It’s lighting up time

OWNED SINCE 2003

MILEAGE SINCE LAST REPORT 0 TOTAL MILEAGE Unknown LATEST COSTS £0

The B’s been stuck in the back of our rented unit for more than a year now. I’m almost ashamed to admit the only things I did with it last year were to sort out a flat front tyre, take the rear seat frame out and send it to the trimmer and get a replacement six-volt battery.

Any good intentions of making progress were sidelined by the reappearance of the 100E and sporadic, slow progress with the Ruby hot rod project. Frustrated by both I sent them off to auction and, refreshed by that decision, felt far more inclined to get the ’32 out and about.

However, the new six-volt battery might have been a mistake, because I feel the only way to make it usable is to go over to a 12-volt system. Driving back cross-country from the 2012 Welsh Trial at Presteigne was particularly memorable, because a non-charging dynamo rendered the glowworm-like headlights useless.

With a 12-volt set-up things would be more practical, and the lighting in particular. I like the idea of not only seeing, but being seen too, and those big headlights, with suitably powerful bulbs, should make night driving much safer. The conversion shouldn’t involve too much

work because there’s not much to re-wire other than lights, wiper motor and the distributor. Talking of the latter, I’ve been looking at replacing all the ignition components, but here was a task easier said than done because the original distributor was long gone.

My friend Gerald popped over one evening and set about identifying where the distributor was from and his initial thoughts – that it was from a smaller sidevalve Ford – proved correct. Rummaging through numerous boxes he found a second-hand distributor cap and points and from here we’ll order up a complete new set of parts. Once fitted I’ll run it down to the local MoT tester for a fresh ticket and then, hopefully, it’ll be pounding West Wales tarmac.

I’ve not checked up on progress with the rear seat, but it’s not such a priority now – sadly Lily the road test terrier, star of these pages and visitor to many classic car shows, died on Christmas night. After 13 years it’ll be strange going to events without her sitting in the front seat, but other than the Missus I couldn’t have wanted a better classic companion.

The B has been wedged in the back of the unit for nearly two years now but its revival has begun, following a clearout of some other classics.

Lily – Richard’s resident road test terrier – was a companion whenever he was at shows and in the workshop, but sadly she died over the festive break.

The Model B’s still looking scruffy but it should be back on the roads of West Wales in the next few months.