Ant Anstead Born Mechanic Season 2 Episode 5

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Transcript

00:00I'm Ant Anstead, and when it comes to cars, I can fix almost anything.

00:08Oh, there she goes!

00:11When it comes to houses, not so much.

00:17I'm supercharging my mission.

00:20Oh my god!

00:22Fixing up and flipping eight more classic motors.

00:25You look like Laura Denardi, you two!

00:29Because the 500-year-old farmhouse I bought for my parents to retire in...

00:34...is a crumbling money pit.

00:37I would brace yourself, cos it ain't gonna be cheap.

00:40But I won't be defeated.

00:42Yeah! It's beautiful, isn't it?

00:44I want Mum and Dad moved in before summer ends.

00:47We'll call it glamping, shall we?

00:49Right, that's the spirit.

00:51And with the help of family...

00:54I did it!

00:55...and my petrolhead pal, Duncan.

00:58Yay!

00:59Come on then, let's go!

01:01I'm determined to turn cars into cash.

01:05Whoa!

01:06Even if it kills me.

01:08Whoa!

01:09Two months until the end of summer, and there's still loads to do to get Mum and Dad moved in.

01:24But at least we've made good progress in the living room.

01:29Check it out.

01:30Oh my goodness.

01:31The reason I want you in here is I want to start thinking about flooring.

01:35Well, I'm very much for carpet.

01:37You want to carpet it?

01:38It's lovely and warm, makes it even warmer.

01:41Yeah, carpet, in my opinion, is a little bit out.

01:45It doesn't have that functional farmhouse feel.

01:49It doesn't matter whether it's in or out.

01:51It's what is most comfortable.

01:54Yeah, I think maybe a sort of a hard flooring and a rug.

01:58What about tiles like we've got outside the front door?

02:03The pathway tiles?

02:04Quarry tiles?

02:05That'll be nice.

02:06Something like that.

02:07What do you think?

02:08She doesn't look at this.

02:10Pick up a couple of choices and then we can look at what fits the room.

02:17A living room's worth of tiles isn't going to come cheap.

02:24So I'm heading to Oxfordshire for a potential restoration that's caught my eye.

02:29I'm going to go and see a car that I have absolutely lusted off.

02:33Not this specific car, but this specific brand.

02:36It's a TVR.

02:38See, TVR kind of hit that sweet spot.

02:41Sports cars, lightweight, homemade, British.

02:45Fast.

02:46Really fast.

02:48TVR was born in a Blackpool workshop in the 1940s.

02:52This handmade car was the brainchild of a guy called Trevor, hence the name TVR.

02:58They were a mishmash of borrowed parts and bespoke components.

03:02It's fair to say they were a little rough around the edges, but they acquired a cult following.

03:08This is a TVR that doesn't come around that often.

03:11This is a 1978 Tamar.

03:14And it's really special in terms of TVR lineage because it's the car with the hatchback.

03:18And when you think about it, hatchback isn't an obvious design choice for a sports car, but it just works.

03:24And actually, it's the only one I can find online at the moment.

03:27Which tells me one thing.

03:29It's rare.

03:30Rare's good.

03:31Rare means profit.

03:33Normally.

03:34The current owner bought the car a year ago as a project.

03:38And with fewer than a hundred of these believed to still be on the road in the UK, I can't wait to see it.

03:44And.

03:45Oh, you must be Steven.

03:47Pleased to see you.

03:48And you, mate.

03:49Now, I've got to say, I've seen some project cars in some weird places.

03:53Why is it in the garden?

03:54Well, it's the best place to spread it, isn't it?

03:56So, history of the car, what do you know?

03:58I've had it a year.

03:59Before that, a gentleman had it, but he died and sat in a garage for two years.

04:03I bought off a guy's missus.

04:05And do you know anything about it before him?

04:07No.

04:08So, you can't find the history.

04:09Can we take the cover off?

04:10We certainly can.

04:11Have a subject.

04:13With little knowledge of this car's nearly 50-year history, I'll need to look closely for any battle scars.

04:19It's epic.

04:20You forget how small they are.

04:22You've done some work, got it running and driving.

04:24Yeah.

04:25So, what's the problem?

04:26There's gearbox rear oil seals leaking.

04:29The engine rear oil seals leaking.

04:31Okay.

04:32So, there's a puddle of oil underneath right now.

04:33It drips.

04:34Yeah.

04:35How bad is it?

04:37Oh, there's a tray.

04:38Well, do you mind if I have maybe 10, 15 minutes on my own?

04:42Certainly.

04:43Yep.

04:44I'm a big lover of TVRs.

04:46Everything they represent and stand for.

04:48But, I need to be measured, because this car also has notorious problems.

04:52But, actually, on the face of it, it looks pretty solid.

04:56Yeah, it sits really well for a fiberglass car.

04:59See, while Lotus were making fiberglass cars obsessed with weight, TVR were kind of the opposite.

05:04They were doing fiberglass cars, but they put heavy engines in.

05:07So, this car is notorious.

05:08Whoa!

05:11Don't break it.

05:12This car is notorious for being a little bit tail happy, but that makes it fun.

05:17Yeah, this boot section, this tail, is the first TVR that had that kind of hatch look.

05:22I already like it.

05:27I don't like the wheels, though.

05:30TVR, just like Colin Chapman, stole things from other car companies.

05:34So, this engine came out of a Ford.

05:36Hmm.

05:37There's something missing here.

05:38I think that's the heater box.

05:42As TVRs were hand-made, the parts were often bespoke, meaning this won't be an off-the-shelf replacement.

05:49It's a niche car with niche needs.

05:52Oh!

05:55It has this really kind of homemade, have-a-go-hero interior.

06:01There is nothing in this car that's quality, but I love it.

06:05It's awesome.

06:06Ergonomics of a car.

06:10I haven't started it yet, so I'm not going to get too excited.

06:13Come on.

06:17Really?

06:18Oh!

06:19Oh!

06:25Oh, that is rough!

06:27Oh!

06:28There she goes!

06:32Okay, indicators work.

06:34Wipers.

06:38I found one!

06:39A TVR with a wiper's work!

06:45I've seen enough.

06:46I have seen enough.

06:50Stephen!

06:51A good Taymar can go for 15k upwards.

06:53But this car's up for nearly 11 grand, so I'll need to knock off a few quid to make it worth the punt.

07:00The car presents really well.

07:01You know, the shell is remarkably good.

07:04I haven't been able to drive it.

07:07All leak.

07:08Don't really know what it is yet, so that's a bit of a risk.

07:10But in the main, I really love it.

07:11So, let's just go straight to the chase.

07:13Take, like, three grand off.

07:14Oh!

07:15No, I can't do that.

07:17All right, take...

07:192,800 off.

07:21Can't do that either, I'm afraid.

07:23Any chance of being not five figures?

07:25Like, it starts with...

07:28a nine?

07:29Nine, yeah, it starts with a nine.

07:30Okay, so we're in a nine...

07:32Yeah, definitely.

07:33Zero, zero, zero.

07:34No, a little bit more than that, I think.

07:37We're at a bit of a stalemate.

07:39But I have an idea.

07:41All right, the tarp was held down.

07:43These wheels here.

07:44Do you have four of them?

07:45I have four of those, yes.

07:48Because they're the original wheels, right?

07:49Yes, they are.

07:50So, what if...

07:529.5 buys the car.

07:53Mm-hmm.

07:54I'll give you 50 quid on top of the wheels.

07:55Sounds fair enough to me.

07:57Is that sold?

07:58Yes.

07:59Yes, I got a teamer.

08:10Woo-hoo-hoo-hoo!

08:12Yeah, this car, I just have a really good feeling about it.

08:14It really is the sweet spot of 70 sports cars.

08:17There is absolutely no way I can't make profit in this car.

08:20I'm going to say it right now.

08:29Oh.

08:31Oh, oh.

08:32Oh.

08:33Might!

08:34What have you got there?

08:35A car so light that I can push it in.

08:37Look!

08:38With one finger.

08:39Oh.

08:40You have to do the brakes.

08:43Wow.

08:44That is a 1978 TVR Tamer.

08:49That's a proper little monster, right?

08:51But it's got all the key ingredients of a great TVR.

08:54Composite body, low in volume, which means it's high in value.

08:58It has that cult following, because TVRs do.

09:01The bodywork is actually incredibly straight.

09:03It's complete-ish.

09:05Yeah, I think this is going to be a bit of fun.

09:07Because it's got an engine.

09:08Yeah, it's got an engine.

09:09This car runs.

09:11And there's your engine.

09:13Yeah, it's got an engine.

09:15There!

09:18Did you know that the TVR Tamer was the first TVR to have a heater?

09:23Unlike this one.

09:25This hasn't got a heater.

09:26So there is a gap here, and I have no idea where we're going to get one.

09:30Now, the engine.

09:31The problem is it's got a leak.

09:34It's an R leak that could either be tons of cash and tons of problems.

09:38It could be an R leak that is a simple fix.

09:43Ford.

09:44What did we pay for it?

09:46It was £9,550.

09:48And the extra 50 was because he threw in the original wheels.

09:51Are you happy?

09:51Very happy.

09:53Very happy.

09:53Right.

09:55Let's stick it in the barn.

09:56Do you want to hit that little dingy handbrake?

09:58Yeah.

09:59It's got to be the world's smallest.

10:00The problem is, is that we don't yet know what's wrong with the engine.

10:10So this is the hold the breath moment, because it is a TVR.

10:13Well, I can't hold my breath for that long, so we've got to get it out of here.

10:16The Tamar's clam-style bonnet is hinged at the front, so to get full access to the engine

10:24bay, we want to take it off completely.

10:29You ready?

10:31Right, this is going to get a little bit heavy, buddy.

10:35I don't know about lightweight.

10:36It's probably the heaviest bonnet in history.

10:40Right, lay on those pallets.

10:41Got it.

10:42All right, let's whip the radiator out.

10:46We're going to need a bucket.

10:54Right, I think that's most of the water.

10:56Well, we've got most of it in the bucket.

11:00Right, that should lift.

11:02That should come out.

11:05Our Tamar's engine is a Ford Essex V6.

11:09As for many years, TVR didn't build their own engines, they borrowed them from other manufacturers.

11:15Right, crane time.

11:17I think she's ready.

11:18I see a problem occurring.

11:21The engine in a TVR sits really far back in the bay for optimum weight distribution.

11:26Proper race car stuff.

11:28But it's making it a real pain to get the crane in close enough.

11:31I think it's outside.

11:33Off the ramp.

11:34Old school.

11:34That'll do.

11:43Got it.

11:50Up a little bit.

11:52A trolley under the gearbox will take the weight when we undo it.

11:56Oh, you put a pad down for your dainty knees.

11:59At my age, you've got to look after meself.

12:01Right, everything clear?

12:02Yeah, keep going.

12:06If my engine problem is a Ford one, it should be affordable.

12:10But if it's a TVR problem, it's going to get expensive.

12:15She's out!

12:15We've got the engine out of the TVR Tamar, and it's clear to see we've got a leak somewhere.

12:34Moment of truth.

12:36Just quite a bit of oil.

12:37Look at that.

12:38Yeah, I was looking in that bell-housy.

12:40Hopefully, it's not gearbox as well.

12:44No, it looks dry up here.

12:45Yeah.

12:46The oil's here.

12:48Yeah, I bet you behind that clutch it's a main seal.

12:50Right.

12:51Let's stick it on the trolley.

12:52Get it on the trolley.

12:54A problem with a rear main seal is the best-case scenario here, because if it's a cracked block,

13:00we're looking at a whole new engine.

13:02Do you want to make that engine bay a little bit sparkly?

13:04Yeah.

13:04I seem to get this from Ant.

13:11He gets some nice, clean jobs.

13:13I get all the grubby jobs.

13:15While Duncan spruces up the engine bay, I need to get the clutch off to see where the leak

13:21in the engine is coming from.

13:23The handy thing about the main seal on this engine is it's carried inside this plate.

13:27Normally, it's on the block itself.

13:31It's supposed to be a more pliable rubber.

13:33You know, act as a seal.

13:34Think of a cork in a wine bottle.

13:37And this is really hard and brittle.

13:41So that is definitely the offender of our oil leak.

13:45Oil is escaping via the main seal, and probably a little bit by the sump.

13:51A set of seals and gaskets for my Ford engine should do the trick.

13:55With those ordered, Dad and I are off to a reclamation yard to find the perfect flooring for the living room.

14:02I'm convinced tiles are the answer.

14:04Whatever Mum thinks.

14:06These are a reclaimed quarry tile.

14:08Nice glazed top.

14:10I'd love a smaller tile.

14:11Tudor brick.

14:12Quite nice.

14:13Nice hard brick.

14:14Really full of age.

14:15I quite like the red, though.

14:17Lay them out, and then when you're ready, just come and give me a shout.

14:19Top man.

14:20Thanks, dude.

14:20Cheers.

14:21Right, so the choice is a brick.

14:24We could do a herringbone, a staggered, or a tile.

14:30I know I told Mum we'd get samples, but hey, no risk, no reward.

14:36Just pick one, brick or tile.

14:38I think I'd prefer that.

14:39I like this one.

14:40Hey, Adam.

14:41Yep.

14:42How are we doing?

14:42All right?

14:43I think we've made very steady progress.

14:45Perfect.

14:46Yep.

14:46Which one are we going with?

14:47I'm on a hiding to nothing here, Adam, because...

14:50His mother, my wife, is the problem, because she's not here, and I've got to make a decision.

14:55So I'm going to go for those.

14:56Yep, terracotta tiles.

14:58They are £45 a square metre, so...

15:0122 square metres.

15:03Nearly 1,000 tiles, I think.

15:0545 times 22?

15:06Yeah.

15:06Okay, close on 1,000 pounds.

15:08That's a grand.

15:10It's a bit pricey, but these tiles will hold the warmth from the underfloor heating beautifully.

15:17What's your mother going to say?

15:18I don't know.

15:19That's your job.

15:20This is a problem.

15:21It's not my problem.

15:22No.

15:23What is my problem is the leaky TVR TAMAR.

15:28But I'm pinning my hopes on a £14.50 set of new seals and gaskets.

15:34So first off, the main seal.

15:36So I should be able to just drive the old seal out.

15:50There she is.

15:53So out with the old seal, and in with the new.

15:56And this is one of those jobs you get one hit at.

16:07Perfect!

16:07And while I'm at it, I'm cleaning the surface and replacing the cover plate gasket, too.

16:14And then I'm just going to apply some of this gasket jointing.

16:18That will help stick to the block.

16:29Bear in mind, the inside rubber flap on the main seal, it has a contour to it that leans

16:35against a rotating crankshaft, so it can be difficult to get it on.

16:40So a little trick is cut a little piece of card like this, wrap it around the crank into

16:48a cone.

16:50That will help guide that rubber on.

16:52Yeah.

17:01Beautiful!

17:04Yeah, that's never going to leak.

17:07Now to replace that leaky sump gasket.

17:10Duncan's not only given our sump a little clean-up and de-grease, he's actually painted it as well.

17:17Thorough job, dude!

17:19No worries!

17:22And now for the tricky bit.

17:32Okay, and just get on that front pulley.

17:35You guide it on the rear, I'll make sure this front clears.

17:38Okay, slowly, there she goes.

17:42I can hear you breathing.

17:45To get the engine back in, we'll need to line up the splines on the clutch and the gearbox.

17:53That's it.

17:55She's in!

17:57After topping everything up, we can find out if the oil is staying where it should.

18:02Moment of truth.

18:03Moment of truth.

18:04Okay, you ready?

18:06Yeah.

18:11We've got great oil pressure.

18:12It's a TBR, she's alive!

18:17She's alive!

18:18She's alive!

18:22Go on, do it once more!

18:30She sounds mega.

18:31I know, right?

18:31And there's only one way to celebrate.

18:37This is like my childhood.

18:39Not your childhood, it's in black and white.

18:4170s ice lollies, 70s car.

18:46This was actually a cheap fix.

18:48One oil seal, two gaskets, rocket lollies for the win.

18:53You forget about my time of cleaning, painting.

18:57Your time doesn't count here, buddy.

18:59Come out, he said.

19:00Be fun.

19:02I suppose I've got lollies.

19:03You'll get lollies out of it.

19:08But there's no rest for the wicked.

19:11All right, fellas.

19:13I'm hoping this is a whole room's worth of reclaimed tiles.

19:17Buying them without mum's sign-off was a bit of a bold decision,

19:21but I'm sure she's going to love them when she sees them laid.

19:25These look great.

19:27Would you have tiles in your living room on the floor?

19:31No.

19:31You wouldn't?

19:32No.

19:33Why not?

19:33Carpet.

19:35Yeah, don't tell mum that.

19:38Right, now that dad has committed us to the reclaimed,

19:43clay-fired tile for this room,

19:45and none of us are tilers.

19:48Apart from you, you've tiled before.

19:51Okay, none of us are tilers.

19:52We can either lay them square like so,

19:58or brick-like.

20:00See, these being all handmade, none of them are going to be square.

20:04We're going to have variations, I think, offset.

20:08We might have to go a bit random.

20:10Random's good.

20:11I think what we call it is character.

20:13Character, yes.

20:16But before we get going, I need to solve the next problem on the TVR list.

20:21Before the Tamar, TVR had a bad reputation for the heating and ventilation.

20:26But what TVR did with this model, with the Tamar, is they tried to fix it.

20:30And they did it with an inline heater box where that massive hole is.

20:35So inside this mythical air box, there was a heater matrix.

20:39And that stole hot coolant from the engine.

20:42And look, they just bypassed it with that little elbow there.

20:45Looks like a plumbing thing.

20:47Now here in lies the rub.

20:49I can't get that complete unit and put it in the car because it doesn't exist.

20:56Like so many parts on a TVR, this fix will require a creative workaround.

21:02Luckily, I know a TVR guru who can help.

21:05So I've got my delivery man on the case.

21:09Meeting a chap called Andrew, who apparently is the TVR expert.

21:14I don't know what I'm picking up, but no doubt Andrew will tell me.

21:22Nigel.

21:24Hey, Andrew, how are you doing?

21:25I'm good. Welcome to the TVR Fun Factory.

21:27Thank you very much. Wow, what a place.

21:30So how easy is it to get parts for TVRs?

21:32As an enthusiast, I struggled on many things.

21:37And I started making bits for my own cars.

21:40And people said, and we'd like to buy one of those.

21:43And that's how it all started.

21:44Well, we've got a Tamar.

21:45Tamar was the very first TVR built with an opening boot and hatch and a small limited run.

21:53A very rare car and a special car.

21:56Andrew's done me a solid by supplying all the bits I need to build a heater

22:00and hand-making a fiberglass box for it to go in.

22:05Well, that's your order already packed.

22:07Okay.

22:08Before you go, though, let me show you something.

22:11Okay.

22:11We manufacture these in-house.

22:14Sorry to ask a stupid question, but what does it do?

22:17It's the rocker cover.

22:18And if you didn't have that on the top of the engine, your oil would go everywhere.

22:24Well, it's very pretty.

22:26Well, I bet it's not cheap.

22:28A pair of those is £5.95, powder-coated.

22:32We'll do a set for you for £4.95.

22:35How much value will that add?

22:36I've no idea what it would add to value, but it would make it more saleable.

22:42Oh, my goodness.

22:44All right, £4.95.

22:47Thank you very much. Deal.

22:48These rocker covers, they are beautifully made.

22:54I must say, if it makes £1,000 extra on the car, I'll have the £1,000.

22:57Thank you very much.

22:58I've just come from that guy, Andrew.

23:06That's the airbox?

23:07Yep.

23:08He knows everything about TVRs.

23:10He has suggested that we buy this.

23:14He called it a rocker cover.

23:16He bought rocker covers.

23:18Andrew said they would be absolutely perfect for the TVR.

23:23So, I bought them.

23:25Okay.

23:28I mean, look at that.

23:29Isn't that amazing?

23:32How much were they?

23:34£4.95.

23:36You spent £500 on rocker covers.

23:39That's the last time I let Dad go shopping.

23:41But I don't want to kill his enthusiasm.

23:44Oh, Matt.

23:45Okay, look.

23:45We're here now.

23:47Come on, you must like...

23:48They are lovely.

23:49I mean, they're really lovely.

23:50They are going to make the engine bay look really nice.

23:52Do you want to see the other one?

23:53No.

23:54Can I go now?

23:55Yeah.

24:08The living room at the farmhouse needs to be tiled.

24:11And in a desperate bid to save cash, we're taking on the grunt work ourselves.

24:16Today is quite a big job.

24:17I mean, tiling is a profession.

24:20Some people, you know, think they can just have a bit of a go at it.

24:24They're quite tricky to lay these tiles.

24:26They are all different shapes.

24:29Hey, we'll have a go at anything.

24:30That's what worries me.

24:34You know, I had drawn a plumb line which is straight with the wall, but the wall's not straight.

24:39This is the no-going-back point.

24:41So Mum hasn't actually seen these tiles yet?

24:44No, they are a mystery.

24:47But it's not just the tiles that are a funny shape.

24:50There's no way this room is square.

24:53318.

24:54Yeah, 315.

24:56Yeah, it's three centimetres longer, that side of the room.

24:58And if we carry on on that plane, we're going to be wonky against the fire.

25:02To make up for the room being three centimetres bigger on this side, we'll just gap this side.

25:07Yeah, just creep them a little bit.

25:10Fan them out.

25:11And then by the time they arrive at the fireplace, they should be square.

25:20Right.

25:21I just hope it works, as it's a fine line between achieving a rustic farmhouse feel or a total dog's dinner.

25:28I mean, it's nice because the house is a bit wonky and all the tiles are a bit wonky and the owner's a bit wonky.

25:37And I can't afford to rip these out and start again.

25:40More tiles next?

25:41Yeah, keep them coming. We are chewing through them now.

25:46The job's not finished, but with the day and my body fading, I'm going to leave the tricky

25:51bit around the fireplace for tomorrow.

25:53I think the fanning out has actually worked really well.

25:57It looks epic. Like, it really does. It's the vision for the room.

26:01Yeah, it's starting to come together, this room.

26:04I'm going to ache tonight. My knees and back are done. I'm tired.

26:10After a good night's sleep, I'm ready to build the TVR's replacement heater.

26:19But like so many TVR parts, it's a bit of a hodgepodge.

26:23My matrix.

26:27That looks like a fan from a boat.

26:30Wait, what?

26:30That's the box.

26:34All right, so we've got a fan, a box that looks like a bedpan. I mean, this obviously goes

26:41like there. Oh, it doesn't even fit in the holes, but it goes there somewhere.

26:43I'll tell you what, this reminds me of my days of building kit cars.

26:47But how do we mount it?

26:48I quite enjoy a puzzle.

26:53It can't be that way. It has to sit on the flat.

26:55No, that's not it.

26:57So...

27:02What?

27:04This may not be the right battery.

27:06Let's pop the battery out of the way.

27:08That's it. That's the way.

27:11The right height.

27:12So we need to find a five and a half inch battery.

27:16That's a small battery.

27:18They do.

27:19Yeah, but they're expensive.

27:21At 60 quid, it's not something I'd planned on buying.

27:25All these extras are going to chip away at the profit.

27:28So if it sits this way in the car, somehow that needs to be fixed there.

27:35In true TVR fashion, Duncan's knocking together some brackets to hold the box in place.

27:41Because it's all one-off and a bit unique, you know, you can't actually just buy what you want

27:46sometimes. So the last thing you want on this really is any little gaps in it. If the cold air's

27:51coming in here and it can go round the outside of the matrix, it won't work sufficiently as if we

27:58seal that and it can go straight through. Despite being a bespoke part, the airbox still needs a

28:04little bit of tweaking to make it work. Very TVR. This top edge is going to be visual when you open

28:10the bonnet. So I'm going to make a little bit of an effort so it looks like a uniform and nicely

28:15engineered part. How are you going on? There we go. Nice. So if I hold this in,

28:31if you mark through that hole, that'll give us our drill hole to mount the fan.

28:35Like the box itself, the key here is making sure there are no gaps. Oh my god, look at this,

28:43we're like airbox creators. Man, the truth. Yes. Oh my god, that is actually an airtight box.

28:51Grab that battery from the car, let's spin it up.

28:59Look at that. Yeah, although I can feel, here, put your finger there. I can feel it escaping

29:04through like that. Oh yeah. Some standard seam sealer should sort that out.

29:12We have an airtight heater unit that is going to make this a very comfortable drive. Perfect.

29:24And the living room has made good progress too, courtesy of Duncan and his diamond pattern skills.

29:30Wow, that looks amazing. You like it? Yeah, it's awesome.

29:35Have you seen Nana and Grandpa are going to like it? Uh, Grandpa, yes. Nana wanted carpet,

29:40but I think once we get a big rug down, it's going to feel like a really cozy living room. But before

29:45Mum sees it, there's one more job to be done. So you're going to need this. This is going to protect

29:49your knees. You see this, this is a protective sealer. Wet the rag and wipe the top of the tile.

29:55Easy. Easy. Good luck. Terracotta tiles are porous, so the sealer helps to prevent liquid soaking in,

30:04as well as enhancing their natural colour. So boring. Once the sealer is down, the tiles need grouting.

30:13How are we going, Arch? Getting there. Looking good? I'll come in and give you a hand.

30:18Makes it look a lot better. Makes it pop, doesn't it? It's just the way it brings the colour of the tile out.

30:26Better than the house. I think so. It's come out quite nice. I think it's because we did it.

30:30You get all the glory, you will, for this. I'll whiz out and you can say, yeah, I've done all this.

30:35Yeah, I just did it all and it's amazing.

30:42It's a bit make-do and meant. That's proper TVR.

30:47After a lot of TVR DIY, it's time to see if this heater unit actually works.

30:52Right, do you want to jump in the cockpit? Right, battery's connected. That little inline motor's connected.

31:02Valve's connected. Could you make more of a palaver getting in that tiny car?

31:08I'm getting old. You're not getting old, you're getting big.

31:12Go on then. Right, ready? Feel the wind on your hair.

31:14I can filter. Yeah. This Tamar now has heating and ventilation.

31:24This should add a touch of luxury, but the internal fittings, they're a bit more budget.

31:29The problem I've got, though, is that these plastic bits, you have to admit, this lets it down.

31:35This is a bit scruffy. I mean, the handle's almost acceptable, but...

31:40Oh, that, because it's got a bit of shiny. A bit of bling.

31:43Grab a flathead. Let's have this off.

31:45So, you know what? I've got a pal who does a little bit of machining.

31:48Thank you. We want to get this interior to pop a little bit.

31:52And remember, back in the day, the point of these cars is that they were individual handmade cars.

31:58So, why wouldn't we take this opportunity to lift the value of the interior?

32:03We'll have a word with him, see what he can do.

32:05With the living room tiles now sealed and grouted...

32:12Oh my life, that is so heavy.

32:14No wonder plumbers have all got bad bags, innit?

32:17It's like moving one of your cars.

32:19My plumber and neighbour Andy is helping us install a cast iron radiator.

32:24Let's throw it around.

32:27Go on, lift it.

32:29Too much.

32:30It's got to go half an inch that way.

32:32That's it.

32:33Beautiful.

32:39It's nice watching somebody work for a while.

32:43Consultancy, proper fees for that.

32:45They get paid well, don't they?

32:49I've actually got sweat dripping from my brow, gentlemen.

32:52Well, that's because it's about 90 degrees outside.

32:56Right, so, you all right if we leave you to get that plumbed in?

32:59Yep, all cool. 10, 15 minutes, we're done.

33:02Lovely. Thanks, dude.

33:14An engine fix and a new heating system have brought the Tamar's mechanics up to scratch.

33:19But the bodywork isn't quite cutting it.

33:23You need something, something to lift it because green bumpers blend with the green body.

33:28It just doesn't look classic enough.

33:30I wonder whether we could get away with black bumpers, black valence.

33:35I like the idea of a black bumper because it'll tie in with the number plate and that'll draw the eye down.

33:39And then down the centre, maybe a stripe.

33:42Wait a minute.

33:44See, what if this whole section here was just cream?

33:54Cream.

33:55And then, as you say, black bumpers, black valence.

34:00I think this is it.

34:01You've just got to be careful.

34:02We don't cost too much.

34:03I will make a call because we ain't going to do it in the barn.

34:07This sporty-looking paint job should make our Tamar more desirable.

34:11But there's another paint issue that needs urgent attention.

34:14At some stage, this car used to be blue.

34:16And some of that blue is now showing through.

34:18I reckon I can do a little fix that does this repair in the barn.

34:24I'm just going to give it a gentle scotch.

34:27Just key that shiny paint surface around where the blue is showing through.

34:33I want to make sure that my green paint only hits the green panel or the parts that are intended to be green.

34:41And then I'm going to go rogue, simply with a can of aerosol.

34:44The cool thing about aerosols is you can have the paint matched.

34:47And that's exactly what I've done.

34:49And a can of aerosol.

34:51Less than a tenner.

34:53And the key is lots of light dustings.

35:00So that's buried most of that blue.

35:03But with a light dusting, it's matte.

35:04It doesn't have a shine.

35:06So this final coat, I'm just going to have to get super confident.

35:10Hit it hard.

35:10Now just a flick of the can to let it spread over.

35:17That way it blends nicely into the existing paint.

35:20So all I need to do now is let that dry.

35:21Another detail seriously letting the TVR down were those plastic window winders.

35:30So I'm getting some shiny new aluminium ones custom made to add a touch of style.

35:36Just to get the basic design, I'm going to get a few rough dimensions from the part.

35:42We've got the basic shape now.

35:43All I'm going to do is put a bit of a curvature on it.

35:47So it's not just going to look like a flat chunk of metal sat in the car.

35:50We're going to try and make them look a bit sportier.

35:52That is done and the next step is to put it on the machine.

35:54In the 70s, bespoke Tamar parts would have been handmade.

36:00But today, CNC machines can turn parts out quickly and with precision.

36:06So this is now all polished up.

36:08I've got one more handle to do on the opposite side.

36:11And then we'll package it up and send it over to Ant.

36:17With all the work in the living room finished, there's just one thing left to do.

36:24Say something.

36:33It's amazing.

36:34Really good.

36:34This is lovely.

36:36What do you think of the floor?

36:38It's come up better than I expected.

36:40And to be honest, it gives warmth to the room.

36:44That's a win.

36:46Oh yeah.

36:46All right.

36:47I concede defeat to both of you.

36:50It's a complete transformation.

36:51It is amazing.

36:52I love that the beams are exposed.

36:54They keep the character and then the age of the building.

36:57And that?

36:58Wood burner.

36:59That'll keep us warm.

37:01You've got this really beautiful blank canvas.

37:03So it's natural textures, the oak, the lime.

37:06Every little detail is done in brass.

37:09Cast iron radiator, cast iron stove.

37:12And it's beautiful.

37:13It's really good.

37:14Really good.

37:15Now think about it from the house perspective.

37:16Upstairs bedroom finished.

37:18Downstairs living room finished.

37:19We are exactly 50% of the way.

37:21We're halfway there.

37:23Now if we can get some profit for that car,

37:27I think we move on to the hallway next.

37:29I'm beginning to feel that I can live here now.

37:32It's a comfy, warm place that we could really call home.

37:35Yes.

37:37Success.

37:37And my TVR's come a long way too.

37:40She's almost ready for a new buyer.

37:42I mean, fair play to dad getting the air box sorted.

37:45How much do you think he's spent on rocker covers?

37:47Rocker covers?

37:48Go on.

37:49How much?

37:49200 quid.

37:51Nearly 500.

37:53500.

37:54I mean, it'll dress that engine up.

37:56Don't encourage him.

38:01I reckon he's done all right.

38:03You think so?

38:04Yeah.

38:04What, you reckon we're getting 500 quid back?

38:06No.

38:07They do look smart.

38:08They do look good.

38:09Don't tell dad though.

38:11Next to go on the car,

38:12a special delivery from my mate's workshop.

38:15Billet aluminium window winders.

38:18Not just that.

38:19Look, drilled for lightness.

38:22Billet aluminium door handle.

38:23Beautiful.

38:24And the piers to resistance.

38:26A billet aluminium lock.

38:29Definitely runs in the family, doesn't it?

38:31What?

38:32Shiny bits.

38:37Do you want to raise the ramp?

38:39After blagging the original wheels for 50 quid when I bought the Tamar,

38:43I've had them fully refurbished.

38:45They're magic, aren't they?

38:47Aren't they great?

38:47These are the wheels they would have had when it left the factory.

38:52And to get the car race ready, the bonnet's back from its makeover.

38:57Oh, I'm laying on it.

38:59Done?

39:00Super.

39:02Dude, that stripe makes all the difference.

39:05That's the last job, isn't it?

39:06Our Tamar is tamed.

39:08Time to tot up the finances.

39:11So we paid nine and a half and 50 quid extra for the wheels, which I think was worth it.

39:16Yep.

39:17So the mechanical parts totaled £720.77.

39:22But of that £720, £495 were on the bits my dad bought.

39:27So take the rocker covers out.

39:28Mechanically, this car's only cost a couple hundred quid.

39:31£106 on the paint.

39:33My mate did the wheels for £200.

39:36Means we've spent £1,107.

39:39It means that this car owes us £10,657.

39:45You're thinking 14s?

39:47I'll take 14 now.

39:48Done.

39:49Hold it.

39:49Hold out your hand.

39:52I almost don't care about the auction for a second,

39:54because I just want to drive it.

39:56It's a TVR.

39:57What this car needs is to find itself sideways.

40:01Don't crash it.

40:11Oh, what?

40:16Tell you what, you lift your foot off the clutch, it just pulls straight away.

40:21Oh man, this thing's like a little race car.

40:24It's noisy, it's brash, it's incredibly uncomfortable.

40:34It's everything that I wanted it to be.

40:37Everything.

40:39As I sit here today, pressing the fun pedal,

40:42I'm so glad I bought this car.

40:44Oh my gosh.

40:54I mean, come on.

40:55Have I not got the happy British car boy face?

40:57Because driving a TVR is always going to be fun,

40:59because these cars are just, they're wannabe sports cars, but not quite there.

41:04And we paid just over £9,500 for the car, and spent just over a grand.

41:08So right now, it owes us just over £10,500.

41:11Is that worth more than £10,500 and absolutely in a heartbeat? Yes.

41:16But with a niche car like this, auctions are always a gamble.

41:23And the TVR's guide price is lower than I'd hoped.

41:27Estimated £6,000 to £8,000 to get them interested.

41:30It owes us £10,600 just over.

41:35I'm wobbling now.

41:36We need two TVR bidders to make an auction work.

41:39Do you think there's two in there?

41:41Please.

41:42Because these are rare as well, aren't they?

41:43Yeah.

41:44Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

41:46I don't know.

41:47All right, come on then.

41:48Let's bite the bullet.

41:49We're in.

41:49Auction gods, over to you.

41:52Box 652, it's the 1978 TVR at 3,738.

42:02Remember at Silverstone, this is a race car.

42:05£4,500 still ahead of you on the phone.

42:06£4,800 now, works up.

42:08£4,800 at £4,800, £5,000.

42:11This isn't moving quick enough.

42:12Slowing.

42:14Already now, £5,000, £5,500.

42:16£6,000, then it's £6,000, whether any more elsewhere.

42:19£6,800 if it helps you.

42:21Oh, wow.

42:22But it's £6,500.

42:23Do me sell them at £6,500.

42:25£6,000, mate.

42:28Come on, push.

42:29Take another two if it helps you out there.

42:30Push.

42:31I think one guy's on the phone.

42:33Go on, bid on it.

42:34£6,800.

42:35All right, at this stage, it's about damage limitation.

42:37£7,200...

42:38£7,200...

42:39£7,400...

42:40£7,400...

42:41£7,400...

42:42£7,400...

42:43Oh my God, this is painful.

42:45This is literally, like, torture.

42:47We're on line at 8.2.

42:49It's a better car than that.

42:51That doesn't deserve that.

42:52Last chance.

42:55£8,200, yours out there in Prescott.

43:01Now, the auction room was rough.

43:03There's not a lot of bids.

43:06I think the highest bid was a phone bidder,

43:07and, of course, they probably haven't seen the car.

43:11And, you know, people are less likely to take a risk

43:13if they haven't seen the car.

43:14You know, that's the risk of an auction.

43:18I mean, some days you're going to win it,

43:19and some days you're not.

43:20And it feels really awful.

43:22And it's basically a two and a half grand loss.

43:26So, it's one of those lick your wounds,

43:29get back to the farmhouse and start again tomorrow.

43:31So, I think about all the savings I've made

43:33in other areas of the house.

43:35Swings and roundabouts.

43:36So, I'm actually not that mad about it.

43:38I'm not going to dwell on it.

43:40I just have to pick my battles.

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