Leaderboard

A while ago I gave all the ex @AnthonyGand other assorted magazines and stuff I've picked up from FoD visits, sf and etc and read to a lady on Facebook. Today she messaged me re a Dyson Repair, and it seems they inspired her dad!

Who'd a thought thirty years ago we'd all be sittin' here drinking Chateau de Chassilier wine? Aye. In them days, we'd a' been glad to have the price of a Yorkshire Jowett Jupiter... An old Jowett Jupiter... Without bumpers... Or seats... With a filthy, rusted scuttle... We never used to even have a hood. We used to have to drive round with the rain coming in... The best we could manage was huddle inside... But you know, we were happy in those days, though we were poor! Because we were poor. My old Dad used to say to me, 'Money doesn't buy you much Jowett Jupiter! E' was right. I was happier then and I had NOTHIN'. We used to drive in this old Jowett, with no windscreen. Windscreen? You were lucky to have a hole! We used to drive round in one, all twenty-six of us, no seats. Half the floor was missing; we were all huddled together in one corner for fear of falling! You were lucky to drive! We used to have no steering wheel. We used to dream of no steering wheel. Woulda' been a amazing to us. Twenty of us used to drive in an old Jowett with no windscreen, no hood, no seats, no trim, no steering wheel, a hole in the floor, a rusty scuttle, and a dashboard made out of an old plank. But you try and tell the young people today that... and they won't believe ya'. Aye https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/125624913721?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=aW4UNBJIRpG&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=rmbjp-qvseq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Gradually bringing things on the car back to life. It's always surprised me that people who are not handy with cars sometimes choose to buy old ones, given the way they inevitably need maintenance and attention. Even the relatively modern Berlingo was a relief to see sold to two lads who knew what they were doing, given the ease that a 20 year old French car can throw a £4-500 garage bill. The Spitfire has been owned by a mixture, but thankfully mostly people who paid professionals to sort it out. Sadly the PO but one was not that kind of person and did a lot of work on the car himself. No need for Holmes and Watson to know that electrics weren't his specialty. First the Kenlowe fan I sorted yesterday: The red wire is the live feed from the fuse box to the fan thermostat switch. The white wire is the switched feed to the fan from the thermostat switch. Our hero had shonkily squeezed on a couple of spade connectors and then mummified the lot under yards of insulation tape wrapped around the main loom you can see running towards the headlights. In the pic, I've unwrapped all this mess and wired things in correctly - I'll tidy up with fresh loom tape and secure things properly with cable ties. I much prefer it when you can see what is connected to where and how. Next job today was the windscreen washer pump. Connected were a black wire (usually earth on old Lucas stuff) and a brown wire with a nasty yellow modern insulated spade connector. According to the wiring diagram the live feed should have been light green with a black trace. Hmmm. The brown wire isn't live when I press the washer switch, so clearly something's afoot -maybe there's an alternative switch wired in somewhere I haven't spotted. However, I noticed the loom spur leading to the pump is oddly bulgy under its generous wrapping of insulation tape, and so I start to cut and unwind it to reveal... the stub of a light green wire with a black trace! Which once bared gives 12v when the switch is pressed. What the brown one does I have no idea, but it's been taped onto the loom and disappears through the bulkhead. Hey ho - I fitted a nice age appropriate insulated spade to the proper feed, attached the black earth and we now have windscreen washers: Next up was the smell of petrol. Suspect #1 was the tank filler, as it had got much worse after I filled up. Took the tank cover inside the boot off and found the leak was actually coming from the stub on the tank for the breather pipe, which was uncapped and happily sloshing fuel out. There's no need for this on UK cars with a vented filler cap, so I fitted some 8mm fuel hose and plugged it with a hose clipped bolt. Stink gone. Whilst in the boot I filled some of the holes with grommets and tidied up the wiring to the number plate lights: It's all been painted in there with some black Buzzweld shit. not my taste but I suppose it keeps the rust down. I'll sort some card trims out eventually. Made both reversing lights work too by taking the bulb out, cleaning up the white fuzz and bending the contacts so it worked. Boot lamp doesn't work yet - needs the switch playing about with and I couldn't be arsed: Next up was the comically lazy wiper motor. Removed, dismantled, lubed, commutator cleaned and worn brushes noted - new set ordered. Re-installed and not much better. We'll see what new brushes do, but might be a question of getting the wheelboxes to move more freely: I'm mostly happy with the car's underbonnet. The engine is oil tight, has electronic ignition and runs well, although the garish yellow HT leads might get changed for something less offensive and there's a second hand genuine battery clamp in the post. It was being run without one : I'd like to change the oil and filter - filter doesn't seem to have any anti-drain properties and the oil looks fresh but thin to me. Probably semi-synthetic 10-40 or something these engines really shouldn't have. Interior needs a good going through. I need to find a centre radio console / dashboard support thing - fuck knows where that's gone. New steering wheel centre badge is on its way. Ungrateful bastard that I am, I also don't like the £500 worth of 'Clubman' seats that someone has fitted. Anyone got a lead on some original houndstooth ones?

An interesting project for someone if you want something a bit different. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204162819678?hash=item2f890d665e:g:RIgAAOSwXYFjf0y2&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoDiUUOBoF09I8QAmOQwodx4kSF7Tt4XluCA4ABT6VKBvOHuG8OrXG2sFkMfJErWKgnwrL6CnoVzejM2jMlCZ%2Bi1MWv2PHJWFu%2FuuDqRjI8%2B3vKoHENlLjdPAIZ94Fx8DbaHUx0zKotJE3nP7RsVdGwu84YSR1h3oilBMkoLDnkM7lEMUVKH9cmm4cw60H9HfHc%2BRUSpMmZAPzHcfIhn%2FTuI%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR6rKg5eVYQ

Like so I painted the interior and it looks like I haven't as I chose a rust colour. Base got a good sanding and interior got chopped about plus a tickle inside the arches with the Dremel to allow for lows. A coat of back on the base and a bit of detail improve things over the standard grey plastic. Matchbox wheels seemed appropriate

Not much has been done in the last few days as I’ve been back at work after my paternity leave so I’ve been a bit lazy in my free time. The last couple of evenings I’ve strategically walked the dogs past the Lada to have a go starting it for unloading. The battery was a bit tired however from my deft attempts so I brought it home and charged it. This evening I took it back down with me, chucked the battery on and we have life! Best unload her then, and take some photos in the dark: I went for a short drive around town to get some more petrol and find out what the seized calliper was like. I don’t think I’ve ever driven anything quite like it, it’s really an experience*. I love it. I wasn’t brave enough to go far/fast enough to upset the brakes. Also shout out to the FIAT engineer who originally thought that putting the stalk that controls your headlights directly behind the smaller stalk for the indicators was a good shout; you don’t feel truly alive until you go to turn right on a dark road and turn your headlights off. What I really should be doing is welding up the BX that I’m meant to be selling, so I may try and get that done over the next few evenings as I’ve been putting it off long enough now.

MX5 doing its best smol car impression next to the front bit of a Nimrod. See also: MX5 doing its best smol car impression underneath a steam train. And the P6 outside one of the old RAE wind tunnel buildings around Farnborough airport.

It's home! Had a fiddle with the fuses and as predicted, fuse #1 was the problem. Although it looked undamaged when tested with the meter it wasn't passing any power. I'd taken a bag of glass fuses with me, so popped a new one in after cleaning all the contacts and everything came back to life - indicators, lights, the lot. A quick twiddle of a screwdriver on the twin SU's and we had a decent idle too, so off we went. First decent straight I came to I tried the overdrive switch and bugger me but that works too now as well! Stopped on the A46 for some Super Premium (no pics, sorry) and did all the way back to Stroud with the hood down. Got hailed on a bit in the last mile but otherwise brilliant. So, what's it like? remarkably solid to drive - my last Spit was much more wobbly, crashy and shaky. This one feels much tighter by comparison plenty fast enough for modern traffic - pulls really well, and although I didn't go over 60mph it does that at a canter in OD top. My last one didn't have OD, and now I realise I was really missing out light, direct and fast steering - bear in mind I'm coming from a Land Rover, but it bears good comparison with Mrs D's Metro and feels pretty planted in the corners. I didn't push things as it's new to me and the roads are wet and filthy snug interior but much more room than the Midget - feels more like the kind of space in the MGB Will now do some fettling this afternoon and report back with more pics 😁

Our CX in a large car park covered in ice.

The apartment (top floor) our DS was first registered new in 1972, Vannes, Brittney, France.

My car at the time, taken in May 1986.

Some old beige heap. An old wreck. Some old shed. ATCNBE

7 Rue de Valence, Paris - in 1922 by Eugène Atget. Car is a 1908 Renault.

I can do this...

On a hill (30 years or so ago, when I was young)

Retro vintage classic caravan | eBay £800!

Young people keep liking the Maestro, which makes me feel a bit old because they're noticeably younger than I. The woman at the gym who wanted a chat because she hadn't seen a Maestro in ages and it reminded her of her old Escort. The two lads in the Vauxhall Viva HB who gave (and got) a thumbs up while I was stuck in traffic. The school kids arguing about what the Maestro actually is as they were walking past it, one of whom was adamant it was a "weird Mk2 Golf", which isn't that far off the mark really. It's also great watching people in my rear view at traffic lights trying to surreptituously take a photo before the lights change, many don't manage it and end up holding everyone else up, so I'm causing mild second-hand chaos most days. I dunno, sometimes I think I'd like something else but most of the time it's a very easy car to live with that other people really like to see, so I reckon I'll stick with it a bit longer since it's doing a good job of reducing stress in one aspect of life.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211241978023?atmobcid=soc3 £750 Saab 99 How the hell do you tell where a car is on Autotrader, am I being daft?

Our Mercedes 200TE ready for a James bond style get away!

Err how about on top of instead of next to?

1986, my 1978 Alfa Romeo Alfasud Sprint parked by an Elizabethan house. If you leave near Tunbridge Wells you might recognise it. Same Sprint under some clouds moving across the moon. (2 minute exposure taken in Frant at midnight)

Our Citroen GS being dragged round on a filming platform as the actor was under driving age!

Xantia V6 photographed with our game keepers cottage!

Just did the vectras's leaking injector. I bought a seat cutting kit to do it this time. Did it just in time - took car for a test drive and the weather has completely changed - throwing it down with strong winds.

My 205 in a hedge!

1985, my one and only new car purchase parked in front of the moon.

A completely gaffer taped up Mondeo...

515. 1967 Fiat 500 Seen in Horley, Surrey. Last keeper change 37 years ago! ORK 15F ✓ Taxed - Tax due: 1 October 2023 MOT Exempt Vehicle makeFIAT Date of first registration 1 August 1967 Year of manufacture 1967 Cylinder capacity 652 cc Fuel type PETROL Export marker No Vehicle status Taxed Vehicle colour RED (was GREY until 1998) Number of previous owners: 1 Current owner since July 1985 Mileage at last MOT (2017): 98,681

Early morning visit to Morrisons paid off! Chuffed to get a Mk1. Quite like this colour scheme, some of them have been a bit meh, But the highlight has to be, Yessss!!!! It's already been mentioned on here, but what an absolute honey this is. The detailing for a £2 toy is amazing. No Cossie sadly, the box had already been rifled through. I was surprised to find the Escorts TBH.

Nothing exciting tonight. Most exciting thing was the tremendous chest thumping thunderstorm and lightening we had tonight. Just filled it up with oil, cranked the engine over with the fuel pump fuse out and then started up. It did take nearly 5 litres of oil. Book says it should be 4.5l with filter. Not sure if the Chinese Amazon special dipstick is wrong or I haven't pushed the dipstick tube far enough down (as far as I can push it though). Or simply because it's been sat draining for ages and I've emptied the sump from all residue that might not come out normally. Engine is still rattle/tappy when revved. Hopefully not the cam chains/tensioner. Maybe just hydraulic tappets needing oil to flow through. My experience of VAG 4cyl engines is they sound mostly dog shit anyway. While it was warming up, I put the wipers back on and tightened them up. Always a pain to get them back into the right place. I suspect they could have gone a tad lower. Fuse 28 - farthest row is the fuel pump fuse for those that (didn't) wonder. Fuel pump relay is hidden deep under the dash. Quick code scan only bought up the oil level sensor that I disconnected during the sump drop and the alarm siren disconnected that I already knew about. I still need to replace the thermostat. Another hateful job but will sort all the high priority issues, providing the battery behaves itself. Lower priority job though as it's about usable as is. Just would like to get the fuel economy up from around 25MPG to 30MPG. Hopefully the thermostat change will sort that.

By a pile of stone

My Minichamps CX 1/43 was a bit lonely so I got it a companion. BMW M535i by Autoart. The box's not in great shape but the model itself is in excellent nick.

Superb photos in this thread. 1. My Stellar (ex.) with a thing in the background. 2. My (current) Reliant Regal with the same thing in the background (Burton Dassett Country Park) 3. My current giffer transport in front of my Tipo (current) and Stellar (ex.)

Some snow and a My Daimler and Jag at Sunderlands winter gardens Big-trak and a radio

Got this tune stuck in my head every time I go in the kitchen.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3368802963351486 £995. Ono

Amsterdam 1978

While picking my weekly shopping up from the Tesco click and collect, I’d forgotten some stuff, so went in for a giggle. They had quite recently replenished stock of MB and HW. Came out with these. Still no hot fords but there’s time yet.

Here's some Tomica Dandys that have been rebranded for a Japanese shop chain called Miki House. It's a kind of Mothercare. There all come with a grey bag and have the model description on the box.

Deliberately or accidentally after a short time because VAG?

My first reaction to this photo was, oh he’s bought another car!

Picked up an RS2000. Also saw this absolute masterpiece... they also had a Manta B.

I don't have to work outside in the rain on a steep road or in a public carpark anymore!!! It's taken 21 years of slogging but finally I have wangled some way to have some indoor space to work on vehicles and bugger me it's just amazing, I've got some PVC tiles on the floor, a big bluetooth speaker, a coffee machine, bright lighting 🤩 It's late november, piss pouring with rain and I changed the discs and pads on my van inside, in the warm* (11c), with some drum and bass on in the background and I didn't get hypothermia or anything! I don't want this to come across as bragging, I'm the luckiest bastard alive and never imagined I'd get something like this. The masking tape on the floor is the line where the workshops, storage and offices will be built but there's still plenty of room to mess about, I might even be able to put a 2 post ramp in if I can work out where is best to fit it and still get both vans inside