Right Hand Drive cars in a Left Hand Drive World

   Living in San Diego, California, means that cars are usually driven from the left side. Those hardy souls who love British cars, however, brave the roads from the right seat. One may say, the Proper Seat. Which creates a bit of confusion on the part of other drivers. Ideally, a large dog on the left would look like it was driving. A giant stuffed toy would also work. Why not have fun with it?
   We have British cars because they are quirky and different. After deciding that a Classic Mini would be just our cuppa tea, and having great success making him into a daily driver, we've dipped our toes even deeper into the water and are currently working on a New Zealand built 1971 Morris Minor work van, named Kiwi.
   And, because it's not bad enough to have two tempermental, eccentric British cars, we went and bought the crowning glory of What The HELL Were We Thinking. His name is Oliver Twist.
   He's a 1958 Diesel London Taxicab. With more rust than an abandoned tractor in an Iowa field. We'll be buying futures in PB Blaster stock. And adding Whitworth spanners to our overflowing tool boxes. Because, of course, nothing is straightforward when wrenching on Brits. Sorry, when SPANNERING on Brits. Is that even a word?

Meet our metal challenges. Here's Bumblebee, our beloved Mini. Spray painted at home, worked on in our driveway, Bee brings smiles and recognition wherever he goes.

Here is how Bee looked three years ago, before his makeover:

Being our first Classic, he taught us patience, perseverence, and a few British curse words. However, like childbirth, the memories fade and only the highlights are remembered, wrapped in a misty glow of nostalgia. Which is how you end up with a second child, or a second project car. Along came Kiwi the Moggy, built in New Zealand, who had pretty much hit bottom by the time we could afford her. She had no chrome, no door handles, no window winders, and her engine and transmission hadn't been in her for years. There were more straps holding her parts on, than there were holding her to the trailer! On the positive side, she was mostly rust free, and was a blank canvas for us to paint our vision on. Here she stands, in her blank eyed sadness:

Even though hubby has a steadfast rule about doing "one project at a time", it's not hard to find the loophole in his rule that allows one more purchase. That loophole was my fifty-sixth birthday, when he was asked to please buy me a certain Taxi for my present. Considering that he didn't have to order it, wrap it, or figure out where to hide it, the idea seemed acceptable to him, and Oliver Twist the Taxi will be coming home in a few days. Poor Oliver needs about as much love as we can give him, as he is Rusty McRustbucket, and has a dented front end to top it all off! However, he's rare, unique, has a long history, and is immensely cool, and if we can give him his British Groove back, we will. AFTER Kiwi, though there will be times when Kiwi needs both of us, and while waiting for help, I can work on His Taxiness.