AND IN OTHER NEWS...

JAGUAR E-TYPE S1

The first stage of Boo’s major overhaul has come up against its first stumbling block… how to lift the bonnet off. Not a oneman job, and we live miles away from any able-bodied blokes! GC

FIAT 130 COUPÉ

I decided to tackle the engine bay on the Fiat using a combination of Gunk and a steam-cleaner to get years and years of greasy muck out of all the rarely explored nooks and crannies, and the engine block itself. I also painted the top of the radiator and made the sound deadening on the bonnet look better by simply spraying it black. It’s not a concours result, but is very presentable. MB

TRIUMPH SPITFIRE MKIII Work on the Spit continues. The shell has been blasted and the subsequent extensive welding is nearly done. We ended up using a lot of panels from Rimmer Bros because a surprising number had already been replaced (badly) during its 51 years. In the meantime, I’ve been cleaning parts and getting bumpers and spinners rechromed. JB

VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE MOT time is always nervous, and this year the Beetle got a fail. Not a terribly major one on the face of it: the antiroll-bar bushes need replacing, and two small holes need welding. The problem with small holes, though, is that they quickly get bigger… MP