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3. Dobby's New Garage

(June 2011)

​Well it’s finally happened! I’m INSIDE the garage. My master told you last time I was being lazy about writing but that’s not fair. The truth is it took me some time to recover from being out in the cold and snow last winter (did you see my photo on the last issue?). I picked up all sorts of minor blemishes and he is now going to have to sort them all out. He told me he has a list of over 20 things to do (serves him right! – no one should leave an NG in the open in the winter; there ought to be a law against it).

The new garage had finished being built by the end of January and after a few weeks my master had moved all his tools and shelf units into the new section so I could be driven into the old section. There is a gentle ramp down into the new wider part and we have a game. The master tries to stop my front wheels just at the top of the ramp and I try to go whizzing down. Most of the time my master wins but only because I have good brakes.

 

Originally I was going to be garaged in the new wider section but it is actually easier (as I am small and have no doors) to stay in the exalted position where less manoeuvring is needed to get me out. I can still see the windows and often the birds in the garden and I am right next to the door into the house.

 

My master took a long time to get the new section organised and it was quite damp for a while as the new floor had to dry out. He had a lift delivered and some interlocking floor tiles. To place the lift in the right position he drove the ‘other’ car in. He explained to me that he had to try the ZR first because there was less leeway. Once it was right for her I went in with no problem. ZaRa even got a ride in the air to test out the lift but the master told me that I had to wait for some suitable support blocks for my tapered chassis.

 

Once the floor was a little dryer, he laid the tiles and set up a workbench at the end (where the heater is). I must say the new end of the garage is a bit more inviting with the heater and those plastic tiles making the floor less cold but he is going to paint my end soon.

 

We went to Stoneleigh this year where my master picked up a few items to replace those which were showing signs of corrosion. They’re still sitting on the workbench as he claims he hasn’t had time to fit them yet. At least he has now started a proper service on me over half term, not like the half hearted effort he did last year without a garage.

 

We’ve been on a few events already this year but I am definitely not looking my best. To cap it all, we were going to school one morning and a lorry went whizzing the other way (as they do) and lobbed a giant rock (as in giant spider size) at me. It hit me right on the nose – ouch! The master just thought I’d gone over a bit of something in the road and didn’t even check me over when we stopped. A couple of days later he noticed it while talking to his sister on the phone and he went all quiet.

 

So before he started the service, he had to remove my nose and send it off to the painter and worked on me widout my dose. Now I should have mentioned, by this time I was having rides up and down the lift as my master had made up some clever contraption to support my front end. At first I was a little nervous (after all cars are supposed to go forwards, sideways and occasionally backwards but never up and down) but once I got used to it I found it rather stately. The lift is called Cliff (a bit of an exaggeration I feel as he only lifts 1 metre, tee hee) which is short for Clifton and he is a Strong Man.

 

So while Cliff gave me rides up and down, my master started my service. He found, much to my embarrassment, that my rear brake wheel cylinders were weeping or seized so he bought some replacements and once they (and my dose) were re-fitted I had to come off Cliff as Zara had blown her exhaust and wanted another go on Cliff. I think she was just jealous because I’d had a good long ride.

 

I’ll stop now so there is room for some photos.

 

Dobby

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