It's Wednesday night and I don't know what to say.  The Healey is Ice Blue and it looks beautiful, I am a happy and lucky man.

Monday:
I got the car out ready for collection and had bee's in my belly as I was so excited.

On the car transporter and waiting to leave.

K-Max panel beaters / automotive garage, Barnet.  The plan was that I would get the car to K-Max and then put it up on stands and prime it ready for paint the next day.  Rob, the owner, had spoken with Lloyd who is the bodywork and spraying expert about the project without my knowing and the whole situation had changed.  To Add some context, K-Max is based in Plantagenet Road, Barnet, England in a yard that my Dad once occupied, a long time ago.  My Dad was a cracking man who was a self taught panel beater and he rented the yard in Barnet to do it in.  When I was a kid I worked with him on Saturdays and then for a year before I went to university and a year after that; this is where I got my skills!!!!! During the year after university Dad was doing well and needed additional people to work there and I knew Rob and knew he was looking to get out of his job so I put him in touch with Dad and one thing led to another and he got a job there.  Sometime after my last stint at the yard some 30 years ago and now my Dad left and Rob took over and really developed the place, it is unrecognisable.  My Dad, who you can see helping me load the car onto a trailer in the very first post of this blog has long since passed but Rob and I are still friends.

Back to the story, I asked Rob why Lloyd was working on a Monday and Rob said he had told him a story and it made him want to come in and help.  Rob told me that about 35 years ago when we first knew each other I had been round to his house and saw him trying to do some bodywork on his girlfriends VW Beetle in his front drive and was unimpressed.  I asked him to bring the beetle to the yard and then did the work myself.  He was happy and his girlfriend was delighted; he'd never forgotten.  Lloyd is an interesting man and this had appealed to him so he came in to help me and help Rob settle the score.  I remember Rob's girlfriend but I don't remember the car or the incident, hey, it was a long time ago.

However, it meant the situation had changed, and for the better.


At K-Max and prepped and ready for paint.

This is Healey Ice Blue in a can, code number BU2.

Lloyd laying the first coat of Ice Blue.

The next four picture are with the car in base coat before the top coat or lacquer is applied.  It looked lovey at this stage and I was beside myself with excitement and pride.

Finished and bloody beautiful.

The last one was taken as Lloyd switched off the lights and the oven as it was about 8:30 and he was knackered.  Fair play as I would have taken photos for hours.