Weds.13.09.06. This has been a big day for spending money. The orders for Rimmer Brothers (£2065.61) and SuperFlex (£168.91) have been posted this morning with a promise that the goods would be dispatched upon receipt of the cheques. Hopefully all the new components will arrive by Friday or Saturday. These formal requests should really ‘kick start’ the project. Graham is the ‘latest’ contact at ‘Life’s Motors’ in Southport. John has accidentally fallen off his ‘Harley’ whilst on holiday in Italy, breaking his ankle; he will not be in work for a further four weeks. Graham sounds very accommodating but he may not be comfortable to a cash bung or the Vat. Free atmosphere that John seems to promote. The rubber beading together with the rear light gaskets are new stock whereas the used chrome bumpers are not and as such are not subject to the dreaded 17.50% Vat, according to John. Unfortunately, Graham is the new kid on the block so rather than possibly ‘queering John’s pitch’ caution was the ‘watchword’ whilst negotiating the deal. I had phoned Graham as I approached the outskirts of Southport to ask if he could possibly gather the order together as I was running slightly late.
“Of course”, was his response, but if I arrived after one o’clock he would not be there. I was reminded, fondly, that Life’s Motors must be the only car showroom in the UK that still closes for a traditional lunch hour. Old fashioned values, a timeless product to sell, years of experience (this is the oldest Morgan outlet in Britain), only having to deal with proper folk have combined to make this business quite unique. I had never met Graham before but he was everything that I expected. Probably in his mid sixties, rosy smiling face, thick grey hair conventionally styled and sporting the ‘corporate’ well worn faded blue Life’s Motors polo shirt draw together by chest sized khaki ‘Farrahs’; he immediately led me to the swag that he had assembled. During the transaction he casually mentioned that the original garage was opposite the present site, the initial company had been established in 1923. I asked him politely how long he had worked at Life’s, to which he replied, modestly, not very long, only since 1965. As I was buttering up to Graham Jo was busy snapping away, busily gathering images of dashboards and interiors, all of which will be useful, when we eventually reach that stage of development.
The total bill, unfortunately including Vat., was £154.16 for all the parts. The bumpers alone would have been £250.00 each if I had wanted ‘brand new’, but the minor faults on the used ones at £50.00 each can be polished out or disguised in some way. The rubber beading came in at £21.00 and the gaskets and brackets at £9.00: all in all not a bad haul considering the pleasant, relaxed, helpful atmosphere at Life’s Motors.
The next stop of the day was to collect the engine panels from Andy at R and G Engineering. Andy was on site so I left £140.00 in his toolbox and eagerly hurried back to Westmead with the panels and the ‘Morgan bits’. “What the fuck are these!” Chris was suggesting that the cladding Andy had fashioned was no better than an apprentice or even worse that I could produce. “Just look at the way he’s cut the edges, I think he’s chewed it off, the faces aren’t even straight and the ‘alli’ that he’s used is ‘gash’, it’s throw away stuff! fuckin’ hell you can’t trust anyone these days!” I guessed that Chris was less than pleased with Andy’s workmanship, certainly after closer inspection I couldn’t help but agree. These panels were shite, they shall have to be returned. Chris, rightfully, had a fifteen minute rant but was quickly revived with the news that I had received during the morning from the DVLA.
That sweety, Jean Beaver, (I fantasised to wonder whether she was blond or brunette, or if the upstairs bedroom carpet is the same colour as the dining room?) has been faithful to her word posting a copy of my registration document containing the chassis number and engine number of the Burlington. Chassis number GE 82631 SC and engine number GK 8152 HE. “There is a God!” exclaimed happy Chris.
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