Jimmy gets a touch up

It was time for Jimmy to go and get a rub-down. Ever since the rigors of last year's big road trip, his hull has been crying out for a bit of revival. All slightly new territory for me, I danced around the subject until eventually I felt ready - and in I plunged. Into the world of the bodyshop and its flying sparks and grey watery puddles. Yeahman Body Repairs is just round the corner from me off Coldharbour Lane and right next door to Big Jim's mechanics. They both needed to do stuff to Jimmy to complete the look and feel and making everything crystal clear for them was a hell of a challenge, thankfully lubricated by spare chocolate cakes and lots of bad jokes.

One day during this process I discovered that Jimmy had burst into flames during a routine welding procedure - 'You'da shit yerself if you'd bin in 'ere gel' cackled Big Jim with delight as I surveyed the Mad Max-esque damage to the bonnett (and agreeing with him in no small part). Shards of darkness thrust out from within and I just prayed the rest of the work would pass by without any more trauma.

Apart from the indicator cables getting burnt through and a potential bust up between Yeahman and Big Jim (diffused, once more, with choc), the rest of it went fine and I was able to drive the mid-op Jimmy off to New Cross Gate to Insa's studio for the final cosmetic touches....just in time for the May Bank Holiday Slow Food market.