Highland Sports Coupe project...

[Ruairidh Dunford]

I cannot disclose such unclothing, perhaps Peter may be able to help you?

[Peter Naulls]

Yes Steve, you would recognise them, suitably cleaned up and painted. Thank you very much!

[David Stepney]

Thank you Ruairidh for the explanation regarding the starting handle shaft, I did wonder.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Peter came to see the car today, first time he has seen it since it left his workshop last year, naked.

We spent two hours driving it about and I will let him tell you about that.

Photos of the two of us, give some scale to the car - I will photograph it next to the RK next week for further comparison.

Some shot of the boot and special tool box.

We are very pleased with the special, it seems to settle nicer each day.

               

[Ivor Hawkins]

Locking sharp...all three of you!

Love the tools too, I have mine wrapped up in old tee shirt under the passenger seat...

[Peter Naulls]

Today's drive was quite a revelation. I'm used to driving a well-sorted Ruby and a rough short-wheelbase Ulster bodied special. This was a completely different experience. 

It feels very much a sports car, both from the driving position but also the long bonnet and the handling - it corners with much less body roll than a saloon but is less twitchy than a short wheelbase car. It's quick and the engine feels unusually flexible, perhaps because of the light weight. There is as much headroom as a Ruby but it is very cosy inside - comfortable but a little claustrophobic. The brakes haven't yet bedded in and it takes a bit forward planning to get your arm out of the window for hand signals, so maneuvering in traffic gets a bit stressful!

Above all I couldn't get over how free from squeaks and rattles it is. It really does feel "new". I can understand why fabric saloons were sold as being "silent" in comparison to metal bodies cars.

It's coming back to my workshop to have the door hinges and locks shimmed at some point. Even with all my careful calculations the addition of trim has upset the alignment and with suicide doors there's no room for error.

[David Stepney]

I am more and more stunned by this project, the more photos I see! It really is a luxury car in miniature.

Concerning Peter's remark about hand signals, could I suggest the fitting of a pair of period semaphore indicators?

[Reckless Rat]

I think what might be more appropriate would be a set of the Bearded Wizards "invisible" LED indicators.

[Peter Naulls]

I'm sure it will get modified and tweeked in the future as specials always evolve. Having said that there is very little I would change about it. I was probably quite nervous driving it for the first time on roads I didn't know.

[JonE]

So is it remain on one of your creators' hands, to be marketed... or already spoken for?