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Dec 28, 2009 20:34:13 GMT
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---- Classified Document ----- --- Retro Rides Northern Section --- --- Mission Report --- --- Operation Triumph --- Brief: Travel to RR northern HQ, remove body no 6 from storage, wait for a man from Belgium to call, usual exchange, lock up go home. All sounds simple enough. Just another day in the life of an international car collector. What could go wrong? Well, it is the middle of winter, the yard is 1000ft above sea level and I have pictures, lol  About eleven(ish) this morning. I ask myself why can't it be this car he's collecting? It's near the gate and everything... ps, as I'd suspected it is unreasonably cold.  The one he's coming for is up there, at the back.... (what, the morris? no, behind that..)  I promise, there IS a car there. Look, I'll get closer and take another one..  Couldn't really get any further back. cars "right" round the back need cutting in two first... Plus, all the mounds of parts and piles of tyres are frozen both to each other and the ground, and covered in (frozen) snow too. The ground looks like a russian sub could surface through it. Plan is (hopefully) by the time I've got some cars shifted the sun will melt the ice enough for me to shift things and get the car out before it gets dark and everything freezes again.  MMM, frosty coating. I wonder if it will brush off?  Err, no. it's like very very cold styrofoam superglued to the van with ice. Flat battery too, damn. Brr. Kettle. Ring Autofive (why should I suffer alone?) Cuppa. More coming... |
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To get a standard A40 this low, you'd have to dig a hole to put it in |
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Dec 28, 2009 20:44:06 GMT
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LOL - looks like a mission and a half! Looking forward to the rest of the pics & story.
BTW - I hope you're going to get John working to shift this? Surely he can't just turn up and take the car already sat in the yard in a convenient place? He likes getting his hands dirty & cold anyway.....
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Dec 28, 2009 20:50:05 GMT
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Lol so far, keep the story coming ;D
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Dec 28, 2009 21:09:24 GMT
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Bruce - John had a really important birthday party meeting to attend, he promised to try and get here before dark... Anyway. there should be a video here of the van running, but P****B****** just crashed my browser twice trying to preview it (kinda had a feeling... thats why I stopped where I did) so I'm giving it to youtube instead and I'll edit it in later. I used a shovel and a crowbar to get the bonnet up... jump leads from a fresh battery got it going straight away. Left it ticking over to de-ice while I deal with the vans.  Like this transit (belongs to fred... I borrowed it for "about a week" back in july) Iced inside and out. good job it runs... Outside it goes, followed by the LT and the chevanne. The lane is still a sheet of ice so parking has to be carefully chosen! Good job no-one else on the estate was crazy enough to try and work today  Here's where it gets hard. Non running morris minor, in a snowdrift, with a load of frozen to the ground junk behind it and under it. Thankfully by the time I got it dug out, Autofive turned up and gave me a hand to drag it out, then the (nasty) fiat trike behind it leaving this  pile of still frozen parts/wheels etc in the way. So we put the kettle on. |
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To get a standard A40 this low, you'd have to dig a hole to put it in |
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Dec 28, 2009 21:12:58 GMT
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Brave mad and nice man you are mate.
Well done, many would renege on the deal.
So Jon is here, or coming soon ?
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Dec 28, 2009 21:13:24 GMT
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Epic story - I can just picture the scenario! What you really want is one of these:  - that would make the whole process a lot quicker and a lot more fun ;D ;D ;D |
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Dec 28, 2009 21:15:40 GMT
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Brave mad and nice man you are mate. Well done, many would renege on the deal. So Jon is here, or coming soon ? Johns been and gone - but i ll let SOC tell the tale................. |
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Someone just shot the elephant in the room. |
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Dec 28, 2009 21:33:27 GMT
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 As if by magic.... a GT6! well, some of one. No front axle, flat back tyres, no room to get a jack under (literally ON the floor) can't reach the wheels with the airline. Hmm. Need a plan. OR a recovery truck, with a winch on it. Hang on, I've got one of them ;D Fetch truck, attack winch (sack barrow front clip is next year's show WIN, 100% no-compromise looks over handling, innit)  Heeeavve! Heeeeave! Come on Charley mouse! put your back into it you workshy get.... As if by magic,  John (GTVSaviour) appeared. With a trailer that looks like it was designed for transporting tanks on...  Very quickly the tangerine nightmare is loaded (good strong winch FTW, leaving the winch controller in Germany FTL.. improvise time) And John had to dash again after only a brief chat. Sun is setting though, and it's starting to ice up already. better put the cars away again   Time is against us... Last car in just spun instead of driving because in less than half an hour the ground has turned to this  Autofive went home, I locked up.  After I defrosted the lock on the car heater  While watching the frost crawl up the gate. Which was cold enough by the time I locked it that my hand stuck to the post. Ow.... |
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To get a standard A40 this low, you'd have to dig a hole to put it in |
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Dec 28, 2009 21:51:12 GMT
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right, well i'd better add my photos then............ spot the scary, a long way away  the sack barrow came in handy  front end suits the granny   ready to go   |
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Someone just shot the elephant in the room. |
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Dec 28, 2009 21:54:26 GMT
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mmmm, looks lovely and warm, dunno what your going on about!
[girlmodeon]Soft southern wuss sits by the radiator as he types[/girlmodeoff]
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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Dec 28, 2009 21:56:13 GMT
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That thing looks like a beast. Note to self: watch the classifieds.
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Dec 28, 2009 21:56:20 GMT
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your proper mad mate being out in that today!!
but love the post all the same!
what the history behind the GT anyway?? looked like it was prepped for some track action??
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Davenger
Club Retro Rides Member
It's only metal
Posts: 7,272
Club RR Member Number: 140
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Ice Station RetroDavenger
@dminifreak
Club Retro Rides Member 140
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Dec 28, 2009 22:09:54 GMT
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Epic thread
That'll look great when everything comes together
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will
Posted a lot
Posts: 4,023
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Dec 28, 2009 22:14:32 GMT
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Only a hardcore few would tackle jobs like that on days as frosty, good work fellas and nice thread too  looking forward to the vid. |
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Dec 28, 2009 22:17:06 GMT
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good work chaps. |
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Dec 28, 2009 22:32:57 GMT
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Video time (Please note - it's probably not worth waiting for...) Must be six months since I last ran the van. I still need a gearbox for it  |
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To get a standard A40 this low, you'd have to dig a hole to put it in |
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Dec 28, 2009 22:41:26 GMT
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An epic RR story well told. Good work chaps, keep it up! Stiff (or frozen) upper lip, and all that! ;D
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Ice Station RetroBenzBoy
@benzboy
Club Retro Rides Member 7
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Dec 28, 2009 23:02:46 GMT
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A great tale of Triumph over adversity (geddit?... ;D) I'd forgotten John had bought this. It'll sit very nicely on the Taunus Transit transporter! Nice write-up. The freeze hasn't reached me yet and I'm hoping it won't do... you can keep it.  ;D |
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chevazon
Posted a lot
1939 Chevrolet 2 door coupe, `67 `Zon estate, `87 Ragtop Cavalier, 4 x 800 Drifters,(!) 1500 Drifter
Posts: 2,259
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Dec 28, 2009 23:11:44 GMT
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Dec 28, 2009 23:16:21 GMT
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OMG ! Is that all there is left of my Moggy  ?? No, some of it is round the back |
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To get a standard A40 this low, you'd have to dig a hole to put it in |
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looking forward to the vid.
;D
