Car trouble and changes of plans

Well I was going to write to you about the fantastic time I had at Blaenavon Ironworks with the Wee Crafty Folks at their Steampunk weekender.  And I was going to post loads of pictures of the fabulous costumes and the wonderful Tracy (Hooks and Dragons) and Julie (Picking up Toys) who I planned to meet there.

 However, Ffloyd, my fabulously beautiful 1968 Hillman Husky had other plans and decided to overheat 13 miles into the 47 mile trip from home to event.  So instead I will tell you how I was stranded by the roadside in 30 degree (ish) heat dressed entirely inappropriately in a long steampunk skirt, tea soaked vintage lace blouse and top hat, with the engine cover off, trying to pretend to know what I was doing for an hour and a half  before being subject to ‘tow the shame’ back to where I began.

Sadly, as beautiful as Ffloyd is she is in desperate need of a heart transplant, and whilst I have the new heart ready and on standby the surgeons but have been otherwise engaged with emergencies coming in, in the form of a fuel injection system for son’s 1965 Singer Chamois and a front brakes rebuild to hubby’s 1972 Volvo.  So Ffloyd had been advised to ‘take it easy’ , ‘not exert herself to much’ and to ‘stay close to home’.  Unfortunately my long-standing plan to enter an alternative reality for the weekend, clashed with an alternative plan made by Hubby and son to have a lads weekend at Silverstone for the Formula Student that Mechanical Engineering graduate son is involved in.  This meant that all the advisories left by them on the health of Ffloyd were suddenly considered ‘overprotective’ as the modern(ish), reliabl(ish) Toyota Prius was required for their trip.

Against my better judgement I allowed them to reassure me that Ffloyd would be ‘fine’ for the journey.  Despite no medication, remedial repairs of major operations having yet taken place.  A check of her fluid levels and her  pressures and a run around the block served to convince Hubby that I had ‘nothing to worry about’ and off he disappeared.

Anyway, despite knowing full well there was no way Ffloyd would make such a journey in this uncharacteristically hot weather, or in any weather for that matter due to her ailing health, I proceeded with false hope.

Of course Ffloyd decided to throw her first fit half way across a busy junction with a blind bend (anyone who knows Builth Wells knows that crossing the road opposite the Wyeside towards Brecon is not the place you want to be stopped straddling both lanes ). Anyway, I managed to coax her round the corner and off onto a side road so she was in the shade and out of danger.  The engine was bubbling spluttering and steaming. so at first there was nothing I could do but sit and wait for her to cool down.  There was no way I was going near that radiator and risking a volcano of super heated steam and water… ( I learned my lesson about hot things last year with the Bolognaise incident).  Once she’d top spluttering I opened up the engine bay, which in a Husky is at the back, took the lid of and was relieved to see it still full of water.  So I waited another half hour for her to properly rest up.  Texted my tweepy friends about my delay and went to head off.  Poor old Ffloyd.  !3 miles really was pushing her in her current state.  She would not restart.  I tried and tried.  Phone calls and rantings to Hubby and Son served to make me feel a bit better but did little to fix the problem.  I took off the top of the fuel pump and checked the filter for ‘crud’ (technical term 😀 ) but the fuel was clean.  She was hot, bothered and exhausted.  I was beginning to feel the same way.

Time to phone a friend

Thank you Dave.  Half an hour later he arrived with a tow rope and a Landrover discovery to rescue this damsel in distress.

There is nothing sadder than people in oncoming cars looking at you sat as the tow-ee in your beautiful classic that has failed in its fundamental use, that of delivering you independently between point A and point B.

Dave complimented me on my tow-ee skills, noting that it was ‘obviously’ not the first time I’d done that.  Obviously!!!  I in turn complimented him as tow-er for his considerate driving and steady pace.  Recounting my last experience of being towed (by Hubby, er-hem) who had a rope about 8 inches long; his car stacked with hedge trimmings so I couldn’t see him and he couldn’t see me; and being towed at about 50 mph along windy country lanes.  In that instance I got home and couldn’t peel my hands of the steering wheel they were gripped so tightly; and my legs were like jelly!!  I do love my Hubby but he does think he’s the world’s greatest rally driver at all times and in all road conditions.  Generally I try to sleep if in a car with him but as tow-ee that simply is not an option.  Anyway enough bad mouthing of my lovely man, but noting by comparison how considerate my friends husband was in the situation and suggesting a lesson could be learnt should he feel one might be required….. #justsaying #hopingthisdoesnotstartarow #hubbyifyourereadingthisidoloveyoureally #letsnotmentionthisagain xxxx

So, I made it home.   And Tracey, has reliably posted on her blog from the Blaenavon Wee Craft Folks Steampunk Weekend, so I don’t need to l stalk her on twitter and her blog until I get it; I shall just continue to stalk her for entertainment purposes as is the norm 😉

On the plus side there is another event organised for September and it’s already in my diary.

With regards to Ffloyd, seeing as I can’t find a reliable mechanic, ……perhaps I should trade her in for this …. (#onlykiddingboysiloveyoureally)

…just happened to chance upon my dream Roller