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tommytwo

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  1. Like
    tommytwo reacted to fatharris in FatHarris - tales of a motoring moron ***More engine work***   
    Another productive few hours.
    Ran the BX for 15 minutes to get the oil/Berryman mix up to temperature before draining. The exhaust fumes fill the garage quite quickly, so I tried helping it along with the spare Laguna pipe 😅

    (It did not help.)
    After fifteen minutes of idling, I cracked open the drain plug and noticed just how thin the oil coming out was. I know I'd added about 800ml of Berryman, but even with that factored in, it was too thin.
    I slapped another coat of primer onto the areas I'd applied Puraflex to.


    And left the oil to drain as much as possible.
    Had another check of the LHM system and started preparing it for a first run. Pleased with how the repairs look now everything is back in place. OSF sphere screwed back on and looking fine!


    Once the oil fully drained, the sump plug was refitted, a new oil filter attached (old one was stamped 2016, which would tally up with the lack of use it has had since then) 

    And the oil topped up to roughly the correct level. The car wasn't level so I didn't want to overfill it.

    Next job was to reattach the front wheels, I also slid a set of ramps underneath the wheels to give a bit of clearance.

    As I was planning on priming the LHM system, I needed the cooling system to work, so I ended up changing the thermostat. Was going to do it at the same time as the timing belt, but there you go.

    The LHM belt was reattached to the pulleys and the HP pump supply line was disconnected and primed.

    MrsH was roped in at this point to start the engine whilst I connected the supply line. For some reason, the LHM pump belt lost its tension so this was resecured.
    And after a few minutes, success! The car was suspended on LHM for the first time in nearly a year.

    Early indications are promising for the engine smoke too, there seemed to be a lot less clouds on acceleration. Once the engine got warm and the levels were re-established, I started exercising the suspension by alternating between max and minimum extension. The struts are a little bit sticky and creaky but nothing too unexpected for a car that's been sat a while.
    I bled the cooling system of all air and was dismayed to notice the temperature gauge still wasn't giving a reading, despite the new thermostat proving serviceable and the top hose getting hot. I shut the engine down and suddenly:

    Ah, everything IS working fine, it's just me being the idiot. I've had a prod with the multimeter and found the 'earth' terminal I was connecting to is a perfect earth in Key position 1, but 12v comes through when set to ignition.
    Luckily, I added plenty of spare wire to the earth wire so I can simply connect it to a proper earth point instead of being lazy.
    Anyway, seeing as it's mother's day, I'm knocking it on the head tonight to enjoy some time with MrsH. I'll pop in tonight to put a final coat of paint on the welding repairs before moving onto the next section.
    Last thing I did was place four clean rags at each corner to check for static LHM leaks. Hopefully they'll still be clean tomorrow!

    I'm currently debating whether it is even worth doing the head gasket any more. Any advice? 
    Cheers.
  2. Like
    tommytwo reacted to Dyslexic Viking in 1963 Mercedes Benz 190DC Fintail. New charging system.   
    The wiring for the new alternator is done. All that remains is to test if the alternator charges.
    And I've received a box of parts so can get started on the next thing.

     
    And the next thing is to change the clutch master, if one is capable then it is possible to overhaul the old one, but I'm not so I just change to a new one.
    '
     
    The tank part on this new one is bigger than the old one, but luckily it fit. And with new fluid and bleeding the system the clutch seems to work.

     
    The old one seems to be original to the car so it has really done its job. It was also a little damp on the back of it so it has started leaking too.

    The next thing is to change the coolant it looks fine but I have no idea how old it is. And I was thinking of changing the upper and lower radiator hose together with this, but the lower one I got doesn't seem to fit so unsure what to do if I should just use the old one or find a new one that fits.
    That's all for now thanks for reading.
  3. Like
    tommytwo reacted to HMC in HMC- AUTOSHITE 2.0   
    Deffo, very friendly and knowledgeable. Had a good chat with Boss Man. It was tempting to select one of a variety of full leather interior retrim options for £not a lot that he offered,  but my first priority was simply to reinstate the rear passenger compartment.
    Plus a bit of me thinks the USP of this p38 is that its not wall to wall leather with tasteful contrasting piping; and id like to try and keep the plush fabric vibe alive, as most survivors are optioned / dead cow. ( maybe ultimately they have a tan fabric option and i can bin everything)
    Got to say, p38 bits are dirt cheap- speaking as a rolls owner!
     
     
  4. Like
    tommytwo reacted to Skcat in SKcats fleet, seat cordoba top end engine rebuild!   
    Been doing more work on the dodge, all welded up, indicators bulb changed. It has loads and only one being out makes it flash pretty fast. 
    Fitted remote central locking which makes it much nicer to live. 
    Treated all the metal work, ran the loom i removed and Refitted the air suspension pump. All back together again. Looks good!
    I need change the front ARB bushes but i dont think it will make any difference to the way it handles. 
    Mot booked for next monday wish me luck. 
  5. Like
    tommytwo reacted to eddyramrod in Wtf is going on with car insurance prices?   
    To answer @Flat4's original question: unregulated profiteering.  Same as everything else.
  6. Like
    tommytwo reacted to grizz in Grizz’s OCD Awesome ASTRO Van 🚙, VW Caddy Van 🚐 Now a Green Toad 206 CC 🐸   
    Because my wifi is so spectacularly rubbish I need to sometimes write a post in notes before copying it to post to various other websites. 
     
    This is the only one that actually posts like that @Westbay
     
    The joys of having to use what you have.  
     
    Just cancelled my Sky TV subscription an hour ago. That was an extended waste of money. 
     
    If I can find a better, cheaper internet and phone provider that will be the next cancellation. 
  7. Like
    tommytwo reacted to HMC in HMC- AUTOSHITE 2.0   
    When i got my s class, it would be on its bumpstops after about a couple of hours and do a lowrider impression, along with the airmatic red warning message of doom on the dash. Usually people run a mile but as said s class was cheap enough, I thought- why not, its only air finding a way out somwhere?
    It looked cool but basically valves should maintain the ride height when the car is not being used so something was amiss. Despite my limited skills I decided that fixing borked merc air suspension was something i should have a go at. The compressor also made a very loud noise as well so i decided to jack/axle stand  it and have a look…

     

    So the noise was certainly from the sprung rubber bushings being replaced with cable ties, which were basically clamping the compressor to the bodywork, acting like a sounding board;hence the noise. As it was VERY noisy i couldnt rule out the compressor itself (which had been replaced at some stage already) being on its last legs. Very much so as it was working overtime to counter the deflating suspension.
    I also thought there might be an issue with the valve block (sat above the compressor) as the whole car sank, rather than one end or corner which might otherwise suggest a local rather than control system pressure loss.
    I was working on a few assumptions but decided a second hand valve block and compressor would target a few issues at once.

    £80 quid later i had the sub assembly ready to go. 
    This lives under the OSF wheel arch….

     
    Being methodical i marked up all air lines…

    And swapped it all over piece by piece.


    And before long the spaghetti was all back where it should be..
     

    And with crossed fingers I started it up, the properly isolated compressor was silently doing its job. Or was it? Being so used to the racket i was worried it was inoperative! but once the totally depressurised system was pumped back up , no longer do i have a low rider on its bump stops after a few hours parked, and its working perfectly, Result! 
  8. Like
    tommytwo reacted to juular in Juular's Scandi Noir. Volvo C70, 240 &122. Cylinder bingo.   
    The right bits finally arrived, so that's the 240 head back together and ready to go on the car.
    New stem seals on the intake valves.

    New intake and exhaust valves on #3.

    New valve hushers on the stem tips.

    Camshaft back on. I'll need to check the clearances but I'll do that with the sprocket attached as I don't want to damage the cam shaft thread.

    I just realised that all 3 Volvos have now had their engines in bits, not because they are troublesome but from unrelated and unlucky indirect failures of some kind. In this case I'm certain it was caused by the mix being far too lean as it was when I received the car, and the ignition being too advanced to run on 95.
    Rare mention of the C70 here as it has been running beautifully after I rebuilt the engine a couple of years ago. I don't often get a chance to really stretch the legs on this car as the roads are so congested and full of blobs going everywhere at 40mph, but the other day I really did get a good run at it.

    That route largely avoids the beaten track, passes through some lovely scenery and has some utterly amazing driving roads that snake into distance with perfect sight lines. At one point it felt like I was driving endlessly without seeing a single other car. Pure perfection.


    It would have been better in a manual car, but the fruity noise of the T5 is enough to make it feel special enough.
    Mpg: who gives a shit!
  9. Like
    tommytwo reacted to warren t claim in Taxi Drivers Past and Present - Any Stories To Share; funny, interesting, scary etc.?   
    Now and again I fail to engage my brain before using my mouth and not say the right thing. Here's a case in point.
    I was chatting as usual with a lady punter I was running home when this happened.
    Punter. Are you finishing soon? I can't wait to get home and into bed.
    Me. Me too. I can't wait to join you in a couple of hours.
    What I meant to say was something vanilla about looking forward to finishing my shift and going to bed but I tripped over my words. I immediately understand my mistake and glance in my mirror at her, a lady in her early to mid 60s and see that she's blushing.
    Punter. Really? I can stay awake for you as you're offering!
    Me. Honestly, I didn't mean it that way and you don't have to do that for me.
    Punter. Two hours is about long enough to have a shower and change into some lingerie. What would you like? I've got lots for you to choose from! 
    About now I'm wondering how the fuck I'm going to worm my way out of this one!
    Punter. I'm sure that you're not shy so I've got some toys I'd like to share with you!
    Fuck! Fuck! Fuck Fuck! I'm now desperately trying to think of some sort of excuse.
    Me. I've got a bit of a cock problem and I'm totally out of cheeky blue knob pills. 
    She looks a little let down but insists that I write down her phone number for when I've managed to grab some Mycoxafloppin tablets later in the week
  10. Like
    tommytwo reacted to warren t claim in Taxi Drivers Past and Present - Any Stories To Share; funny, interesting, scary etc.?   
    Carrying pets. As a rule, I've never had a problem carrying dogs. Pets quite often make better passengers than people and I always carry some dog treats in my cab for our furry passengers. Today was different. I had a job taking an OAP lady and her small poodle for a two mile trip.  When we get there I get out of the cab to help her with her bags and as she's getting the money from her purse £5 blows out of her hand. I run to chase it and at that point, her poodle decides to attack me and sinks its fucking teeth into my leg! She says sorry and gives me a whopping 20p tip to compensate.... My previous scary pet situation happened many years ago. I had to pick up a young lady from the vets in Wallasey to take her to Oxton. She got into the back of my Montego (I did say this was a long time ago) with a pet carrier. Throught the trip she was looking into the pet carrier and saying "you be a good boy Jasper, we'll be home soon". My mum had a Cat called Jasper at the time so in my head I assumed that it was a cat in the pet carrier. As we were driving up a dark bit of Boundary Rd she squealed that Jasper's escaped! My eyes dart around the inside of my Montego hoping that Jasper isn't dangling off the drooping headlining but oh no! Jasper isn't a cat. Jasper is a fucking python and Jasper was coiling himself around my left leg! How the hell I managed not to bury my BL barge into the fence at the local city farm is a miracle! She unwaraps Jasper from my leg and puts him back into the carrier, but not before bopping him on the nose and telling him that he's a naughty boy!
  11. Like
    tommytwo reacted to Schaefft in Schaefft's Bargain Barge Extravaganza - A8 gone, 540i Update   
    The E65 is the daily now until the 540i will be the vehicle of choice end of next week for the holiday trip back home, filling it with all of the leftover 750i parts-donor junk that's surprisingly unsaleable in the UK yet in high demand in Germany. I'll hopefully get my repaired key fob tomorrow as well as setting off the alarm every time I unlock it is getting a little old now.

    Before Sunday dinner we stopped by at my previous place which some long-term readers of the thread might recognize. The Senator, Safrane, Celsior and my ivory Mark VIII all received some pretty extensive work in what was basically a public single car space for one of the flats there. Getting a private driveway was such a big leap forward and I'm hoping that the next move will bring even greater flexibility to properly work on all the shite I own now.
    Speaking of the Celsior, the bodyshop I left it with to get the MOT welding done came back to me with an overview of the work needed. To keep things brief, it'll cost 4 times the price I originally paid for the car to get it all done😂

    Then again it was probably the cheapest Celsior ever sold here, and certainly one of the very cheapest running and driving LS400s. I knew there was a hole in the inner rear wheel arch, turns out the sill the hole leads into needs sorting as well, and the other sill might not be that much better. As often the plastic covers can hide quite a lot, I was just hoping that a car of this quality would have some better rustproofing but then again it was negelected from the moment it arrived in the UK so yeah. Another good example and warning why I don't want to see road salt on any of my cars anymore.

    In yet another unusual move the S8 has been sent off to get checked over by a garage. I've done a lot of work on the car myself but always wanted to send it down to Devon to have it looked over by the D2 A8/S8 specialist in the country. Unfortunately due to some health issues, drama and changes of focus for that person it never happened so its been mostly sitting for a year waiting for a confirmation. The original blocker for an MOT was an ABS light indicating an ESP pump issue (a classic for my cars at this point). Unfortunately compared to BMW or Mercedes this would actually be quite an involved job. Since it has developed an excessive leak from one of the transmission cooler lines since, and with so many other cars needing work, I thought this might be a good moment to hand it off to the professionals and see how they do. They come highly recommended with a good work ethic, something that seems incredibly hard to come by around here with very few exceptions. Noone has pride in what they are doing anymore. Lets see how this one goes.

    Bonus snow photo of the Corona before it all melted. Immediately started up without issues after being parked for weeks, too. Fingers crossed the Celsior can be just as good with most weaknesses sorted now.
  12. Like
    tommytwo reacted to Six-cylinder in Schaefft's Bargain Barge Extravaganza - A8 gone, 540i Update   
    I don't know what you mean!

  13. Like
    tommytwo reacted to Roverjoe in A Sentimental Honda Civic Restoration   
    Its been a while since the last post, however i have managed to recently get some more jobs done to the civic, These were mainly jobs off the car such as refurbishing parts etc. As i dont fancy welding and painting the bodywork in the winter months due to being outside. 
     
    First Things First was the Fuel Filler Neck, as you can see its pretty rusty. They Like to do this on the Civics and Rover 400/45s Thankfully mine has not got any holes so ive treated the rust as best i could then coated it with Hydrate-80 then primed and painted black. The finishing result looked pretty good to say that some of the rust was quite pitted.


     
    Next up was the Rear Lower Control arms, These are a Spare set so thankfully i can do them whilst not having to have the car in bits. These can be really expensive brand new nearing like £300 for one arm. and any of the aftermarket ones are them over the top "boy racer" ones with the bright colours. With this car being 100% Standard i wanted to use the parts that are original to the car. 
    Here is the Arm being painted, all the Rust was removed, it was then Primed and painted Black, once set the Mating surfaces for the bolts were then cleaned up to look original. 

     
    Finally The Fuel tank. At first i was thinking of buying a new one but it turned out that the one i had was not that bad in the end. when i took it off the car it looked very corroded but after cleaning it, it came up well. I also noticed the fuel pump was also covered in that same underseal used on the underside of the car its a bit of a blessing and a curse as its protected the fuel pump really well, however it was an utter pain in the backside to clean up. Still even had the Original Bosch sticker on it underneath lmao. 

     
     
    For the fuel tank i wanted to remove all the rust and then stonechip it to protect it from further road exposure. So i went out and got some generic Hammerite stone chip to do the job. I was pretty chuffed with how it came out, a nice smooth finish, which was what i was after. I did put it on thick in some areas mainly around the edges and the lip of the tank to prevent any rust from creeping in. 

     
    I finally after many hours got the pump stripped down and cleaned up. surprisingly it came up really well not as much rust as i thought there would be either. 

     
    I didn't get many photos of the process between this and fitting it all back as it was getting dark and i just wanted to get the thing done. I painted the top of the fuel pump with some brush on hammerite black as it was the only thing i had lying around at the time, the finish could have been better but to be honest its gonna be under the car and covered up so its not exactly in view and it will just protect it from rusting out. But there we go, all refurbished with new clamps and nuts, all cleaned up and painted. Im pretty pleased with the outcome of this. Just need to get round to doing the Straps next and fitting the pads back on. That'll be a job for tomorrow...
     

     
     
     
    Before and After:



  14. Like
    tommytwo reacted to Yoss in Chod on Google maps.   
    Ok, this thread might sink like a stone or it might be just me keeping it going. Am I the only one who spends hours trawling Google maps in obscure places seeing what's about? I mean I tend to start looking at places to visit by train, see if the station looks nice and how close it is to the town centre but whilst I'm there I can't help finding a housing estate or two to see what's parked there. 
    So as I keep finding stuff I've been taking screenshots so I thought I'd share some. And then on future armchair expeditions I can dump them here to keep them all together. 
    Because it's me we'll start with some old Škodas. I am actually going to CZ next month to look for old Škodas of the railway variety but if I find any Favorits it'll be a bonus.
    A nice pair.

     
    A Favorit estate crossing a bridge

     
    A badly parked Fav with a fuzzed out rear hubcap. Why ever could Google have found this necessary?

     
    Lada, Punto and Felicia.

     
    Felicia in Volvo Racing Blue. A very early one with black hubcaps.

     
    And another in a rather fetching pale blue, not unlike my own Favorit, neither colours I can remember seeing over here.

     
    This is a calender shot. Slightly shonky Felicia on some waste ground near some derelict railway buildings, under a nice tree and parked next to a bin. There must be Škoda joke in there somewhere. This one is actually in Hungary.

     
    And in complete contrast to the above, another Felly in a very grand setting.

     
    And lastly what most people think of when you say old Škoda. With more bins.

     
     
    Feel free to add your own. Or just leave it to me. 
  15. Like
    tommytwo reacted to Rocket88 in 1993 Citroen XM   
  16. Like
    tommytwo reacted to Mr_Bo11ox in Classic Kit Cars - The Filby Files. Now with Stevens cars on P4   
    Wonderful. Fantastic story BFG, thanks so much for sharing it. 10/10 UNEXPECTED DELIGHT
  17. Like
    tommytwo reacted to busmansholiday in Rover 820 - Scrap car, back on the road! (Update; 16/01/24)   
    It's when you see it parked up amongst modern tat you realise how overbloated modern cars have become.
    Congratulations on the work though.
  18. Like
    tommytwo reacted to Spiny Norman in The grumpy thread   
    All my driving life I've been on the wrong end of 'headlamp wars'. First cars I had were fitted with feeble tungsten bulbs when all the newer stuff had halogena. Then when I started getting more up to date old shitters with halogen lights all the BMWs and Aldis had upgraded to Xenon which were pretty blinding in the mirror or worse, coming towards you,  and when I got my first car with weapons grade xenons a couple of years ago everyone else on the road has graduated to billion watt LEDs which automatically home in on my retinas when they're coming towards me.
    I can't win.
     
  19. Like
    tommytwo reacted to Schaefft in End of year Tat Accounts.   
    The car I was considering bidding on went for the price its actually worth (over 3 times the estimate) so there should be no further changes for the rest of the year. So with that in mind settle in, here's the score:
    Out:

    The ex-Spain expat/AS GS300 purchased last year, sold in summer. Utterly excellent car, probably one of the overall best luxury cars you can buy for rediculously silly money right now. Driven it as daily doing a few longer trips in it. Replaced one headlight and done front brakes, would have kept going forever with minimum investment but needed the space so sold it to a mate as his first car in the UK, now living in Leith. Might get a V8 one thats not silver in the future, just can't go wrong.
    Edit: Forgot about the A6 Avant! Sold in spring, was an excellent car for little over a year I owned it. Was basically completely free motoring in the end aside from petrol:

    In and Out:

    The oxford green 1999 BMW E38 728i. Bought on ebay beginning of the year (abysmal ad) for very little money to get it back on the road. Fixed a few minor things, cleaned it up and had the bonnet resprayed, first viewer bought it. Now also happens to live in Leith.

    The ex- @sdkrc Alfa 166 Twin Spark. Bought for just a few bits I needed for my busso (in the In section below), very rough example that however benefitted many of the other few remaining 166 in the country. I'm fairly sure there was very little left of it in the end once the next owner got what he needed out of it.

    The ex- @HMC 1997 Citroen XM V6. What an excellent car, very thankful to have had the opportunity to own one of these with such low miles. Done many detail improvements that made it a better car while I had it. Now with @Rocket88 receiving more attention, no doubt making it even better.

    The 2007 BMW E65 750i parts car. Bought as interior donor for the 745i and made a few quid while at it. Had a ruined engine so no regrets, was a very nice car before it ran out of oil (the poor previous owner must have lost thousands on it within 2 months).
    In:

    2000 Alfa Romeo 166 Super 3.0 manual, in Aurora Iridescent. To me the holy grail of Alfa 166s. This one was bought in March right after returning from the NEC in Birmingham, having had a chat with a 166 owner there. I was interested in them for quite a while and always said I would buy any 166 in this color, should I ever find one. Well, this one happened to have the perfect engine/gearbox combo AND be low mileage. Unfortunately the latter doesn't necessarily mean much for Italian cars, as I have learned that they age about twice as fast as a comparable German car, evidence of it absolutely everywhere. Poor engineering decisions/cost cutting everywhere, if it wasn't for the badge it could be mid-2000s Chinese. However, it is glorious to drive and after getting it back on the road (after some struggling) I'm glad I have it. If it just wasn't made by Fiat...

    The 52k mile 2002 BMW E65 745i. Bought on FB marketplace somewhere near Southampton where it was abdondoned in a muddy yard for 3 years. Clogged up sunroof drains eventually caused leaks that wrecked havoc inside the car. However, after months of investigations, learning and fixing one issue after the other its finally back on the road. The plan is to fix the remaining electrical gremlins and sort all the cosmetics, with a few upgrades like soft close taken from the donor 750i and fitted with most of the replacement interior eventually.

    The 1994 Infiniti Q45! Most people here know what Lexus had with the LS400 in the 90s, hardly anyone in Europe knows that Nissan launched its main competitor around the same time with the Infiniti Q45, which was never sold here. I bought this incredibly clean, low mileage (around 50k km!) facelift example in Birmingham of all places. It came on Primera wheels and coilovers that a waay too low for what this car is supposed to be. I always wanted one, although ideally the more distinctive pre-facelift. With this one selling for rediculously little money and maybe a handful (at most) in the country I couldn't say no though. Unfortunately put on the back burner due to many other, more needy arrivals.

    R129 attempt #2! After buying (and selling) a cheap R129 SL320 last year I didn't want to miss the opportunity to pick up another facelift example, however this time in better shape, with the way more desireable 5.0l V8, but for the same money! Currently still in the process of sorting the ESP related issues it has, with it being winter on the backburner for now. However, Im hoping to get it on the road for summer at the latest.

    The German E39 523i Touring. Why spend hundreds on a rental when you can have an E39. I miss driving my 528i (further below) and ideally would have a car available when visiting family flying over there. It will need its TUV inspection soon so I'm hoping the bills will not ruin my whole justification for owning it. Received a deep clean shortly after getting it, should see more of it soon.

    I always liked the Z3 and with both of my brothers currently owning Z cars (among them a black facelift Z3 like this) I felt like I will end up with one sooner or later. It had to be a clean facelift 2.8 or 3.0 manual, and with this one popping up at Mathewsons car auctions I thought why not register for a car auction for the very first time to see how things might go. Well, I put my test bid (also the first bid) in and to my surprise only won the car! Turns out it was an utter bargain as aside from a CEL I got a well sorted Z3 in a desireable spec for crazy little money. If you can get one of these for under 3k, just do it, now! Currently in hibernation.

    When you see a Buick Riviera for sale for 250 quid, or anything else interesting really, you don't wait around and just buy! Well, I had to pay a hundred quid more to actually seal the deal. This 1989 example with the CRT touchscreen (!) arrived somewhat recently. Clearly a longer-term project, I'm currently waiting for the V5 to arrive. Non-runner, high mileage, but with the 3800 V6 I'm not particularly worried. Surprisingly clean underneath, too. Would part out for much more easily.

    Many people regret not buying their dream car when they still had the chance to aquire one for relatively little money. Many of them were once common vehicles that age and neglect reduced to now comparatively small numbers. The E30 BMW is one of those examples, once cheap, now desireable, with the rarer variants demanding big money. The E39 will (and in some cases already does) follow the same path, and a manual transmission E39 540i Touring is pretty much as rare and desireable as things can get for the 5-Series. RWD, manual V8 sports wagons just aren't a thing that you can buy nowadays. Having found one, in somewhat neglected state, for as little as I paid for it, would be pretty much unheard of no matter where you live in the world. This one runs, drives, has MOT, new tires and is a nice spec, so naturally I had to jump on it. This will most likely be a rolling restoration for the next couple of years, doing every bit of preventative maintenance it will need to get it in perfect shape again. 1 of maybe 15 left in the country.

    Last arrival for this year, the Japanese import S500 Coupe. Once again bought sight unseen for very cheap, this S500 will need a bit of attention going forward. With around 61k miles it should be a very nice thing to drive though. Together with the SL500 and 500SEL this is 5.0l 90s Merc #3 right now.
    No movement:

    1996 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC, semi abdondoned since summer last year, needs a replacement gearbox, currently no space on the drive to do the work.

    My 1996 E39 528i. Not my first car but sure feels like it. Currently waiting to have its jacking points repaired. Hopefully early next year after the Celsior comes back.

    1995 Candian-spec Oldsmobile Aurora #1 Now two decades off the road, 6 of which in my possession. Still in storage, might receive some attention eventually. Fuel system is the main issue.

    1991 Opel Senator B with the 3.0 24V inline6. Actually in my drive now, which means I might have to force myself replacing the steering column, which was damaged when some d*ckhead attempted to steal it last year.

    The 1992 JDM Toyota Celsior. After sorting (almost) all the typical LS400 weaknesses last year not much has happened this year, as it's been waiting to get MOT welding work done. This will finally happen now so fingers crossed it will be MOT'd early next year.

    The 1992 W140 500SEL. One of my favorite cars. Started removing the entire front suspension on it (things escalated), de-rusted the subframe as much as I could, haven't put anything back together yet. Hopefully back on the road until summer next year.

    1995 Oldsmobile Aurora #2 (with the Autobahn package!). Bought right before the pandemic hit. First attempt to get it to my parents failed when transporter person crashed his trailer into oncoming traffic in September, next attempt will happen soon hopefully.

    1989 Toyota Corona EXiV. Being a Toyota it just works after having been off the road for almost a decade. Short distance daily during the summer, enjoyed some attention at this year's Toyota Enthusiats meeting in Carlisle. Continues to improve with detail by detail sorted over the last months.

    2002 Audi S8. After patiently waiting the entire year to get this in a queue to be checked over by a specialist I finally had enough and sent it to a more local VAG specialist to have a few things sorted. Hopefully the list of issues won't be too horrific and I can get on with it next year.

    1997 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC. This really hasn't been driven much at all since returning from Germany in January. A shame as its in good order, waiting to be used.

    1995 Oldsmobile Aurora #3 (on the left). I haven't done anything with this aside from robbing its fuel pump I believe. Suspected omghgf so long term project.

    The 60k mile ULEZ refugee 728i. Not a whole lot of action for this one this year aside from family transport when they were visiting. Received new wheels and a few odd bits.

    The dutch-market '92 Caprice. Not much has happened, I replaced the stuck ignition cylinder and the coil died, other than that its really just waiting for the MOT and to be registered here properly.

    The 1995 Caddy Sedan DeVille, bought together with SL #1 late last year. It received an interior clean, drop links, a functioning remote and a few other detail improvements this year. Taken on a few shorter journeys. As most other of my cars just waiting for spring.

    And that's it. As you can see, the fleet is massive, even after considering the cars that have left. On average I bought a car every 4 weeks this year, something that ovviously can't continue. Every sale is a struggle though knowing that it might be the last chance to pick up X for such little money, most of them are in the single digits in the UK (usually thats true btw, haven't seen many of previous years purchases for similar money again). Lets see what next year brings though, with a planned move at least space might be less of an issue going forward. Which obviously can't end well...
  20. Like
    tommytwo reacted to mat777 in End of year Tat Accounts.   
    Is this the one that's appeared recently in Practical Classics with one of the staffers? (Or are you said staffer?)
     
     
    My Fleet
    In:
    April - 1913 Cadillac 50hp
    Completely unplanned and had to borrow money for it, but having spotted it in the VSCC small ads there was no way I was going to pass up the chance to own a race-eligible Edwardian speedster for 1/10 of the usual entry fee - even if it will require rather a lot of work!

     
     
    November: 1962 NSU Quickly 
    Actually my dad's, but I had a large hand in procuring and collecting it. It's his actual first bike from age 16, last ridden in 1973 and kept for all these years by my grandfather before being recommissioned and gifted for a landmark birthday. Has yet to see the road again given the current weather 

     
     
    November:  Carmichael Commando (N.O.S. Chassis)
    Another unplanned impulse purchase, luckily this time I was in the midst of offloading various surplus items so had cash to burn. After the debacle of the Land Cruiser, thoughts had turned to building my ultimate "keeper" of a workshop/events/towing SUV, using the best combination of chassis, engine, body and other bits gained from years of ownership experience. I hadn't planned to start quite so soon, but when the only know example of a prime starting point is being offered for sale you don't tend to ponder....


     
     
    In and Out (and possibly shaken all about)
     
    July: 2006 Land Cruiser Amazon
    I had very high hopes for this, it was supposed to be a long term, old-skool replacement for my modern Hilux as a daily. Unfortunately things definitely did not pan out.... I will be able to spill more details once things have fully settled


     
    Out: 
    December: 1957 Green Goddess
    Bought on a whim in 2017 with grand ideas of an internal camper conversion, the khaki horror had sat in a corner of the workshop ever since as a big reminder of what happens when ideas far exceed current technical capability.  With the future extended-length 6x6 towcar now providing a much more practical proposition for "car-camping" in conditions unsuitable for tents, the future looked uncertain enough to think about selling it, as offered on here.
    As chance would have it, I was then visited by the owner of a new glamping site for an unrelated purchase, and I jokingly offered it to him. Some negotiation later over keeping it in my custody for the time being, and a deal was agreed. Whilst in some ways I'm sad she won't see the road again, this chap's creative vision will give a unique new lease of life. 

     
    Non Movers (and non-shakers)
    82 Land Rover CSW: A keeper for life. Another summer of shows, cars'n'coffee mornings, and the occasional jaunt to work.  
    99 Omega Track Slag: Another year hibernating with just the occasional start-up and wash (I can assure you that's snowfoam and not my excitement at the car, stop sniggering at the back). Some minor work such as fitting new seats and a bonnet latch, but next year I *really* need to pull my finger out and get the brakes and timing belt changed so it can go back on track. 
    90 Sea King Cockpit: Work slowly progressing, with a current focus on a permanently mounted road trailer for it. Oh, and a friend built me a lovely model of it!
    ?? Rolls Royce Meteor: Untouched in a corner of the barn for nearly 7 years now. Next on the list after the Sea King!

  21. Like
    tommytwo reacted to sierraman in Wtf is going on with car insurance prices?   
    Should we organise a whip round? 😂
  22. Like
    tommytwo reacted to Datsuncog in 1964 Volvo 122S - Amazonian rustforest. Electroshite.   
    This thing makes me so happy.
    Felt a bit emotional watching the video when it fired up and settled to a lovely, even tickover.
    Massive respect for the work done so far!
  23. Like
    tommytwo reacted to juular in 1964 Volvo 122S - Amazonian rustforest. Electroshite.   
    Plan B. I could have called it an alternate plan but I didn't.
    The belt squeal was due to the alternator managing to walk the brackets out of the engine a tad and go out of alignment. Predictable?
    I am using the wrong alternator on its wrong side.  But I'd rather make something work than spend the money because I'm miserable like that.
    Here is alternator fitting kit 2.0.

    Significantly beefier bracket / cradle and I lengthened the tensioner bar by welding two together.


    That is significantly better, but it's still very difficult to set the correct tension. Normally you'd jam a crowbar in and then tighten the top bracket, but because there is a thin coolant pipe there I'm loathe to get in about it properly.
    Here is the game changer. Turn the nut on the right to tension it up, then lock it down.

    Squeak now you bastard, I dare you.
  24. Like
    tommytwo reacted to meggersdog in The grumpy thread   
    On Saturday i did the nextdoor workshop a favour and housed a Caterham they are working on in my workshop for the weekend. I pushed it in as it doesn't start and pushed it out this morning. Nextdoor are closed due to the owner being at a funeral so I pushed the car straight out so it was in full view of the workshop.
    The owner of the car turns up and starts having a right go at me for leaving his car outside all weekend. Told him it was locked away in my workshop and I've only just pushed it out. Then he goes on about leaving it in the rain, it's never been out in the rain. It's not raining now but he can see it's been in the rain. Then he goes on about leaving his tools in it outside. It's a Caterham with canvas doors and a canvas roof not the sort of car you would leave valuables in. Properly having a go at me because his car is outside and the bonnet is off.
    If that cunt wants an MoT anytime soon I am going to be fully booked for the next three years.  
  25. Like
    tommytwo reacted to Marina door handles in Rover 827 update.... Putting things back together and a decision .....   
    Time for an update.
    In between multiple tip runs (getting rid of the remains of a rather large and mostly dead hedge) I have been attacking the Rover with the welder.
    The top section of the strut has now been surgically re attached. Seem welded along the base....

    And then puddle welded were the spots used to go.

    I also welded it from the inside to make sure of full penertration....

     

    To work in awkward places like the wheel arch (see above) I have been struggling with lamps and torches etc and then I had a moment of inspiration  - why not tape the head torch to the welding mask?

    Works brilliantly and cheaper than rushing out and buying a new mask with a built in torch. 
    Anyway back to the job in hand I have finally got around to trial fitting of the the bracket, that lives on top of the strut tower, that the seat belt attaches to.

    It still fits, so that will be the next step....
     
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