Why thank you Sean.Work on the van has halted during this nice weather,its just to hot in my garage .

Today I broke down. I was running on fumes when it conked out as I was driving down Arundel high street. I coasted to the bottom and parked it up just next to the river. I assumed it'd run out of fuel as I couldn't get the gauge to read anything and I couldn't hear anything sloshing in the tank. So, I called the RAC and went to get an ice cream and a magazine. I sat in the park looking at the river and all the pretty girls in their summer frocks, and life was good. After my ice cream, I developed a bit of a thirst as it was such a lovely warm evening. Handily enough, there are several pubs within walking distance, so I wandered off to the one with the nicest looking beer garden, and enjoyed a lovely cold glass of beer and smoked a couple of fags, and life was good. Before too long, my enjoyable but unplanned rest stop came to an end when the RAC man arrived with a can of petrol. I stole myself away from watching all the pretty girls going by and once he'd put some juice in the car we attempted to start it up, and it wouldn't go. We whipped the fan off and had a gander at the points which looked alright but we noticed the spark was dying away as it was turned over, and the RAC man asked if I had another condenser, which I did right up until I left work and removed everything from the car including the tools and spares kit. Handily, the RAC man had a selection of odds and ends with which to bodge cars up with including a condenser from something else which we bodged up to fit the 2cv, and once refitted the car fired up fine, and life was good. I took my pint glass back to the pub, had a walk round town and a bag of wotsits then drove it home.

Breaking down was the nicest thing to happen on my way home.

Breaking down can be a disaster or an opportunity; it all depends how you deal with it. You seem to have got it just right.

I used my van to sit in a monster traffic jam and fetch a wheelbarrow from my brother.

Exciting stuff eh?

Spanners,do you still want the rear window rubber seals?

Today, I have mostly been peering into the BB gearbox and wondering what exactly is wrong with it.....everything seems tight, no loose gears or shafts, re-set the 2/3 gear rod to Kens measurements, after I altered it on Wednesday, and bugger me, if the feckin noise has gone anyway.

I don't know if the gear oil was goosed, cos it looked a funny beige colour when I dropped it, so hopefully, with a box full of new oil, I'll give it a spin and see if everything is OK after Ive watched GP Qually on me Skybox.

Took the 2CV over to Peter Cross at Tibberton yesterday afternoon to have the exhaust replaced. I picked it up this afternoon and only the 'swan neck' section needed replacing, so it was a nice cheap job and it's now lovely and quiet (well, for a 2CV ). Happy Days.

Thought wistfully of it and how easy it is to work on while lying on my back under the Land Rover getting diesel and engine oil in my face while struggling to remove the fuel lift pump. Bastard thing.

This explains the text

I used the van to go to a friends to fix her 2CV. Then, had the best hoon in ages back down the M6/M5 to home.

I'm got training today at group head office so, with my shiny new tax disc in the screen, I'm taking the van. I'm sure the big boss man will be most impressed when I park it next to hs brand new Bentley!