Wibble

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145729841920?itmmeta=01HVQ0WHKNRJXJP6TKJ7D2D2RJ&hash=item21ee2ceb00:g:I7QAAOSwpzxmH8is

I think this is another re-list...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226097758068?itmmeta=01HVQ08ZC0JPW1V4HKCX1D39R8&hash=item34a479ff74:g:Im0AAOSwtrdmH7w9

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145730347987?itmmeta=01HVQ08ZC096XWME3DFRRES1CF&hash=item21ee34a3d3:g:KuYAAOSw1upmIBKQ

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/196350659722?itmmeta=01HVQ08ZC07XGY2QPX3K8CQQNN&hash=item2db7694c8a:g:2XQAAOSwtVBmH2rY

That's brilliant.  Tatty and honest - just the ticket.
I remember in 1999 I was 16 and me and my mate knew another guy who was a year older than us and he'd just passed his test.  Lovely guy - Christian family - and his NAN insisted that her car went to him.  Robert therefore had a brown Mk2 Escort on a V plate and everyone (other than me) felt sorry for him.  His contemporaries had Clios, Fiestas, the odd 205 and Novas - and he had to park his Mk2 Escort around the corner to avoid getting RINSED by his mates.  
Nowadays, he'd be everyone's hero.
Same with Cortinas.  Our caretaker had a brace of MK5 Cortinas and by 1999 I remember marvelling at them in the school playground thinking 'Fucking hell they look shit nowadays'.  They were both 17 years old, my daily is now 25.  
Crazy how things change so quickly.
Anyway, enough bumbling of the insane - well bought @HMC

Nothing wrong with nerdiness,  thanks for confirming as I forgot the English name for the colour. 
I know all the colours for Fords from 1981, that's even more nerdy 😂

It was rife in the 50s, apparently. I heard / learnt about it at school in the 60s/70s so it would have been current in the joke* writer's mind.

We replaced the simulator with a visit to the Imperial War Museum which is near Old Trafford.  That was really interesting, and free except for the parking.
Also, later met up with a handful of current and ex Shiters, including @Ghosty and @Junkman so a rather jolly evening ensued.

For anyone following this farce: my laptop went down (in a meeting) in Friday afternoon.  Saturday I was able to get it into my local repairer.  In the afternoon I got a phone call, come and get it... when I got there, I found they'd called the wrong customer.  Oh great.  So we went away as planned on Monday, having a couple of nights in Manchester for my birthday.  This morning I had an experience day booked, with a flight simulator.  But ten days ago I got an email: gone into liquidation, all bookings cancelled.
And now we're home, and I've picked up my messages etc.

Lost my job after a month, and only 2 days in the field, as I'm 'not a good fit'. I know there's more to it, I've done fuck all wrong and just been shit on so they could give an excuse to fire me.

Better get the Civic running, then.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126433061313?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=iT8bFsX0SP6&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=8AFYP6nlRMa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
more AI ad bollocks. surely a handsome machine like that deserves a seller who can be arsed to type a few lines on an ad

reliant robin spares or repair | eBay
Honestly think I'd rather see these things be scrapped than be 'Trottered'

Gets the approval of Cyril Sneer

Could this be the worst after marker front bumper ever fitted to a car?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256458707040?

Sorted. A folded up bit of paper on top of the battery to press it down more has worked 😂

I replaced the battery in my key a few weeks ago. Today the car would not recognise the key, it no longer locks/unlocks and I have to put the key in the ignition to start it (which sometimes does not work either) I'm also getting a message saying the key battery is low. So I replaced with the correct CR2032, Energiser brand with absolutely no difference at all. The key is stone dead with no green flashes when a button is pressed.
I checked the owners manual but couldn't see a key reset procedure. I'm very patient with old cars and expect problems but this one's frustrating as I can't really chance driving anywhere at the moment. I was in a garage that my relationship did not end well with (but my mum still wants to use them) and I could not get the car to start at all as nothing was happening even when turning the key in the ignition. Very embarrassing.
Hopefully I'll find a solution soon!

You beat me to it!

Indeed, I think the Mk 3 Cavalier, Carlton and Senator were Vauxhalls at their peak. All down hill since unfortunately, although @AnnoyingPentium’s Vectra should probably be allowed into this club too but only just🙂 as the Mondeo was better.

Just back from a little pub social, and had a great time.  I even remembered to hand out some business cards for once.  Tonight was made even better by one person mentioning their dad has two Princesses he's "getting around to one day", so I'll have to find out more about that.  Couple of other folks were facing a bit of a trek on foot in the cold to the taxi rank, so I gave them a lift and that seemed to be quite exciting for all concerned since I so rarely have passengers.
Princess is behaving suspiciously well, going to have to give it some attention this weekend to keep it sweet I think.  Just generally having a nice time, it's good to have a break from the stress and actually be making connections with new people.  Got to remember days like this when I'm feeling a bit stressed on other days, it's what'll see me through the bullshit.

Missing my Mum and Dad massively at the moment but have to go back up to their house next month to sort more stuff to get it up for sale.
Am I mad in thinking of taking the Senator? It has done the journey many times in the past but has only done 500 miles since it’s recommissioning. It’s the only car I have that both my parents have been in, so I’m probably being over sentimental. It won’t be my last visit to the house, as I’ll need to go with a van to take furniture. 
 
So, is it too risky to take the Senny, or how many of you are willing to help if it goes tits up on route?
I would, of course, post photos of the journeys progress🙂

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

My Dad had a brand new 1.3L 4 door in 1980 as his first company car, it was a huge improvement on his Viva which got passed on to my Mum. Seven years later my brother bought a 4 door Popular Plus as his first car. He got it resprayed, fitted a black vinyl roof and front and rear spoilers plus 4 spoke Capri Laser wheels, it looked great. He was stopped by the Police for speeding over a hump back bridge with all 4 wheels off the ground, when they stopped him they asked why he was speeding, he said he was late for an appointment. They then told  him that they had been watching him go back and fore the same stretch of road perfecting his jump.
A few years later I bought a 4 door 1.3 Linnet off my next door neighbour for £200 just to sell on, all three in our family were  4 doors in Venetian Red. 

My brother spotted this on the island today - the rare GSi 3000....it's a bloody 24v one too!

Brilliant, thanks! I’ve just run the plan past Mrs W and she’s ok with it. So operation Senator back to Scotland begins!

New exhaust manifold gasket arrived this afternoon.
Old and new.

Exhaust manifold to downpipe joint now has new gasket, washers and nuts.

Exhaust manifold went back on without any problems.

I refitted all the other bits and tried to start the engine. Nothing, the oil light came on, the ignition light was barely on, as were the dashboard lights (when I turned the lights on). The battery was dead.
I brought out my battery charger to join the party.

After 5 minutes on fast charge, the Pinto fired up.
Not sure what caused the battery to go completely flat. The battery survived the two month lay up whilst I was fiddling with the Sierra and everything performed just fine during last Sunday's outing. 
I let the engine idle for a few minutes. Once warmed up, I could hear a very (and I mean very) slight tick tick tick from the exhaust manifold / top of the downpipe. I'm sure all the nuts are nice and tight. Perhaps there is a small crack in the downpipe somewhere? I will tighten up the exhaust manifold nuts tomorrow.