Goodwood Breakfast Club November 2011… Mostly 4×4 trucks, sports, classics… & our Landy. PHOTOS HERE.
This was our Series Land Rover’s first time on the Goodwood Circuit for all to see…. and old Frank got a lot of interest. I was surprised at how many people stopped to look over the 1977 88″ Landy, and how many questions people had.
It made our day that ‘he‘ had so much attention and praise… and many photo’s taken!
This year we didn’t see much of the racing. We spent most of our time taking in the static cars and aircraft, the shops and stalls… and the fun fair.
Alex (5) wanted to go on the rides. He started small and moved up to the Dodgems with me…. and then a family ride on a violent Waltzer! Alex is very keen to go on a roller-coaster, so I figured a few smaller rides would see how he coped.
I thought the Waltzer would be too much for him, but he watched from the side and still wanted a go. He loved it….. so it’s roller-coasters next year!
As in my previous post, the SPITFIRES stole the day…. Not a lot could contend, even though the event had plenty to offer.
Anyway… here are a few photo’s… (with more in full size HERE)
There are plenty more photos – in FULL SIZE… OVER HERE on FLICKR
Goodwood Revival time again….
The annual event that I go to because I enjoy it (obviously), and because I use the Revival Spitfire display as a time to reflect on, and remember my Dad.
Once more, lots of fearless drivers in priceless historic cars doing their best to give the insurance companies heart attacks…
… yet this year all of the racing, side shows, fashions and paddocks full of historic cars, all of everything… was overshadowed (for me) by a chance encounter.
I saw a couple of Spitfires parked along the airfield, so I took a stroll to get closer and grab a photo…. but as I drew closer I saw another Spitfire… and another, and a couple more…and another … and two more… and another couple….
I had never seen so many Spitfires in a line up. Not even static ones on permanent display, let alone airworthy ones!
Then I noticed each had a pilot in, awaiting a clearing in the weather (it was hoofing it down with rain)…
And then…. one by one… the engines rumbled in to life…. a bell was rung… engine revs picked up and ten Spitfires scrambled…
As the final one took off the crowd applauded!
We couldn’t believe what we were seeing. This was a momentous occasion… Ten Spitfires flying together… TEN!!!
I admit I had a lump in my throat and had to hold a tear back…. and I was not in the minority.
My Dad would have loved this a Hell of a lot.
There are more Goodwood pictures to follow, but really THIS was the be all and end all of the day for me.
In 3 weeks our 1977 Series 3 88″ Land Rover has already given us some fun and surprises.
Chris calls ‘him‘ “Frank“… and it’s pretty much stuck, although I am adding “Mahāyāna” to that… It is Buddhist for “The Great Vehicle“…. I’m almost certain it wasn’t intended for a Land Rover, but what with reincarnation you can never be too sure…
New 7.5x16's fitted
At 5,000 miles on the clock, it must be one of the lowest mileage non-museum/non-showroom condition S3’s out there.
Land Rover UK gave us tickets to Goodwood Festival of Speed after I posted a few pictures up on their web site just days before the show, where we were then allowed into the owners area at the show – (now that we were owners…)
Alex at GW Festival of Speed
We have recovered a couple of vehicles stuck in sand at the beach (right place, right time). We rescued a Merc CLK & took over rescuing a VW Polo from a BMW 5 series that just span its wheels trying to tow the Polo.
Mahāyāna with a lesser vehicle...
All this happened within two parking space widths from where we’d parked. Fantastic! After the first rescue (which was so effortless!) I admit that I felt Frank could do anything. When we got back after paddling & castle making on the beach we saw the BMW hitching up to the VW… Still feeling pysched from earlier, as I walked past the VW & BMW drivers getting ready to try their first attempt, I said “I’ll be over by that old Land Rover when you need me….”~ How damned cocky was I!!! I blame Frank entirely!
Land Rover UK also featured ‘Frank’ in their weekly web magazine. I didn’t realise until I received an email from WordPress saying that our blog had been linked to!
Little bits of work are being done to make Frank a bit more ‘daily drive’ practical, whilst trying not to move too far away from the original vehicle. Older Land Rovers aren’t the fastest, most economical or comfortable beasts, but they have a lot going for them – as I mentioned HERE.
Inertia 3 point harness
Frank now has new 7.5x16r tyres fitted (as originally intended) and has an Ashcroft high ratio conversion waiting to be fitted. Alex has a 3 point inertia harness fitted for his safety, and new Wipac halogen headlamps have replaced the original sealed beam units, as we like to see where we are going… Also, the Wipac units mean if a bulb blows, we can get one from a petrol station (you trying buying a sealed beam unit from a petrol station!).
WIPAC versus SEALED BEAM
The rear rubber matting was falling apart, so another job I carried out was to use some old wood effect linoleum… It didn’t turn out too bad! Kitchen floor reincarnation as Mahāyāna’s rear floor cover!
Woody!
One of the next jobs is to fit an Ashcroft high ratio transfer case to take some load off of the engine and allow the great vehicle to cruise at 50mph without revving it’s nuts literally off. There is potential that a few more miles to the gallon could be achieved too – and that wouldn’t go amiss! Mind you, a Land Rover isn’t exactly the first choice for comfort, speed and economy! With this mod though, we can keep the original engine (we want to keep as much original looking as possible).
On the list of other things to do: Seal the chassis, get new seats (the previous owner had a dog…), restore the dented wings and repaint in the original colours. This all depends on money though – Funds are tight and all of these extra’s don’t really effect the running of Frank, so are low priority ‘niceties’.
Mind you, if anyone has any freebies going, then that’s a different matter! I’ll quite happily advertise you on this blog (and my other web presences) if you have anything to offer! (Hey… it can’t hurt to ask!). Frank will be going to a lot of Goodwood shows and eventually do the rounds of other shows and events, so companies willing to part with bits will be promoted and mentioned where ever we go. After all, one good turn deserves another.
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Viper…
Drifter…
Super-7…
So I was stood by this lovely XK120 when a guy with his mates came up to look at the car.
One said it was an XK140. I turned and said that it’s a 120 – you can tell by the split screen and low swooping body work.
His friend replied that it was most definitely a 140 – they too had split screens.
I replied that I was unaware of that, and as far as I was concerned, this was a 120, as the sides had a very exaggerated sweep and along with the split screen, it was a 120.
The other friend started looking over the car and said he also thought it was a 140…. I wasn’t going to back down – after all, I was damn sure I was correct AND I had been telling Alex all about these cars… and daddy couldn’t bee seen to be wrong.
As the three guys were saying how it must be a 140, Alex tugged my sleeve and pointed at something.
I saw what Alex was pointing at, then mentioned it to the three guys, who muttered to themselves and left it at that.
Alex was grinning and pointing at the tax disc “JAGUAR XJ120”
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Soft Top Sunday 2010 (All photo’s HERE) – Luckily it didn’t rain… It did everything but rain though…
Another great breakfast club at Goodwood with some fantastic cars showing up on the track. Everything from drop top Vauxhaul Cavaliers (yes… a few still around…) to the almighty Zonda S (Sportster). Some stunning Jaguars and beautiful Alfas – and a whole lot more. The most Tesla’s I’ve seen in one place too (3 of them – one on charge in the paddock).
For more info on the Breakfast Cub, see HERE.
Here are a few photo’s from the morning trip out:
Sometimespace 