Albert Ross

Not sure I've ever encountered the chap, seeing as I'm an absentee of sorts. Really sorry to hear this news though. Best wishes to all concerned.

I saw a silver Corsa yesterday. 1CFW. Lovely old Lady driving it, told me that her Husband, a retired mechanic, was sold the plate for £200 when the owner stopped driving, about 20 years ago. That's my kind of dream right there. Not the car, the plate.

Having suffered a very similar thing recently with my best (non-shite) car, and am still wrangling with the insurance, I'd love to help in some way... It turns out I have had a stalker for nearly 25 years, and she is a real bunny boiler. Apparently she carved my name into her leg with a knife.... shame I'm not called Christopher. RIP my lovely 2009 Volvo. I reckon it's because the Land Rover wouldn't burn. No plastic.

I normally look for Armstrong for LRs, but Monroe are what I try to use on Road biased cars if replacing sets.

I worked for a company many years ago, and we sold Shifters, Denems, and Dusters. We were also a Yugo Dealer. Known as Great Bedwyn Garage, in Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire, SN8. Owned by Crook Brothers of Devizes IIRC. The manager at the time (1989) was Chris Regan. Many were sold locally, we were close to the Hampshire border. Most were Yellow or Dark Blue. I plan, one day, to go to Romania (Turda ideally) and buy a Dacia.

And there I was, thinking you were making a double decker...

I'm toying with the idea of spending a divorce settlement/house buyout on a flight to Romania, and returning by road with a Dacia 1307 4x4 Pick up, with van top. And skull/flame stickers. Yeah. And erm... beer etc. Maybe sleep in the back after removing the cab rear window.

hennabm..... I can't take my testing hat off!

Little known fact: Only 2 belts are required in the back. http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_510.htm Section J shows the relevant point. Cut/unbolt the belt, and take a copy of this printout.

55+46+37+27 165/4= 41.25 if I'm not a complete tard.

P205 1769cc NAD, or the thoroughly miserable 1999-2004 Hyundai Accent 1.5D (three potter) 82hp and 137ft/lb. Rather pedestrian.... but bland enough to be out of "falling in love with it" range.

I drive a 2a 109" diesel. I work at a rural Lincolnshire Main LR dealer. We still have a dozen Defenders "in stock". I have the privilege of drilling holes in pristine bodywork, and lobbing rivnuts in them. It's quite an emotional feeling, knowing these are the last ones we'll register... seriously. But, business is business. More money can be had by fitting electric automatic opening sidesteps to RR Sports, than by selling filters to enthusiasts, who all crow on about "the good old days". I prefer mine because it has elbow room. I also feel mine handles better on leaf springs, than modern boingies.... but, progress is progress. If the company survives, just like the Judge Dredd film perceived, then so be it, I keep my job.

Eye aah inn ore.

There is only ONE manufacturer of Series 2 and 3 chassis currently. That is, officially. Suppliers buy from them. They also make S1 chassis, but to order only, and on a piece by piece basis.

Not an MOT issue. Test what is presented to see if it's working and fitted correctly. Separate chassis vehicles: The body counts for nothing on the identity. Engines from 1956--1990 will bolt in and out without modification, relative to the vehicle type. Same with gearboxes. Not really an issue for identity., but 1948-85 units interchange with a few little mods on the early ones. It's the coli spring issue for tax free status that's the problem. Some Range Rovers were genuinely tax free. An early conversion is entirely legal and above board. Same goes for stuff converted until the late 1990s. Look at "Arrow Services" that offered a coil sprung LR Series chassis and axles.... with engine mounts made to suit what you had in there or were planning. I know of an A plated 88" with 90 bodywork, a Toyota B engine, a later 5 speed box, and RR axles. All entirely legal as it was done years ago. As regards a VIN and reg check.. no VIN is required to be visible on a pre 1979 vehicle anyway.. that, and the 17 digit VIN wasn't required until that year or near enough. I've never built one for me, but had my hand in building many for other people, 25-30 years ago.

Not new ads, but used ads.... People seem to think that telling us about standard features will make it more desirable. It's like they're reading from a bloody script. Airbags. Great. Yeah.... all cars of that particular type had them fitted. Glad to see it still has them. ABS brakes. Wonderful. Legal requirement on vehicles manufactured after a certain year. I'd be concerned if it DIDN'T have them... Toyota did a TV advert years ago. One of my favourites. Basically it showed things like "Seats.. to sit on" "Brakes.. to make you stop" etc. I'd love to find it and guffaw again,.

Ref: the Stalin/Lenin double act. "To me Comrade.. No, to you Comrade...." Lemon Yellow Moskvich Wagon for me please, in the absence of a Scaldia Volga M21 Wagon. Phew. Haven't seen Dacias that clean, even when I worked at a main dealer in the late 80s.

Land Rover OHV units. 2052/2286/2495cc NAD, and the 2286P. Bulletproof. I have seen them run with about a third of the recommended coolant and oil levels for a couple of hundred miles before giving up the ghost.... (Mine has had a cracked block for 3 years) Also, the related, but so much more fragile/nicer sounding 3412cc P and D Santana 6 cylinder units. Basically the 2286 with another half lobbed on one end.

On the day of the moon landings, I was on a Qantas 707 heading for Bermuda. I lived there for 2-3 years.. we had a Karmann Ghia, PO143. It was light blue. We then moved to Mauritius in 1974 after a short stint in the UK. There, we had a Toyota 1000. No idea of the reg number

Got a V50... love it to bits, the Wife hates it. So, we're looking at a Freelander 2. Sort of related, like this (Puts thumb in mouth and blows cheeks out) Ford C1 (Focus/Mazda 3) platform, PSA 2 litre 16V diesel. Getrag "Manual" Wet clutch Autobox for a Japanese soft-roader. . FL2? S80 platform, PSA 2.2 16V diesel, Aisin (Japanese) 6 speed Autobox. all made pretty much by Ford, both of them.... Upgrade? The FL2 will be the highest trim level which has only a sunroof as an addition to the spec of the Volvo. But we'll lose keyless entry, Blind Spot Warning mirrors, and the stealth mode of a dark blue Volvo Estate at dusk on a busy motorway....

This is a December 1970. It's been in my daily use since 2008.

That's utterly beautiful. A mate had two in Orange. One we rescued from Blackhall Rocks where some kids were going to push it off the edge after it ran out of petrol. I gave them £20 for it. I took it to my mate in Nottingham and he restored it. He had an original owners manual that stated "Do not spark on a slop". I'd have this as a memorial to him, as he passed away about 10 years ago. But I have no cash. May it go to a deserving home!

It has a perfectly traditional parking brake lever. It' s a Focus platform, therefore all the bits that break will be cheap. (Late 2008 V50)

Well.... I have a Belgian built Volvo with a French engine, (PSA DW10) and a German built (for a Japanese soft roader) twin wet clutch 6 speed "auto". 2 years in and it's been absolutely faultless. Cue expensive repair bill.

In fact, most potential purchasers would be happy to have had the possibility of corrosion removed, and a good look at her underskirts too...