Blake's Den

A quick A/C update......it is still working! Went out for a drive earlier and my in car vent thermometer was showing a blower outlet temp of about 5 deg C (ambinet is 21 deg C here today). I could feel the noticeably cold air blowing on my face and arms so I'm going to call that a win. It isn't perfect though. The A/C feel a bit week. To the point that if you put the blower on max then the outlet temperature actually goes up from about 5 deg to 9 deg. I've got three hypotheses as to why this is: The A/C system was crap to begin with. The refrigerant level could do with a top up. The condensor is bad. With engine revs and some road speed it does get cooler. I'm guessing that this is due to greater airflow through the condensor and the compressor running at a faster rpm. I'm going to leave it as is for now, I might try giving it some more gas in spring next year. But for now it looks like the sealant has done it job. Just needs a re-gas m8!

Hi @LightBulbFun I was watching Ed China's latest video and there appears to be some form of amphibious invalid carriage which makes a very brief appearance. About 1m 44s and it's only on screen very briefly. Thought that you'd find it interesting and can probably ID it and know it's full history 🙂

Another quick update. I've been struggling to find the time and motivation to finish the bodywork. There isn't much left to do other than cleaning and painting the boot floor and welding on the valance. Anyway, I decided to start working of refurbishing some of the mechanical parts so that I can get the subframe ready to bolt back on once the floor is done. The rear hubs needed a going over as the wheel bearings were very grumbly. I was expecting to find taper roller bearings but instead found plan (ball) bearings. I don't think that you can even buy these any more for a Mini so they must have some age to them. Also, all of the grease had solidifed and was looking quite grim. I cleaned and painted the hubs and put in new taper roller bearings. I was quite satisfied with the results, it is nice to start dealing with some of the mechanical issues.

I found a Halfords 15/16 half in drive socket in the 'four foot' (between the rails) on part of the Manchester Metrolink network many years ago. Probably left my a maintenance team when working in the dark. For the avoidance of doubt I was there for a legitimate reason!

Out of interest, what is Betty rated to tow? I fell into an internet wormhole the other day looking at towing weights for JDM cars. It turns out that most JDM cars are not certified for towing, the VIN states only a GVW and no GTW. Yet people do tow with their Bongos, Elgrands, Pajeros etc without a problem. It's an odd one! I know that Betty isn't JDM, I was wondering if there is a similar problem with non European vehicles.

Both caps were present and correct. However after regarding one is now temporarily geographically misplaced.... I did check the valve stem on the low side. I did actually notice it bubbling a bit so I quickly tapped the stem which seemed to re-seat it. I then sprayed some WD-40 (closest thing to hand) on it and there were no bubbles forming. I'm happy to write it off as a bad job for now. Although I'm not sure how you managed your drive back from Scotland with no a/c!

I decided, given the current weather, to have a go getting the air con working. I decided to take the approach of "it just needs a regas m8" with mixed success! Long story short - it works but the gas is leaking from somewhere that I can't see. I've added sealant and dye but I still can't see where the gas is escaping from. For those who don't know, the car sat unused for 7 years so I suspect that every O ring is perished. Mechanically it all seems to work. Guess I'll have to go back to driving around with the windows down and the sun roof open. As I've started commuting again after 2+ years I was hoping that this would be an easy fix but actually I think its probably at the stage of a un-ecconomic repair. As everything else works fine (except for an intermitent digital clock) I'll keep on driving and enjoying it until I get bored. Obligatory video:

Best Father Ted quote ever!

I always thought (rightly or wrongly) that the needle position was all about aesthetics. So motorway crusing speed was with the needle going vertically and the top speed dictated by the symmetry of the 0 mph. Plenty of exceptions to this from my experience! Vauxhall cavalier (and many other 90s Vauxhall's) have an asymmetric arc Alfa 156 has zero at the 6 o'clock position (with 30 and 70 obscured by the steering wheel!) Worst one I have ever seen was on a MK2 zafaria, I hate those with a passion after having some terrible ones as hire cars. 30 mph and 70mph are both smaller that all the other speeds. So the two speeds that you would use the most are the hardest to see. Slow clap Vauxhall and Opel!

Hey @LightBulbFun, this popped on on a mini page that I follow and I thought of you 🤣 It's from an 848cc auto mini from the mid 70's. I know that your flavour of cars have three wheels but it might interest you.

They wanted to call it the InvaShrew!

Interesting article about the Turner Ranger and also the Elswick Envoy in the August 2022 edition of Classic Tractor. The article is a chat with Tony Turner formerly of Turner Engineering Ltd. I've learnt some things that I didn't know! What's the Elswick Envoy connection? Elswick Group took over Turner Engineering Ltd and built the Envoys in the same factory as where the Rangers were built.

I do like the scamp, it looks like an early one to me. Might be worth posting on the "Shoes us your mini or mini based kit car" Facebook group. Edit - actually looks like a mark 3 scamp

Commer TS3 truck, 2 stroke supercharged opposed piston! Phwoah!

Very useful, I shall give it a read then report back 🙂

Not much action on the Defender lately mainly because it is working and I have been too busy to use it! But one thing I have started with is running on vegetable oil. I was lucky enough to get 20 litres for £23.00 from farm foods which equates to £1.25 a litre. Not cheap but still a massive saving over DERV. I've noticed no difference in performance (if that is the right expression for a Defender), no rough running, no problems starting and no excess smoke. Also, it now smells like a chip shop which is both good and bad! I'm now at a 50/50 veg oil to diesel mix. That should be fine for the summer and I've got a spare fuel filter should it all go wrong. The next fill will need to be diesel, hopefully the prices are more sensible by the time that comes around. Here is the video for your viewing pleasure:

I got 2x Rover Mini MPI ECUs, 2x Lucas 5as immobiliser units and two key fobs for £40 off eBay. A used ECU normally sells for £250! I think that the £40 was a buy it now price too. And they work!

Tyne Bridge 14th May 1977. Some good chod and a bonus Leyland National

Small world! I've done a bit of a Google image search to see if I could see the ranger lurking in the background but alas no look as of yet.

I found a better photo whilst looking for something completely different. The company was Aiton in Derby, looks like they were a pipe manufacturer.

I wish! I do often joke that I have a Bond 'car'.

Sorry for the slow response. This is a pic I got off the previous owner in its works livery. I would get a better picture of the door but it's right at the back of a shed! I'll need to dig it out again and check the company name on the door. The logo is quite distinctive.

Close! Two of them appear in the Spy Who Loved Me. They are seen on the 'dock' where the submarines are stored in the villains big ship (spolier alert!) Its on the Internet Movie Car Database here https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_194843-Ferguson-Turner-Ranger.html

Another quick post from me. I've been sent these photos of the prototype Ranger Four which is currently undergoing restoration. It was on display at the Tractor World show at Malvern the other day. For all of you A-series nerds out there - it is a code 99H engine which means it is a 998cc rather than the 1098cc which is fitted to mine 🤓

I had a 1997 Renault Mégane 1.6e RT sport which suffered from catastrophic electrical failure. It would just completely die when driving along. Traced the fault to the fuse box which must have had a dry joint somewhere on the circuit board but not visible. Looked at changing the fusebox and found that it was coded to the immobiliser. Why? French. I realised that if I slightly bent the circuit board it seemed to work ok. So off to Wilko for a large spring clamp, put that on the circuit board case, drove to the garage and traded it in for a fiesta! I always fully empty my car's when they go but in this case I decided that the dealer could keep the clamp! The Mégane is long since gone to the big scrapyard in the sky.