Billy's new car

[DaveC]

Any updates? My camera wasn't working properly so unfortunately no photos!

[66mini]

Davec: you should do something about that camera of yours , first you miss the UK Mini Club meeting in Manooth now this !

[kerryminigringo]

Come on Billy,where are the pictures of the latest addition to Billys Irish mini collection.

[The Marcos Graveyard]

Taking over where Tom Turkington left off ?????

[Billy]

Finally got the exhaust valve for the Jag engine yesterday and spent yesterday and today putting everything back together. Mini heads are a piece of piss in comparison!

Anyway I'll post photos tomorrow when I've a chance.

Billy

[Billy]

So.......

The Saturday before last, I got a call from Niall Walsh in Dublin saying he basically was looking for someone with a hydrolastic pump to shift the Hornet he bought some years ago but never finished, so as to make room in his garage for another Mini project (long story cut very short).

Anyway I was on the lookout for a spares car or a possible donor for a reshell or something half rotten for the Hornet trailer, if that ever happens.

As DaveC and 66mini live near Niall, I rang DaveC to see if the 2 lads were interested in seeing this car and sure enough they were.

When I arrived at Niall's house at 9.30 last Saturday morning, we were treated to a fine feed of rasher sandwiches and a general car chat ensued.

The hydro pump was needed as the suspension was flat and it wouldn't go onto a trailer without being pumped. My newly-acquired hydro pump did the job grand so definitely works if anyone near me needs their suspension pumped.

It turned out that UZO 850 had spent all its life in south Dublin and had been restored previously. Naturally enough there's some patching to be done now but it's far too good to use for parts or a trailer. It's now joined the queue of Irish-reg Minis to be eventually restored once the 6 numbers come up!

Here's the Hornet, 2 Daves, and Niall's family:



A nice wooden steering wheel:



The Hornet on the trailer:



I took KMG's advice on using Pairc ui Chaoimh for some emergency parking seeing as no one else is using it at the moment:



That evening I got a call from Niall to say that he and his son Peter had attacked his blue Mini after we left and it was now ready for welding. Niall has also now joined the IMOC and hopes to make it to the club AGM on Feb 24th.

Billy

[Billy]

Took more photos this morning. It's a glorious day here in North Cork





I need to spend a day doing a major clearout to squeeze UZO into the shed asap.

Billy

[DaveC]

Good work.
I like the new style seating in Park Ui Caoimh!

[spicooper]

Is this the car you are brining to the IMM? Where’s the motor?


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Rap up well its cold outside.............

[kerryminigringo]

Don,t be silly Milton,the one he is bringing to the IMM is in much worse condition. I think he had this one waiting in the wings all along and if you remember not so long ago he was looking for a good 998 in the wanted section.It,s all clear now what he was at.

[Billy]

Here's the famous Churchill Hydrolastic Pump. It doesn't look great but it does the business:

[spicooper]

Just checking, ah sure the rusty cars are lighter should save a fortune going to the IMM.

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10 inch wheels it’s not the size it what you do with it.

[Billy]

UZO had spent the last 2.5 weeks in an open field since I collected it from Niall W. so this morning I dragged everything out of the project-storage shed to make room. A council worker who was working on a road nearby, came in a look and was soon followed by 4 other lads. Fair play to ye lads, sez I, come round the back of the house and help me push this other yoke. So basically the taxpayer's money was put to good use by helping me get UZO into the shed. Here's the 3 projects safely tucked away for the foreseeable:



It's a grand shed as the oil burner is also in there so the cars are kept dry.

It will be a while before UZO sees the light of day but at least it's out of the elements.

Billy

[The Marcos Graveyard]

Waits for post from Oisin McGrath in 2037 about his great Barn Find.

[beadles]

i looks so good billy i'm tempted to ask for it back
only joking
good to see it under cover again.
i'm jealous of you country guys with big sheads but maybe my bank balance is the better for not having one.
interesting fact don't know if i told billy and the dave's. The Grille badge was made by the special effects dept in Ardmore Studios for the previous Itialian owners

any way any news on the convertiable??