rusty_vw_man

That’s lovely - on the BBS alloys it’s really really up there on the list of cars I’d love to have.

Ferry was about a grand - for a standard length over height space and cabin with Brittany Ferries. Cheaper in a lower vehicle. That’s booking early (9 months before sailing) price is roughly double if you book the week before. We sailed to Bilbao and returned via Santander - they seem to alternate between the two at random. Only a short drive between them though. Based on our shocking 22mpg and the need for an overnight stay on the way we worked out the ferry is the same cost as driving down through France. I might have said before, persisting with the van is just because i can’t afford the van I actually want, and I’ve got this one so I just have to make do with it!

Thanks! You never know if people are interested or if you are just shouting into the void! So this Easter trip was back to Spain - ferry to Bilbao, then Zaragoza, Valencia, Toledo and back to get the ferry home from Santander. 2200 miles, 64 hours on a ferry. Photos are a bit patchy, as due to my charging skills* my phone was often flat, because I’d plug one end into the phone, but forget to put the other end in a usb socket. Winner. Firstly churros. crispy hot loveliness dipped in molten chocolate. What’s not to love. For bonus points I saved some down my T-shirt for later. Lots of old shite around the place - loads of old French luxury saloons still doing sterling service. Car of the trip for me was this one though, what a beauty: for bonus points still apparently in everyday use. Zaragoza saw me having a squint at this, which was similar to mine but more dieselly: Weather here was a bit mixed - warm but quite wet from time to time. Next stop Valencia, which was endless orange trees that I have lots of photos of but they just look like fields of trees, and you don’t get the lovely smell. It was much warmer and more desert like - this was the campsite: whilst there I also tried pleb-shite (or cycling as the masses insist on calling it) for the first time in years. and I shit you not, found the actual holy grail - I’ve no idea what Monty Python or Indiania Jones were up to, it’s just in a side chapel in Valencia cathedral. if you believe the story it’s apparently the real deal. If you don’t it’s still a pretty impressive cup bit more camp action: Saw another nice caravelle which was for sale - lot less rusty than mine living as it had in the sun: now I’m not religious in the slightest, but the Spanish catholics know how to build a top notch place of worship next was a trip over to Toledo and Aranjuez through the most horrific weather I’d ever driven in - driving rain and sleet. Toledo was spectacular, but a bit busy for me, full of other tourists and tat shops (never had so many opportunities to buy a sword). the royals summer palace was a thing of extravagance - first some carriage shite their smoking room - not sure what they were smoking though! and the most comprehensive selection of coffee in machine id ever seen did enjoy it all, and loved the geckos in the wash block started the long trip home and had the first issue. Gears have a dog leg first, with reverse above. Couldn’t select first or reverse. Two options - shagged gear bag (there is a delicate ‘hockey stick’ that controls these gears) or linkage issues. popped the selector box off, and found that without the lock out gate in place everything worked as it should, which was a relief. There is a spring loaded ball bearing that slots into an indent that prevents this bellows collapsing, and thus locking out 1st and reverse: the ball under some pressure released at speed into the car park: but I finally found it under the white one! Next it needed some cleaning and lube, but I had to improvise worked a treat and off we went again. Made it back to the ferry where I did spot this come on - own up which one of it was you?! got home 11:30 last night and back at work today. Some minor work to do over the next couple of months then off to Finland and Northern Norway….. can highly recommend Spain, lovely people, cracking cars and some great driving. The long ferry is also worth it I think, although it was just a shade rough on the return leg - I found myself at one point in the air falling, as my bunk was swiftly coming back up to meet me! Will book it agin for next year, give us something to look forward to!

In a repeat of last Easter it’s time to drag the van to Spain - a loop of Zaragoza, Valencia and Madrid this time. Best do some prep: Best add some oil, a litre or so seems to have escaped. Excellent, with that done I’m going to call it ready to go…. It’s only a few thousand miles. Next stop Bay of Biscay 🤢 the kids are taking bets on the first to vomit.

There is - they measure it for you free of charge and offer to change the belt if it fails their test, but you pay for this bit. I may be cynical, but I wouldn’t trust me local dealer to ask me to get my wallet out regardless of any measurements. I have a very late model one, which as it turns out has a later style narrow belt fitted, which apparently is not as prone to disintegrating if you use the correct spec oil and regularly use it longer distance so it gets nice and hot. Apparently the worst thing for them is short cold drives. As it’s 7 years old shortly it’s going to get moved on anyway as company car allowance has a maximum age limit.

Two long days of cutting, welding and setting fire to things (mainly underseal, the sleeve of my overalls and my angle grinder that self combusted) I have done it: and better still it actually works: despite knowing that there is a shed load of new steel in there replacing the rusty scraps and it being so much stronger I always get the fear when I first lower it down. It needs a touch of filler and the seam line reinstating on the side, but I have plans to paint it this summer so it’ll do for now. Wing is also crusty throughout, especially the return lip so more to be done in that as well. Also welded up the front step, the missus was underwhelmed by the gaffer tape that kept the water out. No pictures of that, it was a ropey old repair to start with, and I haven’t improved the look of it, although it’s now water tight without the tape! New step section needed, but again, it’ll do for now. As an aside, if you’re slicing open packaging to get to your welding consumables, using a brand new Stanley blade, try and avoid just stabbing it with all your force into your index finger….

Hmmm, one is not like the other: still searching for that elusive solid bit that I can weld some new bits to:

It’s a common grot spot isn’t it - made some temporary’s repairs on the other side 4 years ago. This side has been done a few years before I got it by a professional. I have been keeping half an eye on it so it’s not a total surprise, but it is worse than I hoped it might be.

Time for a wash, but the jet washer dislodged a little chunk of paint, and then a little bit more: hmmm, looks a touch rusty underneath, and a bit of filler/fibreglass, which wasn’t me. I’ll just give it a quick brush over and put some rust killer on: Not sure rust converter works on air. Let’s just check round the back: Oh ffs. my trailing arm appears to be held on by a few scraps of rust and some strings of underseal. Luckily I can buy a new mount all neatly fabbed up in 4mm steel, so just need to do a bit of cutting, welding and swearing and it’ll be like new. Probably best leave it in the jack for now!

I have a secret hankering for a Chevy suburban: it’s like a car and a van and a hearse all in one. It actually has a boot larger than Lichtenstein. Fact. Think of all the shit I could fit in there, I’d be the envy of the local council tip recycling centre….

Mr Citroen decided on the C3 Picasso that the bits of metal below the rear lights would be best as part of the boot lid, giving it little wings: these mean that there are four sharp corners at exactly 5’11” from the floor. They have caused bleeding more than once. Why they couldn’t have just kept these as part of the rear hatch, or made the boot open a little further I will never know. At least when suffering from the mild concussion they give me from time to time I can forget I drive it.

Van is behaving fine so not much to say. However, took the modern (7 year old C3 Picasso) for an MOT and it failed. Since pretty much new the rear discs have looked like rusty shite, but each year have passed. This year the tester him say no - passed the brake efficiency tests, but not the visual have they been recovered from the sea test. Was a bit peeved until I found the pads had got a bit* thin metal on metal. Passed efficiency and no noises. Probably was due a change! Disc was a little crispy as well Modern cars are so much simpler - discs come with sealed bearing pre installed, no faffing around with grease, and bearing drifts, just out the box, on and do up the nut. Could get used to this. MOT man charged me a £20 partial retest for the pleasure of looking at the car from a distance and saying he could see they shiny new bits. Not sure how u feel about that, but a pass is now achieved…..

General consensus seems to be if it’s been off before your in with a shot, if it’s original it’s probably at one with the shaft. Sont think you’d get the dugga dugga in there unless you have a fancy 90 degree one.

If you haven’t seen it this is a handy if slightly optimistic run down http://www.vw-resource.com/housing.html

This is the one where the fan nut had become as one with the shaft. Having to drop the engine to sort this led to a quick engine swap with the van whilst it was out (as you do): Happy days.

It all depends if you can get the fan nut off in situ. I wish you all the luck, it is possibly the most annoying job to complete, as everything is about 5mm too big to clear what you want it to. I have managed once with engine in, and once with engine out. I would start engine in if doing it again, with engine out as plan b. Good luck!!

They were doing them 12 years ago at least, so it’s not a recent marketing gimmick.

When I lived in Lewisham I used to use the original one in Deptford arches all the time. MOTs and air con re-gas is all they did. About the only thing I miss about London! Spotless premises, fair tests and they definitely failed people (well at least they did me!). You knew where you stood though as there was never any conflict of interest with the test. I think they should all be like this to be honest. They also did early to late hours and courtesy cars, so it couldn’t be easier to get a test. They had a load of lanes, so I suspect it made money by shear volume.

Citroen Bering pickup anyone?! It’s in a fetching red oxide primer, with overspray on everything. The only real question is why?

Every time I read this thread 2 things happen/ 1) I get sad about my own abilities at welding and bodywork. 2) I look at ones for sale and dream. Keep up the good work!!

Whoops, I obviously didn’t mean those that have a love for lurid coloured Pandas!

Bonus points if they have an apprentice they bully, but call it banter.

It’s all retirement flats round here, so we also have the joy of the blue badge brigade. I have nothing against the idea of blue badges, it’s an excellent scheme however, round here it’s abused by the old! So vehicle of choice is something semi prestigious, think small Audi. It is immaculate, apart from the parking injuries on all four corners, and the wheels that have done more miles running down the kerb than off. They drive at 10mph below the speed limit (which given its 20 round here now is painful). This however is not their defining feature - that comes into play when they need to stop. Stopping is achieved by parking on the nearest junction with double yellow lines. Despite the wheels being kerbed heavily, they come to rest about a foot from the kerb. For maximum points, complete instruction of the junction visibility should be achieved. Albert will then proceed to unpack a mobility cart or two, and him and Ethel will power off at a steady pace the 10ft they need to go to the shop. Parking wardens won’t touch them, and if asked to move they will either become strangely abusive, or weirdly deaf. National Trust stickers and a ‘please leave space for my mobility chariot’ stickers are often a good early warning. Front grills may still house an AA badge or an IAM badge they got 40 years ago They often congregate around the post office, the mobility shop and the tea rooms. Other than as a method to increase minor traffic accidents and make crossing the road harder, they do act as a constant reminder to live life dangerously, on the edge as the alternative is the blue badge and a shuffle for a reasonably priced cup of tea…..

Yep - for bonus points it’s DMS Solutions, but you later find out he’s Darren Smith. Wonder how you came up with the name…..

How about ‘the alternative’ driver. Their car is a wacky* extension of their personality* - think brightly coloured Citroen Cactus, a Nissan Cube or similar automotive follies. May also be a Mazda Bongo. Typically dressed in their own crazy* style, typically comprising of Peruvian yak herding gear (you know the stuff, rough natural fabrics). Alternatively may be dressed like it’s the 1930s, or in a lot of Barbour despite living in Coventry town centre. It doesn’t matter, it’s just important that they are dressed like loads of other people but consider themselves unique. Despite driving 50k miles a year in their diesel personality extension, they regularly attend anti oil and anti fracking demos. Often seen in farmers markets and Waitrose. Driving style is sensible, law abiding and boring. Like them.