Got bored a couple of weeks ago while I was meant to be revising, and thought I might show you what I did (constructively)!

Who says Lucas parts are crap?

Well, most people, actually.

To be honest, they're pretty much right (seeing as we've just had to un-stick the Lucas starter motor for the third time in 2 months today), but some of them were actually OK.

For instance, take my newly fitted Lucas SLR700S flamethrowers on the front, and (fitted today), the Lucas 576 Reversing light. The reversing lamp needs a bracket making for it as it's currently lighting up the top of 20ft tall trees outside our gate, never mind the fact that it doesn't fit the original hole for the reversing lamp. That's not too big a problem though, can be sorted out when the other more important stuff has been done (see 'To-Do' list on the right!).

So, after 3 hours in the garage today, how many items off the to-do list have been done? That's right. None. I've just been sorting out other stuff, and fitting extra stuff to the car, not actually sorting out, say, the blowing exhaust manifold which will probably cause an MoT failure in March... Oh well, I'll get round to them soon!

You don't want to be behind this when I'm reversing at night...

Better pics arriving when I'm actually in and it is light! Quite a rare occurence, these days. Bloody school.

I must be going Poti...

(woo! snow!)

Lots of new things in the Midget since I last posted.

The Starter Motor is now fully working, and for this first time ever, fixing it was a '10 minute job' that really did only take ten minutes!

Also now fitted are a pair of 60-minute stopwatches, for use in Historic Rallying. They're budget Russian-made ones, but do the job very well!

Also fitted is a 'Poti', basically a map magnifier with a light inside it so the navigator can actually read the map as it's bouncing up and down in front of him down those country lanes.

Winging their way in the post to me currently are a New-Old-Stock Lucas 576 Rear-Mount reversing light, as seen on works Escort Mk1s etc, for use on those night tests on road rallies!

Along with that there should also be a flexi map light.

Still to fit are:

• Retrotrip Tripmeter, bracket (needs to be made!), Sensor, and power conditioner
• Cigar Lighter, to plug those accessories in, such as Poti
• Carbs still need tuning, along with the manifold joint sealing properly
• Sump oil seals, as it's leaving like a sieve!