OUR GARAGE

Rattle & Hum

It isn’t the first time I’ve written this, and I’m fairly confident it won’t be the last, but as most of you are aware, due to the amount of press cars that get delivered, Deux Smurf, our 1996 Toyota Surf doesn’t get driven much, and last week she let me know how she felt about it.

During a quick shopping trip, not only could I hear a rattle emanating from her nether regions, there was also a constant rumble and a worrying clunk that I could actually feel through her pedals.

Sliding underneath with her engine running, I discovered the high pitched rattle was her exhaust, and the fault lay with two perished bushes. These were given a temporary fix using a cable tie and a spot of Araldite, as I went to order some bushes. The other rattles only make themselves known whilst on the move.

With both my jobs (counselling and producing the mag), taking up the whole of my days, I drove her to Steve’s, our mechanic who I’ve known for the best part of nearly 40 years, for him to investigate.

Whilst at Steves I got an update on the Bugster. “The Bugster?” you ask. The Bugster is our 1970 Doon beach buggy who we introduced way back in our second issue.

Why the update?

Well, it was just before Covid brought the world to its knees, and I was reversing the Bugster out of my yard when there was a huge clunk, and the clutch went slack. Due to the whole world shutting down nothing could be done to get her mended, so we bundled her up in the Carcoon, and went on with life. There she stayed in her cozy bed, with the occasional unwrapping to check everything was OK.

Recently Muddy Madam got sick of seeing the immovable silver bubble out of the kitchen window, and reminded me that we only got the Bugster so we could go out and enjoy the silliness that comes from driving around in a beach buggy in Lancashire. This gentle prod popped my procrastination bubble, and I promptly hired a man with a loader to take her to Steve's. With her engine out, Steve discovered the clutch fork had snapped, and he’s currently waiting on a replacement. Once he’s done that he’ll also be fitting a new fuel line and a reconditioned steering box.

It’s been such a long time since we’ve driven her I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like, but I’ll write a full update when she roadworthy again, though I suspect that will be sometime next year, as winter in the North West of England probably isn't the best time to be driving around in a vehicle that is totally open to the elements!

Back to Deux Smurf, at the time of writing she is still with Steve, so it won’t be until next month when you (and I), find out what the other rattles are, and by then I’ll also have the OSRAM VX1000 40” light bar fitted and wired up. Until next time....