What a complete and utter mess

Test runs were conducted up and down the drive, all 30 feet of it. The aim was to floor it up the slope, and try and hit 15mph going into the garage before jamming on the brakes to avoid clobbering me Mum’s deep freezer. That was a rather limiting source of entertainment, so I took her down the road to the MOT place, and things were not fun. The delightful bloke came in after five minutes and told me she had failed. Apparently she needed a door or wing mirror on the nearside, and after I pointed out the correct place in his rule book, he realised he was wrong and went back out there in a huff. She was going to have an offside mirror anyway, I had not had time to fit it yet as it was not necessary for road legalness.

He eventually failed her on an insecure brake pipe which was actually secure, I returned for the free retest with the cable tie done up two clicks further and she was passed. Hurrah!  He then decided to be friendly, and told me he liked my new brake pipes but I should put coppergrease on them to stop them rusting. I hadn’t the heart to tell him they were quite clearly made of copper, and therefore rather unlikely to corrode…..!

One of the early test drives to Wellow, in Somerset, to drive through this big ford. The water level was a bit low sadly.... I did most of the test driving at night, to avoid embarassment of the the unfinished Valleri.

The rest of the car was hastily put together, and she was taken on longer and longer drives, although there were very few problems really. Then it dawned on me I had to go up to the Lake District to see Richard for some touring, then down to Lancashire to see Calum, for some touring. And there was still a lot to do…

I did my best, but I still ended up setting off up North with no chrome trim strips on the doors, I did the front and rear wing strips but then I had to set off. These eventually got done in Richard’s garage the third day I was there. Oh how fantastic to be driving her again, but rather annoying that so much had not been done, like fitting the remaining two driving lamps, wiring in them and the reversing lamps, finishing the headlining and many other little jobs. But I finished her on time… sort of!

Valleri and Meg together at last amongst the Western fells. Yes, there's certainly something missing, oh and the other two driving lamps as well!

Meet on the Ledge! Valleri and Weelet somewhere around the Lancashire and Yorkshire border. You can just about see the sunroof starting to fall apart too.... bahhh.

Just some little finishing touches to do now.....