Time marches on

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

The slow and steady move from order to chaos. It’s unavoidable. Universal entropy accompanies the life of stars from birth to ultimate transformation.

The stars that form the Orion constellation are not (as far as we know) a conscious entity. If they were, I wonder what they would make of being honoured by Ford in the naming of its iconic Escort replacement.

Ford built over 3.5 million Orions at their Halewood plant. I was just remarking to Eric recently that despite the vast production numbers and popularity with your average working Englander in the 90’s, you just don’t see them anymore. Like baby pigeons, you know they exist somewhere, just not anywhere that you ever happen to be looking.

The same can be said about cars from a generation earlier.

In the late 60’s Dacia, a Romanian car company’ decided to foist a purchasing tender onto the car market for the design that would be the basis of a car that they produced for over 30 years and saw nearly 2 million units born.

We all know Dacia these days as the butt of many a ‘Top Gear’ joke, but any company that can shift 2 million units of anything has to be regarded in the first instance as successful.

In the 70’s Renault won the subsequent contract to supply the tooling for what would be the Dacia 1300.

And it’s a handsome thing to behold. A 30-year plus lifespan means inevitably that there is a fan base. 70’s build quality means that much care and attention is required to keep and run these rare creatures.

We haven’t had an Orion in yet (and the day we do, I guarantee there will be a misty eye with many in the CCM family) but this week we did have a Dacia 1300 in for an oil change.

Whatever line of classics tickles your particular fancy, please look at this green Romanian beauty and try not to smile. It’s the purity and simplicity of design. From the steel wheels with chrome hubcaps. The rear-fill petrol tank. The sharp crease-line from front to rear. The branded mud-flaps. The 70’s-esque design language of ‘large-area-of-glass-in-compared-to area-of-door’, proportionally reversed in modern motors. And that paint. Flat green suiting this model perfectly. The Renault design and 70’s in general having an air of Saab-ness to it.

Eric decided to set up CCM not with the primary focus of turning a coin and keeping himself in toys (although I suspect he would be happy if that were the outcome). He set it up because he loves (and I mean loves) classics in the way we all do. They mean something to all of us.

A call from a New Zealand customer this week follows similar lines.

4 Star classics are just up the road from us. An absolute treasure trove of typically more modern exotica (when I say modern, I mean modern classics, M cars, fast Mercs, Jags. Ecclectic seems too narrow a word really! https://www.4starclassics.com/ ). Our customer was in the purchasing process for a very very tidy Merc 280 SL and wanted an independent inspection.

One of the many services we are happy to offer, so Eric trooped up and was given full access to this open-topped cruiser.

Afterward he and I spent a good 15 mins chatting about the high-standard of build quality of Mercs from this era.

We concluded that the reason cars like this are in the condition that they are, is why it is they that are still around and not the Orions.

The ‘on/off’ relationship between Dr Ray and Gerald the parts washer is finally back to a bit of normality.

After Gerald’s initial sneakiness in providing service to the wider crew, he now seems happy to be back under the care of the Doctor.

Like stars decaying in the night sky, us humans have much to worry about in as time marches on.

Young Chris is deep in ‘ear preservation’ mode and now only converses with the use of Bluetooth technology and refuses to enter into any conversation until he hears the faint electronic ping identifying a new conversation.

Eric stood like this for 5 minutes before eventually using his free hand to ring Chris to tell him to take the key.

Sign-writing is a comin!!!! Here’s the recipient (our lovely Morris) being given some final gentle tweekery by Izzi and Shrimp Eye Justin. We hope to have some pics soon of the finished article once Gerald the sign-writer has woven his painted magic.

Finally we’ll finish this week with a big shout out to ‘friend of CCM’ Mr Ian Berry.

Last week’s answer to a question nobody asked related to Justin’s return from Corfu in a mini.

This week’s answer to a similarly absurd question is ‘Paris’.

The question?

‘Name a city that would be a ridiculous place to cycle to if one was setting off from Guildford’

And from Guildford, Mr B, myself and a reasonable large group of cyclists set wheel.

Ian and I along with our South African chum Gus, ended up cycling the entire route together. Stunning scenery and long days in the saddle through beautiful French countryside. At the end of each day, a pint of lager which I swear, tasted as good as I’ve ever tasted.

That was 10 years ago and I feel a wee bit older now than I did then. Inevitably we all do. Ian has been fighting the good fight that getting older inevitably brings with it and is this week is back at home recovering. I raise one of those glasses of lager to you and your recovery Ian. I’ve seen you cycle to Paris so know all too well that your determined spirit is pushing you forward as always!

And so like Granville shutting up shop in ‘Open all Hours’ we take a final look at the workshop as she retires for the night. The old military cut-out atop the office overlooks peace and quite and a lovely little selection of automobilia awaiting further care, attention and love.

From all at CMM, Eric, Siobhan, Dr Ray, Shrimp-eye Justin, Young Chris, Izzi and (a still suspicious about Eric’s purchasing habits) Ingrid. Have a great week.

Olli

Footnote: Ingrid’s suspicion is as usual, well founded. This week I asked Eric if he’d bought anything new recently.

“I don’t think so’ her replied before pausing and then adding;

‘oh, on Tuesday I bought a boat’

Good gracious.....