Mad Hatter is now back in the game
A huge thank you to Darren at Radtec for pulling out all the stops in getting a new radiator made and to me in record time
And a thank you to my fellow Le BOG Club members for the offers of help
That was a close call

Put my E30 into the garage 2 and half weeks ago just to get it fettled before the off as I didn't want the same issue as 2011 when the fuel pump failed on the way home and left me and my mate stranded for 2 days and the car for 2 weeks in Bernay France. All was going well until the phone call came telling me that the anti roll bar brackets need to be replaced, unfortunately it wasn't that simple and the metal their bolted to was rotten and required welding. Anyway along with the anti roll bar brackets, new front pads, oil service and a new thermostat hose hopefully I'm ready for the off. Well I will be, once I pick up a new expansion tank cap this afternoon.

Hopefully it won't be on the hardshoulder of the Autoroute this time, I can only live with the shame of being overtaken by a Routemaster bus once.

Ian,

Got a couple of spare cars floating around - you're welcome to take one if its easier. Both will get you there in comfort, maybe not in style. Ones even got plastic panels so you'll feel some resemblance to a TVR lol.

I'll text you meantime.

I'm taking your old chariot

Went to remove the wheels on the 5 series to give them a proper clean, managed to sheer off one of the locking nuts and break the key.

Had to get the broken nut drilled out and BMW are hopefully getting the other three locks off tomorrow!

Getting a puncture in France -> Annoying
Getting a puncture in a RFT in France -> Maybe tricky
Getting a puncture in an RFT, with the wheel locked on the car, in France -> A real pain

Knowing sods law I'm keen to get all of the locks off before I go.

Ha! Was double-parked on the kerb as there was no parking in Jones Memorial ground

She hasn't missed a beat since I took her away from you - still the best car I have ever owned, by an absolute country mile. Got a couple of very minor battle-scars but she is 11 years old now.

Still being looked after by PMW

Other than servicing and tyres, all I have needed to so is an alternator, battery and a couple of parking sensors.

I've been looking at replacements recently (I'm sure I have been saying that for about 3 years now) but can't bring myself to get rid.

Nooooooo! Because I almost certainly would be.

(Well, maybe just a quick spin around the block? That wouldn't hurt, would it? )

Stop it!

A lot more room in the Volvo! I've somehow just crammed two peoples bare bones luggage into the 7.

Having rushed around to get the Saab serviced and tyres changed in good time before LM, I then had to rush to replace the rad in the E39 so the wife had a car to use. I won't go into the inability of my local motor factors to supply me with the correct parts causing unnecessary delay to completing the job.

Anyway, the wife calls me this morning to say the E39 won't start, then half an hour later she's stranded somewhere in the Saab as that won't start. A nice RAC man sorted out the Saab (stuck clutch pedal - hmmm) and the E39 turned out to just be a little glitch thanks to moving the car only ten meters onto the driveway yesterday.

Messing about with all this means that I still haven't finished sorting out the folding bikes I bought 6 months ago and packing hasn't even started.

Not feeling prepared for this at all.