've been before as an individual entrant, but this year we're going to make it a club thing. So once again it's up early for the drive to the venue - and a very pleasant drive it is, too!

There's the usual chaos of trying to put up a gazebo and arrange cars at the same time, as they arrive at random. Eventually, we're sorted though.

There's lots to see and do, with an interesting display of cars and steam engines, motorcycles etc. There's also the normal museum exhibits, from the beginning of flight up to a whole hangar devoted to Concorde - a plane so far ahead of its time, that it's still too far ahead of its time, 50-odd years later.

This guy spends the whole day just cycling around smoking his pipe and waving at passers-by while his speakers belt out "Dambusters" and "633 squadron". Fantastic!

I'm keen to avoid any problems on the way home, so I have my crack mechanic crew give it the once-over.

This is just an arty photo of the space-age styling of a 60-year old Chevrolet.

It's not the biggest car there, though - a guy comes over to speak to me, who has brought his Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible. It's enormous!

All too soon, it's time to head home, after a stop for fuel (this venue is nearly 40 miles away, after all!) and the inevitable chat in the petrol station...