N Dentressangle

Yeah, good plan. You'll be fine*

Absolutely! Have a great day, and don't talk to her about old Vauxhalls 😉

If I were skint and not too bothered about longevity, I'd put new standard shells in the main and big end bearings of your existing engine and put the whole lot back together. Hard to tell without running a finger nail across it, but that crank doesn't look that bad to me - there's a chance it'll work, whereas you know the existing bearings are shagged. New mains and be's look to cost less that £50 total from James Paddock, or am I missing something?

The Maxi has both hydrolastic and hydragas suspension: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrolastic Most likely it's sagged. If it's leaking then the leak needs fixing and then the suspension pumping back up.

I never bothered with hardened valve seats for my 2.25 Land Rover engine. My understanding is that valve seat recession is only really an issue if an engine's used at prolonged high revs, so not a problem in a 56 year old Land Rover. As said, they get replaced in the machining anyway.

So, there must be some brass to be made from offering a dignified* and opulent* send-off for deceased shiters and their rellies. I give you the basis of a sound business plan, sure to impress any bank manager: Don't fancy the death business? Worried about getting stiffed? Step this way for your new way to a fortune in camper hire. The compact model, for the single man or small family: or for the shiter who thinks that little bit bigger: All in stock today at Harry Bucklands, Cheltenham. Plus, I couldn't resist this rather classy 405 estate, with chrome bits on the grille and everything: Surely there's no need to scrap such excellence?

Can I have them when you've finished with them please?

Marvellous. Will be popping round for a poke at it on Friday, I hope!

http://www.citroenet.org.uk/miscellaneous/autocar-cx-buy-secondhand/cx-buy-2.html Looks like a decent guide

Fat Pirate's right - you can only switch the AC off with the 'EC' button. Not that an MB owner would ever need to economise 😉

Sounds like a good idea. My BiL has just made a very decent camper from a semi high top lwb Transit - there's a really good forum apparently full of info and advice on how to do it. eta I think this was what he used: https://forum-sbmcc.co.uk/

Yeah, I just tried the oil and filter change gambit, but no dice. Slightly worse, if anything! It's not taking up drive properly in reverse. It'll judder backwards very weakly, and then if the revs are increased to about 3k eventually 'catch' and shoot backwards. My LR-friendly mechanic has tried it and pronounced it fucked. 149k on the clock, so deffo still under warranty 😉

aaaaand it's knackered! Gearbox has lost the will to live, especially in reverse. See my 'wanted' thread here: Bollocks. Will be paying some other mug to fit this, so definitely working box needed rather than wasting tons fitting a 'yeah m9, it was woking luvly last tim i used it'.

Certainly is. When are we doing the o/s spring? 😉

I had a Beetle when I was 18. 34ps, 1200 engine, with crossplies on the back and radials on the front. The oversteer was pure comedy, and it was actually good fun to drive. Yes, the bottom hinged pedals are weird, and they're cramped and thirsty, but I loved mine. Don't expect a working heater unless all is tip top, which is more of a pisser than you might think when the screen keeps misting up. I also had a Renault 4 around the same age, also 34ps (guess where the German insurance brackets fell?), and similarly banger-ish - I was as skint as most 18yr olds. The 4 was clearly far better than the Beetle: it cornered safely on the doorhandles, would swallow unfeasible numbers of crates of beer and girls, sometimes at the same time, sipped fuel and even overtook a Porsche once on the motorway to Konstanz. Currently got a Mini, which is in a different league of modernity to the Beetle. I've never driven a Minor or a 2CV, but that's a sin of omission - I'd be up for either. If I had the room I'd have another R4. They're brilliant cars. Fun to drive, useful, cheap to run and easy to mend. What's not to like? So no, I wouldn't talk you out of a Beetle, but if you're after a 'people's car' there are more rewarding things out there, I'd say.