So me and the Missus (that's the Beautiful Tracey) were just preparing for our trip to Stamford Bridge last weekend. Nottingham Forest were playing there in the F.A. Cup, and that co-incided with the end of the Harrods sale. So we decided it would be great to make a weekend of it, shopping in Knightsbridge, Kensington, Chelsea and Fulham, and taking in a top football match. And overeating; dont forget the overeating, it's very important on a trip like this.
Two days before I pulled up at home in the Rover Mini, and spotted as I walked round the car that one of the lenses was just leaning away from the headlight. No problem, I though, I'll pop come out in the morning and glue it back on; that'll last for the trip, then I can get it replaced. Fate had another plan. The following morning, I came outside with my Superglue in one hand and screwdriver in the other; I undid the screw holding the chrome frame around the light and the lens came completely away. I'd like to say at this point that the lenses on the front of AngelEye headlights are tough and they bounce. I'd like to say that. But all the evidence I have indicates the opposite is true. Mine burst into a million pieces and scattered itself over the driveway.
So it's out with the gaffer tape and some cling-film. It's a good job I tried to do this in the morning, 'cos it's now daylight, and I dont need to use the lights (the cling-film would melt in less than half a second...) So I get Tracey to work and head into Eastwood stopping at my favourite garage, Surf Blue. Geoff fits me a replacement headlight (one of the standard ones) and I ask him to organise some new lights. My crisis is over for the time being, but I'm only just getting started.
The next morning (Friday) I wash the car for the first time in about five months. The dirt is rather thickly packed, and it takes a bit of scrubbing to shift. The rust problem I'd been intending to work on isn't as bad as I'd expected it to be by now. It looks like that dirt kept stone chips away from the paintwork. But the front bumper is looking a little ragged (so is the back one, in fact, but the back can wait). The chrome finish is starting to lift from the mild steel bumper beneath and it's looking shoddy. Typical. I cleaned it up with a wire scrubber, dried it and packed it with polish to keep the water out. The car looked completley different.
So, with weekend completely out of the way (and the disappointment of both the football and the Harrods sale both dwindling into history) I'm now taking action. One new bumper, one new set of headlight surrounds are now on order, as are a new set of locks for the doors and boot. I've also taken this chance to get the wheel arches replaced at the back (one is broken completely, the other hanging off where the plastic loop around the pop-rivets have broken) and put on side seam trim along the top of the sills which was missing when we bought the car. These are all superficial changes, though. I dont want to touch the mechanics, the car turned in between 50 and 55 mpg on the journey to London and back.
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