My mum despises my dad's car, for almost exactly the same reasons you state above. But she was genuinely happy to see it getting used for the ways he intended.

Hello, since I'm new here, you might be interested in the development of my TR3A over the last 40 years? My wife Birgit and I were looking for a new "used" car in 1984. My wife's work colleague at the time had a lot to do with old cars, furniture and flea market items and suggested we look for a classic car. We really liked the idea and it soon became clear that it had to be an English Vehicle. After delving into the classic vehicle scene and the prices at the time, we chose a Triumph TR3. The search began. We drove all over Germany for half a year, even going to Milan in Italy to find our TR3. We finally found it just 15 km from our home in Frankfurt. There we had the choice between a TR3 and a TR3A, which had just been imported from California. At the time we gave the TR3A priority over the drum-braked TR3 because of its disc brakes. Interested in more? This will be an interesting journey into the past for me too. cheers Rainer

It was the past governments energy plan for the future for small modular nuclear reactors. The problem is they are as yet unproven and everything with nuclear takes decades to come to fruition as there is mountains of red tape. The biggest problem with Nuclear is the initial outlay is mind boggling amount of money, because energy is privatised in the UK any private company needs a higher guaranteed rate for the electricity generated to recoup that initial outlay, so when the new ones come online, they will cost a lot more for us consumers then the existing 70s fleet does. The public perception of nuclear is interesting, I've never worked anywhere safer. Mainly because of the above red tape. Everything is double and triple checked.

Panels including install costs are cheaper than slates now anyway. 450W panels are only £50 each now and are 2m2. GSE trays work out at anther £60 for in roof. So if you are re roofing you would be mad not to fully the roof. I even have a north facing array. It produces only during the summer and produces around 40% what the south facing array produces over the year. However it just all gets exported as we over produce during the summer at 15p a KWh.

There are some packaging issues in a car this small (extra pump, pipes and tank), but a much nicer solution than 2.5" of oil sloshing around under the engine! The dry sump kits are getting properly pricey these days, so this engine looks like being good value with all the stuff included. Let's hope it works......!

Gotta love a dry sump system.  sounds like another positive step in the project.

Alec your term energy density reminded me of what Rolls Royce are doing with both  micro and small modular reactors.    we could have these virtually anywhere and everywhere to help with both local and national electricity supply.  I guess it’s getting past the community fear of nuclear.

You will (hopefully?) laugh at this. But I have still to tell my mum.  she will be 93 between xmas and new year and we will be travelling to share that time with her.    I honestly don’t know her reaction.  It could be “ oh Hamish not that car - your father spent more time on that car than with the family …” etc she was a widow to dads hobbies be it old cars, racing them or sailing boats, film making or RC aeroplanes but I’m sure she will worry (i’m  still her “little boy”) and in the end understand why 

That looks like a nice easy project. The Cyclist doesn't like to be left out.......!

hello Mattius, we do need more CCGT and or coal (Very unlikely with current policy), no renewables at all, and much more nuclear in the future longer term. They, not gas, are why our electricty is so expensive. A problem with synthetic AC from inverters is harmonics which are a negative for the grid and degrade transformer performance. All renewables use inverters to feed the grid. Tidal, by the way is again another very expensive and weak source of power. Energy density is king and nuclear is head and shoulders above all else Alec