Classics – Good medicine

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

Well, a very good morning to each and everyone of you. Today I’ve had to take a rare excursion from my quiet place in the corner of CCM and ventured into the great outdoors to get vaccination jab number 2.

I don’t really like the idea of needles, so I’ve decided to go the surgery armed with a sugar cube in the hope that the Oxford-AstraZeneca solution is delivery-format agnostic. I don’t like to make a fuss, so I shall just present the sugar cube on a small velvet cushion contained in a tiny mahogany box. Then, like a brave boy, I shall pop the purple cube (all proper medicine is purple) down the hatch and continue the rest of my day.

Last night, Eric and I had a post-work discussion about the current state of play and chat-chatted about some of his plans. Before we did that we took a little wander around the workshop.

Easier said than done. The place is packed currently.

Look at that, you can barely move in here!

There’s also a couple of bikes in the outbuilding too.

One of my absolute favourites this week is this sensational Jaguar Mk II. Subject to recent full restoration, the thing is just gorgeous. The owners carried out much of the restoration work themselves I believe and it looks stunning. The door opens with momentum bought about by significant heft. And ‘clunk’. It shuts. Tight, tight tolerances. As if 1 or 2 mill either way would be not perfect enough, so perfect it is.

Inside the lacquered wood veneers have the look of walnut dipped in honey as you sit there is your comfortable leather armchair admiring the view that no modern machinery comes close to.

Today’s cars are sooo much bigger than cars of old. In my mind, the Mk II was a big car. My son this week got his first car. A 2011 Fiesta. Like Izzi, the ubiquitous Ford will be a great first whip. Inside, I swear, it’s the same size as the Jag!

I think the Bentley Turbo R is likely the last generation of the ‘wood & leather’ look that to my eye is just so….proper classic. With the Jag though, you’ve got the thin-rimmed steering wheel and the whiff of Sweeny as an added extra.

This was the car that Dr Ray was lovingly working on of recent. And you can see why ‘lovingly’ is the only real way to describe it.

This sort of car affects everyone who’s gaze falls upon her.

Genuine care and attention is the only mode. Anything less would be criminal.

It’s only 6 months ago that Eric was a successful one-man band. Today the CCM family is growing and expanding (without the knee-cymbals) and our services are being called upon from all corners of the globe.

Last week’s Merc SL inspection has turned into some very minor and gentle restoration work. It didn’t need much. I would never eat my lunch off the underside of a car, but if I did, this particular Merc would be about as good as you could hope for.

The owner lives in New Zealand and has commissioned our Techs to prepare her for export to the other side of the globe.

The Kiwis share our love of a right-hand drive and this 4-star classics sourced Bavarian cruiser is being fettled for what will be an epic journey toward her expectant owner.

The techs have spent much time this year keeping my daily driver in tip top condition. Mine is not the only Range Rover they look after. I love it. It’s the most comfortable car I’ve ever had and a brilliant (if at times a little troublesome) daily.

But my hat gets well and truly taken off to this young fellow and his particular interpretation of 'daily'.

There are 2 ends of the motoring spectrum. At one end you have the 17-year old boys in lowered Corsa’s with blacked out windows and shouty exhausts, then at the complete opposite end, you have this.

I won't criticise the young of today. We were all there in our own time with that very same excitement and joy of freedom that motoring and adulthood brings. This guy is just a straight line in history from the joy of first motoring and an enduring love of the connecting between car and driver that lasts.

A lifetime.

In my mind, pottering down the high-street everyday (!) in this 1937 Austin 10 is about as cool as you can get. Chapeau.

A gearbox fettle coming your way my man to keep your dream a rollin’

It was soon 7pm and Ingrid arrived just as Eric and I were finishing off our chat for the day (and before any plans to buy a particularly lovely Daimler V12 in bronze could be firmed up).

‘We should do a blog with some of our motoring stories’ Says Ingrid. Great idea.

‘You’ve got loads’ she says with a knowing look toward Eric.

I’ve never seen Eric look uncomfortable…. But uncomfortable he looked.

Aha! I thought… there’s a story or two in there to dig out me thinks.

So next week, we shall go into full CCM research mode and find out a little about the gang’s motoring past to be replayed here, with absolutely no exaggeration, false elaboration or concoction. Pure fact. It’s what you’ve all come to expect.

A nostalgic look back is just the shot in the arm we all need. Talking of which, it’s time for my sugar cube.

So from all at CMM, Eric, Siobhan, Dr Ray, Shrimp-eye Justin, Young Chris, Izzi and Ingrid have a great week.