September already - but at least summer has arrived

For someone who never goes anywhere it’s been quite an eventful week - on a “I live a sad life” scale any ways.

A couple of weeks ago (the Sloe weekend in fact) I eventually managed to retrieve the NATO hitch from Marks workshop that’s had my name on for at least eight months - we get distracted and forget things see.

A few days later Ian as in “Ian n Debs” from round the corner (Camel 110 P253 KAC - and the minders of ‘Jason’ (Camel Disco P251 KAC), any ways, Ian came round for the evening and some actual socialising went on, rather nice it was too, to actually spend an evening chatting rather than 2 hours in front of a film to then only say “good night”.

Twas during this time Ian let slip he was to be working nights next week, and we knows how bored Ian gets on nights, so I asked him if he could take aforementioned NATO hitch to work and give it a good ol’ blast. I’d tried that day to take it apart but it was well “glued’ up in years worth of muck and layer upon layer of paint.

Well! Only the very next day does he turn up, and was I well chuffed or what...


Not only had he blasted it - had it taken apart and greased, reassembled, he's also painted it. It looked the dogs. That’s 2 lumps of iron I was drooling over in almost as many days.

As a beside, Ian mentioned that he never knew that Dixon Bate's made the NATO Hitch - well we all live and learn, especially as I've just had to nick some code from Dan n Jens blog :o)

Earlier in the week Graham had dropped of his take on the Vice Holder. At LRW earlier this year I saw and purchased a vice holder. I knew straight off it was made of chocolate but wanted it to pass on to “them that knows” to see if they could make a over engineered, fit for a Land Rover, replacement, using the chocolate once as a model and template for holes required etc.

Yes, so. Graham turned up with half a blacksmiths yard in the back of his bag (he’s another one with access to a work shop... and works nights!) - I wasn’t in at the time he arrived as Max decided his needs were more important, however upon our return there was this... what I can only describe as a lump sitting on the door step, that and a packet of Worthers but that’s another story.

This G version Mk i as it will be known, as James has the original chocolate one up north and his blacksmith friend has made 3 versions Mk i, ii, and iii being the latest. G Mk i really is a lump, and he’d gone and painted it bright red. Believe me 10mm steel weighs a lot more than chocolate.

It took me a few days to offer the said lump up to it mounting plate and vice - in fact it was the day after Ian had delivered the hitch, and he was back for coffee.

I assembled all the bits, vice holder to slider plate, vice to vice holder (funny how that works!) - and admired - even took some photographs I was so chuffed.


After mounting the whole ensemble on to the truck I was very conscious of the weight - and began to look at ways we could loose a few pounds, after all this thing was so over engineered the must be some bits we could chop.

After trying various settings, vice open wide, slider plate fully raised, 2-3 inch could be lost, that’s still 2-3 pounds in weight I think. I text Graham “Remind me, 14mm. X”, a couple of the holes needed meatier bolts.

Graham arrived Friday tea time, 5 packs of Worthers this time (don’t ask), and we proceed to diagnose the vice holder and all the fitting and using implications. 1 hour later he leaves, with: original vice holder, NATO hitch, slider plate and pin, full set of bolts - he’s on his motor bike for fooks sake. This lot weighs nearly as much!



Friday:

JU phones, “I’m in the area - are you at home?”
Reply “Yes.”
“Where’s that these days?”
“Havant.”
“OK - I’m not in the area.”

After a small discussion as to the near distance of Havant to his current whereabouts he agrees to come over. Kettles on.

We chat, show each other videos... I’m so not going to acknowledge any smutty thoughts or innuendos at this point - needless to say you’d have to have been there to appreciate them - work on that as much as you like ;o)

We part a good few hours later on the understanding that Jon will pop round tomorrow and take me (go on - think it) - to his place and let me have a go with his equipment - of the welding variety!

mf