It's not a car, it's a time machine
Discussion
Today, I had one of the best day's classic motoring that I can remember. Setting off with no clear route or plan, my fiancee and I headed out of London into the attractive Essex countryside, well away from the grotty bits of the county. I just followed roads at random, stopping quite often at attractive pubs, where young lads asked to sit in the car and looked as delighted as I did when I sat in a Europa when I was 10 (in 1972).
The sun shone, the hedegrows were in bloom. There was hardly any traffic, and the swooping, turny roads were a joy to drive on. The old black and white roadsigns and red phone boxes matched the mood. At a small filling station, a polite young bloke filled up the car and cleaned the windscreen, offering to check my oil (I had done so before setting off, so politely declined his kind offer). To accompany the roar of the twin cam and the whoosh of the Dellortos, we listened to eBay cassettes of "Nursery Cryme" (very early Genesis, with Peter Gabriel singing) , and "Deceptive Bends" (10CC). We drove back to the sound of "Out of the Blue" by ELO.
So, I spent today in the 1970s. Where did you go?
The sun shone, the hedegrows were in bloom. There was hardly any traffic, and the swooping, turny roads were a joy to drive on. The old black and white roadsigns and red phone boxes matched the mood. At a small filling station, a polite young bloke filled up the car and cleaned the windscreen, offering to check my oil (I had done so before setting off, so politely declined his kind offer). To accompany the roar of the twin cam and the whoosh of the Dellortos, we listened to eBay cassettes of "Nursery Cryme" (very early Genesis, with Peter Gabriel singing) , and "Deceptive Bends" (10CC). We drove back to the sound of "Out of the Blue" by ELO.
So, I spent today in the 1970s. Where did you go?
Oh you lucky man, sounds like a terrific day.
I collected mine from my DS magician after a small piece of work required turned into a complete front end off for replacement ball joints, drive shafts and a whole load of other work including bespoke wiring for a Brantz tripmaster. I needed some bulbs replacing too and that is an entire front wing off job. Bloody French.
I had a lovely drive home though over the top of Yorkshire as the sun was going down. Most was spent listening to the stereo and smoking but I did, in a few remote places, let the tail hang out a few times...
Very glad to have her home and very much looking forward to a packed April schedule of rallying...
Excuse cack phone photo.
I collected mine from my DS magician after a small piece of work required turned into a complete front end off for replacement ball joints, drive shafts and a whole load of other work including bespoke wiring for a Brantz tripmaster. I needed some bulbs replacing too and that is an entire front wing off job. Bloody French.
I had a lovely drive home though over the top of Yorkshire as the sun was going down. Most was spent listening to the stereo and smoking but I did, in a few remote places, let the tail hang out a few times...
Very glad to have her home and very much looking forward to a packed April schedule of rallying...
Excuse cack phone photo.
I love it when i go out in mine.
Sheepskin jacket, sheepskin helmet, goggles and string back gloves, if we're making a day of it there is ussually a wicker basket on the back too. Nothing but the smell of sraight through pipes and excess oil teamed with the popping on the overrun and the sound of fury on acceleration. Wind in the face and nothing to detract from the sheer pleasure of driving. Looking at the front wheels as you turn into the corner, clipping the apex perfectly, then bury your foot again, with a bit of understeer and a little scuttle you roar out of bend. I LOVE IT.
The lomax is almost like the bike and you find yourself leaning into the corner as the car tilts the opposite direction.
with so little power and so many revs it really is a case of go around every corner as fast as you can just to maintain momentum. once you've lost it you have to drop back to second gear to really get it going again!
Heaven.....
Sheepskin jacket, sheepskin helmet, goggles and string back gloves, if we're making a day of it there is ussually a wicker basket on the back too. Nothing but the smell of sraight through pipes and excess oil teamed with the popping on the overrun and the sound of fury on acceleration. Wind in the face and nothing to detract from the sheer pleasure of driving. Looking at the front wheels as you turn into the corner, clipping the apex perfectly, then bury your foot again, with a bit of understeer and a little scuttle you roar out of bend. I LOVE IT.
The lomax is almost like the bike and you find yourself leaning into the corner as the car tilts the opposite direction.
with so little power and so many revs it really is a case of go around every corner as fast as you can just to maintain momentum. once you've lost it you have to drop back to second gear to really get it going again!
Heaven.....
XJ13 said:
Stop it. You are making me jealous 
May I second that!My 150 is just waiting for a few minor finishing touches but the garage were short handed last week so it wasn't completed in time for the XK and E-Type meet at Brooklands. Still got to spend a lovely few hours soaking up the sun shine, drinking tea on the lawn and enjoying the sight and sound of all those lovely XKs. Even if I was pining for mine.
I just hope that all the glorious weather has been used up by the time I get her back.
SHMBO agreed that now that there is really no chance of getting the not so little monsters into the back of the 150, that perhaps we should think about DHC in a couple of years, probably a 140. She'd rather have something a little more civilized than an OTS, although she was rather taken with an 150OTS.
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