Jump to content

RayMK

Full Members
  • Posts

    2,270
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by RayMK

  1. If it requires steering input to actually run straight, I'd at least do the tie rods.  If it's just the steering wheel being a few degrees off whilst running straight, the tyres are not shredding themselves and the car handles ok, I would leave as is.

     It depends whether you want to go ahead with significant expenditure for 'training' purposes, at the expense of using valuable time which could be spent on your other projects.    

  2. I've had several no shows between about 11am and 20 minutes ago with 'Bad Gateway' being the white screen message.  Even when the site was up, clicking to view some threads would hang for at least 10 seconds before showing the most recent page.  I have zero expertise in whatever @SiC is having to do, but thanks all the same.    More software equivalent of Redex may help.

  3. 1 hour ago, egg said:

    Does your son have any interest in taking it on Ray?

    He bought the Tipo in February 2013 after I'd mentioned seeing an advert for it.  In mid 2018 he sold it to a friend after acquiring a V70.  The friend had been desperate for a means of transport because his VW was having problems but by January 2019 the Scirocco was running again and the Tipo's MOT was due.  It needed a fair bit doing, including floor and inner sills welding.  The friend was not willing to spend on this temporary steed and scrapping beckoned.  I stepped in, bought it back for a nominal sum, funded the considerable MOT work and slowly grew to like the Tipo.  Meanwhile, my son had a few company cars before buying a new diesel Tipo which after 3 years was ultra reliable and economical but hardly an inspiring drive. He therefore passed his full motorcycle test, bought a succession of bikes (he now has three) and was lured away from his new Tipo by a low mileage sporty BMW 5 series diesel which he loves. So, in answer to your question, NO 😄.

  4. 1 hour ago, RoverFolkUs said:

    Has the crank sensor been checked/replaced yet? Despite it's age I believe they have one. 

    The AA chap said it was pulsing so he suspected the coil or ignition ECU.  Lack of sparks caused the FTP.  Replacing the coil with a new one made no difference and has, I think, been sent back by the garage. We replaced the ECU with an identical one salvaged from a scrapped but running car by a dealer.  That made no difference either. I have a NOS crank sensor but have not fitted it yet.  Battery voltage was too low to conduct meaningful ECU pin-out checks. When it is back home I'll fit the crank sensor and a decent battery and see what happens, then do pin-out checks if further clues are required i.e. it  still does not run.  I may buy a new coil of the correct type as they are less than £30. If I can get it running (mojo permitting and decent weather) I'll check its vitals, insure it and submit it for MOT.  No urgency on this, although it makes sense to get it running again before the summer if possible.  I had hoped that a garage would be better placed and willing to do the work but understandably bread and butter work comes first.  I've used them before many times. Certainly no hard feelings in either direction there.    

  5. Update: 1994 Tipo 1.4ie which FTP'd last July and was recovered to a garage:    Don't get too excited.  Hardly anything has happened except that I've had a brief discussion with the garage.  We agreed that as it was a 'back burner' job in a busy garage it was unlikely to receive attention in the foreseeable future.  In the next week (+/- a few days) it will be made accessible to a trailer or whatever so that I can have it transported to my house where I can tinker with it and generally ponder its future.  Towing is not possible because it is SORN'd and no longer MOT'd or insured. Although I've missed having the option of driving a vaguely interesting, practical, manual car, in all honesty it has been quite convenient to have just two cars outside the house.  My '61 Reliant is still with me and roadworthy/road legal but requires considerable enthusiasm to clear its way out of my garage, something which is lacking these days. It rarely gets driven.

    Rather than just give up on the Tipo (it was tempting), I'm hoping that circumstances will allow something favourable to happen in the next several months. I can always polish it to improve my morale and extend its period of grace for a while.   

  6. I can't remember seeing many of these around when I was a kid in the 1950s.  Grandad's L type was also a rare sight.  I did read about the 10/4's front suspension when I was in my Meccano phase - always have been a bit of a suspension fanatic and back then would 'invent' my own types, only to discover that it had been done before.  The pseudo Dubonnet front suspension on the 10/4 was certainly novel.  It did not work well in Meccano.

     I've just seen @Mr Pastry's posts!  He is right to point out that finding replacement parts will be tricky and not very easy to reproduce either.

  7. 2 hours ago, junkyarddog said:

    FB_IMG_1710326884031.jpg

    This one puzzled me for a while. I knew that very few American cars of that period had independent rear suspension with that type of geometry, but it clearly wasn't a Corvair.  A bit of digging suggests it is a Pontiac Tempest which shared the transaxle of a Corvair but with a front mounted engine.  I had completely forgotten about the Tempest.  Nice one.

  8. My Tipo has been off the road since July 2023, stuck at a garage awaiting some sort of action to diagnose its FTP and fix it.  I declared it as SORN in December 2023.  Its insurance expired in January 2024 but, strangely, I did not receive the usual invitation to renew.  Luckily I checked on askMID today.  It is no longer insured. The only reason I checked was because my modern* was due for insurance renewal later this month. The email this year says 'Will not renew automatically.'  Renewal has gone from £218 (fully comp) to £365.  I thought last year's price was a bit low but this year's is a big hike.  I have decided to stick with them (paid today), mainly because shopping around is hassle and the quoted premium is not too bad for an old giffer (74) with 10 years+ no claims.  I'll visit the Fiat soon to discuss its future with the garage. 

  9. 2 hours ago, catsinthewelder said:

    I can see the use of AI for medical research but it just seems to make life worse in every other way.  I'm just glad it can't take my job (because no intelligence is required).

    My catheter blocked on Thursday.  If I saw a nurse consulting AI for advice on how to get the new one in, I'd be horrified and try to do it myself!  However, he didn't but it took 45 minutes.  I therefore vote to keep it away from medical use until thoroughly proven 😁.  I'll tolerate it on ebay even though it's rubbish.  In fact, it is as pointless as adverts which give the history of the marque rather than admit that the car for sale rarely runs properly, has got sills made from duct tape covered with filler, freshly applied  underseal holding the floor together and a recent respray.  These adverts often have very few photographs plus a covered valuable* number plate which apparently justifies the ridiculous asking price. AI and waffle nicely warns me away from a wasted journey.

  10. @Zelandeth The P6 sounds wonderful - and thirsty.  I've not driven a P6 but have been many miles in the smaller engined versions.  They ride far better than most modern cars while also being very sure footed (with decent tyres).

    Nice work on the Trabant.  Once you've caught and rectified all of its previous maintenance or storage problems it should provide even more enjoyment, not only for you but those that see it buzzing around being useful.  I love its simplicity. 

  11. I used to see the occasional Reliant Regal and early Robins towing trailer tents and once (in Scotland) even a small caravan. Indeed I have a magazine road test of a Regal Mk2 towing a small caravan back in the days (1950s) when such an  outfit was restricted to 30mph.   I've often seen Honda Goldwings towing small camping trailers and once saw a Goldwing with sidecar towing a trailer tent.  The only caravans I've seen in ditches or completely wrecked but still on the road were the larger types towed by SUVs, probably compliant with current load/plating regulations but piloted by speed merchants lacking in common sense and driving technique.   When towing a trailer or caravan loaded to give the recommended nose weight,  a lightweight rear engined vehicle will be much more twitchy than one with a front engine, worse still if the vehicle has excessive rear overhang.  A three wheeler adds still more sensitivity to the towing behaviour.  Add some cross wind and you've got a real handful.   Having low power is probably the least of the factors to be considered.   

  12. @wesacosa Do the other photos show how a Reliant chassis has been used?  Bit of an unlikely choice because the configuration of a Reliant chassis is considerably different and I would have thought (without checking) that dimensions would require much hacking about of the body or chassis to make things fit.  Not really an Invacar any more after all that.  Keeping the registration could be tricky. 

  13. 4 minutes ago, wesacosa said:

    was that the Gold Medal special edition? It was last up for sale between lockdown 1 and 2 I think, I really fancied it but Fife to SE London in COVID times wasn't really feasible 

    Yes, although someone had removed the replica gold medal/coin sized embellishment which Hyundai stuck on the dashboard.  Apart from that, 'special alloys' and some external graphics it was just a GSL.  

    I did consider going to the FOTU this year but my '94 Tipo has been stuck in a garage since its FTP last July and has so far defeated attempts to diagnose the problem. Its future is looking uncertain.  I'm not going to attempt a long journey in my Reliant either.  The car might manage it but I'm not sure I would!

  14. 11 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

    I bet you were chuffed to bits!

    Which one is @RayMKs Stellar? I didn't realise there was another on the forum. 

    That must be a fair % of the UKs roadworthy Stellars parked there, surely?! 

    E591BRM was mine.  It passed through three other forum members after I relinquished ownership later that year.  It has not resurfaced for a few years now so its rusty bits will probably make it beyond saving if it is not owned by an enthusiast who can keep up with the welding.  I enjoyed my 7 years with it but the engine in my previous Stellar (D401MTM) was much nicer during its 101K miles with me. 

  15. @Dick Longbridge I've successfully resisted collecting too enthusiastically.  My collection is small.  The last Dinky Toys I bought were 2nd hand at a Sunday Market in  the late 1970s/early 80s, mostly a handful of 1950s saloon cars. Prior to that my Dinky toys were the few remnants of toys from my childhood plus a few older Dinky toys bought 2nd hand in Southsea in 1961 by re-purposing school dinner money.  I have got 25a (Wagon) 1947-50 issue, 25c (Flat Truck) 1946-47 issue, 25c (Flat Truck) 1947-50 issue and 25f (Market Gardener's Van) 1938-40 issue. Mine are all repaints and all have one or both lights missing i.e. thoroughly playworn before I purchased them for 3d each.  I should really display them but they've been wrapped in clean cloth or tissue for at least 40 years and are stored out of sight. I do not even have decent photographs of them.   

  16. 24 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

     

    As mentioned previously, this thread and our young lad have channelled my previous interest in diecast (which was on hiatus from late teens until a couple of years ago) and also opened my eyes to diecast which I previously knew nothing about. 

    Recently, I started researching and looking at 1940s Dinky Toys 25 series trucks and decided I ideally wanted one the same age as my father (born in the late 40s). After looking at a lot of battered shite and overpriced minters, I bagged this 25b truck this evening. It was a hospice ebay seller so I like to think my £15 is going to help someone in need. I also wonder if the model came from a deceased estate of a former cancer sufferer? 

    Screenshot_20240211_190204_eBay.thumb.jpg.5223422b0bdfdd5f27e6cd62ba96d1d9.jpg

    The model is a 25b which looks to be 'late 1940s'. Close enough - is there any other way of telling? 

    Screenshot_20240211_191041_Chrome.thumb.jpg.f2c365d99c1642a7e9b398c2f0c7104f.jpg

    To my eye,  I'm guessing it's original and correct in the photos apart from a missing speed sticker on the tailboard. Are these available as repro items? The intact canopy is a nice detail and was one of the reasons I bid on it. Should it be identical to body colour though? 

    Edit: This 25b which is for sale for £100 also has a colour mismatch on the canopy vs body. I reckon it's due to the paint ageing differently on the two different metal types? 

    Screenshot_20240211_192841_eBay.thumb.jpg.f117992e1d5544ecafc222e3ed8def1b.jpg

    I'm really looking forward to this one landing on the mat - the fact it's at least 75 years young adds to the charm for me. 

    I'll update the thread when it arrives!

    Edit again:

    I've just looked at the baseplate photos of my 25b vs the £100 green 25b on ebay. Mine has 'Liverpool' as place of manufacture whereas the green one has 'England'. I wonder when in the late 40s they changed over? That'll definitely make  mine the earlier end of the late 40s anyway... @RayMK any ideas? 

    Screenshot_20240211_192930_eBay.thumb.jpg.0a8de6348856ca0e8eb1d44364f71678.jpg

    Screenshot_20240211_192951_eBay.thumb.jpg.b400577e5332dbdab21bb97e1183a9dc.jpg

    The grey one is nice and certainly looks original.  I've never seen one with an original rear cover but even reproduction covers could be 60 years old and now looking suitably weathered.  I have consulted my trusted reference book (History of British Dinky Toys 1934-1964. 3rd reprint 1976 by Cecil Gibson. The 1st edition was published 1966 by Mick and Sue Richardson).  Your Grey covered wagon is a 1946-1947 issue, the third of four versions of the original 1934 (No.25series) of similar wagons, the actual type of body being distinguished by suffixes  a-f  for wagon, covered wagon, flat truck (=wagon), petrol tank wagon, tipping wagon and market gardener's van (=wagon) respectively.  The green ebay one is a 1947-1950 issue.

    As for the availability of reproduction decals, I don't know but expect they can be found or accurately produced if you have an original to copy.  

  17. 1 hour ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

     I had one in 2005-7 (P679EAL).  The 2 ltr V6 automatic was the most refined unit I've ever experienced.  Unfortunately it was also the only car I've owned that needed recovery three times and could not be satisfactorily fixed by a Japanese car specialist or a Nissan main dealer (x2).  Suspension was not too clever on anything except good surfaces.  I'd consider one again but routine spares spares were difficult to source even when I owned one.  

  18. 6 hours ago, barefoot said:

    I'm curious to know what a Kei car is really like to drive in the UK. Are these the real deal with the 660cc engine, the CVT box & AC? Please write up a proper road test style review. 

    I owned a Mitsubishi i Kei car which I bought as an ex-demo car in 2007 during the short period they were on sale in the UK (not the later electric one).  Its rear-under-the- floor, 660cc turbocharged, conventional automatic configuration attracted me.  I kept it until 2014 having covered 82K miles.  It was remarkably practical, being able to seat 4 normal sized adults with perfectly adequate legroom in the front and rear despite being fractionally shorter than the then current Citroen C1 which had no leg room in the rear unless front seats were pushed forwards, thereby making sure that the driver and passengers were very cramped.  I took my daughter  and her husband to Wales and on another occasion took them to Scotland (Fort William), from which we also toured the Isle of Mull.  I made numerous solo camping trips in it to the Isle of Wight and Swanage.  On motorways it was absolutely fine, able to cruise comfortably at 70mph and would top out at an indicated 91mph on the private sections.  It was exceptionally handy in towns and on country lanes where its  diminutive size, tight turning circle and perky performance scored over modern blobmobiles which constantly get held up because they can't get past each other and need much more space to manoeuvre.  Downsides?  At 82K the turbocharger shed a blade which also wrecked the intercooler.  At near enough £1000 retail plus labour to fix it, I let it go for recycling.  Someone in the trade picked it up, fixed it and continued to drive it past 100K but it looked rough and neglected in 2020.  Also, its suspension, although fine on reasonable roads, did crash and bang on rougher roads.  Would I consider a Kei car again?  Most definitely.

    100_0715.jpeg

  19. 33 minutes ago, Dobloseven said:

    What about an 875?Think if I was going down the Bond three wheeler road, that'd be my choice.

    I have not driven any Bonds  but have been a passenger in a later Mark (G or F?) Villiers engined front wheel drive 4 seater.  It was good fun and nicely weird.  John Surtees managed to get an 875 around Brands Hatch in record time, achieving over 100mph in the process.  His prowess on 2 and 4 wheels probably indicates a high level of adaptability and skill.  The 875 was known to be a rapid machine with its detuned Imp engine and rear suspension set-up but was notoriously sensitive to side winds, as are most rear engined cars.  If they were not so fragile I would have liked one.  Unlike a Reliant or an Invacar, they did not have a chassis and were prone to cracking where the Imp subframe was anchored to the fibreglass bits - which were lightweight because of the weight limit to satisfy the tricycle vehicle class.  Their interior made the very basic interior of a Reliant seem luxurious by comparison.   

  20. Three wheelers feel different from four wheelers.  If you are used to them they do not feel unstable.  Motoring journalists generally compare road holding and handling capabilities of a vehicle based on their predominantly four wheeled experience. Anything out of the ordinary e.g. the 2cv6 was often slated as having alarming handling by those not used to roll angles despite it having the full complement of wheels.  Plonk a typical journalist, or for that matter anyone who has  not ridden  one before,  on a motorcycle and sidecar and they can't cope with the three wheeled asymmetric characteristics, labelling them as dangerous.  In the past, people who drove three wheelers typically graduated from motorcycles where alertness to road conditions and willingness to learn a vehicle's characteristics was definitely required.  Nowadays, three wheelers are generally owned by enthusiasts who do not try to drive them like a modern generic car but, depending on the make and model, can still drive them rapidly and enjoy the experience.  I daresay that if I attempted to drive an HGV or a double decker it would feel terrifying and/or dangerous until my senses and techniques were suitably attuned by tuition and experience.   

×
×
  • Create New...