In a Previous post i mention i was going to start hill climb racing more on this soon. But first i needed a car to build and I found a 1984 Datsun cherry 1.3. I have known this car for years and probably why it turned into a bit of a disaster.

The Datsun Cherry had been up for sale for quite a bit of time. I got in touch with the owner and struck a deal. But COVID prevented me for going to collect the car. Then in June after the restrictions had been lifted i arrived to collec the car. I had issue trying to get a trailer so i hired a car one way to drive down and drive back in the Cherry.

What could possibly go wrong?

I set off around 02:30 and drove to Ashford, Kent were the seller was going to meet me at the hire company. I arrived a little ahead of schedule. Ian (seller) arrived a 15 or so minutes after me. I had a look over the car and could see a few questionable areas but it was cheap and would serve the purpose I had planned for it.
As we were trying to sort out the paper work the staff at the hire company kept asking for the keys so that they could process the hire car. I gave them the keys, asked them to check if anything was still in the car to which they came back and said all sorted I carried on sorting the paper work with Ian.
Paper work sorted I headed home and I was about 15 mins away when I noticed the folder with all the paper work (not the V5 slip etc.) wasn’t on the seat. I pulled into the hard shoulder and couldn’t find it. A quick call to the hire company to which they informed it was there grrrrr…
Another 10mins up the motorway until I could get a slip road that would let me return and collect the folder. This was disaster number 1.
Paper work collect I headed north again and was pushing the Cherry a little at this point. I pulled in for fuel, filled it up and coming out from paying I noticed a little waster at the front of the car but wasn’t sure if it came from the cherry or not I got in and carried on.
Another 15 mins or so I noticed the temp gauge starting to rise. I managed to get into the inside lane and slowed down to 50, putting heaters on and opening windows (it was the hottest day of the year so far). Carrying on but the gauge started to climb again and a few miles before the Dartford tunnel I lost all power and I just managed to get onto the hard shoulder before the car stopped and wouldn’t restart.

I noticed the coolant fan wasn’t running so I did a temp repair to get it running constant and after about 30mins the car started and I carried on but on the climb out of the Dartford tunnel the gauge started to rise again and I headed for the nearest service station but didn’t make it as the system let go and steam everywhere.
A kind person stopped and asked if he could help, He agreed to go get bottles of water and bring them back. This took him and hour or so which allowed the engine to cool. Once topped up I drove to Thurrock service station for further investigation which wasn’t good. Disaster number 2.

The water in the radiator was oily and back which isn’t that much of a surpise considering it wouldn’t turn over due to the heat. I called the RAC who said they would be there as soon as they could. I also called Nicky to let her know what was going on.
At around 1pm the RAC van turned up. He took one look and said it looks like a head gasket fail which i replied there is one in the boot and he offered to change it. I said no as i have over 400 miles to go and if it didn;t work they wouldn’t come back out. He agreed it was too big a risk. So he said he can relay the car home but not me and he could either get me a taxi (yes a taxi for 400 miles) or a hire car. I opted for the later. disaster number 3.

I called Nicky to let her know after I found my chocolate bars had melted (disaster number 4.) and the RAC was sending me a taxi to take me to the airport to collect the hire car. I thought it would have been Stansted but it was Heathrow. I finally arrived at Heathrow got to the hire company and once I found it I got in the car. This was around 16:00 with still best part of 5 hr drive home.
I set up the car with my phone and then heading north using the toll road and making great progress as the roads were still reasonably quiet.
I called Nicky again as I left southwate service station, It’s a good point as it’s around 90 mins to home. Driving on Nicky called me a couple times and I said I’m making good time I’ll be home around midnight which she sounded a little surprised and I never really paid much attention.
I pulled into the drive a little after 00:30 or so me though. When I went in the house Nicky informed it was as a little after 01:30. I went back out to the car in the morning and found the clock was an hour slow. Disaster number 5.
The hire car was collected the next afternoon and the Cherry arrived 2 days later.