THE END

Well, this is it. The end of my sorry tale. The MNR went to its new home yesterday. The car is actually going back to MNR themselves to be finished and road registered. So, it looks like it will get used more often than I had ever planned - which is good.

What have I learnt?

1. These things take time. Think very carefully about whether or not you will have the time to complete such a project. I'd have been okay, I think - but once I was offered sponsorship for my MBA things inevitably became impossible.
2. These things take patience. At times I surprised myself with how calm I was. At times I scared myself with how angry/upset I could get.
3. It helps to have skilled and willing friends around you. In particular, I'd like to thank Lyn, the other Lyn and Steve. I couldn't have got as far as I did without you. I'd also like to thank Julia. While we have separated since, I could not have asked for a more patient partner as I wandered off into the garage and returned a number of hours later; sometimes happy, occasionally fuming!

I have no idea how many have read my ramblings over the past couple of years, but if you have, thank you. I hope that some of you have looked at my efforts and thought, "I can do better than that" and have been right and succeeded.

I'm conscious that this final post seems quite morose. In reality when I looked over the car for the last time yesterday, the overwhelming emotion that I felt was pride. I've looked at a lot of kit-cars over the past few years and some of what I'd achieved was way above average. Dan (the new owner) appeared to hold the same view, so I drove away happy, not just that I'd taken a step towards financial security given my impending joblessness, but also because I'd done a decent job.

There's no real news on the employment front, but when things pick-up I do hope I'll return to kit-car ownership. That said, I don't think that I'd build another myself. Perhaps a rebuild would be better...

Best wishes,

TC