CharlieCroker

Glad to hear you're enjoying the car, exactly what it was built for. Weird cos I came on to post an old video I dug up, and I saw your photo. I'll post it soon enough, will get you motivated for summer, probably one of the best videos I have of it. Gleaming in the sunshine, looks like it fell out of guardians of the galaxy or battle star galactica. At a time when I was in total control of everything, bossing the car, every nut and bolt, every assembly all electrical every detail in place. All the best, Charlie 😉

Nice, but you need to get some TFR on the white bands, I used to do it every 2/3 weeks 😉

A new chapter in the life of this amazing car, glad to see it go to a good home, enjoy it, it's awesome. Me? I'm planning another job, just out side Turin, same ingredients, different field. All the best, Charlie ;-)

Quick update gents. So the panther has been in early hibernation, resting for the last couple of months waiting for a day to get back out on the prowl. That day came yesterday due to it's MOT, which it passed, and as such one simply had to give it a blast around the lanes to shake off any cobwebs. The car amazes me every time, I'm either a brilliant mechanic or a lucky barsted cos' this car just performs on every level. Gear box, tick. Steering, tick. Brakes, tick. Engine, tick. Electrics, tick. Comfort, tick. Just an amazing car, it's precise, responsive and looks as sharp as a razor. See for yourself, few pictures on the way back.

Wait for it... https://youtu.be/WcmFU0fRTiY

Embrace the noise, I try to do ot as much as I can on down shift, I love that burble, bring it on!

That's about the right bling right there!

Haha, I dunno wtf they are, they just keep popping up, the more you take them out the more they come back! I'm killing weeds... I'm still killing weeds!

https://youtu.be/U05i_8-F-FE

In and amongst the weeds!

Here you go chaps, some more photos for your veiwing pleasure. Just did another awesome run punching through the gears, blasting around the curves, drop it down one no two gears and woosh away we go into warp drive. Don't know if anyone else gets the low down torque that I get, but it just pulls and pulls, bang into 3rd, around the bend 4th and ibto overdrive, awesome! If this car is sold on, I will happily take any serious buyer around the lanes, it really does live up to its name, a real live panther on the hunt... Oh and it shines like a diamond in a goats ass!

Panther weather, beast is back out prowling... Photos later ;-)

The trim is a major ball ache, clips are either missing or don't hold. So the only option is to bond it in. This in turn causes problems cos if your screen is damaged you'll need to get it back off and it's almost impossible to remove it without more damage to the trim. I ruined my top piece getting it back off. There's no easy solution, bonding will need sone sort of methhod to hold it down as it tends to spring in places, holding it down with weight or tension will scratch or dent it, ask me how I know?! From experience I would tape the pieces to protect them from scratching, use just enough weight to hold it down, I used a 5 litre plastic oil canister that I could fill to get the required weight, but this only works on the bottom trim. The top trim I got upto all sorts of tricks to get it flat. You'll need to get all the side and corner pieces roughly into place as well, if you don't, they tend to lift as you screw or rivet them to the a pillar. It's a real ball ache unless your pieces are perfectly straight and your clips work.

Yes, I had already applied, not heard a dickie bird as yet though, but at least I'm on the list. Thanks for the nod though, what with a couple of very generous offers here and a little small ads searching I think I've found a viable option. Just in the process of organising it all, bit of a mind mash to get all the dates lined up but getting closer. Hoping that the weather is good this weekend, need to get back in the car, been a while since I had a blast what with all this windscreen palaver.

Good afternoon lads, quick update. So my new screen was fitted on Tuesday, I'd already taken off the trim so that the fitter had an easier job, and we had the old screen out and new screen bonded in about 30 minutes. Using the advice from someone on here (thankyou) I made sure the fitter used spacers to set the screen height correctly. Ok so that went well, give it a day to adhere and onto refitting the trim. I have say at this point huge thanks go out to The Nut (aka John) for supplying me, for the princely sum of zero pence, the top screen trim in what I would call great condition, what a gentleman and a scholar, I tip my hat to you sir! As the clips tend to be either lost or crap I've had to resort to bonding the piece in, not the entire length but in strategic places to get the thing down. Anyway all good again now with a new screen and awesome trim piece back in place. Have a look see what you think...

Evil piece, if you don't glue it runs the risk of flying off under wind pressure, then if you glue it and your screen goes you ruin it getting the thing off. No easy solution, only thing I might do this time is to add more snap clips, and hope that the windscreen doesn't get a stone chip, but if you drive the car with intent then the screen is right out there asking for trouble. At least it was covered, they're coming tuesday to fit, hope they bring the correct screen! If I can't source one then I'm going to use a flat aluminium strip and curve it as required.

There's a whole story about the strip on my car. I always had an original perfectly straight piece when I first bought the car, got that off no problem and did that brushed alluminium effect and put it back into the snap clips, no problem. First run out in the car and the dam thing flew off never to be seen again! So the months after I source another perfectly straight piece, this time I decide to PU the sod in place, four dobs in strategic places, ain't comung off this time! Now that the screen is f@#ked and whilst trying to get the thing off in one straight line, well, you know, more than a few expletives later... and there it is on the garage floor trying its best to resemble spaghetti. So 3rd time lucky... Lets see what happens.

I've ruined my current piece taking it off for my replacement windscreen that's coming next week, don't ask! Anyone got a reasonably straight one I can slip back on? Thanks Charlie ;-)

Very much appreciated, I've had a couple of other very kind storage offers and it's looking like I'll take one up on the offer, I'm in total respect for the help from you chaps and it looks as if I won't have to sell for at least the time being, massive massive thanks to those who've offered and I'll be in touch to arrange things as and when I get closer to moving in about a month or two. On a brighter note I called my insurance company yesterday and my windscreen is covered for replacement so just 75 quid access to cough up there. Here's a photo someone took from the Brooklands show...

The big smoke, Charlie's coming home... Problem is taking it around with me, it has to reside in a garage and properties with garages in London are well, you know, you need to be the son of an arab sultan... I'm now thinking 6 months storage, see what happens after the move and if its at all possible bring it down after. But unless I can find a financially viable long term solution, I think it will go... I don't want to get all doom and gloom about it though, it's a fun car, never ever meant to be taken too seriously, I mean come on, bright red with go faster stripes, slammed on air and flashy blinged out rims, got to have a sense of humour to roll a like this.

In my best Austin Powers Mr Evil accent... One Hundred Billion Dollars. Ha! Don't really know, I'd probably just invite offers, see what people are prepared to pay, that is IF only I get forced to sell. In all honesty it will do better in the 'low rider' or 'stance' scene, I'm sure some dude will want this car and my first port of call would be in that market. I don't really want to advertise the car so it will be a behind closed doors kinda deal. Anyway all hearsay at the moment, still want to keep it if I can.

Well you take it on the chin and move on. I don't like to dwell on the negative just hope to stay positive all the way. A car like this will always be open to critics, but in general its mostly been good. If I could just find away to keep it for a bit longer maybe I can postpone the sale enough to keep it. It is literally on a knifes edge, which way it goes. Haven't got a clue which way it's going to go.

Gentlemen, we need to talk... might have to sell. Not something I thought I would be putting out to the forum but my situation is changing fast and I'm struggling to find a solution to keep hold of the car logistically or worst financially. Without going into to much detail, a relocation back south is pending and this will push my already skinny finances to the very limit. I've been racking my brains to find away of keeping the car (which could be stored) but then would not see much use, just locked in a garage. Is it worth storing a car that gets little use or do I pluck up the courage and sell in the hope the new owner gets to use it frequently? If I was loaded I would keep it without question, just store it until I reestablish finances and bring it with me. Just don't know what to do, I'll know I'll regret it if I sell big big part of me this car and build. Nothing is ever straight forward, just like the final scene in the Italian Job, hanging in the balance, I don't want to sell but the gold is there waiting...

Good job there son, keep up the great work.