I recently got some devestating news from one of my best friends and found myself....a bit restless ever since.
Also, with Jazi off the road, I have been looking at a practical hatchback to, for example, transport a 911 bootlid or a bumper. Saab? Done that. Golf? Not anymore thanks. BMW touring- Dear god not again please. Audi convertible? Having a 911 bonnet sticking out whilst driving with the roof down is not cool and besides I don't like front wheel drive. Mercedes 380SLC: tempting but not a hatchback. 928S2 manual: where to find one in half decent condition? A 944: maybe.
Enter an advert on the PCGB forum
I have a series 1 924 turbo, it is a complete car that has not seen the road for many years , i bought it about a year ago with an unknown engine fault , this is still the case as i just have not had the time to delve into it, the car has had new meter head , pump , injectors , filter ,plugs etc by previous owner but to no avail ,it turns over fine ,the rest of the car is in average condition for age.
I called the vendor and it turned out he juuust posted the advert. His name is Stu, a DDK-er and is an all round good bloke who was also at Classic Le mans 06 with his VW crewcab. That's a connection.
The car was located on the Isle of Wight, together with a 1969 ossi blue 911T, a 912, a 911 2.7, a type 3 and the crewcab as well as other things.
As I bought Jazi from Lymington, my first trip was the coastal route on the Isle of Wight. So there was another connection.
I saw the car (is it that colour?) and something clicked. In my humble opinion there is only one man for this job: Mike Bainbridge in Kendal, Cumbria. That's Nottingham-Wroxhall/Isle of Wight-Kendal-Nottingham to you.
Sounds like an appropriate adventure, doesn't it? Yeah, makes you feel alive. Gives you a bit of an adrenaline rush. The fact that there is a silver 924 turbo in Brum - Series two as well- is damn well not an excuse.
Rah. Saturday morning:
hopelessly underpowered old Mercedes refueled and ashtray emptied: check
ipod: check
kinder bueno and ample diet coke: check
some sensible food: check
necessary paper work etc: check
Ferry booked: check
montechristo No 5 to last me a while: check
Mike Bainbridge forewarned: check
I arrived at the trailer rental place with my Belgian driving license. Problem: the aerodynamic looking assistant of the assistant store manager couldn't understand my driver licence. "No sir: I don't know whether you are qualified to drive a trailer." Neither could his bosses.
Some strategic calls to their Northampton office (yes you can rent a trailer. No we don't have any trailers in stock. No, we don't have any say over the Derby branch: its their business) didn't get anywhere. For love, reason not money these guys were going to budge. Damn.
I tried all other rental places: no availability. Obviously. Merde.
So in the end I called Mike Bainbridge to tell him it was off. Only hope was Helen but I couldn't reach her as she was probably at Husbourne. Mike "That's right: she is standing next to me. Fancy talking to her?"
Turned out Mike was down south. Helen and Larry quickly agreed to loan me their trailer (thankyouthankyou thankyou) and I could pick it up in the afternoon! WOW. I started to have a feeling that this was ment to be 
21:00 I arrived in East Cowes, Isle of Wight in total darkness. As the car was located at some farmyard in the middle of nowhere on the Isle, Stu agreed to meet me at the port.
Through mud, foliage and using rather small roads, we found the 924. With binding brakes and obviously not able to start, it also started raining.
Btw, it looked really rather good in the dark. In the rain.
Getting the beast on the trailer was.... an adventure.
By that time I had missed my ferry. I called left, right and centre for a B&B: most were booked out but -lucky me- "the doghouse" still had a room
I politely turned it down. In the end I did find a place:
The night porter even opened up the bar for us (there is nothing else to do here, Sir). Good man!
An ex of mine moved to Bristol and according to her I absolutely needed to have lunch with her, darling. Right, with my articulated combination and a towing car that crawls to 40 mph if it even sniffs a hint of a hill I tried to find this fabulous place. Darling.
Clearly timing is my biggest talent.
17:00 when I left Bristol and I still had to deliver this thing in Kendall.
23:00 Arrived at Mike's. Getting it on was an adventure: getting it off was even better. By 23:30 there was no other way then to pull the car off the trailer by using the towing vehicle. That's right, I have been a boy scout and I'm creative with my limitations. Wedges can be found everywhere. Swearing helps.
2.30: I finally arrived in Nottingham.
Monday Morning, whilst delivered the trailer back, after giving it a bit of a jet wash, Mike was on the blower:
"I found your car. Paintwork is looking a bit tired!
Interior is ....there. Okay, well we'll have a look and see."
At this stage, it ticks boxes all the way. Without Helen and Larry, I would absolutely not be able to make it. Mike will work his magic, I’m sure.
I'm looking forward to getting this thing back on the road and hone some skills without the need to risk the 911. I hope it can be a good parts hauler. And all the rest is extra!
ATB,
Bert
.
. thats cars going to cost you far more to put right than its worth.
