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NEWS FEBRUARY 19, 2012 The Sunday Times MOTORING 9 CLASSIC CARS 8 The Sunday Times MOTORING FEBRUARY 19, 2012 A s the eldest son of one of the first panel beaters in Gozo, you could say that Brian Farrugia had no choice. While other boys grew up playing with model Matchbox cars, Farrugia used to hang out at his father’s garage, surrounded by a variety of vehicles. Today, the smell of the thinner in the car spray mixtures takes him back to his childhood days. “To make matters worse, my first house was a three- roomed apartment with an inter-connecting garage, so it was practically impossible for me to get away from cars. I was con- stantly bombarded by cars, to the point that I didn’t know which were my father’s and which were the clients,” he said with a smile. The first car he remembers tinkering with was a blue and chrome Silvercross “buggie”. Eventually this was upgraded to a red pedal model by Ferrari, which was a gift from his grand- father. But he had yet to do any real restoration work. Aged 14, the breakthrough happened. “I wanted my parents to get me a computer, which was quite expensive then. My father promised me that if I earned some of the money he would top up the remainder. At the time he was restoring an old Ford Prefect and I suddenly found myself taking on the role of official ‘sander’. I doubt my work was any good but hey, it was a start. And I got my computer.” A couple of years later Farrugia bought a Triumph 1360 for the princely sum of Lm92 (worth €214 today) and decided to have a go at restoring it. Although he had been warned that the car needed “some work” before it could go back on the road, Farrugia figured it would just be a matter of unscrewing this and replacing that. However, further inspection of the Triumph revealed some interesting details. “The back seat was smaller than it should have been. After showing it to my dad he told me it was an original convertible that was definitely worth saving and restoring. And so I spent the summer toiling on it.” Suddenly, what started off as a job to pay for his computer developed into a passion. A short time later Farrugia bought a VW Beetle 1302. The car cost a mere couple of hundred old Maltese liri. Three months later, also thanks to his father’s input, it was as good as new. Fast forward to 2000 and Farrugia was living in Hamburg, Germany. With cars still very much on his mind, all the cars he ever wanted to own were available in Germany, and at rea- sonable prices. While searching online, he found a Jaguar XJS for sale at an incredible price and decided that the 100 km train journey from Hamburg to view it was worth the effort. “The lady who owned the Jaguar drove me to a barn where she had been storing the car for a couple of years. Sitting there I found the Jaguar XJS, a Mercedes Ponton, a Mercedes 380SL, two Spitfires, six Fiat 500, a model T Ford, a Chevy Im- pala and Christine.” Christine was an MGB. Farrugia said that the name-giving ritual is quite common among vintage car lovers and that, once you find the right car and you “christen” her, then she is yours forever. “When I first saw her she was lying on four piles of bricks and yet I decided she was to be part of the deal. I took the XJS for a test drive, went back to the barn and promptly informed the owner that I wanted to take the MG instead. “Her reply was far from encouraging; apparently the car had been stored in the barn for the past couple of decades and she had no idea if it would even start”. This didn’t deter Farrugia one bit. He promptly signed the transfer and got the MGB towed to Hamburg. He got the car inspected by a British sports car mechanic and finally got Christine running for a mere 300 German Deutsche Marks (worth €153 today) and proceeded to use the car for about 10 years until he brought it back to Malta. “When I first got Christine she had been stored away for 18 years, so there was the usual rust problem, a worn-out soft top, a couple of chewed cables, a rotten radiator and an old water pump. “In reality there was no serious damage. Obviously the paint needed retouching and a good polish but other than that, it was in surprisingly decent condition.” But upon returning to Malta, Farrugia – egged on by his fa- ther – decided that he wanted to carry out a more thorough restoration job. The next six months were spent hunting for all the “missing bits and bobs” needed to make this restora- tion unique. As soon as he was satisfied, restoration work started in earnest. The job was to take a full year. “The process practically involved a complete rebuild. We started by removing the body parts one by one and sanding them to bare metal. I don’t like sand-blasting and the glass pearl basting or soda blasting was too new to the market. “After that we removed the tub from the chassis and sanded the chassis. Luckily, it needed no repairs at all. My father and I then prepared the chassis for spraying and filled all the cav- ities with a rust proofing compound. Where we found no ac- cess points we ended up having to drill and reseal once the job was done,” Farrugia said. After that it was time to take care of the many little rust patches. Some panels had to be replaced, so new ones were moulded and all imperfections filed away. “My father is a puritan so we decided to use the old lead and file method. This means you hammer the bumps almost to perfection and then you fill in the remaining imperfections with lead. Finally you get a metal file and file the lead down to get a smooth and perfect surface. With this method you are really putting metal on metal and no compound materials such as “stokk” – as we know it in Malta – is used. It is a te- dious job but a very rewarding one as well.” After the two managed to get the car back in shape, it was time to take a good look at the 1800cc engine. Valves, pistons and gaskets were replaced. The engine was repainted. Once it was running, Farrugia mounted it onto the chassis and to the gearbox and eventually the tub was lowered in its place. The car was then prepared for painting and a couple of coats later, Christine was sparkling black again. The whole restoration cost €2,000 and some 400 labour hours. Farrugia estimates the car to be worth €15,000, but in reality, for him, it is priceless and Christine is definitely not for sale. “Next I have six different projects in line for the next couple of years. I am working on a Morris Traveller, an Esquire van, a Ford Prefect, a Mercedes 220D and... this week I also got my second Suzuki LJ80 and a 1970 Ural old Russian motorbike with a sidecar.” Things are set to look busy at the Farrugia garage. Back to its original glory When classic car enthusiast Brian Farrugia set eyes upon an MGB that had been stranded in a barn for two decades, it was love at first sight. He tells RAMONA DEPARES how 12 months of restoration work brought the sought-after model back to its original condition. “The whole restoration cost €2,000 and some 400 labour hours. Farrugia esti- mates the car is worth €15,000, but in reality ‘she’ is priceless” A nother special edition Mini has been released, following the Baker Street and Bayswater limited runs an- nounced last month. e convertible Highgate continues the theme of naming the cars after fashionable areas of London. It comes in a metallic brown – ‘iced chocolate’ – colour with a roof and matching bonnet stripes in ‘silvertouched truffle’, another sort of brown. It can be had in white or black as well, but iced chocolate is unique to the Highgate. Also unique are the 17-inch ‘double cross turned’ alloy wheels, the design of which is appar- ently inspired by the Union Jack. More brown awaits inside, with ‘dark truf- fle’ leather seats, although they do have blue piping. Mini’s ‘chili pack’ is standard, bringing cli- mate control, a multi-function steering wheel, USB and Bluetooth connectivity and, for the style conscious, multi-coloured inte- rior lighting. Brushed alloy detailing features on the dashboard and the chrome line packages have been added inside and out. A finishing touch comes in the shape of ‘Highgate’ lettering on the side indicator sur- rounds, door sills and seat tags. Further options can be added at the would- be owner’s behest. Four engine options are being offered with the Highgate, borrowed from the reg- ular Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper D and Cooper SD. (PA) Mini Highgate announced Brian Farrugia and 'Christine' the classic MGB.
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“The whole restoration cost €2,000 and some 400 labour hours. Farrugia esti- mates the car is worth €15,000, but in reality ‘she’ is priceless” When classic car enthusiast Brian Farrugia set eyes upon an MGB that had been stranded in a barn for two decades, it was love at first sight. He tells RAMONA DEPARES how 12 months of restoration work brought the sought-after model back to its original condition. The Sunday Times MOTORING 9 8 The Sunday Times MOTORING FEBRUARY 19, 2012
Transcript of 008_009
NEWS
FEBRUARY 19, 2012 The Sunday Times MOTORING 9
CLASSIC CARS
8 The Sunday Times MOTORING FEBRUARY 19, 2012
As the eldest son of one of the first panel beatersin Gozo, you could say that Brian Farrugia hadno choice. While other boys grew up playingwith model Matchbox cars, Farrugia used tohang out at his father’s garage, surrounded by a
variety of vehicles. Today, the smell of the thinner in the carspray mixtures takes him back to his childhood days.
“To make matters worse, my first house was a three-roomed apartment with an inter-connecting garage, so it waspractically impossible for me to get away from cars. I was con-stantly bombarded by cars, to the point that I didn’t knowwhich were my father’s and which were the clients,” he saidwith a smile.
The first car he remembers tinkering with was a blue andchrome Silvercross “buggie”. Eventually this was upgraded toa red pedal model by Ferrari, which was a gift from his grand-father. But he had yet to do any real restoration work. Aged14, the breakthrough happened.
“I wanted my parents to get me a computer, which was quiteexpensive then. My father promised me that if I earned someof the money he would top up the remainder. At the time hewas restoring an old Ford Prefect and I suddenly found myselftaking on the role of official ‘sander’. I doubt my work was anygood but hey, it was a start. And I got my computer.”
A couple of years later Farrugia bought a Triumph 1360 forthe princely sum of Lm92 (worth €214 today) and decided tohave a go at restoring it. Although he had been warned thatthe car needed “some work” before it could go back on theroad, Farrugia figured it would just be a matter of unscrewingthis and replacing that. However, further inspection of theTriumph revealed some interesting details.
“The back seat was smaller than it should have been. Aftershowing it to my dad he told me it was an original convertiblethat was definitely worth saving and restoring. And so I spentthe summer toiling on it.”
Suddenly, what started off as a job to pay for his computerdeveloped into a passion. A short time later Farrugia boughta VW Beetle 1302. The car cost a mere couple of hundred oldMaltese liri. Three months later, also thanks to his father’sinput, it was as good as new.
Fast forward to 2000 and Farrugia was living in Hamburg,Germany. With cars still very much on his mind, all the carshe ever wanted to own were available in Germany, and at rea-sonable prices. While searching online, he found a Jaguar XJSfor sale at an incredible price and decided that the 100 kmtrain journey from Hamburg to view it was worth the effort.
“The lady who owned the Jaguar drove me to a barn whereshe had been storing the car for a couple of years. Sitting thereI found the Jaguar XJS, a Mercedes Ponton, a Mercedes380SL, two Spitfires, six Fiat 500, a model T Ford, a Chevy Im-pala and Christine.”
Christine was an MGB. Farrugia said that the name-givingritual is quite common among vintage car lovers and that,once you find the right car and you “christen” her, then she isyours forever.
“When I first saw her she was lying on four piles of bricksand yet I decided she was to be part of the deal. I took the XJSfor a test drive, went back to the barn and promptly informedthe owner that I wanted to take the MG instead.
“Her reply was far from encouraging; apparently the carhad been stored in the barn for the past couple of decadesand she had no idea if it would even start”.
This didn’t deter Farrugia one bit. He promptly signed thetransfer and got the MGB towed to Hamburg.
He got the car inspected by a British sports car mechanicand finally got Christine running for a mere 300 GermanDeutsche Marks (worth €153 today) and proceeded to use thecar for about 10 years until he brought it back to Malta.
“When I first got Christine she had been stored away for 18years, so there was the usual rust problem, a worn-out softtop, a couple of chewed cables, a rotten radiator and an oldwater pump.
“In reality there was no serious damage. Obviously thepaint needed retouching and a good polish but other thanthat, it was in surprisingly decent condition.”
But upon returning to Malta, Farrugia – egged on by his fa-ther – decided that he wanted to carry out a more thoroughrestoration job. The next six months were spent hunting forall the “missing bits and bobs” needed to make this restora-tion unique.
As soon as he was satisfied, restoration work started inearnest. The job was to take a full year.
“The process practically involved a complete rebuild. Westarted by removing the body parts one by one and sandingthem to bare metal. I don’t like sand-blasting and the glasspearl basting or soda blasting was too new to the market.
“After that we removed the tub from the chassis and sandedthe chassis. Luckily, it needed no repairs at all. My father andI then prepared the chassis for spraying and filled all the cav-ities with a rust proofing compound. Where we found no ac-cess points we ended up having to drill and reseal once thejob was done,” Farrugia said.
After that it was time to take care of the many little rustpatches. Some panels had to be replaced, so new ones weremoulded and all imperfections filed away.
“My father is a puritan so we decided to use the old leadand file method. This means you hammer the bumps almostto perfection and then you fill in the remaining imperfectionswith lead. Finally you get a metal file and file the lead downto get a smooth and perfect surface. With this method you arereally putting metal on metal and no compound materials
such as “stokk” – as we know it in Malta – is used. It is a te-dious job but a very rewarding one as well.”
After the two managed to get the car back in shape, it wastime to take a good look at the 1800cc engine. Valves, pistonsand gaskets were replaced. The engine was repainted.
Once it was running, Farrugia mounted it onto the chassisand to the gearbox and eventually the tub was lowered in itsplace. The car was then prepared for painting and a coupleof coats later, Christine was sparkling black again.
The whole restoration cost €2,000 and some 400 labour hours.Farrugia estimates the car to be worth €15,000, but in reality, forhim, it is priceless and Christine is definitely not for sale.
“Next I have six different projects in line for the next coupleof years. I am working on a Morris Traveller, an Esquire van,a Ford Prefect, a Mercedes 220D and... this week I also got mysecond Suzuki LJ80 and a 1970 Ural old Russian motorbikewith a sidecar.”
Things are set to look busy at the Farrugia garage.
Back to its original gloryWhen classic car enthusiast Brian Farrugia set eyes upon an MGB thathad been stranded in a barn for two decades, it was love at first sight.He tells RAMONA DEPARES how 12 months of restoration workbrought the sought-after model back to its original condition.
“The wholerestoration cost €2,000 and some 400labour hours.Farrugia esti-mates the car is worth€15,000, but in reality ‘she’ is priceless”
A nother special edition Mini has beenreleased, following the Baker Streetand Bayswater limited runs an-
nounced last month.The convertible Highgate continues the
theme of naming the cars after fashionableareas of London. It comes in a metallic brown– ‘iced chocolate’ – colour with a roof andmatching bonnet stripes in ‘silvertouchedtruffle’, another sort of brown.
It can be had in white or black as well, buticed chocolate is unique to the Highgate. Alsounique are the 17-inch ‘double cross turned’alloy wheels, the design of which is appar-ently inspired by the Union Jack.
More brown awaits inside, with ‘dark truf-fle’ leather seats, although they do have bluepiping.
Mini’s ‘chili pack’ is standard, bringing cli-mate control, a multi-function steeringwheel, USB and Bluetooth connectivity and,for the style conscious, multi-coloured inte-rior lighting.
Brushed alloy detailing features on thedashboard and the chrome line packageshave been added inside and out.
A finishing touch comes in the shape of‘Highgate’ lettering on the side indicator sur-rounds, door sills and seat tags.
Further options can be added at the would-be owner’s behest.
Four engine options are being offeredwith the Highgate, borrowed from the reg-ular Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper D andCooper SD. (PA)
Mini Highgate announced
Brian Farrugia and 'Christine' the classic MGB.
