wuvvum

Went to Kings Lynn auction yesterday.  Once again I was terrified at the prices some cars are now making and how out of touch I am.  Case in point: this admittedly rather lovely early 900 T16S.  Guide price: £12,000 - £15,000.  No, I haven't typed too many zeros.  Twelve thousand to fifteen thousand pounds.  In my mind it's still worth about a fifth of that, tops.
 

 
More sensibly priced was this, the last Cavalier of EVAR, which could have been yours for under a grand, even with ACA's hefty commission added on.
 

 

 
I quite liked this 5hp Citroën - charming little thing, so basic that it didn't even have a speedo (ammeter was the only instrument), or a driver's door.  Decent lock on it for a '20s car though.
 

 
This 103-year-old Hudson was magnificent.  The engineering was something else - the gear shift was like a rifle bolt.  Bastard heavy steering mind.  Amazingly original - Junkman's "do not paint" mantra was made for this car.  [bonus photobomb by the bizarre 1980s Lea Francis.]
 

 
Not sure what these little taps were for on the cylinder head though?
 

 
And if that's too old fashioned for you, the dealership over the road would have been happy to sell you this magnificent* beast for just* 16 bags.
 

 
The trip to KL and back was done in the freshly MOT'd 205, which behaved magnificently and managed 130 fairly enthusiastically-driven miles on less than 15 quid of diesel.  I had a bash at the tracking on Friday evening - wasn't very scientific, I just wound the offside track rod in by about 3mm, but it seems to have improved things as the steering wheel is now straight and the steering feels more precise, plus it's less squealy around tight corners.  Staking in the rear hub nut was a twat of a job, as the drum sticks out well beyond the nut which means you can't get a punch straight on the nut, you have to approach it from about a 45o angle, which makes it rather awkward.
 
I've also fitted a dual lighter socket to the 205, ready to run the sat nav on its run down to Surrey next weekend.  The original lighter socket was knackered, and the feed to it was fluctuating between about 3.5 and 8 volts, which I couldn't figure out but which rendered the whole thing useless anyway.  So I took a live feed straight from my retro-fit horn button, threaded it past the heater box, which was fun*, and over the stereo into the back of the dual socket thingy.  It all works OK, although I couldn't find a drill bit small enough for the screws to hold the socket onto the dash, so for the moment it's held on with one of those sticky number plate holding strips.
 
That was about it for fettling this weekend - I decided I deserved a weekend off after spending the last two months' worth of weekends crawling around under either the C4 or the 205.  Normal service will doubtless be resumed shortly - I need to have a bash at the trailing arm bush on the 45 for one thing.

Went to Kings Lynn auction yesterday.  Once again I was terrified at the prices some cars are now making and how out of touch I am.  Case in point: this admittedly rather lovely early 900 T16S.  Guide price: £12,000 - £15,000.  No, I haven't typed too many zeros.  Twelve thousand to fifteen thousand pounds.  In my mind it's still worth about a fifth of that, tops.
 

 
More sensibly priced was this, the last Cavalier of EVAR, which could have been yours for under a grand, even with ACA's hefty commission added on.
 

 

 
I quite liked this 5hp Citroën - charming little thing, so basic that it didn't even have a speedo (ammeter was the only instrument), or a driver's door.  Decent lock on it for a '20s car though.
 

 
This 103-year-old Hudson was magnificent.  The engineering was something else - the gear shift was like a rifle bolt.  Bastard heavy steering mind.  Amazingly original - Junkman's "do not paint" mantra was made for this car.  [bonus photobomb by the bizarre 1980s Lea Francis.]
 

 
Not sure what these little taps were for on the cylinder head though?
 

 
And if that's too old fashioned for you, the dealership over the road would have been happy to sell you this magnificent* beast for just* 16 bags.
 

 
The trip to KL and back was done in the freshly MOT'd 205, which behaved magnificently and managed 130 fairly enthusiastically-driven miles on less than 15 quid of diesel.  I had a bash at the tracking on Friday evening - wasn't very scientific, I just wound the offside track rod in by about 3mm, but it seems to have improved things as the steering wheel is now straight and the steering feels more precise, plus it's less squealy around tight corners.  Staking in the rear hub nut was a twat of a job, as the drum sticks out well beyond the nut which means you can't get a punch straight on the nut, you have to approach it from about a 45o angle, which makes it rather awkward.
 
I've also fitted a dual lighter socket to the 205, ready to run the sat nav on its run down to Surrey next weekend.  The original lighter socket was knackered, and the feed to it was fluctuating between about 3.5 and 8 volts, which I couldn't figure out but which rendered the whole thing useless anyway.  So I took a live feed straight from my retro-fit horn button, threaded it past the heater box, which was fun*, and over the stereo into the back of the dual socket thingy.  It all works OK, although I couldn't find a drill bit small enough for the screws to hold the socket onto the dash, so for the moment it's held on with one of those sticky number plate holding strips.
 
That was about it for fettling this weekend - I decided I deserved a weekend off after spending the last two months' worth of weekends crawling around under either the C4 or the 205.  Normal service will doubtless be resumed shortly - I need to have a bash at the trailing arm bush on the 45 for one thing.

Went to Kings Lynn auction yesterday.  Once again I was terrified at the prices some cars are now making and how out of touch I am.  Case in point: this admittedly rather lovely early 900 T16S.  Guide price: £12,000 - £15,000.  No, I haven't typed too many zeros.  Twelve thousand to fifteen thousand pounds.  In my mind it's still worth about a fifth of that, tops.
 

 
More sensibly priced was this, the last Cavalier of EVAR, which could have been yours for under a grand, even with ACA's hefty commission added on.
 

 

 
I quite liked this 5hp Citroën - charming little thing, so basic that it didn't even have a speedo (ammeter was the only instrument), or a driver's door.  Decent lock on it for a '20s car though.
 

 
This 103-year-old Hudson was magnificent.  The engineering was something else - the gear shift was like a rifle bolt.  Bastard heavy steering mind.  Amazingly original - Junkman's "do not paint" mantra was made for this car.  [bonus photobomb by the bizarre 1980s Lea Francis.]
 

 
Not sure what these little taps were for on the cylinder head though?
 

 
And if that's too old fashioned for you, the dealership over the road would have been happy to sell you this magnificent* beast for just* 16 bags.
 

 
The trip to KL and back was done in the freshly MOT'd 205, which behaved magnificently and managed 130 fairly enthusiastically-driven miles on less than 15 quid of diesel.  I had a bash at the tracking on Friday evening - wasn't very scientific, I just wound the offside track rod in by about 3mm, but it seems to have improved things as the steering wheel is now straight and the steering feels more precise, plus it's less squealy around tight corners.  Staking in the rear hub nut was a twat of a job, as the drum sticks out well beyond the nut which means you can't get a punch straight on the nut, you have to approach it from about a 45o angle, which makes it rather awkward.
 
I've also fitted a dual lighter socket to the 205, ready to run the sat nav on its run down to Surrey next weekend.  The original lighter socket was knackered, and the feed to it was fluctuating between about 3.5 and 8 volts, which I couldn't figure out but which rendered the whole thing useless anyway.  So I took a live feed straight from my retro-fit horn button, threaded it past the heater box, which was fun*, and over the stereo into the back of the dual socket thingy.  It all works OK, although I couldn't find a drill bit small enough for the screws to hold the socket onto the dash, so for the moment it's held on with one of those sticky number plate holding strips.
 
That was about it for fettling this weekend - I decided I deserved a weekend off after spending the last two months' worth of weekends crawling around under either the C4 or the 205.  Normal service will doubtless be resumed shortly - I need to have a bash at the trailing arm bush on the 45 for one thing.

This seems to be happening more and more.  I've been giving serious thought to buying a battered old 4x4 or Transit van with a bullbar and registering it to a non-existent trader so it's not traceable to me.  Then anyone who pulls shit like that would just get fucking rammed.

Went to Kings Lynn auction yesterday.  Once again I was terrified at the prices some cars are now making and how out of touch I am.  Case in point: this admittedly rather lovely early 900 T16S.  Guide price: £12,000 - £15,000.  No, I haven't typed too many zeros.  Twelve thousand to fifteen thousand pounds.  In my mind it's still worth about a fifth of that, tops.
 

 
More sensibly priced was this, the last Cavalier of EVAR, which could have been yours for under a grand, even with ACA's hefty commission added on.
 

 

 
I quite liked this 5hp Citroën - charming little thing, so basic that it didn't even have a speedo (ammeter was the only instrument), or a driver's door.  Decent lock on it for a '20s car though.
 

 
This 103-year-old Hudson was magnificent.  The engineering was something else - the gear shift was like a rifle bolt.  Bastard heavy steering mind.  Amazingly original - Junkman's "do not paint" mantra was made for this car.  [bonus photobomb by the bizarre 1980s Lea Francis.]
 

 
Not sure what these little taps were for on the cylinder head though?
 

 
And if that's too old fashioned for you, the dealership over the road would have been happy to sell you this magnificent* beast for just* 16 bags.
 

 
The trip to KL and back was done in the freshly MOT'd 205, which behaved magnificently and managed 130 fairly enthusiastically-driven miles on less than 15 quid of diesel.  I had a bash at the tracking on Friday evening - wasn't very scientific, I just wound the offside track rod in by about 3mm, but it seems to have improved things as the steering wheel is now straight and the steering feels more precise, plus it's less squealy around tight corners.  Staking in the rear hub nut was a twat of a job, as the drum sticks out well beyond the nut which means you can't get a punch straight on the nut, you have to approach it from about a 45o angle, which makes it rather awkward.
 
I've also fitted a dual lighter socket to the 205, ready to run the sat nav on its run down to Surrey next weekend.  The original lighter socket was knackered, and the feed to it was fluctuating between about 3.5 and 8 volts, which I couldn't figure out but which rendered the whole thing useless anyway.  So I took a live feed straight from my retro-fit horn button, threaded it past the heater box, which was fun*, and over the stereo into the back of the dual socket thingy.  It all works OK, although I couldn't find a drill bit small enough for the screws to hold the socket onto the dash, so for the moment it's held on with one of those sticky number plate holding strips.
 
That was about it for fettling this weekend - I decided I deserved a weekend off after spending the last two months' worth of weekends crawling around under either the C4 or the 205.  Normal service will doubtless be resumed shortly - I need to have a bash at the trailing arm bush on the 45 for one thing.

Went to Kings Lynn auction yesterday.  Once again I was terrified at the prices some cars are now making and how out of touch I am.  Case in point: this admittedly rather lovely early 900 T16S.  Guide price: £12,000 - £15,000.  No, I haven't typed too many zeros.  Twelve thousand to fifteen thousand pounds.  In my mind it's still worth about a fifth of that, tops.
 

 
More sensibly priced was this, the last Cavalier of EVAR, which could have been yours for under a grand, even with ACA's hefty commission added on.
 

 

 
I quite liked this 5hp Citroën - charming little thing, so basic that it didn't even have a speedo (ammeter was the only instrument), or a driver's door.  Decent lock on it for a '20s car though.
 

 
This 103-year-old Hudson was magnificent.  The engineering was something else - the gear shift was like a rifle bolt.  Bastard heavy steering mind.  Amazingly original - Junkman's "do not paint" mantra was made for this car.  [bonus photobomb by the bizarre 1980s Lea Francis.]
 

 
Not sure what these little taps were for on the cylinder head though?
 

 
And if that's too old fashioned for you, the dealership over the road would have been happy to sell you this magnificent* beast for just* 16 bags.
 

 
The trip to KL and back was done in the freshly MOT'd 205, which behaved magnificently and managed 130 fairly enthusiastically-driven miles on less than 15 quid of diesel.  I had a bash at the tracking on Friday evening - wasn't very scientific, I just wound the offside track rod in by about 3mm, but it seems to have improved things as the steering wheel is now straight and the steering feels more precise, plus it's less squealy around tight corners.  Staking in the rear hub nut was a twat of a job, as the drum sticks out well beyond the nut which means you can't get a punch straight on the nut, you have to approach it from about a 45o angle, which makes it rather awkward.
 
I've also fitted a dual lighter socket to the 205, ready to run the sat nav on its run down to Surrey next weekend.  The original lighter socket was knackered, and the feed to it was fluctuating between about 3.5 and 8 volts, which I couldn't figure out but which rendered the whole thing useless anyway.  So I took a live feed straight from my retro-fit horn button, threaded it past the heater box, which was fun*, and over the stereo into the back of the dual socket thingy.  It all works OK, although I couldn't find a drill bit small enough for the screws to hold the socket onto the dash, so for the moment it's held on with one of those sticky number plate holding strips.
 
That was about it for fettling this weekend - I decided I deserved a weekend off after spending the last two months' worth of weekends crawling around under either the C4 or the 205.  Normal service will doubtless be resumed shortly - I need to have a bash at the trailing arm bush on the 45 for one thing.

Went to Kings Lynn auction yesterday.  Once again I was terrified at the prices some cars are now making and how out of touch I am.  Case in point: this admittedly rather lovely early 900 T16S.  Guide price: £12,000 - £15,000.  No, I haven't typed too many zeros.  Twelve thousand to fifteen thousand pounds.  In my mind it's still worth about a fifth of that, tops.
 

 
More sensibly priced was this, the last Cavalier of EVAR, which could have been yours for under a grand, even with ACA's hefty commission added on.
 

 

 
I quite liked this 5hp Citroën - charming little thing, so basic that it didn't even have a speedo (ammeter was the only instrument), or a driver's door.  Decent lock on it for a '20s car though.
 

 
This 103-year-old Hudson was magnificent.  The engineering was something else - the gear shift was like a rifle bolt.  Bastard heavy steering mind.  Amazingly original - Junkman's "do not paint" mantra was made for this car.  [bonus photobomb by the bizarre 1980s Lea Francis.]
 

 
Not sure what these little taps were for on the cylinder head though?
 

 
And if that's too old fashioned for you, the dealership over the road would have been happy to sell you this magnificent* beast for just* 16 bags.
 

 
The trip to KL and back was done in the freshly MOT'd 205, which behaved magnificently and managed 130 fairly enthusiastically-driven miles on less than 15 quid of diesel.  I had a bash at the tracking on Friday evening - wasn't very scientific, I just wound the offside track rod in by about 3mm, but it seems to have improved things as the steering wheel is now straight and the steering feels more precise, plus it's less squealy around tight corners.  Staking in the rear hub nut was a twat of a job, as the drum sticks out well beyond the nut which means you can't get a punch straight on the nut, you have to approach it from about a 45o angle, which makes it rather awkward.
 
I've also fitted a dual lighter socket to the 205, ready to run the sat nav on its run down to Surrey next weekend.  The original lighter socket was knackered, and the feed to it was fluctuating between about 3.5 and 8 volts, which I couldn't figure out but which rendered the whole thing useless anyway.  So I took a live feed straight from my retro-fit horn button, threaded it past the heater box, which was fun*, and over the stereo into the back of the dual socket thingy.  It all works OK, although I couldn't find a drill bit small enough for the screws to hold the socket onto the dash, so for the moment it's held on with one of those sticky number plate holding strips.
 
That was about it for fettling this weekend - I decided I deserved a weekend off after spending the last two months' worth of weekends crawling around under either the C4 or the 205.  Normal service will doubtless be resumed shortly - I need to have a bash at the trailing arm bush on the 45 for one thing.

Very very very cheap lorry.  I am going to have to go teetotal for the next 20 hours lest I do something stupid.
 

Very very very cheap lorry.  I am going to have to go teetotal for the next 20 hours lest I do something stupid.
 

Went to Kings Lynn auction yesterday.  Once again I was terrified at the prices some cars are now making and how out of touch I am.  Case in point: this admittedly rather lovely early 900 T16S.  Guide price: £12,000 - £15,000.  No, I haven't typed too many zeros.  Twelve thousand to fifteen thousand pounds.  In my mind it's still worth about a fifth of that, tops.
 

 
More sensibly priced was this, the last Cavalier of EVAR, which could have been yours for under a grand, even with ACA's hefty commission added on.
 

 

 
I quite liked this 5hp Citroën - charming little thing, so basic that it didn't even have a speedo (ammeter was the only instrument), or a driver's door.  Decent lock on it for a '20s car though.
 

 
This 103-year-old Hudson was magnificent.  The engineering was something else - the gear shift was like a rifle bolt.  Bastard heavy steering mind.  Amazingly original - Junkman's "do not paint" mantra was made for this car.  [bonus photobomb by the bizarre 1980s Lea Francis.]
 

 
Not sure what these little taps were for on the cylinder head though?
 

 
And if that's too old fashioned for you, the dealership over the road would have been happy to sell you this magnificent* beast for just* 16 bags.
 

 
The trip to KL and back was done in the freshly MOT'd 205, which behaved magnificently and managed 130 fairly enthusiastically-driven miles on less than 15 quid of diesel.  I had a bash at the tracking on Friday evening - wasn't very scientific, I just wound the offside track rod in by about 3mm, but it seems to have improved things as the steering wheel is now straight and the steering feels more precise, plus it's less squealy around tight corners.  Staking in the rear hub nut was a twat of a job, as the drum sticks out well beyond the nut which means you can't get a punch straight on the nut, you have to approach it from about a 45o angle, which makes it rather awkward.
 
I've also fitted a dual lighter socket to the 205, ready to run the sat nav on its run down to Surrey next weekend.  The original lighter socket was knackered, and the feed to it was fluctuating between about 3.5 and 8 volts, which I couldn't figure out but which rendered the whole thing useless anyway.  So I took a live feed straight from my retro-fit horn button, threaded it past the heater box, which was fun*, and over the stereo into the back of the dual socket thingy.  It all works OK, although I couldn't find a drill bit small enough for the screws to hold the socket onto the dash, so for the moment it's held on with one of those sticky number plate holding strips.
 
That was about it for fettling this weekend - I decided I deserved a weekend off after spending the last two months' worth of weekends crawling around under either the C4 or the 205.  Normal service will doubtless be resumed shortly - I need to have a bash at the trailing arm bush on the 45 for one thing.

Went to Kings Lynn auction yesterday.  Once again I was terrified at the prices some cars are now making and how out of touch I am.  Case in point: this admittedly rather lovely early 900 T16S.  Guide price: £12,000 - £15,000.  No, I haven't typed too many zeros.  Twelve thousand to fifteen thousand pounds.  In my mind it's still worth about a fifth of that, tops.
 

 
More sensibly priced was this, the last Cavalier of EVAR, which could have been yours for under a grand, even with ACA's hefty commission added on.
 

 

 
I quite liked this 5hp Citroën - charming little thing, so basic that it didn't even have a speedo (ammeter was the only instrument), or a driver's door.  Decent lock on it for a '20s car though.
 

 
This 103-year-old Hudson was magnificent.  The engineering was something else - the gear shift was like a rifle bolt.  Bastard heavy steering mind.  Amazingly original - Junkman's "do not paint" mantra was made for this car.  [bonus photobomb by the bizarre 1980s Lea Francis.]
 

 
Not sure what these little taps were for on the cylinder head though?
 

 
And if that's too old fashioned for you, the dealership over the road would have been happy to sell you this magnificent* beast for just* 16 bags.
 

 
The trip to KL and back was done in the freshly MOT'd 205, which behaved magnificently and managed 130 fairly enthusiastically-driven miles on less than 15 quid of diesel.  I had a bash at the tracking on Friday evening - wasn't very scientific, I just wound the offside track rod in by about 3mm, but it seems to have improved things as the steering wheel is now straight and the steering feels more precise, plus it's less squealy around tight corners.  Staking in the rear hub nut was a twat of a job, as the drum sticks out well beyond the nut which means you can't get a punch straight on the nut, you have to approach it from about a 45o angle, which makes it rather awkward.
 
I've also fitted a dual lighter socket to the 205, ready to run the sat nav on its run down to Surrey next weekend.  The original lighter socket was knackered, and the feed to it was fluctuating between about 3.5 and 8 volts, which I couldn't figure out but which rendered the whole thing useless anyway.  So I took a live feed straight from my retro-fit horn button, threaded it past the heater box, which was fun*, and over the stereo into the back of the dual socket thingy.  It all works OK, although I couldn't find a drill bit small enough for the screws to hold the socket onto the dash, so for the moment it's held on with one of those sticky number plate holding strips.
 
That was about it for fettling this weekend - I decided I deserved a weekend off after spending the last two months' worth of weekends crawling around under either the C4 or the 205.  Normal service will doubtless be resumed shortly - I need to have a bash at the trailing arm bush on the 45 for one thing.

Very very very cheap lorry.  I am going to have to go teetotal for the next 20 hours lest I do something stupid.
 

Went to Kings Lynn auction yesterday.  Once again I was terrified at the prices some cars are now making and how out of touch I am.  Case in point: this admittedly rather lovely early 900 T16S.  Guide price: £12,000 - £15,000.  No, I haven't typed too many zeros.  Twelve thousand to fifteen thousand pounds.  In my mind it's still worth about a fifth of that, tops.
 

 
More sensibly priced was this, the last Cavalier of EVAR, which could have been yours for under a grand, even with ACA's hefty commission added on.
 

 

 
I quite liked this 5hp Citroën - charming little thing, so basic that it didn't even have a speedo (ammeter was the only instrument), or a driver's door.  Decent lock on it for a '20s car though.
 

 
This 103-year-old Hudson was magnificent.  The engineering was something else - the gear shift was like a rifle bolt.  Bastard heavy steering mind.  Amazingly original - Junkman's "do not paint" mantra was made for this car.  [bonus photobomb by the bizarre 1980s Lea Francis.]
 

 
Not sure what these little taps were for on the cylinder head though?
 

 
And if that's too old fashioned for you, the dealership over the road would have been happy to sell you this magnificent* beast for just* 16 bags.
 

 
The trip to KL and back was done in the freshly MOT'd 205, which behaved magnificently and managed 130 fairly enthusiastically-driven miles on less than 15 quid of diesel.  I had a bash at the tracking on Friday evening - wasn't very scientific, I just wound the offside track rod in by about 3mm, but it seems to have improved things as the steering wheel is now straight and the steering feels more precise, plus it's less squealy around tight corners.  Staking in the rear hub nut was a twat of a job, as the drum sticks out well beyond the nut which means you can't get a punch straight on the nut, you have to approach it from about a 45o angle, which makes it rather awkward.
 
I've also fitted a dual lighter socket to the 205, ready to run the sat nav on its run down to Surrey next weekend.  The original lighter socket was knackered, and the feed to it was fluctuating between about 3.5 and 8 volts, which I couldn't figure out but which rendered the whole thing useless anyway.  So I took a live feed straight from my retro-fit horn button, threaded it past the heater box, which was fun*, and over the stereo into the back of the dual socket thingy.  It all works OK, although I couldn't find a drill bit small enough for the screws to hold the socket onto the dash, so for the moment it's held on with one of those sticky number plate holding strips.
 
That was about it for fettling this weekend - I decided I deserved a weekend off after spending the last two months' worth of weekends crawling around under either the C4 or the 205.  Normal service will doubtless be resumed shortly - I need to have a bash at the trailing arm bush on the 45 for one thing.

Went to Kings Lynn auction yesterday.  Once again I was terrified at the prices some cars are now making and how out of touch I am.  Case in point: this admittedly rather lovely early 900 T16S.  Guide price: £12,000 - £15,000.  No, I haven't typed too many zeros.  Twelve thousand to fifteen thousand pounds.  In my mind it's still worth about a fifth of that, tops.
 

 
More sensibly priced was this, the last Cavalier of EVAR, which could have been yours for under a grand, even with ACA's hefty commission added on.
 

 

 
I quite liked this 5hp Citroën - charming little thing, so basic that it didn't even have a speedo (ammeter was the only instrument), or a driver's door.  Decent lock on it for a '20s car though.
 

 
This 103-year-old Hudson was magnificent.  The engineering was something else - the gear shift was like a rifle bolt.  Bastard heavy steering mind.  Amazingly original - Junkman's "do not paint" mantra was made for this car.  [bonus photobomb by the bizarre 1980s Lea Francis.]
 

 
Not sure what these little taps were for on the cylinder head though?
 

 
And if that's too old fashioned for you, the dealership over the road would have been happy to sell you this magnificent* beast for just* 16 bags.
 

 
The trip to KL and back was done in the freshly MOT'd 205, which behaved magnificently and managed 130 fairly enthusiastically-driven miles on less than 15 quid of diesel.  I had a bash at the tracking on Friday evening - wasn't very scientific, I just wound the offside track rod in by about 3mm, but it seems to have improved things as the steering wheel is now straight and the steering feels more precise, plus it's less squealy around tight corners.  Staking in the rear hub nut was a twat of a job, as the drum sticks out well beyond the nut which means you can't get a punch straight on the nut, you have to approach it from about a 45o angle, which makes it rather awkward.
 
I've also fitted a dual lighter socket to the 205, ready to run the sat nav on its run down to Surrey next weekend.  The original lighter socket was knackered, and the feed to it was fluctuating between about 3.5 and 8 volts, which I couldn't figure out but which rendered the whole thing useless anyway.  So I took a live feed straight from my retro-fit horn button, threaded it past the heater box, which was fun*, and over the stereo into the back of the dual socket thingy.  It all works OK, although I couldn't find a drill bit small enough for the screws to hold the socket onto the dash, so for the moment it's held on with one of those sticky number plate holding strips.
 
That was about it for fettling this weekend - I decided I deserved a weekend off after spending the last two months' worth of weekends crawling around under either the C4 or the 205.  Normal service will doubtless be resumed shortly - I need to have a bash at the trailing arm bush on the 45 for one thing.

Went to Kings Lynn auction yesterday.  Once again I was terrified at the prices some cars are now making and how out of touch I am.  Case in point: this admittedly rather lovely early 900 T16S.  Guide price: £12,000 - £15,000.  No, I haven't typed too many zeros.  Twelve thousand to fifteen thousand pounds.  In my mind it's still worth about a fifth of that, tops.
 

 
More sensibly priced was this, the last Cavalier of EVAR, which could have been yours for under a grand, even with ACA's hefty commission added on.
 

 

 
I quite liked this 5hp Citroën - charming little thing, so basic that it didn't even have a speedo (ammeter was the only instrument), or a driver's door.  Decent lock on it for a '20s car though.
 

 
This 103-year-old Hudson was magnificent.  The engineering was something else - the gear shift was like a rifle bolt.  Bastard heavy steering mind.  Amazingly original - Junkman's "do not paint" mantra was made for this car.  [bonus photobomb by the bizarre 1980s Lea Francis.]
 

 
Not sure what these little taps were for on the cylinder head though?
 

 
And if that's too old fashioned for you, the dealership over the road would have been happy to sell you this magnificent* beast for just* 16 bags.
 

 
The trip to KL and back was done in the freshly MOT'd 205, which behaved magnificently and managed 130 fairly enthusiastically-driven miles on less than 15 quid of diesel.  I had a bash at the tracking on Friday evening - wasn't very scientific, I just wound the offside track rod in by about 3mm, but it seems to have improved things as the steering wheel is now straight and the steering feels more precise, plus it's less squealy around tight corners.  Staking in the rear hub nut was a twat of a job, as the drum sticks out well beyond the nut which means you can't get a punch straight on the nut, you have to approach it from about a 45o angle, which makes it rather awkward.
 
I've also fitted a dual lighter socket to the 205, ready to run the sat nav on its run down to Surrey next weekend.  The original lighter socket was knackered, and the feed to it was fluctuating between about 3.5 and 8 volts, which I couldn't figure out but which rendered the whole thing useless anyway.  So I took a live feed straight from my retro-fit horn button, threaded it past the heater box, which was fun*, and over the stereo into the back of the dual socket thingy.  It all works OK, although I couldn't find a drill bit small enough for the screws to hold the socket onto the dash, so for the moment it's held on with one of those sticky number plate holding strips.
 
That was about it for fettling this weekend - I decided I deserved a weekend off after spending the last two months' worth of weekends crawling around under either the C4 or the 205.  Normal service will doubtless be resumed shortly - I need to have a bash at the trailing arm bush on the 45 for one thing.

This forum is absolutely 'killing it' at the mo, every time I open something up, amazing things are happening.

So I went to view the Marina today, the inevitable happened, I bought it.
 

 

 
I've never seen a BL product in such amazingly original condition, it's never had paint work and even been properly cleaned! It started and run perfectly and sounded really sweet.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Unbelievable. Its hard to imagine that it's been of the road 37 years! A very good deal was made which included this Ital 1.3 L.
 

 

 
Its not bad under the green having been zebarted and only 23000 miles on the clock but I have no use for it so I've done a deal with a friend where he'll have it in exchange for delivering my Marina to me.
 
There was a few other gems hidden around like the H reg Lada Samara 1.3 which has been of the road since 2009.
 

 

 
This beautiful little A35
 

 
And a garage full of old Jags of some description and this Jowlett that his family have had for years.
 

 
His daily drivers are a S reg Fiesta van and a D reg Mazda 323 and he still has his parents Volvo 265 GLE Estate in the garage too but that was buried under crap.

I did some painting today. Not quite finished but I have one weekend left before we go so I'm not too worried anymore. Most jobs are done now, just a fluid change and get the new tyres fitted.
 

 

Went to look at car on a local farm.

 
Has sat for two years, since the engine got very, very overheated. To the point it seized. And the cylinder head melted to the block. Engine is out and not worth putting back in. 
 
I went in low, they wanted £500. That did come down a fair bit, but I'm leaving it a bit before going in at £200. The next winter project?

ERROR.
 
A grand barely covers the costs for anything that isnt a blow-over with rustoleum thinned with white spirit. 
 
I wouldnt, and no offence but given the conniptions you had with the Bentley paint, you will find some fisheyes on the bottom lip of a door or something and it will be panic-stations again, needing another half-respray......

I'm in Dorset this weekend (took the Clio), and just happened to glance down at the speedo at the right moment.
 

 
Mrs T hastily took the pic. On the journey home it should hit 2,000 miles in 10 days, with the only issue being a non-functioning driver's window which is now fixed. Not bad going for a 20 year old pile of French poo.

You are of course, quite correct re painting dollop 2.0. A complete waste of money! it's only worth 2k at best and to spend half of that on paintwork it doesn't really need, is an excercise in futility... as usual! The only bit that NEEDS doing is the bit at the top of the drivers side rear wheelarch, the passenger side is fine, and the bumper corners are scuffed but touched up. I am going to paint the bumpers myself (I have the paint) and I 'might' do te wheelarch as well. Jst no point in spending 50% of the value on something that won't make it worth a penny more.
 
As an aside: I saw a CLK 230 convertible for sale at the side of the road. I had to go back and see how much etc. £1200 with 12 months MOT and 70 000 on the clock. Silver and a 'W' reg. It made a 'badgers arse' look good! There was rust everywhere - bootlid, back wings and arches, front wings, rotten. That is what most of them are like, mine is actualy pretty damn good! Plus, I LIKE mine... now!
 
I shall tidy up the bits that need doing and leave the rest, just protect it so it doesn't get any worse. People often comment on how nice it is so it can't look that bad!
 
And finally, just had the saddest acquisition of a 'new' car ever!  Betty's Fiesta is now in my garage under lock and key. It is henceforth known as 'Betty' the Fiesta. Poor old Betty (the lady, not the car) has had this car for 20 years and has decided to move up to Esher tomorrow into a flat to be nearer her daughter, so giving up driving. Probably for the best as the poor little car has not got a straight panel anywhere and has acquired quite a few in recent months. I felt really awful driving it into my garage while Betty looked on. Not right at all.
 
However, this is a car that will get money spent on it, regardless of the fact that 'free' was probably the correct price! I shall restore it to new condition and keep it forever (or a while anyway!), already looking at front wings and bumpers to sort the front left corner out. I need to use it for a while to get to know her (the car!) and sort out any mechancal issues... not that there are many as it has only done 50 000 miles and has been serviced yearly at the same garage every time! Apparently it has a 'chuffing' noise from the front left, no idea but I shall find it.
 
It is a 98 mk4 Fiesta Ghia 1.25, aircon, electric windows, power steering (?) and the engine sounds like a little jewel. Worth saving for definite. Wonder if it will ever be worth more than £300?

I'm sick to death of those fucking shit Top Gear and piano jokes, they weren't funny 10 years ago.

I don't mean ram into them flat out Demolition Derby style.  I mean gently but firmly remove them from the road.
 
Someone tried to brake check me in the Transit the other day (doesn't happen very often in that to be fair - it's so battered that few people will attempt anything stupid with it) - except I wasn't actually that close to them so just swung round them and drove past.  I then spent the next couple of miles with them right up my arse, and I did wonder whether I'd get away with slamming on my own brakes then knocking it into reverse and ramming them - wouldn't have to be particularly fast, the back end of a Transit is going to be a lot stronger than the front end of a car.
 
Then I remembered how rusty my Transit is and decided it'd probably be a stupid idea.

Spent the whole day cleaning and polishing the saph, i love black cars for 5 minutes when they are clean