Introducing;
Yep that is right, finally the Count has got it's nice new plates and is all road legal again, after only about 12 years if not longer. Very exciting stuff really and to be honest it has seemed at times that it was really just not going to happen. The Count has tested my resolve I can tell you and has taken almost every opportunity to not get to this point.
Actually the inspection for the roadworthy was yesterday afternoon and it was right up to the wire really. I had planned to take the car to work and then leave from there to head over to the other side of town for the test, but the Count had other plans. Went to start the car first thing in the morning and sure enough the battery was too weak to start it from cold. So took the bike to work instead rather than kick the car. Came home at lunch time ready to throw the battery on the charger for a couple of hours before the test, turned the key and wham instant start, swine. Then though fantastic problem solved it will be fine from here though best i check the lights are all good and working. Indicators, check, parkers, check, headlights, forget it they're out and have taken the parkers along for the ride. Switch the lights back to park alone and the parks are back. Break out the multi meter and sure enough the damn headlight switch has decided on this day of any that it would like to retire and had somehow managed to burn the main beam connection out.
So quick trip south east across town to the parts place and another second hand light switch and what do you know, everything is right again, we have lights and all is good. Well not quite all, pulling up at the parts place, may I add at this point this is the place where the car has just been holidaying whilst it had a new half chassis rails, king pins, tie rod ends and universal joints make over, one has to ask does that sound like the exhaust is "blowing" a bit? Hmmm...
Tester checks the car out and luckily for me doesn't hear the exhaust leak at the manifold and the paperwork is done and all approved, so obviously it is not too loud or I am hearing things, so I head home with the much desired piece of paper. On the way home I get to the bottom of the Westgate Bridge and am wondering why I can't see my headlights at all, then I try and accelerate and the engine starts to miss and cough, backing off settles it though. I notice that the dash lights are really starting to dim as well now and as I have to make it over this bridge (thankfully it isn't rush hour because a car dying on that bridge at rush hour has traffic backing up for miles) I decide to turn the headlights off. The dash light are instantly brighter so I am hoping the parkers are glowing and going to keep me out of too much trouble. The car breezes over the bridge and once over I try the lights again and they respond with the usual not very brightness I have come to expect from them. This lasts for about 50 meters and then they are off again, so the hope is that the battery is cactus and that is the problem but no doubt the Count is just trying it on again and I shall have to have the alternator rebuilt or the mechanics have wired something incorrectly when they have reinstalled the engine after the chassis rails replacement.
Oh well some more on the list, the minor exhaust leak being the easiest to fix which will take about half and hour at the most tomorrow, but the electrics and charging is all just magic to me so hopefully I can find the way through it without too much difficulty.
It's getting closer, it is only 45 days until I am supposed to leave on this trip! How did that happen....
