My 20 years of Retros in the UK. 16 years on RetroRides 🚗🚕🚙🚒

[grizz]

20 years ago I was transferred to the UK as a corporate reward after winning a global incentive.

Load of stuff has happened. Some good, some awesome, some forgettable.

One constant has always been having an old car around, also when I lived in SA there was a successions of old cars including a 105E Anglia super, a Baywindow panel bus camper, 63 and 59 Beetles etc.

My first UK retro was this 1977 Audi 80 GLS Estate.

forum.retro-rides.org/thread/36363/1977-estate-lives-german-museum

Apologies for the watermarks.

The wheels. 14inch with 185/60's


Centre caps..... I need one more, or more than one, as one is damaged.


RIMMMMZZZZZZZZZZZ




With those centre caps....... Opinions ??









Sold that and bought the 63 Ford Taunus Transit van with the help of oldbus which was a great car.

forum.retro-rides.org/thread/37192/taunus-transit-fk1250-hydraulics-downnn

Known as the Grizz-Mobile after Dave marked it before delivery, it has disappeared from the scene, halfway through a radical change by Rayvern hydraulics and a V6 being fitted. No further news.

While I had the bus, I built a 5x10 foot Retro-styled Teardrop trailer to tow behind it.








Just how low can you go ?








HOVER BUS



Washed and sparkly





And alongside its stablemate. Myrtle to 1959 Anglia 100E




As seen last.





During the time I had the Transit, I met Nicola who was a gearhead too.

Bought her an Anglia story below.

forum.retro-rides.org/thread/60718/1956-ford-anglia-100e-youngdans

Right...The story as it is....

Up at 4am, after going to bed at 1am, Oldbus, Alex and I went up to Branston to fetch the Anglia. Based on 2002Gimps 2 viewings, it was worth the asking money.

We were there at 07.05am, viewed it, and while Dave and Alex loaded, I did the payment and paperwork.

That done, we hit the road, had a great Full English brekkie on the M42 , at some services, and got home to my place by 11.30.

Offloaded the Anglia, drove it around the block while Dave loaded the car he had fetched,
At this time Nicola just got there, after fetching Dave a pair of lower suspensian arms and ball joints for the Capri that I had got him over in Hoo.

She was straight into Myrtle, and around the block, afterwhich we all had a brew, chat, relaxed for 10 minutes, before Dave and Alex shot off to Dover, and the texted me from Osnabruck b 9.30pm, home, safe and sound

ONCE AGAIN, A public thank you to Dave and Alex for helping me out getting Nicola's car home fast.

The car has done less than 20 miles in the last 3 years

Yesterday we took it for a 30 mile drive, and I have to say,she drives like a dream.

Today we spent over 8 hours valeting and T-cutting her.

Let the pics tell the story.



Note the rubber mats, cleaned in place, as they are soooo perished and hardened, half and half before and after.


Contortionists heaven.



Inside the boot.... how clean is that ?






Engine bay, cleaned up nicely.



I just love this dash.


Like a kid, all day.


The saddest part of the car, is that the chrome side trim is missing, seller thought he had them, when I got there he said no.

Electrical tape over the holes, removed, cleaned, and awaiting new tape with different design.

Anyone got a full set of trim to sell ?



T-cut on the front fender.... at this point it became apparant just how dirty and dull the paint was....


8.30pm, getting dark... just finished.

Note new "side trim" stickers.













Once we got married, I got made redundant and one thing lead to another……

Sold the Transit and Anglia in quick succession to replace with a 1966 Chevy C10 that Nicola had chosen.

forum.retro-rides.org/thread/152993/grizz-chevy-short-fleetside-brickin








Taken apart for full restoration 7 years ago.

Still in pieces, pushed aside by many excuses.








I also bought Nicola an MX5 to replace the hole that Myrtle had left, spent way too much on it and lost aload of cash on it.

forum.retro-rides.org/thread/154941/1993-mazda-merlin-disasterbuss-winter








Roof lining, yes, they are skulls n roses.





In the mean time I needed a tool to move stuff about.

£250.00 bought Prozac, the totally unassuming 1400cc petrol Berlingo.

forum.retro-rides.org/thread/195715/grizz-prozac-soul-berlingo-multispace

Certainly one I should have kept. Brilliant car, Period.

A bit of customising…. NASCAR anyone?




Prozac strikes again




It worked well and hard.





Replaced by the totally uninspiring Galaxy 2.4 Auto

forum.retro-rides.org/thread/211832/grizz-rumblegrizzkin-plate-wanted-0808

Galaxy did not even manage to get given a name.

However, it “made a lot of money” towbar, trailer and a ton of free stuff, furniture etc moved with it. Rough calculations show it clear-profited around £7000.00 just in being available to fetch stuff.

Berlingo vs Galaxy.






Blandmobile.




Interior all over needs a clean.







In-between I bought another one of those cars you see at the wrong time, that resurfaces……

forum.retro-rides.org/thread/206373/grizz-chevy-blazer-stranger-2022

Seen in 2016.

1979 Chevy Blazer.

Rough as a Badgers Butt.

But would you?

V8 Auto


This is how I saw it in June 2016 on a driveway where it had stood for 13 years.





Bought it.

Spent a lot of money and Paul Y ‘s time on it.

By the 1st January this was the look.


And then the Money Shot.




SOLD OFF IN AUGUST FOR A NETFLIX FILM ROLE.


NEW PAINT REVEALED MARCH 2020




The Blazer ended up in a new series of Netflix




.
Best of all.......








Chuffed a heck !!!


Sold on the day before I headed out on the 2019 USA road trip.


Then the Galaxy was replaced by the Chevy S10 with 4.3 liter V6 Auto.

A dream car that I wanted for 10 years, but never managed to find just the right one.

forum.retro-rides.org/thread/211832/grizz-rumblegrizzkin-plate-wanted-0808

I spent a lot of money to get it back to it’s actual Factory Spec ZQ8 specification.

Still not done 40k miles and a pampered pooch on my drive.

Fleetside badging, rear step bumper may hide a tow ball fitting space.

[

Cragar wheels fitted, they will be gone ASAP.

Truck comes with a set of lowering springs as well.

Stripes are also opinion dividers. I am not yet certain.maybe remove and replace with ghosted type stripes




Front end is nice, orange indicators will be going and getting replaced with clear units.




So after PaulY and I spent time on our knees and crawling around in the wet, thanks Paul, it was time for a run down the motorway, grab some fuel and return via the local village, which gave me a feel for it in all conditions.

Even the load bed, which comes with a cover, has actually never been used.
The Raptor liner was applied in Missouri, and is still unmarked, no dents, scratches etc.

So I bought it.



I decided not to pay the government for a months road tax for five days of use, which would be about 100 miles.
So collection agreed for 01012021
Nice way to start the new year.


Happy yes.


Loads of jobs to do, new wheels n tyres.





Happy place.




And later...... new centre caps.





Personal plate added.





Which almost brings us up to date with the Rezin Rockit build.

Stupidest build to date, but seems to have people interested, with around 475k views just on RetroRides

forum.retro-rides.org/thread/215488/grizz-purgatory-rockit-clutch-straws

Had an idea for years……..

Not too clever.

Got two pics from the seller.






As it was delivered










Engine and transmission out, the rest to follow.







Mid January 2022 headed in the right direction. Down.




But it makes me smile.



Roll bar getting wrapped was a big milestone.






START UP VIDEO 06/08/22





So that brings us up to date.


Well, almost.


The Microbe awaits its turn in the wings.


Thanks to all for watching, reading, advising, sharing over the years.



.

[pptom]

Awesome. Love Stranger Things too, amazing that your car is in it.
Keep up the good work!

[Paul Y]

grizz - the Blazer is also on Netflix again in episode 4 of The Sandman.

Strange seeing the back of your home without the 'Lean To'

P.

[LowStandards]

I was so tempted to tell you that Anglia was a basket case and have it myself


What a bargain

[grizz]

Aug 13, 2022 16:43:48 GMT pptom said:

Awesome. Love Stranger Things too, amazing that your car is in it.
Keep up the good work!

Thank you mate.

I like slightly off the wall stuff, not as much as some guys on here who take on really incredible stuff, but like a change.

[grizz]

Aug 14, 2022 9:38:55 GMT Paul Y said:

grizz - the Blazer is also on Netflix again in episode 4 of The Sandman.

Strange seeing the back of your home without the 'Lean To'

P.

Looking at the threads I realised just how much time and effort has been put in here over the years.

Not to forget the random stuff that had been here.

Including some cars that I do not own, but helped various people with.

Thanks for the many hours you have spent laying about on my drive at below 6’C

Few people may realise that you do not leave your home to help others unless it drops below 6’C and the weather really sucks.

[grizz]

Aug 15, 2022 7:39:03 GMT LowStandards said:

I was so tempted to tell you that Anglia was a basket case and have it myself


What a bargain

Mate, I remember you telling me and grinning at the fact that I had dodged a bullet there in asking you, and not some dodgy character to go look.

It was a good little car.

And it is sad that Dan whose dad bought it, has disappeared along with it.

Would love to see what has become of it in the years he has had it.

Like the Transit.