Tuesday 29 September 2015

Journey 29th September 2015 - Work

Just work.

Today : Sunny
Conditions : Warm, Bright and Dry
Temp : 18°
Journey : Bracknell
Distance : 8 miles

Sunday 27 September 2015

Journey 27th August 2015 - Go Karting plus MPG checkpoint

Just Go Karting and back.

Today : Mostly Sunny
Conditions : Mild, Bright and Dry
Temp : 16°
Journey : Woodley, about and back
Distance : 18 miles

168 Mile / 6.34 Gallons = 26.5 mpg - right territory. Had noticed that the handbrake was slightly rubbing after lots of hill starts in the traffic jam in Cobham. Only a tiny bit. Fiddled with the handbrake pull rod today and released it. It obviously sticks a bit if not careful. So no doubt that has brought the consumption down a touch. But still very happy with that. Will keep track of it nevertheless.

Friday 25 September 2015

Journey 26th September 2015 - Dogwalk

Just took Reggie for a walk at a couple of places around Bracknell. The long way there and back of course. Roll on Indian Summer!

Today : Sunny
Conditions : Warm and Dry
Temp : 17°
Journey : Around Bracknell
Distance : 16 miles

Sunday 20 September 2015

Journey 20th September 2015 - SCVC Classic Car Gathering

Today was the last booked car show of the year, quite a large affair organised by the Surrey Classic Vehicle Club at the Rural Life Centre in Tilford.

Today : Mostly Sunny
Conditions : Mild/Warm and Dry
Temp : 14° - 19°
Journey : Rural Life Centre, Tilford, Farnham
Distance : 55 miles

Have been booked for this show for months and the admittance pass has been on the notice board for ages! What a great day, good venue, lots of cars, weather was once again spot on. Me, Robbie and one of his mates along for the ride. They enjoyed themselves too. Arrived around 10am and left around 4.30pm.

Reggie and the wife turned up in the afternoon too, which was nice.

Bunch of pictures of the day in no particular order:









Just around the corner from the show there is an old-time garage that I have driven past a few times. Real blast from the past, we took a stop to look in. Three MG's out side. Another one inside, plus an old moggy and a GT6.

Further along the journey we followed a Triumph Renown down the A331 most of the way from Farnham to Farnborough. Amy ran sluggish and lumpy after that second long dual carriageway stretch of the day. All the way from Frimly to home. But we made it fine anyway, it was only me that noticed.

Quick check showed that one of the spark plugs was completely coked up. No wonder it felt like 3 cylinders, there could have hardly been a spark. Cleaned up, replaced and quick blast round the block. All good as usual. Must be a root cause, but compression was still fine across all four, so not sure, but no big deal.

Sunday 13 September 2015

Journey 13th September 2015 - About a bit

Just wanted to have another drive today, she's running so sweetly and the nightmare journey back from Cobham put her under some strain. Small top up on oil was all that was needed. Sweet journey in the Sun. Rainy week forecasted ahead, so she's now back under cover until next weekend.

Today : Mostly Sunny
Conditions : Mild and Dry
Temp : 15°
Journey : Camberley
Distance : 17 miles

Saturday 12 September 2015

MPG looking great

I am sure the fact that more long journeys feature in this calculation, plus mostly real warm weather is the reason for such a good reading. Filled up before setting off for Cobham. 168 miles with 5.8 gallons equals 28-29 mpg. Spot on.

Journey (from Hell!) 12th September 2015 - Cobham Heritage Day

Cobham Heritage day today. Second attendance. Beautiful day, me Robbie and Reggie

Today : Mostly Sunny
Conditions : Warm and Dry
Temp : 21°
Journey : Cobham
Distance : 62 miles (!!!)

So first things first, Cobham Heritage Day 2015 has a Classic car feature which is jointly run by one of the ACCC chaps. Like to go along as I did last year, and today was no exception. Rain overnight served as my car wash and morning cloud turned to afternoon sun as we drove to Cobham. Reggie came with us as Cobham is quite a relaxed affair on a nice big field. Robbie wasn't fussed about his BMX this time either!

Nice journey, arrived around 11.30, no smoke, unlike last time and a nice day it was indeed.

The Austin Counties Lineup (with a Mini thrown in), and below are two Somerset cousins, my Saloon and a Coupe.




Reggie enjoyed a bit of play (& rested in Amy's cool shade!)

MGB & Somerset. Past meets more recent past!


The journey from hell part began at around 3.00pm. We made a break for home, it was a 50 minute journey so no rush. Huh.... 2 and a half hours later we finally got home. An accident on our route home basically meant that we sat in an hour's traffic queue to get roughly 2 miles. Only to find the queue was caused by an accident on the road we had to take. Diverted to Esher and then followed our noses from there. ONLY TO ARRIVE BACK AT COBHAM!!! An hour and a half to get precisely nowhere!! Aaaagggh!. Turned around went back to Esher and tried again. Hersham, Weybridge, Chertsey and we were fine from there but wow what a journey.

On a positive note though, again Amy coped like a trooper. 1 hour in crawling traffic on a warm afternoon was not fun, but she showed no signs of overheating. The various stints down dual carriageway and a stretch of the 3 lane A3 was eaten up. She basically ran for pretty much the 2 and half hours solid and ended up doing her longest mileage in one day.

So all in all it was still a good day, good fun all round and quite a laugh getting lost. Reggie didnt seem to mind over two hours in the car either :-)

Tuesday 8 September 2015

Journey 8th September 2015 - ACCC Meet

September meet back at the Swan, after being at Brooklands for the summer months.

Today : Clear Evening
Conditions : Getting chillier!
Temp : 12° dropping to 7°
Journey : The Swan, Ash Vale
Distance : 31 miles

Journey was longer than usual as I decided to go mains roads. That would not have made a difference, but when I came home I went the wrong way down the dual carriageway and ended up at the Aldershot turnoff, swift turn around and straight back but it added a few miles!

Sunday 6 September 2015

Journey 6th September 2015 - Go Karting and Pub Lunch

Lovely day for it again, fair old drive about with Rob and the whole family later on for a nice Sunday roast.

Today : Mostly Sunny
Conditions : Warm and dry
Temp : 18°
Journey : Woodley then Crooked Billet, Pinewood
Distance : 26 miles

The Go-Karting journey to Woodley and back included a 5 mile stint down the A329M Motorway, over the M4. First time I have hit the motorway since the first week or two of ownership. (same stretch in opposite direction and that went very badly! - Motorway Ugh!) I did limit the speed to 50-55 this time and it felt like it exorcised a bit of a ghost. But its still not relaxed driving, so not going to be making a habit of it!

AA Grille Badge

One of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received.

Mate of mine knows I love my car and am relatively into period accessories. He's bought me a 1955 AA grille badge in pretty good nick. Good bit of patina to match Amy's condition. Fitted it straight away and lovely sunny day to capture the facelift!

Had been thinking about getting one for ages, and voila!

Cheers mate!

Friday 4 September 2015

Journey 4th September 2015 - Lunchtime Three Frogs

Too short a journey really, but wanted to drive Amy to the pub at lunchtime, so why not. Whilst the weather is ok and she warms up a little bit at least.

Today : Partly Cloudy
Conditions : Mild dry
Temp : 15°
Journey : Three Frogs
Distance : 6 miles

Haven't done the picture at the Frogs yet, so here we go:


Thursday 3 September 2015

Journey 3rd September 2015 - Couple of trips

Weather has been so wet not many driving opportunities. Supposed to be dry for a week or so, going to try to make the most of it, but probably only some boring trips here and there.

Today : Cloudy
Conditions : Mild
Temp : 15°
Journey : Finchampstead then Bracknell
Distance : 17 miles