DERBY BENTLEY HEADING FOR AUSTRALIA

1934 3 1/2 LITRE DERBY BENTLEY

This is one of our regulars.  The car is used extensively and serviced at least a couple of times a year depending on the miles covered.  It regularly goes abroad, driving from Scotland all the way, covering thousands of miles.  The past few years have seen trips to Croatia, Portugal and Ireland, to name but a few, but this year it is heading for a trip "down under".

Water pump stripped for servicing

We collected the car just before our Christmas break and have now carried out a full service which picked up one or two potential problems including a small leak in the elbow of the water pump, and the early signs of a points failure in the fuel pump.  Thankfully these have both been sorted out before they caused any major failures and the car is now getting cleaned and prepared ready for collection.
It is being shipped from Felixstowe and will arrive in Melbourne ready to join the Bentley Drivers' Club in Australia for a tour from South to North right the way up to the Cairns area.  We have put together a comprehensive spares kit, just in case, but hopefully this will not be required.  We often accompany cars and their owners on trips such as the Veteran Car Club's London to Brighton, but unfortunately we were not required this time.

1939 AUSTIN BIG SEVEN

One of our regular customers has just bought an Austin Big Seven.  He limped it up to the workshop last week and Ian has now cleaned out the fuel system and put a new bottom in the rusty fuel tank.  We are currently overhauling the brakes which were in an advanced state of wear.  Once this is completed we will be servicing the car and treating the underside and cavities with Dinitrol wax protection.


Interior of petrol tank showing extensive corrosion



ROLLS-ROYCE 20hp

We have just received a lovely letter from the owner of this 20hp.  He bought the car a wee while ago and has endured many months of motoring in which he has had to stop every 10 miles to deal with fuel starvation and the engine cutting out.  He came to visit our workshop with a friend and booked the car in for a day's work.  On examination Ian found lots of small problems including debris in the carburettor, HT coil incorrectly fitted causing HT sparks to jump the points, burnt out contact breaker points, and a poor condenser. 

With all of these items attended to our customer writes "I enclose a cheque for the excellent work you have done to my car.  I am delighted of course after 9 months of interupted driving.  I took the car out the other day... for a fairly long run and it went extremely well" 

Ian works on the fuel system of this 1927 Rolls-Royce