Discussion
Last weekend I fulfilled a longstanding dream. A bit of background...
I am from Blackpool, as are most of my family going as far back as one and a half generations. I love the place. It is hugely flawed and I know this and it makes me sad that many people living there were not as lucky as me. I was shielded from the less fortunate side and remember only the beach and the sea and the lights and the buzz. I left in 1991 when I was 11 but have always gone back regularly.
One such visit was age 14. Our school instructed us all to arrange two week's of work experience. I could have gone to work in an office like most people, but it was written in the stars that I would end up working in financial services so I knew this was my chance to do something different. And so, a car nut and Blackpool fan, I wrote a carefully crafted letter to a chap called Peter Wheeler asking if I could spend my two weeks at the TVR factory. I was fortunate that my old scout leader worked in the factory and also put a word in for me. And so it came to be that, in 1994, I moved in with my grandparents and spent two weeks working in the rectification department (a very busy part of the factory).
I had a very brief meeting with Peter Wheeler but was clearly not high on his agenda that morning and so was quickly passed on.
They were great with me. I learned a huge amount. Wash your hands before handling your todger if you work on fibreglass cars. A long stand is not a real thing. TVR's leak. Don't show your mates how loud your Chimaera is by revving its nuts from cold on your gravel driveway. TVRs leak. Most importantly I learned that I LOVED TVRs.
So I promised myself one by the time I was 40.
Fast forward 24 years and I finally did just that.
I've come close to buying one a few times, but didn't want to make that final move until everything was right. I didn't want to be struggling to get a good one, or too skint to run one, or have nowhere to keep one.
A house move meant more garage space and quitting my short lived habit of buying nearly new cars (in favour of an E46 330 Coupe) meant there was spare cash available.
I'm an old car fan so when I saw an orange (tangerine?) S2 for sale that checked out when I did my online checks (be warned, I will not just check out your car history but you too if you have any online presence!) I went for it.
It was over 300 miles away so I gathered info and negotiated pricing via email with the very helpful owner. After a brew and run out in it there was no way I wasn't going to make that trip home in it, so the deal was done.
My first proper experience driving a TVR was from the Devon coast to Lancashire. It was ace... I didn't need breakdown cover or waterproofs once.
It's only been a week but so far it puts a massive smile on my face every time I see it!
I am from Blackpool, as are most of my family going as far back as one and a half generations. I love the place. It is hugely flawed and I know this and it makes me sad that many people living there were not as lucky as me. I was shielded from the less fortunate side and remember only the beach and the sea and the lights and the buzz. I left in 1991 when I was 11 but have always gone back regularly.
One such visit was age 14. Our school instructed us all to arrange two week's of work experience. I could have gone to work in an office like most people, but it was written in the stars that I would end up working in financial services so I knew this was my chance to do something different. And so, a car nut and Blackpool fan, I wrote a carefully crafted letter to a chap called Peter Wheeler asking if I could spend my two weeks at the TVR factory. I was fortunate that my old scout leader worked in the factory and also put a word in for me. And so it came to be that, in 1994, I moved in with my grandparents and spent two weeks working in the rectification department (a very busy part of the factory).
I had a very brief meeting with Peter Wheeler but was clearly not high on his agenda that morning and so was quickly passed on.
They were great with me. I learned a huge amount. Wash your hands before handling your todger if you work on fibreglass cars. A long stand is not a real thing. TVR's leak. Don't show your mates how loud your Chimaera is by revving its nuts from cold on your gravel driveway. TVRs leak. Most importantly I learned that I LOVED TVRs.
So I promised myself one by the time I was 40.
Fast forward 24 years and I finally did just that.
I've come close to buying one a few times, but didn't want to make that final move until everything was right. I didn't want to be struggling to get a good one, or too skint to run one, or have nowhere to keep one.
A house move meant more garage space and quitting my short lived habit of buying nearly new cars (in favour of an E46 330 Coupe) meant there was spare cash available.
I'm an old car fan so when I saw an orange (tangerine?) S2 for sale that checked out when I did my online checks (be warned, I will not just check out your car history but you too if you have any online presence!) I went for it.
It was over 300 miles away so I gathered info and negotiated pricing via email with the very helpful owner. After a brew and run out in it there was no way I wasn't going to make that trip home in it, so the deal was done.
My first proper experience driving a TVR was from the Devon coast to Lancashire. It was ace... I didn't need breakdown cover or waterproofs once.
It's only been a week but so far it puts a massive smile on my face every time I see it!
Edited by marsred on Monday 2nd July 22:34
skylarking808 said:
Looks like it will be great fun!
How could you not own a TVR after that story. S2 looks tidy and not sure I have ever seen one in that colour.
Not sure how useful or original those door mirrors are though haha.
I can promise you the door mirrors are as original as the colour How could you not own a TVR after that story. S2 looks tidy and not sure I have ever seen one in that colour.
Not sure how useful or original those door mirrors are though haha.
They proved to be very useful on the journey home after the rear view mirror fell off. All fixed now.
QBee said:
Lovely car - I see you got one with the optional working handbrake....or you left it in gear on that steep driveway.
Have fun in it....oh, you were going to!
It's actually a flat driveway. My trick photography skills give the impression that it isn't Have fun in it....oh, you were going to!
The handbrake does work though. Most things seem to so far. It has the usual sticky electric window but that's fixable. For now i'll just enjoy it while the weather's good. I'm part way through refurb/updating the interior of our T4 which needs finishing before Bug Jam so that's getting all my attention at the moment!
When the weather cools i'll be able to give it a proper clean, which i find is the best way to start seeing the little things that need attention over winter.
Here's a sneaky interior shot taken by my little lad. It comes with bonus Winter Hill fire smoke in the background!
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