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Shed & Buried: Classic Cars - Season 4 Episode 8
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00:05Look, they've both got a stick. What do you reckon, Pete? That's not sharing.
00:10It's sharing. Well, they're not growling, are they? So they've got to be sharing.
00:13No, it's because they've got the rounds full.
00:14Are you going to give me that stick? No, no chance.
00:16Oh, there's some growling.
00:17There is.
00:18Look. Oh, Tot's got it away.
00:24It's brilliant, though, because they've got company. You know what I mean? She's got company now.
00:28Oh, that's great. It is amazing, Pete, you know, she's ten been now.
00:33Yeah, but she'll go younger now because the little one will keep her...
00:36Yeah, she is a Tot's what? Ten months? Something like that?
00:37Yeah. So she is, she keeps her young.
00:39Yeah, it will do.
00:40And we're off trawling Britain's sheds.
00:47This is absolutely unbelievable.
00:50For the most intriguing, I have never, ever seen one of these.
00:54The most exciting...
00:57Oh, ho, ho, now that is a naughty car.
01:00The most surprising, classic cars.
01:03It is very you.
01:05Oh, I love it.
01:06We're going to buy them, fix them up...
01:09No!
01:11And sell them for a tidy profit.
01:14Nice little earner.
01:17Wahey!
01:17This is Shed and Buried, classic cars.
01:27We're off in search of a classic car, but I'm knackered.
01:33Tell me we're not going far.
01:35We're going to Bicester.
01:38Which is, well, it's probably about half an hour, 40 minutes, maybe 45 minutes.
01:43In a normal vehicle.
01:44An hour and a quarter in this.
01:46Right, we're going to go and see a chap called Mark.
01:49He has a collection of his own, but he does wheel and deal a bit in cars as well, classics.
01:54Oh, does he?
01:54All right.
01:54But he likes things like racing Austin 7s and stuff like that.
02:01So he's a pre-war junkie like you.
02:03Yeah, he is.
02:04But, you know, there's some post-war goodies in there.
02:06A lot of British stuff.
02:07Right.
02:08But also, I may have seen, just in one picture, a motorbike or two.
02:15Oh, really?
02:15Yeah.
02:16You didn't see what motorbike?
02:18No.
02:19No, I didn't see very closely.
02:21Mystery motorbike.
02:22Mystery motorbike.
02:25Whether we come back with a Boston Austin, a pre-war saloon, or solve the mystery of Mark's
02:31bike collection, who knows?
02:33But Vista, here we come.
02:37So, Mark, so look, I know you wheel and deal a bit, but you collect as well.
02:40And this is your stash.
02:41Well, yeah.
02:42Do you have a pole shop?
02:43Alvis Austin 7s, particularly.
02:45Yeah.
02:46Okay.
02:46Race to the Austin 7.
02:48Earlier the better for me.
02:49I can never quite understand why people are so in love with Austin 7s.
02:53Simplicity.
02:54Yeah.
02:54Simplicity.
02:55Is that what it is?
02:56And you don't have to go fast to enjoy driving it.
02:58No.
02:58I'm quite excited because I know there's going to be what I call an eclectic mix.
03:01Exactly.
03:02Now, Mark, are all of these for sale or are there a few special ones?
03:08There's one or two that won't be.
03:09Yeah, okay.
03:10But the majority can be sort of sold on.
03:13Teased away.
03:14For the right price.
03:15Okay, fantastic.
03:16Okay.
03:16Well, Mark, I'll tell you what, we'll call you in probably on a couple of things.
03:19You might need some info on.
03:20But basically, we'll have a rummage about.
03:23Yeah, if that's okay.
03:24And then we will hopefully do a deal at the end on something.
03:29Fabulous to it.
03:30All right.
03:30Cool.
03:31Cheers.
03:31Cheers.
03:32So very much.
03:33Thank you, Mark.
03:33I want to start over here, actually.
03:38Is this an Armstrong thingy?
03:40It's an Armstrong Sidley, yes.
03:42There's the Sphinx on the front.
03:44This is an Armstrong Sidley Hurricane.
03:48Founded in 1919, Armstrong Sidley was a luxury British car maker, an engine manufacturer for the aviation industry.
03:57The Hurricane was one of its first post-war models, targeting the wealthy driver with a taste for speed.
04:04I never knew they did a soft top.
04:06That obviously goes right back.
04:08Yes.
04:09Obviously, the dashboard, it looked...
04:12Well, do you know, maybe, well, yeah, perhaps we could have a go at recovering those.
04:18And also...
04:19Well, you're going to have to recover the rear seat as well.
04:21Well, we could do something with that.
04:22And also, a bit with the wood.
04:25Because we could have a little go at the wood.
04:27Because it's not like it's completely let go.
04:30I think we could get that back.
04:32Oh, it's got a pre-selected gearbox.
04:34It has, yeah.
04:34Which is all great fun.
04:36All in all, I think this is a splendid combo.
04:40I think it's a crazy colour.
04:42I think it deserves to be rotted.
04:44You can't rob this.
04:46Why not?
04:46This is...
04:47It's like putting roller skates on your granny.
04:49You just don't do it.
04:51Okay.
04:51I love that analogy.
04:53Well, that's a very, very good start.
04:55Yeah, okay.
04:56Come on then, Fuzz, over here.
04:58For a classic car that needs no restoration, you couldn't get better than this.
05:03It's a Talbot, probably from around about 1936, 35.
05:09It looks very lovely inside.
05:11It's beautiful, man.
05:12What I love about it is it's slightly American gangster in this colour scheme.
05:18Yes.
05:19And you know how I love, you know, the kind of vehicle that you'd have a Tommy gun sticking
05:23out of.
05:24Yeah.
05:24I know what I do.
05:26But for the real McCoy gangster special, just behind a two-door Mercedes, Mark's got
05:32a bona fide Cadillac saloon with a dangerous-looking occupant.
05:37Ah!
05:37Go on, Chipper!
05:38Is that a ferret or is that something bigger?
05:40I think it's bigger.
05:41Come and have a look around here.
05:42Come on.
05:43Stand there.
05:44Turn around.
05:45Give us a smile.
05:48Hello, Henry.
05:52I think it might be a, what do you call them, Pine-Martin?
05:56A Pine-Martin.
05:58Here we have a lovely vintage Cadillac.
06:01That interior is stunning.
06:05I love a bit of velour.
06:07I'd suggest early 1920s.
06:09Yeah.
06:09Maybe late 1910s, early 1920s.
06:12I mean, that is Al Capone, isn't it?
06:14Yeah.
06:14Now you're getting there.
06:16That's when you get your Tommy gun out.
06:17Moving inside Mark's main shed, the vintage delights continue, starting with this lovely
06:24Austin.
06:25This is an Austin 12-4 Doctor's Coupe.
06:30OK, a Doctor's Coupe.
06:31Yeah.
06:31Is that because Doctor's got a deal on it?
06:33I don't know why they were called Doctor's Coupes, but the great thing about these is that
06:38there's a good following, good parts availability, and these are thoroughly dependable.
06:45Like a lot of pre-war cars, the boot doubled as an extra seat.
06:49Guy could be in the back there.
06:51He could, Guy.
06:52And we could have the roof up, so we can't hear him.
06:56Next door, there's one of Mark's treasured Austin 7s, but the really interesting looking
07:01car is just behind.
07:03If you like brass, Fuzzer, you're going to love this motor.
07:07What is that?
07:08Now, here we go.
07:09This is, well, I can tell, 1914, and it's a star.
07:12How do you know?
07:14Oh, it says 1914 star.
07:16It does, yeah.
07:16Don't you like those?
07:17Lovely.
07:18Absolutely beautiful.
07:19Oh, my God, that's beautiful.
07:21Hey, let's get Mark in and ask about that.
07:23Yeah.
07:23Mark!
07:24Great.
07:24Mark, come on in.
07:25Come on down, as they say.
07:27This is a star.
07:28Can you tell me about it?
07:29Because I'll tell you what, man.
07:30I've never seen so much brass on a vehicle.
07:33It's gorgeous, isn't it?
07:34It's stunning.
07:35Pre-First War, built in Wolverhampton.
07:38Neighbours to Sunbeam.
07:40Yes.
07:40Oh, okay.
07:41And this is a 15.9, so it's about three litres.
07:45And who would be buying that kind of stuff?
07:47I mean, is it the posh people?
07:49It would have been, yeah.
07:50They're fairly expensive cars.
07:52I can see that, surely.
07:54Yeah.
07:55It's beautiful.
07:56A question, why are Doctor's Coupes so called?
08:00Presumably, because he could lock them.
08:01So, if they had the medicines inside them.
08:04Ah.
08:04That's what I've always thought.
08:06Oh, right.
08:07Okay.
08:07Well, I never knew that.
08:08That's answered that question for me.
08:10Actually, just while you're here, Mark.
08:12That Morris 8 is lovely as a commercial, isn't it?
08:14Where did that come from?
08:15It's gorgeous.
08:15The first owners were, actually, a bakery in Leamington Spa.
08:19But you see, that commercial would be worth a lot more, surely,
08:22than the standard Morris 8, wouldn't it?
08:25Yes, they would be.
08:26They're rarer.
08:26Yeah.
08:27Because most commercials, like all the commercials,
08:28they're running to the ground and scrapped.
08:30Yeah.
08:30So, there's a few around.
08:32That's right, yeah.
08:33It's like people, people who do the work,
08:35end up being run into the ground.
08:38Well, I know.
08:38Their fingers worked through the bones.
08:40Look at my hands.
08:41Look at that.
08:41There they go.
08:42There they go.
08:44Mine, I haven't put any moisturiser on.
08:48They're still looking lovely.
08:52For something that I might dirty my hands on,
08:55I've just spotted a couple of bikes,
08:57hidden under a pile of clutter.
08:59They're James commuter models,
09:01and they've both seen better days.
09:04Do you think I'll get both and do one nice one?
09:09Possibly so.
09:11Or do we just not bother?
09:12Who knows?
09:13Let's move on.
09:13Yeah.
09:14Okay.
09:14We can ask.
09:15Let's just see.
09:15It could be part of a deal.
09:16Our last pick looks old, but it's not what it seems.
09:21What's in there?
09:22What's in here is a Triumph 2-litre engine, or at least a 1.6.
09:28So, a special based upon a Triumph Vitesse.
09:33The Vitesse was a sporty update on the better-known Triumph Herald,
09:38with a six-cylinder engine and a high-spec interior.
09:42But the Vitesse's were quite pokey, though, weren't they?
09:45Yeah, they were.
09:45Were they two-litre?
09:46Yeah, well, this would be even pokier, wouldn't it?
09:48Well, of course it would.
09:48Because there's less steel work around it, so this is going to shift.
09:52So, a lot to choose from, but what are we going to get?
09:58My favourite thing is that I quite like that Armstrong.
10:02I mean, I love the Caddy, and I love the Talbot out there.
10:06Yeah.
10:07Both of which I think is out of sight.
10:09Yeah.
10:09I like the Armstrong.
10:11Yeah.
10:11I like the Morris 8 van.
10:13Yeah, I love it.
10:14We can find out those prices, and maybe a side sprinkling of motorcycle.
10:19Yeah.
10:19I think you're going to have to be radical with those James to make any money out of them.
10:24Come on, Mark.
10:25Yeah.
10:25Do us a deal, mate.
10:31Okay, well, look, let's start with what we're leaning on.
10:34Right.
10:35How much is that?
10:35Solbit 75.
10:36This is 35 grand.
10:39Yeah.
10:40Okay.
10:41We won't be having that, then.
10:42No.
10:42The Armstrong Sidley, tell me about that.
10:45Two owners from you.
10:46Yeah.
10:47The first owner was the master at Harrow.
10:49Yeah.
10:50He had it from new to 1980.
10:53And then there was a chap, a professor at Oxford University, who had it from then until
11:00early last year.
11:01How much is that?
11:03Six and a half.
11:05And the Morris 8 commercial.
11:09It's lovely that, isn't it?
11:10Yeah, it is, yeah.
11:10Yeah, it goes well.
11:12That's nine and a half.
11:14Okay.
11:15Now, there are two I can just about call them motorbikes.
11:20Ah, yes.
11:21The Jameses.
11:21The Jameses.
11:22Yeah.
11:23How much are they?
11:24Well, I haven't really got a price on those.
11:26You can make me an offer on those.
11:28Could I offer you five for the Armstrong?
11:30I would meet you halfway.
11:33That would be 5,750.
11:35Yeah.
11:365,750.
11:50We're in Bicester with Mark and his delightful collection of British and American classics.
11:56Is this an Armstrong thingy?
11:58It's an Armstrong Sidley, yes.
12:00There's the Sphinx on the front.
12:02We've bid five grand for an Armstrong Sidley Hurricane.
12:05But he wants more.
12:08Could I tempt you for five and a half?
12:10We might better do something at five and a half.
12:14Come on then, Mark.
12:15I was going to offer you on the motorbikes, but I just thought to myself, my God, we've got
12:19that to deal with.
12:21They're probably worth about 300 quid each.
12:23Well, you're probably not far wrong there.
12:26If you make it 400 quid.
12:28700 quid for two.
12:31Nice.
12:32Yeah.
12:32All right, great stuff.
12:33That's exactly what I was thinking.
12:34OK, so that's, what's that, six?
12:36Oh, I don't know.
12:37Whatever it is.
12:38Five and a half.
12:39Six, two.
12:39Six, two, Mark.
12:41How fantastic is that?
12:42Yeah.
12:45Two days later, back at the shed, Alan and Skid are blown over by our hurricane.
12:51The colour's just perfect, so I love the colour.
12:53What do you reckon?
12:55I love this, mate.
12:56Do you?
12:56Because it's a convertible.
12:58And also, the size of the doors, they're massive.
13:00It's also got a very short windscreen.
13:02Very short, isn't it?
13:02Has that been chopped or is that standard?
13:04I think it's so cool, isn't it?
13:05It is.
13:05I think it looks chopped.
13:07Is that standard?
13:08Yes, that is.
13:08Yes, yeah.
13:09Is it?
13:09So this is an Armstrong Sidley hurricane.
13:12Right.
13:12So this is 1949.
13:14And yes, it is almost Walsall Corporation blue with the correct red interior as well.
13:22It's so exciting, isn't it?
13:24I mean, look at that.
13:25It's just like a miniature bus.
13:26Oh, yes, it is.
13:28Yes.
13:28It's quite regal in a way though, isn't it?
13:30Mate, I love it.
13:31I think it's just fantastic.
13:32Now then, we don't know whether it runs.
13:34We know we've got an issue with the driver's seat.
13:36Someone scuffed it there, which looks fresh.
13:39So we probably should get a colour match.
13:41It's been scuffed there as well.
13:41Yeah, there's scuff everywhere.
13:43But I think, get this going and smoke this about, it's fantastic.
13:49Which is not how you'd describe our other purchases.
13:53700 quid the lot.
13:55Plus, just as I was loading all this stuff, Mark comes up to me and goes,
13:59do you want a free electric bicycle?
14:01Oh, I bet you jumped at the job.
14:02I said, lob it in the back of the van, mate.
14:06But anyway, so look, we do have a load of paraphernalia.
14:09Mark just kept loading the truck going, oh, you might as well have that.
14:11It's not just paraphernalia.
14:13There's two motorcycles.
14:14There is.
14:15And I think perhaps we look at making a good one out of two.
14:19It is an auto jumble starter kit.
14:22It is, isn't it?
14:23The whole thing, yeah.
14:24Yeah.
14:24You can take that to a show now.
14:25Set up your table, you've got an auto jumble.
14:27There you go.
14:27So look, well firstly I think we should see if that electric bicycle does charge.
14:31Because if it doesn't, I'll just skip it.
14:33That's that, but mainly let's get this turquoise ship going.
14:41First things first, fuzz juices are up.
14:45Right, there we go.
14:48The Hurricane was fitted with a six-cylinder 1900cc engine.
14:53But Mark warned us that it hadn't been run for a while.
14:56So though everything seems roughly in order, our expectations aren't high.
15:02Right, ignition on.
15:03Okay.
15:04And I'm starting it now with a start button.
15:06Okay.
15:11That's two.
15:13Give me a scrap.
15:15Yeah, okay, give it a go.
15:16That didn't fire that time, did it?
15:18We've got a seized up butterfly on the carburetor.
15:22Yeah.
15:22Oh, that's come apart.
15:23The rose joint's come apart.
15:24No, I took it off.
15:25Oh.
15:26Right, that's interesting, isn't it?
15:28The butterfly is a kind of valve which controls the flow of air into the carburetor.
15:34I'm just on the phone to Chopper Roy.
15:36You don't want an Armstrong Sidney that doesn't work, do you?
15:40No?
15:40Yeah, you'll have it.
15:42Good boy.
15:43Any movement?
15:44Here's a heat gun if you need it.
15:46Yeah, well done, yeah.
15:46First fuzz tries to mend it in situ.
15:49Put a bit of heat into it as well might help.
15:50Yes, good idea.
15:53But access is limited.
15:56Carburetor off.
15:57Carburetor off.
15:57Carburetor off.
15:58Carburetor off.
15:59Carburetor off.
16:00Carburetor off.
16:01Bean.
16:02Carburetor off.
16:02Carburetor off.
16:05Carburetor off.
16:05Carburetor off.
16:06Carburetor off.
16:06Carburetor off.
16:07Carburetor off.
16:07Carburetor off.
16:08Carburetor off.
16:09Carburetor off.
16:09Carburetor off.
16:09Carburetor off.
16:10Carburetor off.
16:12Carburetor off.
16:29Carburetor off.
16:32we're now wobbling nicely yeah oh really yes well so you don't have to strip it
16:36totally no no now the accelerator pump plunger was seized oh I can see the
16:41whole mechanism see it's all working now now we can allow the engine to breathe
16:48back in it goes and we try again okay give it a go all right you ready
16:55right ignition on chocks away yeah start
17:05well not quite oh yeah the starter motor is coughing away but we still don't have liftoff
17:14what's the grind almost it's like you when you first sit up in the morning
17:24until finally after another squirt of easy start
17:46and also it's ticking over yeah isn't it to go nicely take it over nicely
17:54hey yeah I think that'll speed up well yeah right let's go then now we've got to put the air
18:02filter back on back on it goes and after a final few adjustments are we actually going to take this
18:09for a drive yeah I think it would be rude not to okay all right well well why don't we
18:16do that see
18:16if we can get even more results out of it oh oh steady Alan for god's sake this thing's older
18:23than you
18:24it's certainly closed
18:30and off we go
18:33or not
18:38what is that noise aren't they after burn yeah it's just a little bit of a start
18:43motor bearing yeah take two watch the table oh that's lovely what is that noise brakes that's an
18:54absolute corker oh oh fuzzer take three
19:04this is great keep it going what is that noise the brakes brakes yeah don't worry about the brakes
19:11line in your face it stops just trying to wear it off oh yeah good lad all right hey the
19:18good
19:18news is though yeah it has brakes it does have brakes oh hang on it's worn off
19:25what a relief what a lovely oh it's mellowing out now look at that there we go oh yeah it's
19:31like
19:31a sort of water torture or something do you know what i mean
19:34is that what's happening nothing what's going on i'm just changing gear just checking all the gears
19:40are there all right it just needs using sir now will it go into select reverse ah well that's what
19:49we
19:49need to find out unfortunately the squeaking does come back but clearly it rides and reverses yippee
19:58armstrong sidley morphed into hawker sidley the famous plane manufacturer responsible for this
20:04car's namesake the hawker hurricane this one doesn't quite fly yet but warmed up it does feel powerful
20:12this is great it's certainly going through the box dear boy yeah well what a great test ride oh it's
20:19great hey a bit more fettling and then we can go out on a longer endeavor yeah i think so
20:23i think it's
20:24gone very well there yeah surprisingly well done old armstrong sidley so we need to add a bit of de
20:32squeaking to our to-do list but the armstrong's looking promising
20:40we'll deal with the motorbikes later but tonight we'll attempt to charge up our electric freebie
20:46we've still got to sort the seating and upholstery on the hurricane but with a trailing wind the bike
20:52two might just take off
21:09we had a good day yesterday with the armstrong sidley
21:15that's lovely what is that noise it squeaketh
21:21but it also runneth the seating though does leave something to be desired so today we're going to
21:28sort it out right i'm going to get rid of this because that's a wise move breathing in the horse
21:33hair oh my god what's under there it's not good is it well they don't make them like that anymore
21:38no just as well do you think we should get the hoover uh yeah maybe the other big problem is
21:44the
21:44permanently reclined front seat i just wonder if we put one there and then a shaped one in there in
21:51there that'll do it and then maybe a little bit across the top like here that might do it actually
22:02over the next two hours fuzz and skid swap their spanners for saws and screwdrivers
22:07to sort out the front seat it's not bad i just need to straighten up the bracket that one's roughly
22:13level right rest it and see what we're doing for angle of dangle right okay so we're we're too narrow
22:19too short aren't we but i think tie that in together that's the first thing to do
22:25yeah and if you need to put a small baton on the top then that's fine skid installs an oak
22:33baton
22:33and checks again i think that is happy days seat sorted skid swaps his saw for a soft cloth
22:45and a tin of tudor oak to spruce up the interior woodwork before moving on to the leather seats
22:53the aqua blue and oxblood color combination might not be to everyone's taste but on a period car like
23:00this it looks great that looks a heck of a lot better doesn't it i think it's transformed it's
23:06brought it all together hasn't it what have you done to you what have you waxed it i used your
23:10favorite two items oh yeah tudor wax oh really and then a mop oh yeah electric mop mate that really
23:17has
23:17done wonders to the fascia as for the seat don't lean too heavily on the background no exactly i haven't
23:28got much weight it's only made for the average person yes what is that meant to mean you're the
23:33average person you're above average sir thank you that's what that's what oh man i could get into this
23:39yeah isn't it lovely when you have a seat that works exactly yeah mate it's beautiful what else we got
23:46to do to it there's still the rear seat to deal with the back seat is a different kind of
23:51problem
23:52what do you reckon on a tartan rug i think that would go quite well or you could go for
23:58a seat cover
23:59and uh be 1200 quid out of pocket no no no we'll get the rug it's 45 quid off the
24:03internet okay
24:04days i've already ordered it well i'll let you get on with the wheels and stuff okay right there you
24:10go
24:10there's your tea back oh thank you very much yes what's happened to that oh it must have evaporated
24:18have you drunk it no he has he has yes hold that a sec
24:28while i head off in search of another cuppa fuzz starts on the rear seat here is the back seat
24:34out
24:35of the armstrong sidley now it's falling apart at the seams but even worse underneath here it looks
24:41like a biohazard down there so i'm going to get rid of all that horrible horsehair material and i'm going
24:48to wrap it in this i mean not much better but actually in comparison far cleaner old bit of sheet
24:57it's not a proper full-on job but it will at least mean that we can sit on the rear
25:03seat without it
25:04splitting open like an old burst sofa horsehair is supposed to be antimicrobial and anti-allergenic
25:12but this stuffing looks more hazardous than a holiday in chernobyl the foam mattress they
25:18find to replace it probably won't last long but it doesn't look so disgusting what we can do with this
25:27is use it on top of the tired old springs to give a little bit of plumpness i didn't think
25:37i'd see
25:38anyone using a hacksaw to cut foam but necessity is the mother of tool abuse just using some spray
25:46upholstery glue here do you actually think this is going to hold it's going to be no worse than it
25:51was and probably a little bit more sanitary having re-roofed a model t ford recently fuzz is getting a
26:00taste for upholstery not that skid is so enthusiastic we may as well have a go at fixing it
26:07i'd just cut the cover off put his tartan throw on when it arrives originality originality
26:14in truth the seat is soon covered with half a roll of gaffer tape and the end result is more
26:23poundland
26:24than louis cator's but a tartan blanket can cover a multitude of sins people may mock but that is
26:32very comfy i think it's guaranteed that people will mock but posteriors will be pleased in it goes ready
26:43for its first derriere would you like to join my carriage sir yes i would yes
26:53that's all right that is that is very supportive isn't it yeah we'll leave our free gift for later
27:00but first the james bikes and the pile of detritus that came with them vintage bike levers etc
27:07there's enough here for a full table at an auto jumble though a lot of it might end up unsold
27:13and
27:13unloved what about that no that's straight to skip what about that straight to skip
27:23the engine whisperer meanwhile has started on the first james
27:28you've got a battery on there that's a positive to earth yeah carb is connected all the throttles
27:32seem to work the carb looks new out choke's working when you turn on the ignition i'll get
27:36a draw on the amps okay cool i'm just going to stick my finger up the plug hole so it's
27:40got a spark
27:40really you're so brave you know so i'm going to gently kick it over don't try this at home kids
27:49oh yeah that's a proper spark i love the way it brings you back to life though shall i get
27:57the
27:58tire inflator yeah do that yeah i'll go and get some fuel yes brilliant
28:03in goes some air and a liter of fuel then after giving the carburetor a few taps and a tickle
28:14and let's just try it give it a go alan gives it a kick
28:18it starts at night he removes the carb covers and manually chokes off the air
28:36then before the bike changes its mind he mounts up dons a helmet and heads for the paddock
28:50on james is a 200cc commuter bike dating back to 1961. so it ain't no racer but bearing in mind
28:59that it probably hasn't been ridden in donkey's years just look at it go yes i mean it runs it
29:08actually runs quite nice that's fantastic how are the gears are they all right they're a bit sticky
29:12might just need oil in. It might just need using. It hasn't been used for a long time,
29:16has it? No. That's a proper win, though, isn't it? £700 for all of that. It's an SPQR,
29:22isn't it? Yeah, too right. One bike down, two more to go, starting with our electric
29:30freebie. First task, the clean-up. Unusually, our bike has a hub motor on the front wheel,
29:40but otherwise, it seems to be all in order. The big question is the battery. I've just given this
29:47a clean and pumped the tyres up. If that works, I think this will ride quite nicely. This is an
29:54old-school battery with lead-acid batteries. Well, these are basically like mobility scooter
29:58batteries. There's no battery management system on it. No. So are you telling me this is the start
30:02of electric bicycles? Oh, yeah. These weigh a ton. Yeah. Absolutely a ton. Modern electric bikes
30:08use lithium batteries, which are much lighter. Are you totally sure it's wired correctly?
30:14Yes. Okay, let's test it then. Go on then. You should get 36 or just over the logs. Okay.
30:20Look at that, 38.5. Yeah. That's perfect. Once it's been refitted. Okay, we're in.
30:26Give it full throttle. Next task is to test it. No. No. Nothing. Nothing at all.
30:35Surprise, surprise. Back at base, Alan connects it up to a car battery to work out whether the motor
30:42or the battery pack is at fault. There we go. There we go. It's actually pedalling. It gives
30:47it a boost to the front. Yeah, it'll only power when you're pedalling. That's it. Look at that.
30:53Right. So look, the bike works. Must be the battery then. It's all very delicate, the whole setup.
30:59It's not good, is it? No, it really is. It's very Heath Robinson. Yeah.
31:04After checking the polarity, Fuzz remounts the battery, does a quick static test.
31:09Yeah, there we go. And tries again.
31:12Fill your boots and glide off into the sunset. Yes. Yes. Yes, that's it. Come on.
31:19This time, it does work, but the bike is heavier than Black Sabbath, so Fuzz has to keep pedalling.
31:25This is the life. What do you think, Fuzz? Easy life. Fantastic.
31:30So it kicks in occasionally? Yeah, it kicks in. Obviously, not when I'm not pedalling.
31:35But yeah, I just keep pedalling and it assists me nicely. Right.
31:39However, I will say the weight of the battery pack, if you try and pick this bike up, this
31:44is like, well, it's like a Honda Cub, maybe even heavier. So why wouldn't you have a Honda
31:51Cub? Because the eco-warriors will tell you, this is the future. It's the future.
31:56Look at that leg and that acid. That's true. But why not have a 60-year-old Honda Cub, which
32:02is completely written down and is as green as that tree standing behind you?
32:07So a busy day. We've sorted the car's seating and got the electric bike and, by the close
32:14of play, both the Jameses running. Next up, we're going to take our Armstrong Sidley to meet
32:20its cousin in the RAF. It should be comfortable enough now, but will our 80-year-old car live
32:27up to its name and fly like a hurricane?
32:41This is an Armstrong Sidley hurricane. Two weeks ago, we found a hurricane sports tourer
32:48in a shed in Bicester. We might better do something at five and a half. We fettled it. Now we
32:55can allow the engine to breathe. Re-upholstered it. That's all right, that is. And now, after
33:02our mate Pete has touched up the paintwork and we've fitted the plates, it's time to take
33:09it out after one final adornment. How's it going? Here we go. Do you know what this
33:15is called? No. Blanket coverage. Oh, very good. So I thought perhaps we go for a Scottish
33:25kind of Malcolm Campbell, Donald Campbell crossover Scottish kind of blanket. One rug covers all.
33:3345 quid. Yeah, that's not bad. Have you left the labels on because you want to take him back?
33:37Yeah, well, if it doesn't work, then I'll just take it back when I cough. There you go. Oh, no,
33:42you could have lost me 45 quid now, Fuzzer.
33:44Now look, as we know, today is a very special day because our Sidley is going to meet some other
33:50Sidleys,
33:51but not quite the Sidleys as we know. Yeah, I think they may be a little bit faster.
33:56We are on our way to Duxford. Fantastic. The amazing aircraft et cetera museum. We are going to celebrate Sidley,
34:07whether it's Hawker or whether it's Armstrong, right? Yes. Aren't we? Okay, so we're going to see some Hawkers.
34:13I'm so excited. I've never been to Duxford. Are we going to sit him on as well? No, I don't
34:17think so, mate.
34:18I don't think they'll let us. Were they actually making aeroplanes when this car was made?
34:23Oh, I don't know. Yes, because, well, if you think about it, Hawker Sidley, I'm not sure when the merger
34:29happened,
34:30but of course there was the Hawker Hurricane. Oh, yeah. Hang on, this is a hurricane.
34:34This is a hurricane, yeah. What do you think? So I have an idea that the companies may well have
34:39already merged by the time this was around, so this is almost an homage to the World War II and
34:47pre-World War II.
34:47It's been so low. It's like it's got aircraft connotations. Do you think that's true? Maybe. How fantastic.
34:52Oh, look, man. The sun is shining, right? Yeah. And Duxford is only a moment away. Okay. How far is
34:58it?
34:5980 miles. Okay. I think we should jump aboard, don't you think? Yes. And we should head off to Duxford.
35:05Great idea. To celebrate Sidley in all its forms. And we've got to put that on first. Yes.
35:11Oh, you completely forgot. On goes the blanket. I think that looks great.
35:16I mean, it's amazing how for 45 quid you can actually re-upholster. 45 pounds? You paid 45 pounds?
35:23Weren't you listening? No, you probably weren't. Yeah. Don't be like that. That is proper Scottish wool.
35:28That's £10.99 all day long. No.
35:33And off we go.
35:40Now that's a preselected gearbox, isn't it, Fuzzlington? Yes, it is. Yep. Okay.
35:45So we don't have a clutch. We have a fluid flywheel. We've got fluid drive and an epicyclic gearbox. A
35:51Wilson type epicyclic gearbox.
35:53So should you select third now? Ready? If you want it. Yeah, okay. And then you whack it.
35:59So now you've got third preselected. Yeah, it preselects it and then you press the clutch button.
36:05It's a change speed pedal. Sorry, sir. It's almost an automatic. Change speed pedal. Do you hear that?
36:10It's almost an automatic. Almost an automatic. Yeah. I'm worried about losing my hat.
36:14I've already lost one twice. Have you, Al? Yeah.
36:17Fuzzers sorted out the squeaking brakes and there's no sign of any car problems. A hurricane is a class act.
36:25The Armstrong Sidley mark didn't last long though. By 1960, car production had stopped entirely.
36:33Though Hawker Sidley was still going strong in the aviation world.
36:39Okay, so we're going to see a bit of a Hawker Sidley experience, right?
36:43Yes. Which does include, hopefully, right?
36:46A Harrier jump jet. Right. Yeah. Right.
36:50I think there's a Buccaneer or something like that. Some other Hawker Sidley jets.
36:55Right. Yeah. I think there might even be a Hurricane.
37:00Lovely. That'd be cool. Yeah. Either way, man, I can't wait.
37:06It's actually closer to 100 miles from Oxfordshire to Duxford, but everything's running fine and there's even a bonus.
37:15Can I say that we started off with half a tank of fuel and we seem to have gained almost
37:21a quarter tank.
37:22This is the kind of car you want in a fuel crisis.
37:25Yeah. It's been quite reliable so far.
37:27Oh, Alan. No, Alan. No, Alan.
37:30No, Alan. No, Alan.
37:32I think it's gone wrong yet.
37:36Two hours later, and remarkably intact, we're there.
37:40Look at it all.
37:42It's incredible, isn't it?
37:43It's amazing.
37:43Mate, okay, so look, we're going to meet Rebecca.
37:45She's going to show us a little range of Sidley experiences.
37:48Lovely.
37:48Are you listening, Alan?
37:49I am. I was watching that plane take off.
37:50Yeah, all right. Okay.
37:51Well, I don't know.
37:52The plane's more interesting than you.
37:55Rebecca's over here in this hangar before I get really upset because I've been bullied.
38:00Look at these planes there.
38:01Look, he's pushing me. Look.
38:03Duxford is a former RAF base, which since the mid-70s has been home to the UK's biggest aero museum,
38:11run by the Imperial War Museum.
38:13Pilots briefing room, air crew room.
38:15Sounds good.
38:17Senior curator Rebecca Harding has promised to show us round a hurricane of the winged variety.
38:23See, the hurricane was actually much more prevalent, really, than the Spitfire, wasn't it?
38:27We often refer to the hurricane as the unsung hero.
38:31The Spitfire gets all the glory, but the hurricane was the workforce.
38:35Yeah, because our car, the Armstrong Sidley, is called a hurricane as well.
38:39It is an Armstrong.
38:39Is it about the same time, no?
38:41No, the Armstrong Sidley hurricane is from the late 40s, so it's an homage to these fantastic machines.
38:48Right, OK.
38:49Hey, I can hear them overhead as well.
38:53Entering service in 1937, the hurricane was the RAF's first 300-mile-an-hour plane.
39:00In its eight-year production run, around 14,500 were built.
39:06So these are fabric-bodied, didn't they?
39:09They are fabric-bodied, yes.
39:10Better not touch.
39:11Yeah.
39:12Don't touch.
39:12No.
39:13Is that why there aren't so many of them around, or was the Spitfire exactly the same, a fabric-body?
39:19The Spitfire had an all-metal body.
39:21I mean it.
39:22Oh, was it?
39:23I mean it.
39:23I think why more Spitfires survived than Hurricanes were.
39:27The Spitfires were generally regarded a bit sexier than the Hurricanes, and a lot of them
39:30became gate guardians after the war.
39:32The Hurricanes were a bit of a poor relation, but the Hurricanes did actually achieve quite
39:39a lot.
39:40So it was the workforce.
39:41I mean if you assimilate it to us lot, right, I'm obviously the Spitfire because I don't
39:47do a lot of work, right, and these three are the engine room of the Hurricanes.
39:51Yeah.
39:52Yeah.
39:53I quite like that.
39:54I quite like that, yeah.
39:55Actually I'm not really a Spitfire either.
39:57Have some more sort of ground maintenance.
40:00Generator.
40:02Generator.
40:04Other Sidley aircraft include this buccaneer, which once sat on the Ark Royal, and a twin
40:11propeller, Faerie Gannet, which has an innovative Sidley engine.
40:15The most famous Hawker Sidley plane, however, is in another hangar, the awesome Hawker Sidley
40:21Harrier, the world's most famous jump jet.
40:25OK, this is the piece to resistance when it comes to Sidleys.
40:28It sure is.
40:28Tell me about this particular plane, Rebecca.
40:32This particular one is a Harrier GR3.
40:36She is a genuine Brooklyn War veteran.
40:39Yeah.
40:39She served with number one squadron, RAF, and she was a battle of tumbledown.
40:45And in one of her missions, a missile exploded about 100 feet above her, cascaded debris down,
40:53but fortunately didn't damage her.
40:55She survived, went on to serve in Germany, and then came to the museum in 1994.
41:00If you think about it, this is 1969.
41:0469 is when it entered service.
41:06So, our particular Armstrong Sidley went into service in 1949.
41:11The technology difference between our car and this is just...
41:17It's like...
41:18Indescribable.
41:19Worlds away, isn't it?
41:20It's just an example of how swiftly technology moved in the 20th century.
41:25There's a constant drive to be better, be bigger, faster, more effective.
41:32Can I just say, I've just realised that I'm under the wing of a Concorde.
41:35I know.
41:36I mean, what?
41:37It's just phenomenal.
41:39Thank you so very much for giving us such a wonderful guided tour.
41:43I'll tell you what, man.
41:44I want to live here.
41:45I love this place.
41:46Hey, I'll tell you someone who would like this, our Chopper Roy.
41:49He would.
41:50He'd better find out how much our Armstrong's worth.
41:55Next day, Wing Commander Chopsicle turns up to review the goods.
42:00The less said about our Lecky bike, the better.
42:03But the Jameses both run, and the Armstrong has done us proud.
42:07I hope Roy agrees.
42:11Look at that.
42:13Now, doesn't this car make anybody who stands next to it look amazing?
42:21Hang on, wait a second.
42:21Hang on, wait a second.
42:21No comment.
42:22Do you actually buy any of that?
42:24Not a signal.
42:25Not a smidge.
42:26I thought I'd try.
42:26Now, Roy, honestly, we have a plethora of things to value today.
42:31Two James motorcycles, both of which run and ride.
42:34Yep.
42:35So what do you reckon on a pair?
42:36Someone will give you a grand for the pair every day of the week.
42:39All right.
42:39Well, let's do it at that, shall we?
42:41Shall we say that's 300 quid?
42:42Okay.
42:43That's very good.
42:43All right.
42:44That thing is appalling.
42:46Let's just write it off a zero, actually.
42:48I was going to say 50 quid, but I'll never get 50 quid for it.
42:51So that is a potential skip adornment.
42:55Yes.
42:56All right.
42:56Okay.
42:57Let's get onto the meat and potatoes, which obviously is the lovely Armstrong Sidley.
43:01And, of course, you'll notice that it's in the Bluebird blue colours of, who was it?
43:07Donald.
43:08Donald.
43:09Donald Campbell had one just like this.
43:12What?
43:14Malcolm Campbell also might have had one.
43:21Oh, get my coat.
43:22That's appalling.
43:23Come on, then.
43:24How much?
43:25Six and a half.
43:26That's all right, isn't it?
43:27That's all right.
43:28How much should we buy it for?
43:29Five and a half.
43:30That's a grand in the hand.
43:31Yes.
43:31Plus 300 quid on the bikes.
43:35Yep.
43:36That's 1,300.
43:37That's, yeah.
43:38That's well all right.
43:39That's what they say, Roy.
43:41As always, a nice little earner.
44:02Mega Magic.
44:03Let's take a break.
44:03Yeah, maybe.
44:03No, no kan, so willsاث.
44:04But I'm the one to sit.
44:05It's okay.
44:05The j matte this, the Snow shake, the shroud, anragon music.
44:05So could you spend a little slot.
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