Hello fellow car enthusiasts,
I thought I would share with you a tale of Christmas woe, and perhaps some of you may be able to suggest some ways of cheering up my festive season.
I guess I should start the story at the beginning when I was over State-side with work earlier this year. I could help but admire this
1980's Firebird Trans-Am that used to park up at the hotel every day. It was a really fine car with the shiniest chrome wheels you've ever seen, and perfect red paintwork, so polished you could use her bodywork to do your hair in (which I actually did after a particularly rough night down the Omaha Bar & Grill where the locals were taking in a very passionate NFL game).I decided there and then that I just had to have one, so on returning to the UK (Butterworth), I decided to set the wheels in motion. One thing I knew for sure is that I couldn't buy a Firebird with the budget that I had in mind, certainly not something that lived up to the dream that sat before me almost every day in the States. I decided I had to do something different. I spoke to my friend James who moulds plastic tables and chairs for Woolworths and other high street stores. I sketched out some body work and asked him if he could use his blow moulding kit to get me some bespoke parts to which he said he could, for the right price.
Now I just had to decide what sort of vehicle I should modify. I decided on a 1974 2L Ford Granada, one of Dagenham's finest. My wife has amazing skills when it comes to stitching leather, so I have had her working every weekend on getting new fabric fitted to the interior. I managed to procure some leather from the local breaker's yard. Unfortunately it means I have to have twin-tone seats but this is no matter, there's nothing like the feel of leather against my jeans. I have also upgraded all of the electronics and have fitted a JVC stereo system which sounds amazing. There is also a little socket in the front where you can plug in your iPod or MP3 player. I have added a holder for my iPod for that extra touch of class.
My friend came good with the plastic mouldings, and I sprayed her that lovely shade of red that I fell in love with back in the states. After a bit of tinkering, new K&N air filter, totally new exhaust and new spark plugs, she was ready to fly. I almost managed to order exactly the same style of rims that the Firebird had back stateside. She's a lovely little motor and meant that I could finally dispense of the Metro City that I have been running into the ground for many years now. I also managed to get hold of some Firebird light clusters that I managed to insert with a little tinkering to the plastic mouldings. Please note that I have used fibreglass resin to smooth the joins between the plastic and the Granada bodywork. What a change, what a change..... people now look at me in admiration rather than rolling around laughing when they see me in my car.
So, I'm sure you're all wondering what the problem is. Well, here it is.... basically, the opening of the boot is now restricted as a result of a couple of the mods I've made. This has made it impossible to get a Christmas tree in there, so my wife is telling me to ditch the "Firebird" and get an estate. Can anyone suggest how I can get a
7ft tree home, safely without damaging her? I don't have any means of getting roof bars on, I don't think.Any help greatfully received.
Regards,
Antony