Bazfr69

On 04/05/2024 at 08:48, HMC said:

 

Those wheels are lovely.

VW Cyclone Interceptors are very similar and I wouldn’t say no to them for my bug if I could find a set in 15”. 
 

1 hour ago, Tenmil Socket said:

I'm not a Beetle 'person' but that is lovely!

Thank you, it’s a good “ten footer”. 😄

6 minutes ago, Metal Guru said:

Can I ask what exactly constitutes a classic?

Anything over 25 years old broadly when it comes to things like insurance. Obviously people will have their own opinion of the words suitability depending on their own preferences/prejudices. 

14 hours ago, Pauly.22 said:

The big I don’t enjoy is. With my mk2 escort, I worry if I want to leave it anywhere. It won’t be there when I get back or someone bumped it one. So all I ever do is just go for a drive and that’s it. Never just go the shops etc in it. 

I appreciate this worry when it comes to Old Ford’s tbh, it’s well known how much they’ve been fetching over the last few years and is likely another reason most of them only appear at shows or gatherings over here. 
I have the least valuable era of Beetle though so I just use it as a motor. Shopping at the weekend, trip to the park etc as I bought it with a view to enjoying it and not displaying it. 
I know I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing this if I had something that was actually worth a lot of money but being precious about these things taints the opportunity to enjoy them as they were meant to be. 
 

I used to have a tatty AE86 years ago. Loved it and drove it everywhere, didn’t even have an immobiliser on it. Cost me £1900 and I sold it for a bit more than that after having the Superlites refurbed. 
Considering the price of them now I know I couldn’t possibly enjoy owning one without the associated worries spoiling the experience. 

8 hours ago, garellikatia said:

 

I also wonder whether I'd regret selling it due to the nostalgia and memories I have with it. This was my first car I bought through washing cars as a young 15 year old and I've had her ever since, with all the memories attached.

I'm also wondering whether generally it might be something more deep inside. Having a lot more daily stresses than I did back then! 

I've been toying with the idea of if I did sell the mini I could get a VW T25 camper. The kids are obsessed with us getting a camper just recently and it would be great to have something we could all use. 

 

In order…
 

You likely won’t know how much you’d miss it until it was gone.

My car helps me unwind but it certainly doesn’t make me forget serious stuff that’s bothering me so I’d definitely agree with that. 

Will you drive a T25 just for the joy of driving it or will it only be wheeled out for trips with the family?

I love a T3 and given the choice and cash I’d have a Synchro in the drive for the odd run to the beach or countryside, I’m not sure it’s the kind of thing I’d drive for pleasure in the way my bug is though. 
 

Sorry, ramble over. 😊

I’ve definitely become more risk averse as I’ve aged. I’ll freely admit it. 
I watched my dad go from a roaring bear of a man to a frail old fella dependent on help to do the most innocuous tasks in his last few years and I don’t want that to be me. Nor do I want my mrs to have to deal with it for me. 
 

I have a mate who’s the polar opposite. Almost 60, skis, snowboards and paraglides ffs. 
I admire him but I don’t want to emulate his behaviour. 😄

1 minute ago, Cavcraft said:

It's easy to say, but you have to try and not let that put you off. If you read the figures or thought too hard about it, you'd probably never get a bike. If people saw past that and rode one for a few weeks,  many would struggle to go back in their cars.

 

I think this is easier in your 20s than 40s & 50s. 
I've pulled a muscle getting off the sofa the wrong way, I’m acutely aware of how well/poorly I bounce now and recovery time involved in the slightest of things. 
 
I’m not frightened of getting old but I’m terrified of not being able to look after myself. 

9 minutes ago, SiC said:

Rivet counters/OE only are same thing just a different "scene"!

 

Not when it comes to certain forums ime. 
 

This place largely does not appreciate a modified car in the way RR would. 
When I hear ‘scene’ I immediately think of OEM pervs looking down their noses at the lowered etc. 

I feel the rivet counting is more the purview of the dreaded owners club  

I see what you mean though. 
 

23 minutes ago, Tommyboy12 said:

The car scene is a real problem in general at the moment. It's either an astra estate with a dpf delete and tacky lanyards stuck on or it's some bellends doing doughnuts in a carpark.

Otherwise, it's some high and mighty old duffer in his over polished chrome bumper MGB at a classic car show.

Shows like Shedfest and Rustival are a nice break from that but then you just get some clapped out old Fiesta instead 😅

I must admit that I really do not like the dirty diesel crew. It’s big over here especially among young blokes and I find the idea of a Bora or its ilk being an aspirational car for a young lad baffling. 
 

I’m a shitty car enthusiast myself in that case. 😄

We really do suck. 

1 hour ago, SiC said:

Car enthusiasts suck.

(Imo a "real" car enthusiast loves or finds all cars or vehicle transport interesting. There are not many true enthusiasts about that fit that definition.)

I'd love to ride motorbikes but I also love to keep my limbs still attached to my body.

"Sorry mate, I didn't see you"

The car enthusiast thing could just as easily be applied to non scene people. The OEM and rivet counter squad. 
 

I don’t like what some folks do to their motor but I can appreciate the fact that they love it all the same. 
 

I’m not a massive fan of large wheels or pan scraping but it doesn’t mean those folks aren’t car enthusiasts. 
 

I love cars and agree that there’s a lot of snobbery and indeed reverse snobbery out there. 

10 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

The talk on here about motorbikes/scooters/mopeds makes me think… 

Ive never actually ridden or even been a passenger on any form of 2 wheeled motorcycle! In over 20 years of having my license.    
I’m not sure I’d trust myself with one tbh, let alone all the other idiots people on the roads.

Anyone worried about the safety of their Classic has no business on a bike. 
Most of my circle who rode regularly have packed it in because of their perception of other road users. 
I’d love a Cub but it would only get used for shuffling me around my own relatively safe neighbourhood tbh. 

22 minutes ago, dave j said:

My Beetle is great fun driving around town or on country lanes but it's no fun on dual carriageways so it hasn't really been any great distance.  It's not that  comfortable over 60 as it's bloody loud! I'm even considering selling it as it doesn't really get used enough. If I am going any distance for a show I would be in the camper. For anything else my Octavia is such a good daily. 

I have to use carriageway and motorway to get to work when I use it for the commute and a lot of it is uphill. I’m always going faster than the R drivers which is too slow imo but I’ll admit the noise can be a bit wearing. No heat isn’t great either tbh. 😄

The ‘vulnerability’ aspect here is what school runners use to justify the purchase of huge SUV type vehicles.

I’m well aware what will happen to me in a crash, it helps to focus the mind as opposed to the disconnect in a modern. 😄

On 27/04/2024 at 20:25, Dyslexic Viking said:

Maybe it's time to try other classic cars and maybe switch to another one?

This might be a thing to try. I was mini through and through, thought I’d always have one in my life but truthfully I’m not sure if I’ll ever have another. 
I'm not sure if it’s the car or perhaps I’m just at a better age/place to appreciate the overall experience now.

i do know that at this age if I did have another mini I’d have to do something about the suspension, I was never a fan of it in normal driving. 
 

I follow a chap on instagram who runs a bagged mini, no idea if this improves ride quality but I’d love to try one out. 😄

8 hours ago, garellikatia said:

Yes possibly so, I have definitely become more aware of my sense of mortality since having children. Coupled with the lack of consideration by other road users. 

As the saying goes, “everything will kill you, might as well pick something fun.”

2 hours ago, HMC said:

Escort news.

Its never run right basically.  I was told it “likes a lot of choke” which basically meant its hard to start, bogs down, isnt happy idling and when it warms up it gets worse.

Turns out after i broke out my strobe light the ignition timing was so far out as to be unbelievable it would run. Anyway whilst messing with that i decided to fit an accuspark electonic ignition into the existing distributor and a new coil. Starts and goes even better now!

 

The accuspark that was on my beetle when I got it failed and I’ve heard of a few others who had issues with it. 
I replaced it with a Pertronix which has been excellent for the last year or so. 

19 minutes ago, Lankytim said:

It’s always been my argument that classic cars are on the whole completely shit, they’re generations behind the comfort, speed and safety of modern cars plus they’re ancient and suffer with the complications old age give. 
 

That said there’s much enjoyment to be had driving something old and accommodating it’s various foibles, the problem is as you get older you lose the appetite for fettling things every 10 minutes. 
 

I guess it’s all about perspective. 

Ime the more you drive it the less fettling it needs. 
 

That being said, my joy comes from using mine like a car.
I’ve been to one show in the three years I’ve owned it and I always get a bigger kick out of seeing an old car on the road being driven normally as opposed to displayed at an event. 

6 minutes ago, garellikatia said:

She looks absolutely gorgeous!! Fair play I wish I  could get lost in the sensations again. Do you drive her much? 

Thank you, the picture flatters a bit but it’s not in bad nick. 
 

I’m out all year round a couple of times a week apart from when they salt the roads. It’s basically used as our second car since our elderly RAV4 was scrapped although my mrs still won’t drive it. 😄

Probably 50-60 miles a week, bit more if I run it to work. 
 

I’m a former mini obsessive btw, I’ve had 5 since I started driving (first car ofc) but although the mini is a more involving drivers car I seem to have defected to beetle love now. 

Traffic volume and other drivers can be frustrating but driving this when I can is my version of antidepressants.

I very much appreciate our modern but I get lost in the process of driving and the sensations when I’m in it’s older sibling and the reaction from others when I’m out and about does my heart good. 

9 hours ago, bangernomics said:

Lovely

Remember spending much happy time in a brown storm.


 

Euphemism? 

The other half was driving a 4 door mk2 golf gti 8v when I met her and I was driving a 3 door 16v. It was obviously meant to be. 

I always thought the Scirocco could’ve done with powered steering after having a Mk2 16V. 
My experience with the Scirocco timeline was odd too. I had a late 80s fuel injected model and my next was an early 90s carb. 
I felt like I was going backwards in terms of tech. 
Great cars though and the Corrado should have carried the name on imo, especially as it looked like a modern Mk1. 

2 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Just seen this, a Ssangyong Torres

 

Looks like a Q2 via AI. 🧐

14 hours ago, HMC said:

Its being dropped off at the weekend.

I found a pic of when it first arrived on uk shores about a year or so ago.

So it turns out they added sporty tat to it after it arrived in the uk to emphasise the heritage / boy racer/ motorsport aspect that makes the 2dr models that bit more expensive… make it look a bit more like@egg ‘s old one in original guise….

 

Im unsure- keep the tat or go original? part of me likes the late 80s chav vibe as @Burnside mentioned

Keep the spoiler, bung on a set of slot mags and drive. 
I hardly ever see one of these on the road in NI, plenty at shows though. I think most of them live in carcoons over here only to be seen during peak bling season. 
 

Possibly the only thing over here more popular than the AE86. 

10 hours ago, Mrcento said:

I'm 'almost' with you on that one. It's just the face that lets it down. In particular, the headlight to grille ratio just doesn't work. Managed to make it look wide mouthed and beady eyed. It wasn't even like they got it that wrong. on late models with the outer edge of the grille body coloured and the badge central rather than chrome with it perched on the top edge, it almost manages to pull it off.

He did one excellent thing on Youtube, which was basically wheeler dealers without the trading. Taking over a semi abandoned project and getting it finished. Was meant to be a pilot, but 5 years ago now, clearly more effort to make than he wanted to put in/never got picked up in the way he wanted.

 

I did watch and enjoy this back when it came out but the subsequent videos have sorely missed a ‘Mike’  and it made me realise that the contrasting styles were really what made Wheeler Dealers work imo. 
 

That said, I haven’t watched it regularly for years, I get all of my car content from YouTube now.