Event Portsmouth Midweek Minimeet April 18th. Pics and Videos.

[danthecapriman]

Oh good!  And I shall WEAR my hat next time, rather than leave it in the car while my head turns into a beetroot.

My neck is bright red now and incredibly painful. The skins started peeling on my cheek too! I know it was warm and sunny but I didn’t think it was that bad at the time.

 

I’m still not complaining though. I love the sun!

[wrenchvolt]

Looks like good times. Those cars are sweet!

[Inspector Morose]

Some random shots of the day.

[eddyramrod]

Well I'm home!  Eventually, anyway.  It's a long and sad story that I can't bring myself to relate just now.  I'll deal with it tomorrow, but for now...

THANK YOU everyone, especially Dan.

[155V6]

Glad you're home Eddy,hope you're ok.

[mitsisigma01]

Hope you and the car are well

[danthecapriman]

Well I'm home!  Eventually, anyway.  It's a long and sad story that I can't bring myself to relate just now.  I'll deal with it tomorrow, but for now...

THANK YOU everyone, especially Dan.

Glad your home mate.

Doesn’t sound like it went particularly well though sadly!

 

 

If it’s any consolation it was bad day in general for the American contingent. One didn’t make it, one was very unwell by the sounds of it and mine was a cantankerous old queen all the way home.

Still, it was a good meet up, great weather and company. And you got to meet the septic Volvo the night before so it wasn’t a total loss!

[eddyramrod]

Well....

That was hard work!  I need another holiday now to recover!

 

It was great to see everyone and I'm glad I showed up.  Thank you to all the Shiters who also turned up, and especially the ones who tried to help with my car.

 

Now then... my car.

Based on last year's performance (in February, remember) and with some servicing completed in between, I had complete confidence in a 45 year old Cadillac getting me there and back in style. 

Driving down as far as Bicester on Sunday: no problem.  Bicester to Selsey on Monday: no problem.  And after that it all went to pieces. 

Tuesday morning: flat as a pancake, needed a jump from a bloke who was working on-site.  We put it down to "a change of air" as I have heard of this happening.  Had to be jumped a couple more times too, including randomly stopping on the way back to Selsey.  In the end I had to message Billy on my phone, to get him to ask Dan to call me.  Dan was nothing short of brilliant, turning out immediately and arriving at my stranded car just before midnight.  At least I got to meet the Pig Iron Volvo!  It's lovely too.  Dan changed my battery for a spare one he had, then followed me most of the way back, including a fuel stop (one of many!).  Apparently the Volvo was struggling to keep up with the Cadillac...

Wednesday, and more jump-starting from random strangers before I could get up to Portsdown Hill.  And boy was it hot up there!  I got sunburnt.  Still, it was very nice to meet everyone (again, in some cases).  You guys must be getting fed up of my car being faulty at all the wrong times!  I know I am.

Thursday, we deliberately didn't leave the caravan, thinking if the car had a rest day it might help it recover a bit.

Friday we had to head for home, and yes, again needed a jump.  And at several points along the way to Telford, where we had a staging post booked at the Premier Inn.

Saturday, I discovered there was a handy motor factor's - stand up, Van Beek's, a brilliantly old-school sort of place! - where I could buy a lovely new Duracell battery.  And a spanner to fit it.  So I did, and filled the tank again.

And got maybe 10 miles.

I'm very used to this car running out of electricity now so I coasted into the side of the A41.  No credit on my phone.  So I walked, until I came to a shop where I could buy a top-up, whereupon I rang Roger (my mate from many collection missions, including both Huggy and Giffer) and got him to message another friend on Facebook, who I knew had a trailer.  Neil wasn't sure it would be big enough, although it has carried his Land Cruiser, but I said we would find a way.  So some hours later, Neil turned up and we set about trying to load the Cadillac onto his trailer.  Unfortunately this trailer has no winch.  Huggy is a heavy old lump to push!  We recruited a passing tractor driver to push the car up which worked rather well; and then discovered that not only did Neil's trailer have a savage puncture, there was a soft tyre on the other side too.  And of course neither of us had a suitable jack.  So Neil called the RAC, who changed the wheel and pumped up the other one in a matter of minutes.  From there to home was relatively plain sailing, except for the thunderstorm that landed on us just as we arrived back in Barrow.  Neil dropped us off and promised to come back in the morning to drop the car.

Which is what happened.  So now you're up-to-date and my headaches are back.  Photos when I can be bothered to release them from the camera!

[danthecapriman]

What a marathon that sounds like!

At least your home and the cars home too. How bad would it have been to get stuck somewhere and have to leave the car.

 

What’s the plan for Huggy? Leave him be for a while or you going to get it sorted straight away?

The beauty of American cars! Cheap bits - https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/cadillac,1973,deville,7.7l+472cid+v8,1025402,electrical,alternator+/+generator,2412

 

Assuming that’s the only thing wrong?

[nigel bickle]

It's what I suspected Eddie, your alternator is now discharging the battery- hence the new battery's death in 10 miles! Keep it disconnected, to avoid a fire.

 

It's a relatively easier overhaul, once out, so I'd not worry too much. If you do disconnect & get it out, the recharged battery will allow limited movement of the car ( OK, it's not charging or pumping water, but gentle manoeuvres will be ok) to enable you to move it out of the way. I suspect it's untrailering was a dumping exercise!

 

And you've got a brace of decent batteries too, if you can recharge them soon. Don't leave them, they hate being totally flat! An old battery charger, unintelligent, will bring them up again, slowly. Jump them off another car for a few minutes to get something in them, & get them started charging.

 

So, a terrible journey, but at least it isn't serious, or expensive.

 

Karma, Eddie. You've seriously pissed someone off!

[Mrs6C]

Now then... my car.

Based on last year's performance (in February, remember) and with some servicing completed in between, I had complete confidence in a 45 year old Cadillac getting me there and back in style. 

Driving down as far as Bicester on Sunday: no problem.  Bicester to Selsey on Monday: no problem.  And after that it all went to pieces. 

That's a real shame after what looks, from the photos, like it was a fantastic day out. I commiserate with the rotten journey home that you experienced, but I'd like to thank Huggy too for showing his solidarity with my Cadillac, which is also marooned in FTP mode, on the driveway...

 

At this moment I suspect the immobiliser system, but haven't had time to look at it properly yet.

 

Hope Huggy gets well soon.