Two weeks before the Lands End Trial and things were progressing well, all preparations were well advanced and arrangements made for the start. A thorough check of everything and some repairs had thrown up nothing untoward except for a wire, which had fallen off the main lights. All Lucar connectors were checked as a precaution and tightened up. Now the Marlin sported new side windows and everything was ready two days beforehand.
Mike Pearson and I, in company with Dot and John Parsons, set off at 4.00pm for Popham. A good run down and arrive early, everything seems unusual because it’s daylight and we usually arrive in the dark. We sit around and then having chatted to lots of people we go to scrutineering. Perhaps this year I will finish the event and have a trouble free run just like the Exeter Trial. Now the gremlins strike, no headlights! Suddenly club members arrive out of nowhere and soon Neil Bray and I have the dashboard out and Neil says,” there’s a wire off’. Wire replaced everything checks out and we present ourselves once more and all things work well.
We set off in high hopes and still in daylight, the car is running well and everything seems a pleasure. Darkness falls and North Petherton is reached in plenty of time for a gargantuan breakfast, yummy. We clean the first hill and the restart is no problem with more grip than a sticky bun. We reach the holding control, with everything swinging. Ross Nuten asks whether anyone has brake fluid as he has virtually no brakes. I produce a bottle of said fluid from the Marlin and get ready to go, no lights again! Off comes the dashboard and replace the same wire!!! We follow Ross into the fuel halt before Beggars Roost and fill up. Onto the hill, and although if takes an effort, we complete the restart, with the engine almost stopping under load. We notice Ross changing a wheel and as he seems all right we motor on to Stony Street. We clean this one and Mike says I need to slow down a little as we seemed to tackle the hill too quickly and it was very rough. Onwards to Sutcombe, where we sail up and leave the restart, easy, then the prop-shaft lets go ten feet from the end of the section and the Lands End ends here.
After the last competitor leaves we still wait for Frances and Dorinda to arrive. Many competitors offer help and one even drives home and collect anew UJ in the hopes we can get mobile, no such luck, as the prop-shaft drive flange is broken. We leave the Marlin in the village until Tuesday when we manage to make temporary repairs having found a drive flange and had the prop-shaft welded. We set off and have an uneventful journey home to the sound of metal rattling and the car behaving like a squirrel on an ice rink. Ah well! We had a superb break in Newquay with great company.
The Marlin already sports new suspension, its new engine is ready and lots of modifications are underway, in fact a complete rebuild. Next year I will get to the end, I hope.
Verdun Webley
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