Garden Update

It’s late summer now – though you’d be forgiven for thinking it was Winter already: it’s quite cold and blowy and we’ve had so much rain of late that the garden is still lush and green rather than dry and bare as you might expect in August.
We decided to remove the firs at the entrance to the garden to create a more open feeling. I dug up the one on the right a week or two ago and then today set about removing the remaining tree. Am pleased with the result – we can see much more of the garden from the house now and the pond and surrounding plants have taken centre stage.
We bought a wicker frame to give the honeysuckle something to climb on – it had been scrabbling around on the ground and was starting to bother it’s neighbours! By chance the wicker frame was on sale in the garden centre and it’s perfect for that space now it’s not hidden by the fir. Job done 🙂

Impulse purchase

I got up early this morning to go out for a ride on the bike and ended up in Northampton buying a car. Er, like you do…!

I’d been idly thinking for a few months that the Honda was getting a bit long in the tooth and that whilst it has been very reliable it’s not going to last for ever.

Some guy a few doors down the road has a very smart looking Citroën C5 Estate and last night I had a look at prices on Autotrader – and they’re cheap! Massive depreciation makes them a snip second hand but the reviews are pretty favorable so I figured I might pop by TheCarShop in Northampton and take a look.

After two test-drives and a bit of haggling I shook hands on an ’09 Citroën C5 2.0 TurboDiesel in Silver. It’s got loads of equipment, and with the famous Hydro-pneumatic suspension it is astonishingly smooth and quiet. 18 months Warranty remaining and all for the price of a four year old Golf. Absolute bargain!

Fork Transplant

In a bid to get some more value from the pile of spares that is my track-bike I am planning to swap the Maxton Engineering front forks with the standard ones on my road-bike.

The Tornado’s forks are a bit soft and although fully-adjustable (I have stiffened them up with maximum preload damping) the stronger springs in the Maxton forks are noticeably more resistant to diving under braking. I may need to soften the damping from the track settings to absorb some of the bumps of our abysmal roads but it will be interesting to see what a difference it makes to the handling.

Last night I removed the Maxton forks from the track-bike. Am hoping to do a few miles this weekend before swapping them over, just to get a clear feel for the difference between the two.

Tour de France

Well – Tour of Brittany perhaps, though that too is something of an exaggeration… a couple of days cycling whilst staying at Michael and Rachael’s house in La Tanniere.
On Wednesday evening we took the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Caen, arriving at 7am bleary-eyed having had not very much sleep courtesy of the ‘reclining’ (another exaggeration!) seats provided by Brittany Ferries. A cabin next time methinks.

After a 90 min drive on wonderful open roads (two fewer wheels would be perfect!) we arrived at La Tanniere and promptly settled down for a much-needed nap. In the afternoon we went out for a 12 mile cycle, just meandering along back-roads past cornfields and orchards (this is the home of Breton cider and Calvados after all). All under sunny skies and barely any traffic. We saw quite a few Buzzards, Kestrels and a pair of Herons in a field. Superbe!

Stocked up on bread, cheeses, wine and cidre at ‘SuperU’ in Ernee and then back to base to relax.

After a good lie-in we set out for another cycle Friday afternoon, this time a hearty 25 mile round-trip taking in St Aubin (St Albans??), Colombiers and Carelles, again in perfect weather with fluffy white clouds and hardly a car in sight. I could do this all day…!

Back to base for supper of cheeses, bread and smoked salmon 🙂

Trackbike Returns

I picked up the Tornado trackbike today after it’s diagnosis and convalescence at Harvey Nash in Chiswick. Made a bit more space in the garage and then drove round the M25 in pouring rain (August?!) which thankfully cleared by the time I got to Chiswick. Still no clearer about why the valve let go but you can see the extent of the damage to piston crown and cylinder head below… new engine needed!

Bathroom ideas

’73 Lancia Fulivia S2 (LHD) for sale…

Good home needed…

I bought this Fulvia S2 four years ago as a good, original condition runner for £3,500. It was used regularly for about a year but I then spent three months of the winter abroad, and on my return the Lancia wouldn’t start. I was busy job hunting for a few months and since then simply haven’t gotten around to spending the necessary time on the car, so have decided to part with it. It has been garaged and covered the whole time.

It’s a 1973 model – first sold to the Italian market (hence lhd), and imported by the previous owner in the 1980s. Sits on desirable Chromodoro alloys and oversize tyres (steering is kindof heavy when parking!). But nice and precise on the move, with more than enough grip.

The bodywork is sound apart from the bonnet, the leading edge of which has been filled and the paint has discoloured. The engine was initially a very smooth runner though it has now not turned over for about three years. Interior is nice original condition, although driver’s seat requires re-stitching. Carpets are new I think. Dash and dials are original and good condition.

I am selling because I need the garage space and have realised I don’t have the motivation and mechanical aptitude to get it running – when the weather is good I’d rather be out on my other exotic italian: a Benelli Tornado motorbike.

The price reflects my desire to sell – I believe it is very good value at £2000 and in the right hands could quickly become a very usable and enjoyable gem of a car.

The following pictures were taken before the car was laid up:

Now sharing garage space with these star cars…

A genuine ‘Fanalone’ Fulvia HF 1600 (ex-works rally car)

and this beautiful Maserati Sebring Series II…