I was rummaging for a screwdriver in the glove box of one of The Great Collector's Humbers, when I came across this book.

Unlike current motoring map books, the pages describe routes from and to specific places and record only what would have been major roads in their day.

The network of country lanes surrounding me, many of which have existed since around 2500 BC, perhaps even further back, are not included.

The screwdriver was needed to unscrew the brass jet on top of the Hillman Minx's Solex carb. We found that putting a finger over the jet richened the mixture and eliminated the coughing and spluttering in the pick-up - signs of a too weak mixture. The revs increased when the jet was free of obstruction, confirming our diagnosis. I turned up three inserts that will slip into the jet's orifice, each with a different size drilling. A drop of superglue will hold the best performer in place.

Despite the apparent success had in bending the screen frames in one piece, I had to cut the lower radius off each frame - they just weren't going to work because of their inaccuracy. I had anticipated this, so I wasn't too bothered.

All I did was add a length to the vertical so it would meet the scuttle at a strong point...

... and then add a horizontal support to the bottom of the screen.

A thin piece of wood gave me an indication of the shape of the door, and where the frame would sit.

Encouraged by this progress, I set about bending the central spine of the body. Using the plywood shape as a template, I first bent the tube cold and clamped it in position - the tail end surplus strapped to the leg of a bench - and applied heat to its length.

Once the tube had cooled off, it needed only minor tweaks to match it to the template.

The windscreen's central pillar was welded to the spine, and it was beginning to look like something.

Taking a moment to pause and consider, I took the top off my newly acquired site transformer that is destined to supply the magneto charger. I didn't know what I was looking at, but it reminded me that before I go any further with the bodywork, the car's wiring has to be addressed. That will require a different frame of mind.