Staff Car Sagas
There’s very little now between Danny and his dream...
Big progress on many of the PC team’s projects.
The past seven years have gone rather quickly. When I first dragged home a tatty project Interceptor, complete with spares car, for just £2000 (yes… times and prices have changed) I knew I had a job on my hands. Quite how much of a job was beyond my sphere of comprehension. I’ve been further and deeper into this car than any other, and because it has been so all-consuming, the years have flown by almost unnoticed. It has cost me (and my dad – we are going Dutch on it), so far, in excess of £20k, and that is with me doing a lot of the donkey work (and making most of the mistakes).
Now, a year after we started the 6.3-litre V8 for the first time (at the PC Resto Show 2017), I can make a pledge. I’ll be driving it on the Classic Destination Round Britain run in May. There… I’ve said it now. You can give me a ton of grief if it doesn’t happen. At the moment I am working with the team at PALE Classics in Chippenham getting the car finished, and I can’t pretend it has been easy. The rectification work just goes on and on. A handbuilt Sixties supercar has to be put together in strict order and as each layer goes on, it exposes anything that hasn’t been done correctly before. And quite a bit has been exposed.
So, boy genius, Peter Griffin (I kid you not) and PALE boss Paul ‘Lewi’ Lewis have been carefully plumbing in the rest of the wiring loom and created new circuits as required. Painstaking work but essential in a car this complex. They have also replaced the original replacement master cylinder with one from an Mercedes SL. The one I fitted was seated incorrectly against the bulkhead.
Keeping trim
Inside, once all the wiring was correct we fitted the excellent Clarion sound system. I could have gone for an original spec 8-track but this car demenands high quality hi-fi – so I’ve made
a concession to modernity. It sounds amazing, too. Being only a few car builds away from John Bonham’s Series II and being the fomer property of a Seventies multi-millionaire (Sir Hugh Fraser), this car needs to rock (When The Levee Breaks will be the first track the system plays).
Back under the car we worked through some of the issues. We fitted new clips for fuel and brake lines, ground back untidy edges, began remedial rustproofing, fitted new locking door mechanisms.
Then I went on an adventure in paperwork. I had already established my car’s build date, first regsitration, chassis, engine, gearbox and axle numbers from Richard Calver’s awesome chassis data book (some people question the use of the word awesome in this context – they are wrong). But to get the official certificate I had to approach purveyors of all important panel and paperwork, Martin Robey Ltd. They hold all the official build data and are the source of offical certification. I paid my 30 quid, and a week later received the all-important golden ticket. Once combined with my other paperwork, an MOT, possible engineer’s report and pictorial restoration record… I reckon I’ll be able to bag an age related plate.
Triumph shocker!
With the Jensen still away I have had a chance to push on with some work on the Triumph 2000. I had some GAZ shocks in my cupboard
‘It’s only a few cars away from John Bonham’s Series II’
(Matt George recommended them) and decided to combine a fitting session with a visit to my favourite Triumph specialist, Moordale Motors.
What boss Dale doesn’t know about the big saloons isn’t worth knowing… so we went through the car front to back with me holding the pad and pen. A few issues came up, most notably the need for a new bottom ball joint on the offside and early sill corrosion. I also need a new set of carbs, so any recommendations in this department would be welcome. I don’t have any problems with the Strombergs fitted to the 2-litre six, and I’ll rebuild them quite happily, but if anyone has any suggestions I am all ears.
We got on with a full service while Bill wrestled the front struts to get the old dead dampers out and get the shiny new ones in. It took a long time, clearance being a bit tight with the new Gaz items, but eventually it all went back together.
The drive home was one of those cross-country epics… even set to zero all round (I would do this on all adjustables for the first 100 miles) the ride was so much better and I suddenly realised what a pleasently balanced and good handling car the 2000 is. Why did I drive around on wooden dampers for three years? I should have done this when I first restored the car.
Real Winter Warmers!
Winter has been full of Mercedes 190s and Rover 800 diesels. These two excellent saloons have powered me through the snow and given very little trouble in return for 5000 maginificent miles.
The only issues have been a refusal to start with the 190, which gave me a ‘bin-kicker’ moment of great hilarity to my colleagues. I spent a whole day deconstructing the fuel side of the Merc’s 2-litre engine. I replaced the fuel pressure valve, cleaned all the vacuum hoses, earthing points and electrical connections. No joy. It spun over and coughed, then nothing. In desperation I went trawling the forums. I had done everything they suggested, except check the U-shaped Idle control valve vacuum hose under the inlet manifold. I walked to the car, felt underneath and sure enough, it was hanging off. It started first time once replaced. Bin Kicked.
Both Merc and Rover have had a new set of tyres for winter and they have proved their worth. Sure footed displays, only beaten by the Disco, have typified every journey. Magnificent classics, beating modern wide-tyred monstrosities whenever the snows came.
danny.hopkins@practicalclassics.co.uk