Once I passed my test and got my first job, my first car was a 1973 GT6 now very much missed. Unfortunately a return to university and a prang, along with nowhere to keep it resulted in me selling that car. For some slightly inexplicable reason, other than there was one I used to look at in the local Volvo dealer, I bought an 1800ES. Several years of use later, it became apparent it was shockingly rotten. Again, against any vestige of common sense my dad and I decided to restore it.
Studies, jobs, marriage and at the beginning of last year I found myself the owner of a nearly finished 1800ES, a Porsche 911 2.7 that introduced me to this fantastic site and people (the restoration threads keep me enthralled for hours), an MGB bought off a mate at a wedding unseen and a Fiat 500 that my wife and I restored over one winter. Too many cars to be compatible with life and the spattering to driving ratio was becoming rather suboptimal. Courtesy of a fantastic garage at our house storage was no longer an issue, but steel always prayed on my mind. Rust never sleeps.
A few years ago we started going to a few VSCC/HSCC/Goodwood events and got hooked. I was particularly enthralled with the VSCC - the smells, sounds and aura in a relaxed (at least on the outside) atmosphere in historic settings with a timeless feel to them. We began to think about some classic motorsport and initially thought that turning the MG into a rally type car would be good fun. Values of the cars had always been on my mind, not really in terms of profit, but what would I be able to sell them for and then consolidate the collection. I'd always used to say that I wouldn't sell another car, after the GT6, but then I realised not only do I have a full time job, house, wife, dog etc, but I also wasn't a man of independent means! And some cars aren't that great.
The MG was the first to go. Surprisingly picky group of potential customers, but went to a lovely guy. Great fun car, but rubbish engineering. Then the forcing hand. At Prescott in August and there was a Riley special with a phone number in the window. After a week of cogitating i made a phone call. How much? Oh. Well, if I sell the 911 and the Volvo, then maybe. Where are you? About 10 miles away. 'You'd better come and have a spin in it'. Ok. Sat on the squab, suspended 6" above the road with no windscreen, the aroma of oil and rubber and the cacophony of the Monza exhaust 2 ft from my left ear. Hooked. The chap selling had invested many years and many pounds sorting the car and was prepared to give me time to come up with the cash after leaving him a deposit. The heat was on!
Although I loved my 911 and it was highly original and drove 20k miles in it over 5 years I'd got ambitions of hot-rodding it that in reality were not going to happen with my other commitments. It went to a local chap who will hopefully get a lot of enjoyment out of it. Then the Volvo. I ended-up putting it into an auction after very little interest in the usual places. It worked well as a deadline and a lot of hours went in to it. It sold, but slightly to my annoyance was flipped by a dealer for a lot more 48hrs later!
In case you are wondering, the Fiat, rebuilt by my wife and myself, one previous owner, and used as our wedding car is not, and hopefully never will be, for sale.
I then found that I'd got the money together, and I am now the proud owner of a non steel bodied car. In summary:
Riley 9 chassis modified to Ulster Imp spec, with lots of FW Dixon modifications, including body bracing. Fairly trick 12/4 engine, Silent (not very) 3rd gearbox with Brooklands remote and rear tub from a genuine Antipodean Brooklands. Some minor fettling over the winter and then hopefully some hill climb and sprint fun next year, once my buff form arrives. The future may include painting and some other titivating. The engineering is clever and simple at the same time, and all easily accessible, which is fantastic. I know there are several vintageants on here and I look forward to meeting you in due course.
Regarding DDK and 911s: one day I hope to re-aquaint myself with an old 911, ideally a pre-impact bumper model. And I'll always lurk around here to keep up with Jamie's, Sladey's, Amallagh's and Jon's restorations, to follow in the footsteps of Ferryman's and the others. Truly inspirational stuff, whatever you own or drive.
Chris
