|
Ol' Nipple... |
|
|
...so-called because the Registration Number was: 101 NPL. Ol' Npl was a 1960 MGA ragtop in Old english White, with wheels painted British Racing Green. It was great fun until a bad (professional) engine rebuild and subsequent disputes took the fun out of it, so on it moved. Shame, as it had a Royal history, too.
Oh all right, what happened was: driving home past Kempton Park Racecourse one day, I was stopped by a lone policeman in the middle of the road. I sat there like a twerp for about 10 minutes, surrounded by no other traffic until, when I was about to doze off, Kempton's gates opened and out swept a limousine containing HRH The Queen Mum (God bless her) who bestowed a suitably regal wave upon her solitary subject in his MG. Thought you'd be impressed...(and I'll bet she's been telling people about it ever since, too). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The eagle-eyed among you will no doubt have noticed that the lower right-hand picture does not feature Ol' Npl. I shall explain: the Ladyfriend of the time (Ol' Two-Npls - but I shan't mention that as this is a family page) was so taken with my MG that she wanted one herself. To that end a relatively inexpensive one was found: 938 FKO - and I do not intend to hazard a nickname on the strength of that (see "family page", above).
Finished in grey primer, it was decided to paint it Old English White too, so off came all the chromy-bits - during the course of which the windscreen-frame fell to pieces as the corner-brackets were rusted away (not an uncommon MGA affliction). Having yet to grow out of the chivalry thing I loaned my car to her whilst sorting out that and a few other minor problems on hers. The only snag was that Winter was fast approaching and, typically, getting the new brackets made was the longest job of all. Consequently I spent that Winter driving from Sunbury-On-Thames to work in the West End of London in a car with no windscreen and, of course, no way of attaching the softtop, hence the motoring attire shown in the picture. Ah well, I did have my photo taken several times by (presumably) tourists in taxis whilst stuck in London traffic, usually in rain- or snow showers. Eventually the work on the car was completed, whereupon we swapped back. Shortly after that we split up anyway, so I can only hope that the experience made me a better person. It certainly made me more resistant to airborne ice & gravel... |
|
 |
|
|
|