Timon's Week. (Pt. 2: Getting Grooving)

After a very difficult night, I awoke (If that's possible) and headed to the Car Clinic, arriving at about 8:45am or so, ready for the MOT issues that plagued the car to be fixed.

This would solve about half of Timon's problems and be a massive step in the right direction.

On this day they'd fix/repair/fit:

- Both (left and right) front lower arms (suspension)

- The CV Boot (constant velocity boot) (provided by The Car Clinic)

- Both (left and right) Trailing arms

- x2 Tyres - although with Will providing tyres of his own - I got a bit mixed up with which ones I wanted/needed and which wheel/s they'd go on.

I'd also get my handbrake mechanisms lubricated - which was very nice of them.

By the time this was done, it was about about 2pm - my hotel check in being a an hour or so after this.

After returning to...Will HQ, Will kindly offered to carsit Timon for the night - his dad ever so kindly driving me down to my (second) hotel in Eastbourne in Toothless.

With an afternoon/evening to myself and with everything done for the day, I decided to take the afternoon/evening to completely forget about windows, repairs, mechanics and cars - and to just completely lose myself in Eastbourne

Take in every minute of the evening and forget the crazy world around me and oh boy did Eastbourne provide...

Highlight of my day included eating sausage and chips on the pier (would be a crime not to!), walking down the promenade with a clear head and seeing a classic VW Camper.

Oh, not to forget to mention having entire section of beach to myself (usually beaches are packed - but I had between two groynes to myself.

My hotel was also very interesting - flash on the outside, budget on the inside.

I think what I enjoyed most was realising I could have spent £100 on two nights in a Travelodge - but instead I found two hotels for £32 and £37 a piece at very late notice.

Sure, they didn't come with restaurants or sea-views - but for budget hotels - they absolutely did the job!

The best part was, I didn't even feel bad sleeping in my car the previous night - I mean, I was shattered, sure - but I didn't waste £50+ on a hotel room I didn't use.

Friday 17th March, 2023

After the best night's sleep I had since...Tuesday night, I was up and ready to attack the day.

Unbelievably, the 17th was the last day I had (planned) with Will - so I had a double whammy of the alignment in the morning and then fixing Timon's glass/door in the afternoon.

After will drove me back to Timon in Goose, I then quickly headed off BACK to Eastbourne for the alignment at 9am.

Of course - just before heading off to National Tyres for my alignment, I just HAD to knock my passenger-side window mirror glass out in typical dyspraxic fashion.

The best part? I didn't even NEED to tamper with it - it had automatic controls - I was just being an absolute numpty.

Before knocking this out, Timon had a very lucky "Sports" upgrade - going from a plastic nurse's apron to CLINGFILM!!! (Timon's going places in this world!!)

I took this picture after getting back to Will HQ - the clingfilm...certainly "used"

This time, I was introduced to Eastbourne's "urban side".

At first I thought a 13 minute walk to Maccies wouldn't be worth it - but then realising I had an hour to kill, I put on my metaphorical walking boots and started my trek.

I had a very enjoyable breakfast - and on the way back to the car (after it was done) I met a very cute good boii.

It wasn't even noon and the hood was up and the tools were in for Timon

Timon already had a busy day, but we were only just getting started.

Before we get onto the nitty gritty of the day's hard work - I think it's important I stress what's happening in the following images - I paid Will - both for the parts and for the labour - in return, I get my car maintained, serviced and kept in a road-worthy condition.

I'm not just sitting and looking pretty whilst he does all the work - I'm learning - both about my car and how to fix/repair bits and bobs - whilst Will gets to dive deep into Timon - he's a mechanic, he loves to do this - and since buying Timon has fallen a bit in love with him - just like the rest of his family has - so the more maintenance done, the longer he stays on the road, the longer I'm happy, Will's happy - and consequently, those who travel in him are happy.

~

In order of completion, Timon got:

- new wing mirror glass (from Halfords)

an interim service - replacing the oil and air filter (cabin filter was fine)

Left: Old & New Air-filters

Middle: Old oil-filter

Right: Brand spanking new orange boii (oil-filter)

In addition to this, Timon also got an Oil-change - Will flushing the old (manky) oil out of the bottom of the car, and replacing it with some newer oil (better for the car).

We were absolutely flying through the checklist - but we were by no means done yet.

Next up was the biggy - and the bastard that started the whole mess on the 15th March - the door-lock (barrel)

Fortunately (on multiple accounts) Will was able to find one (and one which came as a full unit) and it was just a matter of unscrewing/unattaching the old barrel and replacing it with the new.

By 1:30pm we just had three things left to do:

1. Promote Timon to Glass Door Boii.

2. Replace leaking/faulty top rear light and washer-jet

3. Replace rear tyres with Will's (newer) tyres.

Replacing tyres and rear lights could be done under torch-light with little difficulty - glass and darkness...doesn't mix SO well - so we cracked on, not knowing what secrets Timon was hiding within his wall (or door...).

Adventures lay in wait as the very first piece of trim was removed (okay, rear window winder was removed first..but still - first PROPER piece of trim).

Door card removed, an absolute headache unveiled.

It turns out that the inner door-card was riveted in - this requiring a rivet gun - something needing sourcing.

Thankfully, the legend he is, Will's grandad had one of these - and not only one of these, but plenty of fascinating stories about his life.

Quite the incredible gentleman.

It'd be about 3 hours before we'd return to Will HQ - a lot learnt - and indeed a lot done - unrivetting half a dozen or so bolts - bolts so big in fact that they don't make them readily available any more, and we had to rivet some new, smaller ones next to the larger holes.

Less than an hour later, not too long after 6pm, we FINALLY managed to painstakingly slot the new window into the "window groove" and managed to get it perfectly into place - and got the panel back on (with said rivet gun).

Dyspraxia was well and truly defeated that afternoon/evening - somehow neither of us managed to break the glass - and for the first time in over 45 hours - I had a working window and working lock!

Okay, disclaimer, the window winder decided to flip us all off and decided not to work, the glass remaining completely stationary when we next wound the window down - but I had a water (AND WIND!!!!) proof window - and a fully functional lock.

I could leave my car in Bradford overnight and come back to it the following morning.

Less than half an hour later, it was completely pitch black - but we continued on - a little bit of darkness wasn't going to stop two blokes tinkering (Holy shit, that sounded MUCH better in my head.)

Let me rephrase - A little bit of darkness never hurt no-one!!!

Through the darkness, we changed the rear brake light - to a much fancier one - and one that wouldn't let water seep through.

Bottom: Me joining a tradition we have of flipping off old/broken/faulty mechanical parts - probably comes from the headache of them needing to replace them or - "f*k you for malfunctioning" or the like.

But after a car-wash and an INCREDIBLY kind gesture of sausage and chips with William's family, I said my thank yous and farewells and headed off into the night - off towards Essex where another adventure lay in wait.