Latest update

Saturday 21st July 2007 ~ 11.23am

1907 - The Mad Motorists - 2007

I have just recieved a texted from Johnny, to say the following

"Should be in Paris in an hour or so all going well. Cars a bit battered but still going well. Drivers and crews in good fettle."

They left Beijing (Peking), China on the 10th June in 3 1930's Austin 7 box saloons. 41 days later they arrive in Paris.

~~~~~~~An Austin 7 can go anywhere~~~~~~~

Pearl Engine goes in....

Proof that the engine is going in. I manage to drop the engine in on Friday night, then Sat afternoon finished fixing all the rel event parts to the engine. Did a trial start of it and it worked, before putting all the body panels back on.


Only one problem is it leeks water through some of the studs, now allowing it to sit to allow the water and metal to react a bit before putting in the rad weld. Took the car for a wee run and the only adjustment was to the dissy to far advanced.



I made a few mods to this one, as follows
Flattened cam followers
Large inlet valves ' n' double springs
Over bored Oil pump
Over sized oil jets
+60 solid skirt pistons
Standard cam
New timing gears matched
Gassed flowed block and ports
New Bosh Dissy
Mod to the cam locating nut
No paper gaskets, except sump and nose cone

Glamis or Fun….

Sorry, Sunday was a wee trip up the glen rather than Glamis...

Left the house 11ish Sunday and headed up towards Kirkmichael, only a wee hickup as my wife thought it would be a good idea to Fry an Egg on the engine. After 4 trips to the toilet for water to fill the radiator up(small bottle), we were off again. Arrived at the farmhouse full of people and to find Simon looking rather sorry for himself (and the rest of them), later found out that they hadn’t been drinking water last night ha ha..

Sunday lunch was homemade Rooney soup followed by a venison stew, just what the doctor ordered. Off we went in the Austin’s Judy in the Ruby, Simon in his Ruby and me and the kids in the Chummy. We headed up to Daldhu on a relatively flat tarmac’ed road, at the end of the road we turned left towards Loch Loch. You may as well have a wee look on a map to find out how remote the Loch is. The roads changed very rapidly from good to very rough and rocky, grassy in the center soft ground due to all the wet weather. Talking about weather Dundee was dry on Sunday where we have showers. I thought I was clever, as I left the side screens at the farmhouse, so the kids got wet I had a hat on.

Ok so we were in the middle of know where, up ‘n’ down very rough terrain. When Simon just disappeared. After a short walk back down the track (we couldn’t turn the cars around no space) the blue Ruby was spotted going up then down then up with the doors open this time(if that was going to help!!) then down, Mmm clutch slipping problem. So after a quick spray of petrol into the clutch to clean the oil away, then a load explosion!! Off he went in a oner up the hill (I wouldn’t do this at home boys and girls). When I evently got to the top by walking Simon’s comment was ‘a bit extreme for a Ruby don’t you think’. After a bit further up the track we felt it was better to return to the farmhouse. Only a couple of little things happened on the way back, the girls nearly bounced out of the rear of the chummy while going up one of the steep slops and Simon required to stop for water as he was boiling the water in the radiator for a cup of tea.

Back down the road we turned off and headed up to a small very pretty Loch called ‘The Crannach’ where we stopped for a wee brake, then headed down to the farmhouse for a cup of tea and crispy cakes. Another great day had by all.

Where's my head....

Sunday morning, I believe I woke up. And spent all day wandering around looking for my head...

Another thought of the day.....

I read this today, and recon it has to go to the top.........

'The next time you encounter conflict, respond creatively with a peaceful alternative.'

The Dundee Blues Bonanza 2007

Saturday was another great day out in Dundee for the annual Blues Bonanza,
A few friends met at the DCA around 3pm to see a 4 piece outfit called 'No Time For Jive'. This lead us on to 'Number 25' to see Bob Hall (A virtuoso blues 'n' boogie piano player from Yorkshire). Then on to The Nether Inn to See 'Midnight Blues Band'. This is a must see there a local 4 piece band playing some uplifting Blues, they also do some good old Pink Floyd Classics as well. A must!! 'The Midnight Blues Band'
By this time our plan of action went out the window...

Now after a few pints there, we're off again to find food first in the rain. At least I remembered a coat (well sort of). I goo helping of fish 'n' chips to soak up the beers (Woops.. water... Mmm) whatever. Then we were off again to Macdaniels to see 'Blue Wolfs' These guys were drawing on the Vaughan Brothers Legacy. Another good band. Now were off again singing in the rain while heading to 'The Waterfront' to see 'Mama's New Bag'. I wasn't too impressed by them. So around the corner in the rain again!! to Dexters to see the end of another good band called 'Krissy Mathews', now! not sure if they were good or was it the beer Mmm... Outstanding!!...
Then we're off again in the Rain, don't know who was singing this time, to 'The Bank Bar' to see 'The Deal' A 3 piece (I'm sure there were more 6 at least) outfit from Scotland with a Blues Rock flavour heavily influenced by Rory Gallagher.

A great day out had by us, and I'm sorry the friend's that weren't there missed it. O and the drinks....

'The Dundee Blues Bonanza'

Maybe not the best thing to do......

I couldn't resist this, The first photo is of my Austin 7 Ulster in out newly layed out back garden.

And the second, is the rear wings in the front lounge. Some silly sod damaged one of them in Dundee a couple of weeks back, the pic is of them before going back on the car.

life

So where have all the chicken gone!