Registers Day May 2024

 

Registers Day May 2024

 

End of May Bank Holiday made Registers Day a four day escape. I had hoped the new hood and side screens would be finished in time but events conspired against us and only the hood was completed. I have reported on some of the details and I will do a full report for the 2CV Club but also the supplier of materials. They are just as interested in the projects customers undertake as a show case for their products. Coops had finished the hood to an incredible standard incorporating all the modifications I had asked for and more. Gita drove down to Whitchurch with me in the C3 Aircross to collect the El Cid from Coops and then drive on to the venue on the Friday, put up the tent and leave the El Cid there and drive on to Bristol to visit my brother Adrian. It was not as easy as it sounds. There were problems every way we travelled  instead of M3, A303 my usual route Tom took us via Newbury then towards Southampton. Successfully collecting the El Cid we headed for the venue at Martha’s Down only forty miles Tom diverted us to avoid queues but not closed roads getting us both lost until we stopped and asked a local farmer which way to go then Tom got it together using the A36 then the A303 joining beyond Stone Henge. We got to the post code which was in Cricklade and found the sign post for  Hindon. We found the camp site from the wrong direction. A one hour trip was two hours. We registered, pitched the tent and found a pub, the Lamb, in Hindon for something to eat. It was 5:30 by then and had forty or so miles to get to Bristol.  We arrived at my brothers house about 7 pm. Adrian got back about 8pm after visiting his wife in hospital. Events were conspiring against him as well. He was due to come with us the next day for a few nights away but that was no longer going to happen.

There was no food available at the event so a visit to Morrison’s on the Saturday morning to stock up. Back to the site for the afternoon and lots of social interaction before a trip to the other pub in Hindon, the Grosvenor Arms, for our evening meal.  Sampling a local brew at the bar back on site it was getting cold so we retired to the tent and put on the gas stove to keep us warm before an early night. Sunday was cold and crisp. Gita cooked a monumental breakfast off egg, bacon and sausage filling a ciabatta roll. There was so much meat in it, it kept me going all day. Now my camping gaz had finally expired after many years. Time to buy a refill. The washing and toilet facilities were excellent proper showers with hot water and flushing toilets. Such luxury.

Most of the day was taken up talking cars and explaining about the new hood. I did not win any prizes but Coops did for his Mehari. ‘Hooky’ John had the best modcon with his Dagonet. During the prize giving  a heavy shower drenched the proceedings and later on continued to rain most of the night.

It had dried in the morning and I was able to pack up in the dry. The El Cid was inspected for leaks and did not show any. The join between the cab and rear sections remained completely dry after such heavy showers overnight. The storm flap with velcro seal worked very well. The short video shows how far the water progressed. This was an excellent test of the new hood. First it is water tight with no leaks at the stitching on the top. It has a taught fitting and does not flap and because of that the car is noticeably faster. Congratulations to Coops  for an incredible job. We dropped the El Cid back to Whitchurch on the way home for the final part of the project. The sidescreens.