After the Bistro had been officially opened, Fred had kept silent on the question of the reserved space linking the two bar spaces. "Wait and see'" was his quiet response.

 

Late March, a white pickup and a team of Thai helps appeared in Soi 1. On the trailer was Fred's secret, a bright red replica '54 Porsche Speedster. Within minutes, the soi was closed to traffic, balcony rails were taken down and a chain hoist slung into position. After final check had been made, the stripped out body shell slowly rose skywards towards the first floor, much to the consternation of the bemused Thai onlookers; it certainly wasn't the average daily Chiang Mai street scene. Despite the stripped out body shell, the weight of the vehicle tested the Bistro balcony's structural integrity. By the end of the lift, and much to Fred's anxious wait, the car finally made it to the halfway mark, building and car unscathed.

 

The next task was a simple one: To add the Number 1 decals to the body, add the temporary covers and other fittings before the vehicle was transferred to the void.

 

The transfer of the car over the void was the hardest and most dangerous phase of the operation. Not only did the precipice into the bar below present a hazard to the workers, any slip of the vehicle would ruin months of hard bar-building below: It was not a job for the feint-hearted, one to be rushed. It required the deployment of plenty of safety kit to fend of disaster.

 

After 6 hours of nail-biting, the Porsche Speedster '54 was finally firmly anchored into position, tilted at a jaunty angle to show off her graceful curves to the best. The fine details and trim are still to be completed over the coming weeks.

 

For now, Number 1 Bistro & Café can bask in the limelight and proudly boast it is well and truly unique, Chiang Mai's only Bar with a Car.