The List = The List -1

so where is Molly's todo list up to I hear you say (ok I don't but I can dream can't I?)

well it looks like this...
* seal the guttering
* paint the guttering
* ..and the doors
* paint the rear wing - LATER
* flat the paint - ongoing
* install the fuel tank
* install the towbar - LATER
* install towbar electrics - LATER
* fit the wings x2
* refit the rear door
* add lots and lots of soundproofing
* lots and lots and lots of rustproofing - on its way
* carpets in
* seats in
* dash bits in
* bonnet on
* replace the loom
* get the engine running
* stick the back bumper on

the plan for the next few days is to flat the doors and bootlid and get them ready to go on. Then can paint up the gutter (after the sealant has been added) and I can think about fitting the headlining and interior and doors....

then we have a car :o)))

You live and learn

After many years of Morris minoring, I've learn't how to fix gutters. Its annoying but makes all the difference. So in order to stop me being irritated when Jessica is parked in front of the kitchen window, I took the time to do the front corner.

lots of welding on a step ladder which was weird.

done (minus paint)


And whats going to be next?

splish splash splosh

is not the way that professional painters paint cars, but it is the way I seem to do it...

is it dry yet? NO YOU IDIOT!

Very orange peely (lemon peely?) lots of dust, but it may be retrievable.

Daze off

I got myself a new job a little while ago (6 months ish) and I've not had a day off since I started, so I decided to take this week off, kick back and relax.
Maybe work in the garden, play with the kids and generally chill.

Guess what I've been up to?

Molly's doors needed a lick of paint

and there were a few other little jobs to sort out. Like Jessica's dashboard (loads of dodgy holes and switches), I took a look at the clock too and now its working, but it ticks a lot which is going to be annoying!

And a little gardening did get done, DJ dug a new vegetable bed which should be big enough for us to Good Life a little this year.

tick tick tick BOOOOOM

Tick tick timing time! I had a crack at fitting the new electronic ignition I got from Aldon
but I had managed to get the wrong one :o(. Once I got the right one, I realised that I had managed to partially dismantle the distributor! Therefore missing a hiking trip with Russell, - gutted.

The plastic grommet on the end of the dizzy shaft came off and I was left holding it, with a tinkle of weights and springs in the bottom of the casing. I decided to leave it till today to sort it properly as I would have some light and a bit more time.

So once everything was re-built it seemed to go well and all that was left was to set the timing...

ok so we have a little wheel with with a few marks on it and a pointer. So what you do is splodge some tippex on it (7p from Tesco?!) and shine a strobe at it... you can then see when the engine is firing in relation to TDC etc etc... except all the stuff is at the front of the engine... where the yellow twirly bit is (the fan) so what happened next?
a flash of inspiration later!

and we have a (kinda) tuned commer! She's hunting a little at idle, but she does sound rather good! I also took a look at the dash, which is covered in vinyl, which seems to have gone all brittle and a load cracked off when I was removing the remnants of some long lost accessory.
the mockup looks ok so I'll be gluing it later on tonight and then refitting it!

DANGER! MOT

Jessica went for her annual checkup yesterday and came back with an (almost) clean bill of health. The handbrake wasn't working and the wipers were ineffective, after a bit of messing about on saturday afternoon, she was up and running and back at the MOT station this afternoon and passed!

To celebrate, we went to Linlithgow to feed the ducks...



and stopped for sweets on the way back!

It's what they're for

This weekend saw Jessica's first outing. The kids and I set off on our epic journey and waved goodbye to Mum.

We were booked in to a site in Crieff for a night. The campsite was really nice and just by the river Earn - where Jessica looked right at home.

It was then time to enjoy the symbolic first cuppa...

We had a remarkable amount of stuff for one night, but the bunks are pretty handy for storing stuff.

(I think we know what happened at T5 - they needed a few more Commers to store the bags in)

Once we had the van all set up, we toddled off to the town centre to tire the kids out and get chips for tea.
After a decent nights kip in the bitter cold we woke up to find sleet and snow had been falling, and the nearby mountains were now snowcapped (I think I picked the wrong weekend!)

In spite of this, the kids and I had a top time, the campsite was really nice and we're definitely looking forward to the next trip!

Oh, and Jessica performed wonderfully all the way there and back, even cruising happily at 60 mph+ all the way home.