RBRR Preperation Part IV

First task of the day was to strip out the passenger door. One or two seized bolts were dealt with, and it had a similar amount of rot in the lower frame as the drivers door.

Next I removed the bonnet, radiator, engine bay valances, manifolds, and everything from the bulkhead;

With the gearbox removed and sitting on my bench in the gearbox workshop it left the engine ready to come out first thing this morning;

Which leaves the dash to be removed, and then we are ready for the blasters.

More to follow.

RBRR Preperation Part III (where is that dustpan & brush?)

I didn't get any time out to work on the Coupe on Wednesday due to work commitments (more customer diffs), but I did manage a few hours yesterday.

First task was to strip out the drivers door;

A run round with the Plasma revealed that the frame is just about salvageable, but the rot has gone quite high up into the hinge vertical face. Its worth saving though as early doors are slightly different to later ones.

Next it was off with the roof, which is about the only panel on the car that isn't going to need much in the way of work. Having said that the headlining is in a bit of a state, and that RMS576 (rally light) is a bit on the battered side;

Then it was off with the stripped out rear tub;

Which revealed the chassis, which wasn't as bad as I feared.

And looked even better after a sweep up;

My co-driver turned up then and unbolted the prop, thanks James!

More pictures to follow.

RBRR Preperation Part II (its worse than I remembered)

I had to take time out to build a diff for a customer, and one or two other paying jobs yesterday before attacking the Coupe.

First job was to strip the front end;

Being very carefull not to damage the front valance. Early shape Herald valances are incredibly rare so this one will have to be repaired when it comes back from the blasters;

Next it was out with the Plasma cutter which made short work of the frilly front wings, and outer arches;

With it getting close to going home time I just had long enough to re-visit the back end. The boot floor, and wheel well were way past redemption so a quick wiz round with the Plasma leaving just enough time for a sweep up;

I'm not a fan of the currently available new floor so its a good job I have a decent salvaged assembly ready to go in.

More pictures to follow.

RBRR preperation begins.

Thought it was about time to make a start on the Herald.

Began by stripping out the back end.

Before;

After;

Its a little bit rusty.

More pictures soon.

What happened to Joe?

Some of you might be wondering what happened to Joe, recently ex of Canley Classics. Well I can now reveal that he has a pretty new wife.

Pictured above is the simple wedding ceremony. Congratulations Joe from us all here at Canley Classics.

Testing testing

Its been over a year since my last Blog, don't time fly! In the meantime they went and changed the Blog format again, so here is a little test to see how it works.

Last weekend my RBRR co-driver and I decided to get this years entry (our Herald Coupe) out or storage for a bit of fresh air. Daylight revealed it to be in better health than I remember only really needing a valet, and a bit of a buff up nearer the day.

MOT time

I reached a bit of a hiatus last year with roadworthy (taxed & MOT'd) vehicles in the fleet, I think it reached the remarkable total of ten. As the year progressed they started to drop off the list as MOT's lapsed, and the horrible winter made me disinclined to do anything about it. It got to the point recently where the only two legal cars left were the Atlas, and one of the 948 Heralds. The poor old Atlas soldiered on through the winter as my only form of transport, and Clare used the 948 when she wasn't using the daughters Focus.

First car back in the system was our Stag which was needed for a Top Gear film shoot in Blackpool a month or so ago. That continues to be used by Clare off and on.



Stag in old TVR factory on Top Gear film shoot.


As a back up to the Atlas I have decided to get this back on the road;



It will be good to get some miles under it's belt prior to the RBRR in October as I have never really used it since we restored it a few years ago