Classic car mechanic’s weekly motoring – Red alert

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

It’s September already. Where on earth has this year gone? The weather is still great and the days long enough. But, we all know it, Autumn and winter is in the post and lurking quietly to come and nick our ice cream.

We’ve all been busy making the most of it, none more than Shrimp Eye Justin and Duncan, who between them seem to have racked up every classic show over the last 20 weekends.

This weekend being no different.

Back in the day, I used to have abundance of workshop photos from which to write factually correct snippets…now, all they’ll share with me is photos from the weekend shows. It’s as if the stark observations from the CCM garage are being somehow avoided…. Can’t think why…. Must make a note to have a word with Siobhan….. she’ll remedy that quickly enough.

I was out on my (self-powered) bicycle this morning and my route takes me past a local Bentley specialist. I simply can’t help myself and had to stop to have a wee look at what was parked outside.

And so to the photos… this weeks tenuous running theme…. red cars.

You don't see many in this hue. There's something quite brave about choosing a big saloon in a big colour. I'm guessing very few got carnival red sprayed across their flanks

Car #2 from my cycle ride. Yes, it's a little rough around the edges, but I just love a big boxy 80's saloon. The bigger, the better. Rolls did the biggest, therefore in my view, the best

Ahh, the Vauxhall Firenza, a car so beautiful that some folk can't even face it

This bike rocked the world when it landed in the 70's. Japanese engineering had taken what the Brits did to 11.... and that styling... where did I put my cords?

The original was so good, they made a modern version.... still beautiful, but not the game changer the grandfather was

Menacing respect and overbearing authoritarianism..... feared and respected by all in the criminal community.... once sighted, grown men would cower and look the other way. That's the impact Gerald 'bunch-of-keys' Jones had in the 80's. These days he just goes to classic car shows. Here pictured with a cuddly cop car of his vintage (whatchyoo-lookin-at geezer...)

Are MR2s getting smaller, or teenagers getting bigger. The Liphook giant casually admires the diminutive Toyota whilst literally everyone else looks the other way in fear. Apparently he ate one once

Coming soon on 'Collecting Cars'.... it's red, it's a big saloon and I absolutely love it. The SD1. Design inspired by the Ferrari Daytona of all things.... and the best looking Rover ever, in my book

I'm led to believe that Greta Thunberg has one of these tucked away in her garage. Guilty pleasure, see

Man in silly hat interviewed by 7 minis. I think the yellow one asked him what his weaknesses were. 'I'm a bit of a perfectionist' he said. Classic schoolboy interviewing error that one. He didn't get the job

Another one coming up on Collecting Cars shortly. Just incase nobody notices you creeping up on them in a Bentley the size of Gibraltar, paint it red. The motoring equivalent of a peacock in full display sitting in a sparrows nest. Want one. Simple as that

Summertime. 27 degrees, but when a car is this cool, you need to wear a parker and sunnies just to take a photo of its boot. (This is the only reason I can think of that justifies a TOG 15 jacket during the hottest summer on record. I'm worried he's not wearing his gloves. He could get a nasty nip of frost on his digits. Go carefully my friend)

And so ends a fairly slow-news kinda week.

Go steady out there, wherever you are, whatever you're doing and enjoy the tail-end of a beautiful summer.

Olli