Daniel and his friends 'enjoy' a trip in my Reliant today
Daniel and his friends 'enjoy' a trip in my Reliant today

Some work on the Reliant on a cold, frosty but bright morning and then a trip to the newsagent with Dan and his mates in the back! More Palestinians killed and beaten by Israel today as the Seamens’ Strike crumbles and is broken, NACODS are still working to rule to keep certain pits closed and may walk out completely tomorrow when the Fords strike also starts. Torrential rain and mudslides affect Brazil and mountain avalanches kill two women in Northumbria as our weather turns wet and windy tonight

Slept well and awoke to my morning tea. One result of my fast watch, is that it gets me out of bed, showered and dressed in time for breakfast. Found Gary at breakfast with the family and ate a nice fried dish of bread, eggs, bacon etc, which was fair enough. I went out to the Reliant, put the battery back in, after cleaning and greasing the terminals, and then started it up. It had been a hard cold frost and the engine was quite solid until I rocked the van forward in top gear to free it up. The engine still leaks oil and I kept tightening the nuts between the block and sump, but eventually found out that one was missing and another inaccessible at the front end, which will entail removing a few things to get at them. Time then to go to the local newsagent for my Sunday Times and so I loaded Daniel and his friends Gary and Steve into the back of the Reliant and set off. After one petrol blockage, we made it there and back.

Mission accomplished and the first journey of value. Home to read the paper and found two Corniche convertibles, which we phoned about. One was the HP reclaim I had already found in the Exchange and Mart. The other was a white car, which could be of interest. Best call was from a man who has owned a car from new in 1974 and only done 6/7000 miles?!? Trouble is that it has only had one 5000 mile service, which makes me worried that the car could have deteriorated from lack of use and service. Late this morning I vacuumed out the Range Rover and then touched up some corroded trim clips before lunch. A lunch of best beef, which melted in the mouth. We were joined by two of Daniel’s friends and there was plenty for all. After, I washed the Range Rover and leathered it off, doing a very thorough job. It looks perfect and I am pleased with the condition of its bodywork now. I hope to keep it in good shape. The radiator stopper seems to have partially worked and it may suffice for now. Later, I tackled the Reliant again, until I deduced that more fundamental work is needed. Out again after tea in the garage, as the weather deteriorated outside, until I broke off and came in to do a few things. This evening, I wrote up my journal and then went through last week’s local newspapers for Little Paxton press cuttings. Whilst we were out today in Percy the Reliant, we attracted a deal of attention and many smiles. It is good to see how much people appreciate the traditional vehicles. Now I wait for a response from the Early Reliant Owners Club and for the book on the Austin 7 engine, so that I can carry on with it. Appalling trouble at a boxing match tonight as CS gas was thrown by gatecrashers in the foyer and then by the ringside. It spoilt the occasion and is more bad publicity for the sport of boxing. 5 more Palestinians were killed in Israel today. 3 died from Israeli shots today and two from their injuries earlier this week (one shot and one beaten). The seamen’s strike has crumbled and separated, with some ferries back to work and a few still out. At Dover, P&O ferrymen are still out and lorries holding off until they say how things develop. In the mines, NACODS men have not completed this weekend’s safety work and so certain mines are not ready for work tomorrow. Furthermore, if management press their new rosters tomorrow, they could well walk out. The Ford motor strike seems set for tomorrow as well. Natural disaster in Brazil, as torrential rain and mud slides arrive out of season and cut off main routes. Here in Northumbria, there are avalanches on the mountains and two sisters are killed on a banned part of them. The day that started bright, still and frosty, has ended wet and windy tonight and that is set to continue tomorrow.