Blog
Don't be an Undertaker
Wednesday 20th April 2011
It has been a busy few weeks at Heritage Classic Cars. Both cars have recently passed their MoT tests and both have now had a thorough service. Unlike modern cars, the vintage Austins have greasing points dotted all over the place and you have to go around them all with the grease gun. A bit fiddly but essential if we are to avoid trouble in the future.
The timing on the white car has been tweaked to get it running at optimum efficiency and the blue car has a new cylinder head gasket. Mechanically, there is nothing else to do and the cars are ready for the busy summer ahead.
I took the white car out for a spin this afternoon. The sun was shining, I had to go to Hemel Hempstead and I couldn't resist taking the Austin. It felt good to bowl along at a stately 30mph in the glorious weather and enjoying every minute of the drive. Of course, some drivers regard a slow moving vintage car as a nuisance and I can understand their impatience. That's why I try to stay on quiet roads and pull over whenever possible to let people get past. But some drivers simply have to overtake at all costs. On my way back to Redbourn this afternoon I had to turn right at a roundabout, so I indicated and pulled out to the right hand side of the road. The fellow behind decided this was an ideal overtaking opportunity so he came alongside on my left, put his foot down and accelerated away. Instead of taking the first or second exits, he swung around the roundabout on my inside and cut in front of me, taking the right hand exit. I am sure he had really urgent business and it was imperative he got to his destination without further delay; but I wonder if the risk was worth it.