Dear All,
Yesterday, I did a recce for a possible alternative venue for the next
Beds/Cambs Spitfire List Meet - G. B. Sports Cars, based in the little
village of Billington, just outside Leighton Buzzard, in Bedfordshire.
(If you've never heard of Leighton Buzzard, shame on you! That's where
the Rolling Stones come from...)
G. B. Sports Cars is an amusing place to spend a few hours. Despite
their advertising, they do not seem to be all that interested in MG or
Austin-Healey cars, and seem to concentrate on Triumphs - there were
about 20 Spits and a handful of GT6s on their forecourt for sale, many
in superb condition. Prices are mostly around the three grand mark,
but Robert (the owner?) complained at length that nothing was selling at
the moment, so if you are in the market for a new car, now might be the
time to go and haggle.
As far as spares are concerned, there are no new parts available, and
GB's attitude to storing used parts makes the Spitfire Graveyard look
like Harrods. Parts are strewn *everywhere* outside, and more are
contained in large shipping containers, some of which are literally full
from floor to just below ceiling height. Finding a specific part is
probably impossible - but the fun comes in what turns up unexpectedly.
GB have a *lot* of used parts - probably more than TRGB in Somersham -
and the range is unusual. There must be fifty seats from 1500s; twenty
or thirty sets of dashboard panels (including a beautiful one out of a
Vitesse); dozens of hoods and tonneau covers; chrome bumpers everywhere:
there are even a fair number of hard-tops lying around. My only
purchases of the day were a rear bumper for a 1500, complete with
"TRIUMPH" number-plate light and all fixings (almost perfect, GBP45.00)
and a tread-plate (thrown in for nothing, with a promise that if another
one turns up I can have that for nothing as well).
I like this place. It's tatty, eccentric, and good value for money -
much like many of our cars, really...
Does anyone (Richard? Tim? Anyone else?) fancy a trip to
Bedfordshire in a week or two's time?
ATB
--
Mike
Michael Hargreave Mawson, author of "Eyewitness in the Crimea"
http://www.greenhillbooks.com/booksheets/eyewitness_in_the_crimea.html
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