bigstraight6

Youngest son next to a stunning ERF about 20 years ago, my once boss is part of the family who ran this in fairground days..

Youngest son next to a stunning ERF about 20 years ago, my once boss is part of the family who ran this in fairground days..

Youngest son next to a stunning ERF about 20 years ago, my once boss is part of the family who ran this in fairground days..

Youngest son next to a stunning ERF about 20 years ago, my once boss is part of the family who ran this in fairground days..

Youngest son next to a stunning ERF about 20 years ago, my once boss is part of the family who ran this in fairground days..

Check out this rarity. Plenty of horseboxes around recently as we're into horse dancing season but mostly fancy modern types. Not this one though, a 35-year old AWD that looks very well kept and is possibly the nicest of the few AWDs still working. The passengers look enthralled at travelling in such a rare vehicle.

It can be done quite easily, but I’m not 100% certain on the exact laws. They have to be IVA approved I think, which means it gets tested to comply with the rules of a rigid vehicle and a change of chassis and then a new VTG plate is issued. 
 
i am no longer working for Mercedes Benz. I am now I’m my 3rd week of working for Trailer Auto Group, a new company specialising in the refurbishment of trailers owned by part of the Culina/stobart group. We have over 150 old “Eddie stobart” trailers on site being stripped, blasted, repainted and rebuilt in “Stobart” or “Culina” livery. I am part of a 6 man team rebuilding and servicing the running gear on trailers. Much better, more relaxed and less stressful way of working. 

I’ve  driven plenty of these in tractor unit form but as an 18 ton rigid it must be a lively performer! It’s a bit of a throwback to many decades ago where tractor units became rigids or vice versa.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/401357636068914/

Leyland/ DAF CONSTRUCTOR 24.26 | eBay
* 'Leyland Constructor' is an anagram of 'Tell yr, Cordons a c*nt'
So even they knew all those years ago.

I started working for WS Transportation a couple of weeks ago. I’ve been allocated this Scania 18 tonner on pallet network and general haulage work.

Interestingly, it was originally a 4x2 tractor unit running in Eddie Stobart livery. In common with several sister trucks, it was stretched and converted to a curtainsider in 2021 (judging by the body builders plate on the door shut). At a guess, acquiring new trucks was difficult post-Covid, so the existing fleet was adapted to suit changing operational needs. Being a 410, it goes pretty well for a four wheeler! Here is a pic of it from the Eddie days, borrowed from ‘eastleighbusman’ via Flickr.

Could this be the worst after marker front bumper ever fitted to a car?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256458707040?

This singer over on Retro Rides looks quite pleasant for £1750


Giant baked potato included in sale

https://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/226904/1965-singer-gazelle-1725-stratford

This has had quite an interesting life
https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1714595

The search for a small auto for Little Cookie is over.
After weeks of frustrating car viewing and not finding anything suitable, that I can also use, I've bought a car.
A big fat German bird to be precise.
I've bought the E320 wagon, that @SiC was selling.

 
While its probably unsuitable for Little Cookie, now its on fleet, she can learn to drive in the Mondeo. 
No collection thread as I forgot
but @andyberg and @BerginJR accompanied me to pick it up.
Good chinwag ensued and then the drive home.
First impressions. Its a big heavy motor. Been a long time since I've driven a big petrol engined slush box motor. Needs a different driving style to the Mondeo. Very comfortable, lovely seats, makes you drive in a more relaxed manner. Lots of buttons, no idea what most do. Car exactly as described, as I expected, given I'm a repeat customer.
Mrs Cookie likes it a lot. She has always wanted a mercedes, seats are comfy and cosseting for her bad back and heated. She had a big smile on her face. Not taken her out in it yet, as have to save up for petrol
@SiC kindly threw in some parts, engine mounts, transmission service kit, which was very kind of him.
Fat bloke with the worst wollard selfie ever.

I've ordered some bits. Rubber boot mat to keep the boot clean, new wing mirror indicator, as the drivers side is a bit grotty.

A replacement rear view mirror, as the auto dim liquid has leaked, leaving the mirror with a dark bottom half.

And I've ordered a book pack, so I can find out what all the buttons do.
She will be used for the upcoming family visit to Hexham and Kirkcaldy and nephews wedding in Corbridge.
That should put a thousand miles on her.
When we get back at end of May, I will tackle the replacement of the rear air bags, engine mounts and service the box. 
 

Sorry, but these people @wuvvum and @sierraman 's brother are surely winning at life?
Escort to Allegro VDP = win. You'd be beating the girls off with a shitty stick. "Can I try out the picnic tables, oh PLEEAAASE" 
Escort to Lada = win. You've gone from decadent Western frippery to robust Eastern common sense. You're advertising your socialist credentials and again, the knicker elastic should be snapping on every street corner. 

1.3 GL is a nice spec - a mate had one about 20 years ago, in navy blue with a red interior.  
My last Mk2 was a red R-reg 1.6 Ghia - lovely car until I melted a piston cruising at 100mph on a private section of the A47.  I swapped it for a Vanden Plas Allegro - with hindsight not one of my smartest financial moves.

Growing up there was one of these down my street. a 1.3 GL 4 door. Aged 10 you could keep your ferraris etc, what i really wanted was one of these. I absolutely loved them.
Back then they were cheap first cars (around 1990) couple of hundred quid and scrap it when the mot was up. That is assuming it hadnt dissolved already, or been crashed.
Then a strange thing happened. They vanished overnight and then slowly they started getting expensive. By the time i started driving they were not mega expensive, but just hard to find.
My route to a mk2 escort was avoid 2 door (££££££) avoid uk RHD (££££££ plus most heavily welded or rotten)
So here we have a solid LHD import 1.3GL which is being delivered next week…