BL Bloke

I really ought to do this more often but most of the time there's not much going on. Anyway, back in April the Rover went to Pride of Longbridge where it lined up with a lot of its siblings. At the end of May the 205 was the chod of choice for this year's first visit to the FoD, where it found itself next to the 205 of @barrett. The next day it was the Rover's turn. On the way down the offside front brake started making occasional grinding noises, more of which later. In July the 205 went to Shitefest. While driving down Llanberis Pass it clocked up 3000 miles since I bought it back in June 2019. Unfortunately I left the SD card for my camera in my laptop, which was at home, so no photos. Also unfortunately, while doing some tight manoeuvring in the dark and rain I backed into a low wall which broke some of the clips holding the rear valance to the bumper, leaving it hanging low at one end. I was able to strap it up with some string and some cable ties from @rml2345. Which takes us to today, when the Rover went in or its MOT. I knew it would fail on the brakes, which it did as the o/s front pads were down to the metal and the calliper may be seized, hopefully it'll just be the sliders sticking. It turns out it also needed some welding on the floor and the back of the n/s sill. It'll be going in next week to have the work done, then it'll be good for another year.

Good luck with the MOT.

I knew that the osf brake was dragging so I knew that would need seeing to. The garage have just rung to say that it has failed on the brakes plus there are a couple of spots that need the attention of the sparkly stick. 🙁 Considering that this is my first MOT failure since the Fiesta back in 2019 out of a fleet of four which receive virtually no maintenance I reckon I haven't done too badly. I'll be going to pick it up in a bit and find out how much it'll cost to get it sorted. 😟

Just dropped the Rover off for its MOT.

Well bought. I've always liked these and it's a great seventies colour too. 👍

The perfect antidote to modern monochrome motoring. 2002 Fiat Punto 1.2 3dr HATCHBACK Petrol Manual | eBay

Yesterday the 205 got a tankful of E5, a run through the car wash and the fluids and tyres checked. It's pouring down with rain here so it looks like I'll be having a fun* drive. 😒

Aircraft museum on Saturday - yes Breakfast on Sunday - yes please

Sounds good to me. 👍 I've been to the Aviation Museum before but not since the last millennium. I'll be bringing the 205 as it's the only member of the fleet that I haven't taken to Wales. As it's spent most of its life in Essex and London I think it's likely that it's never been to Wales before.

That looks a nice example. Well bought! 👍

It looks a lot better in green, nice job. 👍

I thought it might have been you when I passed northbound earlier this evening but hoped that it wasn't. I hope somebody turns up soon.

The 205 has come out of the garage for the first time since March ready for a run down to the FoD on Saturday. I did notice some oil on the floor when I got it out so it'll probably need a top up.

1) Sunny Jim - off site - Sunday Breakfast 2) Binhoker668 - Both nights camping - Sunday Breakfast3) HillmanImp - Both nights camping - Sunday Breakfast4) Ghosty - Both nights camping - Sunday Breakfast5) HorribleMercedes - Both nights camping - Sunday Breakfast6) Jim Bell - Off site - No breakfast7) MondeoBlues - Saturday night camping - Sunday Breakfast8 Catsinthewelder - Both nights camping - Sunday Breakfast (1 to 4)9) Aldo135 - Both nights camping - Sunday Breakfast x410) AnnoyingPentium - Both nights camping - Sunday Breakfast - TBC11) Brownnova: both nights camping plus square breakfastage12) Captain_70s - Both nights camping, Sunday breakfast13) cms206 - two nights camping, all of the food14) julaars - two people, two nights, all of the food15) Talbot - all of the everything16) DaveQ + 2 Davelets - two nights camping17) Back_For_More + Boy - two nights, all of the food18) Flat4 - two arriving for Sunday breakfast19) EightMegs - Two nights, Sunday Breakfast20) davidfowler2000 - Friday night and Saturday night in the trailer. Friday scran. Saturday scran. Sunday breakfast scran. ALL THE SCRAN. Saturday breakfast provided by SVM Catering as usual. ***Limited supplies***.21) Hairnet - "Mibbe"22) 83C - day visitor one day - TBC23) mat_the_cat - both nights camping, no food24) Six-cylinder – Both nights in Cottage – Scottish breakfast Saturday – Sunday breakfast25) wuvvum - both nights in cottage, 2x breakfast 26) BL Bloke - both nights in cottage - Scottish breakfast Saturday (supplies permitting) – Sunday breakfast

That's fine with me too. 👍

I'd be interested in a room too if there's one available.

As it's been 8 months since the last post I reckon it's time for a fleet update. Going in age order first is the 205, which did 811 miles last year, finishing 2022 on a total mileage of 46056. Most of the winter it was tucked away in the garage. It went for it's MOT at the beginning of March, which it passed with a few advisories but I was told that it's running rich and needs to be sorted for next year or it would fail on emissions. While it was out I took it for a run out in the country. With the Saxo going in or it's MOT just over a week later it was back up to the garage to swap them back over. As they aren't seen together too often I took the opportunity to get a picture of them together. 🙂 Which takes us on to the Saxo, which did a meagre 548 miles last year, taking it's total mileage to 61206, the highest on the fleet. During the cold weather during February it did suffer from a sticking rear brake, which I managed to free off. It went for its MOT just over a week ago and passed wit a few advisories. The alternator belt still squeals a bit on start up and the heater controls still don't work but apart rom that it's running fine. #NotMyCat Next is the Rover 45, which did 960 miles last year, taking it to 34978 total to the end of 2022. It passed its MOT in August last year with the usual advisories and since then has done limited miles due to the battery still going flat if it isn't used or a few days. It has done enough miles for this to happen though. 🙂 I'm still in two mind over whether to sell it or not but I've renewed my owner's club membership so it'll probably be around for a while yet. Finally, and making its first appearance here since its 10th birthday in January is my Skoda Fabia, which I've owned since September 2015. It's a 1.2 with 70 bhp but that's still enough to get to over 70 on the motorway if you aren't careful. Last year it did 2364 miles, taking it up to 35856 total up to the end of last year. It passed its MOT at the beginning of February with a few advisories but before then this happened in mid January when I went to a model show in Bolton . As you can tell I don't do a lot of miles and definitely not enough for four cars so one or two of them might be looking for a new home later in the year.

I've got some somewhere. It might take a while as it was around 20 to 25 year ago when I owned them. When I find them I'll post them on the Maxi thread.

I was only thinking about this a couple of weeks ago so it's a yes from me. 🙂

Good to see that the 404 started and was able to drive up and down the field. 🙂 I can come down in the week after Christmas, not sure how much use I'd be though. If you still need wood for the shelving in the container I can bring some down with me.

I picked up this 9 pack in Sainsbury's yesterday for £8.00. Nice to find one with a majority of real cars instead of the fantasy castings.

On the car park at Sainsbury's in Oldbury, F reg Nissan Sunny hatch, R reg Toyota Corolla 5 door and something I hadn't seen for ages, an H reg Ford Granada GL 4 door saloon. The Sunny and Corolla are regulars but the Granada was a pleasant surprise and in very nice condition too.

After three and a quarter years I decided it was time to get the tracking done on the 205 so I took it to the local tyre place to get it sorted. While I was there I had a few people asking me about it and the usual 'I haven't seen one of those for ages' comments. It feels a lot better now that it's been done. I also bought an oil filter for the Saxo on the off chance that I might give it an oil change.

I won't be able to make it to the FOD this weekend as I'm going away which is a bit of a shame as I do have some wood in the garage that would be useful for the shelving that you're after.