Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[jackiewilson]

As my sainted mother used to say the day after Boxing Day "It's as far off as it'll ever be", the house would be empty, everyone was back at work and nipper and me would be back in school.
Nowadays it seems like around December 20th ish all work stops, schools been shut for a week already and the world just eats, drinks and sleeps until around the 3rd of January -------my, how times have changed!
Kinda "In Limbo" at the moment, whilst there's a lot going on -----there's not a lot happening, if you know what I mean. I can't get into the new workshop until the second week of Jan so I can't dismantle my machines, or I'll be like a one armed card sharp------just a bit useless.
Need a bit of help here, anyone know the name of the very nice chap with the husky voice who bought the metal "REDBIRD"--------was something to do with the film crew up in Tavares ?
He asked me if I had any old movies or slides of old boats-------told him I'd have a look see , well yes I have------but unless I get a name, contact number and address, there's not a lot I can do, so help wanted here guys!
Gary and Lou ( GIECO) are over here for a couple of weeks, Gary is a Southampton fan and Loisupports Tottenham

[jackiewilson]

THE WILSONS CHRISTMAS DINNER !
Only one fall out all day------32 sat down for dinner!

[jackiewilson]

Sam and Mark took me down to the Chichester marina cafe for lunch on Tuesday ---------was nice of them to invite me out. Mark Vick and Kate fly back to Florida today. Gary and Lou watched Brighton jump to the top of the championship league yesterday. Today they are down in Southampton to watch spurs v saints, then Gary and me are foraging at the car boot sale in Ford.

Biggest con at Christmas without a doubt are "Christmas crackers" a pull crack, a paper hat, a curling fish and a terrible joke-------not even ten pence worth---------always come in a nice box with a twenty five pound price tag.

Sam and Clive are off to Dubai for ten days so I won't be able to show you any of the old boating slides till they come back.

Opened the boxes Malcolm TYRRELL and Patrick sent from the Keith Duckworth estate with kind permission from his widow Gillian. Priceless shorty outdrive with quickie adapter----bunch of gears, all unused , the prop that Bentz used on THE COSWORTH KT that he drove at the marine stadium that rang the death knell for KT racing.
The prop Hetzel ground down for me at Parker-------Mark told me that it was a very special prop Rolla had cast using a special steel, it was marked JW C.
Lastly a very special Merc wheel for the quickie gear case which unfortunately was not there.
Every thing was coded, dated and catalogued the way only COSWORTH could do it.
Just another reason why only a COSWORTH DFV will do for the rebuild.

Sam thought I should start a COSWORTH rebuild fund, and make a limited edition of the boat and engine to give to donors-------I suppose it might be a start to get things moving, but $75, 000 is a great deal of lolly.

[powerabout]

love to see some photos of that stuff from Cosworth

[jackiewilson]

love to see some photos of that stuff from Cosworth

Happy noooo year pilgrim------never thought to take any pictures, there were drive shafts and peto pick ups, and gear sets, ( different ratios), all made by COSWORTH . See if Sam can take some picks before it's shipped.

[jackiewilson]

One of the saddest sights in the world without a doubt is a workshop being dismantled-------a bloody long time since I felt this sad. Jilly says to think of the positive side-------the new workshop will be custom made and warm and light and everything will be to hand and exactly as I want it, it doesn't help !
Reminds me of the old Phill Harris song "Woodman Woodman spare that tree, touch not a single bough, for years that tree protected me, and I'll protect it now" !
It has been a place of refuge, it's where I do my best thinking, concepts come easy out of there, a day winding it down is no day at all.

[FUJIMO]

[jackiewilson]

No doubt about Fuji--------you can make even a rubbish piccy look half tidy. I never took my camera to the party, so that's somebody else's shot. Any time soon there should be all sorts of piccies flying about.
Spurs beat Saints 4-1, and I'm meeting Gary and Lou at the car boot sale at 9:00am, wonder if I should wear my flack jacket ?

[powerabout]

I noticed that the 1650's Mercruisers in the Gieco cat now sport Wilson manifolds, did they come from a garden shed in the UK?
Merry Christsmas to the Wilson Clan
from Singapore

Did you miss this?

[jackiewilson]

Did you miss this?

As my sainted mother used to say Pilgrim "I don't miss anything" did you miss the WCM gearcases?

[jackiewilson]

Garry and Lou came to the car boot sale at Ford and were well impressed, even though there were only about 30% of the usual stalls open.
Took them all down to the "Fish Factory" in Littlehampton for lunch, then Gary wanted to visit Tangmere Aviation Museum which was unfortunately closed.
They fly back home tomorrow to Stuart Florida--------
2016 is nearly over-----a new year is about to open its doors and let us in, must make the most of it and squeeze as much happiness out of it as is humanly possible.
Never went near the shop today, but look out tomorrow I'm gunning for you!

[jackiewilson]

Told you I was gunning today, made big inroads disconnecting all the machines and removing electrics.
Will have to leave one of the workbenches to store machines and tools on! Moving date is set for January 16th--------jolly FECKIN hockey sticks--------do not enquire as to wether or not I am 'cited ?

[jackiewilson]

A big big little something I made earlier, (like thirty years earlier) . Was once a much loved piece of kit in our house, all solid English oak and every drawer dovetailed !
Nowadays nobody wants dark furniture------the desk/bureau has laid unloved and unwanted in the outside utility room for the last five years------it's not coming with us.
Same with the grandfather clock I made to impress Jilly 25 years ago, the works are over 300 years old, there's another wonderful tale to tell, but later!

[jackiewilson]

Was well into clearing out the workshop, but my heart wasn't in it, came across the hardtop I made for the Rich Luhrs Rolls Royce. I had just discarded it and bunged it in the scrap metal bin!
Picked up the trial wheel for the second effort at a silver ghost and bored 18 holes in the rim 4mm ----then tapped them and fitted 18 bolts and washers--------polished it , all ready for the hub -----think I'll have to spin up a new one, proportions are a tad off.
I have five of these to do, (including a spare), if I get the first one about right------the rest come easy.
It was something to break the monotony of clearing out the shop-----which is turning out to be a slow sad solitary job.
No piccies tonight, but maybe tomorrow, if not, I'll bore you with the tale of the grandfather clock and my search for a decent works which had an amazing twist in its tail! But there I go rambling again-----
left the gate wide open, Willa could have a field day here.

[jackiewilson]

Just read Rich Luhrs Soliloquy on Facebook about present day America and its people. It makes for interesting reading, I have to totally agree with him. I am across the pond, I have the right to free speech, but only if it's politically correct-------anyone can call me "white trash" and nobody raises an eyebrow--------but if me myself had to call any slightly off white person anything at all, other than "Sir"----the sh-t would hit the fan and I would be incaserated for disturbing the piece ! Ah well, time to shift my idle bones, last day of the year and I'm not sorry to see the back of it, once more into the breech my friends!