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36 years old. No advisories. ???? MOT ✅

First generation Rover Streetwise. https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1170684

I recently bought this heap After spotting the Samara saloon on ebay, I sent a reasonable offer for it on the 5th of this October, woke up on the 6th with the offer accepted and had it back home on the same day. The previous owner had kept hold of it for 12 years, taking it to eastern european car rallies and such and occasionally using it to tow a motorcycle trailer. I have a fair amount of spares for it (replacement steering rack, headlight unit, interior bits, etc) After picking it up, I had a reasonably stress free trip up the motorway before I took it for a stretch round an industrial estate and the fuel filter disintegrated, clogging up the carb and leaving me cleaning jets at 1AM by the roadside. I have also had some vacuum leaks among other issues but nothing that can't be fixed, it's back running again and luckily the carb has been swapped for a weber, rather than the original setup with a stack of additional emissions control stuff shoved on. It's a 1500 with about 47k on the clock. One of the first things that needs to go is the dealership optional extra steering wheel, I'd like a standard factory wheel in place of it. Better photos to follow soon, I'll update the thread periodically as things progress.

Much to my astonishment, this happened today. This is despite the fact I fucked up the lower arm job - I couldn't get the ARB fitted properly so it's clonking quite badly. But that's another years motoring on a shoe string secured! It still loses coolant, the speedo doesn't work, the boot floor is rotten, and the oil leak has got worse, but I'm leaving well alone so long as it works. I'm changing tack now though and it's basically Mrs T's car for local journeys, with the odd long run to give it a clear out. Here it is next to another old crate that's cemented its place in the fleet.

Took Imp Jr to the National Media Museum in Bratfurt innit yesterday. Its quite distressing to realise that there is a museum dedicated to things made within your own lifetime. I'm officially old ain't I? Gave some pointers to some kids on how to play Goldeneye though. I ain't irrelevant yet.

Almost home...

Amazing to see the bASe back up and running again, even with slippperiness. Coincidentally, I've just watched this video discussing the range of Sierras at launch with William Woolard. One of the Sierras he reviews...is a red base! I feel like I'm on the spectrum tbh - my fiancée showed interest and then I had to show her my AS mug and explain all about the base. I still can't work out if she's quietly worried about me, or whether she likes my enthusiasm for oddities. Enjoy! Go to 15.30 (not sure how to link direct to that part...)

Cheers - Mr B! Cool!

Bloody hell, a realistic PT Cruiser seller!

Kitten kollocted Sent from my SM-J330FN using Tapatalk

Ok, it's long overdue and this is going to be long..... SO WTF HAVE I BEEN DOING WITH MY LIFE? Well, the long and short of it is that the 505 is roadworthy and in near daily use. @dollywobbler has even given it the HubNut treatment over on pootube! Not much further work was done since the last update with the exception of some carb fettling, getting the original steel wheels powder coated and shod with new (van) tyres. Plus some welding......quite a lot if it. I caved in and got a garage to do the welding to get it through an MOT for now, I plan to strip the thing and do it properly myself once spring pops up once again. Anyway, its proven to be quite simply fucking awesome. It has been on a camping trip: It was excellent, you can do all your cooking and food prep in the boot, then sit on the tailgate and get trashed with a fire in front of you. It is extremely comfortable to drive long distance, and as Mr HubNut says its a rather soft and relaxing experience. Then it went to France for the annual getaway, This time we went to the Loire, I thought I had taken a stupid large car and would not be beaten......until my mate rocked up in a tatty Bentley Eight he paid < 3k for: There was no doubt the Bentley had a smoother, quieter ride. But the 505 could take all six of us out to the Chateaux and Caves each day - and it got absolutely rammed full of wine a cheese for the trip home. It covered just under 2000 miles in a week, used no oil or coolant, didnt miss a beat and returned 30 MPG. What's not to like? Since then, it has been used to move a fridge/freezer combo - it fitted in the back no trouble. Plus shift all sorts of crap, and has generally been an epic workhorse. I am completely smitten with this car! Next on the to do list: Find another carb with less throttle spindle wear and rebuild it, the Solex Z1 on it currently is worn out to buggery and as such I just can't get it to idle as smoothly as it should. Longer term, there is bodywork to do and paintwork to tidy - the key thing though is to keep it on the road, keeping it rolling and keep using it. End of post 1. Here's a pic of it dumped in a vineyard for good measure:

Throwing my hat in the ring for saving this if the jaws of life beckon - i would rather not but won’t see it cubed. (I’ll DIY the belt, because I’m a FUCKING MENTALIST)

At the shop getting a couple of beers tonight, and this thing clattered up. Just look at the fucker! As someone who drives a rough talbot express 70% of the time, it warms my cockles to see any obsolete and incredibly tatty commercial vehicle being hoofed about to the shops and stuff.

I got a Summer Jag XJC on Sat, it's up there ^ somewhere Spotted a job lot locally including a couple of cars I hadn't seen before or were on my want list; 20191030_182056 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_171510 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_171044 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_171039 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_171303 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_171209 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_171146 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_171137 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_171117 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_170958 by RS, on Flickr Missing a headlight and engine cover sadly 20191030_171021 by RS, on Flickr Two more of these joined my current one so I'll keep the nicest. All the Matchbox have the steering wheels 20191030_170812 by RS, on Flickr Also two of these - how they've still got the plastic engine cover grilles I don't know, both pinged out while I was playing with looking at them 20191030_170628 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_170441 by RS, on Flickr Casting flash still left on the wheel - missing a tyre and none of my spares are right 20191030_170156 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_170216 by RS, on Flickr This was the one I really wanted - only produced for one year. A badly overpainted one with the wrong wheels just sold on eBay for nearly as much as I paid for the whole job lot 20191030_170106 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_170114 by RS, on Flickr Some other bits landed on the doormat - these Hot Wheels Vanagons are very hard to find at sub-eyewatering prices normally 20191030_174927 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_174901 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_175013 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_174937 by RS, on Flickr Mint. Amazing for half a century old. 20191030_165906 by RS, on Flickr Yatming Ford wagons 20191030_165656 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_165826 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_165740 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_165716 by RS, on Flickr Finally, Majorette generator trailer 20191030_165542 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_165556 by RS, on Flickr 20191030_165633 by RS, on Flickr

Half day today, so time for some Aixam fettling. Now that the issue of opening the boot has been resolved, and not without some hilarity, stuff can get done. It was great* to see that the two hydraulic rams were totally incapable of holding up a tailgate that weighs all of about 15g... Good start. Anyway, out with the optional (and useless) rear seat, as it - and the associated seat belts etc. - are just extra strain on the batteries that I don't need. Like in the Microcar Virgo djimbob briefly owned, where are the rear seat passengers supposed to put their legs? No, out it comes. Mary Jane? Sticker remover took care of that! Opening the bonnet revealed an interesting feature* And, slightly more worryingly, what the actual fuck is this?? The ad said it had had a new charger fitted, but that's not quite what I had in mind... We'll come back to that. As for the bonnet... y'all know what time it is: Sorted. While I was waiting for the Araldite to set I decided to clean up the cloudy plastic headlights: A rub with Farecla, followed by a vigorous polishing with Simoniz lookey-likey T-Cut worked wonders. The light started to fail then, otherwise I would have had a gander at that wanky charger... more soon, most likely at the weekend (subject to weather, natch).

Some photos... It's a big aul bus even by modern standards. Dat nose overhang. Rear end looks great, *snigger* Boot is huuuuuuuge with vinyl cover Do you like blue velour? Not much choice, trim is coloured to match ? Rear sills are solid, from the inside of the boot Boot lid needs a lick of vatcan and paint though As does the front right wheelarch

Just bought a reliant kitten. It's the one I looked at 2 weeks ago and thought I had been out bid. The highest bidder was mucking the seller about so contacted me. Picking it up tonight. Probably no photos as it will be dark. I is excited!! Sent from my SM-J330FN using Tapatalk

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUSTIN-ALLEGRO-ESTATE-1300cc-1970/184012449502?hash=item2ad7ff26de:g:RdQAAOSwMyFdtykP this must be very early for an allegro estate? but late enough to miss the quartic steering wheel....... ah well, cannot have everything!

Oh, B reg. Early. No MOT in 4 years Triggered? https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/483911375539456/

Many thanks to MorrisOxide. I have been gifted a MERC W123 WAGON I can sleep a little easier now ! This place, etc.

Yo Bornite, are you on facebook? If so check out a guy called Steve Saxty, he must have worked at Fords styling dept in the 80's - he is always posting up old photos of Ford prototypes and styling proposals from back in the day, loads of great pics of early sierras that never saw the light of day, e.g. 3-dr Base with the XR4i double rear windows etc. Really good pics.

A few weeks ago I had a dream about viewing a rusty red Montego turbo diesel estate in Kings Lynn. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something.

I used to get this feeling a LOT with my Avensis. It was only ever bought as a 12 month Bangernomics experiment. 6 years later, and 155,000 further miles, it's still here. It can take a long arse time to bond with a car, and I've found a lot is connected to the memories you make WITH the car. The old thing has taken me 500 miles in a day, taken children to hospital, brought them home again, had a bath strapped to the roof before I had a trailer, and generally been a member of the family. It's terminally dull, but remain it must. I've found the solution is to just buy more old shit.

This morning I was offered an app to help me cook... I'm pretty sure that I could make a burger that looked like a turd all on my own.

In car speak, when did the term "delete" become a thing? "badge delete", fuck off, badges removed. Another one, people saying "swap/swapped out", American pish. They can keep their bastardised language and the rest of their sick culture over there, the cunts. Apart from McDonalds, it's allowed.

Wonderful It's just magnificent isn't it! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1959-Wolseley-15-60-fintail-1500-farina-RARE-48000-miles/223726604953?hash=item3417251299:g:Zx4AAOSw6tNduIY5

Shit the bed!! https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2301293563318833/

One of the last times I saw one - OH! DECEMBER 1994 LADA 1500 GL SAMARA 1499cc M637KAX by Jonathan, on Flickr DECEMBER 1994 LADA 1500 GL SAMARA 1499cc M637KAX by Jonathan, on Flickr DECEMBER 1994 LADA 1500 GL SAMARA 1499cc M637KAX by Jonathan, on Flickr DECEMBER 1994 LADA SAMARA 1500 GL 1499cc M637KAX by Jonathan, on Flickr DECEMBER 1994 LADA SAMARA 1500 GL 1499cc M637KAX by Jonathan, on Flickr

Ohhh and the engine;

So a collection report (wee bit later in the evening; had some bits to do this afternoon) It's a late 1989 Audi 100 2.2e avant. 2226cc 10v with Bosch fuel injection. I think it's about 132-140bhp depending on the source you read. 5 speed box, and the 5th cog has very tall gearing. 5 cylinders just to be a little odd... I cant work out the trim level but it's probably a mid range unit; there's a manual sun roof with all round electric windows. I hope you like velour as it has a lot of it. It all went rather well to be honest. No real mishaps or major show stopping problems. The Good: The bodywork; it's pretty excellent. Audi really did do a good job of protecting this body. There's a few rusty spots but it is very very solid. Many years left in this body. The engine; it pulls really well. Great spread of torque; it really gets a shift on. The Avant only weighs 1200kg thereabouts so it doesn't have much weight to pull (as much as a modern Golf tbh) so it shifts really well. 5th gear is geared low. Like you're only hitting 3k rpm at 70mph. No rattles, squeaks and really low road noise (the 100 famously had a very low drag coefficient). 5 cylinder snarl The underside is pretty good for something 30 years old. It's very very clean inside. There's a few scuffs but it isn't showroom but it's not far off. Very little in the way of electronic control, very mechanical. All original, one owner for about 28 years. 5 cylinder growl. Hubcaps. Lots of paperwork. 5 cylinder warble. Quiet at cruising speed The Bad(-ish) There's a small judder/misfire on the overun. It's not noticable too much at cruise speed but you can feel it round town (I suspect the momentum of the car irons it out) Some corrosion on the front driver wheelarch. Vactan and paint will sort most of it and the sill might need a small patch. Tyres are old and all need replacing due to age. Fronts are 17 years old and the rears look just as old. (cheap 175/40/14s though) Speedo wobbles occasionally; gonna look at the big haynes books of ignorance and see how it's removed and maybe cleaned and lubed. Fuel pump is whining loudly, suspect it's causing the judder on overrun. So all in all, not too bad I think.

Here is a pic from ebay listing. Sent from my SM-J330FN using Tapatalk

I have, but I'm away for the next one. It'd be good to bring it down for one of them, maybe December ? I've broken my phone I took the pictures of the lada on, so I'm using a backup nokia with a crap camera but here you go:

Some tweaking has occured: When the previous owner mentioned the rear wing had been taken off, I assumed it was broken or something, but it's fine. All bolts and nuts in place too. Really easy to do, no fidgety bits and no finger shredding occured. Probably broke a clip on the boot trim but meh. Next up, new wiper blades and badges, and maybe a green 145 interior I've found on eBay.

Quick clean up during lunchtime. Wants washing again tbh but that can wait until we’re roadworthy. There’s so much water in the offside rear cluster I had to take it off to drain it. It was half full! It’ll get siliconed now, with a view to getting a new pair of MATCHING lenses (crazy fool) I need to do something about the door cards. I think some carefully applied glue and tape might be progress; finding base door cards will literally never happen. They might end up getting upgraded* Still. Looking alright!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1974-Austin-Allegro-1300-2dr-Super-37-000-miles-Quartic-wheel-12-months-MOT/362793175544?hash=item54782889f8:g:-ycAAOSwzb5dtXFj more hot, hot, hot mark 1 allegro action, this one has a "spanish rose" interior and a square steering wheel too!

£800 buys this beast. https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/552950078784936/

I picked this up at a car boot sale. It's a "Summer" (Volvo 164) made in Hong Kong, not a make I previously knew. History here: https://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/2101-summer/589929-summer-diecast-production-history-wip.html The front view looks like an automotive version of Skeletor.

I'm a delightful guy... And I don't want people to lose their job but... Company and Lincs police tagged on Twitter. We'll see what happens.

Bought these some weeks back because I'm a Vectra C fanboi: Added with a Mazda 6 bought for a couple of quid owing to its condition, it was very dusty when I got it but I cleaned it up, its rear spoiler, wing mirrors and roof ariel and perspex case are missing as well:

I still have a BBC Micro in the cupboard under the stairs that my dad bought in about 1986. I got it out a couple of years ago to try it out - the computer switched on OK but the monitor started smoking, so I turned it off sharpish and put it all away again.

Having a lovely time in it, I must admit. Exhaust is starting to blow a bit and the front windows are falling off their runners, but it drives ASTONISHINGLY well for 349,000kms! Reckon that'll be 350,000kms before you get it back Stuno. Sorry for taking the big moment from you. 32mpg is a little disappointing, knowing I could get 40mpg from a 16v, but these carburettors are bloody horrible. It is a long way from feeling sporty, but a comfortable, fine-handling way to travel that has certainly reminded me what I like about BXs - and what I dislike. Gearchange is pretty rubbish, single-wipers are pretty rubbish and the heater fan only works with the temp set to cold, BECAUSE FRENCH. In short, best holiday ever.

If I'm not getting shit on Facebook from people about selling the GT6, I'm getting shit off my mates after posting on the Practical Classics page about memorable breakdowns.

Things you might struggle to believe, part 637,219: '4th gear is don't working i spoke with alfa specialist he just have to clean something any service will do it' https://www.gumtree.com/p/alfa-romeo/alfa-romeo-156-veloche-2.0-jts/1356428265 Well, based on that sterling info I'm going to go upstairs, clean my bell end on a copy or Razzle and see if my fucking Chinese moped will magically become un-fucked tomorrow.

Alright, love, show us yer damp patch https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Coachman-390-2-Genius-caravan/254404327400?hash=item3b3badf7e8:g:tY4AAOSwYu9dsLIZ

Another louvered rear https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2419735391573921/

OK folks. Pull up a chair and prepare for round two. Sump off. Crank and conrods look a tad rusty but no major problems evident. Main bearing caps off. Slight wear as expected but probably still serviceable. Big end caps off. Condition as above. Crankshaft out. At this point we tried to push the pistons up in the bores, but no dice. On reflection we should have left the liner clamping bar in place and then belted the pistons up the liners, but by now we were flagging and common sense went out of the window. So we removed the bar then thwacked the con rods upwards. The two pistons at the timing gear end slid out nicely and, apart from a couple of stuck rings, looked to be OK but the other two came out complete with their liners. The flywheel end liner was the mankiest by far. Not surprising looking at the state of the cesspit it was living in. That concludes the evidence for the prosecution. The next step will be to soak the two stuck pistons and liners in diesel for a week or so then try and bash the pistons out using brute force. The big question now is where to go next. Option 1: If the pistons come out without too much damage to the liners, rebuild the whole thing with maybe a new set of piston rings and possibly a new set of liners, leaving the bottom end as is. Pros: Cheap and quick. Can do it myself. Cons: Will probably run sick as a pig and burn lots of oil, or not run at all. Option 2: New pistons, rings and liners, crank regrind, new main and big end bearings. Pros: Might result in a half decent engine. Cons: Expensive. No real idea how much but even if the new parts are still available I guess the cost will run to several hundred pounds. Would have to pay a specialist for the machining. Need to talk to an engine reconditioner to get an idea of just how expensive it would be. Option 3: Buy second-hand engine. Pros: Would be the easiest solution if it is in reasonable working order. Cons: Don't seem to be many available. May have to get one from France. No way I could collect it and presumably any sort of carriage charge would be high, even assuming a successful deal could be struck with a FRENCH. How do I know if it is any good. Can check that it turns over I suppose, but that doesn't really prove anything. Don't relish going to the effort of fitting and connecting up another engine only to find it's knackered. Option 4: Sack it off for a few hundred quid to someone who would be prepared to finish it off and get it back on the road. Pros: Saves me lots of further grief. Remember this car was taken off the road 25 years ago because "something went wrong with it". It may have been the engine seizing but not necessarily. It may have seized subsequently while sitting around, in which case I could install a working engine only to find that there is another major problem with it. Cons: Seems a shame to not see it through to the bitter end and it would be nice to see it back on the road. However, I have never really taken to this thing and I know there will be lots of other stuff that will need doing before it is fully roadworthy. I am sure that by now I have bored everyone rigid with my ramblings, but before I conclude this saga for now I would like to offer my grateful thanks to @Six-cylinder and @Andyrew for their invaluable help with the engine outing, and particularly to Andyrew for the loan of his engine crane. Without their assistance this project could not have progressed and I would be staring grudingly at the engine, still in situ, every time I went into the garage. Also to Mrs. Silver for copious quantities of tea, cake and biscuits. All comments, suggestions, observations and derision welcome (well maybe not derision!).

Nah, usually just four.