M'coli

I found this old beast in the middle of nowhere whilst walking in the Moffat hills.
 

MAP sensor replaced.
Perfect idling restored.
Result!

Bedford TK Tractor Unit with trailer 1979 (Running) | eBay

Bedford Tm 1978 | eBay

Home from pissing about in Galloway Forest.

 
Of course the front nearside brake has decided to start squeaking. That can wait until tomorrow.

Is there a proper thread for keeping an eye out for stolen gear?
The company that I've just started with had their trailer stolen from Brighouse on Sunday night. No doubt it will be in some miscreant's lockup getting the decals removed, but if not, it looks like this.

Is there a proper thread for keeping an eye out for stolen gear?
The company that I've just started with had their trailer stolen from Brighouse on Sunday night. No doubt it will be in some miscreant's lockup getting the decals removed, but if not, it looks like this.

Is there a proper thread for keeping an eye out for stolen gear?
The company that I've just started with had their trailer stolen from Brighouse on Sunday night. No doubt it will be in some miscreant's lockup getting the decals removed, but if not, it looks like this.

What a place.

Invercaimbe camp site

https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1558607

I've got custody of the ex- @BorniteIdentity Avensis SR while Miss SL and her BF are back at uni (slumming it in the LS400, poor old students). So it would be silly not to use it:

Fold-down rear seat made it ideal for collecting some lengths of timber and it was good fun scooting around between places getting DIY stuff to keep me busy over the weekend. The 2-litre still pulls very well and it's remarkable how tight it still feels after nearly 278k miles. The slight drop on the driver's door and manky, now wrapped/bodged steering wheel cover are the only immediate indications of the mileage it's done. Last year's charity rally stickers are still in place as large amounts of lacquer will come off with them if they're removed....
Also found a purple friend:

Consul (not Granada) in Purple Velvet, doesn't get much better than that does it? The lady said it belonged to her son, lucky chap.

Test lap of Dukes Pass completed.


Temperature gauge stayed rock solid in the centre. Heater is toasty AF now too. Coolant level did not drop (checked it several times).
The new speakers help the music I'm listening to not sound like it's being farted through a pair of Pringles cans from the other end of a room.
 
All I will say about the way this car drives is that the bolstered seats plus the overall handling provide so much confidence I achieved tyre squeal on some hairpins.
For something so silly to drive, it also manages to simply shut up and get on with it when I'm behaving myself. I've owned several cars that were great to drive hard, but horrible when pootling (Alfa 147 and Mazda MX-5 spring to mind). This just acts like an ordinary car until you change down a gear or two and boot it.
 
Overall; a good day. I'm going to have a drink now.

I found photos of the CUBE


It was there for at least a year. 

Wouldn't be any worse than Thérèse Coffey.  In any job.

Ah fuck🤣

Well not a lot has been happening the last few weeks, other than work. I’ve just not had time to progress my projects mess about with the cars unfortunately…
but today has been very exciting indeed, the Metro has been treated to some much needed love.
H&H have been around and replaced the hydragas system and it’s made a huge difference to the car, far beyond my expectations.

this was midway through the work.
when they arrived they checked suspensions travel and ride height. The only suspension travel we had up front was the flex in the tyres. The ride height was way down on where it should have been.
all four units have been replaced and the system pumped up to the correct ride height. Quick test drive, check the ride height and pump up to correct height again and the little beast is entirely transformed.
a recent before…

And now, look at that gap between the front wheel and arch 😮

 
can’t recommend these guys enough, great service and they really know there stuff!
These little cars have a surprisingly good ride when the suspension is working properly  doing anything at all!

Does anyone remember when cars used to make their own individual sounds? Now everything is just a rush of tyre noise unless it's fitted with a twatty, popping & banging exhaust that just scares my dog. When I was a lad you could tell what a car was from the noise it made. Morry thousands with their fart on the over run, minis & 1100's with the sump full of cogs are obvious ones, but then there's the transmission noise from a Viva or a Chevette, the induction roar of an MGB, the valve clatter of a Simca/Avenger/Chrysler Alpine. Volvo 200's had a very distinctive tubular sort of exhaust noise. Riley & Wolseley 1500's sounded like nothing else ever, but can anyone else remember the odd, 'whoa, whoa, whoa' as a Cortina 3/4/5 set off from a junction?

"Spirited motoring" is 1950s speak for GAUN LIT FUCK 

Bit of a mixed day on this today...
 
Went up to dig it out for a pootle. Started first turn of the key. Lovely.
Decided to go for a run up to a local wind farm for a walk..
Got within 2.5 miles of the wind farm and had significant fuel vaporization..
Turned it round and parked up to go for lunch/let it cool down.

Strategically parked facing down hill..
 
At lunch, I enquired of the waitress as to whether I could have a large square of tinfoil. Being as we were in South Lanarkshire, no questions were asked, and tinfoil was duly provided. I am still unsure as to whether she thought I had a heroin habit...
Alas, no such joy for me - just an initial attempt to get the fuel to stop vaporizing

As the Clio had shat all it's power steering fluid out, the Oxford was the only option to get home. 
Fuel added

The luxury of two filling caps never gets old!
Then it was off to the parents.

A rummage in the kitchen scared up more tinfoil

And I felt confident enough to shoot for home.
The run home was great - lots of toots and waves as we bimbled along, and the car ran well.
 
Just before getting home I took the chance to grab a picture I have had in my head since I got the car.


 
I left the car running during this and got a wee bit of vaporization on the last leg - I think I need to run the fuel line differently to minimize heat contact.
 that's another 35 miles done.
And FIN

NO.

extremely sexy diesel non PAS
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1998687423808973/

Picked that up with our HIAB truck at Lydden European Championship meet(early 90,s) after it had a huge crash and briefly caught fire.
Probably pics / footage somewhere on the interweb.

It's a very lazy trope, but the Dutch are mental.
 

Me stuck in 3rd gear, MX5 at 24 hours of Lemons in the America

Hopeless team. We won anyway.