dozeydustman

Sadly I need to get the old house cleared out and gardened by Monday next, FOTU on Saturday, friendly mechanic may have to look. Hopefully it’s just a drop link or something similar.

I dailied a couple of Scimitars between 2001 and 2005. The first was really reliable, only twos failures were caused by poor quality HT leads and later a seizing trunnion. It had a few sensible upgrades but was otherwise as it came out the factory. Second Scimitar was a pain. By the time I got it running reliably it needed a while lot of other parts overhauling, both mechanical and structural to the rollover bar mounts. It also had a really bad manual choke conversion and so many bodges once I started stripping parts down for overhaul I lost interest. Both were more than capable of keeping up with traffic at the time with braking performance to match. Something 80s-onward with good parts supply in theory would be usable daily. If you’re going older make sure it’s a good one to start with and parts supply in the event of FTP doesn’t mean waiting for back orders or parts quality roulette. Cars hate prolonged periods of inactivity I echo the comments re: drivers bullying and the need to change your driving style to compensate for poor braking performance.

Guy next door has been doing DIY since 6am. Another neighbour has chickens. Don’t mind that, I’d love 2-3 hens clucking around in the garden. Except they have a rooster which is non-stop from 4am-is to whenever the sun goes down. And yesterday afternoon the Saab started making a clonking noise from the rear suspension. Great.

@ETCHY https://www.imps4ever.info/specials/whomobil.html

Yes Pertwee gave it to a fan on the proviso he could borrow it back for Dr Who events and shows etc. It does still exist. WVO 2M is the reg IIRC

There wasn’t much Ultra about the Horizon Ultra I had. Basically an LS trim with a sunroof and red piping on the grey velour. Nothing stylish about PSA’s ‘Style’ limited edition as they were all base spec. The Samba Style had a brown cloth interior (not even velour) I think on the 205 & 309 the GE/XE trim was replaced by the Junior in the early 90s, and the Style replaced the GL/XL, both were originally specials. Upgrade from the most poverty spec GE by paying almost as much the GL but only get a fag lighter and some offensive wheeltrims

Likewise if you see a fat bloke in a Saab estate waving like a wally it’ll be me!

I did say it’s probably worth getting it repaired but the friend’s DIL wants shot of it. She’s trying Philip Schofield WBAC and CTB first but I reckon they’d offer buttons.

I’ll ask her. Many thanks

Friend of my wife has asked if I can fix her daughter-in-law’s car which ‘catastrophically’ failed the MoT on an insecure seat belt mounting and corrosion, along with needing an exhaust. All I know at the moment it’s a 60-plate Citroen of some description with about 92k. SL60HPU is the registration. I don’t have welding gear (in any case my welding is terrible) so I can’t get it back on the road, but if someone on here wants some pictures for possible spears and reapers I can get them.

All of the FUN.

If that’s Chichester I saw a red mini in there yesterday morning while I got coffees for the office on way to work. Had I know it was a shiter I’d have said hi. Austin looks a lovely old thing. Well played!

Walking from father in law’s flat in Barnham to collect our takeaway, and this lovely old thing popped out the station car park. Sounded like an auto as it pulled away. The dustbin lid hubcaps make me think it’s an Alpine

Unfortunately 3 of the local independents cannot supply and fit within our timescale, which is 2 weeks. We’re gonna trim what we want down somewhat as I can fit carpet in perfectly square rooms and lay & fit the vinyl we want in the bathroom. I did notice the amount of vinyl on the order was much higher than the actual square meterage so a piece of offcut may well be all we need. Plenty to look at DIY wise I think

We’re going there tomorrow… Had a quote from Tapi to do the place. HFM???

We’ve finally completed on house purchase and picked keys up at half 1 this afternoon. first of all, assess what needs doing. We were left some paint. I’m sure that’s still viable…. next, this has to go: Probably lay it in the garage to keep me warm when I have to fix something on a car. Unless anyone wants it for their house….

PM me if you get really stuck, I’m travelling past Gatwick leaving Chi at about half 12. Will have a smelly dog in the car though. This is assuming you’re not going to Heathrow!

EPG went a bit wrong last night…

These are incredibly simple and unbreakable. Before I moved to Sussex I used to cut the cricket and rugby pitches for my sports club with the later 3600 and a selection of apparatus on the 3-point. If you need any parts and fluids for it use agriline. If you plan on using the 3-point hitch check the hydraulic pump - it’s at the front of the tractor and if it’s an original x000 series it looks like a starter motor with pipes running to and from. Once the seals go on them they’re a bugger to repair so I would recommend changing to a x610 series hydraulic pump which has a filter and requires a section of hose from the main reservoir line to the pump itself, but never seem to fail - won’t win prizes for originality but if it’s going to be a working machine it’s a great help. Good luck with it!

Pela* pump I ordered has arrived. Can finally give the Saab its oil change. Looks like a job for the weekend.

Just ordered the cam belt for the C2. Last record of it being changed was 2015

I’ve been watching this chap from Switzerland for some time, he normally restores old tools man of which would be useful to car repair. His attention to detail is second to none, and his second channel he does explanatory videos on how to do various metalworking techniques. He’s just started a car resto.

1996 Ford Escort, as belonging once to my brother. All I remember is it was a P reg. Not my brothers, his was red. Wikipedia grab. His was a higher spec but not quite plush as a Ghia, I think it was an LX with a 1.8 Zetec. The engine was good. By the time the Mk6 (which he had) was around, Ford had made everything adjustable (well, at least on this one, it had seat height, column adjust for reach and rake, and a few other goodies) which made it more comfortable for me than the Mk3 & Mk4 I'd driven previously. Trouble is it felt old. The Mk3 was a perfectly adequate car for 1980/1, the average car for the average person. Handling and ride were reasonably good but not outstanding. By the time of the Mk6, it didn't feel that it had progressed with time, whereas the Astra, offerings from PSA, Renault etc were crisper on the road. It was also bugged with electrical issues and was forever getting through front wishbones (this may be my brother's driving as opposed to them in general). The one my grandad owned and my dad's Escort BT works van (S181TOA?) were also plagued with various electrical issues. Pros - roomier than the previous models, well designed dashboard, comfy seats. Cons - Felt dated compared to rivals, not that reliable in my experience. Had I driven a well sorted one of these, my opinion may be different.

2002 Suzuki Ignis. I won one on a raffle here run by Cavcraft. As an car it was brilliant and surprisingly versatile for its small size. I did fit in it and while not the most comfortable for long journeys it did everything reliably. Quite easy to work on as per my thread on this forum. It was quite juicy though, didn't get much more than 40mpgs out of it even on a long run. Great for a town runaround, but it's not a long distance cruiser at all. Pros: reliable, great for nipping around town, tonne bag fits in the back. Indicators right. Sprightly engine. Cons: not the most comfy for a longer journey, the upright driving position didn't suit my wife, nobody could fit behind me in the back, woolly handling, high clutch biting point (3/4 the way up, every Suzuki I've driven has been the same), not that great on fuel for a small 1.3 engined car. Needs good quality tyres to make the best of the ride and handling. Citroen C2. We're on our second. The first, a Silver diesel I bought from Wuvvum was a great little car to drive, as AFAIK the only car on here to get a his'n'hers Woollarding, but it had some quirks and foibles. Because French? Our current (blue) one is a 1.1 with the TU lump and runs pretty much bob on, but is quite gutless. Again a great little town car, also good on the twisty A & B roads round here. The 1.1 isn't the best on motorways as it's approaching 4,000rpm and sounds a little busy. The diesel cruised at nearer 3,000rpm. Both the diesel and the petrol are very economical. Surprisingly spacious behind the wheel (both ours are/were SX trim) so you get height adjusting seat and adjustable steering column. Split fold rear tailgate has its uses but I really think a normal hatch would have been better, especially as there's a 4" or so lip with the lower tailgate down. Versatile rear seats which fold flat, or can be shuffled about to make a little more room for your shopping. 'Greengrocer's weighing scale' rev counter is easy to read, but I struggle sometimes with the digital speedo. The air con is fantastic in these. Pros: cheap to run - around town we get high 40s mpg out the 1.1 and got high 50s out the diesel. On a long run we eked 72mpg out the diesel, but have yet to do a long run in the petrol. Comfy, surprisingly spacious, nice handling and ride, especially with decent boots on. Can get a fair bit in it with the seats down. Marmite factors - Digital speedo, split tailgate. Cons - 1.1 is very gutless; it's great up to 3rd gear then in 4th and 5th it runs out of puff easily. Typical French poor quality flimsy feeling plastic trim inside. Needs Lexia to fix most things a standard code reader can't diagnose. PAS is over-assisted on the petrol one.

My brother’s Mrs had an ‘02(?) plate Rover 45. Both me and my brother could only get in if we opened the sunroof and poked our heads through it. Somewhere there is a photo on a family chat or on Faceache. I’ll have to find it. EDIT: found the one of my bro sitting in it - he is 4" taller than me