"If only you were nearer" Back on track! Apologies...

[Ray Singh]

Fantastic thread Bruce - thanks for taking the time to produce it. It has kept me busy at work since 9am today.
Congratulations on the purchase of the Porsche. Porsche cars are lovely, but they really do get under your skin. I am still looking at getting another.

Keep us updates, i am keen to see what was in the garage in suburbia!

[camerashy]

Nov 11, 2015 12:49:08 GMT robdhc said:

I am absolutely loving this thread, not only impressed by the wording as others have mentioned but also the photos are outstanding!!

I usually go to bed pretty late...but Mystery Machine would be awake until 2am editing photos in Lightroom, only for me to wake him up at 7am for another silly day of shenanigans (somehow fitting work in there somewhere). Not quite sure how he lived through this trip given coffee would just about kill him and Canadians exist almost exclusively on coffee, strong beer and good attitude. It really was a pleasure having him stay

[robdhc]

Nov 11, 2015 14:47:54 GMT camerashy said:

Nov 11, 2015 12:49:08 GMT robdhc said:

I am absolutely loving this thread, not only impressed by the wording as others have mentioned but also the photos are outstanding!!

I usually go to bed pretty late...but Mystery Machine would be awake until 2am editing photos in Lightroom, only for me to wake him up at 7am for another silly day of shenanigans (somehow fitting work in there somewhere). Not quite sure how he lived through this trip given coffee would just about kill him and Canadians exist almost exclusively on coffee, strong beer and good attitude. It really was a pleasure having him stay

I guess it must just have been the strong beer and good attitude then!

Sounds like my dream trip and I have to say good on you for welcoming Mystery Machine and showing him round.  Must have been an awesome experience for both of you!!

[polodan]

Just sat and read the whole thread. Not been on the forum in a while but will be coming back to check for updates. Got to say I totally agree with what's been said about the "If only you were nearer" issue. My car purchases have been nothing on the scale of what you and many others have done but If I wanted it I went to get it. 6 hour round trip to see the Golf and another 7 hour round trip to go and pick it up the following weekend. First T25 I went to Bournemouth for, from Worcester. How it made it home I don't know. Hadn't done more than a few miles in 6 years. Just got my current T25 from Stockport. Over 4 hour round trip. Always said that If its too far away I obviously don't really want it.

[sciclone]

I love that you're inspiring people. I've often thought about jumping on a plane to the other side of the country to bring a project home. Most of the ones I want aren't mobile though, so I'd require a truck and trailer to bring them back, then a shed to work in.

2 or 3 days or 2 - 5,000km driving is big, but not impossible.

Time to find a cab chassis transit/master/ducato and start making a transporter tray me thinks..

[RA40tony]

Bookmarked!!!

Great thread. Reminds me (in a much, much, much more epic way) of my little trip to pick up my Karmann Ghia. Flew from Athens to Manchester with my dad and drove it back to Athens. Was a great trip, loads of great memories to cherish too.

And btw, MORE!!!!!!!!

[eurogranada]

You are a great photographer as well. The story is nice but your photography makes it come alive!

[Geordie]

Shame on you Bruce for making us wait for the next instalment. Shame on you!!

It's been a while since I enjoyed a thread as much. Isn't it great when everything just drops into place....fantastic writing, great photographs, and a subject matter that gets right to the heart and soul. Well done that man.

Still shame on you though......

[Mystery Machine]

Sorry for the delays in updating. I'm on a film shoot for the next few days and won't have chance to do anything more until the weekend.

I wasn't intending to leave it as a cliffhanger like this, certainly not for so long. But I promise I'll post lots up when I'm home.

In the meantime here's a couple of shots of the lovely sunrise near Windsor this morning, it made up for the 4.30am call time.





As said, business will hopefully resume as normal at the weekend.

[woodenspatulas]

Hats off sir for another excellent thread. Your pictures always inspire me to grab my camera and go hunting for aged metal to photo.

And as far as road trips for cars and parts go, this is epic. I thought I was mad driving to Wales to get a set of RS turbo seats, putting them into the back of a C3 and then driving to Tamworth to swap those with someone else for a set of Vauxhall Recaros.

[Deleted]

Nov 11, 2015 14:47:54 GMT camerashy said:

Nov 11, 2015 12:49:08 GMT robdhc said:

I am absolutely loving this thread, not only impressed by the wording as others have mentioned but also the photos are outstanding!!

I usually go to bed pretty late...but Mystery Machine would be awake until 2am editing photos in Lightroom, only for me to wake him up at 7am for another silly day of shenanigans (somehow fitting work in there somewhere). Not quite sure how he lived through this trip given coffee would just about kill him and Canadians exist almost exclusively on coffee, strong beer and good attitude. It really was a pleasure having him stay

Don't want to hijack this thread, but seeing there are pictures in this thread already of your 616, I will ask anyway !  I have seen photos on the web that I think are of your car. Did you convert to rack and pinion steering? A build thread anywhere? Am rebuilding a very rotten rx2,so interested what you did.  Cheers. Johnny

[timmy201]

Another fantastic retro rides thread that sums up the fact that cars are more than just objects..

I can't compare to the epic trip here though, my two classic cars were bought within 2 miles of home!

[camerashy]

Nov 12, 2015 17:44:15 GMT @johnnybravo said:

Nov 11, 2015 14:47:54 GMT camerashy said:

I usually go to bed pretty late...but Mystery Machine would be awake until 2am editing photos in Lightroom, only for me to wake him up at 7am for another silly day of shenanigans (somehow fitting work in there somewhere). Not quite sure how he lived through this trip given coffee would just about kill him and Canadians exist almost exclusively on coffee, strong beer and good attitude. It really was a pleasure having him stay

Don't want to hijack this thread, but seeing there are pictures in this thread already of your 616, I will ask anyway !  I have seen photos on the web that I think are of your car. Did you convert to rack and pinion steering? A build thread anywhere? Am rebuilding a very rotten rx2,so interested what you did.  Cheers. Johnny

Heh. It's not mine, it's our friend Joe's. I'll shoot him a message and ask

[Deleted]

Thanks for that ^
I appreciate it!
Johnny

[blug]

Simply wow....can wait for the next instalment of this thread...
my longest distance (on my own) was from Manchester to Worcester to pic up a polo gt breadvan I found on vzi...I got the 6.05 bus to Manchester chorlton street station to get the 7.30 national express to Birmingham, then change for Worcester.. had my ipod on and a book... rang in sick at work whilst on the way at around 8am...ended up at Worcester around 2 or 3 ish...got a black cab to the house, bought the car, went petrol station filled it up, lost a lot of it due to me not spotting a hole in the filler neck.....the car was great on the way home though :-)
think I got home around 10 ish....

[keithyboy]

My car collecting road trips have been quite tame by comparison. I think Manchester to Hull and back is the longest. My son came with me and we had the best day out ever. As MM says, in the UK 100 miles is nothing. Advance train tickets can be dirt cheap off peak.

Of course, this outing has is probably the ultimate but well done for making it happen and sincere thanks for documenting it for us.

[mikeymk]

Furthest for me was just 260-odd miles, though it was to pick up a shed with only 4th gear usable..

[Nath]

Just read the full thread (up to now) and wow what a guy! epic "story" so far mate.

wonder what was so cool in that garage??



My signature really plays a part here if I do say so myself.

[RobMorris]

Most epic thread ever.

[Ratters]

Excellent Bruce. Great story & images to boot [as usual]