The first day of what turned out to be a frenetic two days saw the Cadbury Kallista of Nigel Dawes being the first vehicle to be raised on the latest two-post lift installed at Andy's premises.

His workshop now has two two-post lifts and a very necessary four-post lift. Nigel wanted all the original Ford front subframe mounting bushes replaced with the polyurethane alternatives offered by Superflex.

With the assistance of a transmission jack the upper rears and then the lower fronts were soon changed, the worn out tie bar 'doughnuts' were also renewed and the job finished off with an oil and filter change. Whilst this job was in progress the other two-post lift had the occupancy of a Kallista having a little metal renewed on the chassis, a father and son job here. With the welding completed the cracked and perished tank fuel hoses were replaced and an oil and filter change. The remaining lift was put into use for the fitting of replacement running boards made entirely from stainless steel, very smart too!

Headlight alignment and exhaust emission checks being carried out as a matter of course to ensure the Panthers were fellow motorist and environmentally friendly. Full use of the wash bay and wash'n'wax car shampoo was made by those with not so pressing repair requirements. By around 5.00pm all the Pantherists had completed their tasks and headed off for home except for one Kallista which was being set up for a geometry check on Sunday morning. Sunday, early, well for some anyway.

The steering checks were underway when in came a 1.6 Kallista for replacement of split engine mounts, followed by a 2.8 for brake fluid renewal. The day also saw coach-lines and rubbing strips applied, misfires sorted and oils changed or topped up. During the morning Nigel rang the workshop to express his appreciation and to say that at last the front end of his Kallista seems now to be attached and part of the car as a whole. The original mounts having suffered the weight of the chassis and engine for over 20 years.

All the members who came along were very impressed with the facilities freely offered and the professionalism of Andy Graves and Terry Borton, and as Ray Smith was heard to say - "beats working on your back with axle stands and jack". We would all like to thank Sue and Garry Mitchell for kindly providing lunch on both days and our fellow members, some travelling from the Midlands and Bristol, for being so helpful to each other.

The Spannermen of Area 12 and beyond.