‘This project car is my COVID sanctuary’

1970 Triumph 2000 MKII Malcolm Dyche, Isle of Man

As a staff nurse working on the front line of the Isle of Man’s fight against COVID-19, my free time recently has been desperately needed to wind down and relax. Without this car and the support of my wife and some helpful parts suppliers, I would have by now become a TV addict or stamp collector.

In October of 2019, purely by chance, I of heard it. The vendor, a retired policeman, soon to be ninety, had come to terms with the fact that the car was becoming too much for him to look after. With a detailed history involving the first eight years of its life in Malta, then travelling to the Isle of Man, the car had only had three owners. Opening the garage door revealed a slightly less than dreamt about picture; trays of apples lay on the thinning paint work. The engine was intact and original, it turned over easily by hand and had a recorded 23,000 miles since new! A rose tint appeared over my glasses and we struck a deal for £1000, as long as I collected it quickly and with a minimum of fuss. Under no circumstances should I turn the car into a rally car! Start-up went well, though a new radiator had to be sourced, thanks to the Triumph 2000 Register. The car was then finally driven and, though I didn’t yet know it, it was just two weeks before the lockdown started. Since that point, there has been polishing, cleaning, a new Chris Witor stainless exhaust (thanks to my wife, Claire, for that present), and electronic ignition. Thanks also to my youngest daughter Abbie, who has helped with cleaning, holding stuff and passing stuff. Though I now find she has an ulterior motive, as she has eyed up the car as future wedding transport.