TrabbieRonnie

We must have the same colour combo I think... I think it's called Aqua Blue Pearl, and the inside is Platinum. Looks cream in most lights but actually grey... Also, when I scan the car using VCDS it causes the fault and alarms to go off, it does disappear when I close that controller though. Maybe the 'turn it off again bit' is missing on your scanner? If you're ever anywhere near Moray let me know if you want a go with it 👍

If you get stuck with a dead key battery, there's a keyhole hidden under the driver's door handle. You can open it then, but the alarm will go off unless and until you get the key in the ignition. You may know this... Please ignore if so! Great thread, how have I missed it? EDIT... Just saw your FB post, so it's not sounding like a battery problem. They do seem knowledgeable on there though, hope you get it sorted 🤞

Your rear panel is nothing to be ashamed of, check out Rosie's neglected rear end! I have the paint though, it's on the list!

Thank you for the offer Zel, sharing postage costs might be a good idea... I'll have a check of which carb I've actually got, I used to know but it's gone. I changed my gear oil a few weeks back as it started leaking from the shaft seals, and there's no way to know how much had gone without taking it out anyway. It hadn't lost much, but with fresh stuff in the leakage stopped immediately, and smoother (relatively) quieter operation has resulted here too.

I feel your pain with the carb, I'm considering a service kit for mine. I'm pretty sure my idle circuit isn't working, have it idling well, but reliant on the throttle cable adjustment (which is cheating!). I've never experienced bogging in the Trabbi, did once have hot start issues, which was crud in the float bowl. A long cranking time followed by an explosive (read gunshot!) start up was quite fun... unless at a petrol station.

As I am on late shift and rather under-employed at this hour, I have amused myself by plugging my fleet details into Scotland's ULEZ checker... Results of my surprisingly low emission friendly shite below.... '06 Iveco Daily (2.3 diesel)... Not Allowed. '93 Audi Coupe (2.6 petrol)... Not Allowed. '92 Mazda 323 (1.3 petrol)... Allowed! '03 Audi A8 (3.7 petrol)... Allowed! '93 Toyota Hilux Surf (2.4 diesel)... Allowed! '04 Mazda RX8 (Wankel, 20mpg-ish)... Allowed! '93 Toyota Hiace (2.8 diesel)... Allowed! And last but certainly not least, famous for it's exceptional emissions... '89 Sachensring Trabant (0.6 petrol/oil)... ALLOWED! 😂

Fantastic, glad you're enjoying it... I am jealous of your 44mpg's!

Yes, it's odd. I can only assume damage was caused at some point... the other side is perfect! Anyway, more to the point... how are you enjoying wafting around in the A8?

SIGNIFICANT ESCALATION OF WORKS ALERT!!! Shouldn't be surprised by now, these 30 year old motors are never straightforward! Whilst stripping out the strut for spring/top mount replacement, I found a bit of rust... Vigorous poking and prodding revealed the full extent... It's a weird place for it. Seems like the water running down the wing top gets to this point, gets stopped by the wing bolt, and then runs down the seam. Maybe a brake fluid spill in the distant past or something compromised the paint. Anyway, the cereal box came out, and a patch template has been formed... It's a bit of a compound curve job, but should be do-able with a bit of tacking and whacking. I'm in work later on, so can't be arsed getting the grinder and welder out today, but weather permitting, will do so tomorrow. Old cars, who'd have 'em?!

I don't think anyone's forgotten that at all, it's just a yardstick we can use for what a given car/engine combo can do comfortably. I do remember my Dad putting a 1600 in our 1300 Escort estate and the thing bloody flying afterwards... same thing when he put the 2 litre lump in our 1600cc Sierra. Weight though, that's the killer for our more modern motors.

Our A8 was by far the most powerful car we'd ever had, and I would say it has the perfect balance of torque and willingness to rev. It's a 3.7 petrol V8, and there's just something very satisfying about the way it accelerates even from A-road speeds. I make it 155 bhp/tonne, but it's more about the wide power band you get with a big petrol lump. I'm lucky enough to never have to drive in town, and generally am only ever over-taking lorries and tractors. The refined nature of the beast means that all this speed happens without discernable effort too, with only the fuel consumption to remind you... I say 'was' by far the most powerful, because I recently got an RX8, with (apparently) 231 bhp. As far as I can make out, that gives 165bhp/tonne, but in a totally different manner! The beep comes on at 9500 rpm to remind you it may be time to change up, below 6000 it's not very quick at all. Between those magic numbers though, what a car. Although the soundtrack is manic, the way the car goes is very fluid and smooth. I do wonder if it's as fast at the top end as the big Audi though... The venerable Trabbi comes in at 46bhp/tonne, but can corner flat-out and surprised a few cars at our last road rally. Hills however... they are the enemy and require planning! ...that Mini was not taken by surprise by the mighty Trab btw! The noise it made as it tore past us was glorious. So yeah, 155/tonne is my perfect amount. As long as you work fairly locally, not in town, not in traffic, and like an ever-changing and festive array of dashboard lights 😄.

Well, I feel it's a bit boring writing about the same cars all the time, but the fleet seems to have stabilised at its current membership so I have no choice! The Audi Coupe had its turn up on the new tilty-ramps today, to let me at the broken front spring. It lifted the pretty nose-heavy old thing no bother... with the front end pointing skyward, the rear wheels are touching the deck, but only just. I stuck an axle stand under the subframe just in case she wanted to play see-saw. The offside spring was broken at the top, meaning the coil had jumped up past the shock cap and was hard against the inner wing. This meant I'd have to compress it before pulling the strut out... This seemed like quite a faff, so instead I cut the spring up with the angry grinder... much easier! I really should look into getting the proper tool for undoing strut top nuts... That's my brand new 22mm socket getting abused already. I cleaned everything up, wire-brushing and treating the strut to some Fertan (German Vactan), it's marinating now under the bonnet... It takes longer to go off than the Vactan, eventually turning black. It's the favourite amongst boaty types apparently, and I couldn't see Vactan on eBay any more? I'll give it a coat of chassis paint before reassembling with the new spring. I'm waiting, however, for more new bits as unbeknownst to me the nearside strut top rubber has left the building! I'll replace the pair, it didn't seem to have any impact on the driving, but was just floating about as soon as the weight came off it. I'm on lates tomorrow and Sunday, so might get the other side dismantled if I'm energetic in the mornings (unlikely...). Anyway, at the other end of the driveway, good progress was made by my youngest on the old Jeep. It has been wire-brushed, treated, and painted and/or oiled up as required, in the front offside wheel-well anyway. He's replaced the track rod, and upper and lower ball joints, which should tighten up the steering a wee bit. He'll finish up tomorrow, re-install the damper and split-pin everything up. The brakes are in a shocking mess, they're not even old, 'Kavo' branded and truly shite. Roughtrax now stock genuine Toyota though, so a new set of discs and pads are en route. The plan is to do the same on the other side, and then get her down off the truck, for fitment of all the 'new' doors and wings. That should see her good for another few years I reckon, mainly carrying mountain bikes up into the hills.

Godspeed, those BM's have just got better and better looking to my eyes... My pal occasionally tries to talk me into a red convertible 328 (orange indicators(!)), I find it increasingly hard to resist!

Nae bother 💪

They really are great wee things, good fun and easy/cheap to keep. I too am maxed out for space now, I see loads of stuff I'd love to own, but can't bear to part with anything I've got!