....lying on my back under the Morgan greasing those sliding axles again!
I know it hasn't been 1000 miles since they were last done, but I thought that while I'd got the car jacked up, in order to check the nearside king-pin, I may as well get the wheels off to clean them and at the same time do the greasing. So that is how I have spent the last four hours or so.
As I was lying there, contemplating how I managed to get more grease on me than in the nipple and where I would really like to shove the grease gun, my thoughts wandered to 'Ante Morgan' or AM, that period in time before the two of us met. No grease on my hands then, just the one big lovely Volvo that I cared for deeply and still do, with a suspension system that didn't need this sort of attention after such a ridiculously short mileage interval.
Why on earth was I putting my poor wracked body through all these physical contortions? I'll tell you why, because I bl---y well love it, that's why!
The movement top to bottom on the nearside wheel is negligible, in fact no different to the offside and on that basis I have decided not to get too stressed about the need for a new king-pin especially after checking the tread depth on my tyres (17000+ miles) and realising that some expenditure is going to be necessary in the not too distant future getting the little blighter re-shod!
With all these potential pressures on the family purse I think that I am going to have to curb that other interest I have in 'Morrisons' wine and spirit department! You can't do everything without making sacrifices, that's what my old mother said anyway, but thinking about it she never did do what she preached, so perhaps I could do far worse than follow her example! What will-power!
After cleaning the stainless wire wheels, I dressed the tyres with 'Auto Glym Instant Tyre Dressing' that I find gives a wonderful finish to the tyres without making them look glossy, like many you see on dealers forecourts. I started to do this after picking up the car from the factory after I had had a job done and finding that it had been washed and the tyres dressed. When I thanked Mark for the way the car had been returned, specifically mentioning the tyres, he said that in his opinion a car was not presented well unless this had been done and so ever since I have followed this example.
I then gave the engine a bit of attention, while checking levels, with another light treatment of 'Auto Glym Vinyl and Rubber Care' which I have used to good effect, on both the plastic and rubber hoses etc., in the Morgan and also for the vinyl covered dashboard etc.,in the Volvo.
Wilting at the knees after all this effort and with a promise from 'Gordons Distillery' waiting for me at home, I put the dust sheet back on the car and retreated.
Just out of interest, had I continued with valeting the car I would have used, 'Auto Glym Ultra Deep Shine' polish (especially formulated for water based paints) and the leather care products supplied by Morgan when the car was new, although I have also used 'Auto Glym Leather Care' for this job.
I DO NOT HAVE SHARES IN AUTO GLYM but like their products! "http://autoglym.co.uk"
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