Friday, March 11, 2011

Shredded, we can put humpty together again !


It relates to my once super dooper car cover. When purchased for £15 from Argos it was great. Heavy duty polythene/vinyl with elasticated bottom and HUGE.
Time and the elements have done their worse and after two spells of high winds during the evenings has seen the silver cover turn into flotsam in many pieces, all held together by the slenderest of elasticated hems.
A few months ago prior to X-mas I did purchase a polypropylene spun undercover as additional protection as the outer cover was beginning to tear a little ( a lot really). The welded seams seemed to be letting go and had been stapled and silicone glued by me but not very successfully. But, good enough to keep out the snow and rain, mostly.
The first recent spell of wind tore the outer cover well and truly and I fought a losing battle with string and elasticated hook things in such a gale force wind. God knows how sailors go on.The following morning saw me in some despair and quite honestly I couldn't give a **it anymore. Any cash I had needed to go towards the suspension parts. Then the saga of the radiators happened ( household radiators not Automotive) so the MG plight was forgotten somewhat. That and the pressures of Uni and studying made my focus elsewhere.
It was only after another bout of weekend gale force wind was attention turned to the eerrant cover.
Was it recoverable ? ( I mean not literally, but figuratively ) viz could I salvage what was left of it or did I need another.Another was out of the question. Argos no longer sold the cover and similar ones were elsewhere were £45 +.
Another trip to Poundland  saw the purchase of 2 more hook/elastic thingies and some thick but small polypropylene covers, not bad for £3. Wilko's was next and 2 rolls of proper gaffer tape, the re-enforced type.
So one afternoon when wifey was out I removed the cover carefully, nay teased and coaxed it away from the crevices of the car and deposited it on the kitchen floor ( largest open space in the house )
It was a real puzzle.It was all in one piece ( around the elasticated bottom, just) but in several separate "flaps". I was worried about taping the edges and getting one flap or whole section twisted inside out.
The cover is huge and roughly car shaped, had staples in some areas and dry hard silicone glue in others interspersed with dirt and oil in one corner.
Anyways, after lots or kneeling and logical thought it was finally back together and mostly weatherproof.
As a further precaution I taped a thick polythene film in place of the windscreen and rear screen and re-fitted the cover.
If after the first spell of gales I would have had the hindsight to use the two spare wheels to hold the cover onto the car bonnet and roof maybe the damage wouldn't have been so bad. The cover is big and didn't half flap around in the wind.
Hindsight............................the tool of the foolish. Why is it experience is only something you get AFTER you need it !
Look a pretty picture of the current cover done. Just in time too. BBC say the next few weeks are more wind and snowy conditions.