Update Sunday 24th 'January

Hi All
I've recovered from my rantings on the last 'official' update and then dropping in the French video update nearly upset everything as I came close to forgetting to update this weekend!
Many thanks to all those who emailed me regarding the issues raised in the rant. it appears as thought I am not alone in either issue.

The house build is now making good progress, work is busy and the slight alterations we are making to the kit are coming on well. Then you are brought back to reality when an old colleague phones to inform you that another ex-colleague and friend has just died. At 55 yrs and after only 1 years retirement it makes it very clear to you were the priorities should lie. My thoughts go to Sandra and family at this difficult time. Bob was a friend from way back and will be missed by all those who knew him.

Did you enjoy the French video? I did, even though my French is very poor. Elwyn, to answer your question, I believe that most of the photographs used in the video clip were taken at Stoneleigh, probably at the kit car show. At the time, we were using Digby as our car and would have put it on the club stand.

See you in a fortnight.

Geoff

French Video on U Tube

Hi Folks

Just a quick note for a video on U Tube in French!!!!
Follow the below link to see for yourselves.

http://triumph.cambien.net/Home/resturation/gentry

How come there's one in French but no-one has ever added one in English?
Do we have any amateur film makers that would wish to try? If so, give us a call and we'll see if it can be arranged.

Geoff

Update Saturday 16th January

Hi All

Didn't want to get you too excited by doing the update exactly when I said I would!!! Thought I'd break you in to a more structured and reliable me by being just a day late. At least that way I'm making the transition at a more maintainable rate.

Anyway, thanks to all those of who who have emailed, phoned or just sent locks etc through the post. We are looking through many options now and should be able to come up with a solution from the vast array of ideas put forwards.
We have also received a huge envelope of Gentry photos from Frank, who was once the club secretary. We will be scanning them all and then using the new information to update our database on all those cars known to have been completed. It is a long slow process and some numbers, especially the more valuable dateless ones have probably been sold off over the years but at least is is a starting point. We then intend going through all the old Journals and again extracting all the reg numbers from the photographs to add more details to the list.

We are currently looking at the design for a new seat that looks like a bench seat so offers the maximum amount of seating room, but is actually two individual seats and so each one can slide forwards or backwards independently of the other making them more useful if more than one person drives the car. To be fair the seat design itself is quite straight forward, the skill is in the upholstery side of things and the trimmer getting to them to look like I imagine them to look!

On a personal note the council have now accepted that once our build had started and we discovered a few 'issues' we had no option but to deviate from the approved plans and have now granted us the official approval we required to finish the build. That means that the work can get be finished off giving us the bathroom etc upstairs thus freeing up just enough space in the workshop to allow the jig tables to be fixed in place permanently and still leave me some space to work on a car etc alongside any new builds. I know that this will be the last thing to happen in the grand scheme of things but at least now it is a reality and I know it will happen!!

Got to go, need to spend all available 'free' time on the house project so I can get it finished asap.
See you in a fortnight. Just think the evenings will start getting brighter soon and it will be time for the car to come out again!!!!

As a final comment,, the Stilton cheese run is planned for Sunday 25th April. Last year is was good fun and very popular. This year is apparently filling up quickly so if you want to do it, and help to raise some cash for the air ambo at the same time, then you need to act quickly. For details see the club events page ( I can't find them at present and so have to log off and find them!!!) We have already entered car number 053 and I know they are looking to restrict the number of entries so that the start and finish venues can cope.

Geoff

Wednesday 6th January 2010!!!!!

Hi All

first of all an apology, then a rant and finally the update.

As you are all probably aware we are having major building work done at home. Somehow, someone managed to remove our Internet link/telephone wire!! As it was heading towards Christmas no-one wanted to be bothered to solve the problem and so we had to wait until after the holidays to get it sorted. Well now it is sorted and we are back able to speak with the world, so I hope you all had a very good Christmas and that 2010 brings you all that you would wish.
We are currently working away under quarantine. Ellen in on the Tamiflu having been diagnosed with swine flu. I have broken out in itchy spots and may have succumbed to a bout of measles!! Now what a good start to the year that is.

Now for the rant. I know that this is not a political blog nor will it ever be one however, there are times when you just have to speak out. I'm all for free speech etc and that is what makes our Country as good as it is. However, if this government or the local police allow a demonstration to take place in Wootton Bassett protesting against our solders in various war arenas around the world then I hope the remainder of the sane world turn up in their thousands to show that we the British people will not allow such an occasion to take place. No matter how busy I am at the time, if they decide they are going to demonstrate, then I for one will be attending to fill the centre of Wootton Bassett with normal sensible everyday people. If we fill the town then they can have their demonstration about 10 miles away where they cannot be heard or seen.
Second more minor rant, is my memory failing that badly that or have I become confused? When I was a lad and it snowed we walked to school, throwing snowballs and sliding around, perhaps even, heaven forbid, falling over! If it was still too bad to go outside at break then we were kept inside. At 4pm we charged out of the school hoping that the snow hadn't melted so that the same fun could be had on the way home. Now apparantly at the first sign of a snow flake we must close the schools. According to one deputy head on the news today this was to 'look after the welfare of the students and teachers' What a load of bunkum. This country has lost the plot over health and safety and what we can and can't do. Don't go out unless absolutely necessary. For most of us who have to earn a living surely going to work is absolutely necessary. For those of us that drive a 4 x 4, most of the year we are treated like lepers, now suddenly the emergency services can't cope and would like us all to rally round and help reach difficult cut off areas as without our vehicles people will freeze or starve. Well make your minds up, Do you like 4 x 4's or not?

Okay, all the ranting is now over and I'm feeling calm again, apart form the itchey little spots that are driving me mad!!!!!!!

The most recent Gentry built went through the new IVA test before Christmas and passed with flying colours so that is good news for us and our customers that are busily building their cars. the normal little querky bits are still there but at least f you know about them you know how to deal with them.

A big thank you to everyone that has emailed or phoned with a solution to the lock problem. There are now several lines being followed and hopefully we will identify a long term solution that meets the requirements and also looks good.

My New Years resolution is to try to provide an update every 2 weeks. I know you've heard it all before and I do try my best. 2010 will show that I a making a very special effort to acheive that one simple goal. Updates will revert back to the normal Friday evening, so the next one will now be on Friday 15th January and then every fornight thereafter!!!!!!!!
See you all soon Sorry of there any mistakes the spell checker has stopped working, must be the snow!!!!

Geoff

Friday 13th November

Hi Folks

Things are really busy here at the moment. We are starting the body tub for the next kit and trying to work around the builders as they systematically destroy our house before building it back up again!

Thanks to everyone that emailed me about Ellen' injury. She is still in pain with her arm up in a sling most of the time. It couldn't have happened at a more difficult time. Unless we make the effort to do some tidying up at the end of each day then it really does feel like we are in the middle of a building site.

We are still working on the door locks for the audible alarms required by IVA and so if anyone has any ideas by all means drop me an email as all suggestions are welcome.

We have found a local firm that can powder coat small parts at a very reasonable price and a firm in Coventry that can powder coat our chassis as well. We have also had some steering columns made to the correct length for the Gentry to save the need to add extra bits.

Need to get some sleep now so I'll sign off for a couple of weeks when hopefully we wil have a roof back on!!

Geoff

3rd November 2009

Things often don't go according to plan!!
The immobiliser stopped the IVA from being completed and Ellen slipped and fell whilst loading the car for the final part of the test and so we missed the appointment!!!!
Car is ready and will be tested asap and the report will appear in due course.

We have received a copy of the Swedish Triumph magazine from Elwyn with a great article about 'Digby' with 3 full pages of write up and 23 photos!!! Well done Elwyn you get this years award for the most magazine coverage.
I will be loading the pages onto the computer so that I can put an extract onto the website.

I was asked by Steve form TotalKitCar magazine if I could sort out the 'imaginary' garage for him. He gave me an imaginary £10 million and a few rules on what class of vehicle I would buy. I didn't realise how difficult it could be to spend money! Ellen would claim that I have never had any problems spending it, but when it actually came to making decisions about so many classic cars out there it gave me a real headache trying to reduce the numbers of those I have said I would own if I had the money to the ones that I would actually go out and buy.
My choice will be int he next TKC magazine. If you don't get to see it once it is out I will put the choice on the Blog page in a few weeks.

Back to work, lots to do. See you all in a fortnight.

Geoff

Saturday 17th October 2009

Hi Folks
Two updates nearly on time! Things are getting better.

We have a car ready for the IVA test next week so if all goes according to plan by the next update I will be able to report on the latest rules etc and how the Gentry has done.

I have looked at the holiday issue for next year and the build of the police car (I was hoping to use the police car for the holiday) and decided that the holiday is on but having the car ready to use isn't. Simply not enough hours in the day to build kits for customers and also build me a car. Not to worry, we can always use the demonstrator instead.
The holiday will be a bit of a bus mans holiday as we take a tour round France in the car. We are planning on going the first two weeks of September and will hopefully be meeting up with some of the growing number of French Gentry owners. At present it looks like there will be two other Gentry's coming with us, so if you are interested in coming along then drop me an email. the plans are very fluid and likely to remain so throughout the whole trip. It is going to be a leisurely enjoyable saunter through France with enough time to enjoy the sites, food, wine and company.

I thought about adding a 'Fact or Fiction' part to our website as we hear so many rumours, myths etc I will see how many more I receive before adding a few of them to either entertain or advise you. You may be surprised by a few.

Must rush, work to do. See you all in a fortnight.

Geoff