SHEB & Swedish Catch up Feb 24th Denham

Thanks to John Brice!

The Green Man Pub in the middle of Denham village is a lovely proper pub, not a chain but privately owned by Teresa and Noel. They havequite a large restaurant area, and they welcome larger parties and can put tables together. They have a website greenmandenham.com with a picture gallery. The Sunday menu is different to the website, it mainly consists a selection of roasts at £11 and puddings around £4.50 plus a limited selection of other dishes. Parking in Denham is along the road(no restrictions, no meters) if drivers get there by midday there is a good chance of parking near the pub, leave it later and they will have a bit farther to walk.

We have a table provisionally held for 12  and they are happy for us to phone in and adjust numbers accordingly. Getting there, it is near J1 M40, come off on to the Denham roundabout and take the A40 for a couple of hundred yards and turn right across the dual carriageway, and into Old Mill Road and follow for about half a mile to the village. Coming from M25 there are 2 J16 exits to the M40, make sure you follow the UXBRIDGE sign that leads onto the M40 and come off 1st exit J1 Denham roundabout. The Green Man Pub Village Road Denham Middx UB9 5BH 01895 832760.

 

Introducing Our Swedish Connection James Dresch

Hi All,
I am now back home in dark and cold Sweden. After 4 weeks on the Canaries the winter cold and darkness here makes me want to curl up in front of the fire and hibernate!
I am looking forward to seeing you all and I promise to have cleared the snow before you come.

Peter is quite right in his estimates of the distance and time taken from Esbjerg to me in Skivarp. You will be travelling almost the entire journey on the motorway and although there are quite a few nice places to stop, stretch your legs (and release the rubber band) there are hardly any motorway food services.  

Today I spoke to the customer service for the Öresunds bridge trying to get a rebate for you as a group, I suggested several alternatives but was unfortunately unsuccessful. The cheapest way for you to get across the bridge is if you get a Bro Pass for each vehicle. Considering the hassle involved I question whether it is worth the 11 Euro saving.

Should there be anything any of you wish to ask or anything you would like me to arrange prior to your visit please do not hesitate to ask (I might say no but you can always ask ;-)
All my best wishes

 

 

As an answer to an earlier question, yes all three cars have the same spec. This is a consequence of Swedish legislation that until 2006 really made kit cars a no no and my first Berlinetta was one of the first (if not the first) kit car to be approved here. The rules stipulated, among other things, that in the construction of any "amateur" built cars the front & rear suspension incl. brakes and steering and the engine had to come from the same vehicle (Koenigsegg was not allowed to sell his first series of cars in Sweden due among other things to this rule!). Hard lobbying and, believe it or not, help from the EU commission in 2006, has led to a rethink in this field and in the past 5 years or so legislation has changed significantly making freedom of choice probably easier now than in the UK (we have no rounded edges and plastic thingies on bolts etc). So all three Berlinettas are Taunus (Cortina) based with 2L normally aspirated OHC engines, 5-speed (Sierra) type 9 gearboxes and the normal quirks with unreliable fuel and water gauges and erratic rev counters (not to mention inaccurate speedo). I have put 205 Sierra unleaded engines in them but was not allowed to use the injection system. I have two complete injection systems in the attic and I could today probably get them approved but am not sure that my electronic skills would surfice and I am certainly not prepared to put catalitic converters under the wooden flooring (I've already had one fire!). Having said that, as you know, no two Berlinettas are the same. Mine are, considering the same spec, very different driving experiences due among other things to different rear axel ratios (3.89-4.11), larger tyres (205x70x15) on Blue, negative camber and a tired old engine in Green, comfortable seats and header manifold and 2" exhaust on Red etc. I would really like a Vulcan engine and 12 a gallon petrol tank in each of them but ....
Having said that I am really satisified with my cars (or I wouldn't have 3 would I!) and I do send a grateful thought to Paul Moorhouse for making my past 25 summers so enjoyable.
 

 

I read on the blogg of Pete's journey to Marakesh so thought my picture from Wahdi Rum might be fitting. My daughter says that I should stay at home as I seem to attract trouble. Whilst in Marocko (West Sahara) in the 70:s civil war broke out and I had to make a quick sorti. In 2009 I was in Honduras when something like civil war broke out and I was ousted. Finally in 2011 I was in Syria and all hell broke loose and I had to do a runner to Jordan. I promise to behave and to keep things under control here in Sweden for the Marlineers' visit!!

At the moment all three of my Marlins are in hibernation. There is a law in Sweden that makes it mandatory to use winter tyres from November to March if the temperature drops below +5 Celcius (which is almost every day). Winter tyres have deep and course treads and are cumbersome things, normally studded, so winter is the time for sleep and recouperation - my kids really do give the cars a hammering each summer (well that's my story and I'm sticking to it). 

Look forward to meeting old friends & new

Best wishes

James

SHEB MEET SUNDAY FEBRUARY 24th

Yes our first SHEB meet for 2013 is Sunday February 24th at a pub (tbc) in the lovely village of Denham, Bucks. Denham can be found just north of J 1 M40 so just a short drive from the M4 and M25 motorways also so nice and central we hope.

Can't quite make out the car pictured here in this old photo but a Ford Consul I guess but could be a Zephyr maybe!

It's a lovely little village that was thankfully bypassed by all the motorways (and by life itself it seems) as little changed in 50 years or so Ive known the place. It's most famous resident was the late Sir John Mills as Pinewood Film Studio's were within easy reach of his family home there.

We'll be meeting at around 1pm so, with or without your Marlin, why not drop by and have a noggin and natter? We hope to post final details shortly after one of our crew has selflessly sampled the local hosteleries in order to choose the best one for us.

We cant vouch what the food situation is just yet but watch this space for final details!

    Dave Elphick

     Will be posting you some facts about me and pics of the car.

     Lived in Curry Rivel on the Somerset levels for the past 40 years.

    Bought Marlin kit in 1998 and put through S.V.A.and on the road in May 2002.

    Done lots of runs and weekends including Scotland.

    A few jobs to do on the car this winter,fit new rear shocks and brake shoes and petrol pump,sort out carb.

   Never been abroad before in the car. Looking forward to the Swedish trip and would to thank James             for giving me the oppertunity to take the car abroad.

Looking forward to the tour!

Peter SH

 

           

 

 

PSH carries out a pre-flight check before terrorising the hedgehogs down country lanes.

Joining the merry band of Marlineers is Peter Seabrook-Harris (AKA PSH) and, after swapping his faithfull old B Series based Roadster for the Berli last summer, is now keen to enjoy the fruits of a type 9 gearbox with a 5 speed box on a longer run. Cortina MkV based with a later 205 block Sierra lump, she sounds like a tank but sits sedately on period looking wire wheels. This car was owned more recently by Mike Flarry but hails from Essex.
In the 1970's Peter drove to Marakesh when just 18 and then went on to tour France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland etc but has since toured mostly France so is rather looking forward to this Nordic venture.He also owns an early Dellow prototype which has three speeds, no weather protection and struggles much above 45 mph due to low gearing for hill cilmbs. He'll be taking the Berlinetta then!

" Christ - 6 Marlins are on their way and we've already got at least three of the blighters in Stockholm causing havoc. This is an epidemic and no moose will be safe"

As James posted a piccie of his Marakesh moment,  here is one of me in my Arkley ( a 1970's Spridget conversion sold by John Britain garages)  by a lake deep in Austrian around about 1974
This was rebuilt by me from a wrecked 1971 Sprite and was huge fun and sparked my interest in the unusual cars. I couldn't afford nor find a Dellow back then but eventually found one three years later and the Arkley went.



 

And this is John .....

John Brice somewhere in The Lake District

Introducing John Brice - a Marlin owner and club member for over 5 years, John lives in Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, a large village 20 mile West of London. These photo’s were taken at a MOC club event “The Lakes Invasion” in Cumbria way up north and he's really looking forward to our visit to Sweden and says many thanks for your kind invite James!
A bit about his Roadster - first registered back in 1995, he homself bought it in 2007 and this car is one of the last to be registered as a Marlin. Marina based but with 2 litre Ford Pinto engine and type 9 gearbox now so rather better suited for touring.

The Bricemobile has a well earned rest with the lovely backdrop of the Lake District in the distance

Keith & Margaret

The last time Keith Howell's YKC Roadster saw service on the Continent was with a group of MOC folk visiting the Picos mountains in Northern Spain. The fuel injected 2.0 DOHC engine had no difficulties with the mountainous roads but there is a little concern regarding the extra weight the 6 suitcases that Margaret has specified for this Scandinavian trip. The trusty croquet bag may well be bought into service again and there is a plan underfoot to possibly double the storage. No mean feat with a little Roadster but little ingenuity and a spot of welding should see a solution.

Fat chance of getting a cup of tea here (The gates to Chequers.)

Margaret catches some Scandinavian sun on a cruise to Norway last year

Sue Roedel

(The Night Owl) picks up her fabled editorial pen once again!

Here I am!

 

OK, the monies have all been paid to Keith Howell, many, many thanks to Keith for unravelling the complexities of the ferry booking website and to John and Peter for contributing towards the cost investigation. I'm glad I left it to you guys!

Not really sure what I'm doing with this blog yet so "bear with" (Miranda fans) while I find out the best way to approach this.

Today I took the Marlin to my Pipe man in Basildon as the exhaust was only attached to the car still because it was resting on the back axle. The back mounting had completely sheared and every bump made me cringe as the exhasut bounced up and down. Thanks to Dean , the exhaust is now back in place, some minor cracks have been welded and she's sounding good!

Right, the next job is to get some info on here about the intrepid travellers who will be my companions for the week between 22 - 29th June:

Bob Cawte

Pater Seabrook-Harris

Keith Howell and wife Margaret

John Brice

Dave Elphick

Lads, I need some blurb from you to load up here so expect an email demanding something shortly!

Bye for now :-)

Sue Roedel



(Note the England flag in the background. If we just offset the cross a little bit and change the colours to blue and yellow we are almost there already!)

 

                                

 

                  

 

 

Well we've finally done it and 6 Marlins will be heading for Sweden on June 22nd for a week during which time we aim to meet up with James Dresch who owns three Marlins - all converted to LHD!

We aim to catch the ferry from Harwich then land at Esjberg in Denmark then make our way to Sweden itself. This blog will hopefully feature our pre planning and then a log of our progress across the tupper ware sky'd landscape of our Scandanivian cousins and feature some great shots of our cars and James's in their Swedish setting.

 

Now all we need is an experienced scribe to update this bog - Miss Roedel where are you!!!