April 30, 2002
Due to foul weather I didn't get started until 11:30 today. I used the time to ask Hill House Hammond about insurance for the car, and found that the rules of insurance have changed, they can no longer insure a kit while it is being built, only when it is about to be tested. Perhaps this is possibly only for them, I hope that it is not for the whole industry. Has anyone else heard this do you know?
When the weather improved I decided to cut off the heating ducts, as I couldn't undo all of the screws or bolts. Then the socket I required to undo the bolt holding the fan on was the one I dropped in the engine, I thought it would have come all the way through when I poked it free, however it seemed to disappear somewhere. I found it this morning just peeping out from under one of the heating ducts, used the bonnet release rod to wangle it out whereupon it dropped onto the pan under the engine. I removed the fan and the cowling, what a difference it makes to the aesthetics of the engine; it now looks like a proper engine not just a collection of old air ducts. No wonder the points box is waterproofed; this one is blathered in old grease, road muck and water. I decided that rather than wait for my friends to give me a hand to remove the engine and gearbox as a single lump, I would split it into its two separate halves. Quite pleasantly surprised at how easily it came apart, also how light they were, Pat and I managed to carry them both into the garage and sit them on some plastic and rags then cover them with more plastic to keep the rain ingress off them until I can get them down to Driffield to have them washed, seeing as it wasn't done on the way here after I bought the car.
I also removed the lower clamp, from the steering column (eventually) also the top bracket bolts on the inside of the car, however the lower of the two brackets inside seems to be secured by nuts and captivated bolts, but the nuts seem to have been produced round. I am therefore contemplating asking the Pembleton web page another question, to see if anyone else has come across this and solved it. I say, again, as I asked the weight of the chassis from them last time, on the 21^st of April, and received two answers for that, both of which suggested that I should be very capable of carrying the chassis on the roof rack of the car with all the other stuff inside it, as other people have transported their chassis on the roof of a V.W. Polo and a Renault Clio. Tomorrow I hope to see the garage on New Street in Driffield about degreasing the engine and gearbox; I shall have to do the suspension arms and the steering rack at a later date.
May 01, 2002
Muscles ache where they haven't ached for years which was to be expected. I went to Driffield asked the bank how much we have in the joint account, found it to be much more than expected, and paid £400 into the Pembleton Motor Co., account for the chassis. Came home phoned Phil at PMC to let him know that the money had been transferred. Took Pat to Beeford, and then went to the two motor mart shops in Brid' to see about the price of 2CV bits in comparison with the Ecas magazine.
 May 02, 2002
Went to New Street services and dropped off the engine and gearbox to be steam cleaned. I called Philip Whitley to see if he wants the chassis and other body parts from the Dyane or not, yes he would like to see what the chassis is like but has no use for the body parts, as he only does 2CV's. He is coming early tomorrow morning to look at it.
 May 03, 2002
Well, Mr. Philip Whitley came this morning, had a good long examination of the vehicle and said that if the chassis was as good when the body was removed he would have it, also he would remove any unwanted body work and any scrap metal I wanted rid off too. Richard came around after he had left, just to see how things were going. I set too before Pat had left for work and had to stop at 1pm to attend the May Day Celebrations at Frodingham Primary School. After tea I got changed and continued with the car, all in all a very good day's work, as I removed the brake reservoir, all the pedals, the mount which they are all mounted to, the handbrake bottom mount, the battery tray and stand, the steering column bracket which I had to cut off, now I have to free the D*MN thing to pull it off the steering rack, as it is rusted solidly to it, I have blathered it in penetrating fluid and hope that it will loosen it by tomorrow. Also I tapped at the slot in the outer sleeve to see if it would loosen slightly; but nothing to report there.
I also removed and emptied the fuel tank, and the gear lever was removed too. I looked at the Pembleton site last night and found an answer to my request about the steering column, however I ended up hack sawing through the thin metal support that attached it to the parcel shelf.
 May 04, 2002
Nothing done today as Pat said I wouldn't be 'let go' to the show at Stoneleigh, so I was a very good boy, did all my things around the house, took 'she who must be obeyed' shopping and suchlike then at night made my sandwiches for tomorrow. Earlier in the day I had asked Richard if he wanted to go to the show tomorrow, in the evening as I was sandwich making he came around to mull it over with me, and eventually decided to go.
Continued in the next Issue of 'Pembletons Are Go'

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