Boiler Blues

During our last visit to Maritime Bond I had arranged an inspection of our gas boiler to check the overflow pipe which had been reported as faulty in some other apartments. Coincidentally, the boiler started to gives us problems while we were there so I assumed that the engineers might be able to troubleshoot and resolve the issue. They could not but arranged for another engineer to visit. He traced the fault to an electrical sensor. He had to order the part and it would arrive only after we had left again. Gordon arranged to visit the apartment to receive the engineer the following Friday. The engineer spent 10 minutes in the apartment and all appeared well. Gordon remained in the apartment for a couple of hours and there was a knock at the door. A leak of carbon monoxide had been detected and he was advised to leave the building. Gordon mentioned that the engineer had worked on our boiler and the finger of suspicion was pointed at our boiler.  Gordon left his phone number just in case and returned to his apartment. Later he got a call to confirm that the problem was with our boiler and her returned to the apartment to allow Scottish Gas to seal off our gas supply. This was inevitably a Friday night! On the Monday I contacted the gas engineer and explained the problem. He was incredulous as he had only installed an electrical part! Anyway he agreed to return and I took the decision to fly across to oversee matters – especially as neither Gordon nor Sheonagh could take time off.  I also made arrangements for the entryphone to be checked as the video was not working. I flew out on the Tuesday night and the engineer visited first thing the following day. He tested all the connections and could not replicate the problem. He sealed all the joints in the flue which was the likely source of the problem. The boiler has operated perfectly during the past 24 hours. This morning the entryphone has been fixed. I am now only awaiting Alfa parts! The journey has been super productive!

Alfa Update

I took the Alfa to Jesus Porra - the mechanic in Alhaurin recommended by Paco Cortes. I had booked the car in earlier in the week but we were rained off! I was pleased when Jesus suggested I stay while he worked on the car. I found my way to his garage on the outskirts and we set about figuring out how to get the instrument pod off. Meantime I worked on removing the pax side mirror to see why this was not functioning with the joystick. Jesus eventually got the instrument pod off and we then fixed the mirror. He then started to tune the twin webbers but came unstuck when he could not adjust the timing as he could not locate TDC. His brother Rafael arrived and he too was conversant with Alfas having worked on Paco’;s Spider. He had a different theory about the non working speedo and suggested the problem might be in the box that converted the mechanical revs into electrical pulses. This was under the bonnet and was east to remove. He then simulated pulses to the speedo which registered some movement which indeed pointed to this box. So we reinstalled the instrument pod! I then went back home very satisfied as I had learned a great deal about my car! However subsequent research revealed that the box is obsolete and unavailable and is a common fault. I am still trying to find out if I can source a second hand one – or have it repaired.

Sol Classic Car Club

Irene and I headed coastwards last evening for the monthly meeting of the Sol Classic Car Club. I had in fact stumbled across the venue The Streets of London when I was lost about 10 days ago on the Malaga Hash! I was curious about a classic Sunbeam Rapier that was parked outside. We took the Alfa – hood up for the first time! We arrived to find some nice cars outside (including a pair of Rollers). We entered the bar/restaurant and quickly located Irene´s contact Bobbie (John Major´s ex secretary!) and Qasim, the President, who it turned out is a Shell retiree! We found a table and enjoyed a reasonable pub meal (blowing Irene´s Weightwatcher points!) and had a good natter. The dinner was a tribute to a founder member who had died suddenly the previous year, leaving a wife and a Triumph TR3.  We are looking forward to the car rallies that are organised,

Farewell my faithful old friend

Below is the text of an article to be published in the Morris MO Owners’ Club Magazine

 

The title may be suggestive of a pet but refers to the loss of my cherished Morris Oxford MO.  I say loss, but I did in fact reluctantly choose to sell it after no less than 38 years of continuous ownership. I bought the car in 1973 not long after I had finished my university studies and at a time that I was working as a building labourer.  The car cost me the princely sum of £30 which included almost a full year’s road tax – worth £25 at that time – so the hardware set me back a fiver.  A friend loaned me some of the money I was so broke.  The price reflected the fact that there was a serious mechanical problem with the car – the dreaded cracked block – so I had to invest a sum that I now forget, but probably not more than £50 to have this cold welded.  And so it was that DTS 377 of 1954 vintage (probably one of the last made) became my daily transport. I was only the third owner and actually the first two were within the same family.  I cannot recall the exact mileage at the time but it was well under 50,000.  With the mechanics restored the car was my pride and joy and ferried me up and down to London from Dundee on a number of occasions as I started my career in the oil business.  The car eventually took up residence in London for a couple of years before returning to Aberdeen for several more and then in 1981 I took up the offer of an expatriate posting.  What to do with the Morris?  I was successful in loaning the car to a museum in Alford for a couple of years but they needed the space and so I had to garage the car.  I did not look after the car particularly well for the next couple of years but with my conscience pricking me, I then embarked on a more thorough restoration in 1986. This involved minor bodywork repair, a respray, new carpets and some further attention to the equipment under the bonnet. For the next 20+ years the car was given 5 star treatment and was housed in a ‘carcoon’ in a three-car garage attached to our UK residence.  My expatriate career continued until 2007 so the car covered very few miles and was only taken out in fine conditions for a few hundred miles a year – if that. The car and I attended the Glamis Vintage Vehicle Extravaganza most years and became something of a fixture.  Having spent so many years abroad, including a good number in Latin America, when the opportunity of early retirement presented itself in 2002, my wife and I decided to buy a villa in Spain – chasing the sun – and with the added advantage of speaking the language.  However, instead of moving there I proceeded to have a second career which again took me overseas. The family home with its 3-car garage had to go and we bought an apartment in Edinburgh which presented the problem of what to do with the Morris.  Again I found a museum – this time the Myreton about 30 miles south – to take the car.  In practice it was mostly stored and only exhibited once or twice. I then managed to find a lockup garage a couple of miles from our apartment and decided to bring the Morris that bit closer so that I could enjoy her with my increasingly available leisure time. I again invested in some improvements including a new wiring loom and a much needed clutch replacement. During this period the car appeared in two films, the Stone of Destiny, and Imogene, both shot in Scotland.  In 2010 we made the decision to relocate to Spain as I elected full retirement. I agonised over what to do with the Morris.  Should I take her to Spain? We live in a fairly hilly part of Spain and the summer temperatures can hit 40degrees C+.  This did not sound like a suitable environment for an old lady.  So I reluctantly decided I had to sell her as I could not really leave her in a lockup garage in Edinburgh for evermore.  I advertised in the usual places and she drew quite some interest but each sale I thought I had concluded fell through for a variety of reasons. In one case a very elderly gent became ill; in another a young enthusiast had forgotten to tell his wife; and another prospective buyer assumed a house move would give him space.  In the end I was contacted by a chap from southern Ireland whose father had a keen interest in MO’s and so it was that in October of last year they flew across to Edinburgh on an inspection visit.  They knew what they were doing and checked the car over very carefully over several hours and then offered me the figure I was looking for.  We shook hands and they agreed to ship the car across the water shortly thereafter.  However, as you will not need reminding, this has been a very bad winter and each time the trip was planned it was thwarted.  Originally they were going to drive across and take the car back on a trailer, but I recommended them to use a transporter particularly given the unpredictability of the weather.  I was now living in Spain so we had to co-ordinate dates and so it was that on the 20^th of December a transporter turned up at the lockup garage to take DTS 377 to its new home.  It was snowing, very cold and I was quite anxious for the car and the purchasers who by now I felt were friends, as we had spoken so regularly. I had literally only landed from Spain the day before and the car had not been started for a couple of months, so I was also worried as to whether I had left enough antifreeze in it or whether it would even start.  I need not have worried.  A pull on the choke, a tickle of the carburettor, a tap on the petrol pump and she fired up almost instantly.  I then positioned the car in such a way that she could be winched on to the transporter.  It was also dark by now, and the driver asked me where to connect the winch to, and I was not sure.  So the decision was reached that I would drive her on to the trailer up a probably 25 degree+ incline in snow and ice.  You will no doubt be aware that the Morris is not front wheel drive!  After a bit of hesitation and some pushing from the driver and my son, we got the car onto the trailer and battened down.  We had been so busy I had not had time to experience the emotion of parting with an old and faithful friend of 38 years.  I didn’t even take a camera but fortunately my son’s mobile phone was able to capture the moment.  I turned away and didn’t look back and prayed that the transporter would look after the car and deliver it safely.  The weather deteriorated further over the next couple of weeks and I had not heard from Ireland and started to grow concerned that something may have happened.  Then happily, on the 10^th of January I got an email to say that the car had been delivered in one piece the previous Friday; had started without any problem and already had a new master cylinder fitted.  I was much relieved.  To fill the gap in my life I have bought a 1987 Alfa Romeo Spider for use in Spain. Oddly enough I bought this in the UK, a left hand drive model, originally sold in Italy after which it moved to Spain and then across to the UK.  It will never replace the Morris and if I keep it for 38 years I will be 98 when I still own it so that is probably unlikely to come to pass.  The new owners of DTS 377 are the Walshes and I am certain they will join the Club which I have been a member of for more years than I care to remember and which has helped me on many an occasion to source parts and advice.  I regret however that I must now tender my resignation from the Club and wish it every success in the future.

Mike Mackie MO187

Car Port

The workmen are now building the new carport to house the Audi now that it has been displaced in the garage by the Alfa.  In writing this I realise that I now own a French (Renault), German (Audi) and Italian (Alfa) car. I still own a British one too (Morris) but this will soon be sold.

Goodbye Morris – Hello Alfa!

I left the flat to reach Waverley Station for 0900 hrs where I had agreed to rendezvous with Mike Walsh and his father, prospective buyers of the Morris, who had flown across from County Galway that morning. They were easily enough to spot in the agreed venue of Burger King! They exuded Irishness! Mike was a bulky fellow and his father slight and partially deaf and with such an accent that I barely undertood him. We jumped into a taxi lock up bound. Their initial reaction on seeing the Morris in the carcoon was positive!  The car responded by starting on the third turn. Soon the engine warmed and I took them for a spin. They asked all the right questions, subjecting the car to a detailed inspection, spotting the small oil leak!  After a pow -wow between father and son we shook hands. Mike will return with his wife sometime before the end of the year to trailer the car to her new home in Eire. The further good news is that  they do not need the license plate so I can take this on retention, have a new one issued and then sell DTS 377, which ought to fetch another £2000 +.

The Alfa should have been collected in  Maidstone the previous week but the transporter was delayed in France due to the general strikes. Finally it was picked up on the Sunday making the promised Wednesday delivery look very doubtful. And so it turned out. However delivery was promised for Thursdaty- the same day as we were leaving. I contacted the driver in the  morning to learn that this was not to be as he had become stuck in a small village outside Almeria making a delivery and could not get back on the road before midday. So I had to arrange for Glyn to receive D 52 VKK. As there was now no rush this was rescheduled for Friday. Glyn texted to say that the eagle had landed about 1900 hrs UK time. The new hood I had ordered was in the boot. Insurance was arranged. I cant wait to go for a spin when we get back. The new carport to house the Audi is also arranged. So the pieces of the retirement jigsaw puzzle are falling into place!

Cars

The Morris sale I thought I had concluded has fallen through but I have again had good interest on readvertising it and a couple of very interested parties have emerged. I should have realised that I would be asked for more photos and of course now I am not in a position to take them. I have asked my lock up neighbour Rab in Edinburgh to liaise with the twins to take the Morris out and do the necessary.

I have sold the Seat to one of those internet car buying services. I am not thrilled with the price but that is the deed done.

I have located a nice Alfa in the UK that I have a friend going to visit tomorrow. Take a look

Dream car?

Cars

Thus far I have looked at a 1979 MGB (US spec). This was a nice car apart from a bad paint job and there were suggestions of rusting. The price was reasonable though. Still I would probably prefer something more interesting. We finally made the 5 hour trip to Albacete to view the Innocenti last week.  When the owner finally turned up the car certainly appeared to be in excellent condition generally and attracted a lot of attention at the hotel. It is however not a lot of car for quite a lot of money. The present owner is not an afficionado and his contribution has been to replace the original dynamo with an alternator! On Sunday I went with Ralph to see and Alfa Spyder which seemed cheap. It was not bad at all, although the sills were showing rust and this might indicate bigger problems. It is a powerful car with a 2 litre twin ohc.  I will follow this one up. Ideally I need to find an expert to inspect it professionally.

MGB and Flat Battery

Last night we had a dinner date with Geoff and Monica and I combined this with a visit to a garage in Estepona to view an interesting looking 1979 MGB (US spec). We picked up Geoff en route and looked this car over. It was not as perfect as the ad had suggested and the brakes were definitely in need of adjustment but it was pretty good and the price was negotiable. After taking it for a test drive we climbed aboard the Renault and the engine did not even turn. This pointed to the battery (now 7 years old!). The guy selling the MG had jump leads so this got us going again and we met up with Monica at the  Guadalmina Gold Club. We managed to borrow a set of jump leads from the caddymaster and assumed we could start the Renault from Geoff’s Porsche. After a delightful meal we set about this but without joy. It seemed that the Porsche battery was not man enough to turn the diesel engine on the Renault. So we called out RACE (Spanish RAC) and they appeared in about 35 minutes and did the trick. This morning I took the old battery out and went into town to source a new one. I was careful to buy the same make as 7 years is good going!

Bye bye Morris

I have done a deal on the Morris for a little below my asking price but now I can plan the trip back and start to make plans to release the lock up – probably by the year end.  I have also set in motion the transfer of R 555 MOO to Ewan as this cherished numbver plate was not only not adding to the value of the Seat but was making itr difficult to see to some prospective buyers.