83C

Pretty much, though it’s a two-wheeled machine rather than 4. Squandered the good riding weather because since I got the Triumph back from MoT last month the keys have gone AWOL.

Friday next week. It’s not some intercontinental epic sadly, but it is to cover for some self-inflicted idiocy. Pro tip: don’t lose your only set of keys.

Oh.

This thread has given me bad ideas about going to Germany to bring back some old Opel or similar. Off to browse mobile.de for a bit.

I did wonder if I’d have actually been better leaving later and avoiding the rush hour, but then I’d hoped to be nearly home before it started. Car drives very well, I’ll get a service and a few bits done and it’ll be decent.

Finally got home. 5 hours to do 170 miles, traffic everywhere, a smash on the M6 with trucks, vans and cars, and the usual Friday night nonsense. Thanks again to @JJ0063, 11/10 would buy from again.

The pez station shot:

I have arrived.

Connection made, just. No station picture because I had to do that most undignified of things; run. Here’s a picture of a flat and near-featureless land, except the camera will only autofocus on the raindrops so you’ll just have to imagine a flat green thing: The inbound was 6 minutes late, and the booked connection time was 7 minutes. Given the next train is in an hour’s time, and showing as a rail replacement bus, this was all the incentive I needed to expend considerable energy moving rather more quickly than I would prefer. But I’m nearly at my destination, so all will be revealed soon.

The next chariot has arrived: I’m on board for a while now. Supplies: And reading material: More than anything else, I’m probably best defined as someone happiest when travelling, and like most travellers a good book is invariably part of the kit required. I’ve never gotten on with Kindles and the like, whilst I am more than happy to agree that they have significant space-saving advantages there’s nothing quite like holding a proper book. Command is a step away from what most people know Al Murray for, and much closer to a proper history book but without the Atacama-like dryness of a Max Hastings tome. For those who don’t know, Murray is a major WWII fanatic and co-hosts a podcast called We Have Ways of Making You Talk with James Holland, and they’re not afraid of bursting a few myths and untruths that have become part of accepted wisdom about the events of 1939-1945, as well as bringing to the fore names that simply haven’t received the limelight that they probably should have. The book is written in a similar style, and based on where I’ve got to so far I’d highly recommend it (and the podcast) to anyone with an interest in WWII.

A 40 minute fester here. Enough time to grab some supplies for the onward journey.

Here we go then:

• Radio volume and temp controls: always an even number. • Air vents - all in same position.

Right then, todays mission is a collection from far away (or just down the road compared to @Mr_Bo11ox’s impending odyssey) but still, it’s a day out to a nice part of the U.K. The plan, from National Rail: The second connection is the only slightly iffy bit, I’d have liked a bit more than 7 minutes but it’s either that or a 1h 7m connection. Oh well.

No idea, I never had to remove the bumper 😂

Very vehicle dependent but I do like Ronal Turbos:

Bookmarked, best of luck!

Went to a Cars & Coffee type meet this morning in Wrectwm. Some decent cars on show including: I was never much of a Nova fan but these days I’m beginning to appreciate them a bit more. The Capri was a bit interesting too, at first glance it’s a standard 280 Brooklands but it sounds too smooth to be a Cologne and barely visible behind the 15s was a 4-pot brake setup on the front and a disc conversion on the rear. Sadly never saw the owner to ask what was hiding under the bonnet, though I suspect maybe a 2.9 24v conversion.

Gave the Range Rover some long overdue attention today, with an oil and filter change. Also found the air con belt has shredded itself, probably because the compressor is seized. Think I might have to do something about that.

Much the same for me. Left the suspension in auto all the time, but did occasionally put the gearbox in sport mode. It’s done well for oil changes, it had one 7-8 months ago with me. Absolute doddle to do.

The previous generation (VT-VZ) Commodore was based on the same floorpan as the Omega, the old GM V platform. The VE was a clean sheet design by Holden that gave GM the Zeta platform and is very different to the V platform. I wonder if those alternative geometry figures were influenced at all by the HSV Clubsport variants of the VT-VZ?

Today the VXR8 went for proper 4w alignment. This all went well until the nearside leading lower arm on the rear axle (which is adjustable on the HSV variants of the VE Commodore) sheared. The garage had tried penetrating oil, heat, and then sheer force to get the outer adjusting nut to free off (having already successfully managed the inner), and the arm gave way instead 🤦🏻‍♂️ Got a lift back home, then had the fun* of extracting the spare arm off the spare subframe (lucky I bought that…) which put up a fair old fight. Fortunately it came around to my way of thinking before I went full fat gorilla on it. Back to the garage, dropped the replacement arm off and let them get on with it. Collected the car a few hours later and it drives so much better, but still isn’t exactly perfect. There was an adjustment bolt on one of the rear arms that they were understandably reticent about messing with, having already had the experience with the leading arm, so it’s good enough for now. With the spare rear subframe available to refurbish and fit later this year it’s something I’ll live with, once that is all on everything will be new and easy to adjust. Back home and it got treated to a bit of an engine bay wash and brush up: A close up of the vital details: I have to be honest and say I’m pretty satisfied with how this has turned out, it was a proper wreck when I bought it and now it’s a damn good car. The cosmetics still need attention and the clutch can judder a bit away from standstill, but they can wait for now.

Each carriage is powered, Cummins QSK-19 with 750bhp per coach. They go ok but they’re not the most refined of things to be a passenger on. Vents - no idea.

XC first class is alright to be fair, take advantage of the free drinks and snacks.

In more fleet news the Range Rover passed its MoT today, making 6/7 of the fleet this year. Just the Arnage to go, maybe later this month. I’m always glad to see the back of MoT season. I also changed the diff oil in the VXR8 to try and help solve the issues when it’s on the move. At the moment it’s suffering from some very wayward steering which is booked to be corrected tomorrow morning with a full 4w alignment on a Hunter machine. It’s also exhibited some odd behaviour where it feels like the diff is very slightly locking up and causing the back of the car to wander every so often, as well as making the odd click when turning tightly. I was relieved to see ‘nice’ black/brown used oil drain out rather than a silvery goop that would indicate something really badly wrong, and it’s been refilled with fresh oil which happens to be specific to the VXR8 and a few Land Rovers with electronic diffs. £42 for a litre bottle from the local LR dealer is the cheapest I found it, and I needed 1.2L… Still, I’ll only need to buy one bottle at the end of the summer to refill the diff when I swap the subframes over. Small mercies and all that. I keep thinking of selling the Fabia, not because there’s anything wrong with it, I just fancy something with a bit more ground clearance and chunkier tyres. But not the Range Rover. The roads around Shropshire are utterly shit and getting worse, especially where I am. The Skoda is a cracking little car, economical, goes well, handles alright and stops ok, as well as being a doddle to park and comfortable for me. But it gets lost in some of the bigger holes and my dog will soon outgrow the boot space unless I start folding the back seats down. I did consider the E320 that was for sale as it would tick the comfort and dog space boxes, but really I want something with really chunky 70-80 profile tyres, lots of ground clearance and ideally slightly shorter than a cruise liner. Something like a short wheel base Frontera diesel or a Mk.1 3dr Freelander Td4. I’d really like a Jimny but I doubt I’d fit in it and finding a non-rotten example cheap would be a bit of a mission. Ho hum.