RAC Land Rover. Blue Cover Wanted.

I met another two collectors this week. Both mad but nice enough not to mind me saying so! And probably not as mad as I am anyway. What they had in common was the ability to talk for hours on the subject of these models without really needing to pause for breath and being genuinely interested in whatever I had to say on the subject too. That is always satisfying and I am sure you can think of many occasions when someone really hasn't been listening that closely to whatever you're talking about!

I bought the RAC Land Rover from one of these new acquaintances. The one on the left in the photo which is a #416 but a very early edition and produced without a board on the roof. Its only RAC identifying feature would be a tin canopy with Radio Rescue in white along each side.

I only knew this existed when I happened across one on the QDT site. Now I have to find a canopy. The blue is noticeably different to #351, the RAF one, I may have to make do with one from the other version (as shown above) and change the transfers. I couldn't do that if it were a decent transfer, though, as these originals are hard to come by. So, ideally, in the absence of a real one, I need a #416 with a worn canopy! The condition of the truck is pretty immaterial really so I suppose there may be some hope.

If I can't find anything then that is where my second acquaintance may come in handy. He is a restorer par excellence to judge by the photos he showed me and he didn't think it would be too much trouble to match the colour and spray a replacement tin canopy for me. That would be nice. I can get the transfers, luckily, and somewhat surprisingly, as I can't imagine there being much demand for them.

That would involve giving Mr Flowers more money, though, something I would like to avoid until I resolve the matter of who pays postage when he sends us the wrong things. I can so readily understand that mistakes are easily made when staff have to prepare people's orders and find tiny little bits and pieces, often almost identical to another piece and easily confused. What I can't understand, however, is why I have to pay the cost of returning  items that are incorrect. That seems to be what Mr Flowers insists, though, and after three mistakes in four orders I am trying to suggest that he rings in some changes in that policy.

The trouble is that if you need parts you need Mr Flowers nine times out of ten and we all appreciate the fact that he does run this business and, for the majority of the time, are delighted with what he provides. So I don't want to be put on a black list and may just have to swallow a few quids' worth of hassle from time to time. I guess he isn't a Corgi Toy collector.

Anyway, if you happen to have an old blue tin roof, do let me know.