Everyone one I have spoken to in the Rodding scene in the Uk always enthuses about the Surrey Street Rodders season opener at Aldershot.. I have always fancied it but never had the Rod finished in time. I usually go to the Springnats at Drayton as my season opener (Neil's Springnats) but this year I was determined I would make it to Wheelsday. I managed to get my 34 finished enough to use by Tuesday of the same week. I was hoping maybe this trip I could meet up with any Rods who may be traveling down to the one day show, as I usually travel in a one Car convoy where ever I go (unless Fat Bakes decides to go).. It just looks so cool and a bag of fun when I see photos or see a convoy of Rods enter a Show or Run.. This time I managed to embarrass a few into a meet up, to at least travel some of the way with me and my 34.... Thanks to the uk-hotrods e-mail group and chat room, Dusty and his wife Deb's, Crusty and his Wife Tracy and my mate Paul Johnson all agreed to meet to do the journey there together..
My intention was to do the whole journey in one day, set off at 3am Cumbria time and meet Paul J at one of the services south of Stafford then on to the Toddington Services for 7am to meet Crusty, Dusty, Deb's and Trace..... It would be a long day I knew, but what Fun. An early night Thursday and I would be ok.... a few days before the off, while out on a night on the pop with my good mate Pudzz and his misses, I mentioned the epic adventure to him and again he jumped at the chance to ride shot gun... Paul J offered us a nights kip at his place for the Thursday so we would not have to drive quite as far in one day and also so we could set off a tad later, so more sleep if we still went for the early night....
Na I said, I would be better having a doss in my own house and getting sorted for the early start from there...... well..... as with all well laid plans things never turn out just like that.... She who must be obeyed said why dont ya set off Thursday night and stay over in a travel lodge or somewhere... I said if we do that, I know we will end up staying up till late and then be more knackered..... then the more I thought about it the more it seemed a good idea :>) So I phoned Paul J and said "prepare ya self, me and Pudzz is a coming to your place Thursday night"... "I'll get the beer in" he said ........ oohhhh dear!!! "Not to many I said, we need a real early night"..
Paul J lives very near Drayton Manor so close infact, when he goes to the night do of the Springnats he gets a Taxi home :>) We arrived in Tamworth around 8.30pm after a great drive down in the 34 which was behaving impeccably, after its winter rebuild... Once off the Motorway and on the Roads that lead to Tamworth, the amount of yellow boxes on the side of the road increased to epic proportions. I think they call them Safety Cameras.... with traffic cops dotted along the route aswell... I just thought, how lucky the people are who live round here, that the police make so much of an effort to protect them from the evil scourge of driver's who do more than the speed limit, they must sleep so much better at night... the amount of drug dealers and burglars that do actually drive cars fast, is incredible.... cant wait until they start the war against the motorist whoops sorry I mean criminals, up here in Cumbria.. hope its real soon :>) Terrrrrr.
I phoned Paul J, after having pulled over to a place where it was safe to do so and also
turned off my engine so I didn't endanger anyone speaking to him on my mobile..
We were soon at Paul's and he thrust a Can of Fosters tea in our hands, while he
got his hair done, as he had just got in from work.. all spruced up, a jaunt to
the local coffee and bible reading Public house was in order, ya just
have to dont ya.. The early night Thursday was more an early morning Friday job as
at 1.30am after a few scoops and a hour or two of educational programs on Men
and Motors we knew we had all been very silly boys and had really best get some
kip... 3 1/2hrs later we were up and trying to get ready to face the day
ahead.......
It was a frosty
start, the cars had a good skin of frozen
ice that needed coaxing off if we were to be able to see at all. Paul's Zody has
no choke so needed a tad of warming before venturing out onto the Hi-way.. but
his neighbours would not be happy with him warming the motor outside their
houses, so he limped it round the corner where we sat for a minute or two while
his motor reached operating temp and our heater did ahhhh luxury..
We were now ready for the next part of our journey at just gone half five in the morning.... the fog made it a very entertaining drive peering through the misted up chopped screen and the useless wiper ( Note gotta change that real soon)... we had a heater and a chopped screen Paul had no heater but a massive screen to see out off, with the fog I think I would of swapped.... We made Toddington by 7.04am
Crusty and Trace were already there and Dusty and Deb were on their way.. Me Pudzz and Paul J had a very welcome Coffee as we waited for Dusty and Debs to arrive, while Crusty emptied a can of desert coffee into the Chevy Motor of Trace's Plymouth :>).... After the obligatory chinwag, when really we should be getting on with the journey... we noticed the time and went whoaa we best get a move on... and get a move on we did..... well sort of... We fueled up and Pudzz said let them lead the way as we dont really know where we is going to...... Nope they all waited for us to lead the way..?? Must be cus I am the oldest eh so I was the grown up so must know the way Ha Ha.. Little did they know I get lost even round where I live.... I slowed and they all slowed behind... hum? So I thought some reversed psychology was in order... I booted it and Man it was like a red rag to a bull... I could hear em all behind go look at him showing us his power.. I'll bloody show him... real Power.. Vrooommm it worked I backed it down a tad and whoosh Crusty comes zooming past, then Paul J with an almighty roar from his healthy Rover V8 with Dusty and Debs peddling like hell in the 100E it looked superb.. this is what I enjoy most seeing our kind of cars being used.. Crusty and Trace's owd Plymouth can really pick its feet up but as it does so it kaks itself and covers all behind in a cloud of burning oil..... maybe its an ex Bond car complete with smoke screen capabilities eh!
We made good time and arrived at Aldershot just after 8.30am I think and were some of the first there. We got a real warm greeting from the resident Cockennee Toad and things were looking good for a great day of kicking back having the crack and looking at some cool motors... I think we were in the 3rd line of cars and there was some very interesting stuff there already.. The whole field was surrounded by traders so me and Pudzz knew we were going to be relieved of some cash today... First task was empty our bladders then fill em back up again with some fresh hot wet liquid.... and the mandatory Bacon Butty, now called a Bacon Bap... a what? what the frigs a bap? anyhow what ever one was we had two :>) we had a quick shufty round bought a few bits while the show field filled up..
Dusty looks more like he should be one of these cool Bikes owners than the
guys who did actually own them (That's Dusty with the Ule Brinner hair cut by
the way)
One of the first sights to great us was this kinda neat Volky.. now I have
never got the Volky Rod connection... er now I do.. I love this!
Skimmer arrives and asks me to put two sugar's in his tea.. er I think that's
what he is saying :>)
it was a constant stream of vehicles, Rods, trucks Sports cars, kit cars, Bikes you name it it was driving on to the show field.. I took a few snaps... and decide to drop of my early purchased back at the Rod....
4 Banger 27 T Coupe was sexy as hell though did sound strange not to hear the
usual roaring V8 emulating from its Zorsts.... dead right 34 was gorgeous.
Once back at my Rod there was a real strong smell of Petrol in and around it.. I put it down to having
just recently filled her to the top... but if I was being honest this was far
to strong a smell to be just oozing out the overflow this was a bad leak smell..... *hum?*
I checked all the usual places.. carb, fuel pump, fuel lines... and followed the lines to the tank.... I got down all all fours and there to my absolute horror was a leak from the rear tank seam that would empty the tank by evening if it wasn't stopped... we did the looks like we are going back with the RAC... then it will be ok once level is lower than the seam and the just keep it at that we will get home ok talk.. oh and the it wont set on fire one, unless it gets a naked flame near it that is... well seemed reasonable enough to me but.. I knew in my heart of hearts this was serious and needed sorting and sorting fast...
Me extremely peed off and trying repair number one as I mix some milliput to stem the flow of fuel... To no avail I might add.
Have a look at some more Rods to pass the time away as I try some more to fix me leak..
Not sure who owns the A but the 32 is Brian (Brizey) Lucas's flathead powered
beauty.
To be continued