First Show of the Year

I have just returned from a thorough service at Bristol Cars where they found my near-side track rod joints were worn. They gave me a nice new assembly, fitted some new front brake pads and Brian fixed my window with a new regulator. I will miss the inelegant sight of Neil trying to lean out of the door while retrieving tickets from car park machines but he will be a lot happier now and so will his physiotherapist!

I passed my MOT with flying colours and we had a very busy trip back home on Friday along the M25 and A12. I had a rest yesterday and today we went to our first car show of the year, at Manningtree High School. This is a yearly event with all proceeds going to fund projects for the school and is now one of the biggest shows in the area. There must have been 500 cars but only one other Bristol, a 410 from Ipswich. The weather was fantastic and I spent all day with my friend Figgy, a Nissan Figaro who is looked after by Neil's wife Karen. In the picture I'm showing off where I keep my spare wheel which surprises people as they walk past and is always a talking point.

Next week is the Ipswich to Felixstowe run and I'll let you know how I get on. Hopefully the weather will be just as nice as it was today.

Easter in Chiswick

I'm spending Easter at Bristol Cars Services in Chiswick, West London. Neil booked me in in preparation for our trip to France. Mr Marelli and his team always make a fuss of me and this time I'm having a 10,000 mile service, an MOT and a problem with my driver's window mechanism looked at. I'll also pick up a few spares while I'm here as Neil thinks we'll drive about 1,500 miles in France and doesn't want to take any chances. 

I've only ever let him down twice in the 6 years that we've been together. The first time we were driving back from London on a Sunday night when one of my core plugs fell out. We were only a few miles from home on the A120 when Neil noticed that the heater had started to blow cold air but the temperature gauge had soared. There was also quite an impressive vapour trail behind us!

The second time was at one of the Helmingham Hall shows in Suffolk when my water pump failed as we were driving into the grounds. We managed to park while I deposited 32 pints of coolant on Lord Tollmache's lawn. Most people were none the wiser but we needed a lift home on a flat-bed truck at the end of the day. We were the last to leave the site and even had a visit from his Lordship's butler to make sure we were all right.

Anyway, Bristol Cars Services are very busy which is why Neil has left me here for a few days. Apparently this is because the turnover in used Bristol's is very brisk at the moment - it's always interesting to look at the stock by going to their used car site. I don't mind though as there are plenty of other cars to get to know; a Fighter, Blenheim, 603, 411, and a 409 to name but a few. There's even a bright orange Zagato Zele electric car that Bristol used to distribute in the '70s.