On your marks, get set and good news

[Firstandbest]

Hello!

I am the mystery person writing to you all from Brighton (where I work). My name is Mark. If you look at our website (www.navandgen.co.uk) the house colours are, with a little licence, similar to Ian's car - on sunny days we will commute to the sea!

For many years I've toyed with the idea of experiencing the feel of a R4 again. I told our friends in Brittany that I would appear at their home one day behind the wheel. Before Christmas I bought Millie from ‘Gordonavenue’ and drove home via a failed MOT round the M25 from Woking to Bromley . Millie purred at 65mph! I grinned! Since then I’ve been improving Millie and meeting forum members as I acquired new parts.

I approached Ian on Friday and he has entrusted me to own his very special car. Ian – you can always take her for a spin when you are in the UK ! And especially on future Kent Runs!

So, what is to happen to dear Milie ? … and her extra 4 doors, tailgate and bonnet? This lovely lady is on SORN, has no MOT and possesses a poor chassis. Her engine runs quietly and starts ‘on the button’ - 90,000 miles. We were considering a body off repair but unless you can do this relatively inexpensively, and then a respray, I’d suggest you pass by! I will only list on ebay as a last resort!

If you are interested please PM ‘sealed bids’ to me privately. Starting Price £300 and 50% of anything raised above to go to a charity - I’ll confirm details of course.

Best to assume bringing a trailer to collect.


Once again thank you Ian and to all members on this amazing forum!

Hope to see many of you on the Kent Run in May.

All the best

Mark

 

[ian Stanbury]

..So there we are Team..

..Mark is the very nice man who is going to look after my lovely car and we are coming on the Kent Run together so we are looking forward to meeting you all.

My god Mark, I didnt realise you were into marine insurance as I am about to make a claim for my boats in France - I kept 2 Dart 16's in the boatpark on the beach in La Tranche sur Mer and as we all know the huge storm hit that bit of the coast last week and here is a pic of what used to be my dry boat park!!

We are hoping that the Dart 16's on their sides are mine, otherwise they have been smashed to smithereens!!

Thanks again Mark for generously taking charge of my car and Malcolm did you know who it was ?

 

[jjad]

Looking forward to meeting you Mark, in Kent

 

[ian Stanbury]

Well Team, she really has gone now..

..And to such a nice family and into such wonderful country surroundings in West Wickham.

Thanks for your kind hospitality this morning Mark and Kate and if you have as much pleasure with my car as I had, you are in for some years of fun.

What I meant to do this morning of course was to get a pic of me handing you the keys Mark to be posted up with this post but we will have do it another time!!

I have to report that the bike ride home was very easy apart from the hill running up to Crystal Palace and I have to admit I did have to push my bike up the last bit!!

Thank you so much again Mark for your generosity and I will see you on the Kent Run day on the 2nd May!!

 

[Firstandbest]

And thank you Ian!
Its been a glorious day and I have been getting acquainted. After a quick wash and brush up - me not the car - I drove around Bromley, tooting at families when they stopped and stared! Great fun.

,, and she runs so well!

I'm absolutely thrilled and will carry a bottle of french plonk in the boot - If anyone sees me do flag me down (Kent Run doesn't count!) and the bottle is theirs!

I'm very impressed by your two wheel skills as well Ian. Coming from our house it would be all downhill after Crystal Palace into our London office....Maybe I'll try that one day.

For now, thank you again and I'll PM you separately tomorrow.

We can have an official handover photo together at the Kent Run.

Toot toot!

Mark

 

[pepper]

A sad day indeed for us, does this mean the Lord Admiral isn't going to be posting on here much anymore?

If so Mark will have to take up the torch and start posting random poetry, photographs and motes of wisdom!



Congratulations Mark I hope you have lots and lots of fun.

 

[pepper]

On a side note, Ian I've now posted more posts on this fab site than you with this post ops:

 

[Firstandbest]

From the Apprentice

Thanks Pepper but this is a truly daunting task! It's akin to asking me to follow Michelangelo with a Painting by Numbers kit or Leonardo (DaVinci not DiCaprio) with a Meccano set..

I am young (ish!). If I put in many years I might hope to raise your spirits in a way that Tim has managed. So I will try. All I ask is that the readers of this wonderful forum make allowances during my apprenticeship.

Now what has become of Ian’s distinctive Green/Blue car? Let me reassure you that she is very much alive and well. She now boasts her original shoes! I had bought these from Ian in February for Millie little knowing that the rest of the car was to follow.

The Gordini Wheels are for sale and I can deliver on the Kent Run – please PM any offers

I have clocked up over 150 miles locally – shops, errands, station trips and Ikea and am getting some interesting glances from the neighbours. She is booked in to see Derek at Renospeed next week for a service and to plan any work to maintain her in tip top condition.

And then a couple of trips to Brighton (work) ahead of the Kent Run.

Ian, I am thrilled. It is my dream car and I am looking forward to our trip together on the Kent Run. The family love her ! Does she have a name? I have lots of suggestions from the family but only if unnamed.

Photos this weekend and I will post an official handover photo when I see Ian.

Best wishes to all.

Mark

 

[ian Stanbury]

..You are all too kind..

..And as I still have 2 R4's here in France I will still be posting Motes of Wisdom etc Pepper.

Glad all is going well Mark and I am also looking forward to riding shotgun on the Kent Run with you and seeing her in her new boots.

She has a name - Dulcie Bella but I think she has she will be a bit bored with being called the name of my Grandmothers fab 1956 14 foot clinker built Stuart Turner powered yacht tender - Plying her way between Pill Creek at Feock to where her big sister Fair Sabrina a Camper and Nicholson 32 was moored at Restronguet Point and near the famous pub, The Pandora - All these places are on the Fal Estuary in Cornwall.

So do give her a new name Mark to reflect her new life with you and your family.

Happy Easter to you all from the Lord Admiral...

PS Do I now have one more posts than you again with this Pepper and is Robert coming on the Kent run with you?.

 

[pepper]

Re the Posts, we're neck and neck at the moment, but as I'm off to France for two weeks as of today, and I have no internet access over there, I dare say you will have overtaken by miles and miles by the time I get back.


Robert hasn't contacted me yet, but It'll be no problems taking him down to the run as long as Malcolm can bring him back.

 

[victoriahoskyns]

Neighbour

Aha,
I pass your car often, I'm in SW2! And I always admire - why are you selling?

 

[ian Stanbury]

..Difficult question Victoria on Election Call Day..

..But mainly because I wanted someone else to have as much fun as I have had racing round in a reliable Renault 4 and Mark is that lucky chap.

I am also now into Homeopathy and nuclear fusion experiments but, British universities are damaging their reputations by offering science degrees in homeopathy, reflexology and other alternative medicines, scientists warn today.

The recent surge in bachelor of science degrees in complementary therapies is described as a "disaster for reason and education" that is being driven by universities desperately trying to attract students to their campuses.

Figures from the universities admissions service, Ucas, from December last year show there are now 61 complementary medicine courses on offer at British universities, of which 45 are marketed as science degrees.

Writing in the journal Nature today, David Colquhoun, a professor of pharmacology at University College London, claims that many of these courses are teaching "gobbledygook" as though it were science.

"Most complementary and alternative medicine is not science because the vast majority of it is not based on empirical evidence. Homeopathy, for example, has barely changed since the beginning of the 19th century. It is much more like religion than science," he writes.

Prof Colquhoun particularly criticises the universities of Central Lancashire, Salford and Westminster, the latter of which offers 14 BSc courses in complementary and alternative medicine.

"This is the equivalent of teaching witchdoctory. If you have a bachelor of science degree, it ought to be in something that can vaguely described as science," Prof Colquhoun said.

The quality of university courses is regulated by the Quality Assurance Agency, an independent body funded by subscriptions from UK universities and colleges of higher education. However, Prof Colquhoun believes ultimate responsibility lies with university vice-chancellors.

"I'd like to see vice-chancellors get honest. They've lost their way and are happy to teach anything to get bums on seats. They think anything that makes money is OK. We know that these courses are showing bigger rises than any other subject, while maths and other subjects are going down. It's a disaster for reason and education," he said.

Edzard Ernst, a scientist and professor of complementary medicine at Exeter and Plymouth universities has recently obtained details on complementary medicine courses on offer at universities and believes there has been a doubling in courses in the past few years.

"From the course material we were able to inspect, these courses look on the flimsy side to put it very mildly. Universities are currently run like BMW factories. They're out to make money and the content of courses is sometimes amazing and in complementary medicine, very amazing," he said.

"You can teach about homeopathy and spiritual healing and crystal therapy in a scientific way, which is dramatically different from teaching students how to do crystal therapy, homeopathy or spiritual healing. These courses are hands-on and the students come out with a bachelor of science in a subject which essentially is not science.

"This can only be to the detriment of the universities. They should aspire to a certain level of rigour and intellect and if that's not the case, they're shooting themselves in the foot," he added.

In a statement, the University of Westminster said its homeopathy degree satisfies quality assurance standards and focuses on teaching students the skills to communicate with healthcare professionals. More than a third of the course covers anatomy, physiology and pathology and students are taught how to critique the medical research literature. "A research-minded and scientific approach to the practice of homeopathy is therefore embedded throughout the whole course," it adds.

Evan Harris, the Liberal Democrat science spokesman, said: "If the term 'BSc' is to retain its credibility then it can not be used to give legitimacy to non-scientific subjects far less pseudo-science or anti-science, including homeopathy. I will be asking the education secretary what steps he can take to ensure that non-science is not being dressed as science in our universities.

"Alternative medicine is a big business and uses the cover of legitimacy given to it by some universities awarding BSc degrees and the occasional use by the NHS as a substitute for providing proper research-based evidence of effectiveness."

So after due consideration of the above, I have now decided to concentrate on a nuclear fusion car power source. I already have a working model - my 91 year old aunts 1989 green Nissan Micra - My problem is getting the nuclear reaction to start - It requires a huge amounts of heat to get the reaction under way and I just cant get her heater to produce more that 70 degrees c.

In case any of you are worried, she and the car are on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon (Drewsteignton) so if all goes wrong and a meltdown does occur, only people in the Exeter Launceston and Plymouth triangle need fear for their safety. My incredibly clever son, a first year Chemistry student at Durham Uni is leading this secret research project but he doesn't seem to want to come down to Devon to see the fusion trials first hand on the Nissan Micra, preferring to talk to me on skype and emailing me the calculations all the way from Durham.

Anyway I will keep you all informed on how its all going.

Now team, I hear that we are finally on for an election - Needless to say that I will be voting for The Renault 4 Party and hopefully Malcolm, Pepper, Mark, Victoria, Steve, Bluebell, Captain Van Rouge et all will be new recruits to the next parliament.

Talking of Victoria, Victoria, I sincerely hope we are all going to have the pleasure of meeting you and your R4 on the Kent run on 2nd May - You don't seem to have signed in for it yet?

Got to dash as my Cadmium Rods seem to be getting too hot...

 

[reggie]

eh ???

 

[Firstandbest]

Reggie!!!! I fear Ian is falling apart - withdrawal symptons. I'll try and help!

Ian, Dulcie Bella ,AKA Amelie, is alive and well. Driving beautifully and turning heads. She has her old shoes back on and a twinkle in her eye ( I fitted the headlamp you gave me). Apart from that a wash and scrub up with Autoglym,

So, where to take this gorgeous lady. Well, the Kent Run of course! Then I was thinking of entering the parade in the Bromley Pagent of Motoring nearby - http://www.bromleypageant.co.uk/.

Looking further ahead I am toying with the idea of a drive to the Somme. I took my son over for a couple of days in 2006 and meandered around the front line and museums - very moving. A R4 would add to the atmosphere.

Today is a Red Letter Day - we are off to meet Derek at Renospeed. Full Service and a chance for Derek to get aquainted with Amelie. Routine check up ready for my weekly runs to the office in Brighton.

Looking forward to the Kent Run Ian. OK, no berets and onion strings but stripy shirts ! See you all soon, including Victoria hopefully!

PS Meant to say .. are you missing one of your Cadmium Rods under the bonnet ...... something's started to glow........................:eek:

 

[ian Stanbury]

..Falling apart Mark, me?

..I think I have been fallling apart for years!!

Now Mark, you seem to have done a fab job on A / DB and she looks absolutely great in her new boots and with her new headlights - Well done and I am so pleased to hear that she is behaving herself in your care.

The Bromley Pageant seems like a good oppurtunity to show her off so do post some pics of that day up here as well please.

I hope your red letter day goes well with Derek today.

Am hugely looking forward to the Kent Run day and I will wait on your call for collection from SE21 timing etc

 

[malcolm]

Is that a big dent in the top of the front wing? Wasn't there in the first photos of this thread. What happened there?

 

[Firstandbest]

Ahhh. You spotted my experimental spoiler! Holds the wing down when cornering. Shall I bring a hammer on the Kent Run and modify the Gordini?

Next pic will be airbrushed!

 

[ian Stanbury]

..I should contribute here shouldn't I Mark..

..As only I know how that dent was caused..

Well.... I was driving back from IKEA in Croydon with a Speilborg ,2 Mannefaarts, 3 Guttentags and a roll of Bleidteirts in the back of the car and was at traffic lights in West Norwood next to the cemetery and the Tesco Local waiting to turn right to head home and suddenly out of the blue there was a great thud as a meteor from Orion hit the wing. I got out and examined it and it was still steaming hot and it was still fizzing - brilliant I thought.

As luck would have it, as it was from Orion and not Mercury as normal, the nice fellows at the Natural History museum in Kensington were very interested in exhibiting it and so if you go to the Darwin Wing on the third floor, in the 4th exhibit cabinet on the left as you look towards the Science Museum, you will see the culprit titled Renaultius fourtii.

 

[reggie]

planet zog -

please could you tell me what you drink - i need some too
Reg

 

[Firstandbest]

BOGOF this weekend!

That's one I can answer - found a bottle under Ian's fron seat.

Stanberry Juice of course . Made from freshly picked Stans, a Laurel leaf (Hardy variety) using Jamie Oliver's own recipe.

From Asda, Stansburys and all good health shops.

Buy One Get One Free this weekend