... that the light switch, a Lucas PRS 5, continued to fox me and, not being terribly good with meters (continuity is the only thing I know I can get right(ish)) I took the thing apart and did a bit of a schematic.

At first it looked like a couple of people doing the tango but I think I've managed to work out a system whereby the headlights stay on when the fog lights (which I haven't got) are switched on by the simple expedient of having a double connection to the headlights - the second line sharing a post with the fog lights. I'm going to have to ask a cleverchap if I can pass the lighting currents through the switch or if I need to go to a relay before getting to the head lights - I expect the switch can cope happily enough with the side and rear lights.

Before I confused myself any further, I thought I'd attach the extra bits to the front of the side panels. Of course, it's all very well doing flush riveting but if you put a joggle in both panels - which I did without thinking it through - there's always going to be a join showing in the form of a ridge. Having done that to the nearside panel, the offside panel had to match. I won't try to hide it with pudding because it'll only make it worse so it'll have to be a feature, then nobody will notice it.

The Ambassador's Daughter and I went on a lunch run on Sunday in the company of 56 other vintage cars and amongst them was a very nice skiff-bodied Vauxhall 30/98; a local car which I'd long admired and been inspired by when thinking about the Hillman. I'd also always thought of the Vauxhall as rather big and imposing but was surprised at how small it seemed in comparison to the Special. I think it's the height that does it; it's a bit of a climb up to the cockpit of the Hillman.

Whilst I was fiddling on with the panelling, The Ambassador's Daughter got on with the carpet. It was a bit of a job doing the edging and in the end we elected to do just the front and the back and leave all the cut-outs for a rainy day.

And a secret flap to hide the secret fuel tap was incorporated in the design.

While I was running through the engine re-assembly process in my mind - the sourcing of gaskets and so forth, I tackled the closing off of the rear end. It's not going to be as awkward as I thought it might - I didn't really think about the method at the time of construction because I was distracted by the problems associated with the spare wheel carrier. A nip here and a tuck there is going to see the job well done. I also gave some thought to the indicator system which, like the light switch, is a bit of a mystery.

There's a wiring diagram but, need I tell you....