Tues.09.05.06. It has been a day of essential administration necessitating sending the detailed parts list to all the major suppliers. ‘Fitchetts’ responded very quickly requesting more details about the engine number to enable them to identify the equivalent parts. The conversation also extended to demanding further proof that Chris is genuinely involved in the ‘trade’. Their enquiry to confirm ‘trade status’ was merely to ‘protect the industry’. There must be one price for private and one for proper ‘traders’. The VAT registration document, that Chris had earlier sent as evidence, according to Fitchett, wasn’t adequate as it didn’t actually state ‘Motor Trader’. ‘Fitchett’ suggested that Chris could possibly be a plumber or a butcher trying to make a cheap car by accessing components at trade prices. Naturally, Chris interpreted this as a direct insult repeating that he had been VAT registered for 35 years, handing over thousands of pounds of Taxation in that period. He didn’t need a fancy letter head because he only ‘dealt’ within the trade. Another sticky patch arose when Fitchett refused to sell a Left hand drive steering rack. The explanation being that normally an exchange policy usually applies to ‘racks’. Right for right and left for left. We had a right but wanted a left. “Lefts are always in demand, in America especially, we just can’t get enough!” claimed Fitchett. “But there is absolutely no difference when re-conditioning the unit because the splined universal rose ball joint is identical both on the right as on the left, and this is the part, if any, that would need to be replaced” Chris, expertly, replied. “It is not always the splined universal rose ball joint that shows signs of wear but more commonly the shimmed pinion grease nipple attached to the ball joint bell end that corrodes. This unit is quite different from right to left” declared Fitchett. “It is quite a simple matter to switch the slip ring mounting rubber on a left for the spire nut gaitered insulator of the right thus making a complete clamp side bush assembly to match the nozzled grease plug ball joint mounting rubber of the right” countered a confident and lucid Chris. Fitchett finally agreed to consult his technical team and would get back to us with an answer. “You don’t need to get back to us because you can stick your precious left hand drive steering rack up your arse!” replied Chris, politely. I now suppose that Fitchett fits snugly in the ‘fuck off bin’.
As promised, I kept my appointment with Steve. I handed over our parts request and also asked if I could borrow one of his aero screens to see if they would be the dog’s bollocks or a dog’s dinner on the Burlington. I left my watch as collateral assuring Steve that I would return the screen the same day. Testing the screen on the car was successful. We shall certainly press on with this dramatic modification.
In the afternoon Jo and I attended the memorial service, at De La Salle, for Geoff. A tree planting ceremony and the unveiling of an Oak bench preceded a mass. It was an emotional, yet, uplifting service with staff and students, in particular, remembering the qualities of Geoff, our very close friend. We left after the service to return the aero screen to Steve and collect my watch.
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