The Car is Coming Together

Firstly, I must apologise with the long gap between the last post and this one, but we have all been very busy, as you'll soon read. (Plus it's been a bank holiday!)

Click Here to see the article

The Trip Bit...


We've had a great break through with our publicity over these last couple of weeks. We had a great opportunity to be in the Oxford Mail. This has also meant that the car and the team has appeared in the Oxford Times, on the front page of the Witney Herald! the Abingdon Herald, Girl racer on-line and (we have been told) Auto Sport.


Despite the fact that the publicity has been given a little lift, Mark and Sue are still working hard to gain as much extra interest as they can. The car will be at the Longworth Village Fete as well as being at the East Hendred Car Show, in attempt to reach as many people as possible. Without sounding like I'm going on about it, please Click Here to go to the virgin money giving website to donate, because as they say, every little helps!


On a far more serious note, Sue has now finished her rally clothes shopping, or so she says!


The shipping prices vary hugely, but it looks as though we are close to making a final decision on who to use. The carnet process is up and rolling, and all the rally participants have decided to do this as a group application.
The Ghanaian Visa's are still to be applied for, but this is because the car is going to Reims, France, and Mark and Sue need their passports for both. Reims is being used as a pre-rally shake down. Although Mark has said that despite this being a demonstration drive around the circuit, the car will be driven slowly and very carefully!


The Car Bit...


All is going very well with the car preparations. The front springs have been re-built and the steering has been over-hauled. Despite this extra work, it was well worth it as some of the parts were cracked and would have been very likely to fail on this arduous trip.
The brakes have also been completely stripped and re-built, after all, there is no harm in being able to stop.
The idea is that by the end of this weekend, the car should have all of the major work finished (photos to follow) with the exception of the hubs, which are now under way and are being manufactured by Orson Equipment, Dudley (www.orsonequipment.co.uk). Many thanks go out to them.
The bulk heads and storage area, where the rear seats used to be, are all coming together. These are designed at least to separate the spare fuel from the luggage. There are also essential spares arriving to the house everyday.


Sue
The Best Bit: All the shopping is done, there is little left to spend!
The Worst Bit: Finding more time away from work to concentrate on the Rally.


Mark
The Best Bit: Being told that Orson Equipment could make the Hubs.
The Worst Bit: Going back to work, knowing there is a mountain of paper work and jobs to be done to the car.