Blue Monday

‘In the corner of the workshop, Olli Ragbin sits watching events unfold before him’

Tastes, like time, change. I remember back in the early 2000’s nearly every new car was silver. There was something smart about silver car. They looked so…. modern. Likewise, a few years later, in my neck of the woods every new 4x4 was spec’d in brilliant white. This seemed to affect the big Mercs more than it did X5s and the like.

My own personal colour preferences change over time, but certain models always seem to be more right in one particular colour palet.

I love a Porsche in slate grey. A colour from the 50’s I believe, available either flat or metallic (with a hint of purple in the sparkle).

Grey is particularly strong on the more outlandish sports cars. A Lamborghini in grey is akin to getting slapped across the face by a brick in a nice wool sock. (In lime green it’s the same effect, minus the sock).

I’ve had a couple of E46 M3s (silver and carbon black (which looked like midnight blue in direct sunlight ironically)). But the best colour they ever did for this model was Laguna Seca blue. A fabulous flat-blue which only lasted a couple of years.

Ever since then any car I see in this type of shade looks uber cool to me. Recent 911s can be seen in either Miami or shark blue which is too close to Laguna Seca for me to tell in anything other than side-by-side comparison.

This week Siobhan has had the new family camper in. Again, campers (particularly VW campers) are cool whatever way you look at ‘em…this one though is in a gorgeous flat blue. I did have a poke around to see if I cold find a colour code from VW for this. I remember a chum had a really nice Golf GTDI in this colour so it may well be original spec.

Just look at it… tell me it doesn’t look sensational!

Underneath though, Shrimp-eye Justin has been tasked to sort out some wiring. As we know, wrangling multi-coloured spaghetti is a strong suit for S-EJ and by polar opposite, my idea of a complete living nightmare. (I lose interest in any repair jobs that don’t require being hit by a lump-hammer or tweaked with the adjustable wench).

The grandkids are back..!! This time an older one has been given a treat. Look at the smile on his face and tell me he aint gonna be a car boy for life!

And now, a wee demonstration of the range of jobs we get in at CCM. We literally span decades, nearly centuries!

This is a 1937 Austin, in for a gearbox repair.

How on earth do you source parts for something like this?

“We found a chap in Hayling island who had one in his ‘toy cupboard’” said Eric in a deadpan style.

Of course we did. How could I have not know that? I mean it’s obvious. 1937 Austin with gearbox problems, Hayling island, I mean everyone knows that, right? Well, apparently, we do.

The car accident of which we are not allowed to speak of (my eldest’s first prang which was followed swiftly by the verbal equivalent of a thick ear from both parents) has been progressing well. As you can see, it’s stripped down and receiving parts sourced from every corner of the UK.

I’ve left my favourite pic till last. This little beaut is well over half a century old. But look at it…. Just look at it! If the Siobhan’s family camper is the definition of cool, then this is positively sub-zero.

But best of all, and something which each and every one of you classic enthusiasts will appreciate, is this engine bay.

This has had us all staring in the sort of slack-jawed wonder normally reserved for observing piano-playing Labradors.

Another busy week ends. Young Chris has finished his caring attention on the big Aprilia and Eric has been seen blatting hither and thither on same. I’ve put in an idea in the Collin’s suggestion box about a potential 3rd candidate for a motorcycling-sharing-agreement to join the 2 already in force. Ingrid is yet to adjudicate on this delicate matter so I expect Eric is trying to get a sense of the ‘right time’.

Will this idea butter any parsnips? Probably not, but still, automotive pleasures take many forms. At CCM, we’re open to pretty much all of them, and if you are in need of help with yours, then just pick up the bat phone. We’d be delighted to hear from you.

So from the CMM team, Eric, Siobhan, Dr Ray, Shrimp-eye Justin, Young Chris, Izzi, Ingrid and all the grandchildren, have a great week with whatever tickles your automotive fancy.

(The 'Young Chris tweaked and fettled' big 'Priler.... fun with a capital 'F' and likely the picture that (once published) will draw the usual 'No he can't' text from Ingrid)