Flowing Spring Classic Car and Bike Breakfast Meet

I was looking for new meets that I could attend, partly to get some good use out of Amy before she is sold, but partly to advertise her too. I looked at the Barkham and District website for some clues and found this one, at a pub between Reading and Henley called the Flowing Spring. They do a classic car and bike meet every second Sunday.

What a great pub! Down by the river, made all the better by glorious sunshine and lots of REALLY nice cars. All sorts. I wish I'd taken a picture come to think of it, there was a mint Mini van parked next to a HUGH Caddy! Talk about little and large!

As far as Amy was concerned, I buffed her up nice and she purred there and back. Had a couple of coffees and a nice chat. Sweet.

Again, days like this make me question whether I need to sell her or not!! But when sensible head goes back on, unfortunately, the answer is still yes I do. Either way - looking forward to a White Lion / Pinewood double header at the end of the month!

Distant siblings from Longbridge c. 50 years between my Austin and the MG Rover, but both rolled off same the production line. (well same place anyway!) Obviously the '50s were happier times for the factory. 

Trying to tell me something, Amy? Flat Tyre!

I think she's telling me that she doesn't want to go anywhere. Hiding in the corner looking all sweetness and light!

In all the time I have had Amy, I have only had to re-inflate the tyres once. Even then I think they weren't really low. Yesterday I took some additional pictures of Amy for a prospective buyer, but noticed that one of her tyres was quite flat.

I got the pump out, expecting that it was just a lack of attention on my part and pumped back up, only to hear a constant pshhhhhhhhhhh........ Can you believe it? A puncture.

So it was the relay unit for the flashers the other day and a puncture now. Niggles!!! Anyway, she's not getting the better of me. Spare wheel on, new inner tube ordered and get that done at the weekend. Cranky old bird!!!

On the flip side, great excuse to take her out for a drive in the sun today, just to see if the spare tyre affected the handling much (it's different to the others, but there was no discernible effect) Went to the pertol station, topped up, drove around town a bit. Nice.... Maybe she can stay... hmmmmm....!!! Things always look different in Spring / Summer.

But no, she's got to go. It wont be practical after no.1 son has passed his test. Still a while to go for that, so no rush, but.......

Edit: New tube ordered, received and fitted within the week!

White Lion as good as ever!

White Lion Antiques near Hartley Witney held classic car breakfast meets from 2012 or so, but stopped year before last. It was always a nice regular visit, so very pleased that the new owners hav started that up again. What marvellous weather too, bright and sunny, it was almost like back to the old days with the field starting to fill up.

I had to make it an early one because of other commitments, so was there around 8.45, left by 10.45, but cars were still arriving in ones and twos when I left. Really good meet, back to it's best - hopefully it will last a while although I hear that the land will eventually be developed.



Of course, Amy had a For Sale sign up, but that's not why I visited, the weather made it, but really nice to get along again and see some old faces.

Just one of the crowd, feeling at home at the White Lion!

One more repair - Flasher unit

In the last couple of photos from the interior, it's noticeable that a red light is permanently showing in the dash. No biggie, just quite amusing timing that the flasher relay just decided to give up the ghost now.

Anyway - replacement relay arrived this morning and swapped over. All flashing working again (they were just static all the way to Brooklands and back, but they still lit up, so it gave other road users a clue at least!)

And YES - I checked that I had re-connected the right way around, it was a straight swap, but had to check.

Amy in print and online

So to be honest, I bought Classic Car Weekly because their roving editor had spotted that Amy was for sale and offered to do one of their "driven" adverts for me. 

He mentioned it might be in this week or next. BUT this was more interesting.

We managed to get into print in a national newspaper.

(OK, that's taking rather a large dab of artistic licence.. but either way .. still a nice round off to the whole experience)

Just listed her on Car and Classic too. :-(

It's like full circle from when I first saw her here.

ACCC night and 40,000 up!

Very pleasant evening at the ACCC meet at the Royal Oak in Pirbright.

40 mile round trip, which meant the 40,000 miles ticked over as I pulled onto the driveway.

Last one at work?.... Ready to sell now.. ish..!

Stretching out a 2 ½ mile journey to 10 miles is going some, but that's exactly what I did on the drive to work today!! One final photo in the work car park. Look at the size of the Jag compared to Amy!

Brooklands was great at the weekend, despite the weather. Yesterday's little spring drive and the first trip to work since last year also nice after getting Amy out of  her "winter bed".

But with the 40,000 target within 40 miles or so now and having had a few nice drives, ACCC club meet tonight in Pirbright, I am also coming to terms with selling her. I wasn't really ready on Sunday - I had an offer which, with hindsight, was good and from a club member which would keep her in the fold so to speak.

Just wasn't ready to commit. I think I am now..

Maybe one last visit to the renewed White Lion Classic Car meet at the end of the month too??!!!!.... Mar 26th..