Shite update

[wuvvum]

There's been a bit of movement in the wuvvum fleet over the last week or so. The ginormous Iveco flatbed has gone, as has the Galaxy and (not without some misgivings) the Renner Five, which was really starting to suffer from being used on Norfolk's gawd-awful winter roads. First newcomer to join the fleet was this little beauty:

 

 

 

Picked up from near Eastbourne last Saturday and drove home through the snow without missing a beat. I will be honest, it's not one of those cars that I fell in love with at first sight, but it really has grown on me over the last week. It's a sweet little car, totally reliable, everything works and it is extremely tidy for 28-year-old Jap. I reckon the 26,000 miles is genuine, judging by the condition of, well, everything really. Being a 1400 it's reasonably nippy, even with the autobox, but it is ludicrously low-geared given the power of the engine - 65 mph is 4000 rpm, which means that if, like me, you dislike running old engines at high revs for extended periods, a Hirst-style 56mph trundle is the way to go. It's quite a comfortable little thing and rather more spacious than the 5, and it has a great caramac-coloured dashboard with built-in LW/MW radio:

 

 

I've just forked out for six months' rent on it so it's probably going to be pressed into commuting duties fairly regularly.

 

Continuing the Japanese theme, I also bought this this week:

 

 

 

Apologies for the pants pictures, but I couldn't be arsed to start it up and reverse it out. It's a Jap import non-turbo auto with a cloth interior, so one of the less desirable Z32s, but it was cheap. It has a few issues - offside front wing is white (nothing a couple of rattle cans from Halfords won't sort), the heater doesn't seem to work and the nearside rear lower wishbone mount needs looking at as it's not very secure at the moment. The engine and 'box are spot on, though, and it drove back from Wickford in Essex without missing a beat - I set the cruise control to 65 and it trundled along quite happily, doing about 30mpg. Plan is to find someone who can weld the wishbone mount up and then blat around in it at weekends - it's a non turbo but it still has about 220 brake going through the back wheels so it should be GR8 4 DRIFTIN if the mood takes me, or it's a surprisingly relaxed cruiser when you're just pottering about. And I do love the look of these cars.

 

I also bought this:

 

 

Sorry for the blurry pic, it was getting dark. This is a TD LS with the 1700cc GM low pressure turbo diesel engine - it's not an engine I had any experience of before, but I've grown to rather like it - in fact I'd say I probably prefer it to the Isuzu lump. It's not got quite the punch of the 'Suzu (although there's not a lot in it) but it's a lot more flexible and pulls a lot better from low revs, plus there's less turbo lag. It's done 138K, which I suppose is about average for a 12-year-old diesel, and it had a cambelt at 126K so should be good for a while yet. I bought it to help out a mate and I doubt I'll keep it very long, but I actually like it a lot more than I ever expected to like a diesel Mk3 Astra. It's T&T'd till the spring though and it's got a towbar, so if I don't manage to sell it I can keep it as a useful workhorse.

 

And so to my latest purchase - picked this up this afternoon.

 

 

 

It's a 9000 Carlsson, which is not a model I'd ever had before but I've always quite liked the look of - very late '80s but a bit more subdued than some. It needs a bit of TLC but it's taxed & tested for a couple of months so I'm going to have some fun smoking around in it - I'm not sure it's still got its full complement of gee-gees (I think these were 205?) but it's still plenty quick enough to have some fun.

 

To finish off with - this is not mine, unfortunately, but I spotted it in Aylsham town centre on the way to pick up the Saab this afternoon and I think it would have been rude not to stop and take a couple of pics. Must be one of the first with single piece rear windows:

 

 

 

Just as we were leaving the owner came back to the car - he was exactly as you would have expected, an old boy in his '70s with cords and an old sports jacket who's probably owned it since new. And would never dream of selling it.

[Guest]

Wheel looks a bit odd, is the suspension OK? I really fancy one of these to be honest, the rear light panel is the best of any car ever, I seriously think these are one of the most attractive cars ever made.

[Albert Ross]

I trust you addressed him as "Sir", and stood at ease whilst conversing? I collared a bloke with a Camel Trophy 110 at Asda tonight. Near pensionable age, Camo jacket and a sense of humour. Top bloke, hope he never sells it!I also saw a fleeting glance of a 164 this week in the same colour...on a F plate! Swinton, Mexborough, Rotherham area.

[Guest]

Actually just on a side note, what's your cheap MR2 like? I assume that's the same one being red and all.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Superb work as always wuvs! I too am a big fan of the styling of those Nissan Z's, the 'bankloan barry' image is too much for me though. Actually theyre probably a bit old for being bankloan barry material nowadays, so scrub that.

[pogweasel]

Interesting selection. I estimate that the Nissan and Saab are exactly the cars that are trouble just waiting to happen. Especially the Nissan, I mean naff-font plates are sign!The colt looks very lovely though, great for pottering about at sedate speeds. Super. As for the Astra, well, I could be persuaded to have it away form you if the price was nice and it's not too rotten. I've had a fair experience of those old goats. Had a 1.4i pre-facelift which was lovely, & Er Indoors had a plusher 1.6i post facelift that was perhaps not quite so nice, purely as it did not seem as well screwed together (though it was a 'runout' version after the Mk4 had been introduced so figures), also I used to run around in one of these for work a burgundy van (M119LNH) which was a TD, and I really REALLY liked it. Sure it was painfully slow compared to my colleagues later 1.7 & 2.0 Mk4's, but it would outcorner those everyday of the week. Plus all of them seemed pretty robust (shit heaters aside), though time has shown them to be good rotters. LMK if it's any good / cheap

[Mr Average]

 

Am I the only one who on sight of said Volvo thinks of the Good Life? JERRY!

[pogweasel]

Wasn't Jerry & Margot's one yellow?One of my lecturers at university had one in that green, with a 4-digit number plate too for good measure.

[wuvvum]

Wheel looks a bit odd, is the suspension OK?

Wheel is at a bit of an odd angle, 'cos of the bottom wishbone mounting being askew. I didn't notice it till I stopped for petrol on the way home, and the car seemed to have been driving OK up to then so I just ignored it - I assumed it was a bent tie rod or something. When I got home and had a look underneath, my initial thought of "Oh my gawd, how the feck is that still holding together?" was swiftly followed by "Well if it's held together for the 100-odd mile drive home, over all sorts of roads, it's probably going to hold together for a while longer". So I've now driven it down to my garage where it's less visible.

 

Actually just on a side note, what's your cheap MR2 like? I assume that's the same one being red and all.

Yup, that's the one. It's a lovely little car, only things wrong with it are a crap handbrake and a vibration through the steering between 65 and 75mph. I don't think I'll use it much over the winter as they're not the most rust-resistant cars ever made, but once the weather starts to warm up a bit I'll put it through a test and buzz around in it with the removeable glass sunroof removed and the little twin cam buzzing away behind me. Kind of like a Fiat X1/9, except with working electrics.

[Mr Average]

Wasn't Jerry & Margot's one yellow?One of my lecturers at university had one in that green, with a 4-digit number plate too for good measure.

Yes it was, but you know what I mean.

[Guest]

Nice work Wuvvum, seriously! Let me know if the Fairlady is to come up for sale at some point, I'd love one just so I could fire a handgun out of the T-top like the one in SCI in the arcades years ago.

[wuvvum]

I estimate that the Nissan and Saab are exactly the cars that are trouble just waiting to happen. Especially the Nissan, I mean naff-font plates are sign!

I don't know about the Saab - it's been owned by the same middle-aged couple for the last 15 years, and they're only selling due to replacing it with a 9-5 estate. It's been well looked after and has plenty of history, and it seems a genuine car. Plus I've never had any major problems with 9000s, and I've had about a dozen of them now. 300ZX I'm not so sure about. I'm going to jack it up at some point and have a good old poke round underneath. The rear numberplate is actually home made - the original one fell off (was held on with those crap sticky pad things) and the owner couldn't get a new one made up in time for me to collect the car. The engine and box are very good though, and it'd probably break for more than what I paid for it.

As for the Astra, well, I could be persuaded to have it away form you if the price was nice and it's not too rotten.

It's actually not bad at all - the only rust I've found is a bit on the passenger side rear arch, but it is only a bit and not a completely non-existent arch like some I've seen. I ran it through a car wash the other day and it does clean up very well. It's getting a new set of glow plugs tomorrow as the existing ones are getting a bit tired. I value it at about 300 quid.

[pogweasel]

Hmm. Well we shall have to see, I am hoping to score a giffer-spec ZX for less than that tomoz.

[Ratdat]

The funny thing about Z32 Fairladys is I remember them appearing in books on Supercars (of the Hamlyn/St Michael variety) alongside Ferraris and Lambos yet they've ended up as bargain basement shitters just like most other old Nissans do at some point. Even the once revered Skylines end up that way eventually. Is it the rear arm or the mount that buggered? I think some of the rear end might be similar to S14 200SX's.What's the Wuvvum fleet comprise of now then? It's hard to keep up!

[Guest]

I reckon the DVLA employ someone fulltime just to handle Wuvvum's paperwork.

[Spottedlaurel]

Am I the only to notice, or at least comment on, the rear end of a B12 Sunny coupe in the Volvo estate shot? Volvo does look lovely.Colt looks a tidy little thing. Let me know if/when that comes up for sale (not too soon though please?!). Haven't yet had a Mitsubishi properly on the road.

[pogweasel]

I remember doing some kind of 'lino-cut' thing of one those 300ZX's in art lessons when they first came out, cos I reckoned they were well snazzy. Might have been a lithograph actually. Think I dropped art soon afterwards, as I thought I was gash at it. What a twat.

[wuvvum]

Is it the rear arm or the mount that buggered?

The mount. Which is a bit of a bummer, it would have been a lot easier to replace a broken arm than repair the mount.

What's the Wuvvum fleet comprise of now then? It's hard to keep up!

Tell me about it - I struggle myself sometimes. Erm...Cadillac STSRenault 6Renault 12AlfasudVolvo 164300ZXMR2ColtAstraInnocentiSaab 9000 CarlssonSaab 900 TurboSkoda 120LWhich makes 13, so I'm going to have to either buy something or sell something to bring the total to a luckier number.

[Guest]

I reckon £50, the Z, to me (delivery included).

[wuvvum]

Am I the only to notice, or at least comment on, the rear end of a B12 Sunny coupe in the Volvo estate shot?

That belongs to my mate who was giving me a lift to pick the Saab up. It's quite nice as Sunny ZX Coupes go. I had one a few years back myself - not as nice as that one but it was very pleasant to drive, with the added bonus of being a freebie.

[retrogeezer]

He didn't buy it from Crewe earlier this year did he?? There was one just like it on ebay that I should have snapped up but didn't.

[Ratdat]

That belongs to my mate who was giving me a lift to pick the Saab up. It's quite nice as Sunny ZX Coupes go. I had one a few years back myself - not as nice as that one but it was very pleasant to drive, with the added bonus of being a freebie.

That ones an SLX isn't it (no alloys or rear spoiler)? I really like the ZX ones but they are probably the only Nissan I consider to be unreliable. Nice drive though and I like the quirky looks.

[wuvvum]

That belongs to my mate who was giving me a lift to pick the Saab up. It's quite nice as Sunny ZX Coupes go. I had one a few years back myself - not as nice as that one but it was very pleasant to drive, with the added bonus of being a freebie.

That ones an SLX isn't it (no alloys or rear spoiler)? I really like the ZX ones but they are probably the only Nissan I consider to be unreliable. Nice drive though and I like the quirky looks.

You're right. It is an SLX. Mine was a ZX though - went like poo off a spade, and possibly one of the tackiest factory body kits I've ever seen.

[wuvvum]

He didn't buy it from Crewe earlier this year did he?? There was one just like it on ebay that I should have snapped up but didn't.

He bought it locally. I don't know where the chap he bought it off got it from though.

[reallyloud]

That little Colt is very neat, love the unnecessary dealer badges too. I think that 300ZX is perfect for Hirst, clearly the only mode of transport to travel to your converted Cinema/Bingo hall, starring bygone entertainers and expired cabaret singers and 'make dreams come true'.

[Guest]

I think that 300ZX is perfect for Hirst, clearly the only mode of transport to travel to your converted Cinema/Bingo hall, starring bygone entertainers and expired cabaret singers and 'make dreams come true'.

It's great how my only real claims to fame are driving slowly on motorways and being a monument to things which lean slightly towards despair/poverty. If I was a town, I'd probably be Rhyl.

[nigel bickle]

Nice selection -but where's the Saviem? Gone and sold it?I've had a few Carlssons -really like them but given uo trying to find one now -they all seem to have intergalactic mileage -worn smooth. Hope its a good un.I've one of those 300 tucked up (actually the Mrs does). Nice low mileage, clean, low value motor -that we hope will appreciate ''one day''.Good cars- kinda representative of the era.

[wuvvum]

Nice selection -but where's the Saviem? Gone and sold it?I've had a few Carlssons -really like them but given uo trying to find one now -they all seem to have intergalactic mileage -worn smooth. Hope its a good un.

Saviem has gone to a mate of mine who is doing the MoT work and getting it through a ticket - had a few issues (including a cracked manifold) that were beyond my repair skillz. I think he's going to sell it thereafter as he's had problems getting insurance on it, but I'm sure it'll come up for sale at a time when I'm skint. Carlsson has done 153K or thereabouts - so not that high really for a 19-year-old 9000. It's worn, but not worn smooth - I've driven (owned) a lot worse. Only major issue is that having been driven by the same bloke for the last 15 years, the driver's seat hasn't been moved for the same length of time, so the height adjuster is seized solid in its highest position, which with me being over 6' is not ideal. I'm going to have a go at freeing it off at some point, but it's less urgent than doing the glowplugs on the Astra or sorting the indicators on the Innocenti so it'll probably be a while.

[VWPowered]

what saviem wassit any pics (Saviem i do take you mean trucks..)

[wuvvum]

what saviem wassit any pics (Saviem i do take you mean trucks..)

It was a 1968 SG2 tipper.