DRIVING micros; what's so important?

[Smart51]

Rare cars should be preserved but that doesn't mean they shouldn't  be driven.

Driving them every day will wear them out more quickly but that doesn't mean you can't run them on sunny Sunday afternoons.  Driving them in the snow or on salt laden roads is probably not a good idea though.

I guess I'm a middle ground type of person.

[Bob Purton]

Hi Blob. With my car restoring its been trial and error but it was proberbly easier for me to pick up than some because I restore instruments for a living, also having a lathe , pillar drill, bandsaw and the rest already in the workshop helps too. Its funny how ones background effects the restoring methods one used, because I primerily work in brass you will find lots of little brass parts on my car which would otherwise be aluminium or steel, also I prefer to silver solder rather than braze, a throwback of the instrument trade. I will have a go at anything accept for the final body paint job. I reason that this final finish is what I will have to look at for the  duration of my ownership, a professional can do it far better than I can and besides this I like two pack paint and its very dangerous to use this stuff at home. I suppose the main thing I have had to learn is welding but with a modern mig its not so hard. There are much cleverer restorers out there than me thoug. Dont give up on it Blob.   If I can be of any help , Just ask.

[blob]

Thanks for the encouragement Bob. So far I

[Bob Purton]

I would stick to arc or gas welding on your Nobel chassis, mig is great for bodywork but you cant always get good weld penitration with it on thicker metal.

[marcus]

I regularly park my Trojan in supermarket car parks and outside the museum when I am working there. But all the places I DO leave it are in ful;l public view where there are plenty of people about. Vandals and pranksters only strike in very secluded places, so there is safety in numbers. When I park in London streets, I alsways return to see interested crowds around the car, and this deters charlies

[blob]

Good to here you're still driving DUF around the capital Marcus, shame I didn't get to catch up with you last year, though I often travel across the river so you never know I might pop in and say hello sometime.

[marcus]

Blob, it would be great to see you, or meet at your place sometime, mind you the Fezheads season has already started and we have a lot of gigs this year. Sadly I am seriously having to consider selling DUF to raise money for recording equipment and building work.