Classic car mechanic – A close shave

‘In the corner of the workshop, Olli Ragbin sits watching events unfold before him’

Last week we started with a happy customer. This week we’ve got another one. We’ve looked after Steve’s MG and his incredible XJ-C Jaguar and have covered both in the blog. He’s a Bristol owner so no stranger to classics. He was good enough to share with us this snap from the 80’s. I remember the 80’s well. It’s when I had a crap suit and a massively dodgy haircut (think Kevin Keegan curly and you get the drift). Steve on the other hand seems to have made his 80’s appearance significantly less embarrassing than mine. Tidy beard, leather jacket and him and his mate with a couple of Fraser Nashes, one of which was steered by Sterling Moss to victory in a European rally.

My 80’s shot has me in front of my first car, a hand-painted Morris Marina which cost me £130. One the these Frasers is now north of £1,000,000…. Steve and his mate apparently parked these 2 up and then nipped into the pub for a pint. They came back and the boys were pleased to see they were still there, untouched. I used to park the Marina and go for a pint too. Like the Frasers, when I came back, the Marina was always there. Untouched. Damn.

Anyway here they are.

The purple Morris Minor is back! And this time Shrimp eye Justin has shunned the moonwalk and is celebrating with his Peter Crouch-eusque version of ‘the Robot’. Nice.

(Tuesday was a day when we only accepted cars that went with the microwave)

We had this lovely Citroen DS pop by. Not for any work, just a visit. It’s an incredible looking thing and there is nothing on the road like it. They made over a million of ‘em in its 20-year build life. Oddly enough, it was a successful rally machine with a bag of victories as well as a 3rd place in the 1999 ‘Car of the century’ as voted for by Classics and Sports magazine. I thumbed through the list twice and saw no mention of the Marina.

(It's a long car the DS. This shot actually covers 2 postcodes)

In other news, the engine re-build is complete, and a few shots of tidy and beautiful wonderfulness follow.

And now, a close call and a lesson for all.

Ingrid’s normal day job is keeping things in good order down at the local funeral home. This Monday she wasn’t at her desk as per normal. Pretty good job too.

I don’t know the reason for the sudden parking of a small family hatchback in the window and on the desk of an absent Ingrid. I saw this photo and I immediately had 2 questions… the first started ‘what the….’ and the second started ‘how the….’. The rest is probably not for repeating, but you can guess correctly that my tone was surprised.

Luckily there were no reported injuries and Ingrid's small collection of 4-leafed clovers and rabbits feet are were all intact and continuing to provide day and night protection.

Rumours this week are circulating that Dr Ray has bought a mobile home. No photos yet and details remain sketchy although I am lead to believe that Mrs Dr Ray is refusing to have anything to do with it. I shall be pressing for details and if none are forthcoming, then I shall be making it up. Can’t say fairer than that.

So from Siobhan, Dr Ray, Shrimp-eye Justin, Young Chris, Izzi, Ingrid, Alfie and Eric, see you next week

Olli