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After 17 years of faithful service, my 05-plate Volvo S60 with 145k miles on it finally developed a fault that was potentially more expensive to fix than the car was worth, so it was off to the great breaker yard in the sky. Fast forward a few days and I’m negotiating a deal for a 20-plate Skoda Octavia at a dealership. The salesman is professional, respectful, intelligent, not smarmy and a painfully young 23 years-old. As the car will be registered in Lady Colonial’s name for total avoidance of Road Fund Duty (she has a blue badge and therefore gets a full break from it), he needs to speak with her by phone (she’s home, not wishing to be bored stupid by cars). I give the young salesman my home phone number and he calls her, uttering the immortal words as he does… ”I’ve never dialled a landline number before.” Twenty-three freaking years old! My heart sank.

The adventure starts tomorrow. I’ve packed the sunscreen in case the severe weather warnings are wrong!! Checked the car out. Haven’t bothered cleaning it as what’s the point as it’s going to get dirty again en route. Despite the atrocious weather forecast we are going in the Westfield with Pete acting as co-pilot. 1st leg is 265 miles from mid Lincolnshire to Llanberis in Snowdonia. About 5hrs of mostly relatively boring roads. Meeting up with the others for a meal at the Royal Victoria Hotel and looking forward to some ‘proper’ driving over the weekend.

A Monday night in the country side👍. Hardly anyone around and the one guy that was, understood the memo kindly pulling in....why does this not happen more often😐

Good lord! Next you'll be telling me that they don't know what a ten bob note is!!

The pound coin was introduced in 1983 so there is a good chance that most people under about 35 have probably never seen a pound note, except in a museum... Gulp...

https://fb.watch/lM4fnTPjTw/ Interesting video on how the Saturn 5 rocket guidance knew where it was as the earth rotated...etc.

Heading back home from Dartford to Crewkerne the other night in the tin top, a rather large black 4x4/truck roared up behind me on a dual carriageway section of the A303. I was travelling at a reasonable lick myself, and could not easily pull over to let him through as the left lane was busy. The traffic in front slowed a bit so he proceeded to repeatedly drop back then race up behind me to within about 6 inches of my bumper, flashing his lights, not pleasant. All I could do was maintain a steady pace and hope he didn’t actually ram me. After a while, I was able to pull into the inside lane safely and he overtook, then pulled in front and brake tested me; something I was fully expecting so was well prepared. This is where the story becomes more positive and faintly amusing. As he headed off towards a roundabout, a dark blue Volvo estate pulled alongside me, the passenger window came down and the guy indicated to me to slow down a bit ( I did say reasonable lick!) They then headed off keeping up with the truck but in a fairly subtle manner. As we came off the roundabout, there was a convenient lay-by and the blue lights came on the Volvo and Mr Big Truck was nicked! I made eye contact with the driver as he got out; I don’t like to gloat but it was a satisfying moment. I hope they did him for dangerous driving, as that’s what it was.

Let alone the phrase 'bent as a nine bob note'....which hasn't aged well to be fair.

Then you show them what your first mobile looked like - here’s what I had in ‘84

The son of one of my workmates was trying to get him to buy him his first mobile phone as a Christmas present. My workmate thought that he was a bit young. In desperation his son turned to me and asked "how old were you when you got your first mobile phone?". His face was a picture when I said "about 30". D

Doesn’t this sum up the folly of doing away with Traffic cops for ever more cameras. the officer saw you were going a bit fast and gave advice, he then dealt with a dangerous driver who a camera would not catch. Road safety has been let down by the relentless attack on speeding at the expense of sensible policing but the anti speed brigade makes too much money from the issue and several charities would not exist if it was not seen as the number 1 cause of accidents regardless of the truth

If anyone fancies laughing at my dodgy driving skills, I'll be on track at the Curburgring from 10am till 4pm (weather permitting of course). I managed to blag a cheap deal with the Abarth Club who were struggling to fill the places they needed (maybe a few places still available, drop me a DM of you're interested and want me to ask for you). Ollie will also be taking his Pheonix (some will have met him at Donington on the 18th July). Spectating is free as usual so if you want to see a Westfield MegaS2000 and an R1 engined Pheonix lap slower than some tarted up Fiat 500's then feel free to come along 😂

And what about Sonic the Hedgehog? Wasn't that great?

A phrase I often use.

Also in Exeter and only a few months from being on the road. Will come along in the pickup though if it’s not too twisty…

Aye, I well remember the days of being “slightly brisk, ie not taking the wee with the speed limit, but driving to the road and conditions rather the limit itself, and being passed by unmarked cars, only to spot the uniforms inside, and get the “look” and the wagged finger from the passenger before the unit accelerated away to deal with someone else. It worked. (Well for that journey anyway )

Nope, but deliberately, or unthinkingly being a mobile chicane seems to be a very British thing. And with Westfields, (I can’t speak for other kits, but they’re probably similar), it’s a more recent thing too. You do still, generally get treated with more courtesy/thought/consideration than a mainstream manufactures performance car. But it’s not as common as it used to be, even just ten years ago. On the continent, in particular Austria, Germany, France and Italy it couldn’t be more different. (Though you will meet dickheads everywhere). We’ve had traffic on dual carriage ways wave us (a group of four) out from fuel stops for instance, that has resulted in them actually stopping to let the last one or two of us out. This sort of thought and approach to driving is far from a one off, either. Two things in particular seem common. When seeing a group obviously traveling together, more instances of people waiting or waving you through. And particularly in the Germanic countries, an attitude of let faster vehicles through, this doesn’t necessarily mean performance cars, just those wishing to travel at a higher speed than you.

Sorry not to be joining you, I hope it stays fine. I'll be competing at Prescott in my Lea-Francis Hyper as I do every year.

Will be attending

I've used Parts In Motion a few times too - with no issues and fast delivery

At the end of a loong shift.

I'll be there.

Evening ride after checking and tightening rear suspension bolts - both upper wishbones had little loose nuts (? Previously tightened as manuał says torques... Maybe worth use some loccite on those or nodlock washers ? Is this common issue in upper rear wishbones on Westfield ? Also rear diff mount was losse) Anyway what a joy after 2 weeks on holliday

Worthy of a Nelson Muntz ‘Ha Ha’ as you drive past.

Another great Sunday Kent Area monthly ride out and breakfast. 11 cars. 90 miles, sunshine and no rain. Perfect end to July.

A bit of plane spotting today 👍