There was a mad rush on items for The Avengers this week. I had a pile of odd bits and pieces and decided to see what I could do with them. I had a not particularly brilliant reproduction box so offered a pair in that at a modest price. Then someone went and bought the original Elan so I had to change the offer to include a restored item. Someone nearby came and collected that and was as pleased as punch. The whole thing did look nice on display but I would have liked to have given him one of the better boxes that I usually use.
Without any silver-blue Elans, I was unable to offer my alternative set so I made up some cards instead, featuring the Bentley on one side, the Elan on the other side and a nice selection of photos on another card. They had all the details I could find about the cars used in the TV series and printed nicely. I think I'll I'll use them for future individual item sales as they are easy to make and, importantly, easy to pack!
My restored Elan was actually much nicer to display than the only original I had left. It didn't need much work. I remembered just as I was photographing it that it had a slightly loose steering wheel but that seems to be staying in place so I left it alone.
The last original did, at least, have some suspension. It had some chips here and there and they always show up on the white paintwork but there's not a great deal you can do. I cleaned the interior and that came up very nicely. The outside still looks like it's been in a smoking room for all its life but that really is as clean as I can get it!
This Bentley was pretty nice but had some chips on the black rails which a marker pen quickly covered. Otherwise it was very good but, being a 9002 originally, need a replacement hood. The problem with the Flowers replacements is that they don't sit nicely over the studs so I drilled some tiny holes which solved the problem. Why his don't have that done already I do not know.
This Bentley was also a 9002 but needed a new windscreen, horn and handbrake. Luckily the base was a bit loose so I was able to squeeze a new handbrake into place without any rivet removal. I tightened the base so it didn't move around and it looked as good as the other one. Those replacement windows aren't as nice and clean as the originals, though.
Both pretty good red Bentleys went within 24 hours of being put up for sale.
This one went as soon as it was advertised. It was a nice 9001 and so the replacement hood needed the drilling treatment and I think the windscreen was replaced.
This is the only 9000 series Bentley I have left! It is a 9001 with the Racing numbers removed and a replacement hood. I tried to remove the Union Flag on the passenger door but damaged the paint when doing so. Otherwise it is lovely.
I have had to offer this C361 model from 1985 as an alternative until some more come in. I hadn't appreciated before that these were limited editions. The box says this number 19. It doesn't say how many were issued. Actually, this is a lovely model and virtually identical to its predecessor, uses the same cast and just has deeper red and a lighter interior with quite a lot more detailing.
Apart from some chassis pieces and odd bits and pieces that is it, though, now until I get some more stock items.
I cannot see any decent Elans for sale at the moment so I am hoping to get hold of a few wrecks that I can restore and offer them either individually with the cards or in some nice reproduction GS40 boxes with a Bentley. I also need to find some more Bentleys, especially some that did actually originate from a GS40. They are different and it would be nice to be able to offer them. In the meantime the alternatives look smart and are rather more affordable than the crazy prices being asked for the original boxed sets!
Here is a complete episode from an early series of The Avengers if you would like to restore a few memories!
The.Avengers.1965.S04E09.The.Hour.That.Never.Was. by superannuatedlps
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