Rapier vomit

[The Main]

Hi all,

Haven't been on here for ages as I'd lost my password and, oh well - you know what happens. Must confess to 'lurking' recently though. Anyway got my password back now at last and felt compelled to post due to the really horrid discovery I made yesterday....

 

Driving through Ripley, Surrey and spotted through the corner of my eye an old 'Series' Rapier sitting on the back of a flat-bed. I was in a lorry so couldn't easily stop and had to turn around a mile or so up the road and come back. Eventually pulled over to find a really tidy (if faded), sound, original 1967 Series V Rapier (1725cc in gunmetal grey, black roof) sitting there with it's windscreen smashed, roof-front bent inwards, bonnet, grille and front panel properly mangled. And it really did look sound too - including the front wings, rear arches and wing bottoms, sills, valences, doors, boot - the lot.

 

It had been loaded up with all manner of scrap, random car seats, old paint tins - all sorts of rubbish. Guy with the flatbed and his mate emerged from behind a gate and told me they were on their way to a scrapyard in Aldershot so they could weigh it in for £200. I expressed my disbelief that they'd rammed the roof in and twatted the front end - the guy said it was the only way he'd been able to move it because the engine was seized.

 

Turns out he got it recently from a workshop clearance in Egham, where it had been stored (inside) for nearly 30 years. Told me the black interior was perfect - not a mark on the seats etc. Felt really sick standing there looking at what was happening. I've always wanted a Series V Rapier and still have nightmares about not having saved a similar example about 25 years ago in my home town of Neath - except that was D-reg and gold metallic, with a black roof and interior. Mind you, I was only eleven at the time.

 

What now upsets me most is that I didn't stop him taking it to the scrapyard. There are only a handful of these cars left, this one looked more sound than most I've seen and I'm even wondering now if that roof damage could have been repaired. I could have given him the sodding £200 to drop it off at my house instead (or maybe at a friend's yard). I'd have had time to think about what do to and (at the very least) could have saved all those excellent panels, the trim, interior, remaining glass and the overdrive gearbox. I still don't really understand why I didn't do this. I just wasn't thinking straight - I don't know - I was late for a work job, had parked a lorry badly just up the road from the police station, my mate with the yard wasn't answering his phone and I knew I couldn't just dump it outside the house without at least a preparatory chat and massive grovel with the wife. When I drove past an hour later it had gone, and as the day wore on I felt worse and worse about it.

 

Woke up this morning and felt totally gutted. Rang around the Aldershot breakers and found out it's at Car & Metal Recyclers on Hollybush Lane. They haven't crushed it or anything, but apparently the roof is caved in (although possibly no more so than when I saw it). They won't sell any parts off it because one of the staff wants the car for banger racing.

 

I know this might seem over the top, but I don't think I'll forget this for a long time and won't be able to look at another Rapier without feeling guilty! Is there something wrong with me?

 

Going to try to upload some photos now - if I fail, please could someone do it for me? I've just put them on flickr...

[Lankytim]

I've lost track of the amount of cars i've failed to "save". Remember, it wasn't you that took it to be weighed in.

 

Just move on, there will be other cars in dire need that will be easier to save from the scrapper.

[ashmicro]

I scrapped a 1972 Escort 1300 GT (in 1991) after doing a shit load of work on it. I lost they keys, and did yet more work on it to fit new locks etc, and then it suffered a very small electrical fire. I just went "fuck it" and got the council to take it away out of my sight. I regret it to this day, and yes, I actually feel guilty rather than annoyed at myself.

 

With the knowledge and temperament I have now, I'd have had it finished and on the road in a weekend. So you're not on your own chum.

[eddyramrod]

You can't save them all, you'd go mad trying. Something else will turn up. I've let so many go by.... and scrapped my fair share too. We've all done it, don't worry.

[trigger]

I can see why your so pissed off, it did look a tidy one.

 

1967 Sunbeam Rapier, Surrey 2012 by Main75, on Flickr

 

Sunbeam Rapier scrapped by Main75, on Flickr

[eddyramrod]

I take it all back. That there is just a crime.

[Lankytim]

Those are worth top dollar too! Surely any scrap dealer with half a brain would simply sell it for much more than scrap.

[retrogeezer]

wish I hadn't looked at this thread..

[Lankytim]

Just pretend you didn't then! Loads of lovely old motors get fragged all the time and we just don't get to hear about them.

 

Pretending I haven't seen something works for me all the time.

[AeroNautiCal]

Pretending I haven't seen something works for me all the time.

 

Not a technique to use whilst crossing busy roads...

 

Shame about that Rapier, my Deputy Headmaster had one in 1975, very similar to this one.

[DSdriver]

That makes me sad. I used to have one of those in 1972/3 but it got stolen. They only managed to drive it a couple of miles but then took the back seat and various other parts which I couldn't find replacements for so I scrapped it. A shame because I had just rebuilt the engine. I've still got the front plate RO7897 on the workshop wall.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Unbelievable.

 

 

I had one nof these back in 1982. TFX400 was a 1962 1600 Rapier Series 111 in Storm grey with red roof and side flashes. It was as rotten as a carrot, but it was free. Jeez, that's 30 years ago.

[The Main]

Well I couldn't stand it anymore so today I showed up at the yard in Aldershot where the Rapier ended up

 

Wish I hadn't bothered though - the lad who intends to banger the Rapier has already dragged it away for prepping. So it's probably had a few litres of Dulux daubed over it and plates welded across the doors by now

 

When I explained what I was doing there the desk staff looked at me as though I had two heads. Left my number in the hope of liberating at least a few bits of trim (fat chance!) even if I can't save any panels...

 

So I suppose it really is RIP to NVM 931E

 

Cheers for all the replies to my post and thanks to Trigger for posting those pics

[Wilko220]

The insanity of this world astounds me.

[AnthonyG]

Never, ever underestimate the stupidity of other people.....

 

He must have very thick to wreck that for the sake of moving it. The scrap boys I know would have that out and on Ebay with a reserve of a grand and a £1999 Buy it Now in about 2 hours without so much as a scratch . I'm amazed he actually managed to converse in English...

[Lankytim]

With some people its just scrap, scrap, scrap, weigh it in ASAP and go and find something else to send over the bridge. Nothing is too good to weigh in nowadays, it's fast easy cash. Plus that particular car has come from a warehouse clearance, so the person who rang the scrap man may not have actually been the legal owner, just the landlord of the unit needing to empty it out or something. If it went on e.bay they could find out its not theirs to sell!

 

Not that i'm saying that scrap dealers are not whiter than white....

[The Main]

Interesting point, lankytim. It certainly didn't stay long at the metal recyclers. The mouth-breathing scrap bloke delivered it there on Tuesday afternoon and it was gone from there by Thursday, if not sooner.

 

When I looked at the dvla database on Wednesday, there was no record of the Rapier so they probably never even had a V5...