Interlude: Back To The Future.....

Well...... I hadn't anticipated this. My DS is back up at the farm and languishing in a barn! It's like de ja vu all over again! 

"Big Barn" - 11 May 2004

..........."Big Barn" - 10 November 2018

A few things have changed since my DS was last there: I'm pleased to see that the caravan conversion seems to have been finished - it's been transformed into two tractors by the looks of it - and that black DS in front of mine (Richard's) may look the same as previously but it's a different car.

At least it's the 'BIG barn'  - as that one is rodent proof (allegedly) as the farmer uses it to store grain in the summer. Previously my DS had spent many unhappy years in the 'Little Barn'  across the yard - which is airy and a rats paradise. That's where my DS was back in 2014 when I woke up and decided to restore it. It had sat there for 10+ years and had been in one or other barn for even longer.

Sleeping Beauty - 'Little Barn', 14 September 2014. Can you spot it?

So anyway - if it has to be back at the farm, then 'Big Barn' is the place to be. 

What's going on? Well, having moved house a couple of years ago and gained a lovely garage for DS restoration..........

DS arriving - 15 October 2016........

...........we are having an extension over the garage. That means everything's got to come out - especially the DS. 

The plan this time is THAT SPENDS NO MORE THAN FIVE MONTHS AWAY FROM HOME. I repeat: FIVE MONTHS. NOT 16 YEARS.

The engine is going to stay at home. I'm close to finishing the rebuild and have vowed not to put it in the car until I've tested it, and until the engine bay is tidied.

And so the big move. Once again I'm indebted to Doug the race driver for use of his trailer. He's based up at the farm, so it's very handy to use. Richard picked up the trailer and brought it over to Bedford on Saturday. I spent the the first part of the morning putting air in the tyres and replacing the broom handle pieces that were in the suspension cylinders. As the car was going to go on the back of a bumpy trailer, I substituted the rods for one with rubber doorsteps cunningly screwed to the end. I reasoned that this would at least provide a little flex on the bumpy journey to the farm.

Suspension Props

Overall length of each of three of the props is 9cm. The fourth one is 13.7cm to allow for the  suspension cylinder extension piece fitted to the front right side (exhaust manifold side). You can use 29mm diameter broom handle for all four - but it's a pretty close fit in the extension piece, so I used 23.5mm broom handle in that one. Some people don't like this method of holding the suspension up. partly because of the risk of splinters in the cylinders and partly because of potential damage to the dampers on the ends of the spheres. I sanded the ends to remove rough bits and fitted sacrificial, expendable, welded spheres.

I've been using the half-room over the garage to store a few DS things - nothing much: one and half leather interiors, rear screen, spare front screen, steering wheel - that kind of thing....... That space will also have to be cleared for the building work, so I spent the rest of Saturday morning loading my DS to the gunnels. I used every inch. The only way I could get everything to fit was by taking off the interior door handles and window winders!

Richard arrived early afternoon and we spent an hour or so drinking tea and chatting DS - just long enough for the rain to start...... We then spent another 30 mins fashioning a tarp. cover to keep the car dry during it's journey. The car has no rear screen and the last thing it needs is to sit in a barn with a boot full of water. Luckily I have a car port area in front of the garage and we worked in the dry. That handy car port will be reinstated after the building work. 

.......DS Leaving - 10 November 2018

With the car secured on the trailer, we set off. As it was already hitched to Richard's car, we left it that way and I followed behind in convoy.  With no engine in the car, it's easier - and safer - to tow and, other than the tarp billowing away and threatening to tear itself off, the journey was uneventful.

We arrived in rainy darkness. The barn is a working barn and as well as the farmer, others use it for storing cars and caravans and, in Richard's case, their collection of Citroens. We set about shuffling the other cars in the barn to make some space for my DS at the back. There are no lights in the barns, so this wasn't as easy as it sounds.  We positioned my car headlights and worked amongst the elongated and exaggerated shadows.

Richard's DS was moved back into place and we were just about done - other than parking and locking the trailer.

Once again, another task successfully completed only because of the kindness and support of others. Thanks Doug. Thanks Richard.

Teamwork: Richard on the right, me on the left

Now all I have to do is to find room for this lot!