Miles Wilkins
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About forty years ago I went to visit him at Fibreglass Services. He was out for an hour or so and I went to the local pub for lunch to be greeted by "Hello Miles!" as I walked in the door from a couple of customers--it seems I resembled MIles at that time.
When I went to his shop later he was there and we had a good chat-I think I owned an Elite at the time. There was an unusual engine under the bench, "What is that?" I innocently asked. "ERA 2 Litre" came the response! Any bloke with a 2 Litre ERA engine under the bench is OK with me...
When I went to his shop later he was there and we had a good chat-I think I owned an Elite at the time. There was an unusual engine under the bench, "What is that?" I innocently asked. "ERA 2 Litre" came the response! Any bloke with a 2 Litre ERA engine under the bench is OK with me...
'65 S2 4844
- Davidb
- Fourth Gear
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That's a little personal , mal elever
Alan
Alan
Alan.b Brittany 1972 elan sprint fhc Lagoon Blue 0460E
- alan.barker
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oldchieft wrote:Conversation in Paul Matey's parts parts store: -
"Do you have the Miles Wilkins twin-cam book?"
"Yes, signed by Miles!"
"Ah, do you have the rare un-signed copy?"
"Oh, I see you have met Miles."
Jon the Chief.
Jon
best humor I have seen in a long time
cheers
Rohan
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rgh0 - Coveted Fifth Gear
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Merci Bescherelle ,
kenavo
Alan
kenavo
Alan
Alan.b Brittany 1972 elan sprint fhc Lagoon Blue 0460E
- alan.barker
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I must admit to being a Miles fan. When I was in my early Elan days he helped me out significantly.You do however have to laugh at him rather than with him at times.
I took the car down to get a repair to the bodywork done on it. He's a bit of a stickler for originality, which is admirable.
He pointed out that my new engine bay loom wasn't quite as good a copy as he'd like and that the Strombergs rebuild wasn't up to scratch. Not that either were relevant to the job in hand.
Curiosity eventually got the better of him and he asked who had undertaken the work. I , truthfully, informed him he had.
I took the car down to get a repair to the bodywork done on it. He's a bit of a stickler for originality, which is admirable.
He pointed out that my new engine bay loom wasn't quite as good a copy as he'd like and that the Strombergs rebuild wasn't up to scratch. Not that either were relevant to the job in hand.
Curiosity eventually got the better of him and he asked who had undertaken the work. I , truthfully, informed him he had.
Graeme
S4 SE
S2 GTS
Caterham 420R
Sold - Peterson JPS Exige
S4 SE
S2 GTS
Caterham 420R
Sold - Peterson JPS Exige
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661 - Coveted Fifth Gear
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I remember many years ago Graham Arnold in the Club Magazine said that Miles was the best thing since sliced bread or Jimminy Cricket You have to smile. TVRs it's the same with Adrian Venn.
Without these people our car adventures would not be so full of colour.
Alan
Without these people our car adventures would not be so full of colour.
Alan
Alan.b Brittany 1972 elan sprint fhc Lagoon Blue 0460E
- alan.barker
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reb53 wrote:Quart Meg Miles wrote: who had been operating from his premises,
I hope you mis-phrased that !
Should have been "whom had been..."
He rented out some of his site to other car dealers, at one time a local Ford dealer as overflow and once a MX5 specialist. Recently it was a gang of crooks who appear to have left their stolen cars there, probably didn't pay the rent, and demanded money at about the time that they were arrested. It may have sparked his decision to quit, he certainly reorganised his workplace immediately afterwards and erected a security fence.
Meg
26/4088 1965 S1½ Old and scruffy but in perfect working order; the car too.
________________Put your money where your mouse is, click on "Support LotusElan.net" below.
26/4088 1965 S1½ Old and scruffy but in perfect working order; the car too.
________________Put your money where your mouse is, click on "Support LotusElan.net" below.
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Quart Meg Miles - Coveted Fifth Gear
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I just stumbled across this discussion, and I'm hoping that some of the folks residing in close proximity to Miles might be able to assist.
Just a few weeks ago, I sent a communication via FedEx to Miles at his Fibreglass Services address and hadn't heard back. I hadn't known that he'd moved on from there.
The topic was a passage in his Twin Cam Engine book where he says:
I believe that I own the Elite referred to in that passage, and I'd been hoping that he might have actually seen the car and the modification, so I'd sent photographs.
The Elite in question (#1559) resided at Cheshunt from late 1961 until it was delivered to a customer in December of 1963. It was subject to several modifications including a Twin Cam engine.
If anyone could provide updated contact information, or could pass on a package of information, I'd truly appreciate it.
-Doug
Elite #1559 (more info at http://www.blog.dougfraser.com)
Seven LSB-2072
Vermont, USA (currently hoping to be annexed by Canada
Just a few weeks ago, I sent a communication via FedEx to Miles at his Fibreglass Services address and hadn't heard back. I hadn't known that he'd moved on from there.
The topic was a passage in his Twin Cam Engine book where he says:
"...work at carried out at Cheshunt included a one-off redesign of the Elite rear suspension based on a Jaguar rubber system (this was done by Brian Luff in 1962)..."
I believe that I own the Elite referred to in that passage, and I'd been hoping that he might have actually seen the car and the modification, so I'd sent photographs.
The Elite in question (#1559) resided at Cheshunt from late 1961 until it was delivered to a customer in December of 1963. It was subject to several modifications including a Twin Cam engine.
If anyone could provide updated contact information, or could pass on a package of information, I'd truly appreciate it.
-Doug
Elite #1559 (more info at http://www.blog.dougfraser.com)
Seven LSB-2072
Vermont, USA (currently hoping to be annexed by Canada
- lotuar
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I would suggest you phone him but check on what time it will be in UK.
I'm sure he will help if he can
Alan
I'm sure he will help if he can
Alan
Alan.b Brittany 1972 elan sprint fhc Lagoon Blue 0460E
- alan.barker
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alan.barker wrote:I would suggest you phone him but check on what time it will be in UK.
I'm sure he will help if he can
Alan
(0)1243 554422
I will pop round in a few days to find out what is happening there.
Meg
26/4088 1965 S1½ Old and scruffy but in perfect working order; the car too.
________________Put your money where your mouse is, click on "Support LotusElan.net" below.
26/4088 1965 S1½ Old and scruffy but in perfect working order; the car too.
________________Put your money where your mouse is, click on "Support LotusElan.net" below.
-
Quart Meg Miles - Coveted Fifth Gear
- Posts: 1278
- Joined: 03 Oct 2012
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