Nick's Garage

THE GARAGE

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Current Vehicles

1 'The Gronk'
1969 Land Rover Series 2A 2¼ Petrol Short Wheelbase.
My daily drive. New chassis and bulkhead during my rebuild in 2006 mean that this one should be good for many years to come. The rebuild diary and subsequent blog can be found here... The Gronk's Rebuild Diary

2 'Kenny'
1970 Land Rover Series 2A 2.6 6-cylinder Petrol 1ton Long Wheelbase.
My 'Show Vehicle' (supposedly). Sometimes you just have to buy them. A very rare Land Rover, preserved in it's original working condition from a garage in my home town. The full story and the rebuild diary can be found here... Kenny's Rebuild Diary

3 'Florence'
1973 Land Rover Series 3 2.6 6-cylinder Petrol 1ton Long Wheelbase.
As I said before, sometimes you just have to buy them. Myself and two friends spotted Flo in a scrapyard, next in line for the gas-axe. She has now been saved, although the restoration is taking a loooong time. Flo's story can be found here... Flo's Rebuild Diary

4 'Greebo'
Rover SD1 Vanden Plas EFi 3500 V8.
Sort of a stalled restoration project. I got as far as replacing the engine and gearbox and patching some holes in the bulkhead, but then Land Rovers got in the way. I even have a web page dedicated to the rebuild, but there's nothing there to see!

5 'Biffi'
1974 Morris Mini-minor 1.4
My first project car. Arrived in pieces with it's engine all over the back seat, way back in what is rapidly becoming the last century. My first mini donated many components to the first rebuild. Unfortunatly the engine failed less than a month after it's first MOT, since when it has been more or less a permanent fixture at the back of the garage. One day it shall rise again, and have it's own webpage.

Gone, but not forgotten...

My first 'car'
When I was a little lad looking out the window on those long boring motorway drives (Dad, are we nearly there yet!) all the police cars were either V6 Capri's or V8 Rover SD1's. Being stuck in the back of a brown Austin Maxi it was easy to wish for an exciting car, and the police cars did look striking. Hence I have always had a soft spot for these cars and although I have never owned a Capri (except this one!)...

Austin Mini Mayfair 998cc
My first propper car 1992-1995

'Chantalle' - 1989 Citroën BX16RS Pilot
1995-2000. not taxed since 2001.

'Jazz' - Austin Mini City 998cc
Picked up cheap and local, this mini had a smashed windscreen following an incident with a anti-theft device. I had a spare windscreen, so it was a simple fix for me. Minis of this era had front disk brakes with 12" wheels (one of the reasons I bought it). I was supposed to fix it up and sell it, but when the Citroen developed problems it became my daily drive. I sold it to friends from London in 2003.

'Sylvester' - 1989 Jaguar XJ6 (XJ40) 2.9 Automatic
During the summer of 1999, the family helped me to buy a reliable car for the 70 mile drive up the M6 to see the folks. I could have gone out an bought a 3-year old Mondeo. Instead I bought a 10-year old, 1 owner from new, Jaguar XJ6 2.9 Automatic in excelent condition and enjoyed every minute I drove it. However, at the end of my first year of ownership my insurance went up by £120 so 'Sylvester' and I had to go our separate ways. I don't know where he is now, but he's not been taxed since 2006.

'Tweetie-pie' - Rover SD1 3500SE
'Tweetie-pie' came my way in mid July 2000. This canary yellow 3500 SE with modifications was rebuilt over a period of 2 years by a friend. However, four figure insurance quotations forced him to sell it without even driving it. Tweetie was my daily driver for 4 years, until I got a little sideways on the A50 one night and managed to put a nasty bend in my banana!

Nova - 1992 Vauxhall Nova Merit 1.2
Originally my mothers car, it was sold on to a family friend before I bought it back when it needed serious welding. Was then my daily driver on and off for a couple of years. Now passed on to another friend as a spares car to keep her Nova going. Now scrapped.

The others... - past projects and sales.

'Talbie' - 1982 Talbot Horizon 1.3
Bought by a friend of my father to tour the country in, The Talbot was dumped with my relatives in London when it was no longer needed, on the understanding that it would be mine if I could come and collect it. I drove it back to Manchester, fixed-up the bodywork, and sold it on in 1995. It never received another tax disc.

1985 Skoda Estelle 105E
Bought by a friend for £80 which he had borrowed from me, this was given to me once said friend was finished with it, as he had never got around to paying me back. £60 well spent at the scrapyard (where an identical Skoda had landed) saw this vehicle suitably cleaned up, and I sold it for £180 in 1996. A real sucess story by my standards. Last taxed 1998.
Always started on the first turn of the key too.

Antoinette's Mini - 1983 Austin Mini Mayfair 998cc
Another project mini. This one had a dodgy steering rack when I picked it up. Once it was replaced, and some of the paintwork was brightened up a bit, it was a decent little motor. Sold on in 1997. Not taxed since 1998.

'Rusty' - Rover SD1 3500
A total wreck which I payed far too much for. This rover had been standing for several years in semi-derilict condition. I really thought I'd be able to fix it up, but though I made a fair start, it proved to require far too much work. Scrapped.

'Storm' - Rover SD1 2600 Vanden Plas
Bought as a donor vehicle, I was only the second owner from new. The floor was totally rusted out, so once I'd had all the bits I wanted, and after advertising other spares elsewhere, it has been scrapped.

1978 Chevette
Formerly owned by my grandmother (who decided to give up driving, due to failing eyesight), the Chevette got transfered to my name while I was fixing a couple of rust spots on it before it was sold on in 1997. I don't think it was ever re-taxed.

'Bluie' - Rover SD1 2600SE
I was feeding 'Tweetie-pie' some unleaded on one of my rare excursions from the office, when I was approached by another driver who offered me an SD1 he had on his farm. There was a catch, of course, in that the car had a knackered head gasket. Needless to say I picked it up for next to nothing. It provided plenty of spares for 'Tweetie', and other SD1s, but the floor was too rotten to save, and this one is now scrap.

*Current Vehicles*
1		'The Gronk' 1969 Land Rover Series 2A 2¼ Petrol Short Wheelbase. My daily drive. New chassis and bulkhead during my rebuild in 2006 mean that this one should be good for many years to come. The rebuild diary and subsequent blog can be found here... The Gronk's Rebuild Diary
2		'Kenny' 1970 Land Rover Series 2A 2.6 6-cylinder Petrol 1ton Long Wheelbase. My 'Show Vehicle' (supposedly). Sometimes you just have to buy them. A very rare Land Rover, preserved in it's original working condition from a garage in my home town. The full story and the rebuild diary can be found here... Kenny's Rebuild Diary
3		'Florence' 1973 Land Rover Series 3 2.6 6-cylinder Petrol 1ton Long Wheelbase. As I said before, sometimes you just have to buy them. Myself and two friends spotted Flo in a scrapyard, next in line for the gas-axe. She has now been saved, although the restoration is taking a loooong time. Flo's story can be found here... Flo's Rebuild Diary
4		'Greebo' Rover SD1 Vanden Plas EFi 3500 V8. Sort of a stalled restoration project. I got as far as replacing the engine and gearbox and patching some holes in the bulkhead, but then Land Rovers got in the way. I even have a web page dedicated to the rebuild, but there's nothing there to see!
5		'Biffi' 1974 Morris Mini-minor 1.4 My first project car. Arrived in pieces with it's engine all over the back seat, way back in what is rapidly becoming the last century. My first mini donated many components to the first rebuild. Unfortunatly the engine failed less than a month after it's first MOT, since when it has been more or less a permanent fixture at the back of the garage. One day it shall rise again, and have it's own webpage.

*Gone, but not forgotten...*
My first 'car' When I was a little lad looking out the window on those long boring motorway drives (Dad, are we nearly there yet!) all the police cars were either V6 Capri's or V8 Rover SD1's. Being stuck in the back of a brown Austin Maxi it was easy to wish for an exciting car, and the police cars did look striking. Hence I have always had a soft spot for these cars and although I have never owned a Capri (except this one!)...
Austin Mini Mayfair 998cc My first propper car 1992-1995
'Chantalle' - 1989 Citroën BX16RS Pilot 1995-2000. not taxed since 2001.
'Jazz' - Austin Mini City 998cc Picked up cheap and local, this mini had a smashed windscreen following an incident with a anti-theft device. I had a spare windscreen, so it was a simple fix for me. Minis of this era had front disk brakes with 12" wheels (one of the reasons I bought it). I was supposed to fix it up and sell it, but when the Citroen developed problems it became my daily drive. I sold it to friends from London in 2003.
'Sylvester' - 1989 Jaguar XJ6 (XJ40) 2.9 Automatic During the summer of 1999, the family helped me to buy a reliable car for the 70 mile drive up the M6 to see the folks. I could have gone out an bought a 3-year old Mondeo. Instead I bought a 10-year old, 1 owner from new, Jaguar XJ6 2.9 Automatic in excelent condition and enjoyed every minute I drove it. However, at the end of my first year of ownership my insurance went up by £120 so 'Sylvester' and I had to go our separate ways. I don't know where he is now, but he's not been taxed since 2006.
'Tweetie-pie' - Rover SD1 3500SE 'Tweetie-pie' came my way in mid July 2000. This canary yellow 3500 SE with modifications was rebuilt over a period of 2 years by a friend. However, four figure insurance quotations forced him to sell it without even driving it. Tweetie was my daily driver for 4 years, until I got a little sideways on the A50 one night and managed to put a nasty bend in my banana!
Nova - 1992 Vauxhall Nova Merit 1.2 Originally my mothers car, it was sold on to a family friend before I bought it back when it needed serious welding. Was then my daily driver on and off for a couple of years. Now passed on to another friend as a spares car to keep her Nova going. Now scrapped.

*The others...* - past projects and sales.
'Talbie' - 1982 Talbot Horizon 1.3 Bought by a friend of my father to tour the country in, The Talbot was dumped with my relatives in London when it was no longer needed, on the understanding that it would be mine if I could come and collect it. I drove it back to Manchester, fixed-up the bodywork, and sold it on in 1995. It never received another tax disc.
1985 Skoda Estelle 105E Bought by a friend for £80 which he had borrowed from me, this was given to me once said friend was finished with it, as he had never got around to paying me back. £60 well spent at the scrapyard (where an identical Skoda had landed) saw this vehicle suitably cleaned up, and I sold it for £180 in 1996. A real sucess story by my standards. Last taxed 1998. Always started on the first turn of the key too.
Antoinette's Mini - 1983 Austin Mini Mayfair 998cc Another project mini. This one had a dodgy steering rack when I picked it up. Once it was replaced, and some of the paintwork was brightened up a bit, it was a decent little motor. Sold on in 1997. Not taxed since 1998.
'Rusty' - Rover SD1 3500 A total wreck which I payed far too much for. This rover had been standing for several years in semi-derilict condition. I really thought I'd be able to fix it up, but though I made a fair start, it proved to require far too much work. Scrapped.
'Storm' - Rover SD1 2600 Vanden Plas Bought as a donor vehicle, I was only the second owner from new. The floor was totally rusted out, so once I'd had all the bits I wanted, and after advertising other spares elsewhere, it has been scrapped.
1978 Chevette Formerly owned by my grandmother (who decided to give up driving, due to failing eyesight), the Chevette got transfered to my name while I was fixing a couple of rust spots on it before it was sold on in 1997. I don't think it was ever re-taxed.
'Bluie' - Rover SD1 2600SE I was feeding 'Tweetie-pie' some unleaded on one of my rare excursions from the office, when I was approached by another driver who offered me an SD1 he had on his farm. There was a catch, of course, in that the car had a knackered head gasket. Needless to say I picked it up for next to nothing. It provided plenty of spares for 'Tweetie', and other SD1s, but the floor was too rotten to save, and this one is now scrap.