Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Ray the rocker · Joined: 01 Aug 2008 Posts: 187 Location: south wales

thanks to forum readers--uncle joe straight in for the jugular--early memories of my mechanical mayhem started when i decoked my father`s six cylinder velox at the age of fourteen,in between nobbin apples and realising girls were something to chase.started my working life at a main vauxhall/bedford dealership working on petrol and diesel vehicles and classed as a good learner.mishaps were ahead---over revved a cresta pa on it`s first service and bounced the valves--engine died and so did the foreman`s trust! put me on a rear spring change to get at me --found out it was on a leyland comet tipper.ended up stripping the threads on the U bolts.you learn by your mistakes.
stayed on heavy goods for a while until i learnt how to use a torque wrench properly!started overhauling engines , gearboxes, hydraulics and electrical faults.even put my hand to cellulose spraying.
i`ve owned many cars --too many to list but i`ll give you a table of my favourites.

my first car---vauxhall big 16 saloon---gas guzzler--circa 1936.
vauxhall velox saloon ---1958--built in rusty rear wings.
vauxhall ventora---------1968--luxury with a stereo 8.
vauxhall viva GT HB----1968--sh---t off a shovel.
BMW 2500 saloon--------1972--sheer power.
Datsun 260 c saloon-----1978--luxury but drove like a tank.
sunbeam rapier fastback-1969-another rust bucket.

my present wheels are a little bit improper to put on this page but is getting in the range of classic collection.

hell--i love driving the beast.

ray the rocker.

Uncle Joe · Guest

Yes, thats me, diplomatic as a battleship.... Laughing

I've had a few of those cars in the list myself, but the one I miss most was the Sunbeam Rapier. It was an H120, ex- Chrysler Competitions. Got stole, never to be seen again.

Ray the rocker · Joined: 01 Aug 2008 Posts: 187 Location: south wales

yes, i remember the H120 well.alloy head conversion with twin strombergs but the 1725 was more or less a standard block.
I remember head gasket trouble with one i repaired,took me four hours to split the head from the block---plus gas at the ready combined with two hefty aluminium wedges.head skimming was the norm after said operations. ray the rocker.

Uncle Joe · Guest

Most of the alloy headed Rootes group cars blew head gaskets. I got changing them on my H120 down to a fine art after all the practice I got.... Laughing

The one thing I'll never forget about that car though is the sound the twin Webers made when they were pulling hard...

Job-Rated · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 1010 Location: Sugarbeet County

Uncle Joe · Guest

It doesnt help drag racing E-types along Middle Earth's ''Golden Mile'' either..... Laughing

Ray the rocker · Joined: 01 Aug 2008 Posts: 187 Location: south wales

I can see it`s very canny to not make unappropriate remarks on certain subjects uncle joe/

ray the rocker.

Scotty · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 883

I worked as an Apprentice at Linwood and remember the Holbay engines sitting in their racks waiting to go into the Hunter GT's. You could always spot the Holbays as they were brightly coloured compared to the standard units.

Always lusted after one, closest I got though was a 1967 1725 Alpine GT rebuilding its engine to a Holbay spec (or as close as I could on the wages of a recruit fireman!)

Happy daze! Very Happy

Uncle Joe · Guest

Ray: dont worry, we are all happy souls on here....

Scotty: I've started to lust after another H120 again now...must be the Mopar fever....is there any cure?