BUE 441B - Road to Restoration
I first saw the car parked in street in Bolton Lancashire, it was very rough but was still in daily use. This was about 1978. The next time I saw the car around 1981 it was parked on some rough ground almost engulfed in long grass and saplings behind a car spares shop. I spoke to the shop owner who Knew nothing about the cars history. He was closing the shop and selling up so needed to get the car removed. I cant remember the exact price but it was about £250 and he would pay for the transport costs back to my workshop.
I had two Scimitars at the time a GTE and a GTC so I was a member of the club and was aware of all the specialists, I contacted Don Pither around 1984 who told me about the car and was excited that such an early car survived. He was writing his book and said the car would be mentioned in the book.
I was renting a large old building at the time I got the car, it was part of a bus museum. The car stood for a few years as I was deciding what to do with it. I got the car running but it was in a poor state and would never pass an MOT. My eldest son who was learning to drive at the time used to race the car across the large yard and back, frightening in that the brakes needed several pumps to get a brake pedal.
At some point the original gearbox/overdrive must have failed and a V6 gearbox fitted which needed a large hole made in the transmission tunnel.
Disaster struck when in a violent storm a large tree fell on the building, I had six cars in the building four survived without damage but the coupe and an FX3 taxi took the brunt of tree, the taxi was demolished and probably due to its strength saved the coupe which suffered superficial damage. Rear window smashed and a few holes in body and sun roof.
The Bolton Evening News came out to report on the damage and took photos, I must have had a copy but it has got lost over the years.
After a few more years stood I had a chat with Chris LLoyd at Curborough around 1990. We agreed a rough estimate to do all repairs to the chassis and he would return the rolling chassis back to me, then he would repair and paint the body. Before he collected I removed all the interior, glass and engine.
About six months later he returned the chassis fully rebuilt with new wire wheels and uprated GTE brakes. I installed the engine and correct gearbox and overdrive. I was now having all the upholstery and sun roof restored and all the chrome re-plated ready for the body to be returned.
Then a there was a small problem in that Chris moved to deepest depths of Wales taking all his workshop and parts including the body etc. Another disaster, Chris sadly died shortly after.
- Eric Sandiford