Thickos,
I dug out an email from last December by way of introduction. The last
paragraph
was 'Dream Car' and I'm please to say the dream came true.
A picture of the Aurelia is on the front page of http://www.bazza.co.uk - Barry
Waterhouse Engineering. The picture is from a sprint at Crystal Palace where I
won
the class. If anyone subscribes to Classic and Sports Car it also made the main
picture for their report of the event on page 15 of the edition with a 'we road
test the greats' cover story and a Bug 35 on the cover - I think about two
months
back. My theory is that is was a scruffy car special edition aften an unrestored
pre war Alfa GP car won a concours.
A week tommorow I'm off to the Isle of Man for their classic festival (see
http://www.isle-of-man.com/sport/classic/index.htm for pictures details from
last
year). If the paint job is down to Team Thicko standards I'd love to wave the
flag
- or at least waggle a sticker on its arse or try and get a windscreen sun
strip on
some web pages or in one of the classic glossies to the eternal glory of the
Thicko
cause - or at least to raise a smile or two.
Who do I call for stuff ????
David
David Laver wrote:
> > If you would, please send your team name, car(s) type, and general
> > geographic area.
> >
> > (if your not on a race team, send me the details anyway...we can make just
> > about any car into a racer.....)
>
> No team name - I thought I'd wait until at least one of the cars I pass on the
> track also goes the distance. Sara tells me they just give up in disgust
> rather than actually breaking but I think she's just being kind.
>
> Based in London - Blackheath to live (workshop in the house - she read a book
> on dog training that said to make a space for mess rather than try to
>eliminate
> it and end up with a little bit everywhere) and a share in a railway arch in
> Rotherhithe. She tries to do the same with budget - I tried for a while to
> slip a little expense past her every month but the calculator came out and
>that
> was that - three weeks holiday booked that very week clashing with some nice
> car events. Try to do as much for cash and barter as I can.
>
> 'Race' car - 1935 Austin 7 'Special'. Built in the kitchen in the year before
> wife. Home made ali body with 1.5 seats and a boat tail. Several engines -
> none good. Did one driving test then had three years doing house up. Competed
> for first time in speed events last year. Steep learning curve but plenty of
> good advice - especially from scrutineers on how to stay alive.
>
> Under construction - 1935/37 Austin Aprilia. My hope is that a 1340cc hemi
> head V4 should make some differance to an Austin 7's rate of progress...
> Engine is taking a while to build. Hope it will look like a Zagato Alfa
> shrunk in the wash and make a nice road car in addition to offering a
> stimulating afternoon of sport on tracks and hills. Will take a good while
> longer but I'd rather get it right, do as much of it myself as possible, and I
> think I've a fair bit more to learn from the more standard Austin. I'm
> helping a friend build another Austin 7 special in the arch and am collecting
> bits for another two cars for other friends. Proper little factory !
>
> Team name - perhaps 'Pie & Mash Pootlers' after the East End 'delicacy' (more
>a
> tradition) still obtainable in the cafe round the corner from our arch. The
> pie is eels, cheap, and remembered with great affection by those who haven't
> had any for fifty years.
>
> Her car - 1965 MG Midget - has always looked pretty but has taken a number of
> mods to make it fun, not all done yet. Likely to go when the car above is
> complete.
>
> My car - 1974 Fiat 1800 Coupe - never looked even close to nice but great fun
> to drive, its hiding at a friend's house to prevent her scrapping it. Likely
> to go when anyone offers money for it.
>
> Our car - 1991 Lancia Dedra 2000 Turbo. As modern and sensible as I would go,
> as unusual and sporty as she would go. It took a while to appreciate after
> the free revving tactile Fiat but its a fantastic car, especially for journeys
> which is mostly what she is interested in having a car for. It also goes silly
> speeds without upsetting passangers.
>
> Dream car - Lancia Auralia - at last I am actively looking !! Likely to be a
> running restoration that ends up as a fine driving non original car worth so
> little that I don't feel embarrased racing it. She's hoping it will be a
> perfect restored car sold to me at a fraction of cost that gets babied. I'll
> keep you all psted. Would love to do 6 hours at Spa but will need a couple of
> years collecting signatures to get there. Will be my daily driver to ensure
>it
> doesn't seize up. The Fiat started sulking when the MG was being driven and
> the Austin 7 was being worked on to compete. Maybe this car will displace the
> MG if the MG sulks at lack of use. We've got a lot of offers to look after
>the
> MG !
>
> David
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