Twas a good car, can't remember about mats. Like WG I learnt car mechanics on the hoof (although had had years of practice helping my Dad for the previous 15 years or so). First job was to replace the leaky radiator that deposited its contents all over the A31 on the way to my parents for a surprise "look we've got a car" visit on the first weekend we had it. That was soon replaced by an item from a breaker in Byfleet or somewhere. Bet Dad was thrilled when he discovered his Saturday would be spent looking for radiators instead of whatever he had planned
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif)
Not long after it had to have a new clutch, but that was child's play compared with the Triumph 2000 which had been our previous clutch job. The very best thing I remember was adjusting the timing by hand after it started being very sluggish, and a work mate told me to try tweaking the distributor. The feeling of getting it near spot-on just by ear (no timing light in the toolbox at that stage, although Dad obliged with a birthday present soon after) was very very satisfying. Numerous (non-structural) holes had to be patched up with glassfibre, too. I swapped it for a Mark IV less than a year later, and it sat on the drive feeling sorry for itself for a while until someone came and bought it. I had to drive it over to the new owner's house and he gave me a lift back. I still remember the surprise I felt when I discovered how sprightly it was compared to my newer 2.0 GL.