My Fair Spitfire

I bought my Spitfire in 2002 as a reminder of my youth. I’d had a lovely white 1300 model in my 20’s and was really sad to lose it after a van went into the back of me on the M6 and made a real mess of her.

The owner, Mark, a really nice guy who I still speak to, was selling the Spitfire because he needed the money – one child, one coming, small house, say no more,…… something had to give. He was gutted to sell her as he’d had her for 17 years and the car was featured in his wedding photos and a first class oil painting!!!!!!

The registration called to me – DRJ , Doctor Julia, just the thing – I needed something to pamper and cheer me up…… recently having become a one parent family with a teenage son, say no more.

Joined a club, all men at that time!!!!! ………..SAY NO MORE

From the first sight I fell in love…… sleek, glossy, eye turning, what a stunner, and had the advantage of taking me out with no obligations, other than a bit of TLC with a sponge and hot soapy water and relatively cheap feeds of petrol.

All went swimmingly well for several years, meetings and shows, there were even a few lady car owners too who began to join our group, so – summers with the hood down, even foreign travel on the horizon, perfection.

Having gained a passenger, she shook her tail feathers in Hondarribia and Ribadesella, though a sad trip home on a low loader, with the passenger commenting that it was the most comfortable trip he had ever made in her, led to Phil at Marchwiel Garage saying that age was creeping on and a few operations were in the offing to keep her running smoothly and safely. Without them she’d be ready for the pre-loved car-graveyard in the sky.

Nearside sill cut out
Some serious rust!! Sills, chassis, seemed like the dreaded moth had had its teeth sunk in everywhere!. A major operation was booked and she went away for operation and recovery for the winter months. Every so often I visited the patient – on one occasion Phil sent me a picture of a bucket full of nuts and bolts, just to make me feel good! By early Spring of 2016 we were past the half-way mark so I was told! Didn’t really cheer me up, seeing her a mere shell of herself but prognosis was good and by the end of April she was well enough to be on the road again. Still a few more minor tweaks to be made, but good enough to spend the summer dashing around the countryside making her presence felt.
New inner sill inserted

As with all our classics, a mechanic’s job is not an ‘appy one – as it never seems to be done! Something always seems to crop up, but that is the nature of the beast, and keeps us on our toes. Doctor J had further work done in the winter of 2016.

With sadness, on my part, happiness on the part of my partner’s posterior, I decided that trips to Spain were a little too strenuous for DR J, as a 1500 engine is pushed rather when nipping up and down the mountains of the North of Spain, however her place on those trips has been taken by her new big sister – The Right MonKey  – our Stag.

 

The Covid virus, as for most of us, cut down the places we drove and the people we saw but she came through with flying colours.