Progress?

Weds.11.04.07. Better news on the building front. Chris has been studiously calculating the position of the rear lights, indicators and reflectors. The exact position of the units on the wings has several determining factors. Namely, their location has an influence upon the height of the bumper, the fixing of the spare wheel, luggage rack, the accessibility of the fuel cap and the obvious considerations of illumination. The combination of all of these factors has also an aesthetic impact upon the rear appearance of the car and for that reason alone, a considered, deliberate approach is fundamental. 

I have decided to use photographic images from other proven vehicles as an aid for the design of the dashboard and console. By plotting out the various alternatives I propose to develop the most appropriate for the car. 

I intend to produce at least three initial blueprints, all quite different in form using a diversity of materials and colour codes. The first will utilize the traditional materials of walnut and leather: another will principally utilize aluminium as a base and the final design will incorporate the retro styling of the ‘70’ year anniversary Morgan vehicles that incorporates the body colour within the actual dashboard. I have, also a trip to France during the next month where I have a piece of South American hardwood given to me by ‘Don Mikey’. He alleges that the exotic South American timber is at least 200 years old; it certainly is well seasoned having wonderfully rich black swirls hidden within the naturally sumptuous grain. I have an idea that would involve Monsieur Alain Luzan, the local and well-respected carpenter, to have the slab of wood planed, prepared then cut to the required size of the dash and console. French timber crafted by a notable artisan sounds pretty perfect for the Burlington to add yet another twist to the tale. This idea may tip the balance in favour of wood as the chosen material. 

Inevitably any conversation in the Oak eventually gravitates to ‘cars’ when just the ‘blokes’ gather in the Roy Castle corner. And sure enough it was the turn of cockney Mick to wax lyrical about his particular favourite machine; his M540i. “It’s fackin’ faast as fack, 192 mph wiv 450 bhp, I’ve ‘ad the limiter taken out an’ ‘ad it rechipped, it’s a beast, it’s a right evil cant” (why don’t people from the south of England swear like the rest of us, it’s not difficult? They insist upon saying ‘cant’ instead of cunt and ‘fackin’ ‘ell’ rather than fuckin’ hell). Mick commenced, “Let me tell you a story about some young cant who wanted to buy the car. He said to me, can I drive? I said, can you fack! So I took ‘im, just poodling along, foa a ride up to the motorway. To which he said, what’s all the fuss about? Then I nudged her into second an’ by the time we ‘ad reached the end of the slip road we were touchin’ 90 fackin’miles a fackin’ hour. You should ‘ave seen the cants face, it was snow white an’ glued to the back seat. I took ‘im up the motorway at 170, I’m sure ‘ee was going to piss ‘imself; when I slowed dawn I arsked ‘im if ‘ee still wanted to buy the car an’ ‘ee said, do I fuck. I knew the cant would be shit scared, I noo ‘ee was just a fackin’ tyre kicker, but I didn’t want to sell the car anyway so I told ‘im to fack off an’ not waste my time”.