56 ABBIE, MEET BERT...

I woke up on Sunday feeling groggy.  I suspect it was a combination of a few drinks at the gig the previous night and a weekend of early mornings and long drives.  Carl sent me a message saying he would be up our way and might pop around with the car so we could have a look.

He duly arrived at 1, and we went out to look at 'Bert the Barth'. Considering Carl didn't see the car and bought it on the strength of a few pictures and a phone conversation, he has touched lucky. 

The car pulls like a train. The interior is mint (bar a missing blanking button on the stereo), and the wheels are almost perfect. There are the odd little marks on the paintwork, but they are tiny and to be expected on a car of that vintage. It doesn't need anything done to it; he could drive to Monaco and back tomorrow in it.

We went for a quick blast down the back lanes and pulled up in a driveway to a big house to take a couple of pictures.  I must say, they look good together as a pair!  I can't wait to see them lined up with Richie's mighty Kuga and, hopefully, Dave's red Abarth (if all the plates he is spinning stay on their poles).

It has suddenly got very real!!!