It was a VW commercial years ago, where people would buy GTI that had gone Essex and remove all the useless stuff, including very loud exhaust systems. I know this is a strange direction for a farming channel, still I always wondered. The quest for knowledge was driven by an old Top Gear episode where Jeremy Clarkson modified his vehicle by adding huge tires and raising the whole thing. Invariably this leads to terrible handling. The funny bit of course, was that Jeremy never seemed to learn his lesson, which was part of his charm on Top Gear.
My future son-in-law asked if we had a barn where he could store an old car that he owns, as they will soon be moving permanently to the farm. The car right now is largely in pieces, it arrived yesterday, it's a 1973 Jensen Interceptor. As my son-in-law says it was a terrible car, but beautiful, in his spare time he is rebuilding it, not using old parts but rather redesigning the vehicle so that it can take a 3.0L BMW turbo engine. He is using CAD to make parts it's an amazing hobby. He has been working on the car for over a decade. It used to belong to his father.
What he is doing is using 21st-century design and tools to make the perfect Jensen. It has gone to a chemical bath to remove paint and filler, all parts were disassembled and measured and several are being replaced. The three things that will remain are the chassis, body, and interior, the rest will be replaced.
He showed me videos of people restoring old cars and adapting them to allow modern power plants. But he also showed me endless videos of expensive automobiles being made impossibly loud and uncomfortable.
The thing is, my son-in-law just wants a good car, eventually, and to have fun rebuilding it. He knows it will have no value because of all the modern electronic and functioning AC and heating. Apparently a no-no for Jensen aficionados.
Anyway, the car is now in a barn ready for when the formally move in.
Comments