Founders – Mike & Sue Bryant, Mike & Joan Chapman, Geoff & Margaret Hosking, Nigel & Jane Tarrant. Welcome Welcome to new members Ken and Hazel Hall. Ken & Hazel have been benefactors of SPSCC for some time, particularly in giving the membership the opportunity of attending some Jaguar events. As most of you know, the Halls are out and out Jaguar people and own some really mouth-watering examples of the marque. We look forward to seeing them at many of our events. Sunday 21st January Lunch at Lewinnick Lodge, Newquay. This is the first time that Joan & I had visited Lewinnick Lodge for lunch. The Lodge is situated in the most spectacular location possible, on a cliff side overlooking the roaring Atlantic. Roland and Wendy Calvert-Potter, who organised the lunch had wonderful support with thirty-one attendees. It was very gratifying that Dorianne joined us and we hope we will see her again at other events. I always enjoy a good Sunday roast and the one served at Lewinnick was exemplary. The Yorkshire puddings were truly outstanding, almost a meal in themselves. Delicious. A measure of the portions served was the fact that so few partook of a dessert, a rare SPSCC phenomenon indeed. This was our first event for the New Year and it was a delight to see so many of our fellow members joining in again. The afternoon route was planned by Mike & Sue Bryant and took us around the Headland at Newquay and because of the blustery nature of the weather, the waves were spectacularly high. Our Morgan was almost demolished going up Tower Road, when a female emerged from a side road without looking. Phil & Gill Lake were immediately behind us and they said that she missed us by inches. When we gathered up our senses again we had missed the main convoy and the three Morgans, (with Simmonds Hoods!) continued on as a very select sub-group!!! The route took us through St. Newlyn East, skirting Trerice Manor, the Lane Theatre, eventually joining the coastal road to Porth, Watergate Bay, Mawgan Porth to Treyarnon Bay. A dramatic run indeed, with exceptionally high seas and we noted that nobody was doing any surfing in these conditions. Mike & Sue had kept our final destination a surprise and we were all delighted to turn up at Trevose Golf Club for tea & biscuits. Thank you Roland, Wendy, Mike & Sue. SPSCC Watermill Carriage Visit on SUNDAY 4th February 07 by Mike Bryant. The St. Piran Sports Car Club had a new idea for our February Sunday Lunch and Social. We met at the Kingsley Village for lunch where everyone could choose from soup, a light snack or roast meal and yes………., you guessed it, many sampled the roast beef with large Yorkshire puddings. At 2pm the men set off leaving the ladies at Kingsley to look around but hopefully not to spend too much on shopping!!? We men set off on a short drive to visit Stuart Edwards who is a local Sports Car Restorer of mostly Triumphs and of 1950`s and 60`s era!! He trades under the name of “Watermill Carriage Company Ltd” Tel: 01726/882680. The only open top car on the drive was Geoff’s super TR2, good to see POP out in the sunshine again….well done! The workshop is situated near Grampound Road being down a bumpy lane tucked away from it all!! Stuart explained that at present he was working on two Triumphs, namely a 1954 TR2 being of a similar age to Geoff Hosking’s car and this was brought in as a rolling chassis/body requiring extensive restoration. The car was complete with old style steel wide wheels (with bands welded to widen rims) taking me back to my youth when I had these on my 1963 mini. The floor pans had been replaced from inside the car thus the car was the right way up!!............However, the same could not be said for the 2nd Triumph undergoing restoration. This was a TR6 (not sure of age) but, wait for it!!! ....we did not immediately recognised this as the chassis/shell was completely upside down (Aussie Style), as the replacement floor panels must be replaced from underneath so much easier to turn the body over. This was much more interesting for us, as Stuart could point out the various points of weakness and rot in the car and explain the methods used. Whilst the majority of Heritage Parts can be purchased for these cars, there are certain parts/panels that must be made up from scratch…very clever!! Stuart uses 18 gauge steel being the thickness of the good old pre-60`s cars when the panels were thicker and made of pure steel, we understand that the steel in the later cars from around early 60`s was thinner and not pure steel therefore the standard of quality started to drop. There is now a special spray primer (grey) used that can be applied between metal to be welded to add protection before assembly and follow up priming and painting. The main etching primer (red lead colour) is so good it sticks to panels and can only be removed by grinding off! Zinc type “Bonda” rust primer…made by Tetron (I think). We asked for guidance on budget pricing for restoration and a “complete restoration.” The price can be anything from £12K to £15K for an average job, to around £20K for a top restoration job. Stuart’s own car was under a dust sheet so very limited viewing being a royal blue TR4A with twin pipes / wire wheels. I am sure it will look great when out again in the spring!! We then heard an interesting sound outside the workshop as a gleaming red TR4A was driven by its proud owner John Williams. He had carefully restored the car over a few years to its present pristine condition. The reg. was an “E” so must be around a 1967 model. TR4A was complete with a special removable hardtop (very much like the Targa top where roof section lifts out, retaining rear wrap around window), super design feature for such an attractive British sports car. We asked Stuart if he works on Stags and he says it a “no go area”…for him, unless his arm is twisted hard. (Mostly due to the construction methods used for the car, making it difficult & expensive). Someone asked about the later TR7 and Stuart explained that this was a different type of car construction all together than the early Triumphs as they had no separate chassis (easier to restore) and therefore there are not many left in this area now. A very interesting observation from Stuart was that whilst the standard 4 cylinder engine was not that popular now, there is a good following for the V8 engine TR7….the original V8`s were mostly export but there is a conversion available to fit the V8, (presumably very much like the interest in the MGB standard 4 cylinder and V8 limited models or conversions that are also popular in the MG circles).!!? Stuart says that the TR8 (as they call it)…..is such fun to drive as you can drive it on the steering rather than the gearbox due to the fantastic torque. There are many Morgan Plus 8 owners that know all about torque and fun in a V8 sports car!! I then asked Stuart about the skill of “lead filling”…and he kindly carried out a demonstration for us by repairing the rear corner of a TR boot lid with a hole about the size of say a 20p piece. After careful cleaning he heated up the lead stick with a blow torch and the molten lead flowed into the hole and Stuart then carefully demonstrated the methods for smoothing off by either a hardwood block (treated) or steel kitchen knife (with good old ivory type handle…remember them?)….and when set with a special file. This was good to watch and so much better than the modern, “quick fix” fillers of today. If done properly the lead repair can outlast the remainder of the steel body panel…amazing!! We asked Stuart about paint types and he prefers to use the classic/original cellulose paints as these are of course true to the era of these classic cars although he is aware that many are painted with the modern two pack paint systems. The Health & Safety Regulations of today are making it increasingly difficult to obtain these paints although there are limited supplies for restorers like Stuart who uses them for classic cars. The modern paints are now even water based!!...so do not leave your car out in the rain too long!! …………………..(only joking)!! After a very interesting and enjoyable hour or so, we all thanked Stuart and walked away from his workshop with admiration for the skills that no doubt come from this reasonably small workshop set in the countryside in our native Cornwall. We could not, however, leave the yard without that final “turn around” to take a last look at John’s gleaming red TR4A!! It was good to be reminded of the times when Britain built genuine sports cars, being first hand assembled until later years when on the factory production line. If it was not for skilled men (persons) like Stuart, we would not be able to still enjoy seeing or driving these cars today. It makes me appreciate, even more, those words from a very wise man named Peter Morgan, who wanted to make a sports car….for the people….and thanks to his enthusiasm and foresight, we are still able to enjoy the cars today, not only in pre-owned form and restored but also by purchasing a brand new car if you so wish.