Things were settling down - well, as far as they could when your daily car is an 11 year old Lotus Elan with about 130,000 miles on it.
Despite being deserted at week-ends I'd obviously found a girlfriend made of stern stuff and we married in 1980. What car could we use to go away in - well, it had to be Lotty, didn't it ? And it made a whole week-end without breaking down....
But the mileage was taking it’s toll, despite my regular roadside maintenance.
The gearbox started to make odd grumbling noises until one day about 10 miles from home it started screaming at me and refused to get any gear other than 4th. As Lotty was still mobile, we began to limp home, again.
The only good thing was that it was a Friday, and Helen was used to me disappearing into our new garage (such luxury!) so that night instead of the local pub, the engine & gearbox came out.
Oh dear... the input shaft bearing was pouring metal filings all down the clutch bell-housing. I'm sure it's not supposed to be like that.
On the bike Saturday morning to my very friendly motor factor, we were on first-name terms by now. The gears & synchros were all intact but the front bearing had collapsed and that week-end I learned how to overhaul a gearbox.
You might think that's a tough one but I can assure you it's easy when you've got no money and need the car to get to work on Monday morning.
By Sunday afternoon I was ready to re-fit the gearbox and decided to sit inside the engine bay to give it a clean first.
Which was when I noticed the corrosion and big holes in the backs of the chassis turrets. Hmm - I wonder if that's why the headlamps keep drooping ?
"now love, about that television we were going to buy ? er, well, er, we need a new chassis on Lotty...."
And she still didn't walk out.......
