Well here goes:-
Loaded up the car on the transporter and picking up Adams caravan to meet No neck at 6.30 and trundled up the M1 and met the sowf London mob at Toddington services.
Scott had his Satt on a brand new transporter given to him for the weekend buy his boss for being a good worker luck git or was he?
Made off for the pod to arrive just as the gates were opening and pitted in the top corner and started to make camp and off load the Bee.
The boys in black turned up soon after and started changing tyres and tuning carbs.
Naughty Al took off in the Transporter to see blue about jets and retuned to camp shall we say with gusto banged into reverse towards No necks pride and joy.
Now I knew by the sound of the revs that he was hot and started gesticulating and shouting to stop then that sickening crump and the Dico is leaning over at an angle normally reserved for off roading.
Al jumped from the cab
"I'm sorry mate it looked miles away in the mirrors, I did not realise how long the back is"
Gary ran into the caravan saying "No no no" with his head in his hands.
In all fairness he took it like a man and proceeded to move the Disco onto the grass well out of Als way.
Decide after all the excitement to warm up the Bee, check the oil and water and there it was on the dip stick that creamy tint.
Removed the rad cap to realise that I had actually bought an American espresso coffee machine not a Bee.
The disappointment after all the effort is not possible to put into words.
Ever the optimist Adam said Dunc or Dave will have some gaskets.
Suddenly bits were coming off the car like it was at a breakers yard.
Mustang Dave was sent off on a parts search and must have done a couple of gallons shuffling up and down to the stands for bits and was cleaning surfaces in between.
Pete Bedford thought we joking about being the pit but soon was spannering like a pro skinning his knuckles and crawling under the car doing the headers.
It seamed every one that came over did a bit and we were soon inspecting gaskets to find it had blown between 7 and 8.
At this point I have to mention Lindsey and Mark who stayed with the strip down and rebuild throughout. they had only come to spectate and were fantastic as they had to go to Marks first mess ball after making Sargent and stayed later than they should have to see the car run but missed it due to a shut down.
Mark was first to test it round the pits after all his hard work and I think he is hooked.
Also a big thanks to John R who supplied tools and gloop.
I am constantly surprised at how much stuff he can get in a 2 foot x 3 foot boot including a tap and die set, 4.5" grinder and a Welder amazing and well done with the wheels could not have gone to a more deserving member.
Finally did the lash buy torchlight at 9pm and run her up.
At this point I should apologise for being a grumpy old git and threatening to torch the bee and while cleaning up threw the BBQ into the drum with all the waste oil and rags , as I walked away it went up like Fireforce starting and when Al and Adam came back from the pub they ran into the pits thinking thought I had actually set fir to the biach.
Now the question is why did big Al sleep in the truck when there was a perfectly good bed in the van?
Then fight with John to sleep in the same bed the next night?
Saturday morning the site looked disgusting luckily Adams Jackie and daughter Anna bell had turned up along with Chevy John and tidied us all up while we signed on
I did the first run taking it easy to see how she ran and was happy to find it was strong and straight.
Did a couple of more aggressive runs then set up a 150 shot buy which time would have feinted if I put the jacket and helmet on again so threw the keys at Dave two lanes who's crew made it look easy and Dave hoofed it off the line and the car ran like a raped ape. doing a 11.1 at 145 mph fantastic.
After the run he said I missed second top man.
After a bit of expert fettling buy his crew the car did not improve but hey there always another day.
Watched Adam put the full monty on his charger against Al and man did they launch running a 11.01 and a 11.25 how cruel was that, on a cooler day surely they would have been ten sec runs.
finally the heat did us and we all retired for the night.
The next morning it was even hotter and the Bee did not run any better so decided to call it a day then Adam came into the pits popping and banging lifted the hood to find the engine looking like Chernobyl.
He had flashed past a valve and ignited the Nos in the inlet manifold and completely melted the secondaries and sprayed molten metal over the engine bay, luckily it was at the end of the run and the Nos switched off and the motor must have sucked the fire back into the engine.
If he had had rubber lines it would have torched for sure.
hence the quote of the weekend was
"I wish I had stayed at home and played with me Ferrets"
A big thanks to all who helped me over the weekend and especially Dunc for letting me have £200 of gear for £50 cos i was bra sic and I still owe Dave for a set of gaskets.
would I do it all over again?
HELL YES
