Team Sanddodgers

A little like Star Trek (but much less nerdy) we felt the need to boldly go where no man had been before, well for about 4 years, and take the car out for its maiden voyage! And what excitement!
 
I was selected as pilot for the journey, perhaps being the most daring, the most stupid or the least likely to get us pulled over by the Police.  After backing carefully out of the drive, things were going well for about 2 miles and then we hit a problem…

Whilst taking a right hand bend at speed the car suddenly started coughing, popping and backfiring. We limped around a roundabout, back the way we came before spluttering to a holt a couple of hundred metres down the road.  Not wanting to draw too much attention to our non TAX’d non MOT’d 1978 rust bucket, we pushed the car back into a turning to inspect the damage.  Turns out, it was nothing major, one of the plug leads had popped off… phew!  The only problem was trying to put it back on in a seriously hot engine in the most unreachable of places… Needless to say, I got my fingers burnt (and Pete was there to capture the moment!)

After reattaching the plug leads, the old girl was purring like a kitten once more.  I also got the chance to try out the infamous turbo.  It may be slow to start, but then it does - WOW!  At about 4000rpm, BANG! Off it goes and your pinned to your seat.  WICKED!

Well we made it home safe and sound.  Things did get a little heated though.  We will need to have a look at that.  Check out the steam:

Is this car really going to make 4000 miles?

We did manage to install the stereo however.  Definitely the newest part of the vehicle and looking a little out of place.  At least we have some essential tunes for the journey and / or waiting for the RAC to bail us out.