...because it opened a whole new can of worms!

I rather like this, in fact I think in many ways I prefer it, but there again, it's easy to be deceived by a flat profile, and the boot is a more conventional layout - something I'm trying to avoid. I'll bear it in mind - it could be the MKII (and the DHC the MKIII).

Learned Counsel has been going on about how he's got a set of parts for another Locost and all he needed was a chassis.

One popped up on eBay for not very much money and so off we went to fetch it from Southampton. It looked rough as old boots, but the tape measure confirmed that it was absolutely spot-on and true.

For my part in the enterprise, I was awarded this surplus to requirements, brake servo. It's a bit of a lump but it'll be a useful addition to the Riley running gear. A couple of fairly nasty home-made seats will also help with positioning things in the cockpit; then they'll go in the skip.

I can't work out how this may have happened and it slightly confused the issue when doing the drawings for the computer model. The four bushes arrowed, take the bolts which attach the subframe to the chassis. The top left bush is in the right place but the hole is oval. The chassis plate looks as though it's marginally misaligned and I think this was how it originally went together; someone got the chassis lug out of kilter and the simplest solution was to widen the hole on the subframe to line it up.

The big end and mains shells that I got from Mr Holmes were .030" and .040" respectively. As the crankshaft has never been reground, I thought it was worth trying to find a smaller oversize set; even .020" would be helpful. I was lucky in managing to secure a set of .010" big end shells from F W Thornton in Shropshire and in conversation with the local engine works, it transpired that they may be able to sort something out for the mains as well. That leaves me with a complete set of shells spare for either of my two MS 6 engines.

My luck continued when I finally dragged out the block - also acquired from Mr Holmes, though some years ago. It's a BMC replacement unit and had been relined back to standard at the Cowley factory. There's a bit of surface rust in a couple of the bores, but nothing that won't clean up to take...

... my set of brand new std pistons, including rings and pins - another prize from the Holmes Emporium!

The Great Collector's Daimler is now off the trailer. Unfortunately, the bonnet catches appear to be seized so I couldn't get a look at the engine...

... though I got a picture of the cockpit. There's a very nice early Motorola radio and a big speedo and rev counter with shadow numerals - look nice in the coupé? Oops! shouldn't have thunked that.