davehedgehog31

I've been helping a mate prep this hunk-a-love for auction.

What a magnificent beast, 1974 Opel Commodore 2.8 GS that was registered new in Bury St Edmunds and spent all its life in the area, straight six with two twin choke carbs and a stainless exhaust it sounds amazing and goes like the clappers!

We've been through it fixing a few small faults and mostly cleaning and polishing it and it now looks stunning. I've got the option of buying it but it's a bit big and juicy for me realistically.




His Horizon is probably of interest also, that's going to auction too so I gave it a quick wash and hoover, it's a 1500 automatic with power steering and only 33000 miles, it's not my bag if I'm honest but it's a nice enough old thing.

Clio weirdness continues.
The actually expensive idle control valve arrived today.
It works! I start it from stone cold, it sits at 1,100rpm. Warms up and drops to 750rpm, and the revs even adjust to compensate for a load like turning the steering. Good stuff!
However... it runs lumpy AF when utilising the idle circuit. Like a vacuum leak.
It still goes like hell at anything above roughly 5% throttle once it's definitely off the idle circuit.
 
French cars, man. Wee bastards.
 
Oh and yes, I spent a good few minutes spraying highly volatile aerosols at all the places I suspected a vacuum leak and the revs didn't rise.
 
 
BMW is officially on SORN now, too. Goodnight sweet prince, see you in Spring (except for when I do stuff like the front suspension and free up some indoor storage and move it).

Well then.
On Friday I finished my move back north. I now live on the family farm roughly 30 miles NW of Aberdeen.
The BMW is insured until midnight, and MOT'd until mid-October. It shall be getting SORNed tomorrow, and work on replacing the front struts and rebuilding the handbrake will commence sometime between now and Spring.
 
The Clio... I had essentially set the idle quite roughly myself, but in the colder weather it's trying to compensate by adding more fuel thus it's idling way too high again. I plugged an OBD reader into it yesterday and got a code for the idle air control valve...!
I put the old Magnetti Marelli one back in. No code but it runs like a bag of shit. The valve itself looks like an archaeological find though.
I've ordered a replacement Magnetti Marelli one for actual money rather than the cheapy £10-20 ones that seem to be DOA.
 
 
My head is in a better place though. Yesterday I looked at some areas where trees have been cut down. Today I looked at some vintage tractors with a friend, drank coffee, then came back here and helped dig a trench to run a water line to a trough. Plenty to keep me busy here, but I'll be on the hunt for part time work soon enough.

Is that a Chrysler Fifth Avenue? Spectacular. 

That looks quite good is it a diesel?

Wow. It's good, but it's not right.
Have a pez shot.

@loserone's suggesting that's a BIG SKODA - I'm kind of hoping it's actually a red herring and the Pug is the intended purchase? 

However applying science:
Taking the average radius of a 700C cycle wheel (red), factoring in the extra height of the towbar from the ground (green), and the diameter of the dead tyre in the background (blue).
It's either an Austrian built UniMog with aftermarket air suspension that's got a leak or - the BIG SKODA.

Collection transport ready.

No pics of me in my lycra you'll be glad to hear. ETA 60-90 minutes depending on how quick my lardy ass can go

With my fleet imploding lately it's time to buy something sensible*
Collection is today
Poo count 1
Coffee - not pictured but strong. May have contributed to the above
Breakfast currently being consumed 

Guesses on are welcome( on the vehicle, not breakfast)
It's safe to say after recent experiences it's NOT fucking German. It was however made in a country that shares a border with it. 

Think this is the same lump. Love the bit where they ask the old boy about diesel emissions. 

Seeing that next to the other modern shite makes you realise how bloated cars have become.

Not bad for me at all. It was sold to me at a very competitive price point with my eyes fully open that it was likely an end of life vehicle. 
I actually enjoyed owning it for a week or two.
Timing worked out well for it to help WV02VEG live on. 

With the Insight being my reliable daily transport for getting to and from the place I get paid to be at I thought it wise to have a back up plan other than the Diesel Civic so this was dug out and driven somewhere

It has done huge* mileage since last year's pass.

Good enough for me.

Not bad for me at all. It was sold to me at a very competitive price point with my eyes fully open that it was likely an end of life vehicle. 
I actually enjoyed owning it for a week or two.
Timing worked out well for it to help WV02VEG live on. 

I'm enjoying* my new Mercedes.
Got sent these earlier:

That's the back of the fog light. There's supposed to be most of a car in-between it and the camera .

I'm sure the inner wing is supposed to be joined to the front part of the car.
Thankfully it's with Gingernutzz as we speak and whilst I'm picking my arse up off the floor after seeing these pictures he is battering on with making up repair panels. The outer wing is also shot but will be bolted up using the remaining good part while I try to find a better one in colour.
It's a shame because apart from the outer wing it looks really good from up top. Not even a parking ding that I can see.

I am still very much morbidly interested in it if I dont have REV back by the time your done with it, would you be interested in a direct sale?  
(although saying that I have no idea where you/it is based now?, its probably in the outer Hebrides now knowing my luck LOL)

I won't have a bad word said about Spoons. Outrageously cheap pints , exquisite microwave cookery and a baffling ordeal to the bogs in every single one.
Horse it into me Tim 

What have you started?

British trains, Eddie. 

How about a Sunwide 

And a Mazzini - upside-down of course

A what now?