Hello all and welcome back to Essex.
Yes, you heard right, this thread is being officially given some CPR. I do apologise for the hiatus; the day after I last updated this thread (and not as a consequence thereof I should add) my marriage fell apart. I should hopefully be divorced next month and have since found a new partner, life is good again. But, it's been a bit of a rollercoaster and to be fair I'd lost interest in my hobbies whilst dealing with trying to buy my house (again, I should own it next month) and not seeing my son for four months was a bind. Also coming home one day having been 'unavoidably detained' through no fault of my own and finding that most of the household brown goods had gone, including the PC which I had been using to upload my photos to photofeckit. As one would expect it was quite a morose time when I found solace in Corvoussier and was drinking a litre a week. But fat drunk and stupid is no way to go through life. I picked myself up, lost three stone in weight and just got on with life but it took time. So, there you go, all better now and I'm back.
I've never been one for chronology so I'll just chuck some photos at y'all and comment when I can remember or if it particularly interested me. Everything else fades into insignificance I regret. Hey ho.
Well, you may remember the demise of the Shaguar in a cloud of white smoke denoting cylinder head failure. Naturally I no longer had use of my 'wife's' car and Priscilla my 66 coupe was off the road following a cylinder head job. I needed something that was reliable, could carry my son and my dog and whilst not being a panty-dropper could at least look respectable if I wanted to start dating again (or whatever it's called these days).
I fancied a Honda Civic in black and wanted the copper-bottomed guarantee of a main dealer. My money stretched so far but was on the cusp of buying something too old for a main dealer to have in stock.
Patience a few calls found a one female owner car 'due in' with 49,000 miles on the clock and a low spec but black. I made the deal over the phone sight unseen on the strength of the dealer's assurances that it was a good'un and put down a deposit to hold it until the weekend. I made my way to St Albans to see the car where I was in for a mighty surprise. This was well very well specced and the dealer hadn't realised. He had to honour the price even though the car had spare wheel (they usually come with spray foam), reversing sensors and best of all, full leather interior with heated front seats. Finally I felt my luck was changing.
Matt and I did get Priscilla and up running in a manner of sorts. She's now been sold to a local owner who will no doubt announce himself if not already, so she's still local. There was a reason for selling her and the Goggomobil and not to do with the Civic either, but more of that later.
It's always good to have something to look forward to in life whatever situation you are in and for me, since January, it would be the chance to travel to Vermont with good friend Howard Bennett of Bristol DAFs to attend the DCA 30th anniversary which Howard and I managed to keep quiet from John de Bruin. This trip couldn't come quick enough. We'd planned to spend a week in and around Vermont before attending the weekend event.
Things were going so well, even abysmal roadworks on the UK's biggest car park, the M25 couldn't dampen my enthusiasm. We met up at the NCP carpark Heathrow to commence our epic lad's roadtrip.
The flight over was delayed by several hours due to inclement weather and when we finally got to the car rental we were informed that the flash Caddy Howard had booked was unavailable. We were offered a Lexus which was a huge SUV and totally not us, so they of course offered a free upgrade to a convertible Mustang. Could we? Should we? Too damn right we should!
So, meet Dennis. Dennis Roof-off.
Those photos were not taken on that night. We got to the motel at 3am and it was out of hours so we slept in the car. The Lexus would have been better for that but such decisions are not made on comfort. I now know when I'm beat as driving the last stretch I kept seeing black fog which I though was strange but now realise was my eyelids.
Vermont is truely beautiful, New Englanders are lovely accommodating people and we had a great time. Like the roadtrip to see Niagara Falls. We got there at midnight and back to the motel at 7am the next morning. Here's some random photos.
This was nicknamed 'Howard's erection'. Don't ask...
From the local pharmacy (they sell cigarettes too!), we were a couple of giggling schoolboys...
Johnny Boy's waffle house became an institution!
One day we were heading north and Howard, being a Corvair owner, spotted this beauty at the side of the road. We soon got speaking with the dealer and even took her for a test drive.
And so on with more snaps of lovely Vermont. Don't wait for Autumn and be a leaf-peeper, summer is equally nice.
No roadsign to photograph of Bristol. They have their own dollars.
Howard's plans to earn some extra holiday dollars were sadly thwarted.
Sadly didn't see any stereotypical girls here...
...and just for Matt.
One day, after a hearty breakfast...
We took a trip down the road to a neighbouring town to look for a Corvair specialist, Cotrefold's. We drove around in circles until we spotted this van. Surely if we hung around then the owner might know where the Corvair centre is?
Well, the owner did indeed turn up and what a surprise to find him to be Mr Cotrefold himself, owner of the business. We were taken to the workshop for a guided tour, including a Yenko Stinger, a very rare Corvair. For those who don't know Corvairs, they are aircooled 6 cylinder boxer engines between 2.4 and 2.7 litres and rear engined. They were the only rear engined aircooled car made by a US manufacturer.
A later trip would see us revisit the Corvair we saw for sale at a dealership and we had a sneaky look around the back of the lot.
So, whilst we were there I did something silly and bought the Corvair out front.
That wasn't the only highlight of the trip of course, remembering the reason why we went to Vermont in the first instance. Surprising JdB and meeting the other guests at the DCA was truly superb. We arrived at John's the night before as he was setting up for the event. We pulled up music blasting and roof down, much to his surprise!
And so on with the show. The next day was all about Niagara, what an epic journey, 7 hours each way excluding stops.
And we made it for nightfall. One gets the feeling that Canada didn't want us...make yer minds up!
The Canadian side has the better views by the way.
And the next morning we had an hour's kip and went to the DCA event. Photos speak for themselves otherwise I'll just ramble on about how good it was, what a lovely bunch of attendees they were and how great it was to see some very nice and rare DAFs up close.
All the way from Virginia.
John's hometown was delightful.
Cue Dooby Brothers and long train running.
All too soon the end of the day and time to pack away before a lush meal out.
On the way home we stopped off for smokes and saw this...
And so back again next day.
Once everyone had left on the Sunday John took Howard and I out in his Isuzu Vehicross to a Dairy bar for lunch which was very nice indeed and I would have been quite happy to work through the menu.
Then onto Hemmings motor museum which was shut but dangerously the gift shop was not.
Then time to go, sadly. On the way home Howard felt his loins stir but we managed to not bring another vehicle back.
And then on the road again to the airport and home.
Like the Grinder hound but this is a cattle dog and beagle mix. Lovely.
Well, that trip was just the tonic for the pair of us. Back in Blighty I decided to get on with things. Remember that Corvair I bought? Well, after a cull my credit card was paid off.
First to go, Priscilla. Then, following a surprise valleting from Kenr, the Shagaur. She's been bought by a CCW journo so hopefully I'll see her again in print.
And so onto ED6. We missed some regular visitors but those who attended enjoyed. A small and intimate event as ever with friends old and new. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.
Well, that's just about all for now. Hope you enjoyed the update and I'll try not to be a stranger in future.
Cheese,
33g