Concerned

I am still here, :-), had a leaky water pump, when I started to replace it I found the hoses where perished, then I noticed a oil leak, after removing the rad I found the engine mounting was knackered, the oil leak was coming from behind the timing case, then I found a hole, & perished fuel pipes, so I have given up & got drunk instead, will be a trip to mini sport on Sat I think.

Steve.

"nite fire" wrote in message news:3FZye.1731$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe4-gui.ntli.net...

I've concentrating my efforts on getting my car finished as the college I am restoring my car at has put up the fees for next year from £247 to £950 something to do with the Gov't pulling funding from certain adult part time courses and evening classes. I've about got to a stage where I can trailer it home. At this price I can't see me returning to complete my portfoilio and car at college next year. The £950 will buy a lot of parts.

Hi TJ

I attend Openshaw Campus - part of MANCAT in Manchester, and it really is a good place to learn. We pay about =A3200 per year and the college claim about =A31000 from the Government whenever we submit an NVQ Portfolio. As you can imagine, there is a great deal of pressure to write and submit the portfolio. Those who struggle with it, or who don't submit, or who just want to learn to restore cars are not encouraged to return. Its simple business accounting.

Next year I hear they are dropping the C&G NVQ in favour of an IMI course although they will allow those who have started, to complete.

Not sure what's happening to the Metal Body Restoration course. They may be dropping that also.

MANCAT have also run a trim and interior finish course up to now, but I understand it will run no more - although it is still offered on their web site. Real pity that. Where do people learn to old skills of vehicle retriming in the North West?

TurboJo must be the guy who posted all the piccys and words around your resto, are you somewhere near Hull? I would like to thank you for putting them up. They certainly inspired me when I first started. Gave me loads of confidence to cut out the tin worm. You and a chap in Canada who also took the trouble to share his ups and downs. It would be a shame if we didn't see your completed Mini.

I guess the days of evening classes for car restorers may be numbered, unless someone takes another look at the situation and instead of counting to cost of everything, instead looks at its value.

Best wishes

Pedro

TurboJo wrote:

What confuses me the amount of so called professional car experts & restores who still make a pigs ear of things & charge a fortune too, not sure where they all trained, £200 will buy you a book on welding, a 2nd hand mig welder & a scrap mini, teach yourself, another good book is Mini the guide to restoration - by Lindsay Porter.

Steve.

I attend Openshaw Campus - part of MANCAT in Manchester, and it really is a good place to learn. We pay about £200 per year and the college claim about £1000 from the Government whenever we submit an NVQ Portfolio. As you can imagine, there is a great deal of pressure to write and submit the portfolio. Those who struggle with it, or who don't submit, or who just want to learn to restore cars are not encouraged to return. Its simple business accounting.

Next year I hear they are dropping the C&G NVQ in favour of an IMI course although they will allow those who have started, to complete.

Not sure what's happening to the Metal Body Restoration course. They may be dropping that also.

MANCAT have also run a trim and interior finish course up to now, but I understand it will run no more - although it is still offered on their web site. Real pity that. Where do people learn to old skills of vehicle retriming in the North West?

TurboJo must be the guy who posted all the piccys and words around your resto, are you somewhere near Hull? I would like to thank you for putting them up. They certainly inspired me when I first started. Gave me loads of confidence to cut out the tin worm. You and a chap in Canada who also took the trouble to share his ups and downs. It would be a shame if we didn't see your completed Mini.

I guess the days of evening classes for car restorers may be numbered, unless someone takes another look at the situation and instead of counting to cost of everything, instead looks at its value.

Best wishes

Pedro

TurboJo wrote:

I'll definately finish my car fortunately my body work is fully restored, the engine is in engine is in and all the mechanicals and electrics are fitted and working. I have given it a test run around the workshop access roads at college. I was planning to finish the trimming and any other remaining work next year together with any items that are required for my portfolio that I haven't yet carried out. If I don't pay the £950 for next year all I will lose out on is an NCFE qualification in vehicle restoration.

As you stated the majority of us on the course just wanted to go and restore a car at an evening class. The college turned it into an NCFE qualification course halfway through the year before I joined and announced to the people on the course that they would have to document what they were doing .Presumably this was to get some funding which meant that we had to jump through hoops by producing a portfolio etc. I decided that as I was gathering evidence for the portfolio I may as well upload the photos to my website.

I feel that the college Bishop Burton College (on the outskirts of Beverley near Hull) is using the price hike to persuade us all to drop the course as it isn't their core business and I think they have wanted to stop the course for the last couple of years as we are seen to be taking up storage space that could be better used for parking tractors. I don't fully understand the price rise as another local college is still offering things like Model Engineering, Basic car mainenance for ladies, Ceramics etc at a rate comparable with last years fees at Bishop Burton.

The good thing about it all is that 2 minis will have been saved from the breakers yard, the one at college and the one that was supposed to be an engine donor.

Peter (TurboJo)

I attend Openshaw Campus - part of MANCAT in Manchester, and it really is a good place to learn. We pay about £200 per year and the college claim about £1000 from the Government whenever we submit an NVQ Portfolio. As you can imagine, there is a great deal of pressure to write and submit the portfolio. Those who struggle with it, or who don't submit, or who just want to learn to restore cars are not encouraged to return. Its simple business accounting.

Next year I hear they are dropping the C&G NVQ in favour of an IMI course although they will allow those who have started, to complete.

Not sure what's happening to the Metal Body Restoration course. They may be dropping that also.

MANCAT have also run a trim and interior finish course up to now, but I understand it will run no more - although it is still offered on their web site. Real pity that. Where do people learn to old skills of vehicle retriming in the North West?

TurboJo must be the guy who posted all the piccys and words around your resto, are you somewhere near Hull? I would like to thank you for putting them up. They certainly inspired me when I first started. Gave me loads of confidence to cut out the tin worm. You and a chap in Canada who also took the trouble to share his ups and downs. It would be a shame if we didn't see your completed Mini.

I guess the days of evening classes for car restorers may be numbered, unless someone takes another look at the situation and instead of counting to cost of everything, instead looks at its value.

Best wishes

Pedro

TurboJo wrote: