Grandad's photos

Here's how the 1961 Orchid Special looks after the paint job. The paperwork went away today to Motorsport NZ and HRSCC for the logbook. Hopefully I can run in the Sports Car Club sprints on Easter Sunday.



Remember how it was in 1961? The colour in that old picture does not match what I found under the grey and yellow and blue layers, the new colour is much closer to how it was.



And remember how it looked when I bought it?

Still to be done in the next 2 weeks - get the Dellorto 45 side-draft carby tuned and actually working, get the handbrake actually working, bleed the brakes, get tyres and the wheels aligned and remove the shape change that the previous owner did on the front guards shape. All the other things he did have gone, including the dodgy headrest hump, the rear bumper, the illegal plastic windscreen, the trailer tail-lights. Other things replaced are all the electrical connections that had been crimped with side-cutters, non-working temperature gauge and thermostat, non-working generator and the rear brake line that ran directly to the diff without a flexible hose section. Things added that he had made inaccessible include seat-belt mounts, seat-mounts, battery mount, fire-extinguisher mount and of course the roll-bar. The battery now lives securely in the boot instead of lying loose under the passenger's feet. I have added an electrical oil pressure gauge, temperature and volts gauge. 4 nice Morris Minor tail & stop-lights are at the rear and all working.

Who would have time for work?