My Grand Day Out!

[Lashout_UK]

Well, I've posted this in all my car forums but I figured you might like to see it too

So, nice and early I get up at 5:30 and get showered, get me bits and hit the road. On my feet. Carrying GPS, 2 mobiles, money, iPod, camera, I feel like a walking "MUG ME" sign. I was en route to pick up a car I'd won on Ebay.

I'm getting the train from Cov, to Brum, to Cardiff Central, to Newport Gwent, then on to Port Talbot. About 3-4 hours including waiting, so not too bad. Miraculously, I suffered no late trains.

At Brum waiting for my train. Tasty snacks!

En route to Port Talbot.

Nice scenery - so glad to be out of Cov and away from Concrete!

 

[Lashout_UK]

Anyways, at Port Talbot I'm greeted by my good man Adam! He's my driver for the day, and drives.....

Possibly the first rat-look Dolomite - fugging ace! This is THE post-nuclear sellafield survivor car. Sounds great too!

 

[Lashout_UK]

Driving around the roads.....

Then.....

Voila.

Looks great doesn't it?

We're greeted by the Sprint. I paid 750 on the provision of having a full, new MOT which I was told was being sorted....

The first words to come out of the sellers mouth were..."- it failed".

Damn.

Anyway, not too swayed by this we go for a hammer, and man, it flies - Adam can't keep up! People were really gawping out our little convoy of noisy blue thing and road-warrior.

However at this point I notice the interior is in quite a bad way. No matter though. We park up and I have a poke around.

Then I find the car is red underneath....and has been resprayed quite badly, as has the roof. Lots of bubbles everywhere, with major rust in one sill. The structural beams have lots of rust on them. The vinyl is gone, painted shiny black. Badly.

Then the failure sheet - one of the ARB mounts had sheared off! ( ). There were several other issues, but basically it was a fair bit of work. I also found the engine hadn't been serviced for about 6000 miles, not really a good indicator. Rust had got a fair grip.

So we got down to buisiness - and...

I had to refuse it. I couldn't take it on with the work required, and both of us were happy with this as he hadn't completed the deal so we had a nice cuppa and talked about odds and sods. I wanted a car I could use and abuse, not have to do welding on already..

I did feel a bit criminal - because from afar it did look really good, but as soon as you got closer...it was a proper "12 footer", as I call em.

 

[Lashout_UK]

So, me and Adam set off for a bit, to see another club member and have an impromptu tune up session.

(no finer place to be)

Where the engine developed a heavy knock from the bottom end!!

He is now planning on fitting a lightly-tuned TR7 lump, which should really make it fly and complete the street sleeper.

 

[Lashout_UK]

Anyways, after dropping me off at the station I began the weave of stations home back to Coventry.

Oh well, can't win em all. I had a great day mind, great to meet everyone and a really nice trip, music, mags, snacks and cameras. And being in a classic motor, bombing round town - many thanks to Adam!

However, another car has been sourced, and I'm just waiting for my dad to get back on wether it's actually any good or not....and it's faster/lower to boot...

Out,
Lewis


(damned pic-per post limit!!)

 

[TripleT]

Damn sounds quite the adventure you had

A loooonnnng why to see a car but I suppose they're not ten to the dozen really are they

Where is this road by the way?

 

[Lashout_UK]

Just up from Swansea Uni (I think), or the engineering bit of it at least - the white building dead ahead.

Well, they are fairly rare, yes (~300-400 of 'em left on the road) but the highest drive was the price. Unfortunately, it was not to be. Coulda had the decency to be honest and rung me BEFORE I went 300 miles to see it

 

[TripleT]

Ahhh I knew I had been on that road before

A mate of mine lives down on the lefthand side, think there's a roadabout at the bottom of the road?

Sweet

 

[Spamalot]

Ahhh I knew I had been on that road before

A mate of mine lives down on the lefthand side, think there's a roadabout at the bottom of the road?

Sweet

the white buidling is Swansea polly, I think. And at the bottom of the hill is the police station then town.

 

[Adz]

I want a Dolomite Sprint! The sole reason I don't currently own one is that I'd feel duty bound to look after it, service it, fix stuff that broke, etc instead of treating it with contempt like I do with most of my cars .

Sorry you had a wasted journey but sounded like a fun trip nonetheless?

 

[Lashout_UK]

Yea was Really nice to meet the people who inhabit Swansea (although I went past about 2 Retro-rides forum member's doorsteps without realising

Found another car anyway, closer to home

 

[nutcase]

Mmm, dolly sprint. Scherwing