Well Randell gets the prize of the month for being the
first correct (almost) to the little story written in cockney.
ol = old
china plate = mate
half-inched = pinched (stole)
tom-foolery = JEWELRY
trouble = trouble-and-strife = wife (my favourite)
jam jar = car
Brahms - Brams and Liszt = pissed (drunk)
boozer = pub
frog = frog and toad = road
dog and bone = phone
boys in blue = police
"Gordon Bennet" = Cor Blimey = Holy Toledo (rough translation)
peeler = police
bonnet = hat. Short Bonnet probably = officer
whistle and flute = suit
Rough translation:
A friend of mine got himself into trouble with his wife's car. I must admit he
was a bit drunk at the time having just come out of the pub accross the road.
Anyway, I got on the phone and called the police. To my surprise, 3 minutes late
a smart looking policeman comes around and gives my friend an earful.
Now for the B-C content:
The Midget is back on the road after a 2 week layoff. I decided that seeing
how the MG1000 Rally was cancelled this year, that I should really strip the
interior and clean out the cockpit. It still had dust and mud from last
year's MG1000 rally and I was getting tired of seeing light brown carpets
instead of black !!.
Out came everything, and then the fun started. I wanted to see what the
condition of the floor-boards were. Taking the "undercoating" that the
factory puts on INSIDE of the floorboards took 3 full days of srcapping
and swearing. In the end it all acme off to reveal 2 small holes under the
passengers seat (not bad for 17 year old car driven throughout the year).
What was surprising was the number of dents in the floors. especially in
where the drivers and passengers feet rest. I suppose they came from the
rallying I have been doing the past 3 years. A 4 pound hammer took care
of most of them.
The whole cockpoit was then wire-brushed, holes fixed and painted 3 coats of
zinc primer. I have yet to apply the top coats, because I am having an
SCCA-legal roll-bar fitted in the next couple of weeks in preparation for
next year.
I also fitted the panhard rod (although I haven't noted the difference in
handling yet). The mechanical fuel pump had been removed and a Facet electric
pump taken its place (those things are loud !!).
I have been driving around with no carpets or passenger seat or top, and I
I have noticed is how much faster the car is !!! I think it must weigh
100-150 lbs less than it did 2 weeks ago and I definately notice the
difference !!! it's also pretty damn loud inside !
PS - I finally saw a PHOTO of the new #26,000 MG will be launched in the
very near future. I am sorry to say but it is not very pretty. When I first
saw the picture it looks like a smaller version of the Rolls-Royce Corniche
convertible. It is very conservative, whereas I thought they make go for
the Honda CRX type of shape. BTW the photo is on the first coupls of pages
of this months Thoroughbred & Classic Cars (the one with the Jag on the cover)
Gerry
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