In which one's scrap buddy is extremely sensible

Here is my scrap buddy Rob. And what's that he's holding children? That's right. It's a new piece for his Allard chassis. He does this a lot doesn't he?

Well, he's actually doing this more than ever. My scrap buddy Rob has become focussed on a single project. This is unprecedented - for either of us.

You will probably have read about my scrap buddy and fellow member of Team Robert trialling equipe.

If ever either of us are tempted by another price of scrap we are supposed to ring the other up and the other is supposed to say - in the spirit of mutal aid to fellow sufferers - "Look Robert, what you want is one car and one motorbike and that's it."

Usually, however, we just egg each other on and whoever initiated the call goes and buys three - the one that originally tempted him, another one that the other Robert knew about and which could have been scrapped if it hadn't been bought for a song and, of course, another one for spares. We then spread ourselves thinly over all our projects by doing a little here and a little there until - ultimately - none of them are finished.

But something has happened to my scrap buddy.

He is thinning down his collection. He is restricting his activity to his Allard and his Triumph Trophy. And (if Tina is reading this) the house. The fact that he still has two Allards is immaterial in the world of the scrap buddy. All those lovely parts will "come in".

I know precisely what brought about this change. It was that epic ride in Roger Ugalde's Allard in last year's Land's End Trial. Rob hasn't been quite the same since.

He now wants an Allard of his own just like Roger's. Okay, so he already has two Allards but it's a trials replica that Rob has always wanted and now he wants one even more - one that goes, one that isn't in a thousand fascinating pieces. He's sold off some of his bikes and has achieved great things in getting Allard number one's chassis shortened. When you realise that these taper from front to back and have a cruciform section that needs moving around and shortening/widening depending where it ends up, you begin to realise the magnitude of the task.

Rob really does want just one car and just one motorbike.

So now my scrap buddy is a genuine scrap buddy. Trouble is, he has assumed the moral high ground. I will still get the same advice but this time from somebody who practices what he preaches. I remain in the oily gutter, looking up at my automotive stars.

That's why I no longer ring him about what has recently tempted me. Or what I may have bought recently.