Syncronicity

Ok, syncronicity is a load of twaddle, but sometimes things just work out very tidily. I have just put an order in with Frost Restorations for some metallised filler and for a tank lining kit. Total bill £84. I had decided I was going to pay for that lot anyway, but only yesterday I was bemoaning the necessity of that outlay.

Today a nice chap called Roger, who had won one of my auctions and bought a trolley jack for a painfully low amount, came to collect it. The fact that he is a fellow enthusiast and is adding it to an extensive collection, and that he bought another jack yesterday for less than he is paying me for mine, made me feel a lot happier about it. It is good to know it will be appreciated where it is going.

But here's the syncronicity bit. I took him down to my workshop to see if there was any other automobilia, of which there is loads taking up shelf space, which he might fancy. And he left with a box full of old lights etc, which he gave me £90 for. He will doubtless make a few quid on them at Beaulieu (I asked him not to tell me how much!) and I gained some valuable space...

....and readies enough to cover today's purchases. Thanks Roger.

Now, what can I sell to cover the cost of the tyres?

tyres and tank - ouch

It is just as well I haven't kept accounts! No way would I have set out on this project if I had realised the real costs involved!

On Roly's advice I have been talking to Longstone Tyres (who supply classic tyres) - to Dougal, to be precise. Dougal really knows his stuff and appreciated right away my issue about wheel size and J type scale, when he looked at Morris JBs and Austin 101s on Google images. He says that there was a tendency towards the end of the 1950s to fit 15" wheels rather than 16"s, which is why some late model vans and cars have wheels which look odd in their over-sized wheel arches.

He understood when I said I wanted as high a walled tyre as possible.He said that my best bet is Avon Super Safety 640-15 cross-plys, which come in at £129 + VAT each. With tubes etc I am looking at a bill of £870!

WOW!

Also, it took my mechanic contact well over a year to get round to doing the metalwork on my fuel tank, and when it came back he said it still needs to be lined. I feel a bit mis-led on that because I thought that would be included, but quite honestly, I just got sick of waiting for it, so I cut my losses and got it back.

He had farmed it out to someone else who owed him and it has had a substantial lump of lead used to patch it up - I hope to goodness it doesn't fall out, first bump. So, I need to order a tank lining kit from Frost, who are still waiting for the Metal Ready to come in, as they are short of stock. That's another £60 to find, but it will be satisfying if I can have tyres on wheels and tank lined before the end of the school holiday.

I figure it shouldn't be long, then, before I have the wheels on the chassis and should be in a position to lift the restored engine in and start the Meccano exercise....bolting panels on etc.